Page 116 of Kaine

Chapter Forty-Two

HER

The main hall of thelibrary is starting to fill with guests. There are already about 30 or 40 ASH Industries employees here who worked on the new product, including Amy, a cute and savvy PR executive who I have been liaising with in order to get the launch organized.

The choice of the library for the launch turns out to be inspired. The inside of the library is so grandiose with its high ceiling and carved wooden stacks. It lends a gravitas to the event that I’m so proud of. It’s a melding of the old and new; using the new FireFree technology to keep an old institution like the library safe is poetic symbolism. The décor Amy has added is simple but complements both the product and the library itself. The way she’s hung the banners and set up the product displays doesn’t take away from the library; instead, it just looks like an incredibly classy showroom.

The long trestle tables have now been laid out with light refreshments and drinks, and everyone’s buzzing with anticipation, whispering about what to expect. More guests are starting to file in, and Harriet and Harold watch from their closed office doors with fascination.

“You can come into the hall you know. You’ve been invited,” I tell them from the other side of the glass. They just shake their heads and wave their hands, telling me to stop obstructing their view.

I scoff and wander off to find Amy, to make sure there’s nothing else she needs.

I check my watch.

12:09 p.m. Kaine should be here soon.