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“What’s the gossip here? I’m just curious. None of the Teagers have visited Cherrywood since any of us joined.” She turns in her seat toward me. “You tell me, Rosie. Aren’t you curious?”
Their gazes rivet on me as I take a while to answer and then hesitantly nod. “Has Mr. Teager ever been to Cherrywood?” I ask.
“Yeah. When the Teagers first purchased the office property, all three of them drove down to Cherrywood. That was when I joined the group.” Oscar pauses before taking a sip from his soda can. “Since we’re on the subject, I wanted to run something by you, Rose.” He rakes his hand through his neatly trimmed beard, something he often does when he’s uncertain, and that only escalates my anxiety. “Zander has requested a meeting with senior managers. I’d like you to be there.”
“But—”
Before I get a chance to decline the offer, Oscar interrupts me. “I know it’s outside your comfort zone and also your job description, but I’d really like Zander to know we have you here.” He tilts his head to the side, waiting for my answer.
When I don’t reply immediately, Kristy’s hand lightly presses on mine under the table. I glance up at her, and she gives me an encouraging smile. Something she’s continuously been doing since we were kids.
“Forget it—” Oscar starts to backpedal.
“I’ll be there.” I try hard to ignore the quivering in my stomach and focus on the proud faces of my friends.
The waiter brings our pizza, and I welcome the distraction
I’m pulling a slice of the warm cheesy bread when Oscar says, “Zander will know what an important asset you are to his company, Rose. I’m proud to have you on my team.”
This is something he tells me a few times a week. I don’t know what I’d have done without these friends and this life in Cherrywood. They have accepted me with all my flaws, and I never want to lose the stability I’ve finally found in my life.
After a quiet hour post lunch, Lily from Kristy’s team asks if I can look at her latest code.
I skim through it as she’s perched on a chair next to me. Her tapping fingers on the table break my concentration every once in a while.
When I finally lean back in my comfy office chair, she asks, “What do you think?”
I meet her excited gaze as she bounces on her seat.“You ran it through our testing software successfully. Why are you asking me to recheck?”
Hearing my words, her eyes widen in surprise.
Was I too blunt?
I’m about to apologize when she says, “You catch bugs that our software never flags. Oscar has specifically asked us that no code goes in live release without being reviewed by you.”
“Oh.” This is news.
“We all call you the bug detector.” Her shoulders bunch a tiny bit, and her lips part in an amused smile.
Bug detector. That doesn’t sound too bad.
“So, you don’t mind when I find an error in your work?”
“No, I like it. I learn a lot from your feedback.”
“Oh. Okay.” I wipe my hands on my jeans before fixing my glasses. My heart calms knowing people don’t take me as a know-it-all, contrary to what I sometimes think. Although after over three years, I still can’t believe my colleagues want my opinion on their work.
The rest of the day goes by fast. I do a few more code reviews and update a presentation for one of my team members.
Finally, my cell phone buzzes with the reminder that it’s time to leave for the day.
After turning it off, I follow my daily routine. I power off the computer and check the water level in the moisture sensor of my small bowstring hemp plant. After closing the windows, I give my office a once-over and quickly clean the table using a moist paper towel.
At last, I place my wireless headphones around my neck and my backpack over my shoulders before turning off the light.
I amble toward Kristy’s office, and my gaze lands on a picture of the Teagers on the cover of an international magazine.
Oscar’s words revisit me. “I just want Zander to know we have you here.”
