room.
The sound of birds taking sudden flight from the speakers above had me nearly ducking the same time a petite woman walked around the waterfall and up to the desk. She smiled at me, holding in her laughter.
“Don’t worry, it happens to everyone.” Looking from side to side, she curved a hand around her mouth, leaned in close, and whispered, “I think they do it for security entertainment.”
We both laughed and her easygoing nature radiated off her, melting my embarrassment.
“You’re new,” she said.
“Yes. How did you know?” Did I look that stressed?
“Most of our customers are regulars, so we can always recognize a new face. We like new faces. What time was your appointment, Ms.…?”
She pulled out a clipboard with a list of names filling up the entire page.
I bit the inside of my lip and cringed. “Mrs. Aldridge and I’m sorry. I’m afraid I didn’t make an appointment beforehand.”
“Mrs. Aldridge,” she said in recognition, making a face like she should have known exactly who I was when I walked in the door. “Of course. We’ve been expecting you.”
“You have?” I looked confused, and she laughed.
“Yes. Mr. Blake made sure we were expecting you. If you follow me, Ms. Collette wants to meet you first. She likes to meet all of Mr. Blake’s referrals.”
The way she said referrals made me think she had the wrong idea.
“Oh, no, I’m not… it’s not like that with Roman, I mean, Dr. Blake and me. We’re,” I searched for the right words, “just friends.”
She stopped suddenly and turned on me. “Oh my God, Mrs. Aldridge, I’m sorry. I wasn’t meaning to imply anything.”
Gone was the calm, cool, and collected side of the receptionist as her face flushed with embarrassment and wild eyes flew to the door in front of us and then back to me, silently pleading her apologies.
“Mary?” a muffled voice called from the other side. “Is that you? Why on earth are you trying to communicate with me through the door?” There was a short pause and then the door flew open. “Why am I trying to communicate through the door?”
An older woman, dressed in a silk-and-lace modern pantsuit with a knot of silver hair on the top of her head, stood in the doorway. Her eyes found mine, and she pulled her cashmere sweater closed.
“You must be Mrs. Aldridge.”
“Yes, Ms. Collette, she is.”
The beautifully antique woman before me made me want to deny my married name and turn around and run. Suddenly, I thought I knew why Mary was so afraid I might say something.
I lifted my hand. “Yes, but please, call me…”
“Samantha,” she said with almost no emotion. “A pretty name indeed.”
I swallowed hard. “Yes,” and then my faced burned hotly, “and thank you.” If she turned me away right now, I wouldn’t even blame her. “I feel a bit embarrassed that everyone seems to know who I am, and I don’t know… I mean Roman, Dr. Blake, didn’t mention… anyone. Specific,” I added quickly.
She seemed to be inspecting me. Part of me was tempted to grab Mary by the shoulders and use her as a human shield… but then Ms. Collette did something completely unexpected. She smiled… and I watched while her face transformed.
“Yes, my grandson is a fickle young man like that. But over exaggerative he is not.”
I frowned, confused, and then the first part of what she said registered. “You and Roman… I’m sorry. He didn’t tell me you two were related. Honestly, he didn’t really tell me anything about this place.”
“That doesn’t surprise me one bit,” Mary said. “Mr. Blake and Ms. Collette are modest in their achievements. Ms. Collette owns this entire establishment.”
“Nonsense,” Ms. Collette chided with affection. “I was merely taught it isn’t proper to discuss such things in public.” She was motioning for me to follow her. “Come, come. Thank you, Mary.”
I nearly fell over, trying to catch Mary’s attention before she disappeared
The sound of birds taking sudden flight from the speakers above had me nearly ducking the same time a petite woman walked around the waterfall and up to the desk. She smiled at me, holding in her laughter.
“Don’t worry, it happens to everyone.” Looking from side to side, she curved a hand around her mouth, leaned in close, and whispered, “I think they do it for security entertainment.”
We both laughed and her easygoing nature radiated off her, melting my embarrassment.
“You’re new,” she said.
“Yes. How did you know?” Did I look that stressed?
“Most of our customers are regulars, so we can always recognize a new face. We like new faces. What time was your appointment, Ms.…?”
She pulled out a clipboard with a list of names filling up the entire page.
I bit the inside of my lip and cringed. “Mrs. Aldridge and I’m sorry. I’m afraid I didn’t make an appointment beforehand.”
“Mrs. Aldridge,” she said in recognition, making a face like she should have known exactly who I was when I walked in the door. “Of course. We’ve been expecting you.”
“You have?” I looked confused, and she laughed.
“Yes. Mr. Blake made sure we were expecting you. If you follow me, Ms. Collette wants to meet you first. She likes to meet all of Mr. Blake’s referrals.”
The way she said referrals made me think she had the wrong idea.
“Oh, no, I’m not… it’s not like that with Roman, I mean, Dr. Blake and me. We’re,” I searched for the right words, “just friends.”
She stopped suddenly and turned on me. “Oh my God, Mrs. Aldridge, I’m sorry. I wasn’t meaning to imply anything.”
Gone was the calm, cool, and collected side of the receptionist as her face flushed with embarrassment and wild eyes flew to the door in front of us and then back to me, silently pleading her apologies.
“Mary?” a muffled voice called from the other side. “Is that you? Why on earth are you trying to communicate with me through the door?” There was a short pause and then the door flew open. “Why am I trying to communicate through the door?”
An older woman, dressed in a silk-and-lace modern pantsuit with a knot of silver hair on the top of her head, stood in the doorway. Her eyes found mine, and she pulled her cashmere sweater closed.
“You must be Mrs. Aldridge.”
“Yes, Ms. Collette, she is.”
The beautifully antique woman before me made me want to deny my married name and turn around and run. Suddenly, I thought I knew why Mary was so afraid I might say something.
I lifted my hand. “Yes, but please, call me…”
“Samantha,” she said with almost no emotion. “A pretty name indeed.”
I swallowed hard. “Yes,” and then my faced burned hotly, “and thank you.” If she turned me away right now, I wouldn’t even blame her. “I feel a bit embarrassed that everyone seems to know who I am, and I don’t know… I mean Roman, Dr. Blake, didn’t mention… anyone. Specific,” I added quickly.
She seemed to be inspecting me. Part of me was tempted to grab Mary by the shoulders and use her as a human shield… but then Ms. Collette did something completely unexpected. She smiled… and I watched while her face transformed.
“Yes, my grandson is a fickle young man like that. But over exaggerative he is not.”
I frowned, confused, and then the first part of what she said registered. “You and Roman… I’m sorry. He didn’t tell me you two were related. Honestly, he didn’t really tell me anything about this place.”
“That doesn’t surprise me one bit,” Mary said. “Mr. Blake and Ms. Collette are modest in their achievements. Ms. Collette owns this entire establishment.”
“Nonsense,” Ms. Collette chided with affection. “I was merely taught it isn’t proper to discuss such things in public.” She was motioning for me to follow her. “Come, come. Thank you, Mary.”
I nearly fell over, trying to catch Mary’s attention before she disappeared
Similar Books
