When The Lights Went Out.... Judy Christenberry

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СКАЧАТЬ of her friends waved to her and she hurried over.

      “Hi, Sharon, join us,” Maggie offered. She was the assistant to Mr. Haley himself, the owner of the company. But she didn’t act any differently than Sharon’s other friends.

      “Let me get some juice before I sit down,” Sharon said.

      When she returned to the table, Lauren Conner asked, “What happened to your usual diet soda?”

      “Oh, I’m fighting a cold and the doctor suggested less soda and more fruit juice.”

      “Good for you,” Maggie said. “I’m getting older and discovering everything you eat affects you. It’s gross!”

      Both Lauren and Sharon laughed. They were mid-twenties, but Maggie was thirty-three. Still not what most people would consider as over the hill.

      “I think you’ve got a few years, Maggie,” Sharon assured her.

      “I certainly hope so, but I need all my energy to keep up with Kane.”

      Jennifer Martin entered the cafeteria and immediately joined them. “Hi. Sorry I’m late. The big boss had some questions for me.” She looked at Maggie. “Did you know about this?”

      Maggie calmly continued eating a cluster of grapes. “You mean the child-care possibilities?”

      “Yes,” Jen said.

      Sharon immediately sat straighter in her chair.

      “On site? Child-care on site?” she asked.

      Both Jen and Maggie nodded.

      Lauren clapped her hands. “Jen, how wonderful for you! That will help a lot, won’t it?”

      “It would be wonderful,” Jen agreed. “When he asked me about it, I thought I must be dreaming.” Jen was more than seven months pregnant and had successfully hidden her pregnancy until recently. “Not that it will be ready right away even if he decides to go ahead with it, but it’s something great to look forward to.”

      “Kane certainly hadn’t considered the idea until the last day or so. He said he read an article,” Maggie told her. “I gave him a list of pregnant women this morning, but I didn’t put anyone on the list who hadn’t already announced her pregnancy.”

      “I didn’t let my emotions show, but I almost passed out with surprise,” Jen said with a chuckle. “He’s decided to form a committee to study the idea. Matt Holder and I are on it. A woman due in a couple of months and a confirmed bachelor! I hope whoever the other members of the committee are, they have some experience with babies!”

      “Well, I hope Kane won’t be on it. After all, he’s divorced and has no children, so he won’t have any experience either,” Maggie pointed out.

      “It’s pretty impressive that he thought of the idea, isn’t it?” Sharon said. “He’s a very good employer.”

      “Yes, he is,” Maggie agreed, warmth in her voice.

      They all suspected Maggie had feelings for her boss, but she’d never admitted to them, and none of them would think of asking her.

      Sharon had so much to think about. She finished her juice and stood. “I’d better get to work. I haven’t been to the office yet since I had an appointment this morning.”

      “How are you feeling? Any better?” Jen asked.

      “Um, yeah. I drank juice instead of a soda. The doctor said I needed more vitamin C. See you!”

      She hurried away, afraid she’d blurt out things she needed to keep to herself. But in twenty-four hours, her life had changed so much, it was difficult to take it all in.

      “Everything all right?” Andy asked her as soon as she reported in.

      “Yes, fine. Did I miss anything this morning?”

      “Nope, just work, and we saved you some,” he added with a grin.

      Sharon smiled back and went to her desk, greeting the other members of the staff as she went. She was so fortunate to work in this department, Special Projects. Everyone was so cheerful.

      She knew it all stemmed from Andy. He always had a smile on his face. And who could complain about bills or the sniffles or whatever when their boss was in a wheelchair?

      That was what she had decided last night. So she was pregnant. She’d always wanted children, but she didn’t have any enthusiasm for marriage. So, now she didn’t have to worry about it. Fortunately she lived in an age when women didn’t have to force themselves into a marriage they didn’t want just because they’d been unfortunate enough—no, not unfortunate. She wasn’t going to think that way. There were a lot of women in the world who couldn’t get pregnant. She was one of the fortunate ones.

      The doctor might recommend telling the father, but she didn’t. After all, he’d left the hospital without contacting her. They’d been taken in separate ambulances to the nearest hospital after they’d been rescued. When she’d been checked and released, she’d asked about him. The nurse told her he’d already gone.

      He obviously had felt he didn’t owe her anything, and he didn’t want anything to do with her. That much was clear.

      She pulled out her work and swept such thoughts away. She had seven months to adjust to being a single parent. She didn’t have to devote today to such things.

      After lunch, she again had settled down to work when her phone rang.

      Andy greeted her and asked if she’d come to his office.

      He called her into his office frequently to discuss certain items, calling her his right-hand man. She didn’t think anything of it.

      When she opened the door however, she discovered the owner, Kane Haley himself, leaning against a windowsill. Both he and Andy were smiling, so she didn’t think there was a problem.

      “Good afternoon, Mr. Haley, Andy. Did you need something?”

      “Sit down, Sharon,” Andy said, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of his desk.

      She did so and waited. He looked at Kane and nodded.

      “Sharon, you’ve been working here for almost eight years. Andy raves about you all the time, calling you his right-hand man. I think it’s time we made it official.”

      She stared at him, having difficulty taking his meaning.

      “The right-hand part, not the man part,” Kane hurriedly added with an even bigger grin. “I can assure you neither one of us objects to your femininity.”

      She turned to Andy, still not sure what Kane meant.

      “He’s trying to tell you, my dear, that you now bear the title of Assistant Director of Special Projects, with the appropriate raise, of course.”

      Sharon felt her jaw drop. That position had been vacated several years ago and Andy had said it was unnecessary.

      “Me? СКАЧАТЬ