Page 3 of Outspoken Hearts
Margie Henderson
Town Council Secretary
I read it twice, frowning slightly. My portfolio is online, sure, but I've barely been in Meadowbrook for eight months. My "commitment to the community" consists of ordering too much takeout from local restaurants and occasionally smiling at neighbors when I collect my mail.
Something feels off. Like someone's playing a prank, or they've mistaken me for someone else.
I google "Meadowbrook Town Branding Committee" and find a short announcement in the local paper from last week. It's legitimate, apparently. The committee will be chaired by James Adams, local motivational speaker and community leader extraordinaire.
"Of course," I mutter.
Everyone in town knows James Adams, or at least knows of him. His face is plastered on banners advertising leadership conferences and community events. I've never met him, but I've heard the whispers in the coffee shop: charismatic, successful, perfect smile. The kind of person who probably never stares at a blank screen wondering if they're a fraud.
I hover my cursor over the "reply" button, already crafting my polite rejection. I have deadlines. I have clients. I have a business to run.
And you have no social life,a voice that sounds suspiciously like my sister Mia's pipes up.When was the last time you talked to someone who wasn't a client or a barista?
"Yesterday," I argue out loud. "I called Mom."
That doesn't count.
I groan and lean back in my chair. The truth is, I could use the networking. And adding "Town Branding Committee" to my portfolio wouldn't hurt future job prospects.
But committees mean group work. Group work means opinions. Opinions mean conflict. And conflict means the inevitable moment when I say something too blunt, too honest, or too... me. The moment when people's faces change, just slightly, from friendly interest to barely concealed annoyance.
The "too much" moment.
My phone rings, startling me. Unknown number, but local area code.
"Hello?" I answer cautiously.
"Hi, is this Eva Miller?" A friendly female voice asks.
"Yes, this is she."
"Wonderful! This is Margie from the Town Council I'm just following up on the branding committee invitation that was emailed to you this morning."
That was fast.
"Oh, uh, I was just looking at it, actually."
"Perfect timing then!" She laughs, a warm sound that somehow puts me at ease. "We're really hoping you'll join us. Your design work for the Riverside Café's website was exactly the kind of fresh perspective we're looking for."
I straighten up, surprised. "You saw that?"
"It caught my eye immediately! The way you balanced modern functionality with that cozy, hometown feel? That's exactly what Meadowbrook needs."
Despite myself, I feel a small glow of pride. That project had been one of my favorites.
"I appreciate that," I say. "But I'm not sure I have the bandwidth right now?—"
"It's just one meeting a week for six weeks," she interrupts gently. "And the first session is mostly orientation. Why not come to the first meeting and see if it's a good fit?"
I hesitate, fingers drumming against my desk. Six weeks isn't that long. And if it's terrible, I can always quit after the first meeting.
"Who else is on the committee?" I ask, stalling.
"We have James Adams chairing, of course. He's been instrumental in coordinating these kinds of community initiatives before." There's something in her tone I can't quite place—amusement? "And we have a few local business owners, plus someone from the historical society. A nice mix of perspectives."
