Certainly Sensible

by Pamela Woods-Jackson

Richard was due back in the office today after his week-long golf trip and then business trip to Los Angeles. Caroline had been in constant touch with him, but she knew today would be a stressful day. With Richard out of town, Caroline had functioned efficiently on his behalf, but now that he was back, she felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach.

  Business, strictly business, Caroline.

  She had already checked email this morning and forwarded important messages to Richard, returned voice-mail messages he didn’t need to personally handle, and was proofing a new Hamilton Hardware ad for the Sunday Indianapolis Star.

  As if the day wasn’t already busy enough, Caroline heard a voice in the hallway and winced. Misty strolled regally into Caroline’s office, dressed for the summer heat in a flowing white skirt, loose pink blouse over a black bra, white three-inch high-heeled strappy sandals, her wild red hair tied hastily back with a scarf, the wrong shade of red lipstick and smeared mascara on her cheek. Money can buy expensive clothes but not class, Caroline thought.

  Misty held a large box filled to overflowing with off-white oversized envelopes. Watching her walk into the office, juggling the box and wobbling on her heels almost made Caroline laugh, so she turned away and pretended to be busy at her desk.

  “Caroline, I have our wedding invitations ready to go into the mail today. There’s only three weeks till the wedding.”

  Caroline quickly lost her sense of humor. “Why are you telling me?”

  “Caroline, don’t be obtuse. You have to mail them.”

  Caroline bit her lip to keep from opening her mouth and letting all kinds of arguments spill out. She swallowed and instead chose her words carefully. “I wasn’t aware that I was going to mail your invitations. Richard hasn’t mentioned it to me.”

  “That’s your job. You’re his secretary, aren’t you?”

  “Executive Assistant,” Caroline said. She shuddered as Misty dumped the tangible proof that the wedding was still on, right on top of her desk. She moved as far away from them as she could get and still be seated at her desk. “I’ll see to it that they get to the post office with the rest of the office mail.”

  “No, no, no, that’s not going to work, Caroline,” Misty said with a smirk. “I don’t have time to go buy stamps, so you’ll have to go to the post office and buy two-hundred and fifty first-class stamps and then stick them on.”

  Caroline looked at Misty, incredulous. “Misty, I have actual work to do here. I don’t have time to bother with your wedding invitations!”

  “Whatever you’re doing will just have to wait. This is more important.”

  “More important to whom?” asked Caroline.

  Misty stamped her foot and almost lost her balance in the process. “To Richard and me, of course!”

  “And just what will you be doing while I’m putting stamps on your invitations?” Caroline felt like giving Misty a piece of her mind, but then she realized she couldn’t, because once Richard was married to this woman, she’d have to be polite to her. Maybe Mom was right about this job, she thought. Misty was proving to be a huge thorn in her side.

  “I’ve got a bridal shower to attend. Tell Richard to call me.” Misty turned around and flounced out.

  “Tell him yourself,” Caroline muttered. She recognized the familiar stress-related nausea coming over her. She reached into her desk drawer and downed two antacid tablets, slamming the drawer shut afterward. Misty was using the wedding invitations to torture her.

  Maybe I could ‘forget’ to mail the invitations? But Richard would expect her to honor his fiancée’s request, and she couldn’t let him down. She blew out a puff of air and got back to work proofing the Hamilton Hardware ad, hoping it would take her mind off the box of wedding invitations slash torture devices sitting on the edge of her desk.

  Richard walked down the hall headed for his office, whistling a peppy tune. Caroline thought he looked more handsome than ever, well-rested, light-hearted. He stopped by her desk and fingered the box of wedding invitations sitting there.

  “I see Misty’s been here,” he said, blushing.

  “She wants these invitations to go out this afternoon, each with its own first-class stamp.” Caroline could barely spit out the words. “Somehow she got the idea that, as your assistant, it’s my job.”

  Richard started thumbing through them. He pulled out an invitation with her name on it, then found three more addressed to Susan, Allie, and Megan. He handed them to her with a weak smile. “I guess we can save some postage if I hand-deliver these. As for the rest, I hope you don’t mind.”

  Caroline stared at her invitation, addressed to Ms. Caroline Benedict and Guest. “No, I don’t mind.” She couldn’t look at him, because if she did he might see the tears she was fighting back. She stood and walked to the window, feigning a need for more light, opened the envelope and pretended to read it. When she’d composed herself, she put it down and looked him in the eye.

  “What?”

  Caroline swallowed hard. Do I tell him about Chicago? If she did, how would he react? Would he be angry at Misty? Angry at her for keeping it from him so long? She took a deep breath and said, “Richard, I saw…” She couldn’t force the words out.

  “You saw…?”

  Caroline tried again. “I saw Misty, well, with, I mean, at…”

  Richard shrugged. “You’re trying to say you don’t think Misty’s the right woman for me.”

  Caroline looked at him in surprise. “Are you having second thoughts?” I hope…

  Richard shrugged. “You’re in good company. My grandmother says the same thing.”

  “Your grandmother’s a wise woman,” Caroline said, “but that’s not what I…”

  Richard laughed softly. “Grandmother just likes meddling in people’s love lives. She’s a seventy-five-year-old woman with too much time and money on her hands.”

  “You should listen to her because…” Why couldn’t she finish the sentence? Tell him about Misty and Mark? Even Adele Meadows saw the mistake Richard was about to make. Caroline silently berated herself for her lack of courage.

  “Grandmother’s an incurable romantic. She says it’s a mistake but, well, Misty and I know each other really well. It’s like our marriage was always meant to be, and it was what my mother always dreamed of.” Richard looked pained at the mention of his mother.

  Caroline’s heart sank. “Are you sure? I mean, I know you’re committed, but what about Misty?” Richard looked puzzled, so Caroline hurried on. “It’s just that Misty seems so, I don’t know, aloof, and Sharlene’s planning the society wedding of the year, and if you aren’t sure, maybe you should postpone.”

  Richard rubbed his forehead. “Believe me, I know. Every bridal shower, every luncheon, all of the elaborate preparations, the guest list that reads like the Indianapolis Who’s Who—all dutifully reported to The Indianapolis Star, courtesy of Sharlene Meadows-Benedict.” He let out a deep sigh. “It’s just one day, I guess.”

  Caroline tilted her head as she thought for a moment. “But there’s more to it than just a wedding day, Richard. What about the marriage?”

  “Now you sound like my grandmother. Well, I guess I’ll find out soon enough.” Richard walked into his office, ending the discussion.

  Caroline watched him go, shaking her head at the thought of this upcoming travesty of a wedding, and angry at herself for not telling him what she knew. She was afraid Richard was going to get hurt. In fact, after what she saw in Chicago, she was pretty sure of it. Would telling him be selfish on her part? She just didn’t know.

  “Caroline!” Lucy called as she strolled down the hall. “Look what’s here!”

  Caroline turned around and was surprised to see Lucy in her doorway with another bouquet of flowers. “Again?”

  “Yup. They just came.” Lucy smiled and set them on Caroline’s desk. She put her fingers to her lips to signal silence and gave Caroline a conspiratorial wink. Then she cleared her throat and said loudly, “Lovely red ca
rnations just delivered for you, Caroline!”

  Richard came to his office door when he overheard Lucy and watched as she made a big show of smelling the freshly cut flowers.

  “Oh, hi, Richard, gosh I didn’t see you there,” Lucy said. “Caroline has a secret admirer. We think it’s Jared at Kinley Realty.”

  “Oh?” Richard’s face was getting redder and redder as he stared at the carnations.

  Caroline tried to read the look on Richard’s face. Is he jealous? She couldn’t tell because he turned around and went back into his office.

  An email popped up in Caroline’s inbox and she checked to see who it was from. Sharlene. Great. Just what I need right now.

  Caroline,

  I desperately need your help planning the rehearsal dinner. I know how efficient you are, so I’m confident things will get done in a timely fashion. I need you to contact all members of the wedding party and confirm that they’ll be in attendance. I’ve attached their email addresses or cell phone numbers, so you can easily reach them. Just so you’ll know, the rehearsal dinner is scheduled for Sept. 1 at the Belford Country Club, immediately following the 6:00 p.m. outdoor wedding rehearsal on the Peterson estate. Call, text, or email if you have questions.

  Caroline read and reread Sharlene’s email. “Why me?” she moaned. She felt like crying. And yet she couldn’t bring herself to let Richard down, even for something as odious as his wedding to Ms. Wrong. She replied to Sharlene’s email.

  I’ll only agree to help if Richard asks me to. What about the wedding planner? What’s wrong with her doing the work she’s being paid for?

  Caroline hit send and then sat staring at the computer. Not only was she supposed to individually stamp each invitation and mail it—tonight—but now Sharlene expected her to help plan the rehearsal dinner. This was all too cruel. Caroline had almost made up her mind to fill in her response card with a zero—none attending. She shook her head in frustration, gathered her handbag and the box of invitations, and headed out the door.

  ****

  “Allie? Is that you?” Susan called. She stepped to the front door just as Allie came waltzing into the living room, music satchel weighing heavily on her shoulder.

  “Yeah, it’s me.” Allie had a wicked smile on her face, but all she did was wink at her mother and head down the hall to her bedroom.

  Susan followed her. “Well?”

  Allie pretended innocence. “Well, what?”

  Susan was exasperated. This meeting at Bradley University today may have been the most important in Allie’s academic career. More important even than her audition for Bryce. “Don’t play games, Allison. Tell me what happened.”

  Allie smiled and sat down on the edge of her bed, patting the corner for Susan to join her. “Okay, so I went to meet Brandon in his office, Thomas Hall, third floor. All the way up two flights of stairs, and boy was I sucking wind. Appendicitis is not for the faint of heart,” she said.

  Susan tapped her foot impatiently. “Go on.”

  “Brandon’s office is pretty impressive really. Old, distinguished. Not how I would have pictured him, in a century-old building at a school at least that old.”

  “Allie…”

  “Yeah, okay.” Allie grinned. “I was nervous. I had to go through both a musical audition and an interview with the Dean of the Music school. My audition for Bryce was nerve-racking, but this was worse. I guess I didn’t have as much at stake as I do now.”

  “So how did it go?” Susan asked, trying in vain to calm her nerves and hope for the best.

  Allie smiled. “Okay, I think. Well, better than okay. I outdid myself, and considering I’ve hardly had any time to practice in the last few weeks, that’s an accomplishment.”

  It certainly is. Susan and Allie hugged each other, laughing and crying all at once.

  Chapter Twenty

  Susan was in a deep sleep when the alarm went off. She blinked and stared at the clock, almost forgetting why she’d set it. Then suddenly she was wide awake. My first day on the job! She jumped out of bed as she shut off the radio, tossed on some khaki pants with a solid navy blue t-shirt she’d laid out the night before, and hoped she looked appropriate for this first day of new teacher orientation.

  Mrs. Renfrow had emailed an agenda for the day and attached a list of items Susan would most likely need in order to set up her classroom. Susan had groaned at the unexpected expense, but printed out the list and went to a discount store to purchase the items.

  “It’s too bad I have to use my limited funds to buy school supplies,” she confided to Megan as they stood in the long checkout line, “but I guess I’d better get used to it. I’ve heard teachers sometimes have to spend their own money to stock their classrooms.” She texted her bank for her balance, and then frowned when the reply came back.

  Megan thumbed through a fashion magazine and tossed it in the shopping cart. “You mean you haven’t even gotten a paycheck yet, and you’re already in the hole?”

  Susan calmly put the magazine back on the rack. “Unfortunately, my first paycheck won’t come for about three weeks, so we’re going to be on a tight budget until then.”

  “Tighter you mean.”

  Susan had bought the bare minimum and had to put it on her credit card instead of the bank debit card, but now as she glanced at the numerous plastic bags sitting on her bedroom floor, she wondered if she’d bought enough supplies. But until Megan’s child-support check came next week, this would have to do.

  Susan adjusted the straps on her sandals and glanced at the clock again: six-thirty a.m. She was trying to estimate how much time she needed for driving since the school was only two miles away. She was nervous, could hardly sit or stand still, and food was the last thing on her mind, but she went to the kitchen anyway to try to drink some orange juice. Honey came bounding in from Megan’s room, so Susan reached down and patted her on the head.

  “Hey, girl, you need out?” Honey wagged her tail, and Susan opened the backdoor to let the dog out into the yard.

  “Hi, Mom. Want some coffee?” Caroline stretched and stumbled into the kitchen as she headed straight for the cabinet to retrieve a mug. “I made extra last night when I set the timer.”

  “It smells heavenly, Car, but I think I’m nervous enough as it is. Besides, Mrs. Renfrow said there was a continental breakfast this morning.”

  “Nervous, huh?” Caroline stifled a grin as she absent-mindedly fingered the Meadows Advertising logo on the coffee mug.

  Susan got up and opened the fridge, forgot what she wanted, closed it, and then opened it again when she remembered the juice. “Yes, a little. I’ll be even more nervous next week when the kids come back to school.”

  “You’ll do fine.” Caroline poured herself a steaming mug of coffee and stirred in some sweetener.

  Susan poked her pencil at the newspaper crossword, but couldn’t concentrate on it. Finally she tossed the pencil aside and said, “You’re up early, Caroline.”

  Caroline blew on her coffee and took a sip. “I’m going to work early this morning so I can take a long lunch. I’ve got a couple of appointments to look at apartments today. Hopefully I’ll be out of your hair in the next two weeks.”

  Susan closed up her paper in surprise. “You’re not in my hair, Car. Not at all. And I don’t know what I would have done without you while Allie was in the hospital.”

  “That’s what families do, Mom. No matter where I live, I’ll always be around if you need me.” Caroline gave her mom a quick hug, and then topped off her coffee mug so it was brimming full. “You have a nice first day at work, and I’ll talk to you this evening.” Caroline headed toward the bathroom, balancing the hot coffee gingerly.

  Susan put her empty juice glass in the sink, opened the backdoor to let Honey in, and went to her room to gather her supplies. It seemed like such a normal day for everyone else. So why is my stomach doing gymnastics?

  ****

  Okay, it only takes seven minutes to get here. Su
san couldn’t decide whether to sit in the parking lot and listen to the radio for fifteen more minutes, or just go ahead into the building early. Just as she was turning off the ignition, her cell phone rang. She answered without glancing at the caller ID.

  “Good morning, Teach!” a cheerful voice said.

  Susan laughed. “Good morning, Patrick.”

  “I’m just calling to wish you luck on your first day, even though I know you don’t need it. Are you nervous?”

  “A little. Well, all right, a lot! This school is so big, and I don’t know my way around, and I don’t know any of the other teachers.”

  “Everyone feels that way the first day on a new job. How about I meet you for coffee this afternoon and you can tell me how well it went?”

  “I’d like that.” Susan smiled at his encouragement. She got out of the car, gathered her belongings and her courage, and headed for the school building.

  ****

  Caroline heard her phone ping with a text, but she was driving and couldn’t look at it. She pulled up in front of the apartment complex where she was scheduled to tour an available unit and surveyed the building. It was a small complex, probably less than one hundred apartments, but the grounds were well-maintained with flower beds attractively arranged around the perimeter, and trees neatly trimmed. The building itself was all brick with a wood roof, probably built in the 1980s. She glanced at the dashboard clock and knew she’d be late for her appointment if she didn’t get out of the car right then, but she wanted to check her text first. It was from Megan.

  —Car, Sharlene wants me to meet her at the mall for a dress fitting for that stupid bridesmaid dress. Can you come get me?—

  Caroline rolled her eyes. She replied—Ask Allie.—

  Megan typed back—She’s going to Brandon’s and she’s being a b…about Honey.—

  Caroline narrowed her eyes. She’d have to speak to her sister about her cyber language. Honey? What’s up?

  Megan sent a frowny face and said—Honey chewed up one of Allie’s sandals.—

  Caroline made a mental note to explain to Megan, again, that Honey was her responsibility and that she’d have to keep the dog out of Allie’s belongings.—I’m looking at apartments and then back to work. Call Sharlene?—