Free The Second Half by Lauraine Snelling Page A

able to hear what was said and what was carefully left unsaid. Who coveted which cause or position. What bells he had to ring to get his way in an important matter. This time, though, when it counted most—funding of the whole department—he could not for the life of him figure out what was going on. Dale had assigned him useless work. Why?
    Sandy buzzed him. He hit the button. “Four more candidates just submitted. Do you want to do them today or pick it up in the morning?”
    “Do them today. You get off shortly, so let me have them and you can go home.”
    “Paper or online?”
    “Don’t bother to print them out. Why kill trees if you don’t have to.” He swung his monitor around to a better viewing angle as the first flashed onto the screen. But he had trouble concentrating. He simply could not apply himself to this.
    Weariness? Exhaustion?
    Or was he making the same hideous error his brother had made? Instead of picking up his marbles when he could and going home, Frank had worked on and on past retirement age. And then, when he finally did retire, he dropped dead.
    Now here was Ken, hanging on beyond the bitter end when his family was begging him to just quit and walk away.
    And if he followed Frank’s road, Mona could be raising two small children alone.

Chapter Seven
    =
    G o ahead and have supper. I’ll get something on my way home.”
    Mona glanced at the clock. Already seven. “I could bring you a picnic.”
    “No thanks, I don’t want to stop right now.”
    She could hear not only weariness in Ken’s voice, but also a feeling of defeat. Her mother bear came into full force. Right now she could quite cheerfully take on those closed-minded autocrats who only believed in the bottom line. Ken had given his life to that place and this was the way they repaid him? But dumping these evaluations on him right now was the last thing he needed.
    There had been talk about hiring him part-time as a consultant after he retired, but as far as she was concerned, they had burned their bridges. If they didn’t listen when he was still head of the department, why would they later?
    “I wish there was some way I could help you.”
    “Thanks, I’ll call you when I am ready to leave. Oh, any word on Steig?”
    “Not since five. They were stopped at a rest area in Kansas.”
    “Okay. Later.” He hung up.
    She glared at the phone in her hand, then down at the dog, who scratched at her leg with one paw. “No!”
    Ambrose dropped to the floor, his eyes pleading for mercy. Mercy was what they all needed right now.
    “I’m sorry, I know you were only trying to help.” She puffed out a sigh. A walk would do both her and the two critters more good than pacing here. “Okay, a short walk.” The dog leaped to his feet and scrabbled across the tile floor to stand under the hanging leashes, tail waving, tongue lolling. Hyacinth strolled on over and sat down, as if to say, If you insist, I will accompany you. But only for Ambrose’s sake .
    Mona stuffed plastic bags in her pocket, fixed collars and leashes in place, and followed them out the door. At least she was able to give someone pleasure.
    They’d gotten down to the river path when her phone announced Marit. Without preamble, Mona announced, “We’re walking, your father is still at the office, and the last I heard from Steig at five, they were at a rest stop in Kansas.”
    “Guess that answered everything. Call me if you hear anything. The kids and I are watching that goofy cartoon feature with a reindeer. Or moose. Something. Magnus is stuck at the office, too. You want to come over here?”
    “No thanks. Later.” She knew she’d been abrupt, but right now that was all she could manage. You should just enjoy the walk, her naggy voice said. Well, easier said than done. She should have stayed home tuned to the weather channel. Or folding that last load of clothes or baking something or…She put both leashes in one hand and rubbed her forehead with the other.