Chapter 38

There were lots of picture frames on KTA Unit Manager Beth Terry’s desk, but none of the children who beamed from them were truly her own. Nieces, nephews, and godchildren delighted in their “Auntie Beth,” who never forgot a birthday, holiday, or other special occasion, always sending the best gifts. Not the practical things like pajamas or slippers, but the fun things like the latest toys and video games. When Auntie Beth came bearing her gifts, the kids always knew they were going to be good.

Beth took pride in her shopping prowess, stalking not just F.A.O. Schwarz but most of the other Fifth Avenue stores as well. Bergdorf’s, Bendel’s, Lord & Taylor, and Saks were her weekend haunts. She knew by heart which merchandise was on which floor and when the best sales were scheduled to run. When KTA staffers needed gift ideas or guidance on where to find the garment they were searching for, they came to Beth.

She was well into her Christmas shopping. And why shouldn’t she be, she asked herself as she stirred her nonfat vanilla yogurt before the morning meeting and perused her mostly checked-off list. The shopping provided a sense of purpose, a weekend diversion. It wasn’t as if her dance card was full on Saturdays and Sundays. The people with children had soccer games, scouting trips, and school fairs to attend. The ones without kids but with significant others in their lives had Saturday night dates and long, leisurely Sunday brunches to savor. While Manhattan provided fabulous museums and the best theater in the world, it seemed everything was enjoyed best when shared.

And while many people dreaded Monday mornings, Beth was relieved when the workweek started. She felt most alive, most happy when she was doing her job, coordinating logistics, satellite bookings, and travel arrangements, solving budget problems and the myriad other details that had to be attended to in order to get KTA on the air each morning. And, perhaps more to the point, Mondays meant she would be with Linus again.

She clung to the hope that it would eventually work out between them though, if she were really honest with herself, she had to admit that Linus had never alluded to marriage. But every time her boss said, “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Beth,” or “I’m so lucky to have you, Beth,” or put his hand on her shoulder when they went over broadcast plans, she dreamed. Others might have been frightened of him, criticized him, or despised him, but for Beth, Linus Nazareth was all she could possibly want in a man. She knew a side of him that others did not know.

She was only too happy to be doing his Christmas shopping for him again this year. But even with the time she had to fill, she was going to have to do some shopping on the Web to get it all done. Beth clicked on the computer’s Internet browser and “let her fingers do the walking.”