Dream a Little Dream

Dream a Little Dream - Dream 19

Dream 19

With most of her work done via emails, drop boxes and couriers Susan only went into the office for the layout meetings once a month. In addition to her main duties of editing articles, she had been helping Harry and the other editors with the layout of the magazine for the past year and a half. She wasn’t a section editor, but more like Harry’s assistant editor, without the title.

Harry was someone who had been in publishing all of his adult life, and maybe even before then. He knew all the ins and outs of newspaper, magazine and he was even branching into web based publishing. When Susan started working for Harry right out of college, he showed her the ropes, took her under his wing and taught her just about everything there was to know about the business. He told her once that he was training her to take over one day. But Susan knew that was a long way off.

Harry had been great during the months that followed Jack’s death. He kept her busy with work, but understood when she needed privacy and space and suggested she take some time for herself. So Susan showing up today with no meeting planned, right after returning from a weekend trip to Miami had surprised Harry. Although he would never let on that he wasn’t expecting her.

“Good morning Susie Q,” calling Susan a nickname he had used since she began working for him. “How was Miami?” Harry was a grandfatherly type. His sun weathered face showed the signs of a man who enjoyed the outdoors and travel. He was always going off to scout locations he said, but everyone knew it was his passion for travel that started the magazine.

“I know we aren’t meeting until next week, but I just need a few minutes,” Susan looked towards his office and saw that it was empty, “if you have time to spare.”

“For you, anything. How are you?” Harry finished filling up his coffee mug and led Susan to his office.

“Fine. I have a lot on my mind and just need to figure things out. That’s why I’m here.” Harry guided her into his office and they sat in a couple of comfy chairs tucked into the corner, “Miami was fine. But the trip has me considering something pretty serious. Shelly wants me to move to Denver.”

“And what do you want to do?” Harry asked stretching back in his chair and taking a sip of his coffee.

His office had pictures on the walls highlighting Harry’s travels. There were awards hanging that the magazine had won and even a couple of awards Harry won as a journalist before starting the magazine. Susan had seen the awards over the years. And had even been present at a few of the ceremonies. But now she was looking at them like maybe they would help her answer Harry’s question. The same question that had been haunting her the past three days since she returned from Miami.

In Miami it was a thought, an idea. But now that she was acting on it, the reality was starting to settle in and Susan was nervous she might make the wrong decision. She didn’t understand this feeling. She had always been confident and assured in herself and her decisions. But since Jack’s death, it was like a switch was flipped and she no longer felt confident in any of her decisions.

“I’m not sure. I need to weigh all of my options and work is one of them. I know I can get a job editing if I was to move out to Denver,” Susan was about to continue when Harry held his hand up to silence her.

“I have several friends I could put you in contact with. Notice the word could,” Harry shook his head, “I don’t want to. Would you want to stay on here and work long distance?”

Susan couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face, “I was hoping you would say that! Would we be able to work it out?”

“I’d want you to fly out for the monthly meetings and occasionally we can teleconference with you for the meetings. Would you be able to do that?”