CHAPTER 6: Part 1: “So what have we got?”
Janine glanced down at the folder on her desk, and picked up the top flyer. “Okay. The Women’s Centre is having a four-part workshop on anger next month, and the leader wants to come in and talk about it.”
“Is it for profit?”
“Let’s see. There’s a charge, but it’s minimal. $20 for members, and membership costs $10.”
“So maybe they want this to act as a draw for more members, too. Who’s the guest?”
“Marilyn White, a therapist. She has a masters in social work.”
“Don’t know her. But that’s okay. Yeah, I’m interested.”
Janine scribbled on the flyer and put it aside. “The author of Working Ourselves to Death wants to do an interview. It’s a book on workaholics.”
“I haven’t heard anything about it. I don’t know. I’m getting tired of workaholism. Let me take a look at it and decide.”
Janine put it aside and looked at the next item. “Here’s someone who’s designed a quiz to help you determine if you’re an alcoholic. You know, how often do you drink, why do you drink, how much do you drink. Then you add up your score and it tells you if you’re a problem drinker.”
“Nah.” Katherine shook her head. “Those quizzes are a bit simplistic, and besides, they make terrible radio. There’s not enough to discuss.”
“Okay, how about a 16-year-old former cocaine addict who’s coming to the high school to give a talk?”
Katherine sat up straight. “Absolutely! Do we have a bio on him? Or is it a girl? Or woman, I guess I should say.”
“It’s a guy. They just sent the notice that he’s coming to town.”
“Lucky for us that he got addicted so young,” said Katherine wryly. “He’s a great age for our new demographics. See if you can get his bio, so I can read up on him before the interview.”
“Right,” said Janine, making a note. Their story idea meeting carried on like this for about half an hour, as Katherine rapidly evaluated the potential guests. Lawrence came in to file away some tapes, and Katherine waited for him to leave before asking Janine “How are things with you and Steve?”
“Just fine,” Janine answered too quickly and firmly. Then, seeing Katherine still looking at her, she added “He’s busy a lot in the evenings, you know, doing his MBA? So we don’t see a lot of each other right now.”
“So when you do get together, it must be special.”
“Sometimes, I guess. I try to have some time each week. Like a date night, you know?”
“Oh yeah, and what do you do?” Katherine spoke casually, but there was a touch of pink in her cheeks. “That is, of course, if you can tell me.”
“Well, I can tell you part of it,” said Janine with a smile. “We try to go out to a party, or a movie, or something special on Friday or Saturday night. If you don’t make the effort, the marriage can go stale. They’re always warning against that in Cosmo.”
Here was the perfect opportunity to tease Janine, but Katherine sailed right past it. “Do you ever, I don’t know, stay in and have a candlelit dinner or something like that?”
“Not that often, really, because I don’t like to cook. It just ends up being a lot of work for me.”
“Oh,” said Katherine in disappointment. She had been hoping to learn Janine’s menu for romance.
“But for his birthday or something, I might,” Janine said, eager to give Katherine what she wanted.
“Yeah? What do you do? What do you cook? What do you serve?”
“His favourite food. And I put on this special CD that we have, that’s sort of like our favourite,” and here Janine blushed a moment before recovering herself. “And I sort of get dressed up a bit, and we have candles and wine and dessert and stuff.”
“Sounds nice.” But not helpful in the least, Katherine thought. I don’t know any of Rick’s likes and dislikes. Except for chocolate chip cookies and Italian food. “Well, back to work.” But Katherine found herself making a list instead: vodka and olives, soup, pasta, red wine, salad, coffee or tea and dessert. Was that too much? Or maybe too little. What if he doesn’t drink? Better have some options in that case. Juices, soda water, pop. The phone rang. “Katherine Glee,” she answered.
“Good, I caught you at your desk.” It was the high reedy voice of Blaine. “Have you got a few moments to come to my office?”
“Sure. Right now?”
“If you can spare the time.”
“Be right there.” She slid her list under some papers and told Janine she’d be with Blaine. She went down the hall to the corner office and knocked gently on the partly open door.
“Come in,” Blaine called. “Just shut the door behind you, would you?”
Now what, Katherine was thinking.