Chapter 7 #2
After Maya’s tip, I found out that Silq’s head of marketing is connected to Bill on LinkedIn; they met at some corporate function and stayed friendly. I sweettalked Bill (a challenge) to get me an introduction, then I sweettalked the head of marketing to get us an invitation to compete.
“We’re going to land them. I have the best team working with me. I don’t have any doubts.” I manage to be cooler and calmer than George Clooney sipping his branded tequila. Inside, though, I’m freaking the fuck out.
This would be a wonderful sendoff gift for Stan. Landing Petty/Marsh’s biggest client ever, a true sign of how he’s been able to build up our agency during his tenure. There’s no way he could deny choosing me for creative director after that. Now I have to do the damn thing.
“If we get the Silq business, does that mean we’d get free products?” asks Ainsley, a mid-level graphic designer. “Asking for a friend, of course.”
“We’ll see,” I say.
“You think we can get Silq?” Stan asks.
“Absolutely. We’ve never gone after a client of this size. But we have it in us.” My stomach tumbles around like the most aggressive dryer cycle.
“Well, if you need help, Des, I’m happy to assist,” Kyle chimes in. “You know, since I have a fresher, younger perspective.”
Kyle is only thirty-five, nearly a decade younger than me. He had less of a ladder he needed to climb thanks to daddy.
“I think I’ve got it from here, Kyle. Thank you.”
“Competition—I love it!” Stan rubs his hands together. “I’ll be making my decision on my successor by December. Let’s see what you boys got.”
Just then, Stan’s secretary Myrna enters. She’s a lifer, knows the birthdays of every single person in this office from memory. She whispers something to him, which elicits a look from Stan I’m not used to: giddiness.
“Des,” Stan says, “do you have any big news you want to share?”
“Does it get bigger than Silq?”
“Anything else you want to tell us about?”
“We’ve finally convinced Vernon Auto Parts to start a TikTok.”
“Not work-related. Is there anything else going on in your life?”
I rack my brain. Is this a trick question?
“I might be getting a new car?” I offer.
Stan rolls his eyes. “Des, you love to keep us on our toes. Apparently, you filed to change your insurance plan today…because you got married.”
Suddenly, all eyes are on me. Not the kind of focus I prefer. I take a breath, tight and shallow.
“I did,” I say slowly. Very slowly.
“This is news to us!” Stan says, slapping his knee. “We never thought you would get married.”
“That came out of nowhere,” Kyle adds. “Did you get drunk and marry someone in Vegas?”
“No, Kyle,” I mutter.
I want to remind him that his dad allegedly did just that on a wild work trip years ago, but I don’t want to burst his bubble.
“Oh, you know…it was just time,” I say.
Myrna looks at the form. “Tanner. That’s your friend, isn’t it? He came to the holiday party with you a few years ago.”
She never forgets a face. Ever.
“We’ve been friends for a while.” I think about Tanner and our dopey text chain.
The times on his roof. That adorable sweetness that radiates off him.
“We’ve known each other since high school.
We played on the hockey team together. We’ve just…
been through it. Through highs, through loss.
And over the past few months, we realized this friendship was something more. Something deeper.”
Despite myself, a smile crosses my face. I remember that I’m in advertising, and my job is to sell people on new realities, and I’m damn good at my job.
“He’s funny. He’s sweet. Sometimes I don’t know how he stands me, but…he does.” My colleagues hang on my every word. They may be more emotional about this than about Stan retiring. “We realized we wanted to make it something more permanent.”
“Dude, you just up and got married? You said you were taking it easy this weekend,” Craig says.
“When you’ve been with someone this long, and know them this well, you don’t need a whole ceremony.
That can come later. With school starting, and the kids going back—Lulu’s starting kindergarten, Lena’s starting high school—there’s just a lot of transition.
We didn’t want to add to that. So we kept it low-key. ”
“He has kids?” Stan asks.
“Four. I’m crazy about each and every one of them.”
“That is so sweet,” Myrna says.
“So you’ve been together exclusively this whole time?” Kyle asks.
“It’s been a few months since we decided to be exclusive. You know, when you get to our age, you know what you want. What you don’t want. You don’t need all the pomp and circumstance. We went to the courthouse.”
Some coworkers let out an aww at that. I flash back to those crowded chambers, holding Tanner’s hand as I slid the ring on, feeling a slight nervous tremble in his fingers.
“You are so in love. It’s so cute. I never thought this day would come,” says Rishi, an account manager sitting across from me.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mention anything.” I turn to Stan. “But don’t worry—I’m still laser-focused on my work.”
“I hope so,” he says. “Because you have four new dependents. And kids are a handful. Wonderful, but a handful.”
Myrna nods and laughs. I wonder if this is some kind of HIPAA violation, reading my life out loud in front of everyone.
“I love being a father,” I say, grateful I didn’t choke on that absurd statement. “But as I said, Stan—I’m ready to help lead this agency. We’re gonna get Silq. So don’t worry about any distractions.”
“Oh, I’m not,” he says, waving away my concern. “Des, you’ve been a bachelor for so long. That can be fun. But having a marriage and a family…it gives you stakes. Now there’s a real reason for you to come into work. You’ve got mouths to feed. People to support. Something real.”
He smiles. I feel a little dinged at his opinion, though. As if I wasn’t serious about my job when I was single.
“And maybe that’s old-fashioned of me. I support whatever lifestyle people choose, but a family keeps you grounded. I’m excited to meet them.”
I do a double take. “Meet them?”
“Of course! We want to meet your new family.”
“Oh. Well…if there’s a work event, maybe you’ll meet Tanner or something.”
“No, I mean really get to know them. I’ve met spouses and kids over the years at holiday parties and company picnics.” Stan loves playing wise old grandpa to everyone’s kids. He dresses as Santa at Christmas parties.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll meet them sometime.”
“Myrna, can you work with Des to schedule dinner? I’d love to come over one night—if that’s okay with you.”
Before I can answer, Kyle says, “I’m sure Des would love to have you over.”
“Wonderful idea,” I say through gritted teeth.
“It’s settled,” Stan says. “I’m excited to meet them. And Des—welcome to marriage and fatherhood.”
Everyone claps and cheers.
I act gracious; inside, I feel like I’m melting at the speed of light.