To ensure the confrontation wasn’t a total waste, she emailed Talya to let her know Christine wanted to set up a meeting about their upcoming meeting. Miraculously, her mood began its rise from the ashes.
At ten after nine, she trudged upstairs to her meeting with Dennis. Whatever was asked, her job was to answer truthfully. She’d done nothing wrong and no matter how they phrased their little questions, she wasn’t going to get tripped up. She was going to keep her cool.
Dennis’ admin was nowhere to be found, so she knocked on his closed door and was invited to enter. He was alone. Maybe today was really about the results, she thought.
“Have a seat.” Dennis motioned to the chair beside his desk. “Normally Bill or Talya would talk to you about this, but since they’re at a rather important meeting, it’s been left up to me to fill you in.”
“I see.” Mikaela stiffened her shoulders and lifted her chin. Of all things, this was the least expected, but damn if she was going to go out with her tail tucked between her legs.
Dennis slid on his reading classes and peered at the open folder on his desk. “As you may have noticed, there have been a lot of rapid changes around here. Some of them are from Bill, and some of them are from the head office.” He smiled at her. “Not that it matters either way. Our job is to make sure these changes are implemented. So that being said, you’re scheduled to meet with Angela Buford and Jonathan Giles at nine forty-five in the small conference room. They’ve both been assigned to the communication materials update project, which, if you remember, was mentioned during your presentation Friday.”
“I remember there was some talk about using my material.”
“Exactly. They saw your presentation and they’d like your input.”
It took a moment for the facts to break through her preconceived notions. Still she had to make sure. “I’m not getting fired?”
He took off his glasses, frowning. “Fired? Why would you think you’re being fired?”
She shrugged, because she couldn’t say that getting fired would be in keeping with her fucked-up life.
Dennis picked up his glasses, then put them down again. “I apologize if I or anyone else in this organization has given you the impression that firing you was under consideration. Strictly between me and you, the opposite is true. I, along with others, feel you can only be an asset to the firm as we change and grow. That is a major reason for you to be in the meeting with Angela and Jonathan.”
Mikaela exhaled. “Okay. Wow. Nine forty-five. I’ll be there.”
“Good. I should warn you that ‘whirlwind’ is probably the best term to describe Angela. But as long as you’re prepared to give your best that won’t be a problem.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for putting my fears to rest. You can be assured of my confidence.”
“Your integrity has never been in question.”
Mikaela’s head was the size of a big, juicy watermelon as she made her way back to her desk. The possibility of being assigned another special project was huge. Wait until she told Sara. No, she couldn’t do that now when they were in limbo. Or could she? Friends shared stuff like this. Could be the perfect way to start up a conversation and get them back to first base. But she should probably wait until after the meeting to start spouting off. First things first, she reminded herself, deciding to spend the scant half hour before the meeting preparing for it.
By nine forty, she was pumped and ready, confident she could answer any question that came up. Even ones not pertaining to the project materials. She was going to dazzle the other two with her knowledge and perhaps move further away from the rumormongers trying to pull her down.
She arrived at the conference room five minutes early to find it already occupied.
“Their flights got in early,” Dennis explained. “Angela, Jonathan, this is Mikaela Small. Mikaela, I’d like you to meet Angela Buford and Jonathan Giles. Angela comes from the Florida office and has recently been assigned to lead the update.”
Mikaela had already figured out from the air of authority that the woman, whose thin face was set off by a stylish short haircut, was the one in charge. Angela wore a dark blue suit that was top of the line. Mikaela had priced it once and gotten her hand singed.
“I’m looking forward to collaborating with you.” Angela’s handshake was firm.
“Same here,” Mikaela said.
“Jonathan Giles is from the Chicago office.”
Jonathan was young-looking with blond hair, brown eyes and a dimple in his left cheek. When he smiled at her, Mikaela’s gaydar pinged. She imagined he was quite the catch and knew it.
“I absolutely adored the work you did on the brochure,” Jonathan said, pumping her hand.
“Thank you.” She took back her hand. This was going to be interesting no matter how small a role she was to play.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Dennis said. “If you need anything, Mikaela knows how to reach me.”
“How much do you know about this project?” Angela asked once they were seated around the table.
“I know you’re developing standard templates for presentations and communications,” Mikaela replied.
“That’s it in a nutshell.” Angela gave her a smile. “After seeing examples of your work, I knew I wanted you on my team. There are three other team members, so we have a cross-section of all regions. Most of the work will be done over the Internet through emails and online meetings. However, I think it’s best we meet in Virginia quarterly. Sometimes things get lost in translation and can only be sorted out face to face.”
Mikaela wished Dennis was still present to clarify if this was going to be part of her new responsibilities as Bill’s admin. Angela certainly seemed to think so.
“You are absolutely right about meeting in person. I can’t tell you how many times that’s made the difference between right and fabulous.” Jonathan tapped his phone. “Any idea when the first meeting is?”
“Two weeks from next Monday,” Angela replied. “Chuck’s admin is responsible for making the travel arrangements. She has everyone’s contact info, so please pay attention to emails from Roxanne Lewis. At that meeting, we will hammer out a schedule we all can live with. But…” She smiled. “There’s always a but isn’t there? The schedule will need to be tight given our drop-dead deadline of December 15th. For now I’d like us to go through what you have, we’ll all make comments, suggestions, clarifications and take whatever comes out of that into the first meeting. Any questions? No. Good.”
Over the next two hours, Mikaela’s brain was pushed to the limit as Angela lived up to her nickname. By the time Angela called it quits, Mikaela was reeling from an energy deficit.
“Good work. I’d like both of you to write up your notes and get them to me as soon as possible. I’ll mesh them with mine and send them back for review.” Angela gathered the marked-up pages. “Looking forward to seeing you in two weeks.”
Only after Angela left for the airport in hopes of catching an earlier flight could Mikaela relax. “Is she always like this?”
Jonathan smiled. “That would be yes. Love her to death, but she does wear me down. You kept pace. In her book, that’s a big plus.”
“She should come with a warning label. Didn’t expect that much energy from someone so tiny.”
“Angela loves to play on that. Gets a kick out of leaving bodies in her wake.”
“What are your plans for the rest of the day? I’d be happy to take you to lunch.”
“My flight doesn’t leave until later this afternoon, so I made plans to catch up with an old friend, but thanks for the offer.”
“No problem.” She gathered together the discarded copies, strewn over the table. “Despite the energy drain, that was surprisingly fun, I think.”
“That’s the magic of Angela. Wears you out while bringing out the best.” He grabbed the handle of his carry-on bag. “So nice to meet you. Looking forward to working with you again in Alexandria. Be sure to re
st up.”
Mikaela shook his hand, thinking she would probably get to go to the first meeting, assuming Talya didn’t need her. She did not, however, imagine Talya and Bill approving her attendance at quarterly meetings for the rest of the year, let alone putting in hours in between. The position as Bill’s executive admin didn’t have enough wiggle room for that, not as currently structured. She hoped they could come up with a way for her to stay on the project. She figured working with Angela could only help her career.
After escorting Jonathan to the elevator, she went to update Dennis. She found him with Bill at Jolene’s desk.
“How’d it go this morning?” Bill asked.
“Really well. We firmed up the schedule and have something to take to the first meeting. I’m to mock up several different versions of the brochure for our next meeting. Uh, it’s supposed to be out of town.”
“Yes, yes. Talya and I need to discuss that with you.” He looked to Jolene. “Has she gotten back with you about setting up a meeting?
“Lunch time is the only window you had available. I suggested lunch in your office in twenty and she’s okay with that. Talya’s probably waiting for you to get back to your desk to let you know about it, Mikaela.”
“I’ll check in with her.” The possibilities played through her mind. Being assigned to this team could mean she was out of the running for the job as Bill’s assistant. That wasn’t necessarily bad if in return she got to work on a high-profile project, got some travel out of it and got her name bandied about at HQ.
She was feeling optimistic when she stuck her head into Talya’s office. “You were looking for me?”
“Lunch with Bill and myself, his office. I don’t know all the particulars, so don’t ask me. But I do know you’ll like it.” Talya grinned. “Looks like you survived Storm Angela.”
“Come on, you’ve got to tell me something. I mean, I get introduced, told I’m part of a team and that we’re going to be working together for the next twelve months. Oh, and by the way, this is going to consume a lot of your time.”
“Sit. Was it only two weeks ago I found out Jolene was retiring? Feels like years.” Talya massaged her neck. “I swear I can barely turn around without something changing around here. I’m not saying that to stall, but I’d really like it if you could wait for an explanation until Bill can give you facts. And let’s face it, I’m still reeling from being promoted to a department head and having to take on a group that needs a lot of work. Feel sorry for me.”
“After struggling through only part of the Marco report, I feel your coming pain. I guess it won’t kill me to wait. It’s just…I don’t see how I can do a good job for Bill and do a good job on the project.”
“I can promise no one is expecting you to do both.”
“Fair enough. Now I’d better see if Patrick’s sent me the presentation for your afternoon meeting. Fingers crossed the color copier’s free.”
“Already taken care of. Oh, I reviewed your job duty write-up and it’s good to go. FYI, be careful who you discuss this with. Dennis thinks this would be a good exercise for all admins.”
“Lips are sealed. I’m already in enough hot water around here.”
Back at her desk, Mikaela pulled up her budget spreadsheet. There had to be a way for her to finagle a new suit without bankrupting herself. If she had to go to headquarters, she was going in style. Her head was spinning from the hard-fought battle with her budget when it was time for her and Talya to join Bill.
Chapter Twenty-One
Later that afternoon, Sara finished out the last rep, replaced the weight bar and sat up. Her arm muscles trembled nicely as she chugged water. Her workout had been good, but she’d stayed longer than normal, needing to occupy herself until it was time to go see Mikaela. She had it in the back of her mind they could catch a drink or coffee while they talked. Or rather, while she tried to explain why she’d frozen like a deer caught in headlights the night before. It would be “tried” because Sara wasn’t sure she could articulate how she felt without doing more damage.
She jumped when a warm hand landed on her leg. She looked up and found herself up close and personal with Carmen. The expression on Carmen’s face had her wishing there was room to back up. “Oh, hey.”
“Haven’t seen you here on a non-Thursday before. Pity.”
“Switching over from my old gym. Figured if I play basketball here, might as well work out too. Excuse me.” She pushed away from the bench, grabbed her towel and wiped her face. “Well, I’m done, so I’ll catch you tomorrow.”
“Wait.” Carmen’s fingers fastened around her wrist. “We could be done together.”
“Can’t. Errands and then I have a thing after.”
“Thing?” Carmen’s eyebrows crawled up her forehead. “You mean a woman, don’t you? Afraid you won’t want her after being with me?”
“Truthfully, Carmen, it’s the other way around.”
“What? She your girlfriend or something?”
Sara wasn’t sure what she and Mikaela were. Friends sure, but more. Or they would be once she untangled the knots she’d made yesterday. “Or something,” she finally said. Something that made the thought of having sex with another woman unthinkable. And why hadn’t she thought about that last night?
“Does the poor woman know how you are?”
The way it was said, almost threatening, made Sara sigh. “You and I, that’s not going to happen again, so nothing else matters. Have a little pride, okay?”
“You ain’t about nothing,” Carmen shot back, her lip twisted in a sneer.
“And you knew that from the start. Face it, you recognized me as being like you. You know that’s what you wanted.”
“People change.”
“They certainly do, but not always in the same direction.” Sara grabbed her water bottle and walked away, her conscience clear. She hadn’t made any promises here, didn’t owe any explanations. At least not to Carmen.
Mikaela was another matter because, as she’d just admitted to Carmen, they were “something.” Sara laughed and wondered why she thought the word girlfriend was any different, any worse. “Hopeless. That’s what I am.”
In her car, she removed her phone from her bag and called Mikaela. “Okay for me to come over, in say, an hour? I have dessert from last night.”
“Come on. I might have stopped floating near the ceiling by then.” Mikaela giggled. “And there might be some wine left.”
“You got the job? That’s great.”
“Job, yeah. Not the one you’re thinking of.”
“Congrats either way. You can fill me in when I get there.”
“Oh, I will. Fair warning. You might not be able to shut me up. I’m so psyched!”
“I’m willing to risk it.”
“I’m glad. Listen,” Mikaela began, then paused. “I’m really sorry for shooting off my mouth yesterday. I didn’t—”
“No! It wasn’t you. That was on me and I’m sorry I didn’t say something sooner.”
“Maybe we should talk that out when you get here. I’d hate for there to be a misunderstanding.”
“Me too.” Guilt gnawed at Sara as she ended the call. Flowers, she thought as she put the key in the ignition. She could pick some up after she swung by the post office and picked up her mail. The first stop, though, was home and a shower.
Thirty-five minutes later, Sara sat in front of the tiny post office on Decatur Street, the unopened envelope from the lawyer on her lap. It looked official and the return address matched the one she’d found online. She wanted to open it and yet she didn’t. For her it represented the last link to a blood relative on her father’s side. One who had thought enough of her to put the great-granddaughter he never knew in his will. If only he had reached out in a more personal way—a call, a letter to let her know there was someone who thought about her. She couldn’t say for sure, but she thought that might have made a difference to the child she’d been.
Didn’t matter no
w, she reminded herself. The past had to stay there. Hadn’t she learned that the past few weeks? It was okay to remember, to reminisce. It wasn’t okay to use the past as a reason for not living or holding on to something she could never have again, which she’d been doing for too long.
“No time like the present.” Sara ripped open the envelope, read the short paragraph on the enclosed letter, then quickly read it again. She squeezed her eyes shut, opened them and read it a third time. There was no request for money, no request for her checking account information or a credit card number. If the letter was legit, she was going to be rich. Rich-beyond-her imagination rich.
Her hands trembled as she lowered the letter. Staring out the windshield, she wondered if lottery winners felt like she did right now—stunned disbelief. Wondered if they also thought “this could not be happening to me.” Lottery players had the advantage of knowing they were in the game. She, not so much, and yet, she’d hit the big jackpot.
Sara looked at the letter again, counted out the zeros. It still added up to ten million dollars. And that was just for her. There had to be a lot of money floating around if her share was ten million.
She couldn’t imagine how her dad’s family had amassed that kind of money. Maybe once she was a woman of leisure, she could research her ancestors and learn more about where her father—and her mother, for that matter—had come from.
She looked at the letter one more time. “Ten million.” There were a lot of things she could afford to do with that kind of money.
Of course she didn’t have it yet. All she had was a letter from a lawyer telling her the will had been probated and that she should expect a check from Bates, the executor of the will. Maybe when she checked her bank account, saw that amount on the balance side, she would make some plans, but now it was more like a fantasy.
Mikaela’s greeting over the intercom suggested she had not slowed down on the celebratory drinking. Could be to her advantage, Sara thought as she pulled through the gate. Once again, Mikaela was waiting for her and she couldn’t help but think about the last time she’d been here. It was hard to believe it had only been two days ago she’d arrived seeking comfort, sure in the knowledge that Mikaela would provide it. Trust. She had trusted Mikaela at a time when she’d been off balance, wounded. Had known she could share her fears, her vulnerability, without judgment. Somehow she’d forgotten that.
Full Circle Page 25
