As The Mill Grinds

OPENED DOORS CHAPTER 10

Present Day.

"Whoa! Mummy what is this place?" Josh asked his mother as they enter the grand glass door of Vermont's Enterprises. The building was accentuated with grey and black marble tiles and glass panels. The gold plated sign VERMONT hung over the main entrance.

Nadine had kept her appointment with Mr. Davis Mullins and visited the company's open day with Cara and the children. She still had her inhibitions about visiting the company since she was still unsure of her father's connections to Vermont's Enterprises. 'How did he managed it? We spoke just a few days since we were here and still he hadn't fully explained it.'

"It's touching the sky." Casey said pointing all the way up at the top of the building.

"It is pretty tall, but still not that tall hon." Nadine said. They stopped and looked around scoping the environment.

People hustled about from desk to desk inside the building as announcements rang through the air from the PA system. Service reps handed out brochures and guides waited from each section to give tours around the company. Clowns blew up balloons replicating ponies and dogs, and handed them to children who were more than happy to run off and play with their balloon toys in the jumping tent. Besides the kids jumping tent were food stalls, information booths and an outside stage with the full works decorated with banners, balloon bouquets and stage lights.

"Wow this is nice!" Cara said. She pushed Danni and Kate in a twin stroller towards the clowns for a balloon toy and they squealed in delight. "Would you like to have a pony or puppy?" She asked.

"Puppy!" Danni shouted. Kate wasn't able to speak but grabbed the pony from the clown's hand.

"Guess she'll have that one." She told the clown and paid for their toys.

Josh and Casey went off to the jumping tent. "This is really something else." Cara said. "I never thought such a large company would be interested in hosting this type of expo. And look, there is even a model show for their new clothing line. See, look here. " Cara showed Nadine the flyer that informed what was going to be coming during the day.

"Wow they really thought of everything, huh?" Nadine said. All the while Cara spoke Nadine was scoping the area for anyone that might be Mr. Mullins. She thought he could be anyone since they didn't meet in person as yet, but she remembered his voice. Just then she heard a voice over the PA system.

"Nadine Bryan Henderson would you please come to the front desk!"

"Hmm... Guess you don't have to keep looking around, they found you. " Cara said. "You go on, I will stay here with the children."

"I'll call you when I'm done. It's about 11:00 now, so hopefully I should be finished in about,"

"Naddy it's fine, stop worrying and go on. Take whatever time you need, we'll be here, another show is soon going to start so go on." Cara urged her.

She was a nervous wreck and hoped that her safety wasn't going to be jeopardise. She finally reached the front desk where she gave in her name and was met with the hostess who greeted her warmly.

"Please come this way." The hostess led the way to the third floor where others were seated in a theatre style auditorium that had the capacity of maybe two hundred persons. Nadine was given a name tag and sat down nervously waiting with the others. The stage was fully groomed with floral arrangements one on each side and a desk stood on the far right, and a banner on the backdrop behind the stage boldly printed; "WELCOME TO VERMONT'S ENTERPRISES!"

A podium was placed center stage and a man much shorter than the host was escorted on the stage. Nadine looked back startled, when she heard clapping coming from behind her. Little did she know that others had joined in and were seated a couple seats behind her. They seemed to be employees of the company, they wore the company shirt and colours, teal green and periwinkle. She smiled at their enthusiasm_her nervousness slowly faded.