She'd gotten her first technical certification just before Christmas, and while Kerry appreciated her dependability and eye for detail, she knew there were bigger and better things in the company for her to do.
A soft knock at the door made Kerry look up. “Yes?”
The door opened, and Mayte poked her head inside. “Kerry, may I ask a question?”
“Of course. “Kerry turned over the page and leaned her elbows on her desk, folding her hands together as her assistant came in and sat down in one of her visitor's chairs. “Whats up?” She asked. “I like that scarf. The color rocks.”
Mayte grinned, reaching up to touch the red pashmina scarf around her neck. “We went to the international shops last weekend and my mama got me this. We don't get to wear them so often, but it's nice and so soft.”
'Yeah, I have hats and scarves and gloves somewhere in a box in the back of one of our closets.” Kerry agreed. “Dar has a sweater that color that I love on her.”
“Yes.” Her admin said. “Kerry, what is it you are going to do when you go from the company?”
Ahhh. “What are we going to do. Well, we have some travel planned, going to do some stuff in the Grand Canyon, and a visit to Macchu Picchu, and some skiing and that kind of thing. Maybe go up to Alaska, or visit the Far East.” Kerry responded.
“And after that?” Mayte nodded when she finished. “Will you come back to Florida?”
Kerry smiled. “Yes, we will.”
Her assistant took a deep breath. “If you make another company could I come to work for you?” She got the words out quickly. “I would not like to be here if you are not.”
Kerry was actually a little surprised it had taken so long for someone to ask. “Well, you know Mayte, there are rules and things we have to go by that are part of our leaving here.” She said. “We wouldn't want anyone to think we were trying to take people away from ILS.”
'Of course not no.” Mayte agreed softly.
“But.” Kerry's eyes twinkled. “If we were to start our own company, sometime, I would love for you to come be a part of that with us.”
Her admin's face lit up. “Oh!”
“Shh.” Kerry put a finger to her lips.
“I know. We must be quiet about it.” Mayte said, in an almost whisper. “Do you think my mama can come too?”
Kerry rested her chin on her fist. “I think Dar's going to take care of your mama, Mayte.” She said. “I think she's going to make it so she doesn't have to work unless she wants to.”
Mayte blinked at her in silence, then lifted one hand up to cover her mouth.
“But if she wants to come and hang out with us, you know she'll be welcome.” Kerry concluded. “It will be a little while before things start happening, but you'll be one of the first to know about them, okay?”
Mayte nodded, wiping her eyes a little with one finger. “Yes, it is very okay. Mama will be so happy. She was so upset about you leaving.”
“Yeah, Dar and I were talking about that yesterday.” Kerry said. “There are people here who are like family to her. It's hard.”
Mayte nodded again. “But if we can come with you, it's not so hard.” She smiled shyly. “Correct?”
“Correct.” Kerry grinned back. “I want Dar to be happy.” She said “And I know that will make her happy, to have people around us that she knows and trusts.” She added. “But we found out, when we were working with the government during the emergency, that a lot of what we were doing and why we were doing it wasn't in our control.”
“Yes, mama was telling papa about that.” Mayte said at once. “About how the big jefe was going to be in so much trouble, but that you fixed it, at the very last moment.”
“We did.” Kerry confirmed. “Dar and I, we personally did, risking ourselves to make it all right for Alastair and for the company and we don't regret doing that, but we don't want to have that kind of pressure on us, you know?” It felt comforting, somehow, laying it out for her assistant like that. “Because no one really appreciates it.”
“That is just what my papa said.”
“Yeah, Dar's papa said that too.” Kerry chuckled. “So anyway, that's the deal.”
Mayte got up. “Thank you, Kerry.” She said. “I will not say anything to anyone, I promise.”
“I know you won't.” Kerry watched her leave with a sense of mild satisfaction. Then she sighed and turned the paper on her desk back over, taking a sip of her cooling tea. “Absolutely no one appreciates what we did.” She shook her head and paused then put the cup down and picked up the gizmo, tapping a message into it and sending it on it's way.
She was still trying to decide if she liked the little keyboard. It did seem easier to type out a message, her old standby palm pilot using the stylus and having it recognizing her handwriting did end up with her re-writing it's interpretations a lot. Dar's more regular scribbling seemed to be more to it's tastes.
Her phone buzzed. “Kerry, I have Personnel on line uno.”
Kerry reached over. “Thanks, I got it.” She hit the button on the phone. “Mari?”
“Good morning.” Mari responded. “I was going to schedule an interview with you for some candidates on Friday, but I understand you'll be out of town?”
Ah. “Yes, I'll be going with Dar to Washington to talk to the Joint Chief's office, and the Executive branch.” Kerry said, managing to stifle a wry grin. “So maybe it's better we wait until after that so at least I'll be able to warn my replacement.”
“Oh boy.” Mari sighed. “I don't know if I like us being so Washington Post front page.”
“Us either.” Kerry agreed promptly. “Consequence of success, according to Alastair. But hey, that might coax a few people into taking a chance on coming over here. Power's an aphrodisiac I hear.”
“Might, at that.” Mari said. “Somewhere somehow we should be able to find a sucker to take over for the two of you. I'm guessing it'll be a guy.”
“Yeah?”
“Kerry, c'mon.”
“Yeah.” Kerry chuckled. “I know. I've got a call with two of our biggest network vendors this afternoon. Maybe I can see if there's any interest there.”
She hung up and went back to her scribing, finishing up Mayte's appraisal with only the slightest tinge of impending hypocrisy for recommending her for advancement. “Hey, it's true.” She regarded the paper. “Just because I have other plans for her, doesn't make it any less true, and besides, it'll be a while before Dar and I set up shop.”
She sorted her forms with a sense of satisfaction, and inserted them into a sealed envelope for delivery to Mari's attentive hands. It was good to have that task done, and a little bittersweet to know it was for the last time. The next time that staff was evaluated it would be by someone else, and Kerry found herself determined to make sure that whoever that was had a proper appreciation for good people.
Because she had some really good people.
Dar settled into the chair in the presentation room, pulling her sleeves straight and running her fingers through her hair before she touched the button on the video conferencing system.
She was alone in the room, the door locked and the do not disturb sign set. The late morning sun poured in the windows, and she could see parasailers from the corner of her eye as she waited for the system to come up and start to sync to the video gateway.
The weekly executive board meeting was never one of her favorites, and now that the board was aware she was going to leave, it made it all the more unpleasant.