Forever Love (Arabesque)

by Norfleet, Celeste O.

  “I know he’s just using you to get the OCC endorsement.”

  “What?”

  “He’ll do anything to help his father. You told me that he’s incredibly loyal, right? So now all of a sudden you think he’s in love with you.” Bill shook his head with pity. “He’s using you, girl.”

  “Bill, this is a business meeting, not a date.”

  “You could have fooled me.”

  “Meaning?”

  “You’re looking at him like he’s the last piece of meat in a buffet dinner filled with cannibals. All he has to do is look in your face and snap his finger and you’d lie down right here on this table.”

  Gia’s stomach jumped. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

  “The only thing saving us is the fact that he doesn’t know you exist other than to get what he wants. And I’m not saying this to be mean, I’m saying it because if he ever looks in your eyes he’d know that all he needs to do is sleep with you and he’d have the endorsement.”

  Gia was speechless. Just then, Keith came back into the room. “I’m sorry, there’s been a situation and I have to reschedule this meeting.”

  “Is there a problem?” Gia asked, seeing the strained concern in Keith’s eyes.

  Bill stood. “Yeah, sure, just give us a call. You cancelled our meeting last week, what’s one more cancelled meeting with OCC.”

  “As with last week, this is unavoidable. Thank you for understanding.” Keith shook Bill’s hand and gave him a business card. Then he turned to Gia. She was still seated. He held out a card to her. She took it slowly, then stood. “I’ll have my assistant call and set up another meeting.”

  “Before the election on Tuesday, of course. That way you might just get our endorsement,” Bill said smugly. “That gives you exactly three days.” Then he downed the rest of his cappuccino.

  Keith exhaled with obvious exasperation. “Bill, I understand your caution, but this isn’t about getting an endorsement. This is about helping a community and rebuilding a city’s trust. Yes, having the OCC’s endorsement would be great. It would be icing on the cake. But the mayor will win this election without it. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He walked out.

  “What an idiot,” Gia muttered as soon as Keith left the room.

  “See, that’s what I’m talking ’bout. Now you’re on my side again, the right side.”

  “Not him, you,” Gia snapped at him, then walked out.

  Bill looked around the empty office; then, seeing his cup and saucer, he grabbed them from the conference room table and stuffed them in his jacket pocket. He turned to see Keith’s assistant standing at the open door. Kate smiled, seeing exactly what he did. “This way out, Mr. Axelby.”

  Bill dropped the cup and saucer on the table and strolled out. “Yeah, whatever,” he said, catching up with Gia at the elevators.

  “Are you going back to the office?” she asked him.

  “No, I’m gonna make a stop. It’s time to make a move.”

  She wasn’t interested in his cryptic meaning, so she just let his comment go. Whatever he had to do was fine with her. She didn’t want to deal with him right now. “All right, whatever, I’ll see you later.”

  As soon as Gia got to her car, she pulled out her cell phone and texted Keith.

  I had no idea Bill was going to go off like that. I still hope we can get together and talk. I’m very encouraged by your ideas. She waited a few minutes, but got no reply.

  Chapter 20

  The message from his father’s campaign office was simple. Lester Jameson was doing a press conference in thirty minutes. Keith hated to cut his time short with Gia, but he had no choice. He had always felt that law and business would always be his top priority, but now he had a new priority—his love for Gia. He smiled, thinking that she looked incredible. Just seeing her, even briefly, had changed his demeanor.

  His cell phone beeped. It was a message from Gia. He smiled and was typing a reply when a phone call from his father interrupted him. He answered the call. “Hey Dad, what’s up?”

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m still at the office. I’m headed your way now.”

  “Turn on channel seven news now,” Blake said.

  “Okay, give me a second.” Keith dropped his briefcase onto the chair and grabbed the remote control and turned on the large-screen TV in his office. He switched to channel seven to see Lester Jameson standing in his City Hall office with two OCC members at his side.

  “What the hell?” Keith increased the volume.

  “...as allegations have been brought to my attention from local blogger Danny Mead and OCC head, Bill Axelby. Should these allegations prove true and viable, then it puts the mayor’s actions in question and we need to look very seriously at the power given to our elected officials. No one, I repeat, no one is above the law in this city, and I promise right now to see that this investigation is handled fairly and thoroughly and lasts as long as needed. And that said, I’d like to...”

  “What was that?” Keith asked aloud.

  “That’s what I want to know,” Blake said, still on the phone.

  “I’m on my way,” Keith said, in full damage control mode. He made phone calls from his car, setting a response in motion. If Lester wanted to fight dirty to the end, then he was ready.

  Twenty minutes later Keith parted a throng of reporters still camped out at City Hall. By the time he’d gotten to his father’s office, he was furious. It was no mistake. He stood in the office watching the news feed again with his mother and father. The replay was exactly the same as it had been a half hour earlier. Bill Axelby stood beside Lester Jameson as the announcement was made. He smiled and nodded as Lester spoke about integrity and the future of the city.

  “What happened?” Marian asked Keith.

  “I don’t know yet,” Keith said, shaking his head, “but I intend to find out.”

  “How is OCC involved?” Blake asked.

  “I told Gia the general economic plan and it looks like she went to Jameson with it,” Keith said in utter surprise.

  “Disappointing,” Blake said.

  “Yes, very,” Marian agreed.

  Keith’s eyes narrowed. He fumed as he watched Bill formally announce the OCC position in endorsing Lester. The fact that he and Gia had just been in his office an hour earlier made it worse. “I’ll find out what happened.”

  “No, let it go. The OCC endorsement is lost. We’ll move on.”

  Keith knew in his heart that it wasn’t that easy. There was no way he was just going to move on that easily. Gia had betrayed and used him and he needed to know why.

  There was a knock on the office door. Drew, Jeremy, Prudence and Michael walked in. Megan followed and nodded to Keith.

  “Dad, you have a press conference in thirty minutes. We’re all set. Are you ready?”

  Blake nodded. Marian stepped to his side and kissed him tenderly. Their sons and daughter smiled, warmed by the embrace. This was what the Washington family did better than anyone. They stood together no matter what.

  * * *

  Gia drove back to the office and hurried inside on hearing the phone ringing. As soon as she got to Bonnie’s desk, she saw that all six lines were lit up and ringing. She knew instantly that something was going on. She pressed the buttons silencing and putting on hold all the phones. Then she hurried to her office and turned on the television. Lester Jameson was being interviewed.

  “...if these allegations are true, then we need to look very seriously at the power given our elected officials. No one, I repeat, no one is above the law in this city, and I promise right now to see that this investigation is handled fairly and thoroughly and lasts as long as needed. And that said, I’d like to...”

  “What allegations?” she muttered as h
er cell phone rang, assuming this was what prompted Keith to end their meeting so abruptly. She looked at the caller ID. It was Val. She answered just as a commercial came on. She turned the volume down. “Hey, Val, what’s up?”

  “Hey, hi, how are you?” she said awkwardly. “I know you have your hands full right now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay and let you know that I’m here if you want to talk. Did you hear from Keith yet?”

  “No, why? What do you mean, about what happened today? Did he say something to you?”

  “Gia, it’s on the news,” Val said.

  Gia looked back at the television screen.

  “...allegedly this is only the beginning in the latest scandal coming out of City Hall...”

  “Val, let me call you back.”

  “Okay, whatever time, it doesn’t matter. Call me.”

  Gia ended the call and turned up the television’s volume. The camera cut back to the news anchor at the desk.

  “Again, our top story, allegations of bribery, intimidation and corruption in Mayor Washington’s office. More after these commercial messages.”

  “What?” Gia flipped channels twice, looking for the full story. Then she waited impatiently. A few minutes later the anchor came back. She turned the volume up and waited for the full story. The report stunned her:

  “This evening’s top story, Lester Jameson has initiated a panel to look into the mayor’s fraudulent actions regarding corruption and kickbacks, citing deals made with large corporations for personal gain in the guise of an economic recovery program. Also, this breaking report, OCC, the Organization for Community Change, the group responsible for these allegations, has endorsed Councilman Chairman Lester Jameson for mayor of Philadelphia.”

  “What? Oh, my God, Bill, what have you done?” she said, looking at her cell phone. Keith hadn’t returned her text messages and he hadn’t called. She sent another text.

  Keith, please call me, doesn’t matter how late.

  A second later her phone rang. She answered, expecting to hear Keith’s voice. It wasn’t him. It was her grandmother. “Hi, Grandmom,” she said. “I can’t talk right now. I’m—”

  “Yes, I just saw the news report. What’s going on over there?” Julia asked.

  “Bill endorsed Lester Jameson without telling me. I think they’ve been talking about this and planning it for a while. I never thought he’d jump ship like this.”

  “I presumed as much. He always wanted more than OCC could give him. Perhaps he’ll find what he needs with Lester. But that doesn’t matter now. What’s your move?”

  “Keith probably thinks I betrayed him. I called him and left messages, but he hasn’t returned my calls.”

  “Don’t worry about Keith right now.”

  “Grandmom, you don’t understand. Keith and I—”

  “I know, sweetheart. You’re in love with him.”

  “Yes, I am,” Gia softly admitted.

  “I’m so happy for you, but you’ll talk to him later and explain. He’ll understand that Bill acted on his own.”

  “I hope so. But right now I need to get control of OCC. I’m gonna make an announcement tomorrow morning that Bill was solely representing himself in his decision to endorse Jameson and I’ll disavow everything.”

  “That’s a good start, but it wouldn’t completely restore faith.”

  “I know, but it’ll help. OCC will be endorsing the mayor.”

  “Good,” Julia said, “I’m very glad to hear that.”

  “Too late for that, it’s already done.”

  Gia turned around, hearing the comment. She saw Bill standing in her office doorway. He was smiling and holding a bottle of champagne.

  “Grandmom, I’ll call you right back,” she said, disconnecting. “Are you insane? What have you done?” Gia said as she looked at Bill coldly.

  “I did what you should have. I made a decision based on facts and not on my hormones. Man, you should see the party at Jameson’s headquarters. Now, they know how to celebrate—champagne, not beer and cold pizza.”

  Bonnie and Linda hurried into the office. “Hey,” Bonnie said, out of breath, “I saw the news tonight. I didn’t know OCC was gonna make an endorsement announcement. I don’t have a press release ready. What do you want me to write? The phones are already ringing off the hook. They’re probably looking for a follow-up announcement from you, Gia.”

  “I’ll tell you what to write,” Bill said. “I have some notes and highlights I want to stress. OCC will be—”

  “Gia, what do you want me to write?” Bonnie said.

  “OCC does not endorse Lester Jameson. I personally don’t endorse Lester Jameson. Bill, you can endorse anyone you choose but you do not represent OCC.”

  “The only reason you want to endorse Washington is that you’re sleeping with his son.”

  Bonnie’s and Linda’s jaws dropped as they turned in her direction for a response.

  “What I do in my personal life and my relationships is none of your business.”

  “They are when they affect this office.”

  Gia smiled, shaking her head. “You are a piece of work. All this just to, what, to get in good with Jameson? What did he promise you, money, fame? Do you really think he’s gonna deliver?”

  “It’s true, isn’t it?”

  “Get out!” she demanded.

  “Gladly,” Bill said, handing Bonnie the empty bottle of champagne as he walked out.

  Gia took a deep breath and looked at Bonnie and Linda still standing in the office doorway. “Are you ladies still with me, with OCC?”

  “Yeah, we’re here with you.”

  “Thanks, we have a lot of work to do.” Gia looked at her watch. It was seven-thirty. “We need to make an announcement for the eleven o’clock news. Let’s get busy.”

  The first thing Gia did was send a text message.

  Bill went rogue.

  Again, there was no reply from Keith, so the next few hours she was on full damage control. She’d been trying to put out media fires all evening. Bill was constantly on the news. She sent out a press release, a blog, made phone calls to the media answering questions and updated all OCC social networks. She did everything. But it was obvious that she needed to do more. Bill had always acted as the face of OCC. But she knew it was time for her to take center stage and step in front of the camera and speak.

  She called Val. “Hey, I know it’s late, but do you think your friend Whitney Abbott at WPVI Action News TV Station will give me a fair interview?”

  “I know she will. She’d love to have you on. Let me call her.”

  Gia hung up and waited all of five minutes. Val called back. “Whitney cleared the first segment of her morning talk show, but she wanted to know if you were up to going live tonight.”

  “Yes, I am,” Gia said.

  With that response it happened just that fast. Before she knew it, plans and arrangements had been made and the network was sending Whitney down to the OCC office for an exclusive. Thankfully Val and Prudence came with her, adding moral support.

  “Don’t worry, Gia, you’ll be fine,” Whitney said. “I’ll ask you a few simple questions to get you started. Just answer the questions as honestly as you can and then you just tell us what you want us to know.”

  Prudence smiled. “You’re a natural, you’re gonna do great.”

  Gia looked at Val, getting two thumbs up. “You got this.”

  Gia nodded and smiled. Whitney asked her if she was ready. She nodded again and then Whitney’s cameraman started a countdown with his fingers. He got to number two, then pointed to Whitney. They were on.

  She was honest and endearing and the camera loved her. She answered Whitney’s questions and ended with OCC’s firm endorsement for Blake Washington.
/>   Shortly afterward she got the text message she’d been waiting for.

  Keith: Late dinner?

  Gia: YES!

  Chapter 21

  At one thirty Saturday morning Gia drove to Keith’s home in Chestnut Hill. It was dark but the houselights were on and she knew he was waiting for her. She got out of her car and walked to the front door guided by the landscape lighting along the path. Keith opened the door before she got there. It looked as if he had just gotten in also. He stood smiling and holding his hand out to her.

  Gia smiled, knowing this was what she needed, to see him. She took his hand and he pulled her into his welcoming embrace. She closed her eyes and melted into his arms. She never wanted to leave and never wanted this feeling to end. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Seeing you makes everything so right.”

  “You’re welcome.” He kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She’d never felt so loved in her life. This was what she always wanted.

  “Thank you for endorsing my father.”

  “You’re welcome. It was deserved.”

  “Come in.”

  She walked in and turned to him. “That’s the first time you referred to him as your father. You usually call him the mayor.” He nodded. “We need to talk.”

  “We will, later. Come.”

  She followed him, but instead of going to the family room, they went up to his bedroom. As soon as he opened the door she was overwhelmed by the romantic beauty. The room was softly lit by candles aglow on the fireplace mantel and a welcoming blaze in the fireplace. “This is so beautiful.”

  “A gift for you.” He handed her a small shopping bag. She recognized the logo. It was from the same boutique as before.

  She smiled. “Don’t you mean for you?”

  He smiled as he popped a champagne cork. “Oh, yeah, it’s definitely for me.”

  She laughed as he handed her a filled glass. “Are we celebrating?”

  “Yes, we’re celebrating you. Freedom—you made OCC yours.”

  They toasted and then she took a sip and sighed happily. “Keith, I need you to know that I had nothing to do with what happened. I would never betray your trust. I did tell Bill about your father’s program and the companies, but I had no idea he was—”