Chapter 24: Two Names on the Door

On Wednesday at nine, I walked into the corner office on the top floor and sat in her chair.

It was a good chair.

It was leather, and it turned all the way around.

The glass desk was bare except for one plant and a framed photo of the first warehouse, in a new frame.

Kayla had fixed it herself.

I put my mother's card on the blotter and looked out at the yard.

My wife was down there in her white badge, strapping a pallet.

I had asked the chief financial officer for one day.

He had said, "Take two."

At ten, I called an all-hands in the lobby.

Three hundred people stood among the coffee carts and the mail trolleys.

I walked down the stairs in a plain work shirt, no jacket.

"For one day," I said, "I'm the chief executive."

A few people clapped, uncertain.

"I have three orders, and I'll give them now."

"Order one. Nobody gets docked for a mistake they didn't make. That's already policy. Today I'm putting it in writing and signing it."

I held up the paper.

Kayla took it and pinned it to the notice board with a tack.

"Order two. The night crew gets Sunday off with pay, every week, for good."

The night loader with the bad knee took off his cap and held it against his chest.

"Order three."

I looked across the lobby.

Allison had come in from the yard, with her gloves still on.

She stood at the back by the door, as she had stood at the funeral.

"Order three," I said. "Allison Draper, come here, please."

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