Connexion

Part 106

Mike said, "Yes, I had a word with her. And I did not reduce her to tears! But if our contractors are being rude to guests..."
Caleb ran his fingers through his hair, and interrupted, "Believe me, Mike, I doubt that Jena would be rude to a guest!" Jena blinked. She was not expecting Caleb to defend her. The fact he was championing her, happiness washed through her. Her cells danced with joy. The warm feeling vanished when Caleb added, "I accept she had can be stubborn, actually very stubborn," Caleb narrowed his eyes and looked at Jena, and he asked, "but, Mike did you check?"

"Check what? Ask who? Julie?"

"Jena!" Caleb gritted.

"Not sure why her presence was needed at the reception. But in any case, she was not a guest. A contractor being rude to a guest is not ok. So of course I had a word with her. Ms Silva was not a guest. She was there because she supplied the cake. Was there, as a contractor."

"Mike! Bullshit!"

Caleb's blunt statement floored Mike. "Come Caleb, if someone was rude to your guest, would you accept that?"

"I would check the story. Get both sides versions."

Mike muttered a swear word and said more loudly, "I did! Julie was upset. I asked Ms Silva what she said to Julie, actually I repeated verbatim what Julie said, and I asked Ms Silva if she said that to Julie. And Ms Silva, confirmed it!"

"Did you talk to your sister, or your parents? They have met Jena, and I am pretty sure if you spoke to them, they would tell you to double check!"
"Why would I need to check with them?"
"Because they would tell you Jena is a professional." Caleb ran his fingers behind his neck. "She's cool under fire, and does not hide the fact she is compassionate and unbelievably forgiving. But she's not as confident as she makes out. Unruffled, but underneath that composure, she is quaking!" Jena blinked in bemusement and was dazed by his description of her. It was accurate. How would he know that? Caleb continued, "Mike, I am telling you, Jena is kind." Caleb's glinted when he saw Jena bite her lower and her eyes revealed she was knocked for six. Caleb said, his eyes trained on Jena, "I accept she is stubborn. Terribly stubborn!" Jena's eyes lost the dazed look and replaced with exasperation. He grinned, "But she is very generous, thoughtful, and kindhearted." His eyes were on Jena and watched the emotions in her eyes. Clearly she was baffled by the fact he was defending her. The message in his eyes added power, when he said "And believe me," Jena blinked again, why was he supporting her and defending her, "Mike, she would not be rude to a guest. Take it from me. She is the epitome of professional in her field!" His words stunned her. "Composed. Unflustered. Polite." Caleb added with feeling, "And if you take the time, you will see, in her personal circle and her life, she's terribly stubborn, but so impressively loyal and her considerate nature allows people to take advantage of her!"

Jena put her glass down, and their gazes remained locked. He could see that he had Jena's full attention. And like her, he was surprised to see that he could provide a description of her and he knew it was accurate. Jena has experienced an earthquake, and her world was rattled, but Caleb's defence of her character outshined the impact of that earthquake. Why would he defend her?

Mike's voice penetrated the bubble surrounding Jena and Caleb. "Caleb. I just told you, Ms Silva, confirmed it." Clearly Caleb was in love given the way he described Ms Silva, but this was new news to Mike.

As good friends, Caleb asked, "She confirmed what exactly, Mike?" He was pretty sure that Mike reached the wrong conclusion.

"That she talked to Julie. And I repeated her words to her."

"In what context?" Caleb pushed his friend. He ran his fingers through his hair in agitation.

"What? Fuck it, Caleb! I am not sure what's going here. But I had words with Ms Silva about her conduct, because we, my family and I would not accept any contractor being rude to our guests. So I just reminded her. What we expect from our contractors."

"Mike, I can tell you, from my experience with Jena, she will be honest, too honest, often to her detrimental!" He looked over at Jena. She was still reeling from the fact that he was defending her, without having the relevant information to protect and support her position, and had championed her. "She is very stubborn. Beyond stubborn! Too proud." He glared at Jena. He looked away and continued. "But she is kind! Too kind! So if you simply asked her about using those words she would no doubt will confirm it, because it was probably true, but I doubt she will tell you the context which resulted in that statement!"

"Fuck, what context?"

"Did you ask Julie?" Caleb was striving very hard to keep his voice and tone calm and low.

"About what?" Mike demanded.

"Why Jena said that to Julie? The question is why? What did Julie say to Jena?" Caleb took a step away and rubbed the back of his neck.

Quietly, Mike strung a sentence of obscenities together before he said, "Caleb this was not a court, just a wedding reception where one contractor forgot her position. She was rude to guests. Julie said Ms Silva was impolite to her at the reception. That is all!"

"Mike, do yourself a favour, ask your parents, ask your new brother-in-law, ask your sister, and see if they think Jena would be rude to guests! I can guarantee they will tell you something doesn't jell if you say Jena was rude to guests! Jena would never be impolite to guests. It would go against the grain in her!" Caleb continued to defend her. Jena's mind was spinning. He was defending her. Caleb declared, "Her business is based on honesty, integrity and being professional. Sophie told us, she lost details for a potential client, and she told Jena she would phone and pretend their description for the cake they wanted needed more details. Jena told her not to lie to her potential clients, just tell them she lost their details, apologise for that and asked if she could have the details again." Jena blinked. "So being offensive at an event, where she catered, would never happen because she would rather cut off her hand! I guarantee, she was not impolite to Julie!" Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose.

Pause, followed by Mike saying quietly, "Ok, Caleb you are going to explain what is going here. Why this inquisition? Why are you defending Ms Silva when you are going out with Julie?"

My question exactly, Jena thought. Why are you defending me? She looked over at Caleb, and their eyes met again. She gulped. Caleb announced, "a, I am not dating Julie, and b, Sophie told me that By Design is not going to charge your family for the wedding cake! I assumed you told her your family would not pay for the cake because you thought she was rude to Julie. Is that why Jena was upset?"

Mike roared, "What? Of course we would pay! The cake was perfect for Mel's wedding, we were even talking about it just a few days ago, and as far as I know, Ms Silva has not submitted her invoice." Mike took a breath and said, "I am sorry if I upset her, but I just had a word with her about her behaviour, not her cake! Of course we would pay."

Pause, as both Mike and Caleb reviewed the situation. Both reached a conclusion that they had a problem - inadequate information and a stubborn woman!