As Time Goes By (The Californians 2) (7 page)

"Hello, Bobbie." He smiled, his whole body losing its former tenseness. "I see Mom didn't waste any time in putting you to work."

Bobbie, trying not to laugh at the sigh and look of relief that had come over her co-worker's face, continued to grin at him.

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"I don't mind. It's pretty routine and I have a tendency to get antsy if I don't have something to do."

They smiled at each other again, and Jeff mentally shook his head over the way he had tortured himself all through the night and that morning over how uncom fortable it was going to be working with Bobbie.

He had deliberately come into the office late, putting off what he was sure would be awkward: to find Bobbie handling a customer like a pro. He had watched her, unnoticed, from the doorway of the storeroom. Jeff was fascinated. Cheerful and efficient, she was not at all as he expected.

The only problem he could see was her obvious ten dency to overdo. His mother would never have lifted a package as heavy as the one Bobbie had. May would have called to one of the men in the family for assistance. Jeff placed the package against the wall, taking note as he did that it was already wrapped for travel, and turned

back to Santa Rosa's newest shipping clerk. "Bobbie, in the future be sure to call one of us to help you with packages that heavy."

Bobbie was surprised. What was she there for if not to work? There was absolutely no way she was going to go running for help every time a large package came in. Why, the very thought of it!

Jeff was still staring at her, so Bobbie decided to re assure him. "I wouldn't lift something that I couldn't handle, Jeff."

Jeff smiled and kept still, having accurately read what was going on in her mind. He would let his father handle this one. They were discussing more aspects of the job, such as the storage room at the back of the building, the stage depot next door, and the hours both offices were open, when Gilbert came in.

"Hello, Bobbie." Bobbie could only stare at him. "Gilbert?" She finally managed to say.

"It's me." Gilbert stated the obvious and waited for Bobbie to look her fill. He had been a boy when she left, only 13. Five years later he towered over her and was almost as filled-out as Jeff. Both men sported lean frames and broad shoulders. Their arms were corded with muscles, brought on by the daily tasks of lifting, loading, and packing every conceivable size of crate and package.

"Well, I see you're following in the same homely footsteps as your brother," Bobbie said, her voice becom ing dry and giving the men a first glimpse of what working with Roberta Bradford would be like. "I sup pose girls go out with you because they feel sorry for such an ugly little pup. Well, look at that smile I'm getting! And after all those insults! You're obviously very disagreeable too."

It was too much for the Taylor men; they couldn't hold their laughter. Bobbie joined them, and then a man came in with an armload of small boxes. Bobbie turned serious in the blink of an eye and the customer was explaining his need and paying his money in record time.

Gilbert was impressed with his first look at Bobbie in action. Gil wondered if his parents knew what a treasure they had found.

"Where's May?" Bill asked as he came out of his office

and approached the desk where Bobbie was seated. "She and Marcail left a little while ago."

"I'm sorry, Bobbie," Bill stated sincerely. "I had no idea you were out here trying to deal with the customers on your own." Bill stopped when his sons began to laugh. Bobbie didn't hear the explanation they gave their father because someone else had come in off the street and Bobbie moved to help them.

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It was Bill's turn to watch his new employee in action, and he felt like May did--that he could cry over how good it was to have her with them.

The next hour flew by in a frenzy of activity, and no one was given any more time for socializing. At one point Jeff and Gilbert watched their father take a large box from Bobbie and tell her she was not to be lifting anything that heavy. Bill turned away as though the matter was settled, but both of the younger men could see that Bobbie had a mind of her own on this subject. It wasn't until after lunch that the situation came to a head.

"Bobbie," Bill said as he plucked, yet again, another heavy package from his newest employee's arms. 'aan I or am I not your boss?"

"You're my boss," Bobbie admitted quietly.

'a, nd as your boss, I've told you that you're not to be lifting articles that are too heavy."

"I'm not lifting too much," Bobbie stated in respectful logic.

"I think you are."

"Mr. Taylor, did you write and tell me you needed a

shipping clerk, or did I misunderstand your letter?" "Yes, I need a shipping clerk, but---"

"Then I'm only trying to do my job," the small blonde cut him off, her voice and posture a picture of respect. "I'm young, strong, and healthy, and I haven't lifted a thing today that was too much for me."

Bill could only stare at her. He had
never
had an em ployee stand up to him before. He was a reasonable man but his word was law. He only had to say something once to have it obeyed. And now this young woman with the beautiful green eyes and the adorable glasses perched on her nose, a woman who had to tip her head back to

look up at him, was telling him she could lift and tote like his sons.

Bobbie waited a moment for her employer to say something, but .when he remained silent and when someone else needed her, she went off without a word, thinking as she did that he had seen her point and the matter was settled.

Bill stood still and watched Bobbie handle one of his toughest customers.-He stared in amazement when she actually wrung a smile from the old coot. A moment later he motioned Gil and Jeff, both of whom had again wit nessed the entire conversation, into his office.

"Does she ever stop moving?" Bill came right to the point and his sons smiled.

"'I
think she took about five minutes to eat her lunch," Gil told his dad.

Bill nodded and was silent a moment. "I want you to keep an eye on her. Now, I don't mean for you to babysit her and ignore your own work, but if you see her lifting something she shouldn't, take it from her. If that's too distracting for you, then I'll talk with her again."

"Lay down the law, Dad, like you did today." There was a teasing glint in Jeff's eyes and Bill smiled.

'She's certainly a surprise,' Bill thought to himself, staying at his desk long after his sons exited. Bobbie wasn't a person that drew any attention to herself. If something needed doing, she did it in silent efficiency. Bill thought that might take a little getting used to.

He knew he had babied May over the years. When it came to some of the tougher jobs or customers, he had always dealt with them. When it came right down to it, May could have handled everything as easily as he did.

What he was feeling today might have stemmed from the fact that he kept forgetting Bobbie was there. She was

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so quiet and efficient that he was already taking her for granted. By enlisting the help of his sons, he hoped they would all be more aware of her.

The sight of Bobbie, looking at him through those glasses, confident and unwavering, came to mind. It would do them all a little good to have someone like her working around the office, and he would do whatever he had to do to keep her working therenthat is, until she completed her plans for marriage. Bill found himself thinking that the guy who snagged Bobbie Bradford was one lucky fellow.

re you going to work here all the time?" The ques tion came from Marcail who was standing beside Bobbie's desk in the shipping office. It was near closing time and Bobbie was filling out some papers and preparing to leave for the evening.

"Well," Bobbie said slowly, "for awhile."

"I'm not going to work here when I grow up. I'm going

to teach school like Katie."

"Katie is your sister?"

The little girl nodded. "Her real name is Kaitlin. She used to be Kaiflin Donovan but now she's Kaitlin Riggs because she married Rigg."

'nd she's a schoolteacher?"

"Right. She's my teacher and Sean's too. He's my brother. He's 14."

Listening to all of this in thoughtful silence, Bobbie did not want Marcail to know that none of this was news to her. She had of course known Marshall Riggs, or at least
of
him, for years. And when he had married the schoolteacher, her mother had written and told her all about it.

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Marcail was at Bobbie's desk because Rigg was in the office with his father. They had come in a few minutes ago, and Marcail, who had already decided that Bobbie was very nice, had come straight to her desk to talk.

"How was school today?" Bobbie asked her young companion, who was regarding Bobbie's long finger nails with dark, serious eyes.

"It was fine. Katie's pretty tired. She says it's because

of the baby. Have you ever had a baby?" "No," Bobbie answered softly. "But you're an aunt?"

"Yes. My sister has five-year-old twins named Paige and Wesley."

"Twins!" Marcail's eyes grew very round. "Do you think Katie will have twins?"

A deep chuckle sounded behind them and both ladies turned to see Rigg listening.

"I'm not sure you should say that to your sister, Marc. She's so tired right now she can't think straight. Hello, Bobbie," Rigg continued. "You've grown up a little bit since I last saw you."

Bobbie smiled, almost mischievously. "You look the same, Rigg. A bit happier, perhaps, which I suspect has something to do with your recent marriage. Allow me to offer my congratulations on your having acquired a won derful sister-in-law." Bobbie winked at Marcail on these words.

"Thank you," Rigg said as his own eyes began to sparkle. His father had said it was going to be fun having Bobbie around and he could already see why.

"Oh, I guess I should also offer my best wishes, since you now have a wife, and a baby on the way." Bobbie said this as though it had just come to mind.

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Rigg, caught up in the spirit of Bobbie's teasing, bowed to her most formally and asked how the job was going.

"Very well, thank you. Most of it is routine, but the code system your father uses, along with all the different faces and names of the customers, is going to take awhile for me to learn."

"Something tells me you'll catch on with no trouble at

all. We better go, Marc, so we can help with supper." '"Bye, Bobble. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll look forward to it," Bobbie told Marcail as she walked them to the door.

The clock on the wall told her it was past closing time, so Bobbie put the sign out and shut the front door. With the sun sinking rapidly it was growing chilly outside. Bobbie thought she best get home before it grew much darker.

"Mr. Taylor," Bobbie called softly through his office door, "I'm going to go now. I'll see you in the morning."

The door opened before she could walk away and Bill stepped out. "Thanks, Bobbie, for all your work."

"It was my pleasure. Do you want me at the same time tomorrow?"

"Yes. I think you should plan on working the same hours as you did today, except for Saturdays. Some of those you'll have off and on others you'll work until noon. And of course we're closed on Sunday."

Bobbie looked a little surprised to learn she would have some Saturdays off. Bill figured she was used to working an office where there was little or no help at all and having to put in ten-hour days for at least six and possibly seven days a week.

'All right, Mr. Taylor. I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

"Good night, Bobbie."

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Bobbie's step was light as she walked the distance home. It had been a long day, but she was pleased with her work and believed her employer to be also. Still praying and thanking God for the way He provides and cares, Bobbie walked up the steps of her house.

Rigg and Marcail headed right home as planned and entered the warmth of the house through the back door. This put them in the kitchen, where they hung their coats on hooks and then moved to help Kaitlin with supper.

Sean, who lived with his sister and brother-in-law, just as Marcail did, was nowhere to be seen. Marcail assumed his job and set the table. Kaitlin was stirring over a large pot and Rigg slipped his arms around her for a brief moment.

"Let me do this."

Kate surrendered the spoon easily. "Thanks, Rigg. Did you guys see Sean?"

"Isn't he here?" Rigg's face darkened with concern and some suspicion.

"No. I think he said he had to work today."

Rigg's face clouded with very real anger and his wife put her hand on his arm.

"He wasn't scheduled to work today and he didn't even come in to check. How did he think to get away with such a lie, Kate?" Rigg's voice had turned from anger to anguish over this betrayal. "He knew I would be at the store and he would be found out."