The Launch

Chapter Sixteen

Monday. Launch Day. Going back home day — whether she likes it or nay. She still hasn't called or answered any of my texts. It's getting stupid.

Ray and I are sitting around in the den having our coffees and some celebratory cinnamon buns while we wait to hear from the New York office, who aren't answering their e-mails right now. It's 8:15, so they should be there soon, considering today is the day the sales team from all over the U.S. will be converging on the Big Apple to get direction for their next cycle of sales calls. Gerald is supposed to give the presentation in Ray's absence. It will be his first presentation, so Ray figures he'll be nervous and running around doing last minute things. And not e-mailing us with an update.

"I can't wait much longer or my boss will be wearing my ass like a hat," I say to Ray. I point to my watch meaningfully. "Where is this guy?"

"Oh, he's there," says Ray. "He's an early riser like me. One of the two of us is usually the first in to the office."

"Is there someone else who might be there who can let us know what's happening?"

"Don't worry about it. They're professionals... they do three of these a year."

"Not for me they don't. This is my one shot."

"It'll be fine. Eat your cinnamon bun. They're delicious."

"Aren't they?"

Ray is sipping coffee and munching on his breakfast, legs crossed, sitting back on the couch like a dowager duchess, comfortable as you please. He has a full beard now, which suits him somehow. He's wearing the NASCAR hoodie and jeans and he looks happy and relaxed. I wish I felt half as relaxed as that. Then my phone rings, which isn't helping. I look at the call display: not Jess, not the office, not J.C., but the number looks familiar.

"Hello?"

"Hello, hi, Watson? This is Massimo."

Massimo? Jesus, it's not even 9:00. "Massimo, how goes it?"

"Terrible. My shop is full of water and sewage and shit."

Shit, oh shit. That's the word. "Oh, my god. The rain."

"Yeah, they had problems with the runoff from melting and the heavy rain in this area. There's wet basements everywhere and my phone is ringing off the hook with emergency work and I can't get at my stuff because it's covered in shit water."

"Yikes. That is shit."

"So, I never heard back from you on Friday about my policy. Where did you place it? Because they aren't going to be happy to find out they have a claim on their hands already."

"No, but that's why we're in business."

"So who should I call?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll call into the office and then call you back."

"Okay. Right away, yes? I want to get someone in here ASAP."

"Oh, yeah." Gulp. I turn to Ray as I hang up. "This comics launch better work out, because I am so fucked at work."

"What's wrong?" says Ray.

"I was supposed to place coverage for a customer on Friday and I didn't and with all the rain on the weekend, his shop is full of sewer water."

"Yuck."

"Yes, yuck."

"So what's going to happen?"

"Well, I don't know. There is no coverage at all for this because I screwed up. Our brokerage has Errors & Omissions Insurance for when we screw up, but the boss won't want to use it because first of all there's a $5000 deductible we'd have to pay. And second, his premiums will go up and it will look like a black mark on the brokerage."