Chapter 5
“Isn't this a great restaurant?” Randy asked as Tatiana was about to take a bite out of her New York steak.
Tatiana nodded. When he had suggested they go to Sizzling Steaks Restaurant, she had almost turned him down because of what happened the last time she had gone there—Mr. No Show. But she did love their steaks.
“What's your favorite color?” asked Randy.
“Pink.”
“Your favorite song?”
“Como La Flor, by Selena.”
“I like that song too.”
“You do?” Tatiana questioned, startled.
“Don't act so surprised. I like Spanish music. I can't understand the words, but I can jam to the beat.”
“I like a man who isn't afraid of a language barrier.”
“Do you speak fluent Spanish?” Randy asked.
“Yes, my mother thought it was important for me to learn my ancestral language.”
“I'd love to meet your mom someday.”
Hold it cowboy, not quite yet.
“Maybe later,” Tatiana said.
“What's your favorite perfume?”
“I don’t have one.”
“What's your favorite movie?”
Tatiana chuckled. “Why are you interrogating me?”
“I just want to know everything about you. Is that bad?”
“No, I guess not.”
They finished dinner with Randy saying refreshingly little about himself but asking much about Tatiana. She was used to men talking almost entirely about themselves. In fact, she distinctly remembered one man a year ago who she had met at the mechanic's shop. He was affable enough, and she had given him her phone number. After scheduling problems, he ended up calling her three times before arranging a date, but by that time Tatiana had realized he never asked her anything about herself and broke it off before it even started.
Unbeknownst to Tatiana, across the restaurant and hidden from her view, Tristan Segovia sat with his date. He was more than a little perplexed and annoyed that he kept running into her as if it were fate or something. Yet, he refused to believe that there was a mystical reason why he bumped into her so much. It must be a coincidence and that’s it. After all, she does work in my building and is working on my advertising account.
“What’s wrong?” asked Cora Perez.
Tristan cleared his throat. “Nothing, why?”
“You seem preoccupied and you keep looking over there,” she said, indicating Tatiana’s table. “Do you know her?”
“I’m sorry. She’s handling my advertising account and I was wondering about it. That’s all.”
Cora looked unconvinced but since this was her first date with Tristan, a man she was instantly attracted to, she decided not to question further. He may have been looking at that woman, but she was with another man, and Tristan was with Cora.
The situation, though, for Tristan became somewhat unbearable. Tristan kept trying to ignore the revulsion at seeing Tatiana with Randy Durbin who worked in the radio station in his building. But it was useless. Throughout the evening, he stole glances at them while trying not to neglect his own date.
After dinner, Tatiana and Randy sat in his car in front of Tatiana's apartment. Randy put his hand over Tatiana's. “The moment I saw you I knew we were meant to be together.”
What a hokey line.
“Really?” Tatiana asked, trying to kill any sarcasm in her voice.
“Something clicked.”
Please Louise! Por favor!
“Did it?” Tatiana asked, trying not to sound sarcastic.
“Absolutely.” He kissed her so deeply that Tatiana almost gagged.
“Hold on, hold on,” said Tatiana, pushing him gently away.
“I'm sorry, it's that you're so beautiful. I could kiss you forever.”
Hokey line again.
“Don't suffocate me though,” Tatiana said.
He put his index finger on her lips. “You've got the most inviting lips.” He touched her face. “Your face is like Helen of Troy's. It could launch a thousand ships.” He put his hand on her waist. “And you're built like a voluptuous goddess.”
Hokey, hokey, hokey.
“Whatever,” escaped from her mouth before she could detain it.
He looked hurt. “Tatiana I mean every word I'm saying.”
“I just don't take compliments very well.”
“I can't possibly be the only man who’s told you how desirable you are. Why can't you take compliments?
“I don't know.”
“You should learn to accept them. When you don't, you call the other person a liar.”
“I'm sorry if I insinuated that you're a liar.”
He kissed her again. This time with a little more restraint, but he crushed his body against hers, and she gently pushed him back.
“Will you invite me into your apartment?” he asked, almost pleading.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It's too soon for sex,” stated Tatiana, irritated.
He caressed her hair. “It's never too soon for love making.”
“Sex changes everything.”
“It doesn't have to and besides, we'd be making love, not performing a sexual act.”
“The men I've been with have changed after going to bed with them.”
“What do you mean?”
“They're no longer so attentive, so focused on the relationship itself,” declared Tatiana. “The focus becomes on sexual encounters instead of getting to know each other. The compatibility it bed becomes more important than the compatibility of two souls.”
“I'm not like other men.”
“I've heard that one before.”
He angrily burst. “I would never take you for granted like that.”
“I'm tired of arguing. I'm not going to have sex with you on our first date. If you don't want to call me again then good-bye,” Tatiana announced, hopping out of the car.
Randy swung his car door open and ran after her. “Stop.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “I'll wait until you're ready. Just don't shut me out.”
Tatiana turned to him. “Understand that I'm not having sex with you any time soon. Don't insist on something I don't want.”
“I'm sorry. I won't do it again.”
“Okay.”
He kissed her much more gently than before. They walked to the door.
“I'll call you tomorrow,” he said.
“Okay.”
“Tatiana, don't ruin this relationship before we get it started.”
“Do you want to come in?” Cora asked Tristan when they were outside her house.
“I don’t think so.”
Cora looked disappointed. “No?”
“Let’s get to know each other better, don’t you think?”
Cora nodded. “Yes, you’re right.”
Tristan lightly pecked her on the mouth, said goodnight, and walked to his car. As he was about to turn on the ignition, he furiously pounded his hand on the seat next to him. Why can’t I get Tatiana out of my mind?
By now, Tatiana was climbing the walls. Augusta's incessant chattering outside her office with Judith twisted her stomach.
“I always try to be a good wife,” Augusta announced. “I try to please him anyway I can. No sacrifice is too big for my man.”
Slavery is illegal, thought Tatiana wryly.
“I'm not like those women who no longer want to do everything to sexually satisfy their husbands after ensnaring their men in marriage. Kenneth’s needs come before mine, that’s for sure.”
Does King Kenneth ever meet your needs—any of them?
“My man knows he can count on me for anything,” Augusta continued. “I’ll kiss him wherever he wants and be in whatever position he wants me in.”
Tatiana could imagine how uncomfortable Judith must've been since she got shy talking about male baldness. Judith still hadn't bec
ome accustomed to Augusta's penchant for talking about her sex life.
Unfortunately, Tatiana had to exit her office and go into the lion's den to make copies. The copier was located behind Judith's desk. Tatiana toyed with the idea of waiting for later, even when she needed the copies now, but she decided that she had an opportunity to do a good deed and get Judith out of this obscene conversation.
“Good morning,” Tatiana greeted. Judith smiled at her with relief.
“Good morning,” Augusta returned, eyeing Tatiana from top to bottom.
Why does she do that? Tatiana wondered with frustration.
“Hi, Tatiana, I didn't see you come in earlier,” said Judith.
“I got in before anybody. I have a lot of work to do, including making copies.”
“Working on the Reese account?” questioned Augusta.
“Yes.”
“Mr. Reese's wife sure doesn't like you. When she was here with him the other day, she was looking at you ugly,” Augusta announced with a smirk.
“I'm sure Mrs. Reese has nothing against Tatiana,” asserted Judith.
“I get along fine with his wife,” Tatiana stated. “In fact, she's the one who requested me on the account.”
“I don't know why she was glaring at you then.”
“It wasn't me she was glaring at,” declared Tatiana. “You were standing next to me, and she doesn't like you at all.”
“Me?” Augusta questioned, hurt.
Usually Tatiana was able to stop herself from rude behavior, but not this time. It was as if something inside exploded. This broken watermelon isn't going to let Augusta break me further. “In fact, she told Bill she didn't want to deal with you at all.”
“Why?” Augusta asked, pained.
“She thinks you're rude and obnoxious.”
Augusta regrouped. “I'm a strong person. A lot of people can't deal with that.”
“If that's what you want to think,” Tatiana sniffed.
“What do you mean?” Augusta blurted defensively.
Judith jumped up and tried to get the paperwork out of Tatiana's hands. “Tatiana, can I help you? The machine's been acting up and—”
“You're not a strong person, Augusta,” declared Tatiana. “There's a difference between having a strong personality and being a strong person.”
“It's the same thing,” Augusta retorted. “I speak the truth and if people can't take it, it's their problem and not mine.”
“What truth? Because an argument is worded strongly doesn't make it the truth and as for your assumption about being a strong woman, your husband tells you what to think, how to dress, and who to be.”
“If you had a husband, you—”
But talking about the devil brought him in because at that precise moment, Kenneth walked in the door. Augusta stopped talking and subconsciously started smoothing her outfit.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Augusta purred, stepping over to him.
Tatiana stepped over to the copy machine. The sooner she finished making her copies and got out of there, the better.
Kenneth’s eyes scanned the office. “I'm going to lunch with—”
Augusta threw Tatiana a sly and triumphant look. “You came here to take me to lunch?—my sweet and considerate husband.”
Kenneth rolled his eyes. “No, of course not, I'm having lunch with Jack.”
Augusta seemed completely deflated even though she kept up her condescending posturing. She would no longer even glance Tatiana's way. Tatiana somewhat felt bad for her believe it or not.
Jack Brewster strode in from his office as if he owned the place. On his first day, he told Tatiana how lonely he was because his wife didn't understand him. Tatiana quickly informed him she had heard that line many times.
It should be illegal for two stinky excrements like Jack and Kenneth to eat together.
“Hi everybody,” he said. “Don't you ladies look attractive today?” He quickly glanced at Augusta, but his eyes lingered on Judith.
“Thank you,” said Judith, all smiles.
“Well, old boy, should we go to lunch?” Kenneth asked.
“I'm Judith.” She held her hand out to Kenneth. “I don't think we've met yet.”
“I haven't introduced you?” asked Augusta.
Kenneth shook her hand. “No, you forget everything, My Little Stupid.”
Augusta shifted her feet in embarrassment. Kenneth looked past Judith and openly stared at Tatiana. She normally wouldn't have noticed, but he was actually leering. His eyes stayed on her breasts, and she turned around pretending to work the copier. She felt his x-ray eyes on her rear end. Nasty bile rose to her throat.
“Are we taking Judith and Augusta with us?” asked Jack.
No, his wife is a mere slave. Not someone to share anything with.
“It’ll just be us guys like in our high school days,” Kenneth declared. “We'll take them with us another time.”
In the year Tatiana had been there, she'd never seen him invite his wife to lunch even once. King Kenneth couldn't be bothered with something like that. He had better things to do. Tatiana knew by the tone of his voice that they were going to a strip club, probably one of the ones that Jack handled.
“Tatiana, I'll be back in an hour,” Jack declared sternly.
“It doesn’t matter to me what time you’ll be back,” Tatiana stated.
“Suzanne asked me to look at the ad copy for the Reese account,” Jack announced.
“That's not necessary. Bill looked at it yesterday.”
“But—”
“Not necessary,” Tatiana repeated with a stronger voice as she turned her back to him, grabbed the copies, and strode toward her office.
“Damn bitch,” Tatiana heard Jack say behind her.
Tatiana swung around to face him. “Thanks for the compliment.” She turned back around and stepped into her office.
“Can you believe that woman?” Jack muttered as he and Kenneth left. Judith and Augusta were left alone once again.
I tried to save you, Judith, but I could only save myself, Tatiana muttered to herself.
“I can’t believe what goes on in this office! I just can’t believe Tatiana’s total rudeness! Some people have no class whatsoever,” Augusta retorted.
Tatiana promptly left her office and strode up to her. She had had enough of Augusta that day. “You must be talking about your husband who won't even take you to lunch.”
A few seconds passed before Augusta could answer back. “You shouldn't be talking when you don't understand anything about marriage! It's a give and take. He couldn't take me to lunch because he had already promised Jack. Kenneth loves me to death!”
“If that’s what you want to tell yourself,” Tatiana stated, eyeballing her. Augusta turned a bright red but didn’t say a word. Tatiana finally returned to her office.
“She doesn't understand what it's like to have a good man by your side,” Augusta asserted to Judith. “Kenneth is so caring at home. You should see him with me and Kenny. He can't do enough for us.”
Right!
“Augusta, did Kenneth call you My Little Stupid?” asked Judith, clearly perturbed.
“That's his endearment for me. My husband isn't one of those marshmallowy, wimpy types, babying his woman. He's a very strong man. He's such a man,” Augusta murmured, sighing deeply.
Please Louise! Por Favor!
“Most women wouldn't have the strength to deal with his manliness, but I do,” Augusta proclaimed.
UGH!!!
“Most women don't have what it takes to be with a real man. Look at Jack and his horrible home life,” Augusta announced.
“Jack?”
“That unfortunate man. His wife is horrible. She's malicious, she can't keep a house, and she can't keep her man satisfied.”
“Did Jack tell you this?”
“Kenneth told me, but I had already guessed. I've met his wife, My
ra. Most people think she's pretty, but that's because she dresses like a skank. Kenneth told me he'd never allow me to wear that stuff. He thinks she's having an affair. I guess some men would take her on even if her nose is too big.”
“I didn't know he had it so bad.” said Judith.
“I wouldn't blame him if he had an affair. A man has needs.”
“Needs?”
“This I know for sure—a man only strays if he’s not getting what he needs at home. If his wife tends to him, takes care of him, he won't look elsewhere.”
Please, please, please Louise! POR FAVOR!
“Hi, Judith.” It was Nydia's voice, sounding constrained. Her office was next to Bill's, but her door had been closed earlier. Tatiana had assumed she wasn't in since that was the only time Bill allowed for closed doors.
“Hi, Nydia,” Judith greeted.
“Hello, Nydia,” Augusta chimed in, but Nydia ignored her and stepped into Tatiana's office, closing the door behind her.
“Do you have some aspirin?” Nydia asked, groaning with her right hand on her head.
Tatiana took out a fresh bottle from her desk and handed it to her. “Are you okay?”
“No, I'm not okay. I've had to sit in my office for the past hour and listen to Augusta's stupidities.” She popped two aspirin in her mouth and gulped them down without the benefit of water.
“Is that why you closed your door?”
“A lot of good that did me. I heard her talking her stupidities through the walls. It sucks that my office is next to Judith's desk. Want to trade?”
Tatiana smiled. “I know your parents have money, but there's not enough cash in the world that would convince me to trade with you. Sorry.”
“By the way, it was good of you to try to save Judith.”
“All I can say is that I tried.”
“You’re a true friend.”
“Thanks.”
“Ready to work on the Segovia account?” Nydia asked.
“Yes.”
As Tatiana and Nydia diligently worked, Bill arrived at the agency. Augusta was at Judith's desk and as he was about to question Judith to see if she'd finished what he had asked her to do, he saw that Tatiana's door was closed.
“She's not in?” he asked.
Before Judith could answer, Augusta jumped in. “She and Nydia are in there talking about who knows what.”
He swung Tatiana's door open and strode in. He didn't look too happy. Tatiana wondered how loaded he was but with him, it was hard to tell since he handled his alcohol very well.
“Why is this door closed?” he snapped with a booming voice.
“Because I can't stand listening to Augusta's explicit sex life, and her totally despicable take on womanhood,” Nydia growled.
“We need to work in peace and quiet,” Tatiana stated.
Bill chuckled. “Are the girls in the office having a little problem?”
“First of all, we're not girls, we're women, and we're not having a little problem,” Nydia retorted. “It's a great big one.”
“I'm sure you'll work it out. Actually, I'm glad I got you two together because I want to discuss the Grubb's beer account.”
Nydia proceeded to the door.
“What are you doing?” asked Bill.
“Closing the door.”
“Why?” Bill's tone was angry.
Nydia glared at Augusta who was listening to everything they were saying. “Your sister's snitch is out there, and I'd prefer that it's only the three of us in this meeting, or what we discuss will get back to Suzanne as twisted as a corkscrew.” She slammed the door shut, growling at Augusta.
Bill screeched like a cat. “Cat fight.”
“Cat fight?” Nydia snapped. “Why is it that when you men are fighting, it's valid but when us women do the same, it's a catfight?”
“I'm just kidding,” Bill said.
“It's not funny,” asserted Nydia.
“What about the Grubb's account?” Tatiana questioned, grumbling.
“I want you two to take over it. Maury is not doing much good with it.”
“We've already been through this, Bill,” stated Nydia. “Tatiana and I don't want anything to do with that account.”
“Why are you being so difficult? You two are the best we've got and Grubb's is one of our best accounts. Why can't I count on you for this?”
“You know why,” Nydia declared, frustration and exasperation in her voice.
“Don't give me any of that feminist diatribe. Augusta feels there's nothing wrong with their approach to advertising.”
“Augusta?!” Nydia blurted. “Since when does she know anything?”
“All Mr. Grubb wants in his ads are dancing chichis,” Tatiana asserted.
“Dancing what?” asked Bill.
“Breasts!” Tatiana blurted. “He wants all his campaigns to be centered around teen-age blonde girls in string bikini's oohing and aahing over some old, unattractive guy with a bottle of Grubb's beer.”
“Disgusting!!!” Nydia blurted.
“This is just advertising, not to be taken too seriously,” said Bill.
“Why don't you give the campaign to Jack?” Tatiana asked. “He likes handling porn.”
“He thinks it's time to expand his customer base,” Bill said.
“He's not happy handling all of the titty bars and X rated shops?” snapped Nydia.
“Jack wants to handle more family oriented accounts. He's already paid his dues with the adult oriented ones.”
“I know, it's a dirty job but somebody has to do it,” Nydia retorted. “The only reason he has those accounts is because that's all he can handle. He went after them himself.”
“You should stop looking down your nose at them. They bring a lot of money into this agency,” Bill stated.
“We bring a lot of money into this agency too,” Tatiana said. “And we don't want to handle the Grubb's account.”
“Give it to Jack,” Nydia insisted, grumbling.
“He thought I should give it to you, and I agree with him,” Bill said with his most authoritative voice.
Jack has reached the peak of assholeness, thought Tatiana with a growl. Stinky excrement! Power tripper!
Jack Brewster was fully aware that neither Tatiana nor Nydia wanted the account. In his ego laden mind, he thought he could teach them a lesson by showing them he could not only manipulate Suzanne, but Bill also.
“You two can't pick and choose accounts like spoiled brats,” Bill stated.
“Spoiled brats?! I suppose you and Jack had quite a discussion about us,” Nydia declared. “While at the titty bars?”
Bill almost choked on his saliva. “We only go to those places to come up with advertising strategies.”
“And you read Playboy for the articles,” Nydia grumbled.
A knock on Tatiana's office door interrupted the boiling heat in her office. She opened it to find Suzanne. Tatiana looked over her shoulder and saw Augusta still sitting next to Judith with a smirk on her face.
“Come in,” Tatiana said, glaring at Augusta as she shut the door.
“Is there a problem?” Suzanne asked.
“Nydia nor I want the Grubb's account,” Tatiana declared.
“You two are the best we have. We need you to take it over,” Suzanne said, smiling as if she fixed everything. “No one can do as good of a job as you.”
Nydia was ready to explode. Tatiana decided on a strategy. It was risky, and she hoped she didn’t get Nydia and her fired but she was compelled to wield the only sword she had.
“Suzanne, I've been working for you for a year,” Tatiana announced.
“Yes,” she said happily.
“When I got here, Nydia had started a month earlier. The agency was small, but I knew it had potential. I was thrilled you hired me even though the only experience I had was selling ad space for a small newspaper.”
“I knew you were loaded wit
h talent,” Suzanne asserted.
“In the past year, Johnson Advertising has grown quite a bit.”
“In leaps and bounds,” Bill stated.
Here's the kicker.
“I'd like to think Nydia and I were integral to that growth.”
“That goes without saying,” Suzanne asserted.
“After Nydia and I started working together, our partnership has been a solid success. Just look at how many accounts we’ve established.”
“You two are amazing! Word of mouth about you has brought us an abundance of accounts. There's no question that your clients are fully loyal to you and you bring in more revenue than anybody else here,” Suzanne stated. “I hope you both know how much you're appreciated.”
“No, we don't,” blurted Nydia.
“Excuse me?” asked Suzanne.
Nydia continued, “We deserve respect. We’re not spoiled brats who—”
Bill chimed in. “I didn't mean—”
“Let me finish. We're not spoiled brats who pick and choose accounts arbitrarily. Tatiana and I have been happy to work on them no matter how big or small they've been.”
“We’re as happy to handle mom and pop accounts as much as the national ones,” Tatiana asserted.
“What we don't want to handle are demeaning campaigns like the Grubb's jiggle boobs, teen porn commercials,” retorted Nydia.
“That is only one way of looking at the Grubb's account,” Suzanne expressed.
“Nydia is right when she said we deserve more respect. If we say we have objections, we've established ourselves well enough at this agency to where we shouldn't have to fight you tooth and nail. We're not asking you to get rid of the Grubb's account. That's on your conscious and as the owner, it's your call. All we're asking is that you let someone else handle it.”
Here goes the big one. I hope I don't blow it.
“Suzanne, you've always said we work with you and not for you,” declared Tatiana. “Even if we go against Jack's opinion, our own shouldn't be invalidated. I know that to an extent you've put him in charge but—”
“What do you mean?!” Bill snapped gruffly.
He took the bait. Nydia smiled, knowing what Tatiana was doing.
“I haven't put Jack in charge,” Suzanne murmured nervously.
“You could've fooled me,” Tatiana declared. “The man is always in my office saying you tell him to check up on things.”
Nydia nodded. “I thought that that's what you're here for, Bill.”
Good one, Nydia.
“Did you tell him to do my job, Suzanne?” snarled Bill in his angriest voice.
“He's been in my office, eager to help when you're not here,” explained Suzanne, her voice shaky. “I might've agreed to let him check up on a few things here and there.”
Straight from the horses mouth. How dare she?
That arrogant Jack Brewster has less experience than Nydia and I, no visible talent, no degree. He’s the biggest jerk to boot. Yet, she puts him in charge of her kingdom.
How dare she?
“I'm in charge! No one else is, right, Suzanne?” Bill spat out.
“Yes, without question,” Suzanne asserted.
“I'm glad we've established that because it's really hard to tell with Jack and Augusta always trying to tell everybody what to do,” retorted Nydia.
Bill paced with frenetic energy. “They've got no business doing that! I'm the head man around here. Who do they think they are?”
Suzanne seemed completely overwhelmed. “I'm sure they mean to help. They don't mean to take any authority away from you, Bill. They—”
“It was Jack who told me I needed to make you take over the Grubb's account,” he declared, looking at Nydia and Tatiana. “But the more I think about it, the more I think he needs to get his lazy ass in gear and take care of it himself.”
He strode out of Tatiana's office with Suzanne trailing behind him, trying to soothe his feathers. Tatiana shook her head.
Nydia put her hand on Tatiana's shoulder. “Good job, partner! Brilliant! Checkmate!”
Tatiana rubbed her temples and let out a deep, deep breath. “Yes, checkmate.”