Chapter 143

“Hey birthday boy, a dance?” Sandra asked, as she held out her hands to him. On any other day, he would have been reluctant to indulge her but was in such an agreeable mood that he found himself smiling and leading her to the dance floor.

“I hear I’m in your debt?” Steven whispered

“Oh yes, you are. But I did good, didn't I?”

“You excelled. And I think I owe you a gift.”

“Oooh, I love gifts.”

Steven smiled and said nothing else. After a couple of minutes, Sandra said

“Marie loves you so much, Steven. The things she had to go through and do to have this party? I’ve never seen her so stretched before. She simply refused to give up.”

“That's my wife. I live in total awe of her, I doubt I'll ever deserve her.”

“Maybe we both never will,” Sandra said as she looked at Marie with a smile on her face.

After dancing with Sandra, Steven went over to his grandfather who was chatting with another old timer at the firm, Dean Fallon.

“Hello, permit me to intrude to say a quick hello.”

“Oh, that's p