Page 120 of Glitched Play

For one brief second, I remember him saying Galaga had always been one of his favorite games.

I smile to myself.

Funny.

That was one of Glitch's favorites too.

Then I shrug.

Everybody loves Galaga.

It was one of the greatest arcade games ever made.

The thought drifts away almost as quickly as it came.

Instead, I fall asleep wondering if tomorrow Witt will smile like that again.

twenty-four

. . .

Witt

Letter 219 Glitch

Success changes your life.

The elevator doors slide open onto the executive floor, and before I even reach my office, I know Dara has been waiting for me.

Not because she's standing outside my door.

Because she's smiling.

Dara doesn't smile at seven o'clock in the morning unless she's about to make my day unnecessarily complicated.

She straightens from the reception desk the moment she sees me, tablet tucked beneath one arm, coffee in the other. The expression on her face reminds me of Parker right before he says something he thinks is hilarious and everyone else shakes their head.

"Good morning," she says.

I stop a few feet from her. "It appears you've been planning that greeting."

"For approximately twenty-four hours."

"I thought so."

She grins wider.

Something about the interaction catches me off guard. Six months ago, I probably would have walked around her and continued into my office. There would have been work waiting, emails requiring answers, updates and problems to solve from five different Synatrix companies. Every minute had a purpose, and conversations that didn't move projects forward usually fell into the category of inefficient.

Lately, I’m beginning to suspect efficiency isn't the only thing that gives a day value.

The realization is uncomfortable enough that I decide not to examine it further.

I continue toward my office.

"How was your research?" Dara asks, following me inside.

"Productive."