“Try not to call me today unless someone’s bleeding,” he said, adjusting his tie. “This meeting is important.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, honey.”

After dropping the children at preschool and daycare, I drove directly to his office building.

My best friend, Nina, worked there as an executive assistant. She met me in the lobby.

“Well, look who’s here!” she said, hugging me. “Shouldn’t you be home preparing a victory dinner for your future director?”

“Apparently, I’m supposed to cook something special.”

Nina snorted.

“Of course you are. Come on. His meeting starts in fifteen minutes.”

We took the elevator upstairs.

The conference room had glass walls. From the hallway, we could see Margaret, Elias’s fifty-four-year-old boss, arranging documents on the table.

“Perfect view,” I whispered.

“Not really,” Nina replied. “The glass is soundproof. We’d be watching a silent movie.”

“That’s disappointing.”

Suddenly, Nina snapped her fingers.