“He’s mellowed a bit over the last few years,” I smiled, “but I know what you mean. If it makes you feel any better, though, I hired you, so I figure you’re reporting directly to me and not to him.”
Pookie cocked an eyebrow at me.
“If that wasn’t the case,” she said, “I wouldn’t have come along in the first place.”
I could have let it go, but my curiosity was aroused.
“What’s the problem between you two, anyway? More specifically, what’s your problem with Aahz? He has nothing but the highest praise for you and your work.”
Pookie’s features hardened, and she broke eye contact to stare straight ahead.
“That’s between him and me,” she said stonily.
Her attitude puzzled me, but I knew better than to pursue the subject further.
“Oh. Well . . . anyway, I’d like you to stick around if that’s okay.”
“No problem from my end,” she said. “Just one thing … to ease my mind. Could we adjust my pay scale? The prices you’ve been paying are my premium rates for short term work. For long term employment, I can give you a discount.”
“How much?” I said quickly. As I noted before, Aahz had taught me most of what I know about money, and I had picked up some of his reflexes along the way.
“Why don’t we knock it down to the same rate as you’re paying those two.” she said, jerking a thumb at Guido and Nunzio. “If nothing else, it might avoid some hard feelings between us professionally.”
“Umm . . . fine.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that Guido and Nunzio were actually earning more than her premium rates. Realizing she was not only from the same dimension, but the same family as Aahz, I wasn’t sure how she’d take the news. With everything else on my mind, I decided to sort it out at a later date . . . like, payday.