Clear

Clear: Chapter 5

Chapter 5: It's All About the Risk

Friday

Twenty minutes into an 8:30 AM meeting, I hadn't been paying close attention. The system developers ran a demo of the latest version of "Best Trader Beta", and I was present to share my spreadsheet of usability testing bugs. Honestly, I wasn't present, time traveling back into yesterday to replay the evening.

"So there was a remark about the icons," DeShawn said, pulling me from my glazed-over stare at my computer screen.

"Yeah, um... I didn't find them intuitive. Also, there are icons with text and some without. We laud the former as the best for users, but there doesn't appear to be any intention behind when we have text and when we don't."

The silence forced me to look around the room. Shit.

Chris raised his brows, while Willoughby continued to type on his laptop. I caught the pensive look on Mr. Leoné's face, but, thankfully it was on the mounted TV and not me.

DeShawn expressed surprise with enlarged eyes. "That makes sense. I mean, we pulled those images from a thirteen-year-old project."

Mr. Leoné didn't bother to look at me when he scratched his brow and asked indifferently, "So what do you suggest we do?"

"Either you find globally understood symbols that, or if you have a preference of using what you have now... update them to fit the look and feel of the product and keep the text." I answered with a shrug. "Then again, it depends on your end users."

He rubbed his chin. "Interesting point. I'd like to discuss this matter in more detail another time."

Mr. Leoné raised his brows in question. Finally, to him, I was worth looking at.

"Interesting."

I fought my instinct to resist and agreed, "Okay."

Like that, he returned his attention to the screen. I wanted to fight him. After the meeting, I purposefully avoided eye contact with Mr. Leoné and shadowed Chris and DeShawn to the elevator. Chris suggested we follow him into Chris' office where DeShawn and I sat across from his desk.

"You okay, kiddo?" DeShawn asked as we settled in.

"Just a little tired." Then, I asked, sharing my attention between the two of them. "Is it that obvious?"

Chris smiled, "Yes. Very."

Work was no place to confess the sins of my personal life, but if it was acceptable, I'd ask them why the hell my ex caught my attention just to tell me I wasn't shit all over again?

I shrugged and shook my head, "Didn't get enough sleep, that's all."

"Really?" Chris muttered with a mischievous grin. DeShawn pinched his mouth and turned away.

"Yes, really," I answered dismissively, which only made Chris deepen his devious grin.

Nope, definitely nothing casual or romantic happened, but how do y'all feel about tragedies?

I waved my hands at him in reassurance that nothing eventful–or appropriate to share at the moment–happened.

Chris took the cue and moved on to make sure that DeShawn and I worked together to create a schedule for testing and registering me into the project tracking software. Minutes later, Chris and DeShawn realized they needed Renee, but she was at a doctor's appointment. Chris texted her for help, anyway.

Chris rubbed his brow and sighed, "Well, until Renee comes in to grant you permission in this software, we're good for right now."

DeShawn saluted us both before he zipped out of the room. You couldn't miss when he was on the go when his keys jingled loudly on his belt.