She did not mention the steps to anyone. There was nothing to mention. Buildings did not change length. She had miscounted, or she had walked faster on the return and estimated distance by time, or any of several other explanations that were available to a person who wanted an explanation. She wanted an explanation. She chose one.
She worked until three AM, when the call volume had dropped to almost nothing and the floor was quiet and Vikram came around to tell the newer employees they could start on documentation. She did the documentation. She did not notice anything else unusual that night.
She went home at seven AM in the office cab, through the Bangalore morning that was already in full traffic despite the hour, the city having its own relationship with sleep that was complicated and ongoing.
In her notebook — she kept a paper notebook, an MBA habit, the physical record — she wrote one line before she slept: 63 steps going. 74 coming back. Probably miscounted. Check tomorrow.
