Page 46 of September (New Orleans #9)

J uliet stood in line, waiting to order her favorite drink.

As she did, she thought about how to approach things with her boss today.

First, she would find a spot on his calendar to book a meeting.

Then, she would spend the time before that working out what she would say and, if she could, typing up the initial plan.

She could always play off its incompleteness by telling him that she didn’t want to spend too much time on it if he didn’t go for the concept. Yeah, that was a good plan.

As she stepped up in line, she thought about how this would mean she’d either get to keep her current role without travel or she’d have to demote herself because she didn’t want to do this for months, possibly years, before being promoted again, assuming that happened at all.

She liked her new salary, and even though she hadn’t gotten that many paychecks with the new amount on them yet, she’d have a hard time going back down to what she was making before.

She would do it, though, if it meant she’d be happy because happiness was all that mattered.

When she took another step, she considered that statement again.

It was true; she knew that. Money wasn’t everything.

But if her boss demoted her, she’d go back to her old role, one where she wasn’t doing the manager and leadership classes and only had the new hires to teach, which she had been doing for years already.

That wasn’t exactly happiness, either. Juliet had to make it so that he didn’t have an option: she should be in this role, but with no travel.

“It’s the right thing to do.”

Juliet heard someone say that from behind her, but she didn’t turn, assuming the person was either on the phone or talking to someone else.

“What you’re thinking about that job is the right thing,” the female voice added.

Juliet turned her head a bit to see an old woman standing behind her. She had a kind smile on her face, and her eyes were looking right at her.

“Were you talking to me?” she asked, still assuming the answer would be no.

“Yes, I was,” the old woman replied. “And you should do it, what you’re thinking.”

“Sorry? What am I thinking, exactly?”

“You’re trying to decide about a job. I deal with this a lot in my line of work.”

“You deal with–” Juliet shook her head before turning around to face the woman. “How do you know I’m trying to make a decision about a job?”

“The same way I knew about the van,” the woman said.

Juliet’s eyes went wide, and her mouth formed a little O.

“What did you just say?”

“And I deal with that a lot, too.” The woman laughed.

“I’ll give you the short version since I know you need to get your coffee and run, but I’m what many people would call a psychic around here.

I don’t necessarily consider myself that.

I don’t know the future. I interpret the information I receive from wherever it comes from, and when I see someone the information is supposed to get to, I make sure to pass it along.

What they do with it is up to them, but since I didn’t see the van on my walk this morning, I’ll assume that she bought it. ”

“Next,” the man behind the counter said to the woman in front of Juliet, meaning Juliet was next after her.

“How do you know this stuff? How did you even know that I knew Gwen?”

“I didn’t even know her name was Gwen. I only knew that she needed to buy that van because if she did, it would lead to good things, like maybe you making this decision.

I didn’t know it was also about you when I first knew about the van.

Now, it’s all clear, though. She buys the van.

You get the courage you need to make your moves at work. ”

“Moves? Hardly,” Juliet said with a little laugh.

“All I know is that it’s right. I can’t get anything else on it right now, but you should do it.”

“I should do what? Ask for them to demote me?”

“No, and you know that already. Tell me this: what are you so afraid of? If you tell them you want to make a change, what happens?”

“I know they won’t fire me. They can’t. I’m good at my job, but they also can’t be without another trainer,” she said. “I guess I’m worried that they’ll think I can’t handle the promotion, the increase in responsibility.”

“But is that the case?”

“No. They want me to travel a lot, and I don’t want that.

I wouldn’t have either way, but I just met my–” Juliet paused and smiled.

“Gwen. I just met Gwen, and I don’t want the first year of our relationship to be by FaceTime because I’m gone all the time.

I feel like a weakling because I don’t want to travel like this, missing my girlfriend and my dog. ”

The woman’s smile widened, and she said, “Your dog? That’s how you met Gwen.”

“She was my pet sitter,” Juliet confirmed and shook her head in disbelief.

“Then, this was all supposed to happen how it has happened,” the woman replied. “You needed to take this job to meet her. Now, you can make a change.”

“I can?”

“Yes, you can. And you should.”

“Because the spirits are telling you that it’s right?”

“I don’t know how I know what I know these days, but I know it like I know that I’m an old lady who loves this city.” The woman nodded. “Now, turn around and get your coffee. It’s time to go.”

Juliet turned around and saw the roaster staring at her, waiting for her to place her order.

“Oh. Hey, Juliet,” he said. “Usual?”

“Yes, please,” she replied. “Wait. Can I have an extra shot of espresso? I think I’ll need it.”

◆◆◆

“You’ve got this. Eye of the tiger and all that,” Molly said as she massaged Juliet’s shoulders.

“Molls, I’m not going into the big game. I’m just talking to my boss.”

“It’s a big deal, though. I’m being supportive.”

“Be supportive at your own desk,” Juliet replied.

“Oh, hey,” Finley said as she approached their cubicles and eyed Molly’s hands on Juliet’s shoulders.

Molly stopped rubbing instantly and took a big step back. Juliet smiled and wanted to laugh, but she held it in because she knew Finley would ask her what she was laughing at, and her mind was too focused on work to come up with a good lie for that.

“Hey, Finley,” Juliet greeted.

“She’s just about to go into an important meeting. I was being supportive,” Molly explained.

Finley nodded before she looked at Juliet and said, “I got tickets to the game in a few weeks, if you want to go with me. Against Tampa Bay. They’re not great, but not nosebleeds this time. I got a great deal on six of them.”

“Yeah, maybe. Can I ask my girlfriend if she wants to go? I’ll buy the tickets off you, obviously.”

Finley looked behind her and at Molly then.

“Gwen,” Juliet added, realizing her mistake. “That’s my girlfriend. I’m taken. Very taken… with Gwen. Her name is Gwen. She doesn’t work here.”

Molly cleared her throat, and Juliet shut up.

“Sure. I’ve got five extras,” Finley replied. “Molls? Want to go this time, maybe?”

“To a Saints’ game?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait. You said you have five extras. India isn’t going?” Juliet checked. “Still giving you a hard time about not liking football?”

“Um… India and I aren’t… We’re not together anymore, so no, she won’t be going.”

“You’re not–” Molly stopped herself from talking and walked around Juliet toward her own desk.

“Yeah, it didn’t work out.” Finley shrugged a shoulder.

“I feel like I’ve heard this before, Finley,” Juliet noted, watching Molly closely as she sat down and pretended not to care that her longtime crush was now single.

“It’s over for good this time. We’re not meant to be,” Finley said. “So, Molls? Interested?”

“In the game?” Molly asked, turning back to them.

“Yes, Molly, in the game ,” Juliet said, trying to help her focus.

“Uh… Yeah. If I’m free that day. Sure.”

“Great,” Finley said with a smile. “Do you need another ticket for anyone? I’ll have two left, with Juliet and Gwen and me and you.”

“No, I don’t have a plus-one for a football game,” Molly replied, smiling at Finley.

“Okay. Good. I mean, cool.”

Juliet watched curiously as Finley’s cheeks turned just a little pink.

She was blushing. Juliet glanced over at Molly and then back at Finley, who still had that blush on her cheeks, and she thought about suggesting that Molly and Finley grab lunch together again today to give Molly some encouragement, but she knew her shy friend.

Molly was probably doing advanced relationship calculus in her head to consider how long she’d have to wait before telling Finley how she felt this time.

“Shit! Jules, your meeting,” Molly said, pointing to her computer screen.

“Oh, crap.” Juliet checked the time on her own screen and stood quickly. “I’ve got to run. Message me the details, Fin? Where to meet, how much for the tickets, and whatever.”

“Yeah, sure,” Finley replied.

Juliet pulled down on her shirt in an attempt to make herself look more professional by eliminating the wrinkles in a single pull and then walked to her boss’s office and knocked on the doorframe.

“Juliet, come on in,” he said.

“Thanks,” she replied and closed the door behind her, wanting privacy for this conversation. “I was hoping to talk to you about the doc I attached to the meeting invite.”

“I saw that, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet,” he said. “Need me to do that now before we talk?”

“No, it’s okay. I can talk you through it.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

Juliet sat down and said, “Well, I’ve only been doing this job for a few weeks, but I’ve had my old job for years now, and I’ve been at Southern for a while. I feel like I have a good grasp on how we’ve done things and how we might be able to do things in the future.”

“In the future?”

“Near future, I hope,” she added with a nervous laugh.

“Go on.”

“We currently have all of our participants travel for any out-of-store training. That means we’re paying for them to drive or fly sometimes, for their food and other expenses, and their hotels.”

“Yes.”