ally getting louder. Mr. Tillman cleared his throat.
As if through a tunnel, he heard him say, “Percy? You wanted to see me?” He glanced around
Percy’s cubicle for what must have been the first
time. Percy watched him take in what he saw. His
eyes stopped on Garfield. Percy wished Garfield
would tell Mr. Tillman.
“Yes, sir. Um, thank you for coming by. I appreciate, um, your time,” Percy said in what seemed
like a loud whisper. He had to retain his voice.
Whitney and Garfield were counting on him.
“Sure, Percy. What can I help you with? I’m
on a tight schedule today, so I hope this is bri-.”
He stopped as he said the word ‘brief ’ to pick up
the picture of Whitney and Percy. Percy stood
back, surprised by the gesture as no one had ever
touched his things, especially not something so
important.
“Who is this beauty that you are with here,
Percy. Is she your girlfriend or wife? I didn’t think
you were married.”
Percy felt like his heart stopped. He watched
Mr. Tillman take the picture and bring it close to
his face and then put it back.
“That was my girlfriend, Mr. Tillman. That’s
Whitney.”
“Oh, I’m uh, I’m sorry, Percy. I, uh, didn’t
know. Girls come and go, don’t they? But it
doesn’t lessen the hurt, does it?”
“No, sir. No it doesn’t lessen it.”
Mr. Tillman took a heavy breath and scratched
his head. He closed his eyes before continuing,
“What was it you needed? Something urgent?”
Percy looked up at Garfield’s eyes and tail moving at a pace that seemed normal again. Everything seemed normal again. “Well, sir. I wanted
to tell you that my birthday is this month. I’ll be
29. I wanted to tell you because we’ve never gone
out to celebrate, and I want to this month.”
Mr. Tillman tilted his head to study Percy as
one would study an animal in the zoo. “Okay,
Percy. I’ll tell Marcia, and we will absolutely celebrate it. I didn’t realize we missed i-“
“And I want on the company’s WiFi. I’ve
worked here for five years after all.”
“Okay. Okay, sure, Percy. Is that it then?”
Percy waited for the feelings to invade, and he
paused to hear Whitney. He couldn’t. He looked
at Garfield, and he swore he saw him look away.
Percy was alone. “Yes, sir. That’s it.”
“Okay, Percy. I’ll see you at your birthday lunch
then. Good day to you, sir.”
“Yes. For my birthday.” He looked at Whitney.
She was still smiling.