By the time he’s on a red-eye home Sunday night, I almost feel like he took me on the whole vacation with him.
I avoid Alex until Wednesday on principle. Just because he’s back doesn’t mean I need to see him, and he’s busy anyway, judging by the radio silence the minute he got back to the city. But as the all-hands meeting creeps up, the minutes slipping closer and closer to 2:30, I start to fidget restlessly, smooth out the pleats of my Rent the Runway maxi skirt. Ruffle my hair. Ask Fari for a piece of gum.
“Oh, right. It’s Wednesday,” she says, handing it over the wall between our cubicles with a smirk.
At 2:27, I gather my belongings and stand up.
“Casey?” I step around the wall to see Fari wringing her hands.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Have you talked to Tracy lately?”
I freeze.What does Fari know?
“Not for a couple weeks,” I get out. “Why?”
Fari bites her lip. “Remember that business proposal I created that Don sent to her? She never scheduled time with me to workshop it like she said. My first performance review is next week, and I wanted to mention it because… because when I accepted this job, I thought the bonuses were part of our regular pay, and since they’re clearly not, I really need a raise.”
My heart stretches outside my chest and gets tangled there, out in the open. Maybe that’s why Alex is always saying it’s pinned to my sleeve. “What did Benny say?” I ask softly.
“He said Tracy hasn’t asked him to schedule anything.”
“She didn’t forget,” I promise, with no real confidence. “She wouldn’t have. She’s probably just”—I wince—“busy, or stressed about… something.”
Fari nods. “Yeah. The other day, I saw that the purple dip on one fingernail was missing.”
“Oh my God,” I whisper. “Tracy Garcia came to work without a flawless manicure?”This is even worse than my most fatalistic nightmares.
“It was unnerving,” Fari says, and shudders.
“If I see her, I’ll try to bring up your proposal without actually bringing it up. And about the bonus, I know it probably won’t cut it, but they usually give something out over the holidays whether we hit our targets or not.”
Fari nods and exhales. “Hopefully enough to reimburse myself for my surprise flight home for Thanksgiving.”
Oh,fuck.I forgot to book my flight!
Also—“Oh, fuck, I’m late!”
“Sorry!” Fari shouts at me as I dash toward the elevator. My fingers fly over my phone screen, typing out a message to Dad and Jerry:booking my flight home for thxgiving TODAY!
Dad’s response comes right as I’m stepping through the elevator doors: NO CASEY DON’T! We decided to come to you instead!
Oh…
Oh my God. Marty Maitland and Jerry Abrams loose in New York City.
For the first time ever.
What???I reply.
Sorry, we meant to tell you, but we must have forgotten.(At least that makes two of us.)You can come to Nashville for Christmas instead!
Don’s hand slips through the elevator doors right as they start to close. “Joining you for the all-hands today,” he mutters, stepping inside. “Gus says there’s big news.”
“Big news?” I repeat. “From the conference, maybe?”
“No clue.” Don shrugs. “But if he’s being hyperbolic, I’m going to throttle him. I haven’t eaten lunch in four days.”
