Free Behind Closed Doors by Kimberla Lawson Roby Page A

two of the other division managersyesterday, we thought we’d be able to start interviewing by next week, but I just found out today that I’ll be down at our training facility in Atlanta for five days.”
    “Atlanta? When do you leave?”
    “Probably Sunday evening, since the training session begins first thing Monday morning.”
    “Maybe I could take a vacation week and join you. We haven’t gone away one single time this year, and you know how much I love Atlanta.” She was excited.
    They had gone there during their engagement and were absolutely impressed. Atlanta was a big city and just as exciting as Chicago but not nearly as congested. Down there, it was common to find successful black families living in two- and three-hundred-thousand dollar houses. As a matter of fact, entire subdivisions of them. Something that was basically foreign to most other areas of the country.
    “I’ll be in training every day from nine to four-thirty, so we wouldn’t be able to spend any real time together. It wouldn’t be much of a vacation for you at all, the way I see it.”
    What was he talking about? That was the same reason he hadn’t wanted her to go with him to Philadelphia in January or to D.C. just over a month ago. Whether he was in training all day or not, how could she not have a good time in Atlanta, Georgia? “That’s not a problem. I can find things to do during the day and spend time with you in the evening.”
    “Why don’t you wait until July for the New Orleansconference? It’s only two months away, and it’ll be easier for me to skip out on some of the workshops. I mean, I just can’t see you wasting a whole week of your vacation when all you’d be doing is spending it alone.”
    “Then what if I just take off a couple of days and fly down on Thursday? That way we can stay on through Sunday.”
    “Four days won’t be a vacation at all. If you wait until July, like I keep suggesting, we’ll have an entire week.”
    Obviously, he wasn’t going to budge. Why was he trying to sell her on this New Orleans trip, anyway? It just didn’t make any sense. Regina thought the Quarters were nice and all, but girlfriend was rearing to go to Atlanta. Especially now, when the only weather Illinois was experiencing was constant rain, day after day, week after week.
    Regina was about to take one more stand on this vacation issue when she noticed a look of frustration on Larry’s face. “Fine. I’ll wait until July, if you think it’s best.”
    “I really do. We’ll have a much better time. Just wait and see.”
    Better time? How? By July, the temperatures in the South would be so unbearable, that all they would be able to do was lie in some hotel suite trying their best to stay cool.
    Regina looked at her watch. Shoot. She only had fifteen minutes to make it back to work, and the drive to Hoffman Estates would take no less than twenty. Normally, she could be a little late returning from lunch, but today she’d scheduled an interview right at one-thirty, and it was unprofessional to keep someone waiting. Especially when that someone was a top female engineering graduate from Yale University.
    At the request of Regina’s boss, the vice president of Human Resources, she had tried to recruit this young, Asian woman before but had been unsuccessful due to the woman’s salary and perk requirements. The offer would be more to her liking this time, though. Regina was going to see to it.
    “I really hate to cut this short, but I need to get back. I’ve got an appointment this afternoon,” she said, then patted her lips with her napkin.
    Larry slid his chair back from the table, stood up, and buttoned his blazer. “I’ve got to get going myself.”
    Regina took out her bronze-colored Fashion Fair lipstick and ran it across her lips. She stood up, and they walked toward the exit. Larry grabbed her by her waist as they started toward their respective cars.
    He walked over to Regina’s car, opened the door on