In My Shoes Page 27

  Speaking to Elaine put me at ease. I thanked her for the support and told her I’d call Mr. Schneider, once I got my report.

  After two days, I waited for the mail to come and there it was. I opened the envelope and couldn’t believe my eyes. ARRESTS ON FILE stamped big as day, in red, on the front of the paper. On the back it listed three shoplifting charges, one obstruction of justice charge, resisting arrest, and a disturbing the peace charge I got by clowning with Dwayne in front of my apartment one day. They were all misdemeanor charges, but sure as hell didn’t look good. I had messed up my life and didn’t even know I was doing so. I tossed the paper aside, deciding there was no way in hell I was going to show something like that to Mr. Schnieder.

  Later that day, I took the twins to the library, and as they read books, I sat at a table writing. I wrote a letter to Mr. Schnieder, thinking about mailing it to him, but eventually threw it away. My mind was boggled, and in order to clear it, I started all over and began to write about my life. From the beginning…how it all started, as far as I could remember. I wrote for hours, feeling so good and clearing my mind. I had so much inside of me that needed to come out. That day, it did.

  After we got home from the library, I turned the lights out in the twins’ room, telling them not to stay up late watching TV. I then lay across my bed, looking for answers to my problem with Mr. Schnieder. I got on my knees and held my praying hands together. Lord, I know it seems like when I come to you I’m always asking you to fix something, but I have nowhere else to turn. I feel this opportunity is a good one and might not ever present itself to me again. Please give me the courage to make the right decision. If this position is for me, open the door and let me walk through it. Any help you can send would be appreciated. And…thank you, thank you for all that you’ve done for my family and all that you will continue to do. Amen. Oh…one more thing. Please continue to look over my intruder, as he not know better. Dwayne too. Help them and use your power to will them away from the negativity. Amen again.

  While at work the next day, I didn’t waste any time calling Mr. Schnieder. When I got his voicemail, I left a message for him to call me back. Shortly thereafter, he did. I made an appointment to go see him at one o’clock, and took my lunch break at twelve-thirty. That gave me plenty of time to make it there, but I knew I wasn’t going to make it back within an hour.

  When I arrived, Mr. Schnieder was in an interview with another person, so I had to wait. After waiting twenty minutes, he said goodbye to the lady who would, most likely, replace me. He motioned for me to come into his office.

  “Have a seat, Ms. Hampton. What can I do for you today?” He leaned back in his leather chair, waiting for a response.

  I sighed, shaking my leg and nervous as ever! “Mr. Schnieder, the other day when I interviewed with you, I wasn’t completely honest on my application. I checked that I did not have a criminal history, when in fact I did.” I gave him the police report and continued to explain my situation. He glanced over the police report, looking very puzzled. A few times, he scratched his head and stared at me as I continued to talk. After my teary-eyed confession, he folded up my report, giving it back to me.

  “Brenda,” he said, sitting up straight. “It took a lot of courage for you to come here today. In that position out there,” he pointed out the door, “I need someone who has courage, who has vigor, who’s aggressive, honest, and who isn’t afraid to tell me when they’ve made some mistakes. Someone who’s determined to help me run this darn Marketing Department the right way. I don’t care what you’ve done in the past; it’s no concern of mine. All I care about is what you can do for this company in the future.”

  I blinked away the tears in my eyes, but a slow tear had slipped. I in no way wanted to present myself as being weak, but my life had been a true struggle and I was delighted that Mr. Schnieder hadn’t judged me, based on that police report. He had no idea where I’d come from or what I’d been through and he offered me a chance. He reached for his box of Kleenex and put it down in front of me. “Now, you go take that physical exam and I’ll see you here in about two weeks.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Schnieder. You will never regret your decision.” I shook his hand and he joked about it falling off. Before leaving the building, while on the elevator, I looked up and thanked the Lord out loudly. Another lady on the elevator puzzlingly looked at me, but I didn’t care. Tears welled in my eyes and I shook my head. “I’m sorry, but you might not understand.”

  “Oh, yes I do,” she said, patting me on my back. “God is good and he’ll never let you down.”

  I nodded, and when I got off the elevator, I encouraged her to have a good day.

  “I got the job!” I screamed to the kids while dancing around in the kitchen. “Mama got the job she wanted!” They hugged me and jumped for joy with me.

  As usual, I shared the news with everyone, Mama first.

  “I guess you can finally buy me that new car I wanted,” she said, knowing darn well that she couldn’t drive.

  “Only if you learn how to drive, Mama. If you do, I will definitely buy you one.”

  We laughed, and after speaking to her, I called Jesse and Rita. Rita and I talked about saving money, and Jesse talked to me about buying a house. She was in the process of doing so, and we planned our house search together. Things were falling into place. I was beginning to believe that anything I wanted to do was possible, and at this point, I was starting to realize my own strengths. For so long, I didn’t know what they were. My life, however, was never complete without setbacks.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Things at my new job were moving fast. Mr. Schnieder hired two Italian women I’d recommended from my previous job, and someone else recommended a third lady. On the home-front, the twins had it going on with school and I was extremely proud of them. They gave me no trouble whatsoever. I couldn’t have asked for better kids. I was starting to feel at peace, and I knew that with peace, prosperity would soon follow.

  As for relationships, I’d gone out to dinner with a young man named Aaron that I’d met at a comedy club one night. He seemed cool, but he had some ex-girlfriend drama that forced me to keep my distance. I had a no tolerance attitude and I simply told him over the phone one day, “Work it out and get back to me when you do.”

  Other than that, and referring to my job, it was the bomb, but I still felt as if something was missing. I had met all kinds of people; positive people who was all about living large, making money and enjoying life! I found myself at exquisite dinner parties, lavish Marketing functions and five-star restaurants that I didn’t even know existed. I was often in the presence of the elite people in St. Louis, but I remained humble as ever. I knew where I’d come from, what I’d been through and never would I forget. I was just happy to get a taste of the other side, and since Mr. Schnieder had put me in charge of many of the marketing responsibilities, nearly everyone in our department came to me to get things done. I was overwhelmed at times, but loved it because I was learning more by the day. The only downside was I didn’t have enough time to write—writing was put on the backburner.

  I had just finished running a report for Mr. Schnieder, using the Access database. He was expected in a meeting within five minutes, and since his secretary was absent, he asked me to double check the report and print it for him. I did, and then carried the report into his office.

  “Thank you,” he said, reaching out for the report. He looked at it, while nodding his head. “Can you do me a favor and print off thirty more copies? Once you’re done, bring them to the boardroom to me.”

  “Will do,” I said, getting ready to turn and walk away.

  “Also,” he said, halting my steps. “I would like for you to get your insurance license. Have you thought about it?”

  I really hadn’t thought about it, and from what I’d heard, the test was pretty tough. “I haven’t thought about it, but that doesn’t mean it’s something I’m not open to.”

  “Good,
” he said, rushing out of his seat. “We’ll talk more about that later. Just please have those copies in the boardroom as soon as you can.”

  Mr. Schnieder rushed out the door, trying to make it to his meeting on time. I stood at the copy machine, making copies and thinking about getting my insurance license. That was a big…huge step. I knew many of the brokers who visited our office made a whole lot of money. Even the Account Managers in Marketing did well, and making that kind of money would surely turn things around for me. I mean, things were going good, but I was open to doing whatever to make them better. Seemed like God was lining up angels everywhere, and never, again, would I ask Him, why me?

  Mr. Schnieder’s copies were in my hand, and I hurried to the boardroom to give them to him. As I entered, not many people were there, but several businessmen in suits were trickling in. Mr. Schnieder was standing by the door, talking to a broker who visited the Account Managers from time to time. I knew him well, his name was Chris.

  “Brendaaa,” he said, giving me a hug. “Good seeing you.”

  I smiled and gave the copies to Mr. Schnieder. “Same here, Chris. I didn’t know you were coming by today. If so, I would have made you another one of those Marketing baskets, filled with goodies.”

  He looked at his watch. “Well, I won’t be leaving until another hour or two. You still have time,” he joked.

  Mr. Schnieder laid the papers on the round cherry-wood conference table, and asked me to have a seat. “If you don’t have anything else to work on right now, please stay and take notes for me. I couldn’t get anyone else to cover for Sherry, and I would really appreciate it.”

  Mr. Schnieder had done so much for me; he didn’t have to ask twice. Actually, I enjoyed lending a hand when needed, and while some may have looked at it as being used, I looked at it as seeking knowledge about the business I was in. The brokers were treated like kings and queens, because they were responsible for obtaining companies that purchased health insurance from Health Partners. They made what was called residual income; money that you could make while basically sitting on your ass, doing nothing.

  I sat at the table dressed in my mustard colored suit, knowing that I didn’t fit in moneywise, but what the hell. More businessmen came in, and then, I got the shock of my life when I looked up and saw Jay Rogers strut through the door. He had stolen my attention that fast. Yet, again, he was the only Black man in the room and everyone gravitated towards him. Why? I didn’t know. I sat up straight, hoping that my short hair was intact and not a strand was out of place. Seeing this man just did something to me, and just like the last time I’d seen him, he looked fabulous. His silver-blue crisp shirt with a pointed pressed collar was underneath his black suit, making his grey eyes glisten even more. I sat there visualizing him naked, and there was no doubt that he was doing one hell of a number on me. I didn’t even think he remembered who I was, until he came over to me and shook my hand.

  “I know this may sound cheesy,” he said with his snow white teeth on display. “But haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

  I could tell him the date, time, hour, second…as I had written it down. “Physician’s Health Plan,” I reminded him. “I used to work as the receptionist there.”

  He snapped his finger, and displayed those dimples I had written about as well. “I remember. So, I take it you’re working over here now, right?” he asked.

  I nodded, trying to downcast my gaze into his addictive eyes. “Yes, for Mr. Schnieder in Marketing.”

  “That’s what’s up. Do you have a business card you can give me? I promise to only use it for business, not pleasure.”

  He winked and OMG! I wanted to scream. I hoped he couldn’t see my heart slamming against my chest, or for that matter, hear it. “I don’t have my cards on me, but I will go back to my desk to get you one.”

  “You do that,” he said, then walked away. I damn near broke my neck getting out of my chair and going to get him my business card. When I came back into the room, Jay was sitting at the table, talking to two other men. I excused my interruption and gave my business card to him. He thanked me.

  The meeting got on the way, and Mr. Schnieder was at the head of the table, telling the brokers around the room how it would be in their best interest to sell Health Partners of The Midwest Insurance to their clients. He, along with our Executive Account Manager, Dora, shared each plan design we had to offer, and bonuses the brokers would receive for selling our product. Like I’d said…the brokers made hella money and the benefits that came along with it was unbelievable. At that moment, I knew why Mr. Schnieder had asked me to stay. He wanted me to hear, and see for myself, what obtaining an insurance license could possibly do for me.

  In knowing so, I jumped on it! Day in and out, I studied my ass off, wanting to pass that test. I didn’t allow any distractions in my life, and when out of the blue Jay called me at the office one day, I was skeptical. I truly felt that he would be a setback for me, and as nice looking as he was, his money…I knew there had to be drama. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t interested, Lord knows I was, but I wanted to focus on passing that test.

  “Dinner,” he said. “You can meet me at Morton’s, on Bonhomme, right across the street from your building, Friday at six.”

  He would not take no for an answer, so I agreed to meet him on Friday. My test was scheduled for Thursday, and since it was only Tuesday, I had plenty of time to study. Unfortunately, though, when Thursday came around, and I went to take my test, I failed. I looked at the computer screen, seeing the word FAILED, and hoping that it was incorrect. It wasn’t. I had studied so hard, and needless to say, this was a big disappointment.

  On Friday, I was in a shitty mood. Failing the test didn’t go over well with me, and telling Mr. Schnieder, who had been really pulling for me, it was embarrassing.

  “Try again,” he said as I stood in his office. “That’s all you can do and don’t be so hard on yourself.”

  I guess I was the only person standing in my own way, and I had to start believing in myself a bit more. I had planned to take the test again, soon, hoping that I wouldn’t have the same results.

  Once I left work, I stopped at home to pick up the twins and we headed to Mama’s house. They wouldn’t go one weekend without seeing her, and they loved their grandmother to death! I dropped them off, and then headed to Morton’s so I could have dinner with Jay. He had definitely been on my mind, maybe so much that my thoughts of him caused me to fail the damn test. So, to be honest, I wasn’t too enthused about dinner. That certainly changed, however, when I walked inside of this fabulous restaurant and spotted him sitting at a table. Dressed in a gray blazer and black v-neck ribbed sweater underneath, I felt lucky to be in his presence. The “Why Me?” hit me again, but you know what? Why not me?

  I looked at the crystal chandeliers that hung from up above, and at the crisp white table cloths that covered each table. Everything was so orderly and clean, and the staff was extremely polite. What was a young woman like me doing at a place like this, with a man who had to be every bit of a millionaire, or if not, close? Even at my best, I felt as if I had fallen short. The red silk mini-dress I wore clung to my body like a layer of skin, but I felt it was rather plain. My short hair had been whipped together by me, not a beautician, and I was afraid that my conversation wouldn’t be up to par. I guess I was being too hard on myself, again, because as I moved in Jay’s direction, he was all smiles. He stood, pulling my chair back for me to take a seat. I hesitated for just a second, thinking the chair gesture was totally unnecessary. Little did I know, it was the manly thing to do.

  “Thank you for coming,” Jay said. “You look nice.”

  “So do you,” I said, crossing my legs so they would stop shaking.

  The waiter came over, pouring us glasses of water and handing us menus. When he walked away, Jay snapped his fingers and the waiter returned in a flash.

  “Yes, sir,” the waiter said, almost bowing to Jay. “What else can I g
et you?”

  Jay rubbed his trimmed goatee that was squared on his mouth and chin to perfection. “Do you mind telling us what the special is for the day?”

  “Oh, uh, I’m sorry, sir,” the man said, looking around. “Let me find out—”

  Jay caught an attitude. “Look, if you don’t know what it is, then get me somebody over here who knows what the hell they’re doing. Preferably, Joe. My time is precious, and it needs not to be wasted.”

  My eyes damn near popped out of my head. I couldn’t believe Jay’s arrogance, or his tone. Obviously, he was irritated by something or someone. The waiter excused himself, and another one returned, telling Jay the special of the day. Before he could finish, Jay cut him off.

  “That’s alright, Joe. I don’t like that. I’ll have the usual.”

  “Filet Mignon, double cut with a baked potato. Would you like the Caesar salad and what can I get for the lady?”

  “A Caesar salad will be fine, and the lady will have exactly what I’m having, but make it a single cut, not double.”

  “Will do. Thank you, Mr. Rogers, and if you need anything else, I’ll be delighted to assist you.”

  Jay ordered a bottle of wine, as I sat there looking clueless. How did he know what I wanted to eat? I hadn’t even looked at the menu to see what I wanted. This wasn’t working for me right now, but I held back on saying anything.

  The waiter walked away, and as soon as Jay opened his mouth, his beeper went off. It was clipped to his black pants and he swung his jacket back to take a look. I noticed that he grunted a little, and then turned off his beeper. Afterward, he placed his hands on the table and clinched them together. The diamonds from his watch glistened and drew my eyes straight to it.

  “I see you like my Rolex,” he said, turning it to look at the time.

  “It’s real nice. Looks like it cost a fortune.”