“How are things going with Natasha?” Logan asked.
“I’m trying to find an appropriate way to thank you for bringing her into our life,” I said.
“I told you she was good with kids.”
“How are things in Germany?” I asked.
“I don’t know near enough to communicate in society around here, but I’m getting the hang of it. The training only started yesterday, but it looks promising. Not much here is different from how we do it, but a few things could be changed. The biggest changes are going to have to be to who’s employed where.”
“What do you mean?”
“We can’t have people with thick German accents picking up phone calls from our U.S.-based customers. They’ll never be able to understand one another,” he said. “So I’m having a company-wide meeting today to get everyone’s input on where they actually want to work in the company before I start switching around job titles.”
“Good luck with that,” I said. “Don’t blow things up before we can get it off the ground.”
“Don’t worry. I have a plan in place. Give me three weeks and I’ll have this place up and running the way it should be.”
“That’s why I sent you out there for it. Keep me in the loop.”
“Check your email and it won’t be that hard,” he said.
I hung up my office phone before my cell phone started ringing. It was Clara’s school, and I looked over at the clock to see what time it was. It was only ten thirty and the only reason they would be calling me was if they couldn’t get in touch with Natasha.
Was everything all right?
“Hello?” I asked.
“Mr. Marshall, it’s Mrs. Canny.”
“Hello there, Mrs. Canny. Is everything okay?”
“I’ve been trying to get Miss Natasha on the phone, but she isn’t picking up. Clara’s sick and I need someone to come get her.”
“Have you tried the house phone? Maybe her cell phone’s off,” I said.
“I don’t have your house number here. Only your cell, your work, and Natasha’s cell phone.”
“I’ll give the house a call and see if I can get her. If I can’t, I’ll leave work immediately. What’s going on with Clara?” I asked.
“It’s not that bad. A slight fever, she’s not eating her snack. She’s sleeping in the corner on one of our cots right now.”
“Yep. Sounds like she’s sick. Give me fifteen minutes and one of us will be there.”
“I’ll get her ready,” she said.
I hung up the phone and promptly called the house. Worry was bubbling in my gut. I couldn’t be upset for Natasha not keeping her cell phone by her, but during times like this I needed her to be available. Even though things with the merger were going well, there was still mounds of paperwork I had to take care of and get filed away and I couldn’t get it done if I was constantly having to track her down.
“Marshall residence, this is Natasha speaking.”
“It’s me,” I said.
“Carter?”
“Where’s your cell phone?” I asked.
“I’m having it replaced. Joshua had a bit of a tantrum this morning and my cell phone was collateral damage.”
“What?” I asked.