CHAPTER 8: Proving

KATHLEEN

The first morning of the research project dawned with a slow drizzle of rain. The pain of the mate rejection had faded into a deep, bruised feeling that I pushed down into the pit of my being with the rest of my emotions. Nerves danced in my stomach as I prepared myself for the day. I had worked for months on my proposal to win the partnership, but that was only the beginning. Now was when the real work began, and I could only pray I was ready enough. I'd stayed awake nearly all night going through my data and the work of my own lab at Med-Research Inc. for the last two years.

Unfortunately, this morning I had to present it to all the team members. And while I was confident in my work, my place was the lab, not some boardroom. That was where I shone.

I spent careful time choosing my attire. I owned a few business suits, but today I chose a professional looking blouse and skirt instead, pulling my silver hair into a tight bun at the nape of my neck.

The drive to the profess