5. Rosie
5
ROSIE
“ R osie, there’s a delivery for you and it’s big. Can I tell them they can come right in?” Adina asks, popping her head into my office.
“Sure,” I answer, I wasn’t expecting any deliveries today.
A man rolls in a large wooden box and asks me to sign and then leaves. What the?
“What is it?” Adina asks.
“I don’t know.”
The rest of my team come over to see what is happening. “What did you order?” Josie asks.
“Nothing that I know of.” I lay the box down flat and open it. An audible gasp falls from my lips, no, no, no. Why? I …. this must be a mistake as I stare down at the artwork that was hanging in the front window at the DuPont Gallery.
“There’s a card,” Helena says, handing it to me.
My hands are shaking as I open the card.
Rose,
Thought this would look better in your office than mine.
Look forward to doing business with you soon.
Daniel DuPont
What in the hell?
This must have cost a fortune. I can’t keep it. It’s too extravagant. Even though I do love it. It’s too much. No one has ever given me something so expensive before.
“I have to send it back,” I tell the girls.
“What? No, it’s stunning,” Adina says.
“I love it,” Beth gushes.
“It’s mesmerizing,” Helena adds.
“Someone went to some effort to send it to you,” Josie says.
“You have a secret admirer,” Adina adds.
“No. It’s a thank-you gift from the gallery owner, I helped him with a problem on Friday,” I explain vaguely.
“Must have been some help,” Beth says.
“Don’t send it back, it seems like a great way to advertise the gallery to our clients when they are in your office,” Josie advises.
She’s right. I’m letting my personal emotions cloud my judgment. Still, I don’t feel right accepting something this big, he must have something smaller and much less expensive than this art piece.
“Wrap it back up again. I’ll think about it,” I tell the girls, who look slightly disappointed in me. “I’ve got to pop out for a sec. I can leave this with you all?” I tell them, turning and grabbing my bag and my coat.
I have a gallery owner to speak to.