When I walk in, my secretary regards me with a smirk before handing me a pile of messages. “Good morning, Mr. McAllister.” “Hello, Alicia. What’s all this? My punishment?” “This is what happens when you disappear for two days. I can weed through them if you like? Trash the unimportant ones?” I hand them back to her. “Yes, please.” “Oh, and your dad called. He’d appreciate it if you’d stop by the house sometime today. They’ll be home all afternoon.” Great. “And I’ll bring you some coffee. You look like you need it.” “Thanks, Alicia.” I head into my office and fire up my laptop. I regret it immediately because I find over two hundred emails. Heaven forbid if I ever take a vacation. My inbox would explode. I delete what I can before losing all patience and calling Alicia, begging her to work her weeding magic on my email, as well. By the time she brings me my coffee, I only have twenty phone calls to return and about fifty emails requiring my attention.
