The A Team
Advertising Director Melanie Sims pocketed her pen, tucked the papers into the briefcase on Tom Zeller’s coffee table, and said, “It’s a good proposal, Tommy. I think we’re ready.”
“Tomorrow at eight, right?”
“Yep. At their downtown office.”
Tom looked up as his wife Alice inched down the stairs, limping on her left foot. “Is she asleep?” he asked her.
“For now. With Snoopy under one arm and her bear under the other. Hey, Mel.”
“Hi, Alice.” Melanie frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Getting better. Tore some ligaments in my ankle.”
“Tommy and I were just finishing up.”
“I know — I could hear you two from upstairs.” Alice eased down onto the couch.
“Sorry about the weekend work,” Melanie said.
Alice shook her head. “No worries. If you guys get this contract, it’ll be worth it.”
“Wait a second,” Melanie said. “Alice, don’t you work on Saturdays?”
“Yeah, it seems people need to buy medicine on weekends, too. My off day is Monday.”
“But … if both you and Tommy are gone tomorrow — who’ll keep Annie?”
“I’ll take her to work with me. No problem.”
“But — she’s five years old. The pharmacy lets you do that?”
Alice and Tom looked at each other and grinned.
“You tell her,” he said to his wife.
Alice carefully propped her foot on the coffee table, looked at
