A Very Good Life

by Lynn Steward

  Dana just smiled and nodded. She felt certain from Patti’s facial expression that she knew something had changed in Dana’s life. Patti was a discerning woman, but whether she knew of the impending divorce was anyone’s guess. Dana thought it likely that Patti would be fishing for information when January rolled around if she hadn’t heard the news by then. She was a woman, in Dana’s estimation, of insatiable curiosity.

  Dana had lunch with Kim at Charleston Garden since the girl was on Christmas break.

  “So how is everything?” Dana asked.

  “Different,” said Kim. “This is the first Christmas that my parents have been . . . well, you know. But I feel okay. Things worked out with the contest, and I’ve been thinking that maybe that’s how life is in general. It’s a bit unpredictable, but things seem to work out.”

  “You sound like my father,” Dana said, “but I agree. It’s the big picture that counts, right? Not just the facts and figures at any given time. We’ll let the learned astronomer handle those kinds of details.”

  Kim laughed. “I like that. Say, would you like to go to the Met with me after the holidays? Maybe we could attend a lecture series?” Kim paused, as if her request was out of line. “But I know you’re always really busy, so I understand if you can’t.”

  “That would be fun,” Dana replied. “I’d love to. In fact, let’s plan to see The Impressionist Epoch right after the holidays. The show is closing soon. Apparently there hasn’t been an Impressionist exhibit from this perspective. The focus is on the diversity of the artists’ styles and their individuality rather than their common aesthetic. It’s the broader view of Impressionism. Our theme surfaces again!”

  After lunch, Kim hugged Dana, who returned to her office.

  • • •

  Dana continued her frenetic pace for most of the afternoon, but she paused for a few moments to reflect on her conversation with Kim. Brett was a man much like the learned astronomer she and Kim had discussed, a man given over to detail, a man who assessed life based on hour-to-hour accomplishments, always calculating the return on his investment of time. A quiet walk in the park or the countryside with his wife on a Saturday afternoon was obviously of little value to him. Whether he had always been that way or had become so over the years, she really wasn’t sure. Maybe she had changed, and what was acceptable at twenty-five was inadequate now. Regardless, second-guessing was exhausting, and her job and personal life needed all her attention and energy.

  Dana had to pick up one final article from her apartment, and Brett had assured her over the phone that he would be in court all day on Tuesday and that she was free to stop by and get anything she might need. Accordingly, Andrew procured one of the store’s Ford Econoline vans and drove Dana to 77 Park Avenue at four o’clock.

  “Wait here,” Dana told Andrew, as he pulled over on East 38th Street, just off Park Avenue. “This will only take a few minutes. The superintendent is waiting for me upstairs.”

  Dana went to the apartment and met the super outside the front door. Inside, she led him to the library. “This may seem silly,” Dana said, “since I asked you to carry this small tree up here just a couple of weeks ago, but I’m taking it with me.” Dana motioned to the five-foot Concolor Christmas tree. It was the tree she had wanted all along, and it was the one she wanted to put in the living room of her new home at Sniffen Court.

  “We’ll miss you, Mrs. McGarry,” the superintendent said.

  “And I’ll miss you,” Dana said, handing the superintendent an envelope with his usual Christmas present enclosed—a card and a check. “Please take the tree down to the white Ford van waiting around the corner on 38th Street. I’ll manage the bags of ornaments and the table skirt. I’m taking the passenger elevator. Tell my friend I’ll only be a minute.”

  Dana rode the elevator to the lobby and put her apartment keys into a white envelope, sealed it, and gave it to the concierge. “Please make sure Mr. McGarry gets this,” she said.

  Mrs. Riley took the envelope, smiled, and wished Dana well.

  Dana exited through the front door of the apartment building; she wanted to wish the door staff a Merry Christmas. They were happy to know that she was moving just three blocks away and made her promise to stop by when walking Wills.

  The late afternoon sky was already starting to turn a dark blue, but the sun had not yet set. It was a cold, clear day, and Dana smiled as she walked along the sidewalk, headed for the B. Altman van. She had no regrets about leaving the apartment for the last time. In fact, she had no regrets at all about her life. She would continue to be busy at work, and in the coming year, she would be working with Diana Vreeland at the Costume Institute. Her father’s words echoed in her mind: Just wait and see. It will be a very good life.

  And Dana realized that he was right. She intended to lead one very good life.

  The End

  About the Author

  Lynn Steward is a successful business woman who spent many years in New York City’s fashion industry in marketing and merchandising, including the development of the first women’s department at a famous men’s clothing store. Through extensive research, and an intimate knowledge of the period, Steward created the characters and stories for a series of five authentic and heartwarming novels about New York in the seventies. April Snow is the second volume in the Dana McGarry Series. A Very Good Life, Steward’s debut novel, was published in March 2014.

  Visit Lynn’s Website ~ LynnSteward.com

  Join Lynn on Facebook ~ Facebook.com/LynnStewardnyc

  Follow Lynn on Pinterest ~ Pinterest.com/LynnStewardny

  Dana McGarry, newly separated from her cheating husband is laser-focused on her new job as a buyer at B. Altman, a leading New York City department store of the 1970s. But to achieve success, she must free herself from more than a bad marriage. She must prove to overly-protective family and friends that she can make it on her own and shake up the status quo at the store when her bold new ideas hit a brick wall. No stranger to innovation and risk, Dana is determined to stand her ground. She moves out of her comfort zone and into the arms of a dynamic businessman who suggests a daring fashion move that will advance her career. Her dreams within reach, Dana’s world is shattered in a New York minute when a life is threatened, a secret is revealed, and her heart is broken.

  Steward captures the nuances of 70s life in New York City and provides the perfect backdrop for an independent woman determined to make her mark. April Snow, the second volume in the Dana McGarry series, is a story that transcends any period.

  Read an excerpt on LynnSteward.com

  Coming May 22, 2015

  Order now at special pre-order price

  Available on Amazon.com for Kindle and all devices that support the Kindle App

  http://www.amazon.com/April-Snow-Dana-McGarry-Novel-ebook/dp/B00U8CR2KG/

  A VERY GOOD LIFE BY LYNN STEWARD

  QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

  In order to explore the mind-set and motivation of the characters, many aspects of the plot and the ending are revealed. If you have not finished reading A Very Good Life, we suggest that you wait before reviewing the readers’ guide.

  Dana and Brett are both highly driven in their careers. How does this manifest during the course of the story? How does Dana’s approach to her work as public relations and special events coordinator for B. Altman differ from Brett’s drive for success as a litigator on Wall Street?

  Do you think Dana and Brett were ever a well-matched couple?

  Dana describes the corporate offices at her work as having “the ambience of a corporate cathedral, and the first time she stepped onto the floor years earlier, she had unconsciously lifted her right hand for a split second, as if to dip her fingers in a holy water font.” What does this say about her character?

  Do you think Dana is really committed to marriage or is it her religion and strong family background that makes her believe that she is?

  The Concolor fir is the catalyst
for a great deal of turmoil within the McGarry marriage. From Brett backing out of the trip with Dana to his decision to replace it with a taller tree, the two fight about it constantly. Why was this tree such a big deal, and what did it represent?

  Why do you think Dana and Brett do not have children after eight years of marriage?

  A number of iconic women make cameos in A Very Good Life. They include art lecturer Rosamond Bernier, cosmetics tycoon Estée Lauder, legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, and actress, producer, and social activist, Marlo Thomas. What do they add to the story? Is the timing of their appearances in any way relevant to Dana’s story and her inner development?

  What do you think of Virginia, Dana’s mother? Is Dana’s drive a result of her mother’s genes or a desire for her mother’s approval?

  Nina declares 1975 as International Women’s Year, telling Dana they will make great strides with regards to equality in the workplace, voting rights, marriage equality, and reproductive rights. Is Dana’s focus on a successful career influenced by the women’s movement, or simply her personal ambition?

  Discuss the impending nuptials of Johnny and Suzanne. Why is his father so upset about their marriage? Is it her religion, her WASPY background, or the fact that she is not Italian? Are you surprised that Johnny so quickly believes the findings in the report his father gives him? Is he relieved to have a reason to break the engagement? Is it because Johnny really doesn’t love Suzanne or does he want to please his father?

  At the country inn, Dana smiles when the proprietress translates the quote about the fireplace as “This corner of earth smiles for me beyond all others” and then decides to come back to the country with Brett the following month to celebrate his birthday. What about the country does Dana find so appealing? Do you think she will ever leave New York and move to country? Why or why not?

  Janice creates chaos at Dana’s neighborhood association meeting, when she defends prostitution and rejects the association’s petition to ban prostitutes from the Queens Midtown Tunnel. What do you make of her argument? What do these arguments say about her character? Does she truly believe this, or is she just trying to aggravate Dana as much as possible?

  What is it about Dana that Janice hates so much?

  Why do you think that even when Brett starts the affair with Janice, he often thinks it will not last and he will never leave Dana?

  Although Dana is upset by the order to rig the teen contest in Kim’s favor, she also bonds strongly to the girl, even viewing her as a daughter or a younger version of herself. What about Kim is so relatable to Dana? Is it Dana who serves as a mentor to Kim, or the other way around?

  Kim tells Dana about a poem called “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer,” summarizing “The narrator listens to a lecture filled with charts and numbers and diagrams and then goes outside to look at the beauty of the night sky and appreciates astronomy in a totally different way.” Why does she feel compelled to talk about this with Dana, and how does the poem reflect on the characters and events within A Very Good Life?

  Throughout the course of the story, how does Dana turn adversity into opportunity?

  How does Dana’s life—and her outlook on life—immediately change following her decision to file for divorce?

  Are you surprised by Brett’s reaction when Dana asks him for a divorce? Is he subconsciously relieved and did he want the divorce all along? Do you think he will continue to be amicable, or might he present problems for her later?

  Do you think Dana is destined to find both a happy marriage and a successful career, or might she ultimately have to choose? If forced to pick, which do you believe she will decide is more important?