He paused, and I heard the faint click of his phone screen locking in his downtown office.

“Is your mind somewhere else today?”

“I’m handling some household accounting,” I said, turning to page six of the printout.

“The European regional director needs our final answer,” David said.

“HR wants the signed Lisbon visa application by Friday afternoon.

If you don’t take the transfer, I have to open the job to outside applicants.”

“I thought I had until the end of the month to make up my mind,” I said.

“The deadline got moved up,” David said.