`` the senior partners want to know when you 're planning on showing up for the board meeting . '' she swallowed in fear of his dry tone as a sense of dread went through her . he could see her face right now in his minds eye . `` yer not dying , '' i say , getting an arm under her shoulders and another under her knees . my head hurts just trying to think this all through , and deep down i feel ... numb . 