The Tea Series Page 19

She was so calm it was scary. “Honey, I’m sorry that you had a disagreement with Mr. Fisher, but I can tell you from a lot of experience, that he is not a man to be backed into a corner. You know that.”

  “Well, yes.”

  “There has never been anything inappropriate between me and Mr. Fisher. He is my employer. I care a great deal for him, but our relationship is completely and quite purely professional. I know that you are hurt and probably pretty angry, but I’m not going to sit here and be talked to in this way. Period. I’m going to go up and order us some tea and something wonderful. I hope that by the time I get back you have calmed down enough to discuss this rationally.”

  “Do not speak to me as if I were a child.”

  “Don’t act like a child, and she won’t have to.” Yep. I said it.

  I know that’s what Teagan wanted to say, but she has to work around the woman’s husband, even if she can get rid of the woman herself, so she can’t say anything that rude.

  I can.

  I did.

  Teagan can just say that I’m a jerk and she was shocked I said it.

  Honey sniveled for a minute after Teagan got up. For a second I felt sorry for her, but then she looked up to make sure that I was watching her snivel, and I didn’t feel sorry for her anymore.

  This woman is a straight-up loon. How did Mr. Fisher — a man I know to be intelligent and caring and lovely — end up with her?

  “I know what you’re thinking.”

  “You do?”

  “How did I end up married to him? Teagan has probably told you for years what a great guy he is, and he is a great guy, and then there’s me.”

  “Okay, I know it’s rude, but the two of you just seem so different. I’ve only met Mr. Fisher a few times over the years, but he’s always been so nice and so down to earth, and I bet if he even thought that anyone thought there was anything going on between him and Teagan, he’d have a stroke. It’s not like him. It’s not like Teagan. It would be insulting if a stranger thought it, but you? His wife? I don’t get it. You can get mad at me if you want, but I think it’s nuts.”

  “It’s my training, I guess.”

  “That is the opposite of what I expected you to say. I don’t know what training you are talking about, but I thought you were a life coach. I would think that you have some kind of psychology background. If you know anything about psychology, you could look at Teagan and Mr. Fisher and know there is nothing going on there.”

  “I don’t have a psychology background.”

  “Then how did you end up a life coach?”

  “Fell into it, really.”

  “How’d that happen?”

  “My first husband was a cop. He was injured on the job. Shot.”

  “Oh, goodness, I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “It didn’t kill him, but he was forced into a medical retirement. It sounds so cliché, but the only thing he really knew, the only thing that excited him, was investigation, so when he couldn’t be a cop, he became a private detective.”

  “That sounds like a good choice.”

  “It was. For him. I hated it. At least when you’re a cop you have all the other cops watching your back. You have a regular job, you know what I mean?”

  “Yeah, my brother is a cop.”

  “That’s right. I remember hearing that.”

  Teagan walked up carrying a big black tray. On the tray she had an ice-cold Pepsi and a warm cinnamon roll with light butter for me. Among other things, ironically, she had a honeybun for Honey and tea for herself, but I didn’t comment.

  “Okay, Honey, I’m going to say this one time and one time only. I’m going to try to stay calm and reasonable while I do it, but you need to just listen, no talking.”

  When Honey didn’t respond, Teagan continued in an even voice. “I am not now, nor have I ever been, a home wrecker. I resent the implication.”

  “Teagan, I didn’t mean to imply that there was anything of a Biblical nature going on between you and my husband.”

  I didn’t laugh. I’m really kind of proud of that.

  Teagan ignored Honey. She was scary calm. “Mr. Fisher and I maintain a mutually beneficial professional relationship. I still call him Mr. Fisher after all this time; doesn’t that tell you anything?” She didn’t wait for a response. “I liked the formality of it when I first started working for him, even though it wasn’t my idea. His first wife was really pretty old-fashioned. Okay, very old-fashioned. She was like someone out of a time capsule.” Teagan took a deep breath. “God, I miss her.”

  I wanted to tell Teagan that talking about the first wife was probably really bad form, but I kept my mouth shut.

  Teagan poured out tea. “I still call him Mr. Fisher, and he still calls me Ms. O’Flynn, and I really don’t care what anyone else thinks about it. It’s about a history that we’ve built. When I first started working with Mr. Fisher, there were three of us. Mr. Fisher did pretty much everything he does now. Mrs. Fisher did the books. I did everything else. We worked hard, and we built the business to what it is now, and I’m really proud of that.”

  Honey started to say something, but Teagan cut her off.

  “I don’t want to leave the company, Honey, but I will. I’ve had other job offers the whole time I’ve been working for Mr. Fisher. Never once did I take an offer seriously. I guess I always assumed that I’d work there forever. But this whole situation has reminded me that I’m just another employee and that I could lose my job at any time and I need to protect myself. I’ve been at the office so long I’m like part of the furniture. Maybe I need to start looking at that. I’m sure that I could get more money somewhere else. I’m sure that what I bring would be more appreciated. Maybe it’s time that I step out of my comfort zone and find something new.”

  Teagan’s voice didn’t even crack. I knew her heart was breaking. She loves Mr. Fisher. She loves her job. For her, it isn’t just a company that she works for — everyone there is her extended family. Some you love, some you can’t stand, but all of them live in your heart.

  I’ve known Teagan to drop everything and run off to take care of something that any number of other people could handle, but Mr. Fisher has been kind of fragile since his first wife died, and Teagan always wants to put his mind to rest. He knows that if she’s there, he doesn’t have to think about it; it is taken care of.

  I always figured that one of these days Mr. Fisher would drop dead and Teagan would be surprised to find out he’d left her everything.

  Not sure how this new wife has changed all that, but the thought of Teagan leaving Mr. Fisher is as hard for me to think about as Teagan leaving Jessie. Probably harder. Which is weird.

  I missed the last part of what Teagan said, but it must have been good, because Honey lost it.

  She’s an immediate-to-the-ugly-cry kind of crier. She went from a sad face to her mascara all over the place and her nose bright red and running before I even registered what was happening.

  I handed her a napkin.

  Teagan, one of the most empathetic people I know, didn’t seem affected at all.

  Honey blew her nose and tried to calm down.

  “Teagan, I’m sorry.”

  “I accept your apology. I’m not sure that changes anything. This isn’t a one-time issue, Honey. I’m not sure what you want from me, and I’m not sure that whatever it is, I can supply it. I knew there would be a transition of sorts when you started coming to the office, and I can deal with that, but I don’t think that should be allowed to extend to my personal life. I know that you are a life coach, and I assume you are good at what you do…”

  When Teagan said that she was sure that Honey is a good life coach, I leaned over just a bit. In case lightning struck Teagan, I didn’t want to be too close.

  She didn’t seem to notice. “But I don’t need a life coach. I’ve got a family that has been running my life, all my life. So far it’s worked pretty well for us. I especially don’t need you telling Mr. Fisher that I n
eed a different job. That’s so far over the line I don’t even know how to deal with it.”

  “That’s what he said.”

  “What?”

  “I told my husband that I thought it was important for you to have the freedom to spend time with Jessie. That since you love each other that you’d want to be together more. He told me to stay out of it.”

  “He did?”

  “Teagan, he really doesn’t even like having me at the office. When I went to him and told him what we’d talked about, he hit the roof. I’ve never seen him so angry. He told me to zip my lip and stay clear of you.”

  Teagan was silent.

  I wasn’t sure exactly what was going through her mind, so I kept my mouth shut too.

  After a couple of sniffs, it was obvious Honey wasn’t going to say more.

  Teagan thought for another moment. She kept her tone gentle but firm. “So, I have to ask. If you are supposed to stay out of this, why are we here?”

  “I just wanted to make sure that I hadn’t screwed this all up. I have to tell you, Teagan, I’m not sure that I’m a good life coach. I seem to get things all twisted up.”

  “Honey, why are you a life coach?”

  “That’s a good question. It isn’t something I really enjoy. Like I was telling Cara when you were getting our tea — thank you for that, by the way — I dropped into it. I worked with my late husband. He was a cop turned private detective. He was good at it. Really good. When he was put on medical retirement after he got shot, private detecting opened up a whole new world for him. I worked in the office. Just like you, really. I did all the stuff that kept the place going. When he died, I lost a husband that I adored, a job that kept me busy, and, really, the most important thing, I lost myself.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say, but it felt like I should say something. “I’m very sorry for your loss, Honey. Having your world turned upside down is difficult.”

  My stomach kind of flipped at that last part. Having your world turned upside down is difficult, and people react in different ways. Maybe I’m being just as crazy as Honey.

  That’s not a good thought.

  I’ll think about that last part later.

  “So, how’d you end up as a life coach?”

  “Oh, sorry. This really good friend of mine — she was my best friend, really — she was taking some classes. I was pretty much stuck. Stuck in the house. Stuck in my life. Stuck in a moo-moo with a life full of doo-doo. That’s what she kept saying to me. She bullied me into going to class with her. I kind of liked it. Next thing you know we are doing all kinds of conferences on weekends. She was really into it, and I was kind of along for the ride.”

  “So, if you don’t like it, why don’t you do something else?”

  “I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want to stay home. I’m too old to go back to school and start a whole new career. I don’t know what to do.”

  “What would a life coach tell you to do?”

  “That’s the whole thing. If I knew that, I’d be a much better life coach, wouldn’t I?”

  “I think that it’s harder to know how to help yourself than it is to help other people. I still don’t understand what the whole thing with Jessie is. Why did you want me to basically quit my job and follow him around the country? By the way, that plan would never have worked. We’d kill each other in a week. I’d resent losing my job, and he works about eighteen hours a day when he is on the road. All day at work and then several more hours back at the hotel. He’s doing the work of three guys because they’ve cut back so much due to the economy. Anyway, why did you focus on me? What did I ever do to you?”

  Teagan’s attempt at humor fell a little short.

  Honey took a deep breath and thought about her answer. “If I’m honest with myself, I guess that the reason I did what I did was because that is what I want in my life. I want to be important again. When my first husband and I were running that company, he couldn’t do anything without me. That’s the way my husband is with you.”

  “Honey, I’m sorry, but even if I stepped away and took another job somewhere else, you wouldn’t have that with our office.”

  “Believe me, I know that now.”

  I know I’m just at the table as a witness, but I blurted it out. I have a filtering problem. “What?”

  “I was told that if there is a choice between Teagan and me, Teagan is going to win.”

  Teagan tried to be gracious. “Oh, I don’t believe that for a minute.”

  “No, he really did say that.”

  “I mean I don’t believe that he would choose me over you.”

  “Well, I’m not as sure as you are. Like you said, you guys have a history. I haven’t been around all that long, and I’m driving him crazy. He said so. He also said that he isn’t going to put up with me ruining his business. He’s worked too hard. And, Teagan, if I’m honest with myself, he’s right.”

  “It’s not going to come to that. We just need to find you something else. Something that you will love. Something that is far, far away from the office.” The way Teagan said the last part was funny and charming. I was proud of her.

  Honey laughed and blew her nose.

  Why can’t I ever stay out of this stuff? “I have an idea. I can’t make any promises or anything, but I have an idea. I’ll tell you what. I’ll check it out tonight, and if it goes anywhere, I’ll call Teagan, and she can fill you in.”

  Teagan just looked at me. She wasn’t sure if I really had a viable option or if I was just trying to smooth things out.

  She gave me a “don’t mess with me and get my hopes up” look. Same look she gives my mother when Mom says she is going to “do a full dinner.” In our lives, that means multiple kinds of meat, all the trimmings, and at least three desserts. When you have lots of people, you need lots of options, but for Teagan, she just eats it all.

  We talked a little longer. Honey apologized several different ways. Teagan was very understanding, but I could tell she wasn’t completely buying it.

  We all left at the same time.

  I was sitting in my car when my phone booped at me.

  It’s a new ringtone.

  Booped is the only word I can think of.

  I’ll be reprogramming my phone tonight.

  It was Teagan. The text told me to let Honey drive away first.

  I saw Honey pull out into traffic and disappear behind the bank. Within seconds Teagan was jumping into my passenger seat. “So, what do you think?”

  “I think she was honest. I think maybe Mr. Fisher really did say that, which is terrible. I think she’s a little lost.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I think too. You really have an idea? Please say you really do have an idea.”

  “Roland.”

  “What? What’s a Roland?”

  “Roland is a who, not a what. He’s the security guy. Remember? You met him at the apartment complex.”

  “Oh, yeah, I remember. Why did I think his name was Herman?”

  “I don’t know. He kinda looks like a Herman.”

  “What about Roland?”

  “He owns a security company. Maybe he would hire Honey. If she loved doing all the detecting support of her husband’s firm, maybe Roland can use her, and even if he can’t, maybe if he would just talk to her, it would get her going in the right direction, and she’d start looking for a job with someone else.”

  “Oh my God, you’re brilliant.”

  “I’ve been telling you that for years.”

  “It’s just so rare that you actually show brilliance, I forget.”

  “I love you too.”

  “So, you want to go talk to Roland right now?”

  “I’m not going to go talk to him. I’ll call him tonight.”

  “Cara, you can’t get me all excited about the possibilities and then not do anything about it. Your follow-through has been lacking these days. I want to make sure that you are actually going to do it.”

  “I’ll d
o it. Tell you what. Why don’t you come on back to the apartment, and we’ll figure out exactly what I’m gonna say when I call. On the one hand, I think this is a great idea. On the other hand, he has already done so much for me lately, with the apartment and the investigation and getting me the hotel and all the security stuff. I need to walk a fine line, but first I have to figure out where the fine line is.”

  “Good point. I’ll follow you over.”

  “Perfect. You can also help me figure out what I should cook for the guys when they are moving Suzi’s stuff over, and aren’t Jessie’s mom and sister about out of food? We need to do another cooking marathon for them, or have we stopped doing that?”

  “No, we haven’t stopped doing that. Thanks. If you make a grocery list, I’ll do the shopping. We can cook tonight if A.J. is going to be busy.”

  “He’ll be busy. He’s always busy. He says it’s going to get a lot worse. He’s going to put in more and more hours. I think he is doing double duty. Not only is he trying to build a business for himself, but he is trying to make sure that he has enough going that he can afford to give Suzi all the hours she needs to take care of the baby, and he’s trying to make sure he can afford benefits. Right now, Suzi has extended the insurance through Barry’s old work, but I don’t know how long you can do that, and it is a really expensive option. Poor guy is working about twenty hours a day.

  “You guys are beginning to sound like me and Jessie.”

  “A little bit, maybe, but A.J. comes home every night.”

  “It would be great if Jessie did.”

  “Then maybe that is what we need to focus on. Put it out there in the universe.”

  “Or we can just put out that we need to win the lottery. Did you see how high it is getting? If we won that much money, it would be a full-time job just taking care of our money.”

  “That is a job I’d like to have. See you over at the apartment.”

  “Want me to stop and get anything?”

  “I think I’ve got everything. Besides, we’ll be going shopping later anyway.”

  “Right. Drive safe.”

  With that, she jumped out of my car and jogged back to her own. She seemed much more relaxed since her talk with Honey.