Forty

As she passed the twin glass doors entering the receptionist area, she caught her reflection. She wore her normal drab-colored dress and low-heeled shoes. As always, her hair was pulled back from her face and secured with a rubber band. Squaring her shoulders, she shifted her gaze back to the floor and dragged herself toward the supervisor’s room.

She knocked on his open door. “Terry?” He looked up from his work and met her stare. “I just wanted to let you know I’m done, and I emailed you the file.”

Her middle-aged boss shook his head. Running his fingers through the receding brown hair that would turn him bald in a couple of years, he glanced at the clock on the wall. “Ahead of schedule, once again.”

“Well, today, I’m cutting it short. The hyped-up women in the office distracted my concentration.”

He nodded. “Yes. I couldn’t help but overhear that Todd’s son is in the bui