So Much More

Chapter 10: Wren

I've poured all of my energy into work the last week, trying to keep myself busy during the day until I can go to the hospital at night.

So far, all I've managed to do is run myself ragged from work and worry. I used to love the solitude of my apartment, knowing that it was just me. Now I find the silence overwhelming, and I've spent the last few nights sitting on Mary's couch with her until the late hours just so I don't have to hear myself think. Charlie's parents have been amazing. The way they're able to remain so positive and hopeful during all of this astounds me.

It's been a week, and all the doctor keeps telling us is to wait, to give it more time, and I feel my patience starting to wear thin. They've done so many tests on Charlie over the last week I've learnt words I didn't even know existed. Computerized tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging scan, electroencephalography. All of them are just fancy words for what can be summed up as the same thing; more tests with the same result. They still can't tell us if Charlie is ever going to wake up.

I'm sitting at my desk on Thursday morning when an email from Nate comes up on the screen, asking me to come into his office. I've been trying to make sure I work hard as usual the last few days, but I know I've been a little distracted. Seeing the short email from Nate makes me worried, and I start to think that maybe he might think I've taken on too much. I don't want to him to force me into having time off. When I walk into his office he's pulling on his suit jacket, before fishing a tie out of the top of his desk draw. He never wears one when he's at the office, only forcing them on for when he has a meeting.

"Are you going somewhere?" I say, pulling out my phone and quickly scrolling through the calendar. "I'm so sorry if I missed a meeting, but I swear I didn't see anything scheduled for today?" I start to panic thinking that I've let something slip due to what's been going on the past week, but his hand covers the screen and he gently pushes the phone down in front of me.

"Relax. This meeting wasn't on the books. I only just got an email and wanted to talk to tell you in person," he says, smiling at me. "We got the meeting."

It takes me a moment to register what he's talking about, but then it hits me. "Alkali Beer?"

"I submitted our resume and portfolio last week for the rebrand job. I know that last minute meetings aren't something we normally do, especially given your feelings towards scheduling, but this was too huge to turn down."

"For a company as big as Alkali I'll throw my scheduling out the window," I stress.

"I wasn't expecting to hear from them so soon as they only just started searching, but the boss of Alkali is in Melbourne today and wants to meet with us." The tie is still hanging loose around his neck and I reach up, fussing with his collar and doing the tie up for him. "You will be coming with me as usual. Today, I want you to be there as part of the design team Wren, not just my assistant."

"Really?" I can't help the stupid grin that breaks out on my face as I hear the words coming out of his mouth. I'm going to be part of the design team today.

"Is that okay with you? Is it too much for you at the moment, given everything that's going on?"

I shake my head vigorously. "No, no, I want to come. This company, this job, it's important to me and I really want to be there."

He glares at me for a second, his mind ticking over before making a decision. "Alright. Tell Gabe and Tash to be ready too. I want all hands on deck for this one." I nod my head firmly, turning and heading back to my office. "Wren?" Nate calls from behind me. I whip my head around and he's looking at me, admiration clear on his face. "Good work."

We leave the office shortly after I've told Tash and Gabe about the meeting, all of us feeling elated. Even Gabe manages a smile, but it quickly fades when he hears that I'll be there as part of the design team. When we arrive at the Alkali Beer headquarters the four of us are rendered speechless. The building in front of me is incredible. It's made up of dark red brick and complete with wrought iron trimming. There's an enormous gold Alkali Beer logo hanging at the front of the building, and it shimmers under the bright sunlight. It's by far the most beautiful building I've ever seen.