Finch nodded but said nothing.
On the way home, Finch stopped at the store and bought a pregnancy test. Afraid to have it
found in his trash by one of the housemaids, Finch took it into the restroom at the store and
used it. He waited three minutes then looked at the result: one line.
He continued home in a state of numb misery. He thought of the job listings he’d saved on his
profile in the Attendant network and the opportunities therein. Heart heavy, he accessed his
profile from his phone and conjured up a phone number.
“Finch. I never thought I’d see the day your number appeared in my phone. It’s good to hear
from you,” said the voice on the other end of the line. “Can I consider this an expression of
interest in the available position?”
“Yes,” Finch replied, his tongue feeling heavy and thick with despair.
“Well, then consider this an official invitation to join our staff. We’d be lucky to have a man like
you on the team. When can you start?”
“I can leave tonight and be there tomorrow.”
“Excellent. I think you’ll find you’ve made the correct decision.”
“Yes, sir.”
Call ended, Finch wilted into his seat and buried his face in his hands. His heart felt like it had
been crushed and trampled under many careless feet, but his head knew this was for the best.
Maybe, if he kept saying it over and over, his heart would believe it, too.
Hugh
Finch had prior arrangements, so rather than devote his day to adoring his beloved secretary,
Hugh spent it doing other things. Namely, preparing the room he imagined Finch would want
to nest in. It was in the south wing of the residence and boasted luxuriously large windows that
let in ample sunlight. Better yet, it was in a section of the house with very little foot traffic,
making it blissfully quiet. With just a few alterations, it would be perfect.
Hugh spent the morning hauling dusty, neglected furniture out of the room and the afternoon
tidying. More than once he spotted Bella peeping at him from the doorway, eyes as wide as
saucers. Whenever he noticed her, he’d stop to wipe his brow and lift a hand in greeting and
she’d promptly scurry away. It was just as well. There was so much to do that the less time he
spent distracted, the better. If he had his druthers, the room would be spotless by the time