The room smelled of fresh drywall and new wool carpet.

David sat behind his dark walnut desk, adjusting the silver pen in his shirt pocket before resting his hands on his blotter.

“We got the final administrative clearance from the Seattle office this afternoon, Iris,” David said.

He slid a black leather portfolio across the polished wood toward me.

“Your structural stress calculations on the Tacoma bridge project were cited by the senior board,” David said.

“They approved your appointment unanimously.”