Until (22 page)

“Betty,” Jacqui replied after a pause, “it's not fair, but you know something? Whoever said it was going to be fair? That it was even
supposed
to be fair? I got a headline for you: Life is not fair. Okay? I'm sorry to pass that bit of information on to you, but it's true.” Jacqui rolled her chair back to her desk, and added, “But you just have to handle it the best you know how. What you did today took courage. Don't let fear steal that away from you. You may have made mistakes in your life; we all have. But this was not one of them. I never could stand Renfro. He has some nerve having that shit in his office you told me about.”

“That was never a big deal to me.”

“How could it not be a big deal? Just like you said, he is one of the biggest racists in this town. I would have gone up to that cracker and slapped his wrinkled-ass face. He got off easy dealing with you, believe me. You know he was just dangling another carrot in front of your face. What's up with this six months shit?”

“And if you had slapped him . . . what would that say about you?”

“Dammit, it would have said we were even. That's what it would have said.”

“No, it would have put you on the same level as him. I never let that stuff get to me because I know who I am. Renfro can't define me based on my color.”

“Whatever.”

“I'm serious. If I let an insecure man like him tell me who I am, what does it say about me? I was watching TV the other night and they showed this movie about George Wallace.” Betty sat up on the couch. “I remember the day he got shot. I remember being happy and my mom and stepfather calling people up on the phone and telling them. Almost like it was a reason to celebrate. I was just a kid and I can remember being happy he was lying there in a pool of blood with his wife covering him. So in the movie when he got shot, I tell you no lie, I was happy all over again. This man did more to hurt black people, not only in Selma and Montgomery but all over the world, than any man since Willie Lynch. But I had to check myself the more I thought about it. I had to ask myself, why was I happy?” Jacqui remained silent as Betty looked at her and said, “Did you know that until his death, this man had to live in constant pain? For almost thirty years he did not live a day without experiencing excruciating, agonizing pain. At the end he was bedridden, more than likely
wishing
he were dead. So as I was watching the movie, I thought to myself, if I'm happy because of what happened to him, at best I am on the same level as he was. And at worst, a lot lower. Girl, I couldn't give Renfro that kinda power over me. I told him what I had to tell him, but he can't make me hate him. We've come too far to sink that low.”

Betty watched Jacqui's face crack a smile as she quietly shook her head. “We've come too far to sink that low, huh, I like that. Don't tell me, Jack Murphy.”

“No,” Betty said as the fear of unemployment sank in. “Me.”

As he sat
behind his desk, Drew could hear the swish of Peggy's panty hose as she headed down the corridor. Walking through his door, she stood in front of him with her weight on one foot as she tapped her burgundy sculptured nails on his desk.

With a quick glance down at her fingertips as he hung up the phone, Drew looked at her and asked, “What's up?”

“Drew, please tell me you didn't.”

“Didn't what?” he asked, stalling for time.

“You know what I'm talking about, Drew. You went out with Zelma, didn't you.”

Pushing his chair back from his desk, Drew wanted to avoid the conversation, but he could not lie to her. He wanted to tell her the Monday after his date but did not. Since it had been several weeks, he assumed it would never come up. “How did you find out?”

“Damn, Drew!” she said, and flopped down in the chair.

“Peggy, you never answered my question. What's up? What's going on?”

“Drew, I thought we had agreed that you were not going to do anything stupid like that. Did you sleep with her?”

“Damn, Peggy. First of all, you sound like I make a habit of dating clients. You know me better than that. Secondly,
if it did go further, I wouldn't tell you. What's with you today?”

“Oh boy, you better tell me something!” she replied as she looked up. “This ain't got anything to do with being a gentleman. This is about money now. So what happened, did you screw her?”

“No!” Drew replied. “No, we did not sleep together. Do you feel better? Now tell me what's going on.”

Peggy slammed a thick file on his desk, spilling white and yellow papers, and leaned over as she said, “I called her office a couple of times and she's been avoiding me the last few weeks. This morning she answered the phone by mistake or something and I asked her if she got my messages. She said yeah I got them, what can I do for you? And then I knew you slept with her.”

“I told you we didn't go to bed!”

“Gaddamn, Drew! You should not have even gotten involved with her. Just so you know, I think she's blocked the deal. I hope you're satisfied!”

“Are you serious? But we spoke to the board and everything and they—”

“Drew, you don't know who you're dealing with.
She
put us in front of that board, and all it would take is a sneeze and we're out the door. I know you were good in the presentation and all, but trust me, if they have the comptroller telling them they should consider one of the other firms, we are out, like a scout, on a new route. Gaddamn, Drew!” she said, massaging her temples with one hand. “I just wish you would have told me, then I could have prepared for this.”

Quietly Drew said, “I know. I'm sorry, but—”

“Drew!” she continued holding up her hand. “Please don't say it. Please don't use the thinking-with-the-wrong-head defense. If I hear another man say that shit, I'll throw up.”

Drew sat wistfully and stared at his associate. “Peggy? What's going on with you and Walt?”

“What do you mean?
You
fucked up! I've worked on this damn thing for what? Six months? And we might just lose it over some nonsense!”

Over the loudspeaker in the phone Grace said, “Drew you have a call on one-oh-three.”

“Take a message,” he said without looking away from Peggy. “Tell me. What's happening? This isn't just about me and Zelma, is it?”

As she looked at Drew, he watched her eyes go from clear, to red, to wet. Folding her arms over her waist, she said, “It's Walt.”

“What about him?”

“Can you believe that fat fuck cheating on
me?
”

“What? Walt?”

Peggy shook her head as she balled her fists. “I've known about it for some time, and I just tried to overlook it. Some ole hooker from his job. For three or four months he was always talking about Gwen. Gwen said this and Gwen said that. Well,
Gwen
is older than he is, and I thought, naw, he would never do that. He likes younger women and all. Well, about a month ago he asked if I had a problem with her calling him at home. What was I supposed to say, right? Then she would start calling later and later. Whenever I answered she would try to start some silly conversation, but I could see through her fake ass. I would hear him talking in the den to her and I could tell just by the way his fat ass would laugh that this was deeper than just friendship. I would be lying in bed I don't know how long while they talked about things they did in the fifties! Hell, I don't even remember the fifties. As soon as he would hang up and come to bed, this man, who would laugh and talk and joke with her for hours if he could, would just get in bed and say, ‘Move over,' turn his fat ass back to me, and fall asleep.” Peggy stared out the window with an expression on her face that said she had revealed more than she wanted to.

Drew stood up and walked around to her side of the desk. “I'm sorry, Peggy,” he said quietly. “I really am.”

“Don't be sorry,” she said in a curt manner, “because you had nothing to do with
that
part.” Reaching for a tissue on his desk, she said, “After that stuff with my ex-husband, I felt safe with Walt. That's why I only told you about the positive things, because I always suspected my ex-husband of cheating to the point that he said I finally drove him to
actually do it. And that's also why I never said anything to Walt about his weight. The more he gained, the safer I felt. But then a month ago he starts taking step aerobics class and diet supplements. And never even told me about it. I found the canceled checks for his membership dues, and he said he was losing the weight for me. When I asked him directly why he was cheating, know what he said? Ass told. me that she always made him
feel
handsome. Said she always complimented him. Hell, what he expect from me? I'm his wife. Not some office slut trying to get his wallet. So I was going to use the money from Con-National to put into my savings in the event I had to leave his ass. After losing Murphy, Renfro and Collins, I'm tapped out.” With a look of desperation in her eyes she continued, “Drew, I really needed this case.”

Drew's worst fear had been realized. He'd known his actions would affect him for more than one night, he just hadn't known it would be this soon. Standing, he closed the Con-National file, which was spread out on his desk. “Where are the rest of the files?”

“On Con-National? Grace has them. Why?”

“Don't worry about that. Go wash your face and put on some lipstick; we're going for a ride. Grace?” he said into the intercom in a controlling tone. “Pull the folders on Con-Nat and reschedule my one forty-five.”

“Drew,” Peggy cut in, “don't screw this up. Don't go over there acting like some jilted lover or something. That's going to only make things worse.”

Reaching for his coat on the hook behind the door and shooting his cuffs before putting it on, Drew said, “Trust me, we will not come back empty-handed. You worked too hard for this one.” As he walked out of his office, Drew mentally put together a strategy for their impromptu meeting.
I'll tell her she's above pettiness like this. There is no way we're losing both of these cases.

“Drew,” Grace said with a mouth full of granola. “You've also got a message in your box from that Ms. McGrady woman.”

“What!” he said as he dropped his briefcase, laid the file on her desk, and lunged for his message box. “When did she call?” Drew asked as Peggy ran into the reception area.

“Five minutes ago. You were talking to Peggy. What's going on?”

Drew trotted back to his office as Peggy said, “Nothing, darling. It's a long story.”

“Peggy? Are you okay?”

Peggy did not respond to Grace as she walked into Drew's office and closed the door. Drew was already on the phone when she entered.

“Peggy,” he said, and cupped the receiver. “I need you to step out a second.”

“Ahh, I know you're not serious, are you?” she said, and sat down. “I didn't start this—”

“Peggy, get out right now! I'll let you know what happened after I talk to her. Hello, Zelma?” he said, and changed the tone of his voice as Peggy grudgingly closed the door behind her. “How are you?”

Drew could hear Zelma telling someone to have a nice day, and then there was a pause. “How am I? How am I? Drew, don't go there, okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“I have not heard from you in weeks, Drew.”

“Zelma, if memory serves me correctly, I tried to talk to you in the car on the way to your place and you didn't say a word. I called you twice the same night and
you
never returned the call. I was just giving you your space.”

“Sure, Drew,” she replied coldly. “But I didn't call you for that.” As he listened to her speak, Drew took off his coat, allowing it to fall to the floor, and sat down to brace himself. “We had the meeting yesterday regarding the benefits packages. John Dukes phoned from London and told me he wanted to finally lay this issue to rest. That it was my call and I could use any firm I wanted in regards to this. I'll have you know, Drew, this is
never
a decision made by an individual. It's always made by committee, and I know they are going to scrutinize whomever I chose. So I told him I wanted to think about it overnight and get back with him today. Last night I did a lot of soul-searching, and this has absolutely nothing to do with personal stuff, Drew. But if I pick a minority firm . . . a
black
firm, it is going to send a message. A very clear message. See, I graduated from a
black college, so I know what they are expecting from me. So,” she said, and cleared her throat. “This morning I came in and told him it was really a no-brainer and that we could not find a better firm to handle our employee benefits packages than Staley and Associates.”

Drew closed his eyes as he sat breathlessly.

“See, Drew, I know what you expected. Hell, I know what Dukes expected. But neither of you know me as well as you think. Trust me, no matter how fine and cute you were, I would not have given your firm the business if you guys were not the best. This ain't a black thing. Let me make that clear. It's a business thing. Now, was I pissed at first? Hell yeah, I was pissed. And for a split second I wanted to get you back where it hurt. Actually the reason I wanted to think about it overnight was because my knee-jerk reaction was to screw you and your firm. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that if we had gone further, it would have just caused more problems.”

With her voice lowering, Zelma said, “Although he's married, I'm really not over him. So everything happens for a reason, and our date happened for a reason. I had a good time,” Zelma said with a smile in her voice. “I had a real good time, and although things did not end as expected, it let me know that what I am looking for is deeper than just the physical. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to be with you. Hell, I could have used some of you. But if we had gotten together, like I said, it would have just caused more problems.”

Opening his eyes, Drew whispered, “Well, Zee. I had a good time as well. And you're right, everything does happen for a reason. Like I said, you made a part of me come alive. But I just could not go to the next level until I knew without a shadow of a doubt—”

“Drew! You don't have to explain. We both had a nice time and that's the important part. And now we both agree that it was for the best. So tell me, when would you like to start enrollment? And will the future disbursements from the investment portfolio come from—”

Taking a deep breath, Drew said, “Ms. McGrady?
You're
truly amazing.”