I was back at work the next day digging into my stack load of small business loans that I had to either approve or deny. I hated having to deny the hard working people of Kemah, but sometimes you just have to do what is best for the bank, not the business. It was the only part of my job that sucked and I wished I could make it easier. Today I was going to have a meeting at ten with this very nice couple from California. They had picked up their lives and moved to the Gulf Coast for their children to be closer to family. In California they owned a mechanic’s shop and had very good returns on their investments. But I just wasn’t able to approve the loan. The wife had some credit issues, and the man’s score wasn’t enough alone to carry the loan. I had hoped to find a work around but neither person was able to pass by themselves or together.
This was going to be the worst part of my day for sure.
“Knock knock,” I heard my mother’s voice.
She spent the night helping me feel better and come back to my normal self after the time spent in jail. For once she didn’t ask a lot of questions just really was there for me. Maybe she knew I just couldn’t take any more last night, but it felt so good knowing I could depend on her for help. She really was the best mother in the world. I couldn’t ask for a better parent. My dad likewise spent the evening with me but his form of parental therapy was poker. Either I was on my A-game or, he was letting me win. Either way I came out with two hundred in cash in my pocket and somehow a free steak dinner.
“Hey Mom come in. What’s up?”
“Oh just passing by and wanted to see if you would join me for lunch today.”
“I don’t know I am so behind work is stacking up and I should probably work through my lunch.”
My mother shook her head in a displeasing gesture, “Somehow I knew you were going to say that. Then I will just give you my news right now.” Mom walked into my office, shut the door and sat down in one of my seats for my patronages. “I spoke with Albert’s mom today.”
“Mother you didn’t!” I exclaimed.
“I did, now hush.” When that look came across my mother’s face I knew she was up to something.
“Fine what did Albert’s mother say?” I started to tap my pen in annoyance on my desk and when I saw my mom’s eyes shoot to the writing object I stopped and placed my hands in my lap.
“Well I called her to find out if the ring was really a family heirloom.” Mom paused to wait for me to soak this in I was sure. “She told me how yes the ring had been in their family for a while but that his grandma gave the ring to him solely to give it to you.”
“Really?” I said.
“Yes, apparently you had been more of a granddaughter than her actual granddaughter and she wanted you to have it.
“What does all this mean then Mom?”
“It means that Albert’s mom is going to talk to him, try to get him to back off. Because as far as she is concerned, that wasn’t supposed to be an engagement ring. It was just supposed to be your ring.”
“I really hope you’re right and she will help me. That would be great. Really amazing. His parents were always so nice and his grandma really was the sweetest woman.”
“She was disgusted to her what Albert had put you through; she promised me she would fix it.”
“He is such a horrible man it turns out, I doubt she can.” My mother looked out the window and she had this odd expression on her face, “Mom?” I gave her a moment to respond and when she said nothing, “I know that look what else did you do?”
“I called Beth.”
“Mother! I told you not too!”
“Don’t mother me. If you had a daughter you would do the same thing. Let’s face it she is my niece I can call her if I want to. Besides, she didn’t know Albert was doing that crap to you she is going to talk to him.”
“Great Mom, now you have everyone in the world talking to him. That’s going to piss him off more. Thanks.”
“Don’t get snippy at me Merewyn, he had my daughter arrested, I will do everything I can to fix this for her.”
I started to say something but my mom stood up and waved me off, “I have to run dear, I’ll see you tonight. Love you Merewyn.”
Then just like that, she was out of my office and I was looking at an empty chair. That was my mom. She was like a whirlwind sometimes. All I could do was focus on my task in front of me and not give another thought to Albert at this time.
“Ms. Smith, your ten o’clock is here to see you.” My assistant said.
“Thank you, please send them in.” I tried to calm my heart; it always acted like it was going to explode when it came to these meetings. A few deep breaths was all I had time for before they came walking into my office.
Without missing a beat I stood up and smiled at the lovely couple and greeted them. “Mr. Yano and Mrs. Yano thank you so much for coming into see me today. Please have a seat.” I pointed to the two open chairs in front of my desk.
“We hope you have good news for us today,” Mrs. Yano said hopefully.
“Shh, let the woman breath before you start begging.”
“It’s quite alright Mr. Yano at this point the banks decision is pretty much made up nothing anyone says can change that.”
“Is that good or bad,” Mrs. Yano asked.
“It’s not meant to be good or bad,” I replied. Taking another deep breath I moved a few files off of my desk and pulled their file out of my desk drawer. “Here is everything I have on your business Mr. Yano.”
“I hope you liked what you read.” He said with some confidence. It made me feel even sadder for them.
“You had a lot of great attributes that were very appealing.”
“I am so glad to hear that.” Mr. Yano seemed to sit taller in his seat a bit after that statement. I really hated that I was about to kill their hope.
“Mrs. Yano, I need to confirm something with you.”
“What is it dear,” her sweet older woman tone was hard on me, I knew how much they were hoping for this.
“How have your spending habits been now that you are in Texas instead of California?”
“My spending habits?” She looked confused, as if I asked her something she never prepared to hear out loud.
“Yes ma’am. I show that last year alone you spent about thirty thousand at different retail locations. It seems that you have only been able to pay off about five thousand of it. Is that true?”
“I’m sorry what are you talking about?” Mr. Yano looked baffled, he almost seemed like he didn’t know his wife had a spending problem.
“Mrs. Yano?” I said, “I don’t really need an answer, the bank has already made a declaration. I was just hoping to be able to go back and tell them this information I found was wrong.”
“Ms. Smith you have to understand…” Mrs. Yano began to say before she was interrupted.
“What does she have to understand? Is what she just said true? Do we owe twenty-five thousand to someone?” Mr. Yano was now standing up and looked madder than my dad looked when I used to open my Christmas presents early as a kid.
“Ms. Smith please,” Mrs. Yano begged.
“I’m sorry but at this time the bank cannot approve of your loan. There is too much already owed to the retailers and you don’t have enough money in the bank to be held for collateral.”
“You’re denying us?” Mr. Yano said to me without looking at me. His eyes haven’t left his wife since I mentioned the debt.
“Unfortunately yes. I also ran the paperwork with just your information Mr. Yano but your credit isn’t strong enough to hold this size of a loan alone. You would need a co-signer, someone who isn’t Mrs. Yano. I am very sorry.”
The two of them began talking in Spanish and since the extent of my foreign language knowledge stopped with the cuss words what they were saying went right over my head. But I could tell from their tones and body language they were fighting and Mr. Yano wasn’t happy at all, Mrs. Yano looked as if she was going to be in for a very long night.
After a few minutes I cleared my throat to grab their attention, “Again I am sorry. Once the debt is paid off and a few months’ time has passed where you can show steady spending habits I would be glad to review this account again. Please understand this wasn’t a decision we came to lightly ultimately it wasn’t even my call. I have a boss too.”
“We appreciate your time Ms. Smith I am sorry to have wasted it. Have a good day.” Mr. Yano stood from his chair and said something very curtly to his wife, then they walked out of my office.
Sadly that went better than I had hoped for. If I had known Mrs. Yano didn’t tell her husband about her debt prior to this moment I could have handled that a little different. But then again it wasn’t my job to protect a marriage it was my job to protect a bank and the community.
“That sounded like it went well.” My assistant Pam said sarcastically.
“About as good as one could hope I supposed.” The sigh I let out felt like one of those when a burden had been lifted. I was relieved that meeting was over. I could now focus on my next appointment.
“Is that new vet guy here yet? And why don’t I have any paperwork on him? How am I supposed to start a review with zero information Pam?”
“Sorry Merewyn, he is here. The paperwork must have gotten lost. Let me go print it. I’ll have him bring it in when he comes to see you.”
“Thanks. Oh and Pam, please make sure you follow up with Mrs. Yano tomorrow about our debt relief programs and classes so hopefully she can pull herself out of that mess she is in.”
“Will do Merewyn. I’ll send him right in.”
I nodded at Pam and then turned my chair sideways to look out at the bay. I loved the images of the boats sailing in and out. Even the little tug boats made me smile. That is how I felt some days, like a tug boat. All the heavy lifting and none of the glory. As the woman in charge of small business loans it was a lot of heavy lifting. It only takes one bad loan and your career could be history depending on the circumstances. Only once have I ever gone against my gut instinct and given a loan out against what all the numbers said. But each month I contact that owner and make sure he is good to make his payment. Churches are a different story. I found a way to make that happen. But the stress it caused isn’t something I would repeat for just anyone.
“Knock knock,” the manly voice said.
I knew that voice, it was Jessie. With a smile that was probably larger than it should have been I turned my chair back towards the front and beamed up at him. “Hey there. How are you?”
“’I’m good, your assistant asked me to give you this file folder. Can I sit down?”
“Yes of course, thanks. She was supposed to have my next appointment bring it in but I am glad it is you instead.”
“Oh why is that?”
I took the folder from him and set it on the side of my desk. “You’re more fun than business.”
“Don’t like the new client?”
“Don’t know him. All I know is he is this new,” I used air quotes for this next phrase, “super-hot vet.”
“Super-hot huh?” he repeated.
“That’s what I heard from the town gossip Sherry.”
“Oh I see, hope he doesn’t disappoint you.” Jessie said smiling.
I shrugged, “Looks don’t get you a loan unless it is the looks of your financial and moral character. That’s all the bank cares about.”
“So you don’t know anything about this new vet?”
With a quick shake of my head and a no reply I pulled over the folder and began to open it. Page one hit me like a ton of bricks. I looked up at Jessie and saw him grinning back at me like he was a Cheshire cat.
“Surprise…” he said calmly.
“You’re the new vet?” How did I not know that, I should have seen that coming? What did I think he was doing back home anyway.
“Surprised you hadn’t found out from your mom. Sherry for sure talked about your mom when she came to see me.”
“Dear God is that how this whole match making thing started, because of Sherry?”
“What whole match making thing?”
“Between you and my mom.”
“I’m not trying to match make, well I mean technically I am. But you are well aware of my plans Ms. Merewyn.” His grin almost did me in every time. It was the best smile.
“I am going to have to turn this case over to someone else I cannot represent you and the bank and not be bias.”
Jessie shook his head, “No you can. I won’t hold anything against you. Unless it is me.”
He cocked a smile at me and of course I replied with one myself. “No Jessie it isn’t right, what if I deny you.”
“You won’t, but if you do then I’ll just make you work it off in other ways.”
I picked up my finger and waggled it at him, “See that right there. I can’t have that. I’ll let my boss know.”
“I knew you would be a by the rules kinda girl. Your mom thought we could pull one past you.”
“So you were in on it.”
“Not at first but you know, Sherry did help that along.”
I sighed; it was a never ending battle in this town of gossips. What would it take for them to just let well enough be. “Jessie, I promise I will give this account to someone who I trust okay?”
He nodded; his face looked a little defeated. “Okay M. No problem.” He stood up from his chair and gave me a half smile. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
All I could do was show him a small head nod and then he walked out of the office. Once I was sure he was gone from the building I put my arms on my desk and laid my head on them. I knew I had done the right thing but I still felt like a heel. I could have at least looked at his file and given him my professional opinion. But for some reason that felt like I would have been invading him in an inappropriate way and I just couldn’t do it.
“Pam,” I said loud enough for her to hear me.
“Yes ma’am?”
“I am taking the rest of the day off. I am exhausted and don’t feel well. I will take these files home with me and hopefully have some answers for you on Monday. Please give Jessie, I mean, Mr. Anderson’s file to Robert. Jessie and I have a past and it wouldn’t be prudent for me to review the case without some shreds of bias in them.
“I told your mother you would say that.”
My head shot up from the desk and I looked at Pam, “You did what?”
“I told your mom you wouldn’t accept the case, she insisted that you would. She came up here a couple weeks ago. I thought you knew.”
“Pam, let me make it clear, if my mother ever comes around here inquiring about anything regarding this work again, in any capacity, you are to inform me at once or you will be looking for a new job.”
“Yes ma’am, I am sorry I didn’t know you were in the dark.”
I stood up from my desk and grabbed the files I had left to review and placed them in my bag. I reached down and picked up Jessie’s file and handed it to Pam, “Tell Robert to get on it ASAP, it would be a personal favor to me for him to review it. Why don’t you leave out all the dirty laundry of mine that you happen to know from my mother, okay?”
“Yes ma’am again I am sorry.”
I ignored her last comment as she left my office and tried to keep my cool. I should have known my mother was after something. I should have seen it coming. Just one more reason why I needed to move out. And that was exactly what I was going to go do now, look for an apartment.
When I passed Robert on my way out he smiled at me and nodded holding Jessie’s file. At least I gave it to the fairest person in the office after me. Jessie would be in good hands.