Catering Girl Ch. 05

"In hindsight, I think so. I'm happy. Kyle is a good man and a great father. And um, Junior is going to be a big brother, we found out last week I'm expecting again."

"Congratulations?" This day kept getting weirder and weirder.

"Thanks. Kyle was surprised. We had just started being intimate again and..."

"La, la, la," I plugged my ears. "Sorry but hearing about you having sex with someone other than me is not something I expected to hear when I woke up this morning. Hell, this whole conversation, seeing you, is something I didn't expect."

"Yeah, life has a way of making funny turns on you, huh?"

I didn't know how to answer her right now. We both sat there for a moment, each lost in thought.

"Heather, can I ask you a question? Was I bad at taking charge when I got an idea in my head? Like not letting you have any input?"

"Sometimes, yes. There were a few times I almost broke up with you over it. The surprise trip to Cancun was a bit much."

"Sorry Heather, I guess it's more a part of me than I thought." She knew me all too well and could read my face.

"Problems? I know you better than anyone, except for maybe Molly. Is she doing okay, by the way? More importantly, are you doing okay?"

"Molly is doing great, new boyfriend. Do you remember Dylan from my old office? Yeah, they hooked up and are doing awesome. I have a feeling sometime in the next year I'm going to be in a bridesmaid's dress. As for me. Who knows? But yeah, not doing well. One of my surprises backfired on me, and she dumped me. Frankly, I feel like shit."

"Hence the Ben & Jerry's. I knew you were not well when I saw you reach into the freezer."

"I guess some things are predictable." Little Kyle started to make a fuss and began poking his head into her chest. "Looks like someone is hungry. I better let the two of you go, besides, Ben is going to melt here soon." I got up from the table while Heather pulled a hooter hider out of her diaper bag. "See you, good luck to you."

"You too, call me sometime, ok? I still have the same number, and I've unblocked you." She nodded her head as a little one started to nurse. Of all the shitty things which possibly could have happened that day, I couldn't imagine it being any worse than this. After picking up a few more items, I texted Molly about what had happened as I left the store.

Molly: Can't hang today, with Dylan at his folks house all day. Sucks about Heather.

Me: Yeah, have fun with D

The sun was setting when my phone rang. I pushed an empty pint carton away, reached around a bottle, and poked at the accept button before I remembered I had to swipe it.

"Jello," I snickered. "Whitbey's phone."

"You're drunk Whit."

"Whaaa, little ole me? I've only a few shots had."

"Shots? You never drink anything more than a glass or two of wine since 'The Incident' our senior year of college. How many and what have you got?"

"Wodka. Just a f-e-e-ew shots."

"You're slurring your words. Why do you do this to yourself? I can't help you out this time. Are you at home?"

"Yes--"

"Stop and go to bed, please, before you hurt yourself?"

"Oba kaybe Mollby."

"Go to bed Whitney. I'll check with you in the morning. Night." I don't remember much more of the evening. I think I passed out on the couch.

_|/_

"Blech!" I spit again into the toilet, trying to get the awful taste out of my mouth.

"Here, take a sip." I glanced up at the offered glass of water.

"Whaa! How did..."

"Drink first, barf some more if you need to, then we'll talk."

I took care of some more business; it was nice to have my hair held out of the way for me. After a little more water, I looked up at my nurse. "Where's Madi?"

"Still sleeping in your guest bed. You look like you got keel hauled under a tug."

"Keel hauled? Haven't heard that in a while. Wait, you're talking to me now?"

"For the moment. You're still in the doghouse with me. And for future reference, ice cream and Grey Goose don't go as well together as you think. Or at least that much vodka. Do you know how much you drank yesterday?" I shook my head, which was a mistake, of course. It made things hurt even more. "Well, probably twice the amount I would have served to a single person when I was working at the tavern. Better start drinking some water. Today is going to suck donkey balls for ya."

I tried to laugh at her joke but ended up with my head in the toilet some more.

"Mommy? Is Miss Whitney okay?" A little head poked its way into the master bathroom.

Fuck, did the little one have to see me like this? If there was a rock bottom for me, this had to be about it.

"Go watch some TV Madi. Miss Whitney will be fine, she's sick. Hopefully she will be feeling better later today."

"Thanks Jenn." I was a mess. I'm not sure how I had a tank top on or shorts, but was glad I was somewhat decent. Jenn helped me up off the floor and got back to my bed.

"How did you get here?"

"Molly called me last night. She told me about your run in with Heather and how you answered the phone drunk as a skunk. She was worried sick about you. Me being here is partly a favor to her. Your place was a mess when we got here. I put Madi down, and then got you to bed. You were passed out on the couch. I'm not surprised you don't remember anything from last night. At least I got you awake enough so you could sleepwalk up your stairs and into your own bed. I couldn't have done that by myself. Thanks, by the way, for not changing the security code, otherwise you would have been on your own."

We both sat on my bed for a bit. "I'm sorry. When I figured out what a jerk I had been to you, I felt terrible. I kept wanting to talk to you, but--"

"Well, I didn't make it easy for you, did I? Some of it was Vicki's idea. We receptionists haveta stick together, you know. She'd call me when you left your building and stayed on the line until you were well past the lobby."

What a sneaky thing. Then she made me melt. "Did you have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"You know, your thing. Tuck your hair behind your ear. Turns me on every time."

"Is my Whitney sexually frustrated?" I felt her fingers brush some hair from my face. I whimpered in response. "You know, the last week hasn't been easy for me, either. But I needed the space. I'm still mad at you. I needed some alone time. Still do."

"So why did you come over, then? Why not just let me lie in my own vomit?"

"Well, part of me still loves you. The other part of me wants to strangle your neck."

"Oh." I got a whiff of her cucumber smell. She was right there next to me. I wanted to reach out and take her hand. To make this better. Make us better. But I wasn't sure how it would be taken.

"But the main reason is that we need to talk. I told you I was close to being ready. I think I am now."

I gulped. What was coming next? Was this just going to confirm our breakup? "Okay," I said meekly.

"Do you know why I'm mad at you?"

"Because I threw a surprise party for Madi?"

"Sort of, but not really. I'm frustrated that you didn't tell me or include me in the planning for my daughter's birthday party. But that's not the core problem."

"It's not?" What was she getting at? My head hurt, and this conversation was not helping.

"I hadn't quite put it together when we fought after the party, but it's about control. I feel like I was losing control of my life, of my daughter's life. You were starting to take over, and I had no say in what was going on."

"That's not fair, I don't want to run your life."

"Are you sure about that?" Her voice was a soft whisper. Not threatening in tone, but very threatening at the same time.

"Jennifer, how can you say that? That is not what I want to do."

"But I see you trying to do it. Trying to always have your way. Like trying to sneak your credit card in on me at the car parts store."

"I said I was sorry." Ugh, this was not going the way I wanted it to. I rubbed my throbbing temples.

"I know, but it feels like you don't respect me." I watched her bite her lip.

I reached out and put my hand on hers. She didn't flinch. "That's not who I want to be."

"I know. Deep down you're a good person. A great person. Someone I fell in love with. Someone I still want to be in love with. But I haven't felt like I'm being treated as an equal."

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

"Yeah."

We sat there for a minute, neither sure of what to say next. "So where do we go from here?"

"Where do you want it to go?"

Was that a longing look in her eyes? I wasn't sure. But I did know one thing. "I don't want to lose you, Jenn. Can I get a second chance?"

"I'd like to give you one. I don't want to lose you either. But I'm a bit scared. I was seeing signs of behavior that I don't want to be around. So this time we need to progress things a little more slowly. And can we talk about what we are going to do more before we do them and no more surprises?"

"No more surprises." I hugged Jenn. Oh, it felt so good to have her in my arms, if for a moment. It almost let me forget the pounding in my head.

"Well, we better go downstairs. Someone wants to see you badly. She has been a total Grumpy Gus since her party. She misses her Whitney. I have had more fights with her than we have had in a long time. Wouldn't brush her teeth or go to bed on time. It was a fight for everything." True to form, as soon as we entered the living room, I was tackled by an exuberant bundle of energy.

"Are you feeling better Mommy said you were sick I've been playing with Skipper and watching tv are you and Mommy still mad at each other I missed you--"

"I'm feeling a bit better, and much better now with you and your mommy here."

Jennifer

The next few weeks were much better than the previous one. Whitney and I were talking regularly again. We would have lunch together once a week and one or two evenings we would get together for dinner. I'm not sure you could say we were a couple, but we were being friends again. The slower approach was good for me. The time apart had given me an opportunity to think about my life and absorb some of the changes.

It was a good balance of my previous life, of just Madison and me, and also having Whitney around. Part of my realization had been that I needed some mother daughter time I hadn't been getting before. We resumed going to the library and playing in the park, just the two of us at times. For her part, Whitney was giving us some space and when we did things together actively solicited my opinion on what we should do. And every morning Madison would sit by the kitchen window eating her breakfast, waiting for Whitney to run past and wave to her. I know it was a small daily bonding moment for the two of them.

It was also during this time when I got more comfortable with who I was. A few of my coworkers had hit on me when I started working at Maritime, most not realizing I was in a relationship or who it was with at the time. But during our slowdown, as I was calling this time, one of the quieter men offered to take me out to dinner. He was a mate, or a second captain on a tug, and Captain Eriksen spoke highly of him. I was flattered, of course, but politely declined. The realization had come to me, regardless of what would happen between Whitney and me, I had zero interest anymore in men. Not this gentleman, Dallas, or any of the others.

_|/_

"Can you please take this over to the corporate office when you get a moment?" My boss Ginny handed me a thick manila envelope, sealed and addressed to the Payroll Department.

"Sure, happy to help."

"Thanks, no rush, just sometime before two."

"Got it." I took it over at lunch. It always felt good to get away from my desk and stretch my legs.

I waved to Vicki at the front desk and dropped off the packet in the payroll office. As I was coming back into the hallway, I heard a familiar voice.

"Whitney's not here if you're looking for her. She's downtown talking to the accountants today and having lunch with Ben."

"Oh hi Mrs. Mitchell, thanks. I wasn't looking for her though. Just dropping off something. She did mention it to me though. How are you?"

"Well, thank you. Say, do you have a few minutes? Can we talk in my office?"

I gulped and stood there for a moment. What was this going to be about? "Uh, sure." I followed her down the hall to her office. It was large, with the windows overlooking the water, and could see past the Maritime office and down the canal to the shipyard. Across the room from her desk were a couple of sofas and a chair around a low table. I sat on an offered sofa while Mrs. Mitchell sat in what looked like her chair.

She looked at me and smiled. "Can we chat as friends for a minute? Or at least can I be the mother of your friend and not the old boss lady for a bit?"

"Um, okay?" Where was this going? My heart started to race.

"How are you and Whitney doing? I know things have been a bit rocky, but I hear you're mending things and getting back together?"

"Yeah, something along those lines. I don't think we've defined our current status."

"Good." Then she winced. "Sorry, that didn't come out right. I'm glad you two are trying to work things out. It might not have seemed like it at first, but I do like you. I see the influence you have on my daughter. You balance her. Ben and I have talked a lot about you two, and I can tell she is seeing things differently than she did before she met you. She had every advantage in life given to her, and I think through you, she is seeing what most people go through."

Mrs. Mitchell shifted in her chair and continued, "I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed in her when I found out what happened between you two. That took some courage on your part to call her out. She needs that from time to time."

"Um, thanks." Where was she going with this?

"You probably have realized this by now, but Whitney had a lot given to her growing up. We tried not to spoil her, but some was inevitable. I think every parent wants to give their child a better opportunity than they had. I see that in you and how hard you try to provide for Madison. I'm impressed by what you do to take care of her. It had to be"--I could see her eyes looking around, searching for the right word--"humbling to go back to catering and then find Ben and I at the event you were working." A pleasant, but concerned motherly smile was on her face.

"Yeah, it wasn't fun. But life happens and sometimes you just need to get a bit more to make ends meet." I wondered if she really understood what that truly meant. Did ends ever not meet for her?

I watched her ponder things for a moment.

"I was meeting with my brothers and Whitney the other day, going over departmental reviews, and saw the marketing pieces you worked on. Those were exceptional. If I might be so bold, it looks like you have some talent in marketing. I know you were thinking of continuing your education. Have you considered marketing?"

I nodded my head.

"Regardless of what you choose, I want to encourage you to keep going. Are you familiar with our employee tuition reimbursement plan? It should cover what you need for going part time to the U. They have a good evening program for working adults, and a number of our employees have participated in it over the years."

"I've thought about it. But not much more than that."

"Well, look into it. I'd be more than happy to write you a personal recommendation. I know the dean, we're old friends, and I'll make sure he knows you are thinking about it. And, Jennifer, if you need someone to look after Madison in the evening, and Whitney isn't available. Call me, okay? I'm sure Ben and I can have her over and watch her for you. We both like her."

I think I felt my jaw hit the floor. "That's very nice of you, Mrs. Mitchell."

"Please call me Edith. Mrs. Mitchell was my mother-in-law. And sometime, we should have Madison over, just so you and Whitney can have some time alone. I remember when she was little it was always nice to get a break and spend time with Ben."

"I think we can work something out. I'm also going to be getting some breaks here when her father can come across the Sound and take her for a few hours. I'm looking forward to the simple things, like getting my hair cut without someone in tow."

It was then that Edith's assistant popped her head in and reminded her of a scheduled call. I excused myself, and as I walked back to the Maritime office, I thought about our conversation. Probably a good idea to look into the business program. I didn't think I wanted to stay behind the receptionist's desk my whole life.

_|/_

Ginny came by on the first of April to deliver my paystub. I was rather looking forward to it as I was getting off of my probationary period and thus was getting a three dollar-per-hour pay increase. My medical was also kicking in and it felt good to know I was getting Madison and me off the state insurance plan. The benefits package at Maritime was good, and they covered all of mine, and half of Madison's insurance.

I opened the stub and was shocked. I had been expecting it to be substantially more, but as I started to read it, I realized how much Madison's insurance was really costing me. My overall check was bigger, but not by much. Talk about a downer.

My phone rang, distracting me from my momentary depression. However, listening to a pissed off customer who insisted on yelling at me without letting me direct them to the people who could solve their problem didn't help.

The day continued with general crap coming my way for no apparent reason. Little problems that I normally would have shrugged off and dealt with, like the copy machine breaking down, just weighed on me. I got a chance to step away midafternoon and was out walking around the parking lot trying to clear my brain when I saw a familiar brunette walking by.

"Hey, what's up? Are you okay? You look down."

"Meh, one of those crappy days, you know? Whatca doing?"

"Heading back to my office. Had a meeting over at the shipyard." She gave me a hug. "Are you interested in coming over to my place for dinner tonight? You look like you could use a break."

"I could, but Madison didn't sleep well last night, and I think she could use a calm evening."

"Maybe I could come over with some takeout then? You don't look like you are up for cooking much."

"Yeah, takeout does sound good."

"Thai?"

"Oh, Madison would love some Pad Thai."

"And let me guess, you want some Panang Curry."

I smiled at the sound of my favorite dish. "You know me all too well. Come over when you can this evening, okay? I think I better get back to being yelled at on the phone."

She gave me a hug and a word of encouragement before I headed back in.

I needed it, too. The phone was lit up that afternoon, and I hardly got a break. When five o'clock rolled around, I made a dash for the door. It was Friday night, and I wanted to escape from a crappy day. But the crappiness continued to pile on when I picked up Madi. The head of the preschool let me know that two other kids had gotten ill and were sent home by lunchtime. Late in the afternoon, Madi had started to show signs of getting sick as well. She was curled up in a corner pretending to read a book, and it was all I could do to pick her up and get her to the car.

I got her to lie down on the couch and made sure she had Nani with her. My new neighbors were yelling again on the other side of the wall. I thought about going over and asking them to keep it down, but I heard one of them tell the other to do so, and the general response back was to "fuck off." I hadn't met them yet, but they sounded like jerks.