Where Did She Go Pt. 02

I took lessons three days a week, but my Saturdays golfing with Dad taught me to utterly love and honor the game. The only Saturdays we missed playing golf were when Dad had to travel for work. He occasionally played with friends on work afternoons, but Saturday golf was 100% reserved for playing with me.

Our move to Tampa opened a new perspective of parental love for me. I quickly grasped that less than 5% of American children are reared by two parents who genuinely work together for the absolute betterment of their child(ren).

Presently, I am staring at my dad with big fat tears streaming down my face. He has just given me the Best Wedding Gift one could give their child.

Dad cautions me to keep quiet on the Maine Citizen details because they could strategically benefit Marcie Rae and me if (when) her parents attack us again.

Still crying, I hug Dad tightly, "No father has ever shown his daughter the unconditional love you have given me."

***

Marcie Rae and I are quietly married at my parent's home in Bangor on Christmas Eve. Only Mom, Dad, Ellen, Frankie, Anna, and Trisha are present since I have kept the wedding low-key. I still worry a lot that the Redland group will soon rear their ugly heads again, so I do not want them to know our family's plans. I also heed Dad's warning of using caution when divulging any Maine citizenship details.

Marcie Rae's parents are well aware of my POA expiring on 27 DEC 2021, and I do not trust them. Therefore, most of our Maine wedding celebrations are at home with Dad, surrounded by seven wonderful females.

Anna and Trisha seem constantly molded to Granddad as they watch taped LPGA golf tournaments and Disney movies on TV. The girls also show Granddad many of their most recent ballet dance moves.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Marcie Rae, Anna, and Trisha are gob-smacked learning we will all have my family name ‒ Amos. I give them a brief version of my dad's disclosure, and we totally agree on honoring Mom and Dad by taking Amos as our family name. My parents are so tearful during the discussion, loving that we are all family now.

At this moment, so much is happening in our lives that we go ahead and give the girls their Christmas gifts today. Frankie, Ellen, Marcie Rae, and I give Anna and Trisha books, clothes, and a few small golf-related items, which thrills them. We adults will share our special Christmas presents during my parent's two-week vacation in Savannah and Orlando in JAN 2022.

Dad smiles, "Will our two beautiful grand-girls, Anna and Trisha, come and sit in Grandma Jessie's lap?"

Dad hands each girl an official-looking folder. "These are your extra special Christmas gifts from us. When Anna was a year old, we got a 529SmartPlan for her college education, which has grown very large over the past seven years.

"When Emma called Grandma and me to explain her Christmas Eve marriage plans, we rushed out to our bank investment office. They gave us the current value of Anna's 529Smart Plan. I told them we now have two wonderful granddaughters. So as Christmas gifts, Anna Marie Amos and Trisha Elsie Amos have equal 529SmartPlans for college from Grandma and me. We love you two so much and hope each of you loves your special gifts."

Both girls are crying and hugging my mom and dad. Anna says, "Trisha and I have been sisters since I was two weeks old, and she will always be my best big sister. I love Trisha so much because she never leaves me behind!"

Trisha is sobbing so deeply that she cannot even speak. Marcie Rae walks over, joining in their group hug. "I know Trisha feels so much love at this moment. She is my brave little girl, so I will speak for both of us.

"I am your loving daughter, Mom and Dad Amos. I will NEVER use or accept being a daughter-in-law since, in marriage, Emma has joined me as a part of her. You two have unconditionally loved Emma from birth and paved the way for her to save my life. Emma has unselfishly transferred your eternal love to Trisha, Grandma Gertrude, and me!"

Ellen steps forward, "I had a stuttering problem all my life. The Bane Publishing office staff routinely teased and mercilessly abused me from my first day at work. I was very fearful after hearing a lot of office gossip about how tough Emma was. So I ran and hid whenever she worked her two-week stint(s) in our Chicago office.

"Everyone knew Emma was hiring a Personal Assistant (PA), so there was much ado about whom she would choose. I was scared and speechless when Emma slipped up on me that morning, saying, 'Ellen, come with me right this minute.' Emma chose me as her PA, before tirelessly working to help me overcome my stutter."

Ellen finishes, "Mom and Dad Amos, your unfailing love as Emma's inspiring parents has been lovingly given to others time and time again. Like Marcie Rae, I also see you as my spiritual Mom and Dad."

Frankie speaks, "On my first night waitressing at the clubhouse, Don and Jase talked to Emma and Marcie Rae about hiring me at their new restaurant. Emma said she would hire me as the Assistant Manager and Hostess if it were her restaurant.

"Then she invited me to her home, saying, 'Do not worry, Frankie, because you are a smart young lady. Marcie Rae and I will help you hone your management skills, so you will be a great Assistant Manager.'"

She smiles, "Emma and Marcie Rae had just met me that night as their waitress, yet committed to helping me succeed at my new job. After being here Christmas week, we all know your parental love and guidance are why Emma is such a giving person.

"Since you are Emma's Mom/Dad, and she loves us all like family, you are our mom and dad as well!"

Tears are streaming down Mom and Dad's faces. They are overcome by Marcie Rae, Frankie, and Ellen's spontaneous declarations of loving them as if they were their biological parents.

***

Ellen and Frankie stay in Bangor from 23 to 27 DEC 2021 before returning to work. The New Year's Holiday will be a hectic time for Frankie's restaurant. Ellen is scheduled to work in Savannah during JAN/FEB 2022, so she must clear her Chicago work projects before the New Year's Holiday.

Our final week with Mom and Dad is absolutely beautiful, especially for Trisha and Marcie Rae. Both of them declare to Mom and Dad this is their best Christmas ever, with them now being a part of the Amos family.

We hang around the home the entire time, even on New Year's Eve, just enjoying the quiet love and solace of being a family. Anna and Trisha cry when we leave for Savannah, but Mom takes both girls in her arms, saying, "We will soon be together again in late JAN 2022 and nearly a month during Easter.

"During our January visit, your granddad and I are taking our two special granddaughters to Disney World for four days. This will give your moms some cuddling time for their late honeymoon."

Anna and Trisha, in unison, "Maybe we can stay near Disney for a week, Granddad, since there are many nice golf courses in the area! There are also beautiful botanical gardens, which we can visit with Grandma."

Dad's smile is a mile wide, and Mom is nearly in tears again from the love shown to them by Anna and Trisha.

***

There is one other interesting development event in Maine over Christmas. Ellen and Frankie seem to become best friends in Bangor. The two of them are great roommates but rarely socialize because of their intense work schedules. I mention to my oh-so-beautiful new wifey pooh how they appear so comfortable, almost like a couple in our Christmas family activities.

Frankie and Ellen's friendship is important since they share a rental home. They can lower their monthly rent in the future by signing an extended lease exceeding two years.

The rental house Ellen and Frankie currently share is perfectly located between our office and Frankie's restaurant. The house is beautiful and in a very safe community, so it will be perfect for the two of them to lease indefinitely should I permanently transfer Ellen to Savannah.

CHILLING IN CHICAGO-ELLEN'S POV

I'm back in the Bane Publishing Chicago Headquarters office. I spent Christmas in Bangor, ME, at Emma's parent's home, where Emma and Marcie Rae quietly wedded on Christmas Eve during my Bangor visit.

I have two work days in Chicago before needing to be in Savannah for the New Year's weekend. Once there, I will work in Bane's Savannah Americas office for two months.

I have been feeling out of sorts for the past month since the extended holiday season started on Thanksgiving. So I aimlessly shift through my small pile of work projects needing completion before my two-month work stint in Savannah.

My life has dramatically changed in the past ten years after personally meeting Emma Jane Amos on one of her early headquarters visits. Virtually all that the office staff knew about Emma was mostly hearsay. Much of the office gossip's focus was on Emma being the number one college golfer at UGA. She is rumored to have been a fierce competitor, never losing a head-to-head golf match in four years of playing for UGA.

It is also rumored that Emma passed up the opportunity of joining the LPGA Tour and instead studied for a Master's Degree in Journalism (JMS). She is also a prolific sports writer with many published articles. So I'd heard many stories (some probably exaggerated) about her before God dropped her first Rainbow in my lap.

I am a smart but shy lady haunted by stuttering, especially when nervous, tense, scared, or excited. I have been constantly teased by peers from a very young age, exacerbating my constant stammering. I became so introverted from the stuttering that I never dated in secondary school or for two years in the local Community College. I did not even consider attending a major university. I was only happy while at home with my mom, who loves me despite my stutter.

A month after my 19th birthday, I was hired as a second-level office worker at Bane Publishing. I graduated from HS at seventeen and completed two years of advanced computer technical analysis in a special Community College program.

I was mercilessly teased by most of the staff for my stuttering from day one at Bane. Despite my advanced computer knowledge, they abused me emotionally and turned me into the office gopher.

'And Then God Sent My First Rainbow.'

REFLECTIONS

The rumor mill has Emma Jane Amos hiring an assistant at headquarters on this Chicago visit. She has worked at Bane for a year, so most of us knew her by reputation. The entire office is all aflutter, wondering whom Emma will choose as her Personal Assistant (PA). This person needs to be a dependable employee who works well independently, as Emma is only in our Chicago office for two weeks per quarter.

Will the lucky person be a current office employee or someone new from the outside? I had seen Emma on her two previous Chicago visits but had never closely interacted with her. If I was honest with myself, I'd confess that I ran like Hell and hid whenever Emma approached our work area.

So I do not know who is more shocked on my Rainbow day, the entire Bane Publishing office support staff or me.

Emma sneaks up from behind and firmly collars me, "Ellen Allie Austin, you come with me right this minute!"

I respond with a terrible stutter, "Y-y-ye-yes m-m-m-ma- ma ma'am."

Everyone's mouth is wide open, catching flies, especially when Emma gently wraps her arm around my shoulders, guiding me out of the main office area.

Once we are in her office, Emma says, "Ellen, take a long deep breath and tell me your name."

I do what she says. "I-I am-am Ellen Allie Austin!" and then scream with joy. This unbelievable moment is the clearest I could ever remember speaking in my entire adult life.

Emma sits back in her office chair, her eyes seemingly piercing me to the depths of my very soul. "You now work for me, Ellen, and will only do work I assign. You are no longer the coffee or pastry girl because you are a brilliant young lady. Your stutter will gradually wane if you slow your brain down by breathing deeply while thinking of me when talking with someone."

"Do you have any questions for me?" asks Emma.

I stare at her incredulously, then breathe deeply and wait a moment before asking clearly, "Why me?"

I will never in my life forget Emma's answer. She tells me I always ran away from her, not bothering to suck up to her as everyone else does, something which she does not enjoy or respect. So she starts researching my personnel file, work performance, and other office details. She quickly realizes my extreme nervousness negatively impacts my speech, causing me to stammer badly.

Emma is sure I am the person she wants working for her at headquarters. To tell me personally, she delays her formal selection of me until today. As of this moment, I work for Emma. She gives me a 50% pay raise stating that she expects dedication and perfection from her staff. She will re-evaluate me in four months, giving me another 50% raise if I perform my work as well as she expects.

Emma explains that my new desk is already in the administrative executive complex. She tells me to collect my belongings and go there to set up my workspace. She will speak with personnel regarding my new salary and will update my employee file.

Emma's final words are, "Ellen, I expect perfection from my associates and am 100% certain of your ability. Ignore all the office scuttlebutt, focusing solely on doing your job perfectly.

"Take the afternoon off and go celebrate the promotion with your mom. Treat her to a very nice dinner out, and keep receipts. My budget is paying for your celebration dinner, and tomorrow starts the first day of your new life."

My Rainbow (something spectacular in my life) Is Now In Play!

CURRENT LIFESTYLE AND WORK.

I have worked for Bane Publishing since age 19 and am now twenty-eight. Emma selected me as her assistant when I was twenty, and I have worked closely with her for nearly nine exciting years. Emma is currently President of Bane Publishing-The Americas (North-Central-South-Caribbean), and I am her Executive Associate (EA).

I live a nice life, leasing a beautiful condo with a Lake Michigan view and having a corporate car available when needed. I have warmly shared the fruits of business success with my mom. She and an older cousin occupy a nice rental home, where I pay the rent, routine upkeep, and utilities. I also pay their health insurance premiums, with them being responsible only for small co-pay amounts.

Mom and our cousin Joyce only need to buy food, clothing, and essential personal items. Both Cousin Joyce and Mom earn fairly decent pay, so they are happy and living an enjoyable life in their later years. Emma often comments on my willingness to share good things with Cousin Joyce and Mom.

Another important item resulting from my pre-Emma time at Bane is that I became a wine expert. My journey to qualifying as a Sommelier started accidentally because of my stutter. I constantly search for things to do on my own, one of which is long-distance running, which I continue enjoying, even now.

There is always some social event happening at or sponsored by Bane Publishing that often features excellent wines. I am usually bored stiff standing around alone, so I start to carefully read the labels on various kinds of wine. One wine (alcohol) distributor who frequently supplies our alcoholic beverages caught me one evening. He approaches me and asks if I am interested in wines. If so, his company will sponsor me for a special course.

It seems like a fun time since I will not have to talk much while always keen to learn something new. The distributor handled all the details, such as registering me for Professional Wine classes. So I attend the wine classes, enjoying the challenge. I take the L3 Sommelier exam, receiving my L3 Sommelier Certification Certificate. After my promotion to Emma's team, I recommend we use this alcohol distributor for all Bane publicity events.

***

My current Bane Publishing dilemma is due to my new EA position, where I have worked for three months. My normal work schedule is eight months a year in Savannah and four months in the Chicago NA Headquarters office. I am just completing my first rotation cycle of two months in Savannah and one month in Chicago. I will not renew my lease in APR 2022, so I must make other living arrangements.

Option one is to move in with Mom and Cousin Joyce, but I treasure my privacy. I love my mom but am not excited about living four months a year with her.

Option two is living in a long-stay hotel for each of the four one-month Chicago periods yearly, which is also distasteful. I like having my own space and the freedom to rearrange my furniture, which is nonexistent in long-stay hotels.

Option three, a nonstarter, is living with my so-called boyfriend when in Chicago. I have avoided sex with him or making any long-term commitments. So I cringe at the thought of sharing a place with him for four months a year since there will be constant pressure for sex.

Option four is working 100% from the Savannah office and visiting Chicago for maybe two weeks semiannually. This is my preference since my housing situation in Savannah is perfect. I share a lovely rental house with Frankie, the Assistant Manager, and Hostess at 'The Place To Eat' restaurant. We got on well at Christmas in Bangor, ME, so this option may work beautifully. But Emma must first approve this major change in my work schedule.

As I think seriously about Option 3 and my previous so-called boyfriend situation. I see there has never been a single one who lit my fire. Although I am not a virgin, my sexual experience is limited mainly because the few men I occasionally date are boring to me. In a later soul-searching time, I need to consider the possibility of being asexual.

But at the moment, I feel Option 4 is the most doable for me personally. So I need to decide on moving forward with my boss, Emma, and roommate, Frankie.

***

I am now in Savannah since I worked as the sommelier/wine steward for our restaurant's New Year's splash. The New Year Holiday season is done, with our restaurant seeing a spectacular two days of business. In management or senior contract positions like mine, we will receive nice bonuses, while the hourly staff tip jars are over the brim. Additionally, all hourly staff will receive great annual pay raises starting JAN 2022.

So we are a happy but exhausted crew on 03 JAN 2022. Our GM, Don, closes the restaurant for four days after the New Year splash until Thursday, 06 JAN 2022 when we will start opening for lunch and dinner. We were only open for lunch during our DEC 2021 startup month since we were preparing for the New Year's blowout.

Frankie and I are relaxing at home on Sunday morning, enjoying a coffee. This would be a great time to sound her out on my working almost totally in Savannah since I will be living in the house eleven months a year. As I recall, we got on well at Christmas, so maybe she and I can have a social evening tonight. If all goes well, I will broach the subject of working almost 100% in Savannah.

I open, "Hey Frankie, all you and I do is work, so maybe we can do something social tonight. What are your thoughts?"

Frankie smiles, "I'd certainly enjoy an evening out with you, El, but most of the good places are probably closed from New Year's weekend party burnout."

I reply, "Oh crap, I forgot about this Sunday being a slow day. I so want to dress up, go out drinking, and possibly do some dancing for a change."

Frankie thinks, "We could go out somewhere like TGIFs for cocktails, then order a nice takeaway dinner for later."

Me, "Wait, I have a great idea," as I phone Emma. "Hi, Boss. Frankie and I are sitting around the house moping because all we do is work. Is the clubhouse bar open since she and I are thinking about dressing to the nines for cocktails, then a nice takeaway dinner at home?"