inventory. I had to input new products into the system." What the
hell! Was she being interviewed?
"Speed isn't so
important, but accuracy is," Anna explained. "I was planning on
hiring a temp to set up a mailing list and to help with the mail-out of an
advertising campaign. It's only for a couple of weeks at most, but it should
help to keep your pride intact," she said with a touch of sarcasm.
Tammy nudged Rona.
"I guess it would be
okay," Rona replied.
Anna nodded. "Good. Now,
for salaries—"
"Hold it," Rona
cried. "I thought this was an even swap. You let us stay here while we
work for you."
Anna frowned. "I can't
charge you that much for staying here. It's not as though it's going to cost me
anything. I'd heat the entire house whether you're here or not," she said
with a shrug. "The water bill might be a little more."
"It'll cost you more to
feed us," Tammy said.
Anna shook her head.
"You're right, but it won't be that much."
"We should do
something," Rona protested.
"I should contribute
more, since there are three of us," Tammy said.
Anna rubbed her forehead.
"This is getting too complicated. Rona, the temp position is going to pay
six-fifty an hour. You'll be saving me money because the temp agency would cost
more. Tammy, I'm currently paying a cleaning service one hundred dollars to
clean once a week. I'll cancel the service. You take over the housecleaning as
well as most of the cooking during the week. I'll increase the weekly salary to
two hundred dollars and I'll cook on the weekends to give you a break. I'll
take care of the household bills. You two take care of your personal items and
anything extra you want." Anna stood. "Is it a deal?"
Tammy slowly nodded.
Rona wasn't certain how long
she should pretend to protest. She decided to give one last weak protest.
"I don't see what you're gaining here."
Anna gazed at her. "Are
you this stubborn about everything? If it makes you feel better, your salary is
tax-deductible." The phone rang before Rona could respond.
As Anna went to answer the
phone, Rona turned to find Tammy watching her. "What's wrong with
you?"
Tammy shook her head.
"You promised me. I'm going to be watching you."
"I think I'll go see how
the kids are doing," Rona snapped as she stomped out of the kitchen.
Chapter Seven
An hour later, Rona stood by
the bedroom window gazing out at the snow-covered roofs. The overcast sky and
snow reminded her of Michigan. It had been nearly fifteen years since she lived
there. In rare, unguarded moments, she would still be overtaken by a sense of
longing for those cold crisp mornings when she would wake in a warm bed to the
smell of her mother's freshly baked cranberry tarts.
She heard the muffled laughter
of the kids across the hallway. Anna's brother had returned in his SUV with a
large cardboard box marked GOODWILL and some lame story about the kids' coats
being packed away in it. He left the box with Anna so she could take it to the
women's shelter, which was supposedly near her office.
After he left, Rona helped
Tammy carry the box upstairs. The girls opened it and immediately began to pull
out more clothes than they could possibly ever remember. At the bottom of the
box were a few women's sweatshirts, two
pullover sweaters and three pairs of jeans. The jeans were a little big in the
waist, but they were wearable. While the girls were digging through their new
wardrobes, Rona mentioned to Tammy that Anna must have told Julian the truth
while she was helping him with his skis. The clothes had been given to them in
such a way as to allow them to retain as much of their dignity as possible.
When Rona made a comment about charity, Tammy scolded her and told her to
accept the gesture in the spirit it was given.
The clothes in the box Anna
had given them the night before were a much better fit for Tammy, since she was
a few inches shorter. The pants from the box Julian brought over were still too
short for Rona, but they fit better in the waist
hell! Was she being interviewed?
"Speed isn't so
important, but accuracy is," Anna explained. "I was planning on
hiring a temp to set up a mailing list and to help with the mail-out of an
advertising campaign. It's only for a couple of weeks at most, but it should
help to keep your pride intact," she said with a touch of sarcasm.
Tammy nudged Rona.
"I guess it would be
okay," Rona replied.
Anna nodded. "Good. Now,
for salaries—"
"Hold it," Rona
cried. "I thought this was an even swap. You let us stay here while we
work for you."
Anna frowned. "I can't
charge you that much for staying here. It's not as though it's going to cost me
anything. I'd heat the entire house whether you're here or not," she said
with a shrug. "The water bill might be a little more."
"It'll cost you more to
feed us," Tammy said.
Anna shook her head.
"You're right, but it won't be that much."
"We should do
something," Rona protested.
"I should contribute
more, since there are three of us," Tammy said.
Anna rubbed her forehead.
"This is getting too complicated. Rona, the temp position is going to pay
six-fifty an hour. You'll be saving me money because the temp agency would cost
more. Tammy, I'm currently paying a cleaning service one hundred dollars to
clean once a week. I'll cancel the service. You take over the housecleaning as
well as most of the cooking during the week. I'll increase the weekly salary to
two hundred dollars and I'll cook on the weekends to give you a break. I'll
take care of the household bills. You two take care of your personal items and
anything extra you want." Anna stood. "Is it a deal?"
Tammy slowly nodded.
Rona wasn't certain how long
she should pretend to protest. She decided to give one last weak protest.
"I don't see what you're gaining here."
Anna gazed at her. "Are
you this stubborn about everything? If it makes you feel better, your salary is
tax-deductible." The phone rang before Rona could respond.
As Anna went to answer the
phone, Rona turned to find Tammy watching her. "What's wrong with
you?"
Tammy shook her head.
"You promised me. I'm going to be watching you."
"I think I'll go see how
the kids are doing," Rona snapped as she stomped out of the kitchen.
Chapter Seven
An hour later, Rona stood by
the bedroom window gazing out at the snow-covered roofs. The overcast sky and
snow reminded her of Michigan. It had been nearly fifteen years since she lived
there. In rare, unguarded moments, she would still be overtaken by a sense of
longing for those cold crisp mornings when she would wake in a warm bed to the
smell of her mother's freshly baked cranberry tarts.
She heard the muffled laughter
of the kids across the hallway. Anna's brother had returned in his SUV with a
large cardboard box marked GOODWILL and some lame story about the kids' coats
being packed away in it. He left the box with Anna so she could take it to the
women's shelter, which was supposedly near her office.
After he left, Rona helped
Tammy carry the box upstairs. The girls opened it and immediately began to pull
out more clothes than they could possibly ever remember. At the bottom of the
box were a few women's sweatshirts, two
pullover sweaters and three pairs of jeans. The jeans were a little big in the
waist, but they were wearable. While the girls were digging through their new
wardrobes, Rona mentioned to Tammy that Anna must have told Julian the truth
while she was helping him with his skis. The clothes had been given to them in
such a way as to allow them to retain as much of their dignity as possible.
When Rona made a comment about charity, Tammy scolded her and told her to
accept the gesture in the spirit it was given.
The clothes in the box Anna
had given them the night before were a much better fit for Tammy, since she was
a few inches shorter. The pants from the box Julian brought over were still too
short for Rona, but they fit better in the waist
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