Consequences

by Aleatha Romig

  Thank you,

  Emily

  This history was stapled together. Claire’s eyes were wet by the time she finished Emily’s last or first e-mail. She looked up at Tony. He still didn’t speak, his dark eyes glared. Claire wondered what she was supposed to do with this information. Perhaps it was her head, but she truly didn’t know how to respond, so she asked, “Thank you for giving me my invitations, now what am I supposed to do with this knowledge?”

  “Tell me what you want to do.” His tone hard.

  Claire rose and approached his desk. “I want to call her.” She could see the deliberation on his face. She remembered not being able to read his expression. The ability wasn’t comforting. Claire tried desperately to modulate her voice. “I will do it here on the speaker phone. I don’t care if you listen to every word and tell me what to say, I just want to call her.” He still didn’t speak, but the intensity in his eyes multiplied. “Tony, may I please call her?”

  “It is almost three, which would be four in Troy. Would she be home?” It wasn’t an answer but it wasn’t a denial.

  Claire thought about it. School finished at three fifteen, at least it used to. “She might.” As if thinking out loud, she added, “And as a plus John won’t be.”

  He didn’t respond to her last statement, instead he began to talk about her e-mails. She sat. He explained that the folder included multiple e-mails from people she didn’t know. Since their marriage many people have attempted to contact her for various reasons. Patricia had replied to everyone, “Mrs. Rawlings is unable to respond to your request at this time.”

  “Your preparation for the Vanity Fair interview and execution today impressed me. I also appreciate that you made requests a month ago and have been patient. I believe you deserve to be rewarded. Therefore, regarding your e-mails, from now on before Patricia replies you will have the opportunity to review them. We will discuss them. Together we will decide responses. Of course, I will have the final say. However, I believe you have earned a voice.”

  Claire realized that Tony believed he’d presented her with a freedom. She couldn’t help thinking it was instead only a glimpse of what she’s missing. The forbidden opportunities would now be staring her in the face. “Thank you, I understand.”

  He turned to his computer screens, and she watched the back of his head for what seemed like hours. He knew what she wanted. She’d made her request. Now he was making her wait. How would she respond? He’d provided a token of his approval. Would she submissively accept or would she pursue the idea of calling her sister? Claire closed her eyes and tried to stop the pounding in her ears. Perched on the chair’s edge near his desk, she refused to budge. The folder, the gift he’d given her, sat closed on her lap. She didn’t care about people she didn’t know, and her head hurt too much to read anymore. She waited as his fingers flew over the keyboard, sat silently and expressionlessly as she remembered Courtney’s kind words, Life is not a test you must continually pass. Claire absentmindedly rolled her shoulders and straightened her neck. If the only way she would be able to call Emily was to pass this test, then by God she wasn’t moving from this seat. Finally, he turned to face her.

  “Why have you not called until now?” He presented his question with harsh overtones.

  Thinking out loud, she said, “I’ve been busy. I can tell her about the Red Cross and preparing for our interview.”

  What followed were not suggestions they were orders. “You will be apologetic and explain that you have been meaning to call. Seeing her recent e-mail reminded you that you haven’t. Your reasons sound valid. I prefer that you don’t discuss the job situation. It is done. And of course there are no hard feelings.” The directives should have been upsetting. But she’d played this game before. They were the means to her goal.

  “Yes, I promise.”

  He dialed the phone, put it on speaker, and didn’t bother to turn away. The phone rang three times. Claire’s hopes began to sink when finally Emily answered.

  “Hi, Emily, it’s Claire.” Emily’s voice brimmed with excitement. Claire’s sounded happy and apologetic. They spoke for about ten minutes. On a few occasions Tony indicated that the subject needed to be changed. Claire attempted to keep the discussion away from the job, but Emily was determined to discuss it, explaining that John was currently very close to being named partner. He didn’t feel right abandoning the firm that had taken a chance on him when he first graduated. He’d worked hard to get to his position and didn’t feel right working for family. But he was very honored that Anthony would consider hiring him. They also discussed Emily’s class and she asked about the interview Claire mentioned. Before they hung up Claire promised to do a better job responding to Emily’s e-mails.

  It amazed Claire that one phone call could make her both happy and sad. Maintaining her happy voice during the call almost reduced her to tears on its completion, her energy was totally depleted. “If it is all right with you, I will take the folder upstairs and look through it. We can discuss the e-mails after dinner.”

  “That is fine, you may go.” He had work to do.

  Once upstairs, Claire decided to nap instead of looking through the folder. It’d been a long day. The contrast between the interview and her reality intensified the pounding behind her eyes and more recent nausea. She took some acetaminophen, crawled between the soft cool sheets, and allowed the tears from the phone call to flow. Sleep was a welcome escape.

  It wasn’t long after she fell asleep that Tony woke her. He wanted to thank her again for her performance during the interview. He also believed that she wanted to thank him for everything.

  This only is denied even to God: the power to undo the past.

  —Agathon

  Chapter 37

  On March 15, Tony brought the official final copy home. It had been approved by Shelly and was scheduled to be published at the end of March, officially the April 2011 issue of Vanity Fair:

  Anthony Rawlings introduces the world to the love of his life,

  his wife Claire Rawlings—let the rumors cease and

  learn how she has changed his life

  By: Anne Robinson Photos by: Shaun Stivert

  You don’t marry someone you can live with, you marry the person

  who you cannot live without.—Unknown author

  On a beautiful snowy day in the Midwest Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Rawlings sat down with Vanity Fair and addressed the questions, rumors, and realities of their acquaintance, courtship, engagement, and marriage. The exceedingly private man and his beautiful new bride graciously opened their home to our photographers and interviewer. (Photo of Tony and Claire dressed in casual elegant slacks and sweaters, sitting on a sofa in their gorgeous sitting room.)

  The home of Anthony and Claire Rawlings is a stately 6,000 plus acre estate near Iowa City, Iowa. Most of the land is wooded, uninhabited, and unspoiled. Animal activists will be happy to know it is home to many indigenous woodland animals. Their residence is a spacious elegant home secluded within the private gates of this countryside. It was built by Mr. Rawlings approximately sixteen years ago and resembles a 1940s Romanesque-style mansion. The exterior has exquisite asymmetrical facades of river stone, limestone, and brick accentuated by round arches over windows and entryways. There are thick, cavernous entryways and window openings, thick masonry walls, and rounded towers with conical-style roofs. The main house is centered upon a round brick drive. Projecting from the main structure are wings of additional corridors and rooms. Upon entry you may feel you have entered a museum; however, the warmth and love radiated by these newlyweds soon help you to realize you have entered a family home, a quality Mr. Rawlings states was missing until recently.

  It was late May of 2010 when Anthony Rawlings first introduced the city of Davenport to the then Claire Nichols. They attended the Quad City Symphony. Mr. Rawlings was asked to attend the event because of a generous donation made to both the Quad City Symphony and the Support the Arts Foundation. Mr. Rawlings has
long been known for his generosity and pursuit of philanthropic endeavors. He is a firm believer in the arts, and continues to support endeavors that promote artistic pursuits. As a local celebrity, Mr. Rawlings was often seen attending functions in and around the Quad Cities (as well as in cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles). It was his companion on that evening that was unfamiliar. He had been seen on various occasions with different women, some with names we all recognize, such as Cynthia Simmons and Julia Owens. Truthfully, throughout his forty-six years he has been seen with many beautiful women. However, it was apparent to those present on that evening in May that this was different. Many on-lookers reported “glances” and “hand holding” that were not witnessed before. When discussing their first public “date,” Vanity Fair noted that the new Mrs. Rawlings couldn’t help look at her husband with blushed cheeks and a bashful smile. She stated that she recalled the standing ovation he received and how handsome she thought he looked. But she hastily added that at that time, neither of them was looking for a “long-term” relationship. Anthony said that he recalls seeing Claire when he picked her up for the symphony. He even recalled her outfit, a black dress with a beaded bodice, and that her hair was up with curls. (Anthony gently played with his wife’s hair as he described the style.) He remembered that she was stunning and he was proud to accompany her to the event.

  VF: Now, ladies, ask your husband if he remembers what you were wearing on that first date! I had to think that Mr. Rawlings should have realized at that moment his heart was lost. I wanted to know how the two of them got to that first date. How did they meet?

  Anthony told the story of meeting Claire in Atlanta, Georgia. She had worked at a local television studio as an assistant meteorologist. Due to a recent buy out of the station by TTT-TV (according to Mr. Rawlings’s publicist this article is a strictly personal view of Mr. Rawlings, no Rawlings Industry holdings are to be discussed), Claire was working at the Red Wing, a dining establishment well known in Atlanta. Anthony just happened to be meeting some business associates there one evening, and after his meeting was complete, he began talking to the most beautiful bartender he’d ever seen. He said one of the many assets of Ms. Nichols was that she did not know him. Claire reiterated, “I really did not know who he was, even after he told me his name. I don’t watch much television or read business journals.” The two newlyweds seemed to get lost in each other’s eyes while they reminisced. “I thought I had heard the name Anthony Rawlings before, but I had no idea why.” Anthony said the rest was history. He knew he needed to know her and know more about her.

  VF: Was it “love” at first sight?

  They smiled at one another. Claire shook her head. “Probably not,” and she added, “Anthony is a complicated, private man. You can love the wrapping paper, but with him it takes some time to find out what is inside. I wouldn’t give my life to someone without knowing what is inside the package.”

  “What is love? Love is when one person knows all of your secrets, your deepest, darkest, most dreadful secrets of which no one else in the world knows. And yet in the end, that one person does not think any less of you.”

  But Mrs. Rawlings added she has seen the inside of the package and loves it more than the wrapping paper.

  Anthony, on the other hand, related his journey to that of Romeo, who said, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight. For I never saw true beauty till this night.” Perhaps I have waited much longer and knew when I met her that my wait was complete.

  VF: Mrs. Rawlings, can you share some of your findings with our readers? What have you found under that amazing wrapping paper?

  Blushing slightly at the inference, she quickly recovers. “Well, he isn’t exactly how he appears.” Anthony seemed to be interested in what she was about to reveal. Claire continued, “For example, he has been known to hold webinars and web conferences from home in a shirt, tie, suit jacket, gym shorts, and sneakers.” She smiled at her husband, who playfully shook his head. He responded, “Great. Now I am going to have to stand up before each webinar to alleviate the participants’ curiosity.” He smiled broadly. When asked if anything else surprised her about Anthony, after some reflection she answered yes. He is a Vikings fan. They both grinned. Being originally from Indiana, Mrs. Rawlings said she couldn’t imagine she would marry anyone who isn’t a Colts fan. Anthony made a comment about real football teams that play outdoors, and Claire was quick to mention two recent trips to the Super Bowl. Their playful banter was enjoyable to observe.

  VF: Have you two had any arguments, disagreements, or fights?

  “No!” They answered simultaneously and laughed. Anthony took the lead on this question. “Of course. I can’t imagine spending quality time with someone and always agreeing. That is not what I want in my life. I have multitudes of people around me, in my life that will agree with my every thought. Claire has ‘stood up’ to me in ways that captains of business have not. Her strength and determination are what I fell in love with.” Tenderly wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he added, “As well as her beauty and intelligence.” After smiling at Anthony, Claire added, “I have been told that some of those qualities can be infuriating.” This reporter enjoyed Anthony’s dismissal of that comment.

  VF: Will either of you share the story of the proposal?

  Claire volunteered, “Oh, I will. He was amazing. First it was dinner in Manhattan. He took me to the theater district. We dined at the Crown Plaza Hotel and our table had a view of Time Square. I had no idea what his plans were for the evening, he enjoys surprises. After dinner we went to see ‘The Merchant of Venice’ with Al Pacino, fantastic by the way. Afterward, I was honestly tired and ready to go back to my hotel. But instead we went to Central Park.” Laughing she recalled that it was very cold that night, the night before Thanksgiving. It hadn’t snowed, but she repeated, very cold. However, he had planned for that with mittens and blankets. After each sentence she would look into his eyes. Even this reporter saw the twinkle in her green eyes as she recounted his proposal. Claire went on to say that she had not expected a proposal. She was completely shocked. But there he was, in a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park, under the lights, with a diamond ring.

  Vanity Fair will add that her “diamond ring” is actually a designer original Tiffany & Co. 4.3 carat brilliant center stone bordered by a delicate diamond bead set in mil-grain detail in platinum. The matching wedding band is also platinum, with delicate inset diamonds. While actual value would not be released by Mr. Rawlings or Tiffany & Co., New York, where he is said to have purchased the set, due to the size, clarity, and unique cut, it is estimated above $400,000.

  VF: Did you say yes immediately? (Now come on, ladies, think about what you would have done.)

  Claire sat back. “No.” At this Anthony smiled and put his hand on his wife’s knee. He goes on with the answer, “No, she didn’t. She made me wait for what seemed like an eternity.” But leaning over to kiss his bride, he added, “She finally relented. And I was elated.”

  The worst thing you can do for love is deny it; so when you find

  that special someone, don’t let anyone or anything get in your way.

  VF: Now some people have questioned the quickness of your nuptials. What do you have to say to those critiques?

  Anthony answered, “I guess they have never been as in love.” Claire continued, “We didn’t want to wait. We had made our decision. We wanted our family and friends to share in our happiness.”

  VF: The personal accounts were extremely complimentary. How did you pull off the wedding of the century in less than a month?

  Mrs. Rawlings replied, “With the best wedding planner and coordinator in the world! They were amazing. We never worried about a thing.”

  According to the press releases the wedding was magnificent. The bride was gorgeous in an exquisite Vera Wang gown, reportedly from an elite Manhattan boutique. The groom was dazzling in a custom Armani tuxedo. The estate was impressively decorated with a Chri
stmas theme. Lights and evergreens were everywhere, with deep red accents. The guest list was limited and exclusive, but was said to contain some powerful business and political individuals, as well as personal friends and family of the bride. The groom’s only family is now his wife. (Photo of Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings in wedding attire standing at the base of the grand stairway, decorations can be seen behind them. Note: multiple wedding pictures and decorations can be seen in a collage of pictures at the end of the article.)

  VF: Addressing Claire Rawlings, how has it been to be thrust into the public eye? It seems that the stigma that accompanied the death of Princess Diana has begun to fade and reporters are once again brazenly pursuing celebrities.

  Claire blushed and glanced at Anthony. “May I say first I do not feel that I am a celebrity. I have done nothing to warrant celebrity status. That is why when you asked your question the first response I could think of was it has been unreal. I still find it amazing that anyone would think my clothes, my shopping habits, or my hairstyle newsworthy. It is something that I am learning to handle. Anthony has been superb at buffering the media as much as possible.” Claire added, “You can be overwhelming at times.” Addressing this reporter, she continued, “You meaning the press,” smiling a lovely smile, “not you. However, if being married to this marvelous man means seeing myself on an occasional magazine,” she leans toward his protection, “it is more than worth it.” Mr. Rawlings included that he desired to shelter her from too much unwanted exposure. After all, he preferred to remain as private as possible.