The Bet - Chapter 56 (Friday – week 8 Part 3 of 9)

The Bet

By Karen Singer

Chapter 56 (Friday – week 8 Part 3 of 9)

     Mel sat at the conference table in the Feinbaum building and listened as the meeting started to wrap up.  She had worn her new blue suit today and felt much more in style with everyone else. 

     The meeting had gone pretty much as she expected it to.  They had gone around the room discussing different sections of the contract, but the end results were that everybody seemed to be happy with it now.  When they had gotten to her, she had simply said she saw no problems with any of it and they had moved on. 

     Dick Feinbaum was running the meeting, but it was his father who put the finishing touch on it all.  “That’s it then,” Harry Feinbaum finally said.  “We meet with everybody at Green Growers on Monday morning and recommend that they go ahead.  And I’ll set up the finalization at Sunshine for Tuesday.  It looks like we’re about done with this one,” he said sounding pleased.  “Thank you everybody.  If nobody has anything else, that’s it for today.”  He looked around the room, but nobody had anything to add and the meeting quickly broke up. 

     Mel was back in her car a short while later and decided to go home to change.  The new suit was nice and it was comfortable, but no use wearing something like that to the office for what she still had to do today.  And today she would be meeting with clients again all afternoon.

     Chad was sitting at his desk not doing much of anything except occasionally scratching at some of the constant itch, when he saw an email come in from his boss, Tom Robinson.  He opened it quickly.  The email asked if he thought he would have time before he left on vacation to handle a few minor tasks that had come up.  Chad figured he pretty much knew what those tasks were since he handled them frequently. 

     He wrote back quickly to tell Tom there would be no problem, he could handle them.  Ten minutes later, a short list of items that needed attention hit his desk.  He looked at the list and quickly got to work.

     Robin thought she heard the faint sounds of typing coming from Sissy’s cubicle.  What was he doing?  She didn’t have anything left for him to do on their project, and break time was coming up in a little while.  In fact, his leaking time limit was coming up even sooner.  So why wasn’t he sitting on her floor drinking another baby bottle?

     Curious about what he was doing, she got up and went around to his cubicle.  “What are you working on?” she asked as she walked in.

     Chad knew that break was coming up soon.  He also knew that Robin was most likely going to make him go this time – which he was hoping he could avoid.  He got up from his seat and curtseyed.  “Tom sent me a list of things that has to get done right away.”  He curtseyed again… and hesitantly, stuck his thumb into his mouth. 

     Robin checked the program he had opened on his computer and realized that he was indeed working on things for Tom. 

      “Okay,” she said.  “I was just wondering.  Are you leaking yet?” she asked.

     Thumb out, curtsey.  “Not yet,” he admitted.  Curtsey, thumb back.

     Robin shook her head.  “You know your time limit is almost up.  If you’re not leaking by then, then I can assure you that you’re not going to like what happens – at all!  And trust me, I already have Mel’s permission!”

     Chad had no idea what she was talking about, but it didn’t sound good.  Thumb, curtsey.  “I still have a little while,” he replied.  Curtsey, thumb.

      “But not all that long!  Go get a bottle… now!”

     Reluctantly, Chad left the first actual work he had done in a little while and went around to Robin’s cubicle to get another bottle.  He knew his diaper was very, very wet.  Almost wet enough to start leaking.  So hopefully, it wouldn’t take all that much longer.  Hopefully. 

     As Robin followed him back to her cubicle, she wondered just what she would do to punish him.  Mel had told her it would be totally up to her.  Whatever she decided was best.  She really had no idea what she would do, but she also knew she would most likely come up with something.  But the way he was doing with getting his diaper to leak on time, she seriously doubted she would ever have to worry about it.  He had an hour and forty-five minutes to be leaking each time, and he was consistently making it in almost an hour and a half.  And he still thought he could win their bet?  But then, he did have those two days to regain control.  But could he?  She really had to wonder.

     A few minutes later, while Sissy was sitting on the floor of her cubicle working on his baby bottle, her office phone rang.  “Hello?” she said as soon as she picked it up.

      “Robin!” a female voice that she recognized said, “I heard the most outrageous things about Sissy this morning!”

     Robin glanced back at Sissy on the floor of her cubicle, having a pretty idea of what the “outrageous” was that she was talking about.  “Yeah, his outfit is… somewhat outrageous today.”

      “Not only that, but I heard he was wearing something… different… when he ran out of here last night.  Some kind of blue dress or costume or something!”

     It sounded to Robin like the rumors about Sissy’s outfits were spreading fast.  “Yeah, the dress he was wearing yesterday was blue.  He just couldn’t make it to break yesterday.”

      “Well, I hope he’s going to be there this morning.”

      “Oh, we’re planning on it,” Robin replied.  She looked down at him and saw him looking back up at her with a fearful expression on his face. 

      “Good!  See you then,” the woman replied before hanging up.

     Robin realized that she had just agreed to make sure he was going to be at break in a little while.  And she knew of no excuse to keep him out of it this time.  “Break time is coming up in a little while,” she said to him.  “And it sounds like the rumors about your outfits are spreading fast.  The woman I just talked to mentioned your blue outfit from yesterday.  I don’t see any way for you to avoid going to break now.”

     But this time, Chad thought he had an excuse.  Even though he wasn’t finished with his bottle yet, he stood up and curtseyed.  “But Robin,” he said, “Tom said he needed that stuff taken care of right away!  I can’t go to break.  Especially not if I have to sit here and finish this bottle too!”

     Robin just stared at him for a moment.  Tom had said that?  But she had seen the kind of thing he was working on at his desk.  It was most likely true.  And things like that did come up once in a while.  She actually didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved.

      “Very well Sissy.  I guess you better take care of business – for once!  But I think you better plan on going to break later today or you’re most likely going to have the whole company down here to check on you.”

     Chad knew that what she had said was all too true.  But not having to go yet was a huge relief.  Instead of replying, he simply curtseyed and sank back down to the floor where he put his baby bottle to his mouth, and a moment later, his hand went under his skirt.  He stood right back up again and curtseyed.  “I think I’m leaking.”

     Robin didn’t know whether to giggle or just feel relieved.  She realized then that she was just happy that he had a good excuse for not being at break this morning.  She was relieved, because she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone asking questions that might affect her!

     Andrea answered the office phone on the second ring.  “Hello?”

      “Hi Andrea, it’s Gloria.”

      “Oh hi Gloria.  Mel’s not in the office right now, but I expect her back shortly.”

      “Actually, I wasn’t calling for Mel this time, I’m calling to talk to you.”

      “Oh!  That’s right, Mel said you were probably going to call about Sissy’s testing thing.”

      “Yes.  I guess Mel told you that I had certain… conditions that I’m insisting on if I’m going to be one of the judges for this thing?”

      “She said you did, but she didn’t tell me what,” Andrea replied.

      “Well, I was thinking of getting everyone together to discuss the whole situation.”

      “Okay, that sounds fine with me, but it would have to be after work.”

      “Actually, I was thinking about this weekend sometime,” Gloria told her.  “I usually work evenings when you’re off and I know how hard it would be for everyone to get time off during the day.”

      “Sounds fine to me… oh but I did promise Mel I would do something for her on Saturday.”  She giggled.  “Something with Sissy.”

      “Actually, I was thinking more like Sunday afternoon… if you’re available.”

     Andrea thought about that for only a moment.  “Sounds fine to me,” she replied.  “I’m not doing anything then.”

      “Good.  Then all I have to do is see if I can get everyone else here too.”

      “Are you wanting to meet at your office?”

      “I was thinking about it.  It’s easy to find and there’s plenty of parking.”

      “You know, since it’s a Sunday, it might be easier to meet in one of our conference rooms here.  That way we’d have more seats and anything else we might need.”

     Gloria thought about that for a moment.  “Maybe that would be better,” she replied.  “Can you clear it with Mel when she comes back?”

      “I will, but I know it will be no problem at all.  What time do you want to do this?”

      “I was thinking around two in the afternoon.”

      “Okay, I’ve got it on my calendar for two o’clock Sunday afternoon, right here in one of the conference rooms.”

      “Great Andrea.  Thanks.  Now I just have to call everyone else.”

     Robin entered the break room and immediately scanned the room for Derek.  Yesterday, Derek had actually deflected the questions about Sissy for her – after he had told her that he wouldn’t!  But would he play ball for her today too?  She seriously doubted it.  But would he even be there this morning?  She doubted that too.  When Derek showed up, it was usually in the afternoon.  So Derek wasn’t going to be able to bail her out this time with helping her come up with an excuse for Sissy not being there.  But then, she did have an excuse this time, and for once, it was the truth.

      “Robin, where’s Sissy?” the questions started the minute she got her coffee and tried to sit down with it. 

      “Tom Robinson just called and gave Sissy some stuff that has to be finished right away,” she said.  “So this time, blame Tom.  Sissy was all set to come.”

      “You’re sure?” one of the women asked dubiously.

      “Yeah, sure!  Ask Tom,” she replied, knowing full well that none of them really would.  Besides, according to Sissy, Tom had done just that!  Except he had emailed instead of phoned, but it amounted to the same thing.

     The question was dropped, but she could tell that everyone wasn’t happy.  But other questions weren’t dropped.  “I heard he was sucking on a pacifier when he came in this morning,” one of the women said to Robin.

      “He was!” another woman confirmed.  “I saw it!”

      “Me too!  I was there with her,” still another woman said.

     Robin wasn’t sure what to say about that.  “Um…  I don’t know.  I guess you’re going to have to ask him about it later.”

      “And how about the outfit he’s wearing today?” the woman said with a giggle.  “It looked like some kind of schoolgirl thing the guys would all get a kick out of.”

     Robin nodded.  “Yeah!  He’s definitely wearing that today!  Believe it or not!”  She looked around the table.  “If you thought the hooker outfit he wore the other day was bad, wait till you see this!”  She was rewarded by shocked looks from around the table.

      “Oh God!” one of the women exclaimed.  “And you’re sure he’s too busy to come again?”

     Robin nodded.  “Yeah.  He’s got a lot going on right now.”

     But the woman wasn’t quite satisfied yet.  “Well… do you think he would mind if I stopped by there on my way back from break?”

      “Me too!” another woman added.  “This, I’ve got to see!”

     Robin realized that like it or not, Sissy was about to get some visitors.  She just hoped he wouldn’t be drinking another baby bottle when they got there.  She also realized that his diaper bag was still out on top of her desk.  She had better keep them away from her cubicle as well!

     Chad was back at his computer working on the stuff for Tom when a high-pitched voice behind him suddenly giggled and said, “Hi Sissy.” 

     He turned fast in his chair and saw a couple of women he often saw in the break room standing in the entrance to his cubicle.  He noticed Robin standing right behind them.  Panicked, he quickly made sure his legs were pressed tightly together and he pulled on his skirt a bit before he turned around further and stood up.  He was definitely shocked to see them there.  Not knowing what else to say, he stood there holding his skirt down, and said a very embarrassed sounding, “Hi.”

     One of them giggled.  “I couldn’t believe it when I heard what you were wearing!” she exclaimed.  “Did you wear that because you thought it would be fun again, like what you wore the other day?”  A light of mischievousness flashed through her eyes.  “Or did you wear it for another purpose?”

     Another purpose?  Chad had no idea what she could be talking about.  “Another purpose?” he asked.

      “Derek!” the second woman exclaimed.

      “Derek?” Chad was almost filled with horror at the thought, but he noticed that all three women, Robin included, were laughing.  Instead of replying, he stared bashfully at the floor as he said.  “No not really.”

     One of them giggled again before she said, “I’ve got to get back to my desk.  I just had to come down here and see for myself though.  Do you think you’ll be finished with what you’re working on by this afternoon?”

     Chad looked nervously up at Robin.  “Um… I’m not really sure,” he replied.  “This has to get done.”

     The woman looked disappointed.

      “He’ll be there!” Robin replied.  “Even if I have to do half the work for him!”

      “Oh good!” one of the women said excitedly.  “I know everyone wants to see you!” 

     Amid a few more giggles, the woman and her friend left, leaving Robin standing in his cubicle smiling at him.  “How much do you still have to do?” she asked him.

     This time, Chad curtseyed before answering.  “A few things,” he admitted.  Curtsey… then when Robin continued to just stare at him, he slowly raised his thumb to his mouth and started sucking on it.

      “Let me see the list he sent.”

     Chad curtseyed before pulling up the email from Tom.  Robin read it.  “You could have gone to break,” she said.  “There’s really not that much here to do!”

     Chad decided not to reply.

      “Don’t plan on skipping break later, because you’re not getting out of it!  Now, come along, it’s bottle time again!”

     Two minutes later, Chad was again sitting on the floor of her cubicle drinking infant formula from one of his baby bottles, while Robin was hard at work on their project.

     Tom Robinson had just finished meeting with someone and was walking back to his desk when he heard several of the women mentioning Sissy again.  But then, Sissy was often the topic of conversation among the women around the company.  Today, he wasn’t really interested in the latest gossip about Chad… or was it Sissy. 

     As he was passing the women though, one of them suddenly stopped him.  “Oh Tom!”  He stopped to see what she wanted.  “How much work did you send down for Sissy to do?” she asked.

     Tom was surprised by the question.  Besides, something like that wasn’t any of her business!  “Why?” he asked, slightly irritated that she should ask such a thing.

      “Well, it’s just that we were all looking forward so much to seeing him at break but he didn’t show up because he had too much to do again.”

     Tom was a little surprised at that and didn’t fully understand.  “Too much to do?  I didn’t mean for him to miss break!”

      “Oh,” the woman said, “you know how he can be sometimes.  He does take his job seriously.  It’s just that we were all hoping to see him today.  That’s all.”

     Tom didn’t know how to reply to that… or if he should reply, so he left it at that and walked away.  He takes his job seriously?  Dressed the way he does?  But Tom knew that Chad did take his job very seriously.  And, Chad was good at what he did – very good!  But it seemed like everything else about Chad’s life right now was anything but serious!

     He had already unconsciously turned the direction he needed to go before he realized what it was he was doing… and what it was he had to do!