Time Will Tell

Time Will Tell Part 2

~

“Here you are, ma’am,” Libby said to an unhappy customer who refused to be placated. This was the third time she’d assembled a boxed lamp. If this one had some imagined flaw, she’d just have to lose the sale because there were no more in stock.

“That’s it,” a voice said from behind her. “I want that lamp.”

“This one is mine.” The old biddy clutched the rod so close to her chest the lampshade almost fell off. “Ms. Edwards brought it from the stock room specifically for me.” She then took her charge card out of her purse and waved it, indicating the others off to the side. “But there are three more to choose from.”

Taking the card, Libby nodded to Bev and gave a quick wink that her customer couldn’t see. “I’ll be right with you as soon as I finish with this lady.”

Bev winked back. “No problem.” She placed one of the discarded lamps next to the register. “I like this one, but I also want to look around.”

Libby rang up the sale and watched the demanding customer leave in a self-righteous haze of happiness. “Probably to bug another manager,” she said under her breath as Mrs. Thompson didn’t like having mere salespeople wait on her. An image of Victoria and Candace in twenty years appeared in her mind’s eye. Would they become self-absorbed older women? Would she, if she married Dave? As she rushed over to Bev and gave her a hug, the thought added to all her other misgivings. “Thanks for rescuing me. How’d you know she’d buy it if you wanted it?”

“Classic human behavior of a selfish person. Think of a three-year-old who may not want a toy, but doesn’t want anyone else to have it either.”

“I wish I could ignore people like her.” Dealing with the Mrs. Thompsons of the world always put her in a funk. They seemed to come out in droves during a sale. She sighed, glancing around at a room full of lamps feeling even more down. “My group sales manager is always on me to make my displays look fresh. How in the heck am I supposed to make lamps look fresh? Put bows on them?”

“I have a solution.” Bev laughed and her oversized earrings bounced as her head bobbed slightly. “A job opportunity. Out at the farm.” Bev was a horse handler at Twin Oaks Farm, a place that was near and dear to Libby’s heart and where the two originally met. “A couple of hands just quit on Doug.”

She’d worked with Bev on the farm as a teen, until her sophomore year of college when her dad told her she needed to concentrate on her future. Trouble was, after almost four years, she hadn’t found anything she’d loved as much, especially her current stint at Dillard’s. “Do you think he’d be interested in hiring me?”

She couldn’t care less about being on the fast track for a buyer, as her manager kept reminding her at every opportunity, a promotion all the manager trainees drooled over. Every trainee but her.

“Hell, yes, he’d be interested.” Bev’s excited voice drew her focus. “He hated losing you to begin with. Besides, he really needs the help with the season starting back up. At least go and talk to him, then you can decide.”

A thrill tingled up her spine. “OK. I’ll do it. I get off early today since I came in early.” She hadn’t felt such a sense of fun in a long time, just another warning flag to add to her list of concerns.

“Awesome! I’ll set it up. You won’t be sorry.”

She left Bev full of resolve. In fact, while taking the escalator to the third floor, she decided it was time to do something just because it made her happy. Not Dave or her dad. Instead of going back to her department, she veered toward her manager’s office and asked for a personal half day. After that, she called Bev to set up an earlier appointment.