The Cost Of Love And Sanity

by Jaye Cheríc

  “We’ll settle for fifty.”

  Alex and Mr. Allen chuckled. “No problem. That I can do.”

  “Okay, then. We look forward to working with you.”

  “Same here.”

  Once they hung up, Alex allowed her excitement full expression. “Yesss!”

  She turned back to her outline and added PharmScope as the first employer. Her prayers had been answered. As soon as the meeting was over, she would be on the phone with all of the employers, gently pushing them to sign on before all the spaces are taken. She smiled while putting the finishing touches on the outline. She hit print and walked over to her printer. After four copies, the machine stopped and displayed an error message that she had run out of paper. She looked for more paper in her drawers. When she didn’t find any, she grabbed one of her outlines off the printer and went to the copy room to finish her copies.

  Alex had walked halfway down the hall when she found herself passing Mr. Sims.

  “Morning, Mr. Sims,” she greeted him.

  “Morning, Alex. Just the person I wanted to talk to. Are you and Dan prepared for the meeting today?”

  “Absolutely. Looking forward to it. I’m actually printing off some copies of my presentation now.”

  “Good. I would like for you two to meet me in my office in thirty minutes.”

  “Okay. Is there anything wrong?”

  “Not at all. I’d like to get a feel for where you guys are with it now.”

  Oh snap. “Sure. Does Dan already know about the meeting or should I let him know?”

  “No. You can call him and have him meet us in my office.”

  “Will do. See you in thirty minutes.”

  Alex dashed to the copy room, made her copies and sped back to her office. She flopped down in her chair and dialed Dan’s extension. He answered after two rings.

  “Dan. I’m so glad you’re there. Mr. Sims wants us to meet him in his office in twenty-four minutes. He wants a preview of our update on the job fair,” Alex said, almost breathless.

  “Oh. Why?” Dan asked.

  “I don’t know and I wasn’t going to ask. Are you ready?”

  “Yes, of course. I was born ready.”

  Alex rolled her eyes. You’d better be. “Okay. I’ll see you there.”

  Less than half an hour later, they were walking into Mr. Sims’ executive office.

  “Come in.” Mr. Sims motioned with a smile.

  Dan and Alex followed his directions. They sat across from his desk and waited.

  “So,” Mr. Sims folded his hands on top of his desk. “I called this meeting with you two specifically because I wanted to gauge where you are with the job fair. See what type of response you’re getting. You know, figure out if you needed any additional support.”

  Alex nodded. “I appreciate that, sir.”

  “As do I. Yesterday, I was telling someone how we are given so many opportunities to grow and excel at this company. The agency really does support its employees in a big way,” Dan said.

  Alex had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. They weren’t there to brown nose; they were there to convince Mr. Sims that they’d made progress.

  “Thank you, Dan. Now, tell me about the employers. Have any of them expressed an interest?”

  Alex smiled. “Yes, PharmScope said that they look forward to participating.”

  “Okay. Any others?” Mr. Sims said.

  “Several other companies are on the verge of saying yes. I will be following up with them today. I should have at least three to four more on board by the end of next week,” Alex said.

  “And what part is the call center going to play in this?”

  “They will use the database to identify qualified candidates. I will personally review their choices with them before they make the call.”

  “All right. Make sure you stay on that.” Mr. Sims turned his attention to Dan. “How are the sponsors coming along?”

  “Good,” Dan said.

  “Have you gotten any yet?” Mr. Sims asked.

  “Not yet.”

  Alex wanted to crawl into a ball. How could Dan come into this meeting knowing that he hadn’t made an ounce of progress? What was he waiting on? She took a deep breath and tried hard to hold her tongue.

  “Who are your prospects?”

  “Drink Soft, Mobile Roller, to name a couple.”

  No wonder he hasn’t landed any sponsors. Those companies were too big. It would take months to get them to pony up any cash. They need more local and regional companies to cut down on the time needed to get a decision. Thank goodness. I know a few people.

  Mr. Sims frowned. “Those companies can take months to make a decision. Do you have a backup plan?”

  “I don’t think I’ll need to. Getting those bigger companies will decrease the number of sponsors we need,” Dan said.

  Alex faced Dan. “Yes, but we will find ourselves with no money for the venue, food for the employers or other expenses.” She couldn’t take it anymore. She had to say or do something to keep them from looking like complete dodo birds.

  Dan squinted at her.

  She turned back to Mr. Sims. “When I first started planning the fair, I contacted a couple of local chain restaurants to get a feel for how things would go. They were quite receptive. I can reconnect with them again and let them know that the opportunity is available,” Alex suggested.

  Mr. Sims rubbed his chin and stared at her. “Okay. If they’re willing, we should hop on it swiftly.”

  Alex nodded and smiled.

  “Well…” Mr. Sims checked his watch. “That’s about all I have. I have a phone conference before the meeting. Is there anything you two want to add about the fair?”

  Dan and Alex shook their heads.

  Mr. Sims stood up. “It looks like you all are off to a good start. Continue to work together and nail down as many details as you can as soon as you can.”

  “We will.” Alex nodded.

  On that note, Dan and Alex stood and exited Mr. Sims’ office. When their boss closed his door, Alex dropped her shoulders in relief. “Whew! That was close. Glad we pulled it out.”

  “We? The next time you want to show off in front of our boss, why don’t you let me know. You don’t need me around for that.”

  Dan stomped down the hall. Alex watched him in confusion.

  CHAPTER 18

  Five o’ clock couldn’t come fast enough. Alex kept her promise to Mr. Sims. She called all the companies she had spoken to prior to PharmScope agreeing to participate. She was right; companies were more eager to get involved once they knew another major employer would be there.

  Alex finally felt like the job fair was moving forward but she didn’t like the way she and Dan were working together. After their issue in Mr. Sims’ office, he’d avoided her all day. She couldn’t understand the problem. Dan dropped the ball and she picked it up. Isn’t that what team members are supposed to do? That’s what she thought. She truly didn’t understand his anger. Alex was willing to give him the rest of the day to cool off but tomorrow, they would have to get back on one accord because she refused to fail.

  She fell in her car seat, closed the door and laid her head back on the headrest. Her eyes were burning. Probably from waking up earlier than usual today. Alex slowly opened her eyes and cranked up her car. She drove down the street with her mind fixed on home. When her phone rang, she snapped out of her zombie state to see Nathan’s number on the phone. She managed a weak smile. Half of her felt excited to see his name; the other half wanted to go home and hit the bed.

  “Hey. How did it go today?” Nathan asked.

  “Good and bad.”

  “Really? How?”

  “I’ve had two new companies to sign on for the fair but Dan isn’t speaking to me.”

  “What?”

  “Never mind. It’s not important. How was your day?” Alex asked.

  “Pretty good. I had the day off. What do you mean, it’s not important?”
<
br />   “I don’t want to bore you with the long story over the phone.”

  “Then, why don’t you come over for dinner and tell me about it?” he asked.

  Alex yawned. “Excuse me. I don’t know, Nathan. I kind of want to go home and fall out right now.”

  “You need to eat before you go to bed.”

  “I should be fine if I’m not hungry.”

  “Nope. You’ll wake up in the middle of the night wanting to eat.”

  “Um.” Alex liked the idea of seeing him again but the closer she got to home the more she could hear her bed calling her.

  “At least come by and get a plate.”

  “Then you’ll complain about me eating and running.” Alex chuckled.

  “I’ll let it slide this time.”

  “Fine. I’ll come over for dinner.”

  Nathan gave her directions to his house and she followed them. She pulled up to his red brick home nestled in a nice little cul de sac.

  Alex walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. Nathan answered with a big smile.

  “You made it.” He leaned over and gave her a big hug. “Come in.” She stepped in and walked down a couple of steps into the living room. It was complete with a large rug over a wooden floor and antique-like furniture. The setting fit Nathan’s personality—warm and homey.

  “Very nice. Did you decorate it?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  Alex raised her eyebrows. Nathan laughed to himself. “Don’t tell me you don’t think a man can decorate his own house?”

  “Now, now. I didn’t say that. I don’t remember you being Martha Stewart. That’s all.”

  They both laughed. He walked over to her and planted a kiss on her lips. “I’m almost finished cooking. Do you want something to drink?”

  “Yes. I need a little help waking up. Do you have tea?”

  He sucked his teeth. “Do I have tea? Of course, I do.”

  He took her hand and led her toward the dining room. While she sat down, he fetched a glass and tea for her.

  “So, you wanna tell me why you’re beefing with your coworker?” Nathan asked.

  “Because he’s incompetent.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Seriously, he showed up at our meeting with no results. He hadn’t done anything.”

  “Did he try?” Nathan walked out of the kitchen with her tea. He handed it to her and then went back to the kitchen to check on his sauce.

  “Sort of. He’s trying to get sponsorships from big companies but as my boss and I both pointed out, we don’t have time to wait for their money. He doesn’t see it that way so we don’t have any sponsors yet.”

  “I don’t get why he is mad at you.”

  “Because he thinks I showed him up at the meeting. All I did was say that I would contact some restaurant owners I’d already talked to.”

  “Um.”

  “What?” Alex asked.

  Nathan hesitated as he stirred his sauce. “Well, you could have waited until after the meeting and then recommended that he call the people you mentioned, especially since it was originally his responsibility.”

  “Why? I stepped in because he’s not doing his job.”

  “That’s my point. You stepped in. Men have fragile egos. We don’t want to look like chumps in front of women or our boss. He came up looking crazy in front of both.”

  She rolled her eyes. Men. She didn’t know if she’d ever understand them. Dan liked to strut around the office like a peacock but when it came down to business, he seemed to be all thumbs. How was that her fault?

  Alex played with the cloth placemat at the dining room table. “So, what am I supposed to do about it?”

  “Who has the higher authority in your company?” Nathan asked.

  “Me.”

  “Then you’re going to have to take the leadership in this situation.”

  “I already am. I’m doing pretty much everything.”

  “You know as well as I know that leadership isn’t about doing everything. It’s also about delegating. You do that all the time anyway. Do that with him to make him do a better job.” He smiled. “Go ahead. Give him that womanly touch.”

  Alex frowned. “Ugh. Whatever. I don’t have time for that.”

  Nathan doubled over laughing.

  Alex shook her head and stood up. “You are so silly.” She walked over to his stove, looking over the pot. “Are you done yet?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, we’re ready to eat now. A while ago, you wanted to go to nap town. Now you’re ready to chow down.”

  She leaned over and muffled her laugh on his shoulder. “I’m awake now.”

  “Um hmm. Here.” Nathan reached for a wooden spoon and dipped the end of it into the sauce. “Try this and tell me if you think it’s done.”

  Alex blew on the spoon a few times, then, wrapped her lips around it. She tasted the mushrooms and little chucks of meat in the sauce. It was pretty good.

  “I think it’s ready,” she said.

  It didn’t take long for Alex to begin devouring the spaghetti and meatballs, especially after she added shredded cheese over it. She was happy she decided to come there instead of going home and jumping in her bed. As they sat next to each other at the table, it warmed her heart to see him again. She smiled, while she sucked up a single strand of spaghetti.

  “What are you smiling about?” Nathan asked.

  “I was wondering when you started cooking,” Alex said, refusing to acknowledge her bliss.

  “When I had a son. He can’t eat McDonald’s all the time.”

  “I know that’s right. We can’t eat that all the time.”

  “Nope.”

  “How did you learn?”

  “Why? You want me to teach you?” He smiled.

  Alex picked up her fork and held it like she intended to stab him.

  He laughed. “I picked up a few recipes from my mama, the Internet or the bookstore. That’s all.”

  “Like that, huh?” Alex asked, staring at him and taking another bite.

  “Yeah. I’m not studying recipes on my lunch break or anything.”

  Alex chuckled and covered her mouth.

  “I started out making things for him but it evolved. If I think of something I might want to make, I find out how to make it,” Nathan said.

  “That’s cool. Now I know who to call when I need to cook something.”

  He sucked his teeth. “Man, I don’t know everything.”

  “Sure,” Alex mocked.

  Nathan’s home phone rang. He stood up. “See. That’s why you can’t tell people nothing.”

  Alex laughed.

  He picked up his phone and answered.

  “Hello…Hey, Man. What’s up?”

  He looked over at Alex. “Um…Nah, I have company…Yeah, yeah. Call me later though… All right. Bet.”

  Later. Was Nathan planning to go somewhere? It wasn’t like she intended to stay the whole night but it was a weekday. She wouldn’t expect him to be out, if he had to go to work the next day. Where were they going this particular day?

  Nathan hung up and moved back to his plate at the table. “Sorry about that.”

  Alex nodded. “Friends wanting to go out?”

  “Huh? Oh, yeah.”

  “How long have you guys been friends?” Alex sipped water now.

  “Well, I’ve know A.J. about nine or ten months.”

  She nodded. “Is he attached or married?”

  Nathan shook his head. “He told me he had a quickie marriage one time. The thing was over in thirty days.” He snickered and bit into a piece of bread.

  “Wow,” Alex said.

  “I’m not surprised,” Nathan said in between chews.

  Alex raised her eyebrows. “Why not?”

  “Well, how do I say this?” Nathan asked, looking up at the ceiling. “A.J. isn’t exactly the type of guy that a woman can settle down with. He’s my boy but he’s got a lot of play in him.”

  Alex n
odded. “Do you still have a lot of play in you?”

  Nathan stared into her eyes. “No.”

  “Oh. Well, how are you able to hang with someone who’s not focused on settling down if you might be ready to settle down?” Alex rested her chin on her palm, waiting for his answer.

  “Well, don’t you have friends whose lives are different from yours?”

  Alex nodded and shrugged.

  “I don’t like to judge people. However they live is fine with me. I know what I want.” Nathan focused his attention back on his plate.

  “And what do you want?” Alex wasn’t intent on aggravating Nathan. She wanted to know where he stood. He acted like he’d changed—grown up—from the days that he ran around with his friends doing whatever but she wanted to make sure. She was in no mood for surprises with him.

  “I want what any regular man wants: a rewarding career and a family.”

  “How many children do you want?”

  Nathan threw his head back and laughed. “What is this? An inquisition?”

  Alex smiled. “Well, how am I gonna know if I don’t ask you?”

  He held up his hand. “Fair enough, fair enough. I want three kids.”

  “Any gender preference.”

  “Two boys and a girl. Hey. Didn’t I mention this to you before?” Nathan squinted his eyes and pointed at Alex.

  “Just checking. You have a good memory.”

  He shook his head and finished off his plate. Alex had finished her plate. She sat at the table studying him. At this point, she had to see the situation through; she wanted to try their relationship out again and figure out where they were headed but her mind insisted on staying sharp to any changes. I sure hope he’s sincere.

  CHAPTER 19

  Alex stood in front of the snack machine, pondering which snack to buy. She shouldn’t have been buying anything but she had a light breakfast and her stomach wouldn’t stop reminding her of that fact. She bent down midway to get a better look at the selection. Alex heard footsteps. She turned around to find Mr. Sims approaching her. She sent him a readymade smile.

  “Hello. How is everything, Mr. Sims?” she asked.

  “Morning, Alex. Everything is good. How are you?” he asked.

  “Excellent.”

  “I was talking to Dan about the job fair yesterday and he didn’t seem as enthusiastic as you are. Is there a reason?”