That's all. Really? No food? I don't eat breakfast. Huh.
That explains why you're so scary in morning meetings. Low blood sugar? There was a smile in his voice, and impossibly, Victoria felt her mouth twitch. Daniel kept her talking. He asked about her college major, her first job, whether she preferred dogs or cats.
Casual questions that required simple answers that kept her mind engaged with something other than the red emergency lights and creaking metal. Can I ask you something personal? Daniel said after they'd been talking for 15 minutes. Okay. You mentioned you don't like small spaces.
Has that always been true? Victoria hesitated. She never talked about this. But something about the darkness, the disembodied voice, the fact that he couldn't see her face made honesty feel possible. I was nine, she said quietly.
Playing hide and seek at a friend's house. I hid in a cedar chest in the attic. The lid fell shut and the latch caught. I was in there for 3 hours before they found me. 3 hours?
Daniel repeated softly. That must have been terrifying. I learned not to put myself in situations I couldn't control. And yet you got into an elevator this morning. That's different.
Elevators are necessary, predictable. Until they're not. Fair point, Daniel acknowledged. The intercom crackled with a burst of static, then cleared. Okay, Ms. Hale.
Power is coming back online in about 30 seconds. The doors are going to open to floor 41. I'll be standing right there. Sound good? The elevator hummed.
Lights flickered on, harsh and white after the red emergency glow. Victoria blinked against the brightness as the doors slid open with a soft chime, as if nothing unusual had happened. A man stood in the hallway, tall, maybe 35, wearing navy maintenance coveralls with Brooks embroidered over the pocket. Dark hair, steady brown eyes. A face that looked like it smiled easily, but wasn't smiling now, just watching her with quiet concern.
Victoria Hale, he said, extending a hand. I'm Daniel Brooks. It's good to finally see you in person. Victoria stepped out of the elevator on legs that felt uncertain. She took his hand, calloused, warm, solid, and held it perhaps a moment longer than necessary.
Thank you, she said. For staying. "Of course I stayed," Daniel said simply, as if there had never been any question. Three weeks later, Victoria stood at a podium in the Plaza Hotel Ballroom facing 400 people in eveningwear who'd paid $5,000 per plate to attend the Manhattan Tech Leaders Charity Gala. The teleprompter displayed her prepared speech about innovation and social responsibility.