Chapter 12
Sherry heard the phone ringing as she fumbled with the key to her apartment. She dashed in by the fourth ring, hoping to catch the call.
“Miss Henderson, I’m calling from the temporary employment agency.” Sherry’s stress skyrocketed. She wasn’t expecting to hear back until tomorrow. She prepared for the disappointment. “I have good news. Mr. Mitchell would like to hire you for the secretary’s position.”
“Oh my goodness,” Sherry blurted, unable to contain her emotions.
“Apparently he was quite impressed with your interview.” Sherry was bursting with joy. She couldn’t wait to get off the phone and tell her fiancé. This job was the miracle they’d hoped for. “Can you start on Monday?” “Yes, absolutely,” Sherry said, although Mr. Mitchell had given the impression that she could start tomorrow. “I can start sooner if you’d like.”
“We’ll need you to come into our office and complete paperwork. I figured since tomorrow is Friday, it will be more practical for you to start fresh with DMI on Monday. I believe the client will appreciate the gesture.”
“That’s fine with me.” Actually, it wasn’t fine. If Mr. Mitchell was okay with her starting Friday, the agency should have been okay with it too. She needed the money and one day was definitely going to make a difference, but the decision wasn’t hers. She’d make no trouble. “Thank you for the opportunity. I’ll be there Monday.”
“Great, Mr. Mitchell will meet you in the DMI lobby at eight A.M.”
“Thank you, thank you,” Sherry bellowed, resuming her joy. There was no containing her glee. She had to get to Edward.
Twenty minutes later and she was parking her car in his parking lot. Each step taken toward his apartment building was taken with ease. It felt like she was floating. Their worries had fallen away and she was free again to enjoy the thought of their future plans. She couldn’t get to his door fast enough. After several rapid knocks, he came to the door. Sherry wrapped her arms around his neck. “I got the job. We’re going to be okay. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Edward pulled away. “Yeah, that’s nice.” He walked into the living room, leaving Sherry standing at the door.
She closed it and went to him. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy.”
Edward placed his hands on her shoulder and stared into her eyes. “I am happy for you, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m still out of work.”
He was pulling away again until she took his hand and said, “You’ll get something very soon. I know you will.”
“Ah, you say that but I’m not so sure. It’s tough out there right now.”
“General Motors is a big company. Just because Buick didn’t work out, can’t you go to Cadillac or Pontiac?”
“Don’t you think I’ve tried that by now?” he said with a sharp edge that caused her to lean back. “I don’t have enough seniority to approach any of the other plants.”
“Okay, so General Motors is one company in Detroit. There are plenty others.”
“Don’t you get it? None of the big companies are hiring junior pipefitters. On top of that, you know how it works. Once they find out that I didn’t complete my apprenticeship from General Motors, places like Chrysler and Ford won’t hire me either.”
Edward took a seat on the couch, covering his eyes with his hand. Sherry eased next to him. She wanted to console him but didn’t know how, short of getting him a job. At least she had one, which was going to be a huge help. Edward was happy for her. Deep down she knew he was and understood his frustration. With their wedding ideally happening next summer, she imagined his depression was fueled by the pressure. Sherry was committed to getting a job and she had. Next, she’d work super hard and make as much money as possible to help Edward through this rough patch. It wasn’t going to last long. Before they knew it, the wedding and unemployment would be behind them and a bright future lay ahead. She relished the thought and snuggled in next to Edward, hopeful but guarded.
Chapter 13
Madeline pulled the covers over her head when Dave got up at five. He was getting used to her sitting up in the bed and talking with him for twenty or thirty minutes before his feet hit the floor. She had changed her routine the last couple of days. He looked over at the mound sequestered under the covers and grinned slightly. She was tired and he wouldn’t bother her. They’d catch up during the day, although it had been difficult for both to find time to talk on the phone. He stopped reflecting and got up. Duty was calling.
An hour later he stepped into the hallway and found Andre lying next to the door—two mornings in a row. He scooped up the lad and returned him to his room. Andre didn’t wake up, which eased Dave’s ability to exit and get to the office without incident.
Nine-thirty rolled in and Dave had several notes strewn across his desk stating that Madeline had called already.
He was about to dial her at home when Frank walked in and asked, “You busy?”
He was, but when Frank came to his office, it was usually very bad or extremely good news, with room for nothing in the middle. He’d want to hear what Frank had to say. “Come on in, have a seat. I can make my call after we finish.”
“I don’t know what it is about DMI, but the vultures love this place. Every time we turn around somebody is out to get a piece of this company. If it’s not the bloodsucking vultures at the IRS, it’s a crippled group of vagabond shysters trying to hustle a buck. When will it end?”
Dave listened as Frank vented a while longer. When he stopped talking, Dave asked, “What’s got you so riled up this morning? I thought you’d resolved the IRS situation. Did they change their minds and decide to proceed with the audit?”
“No, we’re good with the IRS, at least for now,” Frank said, grimacing. “This is a fresh attack. I just got a call from Attorney Davis.” Dave was on alert. It was never a favorable sign when the senior principal of the law firm was involved. “We’re being sued by Train Them Up, Inc.”
“For what?”
“Trademark infringement.”
“You have to be kidding,” Dave said.
“I wish I were. Nope, it’s for real.”
“What do they want?”
“Money and publicity, of course, the same as what each of our other adversaries want.”
“I just don’t understand the basis of their suit. They must mean a concept was infringed upon, and how can you own a concept? That’s simply crazy. That’s the same as saying we stole their idea,” Dave said.
“I know it’s crazy, and you know it’s crazy. My job is to make sure Attorney Davis and the courts think this suit is just as crazy too.”
Dave shook his head. “I know you’ll handle it.”
“I’m on it.”
Dave couldn’t help but to snicker under his breath thinking about his DMI journey. “What is this, like lawsuit number thirty-four?”
Frank didn’t find the matter funny. He kept a staunch disposition, appearing irritated by the lawsuit. “It’s been at least that many in the past ten years.”
“Remember the last suit, the one where our former employee claimed we fired him without just cause,” Dave said.
“Man, that was ridiculous. The guy was late something like seventeen times in a month. There’s only twenty working days in the month, so I don’t know what he was talking about with no just cause. He should have been glad we didn’t dock his pay. Come to think about it, he owes us money.” Frank loosened up and laughed along with Dave. Then Frank shook his head. “This has got to end at some point. Why don’t these cats get the message? They aren’t going to win.”
“They never do.”
“Eventually they’ll stop wasting their energy and mine, because we’re not handing out money from the company like it’s Halloween,” Frank said in a stern tone, meaning every word and ready to enforce.
“Chalk it up as the cost of doing business.”
“This isn’t about business. It’s purely greed. These animals need to find another wateri
ng hole, period. Can you imagine how much money we’d be out of if we’d lost any of those cases? DMI would be crippled financially. That’s why I take each one of these frivolous claims seriously, because if we lose to one, the rest of the vultures will be on us in a flash, ready to draw more blood and pick the bones clean.”
“That’s not going to happen. We’re still standing strong,” Dave said, empowered in his role.
“You bet it’s not going to happen, not on my watch, not so long as I’m chief financial officer, or chief of operations, or so long as you’re my brother. The attacks will stop with me. They’ll never make it to your desk. That, you have my solemn promise about,” Frank said with such fervor that Dave claimed an extra dose of reassurance. Between God and Frank, DMI was well protected. To seal his assurance, Dave would say a prayer as soon as Frank left and then go on with the business of the day, worry-free.
As Frank was closing out his conversation, the phone rang.
“Go ahead and get that. I’m leaving anyway. I’ll keep you posted on the case,” Frank said, leaving Dave’s office.
Dave answered the call to find Madeline on the other end. “Perfect timing. I was just wrapping up a meeting with Frank, and I was going to call you shortly. How’s your morning going with the kids?”
“Not good, did you forget about taking Andre to school?”
“Oh, shoot, I did.” Dave couldn’t believe he’d forgotten about getting Andre registered in school. He’d promised Madeline that they’d go together.
“It’s already Friday. If he doesn’t go today, we’ll miss the entire week,” Madeline said.
“You’re right. Let me carve out a few hours this afternoon. I can pick up you and Andre around one o’clock.”
“Are you sure? I’m okay with going Monday so long as you promise to lock it in and show up. But Dave, Monday is the absolute latest that we can wait.”
“No, let’s go today. This is too important to push off. I’ll see you and Andre at the house.” Dave and Madeline exchanged “I love you’s” and got off the phone. Dave stared at his calendar. He had to review contracts for the expansions and meet with the marketing team to finalize their upcoming campaign. He barely had a free moment to go to the bathroom let alone leave the building, but he wasn’t going to tell Madeline. Without complaining, he began shuffling his appointments and would keep at it until the three-hour block of time was free. Madeline and Andre deserved his commitment, and they would have it, no matter what. Everything else was going to have to wait. He finally took a break to pray for his guidance and Madeline’s strength, faithfully believing God would deliver both.
Chapter 14
Sherry tossed and turned much of the night. She popped up before the alarm rang Monday morning, eager to get to work. DMI was her miracle job and she’d do her utmost to be a success there. Her tiny closet held her four dresses and two skirt suits, the ones most appropriate for the office. That would cover a week. She’d planned to take her first check and buy another outfit and continue the pattern until her closet held two weeks’ worth of clothing. Sherry hurried, dressing and grabbing a quick breakfast, and got on her way.
She entered the building and waited in the lobby. When Mr. Mitchell didn’t show up by ten after eight, the security guard sent her upstairs. She got on the elevator, feeling energetic and ready to get started. She got off on the fourth floor and approached the receptionist. “I’m Sherry Henderson. I’m here to see Mr. Dave Mitchell.”
The receptionist looked at a list and said, “I don’t see your name here. Please take a seat while I contact Mr. Mitchell.”
Sherry’s enthusiasm cooled. She’d rehearsed many tasks that could go wrong, but having Mr. Mitchell forget about her starting today hadn’t been one. She took a seat but didn’t find it comfortable. By eight-thirty, anxiety ratcheted up and she popped out of the seat, no longer able to contain her concern. She approached the desk again. “Did you speak with Mr. Mitchell yet? Is he expecting me today?”
“I’ve tried to reach him several times. He’s quite busy, but I’ll try him again.”
The receptionist picked up the phone. Sherry interrupted, “Would it be possible for you to go see if he’s in his office? I’m sure he wanted me to come in today.” Sherry could tell the receptionist was about to say no, so she cut her off. “Please, this is my very first day here. I was hired as Mr. Mitchell’s secretary. I could see how busy he was during my interview last week. It seemed to me that he could use help right away. I’m here and eager to help him. Could you please go see if he’s there? Please?”
The plea must have resonated with the receptionist because she agreed to go. “Wait here and I’ll see if I can find him for you.”
“If you want, I can fill in for you at the desk,” Sherry offered.
The receptionist hesitated and then said, “Thank you, but we better not do that. Let me go find Mr. Mitchell,” she said. “I’ll be right back.”
Sherry paced until the receptionist returned fifteen minutes later. “I found him. He’s on the phone now, but he told me to bring you up to his office.”
“I know where he sits. If you want, I can go up to the sixth floor myself and save you from having to keep running around.”
The receptionist’s eyelids widened, followed by, “Are you sure? Because that would be wonderful.”
“Sure, no problem.” Sherry thanked the receptionist and went to the elevators. She was so thrilled. The stairs would have worked too, whichever was faster.
Mr. Mitchell’s door was partially closed, so she sat at the empty desk in front of his office. Thirty minutes later, which actually felt like two hours, he emerged from the office.
“Miss Henderson,” he said, extending his hand to shake. She popped to her feet. “I’m sorry for the delay. It slipped my mind that you were coming today.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I have quite a lot of juggling going on these days. My secretary normally takes care of things like this for me. Since she’s on sick leave, you can see that I’m not doing as well with her job as she does, which is why I’m glad you’re here. Perhaps you can save me from myself,” he said, lightening the mood. The lingering anxiety she’d felt while waiting was completely erased. He’d seamlessly put her at ease.
“Where do you want me to sit?”
He patted the back of the chair where Sherry was sitting. “Exactly where you are. This is where my secretary sits, right outside my office. So, this is now your desk.”
Sherry’s anxiety was gone but it seemed to be replaced by intimidation. Throughout the interview process, she was so focused on getting hired that there hadn’t been an opportunity to stop and think about who she was working for: Mr. Dave Mitchell, the head of the company, the top guy. Her nerves began sizzling, moisture accumulated in the palm of her hands, her knees trembled. She wasn’t afraid of who he was but was deeply concerned about the quality of work he’d expect. She probably couldn’t make mistakes like the other secretaries in the building. She desperately needed the paycheck, but had she been set up for failure already? What had she gotten herself into? “Can I please sit down? I feel a little woozy all of a sudden.”
“Sure, absolutely,” Dave said, pulling the chair out for her like a perfect gentleman. He reminded Sherry of her father, not solely in age but also in his mannerisms. She appreciated the gesture, trying to remember when the last time Edward had done that. He used to pull out her chair and help her out of the car routinely. When he got laid off, there was a change. That’s why this assignment was a blessing. They could get married as planned. Her heart beat smoothly thinking of Edward. She sat down.
“Where would you like for me to start?”
The dumbfounded look on Dave’s face made her nervous again.
“Honestly, I don’t know. When my secretary is out, my wife normally helps me keep organized. As you can imagine most of my day is filled with meetings, which means I won’t have very much time to help you get going. I kn
ow that sounds crazy. I need your help but don’t have time to get you started.”
“I understand, really I do. Is there someone else who can help me?”
“Let me think,” he said. Shortly afterward he said, “I got it. I’ll have our receptionist help you. She can show you around the building, where to find the washrooms, the copy machine, fax machine, and other areas you’ll need. Oh, just a minute,” he said and went into his office. He returned with a tall stack of papers. “If you don’t mind, I could use three sets of these for an upcoming presentation.”
She was elated. “I will get it done right away.”
“No hurry, I won’t need the copies until Wednesday.”
Mr. Mitchell’s phone rang. He excused himself, went into his office, and closed the door. Sherry had officially started and dove right into the work. She found the receptionist and had her explain how the copy machine operated. The morning was clicking by. Sherry went back to her desk periodically to see if Mr. Mitchell needed anything. He happened to catch her on this round.
“Sherry, good, you’re here. Can you please go and tell Mr. Jefferson that I’m running behind by a half hour? I’ll catch up with him and Frank later this afternoon to finalize the deal. He’s in our legal department on the third floor.”
“Okay,” she said, jumping up.
“Also, when you get a minute, I’d like you to schedule these six meetings. I’ve put down the names and numbers of who should attend. You’ll have to find a slot that fits everyone’s schedule. These meetings should happen within the next two weeks. Let me know if there’s a problem with getting any of them scheduled, and I’ll see what we can do,” he said. “I’m sorry to be dropping so much on you without much guidance. Let me know if you need help.”
“Oh no, sir, I’ll be just fine.” Whether she believed it or not was irrelevant. She was going to make this assignment work.
Chapter 15
Noon had come and gone. In the beginning of the day, she’d only had a stack of copying to be done by Wednesday. As the morning zipped along, Dave had emerged several times with additional requests, including more copies, setting up meetings, cancelling meetings, typing, and running errands inside of DMI. Sherry had a list of questions for him but every time she considered knocking on his door, his phone-in-use light indicator was on. That was the case most of the day. If there wasn’t someone physically in his office, he was on the phone. His time was jam-packed to the point where he’d stepped out and asked her to take his calls earlier.
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