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Finally Forever

By Karin Beery

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The crisp manilla folder taunted Caroline as she stepped into her office. She flipped on the light before setting her briefcase-sized purse on the floor. The leather chair squeaked under her weight as she picked up the file.
ORIENTATION.
Not her favorite way to start the week. Opening the folder, she scanned the list of new hires as the sun warmed her through the third-story window. She recognized a few names, but one made her pause. Ben Allen. It couldn’t be. She flipped through his paperwork.
Football player at Western Michigan University. Degree in business analytics with a minor in accounting. Graduate of Traverse City Central High School. All-American defensive end. No doubt about it, he was the same Ben Allen who had graduated with her younger sister Christine.
“Good morning, Caroline.”
She looked up to find her boss standing in the doorway, casual as ever in khakis and a short-sleeved button-down shirt. “Morning, John. I was just looking through the file you left me.”
“That’s why I stopped over.” He smiled, his fatherly face crinkling. When he shut the door, Caroline perked up. John Marsh rarely needed to discuss confidential things with her. If he felt the need to close the door, she was going to give him her full attention. “I suppose you recognized Ben Allen’s name.”
“I did.”
“Then you know he’s a bit of a celebrity.”
An understatement. “Division one football players usually are. I was surprised to see his name. I didn’t realize he’d moved home.”
John sat in one of the chairs across from her. “Not many people know. Ben and the family have been quiet about it. They weren’t even sure he’d come home until his father spoke with Al.”
“Al Morrison?” Owner and founder of the company? Interesting.
“A friend of the Allens. After physical therapy, they wanted him to come home, but he was hesitant. Al wasn’t. He offered the kid a job as soon as he read Ben’s résumé.”
Caroline’s heart cracked a little. She couldn’t imagine settling for insurance work after training for the NFL. It had to be hard for a twenty-three-year-old to process. “I’ll find him a good mentor. I was thinking of—”
“I want you to be his mentor.”
“Excuse me?” Her heart tightened as she glanced at the folders still in her purse.
“I need someone who won’t be starstruck.”
“I don’t mentor anymore.” And she had no desire to start, even for a celebrity.
“Just this once. You’ll be able to work with him objectively. Teach him the ropes without getting distracted. You’ll be perfect.” John tapped the desk twice before standing. His unofficial sign-off. “Ben will be here later today. Meet me in my office at one. He’ll start orientation next week with everyone else.”
Without another word, John disappeared. Panic swirled in Caroline’s mind and throat as she imagined her free time disappearing. Needing the comfort of a familiar voice, she grabbed the phone and dialed Chris.
“Caro, what’s wrong? Why are you calling?” her sister asked.
“Did you know Ben is working at Morrison?”
“You interrupted my PE class for this?”
“My boss wants me to be his mentor. I’m not sure how to keep press, stalkers, and groupies out of the office.” And she doubted the mentoring stipend was adequate compensation for the hassle.
Chris laughed. “Don’t be dramatic. No one will know he’s there. He’s been pretty quiet since the injury. Now, stop calling me at work unless it’s an actual emergency.”
The line went dead, and Caroline sighed. Chris was right. Sure, Ben was the biggest celebrity Traverse City had ever produced, but it was only Traverse City. Population fourteen thousand. She doubted there were enough professional photographers in the whole county to make up a respectable group of paparazzi. And maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. If Ben wanted a quiet life, Morrison would be the perfect place. There wasn’t much about the classic car insurance company that would remind him of football or attract a fan base.
***
Ben checked his reflection in the window. He’d driven past the Morrison Insurance building dozens of times in his life, but this would be his first time inside. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be his last. If he thought about it too long, he’d want to put his fist through the glass, so he pushed the temptation aside. Time to face reality.
He opened the door, and a cool blast of air washed over him. A nice-looking woman smiled at him from behind the receptionist’s desk. With her chin-length gray-blonde hair, wire-frame glasses, and bright lipstick, she reminded him of his aunt.
“Good afternoon. How can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m Ben Allen. I’m here to see John Marsh.”
“I’ll let him know you’re here.” She motioned behind him. Ben walked over to the small sitting area. He’d have to fold his six-foot-three frame in half to fit in the tiny chairs. Instead, he walked to the refreshment bar and helped himself to a bottle of water.
On the other side of the tinted windows, cars cruised slowly down the street. A woman about his age pushed a stroller along the far sidewalk. No one noticed the county’s greatest disappointment watching them through a plate-glass window.
“Ben.”
He turned at the sound of his name. A gray-haired man in khakis and loafers walked toward him. Ben self-consciously straightened his tie. “Mr. Marsh. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
The older man took his hand and gave it a solid shake. “Thanks for being here. I’d show you around, but we have an appointment with Caroline Novak in my office. She’s our training and event coordinator, and she’s going to introduce you to our processes and help you get settled in.”
Ben cringed. “I appreciate that, sir, but I don’t need any special treatment.”
John nodded as he led the way to a nearby elevator. “I know, and you’re not getting it. All of our new employees are paired with a mentor. Caroline doesn’t usually take on mentees, but you two knew each other growing up, so I thought it might be a good pairing.” They stepped into the elevator, and John pressed the fourth-floor button.
They sort of knew each other. Ben tried to remember the last time he’d spoken to Caroline. Maybe when he and Chris graduated high school. He remembered her yelling at him and Chris for eating too much cake. Was that at his open house or Chris’s?
The elevator doors opened to a lobby similar to the one downstairs. More blue and tan furniture with dark brown rugs covering parts of the tiled floor. Large windows offered a view of downtown. With few buildings standing more than four stories tall, Ben could see the rooftops of most of them.
John stepped off the elevator and turned right. Ben followed a step behind him. Only a handful of offices lined the hallway, all with window walls inside and out. Each office contained the same blue-and-brown striped carpet, tan walls, and oak furniture, but pictures, plants, and memorabilia gave each room a unique flair. They walked around the corner and into a fairly plain office. Pictures of John, his wife, and two sons covered the side table.
John motioned to one of two armchairs on the near side of the desk. “Caroline should be here soon. Until then, do you have any questions for me?”
Ben resisted the urge to loosen his tie as he sat. “I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.”
“Sorry I’m late. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
Caroline rushed into the office, her arms full of files and a smile on her face. A black skirt hugged her slender hips and legs, and she wore a light green, button-down shirt. He couldn’t see all of her dark brown hair. Just the tight knot on the back of her head like she’d always worn it.
As she sat beside him, Ben checked his watch. It wasn’t quite one o’clock. “I don’t think you’re late.”
John laughed. “If Caroline isn’t fifteen minutes early, she’s late.”
She set the files on the corner of John’s desk and her purse on the floor. She turned, focusing on Ben. “Welcome home. I didn’t realize until today you were back in town.”
“ESPN isn’t as interested in me selling insurance as they were when I was playing football.” Neither were many people from his college life.
“I can’t promise life here will be as exciting as you’re used to, but you might attract some attention from the other employees.”
“Which is why I asked Caroline to come out of retirement, if you will, to be your mentor.” John leaned back in his chair. “Knowing your families’ history, I thought it might be easier for you to work together without distractions. Caroline, do you have Ben’s file there? I’d like to discuss some things with you both.”
She grabbed the stack of files, flipping through the tabs. “I have it here someplace.”
“Are those all of the other new employees?” Ben hadn’t realized how many people worked at Morrison.
“No, most of these aren’t even work related. Here it is.” She pulled out a single file and passed it to John. He flipped to a page, then passed it back. Her face scrunched. “We don’t have a Business Analytics department.”
“I know,” John said.”
Caroline raised an eyebrow. “Are you letting Ben name his own position or just waiting until he finds something he likes?”
“What?” Ben stiffened. “Wasn’t I hired as a business analyst?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t have a lot of time to review this.” She practically glared at Ben. “I assume they hired you for your accounting minor.”
Ben turned his attention to John. His temper simmered. “I know Al and my grandpa are friends, but I don’t want special treatment.” Like a made-up job for a washed-up ex-football player.
John lifted a hand. “Don’t be too hasty. Your hiring wasn’t standard, but it also wasn’t an unmerited favor. You graduated with a three-point-eight GPA in business analytics while breaking and setting football records on the field at a division one university. You’d be an asset to any company, and Al wanted to make sure you didn’t get away. You didn’t get this job as a favor to you or your grandfather. It was a favor to us.”
Confusion and embarrassment tied up his tongue. “I didn’t realize …”
Cool fingers touched his hand. He looked at Caroline as she squeezed his arm. “You were always Chris’s hardest working friend. That type of work ethic would be an asset anywhere.”
Ben searched her blue eyes for any hint of patronization, but only sincerity looked back at him. Unsure what to say without embarrassing himself more, he nodded.
The corners of Caroline’s mouth lifted.
For the first time all day, he relaxed.
“Would you mind giving John and me a minute?”
That couldn’t be good.

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