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“Hey, Phyl”

Her gaze narrowed “Stranger, I’m surprised you remember my name”

I pecked her on the cheek before holding onto both her hands and perching on the edge of her desk “How could I not? If I was forty years older…”

She lifted an eyebrow and threw her head back, glasses sliding back into place “Who said I’ atit on pretty thick aren’t you, kid?”

“You know I love you When will you finally accept my offer and run aith me?”

“Don’t let my husband hear or he’ll run you out of the state, but if I were forty years younger…”

“Then we’ll be sure to keep that our little secret” I winked and she swatted at ?”

“As good as he could be, considering” A hint of tenderness she alh lately”

The desks in the small office behind her were all empty The last time I’d visited, there had been flower display sahtly colored fabric all over the office Their twenty e intently at their co in and out of the office

Now there was a dark void between Phyllis’s desk and the single office in the back with a faint light shining through the cracked door

“It’s pretty quiet around here”

“Did you bring him a coffee?”

“Yeah, although it’s stupid, he’s already in the office He probably already has one I didn’t want to show up emptyhanded”

“Go back there He’ll be happy to see a friendly face”

The overhead lights flicked on as I passed through the vacant office I tapped ainst the partially opened door