Second Chances

A Whole New World

Seated at a polished oak table with George and the tech team, Maddy gazed through the glass walls of the conference room, out to the wide-open workplace. Strings of colored lights hung from the ceiling and wrapped floor lamps, transforming them into modern sculptural Christmas trees.

Young techies wearing earbuds and makeshift Santa hats sat cross-legged on colorful velour couches, laptops open, fingers blazing away at their keyboards. The environment bore no resemblance to any workspace Maddy had ever seen. Kendall Pitman would strongly disapprove of the profusion of sweatpants, hoodies, t-shirts, sneakers, jeans, and shorts.

In the conference room, the team manager, Jiang, wrapped up the meeting. "Harnessing available digital technologies to Davenport's legacy assets is challenging. But let me assure you, we are making progress. I'm glad we have you, Ms. Taylor, on the user interface side."

"Digital integration," Maddy replied, packing up her laptop. "That's what I do."

"So, we'll see you in a few weeks." George pushed his chair back. "We'll see ourselves out." He followed Maddy out of the conference room, past a pool table to the elevators.

Given the fact that she had contributed absolutely nothing to the meeting, Maddy was convinced that the only reason George brought her along was that he preferred not to travel alone.

The elevator door opened inviting them into the car. "So?" George said, pressing the Lobby button. "What language were they speaking in there?"

"I think it was C++," Maddy replied. "I warned you. Ninety percent of what the tech team said went way over my head."

"You could have fooled me."

"I got my Masters in nodding and smiling." They rode the elevator to the ground floor.

Crossing the lobby toward the front door, George said, "You feel like doing a little more sightseeing?"

"I think I can squeeze that into my busy schedule."

"Awesome." He called an Uber. "How are you at climbing stairs?"

"Been doing it since I was a toddler."

"I'm talking about a lot of stairs."

"Define a lot."

"About four hundred to get to Coit Tower."

"But what about your knee injury?"

"You're not going to use a flimsy excuse like that to get out of stair climbing, are you?"

There was no way Maddy was backing down from this challenge. The daily workout regimen on her apartment building's grueling eight flights of stairs had prepared her for this event.

"400 stairs," she said with conviction. "Bring 'em on!"

As the compact Uber stopped at the curb, she enjoyed a self-congratulatory grin. "Sensible shoes," she thought. "I was right! I was right! I was right!"

They squeezed into the back seat, his thigh pressed right up against hers. "If you're uncomfortable sitting this close," he said.

"Fine with me." She smiled, hoping he didn't feel her trembling against his firm leg. In close proximity inside the small car, she inhaled his scent. Self-conscious and fearful that he might detect her arousal, she turned away, looking out the window, enjoying the contact of his body. Suddenly, his chin was on her shoulder, his face nearly brushing hers.

He tapped on the window. "See that? That's the Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum." He laughed. "Maybe you've heard of it."

She cleared her throat. "Guess I live a sheltered life."