Free Coming Home by B.L. Mooney Page A

up.”
    Matt still called Ryan up to the office, and the four of us
talked about what happened and who we think did it. Ryan thought it was someone
trying to embarrass him. I thought it was directed at me since they went
through my office to get the sketch. I told them when I had done the sketch and
that Stacy was the only one to see it, but Wade was upset that I didn’t show
him.
    Matt said he was sending an email about the missing paper, but wouldn’t
say anything about what the paper was used for. He assured me it was most
likely just a prank and no real harm was done. He said since nothing else was
missing from my office and the sketch wasn’t altered with sayings or additions
to Ryan’s face, we should just think of it as someone’s poor attempt at humor
and move on.
    I spent the rest of the morning in my office, working on some of the
sketches that someone had left me. It was easier to pull my work from the ideas
that were given to me than to come up with my own sketches. My mind was so
jumbled with all the images of my horrendous morning: the walls plastered with
copies of that sketch, Ryan’s somber face throughout the cleanup and shredding,
and the picture he sent to my phone that recorded my total disbelief and
embarrassment. I put my elbows on the desk and my head in my hands just as my
office door opened.
    “Hey, are you okay?” Vicki came in with a couple of sacks from
the health deli down the street. “Have you had lunch yet?”
    “I’m fine, and, no, I haven’t left the office all morning.” I got
up and moved to the table as she took out the lunches. “Thanks. How much do I
owe you?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Thank you. I’ve been sketching some this morning. Let me go wash
up and I’ll be right back.”
    Vicki nodded. When I returned, she was looking at my desk. “What
are you working on?”
    “Someone left some really cool sketches while I was out with my
mom, and I was just trying to switch them from charcoal to digital for print.”
I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled the sandwiches. “Thanks again
for lunch.” I sat down as Vicki sat and I started to eat.
    She looked over at the desk again. “Do you really think they’re cool
sketches?”
    I nodded with my mouth full. “Absolutely.” I took a drink. “I
only wish I could thank whoever did them because they’ve really helped me catch
up.”
    “This is a little much for one person, huh?”
    I noticed Vicki was more picking at her sandwich than eating it.
“It is a full-time job, but I’ll get faster. I promise.”
    Vicki looked up. “That wasn’t a crack about you being slow. I
really meant it’s too much for one person.” She sighed. “How would you feel if
you had another artist to help out on the bigger projects?”
    I took a bite so I could have a few more seconds to think about
my answer. If I said no, I was going to have to bust my butt to make sure
everything was done quicker than I’d been doing. If I said yes, it was admitting
I couldn’t do the job. I wasn’t sure what to say. Either way I felt screwed.
    “It’s not a trick question. Would you be comfortable if there were
another artist on staff, or would that make you think we don’t believe in you?”
    She was worried how I’d feel if they hired someone else? They
should have really only been worried about getting the job done. Since when was
the employee asked if another employee should be hired? “I guess I wouldn’t
feel uncomfortable as long as we weren’t in competition. I really didn’t like
that at my old job. Everyone was trying to outdo the other, and it just got
awkward sometimes. I mean we’re here for our job, not a competition.”
    “So you wouldn’t mind?” I shook my head, trying to figure out
what Vicki’s issue was. “I just don’t want to step on your toes or make you
think you can’t handle it.”
    “Wait. You did the sketches?” Vicki was hesitant, but nodded.
“Then why did you hire me? You don’t need me