A Seal Upon Your Heart by Pepper Pace Read Free Book Online

juvenile delinquent son. Jane felt out of place and sat quietly listening as she nibbled her potato salad.
     
    “Where are you from, Jane?” The black lady asked. “You have a beautiful accent.”
     
    “Africa.”
     
    “Wow, girl, you’re really from Africa?”
     
    Jen blushed. “I thought you were from the Middle East.”
     
    The black woman gave Jen a sharp, disapproving look before turning her attention back to Jane. “Where in Africa?”
     
    “Outside of Kigali.”
     
    The black lady just stared at her but the other women gushed about Africa and asked her questions about how long she’d lived in the states.
     
    Jane was relieved when Jen interrupted to indicate that they had better get back up before the grumpy bear moved out of his den. 
     
    The white haired woman shook her head. “Tim hasn’t gotten over his wife’s death.”
     
    “Well that doesn’t mean that he should take out his frustrations on me and Jane.” Jane stumbled when she heard the words from the other woman. The picture of the pretty lady…the ever-present look of anger. She should have recognized that look. She’d seen it time and time again in the faces of the girls at St. Bartholoma.
     
    “When did…when did she die?”
     
    “Almost a year ago.” The black woman responded. “Breast cancer. She used to be his assistant. She actually did what a lot of girls think they can do; marry the boss.” Claudette, the black woman glanced at Jen and then looked away.
     
    Jen quickly covered her mouth. “Oh God…I didn’t realize…I mean, I knew she had died but no one told me she used to be his ASSISTANT!” Jen’s face turned red. “Oh my God…I made the stupidest comment about the filing system. Fuck! No one said she was the assistant! Why didn’t you all tell me?!”
     
    No one even bothered to look at Jen and Jane knew something that Jen hadn’t figured out. They didn’t really like her. And in fact, they hadn’t told HER anything, they’d told Jane.
     
    “Nice to meet you.”  She said shyly.
     
    “Come down anytime, Jane.” The black woman said. “We always sit at this table if we’re not outside enjoying the sun.”
     
    She smiled. “Okay, I will.”
     
    But back at the office Jane was stunned by what she’d learned. Tim came to work every day and passed the desk that his wife had worked and stared at the picture of her and went through each day wearing her loss like a mask on his face. Her heart ached for his pain.
     
    The week moved swiftly. She soon became comfortable with the routine that she and Jen come up with. It allowed her to focus on the typing and Jen to work more closely with Tim. As much as she complained about him, the other woman certainly made sure she was the one that was always in Tim’s company. Jane liked what she did, but it did feel awkward when it became obvious that Jane was referring to him as Tim and Jen was still formally referring to him as Mr. Singleton.
     
    Jen chided her for it and Jane confided that he’d told her to do so. After that Jen began referring to him as Tim, as well.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 6
     
    When Friday finally arrived, Jane was excited. She could barely wait to meet the love of Dhakiya’s life. Her friend would pick her up from work and they would visit for a while before Rodney arrived.
     
    Since Friday was dress-down day and she wanted to look nice for dinner, Jane wore black slacks instead of her customary skirt, and a colorful blouse that flowed to mid-thigh. She put on bangles; six on each wrist and she removed her crucifix for a fine gold chain. In her ears dangled gold loops. And instead of her customary bun, Jane sectioned her hair and twisted each into intricate designs. At first she was afraid that she might get into trouble for dressing so vibrantly. But then she decided that no one would have the nerves to tell an African not to dress like an African. And that thought made her laugh.
     
    Still, as she