Page 60 of Analysing Her Assets

(49 days to end of year finish line, 23 days to new position)

29. Tamar

Tamar got out of the taxi, it took forever to find one who agreed to take Giddy along, at the address her father gave her, a warehouse close to Shocken Street. Yaacov called yesterday and asked her to come here because Tally needed them to help her decide about a deal she was offered. A fabric importer was going out of business and selling her wares: materials, fabrics, threads, etc., and the warehouse lease. It was a small hangar with a yard for merchandise, plus the apartment above it.

“Let’s do it before you go down to Eilat this Sunday,” her father had said.

Her family was waiting for her.

“Tamari,” Einat said. “Finally. Hello Giddy, you cute brute.”

“Come on.” Tally was so impatient she was jumping in place, just like her son would. “I have to pick up Eyal from school soon.”

Tally fitted a key to an old grilled-iron gate. Yaacov and Einat put their shoulders against it, and it gave in with a loud groan. A narrow alleyway was lodged between the building’s side and the high old brick wall that signaled the end of the property and the start of the next industrial structure. The yard sported rotting wooden platforms, torn bits of frayed fabric, and rusty nails.

“Careful,” said Yaacov as they stumbled over broken steppingstones.

“Giddy, don’t touch anything.” Tamar shortened the leash.

“How are things with Gideon? You guys seeing each other this weekend?” Tally asked in a quiet voice.

“No,” she answered, keeping her voice and face neutral.

After their third ‘date’, their parting was weird. He didn’t want to meet last night. She’d gone down with Giddy this morning, but Gideon’s running footsteps weren’t heard. Perhaps on Fridays he ran later. She wasn’t disappointed, she had no right to be. Just on behalf of Giddy, who was definitely upset that he didn’t get his morning stretch.

Tally brightened.

“Good! I wanted to thank you again for inviting me to the T-team. It’s so exciting! It has fired up all my creative juices and made me look into this warehouse deal.”

They went into the building. At least the heavy Yale lock was new. The space was larger than it looked from outside, and it smelled of cement and dust. Daylight filtered in from skylights and shone on rolls of textiles. The wall to the right of the door was hooked with colored threads arranged by shades. Clear plastic drawers hung below filled with all sorts of haberdashery paraphernalia. Two new looking sewing machines stood against the far wall, underneath the large wide ceiling-high windows. Stairs to the right of the entrance led to a gallery, which served as the living space.

“These windows give off the best light, ideal lighting for sewing. The seller is leaving everything as is. These machines are state of the art! I have the inventory papers. I’ll start going over them tonight and tomorrow morning. Here, sis, you read the contracts later, or when you come back from Eilat.”

She handed a bunch of papers to Tamar, who took them.

“Is it a done deal?” Einat asked.

“No. Not without Tamar,” Yaacov answered, surprising her. She didn’t expect to have anything to do with this, except for maybe a cash gift. “And not before Tamari gets the bump in her salary as Chief. I spoke to my bank manager. The loan would be quite substantial, but if we list Tamar as the owner of Tally’s company, and if she has the chief analyst’s paycheck, and if I also sign as collateral, then Tally could take it.”

Tamar’s gut tightened at this list of conditions, all of which had to do with her promotion and professional success. Yaacov hadn’t told her any of this before asking her to come here. She’d been upset with Gideon when he said her family used her, implying that her father was just as guilty of it as Tally. But he was right. This was an ambush.

Tally climbed to the gallery to inspect it, and now she stood on the stairs, speaking to them from above. She had a spark in her eye, a determined, hopeful look she hadn’t had in years.

“I have it all figured out. I won’t quit my job. I’m going to keep working days at the shop, and I’ll spend nights designing my stuff. Shocken isn’t the best neighborhood at night, but I don’t go out, anyway. And it’s closer to Eyal’s school, it’s even closer to his martial arts classes. This is such a great way to begin!”

“Great,” Einat said. “Bravo, Tally.”

Tamar caressed Giddy’s head and told herself to be there for her sister, to believe in her.

“I’ve been in touch with fashion bloggers. Remember when I took photos of you in your red dress? There are so many bloggers who love those kinds of pictures, full-figured women, and you had Giddy as well!”

She stopped as Yaacov lunged at Giddy. Excited at hearing his name, he nearly knocked over a box filled with buttons.

“Sorry Tally,” Tamar apologized for her dog.

“It was by far my best liked and quoted Insta post ever!” Tally continued. “I got questions about the dress, and requests for similar ones. And I hardly put any effort into promoting. I’m telling you, there’s a real market for my clothes! I can make them and start selling them almost immediately.”

Everyone smiled, sold on Tally’s dream. Even Tamar’s skepticism lessened.

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