Chapter 2: Someone Special

Diane woke Monday with butterflies flittering around in her stomach. Today she would meet with Shannon and review her options for her first blind date. Just the thought of going out into the singles scene unnerved her. She wanted to pull the covers back over her head and burrow into their warm softness. Instead, she pushed back the covers and hopped across the cold tile floor towards the bathroom. Starting the shower before doing anything else was a priority. The hot water heater was ancient and the water took forever to heat.

Peering out of the mirror was a disheveled woman. Diane looked closely at the circles under her eyes and the wrinkles framing the edges of her mouth like two tiny unwanted bookends. There must be makeup somewhere under the cabinet capable of covering those. Massaging her scalp, she headed back to the bedroom. Her hair fell in waves across her back. It actually looked better in the morning than any other time of the day. It was full of body; framing her face and making it look thinner in relation to the sheer volume of hair. She sighed. Of course her hair would look better when nobody was around. As soon as she showered it fell in limp strands around her face highlighting her full cheeks and rounded jaw.

Pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, she knelt down to search under the bed for her slippers. Why would anyone put tile in the bedroom? Her knees were freezing. She peered into the darkness searching for the elusive slippers. She found them hiding behind a stack of unread romance novels. She had been reading science fiction lately and had forgotten these novels were under the bed. She pulled one out and set it on the nightstand for bedtime reading. Maybe she would get some ideas for how to behave on a date.

Standing up, she made a mental note to stop at the store on her way home and purchase an area rug for the bedroom. She padded to the kitchen to start the coffee. She didn’t feel whole until she had consumed at least two cups. She made a full pot every morning, needing some for the road to keep her awake. Her coffee maker was top of the line, or had been when purchased sometime in the mid-eighties. She pulled a scrap of paper out of the junk drawer next to the stove and started a list of things to buy for the house. The coffee maker was added to the list right below the area rug. She would buy one with a timer. Maybe having coffee waiting in the kitchen would be enough incentive to get her out of bed without hitting the snooze button a dozen times. The fragrant smell of chicory filled the minuscule kitchen, warming the air and driving the cobwebs from her sleepy brain. Heading back to the bedroom coffee in hand, she checked the water in the shower – still cold, another few minutes.

Looking through her closet, she was dismayed to find everything she owned covered with flowers. Flowered skirts flanked flowered blouses and dresses. She even had a pair of jeans with little pink flowers on the hem and waistline. When had her wardrobe turned into a garden? She had every color of the rainbow in her closet but very few solid pieces. She wanted her outfit to give the appearance of professionalism and strength. Flowers would not accomplish this goal. Pushing past the myriad of flowers, she located a burgundy a-line skirt. She pulled it out and looked for a matching blouse. Hidden in the back of the closet, she found a white button-down blouse with burgundy piping on the sleeves and collar. She tried it on to be sure it still fit. It was a tight in the chest but would have to do for now. She threw both the skirt and blouse over the chair in the corner and went in search of an iron.

Diane found the iron buried in the back of the entryway closet. Buried behind some beach towels, which had seen better days. She hadn’t been to the beach in several years yet the iron was shoved behind those towels. She wondered when she had last ironed an outfit. She couldn’t remember. She plugged in the iron, intending to use the bathroom counter as an ironing board. She didn’t think she owned an ironing board. She had once, but it had broken and she didn’t feel the need to replace it immediately. She had other priorities and the days had slipped into years. Eventually she forgot she needed an ironing board.

Diane laid one of the beach towels on top of the counter and spread out the skirt on top. Ironing, she allowed her thoughts to drift to her upcoming date. He would be tall, dark and handsome of course. They would go to a candlelit restaurant and have intelligent conversation over a sumptuous meal of lobster dipped in melted butter. Afterwards they would go dancing. He would hold her close as they swayed in unison to the soft music being played by a pianist in the corner of the room. Dragging herself out of her fantasy, Diane finished ironing and hung the clothes on the bathroom door handle while she showered.

The warm spray from the shower revitalized her. She picked up the washcloth and quickly scrubbed away the night’s grime. She showered every morning. If she skipped her shower she didn’t feel clean, even if she had bathed the night before. Her vigorous scrubbing woke all of the skin cells covering her body. She washed her hair with the latest organic mix of Herbal Essence. The smell of flowers filled the air, combining with the clean scent of soap. She finished rinsing the conditioner out of her hair and took an extra minute to stand under the warm spray. Showers had always relaxed her. She loved the feeling of the water running over her body, rerouting with every curve it encountered. She forced herself to turn off the water and step out of the shower.

The bathroom was warm. The mirror clouded from the steam. Diane unplugged the iron and plugged in the hair dryer in it’s place. Drying her hair did not take long. She was finished within five minutes. She slipped on her skirt and shrugged into the shirt. She spent several minutes attempting to pile her hair upon her head before giving it up as a hopeless cause. Her hair was too thin. It slipped out of barrettes and she hadn’t the patience required to fuss with bobby pins. So her hair remained in one long ribbon falling down her back. She would make an appointment to have it styled before her first date. Maybe with a different haircut she wouldn’t look so frumpy. If they added layers her hair would look fuller. Maybe she’d go all out and even get bangs.

Diane rooted around under the sink searching for makeup. She hadn’t used any in ages. She wondered if makeup had an expiration date. She remembered reading something about throwing out mascara to avoid eye infections. Just what she needed, an eye infection in time for her first date. She could picture herself greeting the gentleman with red-rimmed eyes, yellow gunk gluing the corners shut. Not a very attractive picture. She decided to limit this foray into makeup to blush, eye shadow and lip gloss. Diane chose a subtle brown for the eye shadow and a light pink blush to add a rosy glow to her cheeks. She had nice cheekbones. Her grandmother was a quarter Cherokee and she inherited her high cheekbones from her Native American ancestors. For lip-gloss she chose a shiny nude gloss. It did not add color but the shine emphasized her full lips.

Showered, ironed, and fueled by coffee, Diane locked the door behind her and headed for work. She bought a new car for herself after Larry’s death. The old one held to many precious memories. She couldn’t face it day after day. It was too painful. She traded it in for her little blue Saturn. She had upgraded and purchased the leather package for the heated seats. Seat warmers were decadence, heating the body much faster on a cold winter day than the car heater could ever hope to do. The commute to work took an hour on a good traffic day and could be endless on a bad one. Today was a good day. The roads were clear; no accidents reported on the beltway.

She popped a CD into the stereo system, another upgrade. Shania Twain belted out some female empowerment country tune. Singing along, and bobbing her head in time with the music she mentally reviewed the conversation she would have with Shannon. This was typical. She always had conversations in her head with people. This was her way of organizing her thoughts. She anticipated their reactions and tried to compile her thoughts to present them in a cohesive manner. This conversation was important. It could shift the focus of her life.

Diane wasn’t expecting much out these blind dates so she wouldn’t be picky. The first few dates were just to get her into the swing of things. She would use them as learning experiences. She would see what men expected from women these days. Did they expect a kiss on the first date? She hoped not. She hadn’t kissed a man in two years and was sure to be rusty. A wicked smile lit her face. Then again, practice makes perfect. She used to really enjoy kissing, almost more than sex. Shaking her head to clear thoughts of sex from her mind, she focused once again on the road. The drive had taken a little less than an hour this morning.

Diane pulled into the parking lot and scanned the area for open spaces. The lot filled quickly and if you didn’t arrive before 7:30, you were sure to walk quite a distance. She got lucky and pulled into a space close to the front door. She took a minute to check her makeup in the rear view mirror. She replaced the lip-gloss she had chewed away during her imaginary conversation. She grabbed her briefcase from the back seat and steeled herself against the rush of cold she would face momentarily. Gathering her courage, she opened the door quickly and stepped out of the car. She slammed the door and hurried towards the office building. Dashing through the chilling wind she almost collided with another employee at the front door.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you.” Diane said to the back of the tan blazer belonging to the person in front of her.

He bent over to scoop up the files he had dropped on impact. “No harm done, let me get the door for you. It’s cold out here.”

She chuckled and bent over to grab a file pushed in her direction by the wind, “Yeah, that’s why I was in such a hurry. When is winter going to be over anyhow?” She held the file in front of her trying to shield herself from the wind. He took the file out of her hand, his warm skin brushing her cold fingers.

He pushed the files under his left arm and reached for the door with the right. “Soon, I hope. I transferred from the Florida office and I don’t have the wardrobe for these frigid temps. Not that I really need warm clothing. The only time I’m outside is to run from the apartment to the car and the car to work.”

“You really should get out more. There are lots of things to see and do in the DC area. You would need to break down and buy a coat though.” Diane smiled up into the most brilliant blue eyes she’d ever seen. They were the color of the ocean at the deepest point. His tan was the perfect backdrop for his eyes and the brilliant white teeth grinning back at her. A few tendrils of sandy blond hair blew around his face completing the image of a beach boy gone north. She blushed, unable to tear her eyes from his face. A gust of wind blew her hair into her face, breaking their eye contact, allowing her to look away.

“Is that an invitation?” he asked, bracing the door against the sudden surge of wind.

“N…no.” she stammered, shaking her head for emphasis. “Just a statement.”

Forcing her feet to move forward, she scurried into the building. He followed close behind, shutting the door on the wind and cold air. Diane pushed the button for the elevator. She contemplated taking the stairs but quickly ruled out the fourteen-floor hike to her office. She hadn’t exercised in ages and was not sure she could make it all the way up. The elevator finally arrived. She quickly pushed the button for her floor and moved out of the way so he could do the same.

When he didn’t move, she murmured, “Which floor do you need?”

“I’m on fourteen too, thanks.” He said, amusement lacing his response. “You didn’t know we work together?”

Not wanting to embarrass herself further, Diane ducked her head and refrained from responding. She really had been in a cloud if she hadn’t noticed this guy before today. Still, it was a big company and with the traffic cooperating for once, she had gotten in earlier than usual. The doors opened to the 14th floor. Deciding she shouldn’t be rude, Diane waved and told the stranger to have a nice day as she hurried away down the hall.

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She bolted so fast she didn’t hear the response muttered under his breath of, “If meeting you is any indication, it’s going to be a wonderful day.” Admiring glances from all the females in the office followed him broad shoulders and trim waist down the opposite hallway to his office. He paid no attention to the women ogling him, his mind filled with images of Diane.

“Good morning Mabel. I’d like to set up a meeting with the marketing department later this week.” he told his secretary.

“Your schedule is pretty full already Mr. Mathers, when were you thinking of having this meeting?” she responded in her usual efficient manner.

“Whenever we can squeeze in an extra hour. Make it a lunch meeting if you have to. Sooner rather than later…and I’ve told you to call me Matt.” He tossed a smile in her direction as he entered his office.

Matt didn’t often call lunch meetings but it was vital he speak with Diane again this week. He had heard good things about the head of marketing but hadn’t had the chance to meet her until this morning in the elevator. He recognized her from the photo portfolio the previous General Manager had forwarded upon his acceptance of the position. The portfolio contained photos and biographies of every department director. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed her when perusing the portfolios. Maybe it had been a bad photo. He would have to take a second look before he met with her this week.

Matt had taken control of the DC office three weeks ago. Prior to this position, he had worked in the corporate office for seven years. He had enjoyed the power offered to him in his position as Vice President of Advertising. Over the years, the glory of power had faded and his life had become stagnant. He was in desperate needed of change. When the opportunity arose, he applied for the position in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. His colleagues considered it a demotion, moving from the corporate office to the local level was career suicide. He hadn’t listened to them, knowing the move was right for him at this time in his life.

His thirty-fifth birthday was fast approaching. He woke up one morning and realized he had focused too much energy on his career. As a result, he had no personal life. Sure he had friends. Guys to hang out with on the weekend and plenty of women rotating through his life and subsequently his bed. He kept in touch with his family. They were not exceptionally close, relegating their contact to yearly phone calls on the holidays.

He received a call from his brother to notify him of yet another addition to his growing family several months ago. After the call, he found his mind wandering. He pictured himself with a wife and children. He wondered what he was missing. He had never considered starting a family before now. He was successful and content in his life. The phone call had awoken something in him, a yearning for something substantial. He wanted a family, complete with wife and kids. This move was a chance to start over, to achieve his dream of a family before it was too late. He could change his whole persona. His coworkers would no longer think of him as the office lothario or the last remaining holdout from marriage.

Diane could be the woman he was destined to meet. She was successful so she would understand the late hours at the office. She was old enough to put the game playing behind her. She wasn’t difficult to look at, her creamy mocha eyes had entranced him the moment they peered out from behind her long eyelashes. The attraction was there. He had wanted to brush her silky hair from her face when the wind had whipped it between them. He wondered if her skin was as soft as it appeared. She had a natural beauty that seemed to shine form within. Matt was looking forward to acquainting himself further with this lady.

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Diane rounded the corner, rushing into her office to avoid conversation with her secretary. Trudy was a dear but such a gossip. It usually took a good fifteen minutes to get past her. Today she wasn’t taking chances. She was still flushed from her encounter with the beach boy in the lobby and couldn’t risk a conversation with Trudy. She was too insightful. Trudy would notice the blush and eventually discern the reason behind it must be a man. She had been pushing Diane to begin dating for several months. Trudy would be happy to discover she was finally ready. Not wanting to listen to her secretary’s well-meaning advice, she decided to tell her after the first date.

Diane tossed her purse and briefcase into the black leather chair behind her desk and rushed to close the door. Too late, Trudy burst into the office, the look on her face a clear indication of trouble to follow. Staring at the motivational prints hanging on the far wall, Diane avoided Trudy’s speculative gaze. Her face was on fire. She was sure Trudy could sense the encounter with the beach boy. Making an effort to control her wavering voice she braced herself for the conversation to come.

“What’s up, Trudy?” Her response sounded normal. She risked a quick glance at Trudy to see her reaction. Trudy wasn’t looking at her; instead her gaze was focused on some papers in her hand. Relaxing a bit she looked away.

“Well, we finally heard from the new boss.” Trudy said, annoyance lacing every word. “It’s about time he acknowledged your existence, you are the Marketing Director.” Trudy may be a gossip but she is also terribly protective of her small circle of friends. Diane felt lucky to be included in this elite group. Trudy must have felt the new General Manager had slighted Diane by not contacting her at once. Touched by her concern, Diane forgot about her encounter and focused her full attention on Trudy.

“Mabel sent an email requesting your presence at a lunch meeting Wednesday afternoon.” Trudy’s blond eyebrows rose and her lips parted in anticipation of a negative response.

Not wanting to disappoint her, Diane responded in the expected fashion with, “I hate lunch meetings. Lunch is supposed to be a break from work. A time to focus your mind elsewhere so you can return refreshed and ready to dig back into the mountain of papers threatening to topple to the floor beneath.”

A satisfied smile lit Trudy’s face as she turned to leave the room. “So, I’ll decline the meeting. That should get his attention.”

Before she could exit the room, Diane started speaking again. Trudy turned to listen, her generous frame filling the doorway. “No, wait. This is the new General Manager. We don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with him.” Lips pursed, Trudy nodded and trundled off to her desk. She wasn’t happy about it but she would accept the invitation.

Alone again, Diane shifted the items from her chair to her desk, sinking into the buttery softness of the leather. She logged onto the computer to check the day’s schedule. She had a ten o’clock meeting scheduled with the new project manager of the Healthy Baby campaign, Pricilla Jones. This was a marketing campaign designed to give expecting mothers information about proper prenatal care. She was to deliver the design template for the brochures to the printer in a week.

The marketing team assigned to the campaign had been on schedule with the project until recently. Three weeks ago, Diane had fired the previous project manager, James. During the company’s random drug testing, James had popped positive. Following the company’s policy of zero tolerance, she had no choice but to fire him. This put the campaign behind schedule. Diane had immediately promoted one of the team members to the rank of project manager but reassigning the duties still took time. Surprisingly, they were only a week behind schedule. This was due mainly to the efforts of the new lead, Pricilla. She had taken the reins from Diane and run with them. She quickly reassigned duties and even made a recommendation for a new team member to take her previous position.

In order to make their deadlines, Diane had taken on additional duties as a Healthy Baby project team member. She didn’t have the time or energy to act as project manager but she wanted the team to know she was right there with them. She was a hands-on manager. She needed to get this project back on track before her meeting with the new General Manager. She wanted to present a positive view of her team. She was proud of them. They were hard working, often contributing many more than the required forty hours per week they were paid to give. She would meet the printer’s deadline, no matter what it took.

Today’s meeting was to finalize the addition of the new team member and vote on background colors for the brochure. Diane was certain the team would come to agreement about the color and she had several other agenda items to cover. They needed to decide on the font and review the copy, or wording, of the brochure. This was tricky. The audience for the brochure was comprised of women from all walks of life. The writing had to be at an eighth grade reading level but not sound condescending. They were covering a number of topics in a tri-fold brochure. The brochure highlighted several other documents available upon request. Keeping it short and simple while imparting a lot of information was difficult. Her team was up to the task, the only obstacle being the tight timetable.

Returning to her schedule, she noted her only opportunity for lunch would be at 1:30. Shannon wouldn’t like eating late. She liked to eat lunch early, typically at eleven and no later than noon. Oh well, she would get over it. Diane picked up the phone and entered her friend’s extension. No answer. She was connected to voicemail after four rings and left a message for Shannon to call her. Thinking Shannon might be working from home, she composed an email.

Shannon,
I can meet you for lunch today at 1:30. I only have 30 minutes so let’s eat in my office. I’ll order sandwiches from the deli downstairs. I’ll assume you want the usual unless you tell me otherwise. Trudy will be back from lunch by then. I’ll ask her to pick them up so we waste no time. See you later.
Diane

Arrangements made for lunch, Diane once again focused on her schedule. In order to be on schedule with the Healthy Baby project she would have to push back some self-imposed deadlines on other projects. All of her energy the next two days would be focused on the Healthy Baby campaign in preparation for her meeting with the new boss.

"Chapter 3: Someone Special"