It's All About Him (18 page)

Dee held out her hand and found it enveloped in that of the older man who had stood to greet her and now towered above them both.

'Hewson—'

'No relation,' Carolyn said quickly as she glanced around the room. 'Shall we grab a meeting room?'

Marty laughed loudly and winked at Dee. 'That's her way of saying my office is a disgrace. Let's go to the canteen instead and we can have a coffee.'

'Good idea.' Carolyn led the way and Marty stood back to let Dee follow her.

As they made their way down more narrow corridors, Carolyn stopped a couple of times to introduce Dee to other staff members and Dee felt her cheeks grow hot as Carolyn explained excitedly that they hoped Dee would be joining the
Right Now
team.

'Is everything okay?' Carolyn asked when they were finally seated in the canteen, steaming mugs and biscuits in front of them. 'You look very pale.'

'I'm fine, just a bit overwhelmed,' Dee admitted.

'Carolyn has that effect on everyone,' Marty said dryly. 'Carolyn, you haven't even explained the job to Dee and you're assuming she'll accept.'

Carolyn smiled apologetically and stood up. 'I'll just phone Marge and let her know where we are.' She went over to the phone on the wall and was back moments later. 'Sorry, Dee, if I got a bit carried away. It's just that I think a nutrition spot would be a wonderful addition to the programme and you would be the perfect person to be a part of that.'

'I love the idea too,' Dee assured her. 'Who else would be involved?'

'Well, we haven't teased through all the details yet,' Marty replied, 'but we thought that we might have you, a dietician and a different guest each week – and Marge would be in the chair, of course.'

'We could plan a few weeks in advance,' Carolyn continued. 'You could come in around eleven on Wednesdays, talk through and rehearse for the programme and then stay on for a couple of hours afterwards to discuss the material for the following week.'

'So you'd only need me here on Wednesdays?'

Marty nodded. 'Yes, anything else we should be able to handle on the phone or via email. Do you have an email address?'

Dee nodded. 'Yes, of course.'

'Great!' Carolyn beamed.

'So, before we go any further, Dee, do you think you would be able to commit to spending Wednesdays with us?'

Dee thought about it for a second and then nodded. 'Yes, I do. It would suit me a lot better than coming in a couple of times a week for a shorter period.'

'Excellent.' Marty looked up and grinned as Marge breezed through the door, fetched herself a coffee, and came to join them.

'Hello, everybody. Dee, hello! Great show yesterday.'

'Thanks,' Dee said, 'you made it very easy.'

Marge smiled. 'Oh, what a lovely thing to say!'

'We were just discussing the nutrition spot with Dee,' Marty explained.

'You will do it, won't you?' Marge urged. 'I need someone sensible and down to earth to tell it how it is. Some of these experts get too detailed, too technical and people switch off. We need someone real, someone who cares, someone ordinary—'

Carolyn rolled her eyes at Dee. 'Well put, Marge, how can she resist!'

'Oh, you know what I mean.' Marge shrugged at Dee. 'Don't you?'

Dee grinned. 'I know.'

'So as a viewer, Dee,' Marty leaned forward on the table and studied her, 'as a concerned mother, what topics would you like to see covered in this segment?'

'Quicker and easier ways of cooking,' she said after a moment. 'There are so many cooking programmes on television but they all concentrate on fresh produce, elaborate sauces and lots of work. Why don't they point out that microwaving vegetables is as quick and easy and a lot healthier than microwaving a ready-meal? Why aren't people told about the value of frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables? I'm sure there are lots of people who'd like to cook more but are just put off because it seems so complicated.'

'You're right,' Carolyn interjected, 'and it's an all-or-nothing attitude, isn't it? Only organic fruit and veg and they all rubbish the microwave.'

'We should check out the facts about the risks with microwaves, though,' Marty cautioned.

'I'll get someone on to that.' Carolyn made a note.

'Now, a nutritionist . . . do you have anyone in mind?' Marty asked.

Carolyn nodded. 'There is a woman I think would be perfect for the job; leave it with me, I'll call her today.'

'Anything else, Dee?' Marty asked.

'I'd like to see a piece on breakfast cereals but I don't know if you want to get into that kind of thing.'

Marge grinned. 'We like controversy, don't we, Carolyn?'

Carolyn laughed. 'Let's put it on the list and see what we come up with.'

'What about kids' drinks?' Marge suggested.

'Oh, yes, and school lunches,' Dee said, leaning forward. 'The amount of crap being marketed as healthy lunchbox fillers is scandalous.'

Marty nodded his approval. 'I don't think we're going to have any problems filling this spot. Carolyn, do you think we'd be ready to launch in two weeks?'

Carolyn nodded. 'Yes, if we have two full days to work on it, I'm sure we could. Dee?'

Dee nodded. 'Sure.'

'That sounds fine to me.' Marge looked at her watch and stood up. 'I need to leave you people. Dee, I look forward to working with you.'

Dee stood and shook her hand. 'Likewise.'

'Right,' Marty stood too, 'I think that's that.'

Dee glanced awkwardly from Marty to Carolyn. 'There were a couple of other points.'

Carolyn slapped a hand to her mouth. 'Oh, God, we haven't talked about money, have we?'

Dee shook her head. 'No and er . . .'

'Was there something else?' Marty asked.

Dee bit the bullet. 'Clothes.'

'Clothes,' he looked blank.

'It's just that Marge always looks so smart and I'm afraid I don't really have much in the way of good clothes. In my line of work jeans and tracksuits are more the thing.' This all came out in a rush and when she stopped, Marty was looking slightly bewildered.

'Carolyn?' He looked at the producer.

'I'll take care of it,' Carolyn said, leading the way to the door. 'Let's go to my office, I have your contract there.'

They paused at the junction of two corridors and Marty held out his hand. 'Dee, glad to have you on board. I'll see you next week.'

'Thanks, goodbye.' Dee shook his hand and then turned to follow Carolyn.

'I hope you don't feel we've steam rollered you into this, Dee.'

'Things are moving very fast,' Dee admitted, 'and I am a little bit nervous about the financial end of things.' She really wanted to do this job and she loved the idea of working with both Carolyn and Marge, but if it wasn't financially viable she'd have to consider turning it down. The thought depressed her hugely.

Carolyn nodded her understanding and then turned into an office even tinier than Marty's but immeasurably tidier. 'Please, sit down,' she said, going behind her desk and indicating the chair opposite. 'Now, I have a letter of offer here somewhere and, if you're happy with it, a contract for you to sign, well two, in fact – a copy for us, and a copy for you to keep. Ah, here we are,' She pulled out three A4 sheets and handed them to Dee. 'You have a look at that while I phone April Deevers. She's the nutritionist I'd like to be on the show, I think you'll love her.'

Dee was only half listening as she ran an eye down the letter of offer, unable to believe her eyes.

Carolyn made her call and when she was finished she set down the phone with a satisfied smile. 'Excellent, she'd love to do the spot. So, Dee, what do you think?'

Dee looked up, her face blank. 'Pardon?'

'Is the offer okay?' Carolyn asked.

'Yes – yes, it's more than generous.'

'And, with regard to clothes, you can use our wardrobe department if you like.'

'Is that what everyone does?' Dee asked.

Carolyn shrugged. 'It varies. Some of the guys come in from the golf course and then just borrow a jacket, shirt and tie. We were thinking of having you sitting at a desk for the nutrition segment in which case you could wear your jeans or jogging pants and just glam up above the waist.'

Dee laughed delightedly. 'That would be great!'

Carolyn made a note on a pad. 'Okay, consider it done.' She looked up and smiled. 'So, are you happy to sign the contract?'

'Absolutely!' Dee nodded eagerly. 'I can't wait to start.'

'Great. Well, put your thinking cap on over the next couple of days and I'll call you on Monday. Then we can spend Wednesday brainstorming with April and decide what issues we're going to address over the first couple of weeks.'

Carolyn guided Dee back to reception and wished her a hurried goodbye. 'Sorry to rush you, but I'm late for my next meeting. Thanks for coming in, Dee, I'm really looking forward to working with you.'

Dee smiled widely. 'Me too.' She left the building and walked back to her car, where she sat staring at the letter of offer for a number of minutes. Twelve shows at eight hundred euros a show, bloody hell! Finally, realizing that it was well past lunchtime and she'd have to get her skates on, she switched on her mobile phone, slipped on her headset, and drove out of the carpark. Within seconds, it rang. She sighed and glanced down at the display, but it was a number she didn't recognize. 'Hello?'

'Dee?'

'Yes.'

'It's Neil. Can you talk?'

'Yes, but Neil—'

'Look, I'm sorry, I know I said I wouldn't ring—'

She sighed. 'It's okay, I was going to give you a call later anyway.'

'You were?'

'Yeah. I thought maybe we should get together and talk.'

'That's great. Dee. Do you want to come over here?'

'No,' she said quickly. 'Let's meet in town.'

'Okay, then.'

'I could get away tomorrow morning for a couple of hours.'

'Great. What about eleven at the Gresham?'

'Fine.'

'Thanks. Bye, Dee.'

'Wait – Neil, why did you call?'

There was a short silence. 'I was just hoping you might be ready to talk.'

'Okay, then, I'll see you tomorrow.'

'Bye.'

Instead of the trepidation that Dee had expected to feel, she was quite optimistic at the thought of the meeting but then nothing could really get her down today. She had a new job that was going to greatly improve her bank balance and the plans that she and Lisa had discussed made the future look a lot more secure. For the first time in a long time she felt that her head was above water again and it was a very good feeling indeed.

When she got back to the house, it was nap time and those children who weren't sleeping were resting quietly with Martha close by. Lisa hurried out as soon as she heard the car. 'Well?' she asked, as soon as Dee stepped out.

'I've got another job,' Dee said simply.

'Oh, wow!' Lisa said, grabbing her and swinging her around. 'What are you going to be doing? How long for? How much are they paying you?'

Dee laughed. 'Steady on, will you? I'll tell you everything but first I need to eat, I'm starving.'

Lisa looked disappointed. 'I thought they'd taken you off to lunch in some posh Dublin Four restaurant.'

'No, but they gave me tea and some very nice biscuits.' She led the way into the kitchen and rummaged in the fridge for the makings of a sandwich while Lisa put on the kettle. 'Oh, Lisa, it was such a buzz!'

'So, come on, tell me everything.'

The two girls sat down – Lisa with one eye on the clock – and between mouthfuls of food, Dee told her about her morning. When she'd finished, she produced the letter and spread it in front of Lisa.

'Bloody hell.' Lisa looked up at her and then back at the letter.

'Not bad, eh?' Dee grinned.

'Great.' Lisa nodded but didn't look at her.

'What?'

'Nothing.'

Dee wasn't fooled. 'Lisa?'

'Well, it's just that with an offer like this you don't really need to expand any more, do you?'

'Are you kidding?' Dee's eyes widened. 'The
Right Now
contract is only for three months and though the salary is generous, I don't think I can really afford to retire!'

Lisa grinned. 'Oh, okay, then. It's great that it will only take up one day a week, too.'

Dee nodded. 'Although, I will have some homework to do.'

'Which you will enjoy every minute of.'

'True,' Dee laughed.

There was a distant cry and Lisa stood up. 'Sorry, gotta go.'

'Lisa, I need to go into Dublin in the morning,' Dee said casually. 'I'm going to visit a couple of recruitment agencies. Can you manage without me?'

'Sure, no problem. I'll be asking you to return the compliment soon enough. I'm putting an advert in the paper tomorrow.'

Dee smiled at the excitement that shone in Lisa's eyes. 'That's brilliant. Have you told Martha our plans?'

Lisa shook her head. 'There's no time or peace to talk properly during working hours so I've asked her to meet me for a drink this evening.'

'She is going to be thrilled.'

'I certainly hope so. See you later.'

When she was alone, Dee cleared up after her lunch and began to prepare the food for the next day. She felt bad that she'd lied to Lisa about the reason for her trip into the city but she knew her friend would only worry and then pester her on her return about what had transpired.

But for now Dee needed to handle this alone. There was so much to consider and she didn't want to be influenced by other people's prejudices. Lisa couldn't get beyond what Neil had done in the past but Dee knew, for Sam's sake, she had to be bigger than that. She
would
drop into a couple of recruitment agencies tomorrow and make full use of her time in the city. If she didn't, Ronan would be on her case again. Anyway, it looked like now she had no choice in the matter; she was going to have to share her kitchen with another cook. She just had to make sure that she found the right one.

Dee threw herself into her cooking for the remainder of the afternoon and then she and Sam went for a bracing walk, stopping off at the chip shop on the way home.

'Mum,' Sam said as they wandered back to the house munching their chips, 'tell me again about Daddy.'