May 1974

It was much smaller than her graduation from high school had been. Only thirty students, twenty-six women and four men, were there to receive their certificates of completion. Still, Laura felt a strong sense of accomplishment as she sat with her classmates in the lunchroom of the vocational school, waiting for her name to be called.

She didn't have long to wait, as she was called up right after Carol Archer and Janet Bailey. Her family, sitting across from her with the other families, clapped as she received her certificate.

"Congratulations, dear," Elizabeth said as she embraced her daughter. "We're so proud of all your accomplishments."

"Thank you," said Laura.

"You graduated secretary school just like we graduated Head Start!" Jennifer remarked. The twins' graduation ceremony had been just a week ago.

"That's right!" her mother told her.

"Time to look for a job now," said Paul.

"Yeah." Laura sighed. "Sure would be nice if I already had a job all lined up for me, like Annie." Annie was all set to become the secretary at the church where Jimmy was the assistant pastor.

"I'm sure you'll find something soon," Elizabeth consoled her daughter.

Paul and Elizabeth took everyone out to eat at Morrison's to celebrate, and the following Monday, Laura began her job search.

For weeks she roamed the city, pounding the pavements, sweating and developing rashes in the summer heat, until she got an interview with a bookkeeping firm called Landon and McLeod. The day after her interview, Mr. Landon called and asked if she could start work on Monday. Elizabeth said she could pick the twins up at the bus stop in the afternoon, so after kissing them goodbye and getting them on the bus Monday morning, she drove to the office tower at the Town and Country Plaza. It was attached to the shopping mall on the bottom floor. Laura had been shopping at the mall many times, of course, but her job interview was the first time she'd ever been inside the office tower. She strode toward the entrance, took a deep breath, and entered the lobby.

A couple of middle-aged men and two women, one young and one middle-aged, were waiting for the elevator.

"What floor?" one of the men asked.

"Fourth," said Laura.

The young woman smiled. "That's where I'm going, too!"

On the fourth floor, Laura walked down the hall to suite 442B. She opened the door and walked inside.

The walls were painted a cheery yellow. A window was on each wall, and against one wall was a large bookcase. Also against that wall was a desk, at which a smiling young woman sat.

"Hi, I'm Laura Bishop," Laura told her. "Mr. Landon told me to report for work this morning."

"I'll let him know you're here." The girl left, and a few seconds later, Mr. Landon appeared. He was a portly, middle-aged gentleman with light brown hair on each side of his bald spot and pale blue eyes behind spectacles.

"Hello, Laura," he greeted her. "Come with me. You'll be training with Jackie today." He led her down the hall to a room in which a young woman with curly brown hair sat at a desk.

"This is Jackie Spencer," Mr. Landon told Laura. "Jackie, this is our new employee, Laura Bishop. I want you to show her the ropes today."

"Certainly." Jackie smiled and held out her hand. "It's lovely to meet you, Laura."

"You're from England," Laura said as she shook Jackie's hand.

"How can you ever tell?" Both women laughed, and Laura instantly felt comfortable. As she showed Laura how to do a spreadsheet, Jackie chatted about her life.

"I grew up in the east end of London, a working class neighborhood," she said. "Me Mum was a seamstress. Me Dad delivered the mail. We lived in a row house. Have you ever seen one of those?"

"No," said Laura.

"Why, it's simply a row of houses all joined together into one. It was a rough neighborhood. Muggings were a frequent occurrence."

"Were you ever mugged?" asked Laura.

Jackie shook her head. "Michael was always there to protect me. He's me kid brother, eighteen months younger, although people always mistook us for twins. He's married now, with a darling baby girl. Here's her picture."

She showed Laura a photograph of a handsome, dark-haired man holding a pudgy baby girl with round cheeks and dimples.

"Oh, she's cute!" said Laura. "Is that Michael holding her?"

"It is. Nice looking chap, isn't he?"

Laura nodded. "Who's his wife?"

Jackie's smile faded. "Oh, her name's Priscilla. I honestly don't understand what he sees in her."

"Why? What's wrong with her?"

"A bit daft, for one thing. He could have done much better. How about you? Are you married?"

"I was, but my husband died of pneumonia five years ago."

Jackie gasped. "Why, you poor thing! I hope you have family nearby to help out."

Laura nodded. "I'm living with my parents for now, until I can save up enough money to move out. I have twins, Jeremy and Jennifer. They just started kindergarten."

"How splendid! I have an eight-year-old son and a six-year-old daughter. Perhaps we could arrange a play date sometime."

"Perhaps." Laura thought back to the barbecue at Annie's two years before, how sad she'd felt when she'd returned home. Would a visit with Jackie and her family be a repeat performance?