When Tilly’s boss, Mr. Cooper, gets a custom-made pair of sneakers sent to him, Tilly cannot help but take a sneak peek. Only for disaster to strike with spilled coffee. Before she knows it, Tilly has to run over to her MIL to help save the day.
You know that gut-wrenching feeling you get when you realize that you’ve messed up big time? The kind where your heart drops to your stomach, and you’re convinced that life as you know it is over?
Yeah, I had that in full force the other day.
A woman holding her head | Source: Midjourney
Let me back up. I work as an assistant to Mr. Cooper, the owner of a mid-sized logistics company. Although, as an assistant, I don’t fetch coffee or organize his schedule. My role is a little more important than that.
“You’re my go-to person, Tilly,” Mr. Cooper would say. “I need you!”
And that’s exactly what I was, his go-to person for anything and everything.
A businessman with his arms folded | Source: Midjourney
One day, I’m picking up his kids from school; the next day, I’m out buying him a new fishing rod because his old one broke on his trip to the lake. I’ve even had to pick out flowers for his wife.
But this time, I messed up. Big time.
Mr. Cooper’s friend, who I’m guessing has a lot of money and way too much free time, had a pair of custom-made white sneakers sent over. Apparently, they were one of a kind. Like the kind of thing that wealthy, fabulous people wear once and then put on a shelf like a trophy.
A white sneaker | Source: Midjourney
“It’s supposed to be extremely comfortable, Tilly,” Mr. Cooper told me when I gave him his afternoon smoothie.
“More comfortable than the ones you own already?” I taunted.
Mr. Cooper laughed.
“I guess we’ll have to see. But Derek said that they make you feel like you’re walking on air. That’s something!”
A person holding a smoothie | Source: Midjourney
When the courier arrived, Mr. Cooper asked me to grab them for him immediately.
“You can just leave them on my desk, Tilly. I’ve seen a photo of them—Derek did send me one before he packaged them. But I’m heading into a meeting now, and then I’ve got to meet Lenore and the kids for dinner. So I’ll only see them tomorrow.”
I nodded and walked downstairs to the foyer where the courier was waiting with the prized pair of sneakers.
A delivery man | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you,” I said to him, signing for the package.
Before going upstairs, I stopped at our in-house barista to get a cup of coffee. I was eager to get home, but I still had a lot of filing to do before that.
That was my first mistake.
I took the package into my office and set it down on my desk while I sipped my coffee.
A coffee cart in an office | Source: Midjourney
I wasn’t into sneakers, but I was so curious about this custom-made pair of shoes that I just wanted to see what they looked like.
“Just one little look wouldn’t hurt, Til,” I said to myself.
Wrong. So wrong.
The moment I opened the box, my fingers fumbled, and one of the pristine white sneakers slipped out like it had a mind of its own. It fell right onto my desk, knocking over my cup of coffee.
Sneakers in a box | Source: Midjourney
I watched in horror as the coffee splashed all over the sneaker.
“Crap. You stupid girl,” I told myself.
I think my brain short-circuited at that moment. There was this beautiful, custom-made white sneaker for my boss, with an enormous, ugly coffee stain.
I sat there for what felt like forever. I was already imagining myself jobless, trying to explain to my husband why we had to move back in with my mother-in-law.
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
And then it hit me. Betty!
My mother-in-law is a domestic wizard. She’s the kind of person who knows how to get out any stain, fix any rip, and make anything look brand new again. If anyone could save me, it would be her.
“Pick up, Betty,” I said, hearing the phone ring.
A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney
“Hi, darling,” she said moments later.
I quickly explained everything to her, and I could almost hear her smiling through the phone.
“Oh, honey,” she said, calm as ever. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got a little secret that’ll fix those shoes right up. Come home.”
A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney
I drove to her house, the stained sneaker sitting on the passenger seat, mocking me. When I arrived, Betty was already in her kitchen, setting out a few simple ingredients like she was about to whip up a batch of cookies.
“Come, darling,” she said. “It’s so easy!”
“Just help me, Mom,” I said, sinking into a chair. “Please.”
A woman sitting on a chair and holding her head | Source: Midjourney
“All you need is a tablespoon of baking soda, two tablespoons of white vinegar, and a cup of water,” she said, her hands moving swiftly as she mixed the concoction in a small bowl.
“This works on fabric, leather, canvas, you name it. Trust me, Tilly.”
I watched as she dipped an old toothbrush into the mixture and began scrubbing the sneaker. The coffee stain started to fade right before my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. It was like magic.
Ingredients on a counter | Source: Midjourney
“What? That’s sorcery!”
But Betty didn’t stop there, though. She scrubbed the entire sneaker, making sure that the fabric looked as clean and fresh as possible. By the time she was done, the sneaker looked brand new.
Better than new, even. It gleamed under the kitchen lights, all traces of my coffee disaster erased.
A shocked young woman | Source: Midjourney
“You’ll want to let this sit for about 30 minutes, just to be sure,” Betty instructed. “Then rinse it off with some water, and you’re good to go.”
After the final rinse and a little bit of drying time, I was holding a pristine, stain-free sneaker in my hands.
Maybe I wasn’t going to lose my job after all.
A smiling older woman | Source: Midjourney
The next morning, I rushed into my office, putting the sneaker back into the box with its counterpart before rushing to leave the box on Mr. Cooper’s desk.
“Good morning, Tilly,” he said, walking in behind me. “Let’s see the babies!”
My heart was pounding, and my hands felt clammy as I handed him the shoebox. He opened it and pulled out the sneakers, examining them closely. I stood there, trying to keep my face neutral, but inside, I was a nervous wreck.
A smiling business man | Source: Midjourney
“They look great, don’t they!” I exclaimed, trying to sound casual.
Mr. Cooper nodded, slipping one of the sneakers on.
“Yeah, they really do. They’re really nice! And they’re pretty comfortable, to be honest.”
For a split second, I thought I was in the clear. He didn’t seem to notice anything. I was about to make my exit when, out of nowhere, guilt hit me.
White sneakers in a box | Source: Midjourney
“Mr. Cooper,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. “I need to tell you something.”
“What is it? Is everything okay?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
I gulped hard.
“When I was checking out the sneakers yesterday, one of them fell out of the box and got stained. It was an accident, I swear. I tried to clean it up, and, well, my mother-in-law helped me, actually. But I just wanted you to know, in case you noticed anything.”
A nervous woman blocking her mouth | Source: Midjourney
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, to my surprise, Mr. Cooper smiled.
“You know, I did notice something,” he said, holding up the sneaker. “I could tell that there was a little spot where the fabric looked different. But honestly? They look brand new.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“Thank you for being honest,” he continued. “That’s what I appreciate more than anything. And don’t worry, I’m not going to fire you over a silly little stain. If anything, I’m impressed you managed to fix it. I’ll be bringing Cameron’s tennis shoes for you to fix too!”
A smiling business man | Source: Midjourney
I could’ve cried with relief. Instead, I just nodded, smiling like a fool.
As I left the office that day, I called Betty quickly.
“You’re a lifesaver. Thank you!”
“Anytime, and just remember, next time you’re in a panic, Tilly, call me first.”
Best advice ever.
A smiling young woman | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
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