In the morning Maria wished Ben a good day, put an umbrella in his briefcase just in case, and gave him a large thermos of coffee to take on the road. They talked on the phone at lunch when she asked what he would like to eat for dinner, and everything was fine. Then in the evening he came back out of the mood.
– I’m so tired,” the man complained, rubbing his forehead and glancing sideways at his wife, who was milling about in the kitchen, and the two children, who were sitting next to him at the table, spooning the cold mashed potatoes.
– It’s Thursday, one day left to wait, and the weekend will come, – Maria encouraged him.
– I’m not tired because of work,” Ben sighed heavily. – Guess why the director summoned me to his office today?
Maria didn’t know that he had been summoned, but if it was the director himself, he must have been telling him off for something.
– I do not know, – unsurely replied his wife.
– And you try to remember what we talked about last night? And you try,” he ordered the children.
– About the weekend trip? – Maria suggested. – Everything will have to be rescheduled, because now you have plans at work?
– That too. But that’s not what I mean.
– Did your colleague get promoted and you get scolded for something?
Ben snorted, then suddenly broke into a grin.
– No,” he announced, savoring each successive word, “you said last night that if anyone deserved a promotion in our department, it was me. You were right in the eye. Today the director invited me into his office to promote me. I’ll have to go out a few Saturdays to get into a working rut, but the rate will also be 200% on the weekend!
He laughed, getting up to kiss the kids on the cheeks and give his wife a big hug.
– Did I put you in a bad mood? I was just kidding.
Finally, everyone exhaled with relief.
– You did scare me,” said Maria. – I thought you were accusing me of something. And I accidentally predicted your future.
– And what a future,” Ben didn’t hold back his smile. – How about predicting my success in my new job?
