did fine. I was listening on the other phone. I took notes, too, just in case. You write the story and we’ll compare your notes to mine.”
“Thanks!” Michelle said fervently. “I was nervous.”
“No need to be. You’ll do fine.” She indicated the computer at the desk. “Get busy.” She smiled. “I like the way you are with people, even on the phone. You have an engaging voice. It will serve you well in this business.”
“That’s nice of you to say,” Michelle said.
“Write the story. Remember, short, concise sentences, nothing flowery or overblown. I’ll be out front if you need me.”
She started to thank Minette again, but it was going to get tedious if she kept it up, so she just nodded and smiled.
* * *
When she turned in the story, she stood gritting her teeth while Minette read it and compared it with her own notes.
“You really are a natural,” she told the younger woman. “I couldn’t have done better myself. Nice work.”
“Thank you!”
“Now go home,” she said. “It’s five, and Carlie will be peeling rubber any minute to get home.”
Michelle laughed. “I think she may. I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Do I go out to photograph the man tomorrow, too?”
“Yes.”
Michelle bit her lip. “But I don’t have a license or own a car...there’s only Roberta’s and she didn’t leave it to me. I don’t think she even had a will...and I can’t ask Carlie to take off from work....” The protests came in small bursts.
“I’ll drive you out there,” Minette said softly. “We might drop by some of the state and federal offices and I’ll introduce you to my sources.”
“That sounds very exciting! Thanks!” She sounded relieved, and she was.
“One more thing,” Minette said.
“Yes?”
“I’m printing the conservation story under your own byline.”
Michelle caught her breath. “My first one. That’s so kind of you.”
“You’ll have others. This is just the first.” She grinned. “Have a good night.”
“I will. Sara’s making homemade lasagna. It’s my favorite.”
“Sara?”
“Gabriel’s sister. She’s so beautiful.” Michelle shook her head. “The two of them have been lifesavers for me. I didn’t want to have to pick up and move somewhere else. I couldn’t have stayed here to finish school without them.”
“Not quite true,” Minette replied. “You could have come to us. Even Cash Grier mentioned that they could make room for you, if you needed a place to stay.”
“So many,” Michelle said, shaking her head. “They hardly know me.”
“They know you better than you think,” was the reply. “In small communities like ours, there are no secrets. Your good deeds are noted by many.”
“I guess I lived in the city for too long. Daddy had patients but no real friends, especially after Roberta came into our lives. It was just the three of us.” She smiled. “I love living here.”
“So do I, and I’ve been here all my life.” She cocked her head. “Gabriel seems an odd choice to be your guardian. He isn’t what you think of as a family man.”
“He’s not what he seems,” Michelle replied. “He was kind to me when I needed it most.” She made a face. “I was sitting in the middle of the road hoping to get hit by a car. It was the worst day of my life. He took me home with him and talked to me. He made everything better. When Roberta...died...he was there to comfort me. I owe him a lot. He even got Sara down here to live with him so that he could be my legal guardian with no raised eyebrows around us.”
Minette simply said, “I see.” What she did see, she wasn’t going to share. Apparently Gabriel had a little more than normal interest in this young woman, but he wasn’t going to risk her reputation. It was going to be all by the book. Minette wondered what he had in mind for Michelle when she was a few years older. And she also wondered if Michelle had any idea who Gabriel really was, and how he earned his
“Thanks!” Michelle said fervently. “I was nervous.”
“No need to be. You’ll do fine.” She indicated the computer at the desk. “Get busy.” She smiled. “I like the way you are with people, even on the phone. You have an engaging voice. It will serve you well in this business.”
“That’s nice of you to say,” Michelle said.
“Write the story. Remember, short, concise sentences, nothing flowery or overblown. I’ll be out front if you need me.”
She started to thank Minette again, but it was going to get tedious if she kept it up, so she just nodded and smiled.
* * *
When she turned in the story, she stood gritting her teeth while Minette read it and compared it with her own notes.
“You really are a natural,” she told the younger woman. “I couldn’t have done better myself. Nice work.”
“Thank you!”
“Now go home,” she said. “It’s five, and Carlie will be peeling rubber any minute to get home.”
Michelle laughed. “I think she may. I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Do I go out to photograph the man tomorrow, too?”
“Yes.”
Michelle bit her lip. “But I don’t have a license or own a car...there’s only Roberta’s and she didn’t leave it to me. I don’t think she even had a will...and I can’t ask Carlie to take off from work....” The protests came in small bursts.
“I’ll drive you out there,” Minette said softly. “We might drop by some of the state and federal offices and I’ll introduce you to my sources.”
“That sounds very exciting! Thanks!” She sounded relieved, and she was.
“One more thing,” Minette said.
“Yes?”
“I’m printing the conservation story under your own byline.”
Michelle caught her breath. “My first one. That’s so kind of you.”
“You’ll have others. This is just the first.” She grinned. “Have a good night.”
“I will. Sara’s making homemade lasagna. It’s my favorite.”
“Sara?”
“Gabriel’s sister. She’s so beautiful.” Michelle shook her head. “The two of them have been lifesavers for me. I didn’t want to have to pick up and move somewhere else. I couldn’t have stayed here to finish school without them.”
“Not quite true,” Minette replied. “You could have come to us. Even Cash Grier mentioned that they could make room for you, if you needed a place to stay.”
“So many,” Michelle said, shaking her head. “They hardly know me.”
“They know you better than you think,” was the reply. “In small communities like ours, there are no secrets. Your good deeds are noted by many.”
“I guess I lived in the city for too long. Daddy had patients but no real friends, especially after Roberta came into our lives. It was just the three of us.” She smiled. “I love living here.”
“So do I, and I’ve been here all my life.” She cocked her head. “Gabriel seems an odd choice to be your guardian. He isn’t what you think of as a family man.”
“He’s not what he seems,” Michelle replied. “He was kind to me when I needed it most.” She made a face. “I was sitting in the middle of the road hoping to get hit by a car. It was the worst day of my life. He took me home with him and talked to me. He made everything better. When Roberta...died...he was there to comfort me. I owe him a lot. He even got Sara down here to live with him so that he could be my legal guardian with no raised eyebrows around us.”
Minette simply said, “I see.” What she did see, she wasn’t going to share. Apparently Gabriel had a little more than normal interest in this young woman, but he wasn’t going to risk her reputation. It was going to be all by the book. Minette wondered what he had in mind for Michelle when she was a few years older. And she also wondered if Michelle had any idea who Gabriel really was, and how he earned his
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