Chapter 3: Someone Special

Diane jumped at the knock on the door. Digging her way out from behind a stack of paperwork, she looked up to see Shannon leaning into the doorframe. She glanced at the oak mantle clock on her desk and back to Shannon, relieved to find she wasn’t late for lunch.

“Hey Shan, you’re early.” Diane put the brochure she had been reviewing back into the stack of unfinished projects. The team had finalized the color and font for the brochure in the Healthy Baby meeting, putting them back on schedule. Diane felt good about the decisions and was preparing a final packet of specifications for the printer. She would drop the packet off on her way home instead of waiting for a courier to pick them up the following day.

Shannon kicked off her shoes and sank into the voluptuous red couch in the corner of the office. “I know I’m early. I didn’t want to risk being stood up.” She sank back into the couch, tilting her head at an angle to look at Diane.

Diane stood and stretched her arms over her head. Her back ached from leaning over the desk for the past two hours. “Hard to stand you up when we’re eating in my office, but if it were possible I’d find a way.” She looked back at the stack of papers on the corner of her desk. “I meant to clean off the desk so we’d have somewhere to eat. There just isn’t enough time in the day to finish all this work.” She started rearranging piles, combining several small piles into two larger piles. One pile needed to be filed into the cabinets outside her office; she would ask Trudy to file them later. The other, much larger pile, needed to be addressed before she left for the day.

“You don’t have to do it all yourself. You have staff; use them.” Shannon looked out the window, rubbing her temples and sank further into the couch.

“My staff is already pushed to the limit. Besides, you should talk. I get emails from you in the wee hours of the morning. You’re working even before my alarm starts blaring most days.”

Diane pushed her hair out of her face and plopped down onto the couch next to Shannon. The screeching of the tree limbs dragging across the window drew her attention. The wind bent the naked branches left then right. She was amazed at their flexibility, their ability to adapt to any condition. She wished she had that ability.

She realized she hadn’t coped very well after Larry died. She had been living in a fog for the last few years. Amazingly her friends and coworkers not only tolerated her absence but also remained supportive. She vowed to repay them by putting the past behind her and devoting herself to the present. Energized by her newfound purpose, she pulled Shannon to her feet. “Put your shoes back on and let’s go eat, I’m starving!”

Shannon raised one slim, blond eyebrow, “Where are we going? I thought Trudy was picking up sandwiches. You only had thirty minutes, remember?”

“I changed my mind. Let’s go eat in the cafeteria, I’m starting to feel penned in by the drab walls in this office.”

“You could use some color in your life. Taupe at work and eggshell white walls throughout your house. You can’t control the color here but we could do something about your house.” She swung her arms wide, spinning in a circle; “I envision burgundy walls in the living room, cobalt blue in the den, and a bright yellow in your room.” Shannon rubbed her hands together in anticipation. She loved decorating and had been waiting years to get her hands on Diane’s home. Now was the time. She looked to Diane for confirmation, “ What do you say? We could have a painting party!” Warming to the subject she grabbed Diane’s hand and jumped up and down.

Shaking with laughter, she pulled her hand back and shook her head at Shannon, “Slow down girl, I can only handle one change in my life at a time.” She poked her head out of the office to see if Trudy was back with the sandwiches. Trudy wasn’t at her desk but the sandwiches were sitting by the phone. She motioned for Shannon to follow her, “C’mon crazy, the food’s here.”

Shannon caught her breath, straightened her skirt, and followed Diane out of the office, “Where’s Trudy?”

Diane shrugged, “I’m not sure but the food is here. I’ll get the change from her when I get back from lunch.” A mischievous grin lit her face, “Wait a minute, don’t forget your list.”

Shannon’s forehead furrowed, “What list?”

“You know, the list of eligible bachelors. Don’t try to hide it; I know you made a list. You have a list for everything.” Diane chuckled at Shannon’s confusion, “I’m teasing. Let’s go eat.”

Shannon followed, muttering, “I do not have a list for everything, just the important things.”

Diane put her arm through Shannon’s, “I was kidding. I adore your lists.”

Shannon smiled and gave her a gentle push, “Admit it, you’re jealous. You envy my organizational skills.”

Her expression serious, Diane replied, “I do envy your organizational skills. I would love to be able to make a list of things to do and actually accomplish them. I have good intentions at the beginning of every day to set goals and meet them but somehow I always get distracted.”

Shannon flipped her hair over her shoulder and leaned towards Diane, “You can start with this list.” She pulled a small piece of blue lined paper out of her purse and handed it to Diane with a triumphant smile.

Diane unfolded the list and burst into laughter. “I can’t believe you gave it a title!” She read the title aloud to see how it sounded, “Men For Diane. Kind of formal but I like it.” She looked around the cafeteria for a table. She spotted one in the back corner of the room and changed direction. She waved at a couple of coworkers along the way but didn’t stop to chat. She still had limited time for lunch and wanted to spend all of it discussing Shannon’s list. While Shannon stopped to talk to one of the counselors from Human Resources, Diane continued towards the table.

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Matt saw Diane enter the cafeteria followed by a tall blond in a bold red suit. They were complete opposites in appearance, Diane’s dark hair and curves contrasting with her blond companion’s model-thin frame. He had seen her in the office but couldn’t put a name to her face. She moved with purpose and her slender silhouette drew the attention of several males in her path. Matt only had eyes for Diane. She wasn’t drawing the attention of the men in the room like her companion; her shy brown eyes avoided the gaze of those around her. She didn’t stop to speak with anyone in the room but waved a friendly greeting here and there as she made her way to a table towards the rear of the cafeteria.

Eventually the blond joined Diane at the table and they embarked on an animated discussion. Diane’s hands fluttered around, emphasizing a point now and then. Her facial expressions were earnest and Matt wondered if they were having a business discussion or something of a more personal nature. When they finished eating and moved their wrappings aside, Matt realized he had been staring for the last several minutes. He pushed away from the table and headed back to his office, speculating about their conversation.

~~~~~~~~

They didn’t wait until after they ate to begin reviewing the list. Between bites, Shannon outlined the list for Diane. She had ranked each of the men on the list according to their profession, past relationships and extracurricular activities. She then separated them into sections, the first section being those men who weren’t ready for a relationship but perfect for a fun evening out.

Shannon had spent the last ten minutes trying to convince Diane to select somebody from this part of the list. Diane didn’t see the purpose in dating someone who was only interested in having a good time. She wasn’t ready for anything long-term but she wasn’t a party girl either. She tried once more to convince Shannon to pick someone from the other portion of the list, “Shan, I understand your goal is to get me out of the house but it’s hard enough going out with a stranger without having to worry that I’m boring him. I want to go out with someone who is interested in getting to know me, not just hoping to score!”

Shannon doubled over, her entire body shaking, “Diane, you should hear yourself, you sound like a scared little virgin. I wouldn’t set you up with someone who’s only after your virtue. The guys on this list have a lot of female friends. They aren’t ready for marriage but they do know how to treat a woman to an evening out. Trust me.”

Diane put down her barbeque potato chip and took a deep breath, “I do trust you. I haven’t been on a date in ages. OK, you pick. Just make sure he’s the tolerant sort.” With that said, she stuffed the last chip into her mouth and savored the flavor of powdered barbeque.

Shannon wiped the crumbs from the list, “You have to give me some guidance Diane. Look at their hobbies. Anything sound interesting?”

Looking over the list, she quickly moved past the names of the men who enjoyed playing any type of ball game. She was willing to watch but wasn’t coordinated enough to play. “Nothing physical. I haven’t been to the gym in ages, I don’t want to embarrass myself on the first date.”

Shannon tossed her hair over her shoulders and giggled, “I don’t think you should start with anything physical anyway if you know what I mean. You’ve been out of the saddle for quite a while.”

“Ha, ha, very funny. What about this guy? He’s a journalist and likes to read. That’s about my speed.”

“Craig’s a great guy. You two would have a lot to talk about. He writes technical articles for computer journals and he loves the outdoors.”

Diane looked as if she had eaten something unsavory, “A computer geek? I manage to use the programs I need at work but I’m basically computer illiterate. He doesn’t sound like someone you’d hang out with, how well do you know him?”

“He used to work with Al in the Information Technology department at the hospital. He’s a good guy, very down to earth. Now he’s a freelance writer. He writes teaching articles for home computer owners with little computer knowledge. Give him a chance; if nothing else you could learn some useful computer lingo from him.”

Diane wasn’t convinced, “I’m not sure, it doesn’t seem like we would have much in common.”

Shannon covered Diane’s hand with her own, “You have to start somewhere. Craig is a nice man. He’s not the most exciting guy but he can hold an intelligent conversation and as an added bonus he happens to be easy on the eyes. Give him a chance. I’m positive you’ll enjoy your evening out.”

Diane rolled her eyes at her friend, “Easy on the eyes, huh? I’ll be the judge of that one.”

Shannon clapped her hands, “I’ll call him this afternoon. We were supposed to go to dinner on Saturday. I’ll tell him Al and I can’t make it and set you guys up instead.”

Diane shook her head at Shannon, “Hold up! Don’t look so happy, I haven’t agreed to go out with him yet. Where does he live?”

Knowing that the decision was all but made, Shannon beamed at Diane, “He lives here in Columbia but I’m sure he’d be willing to meet you somewhere in between.”

Diane considered her options. If she met him closer to home, he might expect an invitation. On the other hand, she didn’t want to drive an hour to meet her date. The perfect solution came to mind; Shannon could set the date for Friday night. She’d already be in the area and could always plead exhaustion if the date took a turn for the worse. “Ok, here’s the deal. Set the date for Friday night after work. We can meet at one of the restaurants in the area. I’ll let him pick. Just make sure he knows that I hate Chinese, anything else will be fine.”

Shannon held up her hand to interrupt Diane, “Whoa, this isn’t a do-it-all dating service. I’ll make the initial contact, ensure he’s interested. After that it’s all up to you. Do you want me to give him your home or work phone number?”

Diane pouted, “What do you mean I have to make the arrangements? I thought you were setting me up….just what does that entail?!” People at the tables around them turned at the increase in volume. Diane blushed and looked down at the table. She hated drawing attention to herself.

Shannon had no such problem. Used to being the center of attention, she laughed and grinned at the people around them. Directing her attention back to Diane, she asked, “Does that face ever work for you?” Not waiting for an answer she continued, “Which number, home or work?”

Diane tapped her finger on the laminated table and sighed in resignation, “Give him my work number and tell him I’m free on Friday. I might need an out.” Her nails were bitten to the quick. A habit she thought she had broken in her teens only resurfaced during times of extreme stress in her life.

Shannon grabbed her hand, “Stop tapping on the table. You know that drives me insane.”

“Sorry, nervous habit.” She grabbed the list and began folding it into progressively smaller pieces instead.

Shannon shook her head and looked down at her own nails. “Let’s schedule a manicure for next week. You haven’t gone with me in ages and it looks like you could use one.”

“I don’t have any nails left to manicure. I’ve been biting them all weekend and if I’m going to start dating their condition is sure to deteriorate.”

“Maybe spending the money on the manicure would deter you from biting them. I know you hate to waste money.” Shannon picked a fleck of red polish from the corner of her nail. “I need to go this week anyway. This polish only lasted a couple of days. Stop biting them and I’ll make an appointment for the two of us in two weeks.”

“Sounds good. Even if I can’t stop biting them I’ll go with you. I love the hand massage, it’s so soothing.”

“Don’t flake out on me Diane, Craig is a friend. I know you’re nervous but if you truly aren’t ready to date, let me know.”

Diane apologized, concerned she had upset Shannon, “I am nervous but I’d never do anything to jeopardize our friendship. I don’t plan on standing him up or anything. I just want to have an excuse to leave if the evening isn’t going well.”

Shannon threw her hands up in exasperation, “You don’t need an excuse. If you two don’t click, tell him and leave.”

“Easy for you to say, Shan. I wish I had your confidence. What if he really liked me and I hurt his feelings?”

A sly smile came over Shannon’s face, “Oh yes dear, you’re irresistible. He’s sure to fall in love at first site and any sign of rejection would throw him over the edge.”

Diane gathered her trash and added it to the pile in Shannon’s hands, “Ok, I deserved that. I need to get back to work. Call me and let me know how the conversation went with Craig.” She tucked the list into her purse and stood to leave.

Shannon took the trash to the overflowing can in the center of the room. She stuffed it in, wrinkling her nose as she smashed their sandwich containers into the messy garbage. She checked her sleeve to make sure none of the mess transferred from the can to her suit. Satisfied she acquired no stains, she moved to catch up with Diane at the doors to the exit.

Following Diane out of the cafeteria, Shannon couldn’t resist one last jab, “He’ll never be the same. After a date with you, no other woman will compare!”

Shaking her head, Diane hit the button for the elevator. Shannon waved goodbye and headed out of the building, finished with the office for the day.

On the way to her office Diane stopped in the supply room to grab some manila files and hanging file folders for the papers waiting on her desk. She stared at the file folders, struggling to remember Trudy’s system. She was certain that completed projects went into black folders but couldn’t recall the color for projects in development. She decided to grab both blue and yellow just in case. She could return the unused files later if needed.

She stepped out of the filing room; arms piled high with a rainbow of files. As she turned the corner, she ran into someone heading the other way. The files flew into the air and scattered into a puddle of color as they hit the ground.

“We have to stop running into each other this way.”

Filled with dread, Diane looked up into a face filled with mischief. He was smiling, not at all concerned about the files lying at his feet. His blond hair was combed into order, no longer sticking up at angles, as it had been that morning. He looked more professional standing in the office setting. He had removed his blazer and rolled the sleeves of his blue button-down shirt. His tie was slightly askew but instead of detracting from his professionalism it completed the image of a sophisticated office worker. He was surrounded by an aura of power and self-confidence. He stooped to help her collect the files. Diane caught a whiff of his cologne as he moved closer to gather the files. Breathing in the woody fragrance, she realized she still hadn’t said a word. She couldn’t think of anything witty to say and “Sorry” seemed lame.

Matt stacked the files he collected on top of the ones in her shaking hands. She took a deep breath and looked up prepared to thank him for his assistance. The words on her lips evaporated as she got lost in the depths of his brilliant blue eyes. She would have stood there all day had Trudy not interrupted.

“Diane, you should have told me you needed files. I could have picked them up on my way back from the copy room. Here let me take some of those.”

Diane silently thanked Trudy. She couldn’t believe she was standing in the middle of the hall gawking at a fellow employee. “Ummm, thanks Trudy.” She handed some files to Trudy and turned back to thank him for coming to her aid. “We really do need to stop meeting in this manner. Maybe we should schedule time in the file room so no more accidents occur.”

Trudy once again interrupted a silent moment with common sense, “Diane, you have a meeting with Jack in Accounting in ten minutes. I pulled the file for you but we should see if there is anything else you need.” She tugged at Diane’s sleeve encouraging her to move away and breaking the trance.

“Oh no, I forgot I was meeting with Jack today. I need to finalize the costs with the printer.”

She turned to leave but was halted by his response, “I’ll send the schedule to Trudy so she can clear the area in advance.”

She cocked her head in confusion, “I’m sorry…”

“The supply room schedule, so we don’t run into each other again. I can’t spend all day picking up folders you know. I might lose my job.” His statement was punctuated by a teasing smile.

Relieved she laughed, “Yes, send it to Trudy if you want me to adhere to the schedule. She keeps me in line.”

Matt watched them rush down the hall to the Marking department. They made quite a pair, Diane’s conservative burgundy skirt and white shirt paled next to the large aqua polka dots on Trudy’s flowing skirt and blouse. Trudy’s outfit announced her to the world while Diane’s allowed her to blend into her surroundings. She was a mystery; one he intended to solve. He continued to his original destination, he had a meeting with a former marketing employee in Human Resources.

“ I can’t believe I forgot my meeting with Jack. I shouldn’t have gone to lunch with Shannon.” Diane mentally organized the costs of the Healthy Baby project.

“Relax, I have all the files pulled and typed the preliminary budget into a spreadsheet. It’s sitting on your desk for changes.”

Diane stopped in the middle of the passageway, “Trudy, you are a dream. My knight in shining armor!”

Trudy’s grin spread from cheek to cheek, “For halting your embarrassing teen crush moment in back there or getting you ready for your meeting?”

“Teen crush moment? I don’t know what you are talking about. I dropped my files and he helped me pick them up. You are reading way to much into a chance encounter.” Diane chuckled and looked away. She could feel her cheeks grow warm once again and cursed her porcelain complexion.

“Sure. The two of you were so into each other you didn’t notice the crowd gathering on the perimeter. The whole office was staring at you and the new…”

Diane interrupted, “I think you are blowing the whole thing out of proportion. Nobody was staring for any reason other than to establish the identity of the klutz who dropped her files all over the hallway. I better review that spreadsheet before Jack gets here. I need to change some of the numbers for the brochure. We’re saving money by going with a white background instead of the blue we had originally chosen. Thanks again for your help Trudy.” With that said she entered her office and closed the door behind her.

Trudy stood outside the office staring at the closed door in amazement. She had been teasing Diane. She didn’t truly think there was something between her and the new General Manager but maybe there was a spark after all. She turned around and headed for her desk, whistling all the way.

Diane stood with her back against the door, her cheeks flaming and her pulse racing. She needed to get a hold of herself. Could Trudy be right…did the entire office realize the effect the new employee had on her? It had to be hormones. She decided it was a good thing she was going on a date Friday.

Her meeting was a welcome distraction. She obtained preliminary approval for the budget and the authorization to move forward with the brochures. After the meeting she checked her voicemail. She skipped over several messages from her coworkers searching for one from Shannon. At last her patience was rewarded. The final message was from Shannon. Craig was very interested and Friday worked for him. Shannon had given him her work number and wanted to know if she needed help shopping for a new outfit.

Diane laughed at Shannon’s not-so-subtle hint. She was aware she didn’t have anything date-worthy in her closet and if Shannon volunteered to help her find something she wouldn’t refuse. Shannon’s taste in clothes was impeccable and she always managed to find the bargains. She’d call Shannon from home and make arrangements for a shopping excursion tomorrow night. Maybe they could grab dinner while they were out; one less night she’d be eating alone.