December 31, 2029 did not feel like a holiday inside TG Tower until late afternoon, when the work slowed enough for people to look up and remember the date. Most floors were running on skeleton staffing. The elevators were quieter. The pantry areas had more food than usual, brought in by assistants and department heads who knew people would stay if they felt cared for. A few desks had paper hats sitting on top of monitors. Someone had taped a small calendar page to a glass wall and circled midnight in marker like the building needed instructions.
Timothy stayed in the office longer than he planned. It was not because he wanted to. It was because end-of-year decisions stacked up even when he tried to push them away. Payroll approvals. A final review of the foundation's January mobilizations. One call with procurement to confirm they were not cutting corners on year-end deliveries. He handled what had to be handled, then shut his laptop and left it shut.
