Eileen Slovak

Chapter Sixty-five: Advice from Beyond

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and locales are products of the author’s imagination. They are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is coincidental. Copyright © 2024 by Eileen Slovak.

Scarlet

Friday morning I’m an hour early for work. The samples for my rescheduled meeting with Dominick, are in a box on my desk marked ‘utilities’. It’s the term Frank uses for products that are inexpensive to produce and market and offer great income potential. In other words, the one’s that pay the bills and keep the lights on. My meeting with Allen earlier in the week went better than expected. He even got my name right. Frank let him know I’m taking on a bigger role with the inventors. I can only assume this has earned me some grudging respect. After the meeting, Allen forwarded a report with his forecast for overseas production costs. As much as I personally dislike him, I have to admit he’s efficient. The numbers look promising. Before I can show Frank final estimates, I’m meeting with Dominick. He’ll have to sharpen his pencil now if he’s going to be competitive. It’s business. In the end, it comes down to turning a profit.

      Emilie is hard at work researching patents, searching like products. In addition to the monogrammed purse jewelry, there’s a double-ply, ergonomically designed terrycloth scarf. The creator is calling it an ExerScarf. The designer uses it during workouts, dissatisfied with the small skimpy hand towels the gym issues. It’s narrower where it fits around the nape of the neck with wide paddle shaped ends. In my initial research, I discovered similar products, but didn’t find anything identical.

      Another potential item is a belt designed with partially pre-drilled holes for adjustable sizing on the underside. If needed, new holes can easily be penetrated, but are not visible from the outside until pierced. The concept also applies to watchbands or other leather items with straps, like pet collars. Pet items are on our hot list right now, we need to expand this category. The only concern with this item is it’s hard to control the patent on a concept.

      Then, there’s a device designed to retrieve pull strings that have slipped into the waistbands of sweatpants, sweatshirts and such. It looks like a long metal knitting needle with a mini corkscrew and hook on the end. I’ve always removed the drawstring entirely. Then, I’ve attached a pin to one end and worked it all the way through the waistband. It’s tedious. I do think this gizmo would be a time saver as well as reasonably inexpensive to manufacture.

      The final item is a pair of pizza scissors. The designer had an effective sales pitch. He even brought pizza to the meeting, which won points with me, Emilie, and Frank. During his presentation, he demonstrated the ineffectiveness of the standard circular pizza cutter. He showed how it cuts right through the pizza box, potentially damaging surfaces. His stainless steel extra-long scissors have two, long, thin blades. There’s a metal plate that slides under the crust as you cut. Spring-loaded, it needs occasional oiling but is dishwasher safe. It was a great item but I know there are already multiple competing products on the market. His design would have to be unique enough to contend. Even if only one or two of the items make it to market, I’m pleased that our meetings were productive.

      Taking the items home for the weekend, I plan to go straight to Dominick’s Monday morning. This time, I’ll behave myself on Sunday night. Maybe Dominick is right. I’m wasting time with young men. How many more times do I need to have my heart trampled on before I come to my senses? Scott has left countless messages on my cell. I hit the delete button without listening. Emilie mentions in passing that he’s called the office as well. Breaking my cardinal rule about getting too personal in the office, I ask her advice.

      “What would you do, Emilie?”

      “Excuse me?”

      “If you were dating a guy who lied to you? Would you give him a second chance?”

      “It depends on the lie and the guy. I’d give him a chance to explain.”

      “Sorry. I don’t know why I asked.”

      “If you don’t mind my saying so, you were glowing when you were seeing that guy. I think it’s good not to be afraid to let people surprise you.”

      “Can we please keep this between us?”

      “It goes without saying. Hey, I remembered something, I thought you should mention to the police.”

      “What’s that?”

      “We’re still getting hang up calls. I thought they caught the guy?”

      “Thanks Emilie. That’s weird. Just when I was trying to forget the whole thing. I can’t imagine he would still be calling.”

     “I thought it was weird also. I’m heading out, are you ready?”

      Before I have a chance to answer, Serena pops into my office.

      “Knock, knock! I’ve been trying to catch up with you all day!”

      She poses in the doorway wearing her fake smile and brandishing a folder.

     “Have a good weekend, Emilie, ” I say. “Thanks again, for everything.”

      “Serena, what can I do for you?”

      “It’s Friday, Franks not here, Walter already left. I need someone to sign off on the payroll or no one will be paid next week. Frank flat out refuses to tell me when he’s going out of town. It’s so frustrating! I’m just trying to do my job here. Do you mind?” She thrusts the folder at me. “I need your signature here on this form stating that you have the express authority to approve the payroll.”

      “Here you go. Is there anything else?”

      “No, that was all. Say, I heard about the terrible phone calls you’ve been receiving. Did the police lock up that guy who was responsible?”

      “No. He seems to have moved on to other hobbies. If you’ll excuse me, Serena, I need to make an important call. Would you mind closing the door on your way out?”

     “Of course. If you ever need to talk about anything, I’m here for you. Thanks for this.”  Serena waves the folder and trots out of my office. She very dramatically flips her long, blond hair over her right shoulder. That she always knows so much strikes me as suspicious. We’re not friends. I’m adding her to the list of potential suspects. Asking Gary to investigate her is political suicide, but at the moment, I don’t care.

      I call Gary to report the ongoing calls. I ask if there is any progress in finding the culprit of the vandalism to my car. If it was Duhamel, I can at least ask that the company reimburse me for the damage. So far, Gary has no other leads. He’s also not getting anywhere with Duhamel’s public defender. Looks like I’m stuck paying for it myself. Gary mentions that his friend at the repair shop said the paint on my car was acrylic. He was expecting your standard run of the mill hardware store spray paint that anyone can buy. It’s artist paint. This narrow’s down the list of possible suspects. Artist paint? My head hurts from all of this. I’m at the point where I just want to think about something else. On a whim, I mention Serena. She has access to my phone numbers. She’s an “artist’. Maybe it’s not such a stretch? I ask Gary to broach it as a human resources concern, not make it obvious that she’s a suspect.

      When I reach into my purse for my keys, I come across the letter Scott gave me. The day Scott gave it to me, I was angry. I was also so busy with the kids and I didn’t want to read it then. Ever since, I’ve been avoiding it. Now, I’m already raw. It seems like a good time.  

                                                                                       November 4, 2022

Dear Scarlet,

I just hung up with you. I realize how stupid I am. Even as I’m writing this, I know I won’t send it. Who actually sends letters anymore? I need to get this out of my head. I didn’t say what I meant to say. What I told you was that you were right. That it’s for the best we go our separate ways. What I should have said, was how much I’ll miss having you in my life. That I have this hollow ache inside because I know you’ll be fine, but I won’t. You’re strong, beautiful, smart and ambitious. I don’t doubt you’ll find someone who will appreciate all that you are. I’m sorry that person isn’t me. I know how careful you are about who you let into your heart. I’m so glad I had a chance to be there, even if it was only temporary. If you change your mind, I’ll be here for you. Take care of yourself Scarlet.

Love,

Sean     

      I read the letter three times. He never sent it. If he had, even in an email, maybe things would have been different. My heart aches thinking about him. His passing is such an incredible loss for everyone who knew him. Life is precious. It’s as if Sean is telling me what to do. With the door closed, thankfully no one can see me quietly sobbing.