The Process

Leaving her brick home, Jacqueline wonders how she can have a perceived perfect life, yet be so miserable. Guilt without remorse enters her mind. She lied about the personal trainer, although it’s his fault. His expectations, a perfect size one figure, remain at his beck and call, his married whore, that’s how she felt. “I’m glad he’s going to be in meetings all day,” she says out loud, turning on the radio, removed to her favorite Mozart symphony.

Pulling into the bank parking lot, Jacqueline decides to park on the roof level of the garage, and back into the parking space, just in case someone recognized her car. Thinking to herself, Okay, now I don’t have to worry about anyone seeing my license plate, and turns off the purring engine.

“Okay, here we go.”

Gathering her portfolio and handbag, she exits and locks her car. The sun accented her tanned skin, casting a long shadow of her slender physique, as her heels clicked rhythmically upon the cemented parking garage. Once inside the cool, platinum elevator, and taking a deep breath, she whispered to herself, "Relax."

Within seconds the elevator door opens, walking with the grace of a ballerina, controlled and in-charge, she enters the bank lobby heading towards the loan department.

“Hello Mr. Matthews, it’s good to see you again. I trust you’re doing well?”

“Hello Ms. Smith, you are looking lovely as usual. Why don’t we just step into my office?”


Bill Matthews stands 6’4”, with the build of a NFL football player, while his hands are like oversized work gloves with short stout fingers and perfectly manicured nails. Jacqueline always thought that was odd, almost like God forgot the height he programmed in for the man. His boxed face reminded her of the B movie robots, square without any emotion, except for the fake smile painted on his face.


“So, how have you been since the last time we talked? Are you still ready to move ahead with your business venture?”

“Things are just fine, thank-you. I am very anxious to get started, there’s really so much I need to do.” In Jacqueline’s mind it was all or nothing, she had given the bank everything they had asked for, from the Title Page and Executive Summary, to her complete financial records and projections. The bank had everything; all she needed was the final response.