Chapter 65: Chapter 65

Michael calls me up to his office the following morning, “I signed off my approval on those letters you drew up yesterday. The coach’s letters are good to go, but we have selection issues in the female category that I’m not sure you’re aware of.” I help myself to a chair in front of his desk, “How so?”

“Rumor has it, the top female skater injured herself recently. I don’t know if Emily is going to be better in time to compete this year. I don’t want her to take a spot if she’s not going to be in contention, what do you think?”

“Do you know what’s wrong with her?” “No.”

“I can put a condition in her offer letter that she provide medical reports before deciding what course of action we’ll take.”

“Sounds like a plan. You draft that while I put together a tape of her program along with other possible hopefuls, we’ll meet after you’ve heard back from her and then decide together which way we should go.”

“Sure.”

Michael sees me out of his office with his hand lodged in the small of my back, “Keep up the good work,” he encourages. I manage to complete the coach’s letters and obtain Emily’s contact information before lunch rolls around. I drop the letters off in the mailbox and then sit in my car so I can call the loft’s number from yesterday.

It rings twice before an old man with a weak voice answers the phone, “Hello?”

“Hello, are you the person I should be speaking to about lofts for rent?”

“Hello?”

He is obviously hard of hearing, so I repeat myself and this time much louder, “Are you the person I should be speaking to about the lofts for rent?”

“No need to yell! Yes, I’m renting out lofts. How can I help you?”

“I would like to see one please.”

“Sure, sure, when would you like to come?” “Is now too soon?”

“Not at all, I will sit and wait for you in the lobby.” “Thanks.”

He is just as I picture him on the phone, a slight man in his seventies with a full head of grey hair. He is dressed well with hearing aides in both ears and walks with a cane.

“You the lady who just called?” he asks.

I smiled warmly at him, “That would be me. I’m appreciate you showing me the loft on such short notice!”

“Don’t have anything better to do,” he grunts.

I followed his slouched back as he leads me to the vacant loft, “It’s got no furniture in it, available immediately if you want it, once I do a bureau check that is.”

He fumbles with the door and when he can’t get it to open he turns to me, “Would you hold this please?” he asks handing me his cane. I take the cane and stand back giving him more room as he uses all his body weight against the door. It finally gives, catching him off guard, causing him to stumble into the loft.

I hand him back his cane and start looking around, “You say it’s available right away?”

“Yes, this one, and another one like it, next door.” “Are there any differences between the two?”

“Ya, this one was fumigated already, buddy is coming back this afternoon to do the other one.”

“What’s it been fumigated for?”

“Madagascar cockroaches,” he replies sounding like he is on that television show.

I squeal in disgust before I have a chance to filter it out.

“Just kidding, we spray for field mice. The damn things keep coming every time it gets cold out. This year we think we have it licked. We spray ensuring the little thing don’t come back.” I keep looking around the loft while he rambles on about what a nuisance they are, but every time I open a door I do it quickly to see if I can catch one running around. By the end of my journey, I find one carcass in a bathroom cabinet that hasn’t been disposed of yet. The old man sees me and quickly picks up the carcass with his bare hand and throws it into the kitchen garbage.

The old man turns to me, “Listen lady, I know it don’t look good, but I took care of it, I was asking $1500 a month but I’ll let the place go to you for $1200, not a penny less. I’ll forgo the credit check.”

“Deal!” I jump at it. I write a cheque for first and last and sign the lease before rushing off.

We shake hands vigorously, “You only have two days until the end of the month, you can start moving in today.” He hands the key and then I explain if I don’t get back to work they will notice I’m gone, before apologizing for my hasty retreat. I get back to the office fifteen minutes late from lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon drafting Emily’s letter following my call with her. I take the opportunity to explain the entire camp idea to her and the reason for my call expediting the process. Once I’m confident she knows who I am and that I’m legitimate, she says she will get to a store with faxing services and send me her medical records pertaining to her current injury.

By the end of the business day, I have a tailored offer letter to Emily, and all of the medical information. We need to decide. I go ahead and call Michael. Mrs. Abigail answers the phone and puts me right through to him:

There’s a pause of dead air on the phone, “Michael?” “Yes, let me take you off speaker.”

“Sure,” I respond hearing a click and then his voice coming in clearer. “I spoke with Emily. I was able to get my hands on her medical files so we can make a decision.”

“Already? I’m impressed,” he comments. “Why don’t you bring it over to my office so we can review it now?”

“I’ll be right there,” I say eagerly, glad I’m pleasing him.

I gathered all the papers from my desk and place them into a neat pile except for the ones I’m bringing to Michael. I take the lift up to his office and I’m welcomed by Mrs. Abigail who gestures for me to go right in. I opened his door to find him waiting for me, “Isabella!” “Michael,” I smile.

I approached his desk laying the folder before him before helping myself to a seat, “I think you will have everything you need in there.”

He slides on black rimmed glasses and places his feet up on the corner of the desk to read. I see them do it in the movies all the time.

“It’s just a sprain,” he tosses the folder onto the desk as he starts deliberating.

“I give it six weeks and she’ll be back to her usual self,” I predict. “What makes you so sure?”

“If you look at the dates, she’s already been off for two weeks. Sprains don’t take that long to recover from. I think we should invite her.”

Michael studies me, “Put a clause in protecting us, something that in the event that she re-injures herself, we can revoke her invitation.”

“So we’re inviting her?” “Yes,” he confirms.

I jump off my chair and start heading for the door before he has a chance to dismiss me.

“Where are you going?” he asks.

“I’m going to finish the rest of the invitations so I can send them out tonight, then I’m making Coach Tammy a special dinner.”

He gets up from his chair and follows me to my door, “What’s the occasion?”

“I found a place of my own.”

He smiles at me approvingly, “If you need help moving, I’m only a phone call away.”

“I hardly deem that appropriate,” I tease. I change my posture making myself appear rigid, and prudish.

“I would agree with you, if I was asking you to move my stuff for me as a boss to an employee, but I’ve reversed the role. You should consider it...”

“Put that way, how can I refuse! My landlord said I can move in anytime I want, but tonight I need to break the news to Tammy. My plan is to start moving my things in tomorrow after work.”

“I’m at your service if you need me. Don’t forget to tell HR your change of address,” he dismisses me.

“I won’t, thanks.”

I pick up Sushi for dinner and make baked Alaska for desert. It was one of coach’s favorite meals. The door opens at half past seven and I hear him drop his bag in the front foyer, “What’s for dinner Isa?”

“Sushi and baked Alaska.”

“What’s happening now?” he asks suspiciously. “You hate Sushi.”

“That’s not true, I just don’t eat it very often.”

“You’re buttering me up for something and I’m not in the mood to drag it out of you, my day sucked.”

“I’m moving out,” I blurt.

“Well, damn!” he says sitting down on his usual dinner chair, “If that’s not the best thing I’ve heard all day! No offence Isa, but since you’ve moved in, I’m practically re-virginized. I can’t bring any of my boyfriends home. It’s been terrible. The only person worse to live with was Scott!”

“Why?”

“He’s like alcohol to an alcoholic. Living with him is a constant fantasy of putting my dick in-between those sweet cheeks of his!”

“Oh my God, too much information Coach!” I say chuckling.

“Sorry,” he grins, “but you asked! Where are you moving to? Obviously not far if you’re working at the NSA.”

“I found a loft a few minutes from here.”

“Damn, a few minutes from here? Seriously? Tell me you’re kidding.” “I’m not, I’m moving to 15 Avenue Road.”

“I need a drink,” Coach complains getting up from his chair.

“Now I’m worried, “Why do you need a drink? You’re happy, aren’t you? Do you have something to tell me?”

“I’d rather not,” he says evasively. He goes to his liquor cabinet and pours two large glasses, both doubles. Oh my, I know whatever it is, it has to be bad. He hands me my glass, “Drink this first.” I take a large gulp which burns going all the way down. We haven’t started eating our dinner yet, so I know I’m really going to feel the effects of this, and soon. I take another drink as he watches me.

“Your ex-husband called me last night.” I choke over my drink as I swallow and it starts coming out of my nose. I can’t stop coughing. I put my glass down and get up to grab a tissue to wipe my nose.

“You weren’t going to tell me,” I accuse him.

“I didn’t want to upset you,” he explains. “You’ve moved on” “Why did he call you? Why now?”

“He needs a favor,” Coach explains.

Tammy took a drink and in the time it took for him to down his glass, I already know the answer. Tammy must have secured the other Loft for him.

“He’s going to be my new neighbor?”

“He’s got loft seven and you?”

“Five.”

“Then I guess so.”

“Is there any way you can back out?”

“No, I signed the lease and gave the deposit, you?” “No.”

This won’t fare well with Michael. If I don’t tell him, he might find out through his own HR. I have no choice with both of us working for him, but to come clean. He has to hear it from me first.

I don’t take Michael up on his offer for help moving in, not because of the turn in my new living conditions, but because I’m too embarrassed for him to find out I didn’t own one piece of furniture yet. I move out of Coach Tammy house with two bags of clothes and my skating bag. I borrow a torn up old sleeping bag from him until I have some sort of bedding delivered. It’s a humble beginning but one I’m proud of. I’m going to do this all, on my own.