Laura's Big Win

by Michelle Tschantre'

Chapter Nine - Acceptance

  Laura walked out to Alice's cottage and found two happy but tired kids.

  "So, not that I want to pry?.yes, I guess I do just a bit?. how do you think things went with the boys?" Alice asked. "I have always had a pretty high opinion of all of them for the way they do things, always up front, discrete when they need to be, but most of all, just plain honest. What you see is what you get. But, I don't what to keep these kids up all night talking, so give."

  "Truthfully, Alice, I don't really know. I'm afraid to look at the written offer. If I can't live on it, I'll have to pass on a wonderful opportunity; if it's too high, I'll think they expect too much. Guess I need a hot shower, a cup of tea, and some time to think. The other thing is, I really want to ask you about Ryan, but I don't want that to get in the way of my making a good decision for myself and the kids. That will have to wait for a bit, curious though I may be. Anyway, I need to get these sleepyheads into bed before I have to carry them. Thanks a bunch for watching them, again. Everyone here has been such a help to us; I mean that; Doris and the guys, even the pup dogs have been friendly. But, I don't want to wear out our welcome, and I have some decision making to do."

  "Okay, kids; get it up off the ground; time to turn in. Your mother has a lot to think about yet tonight; and Laura, if I had to vote, even without knowing the whole deal, I'd hire you in a second just for the life you and the kids bring to this place. The last 24 hours have been a treat, to say the least. Tomorrow brings what tomorrow brings, but I hope you stay, at least for a while. Let us help you get things back together. Okay?"

  "Okay. I can't refuse an offer like that. Anyway, by 8 AM I guess we'll probably both know. News seems to travel pretty fast around here."

  "Only if we want it to. Anyway, take care; I'll see you in the morning, after 8. Good night for now."

  With kids in tow, Laura headed back for their room. Half an hour later the kids were already asleep in the bunks, Laura was in and out of a hot shower, and had a cup of steaming green tea in front of her. Carefully, she unfolded the written offer, took a deep breath and a first look. It was carefully laid out, straightforward; accustomed to handling data, Laura scanned it quickly and realized her decision was virtually programmed for her. Cal had done his job well: base starting salary, room, board, 90 day incentive, six month incentive, one year incentive, insurance; everything was there. The offer seemed rather high to her, but not so high that the expectations would be overpowering up front. 'These guys are really good at this,' she thought. 'They know I need and want this, they know what they need, and I bet they believe they know what will bring me on board. They even talked about school starting for Jack, day care for Amanda, all those things. But I remember what Richard made, and this seems like a lot for starters. Wonder what Richard's doing these days, now that he's rid of us? Not that I much care after what he did; the S.O.B. Anyway, I bet Cal made some calls and knows what IT people go for these days. I just wonder if there's anything I'm missing here. Even Alice seems very positive for me coming on board, and I sure don't take her for any fool. And there's that Ryan guy, but I can't let any of that type thought cloud my judgment; gotta keep my cool and make the best decision I can for the kids sake, and mine. Okay; I'm going to get up early and think about this some more, but they sure make it easy to say "yes"'. And with that, Laura Nessing ended her second day at Windmere, tired but excited at the new prospects the day had presented to her. Warm, safe, certainly well fed, with kids happier than she had seen in a long time, among people who really seemed to care about her and the kids. Maybe this is all just a dream.

  It was horrible: frightened, alone, lost, in a deep pit with no way out, kids crying, waking with a start and realizing it was a really bad dream. Laura took a couple of minutes to shake off the cold fear the dream had immersed her in; warmed by the streaming sunshine, the fear left, replaced by hope, optimism, and the need to decide on a path to follow for starting the rest of her life. After she finished her morning routine, and found the best outfit she had, she awakened the kids and got them ready to face the day. 'At least they didn't escape me like they did yesterday,' she thought, although the thought of it was more funny than irritation at their escapade; somehow, these people seemed to make everything all right. 'You know,' she thought to herself, 'even as young as they are, maybe I need to tell them what's going on here; after all, they picked up on Dennis being a teddy bear rather quickly, and they don't seem to be afraid of anyone here. Maybe it's worth the question.'

  "Jack, Amanda, I need to talk to you about something for just a minute. I know you're hungry so I did a couple of little pastries to tide you over for a minute while we talk, then we'll go to the kitchen and meet Maria, the weekend cook. Okay?"

  "Yep" "Okay mom."

  "Okay, here's the deal. You're old enough to know that we're on our own right now. For whatever reason, your father has decided he won't help us anymore; I don't want to talk about that just now. What I do want to tell you is that we need, I need, a job so we have money to live on. The people here at Windmere have offered me a job doing what I studied to do in college; it's a very good offer, and I'm pretty sure I can do what they want. Now, in order for me to work here, you two will have to be in some sort of day care for about eight hours a day. Jack, once school starts in the fall, you'll be in first grade, and Amanda, you'll start preschool probably half days and daycare the other half. I may have to travel a few days a month; someone would take care of you then. Mrs. Hamilton's twin sister will help us make those plans."

  "Two Mrs. Hamilton's? Wow!" the chorus chimed.

  "Yes; there're two Mrs. Hamilton's. Anyway, today is the first day of the rest of our lives. I have to tell the people who own this place whether I want to work for them or not. I think I'd like to do that, and I think this would be a good place for you two to grow up, at least for now. But, I realized this isn't just my life I have to decide; it's your life too. I know it's a big decision, but what do you think I should tell them."

  "Can I play with Dennis if we stay here?"

  "Yes, Mandy, I'm sure you can part of the time. But remember, he has a job to do here and it isn't to be your playmate. And, you'll meet kids your own age to play with in pre-school pretty soon."

  "Can they come over and play?"

  "I think so, but I don't know all the rules just yet. We'll have to learn the rules first, but I think we can work that out. Okay?"

  "Yep. Can I have a new dolly?"

  "We'll see about that. I don't have the job yet. Jack, you're being very quiet. What do you think about all this?"

  "I think this is a lot better than where we were; that was pretty scary. Franz said he thought if we stay around I might be able to take care of the dogs; I could earn some money that way if I need to; I know it's not enough for us to live on but I could help. I think we should stay here if we can. "

  "Okay. Done deal. We stay as long as things work out for us, and I hope that will be quite a while. Now, let's go meet Maria for breakfast, and I need to make a call. Ready?"

  With the decision now made, Laura and family headed for the kitchen, breakfast, and their future. Coping with the world one day at a time had been difficult for all of them, whether the kids really understood all of it or not, and the decision to stay at Windmere had done much to bring a little order to their world. Entering the big warm kitchen, they found Maria there ready to go, and her two children with her. It was not unusual that Fernando worked early on Saturday morning when he could, and there was an understanding with Windmere that Maria could bring the kids with her on those days when it would not interfere with an event on premises. Meeting Ernesto and Victoria, Jack and Amanda soon found they had new friends about their own ages and dove into the relationship with abandon. In short order, Maria had the four of them seated at a short table where they were more comfortable, dining on cereal and fresh fruit. Laura wondered about the little table and matching chairs; she didn't remember it from the previous day. Seeing her puzzled loo
k, Maria mentioned that Dennis and Franz had been there earlier, bringing the table and four kid sized chairs.

  "Those guys; you know, they come up with about anything they see a need for. My kids aren't here very often, but I guess they were thinking about your kids. Anyway, it looks right and the kids all like it."

  "They seem to. I'm so glad your kids are here today. Mine haven't seen anyone their size for several days, and I know that as great as Dennis and Franz are with them, they still need someone their own age to play with and grow with. I look forward to a lot of Saturday mornings, I hope. You probably know what's going on with us, all that has happened in the past couple of days. This morning I have to decide our future, at least for the foreseeable future. How long have you been here?"

  "About three years, back when the Senora Mary was still with us. She was such a nice person, and I felt so bad for Senor Ryan when she died. Maybe I shouldn't be talking about that. You must have many more things on your mind."

  "Yes, I do have a lot to think about this morning, but some time I'd like to hear about Senora Mary. You say she died?"

  "Yes, very suddenly. But Senor Ryan is here now; he doesn't like to hear about those things. I think it still makes him very sad. You go; we'll talk some other time."

  With that, Laura turned to meet the approaching Ryan.

  "Good morning Laura, Maria. Kids. How is everyone this morning? Ready to do business, I hope." he said, looking directly at Laura. "Yes, I can tell time, and I know it's not quite 8 yet, but we have a little problem at a facility and I have a plane to catch this morning. Any chance we can make some early progress?"

  Sensing the change in things, Maria brought a couple of steaming mugs of fresh coffee to a table for Laura and Ryan. She didn't miss the way Ryan looked at Laura; although she couldn't quite place the level of interest, her instincts said this man was interested beyond hiring another employee. But, that was for the two of them to work out and she turned her attention to the kids for the time being.

  Laura continued the conversation. "Okay, we can do business. The kids and I took a vote this morning and you lost, or maybe you won, depending on how you want to look at it; anyway, we're staying, if you still want us." Laura paused for a moment and studied her clasped hands in front of her before continuing. Sensing her anxiety, Ryan remained silent, waiting for her to resume speaking. "I guess I'm still a little nervous about this happening so fast. I know I have a valid offer, and I know this may sound really strange coming from a prospective employee, but is this the best thing for the company? Sorry, I must sound crazy."

  "Remember yesterday when we said Windmere makes good decisions based on the relevant information, and wants those decisions implemented quickly to start reaping the benefits? We continue to believe that is the situation here, so if you have no objections, you're hired; is that simple enough? Can you start Monday morning?"

  "I hope so. I need to get some things in place for the kids; they still have to come first, but, yes; I'll do everything I can to start Monday morning."

  "I thought that might be the case, so I did a couple of things yesterday evening that might help. Alice will be here in half an hour or so. Dennis will take the two of you, and your kids, to see her sister in Conyerville; Alicia has a lot of contacts for day care and things like that; we frequently use her services when we have guests with children. Next, Windmere management met concerning this matter; it was decided that you should be given a hiring bonus up front, mostly because you need some wardrobe funding; I'm not saying you're not well dressed; I'm not going there at all. I'm just saying the company may have some dress expectations at an event and it was thought you should be prepared. So, here's a debit card for you to use shopping, with enough funds credited to at least give you a good start. It was decided the bookkeeping to reclaim a loan would be too expensive and time consuming, hence the bonus idea. Also, rather than expense out ATM costs, it was determined than you would probably need some immediate cash funding; again, that will be part of the hiring bonus, which you will find in cash in this envelope. So, everything you should need for the immediate future can be in place today, or certainly within a couple of days, if you do some power shopping. We believe we have made a good decision and are willing to invest in supporting that decision. Questions?"

  "I am nearly speechless. Do you move this fast with all your new hires, or am I getting special treatment because I look like I need help or something? I knew you wanted a decision; I'm just not accustomed to things moving this quickly."

  "To reiterate, we plan to make good decisions, and the sooner we make them, the sooner the dividends from that decision start to accrue. May I confirm that you're on board?"

  "Yes, thank you, and thank you for the 'hiring bonus'. Somehow, I suspect that is not a routine exercise."

  Mentally Ryan acknowledged her observation, but did not verbalize confirmation of the exception they had just made for her. It was an idea he himself had proposed to Cal and Roger even as he realized he had no clear motive to do so. "Madam, please let me remind you of the adage about gift horses. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm off to sooth a restless client or two. I should be back at start of business Monday or thereabouts. Should a crisis arise, Alice knows how to get hold of me, or Roger, or Cal. Okay?"

  "Okay, and again, thank you. Please have a safe trip; I'm getting accustomed to having you around." and having said that, Laura promptly blushed under his gaze, something she had not done since being a high school girl. For his part, Ryan told himself he sure would be back just to look at her, and was surprised at himself. In both of them, the tiny flame of attraction was beginning a warm glow, although both knew the wall between them, and knew that good people of high standards didn't breech that wall. Still, time was running on many things yet to come.

  With Ryan out the door, Laura turned her attention to the kids and found them totally absorbed in chatting with their new found friends. Alice and Dennis arrived at about the same time Laura was finishing off a bite to eat and considering what to do first. Clearly, the Windmere staff was out ahead of her in some respects, and she wondered just how deep Alice was immersed in the organization. Ryan seemed to know she didn't have much more that a couple changes of clothing, although he had never seen the duffle bag that held their worldly belongings. Anyway, it appeared her morning had been outlined, and it was time to get started.

  "Good morning Alice, Dennis. I understand we're going to get in some quality time today, lots of togetherness. Alice, I'll have to depend on you for a lot of guidance since I don't know a thing about Conyerville, or even have any idea about where to start shopping. You saw the list from yesterday. We sort of need everything. So, where do we start?"

  "Well, first of all, Mr. Anderson here has to select our transportation. It needs to be something that can easily hold all of us, is easy to get in and out, and has a ton of storage room for boxes, bags, probably some hangers. Get the picture Dennis?"

  "Yes madam. You'd like a semi trailer with a monumental grand staircase entrance; tough luck. But, I do have a family friendly blue van with room for eight and cargo space in the back. And, I have an idea: why don't we take Ernie and Vicki along for the ride; I'll take the kids to the park while you power shop. That way they get to burn off some energy, and in the afternoon when they need to be with you to try things on, Maria's kids will be back with her and yours will be too tired to resist. Sound like a plan?"

  "Dennis, I'm thinking of nominating you for sainthood. That's a great idea. Maria and her husband work very hard for what they have; I think it would give everyone a break. How much fun can it be to sit here waiting for her to get off work? Besides, the four kids seem to be getting along pretty well. Deal?"

  "Deal, if Miss Laura agrees."

  "No disagreement here. Dennis, how do you come up with ideas like that?"

  "Second childhood probably. Besides, I like the park in summer to watch the girls go by, you know, observe for fashion statements in accessorizing and things like
that, but don't worry, I can pay attention to the kids at the same time. Right, Alice?"

  "Right; from a guy who thinks clean sweats are a fashion statement. Maria, can we borrow your kids for a while?"

  And the adventure started. Alicia Resnick welcomed them into her home, and once the kids got past the twin sisters issue, she showed them her playroom and briefed Laura about available services. At the end of an hour, Jack and Amanda were enrolled in a six week church summer camp that was starting up Monday, one where Alicia would be around so they would have a familiar face in the crowd, and transportation issues to the camp and back were all resolved. Mostly, the kids just needed some suitable clothes, and that was next on the list. A six week camp would buy a lot of time for planning, and give Laura a chance to exhale for a change.

  Back in the van, and off to the mall and the park. Dennis dropped the ladies at a very well known but rather exclusive women's store, then headed for the park with the kids. Sensing Laura's reluctance, Alice reassured her it was the right thing to do. "Laura, think about it for a minute. Does Windmere look like a one on every corner chain store type operation? Do you know the company pays more for a pound of coffee than most people pay for a whole large can, and what about that behemoth Dennis drives most of the time, even the little van we have today has every accessory known to man on it. The kids were watching video's as we were driving into town. So, do you believe that appearances have an important part in the product Windmere sells?"

  "Well, yes, I'm sure they do but?"

  "No buts. Windmere charges companies right up in the "ouch" range for its services, and it delivers top shelf every time. That means if you advertise a Rolls, it better look like a Rolls, run like a Rolls, and ride like a Rolls. Is today's mission becoming a little clearer?"

  "Okay, I get the message. It's just that, I've always tried to be a little more conservative, you know, save something for a rainy day, get by with a little less. You know what I mean."

  "Yes, I do know, but let me ask you this: you did all that, and when it rained on you, what happened? You were nearly drown. Let's step up a notch to higher ground so the water can't get you ever again. Okay? Ready to shop?"

  "Okay, it does really make sense when you tell it that way. I'm not very good at this. Where do we start?"

  "Lingerie. Us girls gotta make the most of what we have, and that means working from the inside out. The guys don't have to see it; we just have to know we're wearing it. I know, makes me sound like a tart, and at my age, but let me tell you something: Alice Hamilton may be reserved on the outside, but my husband, God rest his soul, never lacked for a playmate. Now, into the store, debit card in hand. Let's find out just how generous the big boys really are."

  Three floors up, Laura and Alice stepped into the world of push up, push down, push around, whatever it took to achieve "the look", whatever that was. One thing for sure, this store had everything from basic cotton to exotic silk, prices to match, and proud of it. But they were no match for Alice Hamilton, a woman on a mission to convert Laura Nessing from okay housewife to office chic. Essentials gathered, they checked out at the floor cashier stand, and learned they still had over $500 credit to go.

  "Guess the old boys like you, or maybe the young boys. I've never known anything like this to happen before, but I'm sure it's all in the best interest of Windmere, Inc. Those guys don't miss much. Anyway, so much for the inside, down one floor for the outside and accessories. Gotta have shoes." Alice was clearly enjoying herself, and Laura was beginning to get the spirit. Maybe these people really did believe in her that much; she was just hopeful their trust would be met, and exceeded. Regardless, she was aware that she owed them a great deal already, and it was barely three days into this whole new life. For just a second she wondered where Richard was, and what he was doing, but the thought had no staying power next to Alice Hamilton's shopping drive.

  "And, we need to get you a basic black dress, you know, one that says you've got it all and you know what to do with it, you're in control, but you might negotiate. I'm not real clear what makes them work so well, but they do."

  Two hours and $400 later, Laura and Alice found themselves burdened with more packages than they could safely carry, and the call went out for Dennis. Promptly answered, they met with Maria after lunch to return her kids to her keeping, then drove to another store to shop for the two kids who were equally in need of clothes. Along the way, Jack mentioned something about bully's in the park trying to pick on Ernie and Vicki. Her attention elsewhere at the moment, Laura had to ask him to repeat what had happened. Jack said two older boys had approached the four of them on the playground equipment and said something about not liking illegals in their park, that Ernie and Vicki were wetbacks and should leave. Jack said he told them he didn't know what a wetback was but these were his friends and they could play anywhere they wanted. Laura assured him he had done the right thing in defending his friends rights, and asked what the two boys did then.

  "They didn't do anything, really; just started to walk toward us, then all of a sudden I think maybe they saw Mr. Anderson coming over to us. Do you know how fast Mr. Anderson can run? Anyway, the boys took off running; I think he could have caught them if he wanted to. They kept running until I couldn't see them anymore, and no one else bothered us. That wasn't right was it, mom?"

  "No, it wasn't right. But Mr. Anderson did the right thing by letting them go. I bet they never come around you kids again. Is that about how it happened Mr. Anderson?"

  "Yes, but what's with the Mr. Anderson all of a sudden? Makes me feel like an old man. It's Dennis; okay? And, yes I can run pretty fast, just not for very far. Guess maybe they saw me coming and I hope I scared the hell?.I mean?.the heck out of them. Punks are lucky we didn't bring Bruno and Daisy here to play. We showed 'em, right Jack!"

  And it was true that the two punks ran until they couldn't run anymore; they had never seen anyone that big, that fast, and looking that angry before in their lives. It would be a lasting memory, even that fall when Jack and Ernie started first grade together.

  The day wore on through a couple more stores, until everyone was feeling hungry and tired at the same time. Alice suggested they try a fast food place, much to everyone's surprise.

  "Got you hooked, didn't I?" Dennis quipped.

  "No, not at all. It just seems?..well?.. more efficient you know. We could go back to Windmere, but I'm sure the kids are hungry now."

  "Right; blame the innocent children. Works for me. How about this one?" as he steered around the arches by the drive.

  "Okay, but this time it's on me." Laura interjected. "The two of you have worked wonders this day; the least I can do is feed you. I guess maybe I better see if I can afford it before I run my mouth too much." As she was talking she dug out the envelope she had nearly forgotten in the debit card frenzy, to find a neat stack of ten $50 bills inside. "Looks like that won't be a problem. Whatever you want Dennis, doubles and triples included, and thank you for being so patient."

  "Ms Laura, you may regret what you just said, but you're welcome anyway. And Alice, try the fried turnovers with soft-serve over them; taste great."

  And so the day of major shopping ended, but not before Dennis Anderson proved that, without effort, he could consume the same amount of food as the other four combined, and still was able to play a bit with the kids.

  Finishing up their meal, Alice suddenly remembered something else she had discussed with top management: housing. "Laura, I nearly forgot something in all the shopping. I was supposed to ask you if you have made a decision on living quarters. I know you haven't had much time to think about it; these guys move along pretty fast. Anyway, would you like to take a look at the cottage next to mine? It's the same general layout, two bedrooms so you can have one of your own. They're not exactly primitive."

  "Yes, I'd like to take a look. You're right; I haven't had time to really think about it. I do remember seeing an allowance figure in the hiring proposal if I decided to s
tay elsewhere, but if the cottage is anything like the rest of the place, why would I?"

  "Works for me. Onward, Dennis. Anyway, we need to free up suite A in the next few days. We keep it ready to go on a moment's notice. You'll find things can happen pretty fast around here at times. The last few days have been slow paced in comparison, but it isn't all rat race either. We have a good time."

  Laura thought about the omnipresent "we" Alice frequently used, and decided to be a little more venturesome. "Alice, this may sound a little goofy, but you keep saying 'we' when you talk about the company. That tends to make me think you're part of the organization and not just a now and then employee. Am I right?"

  "Well, yes and no. Now that you're on board, you probably need to know a little more than you do already. Do you remember Roger mentioning stock purchasing options you might like to pursue later on?"

  "Yes, I do. The stock always stays within the control of the company employees. It's kind of a strange deal, but I'd take a look at it when we get on our feet again. No sense passing up what could be a good opportunity."

  "No, and believe me, it's a good opportunity. Since I don't really need the money, I take whatever I earn in shares. That makes me a part owner. I realize someday I'll have to sell it back, if I leave for some reason, but in the meantime name me something else that is running a consistent +25% PA. Mine is set up as a drip, so the more I make, the more I make. It's the miracle of compounding. Anyway, now you know why I say 'we' a lot; and truthfully, I do feel like a part of this goofy family. But of more importance at the moment, Dennis, can you take us to the cottage next to mine so we can have a look?"

  The cottage turned out to be everything they would need for the foreseeable future, and came pretty much furnished with the basics, including a goody stocked refrigerator. Since it was getting late, they agreed to do the actual moving from Suite A in the morning, but unloaded the van into the cottage as a good start. Walking back toward the big house, Laura tried to express her gratitude:

  "Again, Alice, and Dennis, I can't thank you enough for all this help and friendship. I don't know when I've had this much fun, certainly not in a long time. Whatever prompted you two to start out on this adventure? I mean, we were sitting there in the shelter virtually abandoned by life and you two show up like angels of mercy, and now we have a stack of new clothes, I have a job I think I'm going to love, and we have a great place to live. How did this ever get started, and don't tell me you don't know."

  Dennis looked at Alice. "Your call Boss Lady. I think I have to go home now."

  "Look, Laura, I really don't know what started all this, not for sure. Let's just say it happened and let it go at that; maybe someday things will be a little clearer. In the meantime, rest up; moving day tomorrow!"

  "Okay, I can deal with that, but someday?"

  "Yes, someday. Now, come along Dennis, I think it's probably past your curfew, or parole check in, or something. Good night all."

  "Good night Mrs. Hamilton, and good night Dennis" came the chorus of young voices. Truly it had been, as their mother said, a great day, and tomorrow they got to move.