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Authors: Alice Ward
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medical community. We can buy the medical community.”
Pounding his fists on the table, Noah exerted his authority. “You would risk the lives of innocent people so carelessly? Why?” he demanded.
The man wasn’t put off, the fool. “This is a business, not a charity. Who cares if a few lives are lost? All medical trials have death.”
I gaped at the man but kept my face carefully blank. I wanted to jump up and shout at him, hit him with my tablet. Instead, I waited to see what Noah would do. If anything.
“We’re not a pharmaceutical company. I did not start this company to kill people. Our brand of science is meant to help people, not hurt them. If you don’t understand that, you can leave.” Noah spoke sharply, like a judge holding his gavel.
The man shrunk in his seat. “I’m sorry, sir. I was merely playing devil’s advocate. Of course we should ensure the trials are safe and supervised by professionals in the medical field.”
I doubted he truly believed so.
His apology didn’t ease Noah. The fire, so hot it was cold, was lit. “This presentation is over,” Noah seethed. “Leave. All of you. Now.”
I moved with the crowd who rose from their seats, but Noah held me back. “Not you, Imogen. You only leave with me. Never before. Never after. Your place is by my side.”
Julia waited for us back in our office, a coffee in her hand. “Please know you can always call me away from lunch, sir. I’m at your beck and call.”
“Don’t let it happen again,” he barked and disappeared behind the door to his office.
Seemingly used to his discourtesy, Julia turned to me. “How did it go?”
“Terrifying,” I admitted.
“Let’s get a drink after work,” she decided. “I think we both need it.”
***
A drink after work turned into many drinks. We sat in a blues bar, the lights low, the walls covered in black velvet. It was mellow, a remedy for the long day. With the soft soulfulness of the music in the background, we talked.
“Tell me more about you,” Julia requested as she downed her fourth margarita. Work Julia was quickly diminishing, revealing Real Julia, her truer self.
“There’s not a whole lot to tell.”
“Any boyfriends?” she asked. “What are the men in Milwaukee like? I imagine they’re big and husky like lumberjacks.”
I laughed, glad she hadn’t yet realized Corey and I were more than friends. “Milwaukee is only two hours away from here. Less depending on how fast you drive. You should go visit sometime and see for yourself. The men are okay.”
“Only okay? Someone else has caught your eye!” she reasoned, lighting up. “Who is it?”
“No one here,” I said honestly. “He’s far away. But I hope he returns soon.”
“Me too,” she said. “For your sake. So you like it here in Chicago? Mr. Stafford hasn’t scared you off?”
“No, he hasn’t scared me off. I really need this job. I’ve got my armor on. And I want to stay. More so than I thought I would. I have a feeling there’s more of the city I’ve yet to experience, but I like it here.”
“You’ll really like it here if Mr. Stafford continues his pattern.”
“What pattern?”
“Nothing,” she mumbled, waving her hand. “I’m just drunk. We should redecorate the apartment. It’s a bit bland, don’t you think? Maybe add some color. I like yellow, like sunshine.”
“Me too,” I said, thinking of my hatchback. “I also like a bright aqua blue, like a tropical sea.”
She held her margarita glass high. “Then we have our new color template!” she declared joyfully as she swayed in her chair, the alcohol definitely kicking in.
“Woohoo!” I cheered, feeling my own kick. “We’re making our house a home!”
“Home is where the heart is. And the booze.”
Recalling that Julia was far from her actual home, I asked, “Do you miss your family in Boston?”
“I don’t have any family,” she said, much more solemn. She took a sip of her drink then added, “I was a
Pounding his fists on the table, Noah exerted his authority. “You would risk the lives of innocent people so carelessly? Why?” he demanded.
The man wasn’t put off, the fool. “This is a business, not a charity. Who cares if a few lives are lost? All medical trials have death.”
I gaped at the man but kept my face carefully blank. I wanted to jump up and shout at him, hit him with my tablet. Instead, I waited to see what Noah would do. If anything.
“We’re not a pharmaceutical company. I did not start this company to kill people. Our brand of science is meant to help people, not hurt them. If you don’t understand that, you can leave.” Noah spoke sharply, like a judge holding his gavel.
The man shrunk in his seat. “I’m sorry, sir. I was merely playing devil’s advocate. Of course we should ensure the trials are safe and supervised by professionals in the medical field.”
I doubted he truly believed so.
His apology didn’t ease Noah. The fire, so hot it was cold, was lit. “This presentation is over,” Noah seethed. “Leave. All of you. Now.”
I moved with the crowd who rose from their seats, but Noah held me back. “Not you, Imogen. You only leave with me. Never before. Never after. Your place is by my side.”
Julia waited for us back in our office, a coffee in her hand. “Please know you can always call me away from lunch, sir. I’m at your beck and call.”
“Don’t let it happen again,” he barked and disappeared behind the door to his office.
Seemingly used to his discourtesy, Julia turned to me. “How did it go?”
“Terrifying,” I admitted.
“Let’s get a drink after work,” she decided. “I think we both need it.”
***
A drink after work turned into many drinks. We sat in a blues bar, the lights low, the walls covered in black velvet. It was mellow, a remedy for the long day. With the soft soulfulness of the music in the background, we talked.
“Tell me more about you,” Julia requested as she downed her fourth margarita. Work Julia was quickly diminishing, revealing Real Julia, her truer self.
“There’s not a whole lot to tell.”
“Any boyfriends?” she asked. “What are the men in Milwaukee like? I imagine they’re big and husky like lumberjacks.”
I laughed, glad she hadn’t yet realized Corey and I were more than friends. “Milwaukee is only two hours away from here. Less depending on how fast you drive. You should go visit sometime and see for yourself. The men are okay.”
“Only okay? Someone else has caught your eye!” she reasoned, lighting up. “Who is it?”
“No one here,” I said honestly. “He’s far away. But I hope he returns soon.”
“Me too,” she said. “For your sake. So you like it here in Chicago? Mr. Stafford hasn’t scared you off?”
“No, he hasn’t scared me off. I really need this job. I’ve got my armor on. And I want to stay. More so than I thought I would. I have a feeling there’s more of the city I’ve yet to experience, but I like it here.”
“You’ll really like it here if Mr. Stafford continues his pattern.”
“What pattern?”
“Nothing,” she mumbled, waving her hand. “I’m just drunk. We should redecorate the apartment. It’s a bit bland, don’t you think? Maybe add some color. I like yellow, like sunshine.”
“Me too,” I said, thinking of my hatchback. “I also like a bright aqua blue, like a tropical sea.”
She held her margarita glass high. “Then we have our new color template!” she declared joyfully as she swayed in her chair, the alcohol definitely kicking in.
“Woohoo!” I cheered, feeling my own kick. “We’re making our house a home!”
“Home is where the heart is. And the booze.”
Recalling that Julia was far from her actual home, I asked, “Do you miss your family in Boston?”
“I don’t have any family,” she said, much more solemn. She took a sip of her drink then added, “I was a
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