7-15-97, 1:00 PM

Kourtnee, Colt, and I got back to the Shimmers complex at 1:00 PM. Lunch was fun. Everyone was happy. All three of us got out of the car and walked to the office building like one happy family. I walked in between Colt and Kourtnee. I wondered what Kourtnee was thinking about Colt. I wondered what Kourtnee would think if she knew what I knew. Colt walked us back to Kourtnee's office. He said goodbye to both us. He winked at me. Kourtnee looked at me. I looked at the floor.

I went to the table a pretending to be filing. Kourtnee walked over to the table and leaned on the table by me. She asked, "What is going on between you and Colt?" I said, "Nothing." She picked up one of the pieces of paper and looked at it, and then she said, "What do you two have going on?" I decided to be smart, so I said, "If you tell me what is going on between you and Colt, I'll tell you what's going on between Colt and me." She gave me a look, then she said, "Colt and I. You are being smart. We have a meeting in the marketing department." I looked at Kourtnee. She did not make eye contact with me when she walked by me back to her desk.

Paula stuck her head in the door and asked Kourtnee to step outside. Kourtnee got up from her desk and went outside. It was quiet when Kourtnee stepped outside. The other times Paula and Kourtnee had talked outside of Kourtnee's office, I could hear every word that they said, this time I didn't hear anything. I walked over to the door to see if I could hear what they were saying. What I heard was two earfuls.

Paula: What in the world is going on with you and Colt?

Kourtnee: Paula can't this wait. I have a meeting to go to.

Paula: No, it can't wait. Before LaDawnya came into your life, Colt's name was a bad word, but now, you are going to lunch with him.

Kourtnee leaned back on the wall before she spoke.

Kourtnee: I went to lunch with him because of LaDawnya. There is nothing going on with Colt and me. I have to go.

Paula: So, that's it. That's the only explanation I get. I can't believe this.

Kourtnee put her hand on her head and turned to come back into her office.

Kourtnee: Does everyone in my life have to act a fool today?

I quickly went back over to the file cabinet before Kourtnee walked into her office. When she walked back in the room, she didn't look at me. She just told me to come on. In the elevator, we were both quiet.

The marketing meeting was another meeting in another conference room. It held no importance for me.

We left the Marketing meeting. I felt like an incredible trespasser. I felt like I had made Kourtnee's life miserable. I didn't know what to say t Kourtnee to make it better. If it had not been for me trying the lotion that Armand had given me, this dreadful series of events would have never occurred. I wanted to talk to Kourtnee about it, because I was feeling so terrible. I decided not to say anything.

I was sitting on the couch in Kourtnee's office. My head was leaning on the back of the couch. Kourtnee came and sat down beside me. She rested her head on the back of the couch like mine. She said, "I am the one who is having a rough day. Why do you look like you are having a bad day?" I began, "I am feeling bad because…" Paula walked in the room and said, "Kourtnee, the product demonstration is about to begin." Kourtnee said, "Ok." Kourtnee looked at me. I looked at Kourtnee. She said, "Hold on a second." She walked over to her desk and made a phone call. She said, "Angela, there is a product demonstration going on upstairs. Would you like to go in my place?" Kourtnee paused. Kourtnee said, "Ok, be sure and let me know what happened. Bye."

Kourtnee walked over to the door and closed it. She walked over to the couch and sat down beside me.

Kourtnee: So, why do you feel bad?

LaDawnya: Can you just skip the product demonstration like that?

Kourtnee: Yes.

LaDawnya: I don't want you to skip the meeting because of me. I don't want you to get into trouble.

Kourtnee: I am the president of the company. I am not going to get into trouble.

I smiled.

Kourtnee: What's going on?

LaDawnya: I am feeling bad because of all the trouble that I caused today. If I hadn't been walking around, none of this would have happened.

Kourtnee: None of this is your fault. Sometimes, crazy things happen.

LaDawnya: I guess. Paula's mad at you now.

Kourtnee looked at me with a look of shock.

Kourtnee: How did you know that Paula is upset with me?

LaDawnya: I overheard what she said to you.

Kourtnee: You were eavesdropping.

LaDawnya: Yes, mame.

Kourtnee: You know it's not nice to eavesdrop.

LaDawnya: Yes, mame.

Kourtnee: What happened between Paula and I has nothing to do with you. You don't have to feel bad.

LaDawnya: Ok.

I made a noise with my mouth.

Kourtnee: Girl, quit that.

LaDawnya: Yes, mame.

Kourtnee: Are you feeling any better now?

LaDawnya: No, mame.

Kourtnee: Why not?

LaDawnya: I don't know.

Kourtnee: Ok.

LaDawnya: How do you feel?

Kourtnee: I'm tired.

LaDawnya: Can we go home?

Kourtnee: Not right now.

LaDawnya: Why not?

Kourtnee: Because I can't.

LaDawnya: You are the president of the company; you won't get into trouble.

Kourtnee: You are too cute. We can't leave right now. I have work to do and you have filing to finish.

LaDawnya: Ok. How much am I getting for doing all of this filing?

Kourtnee: Nothing.

LaDawnya: Awe man.

Kourtnee: Awe man? Do I look like a man to you?

LaDawnya: No, mame.

Kourtnee: Are you sure?

LaDawnya: Yes, mame. Why did you have to embarrass me in the meeting?

Kourtnee: It was not my intent to embarrass you. I wanted to tell everyone not to give you any Shimmers' products so that a repeat of this morning would not happen again.

LaDawnya: It was embarrassing.

Kourtnee: There was no need for you to be embarrassed.

LaDawnya: I felt like an idiot after you said that.

Kourtnee: You shouldn't have felt like an idiot. I said what I said for your own good. I don't want to make you feel embarrassed or like an idiot. I apologize for making you feel like that. I am not going to apologize for doing what I felt was right and necessary.

LaDawnya: Ok, I accept your apology. Can we go home now?

Kourtnee: Nope.

She laid her head on my shoulder before she rose up off the couch.

LaDawnya: Awe woman.

Kourtnee laughed as she walked to the door and opened it. We both went back to work.