"You think it's you?"
"Of course it's me. I know too much."
"I think it's me. Now we're both terrified."
"Well, I can survive it better than you can. I don't want to see those beautiful babies of yours going hungry."
"Don't forget, Hanna has a job. They won't starve."
"I know, but you would tell me if I can help…I mean if you are the one who gets fired."
"Oh, okay, if you insist."
She knew he probably wouldn't, but the offer was there if he needed it. "I've got a feeling this might be our last break together. It's Friday afternoon, you know."
"I know."
"Jim, if you have to print my last check, don't let it get you down. You have to do what you have to do."
"I hate men who cry, but I just might if Nicole makes me do that. You're the best friend a guy ever had."
"Oh no, now you're going to make me cry." She covered her eyes and took a deep breath.
"You can't cry; it will make your makeup run."
"True." She slowly grinned. "Did you see Susan's makeup yesterday?"
At last, Jim smiled too. "Was she crying or what?"
"She must have been. Not only does she curl her eyelashes now, she wears eye makeup. I guess she doesn't know the cheap kind runs, and not one person mentioned the black streak down the side of her cheek. She didn't notice it until after lunch. I thought it was hilarious."
"So did I."
Maggie sighed. "Just think; if they fire me, no more Roxie the Robot, no more Susan and no more Nicole."
"Just think; if they fire either of us…" Jim let his voice trail off. "Promise we'll stay in touch?"
"Of course we will." She gave in to the urge, and went into his arms.
"Now they'll really talk," he whispered.
"Let them, I don't care."
"Neither do I." He kissed her on the cheek, let go, left her standing there, and walked back into the building.
*
"Come see me," was all the email from Nicole said.
With only half an hour left before time to go home, Maggie knew what was coming. She closed her eyes and gathered her courage. "Might as well get it over with," she muttered. She slowly stood up and left her cubical. For once, Roxie the Robot was not watching her. When she walked past Jim's cubical, he looked at her with sad eyes. She guessed, and rightly so, that he had been forced to print her final paycheck.
Maggie softly knocked on Nicole's closed office door and wasn't surprised when Nicole quickly opened it.