Page 8 of Analysing Her Assets

“Thank you, Yehuda,” she said formally. “I’m looking forward to the adoption.” She turned around on her heel, like a soldier completing a salute, and walked out. Gideon nodded at Keynan, who nodded back. He followed Tamar down the corridor to the elevators.

“What was all that about? That weird voice?” he asked Tamar as they waited together for the elevator.

“Trying to play a part I’m not built for. Now, our CEO hates me, and I have a puppy.” She was pale except for the two round red spots in her cheeks. And she was nervously straightening her pants again.

“Why can’t I keep my mouth shut? Why did I have to correct him about my name?” She didn’t wait for his reply. “So, he’ll call me Tammy, so what? Who the fuck cares, right? He didn’t mind when you corrected him.”

He couldn’t refute that.

“Yeah... I’m sorry.” He meant it. Tamar could probably hear it in his voice. She huffed.

The elevator arrived, and they entered it. Her jaw was clenched, and she had crossed her arms. Gideon looked straight ahead during the brief ride, but he couldn’t ignore the heat that was coming off her.

“Why did you say you’re attracted to me? You totally messed me up,” she asked as they stepped out on their floor. He wished he hadn’t. It was inappropriate and wouldn’t lead anywhere.

“It just came out. I...I’m sorry. I don’t mean to mess with you.”

She nodded her head and trudged towards the toilets. He turned around and went to his desk before he did anything stupid, like follow her.

6. Tamar

Tamar had re-arranged her chair four times already, and it still felt wrong. She had cleaned her workstation so thoroughly the plywood’s veneer’s beige had nearly turned white. Her attention wandered for such long periods that her computer screen kept turning off, and she had to retype her password several times.

Gideon told her he was attracted to her, and he said it like he meant it. She entered the CEO’s office flustered when she needed all her wits. Then, Nathanela’s advice on how to talk to Keynan, softly, like a woman, made her act like a foolish, infantile, phony version of herself. The CEO didn’t like her any better, and now she was stuck with a dog. She would be evicted if her landlady found her out!

Maybe it wouldn’t happen. Keynan’s wife would stop him, tears in her eyes, saying she couldn’t part with any puppy, that they had place for them all. Or Keynan counted wrong, and he didn’t have any puppies left. That was a possibility.

She took a deep breath, centered the keyboard on her desk and typed her screen-saver password, deciding to start with the fun stuff—Marina’s chip industry report.

Blockchain technology was next, as she needed to give a talk on it next week. To freshen up, she made notes on a Palo Alto vs. Checkpoint analysis by Amir. She had lunch delivered and ate alone, reading a Gartner’s analysis of one of her favorite industries – FinTech. Except for going to the toilets, she hadn’t left her desk all day or talked much to anybody.

She would start being a people person tomorrow.

It was a little after five thirty when her extension rang.

“Tamar, the puppies have arrived,” Sonya’s nasal voice sounded. “Go down to the lobby. Keynan’s driver is there waiting.”

“Now? Today?”

“No, next week. Of course now!”

Tamar tidied her desk. She packed her backpack, not forgetting a prospectus she wanted to go over at home. Then she waited for more than fifteen minutes for an elevator that wasn’t jammed with too many sweaty individuals.

Keynan’s driver, a middle-aged man with a shiny bald head, was waiting next to the dry mosaic fountain that adorned the front of the building. His eyebrows furrowed, becoming one shaggy, unforgiving line of salt and pepper. A large dog stood next to him, wagging its tail merrily.

“You’re Tamar? You’re the last one to come down.” He bent down and lifted the dog. “Here is your puppy.”

Tamar looked at the man and at the large animal he was holding. It looked nothing like the cute little puppies from Marina’s video. This dog had to weigh fifteen or twenty kilos. At least. Keynan’s driver stretched his arms to her, waiting for her to cradle the puppy as if it was a baby. She accepted the much larger than a baby wriggling animal. He was way too heavy for carrying.

“Do you have an animal carrier for your car? A leash, maybe?” He sounded very hostile.

Tamar shook her head. She didn’t have a leash, she didn’t know how a carrier looked, wasn’t sure where the nearest pet shop was. The brilliant analyst had neglected to do her research.

The eyes under the bushy brows softened a little.

“Tova thought this might happen,” he said, speaking of Keynan’s wife. “Because we were bringing them here. Take this leash. It’s an old one, mind that it doesn’t tear. You’ll need to buy a new one ASAP.” He smiled good naturedly. “You’re very lucky—you have a friend for life. His life, I mean. Okay, I need to go.” He turned to leave. “Oh, just so you know, the puppy is eleven weeks old and has already had his vaccinations. Is your car here? I’m going down to the parking lot.” He was already walking away.

She shook her head and talked faintly to the retreating back.

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