Chapter 1

Kimberly's turn:

"Lets go into what's left of our conference room," Dan said. "By the way, I'm Dan 1.0. the other Dan, husband of Nikki Granger, he's Dan 2.0. Just so you don't get confused."

"Granger's a name I know," Tim said. "Didn't he work my area?"

"Yeah," Dan said. I guess he's Dan 1.0 now. "He mentioned your name. Said you hired on just about the time he left the area."

"We missed each other," Tim replied. "I never got to work with him. Heard about him, though."

Alan was looking at me. "Kimberly? Kim?"

"Kim," I said.

"Graduating at sixteen?"

"Yessir."

"Oh, please don't call me 'sir'. Nobody calls me sir." He laughed. "You'll fit right in with this bunch."

"I'm behind," I said. "Cindy's a college grad. Nikki's a college grad. Tina and Susan will graduate right about the time I do, except they're in college and I'm a high school student."

"And an exceptional one, Cindy says," Dan injected.

I turned shy. Tim smiled and chuckled. "Dan, I think my wife has been seized up with a case of the bashfuls."

Oh, my Tim! That helped SOOOO much! I felt my face flush.

"Kim," Dan said, "You already know Cindy and the gang. You're right there with 'em. Cindy says so."

"And nobody contradicts Cindy," Alan laughed. "Now, business?"

"Yes," Tim said. "My wife correctly discerns that I am less than satisfied with staying inside the same fence every day."

"I know the feeling," Alan said. "I guess I COULD do it, but this is more fun."

Dan was nodding his head in agreement. I smiled.

"We did a few phone calls to see what people say about you. I mean, the resume' looks good..."

"Resume?" Tim asked. His eyes flashed towards me.

"Oops!" I said, putting on my very best 'I'm your sweet little girl' smile.

"You sent them my resume?"

"Oops," Dan said. "Sounds like a Cindy kind of move."

"Oh, come on, Tim," I said. "It was there on the hard drive. I updated it. I used considerable self-restraint in doing so. I have a distorted view of you, according to my aunts."

"Do we need to give you two some time to sort this out?" Alan asked.

Tim shook his head, laughing. "She says that everybody she talked with in this place is off-the-chart nuts."

Dan laughed. "Alan, you wanna answer? Tina's the sanest of the bunch."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. For a certain definition of 'nuts', it's like that. Beck, the lady you met when you came in, she's there so we have some idea of what 'normal' looks like."

I heard the sound of footsteps and the voices of young(er) girls coming up the hall, muted whispers, then greetings exchanged between them and the lady at the front desk, Beck. I listened.

"No, you CAN'T go in there. They're meeting that new engineer."

Little girl voice. "I know. And his wife. Kimberly. I Skyped 'er with Cindy and Tina."

Alan's face changed a bit. I caught a smile. Doting father. Not that I have any experience, but when I saw it, I knew what it was.

Tim spoke. "No, we don't have any issues. I should've done it. Like so much in my life since I met Kim, the steps I was going to take..."

"Have been taken for me," Dan chuckled. "Yeah, you got one of those wives."

"I'm fortunate," Tim said.

"Work, though, if we can talk about that..." Dan pushed.

"I think I do pretty good in power systems, mostly industrial, some utility. I can do a credible job in instrumentation and controls. If you've talked to anybody, you know already."

"Tears were shed when you took that last job," Dan said. "Nobody's bitching, except they lost access to you."

"I'm flattered," Tim said.

Alan looked at ME. "Kim, how much do YOU know about this place? If you've been talking with the girls..."

My turn, then. "3Sigma has outgrown its office in a year. You've picked up clients way ahead of your expectations. You've staffed up with field technicians and you're VERY picky about who you hire in that capacity. You have civil and mechanical engineers on short leash. And you have enough stuff going on back home to warrant permanently staffing an engineer or two there." I grinned. "New building across the street is YOURS. You need another engineer who is able to think on his own, who knows his limitations and isn't afraid to get help when needed, but doesn't need help often."

"And you married HER?" Alan laughed.

"Yeah, like Tina doesn't do that to YOU." Dan smirked. "I know what it's like to over-think a problem and have Cindy clarify things for me."

"Did I miss anything?" I asked.

"Do you wanna get paid for this, Tim?" Alan asked.

"That would be nice."

"What're you getting now? We'll add ten percent for base and five percent of net on any project you own."

"W ... wow. Just like that?"

"Cindy wants Kimberly in on this. Kimberly, can you shift gears long enough to talk with the Auburn Engineering Department?"

My turn. "What?"

"Hi," came the voice from the door. "Kimmyyyyyy!"

I knew what Cindy looked like. I saw the photo album – Cindy and Dan and the gang and airplanes and music and projects. Now I see Cindy in the flesh. I stood up and hugged my new sister.

"My age. Taller than me," Cindy said. "And pretty."

"Thank you," I said. "You're even more impressive in person, yourself."

She grinned. "Let's get Tim hired, then you and I need to go meet Mizz Aneeta."

"Mizz Aneeta?"

"Doctor Aneeta Patel. Engineering department talent search or something like that. She snagged Cindy. Cindy brought the rest," Dan smiled.

"That brings up a question," Tim interjected. "Are you expecting us to be based here or back in Louisiana?"

"We're open-ended on that," Dan said. "Empty apartment here. You keep the one in Louisiana. We don't care."

"If I'm going to Auburn..." I said.

Cindy's turn. "I'm thinking that after Mizz Aneeta gets you assessed, you're going to be pretty flexible as far as your college stuff."

My eyes darted to Tim's. We can communicate like this. What I see is 'run with it'. I guess he's making up HIS mind. I don't worry. Worst that comes out of this is we drive back home to the same life we left behind us. Which isn't bad at all, really.

I heard a door open and close, then footsteps and a little girl's voice. "Tina-mom. They're in the conference room and I can't go in there."

Cindy raised her voice. "Oh, come on in."

Alan shrugged. "Just as well. Tim, my daughter Terri and my wife Tina."

I giggled. "The pTerri-dactyl." The little blonde girl child bounced up from Tina to me.

"Hi, Kim."

"Hi, Terri."

"Are you gonna do it?"

"I dunno. Tim, you want to disappoint this child?"

Terri turned to the door. "Rachel. C'mere! We need to double up on the cute!"

Rachel magically appeared, looked at Terri. "Okay. Your best waif look. On three. One. Two. Three!" Terri commanded. The two of them did wistful, slightly sad, expectant, hopeful. I think I saw Tim shake visibly.

I laughed. "If that doesn't do it, Timothy, then I have serious misgivings about your humanity."

"C'mon, Kim. I'm gonna drive us over to visit with Mizz Aneeta. Terri, you and Rachel stay out of the way."

Three young wives delivered chaste kisses to their husbands and I was off on another adventure, this time, uncharacteristically without my Tim. Oh well, he trusted me this far.

Had an argument as to who got to sit in the front. I lost. Cindy was in the back seat.

"I can't believe you guys," I said.

"I know," answered Cindy. "I've heard lots of comments. The people who show up here for our study groups say that."

We drove through the campus area. My head was on a swivel, taking in the sights. It was my first real foray onto a real college campus. We stopped in front of an impressive building.

"We get out here," Cindy said.

"I'll go park and then meet you here in a bit."

I learned that parking is an issue. Tina does have a little 'out' due to her status on the research project. It only saves a few steps, I found out later.

"Are you nervous?" Cindy asked me.

"Kinda."

"I was freaking out. My first meeting here, they put me in a room with two math professors. You'll meet them. Ram and Bren. They're nice guys."

An older man stopped us. "This is the new one, Cindy?"

"Yes, Doctor Stebbins. This is Kimberly Duncan. Kim, this is Doctor Stebbins, the head of the engineering department. People are frightened of him."

Best I can do is smile and shake his hand. "Very pleased to have this opportunity, sir," I said.

He smiled. "Cindy's not been wrong yet. I'm sure you'll surprise us as well. Doctor Patel has informed me of your presence."

"I hope I do not disappoint," I said.

"I'm sure you will bring us good things." He sighed. "Now I must attend to student issues at the opposite end of the spectrum. Do take care." He left.

Cindy giggled. "Some of the other students are in absolute AWE that Doctor Stebbins calls me by my first name. He's stopped me 'n' Nikki out on the square to chat. You'd be surprised at the reputation you get for stuff like that."

Mizz Aneeta. One word. Charming. Beautiful lady, tastefully dressed, smiles a lot. Her voice has that lilting accent of the sub-continent. Cindy left me with her.

"So, Miss Kimberly," Mizz Aneeta spoke, "I see your records. You are very impressive as a student."

"Thank you ma'am," I replied.

"Tell me about your school experience. How do you handle classwork?"

I explained about the classes I sat through and how often, and the classes that teachers let me skip and about that back corner of the library where Kim's remedial match class met. I spoke of participating in the Math Bowl and showed a picture of the plaque I won.

"I get a bit uncomfortable doing this, though, Doctor Patel," I said. "I don't want to sound like I'm bragging."

"I do not see your report in that light, Kim, and please, I am quite happy being Mizz Patel or Mizz Aneeta to you and your friends."

"Does this happen often? Like with Cindy and Nikki and the bunch?"

"Never in my life have I had a cluster like this. Some years we get one who does like Susan and Tina. Seldom do we get a Cindy or a Nikki."

"Where do I fall out in that field?"

Mizz Aneeta smiled. "I think you're in the middle of the group. We will see after you discuss your mathematical prowess with..."

"Bren and Ram," I said. "Cindy warned me."

"She did not coach you, did she?"

"Oh, certainly not. She said I would be best served to do these things on my own. She told me to NOT be frightened."

"Can you do this meeting on Monday?"

"I can," I said.

"Does it not interfere with your classwork?"

I giggled. "Oh, some of my teachers are happier when I do not show up. Of course, some of the kids I help, those will be disappointed. I will email everybody and advise them."

"Then I shall call my colleagues in the math department and advise them that I'm doing it to them again."

"You make it sound like you enjoy it."

"Only a slight amount. It is better when they see the depth of talent we draw into engineering." She smiled. "Where are your associates? I would imagine they are not far away."

"I agree," I said. "Do you mind?" I reached into my backpack and pulled out my iPhone.

"Please do. Tell them to just walk in. I always enjoy seeing them again."

Three minutes later Cindy and Tina walked in.

"You're smiling," Cindy said. "I think that's a good sign."

"I could've had my college dreams dashed and am now headed back to the fevered swamps of home to spend the rest of my life stacking T-shirts at The Gap," I countered.