Free Yankee Doodle Dixie by Lisa Patton

test.”
    “What’s part two?”
    “How quick you are. You don’t look like a blonde to me.”
    I practically have to bite the sides of mouth to force out another grin.
    “I’m assuming a redhead can add some fire to the job. I’m giving you a chance to prove yourself.”
    What a total weirdo. “Well, thank you. I appreciate that. I do a very good job.”
    “The job pays thirteen an hour. That’s $27,040 a year if you work a full forty-hour week…” I tune him out as he goes on to discuss vacation days and sick time and personal leave and dress code. All I can focus on is that I have a job offer.
    Okay. I’ll take it. But shouldn’t I be negotiating my pay? Isn’t that what educated people do? Yes, of course it is. I’ll play hard-to-get and try to act like they’d be lucky to have me. Just say it. Ask for more money. Do it. DO IT.
    “You said the job pays thirteen an hour, right?”
    “I did.”
    “Actually, thirteen dollars an hour…” I’m scratching my head. “Thirteen dollars an hour is…”
    “All I’m going to pay. Take it or leave it.”
    “Oh! I was just hesitating because I wanted to tell you how nice that is. Thank you, Edward. I’m thrilled to get that kind of salary.” Way to go, Leelee—that showed him. Lord, Sarah would have negotiated better.
    “Oh and one more very important rule. We have quite a few celebrities who come in an out of this station. There’s no room for star fu—uh, stargazing. I don’t want my staff hounding the stars.”
    “I understand. I’m not like that anyway.”
    “It’s a real no-no, Leelee. I don’t run that kind of ship.”
    “No worries at all, Edward.”
    “So when can you start? Can you be here at eight thirty Monday morning?”
    I’m so not ready for this. How in the world will I ever get the girls dressed, fed, and ready for school, and be in Midtown by eight thirty? But it’s not like I have a choice—I have to have a job. And I’m certainly fortunate to have found one so quickly.
    “So you’ll start Monday?”
    “Yes. Of course I’ll start Monday. That’s no problem at all!” Lie number three, or four—I can’t keep track—comes out easily and with high-pitched enthusiasm. What the heck? That’s only five days from now. Of course I can have my rental house completely unpacked, Sarah and Issie enrolled in school, and my new life completely figured out in that amount of time.
    “Before you head up to Janice, I’ll introduce you to Kyle. He’s my promotion director.”
    “Okay, sure. I’d like to meet him.”
    Once again I trail behind Edward Maxell on the way to Kyle’s office. The man walks so fast it’s hard to catch up. I decide not to even try. Kyle is sweet, probably about my age, not much to look at but he’s a frosty bottle of Coke compared to the program director. That Edward is an odd bird. Oh boy is he an odd bird. And that might be the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about him.

 
    Chapter Four
    Moving day arrives, bright and early on a Saturday morning, and it’s mixed with all kinds of emotions. It makes me happy to think that I’ll be settled again in a home that’s all mine. A home where the girls don’t have to whisper. A home where there’s no wicked witch waiting on the other side of a flimsy door ready to bite their heads off for raising their voices. But, I’m moving into a bedroom all alone. No husband with whom to share my bed, to reach over and pull me close, stroke my hair, share our love. I haven’t been sleeping alone for nine years. And even during those last months in Vermont, I may have been alone, but Peter was always close by in the kitchen, not to mention in my thoughts.
    As I’m dressing for the day, I’m struck by the fact that I’ve been home for five days now and haven’t heard a word from Peter. Something is not right. It’s not like him to ignore my phone call … phone calls, really. At the very least he’d want to tell me he’s glad that Sarah, Issie, and I