Page 29 of Too Much In Common
Melanie Hastings came to join them. “Chris, ZoElle asked me to have you come up. She said you weren’t answering your phone.”
Chris pulled his phone out of his pocket. The screen was blank. He tapped it and frowned. “I’ll go up now.” He turned to Tian. “Meet you in the lobby, in ten?”
“Sure.”
Melanie took Chris’s place. “What a beautiful name? What is its origin?”
“My name is Christian. As you may know, there are a lot of Christians and even more Johnsons in the world.”
The older woman smiled a warm, motherly kind of smile. “Of course. That is how you know Johnson. You’re the one with the same name.”
Heat flooded her face. “Does everyone in the office know about our incident?”
“No. ZoElle included it in her weekly report. My husband and I are almost silent partners. She felt we should have a heads up.”
“He didn’t hurt me. Only surprised me, but that’s all. I am not pressing charges, if that is what you’re worried about.”
“I’m more worried that you should press and were intimidated. That’s the last thing I want.”
Tian bit her lip. She thought this was over. His employer did have a reason to be concerned if it had been something more between reviews, tell all videos, and attorneys, it seemed like everyone eared on the side of caution. “I’ve had a week to think about it. I don’t feel there’s a need. Especially because I wasn’t hurt.” All her interactions with Chris flew through her mind. He was definitely trying to prove he wasn’t normally so aggressive, yet his actions seemed natural at the same time. “He wasn’t being mean. Just reacting.”
“You’ve taken defense training before, haven’t you?” Melanie stood, and Tian followed suit.
“How did you know?”
The elevator opened, and Melanie pushed the key for the Hastings’ main office. “I’ve taught for over thirty-five years. Ew, make that forty. Oh, that makes me feel old.” She laughed good-naturedly. “I know when I am teaching a novice and when someone is taking a refresher.”
“I’ve taken several mandatory defense classes because of my job. I’m a pilot.”
“That is almost as rare as female security personnel used to be. When I started, you could count all the female bodyguards in Chicago on one hand. Getting taken seriously was difficult. How is it for you being a minority in your field?”
“Most of the male pilots are good about it. There are those who make passes. A few assume I can’t fly and I was hired to fill a quota or that my family got me the job.”
The elevator opened. “You are signed up for our advanced class, right?”
“Yes, if I can coordinate with my crazy schedule. “
“I’m sure we can. I’ll see you next week.” Melanie disappeared into the back offices.
Tian retrieved her phone from the main desk and waited for her ride.
9
ZoElle heldout her hand for Chris’s phone. “That is so odd. This is the second phone to run out of batteries...” She plugged his phone into a charger and made a face. She opened the drawer in the credenza behind her and pulled out a box for the latest C&O phone. “Lucky you. This one won’t be on the market until Thursday.”
Chris waited while she switched out the SIM card. “Is this what you called me up here for?”
“Yes, your phone showed it was off the Hastings app, and I knew you were in the building. I figured I should check. “
“I need to get going, then.”
“What’s the rush?”
“I promised Tian I would give her a ride home.”
ZoElle smiled and waved him out of the room.
Tian stood on the far side of the lobby reading the award plaques.
