Page 59 of The Inmate
Seth always says he needs everything ASAP. Please come help me!!! My computer keeps popping up all these scary windows. It’s going to start showing me porn soon! Please save me! I promise I will definitely make it worth your while!
To: Natalie Farrell
From: Caleb McCullough
Subject: Re: Need help pleeeeeeease!!!!
I’ll be right there.
To: Mia Hodge
From: Dawn Schiff
Subject: Re: Greetings
Dear Mia,
This morning I found Natalie in the break room. Kim was away on her honeymoon, so she was with the new guy, Caleb, and she had a stack of booster sheets in front of her. Over the last couple of months, Natalie has been organizing a 5K run for charity. She does this every year, apparently.
I watched at the doorway to the break room for a moment. Caleb was hired a couple of months ago to help out with the company’s website, which Seth is hoping will become a larger source of sales. Caleb works part-time, so he’s only here a couple of days a week, but I’ve been noticing him hanging around with Natalie a lot during that time. From my perch at the doorway, I could see the way he was looking at her. It was the same way Seth looked at her.
And then Natalie reached out and touched his hand. I wonder if she likes him. Caleb is attractive—tall and lean with nice teeth—although I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s handsome. But when he smiled at Natalie, it transformed his face into the kind that would turn heads.
When they looked up, I could tell Caleb didn’t know who I was. Natalie finally cued him in and told him that I’m Dawn, “the one who has like five billion turtles on her desk.” When she said that, he seemed to know who I was and said hi in a nice but disinterested kind of way.
Before Caleb left, Natalie bugged him to make sure he would be running at the race. He smiled and told her of course he would. It was obvious he liked her, but that’s not surprising because everyone likes Natalie. Everything is so easy for her—all she has to do is smile at an attractive man, and that’s all it takes. Caleb is smitten.
As soon as Caleb left the room, the smile dropped entirely off Natalie’s face. That meant she wasn’t happy with me. I knew that much.
But I took it as a challenge. I thought back to all the websites I read about befriending people, and said, “Hi, Natalie,” because one of the websites said that using somebody’s name when you talk to them makes them like you better. Then I asked if she wanted me to participate in the 5K.
She said it was fine, that they already had enough people. I didn’t understand that. Why wouldn’t Natalie want me to run? Every person running is more money for her charity. Not that I am a great runner, but I could have spent the month training. 5K isn’t very far.
The website said paying someone a genuine compliment makes them like you better. There were so many compliments I could’ve paid Natalie at that moment—I was spoiled for choices—so I said, “I like your necklace, Natalie.”
Her fingers flew to her neck. Itwasa very pretty necklace. Understated and studded with diamonds around the delicate curve of her throat. But instead of taking it as a compliment, she snapped at me, “What are you saying? Are you saying you don’t think I can afford a necklace like this?”
I didn’t understand why she was so upset, so I reassured her that I wasn’t implying anything and that I was simply complimenting her necklace. And I tried to use her first name as many times as I could when I said it. Then I told her she would definitely find someone to marry her, because it seemed like she didn’t like it when I told her the truth about that.
Natalie said, “Gee, thanks.” Although to be honest, it didn’t sound like a sincere thanks.
The website mentioned that reaching out and making a physical connection can be helpful. That was something I hoped I wouldn’t have to do. Physically touching people is very difficult for me. I never had to do any of this stupid stuff with you. We just connected and were friends. You never cared if we hugged or even touched each other.
But I was willing to do whatever it took if it meant winning Natalie over. So I reached out and put my hand on her shoulder.
She didn’t react the way I thought she would though. She jerked her arm away like I had just touched her with a burning hot poker. And then all of a sudden, she was sticking her finger in my face and hissing, “Don’t youevertouch me. Don’t you dare lay one finger on me. You hear me?”
Natalie’s face was bright red now. She definitely wasn’t smiling. I’m bad at reading expressions, but this one was easy.
I sputtered an apology but she didn’t say anything. Her shoulder jostled mine as she pushed past me and left the break room. For a good minute after she left, I just stood there, my legs too shaky to carry me out of the room.
I don’t know what I did wrong. I keep thinking about it, but I can’t figure it out. I was so nice to her. I used her name. I gave her several compliments. Nothing worked.
I don’t know what to do, Mia. Please help me.
Sincerely,
Dawn Schiff
