Her Tiger-Print Heels

12 Gossip

Joni noticed Rachana rush into the office much later than normal. She glanced as the clock on her computer screen. 8:53.

"Good morning, Rachana," Joni called to a frantic-looking woman rushing to her office. "Looks like you had some fun late into the night."

Joni grinned. She wanted to tease Rachana so much more, but tempered herself.

Rachana didn't respond to Joni, but ignored her completely. She passed through the aisle of cubicles and headed directly into her office.

Rachana was behind schedule, a position she hated. She closed the office door and didn't come out for a while. Inside she was trying to catch her breath and catch up. She wanted her lifestyle back to normal.

Rachana was regimented, as if there was some military blood in her family line. She arrived each day at no later than 8 in the morning, with a cup of coffee in one hand and her brown, leather tot bag on her shoulder.

Being there earlier, of course, was not unusual. Voicemails, emails, conference calls, work started ever earlier and never actually ended.

Unfortunately for her, she was too organized to be subtle about any break in her routine. People who know they have power don't like to seem wavering, or worse, unstable at any time. They strive to remain in control, particularly of themselves.

Many people, such as Joni for instance, like the rigid people, because they're fodder for talk when they go awry. Knowing Rachana's routine, a change caused Joni to perk up and question the irregularity. The high-brow, professional political appointee was too easy for Joni to read. She'd been watching Rachana for the past few weeks and had noticed more differences. One reason must be Arthur. Something had happened last night, and whatever it was, it was good.

Joni recognized that Rachana rushed into the office this morning without her coffee. She saw it as a good reason to get into Rachana's office.

She knocked gently on the door. "Cream and sugar in your coffee?"

"What?"

The question startled Rachana. She was focused on her work, particularly because she was behind schedule and the work kept piling up. She gathered her mind. "Oh, cream and sugar, please. Thank you."

Joni slipped away to the kitchen to prepare her potion. It was only coffee with cream and sugar, but the magic would allow her into the uptight Rachana's office. Joni was sly and would work to get the information she needed about people. She was as adept as others in getting what she wanted.

A few minutes later, Joni knocked again and peeked inside the office, a cup of steaming coffee in her hand. Rachana wasn't on the phone but focused on her computer screen.

"Rachana, here you go."

"Thank you, Joni. Just put it down. I appreciat it."

Joni set the cup on an official Transportation Department coaster. Before leaving, she turned back to Rachana.

"If you don't mind me asking, is everything all right?"

"All right? What do you mean?" she responded without losing her intense focus on the screen.

"You seem to be off schedule lately. Slightly, frazzled or something. With your high-pressure job and all, I want to make sure you're staying healthy. The last thing I want is to find you sick from stress and exhaustion."

The concern sounded nice, yes, but the lady had a devious motive for her so-called concern for Rachana's well-being. She wanted the inside scoop.

"I'm fine, just fine," Rachana began. Then she rolled back from her desk and looked up to Joni. "I had a late night last night that I shouldn't have had, now I'm paying for it. I'm behind and came in with no coffee, so you don't know how much I appreciate you. There's nothing as good as a hot cup of coffee in the morning."

She picked up the cup and sipped it with her eyes closed, really enjoying the taste and smell.

Joni thought of so many jokes about what's best in the morning after a late night. She stopped herself for now. It was her strategy.

"I hope you're feeling okay. You're not feeling bad, are you? I can get you some medicine, aspirin or something, if you need it."

"No, Joni, I'm not sick. I said I was fine. Now I need to get back to work. Thanks again for the coffee, but I need you to leave."

"So you're just slightly off your routine. I'm worried about you when I see this happening. You are what's making this department operate well. If you have problems, the whole place may have them too. I need to watch out for you."

Rachana sneered at the comment.

"Joni, I seriously doubt you believe that. You're only trying to stay in here longer to get me to talk. Not just to talk, but to talk about last night. Don't play all innocent with me. I run game too, you know."

"Then let me be frank. Tell me about last night. All the juicy details."

"There was nothing, not a thing." And she rolled forward to her desk and looked at the computer screen.

"It was Arthur! He got your number! Tell me, could he do more than numbers?" Joni took a seat on the edge of a chair across from Rachana's desk and leaned in. "Well? Go on, tell me."

"Nothing happened. We had drinks and he dropped me off at my apartment. No kiss, no hug. Happy now? That's all for you, Joni. Now I have some business to take care of."

"Will there be another date?"

"I doubt it. I didn't feel any connection with him. He is, I'll say, more than a numbers guy. I think he's got some big numbers." She smiled dryly.

"Oh my, and you said nothing happened. You lie! What about his big numbers?"

"I'm not going there. I shouldn't have said anything." Rachana waved off the gossip-thirsty Joni. "Leave. I've got a conference call in five minutes."

"All right. Hope you like your morning coffee, since you missed your stimulus funding last night."