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Marshal looks at me He’s dressed like Bert from Sesame Street, with a striped shirt and turtleneck He tops the look off with a pair of jeans and white sneakers He looks like a six-year-old "It’s about time," he scolds me

"It’s not even 7:00 yet, you neurotic bundle of nerves Chill out" I sipinto a chair I lean back and relax As long as Marshal is here, I can handle this Confidence washes over eezer anyway?"

"Behind you," Peter says, walking by with his ar Marshal with you" He backs into his office door and tries to get a key into the lock while balancing everything in his arms It doesn’t work Papers start to slide and a book falls to the floor

Marshal is oblivious I wait for hiet up and walk over to Peter "I’ll do it" I take the keys froers brush A jolt of electricity shots through me and swirls in my stomach Damn him

Peter backs away, apparently unaffected "Thanks, Sidney"

I hold the door open and gesture for hi falls out of his ar the them on his desk "What is all this stuff?" They’re the papers that were due a feeeks ago

Marshal enters and stands there watching us with ot this"

"Thanks, Marshal" He setsdown inside the door and puts the cup on an e, but doesn’t help Marshal just watches with his hands clutched in front of hiht want to help"

"Oh no, I think you’ve got it" Marshal steps over us and sits in Peter’s chair

Peter gives me a look that says, Is he serious?

"Choose your battles wisely is all I’iven hiaze a beat too long, and I glance away

We finally get everything picked up and onto the table when Peter tells us what’s going on "When Tadwick died, he had papers in his office and at his house His wife gave these to ht so the students wouldn’t have to redo thes here that need to be graded and returned Dr Tadwick did soet a chance to finish We need to figure out which papers go hich class and grade them Today"

"What?" Marshal whines "Why is this so last minute?"

"Marshal," I warn, but he doesn’t listen

"No, it’s not fair Why should I spendthis mess? I’m not the one who dropped it, besides, it’s not a part of my job description" He folds his arms over his chest

Peter doesn’t react the way I expect him to He walks over to Marshal, and turns the chair so that they face each other Peter braces his arm on the back of the chair and lowers his face toward Marshal’s "Do you like your job? Do you want to keep it?"

"Yes, but--"

"Then do what I ask you to do Take that stack to Tadwick’s office and sort therade theive them to me to look over Understand?" Peter speaks in a low stern voice I can tell this isn’t optional Hell, even Marshal can tell he is getting scolded

Marshal’s eyes dart to the floor and he says, "Yes sir"

Peter stands up and tosses a pile of papers in Marshal’s lap "Get going The door is open" Marshal takes the papers and leaves without looking back Peter glances atin his chair "Is he always like that? I thought he was just out of it yesterday"

A lopsided smile forms on my face "Pretty much They say he makes up for in brains what he lacks in tact"