The Christmas Edition
Page 19
It was time to find Joe for herself. She turned in the opposite direction and went down a corridor. Soon it opened up to a large space that was divided up into smaller units where employees worked. Along the outside walls were private offices with two walls of glass—one that looked into the offices and the other that looked out into the city.
There at the corner of the room she saw Joe. Her heart raced. She waved wildly at him but he didn’t notice. Joe walked into an office and closed the door. Not to be discouraged, Lucy walked up to the door and read the name, Dr. Joseph McNamara. She peeked through the partly open blinds. It was, as she had feared. Joe wasn’t alone.
Lucy waited tapping her shoe on the carpet while wondering what she should do. There was a lot of giggling going on in there so she assumed it wasn’t a patient he was seeing. What she could see were long legs and a short skirt to show them off. Lucy looked down at her pants and boots with salt stains along the edges.
Then the door opened by several inches and remained so, as though someone were deciding if they should stay or leave. Lucy held a deep breath as she stepped further back into the corner, hoping to go unnoticed.
“And I love you, too. I want to be your partner professionally and personally.” Angela walked out of the office, and just as she closed the door, she noticed Lucy standing a few feet away from Joe’s office.
“Oh, my gosh!” Angela nervously looked around. She took a hold of Lucy’s elbow and escorted her into another office. Once they were both inside, Angela shut the door and locked it. Then she pulled the blinds so no one could see in. “Well, well, if it isn’t Lucy Collins from Turtle Crap, Wisconsin.”
“It’s Turtle Creek.”
“Just what are you doing here?” she rashly asked with her hands on her hips.
“I am here to see Joe…” Lucy’s voice was quiet but strong. Slowly she rubbed her palms on the sides of her slacks. Lucy watched Angela pace back and forth on the carpet.
“Does he know you’re here?” Angela pivoted on her heels and then came to a stop directly in front of Lucy.
“I’m not sure. The receptionist said he was in a meeting…”
Angela’s sneer broadened. “The meeting Joe had was with me. It started last night and ended this morning if you know what I mean.” Angela laughed seductively. “We told everyone not to disturb us. So, in all truthfulness, he may not really be avoiding you after all. He just may not have been told yet.”
The woman’s words hurt Lucy. Thinking about Joe in someone’s arms other than hers was hard enough but imagining him with someone like Angela was more than she could handle. Lucy sat down on the white leather couch, not sure what to do next.
Angela depressed a button on her phone.
“Yes, Doctor Steel?” her secretary answered.
“Please do not tell Doctor McNamara about Lucy Collins being here. I am taking care of this matter myself. He has a lot to take care of before the end of the day. He cannot be disturbed.”
“Yes, Doctor Steel,” came the answer.
Angela turned her attention back to Lucy. “You can save yourself a boatload of humiliation if you just sail on out of here right now. Listen, for some reason, I really like you and feel sorry for you. I can help you keep some personal pride.”
Lucy raised an eyebrow. “You’re afraid of something, Angela. Could it be you think maybe Joe would want to hear what I have to say to him?”
“I don’t mean to hurt you, but it’s best you’re told the truth.” Angela sat down beside Lucy. With a voice seemingly filled with concern, she continued, “Joe told me everything that happened between the two of you back in Turtle Crap.”
“The name is Turtle Creek!”
“Whatever.” She shrugged. “But he has had enough of small town USA and doesn’t want to see you ever again. I know it hurts but I believe in telling the truth, don’t you?” Angela fidgeted with her high heels by taking them off at the heels and then sliding them back on again.
“I would rather he tell me that himself.” Lucy held Angela’s gaze.
“All right, go ahead and humiliate yourself. But remember that I warned you.” Angela put her feet all the way back into her heels, rose and pointed toward the door.
Lucy got up and walked to the door. She stood there looking at it for a moment wondering if Angela was telling the truth or bluffing. There was only one way to be really sure. Lucy started to open the door.
“There’s one more thing you should know,” Angela walked up behind her.
“And what is that?”
“Turn around.” Angela held up her left hand and waggled her fingers in Lucy’s face. A huge, diamond ring adorned one of the fingers. “We got engaged a few days ago. That’s okay; I don’t really expect congratulations from you.”
Lucy blanched. She felt she was spiraling downward. Lucy walked out of Angela’s office and down the hall to Joe’s door. She held up her hand to knock but then stopped within inches of tapping. Who was she kidding? Joe was going to marry Angela. He was a psychiatrist marrying another psychiatrist. This was their office. Turtle Creek couldn’t compete with all of this, and she could never compete with Angela. Lucy looked back at Angela who had a smug expression on her face.
Angela was right. It was best to leave while she still had a modicum of pride left. Lucy walked on past Angela and to the receptionist desk. “I decided not to see Doctor McNamara and I would appreciate it if you didn’t even tell him I was here.” Before the woman could respond, Lucy was standing at the elevators, pressing the down button.
It was hard holding herself together when all she wanted to do was shed tears, but she wouldn’t give anyone here the satisfaction of seeing her upset. Lucy tapped her foot counting the seconds, waiting for the elevator to come and swallow her up. Meanwhile she willed herself to remain calm, giving herself permission to cry as soon as she was alone where no one would see her. But the tears began to roll down her face nonetheless and her hands shook as she wiped her cheeks.
“Hello, Doctor McNamara.” Phyllis greeted him from her desk.
“Phyllis, I am expecting a new patient this afternoon.”
Chills of dread ran over Lucy’s arms. Lucy was too frightened to move. She kept her back to the reception area wondering where she could run since the elevator wasn’t arriving.
Only hours ago, she would have done nearly anything to see Joe but now she had completely changed her mind. Joe was with Angela. Lucy would only appear as the pathetic person she was, chasing Joe to Chicago. If he had really been interested in her, then he would have at least stayed long enough to explain the situation to her. Or he could have tried calling her. But he didn’t do any of that. Instead he packed up and left.
“I’m on my way out right now. Please tell my new patient that Doctor Steel…”
There was an EXIT sign only feet away. Lucy pushed through the door and down the six flights of stairs. Her feet made hollow echoing sounds as she went. In the lobby, she nearly sprinted toward the front doors, keeping her eye on them as the prize. The blast of frigid air felt good on her face which was still hot with humiliation. Lucy crossed the street, got in her car, paid her ticket and drove out of the city.
****
Joe sat in his office chair for the last time. The final resignation papers had been drawn up and now were on the desk in front of him. Once he signed his name there would be no more going back, no changing of his mind. He remembered his last meeting with the Board of Directors. The Board, along with Angela, did their best to talk Joe into taking the partnership that was still on the table, but no one gave as good an argument as Angela.
“You have trained long and hard for this position. Joe, you earned it. No one has your background or skill. You come highly recommended by the entire Board of Doctors from the hospital where you served,” she pointed out. “We are offering you the top-of-the-line insurance package. Also a 401k and one hundred percent total investment with stock options. You can name your own salary and take as many va
cation days per year as you need. Not only will you have the company car of your choice but we will also pay for half your daily living expenses.”
Joe shook his head, overwhelmed with the offer staring him in the face. “You are all generous, but you keep missing the point. I am not holding out for anything else. I simply no longer want to be a psychiatric specialist.”
“How can you say that?” Angela asked. Her mouth was dry making her voice stop in her throat.
“What do you want?” the President of the Board asked.
“I wish I knew. At this point in my life, I only know what I do not want. I do not want to continue with my profession,” Joe said.
So much had changed in his life since he made that statement a month earlier. A lifetime had been lived. Joe now knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. It was time to get to it. He picked up a pen and wrote his full name on the bottom line.
There was a soft knock on the office door. Angela walked in. Joe looked up and smiled as he slid the papers into the envelope. “So you have come to say goodbye?”
“No. I have come to talk you into tearing up those papers you just signed.”
“What do you want me to say that hasn’t already been said?” Joe asked.
“When I tell you I love you, I want you to tell me you love me, too.” Angela opened the door, “I want to be your partner professionally and personally.”
Joe shook his head as he shot her a stern look. Angela left, closing the door quietly behind her. Joe grabbed his coat and was heading out when his secretary buzzed his office. “Yes..?”
“There is a bit of paperwork we need for you to complete so we can process your documentation and clear the company of your services. I’ll bring it in now if that is all right.”
“Thanks.” Joe sat at this desk filling out forms and signing his name on each paper. Then he stacked it together and hand carried it to his secretary.
“We are going to miss you around here,” she told him.
Joe smiled and headed toward the front.
“Hello Doctor McNamara.” Phyllis greeted him from her desk.
“Phyllis, I am expecting a new patient this afternoon, but I’m on my way out right now. Please tell my new patient that Doctor Steel is taking over my caseload.”
“Then this is really goodbye?”
“Yes, this is really goodbye.”
“I wish you well, Doctor.” Phyllis held her hand out to Joe. “And where are you going now?”
“Right now, I am on my way to church. After that I am going home.”
The Christmas Edition
The Christmas Edition
Chapter Twenty-One
January 2
Lucy sat in the break room waiting for everyone to assemble for their first meal together of the New Year. There was a special breakfast to welcome everyone back to work. Lucy knew she was blessed to be surrounded by people who cared about her and their job. If she learned anything from the past few days, it was to appreciate what she had today.
“Happy New Year!” were the first words out of their mouths when they walked in.
The small group of employees filled up on sausage rolls and breakfast burritos while washing it down with coffee and orange juice. They began sharing their stories of how they celebrated New Year’s Eve.
None were as happy as Ulilla as she showed off the new engagement ring—compliments of Abe. “I never thought the day would ever come when I would be an engaged woman. You should have seen how cute Abe was when he got down on his knee…”
“The good knee,” Abe emphasized.
When the laughter died down, Ulilla continued, “He read a poem to me by Emily Dickenson. You are the limit of my dream, the focus of my prayer. ”
“How very romantic!” Monica cooed looking at Mike.
“And then he held out the box.” Ulilla re-enacted the moment by playing both the parts.
“Did you say ‘yes’ right away?” Carol asked Ulilla.
“Ulilla didn’t say anything,” Abe told them. “She just squealed and grabbed the box out of my hand. When she saw the diamond, she squealed again. My ears are still ringing.” He pulled at his ear lobe. “But I am taking that for a yes.”
Everyone took turns hugging Ulilla and gushing over her diamond engagement ring. As an after thought, they congratulated and hugged Abe.
“For Christmas, you said you wanted a Caribbean cruise. Did you find the tickets under your Christmas tree, too, Ulilla?” Margaret asked.
“No, I didn’t find them under my tree, but Abe found them under his.” Ulilla blushed as if she were a young woman finding her first love.
“That’ll make for a lovely honeymoon,” Margaret said.
“What did you do for New Year’s Eve?” Carol turned toward Lucy with the question.
Sitting around watching TV wasn’t worth the mention so Lucy did what she was good at—changing the subject. “Instead of rehashing old news, how about if we go around the room and name our New Year’s Resolution?”
“Great idea!” Mike cheered holding up a cup of orange juice. “My resolution is to spend more time with Monica.”
“And my resolution is to make sure Mike carries out his resolution!” Monica laughed nudging him playfully in the side.
“My turn, my turn,” Ulilla let them all know. She stuffed a sausage roll in her mouth, licked her fingers and stated, “My resolution is to lose a few pounds before the wedding.”
“Your turn now, Dad. What is your news?” Mike goaded.
“Thank you, son. This is a wonderful day of happiness,” Harold stepped forward. “I have more celebratory news. You have all done a fabulous job here at the paper in the past month. Sales are up, advertising has peaked and all this happened while I was out of the office.”
“Not entirely,” Monica interjected. “You did nap here.”
“Harold!” Margaret exclaimed, “So that is where you went when you disappeared on me.”
“Well, I am not disappearing on you anymore, my love. I decided this newspaper could manage just fine without me. I am ready to step down.”
The room collectively gasped over the news.
“Dad, are you all right?” Lucy panicked remembering his heart condition.
“I’m just fine, sweetie, no need to worry.” Harold tweaked her cheek.
“Well, Dad, you did it again,” Lucy declared standing to her feet. She set her cup down on the table. “You have a way of making everyone speechless.” Lucy was just as surprised by her dad’s news as everyone else in the room. Except for maybe Mike. He didn’t look surprised at all which meant he already knew about this decision. An uneasy feeling encircled her.
“If you are stepping down, who is taking your place?” Carol wanted to know.
“Of all the decisions I’ve made in my life, this has been the easiest one for me to make. I am really pleased to hand the newspaper to one of my own children. As my great granddad handed it down to my dad and as my dad handed this establishment down to me, I now very proudly hand this paper to my son, Mike.”
By the looks on everyone’s face, Lucy wasn’t the only one surprised by the announcement. The applause started out as weak but then picked up momentum as Lucy leapt to her feet and clapped loudest of all.
“What about Lucy?” Carol fretted. “She has worked tirelessly coming up with new ideas and strategies to keep the newspaper running.”
“Lucy knows I am proud of her.” Harold looked at her as she struggled to keep her emotions under control. “Don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” Lucy tried to cover up her disappointment with a smile. Her lips began to quiver. She dug her fingernails into her hands willing herself not to cry. All she could hear were her grandfather’s words rolling over and over again in her head, “Someday I want you to run this business. It’s time for a smart female to take over and shake things up!” Obviously, her father felt that the tradition of keeping a male family member at the helm was the way to go.
“It’s all right, Ulilla. I don’t need the responsibility of the newspaper, honestly. Besides it’s not large enough for two managers. I mean, we aren’t talking about the New York Times here.” Lucy forced a laugh.
“I don’t want everyone here to get their feelings hurt for Lucy,” Mike explained. “Sis’ I am going to need you more than ever.”
“You know you can count on me.” Lucy hugged him. She meant the words she said to her brother, knowing he couldn’t run the place without her. Everyone needed her now more than ever. Although she wouldn’t be running the place in name, she would be running it just the same. It would be enough. It would have to be.