Chapter 25 – Lunch with Ms. Harris and Mother

I took Mother to Trader Joe’s that night to get some gluten-free pancake mix and syrup. She fell in love with the store too. I grabbed some things, and she grabbed a few items as well.

“Mom, I love their Grade B maple syrup better than the grade A. I think it has a much better flavor.” I grabbed some of their gluten-free waffle mix boxes.

As I was getting ready the next morning, I smelled something wonderful and familiar. I love it when Mother makes breakfast in the mornings.

“Savannah, breakfast is ready.” As I walked out, she had her famous waffles and eggs ready.

“What a nice morning surprise, Mom. Thank you so much.” I walked up behind her and gave her a big teddy bear hug.

“Ready for today, sweetie.”

“Not if there are as many surprises as yesterday! I haven’t even worked yet. I assume the car will be here at noon to pick you up. I have no idea where we are going?”

“I’ll be ready and downstairs, sweetie.” After I finished my breakfast, brushed my teeth, spritzed on my perfume, and air-kissed Mom on the cheek, then headed to my car and thanked her again for the special breakfast.

I parked in the garage and walked to the elevator. I passed a parking stall near the elevator and read a temporary sign. ‘Reserved: Savannah M. Thomas.’ Wow, I thought to myself; but I didn’t want to walk back to my car, so I decided to park there tomorrow until I get my driver assigned. I made it up to the top floor by about ten till nine.

“Good morning, Savannah .” I looked around.

“Good morning, Ms. Harris. How do you do this morning?”

“I’m fine and extremely excited and thrilled to have you here. I think they will be bringing up more of your things from your office today. In the meantime, please come to my office. I want to get your ideas and opinions and have you read some papers.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” We talked about various projects. She handed me the papers, and I went to the couch, smoothed my skirt, sat down, and crossed my legs. I started reading the papers.

“Ms. Harris, do you mind if I write on these?” She nodded, no. I got a pen out of my purse that was on the floor next to my feet. IT came up to my office and set up my email for me on my computer.

“Miss Thomas, the next time you bring your laptop in, please give us a call. We’ll set you up so you can remotely access this computer on your laptop when you are away from the office.”

“Thank you. That will be very helpful.” I pulled out my phone and made a reminder to bring it.

Approximately ten or so minutes later, Miss Alexander came in with another young lady.

“Miss Thomas, I’d like you to meet Miss Sally Craig. She will be your secretary. Sally is an excellent worker, and I can personally vouch for her. Miss Thomas, Miss Craig.”

“Nice to meet you. Let me know how I can help you, Miss Thomas.”

“How do you do, Miss Craig? Until I’m settled in, get you space organized and so what you think is best and needed, or help Miss Alexander if she requires it.” I went back to reading the papers.

“Sara, you may call me Sara. Everyone else does.”

“Fine, Sara. But when clients for Ms. Harris are around, I’d appreciate the formal names.” Diane turned her head towards me as she looked at me over the top of her tortoiseshell framed reading glasses’ rim when I said that.

“Yes, Miss Thomas. Would you like some coffee or tea?”

“Sara, that too is so nice. But I do not wish to degrade you, and you serve me if you are getting something for yourself and would like to bring me something, fine. If not. I’ll get my own. Is there a coffee pot on this floor?” She was new up here like me, so she didn’t know either. I got up as I asked Miss Alexander.

“Come with me, and I’ll show you both where the breakroom is.” Said Miss Alexander. Donna and Sara are sweet, energetic, and young ladies. I wondered if Sara was a transgender woman too.

“Here it is, Miss Thomas.” The breakroom had free water, cokes, juices, tea, yogurts, and a Keurig machine. I pulled out my phone and made a note to bring a feminine coffee cup next to my laptop note. IT stayed to set up Sara’s computer.

I spent all morning reading the papers and taking notes on the ideas that Ms. Harris gave me. I looked up, and it was already eleven fifteen. I gave Sara my notes and asked her if she could retype these notes and highlight my changes when IT has her all set up.

I walked to Ms. Harris’s office.

“Ms. Harris, what time do you wish to leave for lunch with my Mother?”

“Give me fifteen-minutes, Savannah, and I’ll come to get you.” I went to the ladies’ room and freshened up. Then back to my office. I was rearranging the items they brought up more things from my old office.

“Ready, Savannah ?”

“Yes, Ma’am, Ms. Harris.” I grabbed my light-weight jacket. I decided I needed to make a note to bring a sweater to keep in my office.

I gave the driver my address. In the car, she told me I could call her Diane. Soon we were at my apartment. I pointed with my right hand over the driver’s right shoulder, “There’s my Mother in the cream-colored coat!”

The car pulled over, and the driver exited and opened the front passenger door for Mom. After all the polite introductions and small talk, we arrived at Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Steak. Ms. Harris had a table for us, and it seemed that she had been here many times before since everyone seemed to know her. We were seated, and Ms. Harris started,

“Mrs. Thomas, you have a beautiful daughter. You must be very proud of her. I know I am and so happy to have her on my team.”

“Thank you. I am too. I’m proud of both of my daughters.” She squeezed my hand.

We all ordered the salmon lunch. Mother did what Moms to best, talked about her children. “Both of them have all my love and my support in anything they choose to do in life.”

The transgender issue came up. Not Ms. Harris’s status, but mine. “So when did you know Savannah wanted to be a woman?”

“You saw her photos, didn’t you? She was just before Junior High when her Sister brought her home, not thinking I was there. I thought she looked so darling. I didn’t even recognize her if you can believe that, and I’m her Mother! I thought she was a friend of Gwen, my oldest daughter. She said she liked the dressing, so we both supported her decision. You probably know about her going to church, the slumber party, and ball and her Sister’s wedding?”

“Yes, I do.” Said Ms. Harris. “I’m thrilled she did her and hired by my company.” Ms. Harris turned to me. “Right out of college. Is that correct? I promise Savannah will have my full support at my company.” Other small talk followed, including Mom asking Mr. Harris about her life. I had to excuse myself and went to freshen up.

We dropped Mom off back at my apartment and headed back to work.

“Savannah, I think you should take your Mother to the airport when she leaves. You can come back to work after that. I’ll have a car take you two and bring you back. You are fortunate to have such an amazing, loving, and supportive mother.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Harris. I am blessed and would not be here without her and my older Sister’s love and support.”

“Please call me Diane.”

That afternoon I finished working on my office and reading papers. Sara came in with the work I gave her before lunch in well-organized folders and a summary sheet.

“Did you have lunch, Sara?”

“Yes, Miss Thomas.

“How did you do this so quickly? This is incredible work, Sara.”

“Thank you, Miss Thomas.” “If I had the original Word files, I would have been done much sooner. I hope I’m not too late?”

“No, Sara. It’s perfect. Thank you so much.” I when in and handed them to Ms. Harris. She was more impressed with the speed Sara finished the reports.

I looked around my office and decided I needed some pictures. I browsed over the CD and found some photos of the three Thomas ladies and printed and framed for here an apartment and sent some home to Mom and Gwen.

At home, Mother told me how much she enjoyed lunch and meeting Ms. Harris. I broke down and told Mom that she, too, was a transgender lady and knew she’d never tell anyone. Mom was amazed.

“Well, I couldn’t tell at all.”

“She doesn’t want anyone to know.” Mother nodded her head.

“Dinner home or out, dear?”

“Your choice, Mom.”

“Well, we are still dressed; let’s go back to one of those tea rooms you mentioned.”

“Sounds nice. It’s close too.” As we were getting ready to leave, we talked about returning for my surgery and how happy she was about my promotion. While she was finishing up, I said, “I hope Sis can make up here sometime too? Or both of you together. I don’t know where everyone would sleep, but I’ll figure something out.” I made another Trader Joe’s grocery list, and Mother laid out my clothes for tomorrow.

We were still full of the nice salmon lunch with Ms. Harris. So for dinner, at Sak’s tearoom. Mother had soup and a salad, and I had a salad and half a sandwich.

I was unhappy to see Mother leave on Friday. But I knew I’d see her in a few more weeks.

Work at DJ Harris went amazingly well, and I loved being a full-time woman. I made a few short overnight travel trips to meet clients, even if TSA was a pain to deal with because I was a pre-op transgender woman. We had way too many meetings for my liking; and offered many suggestions for product improvement and new ideas for new products and services. I was slowly becoming Ms. Harris’s, right-hand woman.

Next: Surgery.

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Category: Fiction