Flash Fiction: Thaddeus Letter

He had not been expecting a letter from George Duncan. It was surprising. And Thaddeus Stevens was not a man who relished surprises of any kind. He lived a well-organized life of daily rituals. He preferred it that way and his profession demanded it. As head accountant of Duncan & Duncan for the last 20 years, it had been his responsibility to ensure company ledgers were accurate and balanced.

He had taken particular pride in the company acronym of PEP: punctual, efficient and perfection. As he dressed for work, he would recite the mantra over and over. By 7:30 a.m. he was backing his BMW 3 series out of a private drive to his condo. By 8:00 a.m. his secretary, Monty, was setting coffee, mail and phone messages in a straight line on his desk blotter.

Over the years Thaddeus made it his personal responsibility to staff the accounting firm with like-minded interns. The company not only grew but they commanded the accounting world. He had sacrificed. He never missed a day of work. He ate lunch at his desk. His only social life involved company activity.

Thaddeus looked at the letter in his hand. He frowned. He sat. His boss knew how he hated surprises. George knew Thaddeus preferred focus. Only then could the beauty of numbers in perfect columns bring him peace. Up until one month ago, nothing had interrupted the steady flow of monotony that Thaddeus Stevens called "life."

When Duncan's wife had died in a tragic accident, Thaddeus knew it would be a matter of time before the daily routine was once again established. He'd waited patiently. He'd ignored Duncan's depression. He'd overlooked his daydreaming in staff meetings. What he wanted was as clear in his mind as his next day's appointments. Thaddeus wanted to become a partner. Though he would never speak the goal out loud, he felt sure his actions of the last 20 years would scream his intentions loud and clear to Duncan. That is until, Grace Livingston.

When Mr. Duncan introduced Grace Livingston to the office, no one was more shocked. She was as unlike the former Mrs. Duncan as any human being could be. Bleached blonde and pink fingernails adorned an hourglass figure well past the age of 50. Thaddeus hid his disdain when she embraced him at the annual Christmas party. Unlike everyone else, he felt threatened by the newcomer. Out of place around her. And very unappreciative of her attention.

Now everyone seemed so distracted. People laughed a little too much for his taste. There were donuts in the break room. And next to the coffee machine was a basket with flavored creamers and Swiss Hot Chocolate packets. All unnecessary expenses in more ways than one. Feed the interns donuts and polite conversation followed. All time wasters. But Grace's ideas were accepted from the top down.

When Mr. Duncan announced his engagement to Grace, no one was surprised. Not even Thaddeus. Though he was the only pessimist at the surprise wedding shower. Always efficient with his time, he thanked God for his perseverance. Had he not gone to the party, he would have missed his window of opportunity.

The letter rested lightly on his knee. The party had been over for hours. Everyone had gone home. Grace and the other ladies had loaded the booty in her new van and gone to Duncan's house to unpack.

Thaddeus stayed to put everything back in order. He had never seen Mr. Duncan so happy, and felt no guilt sharing a final drink. The foaming had stopped. And the twitching. Duncan was no longer grabbing his throat. The strychnine had done its job.

He slid his finger under the envelope seam.

Dear Thaddeus,

Consider this your reward for years of exemplary service. And notice of my retirement. I'm sure you will make an excellent CEO. Grace and I were married in a civil ceremony this morning. We'll be leaving at week's end. I know we're leaving the company in good hands.

Sincerely,

George Duncan