"Are you familiar with the details of the upgrade?"
"Yes, I've read the, uh, overview document." He didn't project confidence and Julia wondered at his manager's faith in him. She hoped he was more competent than he looked. But it wasn't like she could afford to be picky. If he could do the job, great. If not, she'd be back to put more pressure on Derek.
She pulled a thick document out of her folder. "We have a demo scheduled for next month but no-one has had time to create the new interfaces yet. Here are the detailed specifications." Julia handed it to Steven. He immediately started scanning it.
"You don't need to read it right now," she said in amusement. "If you could get back to me on Monday with a time estimate I would really appreciate it."
"Of course," said Steven. His seemed to have completely forget his shyness as he studied the document intently. An intense frown of concentration appeared on his face.
"Excellent," said Derek, clapping him on the back. "That's sorted then. You two can meet on Monday and let me know if you need any help." He ushered the younger man out of the office.
"Thanks, Steven," Julia called out. He walked away still reading the document and she realized he was on a collision course for a large pot plant. "Watch out for the…" she tried to warn him. Steven bumped into it and looked up in surprise. "…plant," she finished. He glanced back at them and looked embarrassed but continued on his way.
Derek turned to Julia with a rueful smile. "He'll do a good job, I promise."
***
Since Mark had cancelled their weekend plans, Julia arranged to go out on Saturday night with a girlfriend. She met Emily at a popular bar on Cuba street.
"Hey sweetie. I haven't seen you in a while," said Emily cheerfully. She wore a layered red top and tidy jeans. Her dark hair was shorter than Julia remembered, and cut in a cute bob.
"Yeah, sorry. I've just been so busy with my new contract." Julia perched on the bar stool beside her and ordered a drink. "You work too hard, girl," Emily complained, frowning. Julia rolled her eyes. "I'm here now, aren't I?" she replied.
They talked about work and other topics. Emily was an occupational therapist at the hospital and always had an interesting story to tell. "How is that no-good boyfriend of yours," she asked after a while.