* * *

"Madeline, pick up line one darlin'; there's a gentleman named Jim
Russo waiting for you!"
Betty's lilting voice drifted musically down the hallway as Maddy
reviewed the monthly report for the Kingston Personnel Agency's Wayne
branch. And while her endless craving for something more out of her
career had only intensified since her promotion, she was at least grateful
that business had picked up dramatically. Unfortunately, their efforts to
find a good Account Executive had thus far been fruitless, necessitating
Maddy to spend continued time in the field.
During one of her unplanned cold calls, she knocked on the door of
an insurance company located in a new office condo community in
Exton. Dressed in a professional summer suit of red linen with gold
buttons and navy accents, she'd looked particularly stylish when she spoke
with a friendly receptionist who nevertheless informed her that the boss
was out. However, she willingly gave Maddy his business card. A few days
later, Maddy returned, bearing Kingston's promotional gift for decisionmakers-
a notepaper holder for the desk, decorated with his initials.
On that hot late-June day, she'd also looked stunning in a pale peach
linen ensemble with a short, but tasteful skirt that buttoned up the side. It
was all part of her conscious effort to maintain an attractive exterior,
regardless of persistent inner turmoil. Lately she'd begun to have sporadic
episodes during which her heart would suddenly palpitate wildly, her head
would begin to throb and her stomach would ache as if someone were
squeezing it in their fist. These strange sensations were also accompanied
by an overwhelming and eerie desire to jump out of her skin.
Madeline couldn't quite pinpoint exactly how and why these
occurrences were taking place, although puzzlingly, other people were
usually around when they did. She'd be enjoying lunch or dinner with a
friend when-bam! It would hit her like a bolt out of the blue. And
though these experiences were incredibly frightening, thus far she'd been
able to hide her distress by simply excusing herself to go to the ladies
room. Once there, she'd take deep breaths until she felt safe again. Thank
goodness, today she felt fine; she had a lot of territory to cover with
follow-ups, beginning with Future Insurance.