The Wrong Number

Chapter 2: The Second Wrong Number

It was 1:15 PM. David's lunch sat untouched on his desk.

He told himself he was checking emails.

But his thumb opened his call log.

One number. No name. Yesterday, 8:03 AM.

Duration: 4 minutes 22 seconds.

He shouldn't.

He did.

The phone rang twice.

"Customer service, Ada speaking. How may I help you?"

Her voice was the same. Bright, a little tired, professional.

David cleared his throat. "Hi. Yes. I... I think I dialed the wrong number again."

A beat of silence. Then Ada laughed.

"CEO Carter. Third time this week and it's only Tuesday."

David felt heat rise to his ears. "It's David."

"I know," Ada said softly. "What can I do for you, David?"

He had no reason to be calling. No report. No meeting.

"I just... wanted to see if you were having a better day than me."

"Are you?" Ada asked.

"Not until now," David admitted.

There was another pause. The call center noise was faint behind her.

"You can’t keep calling customer service to chat, you know," Ada teased.

"I know," David said. "But customer service is the only person who laughed at my joke this week."

Ada went quiet. Then: "Lunch break ends in 10 minutes."

"I know," David said. "Can I call you after 5?"

"That would be... a third wrong number," Ada said.

"Maybe I’m bad at dialing," David replied.

"Or maybe," Ada whispered, "you’re good at finding reasons."

David smiled. "5 PM?"

"5 PM," Ada said. "Don’t be late, CEO."