Love After Layoffs novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Weller & Dietz

Weller & Dietz opened on a Friday in a red brick storefront in the Strip District, with a bell over the door and fourteen desks.

Yvonne had hung a banner across the window that said OPEN in letters tall enough to read from the bridge.

She had also knitted a cover for the bell.

"It was ringing too loudly," she said.

"It's a bell, Yvonne."

"It was ringing in a tone of voice."

By ten o'clock the room was full.

Our old coworkers stood in clusters with coffee cups, and clients wandered between the desks reading the name on the wall.

The old neighbor in the quilted coat came in carrying a covered dish.

"I couldn't wait for my pie," she said. "So I made you one."

"It's apple."

"Of course it is," I said, and kissed her on the cheek, and she patted my face like a grandmother.

At half past ten a black car stopped at the curb.

Alvin Ketterman climbed out slowly on his cane, in his dark suit, and the whole room turned.

He came through the door as though he were walking into a church.

He looked at the desks, the banner, the knitted bell, and at the fourteen faces that had followed me out of a glass tower.

"Miss Weller," he said.

"Mr. Ketterman."

"I'm told I'm late."

"You're exactly on time, sir."

"I don't believe that, but you're kind."

He nodded to his driver, who carried in a flat package wrapped in brown paper.

I tore it open on Yvonne's desk.

It was a signed contract, three years long, renewing Weller & Dietz as the lead agency for Ketterman Holdings, at full rate, with no discount.

Clipped to the top was a card in the old man's blocky hand.

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