The Launch

Chapter Nine

On Tuesday, I work right through till 5:00, partly to please the Donald and partly because I've been letting things slide around here and I can't really afford to have any files blow up on me. When an insurance file goes sideways, the first notice you get is when a claim comes in and some coverage is missing or understated and then people are crying and yelling and adjusters are freaking on you. Bad all around. So I spent the day tidying things up a bit and trying not to daydream about our launch for every minute of the day.

I figure JC will be just finishing work about now, so I text him: Just finishing. U goin over now?

I switch off my computer and put my phone on night service while I wait for his reply. On my way, he says.

Junk food?

Sure. I'll pick up. C U there.

Cool. Veggie burg for Ray?

Good.

I grab my coat off the back of my door and put it on before texting Jess: On my way to M&D's. Won't be home for supper. Howz ur day?

I must have caught her sitting at her desk: Fine. Why cant u work @ home?

Why can't I? Good question. Cause we r spread out all over there. 2 messy.

What about our show?

Oh, yeah. Okay. That's no problem. Home by 9. C U then. Luv U.

Luv U 2.

The office is quiet and I'm the only one on the elevator on the way down to the underground parking. I look again at my cell phone as if my wife's words were still hanging in the air and only gathered in by my cell phone for safe keeping. Jessica is a peach, but I sense she's getting a little grouchy about the late nights and the time away. She's probably going to work late since I'm not coming home for dinner. She does that sometimes even when I am home for dinner, so it's a safe bet. She's a hard worker and wants to get ahead some day. Right out of university, she started working in marketing and P.R. for a variety of companies and has done really well at it, even if she does get a little work-obsessed sometimes.

The company she works for now mostly does P.R. and event management for the local hospitals and their related charitable foundations. Good job security for her, because London is lousy with hospitals. This means that I attend a lot of hospital functions with her, which is okay when it's open bar. Yes, small talk with doctors can be mind-numbing, but I have gotten a lot of clients that way. When they find out what I do, they invariably want to tell me about their new German automobile and how badly their insurance company is ripping them off on their policy and would I mind taking a look at it for them? Cheap bastards all despite the money they make. But they have nice homes, too, and the whole package churns a nice commission, so who am I to complain?

The elevator doors open and I can feel the cold pushing in from the parking area. I find myself wishing I were actually heading home to dinner with Jess and snuggling up on the couch for the evening. I am missing her and partially resenting this project that's keeping us apart. But we're too busy right now and it won't be much longer. Short term pain for long term gain. When it's all over, I'm going to do nothing but be home for a couple of weeks. Make sure there is a lazy weekend in there. Go out on a date. Have Sunday morning, too cozy to get up, these sheets are so soft, slept late sex.

JC's car is already in my parent's driveway when I get there. He made good time. I open the door and I can already smell the fast food, so I let the wafting grease fumes draw me down the stairs like Bugs Bunny smelling carrot soup and floating all bendy around the corners.