Marion gave me a pained smile. “I’m going to be throwing you into the deep end I’m afraid. We are horribly short staffed right now so unfortunately you’re going to be getting your hands-on training a lot faster than normal.” God, did she have to sound so ominous about it?
Marion folded her hands and leaned back in her chair. “I know from looking over your resume that you have some event planning experience. But I’m sure nothing to this scale.” She didn’t say it condescendingly. It was just the facts. And the truth. I nodded in agreement.
“I planned most of my sorority’s functions and I was involved in event planning at the country club back home in high school. But no, nothing like this. Though I’m a quick learner and I’m more than ready to jump in with both feet,” I told her with more confidence than I actually felt. The team player cliché seemed to do the trick.
Marion gave me a smile full of relief.
“I’m so glad to hear that. Our last Event Coordinator left us in a bit of a lurch. She decided running off with her boyfriend to Europe was more important than giving notice at her job. I am pretty easygoing, Vivian. But I don’t tolerate unprofessional behavior and lack of courtesy. And most of all I expect respect and consideration,” she stated firmly, sizing me up.
I found myself nodding again. “Absolutely. These things are essential. It’s important not to burn bridges,” I babbled. I was going to be responsible. I was going to be competent. I was going to nail this job if it killed me!
Vivian reached across the great expanse of her desk and patted the top of my hand like a kindly grandmother. “You and I are going to get along just fine.” My relief made me sag.
Marion passed me a folder of paperwork to fill out before taking me on a tour of the center.
She showed me the beautiful concert hall decorated in red velvet and dark wood. The acoustics were amazing and I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs to see what it would sound like. But I didn’t think prim and proper Marion would approve.
The Opera House was slightly larger and more ostentatious. The marble etchings on the wall were almost overwhelming and standing in the back of the grand room made me wonder what it would be like to attend an event there. To get dressed up and socialize in a setting that didn’t involve mosh pits.
The much smaller Wheat Theater was a complete contradiction to the rest of the building. It was almost modern with straight, clean lines and an almost non-descript stage area.
When we were finished with the tour, we returned to the foyer to find a small group of four people waiting.
Marion turned to me and gave me a smile. “I told you that you’d be thrown into the deep end today.” She gestured toward the group who were talking amongst themselves. “This is your deep end.”
I felt myself go pale. “What do you mean?” I asked, trying not to panic.
“They are from the Kimble Greenhouse Project. They are planning a large gala to benefit their charity. This will be the gala’s third year. You will be managing this event.”
“Me?” I squeaked, trying to resist the urge to run screaming from the building. The likelihood of crashing and burning became increasingly more likely. I thought I was ready for responsibility and all that other crap but I was beginning to think I was very wrong.
I didn’t like pressure. It gave me hives. I preferred the whole, no expectations and you won’t get hurt thing. Huh. Maybe Cole and I were more a like than I thought.