The following morning, Sophie arrived bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready for work. Jena showed her how to work the phone, explained how their booking system worked, and explained that there was a few filing tasks that she could do.
Jena hung around and watched as Sophie handled a couple of queries on the phone and also watched Sophie when she responded to existing clients at the office. Sophie was in her element. She may not have had any prior experience, but her social skills were good, and she took note of the advice she'd been given.
So after half an hour, Jena went off to help Mary with a particularly challenging cake.
They all stopped for lunch, and though the phones tended to run hot during that time, as people used their own lunch break to contact By Design, between the existing team and Sophie, they had all managed to handle things. After lunch, Sally headed out to visit Andrew. Jena had been earlier that morning and had reported back that he was finding it tough. She knew exactly what he was going through, given she'd gone through pretty much the same thing two years ago. But her team were a tight knit group and she knew that between them they would be there for Andrew.
Sophie left around 2.30, still excited about working. She said she would come earlier the next day. Jena vetoed that. She explained they could not afford to pay her for additional hours. Sophie offered to work for free. Jena vetoed that too.
"So how was it?" Caleb asked his sister as they sat down to eat with their parents and Isaac, having met up at one of the nicest restaurants in Wellington.
"It was great." Sophie beamed. "Jena's team is wonderful." She mulled aloud. "They're like a little family rather than workers. It was nice being there."
"What did you do?" Amanda asked.
"Answered the phone. Took messages. Checked up on progress of various cakes for various clients. Took bookings for new appointments. Made coffee for people who came to the office. Did a bit of filing. That was my least favourite bit. I know it sounds boring, but it wasn't. That office is a hive. Busy bees!"
"And you're back tomorrow for more of the same?" Amanda could see that her daughter was delighted about her work-placement.
Sophie nodded happily. "Yes. Jena said it might be even up to a month. Is that great?"
"A month?" Amanda asked.
Sophie nodded, her eyes twinkled with happiness. "Mum, today was, well, just amazing. Busy, but you don't get lost in the chaos. Well, not chaos, just busy."
"And you think you will be there for a month?"
"Well, not sure actually. But Andrew, the guy I'm standing in for, his mother has liver cancer and is in the final stage. That is why he is off. Possible for a month. I have met him, and the fact he was dealing with that, his mother's cancer, while I had my meltdown." She sighed, "I am selfish. Always thinking about me. Today, I realised that I have to park my ego. Everyone working at the office has so much on their plates and despite that, you could see, in their actions, their words, was about everyone." She bridged her fingers, and glanced at her family "I realised, By Design is run by family."
"Family? I thought Ms Silva is an orphan." Isaac frowned. "You said her grandmother died two years ago, and Caleb said she has a cousin, but he was not involved in the baking business."
"I meant, the group at By Design, are practically family. You know they all took it in turns to go see Andrew today. Jena went in the morning. Sally went at lunchtime. The other baker, Mary, was going at tea-time. And Mary and Sally brought food for Andrew. The icer said he would go after dinner."
Caleb's eyebrows rose "Icer?"
"Yes. Matthew. He is deaf. He taught me two signs! His job is to ices the cakes! And he delivers the cakes with Jena, Mary or Sally! As I said, the people at By Design are family. Jena, Sally, Andrew, Mary, and Matthew, so different, and from diverse social layers. Family in essence." Sophie explained and then frowned. "They all have their own challenging lives and yet they all made time for Andrew."
"What do you mean, challenging lives?" Isaac asked.
Sophie shrugged. "Andrew's mother has cancer. Sally is a single mum bringing up two teenage kids. Mary has a husband who is an invalid. Matthew, the icer, is deaf. Jena was apparently brought up by her grandmother, who died two years ago."
Caleb chipped into the conversation, asking, "Jena told you that?"
Sophie shook her head. "Mary told me about everyone. And based on what she told me, I think Jena takes in waifs and strays!" Sophie frowned. "I must be a stray." She mumbled.
"You are a stray?" Caleb snorted. "This particular stray has close family connections and assets!"
Sophie just shrugged, "You know what I mean."
"O.k, but not sure why you think they are strays. I have met Andrew and Sally and they seemed confident and, well, happy."
"Yes. I know that."
"And?"
"I think they are happy and confident because they have Jena in their corner!"
"Come on Sophie!" Caleb chuckled "I get that, that you rate her. And obviously her company is doing well. Sophie, take off your rose tinted spectacles!"
Sophie pouted, "And I think you protest too much!" She threw a speaking look at her brother. Caleb said nothing. Sophie said pointedly, "Jena has good acumen. I would have thought you would appreciate that. Her business is doing well. She took me on, despite not having any skills or experience."
"She had a problem. You helped her when she needed someone to work at short notice."
"She could have got a temp from the agency. Someone with experience. "
Caleb acknowledged that point. "True."
Sophie smiled, "She has knitted a crew with talents that compliment each other. They all get on. And she is lovely, smart and kind!" Caleb grinned at Sophie knowing she was back to her matchmaking. "Honestly Caleb, you can be really..."
"I get she is astute. Is sharp, given she found a temporary replacement for Andrew!"
"She employed me! She gave me a chance!" Sophie reminded him. "You didn't! And I think you really like her! Actually more than like her!"
"You wanted to stand on your own feet!" Caleb reminded her. "Of course, I like her." He knew he was being deliberated vague. He had visited their kiss in his frequent dreams. And in all of them, that kiss led to sex in his dream. He hoped his eyes did not reveal his view. He shook his shoulders, "Like you. The difference is that I do not think she is a saint, whereas you think she could walk over water."
Seeing his children were about to have an argument, Drew said, "Sophie what made you think, her team are a family?"
Sophie glared at Caleb. He smirked. Sophie said, "It's like she's running the business so that they can all manage the other aspects of their lives. That is what you, and mum, and Caleb, and even Isaac, do for me. All of you, ensure that I can manage things. As Isaac said, Dad, you, and mum and Caleb clear my paths!"
Isaac acknowledge that remark, with a nod.
"What you do for me, Dad, that is exactly what Jena has done for Sally, Matthew, Mary and Andrew." Sophie sighed. "Extraordinary how they've managed to build the business into one with such a good reputation, given what else they are juggling, and their jobs do not constrain them. Jena gives them time off when they need it, and she covers for them." She smiled at her brother. "I guess that's why they took me on." Then Sophie frowned "And I am not sure how she will get money for my wage."
"What you do mean?"
"Well, apparently, they all have the same wage."
"What?" Caleb's brows went sky-height.
"Their wages is the same. For all of them."
"I doubt that."
"When I heard about that, like you, I thought that was not possible. I know Jena is the owner, it was set up by her and her grandmother, but she gets the same wage as Sally, Mary, Andrew and Matt. Obviously not me, we, well, you and her agreed on my wage. Anyway, I checked with the icer!"
"How could you ask the icer given you have only learnt two signs?"
"I wrote it! I asked him how things work at the office, and I told him I heard that everyone gets the same salary." Sophie looked at her parents and then her brother, "And Matt confirmed that. He said the team get the same wage. Apart from me! From what Matt said to me, Jena gives her staff a hundred percent backing, is fair, including their wages, and I guess that's why she gets a hundred percent back, and then some." She glanced over at Caleb. "And no, that is not seeing her through a rose-tinted glasses. That is a fact! And you like her!"
Caleb shrugged.