Hello Everyone,
It is WIPpet Wednesday. Many thanks to Emily Witt, who initiated this wonderful WIPpet gathering. I am working out of boxes, but I am not complaining. In fact, I am euphoric.
So, here goes for today:
- What have I read?
I am beta reading for a writer this week.
What am I reading?
I am still reading PEAK: Secrets From The New Science Of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool, How To Become A Writer by Barbara Baig, and I Was Right On Time, My Journey from the Negro Leagues to the Majors, Buck O’Neil with Steve Wulf and David Conrad.
- What do I plan to read next?
The Violin Man’s Legacy by Seumas Gallacher and Flash 40 Life’s Moments by Janelle Jalbert, The Last Coach by Allen Barra, and My Personal Best by John Wooden with Steve Jamison.
My Snippet is composed of 27 paragraphs. Sorry but my math is lousy this week. I wanted to do 32 (24+8) but that would have split up the confrontation between Phoebe and Tammy, so you only get 27 paragraphs.
Summary: Phoebe has agreed to cooperate with Daniel. The news and the reactions from the kids come later. It is the morning after, and she is now walking into the company.
***
If any of Phoebe’s friends had told her, that at the age of 52, she would be raising a racially mixed multicultural family, she would have dissolved all ties with them. But here she was, an African-American woman, with a family which consisted of four girls, Delia, a native Indian, Tasha an African-American, Cassie a Caucasian, Angie, mixed Vietnamese American, and four very Caucasian quadruplets who were the darlings of everyone who met them. Not to leave out Granny who Phoebe saved from ending her life. Since then, Granny has been living with Phoebe as the adopted Granny.
Some people considered Phoebe to be gullible, and others accounted it to her bleeding heart, but Phoebe didn’t pay attention to what other people thought. After her own disastrous relationship with Ken Daggers, her ex-boyfriend/boss she made a conscious decision to forget about herself and practice loving others.
As she walked up to the revolving doors to enter the building of Daniel Cochran Ltd, protecting her brood was on her mind. She headed toward the elevator to go up to the third floor to her open bay office, which contained six cubicles and Kirk’s office. When she got out of the elevator and looked toward her office, Kirk was standing in the doorway.
Now, what wrong?
“Good morning. You waiting for me?”
“Yes. Are you still speaking to me?”
“Yes, Kirk. Would you move out of the way, so I can enter.”
“You’re working in the executive suite until the merger has been completed.”
“Says who, and when was this decided?”
“Yesterday, at the marketing meeting. So much was going on that I forgot to tell you after you walked out of Daniel’s office.”
“Kirk, it’s not necessary that I work in the executive suite. I want to work here.”
“It’s necessary, Phoebe. Go up and report in and come down later to get your stuff.”
“Do I have any say in this?”
“Talk to Daniel. Maybe, he’ll change his mind.”
“Uh, Uh. So it was his suggestion?”
“No, actually, Maria suggested it. We’d begun discussing the estimates you prepared and who could be the potential project leader. Daniel suggested hiring an outside temp, when Maria said, ‘Boss why hire an outside temp for such a sensitive job when we can give it to Phoebe.’”
“Oh, I see. So now Maria is meddling in my life too.”
“No one is meddling, Phoebe. She thinks you’re the best.”
“Forget it, Kirk. I’m a little bit sensitive this morning. This has been a week, and I’m glad it’s Friday. So what did our illustrious boss say?”
“Good idea, Daniel said, and since you weren’t there to object, it went through as a done deal.”
“Well, I’d better report in before he sends the police to find me. I’m already late. I’ll get my things later,” Phoebe said and turned to go back to the elevator.
“Phoebe Ward,” Kirk said, calling her by her full name. Something that she knew he never did unless he was worried about her.
“Yes, Kirk,” Phoebe said and turned to face him.
“No one will hurt you. I won’t allow it. You’re like a sister to me and Hannah, and our kids love you. If Daniel starts pushing you, come to me.”
The elevator arrived.
“I may have to test your confession one of these days,” she said and turned to get on the lift.
***
That’s all, Folks.
Until next Wednesday,
Shalom aleichem,
Pat Garcia