The Biggest Part of Me (19 page)

Jane stared straight ahead thinking.  Could he be using her?  Was this all about CARL and the Talbot Toy Company?  Was he going to destroy her again?  She didn’t think she could handle it a second time.

Ed walked around behind Jane and began massaging her shoulders.  “All right.  We’ll wait the three months.”  Then he bent down and whispered in her ear.  “Then I think we should set the wedding date.”

One of CARL’s first big tests was here.  A test group of moms and their children ranging from age five to fifteen had gathered in a large gathering room off the lobby of the Talbot Building.  It was the first focus group to gauge the public’s reaction to CARL.  This moment was huge for Jason.  His heartbeat was accelerated.  His breathing was thick. 
The kids have got to like CARL
, he thought as his group got everything in place for the demonstration and the subsequent “hands on” time for the kids.

“How’s it going, Boss?”  Shelly stood by with her ever-ready pen and pad.

“I think everything’s in place.  Did you get a call back from the factory about that shipment of defective rotating gears?”

“They swear on a stack of Bibles that everything was kosher when they left the plant.  We shipped the defective ones back yesterday for their inspection.  They are sending new ones, to be delivered personally by the C.E.O. this afternoon.”

Jason looked at her with admiration in his eyes.  “How did you get old Hanson to agree to that?”

Shelly smiled.  “Just a little creative bargaining.  He knows what a breakthrough CARL is going to be.  Oh, by the way.  When CARL’s good to go, Hanson gets one of the first.”

Jason chuckled.  “Why didn’t I think of that?  You’re a gem, Shelly.”

When Jason was given the signal, he stepped into the middle of the room and began.  “Ladies and kids, I’m so pleased that you were able to be here today.  The Talbot Toy Company sincerely appreciates your help with this project.”

Pointing to the smiling robot next to him, he continued.  “Everyone, I’d like you to meet CARL—Computer And Robot Link.  He can do everything your home computer can do with the added bonus of being your personal robot.  He is going to become your butler, your assistant, and your companion.  In short, CARL will be your new best friend.”

Jason proceeded to turn on his demonstration model and waited for the familiar humming to signal all systems go.  The younger kids watched with wide eyes, excited to see the robot come to life.  The teenagers appeared indifferent, watching CARL with skepticism.  Mothers smiled with patience as they thought of how to get CARL to take over the washing and cleaning.

The model hummed, and hummed, and then hummed some more.  Jason began looking over the robot.  The humming stopped and the model began to shake and then spin.  A guttural moan began emanating from the toy.  The volume grew louder and louder as Jason began frantically turning over the unit to turn it off.  Then the moaning was ear piercing, scaring the younger children into their mothers’ arms.  One of the older kids said, “Hey, cool,” to the agreement of the other teenagers and the disapproval of their moms. 

The on/off button was jammed and Jason was having a hard time shutting the unit down.  Mothers picked up their young children and fled the room.  Teenagers were yanked out, led by their mothers who were shaking their heads.

When Jason finally tore off the control panel and turned the robot off, he looked up to see the room empty except for his faithful employees.  

The CARL project was consuming Jane’s life.  News of the test group debacle had to be taken care of.  If that ever got out to the public . . . Jane didn’t want to think about it.  She had made sure that all the parents and children had been contacted, heard, and placated.  Good customer relations equaled good publicity.  She was not going to leave any stone unturned on her way to marketing stardom.

The buzzer interrupted her in her thoughts as her fingers flew across the computer keyboard.  Grunting under her breath, she reached over to press her intercom button.  “Sally, I’m extremely busy.”

“I know but it’s your lawyer friend from Florida.”

Jane smiled automatically.  “All right.  Tell her to hang on just a second and I’ll be with her.”  Jane finished her thoughts, saved the changes, and then eagerly reached for her phone.

“Hey, unlike you lazy attorneys, some of us have work to do,” she said with laughter in her voice.

“Kendall, I do more before seven in the morning than any pop culture loving, high living ad person does in a whole day.”

Jane laughed.  “So why are you calling since you’re so busy?”

“Just a heads up.  I’m going to be in the big apple in a few weeks for a seminar.  Wanted you to see about clearing out a little bit of your fabulously precious time to get together.”

              Jane was thrilled.  “Absolutely, you know I will.”

             
“Good.  So how’s it going with the toy maker?”

             
Oh no.  Jane didn’t know what to say.  She promised Julie to keep her informed.  How could she not tell her she was married?  How
could
she tell her?

             
Julie assessed the silence as bad news.  She sighed heavily.  “Okay, Jane.  What’s going on?”

             
“I . . I don’t know how to tell you this.  But first, you’ve got to promise to keep this quiet.  No one needs to know.”

             
“Sure, no prob.  What’s up?”

             
“I’m married.  I mean Jason’s married . . to . . me.  We’re married.” 

             
Not knowing what to say, Julie muttered, “Congratulations?”

             
“Okay, here’s what happened.  Remember when we all went out on my twenty-first birthday?  Well, Jason and I went bar hopping later, I got drunk, we drove to Georgia and we got married.”  Jane let out a big breath as if relieved the secret was out.

             
“And you didn’t tell me?  Jane Kendall, you’ve been married all this time and you didn’t even tell your best friend.  See if I tell you the next time I get married!”

             
“I just found out.  I didn’t remember any of it.  Jason tried to handle everything by getting a quick divorce.

             
“Oookay.  That was seven years ago.  Even being a fairly new attorney I know that marriage dissolutions do not take seven years, neither do quickie divorces.”

             
“Apparently the law student friend that Jason got to handle things didn’t quite come through.  Nothing is on file.  We’re still legally married.”

             
Julie whistled through her teeth.  “So, do you need me to take care of this?”

             
“No, not yet.”

             
“Why not?”

             
“Because we’re in the middle of a big ad campaign.  We don’t want any bad publicity while trying to win over families.  A divorce isn’t a recommendation of family values for the product.”

             
“So you’re just going to remain married until when?  The silver anniversary of this toy’s debut?”

             
“No, there’s a big meeting with a conglomeration of toy distributors in a few months.  After that meeting we’ll quietly take care of the divorce.”

             
“Hey wait.  What about the ‘Ed-ster?’  Does he know?  He can’t be too pleased about all this.”

             
“No, he’s not.  But he’s patient.  He understands the dilemma.  We’re all just eager to do the best job we can until this meeting.  Then things can go back to how they were before.”

             
“Man, my life is so boring compared to yours!  I can’t wait to see all this in person.”

             
“Trust me.  You can wait.”

             
There was silence for a moment and then Julie said, “Jane, now that all this has come out, don’t you think you should tell him about—”

             
“NO!”

             
“But Jane—“

             
“No, Julie.  And you promised to never tell him either.  There’s no reason for him to know about it.  The past is over.”  Jane sighed and then in a small voice said, “Please, just let it go.”

             
“Whatever you want, Jane.”  Julie swallowed the lump in her throat, consumed with compassion for her friend.  “Call me if you need me, okay?”

             
“Sure.”

             
“I’ll call you with the dates I’ll be there.”

             
“Okay.”

             
“Jane.  I love you.”

             
“I love you too, Julie.”

              Storyboards had been approved and scripts were being written.  Auditions for the initial television commercials had been posted and dates for the casting calls announced.  For CARL, everything was running smoothly.

Not so for Jane.  The work on CARL was fulfilling.  She could have never wished for a more challenging and enjoyable assignment.  However, her personal life was another matter.  Jane wasn’t sure what her relationship to Jason was since the phenomenal night they spent together.  She hadn’t heard from him since. 
Typical man
.   

“Hello, Jane.  Thought I’d check on you and see how you’re doing,” Ed said as he approached Jane who was working at Sally’s desk.

She smiled, looking up from the computer screen.  “I’m fine, Ed.  How are you?”

“Good.  I’d like to talk to you for a moment.  Could we go to your office?”  He took her arm and led her in that direction.

“Actually, my team is working in there.  Let’s go to the break room.”

Stepping into the break room, Ed began pacing.  “Jane, I’ve been thinking about this whole situation.  There’s no reason for us not to go on seeing each other.  I mean it’s not like you’re really married in every sense of the word.”  He stopped to look at her, wondering if he could gauge her reaction.  Was there something going on between Jane and Jason?

Jane didn’t know what to say.  She decided to be safe and suggested, “How about lunch?”

“I had a quiet evening in mind—French restaurant, candlelight, a moonlight stroll.”

“Ed, I wouldn’t feel right about that.  Not just now.”

Ed sighed.  “All right.  I guess I’ll have to take what I can get.”  At least she hadn’t completely shut the door on him.  “So, where would you like to go for lunch?  You know, I heard of a new deli a few blocks over that is suppose to have the best chicken salad in the city.  I heard it from—”

Ed went on talking, but Jane wasn’t listening.  Through the door of the break room she saw Jason walking out of the elevator and entering her boss’s office.  How could one man cause such a physical reaction in her?  Jane’s face began smiling of its own free will.  Her heart began to race, paying no attention to her frozen state.  Her palms began to sweat even though the break room was a little chilly.

Eventually, Ed stopped talking and looked at her.  Not knowing what had transpired he said, “Jane, are you ready to go?”

“Hmm?” she said.  “Were you saying something, Ed?”

Frustrated Ed said, “I was telling you about the new deli on East 51
st
Street.  It sounds wonderful.  Weren’t you listening?  Never mind, let’s go.  I’m starved.”

Before they could leave the break room, Terry’s office door opened and he and Jason emerged.  Jason looked up to see Jane and immediately flashed that irresistible smile.  He said something to Terry and walked over to the break room without looking away from Jane.  “Hey, Janie.  Having a good day?”

Jane’s eyes sparkled. “Fine, thanks.  How about you?”

Jason’s eyes never left Jane, his killer smile remaining.  “Excellent.  Simpson.”

“Collins.  Jane, why don’t you go get your coat and purse?  I’ll wait for you here.”

Jason looked quickly at Ed and then at Jane.  “Going somewhere?”

“Just to grab a bite of lunch.”  Jane hoped she conveyed with her eyes the total innocence of this lunch.

“Enjoy, Janie,” he said holding in the ball of jealousy lodged in the pit of his stomach.  Smiling and heaving a silent sigh, Jane left.

Ed watched her to be sure she was out of hearing range.  Then he quietly spoke.  “Listen, Collins, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing with Jane or what you feel you have to hold over her but know this.  She
will
be free of you.  And sooner rather than later.”

Smiling Jason said, “How about we let the lady decide what she wants?  Janie is old enough to know her own mind.”

Rolling his eyes Ed said, “Do you have to call her Janie?  That sounds so juvenile.  Don’t you ever call her Jane?”

Jason’s smile now reached his eyes as he walked closer to Ed.  In a firm voice he said, “Only when I make love to her.”  And with that Jason strolled to the elevator.