Read Online January and the Single Heart by Vi Zetterwall - Free Book Online

since Glen left and payroll had been full of errors and commission reports were showing faulty data. Latonya had prepped the data correctly but Lou had sent it to the payroll service in the wrong format. The office watched as the play between Thomas and Lou became more intense.  Finally, the boss came over to Jan’s desk and said, “Jan, I need you to send someone over to Glen’s apartment and get his copy of the payroll binder and protocol printout that he has there.  Our copy is outdated and he can’t bring it in himself now.  Here’s his address.”  He didn’t wait for a confirmation, he simply turned and left.
    Jan turned to Leah.  “Leah, could you do that please. I … uh … have to finish this report here.”
     
    Leah zipped on over and entered the building as someone else was leaving, slipping in the security door without buzzing.  In the lobby, she passed a woman that looked like Vicky entering the Apartment Manager’s office.  She went up to 505, Glen’s apartment, and knocked timidly.
    Glen came to the door.  “Leah, hi.  I was just printing out the protocol.  The binder Thomas needs is here.”  He pointed to a desk that had stacks of paper on it.  His apartment was small, a one bedroom unit, but it had some charm and character to it.  A big screen TV sat at one end of the living room along with a huge shelf of DVD’s. 
    “You want a drink or anything?  Coffee, water?”
    “No, I’m fine.  Thanks.”
    The printer started whirring and spitting out the protocol report.  As it did, a very shabby tabby came strolling into the room.  It was looking old and was carrying a lot more weight than the typical cat.  Leah squatted down and reached out to pet it.  “Oh my, what a big boy you are.  He’s very calm.  And friendly.”
    “She.” Glen corrected.
    “Oh, what’s her name?”
    Glen looked at Leah for the longest time as if he were trying to decide whether to answer her or not.  Finally, he spoke. “I named her Queen Victoria … in jest.  She looked the opposite of regal when I found her in the alley five years ago, all beat up, scratched and bleeding.”
    Leah smiled and continued petting her.  “Well, what a nice name for … ” She paused in thought.  Then, looking at Glen, she pushed the words out of her mouth as though she could not believe she was saying them.  “Are you saying that this … this … is Vicky?  We thought …”
    “I know.  It was a stupid joke that took on a life of its own.  This is Vicky.  Always has been.  Now, here is the report and the binder.  Better get these back to Thomas before he throws a fit.”  Glen walked over and opened the door for her.  She left without another word, glancing behind her at the chubby feline as Glen closed the door.
     
    “You guys are NOT going to believe this!”  Leah had everyone’s attention in the sales office.  She demanded it.  When she was sure that everyone was appropriately anxious, she continued.  “I met Vicky.”  Now she really had them.
    “And …” Amy egged her on.
    “And she is old and fat and hairy.”  To that, everyone twisted their faces grotesquely and stared at Leah.  “She also has four legs and a tail.”  She delivered the line just as she had practiced it on the way back to the office.  “Vicky is just a cat.  He found her almost dead in the alley behind the building five years ago.  He said something about it being a misunderstanding or a bad joke that went awry.”
    Jan left the room.  The others looked at each other sheepishly.  Finally, Latonya summed up what everybody was feeling, “Crap.”
    Jan entered the Accounting Office and went over to Lou’s desk, standing there quietly until he looked up.  “You knew?”
    “Knew what?” Lou asked.
    “Knew that Vicky was just a cat.”
    Lou shook his head and sighed.  “Bound to get out sooner or later.  About four years ago, Personnel switched to an online system.  Everyone had to fill out a