Chapter 11 - The Call

Jennifer barely remembered the drive home.

The adrenaline from the interview had carried her through the elevator ride, through the valet stand, through the traffic leaving the city. But the second she walked through the front door of the house and realized nobody else was home yet, the exhaustion hit her all at once.

She dropped her purse beside the couch and kicked off her heels with an audible sigh of relief.

“Oh thank God.”

The silence of the house felt strangely comforting after the intensity of the morning.

Jennifer curled up on the couch and turned the television on mostly for background noise before pulling her legs up underneath herself. As she settled in, her eyes drifted downward automatically.

Her pantyhose-clad feet rested against the cushions, pale pink toenails faintly visible through the sheer fabric.

Even her fingernails looked foreign wrapped around the television remote — longer, shaped, soft pink and unmistakably feminine.

Jennifer stared at them for a long moment.

I better get used to this.

At least for now.

The thought should have terrified her.

Instead, she was simply too exhausted to process anything anymore.

After two straight nights of barely any sleep, Jennifer was **** within minutes.

—

She woke slowly to the sound of voices and laughter coming from the kitchen.

For a second she forgot where she was.

Then she felt the cardigan still draped around her shoulders and remembered everything at once.

Jennifer blinked awake groggily just as Michelle walked into the living room carrying two wine glasses.

“Well,” Michelle announced dramatically, “sleeping beauty has awakened.”

Behind her, Sophie and Kathy both laughed from the kitchen island.

Jennifer groaned softly and sat upright, brushing messy blonde curls away from her face.

“What time is it?”

“Almost six,” Michelle answered. “You crashed hard.”

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“You absolutely needed to fall asleep,” Kathy replied as she appeared carrying another glass of wine.

Michelle handed Jennifer a glass.

“Here. You earned this.”

Jennifer accepted it gratefully while Sophie flopped onto the couch beside her.

“We’ve been waiting all afternoon for details,” Sophie said excitedly.

Michelle sat down across from them and smiled.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Tell us everything.”

Jennifer laughed nervously.

“It actually went really—”

Michelle’s cellphone suddenly rang.

Everyone stopped talking.

Michelle glanced down at the screen.

Her eyebrows immediately lifted.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

Jennifer sat up straighter instantly.

“What?”

Michelle held up a finger and answered quickly.

“Hi Paula.”

The room went completely silent.

Michelle listened carefully while Jennifer stared at her in panic.

“Yes,” Michelle said calmly.

Another pause.

Then Michelle’s expression slowly shifted into complete excitement.

“Yes, absolutely.”

Jennifer gripped the wine glass tighter.

Michelle laughed softly.

“She’s going to be incredibly excited.”

Sophie grabbed Kathy’s arm.

Michelle nodded several more times while listening.

“Monday works perfectly.”

Jennifer’s heart started pounding.

Finally Michelle smiled broadly.

“Thank you again, Paula. Seriously.”

She hung up the phone slowly.

Nobody spoke for half a second.

Then Michelle looked directly at Jennifer with a huge smile.

“You got the job.”

Jennifer blinked.

“What?”

“You officially got the job.”

Sophie screamed immediately.

Kathy threw both hands into the air dramatically.

And then suddenly all three women were hugging Jennifer at once while she laughed in complete disbelief, nearly spilling the wine everywhere.

“Oh my God,” Jennifer whispered.

Michelle pulled back smiling.

“The offer letter is in your email.”

Jennifer stared at her blankly.

“There’s what?”

“An official offer letter,” Michelle repeated. “Paula said they wanted to move quickly before someone else grabbed you.”

Jennifer laughed shakily, overwhelmed.

Then Michelle grinned again.

“And apparently executive admins there get a monthly clothing stipend.”

Jennifer blinked again.

“A clothing stipend?”

Sophie gasped dramatically.

“Oh my God. We’re shopping.”

Jennifer immediately groaned while the other three laughed.

“And,” Michelle added proudly, “Jennifer Russo officially starts Monday.”

Jennifer sat there stunned, wine glass still in hand, trying to process how his entire life had changed in less than seventy-two hours.

Then Michelle stood and pointed toward the kitchen.

“Come on,” she said. “You need to sign the offer letter and send it back to Paula tonight.”

Jennifer stared up at her.

“Tonight?”

“Yes, tonight,” Michelle replied matter-of-factly. “You’re a professional woman now. Professionals handle paperwork promptly.”

Kathy laughed loudly at that while Sophie nearly fell off the couch.

Jennifer shook his head in disbelief.

“This family is insane.”

Michelle ignored him completely.

“And,” she added casually, “I just put in for a few days off this week.”

“Why?”

Michelle smiled slowly.

“Would you rather go shopping for clothes by yourself?”

Sophie gasped dramatically again.

“Oh my God.”

Michelle pointed directly at Jennifer’s outfit.

“Jennifer needs work clothes.”

Kathy nodded approvingly.

“Several.”

Jennifer looked horrified.

Michelle only smiled wider.

“Plus we have some other I’s to dot to T’s to cross to pull this off - welcome to your new life.”