AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Wednesday January 31^st 2001
Tiffany placed the cup of coffee that Jan requested on the coffee table in front of her.  Jan sat on the sofa watching Tiffany as she walked back to her desk on the other side of the room.
"Aren't you going to thank me for telling Clark to rehire you?" Jan asked taking a sip of her coffee.
"If you told Clark to rehire me then I guess I should."  Tiffany said pulling out the chair to her desk and taking a seat.  She glanced down at her watch and silently prayed that Clark would soon return to the office and take Jan upstairs for their meeting.
"What do you mean if?  If I said I told him to rehire you then I did.  Are you calling me a liar?"
"No.  I'm not calling you a liar Jan. It' s just that he never told me that you had anything to do with it," she said feeling sure Jan's Father was the one that had gotten her job back.  Stanley told her the day he cornered her in the office making unwanted advances that he would get her job back for her.  She knew Stanley was using it as leverage to try and seduce her. Jan had never done Tiffany any favors; why should she believe her now?  She still suspected Jan had gotten her fired in the first place.
"I told you Tiffany, I asked him not to say anything to you.  If you mention that I told you this then I'll be angry with you.  You don't want to make me angry do you?"
"No Jan," Tiffany said picking up her appointment book on her desk and pretending to read.
"Where are you living now Tiffany?"
"With a friend".
Tiffany was relieved when she heard Jan's cell phone ring and she watched as she picked up her purse and took out the phone. 
"Yes," Jan said into the phone.  "You're right on time aren't you.  I like a man that follows instructions."
Tiffany turned the page in her appointment book trying to pretend not to listen to Jan as she talked on the phone in what sounded like the beginnings of a personal call.
"Your manager will be out of town for a week.  It might be a good time to get away… have a little fun.  Besides lingerie sales are stale in the dead of winter anyway."  Jan said into the phone looking up to see if Tiffany was listening.
Tiffany turned the page in her book as she felt Jan's eyes on her. Could this be a coincidence that Jan would be talking about lingerie sales and she suspected that Jan was seeing her estranged husband Skeeter, the lingerie salesman?  She tried to console herself thinking that the spa did have several lingerie stores and it could possibly be another store she was talking about.
"I'll talk to Bob tomorrow.  He'll do whatever I say."
  This was too much of a coincidence.  Bob was the name of Skeeter's manager.  Tiffany's anger and instincts took over and she couldn't help but glance up.  She found herself looking into Jan's waiting eyes and quickly looked back down when she realized that Jan had anticipated her reaction and was enjoying herself.
"Look I'll come by your place on Bleecker tonight.  I'm in the mood for a quiet evening in," Jan said watching Tiffany's eyes glance back towards her.
"You too Baby," Jan said smiling and hanging up the phone.
Tiffany could feel her face burning with anger.  Everything inside of her told her that Jan had been talking with Skeeter.  Skeeter always called her Baby.
"You have a friend on Bleecker Street?"  Tiffany asked unable to contain her anger.
"Yes.  I certainly do."
"My husband lives on Bleecker you know?" Tiffany said throwing her appointment book to the other side of her desk as she felt her face redden with anger.
"I heard you weren't living as husband and wife anymore with Skeeter."
"You call my husband by name now?"
"I don't believe it's a crime calling him by name. What's the matter Tiffany?  I thought the two of you were divorcing."
Tiffany opened her mouth to speak when the front door opened and Clark walked in smiling when he saw his client Jan sitting on the sofa waiting for him.  "Jan what a pleasant surprise to see you here.  I thought I told you I'd be out of the office most of the day," Clark said closing the door.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE PHOTOS BELOW.