THE HOUSE OF CHEN Chapter 12

Cheri needed many formals for entertaining
courtesuy clip art

 

Cheri would have turned down Lemond’s invitation for dinner if it hadn’t been for the urging of one of her associates listening on an extension phone so she finally agreed.

 

 He said he would pick her up at seven for he wanted to get an early start on the evening.

After hanging up Cheri had some words for her associate for listening in on her conversation.  She warned her if it had been something she shouldn’t have heard she would have to report her and she could lose her job.  

 

The extension phone was there for Cheri’s connivance, but was removed the next day in order to keep anyone else from making a mistake and listening in on a private conversation with an official.

At lunch time all of the girls in Cheri’s department knew about her date and were full of advice on how to handle herself.  Then they got a little more personal and said to make sure she had protection in case the night led to romance that was too hot to handle.  

Cheri who was composed most of the time began to blush and said it wasn’t going to happen, but thanks for the advice.  

Cheri tried to avoid these lunches but they would often catch her eating and join in with her.  Their conversations always went to who was doing what with whom and was a gossip fest.  They always tried to get Cheri to contribute something juicy about her boss but she just said “I don’t know anything and if I did I would keep to myself.”  

They didn’t believe her and would try to get her to participate in their gossip.  Cheri didn’t know how much of what she had heard was true but she had a good idea about who was doing what.  Most of the girls were single like her. Most of the men were married but kinda forgot about it during certain times.  

 
After a few months the word was out about Cheri which was; “Don’t even waste your time.”  

The opposite was true about too many of the single ladies associated with the office.

 

According to the office gossip the wives of some of the men were chasers also.  Cheri didn’t know if they were wild or just trying to get even.  

          
What surprised Cheri was in the midst of all of what was going on, the job, what they were hired for was getting done and what’s more it was successfully done.  

Cheri had accumulated a large wardrobe full of evening gowns with the clothing allowance they gave her. This was because she had to entertain at many social gatherings for both diplomats and business men. They wanted her to look her best at the events for seeing her caused men to be more cordial during the evening.  

More important was the fact she got alone so well with the wives who were impressed with the way she was so personable and yet kept her distance.

This was a woman thing where they could read if there was some competition to be worried about.

Lemond or Lee as he requested to be called; was right on time which Cheri appreciated for being too early or to be kept waiting was a bad way to start a date.

During the entire evening he was careful to be polite at every turn so much so Cheri told him to relax and be himself for the real person would come out sooner or later.  He had to smile at that and said, “How do you know this isn’t the real me?”

She said, “You have to be kidding,” which caused him to start laughing and he said, “I guess you got me, for the rest of the evening I promised to be the real me like me or not.”  

 

The evening went a lot better after he relaxed.  He said. “I guess I was trying too hard to impress you.”

She answered; “Well don’t think I didn’t appreciate the effort but I didn’t go out with you for that reason.”  

He thought he would take a chance and ask; “Why did you go out with me?”

She just smiled and said, “Because you asked me.”

To be Continued