Pete Soldano phoned Julia the next afternoon to tell her that she needed to be at the dealership the following morning for training. He also mentioned that there would be another person in the class.
At nine sharp, as nervous as a filly in a derby, Julia reported for duty. The store was empty, except for a slim guy with glasses on the other side of the showroom. She walked into the business office behind the reception desk, and found two women. One was standing, cradling a steaming mug of coffee. She had an old-fashioned pageboy hairdo, but appeared to be no more than twenty. Julia gave her a warm smile.
"Hi, I'm Julia...ah, Julie...the new saleswoman. I'm starting today."
"Hi...I'm Annie."
There was no return smile, just a nervous glance at the older woman, who turned toward Julia while pulling out a file drawer.
"Hello, Julie. I'm Mrs. Bennett, the Office Manager. I'll be with you as soon as I tend to a couple of things here. You and Marc Solomon - he's the other person in this class - you need to see some training films. Why don't you go out and introduce yourself to Marc, and I'll come out and get you in a few minutes?"
The showroom seemed cavernous to Julia with the lights off. She made her way around the shiny, new models toward the fellow she'd noticed before. He was sitting at one of the many round tables near the all-glass front of the room, sipping coffee. He saw her coming, and stood up, nearly knocking over his chair.
"Hi, I'm Julie Danes," she said. That's the new me, Julie. An overwhelming sense of beginning filled her as they shook hands. "I guess you're Marc Solomon, the other sales trainee?"
"Yup, that's me," he said with a sweet, shy smile. He glanced down and his wavy, light-brown hair fell over one side of his John Lennon glasses. "And, yes," he said, looking up, "I'm related to the boss."
"I thought you probably were."
"My father wants me to learn the business."
The staccato click-tap of Mrs. Bennett's pumps echoed through the showroom, and they both turned at the sound.
"Ah, there you are. I see you've found the coffee, Marc."
"Yes...thank you, Mrs. Bennett."
"Please, call me 'Laura', Marc. None of the salesmen call me 'Mrs. Bennett'. Would you like to get some coffee, Julie, before we start? It's right over there, by the Parts department."
Julie hurried to go grab a cup, pondering the word "salesmen".
I don't think I'll call her Laura yet...
* * * * *