that’s not an option.” All eyes were on her. Annie figured they would find out the truth before long so there was no sense keeping it a big secret. “I did not want to discuss my personal problems,” Annie said, “but all my accounts are frozen, and my credit cards canceled.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Lillian said. “Your father is a real bastard.”
Annie was surprised by Lillian’s harsh comment, but she suspected the woman knew more than she was saying.
“I can give you money until you get on your feet,” Lillian said.
Annie shook her head. “No. This is my problem. I should have guessed what my father would do once I tried to call off the engagement. I think it’s safe to say he has washed his hands of me.”
“Okay, so you have a place to stay, at least temporarily,” Cheryl said. “You’ll need to find some kind of job. Problem is, this is a small town and jobs are scarce. But I have a good friend who runs an employment agency, so who knows? What kind of work have you done?”
Annie wished she had an impressive resume she could whip out, but that was not the case. “I’ve never really worked,” she said. “I did not attend college. I had hoped to go to join my brother at Duke University, but that was not to me. After I graduated from high school, my father sent me to finishing school.”
“Finishing school, huh?” Cheryl said. “Isn’t that the same thing as charm school?”
“Not like the charm school of yesteryear,” Annie said, “where the student’s GPA was based on how well she married. The school I attended emphasized personal growth. I was taught etiquette and poise, of course, but we reread all the classics, stayed on top of current affairs, attended plays and operas, took cooking and nutritional classes, studied early childhood education, and—” She paused and look about. “What?”
“All that sounds great,” Cheryl said, “but did you learn any job skills?”
Annie shook her head. “Unfortunately, no,” she said.
“So what have you been doing since you graduated from this school?” Ira asked.
“I take care of the estate and plan dinner parties for my father,” she said. “I run a lot of errands for him.”
The women at the table stared at her but remained silent.
“I’m sure there’s something you can do,” Cheryl said. “You may have to start at the bottom and work your way up,” she added.
“What would the bottom be?” Annie asked, hoping it wouldn’t entail taking off her clothes.
“You can make beds, can’t you?”
Annie smiled. “I’m sure I could if somebody showed me how.”
Ira dropped her fork. Cheryl stared back at her, mouth agape.
“You’ve never made a bed?” Cheryl whispered.
Annie chuckled. “I’m teasing. Of course I know how to make a bed. I had to train housekeepers.”
“What’s wrong here?” Darla asked, arriving with their fried chicken dinners. “Everyone looks so serious.”
“Oh, we were just discussing what kind of job Annie might be able to find in Pinckney,” Cheryl said. “She doesn’t have much experience.”
“I’ve already thought about the job situation,” Darla told them. “I’m going to get Sam to hire her.”
Darla barely got the words out before Sam came through the swinging doors leading from the kitchen. He had dispensed with the tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He quickly looked around as though assessing the situation, grabbed an armful of menus and met a party of four who stood just inside the front door.
Annie was having trouble finding her voice. “You mean as a waitress?” she asked. When Darla nodded, she went on. “But I have no experience.”
“Then you’re very lucky that you’re going to be trained by the best,” Darla informed her.
“He doesn’t even like me,” she said.
“Maybe he does like you and that’s the problem,” Darla said, “but that’s neither here nor there. Sam might balk in the beginning, but he’ll eventually come
“Why am I not surprised?” Lillian said. “Your father is a real bastard.”
Annie was surprised by Lillian’s harsh comment, but she suspected the woman knew more than she was saying.
“I can give you money until you get on your feet,” Lillian said.
Annie shook her head. “No. This is my problem. I should have guessed what my father would do once I tried to call off the engagement. I think it’s safe to say he has washed his hands of me.”
“Okay, so you have a place to stay, at least temporarily,” Cheryl said. “You’ll need to find some kind of job. Problem is, this is a small town and jobs are scarce. But I have a good friend who runs an employment agency, so who knows? What kind of work have you done?”
Annie wished she had an impressive resume she could whip out, but that was not the case. “I’ve never really worked,” she said. “I did not attend college. I had hoped to go to join my brother at Duke University, but that was not to me. After I graduated from high school, my father sent me to finishing school.”
“Finishing school, huh?” Cheryl said. “Isn’t that the same thing as charm school?”
“Not like the charm school of yesteryear,” Annie said, “where the student’s GPA was based on how well she married. The school I attended emphasized personal growth. I was taught etiquette and poise, of course, but we reread all the classics, stayed on top of current affairs, attended plays and operas, took cooking and nutritional classes, studied early childhood education, and—” She paused and look about. “What?”
“All that sounds great,” Cheryl said, “but did you learn any job skills?”
Annie shook her head. “Unfortunately, no,” she said.
“So what have you been doing since you graduated from this school?” Ira asked.
“I take care of the estate and plan dinner parties for my father,” she said. “I run a lot of errands for him.”
The women at the table stared at her but remained silent.
“I’m sure there’s something you can do,” Cheryl said. “You may have to start at the bottom and work your way up,” she added.
“What would the bottom be?” Annie asked, hoping it wouldn’t entail taking off her clothes.
“You can make beds, can’t you?”
Annie smiled. “I’m sure I could if somebody showed me how.”
Ira dropped her fork. Cheryl stared back at her, mouth agape.
“You’ve never made a bed?” Cheryl whispered.
Annie chuckled. “I’m teasing. Of course I know how to make a bed. I had to train housekeepers.”
“What’s wrong here?” Darla asked, arriving with their fried chicken dinners. “Everyone looks so serious.”
“Oh, we were just discussing what kind of job Annie might be able to find in Pinckney,” Cheryl said. “She doesn’t have much experience.”
“I’ve already thought about the job situation,” Darla told them. “I’m going to get Sam to hire her.”
Darla barely got the words out before Sam came through the swinging doors leading from the kitchen. He had dispensed with the tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He quickly looked around as though assessing the situation, grabbed an armful of menus and met a party of four who stood just inside the front door.
Annie was having trouble finding her voice. “You mean as a waitress?” she asked. When Darla nodded, she went on. “But I have no experience.”
“Then you’re very lucky that you’re going to be trained by the best,” Darla informed her.
“He doesn’t even like me,” she said.
“Maybe he does like you and that’s the problem,” Darla said, “but that’s neither here nor there. Sam might balk in the beginning, but he’ll eventually come
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