Consequences (60 page)

The first entertaining experience occurred at their New York apartment.
They
hosted an intimate dinner party for ten. Claire’s nerves were shaken prior to the hors d’oeuvres. Perhaps it was Tony’s pep talk about appearances, responsibility as his wife, and the unacceptability of public failure. However, wearing the clothes he chose, hair styled as he suggested, and appearing as dutiful as she could muster, the evening progressed surprisingly well. Her talent for remembering names, faces, facts, and the intuition to know when not to interrupt
business
talk yet understand when to augment small talk, succeeded in making everyone feel comfortable. After the guests left, Tony gently wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear, “You were magnificent.”

It made all the difference. From that point on, when she learned of an impending gathering, she had but one solitary goal—to please her husband. On some occasions they would be at opposite sides of a room and she would look up from a conversation to observe his eyes. The presence of brown rimmed pupils would strengthen her resolve to perform her role to perfection. Rarely would she discover the black voids. On those occasions she would excuse herself from her current activity and attempt to learn the source of his unhappiness. Once discovered it would be her responsibility to right the wrong. Assuming this responsibility of Mrs. Anthony Rawlings familiarized her with many of his associates and made her feel less alone. She met the people Tony dealt with on a daily basis. In reality she may have been a beautiful accessory but she believed she provided an important asset to his public relations. The added bonus was that she continued to amaze Tony by excelling at whatever obstacle was put before her.

A week before they needed to be in France for Tony’s meetings, he informed Claire they would spend a few nights in New York City before their trip. He could work from the NYC office and it would decrease their travel time to Paris.

Claire’s research discovered many sights she anxiously anticipated seeing in France. They would arrive in Paris, where he had two days of meetings. She wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Muse’e d’Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Arc de Triomple among other places. She told Tony multiple times how excited she was that she was involved in planning their activities. Next, he promised her two nights in the south of France, one of his favorite destinations. He had special plans for this destination. She had read about Cannes, the French Riviera, and Monaco, but willingly trusted his decisions.

Next, they would be off to Italy. His meetings there were in Rome and Florence. They would have the opportunity to visit museums and monuments in both cities. Her two requests were the Vatican and the Galleria dell’ Accademia, the museum that housed Michelangelo’s David. Tony promised that David didn’t have anything she hadn’t seen before.

He wanted her to see the island of Sicily. The water, he said, was beautiful. The blueness rivaled Fiji. He mischievously smiled and let her know that nude sunbathing was an acceptable practice there. Claire didn’t like the idea of nude sunbathing with multitudes of people. After a naughty smirk Tony agreed. He didn’t want others seeing what he alone had the pleasure of viewing whenever he chose.

His last meetings were in Switzerland. He needed to be in Genève and Interlaken. He explained that if she enjoyed the beauty and splendor of the Rocky Mountains at Lake Tahoe she would marvel at the Swiss Alps. They were magnificent. He knew she would love all that nature had to offer in Switzerland.

As Tony spoke about their trip he expressed his desire to spend more time in Europe. “I want to show you so many places. We aren’t even planning for Venice. A gondola ride is one of the most romantic adventures. And what about London, don’t you want to see Buckingham Palace?”

“We have forever to visit those places.” As he spoke about cities and sites, his eyes danced with enthusiasm. His excitement to share something with her meant more than the trip itself.

The Tuesday before their scheduled departure they sat in her suite, with Claire reviewing e-mails and Tony working on his laptop. She only needed to discuss the e-mails that she felt deserved personal follow through, of any kind. She read each one and eventually came to one from Emily. She’d expected to see it. The last one had been about a week ago. This one contained new information. It wasn’t just the “I want to see you” text.

To: Claire Rawlings [email protected]

From: Emily Vandersol [email protected]

Date: July 19, 2011

Re: Hi.

Hi, Claire, How are you and Anthony? We are doing very well. I’m on summer break, which you know. Would be great to see my little sis, but anyway, know how busy you are. How have those dinner party things been going? Still cracks me up. You being the one hosting parties! Would never have guessed it. Anyway, didn’t you say you two were going on vacation? I heard something on the television about you being on another private island. Really? Have you been gone? I never know what to believe. But I wanted to let you know John and his associate just had a big win in court recently. They made a huge impression on the partners. Not to mention some big money for them too. We’ve been invited to multiple dinners and John has had some “lunches” with a few of the partners recently. It is looking like all his hours and hard work will be paying off soon. Would love to hear from you. Please give Anthony our love. How is Iowa? I have some time, maybe you and I could visit in person? Or are you too busy for your big sister. (I’m trying guilt.)

Love ya,

Em

Claire read it, sighed, and wrote on the top: “Patricia, please respond,” then moved on to the next. She could sense Tony’s eyes penetrate her consciousness. He’d read it. She didn’t need to discuss the contents, she wasn’t requesting anything. Lifting her gaze she saw his eyes and answered, “I don’t want to deal with it, okay? I am too excited about our trip.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, that’s fine. I just thought you might want to see her and John while we are in New York before our trip. It sounds to me like a celebratory dinner for your esteemed brother-in-law is in order.”

Claire looked at Tony in disbelief. “Are you suggesting we meet them this weekend before we leave for Europe?” She watched for his reaction. There was none. He continued reading on his laptop and making notes on his iPad. “Please don’t tease me.”

His smile appeared genuine. “I am not teasing. If it will make my wife happy as we head out on our European adventure, I can suffer through a few hours of
Mr.
Wonderful
.”

She got up from the table and went to him on the sofa. “Really? Can I please call her and see if they’re available?”

He said she could, but first he had something he wanted to do. She was wearing a light pink sundress. His hands began to roam under the hem, up her thighs, and to his desired destination. Dinner and the phone call would need to wait.

They arrived in New York on Thursday night and planned to leave Sunday for Paris. Tony thought Claire might need to shop before their trip, but she assured him that she’d done enough research to learn she could do plenty of that in Paris, Italy, and Switzerland.

Tony laughed. “That even scares me. Mrs. Rawlings, I believe you are getting too good at this shopping thing.”

They arranged to meet John and Emily Saturday afternoon at a restaurant in Newburgh, a scenic little city on the Hudson River, midway between NYC and Troy. Tony said their apartment could lend itself to a longer visit than he wanted. Claire knew this was difficult for him and appreciated his honesty. Besides, she liked the idea of a public setting. Tony would never do or say anything in a public place that would jeopardize his image. She knew that no matter how the dinner progressed she would reap the consequences, negative or positive. However, seeing Emily and John for the first time since their wedding was worth Tony’s chosen aftermath. She could endure the night. Tomorrow they leave for Europe.

When they stepped outside the apartment building, NYC was stifling. The air between the tall buildings sat unmoving with the heat, noise, and smell of automobiles. The July sun penetrated her sunglasses, making her squint after the dimness of the lobby. She used to like the city, but now she thought about the tranquility of the Iowa countryside. As they drove the hour and a half drive, Claire was thankful for the tinted windows and air conditioning of the limousine.

During the ride, Tony worked on his latest project while she tried to read. She packed many books for their trip. Between flights, drives, and waiting for Tony, she anticipated significant amounts of downtime. The words on the page didn’t make sense. She read and reread, but her thoughts were miles ahead at the restaurant. It’d been seven months since they were together. She wanted it to go well. However, she overwhelmingly feared it would not.

Trying desperately to ignore the onset of another headache, she anticipated problems. What if John said something? What about the job topic? What if Emily pursued her earlier concerns? Her mind raced through these situations and more. If possible, she considered how she could fix them. It didn’t always work, but having backup plans made Claire feel better.

They were an hour out of Newburgh when Tony broke the silence. “Claire, please stop.”

Shocked she turned to him, “Stop what? I am reading.”

“No, you’re not. You are sighing, fidgeting, and stressing about things over which you have no control.”

“I’m sorry. I just want this afternoon to go well.”

“Are you planning to do or say something wrong?”

“Of course not.”

“Let me tell you about this project I am working on.”

She really wasn’t interested, but he rarely offered to share. She closed her book. “All right.”

“These are perspectives on a company. Actually, a family owned business in Pennsylvania that at one time employed over seventy-five people. Today it employs forty-six. I don’t care about this company or the employees, but I am significantly invested in their major competitor.” Claire definitely didn’t see the connection to their lunch but she nodded and replied, “Okay.”

“When founded, the original president made wonderful decisions. In the past five years, the reins have passed, and the decisions have been less fortuitous. The chairman is now seeking to sell the company, recognizing the economic climate. They need money to continue, banks are not lending money. If he doesn’t sell, the doors will probably close in the next two years.” Still lost, she maintained eye contact and nodded, he went on. “I am considering a very low-ball offer. The benefit to me is to reduce the competition. If my offer is accepted, the doors will close immediately. According to my accountants, the company in which I am already invested is projected to increase sales by over 18 percent immediately upon the close of this company. This means I reap benefits. They project my venture in this company will be recouped in profits in less than two years. The long-term benefits are increasingly fiscally rewarding. What do you think the employees of the Pennsylvania Company are hoping will happen?”

“They either want their company to go on as it is or to be sold to someone who’ll keep it running.”

Tony said, “Good, why?”

“So that they will keep their jobs.”