Chapter 6: The Check

I said congratulations to Tatum.

I said it out loud, at her desk, with my cap on and my face still.

Then I went into the ladies' room, locked the stall, and stood with my forehead against the cold metal door until my hands stopped shaking.

A baby had not been in any version of the plan I had drawn up for myself.

Ten years ago a doctor had told me, kindly, that I might never have one.

Dexter had held my hand and said it didn't matter.

I went back to my desk and did my payroll.

On Friday afternoon, the whole company was called to the big conference room on the ninth floor.

There was a sheet cake with Dexter's name on it.

The chairman of the board stood at the head of the table with a glass in his hand.

"Dexter MacKenzie has run this company's operations for six years," he said. "Today I'm proud to announce that he's our new Chief Operating Officer."

Everybody clapped.

Dexter stood beside him in the charcoal suit, trying to look humble and failing a little.

Tatum stood off to the side, handing out plastic forks, in a pink dress I had never seen.

Her hand kept going back to her stomach.

People noticed.

I watched two women from accounting whisper, and I watched them look at me, and then away.

I waited until the clapping died.

Then I walked to the front of the room with my envelope.

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