“If you want to run it by your mom first, I can wait. I know there are a lot of big words in there.”

She looked from the tablet to her house and back again.

I had her.

After she signed, I slipped the tablet back in its case and put both my hands on the mailbox once more. I closed my eyes and started slowly shaking until I reached a fervor a notch too dramatic, even for me.

“You will have everything you’ve ever wanted,” I said as I stepped back and snapped my fingers. The air around us flickered back to life.

“I got in?”

Katherine pulled out the mail, flipping through it madly. She landed on one envelope and tore it open.

“Oh my God, I got in!”

I heard a screen door slam, and out came a woman who looked like Katherine after children and too many skin treatments.

“I got in! Mom, I got in!”

Her mom ran down the walkway and grabbed the envelope. Then they were both screaming and hugging, and I knew my work here was done, even if I wasn’t quite ready to leave that sweet, sweet atmosphere.

“Thank you!” I heard right before I pushed the button. I looked at Katherine as she twisted around, no longer able to see me. “Thank you!” she said again.

“You’re welcome,” I said while the air turned the kind of foggy it does right before you go back to Hell.

The truth is I didn’t actually do anything to the mailbox. The rest of her life, sure. Vet school, good paychecks, nice feeling of purpose—I took care of that. But I didn’t touch the envelope.

People should really open their mail before they call on us.

—

THAT EVENING, I WAS filing the paperwork for Katherine when I heard my computer ding with a different sound. Something lighter, more jovial.

It was a message.

CALAMITY GANON: Burning that midnight oil, huh?

I peered down the hall and saw the glow of a desk light.

PEYOTE TRIP: Paperwork is 75% of the gig.

All of the lights between us were out. It was quitting time. I thought about my apartment. I hadn’t done dishes in so long, I was eating food off other surfaces: magazines, old books I got from the dump. That’s right; we have a large collection of hardcover books in the dump here. Don’t act like that’s a huge surprise.

I typed.

PEYOTE TRIP: Are you about to head out? Want to grab a drink?

I waited. I signed the last of the paperwork and stood up to bring it to KQ’s desk. She would be pleased, but not pleased enough to mention it at the morning meeting. Typical.

My computer beeped again.

CALAMITY GANON: Actually, that would be great. Meet you at the elevator up front in 5?