Chapter 19
At the elevators, Nydia eyed Tatiana. “Something is different about you, friend.”
“New earrings.”
“You're back together with Tristan!” Nydia blurted with elation.
“How could you possibly know about Tristan and me?”
“It's written all over your face.”
“Why does everybody around me read me like a book?” Tatiana asked, annoyed.
“Happiness is easy to read.”
“I don't know why I even try to keep anything private.”
“I'm so happy for you. You both finally got your heads out of your asses.”
Tatiana chuckled because when Nydia was right, she was right. Tatiana briefly explained the happenings of the day before. As they were up about to step toward their respective offices, they heard a loud, crackling voice ringing out. “I'm not giving up my husband for that two bit slut!” Augusta announced furiously. She was in Suzanne's office with the door open as usual. No one else had arrived yet.
“I told him last night that I forgave him. I know it wasn't his fault. It's that fallen woman's fault for opening her legs to everybody. He couldn't help it if she stuck her big boobs in his face.”
“She did?” asked Suzanne.
“Kenneth said she was all over him. He tried to resist her, but the devil is too powerful sometimes.”
“Shameless.”
“Ridiculous,” Nydia retorted. “I suppose King Kenneth has no control over his libido.”
“It's always the woman getting blamed. Always,” Tatiana stated scornfully.
Nydia shook her head and raised her voice. “We're here in the office if you two care to close the door, so we can get some work done!”
Augusta's voice came at them like a sledgehammer. “I know you're forty-one and not married but I hope what happened to me, never happens to you. I could never be as cold and uncompassionate as you.” Augusta slammed the door.
Nydia shook her head. “I don't know how much more I can stand here.”
“I know what you mean.”
“No use delaying it anymore. Time for a change. I’ll start asking about job openings out there.”
“Wherever you go, I go.”
Nydia smiled. “Partners.” She stuck out her right hand.
“Partners,” Tatiana stated as she shook Nydia's hand.
Tatiana and Nydia decided it was time to put office politics aside in order to work on a new account. They started brainstorming ideas. Bill soon arrived and was thrilled that his two stars were busy at work. The rest of the office was off its axis, and Bill was anxious for things to get back to normal.
Meanwhile, Suzanne was telling Augusta that she could take as much time off as she wanted to repair her marriage. Augusta sighed and told her that she knew how much Suzanne needed her and wouldn't dream of doing it. She and Kenneth would be fine, she told Suzanne.
“I'm a strong person,” Augusta declared. “I'm as tough as they come. I'm not like those women who break at the first sign of a problem in marriage. Me and Kenneth have a good marriage, sanctified by God.”
Augusta didn't tell Suzanne that the night before, after telling Kenneth she didn't blame him for his little mistake with the skank and then he had explained he was a victim in all of this, she had suggested that they take a romantic trip together.
“I'm sure Suzanne will give me as much time off as I need,” she had told him.
“I can't get away. It's too busy at work.”
“But, sweetheart, it would be so good to get away. Just the two of us. Kenny could stay with your parents.”
“There's no money for a trip,” he had snapped.
“Suzanne would give me a loan, or we could use my credit cards,” she had begged.
“I've already said no, Augusta. Don't push this.”
“But—”
“Don’t. Push. This,” he warned menacingly.
In her mind, Kenneth was a hero. He was a real man not taking money from her. She conveniently stuffed in the tiniest corner of her mind the fact that she paid for almost everything. She sighed deeply while thinking how responsible he was in not wanting to take time off his job. What a man. Life was good despite this little set back concerning his small dalliance.
She could hardly bring herself to have a harsh thought about him except that in the middle of the night, she dreamt of Kenneth giving her trampled flowers. She thanked him profusely.
What did the dream mean? she asked herself as she got up for a glass of water.
The week Tatiana was waiting for Tristan to come back from San Antonio seemed to go on forever. He called her every day, but it was different from having him with her. She'd taken to doing the mushiest of mushiest and crossing days off her calendar. She was pathetically enamored of this man, she told herself. Pathetic! Isn't it strange how you can miss someone so much you didn't even know a year earlier? He wasn't even a twinkle in my eye. Tatiana tried to concentrate on her work, but that wasn’t easy either.
The office was divided. Some couldn't help feeling sorry for Augusta. She strutted around with her superiority complex, trying to show everyone her pride was intact, but she still looked like the walking wounded. If you gave the employees a choice between who looked more alive, her or the zombies from The Night Of The Living Dead, they would choose the zombies. The walking dead would also be easier to get along with, even with the small detail of them trying to kill you.
The other half of the agency didn't feel any compassion Augusta at all, saying that ‘you reap what you sow.’ They didn't give her any slack, didn't ask her how she was doing, and didn't trust her. They asserted she'd use her husband’s infidelity to get Suzanne tighter around her finger. You could guess which side Nydia and Tatiana were on, especially since Nydia told her the snake story. When Beatrice came to them for a collection, they stuck to their convictions.
“I think it would really cheer Augusta up if we give her flowers so she knows she has the support of the office,” Beatrice said, asserted.
“She said she doesn't like flowers,” Nydia retorted.
“Poor thing. She probably said that because her husband never gives her any,” Beatrice expressed.
“I'm not contributing a single cent,” Nydia stated.
“Excuse me?” asked Beatrice.
“If you can't give from the heart then don't give,” Nydia declared.
“I know we've had our difficulty with her, but she’s suffering so much. She’s in shambles.” Beatrice dabbed her eyes.
“She sure doesn't feel compassion for anybody else's suffering,” Tatiana asserted. In fact, she thrives on making people suffer.
“Sometimes these tragic experiences change people,” assured Beatrice. “Maybe because of her own tragedy, Augusta will learn humility and mercy for others.”
Tatiana shook her head. “I doubt it. She needs to hit a dead end to grow, but with Suzanne and others coddling her, she'll never self-reflect.”
“She's like a child acting badly,” retorted Nydia. “The more attention you give her, the more she acts up.”
Beatrice shook her head. “But . . .”
“What’s the but?” Nydia questioned.
“I'm going to trust you like I've trusted you before. This will be between us,” Beatrice said, putting her hand on her heart. “According to my friend at Lorna’s apartment complex, Kenneth is still trying to continue his affair with Lorna. He goes to her apartment every day, but she won't see him anymore. He stands outside her door and begs. Begs! He tells her he'll leave his wife, but she told him she's through with his mess and the mess that is his wife. He'll sit outside her door and cry for hours.”
Augusta's big, strong man on his knees. King Kenneth crying. What a thought.
“Why won't Lorna call the police and get a restraining order?” Tatiana asked.
“Probably because she gets a kick out of Augusta's husband begg
ing her,” Nydia explained.
“Could Lorna be that cruel?” asked Beatrice.
“Augusta brings out the cruelty in people,” Nydia asserted. “I wouldn't be surprised if one of these days Lorna lets him back into her life out of revenge for Augusta.”
“That would be horrible. You can see why I want to get poor Augusta flowers,” Beatrice murmured.
“While I don't wish her bad nor will I purposely do anything vicious to her, I won't coddle her either. I don't think it does her any good,” Tatiana explained. “What she needs is an intervention.”
“What?” asked Beatrice.
“Many of us have separately talked to her about her personality problems. Maybe she'll listen if we do it together. This would be much better for her than people feeling sorry for her and catering to her while she assures herself that she's right about everything,” Tatiana stated.
“Suzanne will never allow it,” Nydia retorted. “I have a lot of respect for you, Beatrice. I think you're one of the kindest people I've ever met, but count me out of the flower thing. I hope we can still be friends.”
“I'm afraid I'm out too,” Tatiana said.
“I don't agree with your opinion, but I think I understand it,” Beatrice expressed.
“I sincerely hope we're wrong about Augusta and that through your compassion, she'll become a better person instead of using your kindness against you, Beatrice. Please be careful,” Tatiana warned.
“I’m optimistic that Augusta will learn from the test God gave her so she can open herself up to the goodness surrounding her,” Beatrice expressed. “We all have the power of redemption.”
Tatiana nodded. “Yes, but only if we can see ourselves. See ourselves clearly.”