The ringing phone interrupted their afternoon on nothing. Karen looked at the number on the caller idea and then at Beth. The smirk made Beth wonder what she was up to.
“Hello?” Karen answered.
“Ms. Henchey?”
“This is Ms. Henchey.” Karen winked at Beth and Beth tried to lean in close enough to hear both ends of the conversation.
“Ms. Henchey, my name is John and I am very happy to inform you that you have won front row seats this weekend’s gala even in . . . ”
“Thank you, but I am not interested.” Karen interrupted him in the middle of his presentation.
Silence crackled on the phone line and it made her smile widen. Beth shook her head and tried not to encourage her.
“You do not understand, Ms. Henchey. You have already won.”
“I understand perfectly. I am still not interested.” Beth wagged a finger at her and mouthed “you are BAD.” It only made Karen grin more.
“Um, Ms. Henchey, could you hold on a second.” She could hear the confusion in his voice.
Karen covered the mouth of the phone. “I went off script.”
Beth shook her head again. “That is never good.”
“I think he went for reinforcements.”
“You could just hang up.”
“I tried that alreadh of the phone. “I went off script.”
Beth shook her head again. “That is never good.”
“I think he went for reinforcements.”
“You could just hang up.”
“I tried that already. They keep calling back.”
“So this is your plan B.”
“It is something anyway.” They both giggled.
“Ms. Henchey?”
“This is Ms. Henchey.”
“Ms. Henchey, this is Shay. John said you needed to speak with me.”
“I think it was the other way around.” Beth laughed and Karen gave her an evil look. She covered her mouth to muffle the noise.
“I’m sorry?”
Karen had to bite her own lip to keep from joining Beth in the fit of laughter. “I mean that I believe that John wanted YOU to talk to me.”
“Oh? Could you hold on a second?”
“Why not.” Karen answered the empty line. The voice on the other end had already vanished. She covered the mouth of the phone again. “I think Shay and John must be having a pow wow.”
“You are WAY more patient than me.”
“I am just determined to win this game.”
“I thought you had already won. Isn’t that what got you here in the first place?”
Karen threw a pillow at her head but she ducked. The voice on the other end returned. “Ms. Henchey?”
“This is Ms. Henchey.”
“Yes, ma’am. John was telling me that you have won two tickets to this weekends . . . ”
“Did John mention that I was not interested?”
“But you have already won.”
“But I am not interested.”
“But the tickets are free . . . because you won.”
“But I am still not interested.”
Beth had her head buried in the pillow Karen had thrown. The tears of laughter were pouring down her face. Karen struggled to contain hers.
“Ms. Henchey. I am confused. Do you not want what is rightfully yours?”
“Wow!” She held back none of the sarcasm. “You mean the tickets are mine?”
The voice was excited now. “Yes. You have already won.”
“Oh, in that case . . . I am still not interested.” She winked at Beth again. “I have an idea. Why not pretend that I never answered and just give those tickets to someone else. I think John has earned his way, give them to him.”
“Ms. Henchey. The tickets are yours.”
Beth had all she could take. She snatched the phone from Karen. “This is Ms. Harris.”
“What happened to Ms. Henchey?”
“I am sorry. Ms. Henchey was called away unexpectantly.”
The silence returned. Beth covered the receiver and whispered to Karen, “this is fun.”
“Do you know when I can reach Ms. Henchey?”
Beth thought for a second and then smiled from ear to ear. Karen looked at her sideways. “Ms. Henchey has to be away until Monday. Can I leave her a message?”
The crackle almost hid the flurry of voices on the other end. “Um, I guess there is no message. Thank you”
“No thank you.” Beth hung up and the two erupted in laughter that left them with a full ab workout.