The Job Offer - By Eleanor Webb Page 0,2

her know about the interview, but I'll only be in town for a few hours that day. Orcas Island is too far from Seattle for me to go up and see them, and with this being the beginning of their summer season, they will not be able to get away from the inn to meet me in Seattle."

Anne and Carla grew up on Orcas Island, part of the San Juan Island chain, in Eastsound Village. Anne's mother and stepfather, Jim, owned and ran the Eagle's Nest Inn on the north shore of the island. They bought the fishing lodge and resort when Anne was a toddler and over the years developed it into one of the premier luxury inns and vacation resorts in the San Juan Islands. Carla's parents owned the local bakery that still supplied the inn and the local community with the best in baked goods and desserts.

"Maybe you should just plan on staying with them for the week until you find out if you will be called in for the next round of interviews. Your parents would love to have you up there for the week. Then, when you get called back again to Seattle, and I know you will, you can drive down instead of fly. You don't have a consulting job lined up that you need to get back to Massachusetts, do you?"

"I hadn't thought of that. Mom and dad would like to see me. She's been bugging me to fly in and spend a week for the last year, especially since I did not come out last summer." Anne considered the option and saw the sound reasoning in it. Even if she did not get called back for a fourth interview, there was nothing to fly back to Boston for on the tenth, and a week on Orcas would be a nice way to spend her time instead of worrying about her next paycheck. "I'll call her tonight and call Ms. Iverson first thing tomorrow morning and see if it is too late to change my flight plans."

"Good. Then you can also spend the evening of the tenth in our guest room. I'll take the afternoon off and we can go shopping for maternity clothes."

"Maternity clothes! Why didn't you tell?" Anne cried out in delighted surprise. "You are supposed tell your best friend when you have news like that. You let me go on about the interview when you had such big news yourself. When did you find out? When is the baby due?"

"Hold it before you take my head off with all your questions. I only found out about being pregnant for sure earlier today. But I took a home pregnancy test yesterday. So, I just found out. I called Gary right away, so you calling tonight did not infringe on my surprising him with the news. That was your next question, I'm sure." Carla chuckled softly, and then Anne heard Gary say something in the background that sent Carla roaring with laughter. Anne smiled at the comment Carla made back to her husband about waiting until later before Carla got back on the line.

"You do know me well, Carla. I'll let you know about the change in plans once I talk to mom and Ms. Iverson. I better let you go since it sounds like you and Gary will have some celebrating to do. Congratulations. Give Gary a big kiss for me."

"Will do, Anne. Let me know tomorrow if you can stay. Love ya. Bye."

Carla disconnected at her end, and Anne did the same then put the receiver down so that she could make herself a cup of herbal tea. A feeling of warmth and hope came over her. She thought that she was doing the right thing. It was time to go home to Washington State. Seven years was long enough to be away. Now that she had her PhD from M.I.T. and enough work experience in oceanography and biochemistry, she could go back to Seattle with her head held high. Her father would eventually find out she was back, but she was no longer the same young woman he used to manipulate and control. Now she would be able to live her own life back where she belonged.

Picking up the phone again, she entered the number for the inn on the keypad. It rang twice on the other end before it was answered by one of the employees. Anne told the woman who she was and who she wanted to