Connexion

Part 87

The following day, Caleb had dinner with his parents and his sister.

Sophie was holding court, talking about her job and her boss. She looked over at her brother. "I guess you know she traded jobs today, took over Mary's jobs." Then looked across at her mother. "She said she was happy to do that, as she did bake when she was young."

"I assume you are talking about Ms Silva?" Drew asked with patience. It was obvious his daughter revered her boss. Her daughter's conversations with him always included a mention of her boss!

"Yes, Jena. She baked today. She said it was like old times. With her grandmother. Good memories. Baking and looking after her grandmother."

"But?" Caleb quirked a brow then pointed out, "And look at where she is now."

"I know. She left school and worked at a supermarket bakery and would you believe it, they sacked her three years later!"

"They sacked her?" Caleb blinked. Why would they sack her? Given her reputation, he assumed she was proficient, followed rules and given the way she handled him yesterday, she had good social skills!

"Yes, they sacked her, because she was taking time out for her grandmother. Regularly. Days off with little notice." Sophie revealed.

"I see. Of course they would need workers who turn up!" Drew said dryly.

Sophie rolled her eyes, "Anyway, why she was dealing with her grandmother, a family friend asked her to make a cake for a special event. And that, as they say was that! It prompted this venture."

"Guess people loved her cake." Amanda smiled. She like her husband, knew Sophie was smitten by her boss!

Sophie sighed again, "Her grandmother died two years ago, when Jena was twenty-six. That's nearly ten years she spent looking after her grandmother. Her grandmother had dementia. It took Jena, six years to grow her business on her own terms. That is something! Don't you think that is amazing? "

"She's done well for herself." Amanda smiled.

"Better than that, mum! Given how it started. From one to five in the company." Sophie sighed. "She's amazing." She looked at her brother, and was hoping to prise information from him. She had not given up on her matchmaker plans!

Caleb rubbed his jaw, "I can't imagine Jena told you all this."

"No. I told you. Sally and Mary did. Jena isn't really the chatty type." Sophie shook her head.

Caleb was tempted to tell her that was not accurate given his conversation with Jena.

"Honestly, mum, getting personal information from her, is like pulling out teeth!"

"Probably because you are a stranger, in essence." Caleb said, but that point reminded him that he was a stranger to Jena.

"I know that. And I am a stranger to Sally, Mary, or Matt too." She frowned, "Anyway, they are not strangers to Jena, but she rarely talks about herself in their chats. When you listen to her, it is about doing something for someone, never about her needs or wants or wishes."

Drew tipped his head, and reminded his daughter, "Sophie, surely you would not expect her to talk about her life at work. Or discuss her personal life with you."

"Exactly," Caleb backed his father. "Soph, Jena's office is her business. Not a social club!"

"I get that. All I am saying is that she rarely talks about her life. No small chats. Like where she goes, what she does in her leisure time, her favourite programmes on the tv, her favourite bands, films, music. But I know, for example that Matt spends his leisure at local gym. I know Mary loves the comedy sketch on tv. I know that Sally's favourite colour is crimson! Simple things. All I know about Jena, I learned through her staff! I am new, but Jena is really quiet at the office. Sally, Mary and Matt exchange banter. Constantly teasing. And gossiping about programmes they watched on the tv. "

Caleb realized what he knew about her was based on their engagement, her behaviour, her actions and a few details from their limited conversation. And Sophie was right, Jena rarely talks about herself. "Sophie, you can learn about people's nature by looking at their behaviour and actions."

Sophie said, "Fine! But it would easier if you just tell people!" Sophie pouted. "In any case, not sure what I could learn from her actions, she just baked today! She mixed butter, sugar, flour and eggs in various quantities with various colours and flavours and did not chat while she mixed and baked the cakes. So Einstein, what does that reveal about her nature?"

"Unusual for a woman!" Caleb stated drolly and earned himself a glare from his sister. Amanda threw Caleb a questioning look, while her husband chuckled.

Amanda thought, fascinating. Drew thought, good.  Clearly Jena rattled Caleb, in a good way, Drew watched his son. Caleb's behaviour was unusual. Cagey. Cautious covered with feign humour.

"Just goes to show you don't know everything there is to know about women!" Sophie pouted. "Anyway, today, I was at the front office and she was in the kitchen. I was really worried that I would let her down. But she said she trusted me and I had good people skills and come and get her if I needed something. Was that kind of her!"

"For goodness sake, Sophie! That is your job!" Caleb chuckled.

"Caleb!" Amanda remonstrated. Before she asked Sophie "And?"

"And I got on with it. It was such a good day, mum. Probably because Jena trusted me, despite my history of diva-moments with her."

Caleb acknowledged Sophie's remark hoping to deflect Amanda and his father's questioning looks. Clearly he was creating suspicious with his behaviour. "There you go. She trusts people's abilities!" He like his sister had reviewed their opinion of Jena. The woman was kind. And clearly thought everyone deserves second chances.

Sophie chuckled. "Caleb, you know she is really blunt! Straight talker. Takes no prisoners!"
"Meaning?" Drew asked.

"Just before I finished my stint today, I made a mistake."

"What happened?" Amanda asked with concern.

"Well, basically, I was going through some of the files, as Jena asked me to do an update while I was at the reception desk."

"Update?"

"Yes, the front of the files has time stamps, it reflects the cake progress, you know, if the cake was delivered, that file would go into the cabinet behind the door. If the cake was in the pipeline the front of the file will have the date for delivery, but below it, it will have an update showing if the cake is at sketch stage or agreed flavours and colour, and any concern or allergy. There was a stack of files from last week, and Jena asked me to update the front to reflect the stage which I could see from the forms and sketches inside the folder. I was enjoying that. The cakes were amazing. Unfortunately, a new customer phoned. I took details, and I filled the form, ready for Jena to review." All listening to Sophie nodded in encouragement. Sophie shrugged her shoulders, "But I lost it!"

"The form?"

"Yes. I could not find it. And could not remember where I put the new client form with the details! I had put all the files and folders back in the pocket in the cabinet, when I realized that I had misplaced the new customer's form!" Sophie grimaced.

Caleb said drolly, "Well, given there is only one office, with, if I remember, with only 2 file cabinets, so I assume the missing file would be there, if you stashed it there."

"Exactly, I thought that too. But it would take me a week, to go through the files to find that particular file! I would have to trawl through files, to see where I put the form, it could be anywhere in those pockets or even in the folders in the pockets! And given the situation, what with Andrew's and Mary's circumstances, the last thing Jena would need, is for me to reduce her office to chaos as I trawl through all of the folders in the file cabinets. One cabinet is for closed files, and the other cabinet holds files for current clients, but I could have put the new customer form in either cabinet! I just could not remember where I put it."

"So what did you do?" Amanda wondered what her daughter would do, and given her adolescent experience where she rarely admitted to her mistakes, let alone offer to fix things that she caused.