"We both know you would have hung up on me," Barbie said. She gave me her best impish smile. "Now, give me all the juicy details."
I had never been so glad to see James Berger burst through my office door. "Oh, Berger. This is my sister, Barbie."
Berger's eyes grew big. "Sister? You have a sister?" Then he spotted Barbie's round stomach. "And you're going to be an aunt? Whoa, have you let HR know you might need time off?"
Barbie snorted. "It's not like she's going to push this thing out and need recovery time."
"True, true." Berger strode over and gave my sister his most gracious handshake. "You know, I didn't think the whole 'glowing' thing was real, but you look wonderful."
His gold Rolex flashed as he gently laid my sister's hand back down. Barbie looked at me and rolled her eyes. "So, these are the kind of big shots you're up against?"
Berger adjusted his suit coat with a not-so-modest shrug. "I am one of the top junior executives."
Barbie laughed. "And my sister is going to be your boss someday soon. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have family business to discuss."
Berger could not believe he was being dismissed. He opened his mouth but realized the reason he'd stopped in, most likely to brag about his yacht party, wouldn't hold up against Barbie's edict. He slunk out the door, and Barbie rolled her eyes.
"You know, he makes your annual salary in two months," I told my sister.
She yawned and scratched her extended stomach. "Impressive. You know what's better? Your darling brother-in-law is mastering the art of the lasagna so we won't starve through the sleepless newborn phase."
I laughed. "Now, that is impressive."
It was impossible not to feel a twist of jealousy when I looked at my older sister. She was so at ease, despite how far along she was, and so content with her life. Nothing could shake her belief that she had the best life could offer: a comfortable home, a loving partner, and an expanding family. I had to admit that I was jealous. Where I was always looking for the next thing, Barbie was simply enjoying where she was.
"Do you think I'll ever be as content as you?" I asked my sister.
Barbie patted her baby bump. "Not if you keep blowing off dates. Now, are you going to tell me what happened or not?"
I stood up. "You know, I'm actually really busy. I have to make a big pitch to Stan today."
Barbie heaved herself out of the chair. "All right, I get it. You'll tell me over dinner this week. Remember, lasagna."
I walked her out of my office and to the elevator. While we waited, my big sister was nice enough to talk about innocuous things like what was blooming in her garden, but it all just made me think of Rainer anyway. As the elevator doors slid open, I felt my equilibrium spin.
Rainer stepped out and held the doors open for my sister. "Beautiful as always, Ms. Barbie," he said.
My sister patted his cheek. "Handsome and charming. No wonder I keep seeing your picture everywhere."
Barbie was about to wave goodbye to me, but I panicked and jumped onto the elevator with her. Rainer raised an eyebrow but the doors closed. We rode down two floors alone before my sister cleared her throat.
"I'm going to guess that he was part of the reason your date with Seth fizzled," Barbie said.
"Lasagna. Can't wait," I said.
Barbie laughed and hugged me as the elevator opened on the lobby floor. "Love you, Tasha," she said.
I waved goodbye as she headed across the lobby and then pressed the top floor button. I paced the small square of the elevator and tried to come up with a plan. Then I stopped. I was being ridiculous. I was going to have to face Rainer sooner rather than later. So, I punched the button for our floor and tried not to panic.
When the doors slid open to reveal a knot of junior executives, my throat closed up in a panic. I nodded to them and stepped out of the elevator.
"Hey, let me know what you're working on,"
one said. "I'm available if you need any help."
His buddies shoved him onto the elevator, telling him he was lazy and needed to find his own successful project. I smiled back at them as I set off down the hall. Luckily, none of them noticed I was heading towards Rainer's office instead of my own.
"Tasha, there you are," Stan said. He blocked my way to Rainer's side of the floor and steered me back towards the elevators. "We've got a meeting. Let's go to my office, shall we?"