Page 51 of The Weight Of It All
“Happy people, and virgins.”
I considered that and conceded with a nod. “Good point.”
Melinda secured the lid on her lunch container and laid her fork precisely at twelve and six. “Don’t forget your meeting at two with the boss,” she said without missing a beat. “Any clue what that’s about?”
I shook my head. “None. I assume it’s the usual data analytics.”
Melinda made a face that told me she didn’t believe that. “If it were, then Lillian would’ve requested a statistics report.”
“And she hasn’t?”
Melinda shook her head. “No.”
“Oh.”
Melinda twisted her lips, and her eyes flashed with uncertainty. “Are we expecting corporate downsizing? Because the Melbourne office has.”
Well, shit. “I hope not.”
“You don’t have to worry,” she said quietly.
“And neither do you. Because we’re a team, Melinda. I couldn’t do this without you, and I’ll tell them that.”
In a rare moment of vulnerability, she gave me a timid smile. It was a far cry from her usual fierce and sarcastic self. “Thanks.”
I reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. “I mean it.”
As our lunch break drew to a close, Lena, Rihanti, and Kadin walked past our table toward the door. “Hi, Henry,” Lena said. “How was your weekend? Do anything exciting?”
Oh God. Conversation.Don’t say something stupid, Henry. “Good, thanks. Just the usual… drunk singing on tables on Friday night, and just so you know, schnapps has a lot to answer for. Spent all of Saturday dying because of schnapps. Again, not my fault, and Sunday was a mix of incredible and horrifying. So yeah, just the usual.”
They all blinked in unison, and I mentally congratulated myself for not saying something too stupid. Melinda covered a laugh with a cough.
“Sounds fun,” Rihanti said slowly.
“How was yours?” I asked. See? I could do conversation. I preened a little at my adulting skills.
“Quiet, by comparison to yours. Just family stuff, you know how that is.”
I nodded, because yes, yes I did know.
“I hate schnapps,” Kadin said. “Had a terrible experience with it back in university and haven’t been able to drink it since.”
“I can’t do tequila,” Lena offered, making a face. “Ever again.”
Ichuckled at that. “Oh, I remember this one time at university, my best friend and I got so drunk on ouzo we?” Then I remembered how that ended. “Never mind. That story isn’t appropriate for work. Actually that story isn’t appropriate at all, though I’m sure the police and Surry Hills Fire Department still talk about it.”
Now they all stared at me, Melinda included. “Fire Department?” she asked.
“Oh, we didn’t start a fire,” I clarified. “It was more of a rescue…” I cleared my throat. “I was young and impressionable. That was alongtime ago. You know, Anika really is a bad influence on me.”
“Anika says the same thing about you,” Melinda said, standing up. “Just be grateful it was pre-Internet days.”
I stood up too and picked up my salad container. “Are you kidding? I’d be an Internet sensation. Apparently my schnapps-induced rendition ofLes Mison Friday night was worthy of Broadway.”
Melinda fought a smile. “Did anyone get it on video?”
I blanched. “God, I hope not.” I looked at the others then leaned in towards Melinda. “Do me a favour? Search YouTube for ‘gay man singing “Drink With Me” on a table at the London Hotel,’ and if you find any, send a takedown notice, effective immediately.”
