The View from Suite 2100
Page 5
“I know you weren’t expecting to have lunch with both Rowena and me today, mother, but that’s really the reason I asked you here.”
Gabrilla stiffened and I noticed for the first time the frilly collar at her neck. I recognized the chocolate tweed suit she was wearing because of that collar. It was by a new young designer whose name slips me at the moment, but I’d actually looked at the suit myself at Saks and determined it was too young for me. The way it cut off her neck and made her head look like it was sitting on a shelf convinced me that I was right. It was too young for her as well.
“I do not like surprises, Drew, and you know it. They tend to be very unpleasant, especially when they come from you.”
Her words were as sharp as a slap, and I saw something flash between them that didn’t seem healthy.
Drew straightened up suddenly though, reached across the table for my hand and looked at me a moment before turning to his mother. I felt his fingers tracing the diamond on my finger.
“Then you definitely aren’t going to be happy with this one.” He moved my hand in her direction.
Just at that moment a short, rotund waiter stuck a menu into Gabrilla’s hand, then picked up her napkin, snapped it and placed it in her lap.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Seasons,” he stated pleasantly, giving Drew and I only a backwards glance. “Ah, Mrs. Ardmore! So, you’re joining us at the Seasons again so soon!”
Gabrilla glanced up at him and turned on all her charm.
“It’s Alberto, isn’t it? You waited on us last week, when I was here with Senator Dumarkus’ wife.” She beamed, and he continued to flatter her.
“Will you have the Maryland-Style Crab Cakes, with the “Old School” Pineapple and Cabbage Slaw, Sweet Potato Fries, Lemond-Parsley and Grain Mustard Aioli this time as well?” He stepped aside to quickly thrust menus in both our directions, but his attention was completely on Gabrilla.
“Most definitely!” She looked at Drew, ignoring me. “Darling, you must have the same thing. It is absolutely divine.”
Drew looked across the table at me apologetically. We both knew our moment of revelation was gone, at least for a while, and we’d have to wait for another opportunity to tell her our good news.
Gabrilla continued to urge Drew to order the crab cakes, but he surprised me by ordering the Grilled Vegetable Panini rather than taking his mother’s suggestion. It seemed to surprise her also. She appeared just a bit taken aback. She decided to direct her attention towards me.
“So how are your little businesses doing, Miss Wilkes?”
‘Little Businesses’ was the way she frequently referred to my endeavors. It used to tick me off, but I’d grown accustom to it. I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of upsetting me in any way though, especially considering the importance of the day.
“Remarkably well. Business increased overall by about 11% this year, with the strongest showing coming from the export trading company.”
She looked a bit impressed. Drew noted it too and winked at me across the table. “So you have the three businesses now, and you’re in the Trenco Building Northwest, right?”
“Yes, I’m housed on the 21st floor. But, I opened another business about nine months ago and it’s in the Manectan Building on K Street.”
Gabrilla pursed her lips. “Aren’t you stretching it a little thin? I mean, something has to suffer with you doing so much.”
The condescension had returned to her voice, but I ignored it.
“I have an excellent staff, and I hire all the external expertise necessary to make sure it’s all being handled competently at all times. Good lawyers, good accountants, you know.”
Drew leaned forward. “Plus, her newest business is a little different than the rest. It’s a very upscale match-making service. It’s called 2-of-A Kind, Inc.”
Gabrilla leaned back, her mouth open. “A match-making service? Well, that’s little more than an escort service. Why, I never –“
“Mother please!”
I held my hand up for him to calm down. I felt I could explain 2-of-A Kind in a way she could understand it.
“It’s nothing like an escort service, Mrs. Ardmore. My clients are executives, physicians, attorneys, and business owners who want to take the guess work out of meeting eligible mates. 2-of-A Kind offers a service in which we do intensive profiling and extensive background checks on all candidates who are interested in meeting other people who will meet their specific qualifications.”
“It sounds terribly unethical, immoral, and unsafe to me. A real shady line of work!”
I decided not to try to tackle all of what she’d just thrown out. I thought I’d focus on the safety issue since it was fresh on my mind.
“We have a number of safe guards in place. Actually, just this morning I met with a local laboratory to start having all candidates provide a DNA sample as a part of their application process.”
Drew cocked his head to the side. “Really? I didn’t know that!”
“As a matter of fact we’re going to do a few tests this afternoon. I’m going to have him take my sample, and Carolyn is going to come over from 2100 so he can take hers too.” I smiled. Drew really seemed impressed, hanging on my every word. “Why don’t you come through too Drew if you want to see how it’s done. You can have the director, Martin Charleston, take your sample too.”
“I’d love to. I’m fascinated by DNA, anyway. What time?”
I beamed! I had been in Drew’s presence when his mother was around on many occasions in the past, but until today I had never seen him as openly attentive to me. I loved it. I glanced at Gabrilla to see how she was dealing with it and was startled. She was looking at me as if she’d seen a ghost. Her eyes were unusually wide, her skin had turned gray, her mouth slightly open, and her hand was clasped to her chest. She looked as if she were about to have a heart attack.
“Drew?” I said, wanting to draw his attention to her.
Drew turned towards her, but he didn’t notice the sudden change that had come over her. Instead, caught up in the moment, he decided it was the moment to spring our news on his mother. He reached across the table again, grabbed my left hand and guided it towards Gabrilla.
“As I started to say earlier Mother, I’ve asked Rowena to marry me.”
Gabrilla turned her head slightly as though she wasn’t certain she heard what he said. She really wasn’t paying attention to him at first, her focus still on me. He lifted my hand higher and literally shoved it in her face.
“We’re getting married, Mother!” He said, this time almost defiantly.
Both her hands shot up over Gabrilla’s head as she let out a deafening screech. The entire room came to a halt as every diner and waiter turned and stared in our direction.
“No!” Gabrilla continued to screech. “How could you? And your grandmother’s ring? Take it back, you fool! You can’t --”
I admit I knew his mama was a trip, but I sure didn’t know she had that in her. She bounced up out of her chair, and for a moment, the way she looked at me, I thought she was going to try to yank me up out of my seat and swing on me. All I could do was look on in amazement.
Our little rotund waiter raced across the room to try to calm the situation. Drew looked apocalyptic, first at me, and then at his mother. He didn’t know what to do.
“She’s unfit! Who are her people, Drew? She’s unfit, she’s a nobody. You’ve got to stay away from her. You must.”
She was talking about me as if I wasn’t there. I was there though, and it was clear to everyone in the room I had to be the “she” she was referring to. I picked up my handbag. Drew saw me, nodded and looked relieved.
“Go on, okay. I’ll catch up with you a little later. I need to handle this alone.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Baby, I’m so, so sorry. I just never dreamed…”
I didn’t let him finish. I made my way out of the restaurant as quickly as I possibly could, avoiding the curious
stares. All the way out through the lobby as I hurried to retrieve my car I heard my own mother’s voice saying over and over. “Are you sure? Are you sure?”
No Mama, I’m not at all sure! I said aloud, once the valet had slammed my car door and I stepped on the gas and peeled out of the hotel’s drive.
Chapter Eleven
I don’t remember how I made it back to my office at 2-of-A Kind. It had to have been by osmosis, because my memory is a complete blur. Somehow I lost nearly two hours as well, because when I walked in it was after 3:30 and Martin Charleston was sitting in the lobby waiting for me and so was Drew.
I managed to put on a sane face while Martin conducted the tests and explained details to me, Drew, and Carolyn, who had joined us. I thought I saw him looking curiously from Drew to me though as he talked, as if he could sense the tension between us. I didn’t give Martin the satisfaction of making eye contact with him, but I also thought I saw Drew frown at him more than once as he became aware of the looks Martin was giving me.
“Ms. Wilkes,” Martin said as he was packing up his instruments to leave and Drew and Carolyn were filing out of the conference room. “Can I speak to you a moment?”
Heck no! I thought. With all the crap I’m dealing with right now all I want is for you to just get out of my office.
“This really isn’t a good time, Mr. Charleston. If there is still something you need to explain or provide more details on I’d rather we get back to it next week.”
“I really just wanted to ask if you are okay? You look upset, and that isn’t how you were looking this morning. I know it is none of my business, but if I can be a friend – I’d love to become one.”
I was about to go totally off on him, but I looked in his face and there was nothing there but sincerity. All the flirt was gone. I swallowed deeply, but felt I needed to clear the air then and there.
“I’m in a committed relationship, ah, Martin, and I don’t think it leaves much room for new friendships, although I deeply appreciate your offer. Thank you.”
He smiled, his look still sincere. “The offer stands, but in the meantime I hope you find your smile again. It is magnificent.”
The moment that Martin departed, I caught up with Drew and told him I needed him to give me a little space. I didn’t feel I needed to explain anything more than that since he’d also witnessed the scene with his mother at the Seasons. I left him standing in the middle of my office with Carolyn and just got the heck out of there. I thought I remembered seeing a little smirk on the receptionist Lila’s face as I swept past her desk. She reminded me of someone suddenly, but I couldn’t place who.
****
My own mother’s sixth sense must have kicked in, because the moment I walked into my house the telephone started to ring and mama was on the other end apologizing for having been “unfeeling” when I’d called her that morning.
She hadn’t gotten ten words out before I just started to bawl like an eight year old, sobbing out the horrible events of the day.
It was a mistake. I heard mother yelling for my father to call the airport right then on his cell phone and make reservations because they were leaving immediately for D.C.
“Please Mama, don’t. I just need you to listen. I don’t want to make you and daddy travel all the way here. I’m okay, just hurt right now.”
“Please nothing, Rowena Justina! Please nothing! I’m coming and when I finish getting that woman straight.”
I could hear the deep breathing and could almost see the fire dancing from my mother’s eyes. I remembered an incident a long, long time ago, when a new family had moved into town and we’d gone over to greet them, as was our custom. Turns out it wasn’t such a good idea. A big, burly woman had angrily answered the door, apparently feeling we were imposing. I happened to be the first thing her eyes landed on and she grabbed me roughly by one of my little arms and shoved me from the door. I’d fallen onto the sidewalk in a heap.
I had been too stunned and surprised to cry, but my mother, in that instant, had totally lost it. The burly woman had to slam her door and lock it to keep my mother from tearing her apart. That was the only time I ever saw the mother tiger in her truly rise up to that extreme, but I knew it was what she also was feeling right then.
“Mama,” I tried again, knowing I needed to try to talk her down. She was no longer a spring chicken. “You and daddy just stay there, okay. I might need to come home for a little while. You know, just to get away. I promise you, if things get too uncomfortable I’ll come straight home. Promise.”
Working to calm mama helped me to get myself together too. I hung up finally and went to check my messages. There weren’t any. I thought about calling Melayne or Alexia or Becca, but decided not to. I needed some Rowena time.
I got up and started towards the computer. It was habit. Suddenly I realized that I was about to turn it on and go straight to Sevens Plus Casino.
Not a chance, I whispered! Not a chance!
I turned the other direction and headed up the stairs to my bedroom. Once there I went into my bathroom, started to fill the Jaccui with the special blend of Japanese Mint bath salts I had Becca order special for me from her contact at Magic Hands Spa and turned on the water. Time out, I needed some serious time out. I stepped in and turned the jets on full blast.
Chapter Twelve
I didn’t feel like getting out of bed when I woke up.
“No! I’m not going to let myself fall into this kind of blue funk,” I said and kicked the covers off. No matter how I felt, I was not about to lay there in bed feeling sorry for myself.
I paddled to the shower and stayed there seemingly forever, pretending the water running off my back was the pain I felt being washed down the drain. It worked for a little while, but the truth was my world was in a tailspin.
I got out finally and dressed in a soft blue pant suit. I did need to go into the office if only for a few minutes. There were a few papers on my desk I needed to sign but after that, I decided, I was just going to get away from business and everything else for the balance of the day. I hadn’t taken a day off in months. I was in desperate need of a break.
I considered a drive out to Maryland to explore a few antique shops which was always relaxing to me, or maybe though I might even take a train ride up to New York for the day. Heck, maybe even two days. I hadn’t spent time outside of D.C. by myself in a long time either. The few weekend trips I’d taken the last couple of years were all with Drew. The thought of Drew made me look at the ring again. I twisted it around my finger a couple of times, tempted to take it off, but I didn’t.
So what are you going to do, Miss E? I wondered.
I couldn’t come up with a definite answer. All I knew was I really needed to put some time and space between me and everything that was currently my life. No matter what my life looked like on the outside, it simply was not working for me, and it was time I admitted it.
The fact Carolyn was more than capable of handling things at both Suite 2100 and 2-of-A Kind, Inc. for a day or two should I decided to take an extend stay out of the office gave me a sense of peace. I was sure that even now she was probably stepping up to the plate and taking care of business as I drove towards the office. I was over an hour late and hadn’t called to let her know why, but after yesterday she must sense things between Drew and me weren’t that great.
Sure enough, when I walked into Suite 2100 she was on the telephone, her head buried in her hand, deep in conversation. I could tell by her expression whatever she was taking care of was very heavy! I was hoping none of the trade deals we were currently trying to piece together had sprung a leak, but at this juncture I felt if they had they just had. I’d have to try to patch them back together another day.
Carolyn looked up, acknowledged me with a nod, but didn’t smile as I slipped past her desk into my office. I glanced back to make sure she was alright, but she’d already lowered her head again and was once more deeply engrossed in the conversation.
Carolyn was replacing the receiver on the cradle when I reached her desk. I was about to speak, but the look on her face as she looked up at me left me speechless.
“My goodness, Carolyn, what is it?”
“That was your bank,” she said flatly. “They are calling your loan, your line of credit loan.”
It didn’t register.
“What loan? You don’t mean my credit line?”
“Yes, that’s what they’re talking about.” Carolyn shook her head in disbelief, and repeated. “This is insane.”
My plans to get away from the office flew out the window instantly. The old saying about ‘if it ain’t one thing it’s another’ entered my mind, but I didn’t panic. It was a mistake. It had to be. I was financially as solvent as a rock. There was no reason whatsoever for the bank to want to call my loan. That’s what I told Carolyn.
“It’s a mistake, Carolyn, don’t get upset. Let me call Delmar Cade. He’ll know what’s going on. Let’s let him get to the bottom of this.” Delmar was my personal banker.
Carolyn gave me a pained look. “That was Annette, Delmar’s secretary I just hung up from,” she said. “It was Delmar who had her call. They want it paid in full by close of business Friday.”
I marched back into my own office and closed the door softly. I was sure Carolyn had misunderstood in some way, but I didn’t want her to overhear my conversation when I called the bank to prove that to myself. I didn’t want her to feel I thought she didn’t know what she was talking about.