Judy Christenberry - A Texas Family Reunion

He left the conference room. Only minutes later, Jim’s cell phone rang. It was Carrie.

Carrie said that she’d talked with Judith Green’s mother. She’d pretended to be a health insurance salesperson and Mrs. Green hadn’t been interested in purchasing any. She’d said she’d never been sick a day in her life.

When Carrie had asked about any children, whether they might need health insurance, Mrs. Green had explained that her daughter worked for Carey & Co., and they had excellent insurance.

Carey & Co. was David’s competitor.

“Well, that was a slam dunk,” Jim said with a smile. “We’d better call her back, and call David and Pete in, too.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Alex said as she stood. “We’ve finished faster than I thought we would.”

She stopped by the secretary’s desk and asked for Judith Green to be called. Then she walked to David’s office door. It was open and she stuck her head in. “David? We think we’ve found the leak. Do you and Pete want to sit in on the interview?”

“Already? You bet.” He got up and followed Alex out, asking his secretary to call Pete to join them. The four of them were together before Judith arrived.

When the young woman came into the room and saw the four people sitting at the table, she paused and then took a chair. “You asked to see me again? Is there something I didn’t tell you?”

Alexandra smiled. “Judith, Pete said you told him you hadn’t worked the six months prior to taking this job because your mother was very sick.”

“Yes, that’s right,” she agreed at once. “I didn’t mention it this morning because I didn’t realize it mattered.”

“Normally, it wouldn’t, but we’ve spoken to your mother and she denies ever being sick a day in her life.”

“You spoke— She doesn’t like to admit to being sick.” Judith seemed a little more unsure of herself.

“She also said her daughter had excellent insurance with her employer.”

“Yes, that’s true. Our company has great insurance.” She smiled at David.

“She said your employer was Carey & Co,” Alex said.

Judith jumped to her feet. “No! No, she…made a mistake.”

David spoke for the first time. “Judith, we’ll give you the opportunity to resign at once, or we’ll fire you and sue you for industrial espionage. Your choice.”

DAVID WAS VERY PLEASED with the job Alex and Jim had done. He offered to take them to dinner to celebrate the successful conclusion.

“I can’t,” Alex said hurriedly. “I already have plans.”

David wasn’t sure he believed her. Then he turned to Jim. “How about you and Carrie join me and Pete for dinner?”

“Thanks, David, but we’ll all be dining together on Monday of next week. Why don’t we celebrate then?”

“Okay, that’ll be fine. I do need to find someone else to replace Judith right away, I have to admit. We’re under a deadline.”

“Why not ask Susan?” Alex suggested. “She’s taken courses in computers.”

“No, I don’t—” David began.

“Who’s Susan?” Jim asked.

“My youngest sister,” David replied.

“Relatives you trust can be good employees,” Jim said.

Pete said, “I met her, but I didn’t know she had any interest in computers.”

“Yeah, well, my mother doesn’t encourage her because she thinks it’s not feminine to do computer work.”

Alex cast Jim a wry look.

Pete said, “That’s crazy. What’s she doing for a job?”

“She’s a salesclerk at a dress store,” Alex said, “and she told me she doesn’t like the work.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll call her,” David agreed. “I’d better call Mom, too. Hopefully, she’ll understand.”

“Tell your mom the company needs Susan. That should help,” Alex suggested.

“Yeah,” David agreed. “Why don’t you come with me to tell her about the job, Alex.”

“I told you I had plans for the evening.”

“Neil again, I suppose?” David asked unhappily.

“Yes,” Alex replied. David didn’t seem happy with her choice for a companion, but then he’d never been happy with the men she dated.

Jim said, “Thanks for the work, David, and I hope Susan takes the job, but we’ve got to get back to the office. I’ll call you about next Monday night later in the week.”

“Right, thanks, Jim.”

Pete stood beside David as the other two left. “Is your mother really opposed to women working with computers? That’s crazy.”

“I know. Mom’s that way.”

“Want me to go with you to tell her?”

David smiled. “No, I’m a big boy. I can face her on my own. You can go with me to talk to Susan, though.”

“Sure, good idea, since I’ll be the one to train her. I can see if we’ll work well together.”

They set out for the dress store where Susan worked. When they entered the place, Susan was ringing up a sale. As soon as she’d finished, David asked her if she could take a break. She got approval from her supervisor and the three of them went to a small café next door.

Once they were seated and ordered drinks, David explained their problem. “We’ve got to find someone who knows computer software to fill a sudden vacancy at the firm. And I thought of you.”

Susan’s eyes opened wide with excitement. Then she slumped back in her seat. “I’d love it, but you know how Mom is. She’ll be so upset if I—”

“I know, honey, but I think it’s time you worried about making yourself happy rather than Mom.”

“Wow, you sound like Alex,” Susan said with a giggle.

“Maybe I do. I thought Mom would change with time, but she hasn’t. Alex is right. You have the right to choose work you’ll enjoy. Maybe it isn’t in computers, but you’ll never know until you try.”

“You’ll back me up?”

“I will.”

“And I’ll be the one to train you,” Pete said, smiling warmly at Susan.

David shot a look at his best friend. Pete seemed really eager to train Susan. Taking a second look at his sister, he realized she was quite pretty. Hmm.

“Do you have to give notice to the store?”

“I think you’re supposed to, but I’ll tell my supervisor this is an emergency. It is, isn’t it?” Susan asked.

“Absolutely!” Pete said.

“Yeah, Pete’s right. It would be best if you came with us right now.”

“Then let me talk to my supervisor. They’ve got plenty of help right now. I don’t think my leaving will be a problem. Then I can follow you to the office and start this afternoon.”

“Maybe I should wait for Susan and ride with her to the office, so she won’t get lost,” Pete suggested.

David told him that was good thinking, though he knew it was totally unnecessary. But Susan wasn’t objecting, either.

He left them together and drove to his mother’s home, which she shared with her sister-in-law—Aunt Gladys, Alex’s mother.

“Mom, I need to talk to you,” David announced after he’d entered the house. His mother and Gladys were sitting together knitting in front of the television.

“Yes, dear?”

“I’ve talked Susan into quitting her job and coming to work for the company.”

That got his mother’s attention. “What? Oh, no! I can’t allow that! You should’ve talked to me first.”

“I’m sorry, Mom, but Susan has a lot of training in computer work. I think she should be using it, not working in a dress store. She doesn’t even like the job, according to Alex.”

“Alex is always trying to talk her into being independent!” his mother snapped.

Gladys laughed. “That’s my girl! Strong-minded as ever.”

“Yes, she is, isn’t she. She was at the office this morning, helping us find a spy. She and Jim interviewed and checked backgrounds and found out who had been passing our information on to the competitor. That’s why we need Susan. If she doesn’t like it, I’ll help her find another job, Mom. I’ll make sure she’s happy.”