Interview with Love

by Lisa Y. Watson

  It was the unpredictable occurrences that made the long hours, the endless airports, and take-out food bearable. The bloodshot eyes she received from pouring over handwritten notes and audio data from the sessions was worth it. The decent and sometimes indecent proposals she received from men were trivial compared to what she’d feel tomorrow at the final moment she put all her experience to the test? the interview.

  Sienna closed her eyes and harnessed the energy required to keep a group of strangers entertained, connected and responsive to her over the next two hours. It was like going into battle each time she welcomed her next group. It was a wonderful, fantastic, creative battle that caused her stomach to knot and her heart to beat with excitement? Showtime.

  A quick knock and then the door opened. In walked a woman smiling at Sienna with six men in tow. “Good afternoon everyone,” she said, cheerfully. “Welcome. Feel free to take any seat and then we’ll get started.” She waited until every man was seated comfortably and her hostess had left before lowering herself into her chair.

  “My name is Sienna Lambert and I’d like to take a few minutes going over what we’ll be discussing for the next two-hours.” She turned slightly in her chair. “Behind me you’ll see a mirrored wall. This is a one-way mirror and behind it are my clients. This evening they’ll be watching us and taking notes on our conversation and your responses to my questions. They are just as interested in what you have to say as I am, however in the interest of keeping the energy flowing freely and our conversations relaxed, their group will stay behind the scenes. Now if you’d like you can all turn around and wave at the mirror to say hello to break the ice.”

  There were chuckles throughout the group. A few turned around and waved at the wall.

  “Great. Another thing I’d like to mention is that there are a microphone and video camera recording what we’re saying. Most of this is to ensure that I can focus my attention on you all and leave the heavy note taking to them.” Sienna joked.

  “This is an open dialogue, okay? There are no right or wrong answers. We are here to hear what you have to say and to get your honest opinions on men’s undergarments. I know it’s after five and that most of you may be coming from work and have had a long day. Trust me, we appreciate your willingness to be here and to participate in this study. I think it would be great if we could go around the table and get each of you to introduce yourselves. Please start by telling us your name, if you live alone, with a spouse and or kids, a partner or friend, when was the last time you purchased underwear and who you were with when you bought them. Oh, and tell me if they were boxers or briefs. We’ll start on my left.”

  After they’d introduced themselves she continued. “Now I’d like you to name all of the factors you consider when shopping for underwear. We don’t need to go in order, but just make sure you speak up and talk one at a time. That will make the audio more clear when I’m listening to the playback of our session later. It will help me remember who said what, okay?”

  “For me the most important factors are price, comfort, style and color,” Barry noted.

  “Me too,” Daniel agreed. “When I’m in court I’m sitting, standing, and approaching the bench. I don’t have time to worry about trying to…you know…adjust.”

  Sienna made a few notes. “I can see how that would be inconvenient.”

  “I look at the track record of the brand name. Once I find a brand I like I stick with it,” someone chimed in.

  “Since I drive a bus I’m sitting all day,” Justin added. “I have to be comfortable. Color’s irrelevant, unless you’re French or something.”

  “Well I’m not French,” Dr. Sutton said, looking around. “But color is a factor when I’m choosing new underwear. My top three would be comfort, color and then style.”

  “Now tell me what makes a great pair of underwear for you all?” she asked.

  “It doesn’t bind or cling,” Barry spoke up quickly.

  There was a collective head nod around the room.

  Two hours had passed and Sienna glanced at her watch. She stood and walked to the front of the room. “Last question guys and we’re done.” She positioned an easel at the head of the table. “As you can see we have a large pad of paper with two stick figures. My two stick buddies here are each wearing a suit. Our man on the left is wearing a perfect pair of very comfortable underwear. Imagine how this guy feels.”

  “He’s feeling great,” one man called out.

  “He’s pressed, starched, and he’s feeling like he’s the man,” another added.

  “So what I’m hearing is how he’s feeling about himself is directly tied in to how well his clothes fit?”

  “Absolutely,” Frank commented. “He’s happy.”

  “He’s got the look and the confidence to do whatever,” Michael responded.

  Sienna pointed to the pad. “Now let’s look at his buddy over here on the right. He’s also wearing a suit, but he has a pair of ill-fitting underwear on. How do you think he feels?”

  “He’s thinking how the heck can I adjust without being obvious,” Justin said, loudly.

  “Definitely cranky,” Dr. Sutton replied. “That pair of underwear is going to be detrimental to his day.

  “Nothing worse than underwear that don’t fit right,” Daniel added. “Personally, I think it’s a perfectly acceptable form of torture.”

  Frank shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I bet I know what he’s thinking. Stick man’s thinking as soon as I get home these freaking things are going in the trash and I’m hitting the shower!”

  Sienna was typing notes onto her laptop when the flight attendant announced that everyone should stow all electronic devices. Her fingers flew over the keyboard to get her current thought on the page before she shut down her computer. Done! Sienna smiled triumphantly, while she hit the icon to save her work. Once she powered down, she snapped it closed and then slid the lightweight machine into its bag. Gently, Sienna maneuvered it under the seat. She eyed the obtrusive seat of the passenger in front of her. It was practically resting in her lap. With a small sense of satisfaction, Sienna shoved the tray in its upright position with a bit more force than necessary.

  The captain’s voice resounded overhead. He briefed the passengers on the weather and what time they would land at Raleigh Durham International Airport. Sienna scanned the sky outside her window. The pink and blue tinged clouds floated lazily over the horizon as the sun set on another day. Another long, incredibly-productive-kick-butt-and-take-names kind of day. There was no way she could contain the grin that slid across her face. Though she remained humble, Sienna couldn’t help but feel satisfaction in the work that she’d done. Her final focus group for Dexter was complete and the men were a riot.

  Her face still turned red just remembering the session. The discussion was almost finished when one of the respondents wanted to discuss a subject that had not been covered. He thought it important to mention that there were plenty of men that enjoyed wearing women’s underwear, and not just for sexual reasons, but because they were comfortable, held more of a variety then men’s underwear, and were available in a lot more colors, textures and styles. He was quick to point out that it may not be the best choice if one were ever in an accident, but that they were comfortable nonetheless. That proverbial bucket of worms had started a discussion that became so animated Sienna had to all but physically steer the group back to the topic at hand.

  Later, going over her notes and the tapes had been incredibly insightful. The creative energy bouncing off the six respondents was almost tangible. Their beneficial feedback prompted Sienna to wonder if Dexter Clothiers should consider adding a Best Kept Secrets line for women.

  At that moment the plane touched the runway with several quick bumps. The sound of the plane reversing engines resonated loudly throughout the cabin. As their speed slowed so did Sienna’s breathing. Calm seeped into her. Lambert Insight’s report was in the hands of Sherry Bradshaw and the other execs at Dexter Clothi
ers, and she was back in North Carolina safe and sound. Only now would she allow herself to bask in the knowledge that business was stable and doing well. The company was finally in the black and making strong headway in the profits department. It was time for some serious celebrating.

  Sienna maneuvered her way out of baggage claim twenty minutes later, to the nearby shuttle for satellite parking. She swung her bags on the raised platform inside the bus and sat in a seat across from it. Her thoughts drifted to the official wrap up of her biggest client. Oh yeah, she was definitely hauling Vivian out for a night on the town to celebrate.

  While the bus ambled monotonously down the road, Sienna retrieved her Date Minder from her purse. She scanned through the pages until she got to that day. Scribbled half-way down the page was the exact location of her car. Three trips ago, she’d spent thirty minutes in the pouring rain trying to find it. From then on she’d written it down.

  Once her bags were stowed in the trunk Sienna touched her door handle. Her car beeped and the door on her Hybrid Toyota Camry unlocked. She slid behind the wheel and placed her purse on the passenger seat. She pressed the button to start the car while retrieving her navigation unit from the glove box. “Hi, Lola,” she said, affectionately to her GPS.

  With a firm press she clicked the unit onto her windshield before turning it on. Tapping the Go Home button, she waited while the system calculated her route. As she pulled out of her space Sienna pressed a button on her steering wheel and spoke loudly. “Dad, at home.”

  “Dialing,” a female voice replied.

  A few rings later, a male voice answered. “Hey, honey.”

  “Hello, Colonel,” Sienna said, cheerfully.

  “There’s my little girl,” Retired Army Colonel, Gordon Lambert replied, with a warm voice. “How was your trip?”

  “Better than I anticipated. We did it, dad. We knocked this one out of the park.”

  “Fantastic, sweetheart! “Now, where are we going to celebrate? Sushi? Indian?”

  “I don’t know. I’m still reveling in my good fortune.”

  “Good fortune had nothing to do with it. It was good old fashion hard work, kiddo.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence. I’ll ponder where we’re going for dinner and get back to you.” Sienna maneuvered onto the on-ramp for I-540E. “How’s Mom?”

  “She’s doing fine. Told me to tell you she has three more recruits signing up.”

  A visual of her father marching her stepmother, Cassandra’s pre-teen class around her dance studio made Sienna giggle. “Dad, I don’t think a group of ballerinas march.”

  “Well, plies then. Anyway, what are you up to tomorrow?

  “I’m going to spend tomorrow doing absolutely nothing.”

  “Much needed I’m sure. Where are you now?”

  “On I-540, about to take the Leesville road exit.”

  “Oh, you’re almost home. Ring us once when you get in so we’ll know you made it in safely.”

  “Yes, sir,” Sienna said in a stern, serious voice.

  “At ease,” he laughed before hanging up.

  It wasn’t long before her car turned into her townhome community. She pressed a button overhead and her garage door eased open. She waited until it was safely closed behind her before she exited the car. Sienna removed her luggage from the trunk, wheeled it into the entryway, and then walked to the keypad to disarm the alarm. After flipping the lights on, she went in search of the cordless phone.

  “Great,” she muttered after realizing it wasn’t left on the charger. Sienna retrieved her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed her father. As instructed, she let the phone ring once, and then hung up.

  Her gaze traveled toward the kitchen, but she ignored the temptation to snack. Instead, she set her alarm in Stay mode and hefted her bag up the stairs.

  Twenty minutes later, her nighttime regimen was done. Easing under the bed covers, Sienna retrieved the cordless phone on her nightstand to check voicemail for messages. A few calls were telemarketers attempting to sell her time shares or magazine subscriptions she didn’t need. Without listening more than three seconds she pressed the number three on the keypad to delete their messages. The next call was from a friend reminding her when the next Zumba class was. She continued listening.

  There was a message from Sherry Bradshaw’s admin assistant. She wanted to remind her that they needed her RSVP for the company outing by Thursday.

  “What outing?” Saving the message, she got out of bed and padded downstairs. Flipping her dining room light on, she glimpsed a stack of mail on her table courtesy of her best friend and business partner, Vivian Adair. Taking a seat in a nearby chair, Sienna flipped through the mail. She spotted a few pieces from her office. Setting the personal letters aside, Sienna focused on the office correspondence. She discovered an invitation addressed to her in bold print.

  After ripping the envelope open she eased the invitation out. She read it twice. A smile plastered itself across her face. I’ve been invited to a Best Kept Secrets launch party at Eduardo Dexter’s summer estate. Her eyes dropped lower on the thick card stock to read the details. Normally she didn’t co-mingle with the client unless it was business, but the outing could prove to be great PR for the company and she was looking forward to meeting the younger Dexter. Decision made, Sienna doused the light and ran back upstairs. Excitedly, she picked up her phone and resumed checking messages. This time when a woman’s voice resounded in her ear her breath caught in her throat.

  “Hey, it’s Sasha. I tried to call you a few days ago, but you didn’t bother calling me back—an oversight no doubt. Call me when you get in.”

  Sienna immediately hit the delete key. Angrily, she tossed her glasses on the table. “Hell will freeze over first,” she said, aloud.

  Chapter Two

  Foul Ball

  Three days later, Sienna pulled into a large circular driveway in front of what could only be described as a mini-castle. The estate was on the main channel of Lake Norman in Catawba, North Carolina. The drive from her house had taken just under three hours. She stopped the car and slid the gear into park. With quick strides, an attendant intercepted her. He held the car door with one hand and assisted her from the car with his other.

  “Good afternoon, ma’am. May I have your name, please?”

  “Sienna Lambert.”

  The young man repeated her name into a headset. “Hello, Ms. Lambert. You can follow the pathway around to the rear of the house. Someone will be there to assist you.”

  “Uh, okay.” Sienna retrieved her bag from the back seat. She strolled along the cobblestone driveway toward the extensive lawn. She couldn’t resist gazing up at the multi-leveled roof lines. She tried to repress the urge to gawk, but it was difficult. especially when she spotted several turrets.

  “Wow,” she said, aloud while walking around the side toward the back of the home.

  The stone, brick and hardi-shake home had massive windows on three sides. She could imagine the panoramic views of the lake and the several nearby islands. When Sienna reached the back, there was a woman standing at a small lectern greeting guests. This is too much.

  “Good afternoon Ms. Lambert,” the woman smiled warmly, and then handed Sienna a name tag and a packet. “Have a wonderful time.”

  “Thank you,” Sienna replied, continuing on.

  The extensive back yard looked like a miniature theme park. There were various stations with different attractions. She opened the packet in her hand and saw a detailed list and map of where to find each activity. Volleyball, croquet, baseball and water polo were available, as well as huge water slides, paddle boats and jet skis.

  Sienna hadn’t known what to expect so she’d chosen a sleeveless summer dress with sandals. Always prepared, she’d also packed a small duffle bag with a swimsuit, shorts, a tee shirt, athletic shoes, bug repellant and sunscreen.

  “Sienna.” A voice called from her left.

  Turning, she glimpsed Sherry and o
ther members of her team advancing.

  “How are you, Ms. Bradshaw?”

  “Sherry,” the woman corrected. “I’m fine, and thrilled you could make it.”

  “Thanks for inviting me. From what I’ve seen so far,” Sienna said, falling in to step next to her, “our host has gone all out.”

  “Isn’t it a blast? You haven’t had a chance to meet Eduardo, but you will. He is just as amiable as his brother Antonio.”

  “I can’t wait to meet him.” Sienna glanced around. “Honestly, I don’t know where to start first.”

  “No rush. Want something to drink? Wine? Margarita?”

  “Iced tea or lemonade would be just fine.”

  “Rule number three: Never drink at parties held by clients?”

  Sienna laughed. “Only co-mingle with the clients if it’s business.”

  “I think you’re going to have to make an exception to that rule,” Sherry informed her. “I’ll introduce you to the Best Kept Secrets models. We’ve got men in all shapes and sizes. They’re sure to appeal to every woman’s eye. The press is here, too. They’ll be doing a photo shoot after Antonio gives the welcome speech officially kicking off the new line.” She practically dragged Sienna along. “Later, I’ll introduce you to the executive and creative directors from the ad agency we’re going with, Chase & Burroughs.”

  “Sounds great.” She was about to ask a question but Sherry held up her hand. “Uh-uh. No more shop talk,” she whispered, conspiratorially. “Right now we’re going to run down a waiter and get you a drink, and then I’m going to introduce you to our very capable, very gorgeous cover models. I’ll bet there’s someone here that will rival your admirer from the focus group.”

  “Now that,” she said, in a hushed voice, “would be a tall order.”

  After listening while the brothers introduced their new line, Sienna found a great spot on the patio to drink her lemonade and people watch. Some of the models were gathered around the pool for an interview. There are definitely some beautiful people here, she mused. Flipping open her cell phone, Sienna dialed Vivian.