Ten Years to Win Her, Two Weeks to Leave Her novel · Chapter 3 of 24

Chapter 3: A Very Good Hire

Harold refuses her transfer and calls Nolan a very good hire; Lydia resigns from the Deep Field programme in front of Harold, Leland and Russell, and at the airport her cards are declined.

Harold Wexford was already behind his desk at six, his tie straight, his suitcase still by the door.

Leland stood at the window with a folder.

Russell sat on the couch with his arms crossed and did not look at Nolan.

"Sit," Harold said.

Nolan stayed standing.

Lydia stood next to him.

"Two transfer forms came across my desk before breakfast," Harold said. "One is from a technician who thinks he's leaving. One is from my daughter, who knows better."

"Neither one is a request, Dad."

"The Northwestern Branch is a trailer park with a telescope." Harold took off his glasses. "I won't stamp it. For either of you."

"Then I resign," Nolan said.

Harold looked at him for the first time.

"You what?"

"I resign. Effective now. The Branch is paid for by a university consortium, and Joan Tolbert can hire contractors without your stamp. She hired me at five this morning."

"After ten years."

"After ten years."

"Do you know what you are, Nolan?" Harold said. He put the glasses back on.

"Tell me."

"You are a very good hire. Careful, quiet and loyal. I kept you on because my daughter asked, and because you never once made trouble. You were useful in this building because I let you be."

Nobody spoke.

Nolan felt the words land, one at a time, in the middle of his chest.

He had heard them before.

He had heard them from the next room two nights ago, and he had watched Lydia stand there and say nothing.

He waited to see whether she would say something now.

"That's enough," Lydia said.

Her voice was steady and very cold.

"He found the Deep Field signal, Dad. He wrote the filter. Leland's team ran the telescope time and Nolan did everything else."

"Lydia," Leland said gently. "Your father is upset."

"I'm sure he is."

"Nobody is taking credit from anyone. The announcement thanks him by name."

"As technical support."

"That's the convention."

"Then I'm out of the convention." Lydia took her badge off her hip and laid it on her father's blotter. "I resign from the Deep Field programme, Leland. Effective now. The paper goes out without my name on it."

Leland's smile slipped for a second.

"Your name is on the first page."

"Take it off."

"Lydia," Harold said. "The wedding is in two weeks. Four hundred guests. Your mother's sister is flying in from Lisbon."

"Then she'll have a nice trip."

"You are not going to the Northwestern Branch."

"I've already booked the flight."

"With what?" Harold said.

He said it quietly.

Lydia didn't answer.

"The cards in your wallet are on my account," Harold said. "I can end that with one call. I can have the apartment locked and the car towed. Do you want to find out how much of your life is yours?"

"Dad."

"You'll be back in a month. Both of you."

Russell stirred on the couch and said nothing.

Nolan turned to Leland.

"Before I go," Leland said, still pleasant. "I'll need the setup notes for the filter. How you configure it, the thresholds. Just so we have continuity."

"They're in the readme on the shared server."

"All of it?"

"All of it that I wrote down."

Leland's smile came back and he nodded.

Nolan did not think about it any further.

He had said everything he had come to say.

"Harold," he said, "I'm going to marry her anyway, if she'll still have me. You can come or not."

Then he took Lydia's hand, and they walked out together past the director's assistant, who was crying again.

At the airport in Tucson, Lydia stood at the ticket counter with her carry-on bag and a garment bag over her arm.

The agent ran her card, and then ran it again.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Wexford. It's been declined."

Lydia tried a second card.

It was declined too.

She stood very still with the garment bag in her arms.

The white edge of a wedding dress showed at the zipper.

Nolan stepped up beside her and put his own card on the counter.

"Boise, two seats," he said. "Next to each other."

"Nolan, I'll pay you back."

"Don't."

The agent looked from one of them to the other.

"Will you both be traveling together today?" she said.

Lydia said, "Yes."

Nolan said, "Yes."

It was the first time all morning they had given the same answer.

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