Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

but Hugo was persistent, Wallace feeding him the right words to say. Wallace
had made an awful mistake, and Patricia Ryan should be rehired
immediately, her daughter’s scholarship restored. It took nearly a week for
Hugo to get one of the partners on the phone—Worthington—and when Hugo
told him why he was calling, Worthington said, “Wallace wanted this?
Wallace Price? Are you sure? He was the one who fired her. And if you
knew Wallace, you know he never admitted to mistakes.”
“He did this time,” Hugo said. “Before he died, he sent me a handwritten
letter. I didn’t receive it until a few days ago.”
“Post office,” Worthington said. “Always running behind.” Silence. Then,
“You’re not having me on, right? This isn’t some joke from beyond the grave
that Wallace wanted you to pull?” He snorted. “Never mind, that can’t be it.
Wallace didn’t know how to joke.”
Wallace muttered under his breath about the ridiculousness of lawyers.
“I can send you the letter,” Hugo said. “You can verify his handwriting.
He’s very clear about wanting Mrs. Ryan to have her job back.”
Sweat trickled down the back of Wallace’s neck as he waited, staring
down at the phone on the counter.
Worthington sighed. “I never thought she deserved what happened to her.
She was good. More than, even. I’ve actually been thinking about calling her
and…” He paused. “Tell you what: send me what you have, and I’ll take a
look at it and go from there. If she wants to come back to work with us, then
we’d be glad to have her.”
“Thank you,” Hugo said as Wallace cheered silently. “I appreciate that. I
know Wallace would—”
“How did you know Wallace?” Worthington asked.
Wallace froze.
Hugo did not. He looked at Wallace as he said, “I loved him. I love him
still.”
“Oh,” Worthington said. “That’s—I’m sorry for your loss. I didn’t know
he … had someone.”
“He does,” Hugo said simply.
Worthington disconnected, and Wallace hugged Hugo as hard as he could.
“Thank you,” he whispered into Hugo’s shoulder. “Thank you.”