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“I still can’t believe you’re going to be training the great Brian Russo himself,” she says with a giggle. “This is huge for you, Tanya!”
My breath catches. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to work with one of the country’s leading CEOs. Yet, accepting to work with him without telling him that we knew each other when I was younger would mean deceiving him and betraying Diane’s trust.
“I know,” I say, unable to keep the smile off my face. “It’s a dream come true, really, but…” I hesitate, the familiar worry gnawing at my insides again. Should I tell her about Brian’s connection to Diane? That he’s the father of my oldest friend?
Alisha peers at me, her brow creasing. “But what? What’s wrong?”
I take a deep breath and spill the truth, recounting how I recognized Brian right away from my childhood days. By the time I finish, Alisha is staring at me with wide eyes.
“Ah, Tanya,” she breathes. “That’s…that’s crazy. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I was thinking of not saying anything at all, and keeping it professional, but I don’t know if I can hide this from Diane forever, you know?”
“You can’t hide this from her,” Alisha says firmly. “Secrets like this have a way of coming out, and it’ll be so much worse if she finds out from someone else. You need to tell her the truth.”
“But what about Brian?” I protest. “I don’t want him to give me any special treatment, but once he knows he’d go back to being my friend’s father, and I might be afraid of being able to be tough on him when needed. Telling Diane could jeopardize how he views me and how I train him.”
“Do you really think she won’t figure it out on her own, eventually?” Alisha counters. “And when she does, how do you think she’ll feel knowing you kept this from her?”
I grimace, knowing she’s right. Diane would be furious if she found out I hid something this big from her for the sake of a job.
Alisha reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I know this is complicated, but you have to do the right thing. Be honest with your friend. That’s the only way to move forward here without hurting each other.”
Her advice echoes in my mind. I realize what I have to do. No matter how much I want to keep my relationship with Brian professional, my loyalty to Diane has to come first.
I give Alisha’s hand a grateful squeeze. “Thank you. You’re right, as always.”
She smiles. “That’s what friends are for. Now, tell me more about this job of yours. When do you start training the famous Brian Russo?”
I launch into the details, but my mind is already spinning with ways to break the news to Diane. I’ll tell her about Brian after. This won’t be an easy conversation, but it’s one that needs to happen.
The next day, I steel myself and call Diane. My stomach is in knots as the phone rings, but I know this is the right thing to do.
When she answers, I blurt out, “We need to talk.”
“Is everything okay?” Concern colors her tone.
“Yes, everything’s fine. I just have something important I need to tell you.” I take a deep breath. “It’s about your dad.”
There’s a beat of silence. “My dad? What about him?”
“I met with him yesterday for a new client consultation.” The words tumble out in a rush. “I didn’t know it was him when I took the job. I wanted to tell you right away, but I wasn’t sure how. I’m really sorry for keeping this from you.”
“You’re training my dad?” Diane sounds stunned.
“I know this is awkward, but I wanted to be honest with you. Your friendship means the world to me.” I bite my lip, waiting for her reaction.
After a long pause, Diane lets out a surprised laugh. “Well, this is unexpected! I can’t believe you’re training my dad. How did this even happen?”
Relief floods through me at her positive response. “It’s a long story. He called me through a friend’s reference. What should I do about this? Do I tell him or not? I fear if I tell him he’d view me as his daughter’s friend, and the boundaries of our professional relationship would be crossed. What if I can’t cater to him with as much toughness as I do with other clients?” I don’t know what’s best,” I finish miserably.
“Okay, I’m going to give it to you straight,” Diane says after a pause. “You have to do what you think is best for his health. And don’t worry, I appreciate you telling me the truth and I won’t mention this to him.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.”
We make plans to meet up when she’s back in town, and after we hang up, I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders. Coming clean to Diane was the right choice, and while training Brian will still be complicated, at least now I can move forward with a clear conscience and without secrets between my friend and me.
Chapter five
