Sisterchicks Go Brit!

On that pivotal day at the Brew-La-La, the first thing I noticed about the tiny, determined woman as she assumed command from the cranberry red chair was her British accent. "I do appreciate your willingness to meet with me here on rather short notice. I'm Opal. I spoke with you yesterday." She adjusted her trifocals and with an open palm patted the side of her poofed-up white hair. Kellie gave me a what-is-going-on-here look. All I could do was shrug. "As I indicated on the phone," Opal continued, "I'm fully prepared to pay your regular fees. My only question is, when might you be able to provide me with an estimate?" "I'm sorry," Kellie said in a tone that revealed her instinctively smooth and professional demeanor. "I think you might have me confused with someone else." Opal blinked. "Are you not an interior designer?" The truthful answer for Kellie was yes. She was, as a hobby, an interior designer. "Who were you expecting to meet?" I asked. Flustered, Opal reached for her pocketbook, undid the clasp, and rummaged around. Instead of a note or a business card, she extracted a handkerchief and held it in her left hand as if for moral support. "I have the name here somewhere." She looked at Kellie again. "Are you certain you are not a designer? I thought I recognized you from Sunshine Manor." Kellie smiled. "My aunt used to live at Sunshine Manor. Did you know Martha Wojckski?" Opal's expression lifted. "Yes, of course I knew Martha. Her apartment was beautifully decorated. Which is exactly why I'm meeting with a designer. I'm afraid I'll go mad if I don't have a change of color on the walls soon. Do you happen to know who designed your aunt's apartment?" Kellie blushed. "Actually, I did." Opal sat up straight. "Then I should like to engage you for the work needed on my apartment." "I'm not a professional interior designer," Kellie said quickly. She looked to me for backup, but I didn't agree. Kellie had done wonders with my small home, and her home was a masterpiece. She had wanted to pursue designing for well over a decade but had never taken the first step toward that dream. If Opal was going to push Kellie off the cliff by inviting her to take this risk, I wasn't going to stop her. "You did such a lovely job with your aunt's apartment. If you're available, I would certainly like to hire you." "What about the other designer you were going to meet here?" Kellie asked. Opal looked around and glanced at her watch. "I don't think she's coming. We only had a tentative meeting arranged, which is why I was so hopeful when I saw you wave. In her message yesterday she said she was reluctant to take on the project since I live at Sunshine Manor. Apparently there are difficulties in working within the limitations set by the association." While Opal was talking, I had been giving Kellie all the nonverbals I thought she needed to recognize this as a golden opportunity she had better snatch. Kellie may have had one eye on my affirming expressions, but she definitely had both ears open to Opal. "I know," Kellie said to Opal. "They do have some strict rules. I found a way to work around some of the restrictions. They aren't that complicated. We just have to file the necessary forms." "Does this mean you'll come to give me an estimate?" KGunn, Robin Jones is the author of 'Sisterchicks Go Brit! ', published 2008 under ISBN 9781590527559 and ISBN 1590527550.