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"I am sure you can do that after the deadline," I say. I don't specifically say you and Ana because I'm almost one hundred percent sure that Ana has no desire to go anywhere with Ralph. Sure enough, she smiles apologetically and darts off.
Ralph looks at me grimly then shoves the package in the pocket of his jeans.
"I can smoke a cigarette in under a minute, you know," he grumbles as we head back to our desk.
"I don't care how fast you smoke. The only thing I care about is how fast you can find this damn bug."
We slump in our seats. Staring in his coffee cup, he says, "You honestly believe we'll find it on time?"
I don't answer. Instead, I start looking at the lines of code on the screen again, not taking my eyes off it even as I sip coffee from my cup. The noise of steps and chairs being pulled as everyone returns to work distracts me, and I find myself staring at the clock in the corner of the screen instead of the code. Once everyone has taken their seats, stone silence sets in again. The silence makes it even harder for me to concentrate than the noise. My eyes don’t leave the computer screen even for a fraction of a second in the period that follows. They blur again. I try to avoid looking at the clock, but my gaze slides there more often than I'd like. When there's less than an hour left, Ralph props a piece of paper on the lower part of the screen, hiding the clock. I wipe my palms on my legs repeatedly because they're sweaty as hell. Ralph jiggles his foot in a nerve-wracking way, and I put my right hand firmly on his leg when I can't stand it anymore. He stops right away. Somewhere in the room, someone swears again and again in a heavy English accent. Parker.
And then something that might be a squeal or a scream pierces the air and for a second I fear it might actually split my head in two. More and more people join in the squealing, and then the whole room is standing and squealing. I cover my ears and turn to Ralph, who seems as lost as I am. He frowns, looking around as if fearing everyone has lost their mind. Then he jumps on his feet, a wide grin replacing his frown.
"Someone found the bug," he mouths to me.
I'm not very aware of my next actions, but they include rising from my chair and uncovering my ears. The explosive sounds of cheering—and now clapping—doesn't bother me anymore. My head is spinning in a delirious swirl. A lightness fills my chest, spreading and spreading until it overtakes my entire body. I feel just like I did when I jumped from that plane into nothingness. I spot James on the side of the elevator. He's got his back turned to the room, one palm covering an ear, the other pressing his phone to his free ear. I'll have to wait to congratulate him. I search for Parker, thinking that he must be so ecstatic now that I can't find a better moment to make amends with him. It takes me a few minutes to locate him. He's still in front of a computer. Not the one he's been sitting at with James, but at one in the center of the room. He looks focused and determined, but no longer prone to start swearing. Next to him is a black-haired guy with glasses. By the way everyone pats his back, he must be the one who found the bug. The darned error in the code. I want to hug him.
"Okay," James's voice resounds after a few minutes. Everyone falls silent. "Parker and I need to meet up with the investors right away. How about all of you go over at Wellstone's and we'll meet you there later to celebrate?"
There is a general buzz of
agreement in the room.
"Well done, everyone," James says. "Really, really well done."
Ralph is among the first to reach the elevator, already holding an unlit cigarette between his fingers. The room empties almost completely in the next ten minutes. It's just James and Parker who are left now, talking in low voices.
And me. I'm three desks away from them, and I'm positive that James knows I'm still here, because he glanced discreetly in my direction a few times.
"Why don't you wait in the car, Parker? I'll join you in a minute."
Parker turns around in surprise. He smiles—almost mechanically, without saying anything. If I didn't know him, I'd think that he's just too tired to be his usual self. But I do know him. And I know that the absence of words means he hasn't forgiven me for what I pulled at that charity event.
"Don't be long," he says to James before leaving.
"I take it he's still angry with me," I say the moment Parker disappears in the elevator.
James chuckles, now standing in front of me. He's no longer pale, and the dark circles under his eyes, though still there, coupled with his radiant smile, give him the cool air of someone who's been partying all night.
"I think Parker still can't quite believe you'd use him like that. Especially since he was such a fan of yours."
My face must have dropped, because James adds quickly, "He still is, don't worry. Though if we're going to be late to the meeting with the investors because of you, he might definitely change his mind."
The next words are out before I can think them through. "Will Natalie be at the meeting with the investors?"
James narrows his eyes. "No," he answers in a measured tone.
"I thought she owned part of this company," I say indignantly. I'm not quite sure what I'm so worked up about. I should be relieved that he won't see her. And that I didn't have to face her here tonight. But this also means she's more of a scum than I thought: omnipresent when it's about reaping benefits, but utterly absent when things go downhill.
"Not anymore. I bought her shares."
"What?" I ask.
"It was more of a forced buyout. I think that's what made the investors so ruthless with the deadline for fixing the bug. They liked Natalie and weren't exactly thrilled that I forced her out. They were looking for an excuse to… sever ties with me and the company. They might try again in the future."
I stare at him, my throat suddenly dry, remembering what Parker told me about Natalie and the investors in the hospital. Investors seem to like her very much. I don't know what to say. That I'm stunned he forced her out. That I'm sorry he nearly bankrupted himself because of it. Because of me. There is no doubt that's why he did it. I can see it in his eyes, in the way they glint. Expectantly. I know what he's expecting.
But I just say, "You should go. You don't want to be late for your meeting with the investors."
