Chapter 2 - Answers But More Questions

Working in the Twilight Zone

Chapter 2: Answers, But More Questions…



         “Oh, I’m sorry. Please believe me, I understand. Let’s go down to my office. We’ll get better acquainted and get the ball rolling.”

         “Sounds good to me.”

         Jeff followed her down the hallway, and found himself taking a closer look as they walked. Nice, shapely legs, and her bottom swayed very nicely as she walked. Slender waist. That red hair cascaded down to the bottom of her shoulder blades. He made a mental note to check out the other view once they were seated.

         “Have a seat, Mr. Ambrose,” Ellen said as they entered her rather plush office.

         Jeff watched her turn around as she got behind her desk. Nice hips, too. Her chest was a little on the smallish side, and he liked that. All his college chums liked to needle him because he always preferred the girls with the smaller breasts. He didn’t care - he actually had no trouble when he wanted to go out on a date. Most of the guys went for the “more endowed” girls. So he had basically had his choice of all the others. He also noticed a smile not only on Ellen’s face, but in her eyes. He took a quick glance at her left hand. No ring. That started bringing all sorts of thoughts to mind. He didn’t know anyone who’d dated their boss, but there’s always a first time. He decided to keep his eyes on her for a few weeks, get to know her better, and take things from there.

         “Um… Mr. Ambrose?”

         “Please, Ms. Martin, call me Jeff. I never did like being formal.”

         “Sounds good to me, Jeff, and call me Ellen. I like staying relaxed, too. It’s just that in my position I need to find out how the employees feel about that first. Um… would you mind a slightly personal question? I must admit that my curiosity has gotten the best of me.”

         “Not at all, Ellen.” Jeff smiled inside. It began to look like he was going to enjoy not only the new job, but his working relationship with “the boss” as well.

         “You… um… said your wife died eight years ago today.”

         “That’s right.”

         “But… if your age is correct on your resume, that means…”

         “She died when I was 17,” Jeff interjected. “That’s correct.”

         “But…”

         “I know, Ellen. Let me explain,” he said warmly as the memories returned.

         As Jeff related their short life together to Ellen, his mind relived it all once again. Only this time, when he finished the story, his thoughts flew to both the “new” Annie at the reception desk, and this beautiful, sensitive woman he was now working for. Suddenly, he felt even more certain he had stepped into the Twilight Zone when he came through that door just minutes earlier. “Two Annies. One the love of my life, one I just met. So much alike, yet different. That’s already sent me into the Twilight Zone,” he chuckled silently to himself. “And what about Ellen? Great body, intelligent, sensitive. I thought I’d never love again when my Annie died. Maybe there’s hope yet, and maybe it starts here. I couldn’t plan anything like this, even if I scripted it myself. This has to be the Twilight Zone. But… what does that mean… is still to come?”

         “I hope you don’t mind my asking,” said Ellen warmly. Her question jolted him back to whatever version of the “present” he’d been in since arriving that morning.

         “Not at all, Ellen. It brought back only wonderful memories, I assure you. May I ask you a question?”

         “Sure.”

         “Are you… one of the ‘Martin’s whose name’s on the door?” He saw her smile.

         “Yes, I am. The second one. My father is the big one here. His name’s the first one. I’ve been fascinated with things related to architecture since middle school. Dad saw that and suggested I think about it as a career. I love what I’m doing, but I think it’s made it slightly harder to… um… well, never mind.” She looked away, obviously a little embarrassed.

         “Harder to what?” Jeff asked, “I must admit that now it’s my curiosity that’s coming out.”

         Ellen laughed, and it felt good. “Okay, Jeff, but you have to promise me you won’t tell a single soul what I’m about to tell you. And that especially applies to my father,” she laughed.

         “Promise.”

         “It makes it… a bit harder to… find a husband. A lot of guys don’t want a girl who’s intelligent enough to compete with them on their level. They… don’t understand that… well, I might as well say it, since you promised not to tell, but I’ve already said more than I planned. It just… slipped out.”

         “Go ahead, Ellen. I’m not saying a word to anyone,” Jeff assured her. He felt himself becoming more intrigued as they talked. About her, and her story.

         “They… don’t understand that… in the romance department… I have the same needs as any other woman. They can’t see beyond the education and the job. There. I’ve said it. Actually, Jeff, I should thank you. That feeling’s been boiling inside me for eight years. It felt good to get it out. Thank you,” she finished, blushing a little.

         “I’m glad I could help, Ellen. Besides. From where I’m sitting, I can’t see why they’re so hung up on your education.” “Oh, God,” he suddenly thought. “Now what’s she going to think? That I’m a suck-up, or worse yet, making a play for her?”

         “Thank you, Jeff. Somehow I could tell by your tone that you really meant that. And I appreciate it.”

         That eased his fears. “You’re welcome. I was afraid you might think I was ‘sucking up’, if you will, or, worse yet, making a play for you, but I just felt you deserved to know.”

         “Thanks. We’ll talk more later; I’d like to, if it’s okay. For now, we’d better get to it. We have a lot to cover before you meet my father this afternoon.”

         “Sure, we… uh… can talk anytime you like,” he stammered as the thought of meeting the head of the firm shook him right down to his shoes.



         Later, as lunch time approached, he decided he had to take a chance on something. Especially since he didn’t know this part of town very well at all. Nervously he approached Annie’s desk. Glancing out of the corner of his eye he looked at her left hand. No ring. Swallowing hard, he spoke her name to commit himself to the conversation. “Annie?”

         “Yes, Mr. Ambrose?” She looked him right in the eye. Mixing with his memories, this whole thing made him really nervous. But he knew, too, that he had to face it. Both for his personal peace of mind, and to concentrate when he was working. “If you don’t already have plans, would you like to join me for lunch? I don’t know this area very well. I’ll treat if you’ll suggest a good place we can eat. And please - call me Jeff.”

         “I… think… I’d like that, um… Jeff.” Silently she thought, “I’d always made it a practice not to date coworkers, but there’s something about him that makes me put that rule aside. Makes me want to know more about him.” “I… think I’ve got just the place,” she said aloud. “See you in…” She glanced at her watch. “… say, twenty minutes? Right here?” She smiled.

         “See you then, um… Annie. And… thanks. That makes lunch one less problem for me today,” he finished, smiling.



         “Jeff?” Ellen called as they passed in the hallway a few minutes later.

         “Yes, Ellen?” He stopped and walked back to where she stood.

         “How would you like to have lunch today? We can… talk some more.”

         “I already have plans for today, but I’m free tomorrow if you like.”

         “Fine. I’ll mark my calendar. About… 11:30?”

         “Works for me.”

         "Great, Jeff! I’ll stop by your office then.”



         The appointed time came for him to meet Annie. He found himself looking forward to this, and was already smiling. “Hi, Annie,” he said as he reached her desk.

         “Hi, Jeff. By the way. I um… heard Ms. Martin’s lunch invitation to you a while ago. You can.. cancel ours and go with her if you like. It’s okay with me.”

         “Nope. Not going to do it,” he said, smiling. "A commitment is a commitment. Besides. I’ve been looking forward to this. Shall we go?” he asked, gesturing with his hand that the lady should go first.

         “Um... sure,” she said, surprised. “I sure like his style,” she quickly admitted to herself.



         “This place has a great variety on the menu,” she said as they entered a little family-run restaurant a few blocks from the office. “I have to think that’s what keeps them in business while the fast food chains across the street never last more than a couple years or so each time.”

         “That makes sense to me, especially if their prices are reasonable,” Jeff responded.

         “Two for lunch?” asked the hostess.

         “Yes, ma’am,” said Jeff.

         “Boy, I haven’t heard anyone be that polite in years, Jeff,” Annie said as they walked to their table. She stopped, transfixed, right at that moment as Jeff pulled out and held her chair for her. “Gee, Jeff. That’s a real old fashioned touch,” she said as she sat down. As he pushed her chair to the table, she added, “Thank you. Um… you know something?” Now she was committing to a conversation, and she knew it. But she wanted to. And something told her she’d regret it later if she didn’t. She’d found herself enjoying his old fashioned manners and didn’t want this to stop.

         “What, Annie?”

         “I… have to admit I… like your old fashioned manners. Are you always that way when you… geez - I want to use the same language as you… let me see… um…escort a lady?” she blushed.

         “Yes, as a matter of fact I am,” he said firmly, yet with a hint of humor to go with the smile on his face.

         “I… could definitely get used to this,” she thought silently. “God… I wonder if… this is what they call ‘love at first sight’. I just met him and I want to keep seeing him. Do I tell him now, or… would that be too forward? I haven’t felt like this since…” She took a tissue from her purse and wiped her eyes to stop the tears.

         “Are you OK, Annie?”

         “Too late,” she silently said. “Um… yeah, Jeff, I’m OK. I… better say something in case this happens again.”

         “Go ahead, Annie.”

         “Well, I… um… was engaged. To an Army sergeant. Um… Rob was killed in that American Embassy bomb attack three months ago. And… I’m still… feeling that loss. I’m… sorry to bother you, but…”

         “You’re not bothering me, Annie. I’m a good listener. You can talk to me about anything, anytime. Are you… sure you did the right thing in coming to lunch with me so soon after… the incident?”

         “Oh, yes!” she yiped. “I… wanted to do this. I guess I needed to do it. I’m truly enjoying this, Jeff, and… god this is embarrassing, but I don’t have another way to say it. I… don’t want this to be the only time we go out together,” she finished, her face turning beet red as she turned away for a moment.

         “May I take your order?” the waiter asked.

         “Annie?” asked Jeff.

         “Oh… um… you go first, Jeff... I... need a second to pull my thoughts back into one piece,“ she said, blushing again.

         “I’ll have the tuna salad plate and a Coke Classic.”

         “I’ll… have the same,” said Annie.

         “Thank you,” said the waiter as he turned from their table.

         “Annie, please don’t feel embarrassed. Now it’s my turn to explain, because I feel the same way.”

         “You… do?” Her face lit up in a wide grin that she couldn’t stop.

         “Yes, I do. May I… explain?”

         “Of course, Jeff. Please.”

         As Jeff related the story of himself and his Annie for the second time that day, he saw his lunch guest’s face grow more and more emotional, redoubling his need to continue their association. He was the emotional type, too, and that would be a wonderful fit.

         “Fifteen weeks after I carried her over the threshold of that little apartment, she quietly died in my arms, “ he finished.

         Annie began openly crying.

         “Annie, the way you feel right now is one of the reasons I want to see you again. You care about people and aren’t afraid to show it.”

         “Thank… you,… Jeff,” she said as she tried to stop the tears and the sobs that were creating them. “No one’s ever said that to me before. If they said anything they said I was too emotional.”

         “Maybe to them you were,” Jeff said warmly. “But I think it would have been because they were never emotional enough themselves to appreciate either the joys, or the pain that people like you and I feel.”

         The waiter set their food before them. ”Anything else I can get you folks?”

         “Annie?”

         “No, I’m fine, Jeff. Thank you.”

         “We’re fine, thanks,” Jeff told the waiter.

         “Thanks for asking if I needed anything, Jeff. The other guys I’ve dated just made the decision themselves. I do like your old-fashioned style, you know,” she said, risking a smile now.

         “Thank you, Annie.”

         As they ate, they each shared more about themselves with the other. Likes and dislikes, early childhood, and more.

         When the waiter handed Jeff the check, Jeff noticed that Annie was suddenly nervous, or at the least, fit the definition of the old-fashioned term “fidgety”. Anxious to say and/or do something but trying like hell not to show it.

         “What’s wrong, Annie? You’re a bit fidgety now.”

         “Fidgety?”

Jeff defined it for her.

         “Yes, I guess I am. I… uh… know this lunch time together is about over and… I… don’t want it to be. Um… well, I blurted out how I felt once already, so I may as well finish the job. Jeff, I’d like to know how soon I’ll see you again.Outside the office, I mean.”

         Jeff couldn’t stop the warm smile he felt moving across his face, and he didn’t want to. “How about tonight? Dinner and a movie?”

         “I’d love to!” Annie shouted. “Oh, God, Jeff, I hope you don’t think I’m… this forward... all the time,” she said, looking highly embarrassed.

         “Not at all, Annie. A lot is happening here, and I don’t quite understand it myself. Let’s just work together and see where it leads,          OK?”

         “Yeah, um... okay. Now she relaxed.

         “Good. You pick the flick and I’ll set up the eats.”

         "What??"

         “Two slang phrases my grandparents said were popular when they dated in the ‘60’s,” he laughed back. “It means, ‘you choose the movie and I’ll plan the meal’.”

         “Sounds good to me!” Annie said, laughing, as they left the restaurant behind them.

         “7:00 okay?” Jeff asked as they walked back toward the office.

         “You bet.”

         “Be nice and tell me how to find your place before we leave today,” Jeff laughed.

         “Oh! Yeah! Right!” she blushed. “I’ll send you an email. OK?”

         “Great!”