Chapter 4

Everything that followed happened in rapid succession. For the next two weeks, I became much more in tune with Tammy's life. Why she so loves the books she reads, and why she kept her life so Spartan. There's a calm about her life that I'm now beginning to enjoy myself. I have to admit tearing myself away from the superficial forced me to enjoy the simpler things. I understood more why that seems to satisfy her. I've never had such a closeness with her. Helen can no longer tell us apart from our mannerisms to our clothing. Right up to the day we dropped Tammy off at the airport, we were almost inseparable.

The plan was simple. Tammy would fly off to Springfield the day before the interviews and get settled. The time difference meant my 9:00am and her 10:00am interviews coincided. Literally, two places at once. I would attend both the morning interview that Helen arranged and then the afternoon interview which Mom arranged. Helen, who has the day off, will work as a ‘go between’ to keep me and Tammy up to date on the interviews and what was said just in case any follow-up calls or questions. What could possibly go wrong?

On the morning of the interviews, I leave from my condo dressed in my silk sleeveless blouse, a midnight blue blazer, and a matching pencil skirt. Louboutins and my Louie are the only items I wear that are not custom made. I keep the jewelry to a minimum, my pearlmaster peaks just below my cuffs, a diamond solitaire adorns my neck and I wear half carats stud earrings.

The receptionist greets me and asks for me to wait in the lobby. I’m about to sit down when a young man walks towards me. “Tammy? I thought it was you.” I freeze. The young man is in his mid-twenties. He would either have worked with Tammy or went to school with her. He’s dressed in a well cut, navy blue suit, which maybe a Boss knockoff. His attire means he works here or the company is his client. Tammy rarely dated so I know he wasn’t an ex.

“I’m sorry but I’m a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Where do I know you from?” “Oh, I’m sorry, of course you must meet tons of people. I’m Scott Ward. We met at Core Health?” Core Health was a growing company in the field of medical devices. Tammy worked under the lead marketing exec to design their investor information packet. Scott had been one of the Associates at Core Health that helped provide the facts and figures for the brochures.

“Of course, Are you still working for Core Health?” I ask.

His smile is infectious; I’m smiling widely as well. “No, I’ve since moved on. I am with Brownstone now. We’re looking for an Assistant to the Lead designer here. You look exquisite!” All of a sudden, I get a bit nervous with his gaze upon me. “Are you here for me? Ummm the position… Assistant job… I mean.” He seems to be as nervous as me. I get flushed.

“Yes, am I with you?” I’m as red as a tomato now. “I… am I to interview under you? With you… With you, I mean.” We both begin to laugh.

“Let’s start over.” he says. I agree.

“Are you here for the interview Ms. Sterling? It is Miss Sterling isn’t it?”

“Yes, on both counts” oh! he’s just… yummy… “Is the interview with you?”

“Yes, actually.”

“Wonderful, I’m ready to go do you…with you.., go with you, I mean.” What is wrong with me! The temperature of the room just jumped 10 degrees.

“Please come with me.”

He leads me to a room with a lone computer. He asks me to sit, tells me about the screening exercise. A typing test, a Q&A, and writing sample. I move the mouse and I am greeted by the lock screen requiring a login. He leans over me as I steal a whiff of his cologne as his hands move from the mouse to the keyboard. He gently lifts my hands, feeling my skin and begins to move my hands away. He leans in a bit closer as I tilt my head away to make room for him. I’ve never felt my heart beat so loudly in my life. He keys in the password and withdraws. Half an hour later, He returns, I’m proofreading my writing sample. His hands are on my shoulders now. “I believe the time is up Miss Sterling. Would you follow me?”

He’s breaking a million harassment rules and I really don’t care, he’s still yummy. He leads me into another room. Cindy, the personnel administrator begins the interview and I answer question after question while my mind is still on Scott. I must have been very distracted. The interview ends with a ‘handshake and smile’ after which I walk out. Scott catches up to me in the parking lot.

“Tammy!” I hear his voice as I’m opening the door to my car. “Scott? Was there something more?”

“I ummm wanted to… I think I behaved a bit… If you think I was coming on a bit strong there…”

“You did, but at least you’re trying to make up for it.” I coo back as I’m hanging my blazer and placing it in my car. I turn to face him again. I return his smile with one of my own. His eyes sparkle from the sunlight. His hair black, a fade, though his chin shows a bit of stubble which I imagine he prefers. He’s too well put together for him to neglect a shave. My mind is in a fog as he slides his hand to my shoulder sliding my blouse back from where the blazer had shifted it. A bold move, I’m not sure why I didn’t pull away. My phone buzzes, it startles me and I’m thrust back into reality. Scott backs away, I think you may need to take that. I turn and move to my purse on the driver’s seat and fish out my phone. It’s Helen.

I look over to Scott. “I do need to take this call, but thank you for… well… thank you.” He smiles turns and walks back towards the building. A bit disappointed that he didn’t ask me for my number. I answer the phone. Helen chirps back, “So how’d it go?”

I’m watching Scott go back into the building. “Dreamy…”

“What? Tim, how did the interview go?”

The spell is broken, “I think it went well, he seemed to like me, Tammy, I mean.”

“Are you alright? You sound a bit ‘off’”

“I’m… I’m fine. The interview went well. What’s up?”

“Hey, I got a call from Tammy. The interviewer from this afternoon wants to bump it up to 11:00am can you do that? I look at the delicate watch on my wrist. “It’s a bit of a squeeze, but I think I can make it.”

“Okay, Grant Systems, at 11. Since you should be done at noon do you wanna have lunch?

“Sure! how about you head over to my place?”

“Great, my key still work?”

“It should. I’ll call you when I’m done?”

“Good luck with the interview!”

Call waiting has Tammy on the line. “Hey girl! I just got an earful from Mom! Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

“I figured it could wait until after the interviews.”

“No, you’ve been ducking her for more than two weeks! What’s going on?” Her voice almost angry.

“I think she wanted me to interview with a small research company downtown. I wasn’t really interested, but you know how Mom is.”

“Well could you please give her a call. I want her off my back.”

“How’d your interview go?”

“Oh I think I’m a shoe in for the job!” Tammy’s tone is more elated. “But you should still go to the interview with Grant. Did Helen tell you about the change?”

“Yes, I’m on my way now.”

“Okay I won’t keep you! Thanks again for all this!”

“You owe me sis!”

“Okay” she chuckles “I’m sure it will all even out at the end. Love you Sis! Bye!”

“Love you too, Sis!”

I drive over to Grant Systems. Portfolio in hand, just in case, I wanted them to see Tammy’s work. I’m proud of her and showing her work would be perfect.

After navigating the labyrinth, I get my chance to meet Allyson Grant. Owner of Grant Systems. I’m in awe. At times I find myself answering from my background rather than Tammy’s. I think the nerves have gotten to me and the cracks in my “Tammy” façade are beginning to show. Mrs. Grant loves some of my ideas and suggest that I may be better suited in her design department. I assure her that I want to be her assistant. Then the bombshell…

“I appreciate you taking an earlier interview, Miss Sterling. Your mother’s very proud of you. In truth, we are looking to hire for the Design department. Though you say you want to be my assistant I hope you would reconsider. We do have one applicant for the position. A Timothy Sterling? Are you two related?”

“Ummm… he’s my brother. I remark.’

“Well, He’s accepted the interview at 1:30 and if he’s anything like you…”

My mind racing to put together the pieces of how I would have an interview at 1:30 and more importantly how I would top myself with that interview.

“Oh one more thing, I’m meeting your mother for lunch - you should join us.”

“Wouldn’t it be unfair to the other candidates?” I’m trying to worm my way out gracefully.

“Non-sense there are no other candidates. Join us I insist!”