

### A Home for Two

by

Meridith Rae Morgan

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2010 by Meredith Rae Morgan

All Rights Reserved

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Chapter 1

"I won't take 'no' for an answer. You're going with us, Mom, and that's all there is to it."

Mia sighed. She was only fifty-two but, since her husband's death, her daughter had treated her like an old lady who had lost most of her faculties. In those first horrible months after David's accident, Mia appreciated the fact that Mona took charge, allowing Mia to recover from the shock and to grieve. Recently, however, Mona's behavior had begun to annoy her. She didn't know if Mona was growing bossier or if she was growing more touchy about it.

Whatever the reason, Mia was irritated by Mona's tone and her insistence that Mia accompany her family on a cruise vacation to Europe. Mia didn't want to go on a cruise with her daughter's family. She and David had taken a couple of cruises a year for almost two decades before his death. David was happier on cruise ships than he was at any other time.

Mia said, "I appreciate being invited, but in all honesty, Mona, I don't think I want to go on a cruise without your dad. Besides, I recently put a deposit on a vacation condo in Hawaii. Brenda and I were going to go there for a couple of weeks this spring. Now that she's involved with a new guy, I don't think she'll join me, but I still plan to go by myself."

Mona made an impatient and derisive noise, "Oh, for God's sake, Mom. Why would you even think about going on vacation by yourself? That's ridiculous."

"Not really. I like exploring new places by myself. You know perfectly well that your dad mainly liked to go on cruises so he could work uninterrupted for long periods of time. We visited a lot of ports of call where he never even got off the ship, and I went sightseeing without him. Sometimes I took the guided tours and sometimes I went on my own. Once I got used to it, I actually enjoyed sightseeing solo. I always met interesting people and I seemed to cover more territory alone. I've never been to Hawaii, and I think it would be fun."

"You'd rather go to Hawaii alone than to Europe with your family?"

Mia signed. That sounded unkind when Mona said it out loud, but Mia had to admit to herself that between those options, she actually would prefer to go to Hawaii alone if only to get away from Mona's bossiness for a couple of weeks. She loved her daughter, but she needed a break.

On the other hand, Mia thought it would be fun to share her granddaughter's first experience of Europe. Emma was only ten, but she was bright and amazingly mature for her age. Mona had gone quiet; she was clearly waiting for Mia's answer.

Mia said, "I'll think about it. When do you need to know for sure?"

"I've already booked you. If you choose to be obstinate, we can cancel by the end of this month with no penalty."

"I'll let you know within the week."

Even over the phone Mia could tell that her daughter was annoyed. She was sorry Mona was offended, but she needed to think long and hard before agreeing to go on a cruise without David. After ending the call, she switched on her laptop computer and put on a pot of tea. She opened the folder of photos from the last cruise she had taken with David. Three years ago they had gone on a cruise through the Panama Canal for David's birthday. Mona and her husband accompanied them. She turned on the slide show feature and let the photos glide by one at a time. It had been a wonderful trip for Mia. It was the first time David agreed to invite Mona and JJ on a trip with them. Emma had stayed with her other grandparents.

David had never really warmed up to JJ. Mia and Mona had hoped that vacationing together would allow David to overcome whatever obstacles lay in the way of fully incorporating JJ into the family. The actual result was that David concluded that hell would freeze over before he would go on another vacation with a person as boring and condescending as Dr. John (JJ) Johansen.

Mona appeared to love JJ, or at least she loved being a doctor's wife. Mia thought he appeared to be a good husband to Mona and a loving, if incredibly stiff and awkward, father to Emma. Mia insisted to David that was at least something. David never bought it. He wanted better for his little girl.

Mia sighed and blinked back tears as she watched photo after photo of her darling husband slide by on the screen. David had been a man who was definitely not boring or awkward in any way. He was a commercial architect who specialized in designing shopping centers and entertainment venues. His passion for his job was such that, in the 30 years they were married, Mia couldn't remember him ever taking a full day away from work. But, that didn't mean he didn't know how to have fun. He worked a few hours every single day, and then had a blast the rest of the time. He wasn't much for sightseeing or souvenir shopping, but he loved dancing and boating. He said that was why he loved cruising: he could dance every night until the sun came up while boating at the same time.

She brushed the tears from her face and poured boiling water into the teapot. Returning to the table she stared for a long time at a photo taken of the group during the formal dinner after they passed through the Panama Canal, on the way to Cabo San Lucas. David was grinning and mugging for the camera. Mia was looking at him with naked adoration. Mona was laughing. JJ looked bored by the whole business.

Mia whispered out loud, "How could I ever go on another cruise without you?"

Next, she clicked on the website for the cruise line Mona had booked, and looked at the itinerary for the cruise she had selected. Mia's heart became even heavier. She and David had actually taken four cruises on that very ship, including the one to the Panama Canal and two in Europe. It was their favorite ship. The last couple of trips he booked, David called the travel agent and said he didn't care where it was going, he wanted to travel on the _Ocean Enchantment_. Mona may have thought traveling on a familiar ship would have made her mother comfortable, but Mia feared that traveling on a ship she had enjoyed so often with David would underscore his absence and make her miss him even more.

She closed the computer, sipped her tea and wondered what she should do. No easy solution presented itself, so she decided to table the entire issue for a few days.

She spent the afternoon reading and relaxing in preparation for the week ahead. She worked as an events planner for a resort in Orlando, Florida, and she was in her annual run-up to the April-to-June wedding frenzy during which she was working about ten hours a day six days a week. She had a few really big weddings coming up, including one wedding of a very rich minor celebrity whose fiancée was one of the worst bitches she had ever had to deal with. She sighed. A nice relaxing cruise at the end of all that would be nice.

A few days later she discussed the vacation over lunch with her best friend, Brenda, who was already feeling guilty about leaving Mia high and dry for the vacation they had planned in Hawaii. She encouraged Mia to go on the cruise with Mona's family. She suggested it would be a good bonding time for Mia and Emma.

Mia made a face, "Yeah. I'm sure I'll get plenty of bonding time with her, because I'll share a room with her and I'll be expected to babysit her every night." She held up her hand in a stern gesture and pursed her lips, "I can tell you one thing I won't be babysitting her every night. I haven't been dancing since David died. I think I might avail myself of the company of one of the men they have on board to dance with the old ladies."

"You wouldn't!" Brenda looked shocked.

Mia laughed, "I would so. They are very nice guys. On one of our very first cruises David broke his ankle water skiing. He couldn't dance the rest of the cruise but he lined me up with a series of partners several evenings. We had a ball. I'd dance with the men and David talked their arms off in between dances."

Brenda giggled, "Sounds to me like you've made up your mind."

Mia made a face and said, "Oh, I guess there was never really any doubt that I would go with Mona. I haven't been to Europe in several years and the ship is stopping at some really cool ports of call. I will have the chance to go back to some places I've enjoyed in the past and to visit some new places, too. I have had to adjust to sleeping without David and to eating meals without him and to doing every other damned thing without him, I guess it's high time I learned to have some fun without him as well."

Brenda clapped her hands together and said, "That's the spirit!"

Mia shook her head. Then she grinned and leaned closer to Brenda, "I guess it's time to let my hair down a little, but please do me a favor."

"What?"

"If I ever tell you that I'm thinking about joining one of those Red Hat groups, please, please, please, take me out and just shoot me!"

Brenda howled. "It's a promise! The last thing this world needs is more of those elderly sorority sisters. Don't you fear. I would not let you become one of them no matter what."

On her way home from work, Mia called her daughter and informed Mona she agreed to go on the trip. She said, "I have one condition."

"What is that?"

"I love Emma and I will plan to spend a lot of time with her. I may even let her bunk with me one or two nights if you and JJ want some privacy, but I've gotten used to spending a lot of time alone. I think we all understand the trip will be pretty emotional for me. If I want to cry myself to sleep, I don't want to worry about upsetting Emma. I will pay my fare with the single-room surcharge, but I want to have my own room."

Mona started to object, but suddenly cut herself off in mid-sentence. Mia almost laughed. She realized that it had probably just dawned on Mona how much money this would save her. Emma could travel really cheap if Mona booked her as a third person in their room. What is more, Mia had just offered to pay her own way. Mona had plenty of money, but she never turned down the chance to save a buck.

With that decision out of the way, Mia could focus on getting through the next few weeks and look forward to a vacation during which she would have to make no decisions other than what wine to have with dinner – and she knew she could leave even that up to the wine steward if she chose. Mia was positive she had made the right decision when one afternoon, after a particularly prickly meeting with a bride she thought of as "Countess Dracula", Mia found herself fantasizing about sitting on her private balcony sipping wine and watching the coast of Italy pass by....

She immediately flipped open her cell phone and called Mona's travel agent. She asked where the rooms were located on the ship. The agent said they were outside rooms on the Main Deck. Mia asked, "How much would it cost to upgrade them to balcony rooms?"

"That would cost a total of $700 per person."

"How much for the child?"

There was a long pause. Mia was pretty sure he was wondering what he could get away with. To his credit, he said, "The third person rate remains the same."

"Do it for an even $2000 for all three adults and we've got a deal."

"I'm sorry. I can't do that. The upgrade price is $700 per adult."

Mia had recommended that Mona book the trip through the travel agent she always used so as to take advantage of the leverage that came with being long-time good customers, but this guy was one of JJ's patients and Mona had insisted on booking through him.

Mia sighed, she said very slowly as though talking to a child, "Look, I have been on nearly twenty cruises, most of them on this very cruise line – four of them on this very ship. I know how the pricing works. I have built up so many bonus points with the cruise line that when I book through my regular agent, I get all kinds of freebies and throw-ins. Against my advice, my daughter chose to book with you because of your professional relationship with her husband. I understand and respect that. But, I have a professional relationship with my travel agent as well. Here's what we'll do. You'll give us the upgrade for $1400 for all four of us, and I won't rebook the entire trip through my own travel agent. How's about that?"

The agent was clearly annoyed, but did not want to lose the booking. He put her on hold. A few minutes later, the owner of the agency came on the line. He asked for her client ID with the cruise line. She provided the information and she was put on hold again. In only a few minutes the owner of the agency came back on the line and said, "Mrs. Thomas, I am so sorry. We had no idea you were such a good customer of the line. They asked me to tell you that the upgrades from outside rooms to outside balcony rooms will be complimentary, provided you do not mind if the rooms are not adjacent."

Mia laughed, "Actually that would be almost preferable. Please send the confirmation of the change both to my daughter and to me. Let my daughter think this is a complimentary bump you obtained for her. She does not need to know I was involved."

"Understood. Thank you for your understanding. Is there anything else I can do for you today?"

Mia was on a roll, "Yes, please put in an order for a bottle of wine in my room when I arrive. I'm a lousy traveler and after flying from Orlando to Venice, I'll want a glass of wine and a nap."

"Certainly. Shall I order a bottle for the other cabin, as well?"

She said, lightly (she hoped), "No. They can buy their own booze."

She laughed as she dropped her phone back into its holster at her waist. Her boss had been listening to her conversation. He said, "Sounds to me like you just got somebody a heck of a deal on their cruise package. I hope you will plan on sharing some of the benefits with the hotel."

"When I squeeze freebies out of vendors, I always throw in a bump to the hotel. You know that perfectly well. Unfortunately for the Company, this deal was personal. It had to do with my own vacation arrangements."

He said, "You should book through the hotel. I bet you'd get a free trip."

She thought about that. "You know it had never occurred to me to do that. David always arranged our vacations, and he used our own customer rewards IDs to get discounts. It never occurred to me to use the agents I book with at work. My daughter booked this trip herself and she used an agent I don't know. That little stunt was sort of about me showing off a little."

He patted her on the shoulder, "Next time you book a trip of any kind, book it through our agents. You know you'll get the best deal there is, and it won't cost the Company anything. All of the rest of us do it. We consider it a job perk."

"I'll remember that."

"How's the Dracula wedding coming along?"

"I think it will be fine. We've nailed down all the big stuff. I don't anticipate any real problems on the rest of the details. I do anticipate that the Bitch Bride will figure out something to raise hell about, but I was prepared for her."

"I love that evil smile. What did you do?"

She grinned, "I added anywhere from 4-to-10 percent to the markup of almost everything. When she throws a fit and demands that we grant concessions, we'll be able to give her a nice rebate and still make a decent profit. I should get combat pay for jobs like that one!"

He applauded and shook her hand, "Excellent work! Actually, you pull this one off as a profitable deal and I'll make it worth your while. I've already alerted corporate legal to the fact that these people were trouble coming in the door. If we don't have to sue to get our money, I'm sure the Company will reward you."

"You give me those really awful people on purpose, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. You are the best we have. That means you get the most difficult clients. That's how it works."

She poked him with her elbow, "That's what you pay me the big bucks for, eh, boss?"

"Something like that."

Mia was responsible for three weddings, including the Dracula wedding and an annual sales meeting for a large company before her vacation. There were nights when she stayed at the hotel rather taking the time to drive home. Each of the events went off without a hitch. The Dracula wedding was even more spectacular than Mia had dared to imagine. Even Mia's practiced eye could find nothing that the bride from hell might complain about.

The Monday following the wedding of Bridezilla, the father of the bride stopped by the hotel and sought her out. He handed Mia two envelopes, saying, "The white envelope is a tip to be divided between the entire staff who worked on my daughter's wedding. They did a great job. It was beyond my wildest dreams." He paused. "The blue envelope is for you personally. I hope you are permitted to accept gratuities. If you are not, please let me speak to your boss because I want to get a special permission for this one. I know how difficult my daughter was to work with. Quite frankly, I don't know how you managed to put up with all the crap she dished out |with the degree of professionalism you did. This is my way of thanking you for your efforts."

Mia's boss had walked up as the conversation was beginning. Mia was holding the envelope like a hot potato and violently shaking her head. Her boss took the envelope out of Mia's hand and opened it. He smiled when he saw the contents. He said to the bride's father, "Generally, the Company does not permit our event planners to accept personal gratuities. We consider that their services are part of what you pay for when you book your event at our facility. In this case, however, I have to agree with you: Mrs. Thomas put up with a lot of nonsense from your daughter, with forbearance and professionalism that are a credit to her. Our Company is lucky to have an employee of her caliber in this role. In this case, I will agree to pass your gratuity along to her. And, I am adding to it a bonus from the Company as well." He laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "I'm embarrassed to say that the Company bonus is not as generous as your tip."

He handed the customer's envelope to Mia, with a check from the Hotel on top. The bonus check was for $1000. She opened the envelope. The tip from the customer was $4000. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. She swallowed hard and then said with a very even, professional tone, "Thank you both. You're right, this was a difficult job, but I am so very pleased that it went well and I hope that your daughter and her husband will remember it with many happy memories."

The father said, "My daughter and her husband will be divorced within a year of when the baby is born. I would, however, like to talk to you about two events I have coming up. My parents will be married fifty years next year and I would like to discuss having you plan an appropriate celebration. Also, I'd like to talk to you about holding my firm's holiday party at your hotel."

Mia didn't miss a beat. She reached in her pocket and pulled out her business card. Handing it to him, she said, "I'll be on vacation for a couple of weeks, but give me a call after the first of July. I'm sure we'll be able to help you with both events."

The client shook her hand and said he would call to arrange for an appointment with her in July, and then he left.

Her boss turned to her, beaming, and said softly, "Great job! Now, go and have a wonderful vacation!"

Mia grinned back and slapped the envelopes against her palm, "Oh, boy, do I ever intend to, now that I have some extra spending money." She winked at him, "Thanks, boss." He waved her away.
Chapter 2 -

It was very late, and Mia was both exhausted and relieved. She drove home in a kind of fog. She had only two days to get ready for her vacation. She needed to make every moment count.

The next morning, she went to the bank and deposited the $5000 into her checking account. She notified the bank she would be traveling abroad and made sure her debit card was set up to work on the ship. She checked the balance on her credit card and paid it off. The teller laughed and said, "You give every appearance of planning to have a very good vacation."

Mia nodded and winked, "I most certainly do."

After that she went home and pulled her suitcases out from the back of the closet where they had gathered dust since David died. She had an entire cruise wardrobe which she never wore any other time or place, so she had always kept it packed, ready to go at a moment's notice. Occasionally David had come upon last minute cruise deals or, sometimes, he had a big project he needed to work on and he would book a cruise in order to go off and ponder the job. Mia had learned to be ready to take off for distant lands at almost a moment's notice. Since David's death in a freak accident on a construction site, she had not left Orlando. Her cruise bag was still in the back of her closet, coated with dust, but fully packed.

She unpacked the bag. She had lost about fifteen pounds since David's death, so some of the clothes were too big for her. However, the evening gowns looked better on her than they ever had. She packed away the evening gown that was David's favorite, and replaced it with one she had worn for a couple of gala events at the hotel. She tossed the items that needed to be replaced into a pile, and separated the rest between those that could be laundered and those that needed dry cleaning. She took the latter to a local cleaners. They said they would have them ready by the end of the day. After that, she hit the stores to fill in the gaps.

Six hours later she returned home and packed her entire cruise wardrobe, by outfit, in individual plastic bags. She had only one bag to check, plus one carry on tote that would fit under the seat. In addition to her computer and the baggie containing liquid items, her carry-on contained a couple of emergency changes of clothes in case her suitcase went astray.

The next day, she slept late and watched movies on DVD all day. The agenda for the day was simply to relax. Mia had not taken a break from work since her husband's death; she had been reluctant to slow down for fear her grief would overwhelm her. The time had come to learn to have fun again. She was determined to do her best to make this vacation both relaxing and enjoyable, albeit without her late husband.

Their plane left the Orlando International Airport at 2:00 p. m. on a Friday, bound for Kennedy. Mona's family lived in Boca Raton, so they drove to Mia's on Thursday. They spent Thursday night at Mia's house and then they took two cabs to the airport in order to accommodate all the luggage Mona's family brought with them. Mona could not believe that Mia was only taking one suitcase. Mia shrugged and said that she had never taken more than one suitcase on any trip she had ever been on, including the 30 day cruise she and David had taken to South America. Mona was astonished. Mia shrugged, "They have laundry facilities on the ship."

When they arrived at the airport, Mona's family had to engage a porter to put all their baggage onto a cart. They also ended up paying extra for overweight baggage. Mia pulled her own rolling suitcase and carried her tote to the international check-in counter.

They checked in at the gate where Mia took a book out of her bag and proceeded to read until the airline called the passengers to board. Mona and Emma went shopping. JJ consulted on the phone with various other doctors from his hospital. By the time they boarded, Mona and Emma had accumulated some additional bags that did not fit into anyone's carry-ons, so Mona had to cope with plastic shopping bags in addition to their regular luggage. Mia did not offer to help.

When they got on the plane, Mia slid her tote under the seat in front of her and took her MP3 player out of her pocket. When the flight attendant said it was okay to use electronic devices, she put the earphones in her ears and lost herself in her music and her book. She did not look up until they were in New York.

JFK airport was dirty, crowded and noisy. As was too often the case, dozens of planes were backed up on the runway. Passengers were standing around in various departure lounges yelling at airline employees, and, occasionally, at each other. Airline employees were desperately trying to calm the passengers by feeding them misinformation. JJ spent most of the layover on the phone. Mona fretted about the lateness of the flight. Mia calmly read a book. Emma looked at her and said, "Gram, everybody else is all excited. How can you be so calm?"

Mia smiled and said, "When you travel by air you have to sort of go into a kind of Zen-like place. I call it the 'Travel Zone'. You know you will have to wait for long periods of time. Flights will be delayed for no good reason. People will get mad and yell. What you have to keep in the forefront of your mind is that you are on vacation and you are going to have fun no matter what happens. Between now and the conclusion of the life-boat drill on the ship, it will be nothing but a pure ordeal to be endured. I go into sort of a trance and try not to come out of it until after I take off my life jacket tomorrow afternoon."

Emma grinned, "I have no idea what you are talking about but I want to learn how to do it."

Mia said, "To boil it down, the next sixteen to eighteen hours will be pure torture. After that, we'll be on the most wonderful cruise ship afloat and we'll have a super time. Just keep that in mind and you'll be okay."

Eventually, they boarded their flight to Venice. Mona and JJ wrestled their carry-on crap into the overhead bins. Mia settled Emma into her seat. She made sure Emma had her music player and a DVD player handy. She and Emma chatted about all the wonderful things they would see in Europe until the plane took off. Mia put a movie in the DVD player for Emma and then retreated to her headphones and book. She came up for air when dinner was served, but then immediately retreated again to her music and reading after dinner. By the time the flight attendants turned off the lights and passed out pillows and blankets, Emma was already fast asleep. Mia closed her eyes and fell asleep immediately as well.

When she awoke, the in-flight map indicated they were about three quarters of the way through France. The flight attendants served breakfast and soon afterwards they landed in Venice. There were buses waiting to take passengers to the ship. Mona and JJ collected their various bags and hired a porter to carry them to the bus. Mia pulled her suitcase off the carousel and rolled it to the bus by herself.

The bus dropped them off at the foot of the gangplank. They were among the earliest arrivals. The cruise employees who checked them in told them their staterooms would not be ready for a while, but they were invited to go to the Lido deck for a buffet brunch. They checked their luggage into the ship where their suitcases would be delivered to their staterooms. Mona, JJ and Emma got in line for the elevators from the Main Deck to the Lido. Mia said to Emma, "The first rule of cruising: never, ever, under any circumstances take the elevator. Come on." She led the way to the stairs from the Main Deck (the 5th floor) to the Lido (the 9th floor). By the time they arrived at the Lido Deck they were out of breath.

Mia said, "If you don't cheat and take the elevators, by the end of the cruise, you'll be able to do that without getting winded."

They ate their lunch and waited until the announcement that the rooms were ready. Mia knew exactly where their staterooms were located, so she took them down the forward stairs instead of the central stairwell that was clogged by new arrivals and others trying to make their way to their rooms. Knowing the ship as she did, Mia led them directly to their rooms. Their luggage had not yet been delivered, but they were able to drop off their personal carry on items. Mia offered to take the rest of the family on a guided tour of the ship.

This was the fifth time she had sailed on the _Ocean Enchantment_. One of those trips had been a 30-day voyage to South America. She was as capable of leading a tour of the ship as any crew member, probably more. She started at the very top deck (Deck 11), where there was a running track and a basketball court along with a lounge. They worked their way down floor by floor to the Concierge Desk on the Main Deck (Deck 5).

By the time Mia had shown them around the entire ship, she looked at her watch. "The lifeboat drill should begin in about a half an hour. We should go back to our rooms and get ready."

They walked up the stairs from the Main Deck to Deck 8. Mia suggested they unpack and start to make themselves at home. She went to her room, which was on the same floor but about ten staterooms away from Mona's family's room. In less than 15 minutes, Mia had unpacked her suitcase, stowed it under the bed, washed her face and readied her life jacket for the drill. When the alarms went off for the life-boat drill, Mia took her life jacket and knocked on Mona's door. Their room was a mess, but they were sort of ready for the drill. They took the stairs down to the Promenade deck and stood in their assigned spots until all heads had been counted and all of the emergency announcements had been made. At long last, the all-clear whistle sounded and the ordeal was over. Mia grinned at her family and said, "Now that we have all that crap out of the way, let our vacation begin!"

They shuffled back to their respective staterooms with the rest of the crowd. When she arrived at her room, Mia opened the bottle of wine and drank about half a glass of the wonderful Italian red wine. Then she stretched out on her bed and instantly fell asleep. She woke to the ringing of the phone. Emma was calling to ask if she was ready for dinner. She said she would meet them in the dining room in fifteen minutes.

Less than ten minutes later, Mia entered the dining room. Her family was assigned to a table for four in the middle of the room. It was very near the station where the waiters prepared the trays. Mia knew that if David had been there, he would have objected to the location of the table because it was not by a window, and it was too near the busy waiters' area. Mia held her peace because her family had a table to itself, and did not have to share with other passengers. She wouldn't have cared if it were in the middle of the aisle to the bathroom. She liked not having to eat with strangers.

Their dinner was exquisite. Amazingly, even Mona could find nothing to bitch about. Mia tried to take an interest in the family chit-chat between Mona, her husband and their daughter. Unfortunately, it only made her more keenly aware of David's absence. Besides, she was not really included in the conversation, anyway.

One of Mia's favorite pass times on any cruise always had been making up stories about the other passengers. She and David had spent hours on their vacations eavesdropping on snippets of other passengers' conversations, and then making up stories about who they were and where they came from. David was no longer with her and she assumed that Mona would think the game was rude, so she amused herself during dinner making up stories about the various family groupings at surrounding tables. It gave her something to do besides miss David.

Because Emma was so young, Mona had requested an early dining room seating. The first floor show in the main theater followed the early seating. When dinner was over, Mona's family prepared to go to the show. Mia begged off, saying she was tired and wanted to turn in early. She rarely attended entertainment on cruise ships except occasional concerts when they had special musical guests.

Mona, JJ and Emma headed for the theater. Mia waited until they were out of sight and then she went outside on the promenade deck. The almost full moon was rising over the Adriatic Sea. The seas were almost totally calm as the ship moved across the glassy water. There was hardly a breeze, despite the fact that the ship was moving at a good speed. Mia's original intention was to stroll around the deck a few times before she went back to her cabin. Instead she decided to stand still and enjoy the moon glow. She took a few photos of the moon shining over the water. She had inherited David's professional-grade digital camera, and took every opportunity to take pictures, even though she was perfectly aware she sucked as a photographer.

A few people were strolling around the deck, but Mia ignored them. She walled herself off into her own little space. It was something she learned on her second or third cruise. Mia's first couple of cruises were miserable for her. She hated the whole experience, and could not understand what on earth it was about cruising that David loved so much. Another passenger noticed her misery and tipped her off about creating her own little personal space in order to tolerate being cooped up aboard ship with thousands of strangers. She had learned well. So well that she came to actually love cruising almost as much as David had, but for vastly different reasons.

Just about the time Mia realized the temperature was dropping and she was beginning to consider going back to her stateroom, a man walked up to the rail next to her and handed her a glass. He said, "I couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable you looked at dinner. I thought you might benefit from an after-dinner snort."

Mia looked at the drink and sniffed it. She chuckled. "This is not your ordinary post-dinner 'snort'. It's been a while since I've had this stuff, but I'm guessing this is very good cognac." She took a sip, and added, "Very, very good cognac. I typically do not accept drinks from strange men, but this is too good to turn down, and you're right: after that ordeal, a drink would do nicely. Suppose you introduce yourself so I can accept your gift and maintain the illusion that I'm a lady."

He laughed out loud, "First of all, no one who took so much as a glance at you would think you were anything but a lady. However, to avoid compromising your reputation, I'm Jeremy Waters. My family is sitting at the table next to yours in the dining room. Forgive me if I'm overreaching or, more probably, projecting, but I'm guessing this is your first vacation without a long-time spouse. As I said, it could, be total projection on my part because this is my first vacation without a long-time spouse, and maybe I'm just looking for someone who will understand the awkwardness of it all."

Mia smiled and turned toward him. She clinked her glass to his and said, "Looks like you hit a big BINGO on the first try. My husband died a little more than two years ago. We used to cruise frequently. My daughter persuaded me to join her family for this cruise. She said it would get me out of my rut and put me on the road to living again, whatever the hell that might mean. To be honest, I think I'm here mainly to be a babysitter for my granddaughter, not that that's a totally bad thing, mind you. I love my granddaughter."

He sipped his drink and said, "Thank you for sharing that. I was almost afraid you would either slap me or shy away. My approach is very rusty! Here's my story (the short version): My wife died a year ago after a long and horrible illness. After she died, I threw myself into my work like never before, in part because I had neglected my job terribly when she was sick, but most of all because I didn't know what else to do with myself. My kids convinced me to come on this cruise so I could begin to learn to have fun again. I don't know that I really want to do that, but I agreed to give it my best shot. From my kids' perspective, it doesn't hurt that I am paying for the cruise for the whole gang."

Mia laughed, "Whoa, what a patsy!"

He tossed back his head and roared, "If a guy called me that, I'd punch the son of a bitch, but, I couldn't hit a woman."

"Sorry, but I couldn't help it. I win in this contest. My daughter's family is paying their own way."

He laughed. "You're right. You win. You must someday share with me how you managed to have your kids pay for their own vacation!

"Tell me, have you ever cruised in Europe before?"

"The answer to the first question is easy. They planned this trip and booked it before they invited me. Initially, they even put a deposit on my accommodations. They booked me in a room with my granddaughter. I chose to have my own room with a balcony, thank you very much, so I ended up paying for my own room.

"The answer to the second question is, yes, I have. I've cruised in Europe a couple of times on this very ship. We are making two stops on this trip I've never been to, but all the rest of it is totally familiar to me."

"I've been to Europe, but I've never been on a cruise before, period. Perhaps you'll help me learn the ropes. As I understand it, tomorrow is a day at sea. Tell me what to expect."

She grinned, "All I can tell you is that tomorrow you can expect to be totally bedazzled. I've been on a lot of cruises to a lot of beautiful places. I have never seen anything more fabulous than the trip around the toe of the Italian boot. Our first cruise to Europe was like this one. We did the trip around Italy the first day. I thought it was worth the price of the whole cruise. I still do. This will be my third time, and I'm already getting excited.

"I highly recommend you get up as early as you can and find a deck chair on the starboard side of the ship. Try to find a spot where you can see both sides because when we pass by Sicily you'll want to see the port side as well. But, for most of the day, the most beautiful views are to starboard."

He made a face, "I'm not a sailor. What is that in terms of 'right' and 'left'?"

She smiled. "Find a deck chair on the right side of the ship, but where you can see off to the left as well. I'd recommend going as far to the rear of the ship as you can on the deck where the pool is. That way you can see behind us as well. That will be cool as we pass through the Strait of Messina."

"I understand. Thanks for the tips."

She held out her hand, "Thank you for the drink, Jeremy. My name is Mia Thomas. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be in the very back of the ship on the deck just above the Lido."

"You are very confident you'll get your chosen spot."

"I get up very, very early."
Chapter 3 -

The next morning Mia rose before sunup and went to the Lido for coffee and fruit. After that, she walked around the promenade deck for an hour, watching the sun rise and enjoying the cool, clear morning air. She loved getting up early on cruise ships. Most of the passengers slept late. Typically the only people around at sunrise were workers preparing the ship for the day.

She left a note on Mona's door informing her where she would be when they got up. She found a deck chair facing the rear of the ship on Deck 11. She figured that gave her the same view as she would have from the pool deck, without the crowds. The pool deck was already starting to fill up, not necessarily with actual people but with peoples' stuff. Passengers were not supposed to save deck chairs like that, but it happened all the time.

She took a book out of her bag and prepared to kill some time before they got close enough to see the Italian coast. After that, she planned to simply watch the scenery and take lots of (lousy) pictures.

The cruise director approached her deck chair, accompanied by a waiter. The waiter set a pot of coffee and a cup on a table next to Mia's chair, and left without a word. The cruise director said, "Mrs. Thomas, it's a pleasure to welcome you aboard again. We've missed you. On behalf of the Line I want to express our deepest sympathy in the loss of your husband. If there is anything we can do to make your trip more enjoyable, please don't hesitate to let any of the staff know."

Mia shook his hand and said, "Thank you. This is my first vacation without David. You know how much we loved this line, and this ship in particular. I think this is the fifth trip I have taken on the _Ocean Enchantment_. I didn't realize how much I missed cruising. On the other hand, being here without David..." She cleared her throat, "... is hard."

The cruise director held her hand and said, "As you may imagine, many of our frequent guests find themselves in similar situations. Sometimes when one spouse dies the other one never goes on another cruise. More often, however, the surviving spouse continues to travel. There are seven widows and three widowers among the guests – that we know about, because they are previous passengers. If you need to talk, please let me know. I am available, or I can put you in touch with someone who has quite literally 'been there'."

"Thank you. That's very comforting."

"I hoped it would be. Some of our customers like their privacy. You've always been one of those. Some like to be more social. We can help with that." She grinned, "In fact, last year I sort of inadvertently created a monster. On one cruise we had three frequent-cruisers. Two of them had been traveling with us for a long time; the other was a relatively recent widow, and she was having a hard time. I introduced her to the others. Oh, dear! They instantly hit it off, and proceeded to party their way around the Caribbean, then they went to Alaska. Right now they are on one of our long cruises in South America. I received an email from the cruise director on that ship yesterday. He told me he thinks he's going to hire them. They are keeping the entire ship hopping and partying."

Mia smiled, "I can't imagine myself doing anything like that, but, you know, I think that's exactly what David would do if I had died first. He'd hole himself up in his room and work all day like always, and then party all night."

The cruise director added, "Just like always."

Mia nodded and grinned. It occurred to her that it was nice to talk to someone about David who did not shy away from discussing the dead. She imagined Vince had a lot of practice. She said, "Yep. Just like always." Then she added, "By the way, I haven't danced at all since David died. Who's the best dancer among your escorts?"

Vince shook his head. "We don't have any escort who could even remotely keep up with you, Mrs. Thomas. I'll arrange for one of the professional dancers to partner with you. It will have to be after the last show, of course."

Mia smiled, "If I can stay up that late."

"Do what you used to do: sleep all afternoon, and be ready to dance until the wee hours. If you want a partner tonight, see me after the late floor show. One of our dancers is a former ball-room champion. He's a really great dancer, and a very nice young man."

Mia laughed, "Oh, God, I'll walk into the lounge on the arm of a young, sexy-looking dancer and everyone will think I'm a very rich old bag."

"I think these days they call them Cougars."

Mia shook her head, "I may have to think about that for a few days."

Vince patted her shoulder, "Just enjoy, and please let me know what I can do to help."

Mia started to go back to her reading when Emma ran up and climbed up in her lap. "Good morning, Gram. We are going to have breakfast, do you want to join us?"

Mia hugged her and said, "I have coffee here. Why don't you have your breakfast and then join me. The scenery today will be wonderful." Emma went down the stairs and joined her parents who were standing on the Lido deck outside the buffet. Mia waved at them. They waved back and went inside.

From behind her, a baritone voice said, "You're very popular today."

She turned and smiled, "Yeah, so much for going on a cruise and relaxing!" She looked up at Jeremy and smiled, "Good morning, Mr. Waters. I hope you slept well and you're ready to be dazzled and amazed by the scenery today. The weather appears to be cooperating."

He asked if he could join her. She motioned to a deck chair next to her. He set his empty coffee cup down on the deck. She picked up the pot and asked, "Would you like a refill?"

"Sure. You certainly are getting the VIP treatment!"

"Yeah, it looks that way. My husband and I sometimes used to take several cruises a year, and we often went on long trips, thirty days or more if David was working on a big project. I have not taken a vacation of any kind since he died. It appears the cruise staff are pulling out all the stops to sell me on the idea of cruising solo."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Actually, during the daytime cruising solo won't be all that different from cruising with David. He was a commercial architect who designed shopping centers and entertainment venues. He generally worked at least several hours almost every day and I was left to fend for myself in the daytime. In the evenings we danced the night away. Dinner last night was an ordeal. I went to bed early instead of going out and about on the ship. Tonight I may see how I tolerate nightlife by myself."

They sipped their coffee and watched the scenery. There was not a cloud in the sky and the seas were glassy, mirroring the sky. At the horizon it was almost impossible to tell where the sky ended and the sea began. Mia sighed and smiled.

Jeremy asked, "I don't mean to pry, but you don't strike me as the bridge club and Junior League type. I take you for a professional of some sort. What do you do?"

She smiled at him and said, "I'm an event planner for Sterling Resorts in Orlando. I arrange weddings, corporate parties and other large events."

"Wow! I bet you have some stories."

"I do. Unfortunately, I can't tell the best ones. I pride myself on my discretion. I handle our high-end clients, really rich people and a few celebrities. I don't talk about them." She looked up at him and smiled, "What about you? What do you do and where?"

He said, "I'm an attorney. My firm is in Chicago, but I actually live in Boca Raton."

"You commute from Boca to Chicago?"

He shook his head and waved a hand in the air, "I go into the office occasionally, usually for quarterly partner's meetings. I'm a litigation attorney, and I handle cases all over the country. I generally work from home or, if I have a really big case, I set up temporary shop convenient to my client's office."

"You do commercial litigation?"

"You can tell?"

"You dress way too well to be a criminal lawyer. You don't have the flash of a personal injury plaintiff's lawyer. If you do litigation, that leaves only commercial. I'm guessing you do a lot of anti-trust work."

"You are good. Tell me how you did that bit of psychic analysis."

"Well, I deal with a lot of rich folks in my wedding-planner role. Many are entrepreneurs of one type or another, but the vast majority are doctors and lawyers. They are the kind of folks with the disposable money to plan fancy events like I sell. They also tend to have spoiled and pampered children who want very elegant and expensive weddings. One of the most important things I've learned to do is to size up my clients in the first interview. I listen to what they say they want, but I also look for clues as to what they might really like. More often than you might believe, those two things are quite different. Anyway, I am pretty good at zeroing in on the specialties of doctors and lawyers, because it helps me to understand what they might like and what they might be able to afford."

"That's both amazing and a little disconcerting. I guess I always thought that most lawyers look like most other lawyers."

"In your world, they probably do. You live in a world of corporate lawyers who dress better than any other group besides people in the fashion business, and who tend to be the smartest folks I deal with."

"... smarter than doctors?"

"Yep. I think so. Doctors tend to leave party-planning to their wives and daughters. Lawyers like to get involved, for good and for ill."

"Which group tends to have the most spoiled daughters."

"I would say that is a toss-up. I've dealt with the most horrible bitch-brats imaginable from both groups. I think possibly the very worst are the daughters of the business tycoons, however. Those kids are often completely out of control, and the parents are among the most arrogant and obnoxious I have to deal with."

"Worse than celebrities?"

She grinned, "Minor celebs are pains in the ass, and I generally try to piss them off and not do business with them if I can avoid it. They're too much work and not enough profit. You've heard the expression, 'The bigger they are, the nicer they are'? In my experience, that is true. I've planned events for some big show business stars, and they have been delightful to work with."

"That's surprising."

"It shocked the hell out of me. The first time I had to do a party for a major movie producer, I was scared out of my socks. He wanted to do a wrap party when he finished a movie they were making in Florida. I thought it would be a nightmare. It was the easiest and nicest group I've ever worked with. That was probably fifteen years ago. Whenever that producer comes to Florida, I take him to lunch. He has referred probably twenty huge affairs to me, and most of the people he sends me are as great to work with as he is... , except for one of his ex-wives."

They were interrupted by Jeremy's teen-age grandchildren. "Hey, Poppa, we're gonna go get breakfast. Mom and Dad are holding chairs for us down by the pool. You want some breakfast?"

He shook his head, "I ate a while ago. You go get breakfast, I'll join your parents by the pool in a little while."

He looked around, "Where's your gang?"

"They're having breakfast. I'm guessing they'll want to sit down by the pool as well so Emma can swim. I'll probably move to join them at some point in order to keep peace. But, for now I'm going to sit here."

He stood up and smiled, "You mentioned you might like to sample the night-life this evening. Since we both have the early seating, what do you say we ditch the kids and you can show me around the ship at night."

She grinned, "It's the first formal night. I hope you brought a tux. I'll take you up on that offer. What do you say we meet out on the promenade deck after dinner?"

"It's a date."

Her face clouded, "Oh, please, let's not call it that...."

"Call it what you will. Perhaps we'll have luck in the casino."

"Maybe. Do you like to dance?"

He made a face, "I like to dance, but I rather pity the poor unfortunate females who have endured the experience."

"In that case I may ditch you for a real dancer when the evening gets late."

"I'll introduce you to my son. He was a professional ballroom dancer. He now runs a dance academy in West Palm Beach."

"That sounds great!" She waved him off and said, "See you later."

As she expected, Mona and JJ wanted to sit by the pool so Emma could swim. Mia moved her things to a chair next to them. Soon the Italian coastline came into view and she ended up standing at the railing taking picture after picture most of the day. She bumped into Jeremy a few times, once quite literally.

After they passed through the Strait of Messina, she noticed he put away his camera and stretched out on his deck chair. She walked over to him and said, "Don't get too comfy. In an hour or so, we'll pass very close by the Stromboli volcano. It will be on the right side of the ship."

He thanked her for the tip and introduced her to his son and daughter-in-law, saying, "I ran into this lady last night. She's been on this cruise before and I've adopted her as my personal cruise consultant." They shook hands and chatted. Jeremy said to his son, "She asked me if I liked to dance."

Jeff laughed out loud, "If you like to dance, you do NOT want to mess around with my dad. He has two left feet and absolutely no sense of rhythm. I'll take you for a spin if you'd like."

Mia smiled and shook his hand, "I may just take you up on that. My husband was a wonderful ballroom dancer. I haven't danced since he died, so don't expect much." They promised to catch up with one another in the evening.

Later, she and Mona brought lunch out by the pool for the four of them. Mona asked, "Who was that man you were talking to?"

"His name is Jeremy Waters. He's an attorney from Boca Raton. A widower. This is his first cruise ever. We got to chatting."

"He's traveling alone?"

"No. Actually his deal is almost exactly the same as mine. His wife died a year or so ago. He's traveling with his son's family."

Mona shot her mother a dark look, but did not say anything. Mia pretended not to notice even though she wanted to smack her daughter. Instead she concentrated on telling Emma about Italy and about the volcano they were about to see. Her story was so detailed and entertaining, she sort of drew an audience of people who were sitting nearby.

The ship passed very close to the Stromboli volcano, which was belching smoke. It was very picturesque and Mia took a lot of photos. JJ wondered aloud if they had to adjust the ballast on the ship what with most of the passengers lined up at the railings on the right side. Mia nodded and said, "I asked one of the officers about that once. He said that is exactly what they do."

Since it was a formal night, Mona had made hair appointments for her and Emma. "Mom are you having your hair done?"

"No. The salons on these ships are outrageous. I had my hair cut before we left. I'll be fine. I think I will sneak in a nap. You know me. I got up before dawn." She suggested they meet in the dining room for dinner. JJ asked if she intended to attend the pre-dinner welcome aboard party for the free drinks. She said she had a bottle of wine in her room and would pass on the party. As she walked away she could hear Mona saying something to JJ, but fortunately, she couldn't understand what was being said. It was just as well because she was pretty sure that had she heard it was would have pissed her off.

She took a nap and then sat on her veranda for a while until it was time to get dressed. In her business she had learned the art of dressing up without a lot of fuss. She attended an average of five formal events a month, plus untold semi-formal parties. It would not take her long to get ready. Her dress was hanging in the bathroom. The rest of the ensemble was in its plastic bag on the dresser. All she had to do was shower and put on makeup.

She pulled her hair back with jeweled combs. The set of combs she used with her black cruise evening gown were Mexican silver set with rubies. David had given them to her for her fortieth birthday. She always felt gorgeous when she wore them. At the last minute, she slipped into a completely unadorned black evening gown with a Queen Anne collar. She added a silver and ruby necklace that matched the combs. As she had noted when she tried on the dress, her slimmer figure looked better in the dress than it ever had. The dress floated around her legs when she walked. The jewelry sparkled. She thought she looked almost regal.

Ordinarily, Mia was not one to call attention to herself. Her job required her to be unobtrusive. She had developed the skill of being invisible at parties. She could lurk around the edges of an event unnoticed. In her personal life as well, she had always tended to be retiring everywhere but on the dance floor. For some reason she couldn't quite understand, that evening she decided to make an entrance. It may have been partly due to her irritation about Mona treating her like an old lady. The thought flitted through her mind that it might also have something to do with Jeremy Waters. She put that thought out of her head as soon as it occurred, but not before the seed was planted.

Whatever her reason, she put on red lipstick and timed her arrival at the dining room to occur after nearly everyone would be seated, just before they closed the doors of the dining room. She had already placed an order for wine for the table. When it was time, she took one last glance in the mirror to make sure she had no lipstick on her teeth, and headed for the dining room. Her gait was naturally fast and commanding. She noticed that she turned a few heads on her way toward the rear of the ship. It was gratifying to know that even at her age, she could still attract those kinds of glances.

The dining room manager was standing at the doorway when she entered. She knew he was just about to close the doors and not admit anyone else. He greeted her with a bow, closed the door behind her and personally escorted her to the table. She noticed he was taking her to a different table from where they had sat the night before.

He said, "I hope you will not mind. We moved your family to a table with a better location."

She smiled and patted his arm, "Thank you so much."

She noticed that her seat at the new table faced Jeremy's family's table. Previously, he could watch her, but she couldn't see him without turning around. Now they were facing each other. He looked at her and she thought she saw him wink for just the barest second. Maybe it was her imagination. She smiled at him ever so briefly. Then she sat down and nodded when the wine steward asked if he could pour her a glass of white.

Only then did she look at Mona's family. Emma was grinning and said, "Oh, Gram, you look bee-yoo-tee-ful!"

JJ smiled and tilted his glass, "You do look fabulous, Mia."

Mona looked annoyed. Mia thought Mona looked very lovely as well, all but for the smirk on her face. Mona said, "Geez, Mom, that dress is as old as the hills. You wore that on the cruise when you turned 40."

"Yep. And for about five years before that. And, you know what, as long as I continue to turn heads like that when I wear this dress, I'm going to keep right on wearing it."

"You should buy some new clothes."

"I did buy a bunch of new stuff for this trip. I brought a different gown for the gala, but I felt no need to replace this lovely frock simply because it's old."

Mia generally did not enjoy the formal dinners on cruise ships. Most of the time in later years she and David had either spent the formal nights dining in the special for-fee dining room, or they ordered dinner in their room. They often dressed in formal attire and ordered room service on their balcony. After they ate, they joined the decked-out passengers in the casino and, later, in the lounges where there was dancing. The "food as entertainment" aspects of the formal nights left her a bit cold. The fancy presentations, the singing, the parading of baked Alaska, or whatever else they were serving for dessert, all seemed over the top to her.

Mona's family loved it. Emma especially enjoyed the opportunity to fidget, clap and make noise in the dining room. On the one hand, Mia thought it was silly to take a ten year old on a cruise. On the other hand, she did have to admit that Emma had better table manners and poise in public than most other kids the same age. That came from being taken to grown-up places and being expected to behave. It occurred to Mia that she and David had always taken Mona with them when they went to fancy places, although they did not start cruising until she was in high school, and, by then, she chose not to accompany them.

Whatever she perceived their deficiencies to be in other aspects of their lives, Mia had to acknowledge that Mona and JJ were good parents, and Emma was a super kid.

The food was great, as usual. Mia ordered a vegetarian curry which was excellent. JJ ordered steak. Mona ordered chicken. Emma told the waiter, "I want to try something really different every day because I want to learn about different kinds of foods. What do you recommend?"

The waiter thought about it for a minute and said, "Do you like spicy food?"

Emma nodded.

"What about fish?"

"I like some kinds of fish."

"Okay, we are serving a very good grilled salmon. I will bring you a half portion of that to try. I will also bring you a small portion of the vegetable curry, which is outstanding, but perhaps not something a child would ordinarily eat. If you don't like it, I'll bring you mashed potatoes and regular veggies to go with the fish. How does that sound?"

"Excellent."

Mia applauded and blew Emma a kiss, "I can't tell you how delighted I am to learn that you are willing to try new dishes. This is a perfect place to do it. If you don't like your dinner, you can either ask for something else or go get a burger in the Lido. You know every day of my life I serve up gourmet meals to rich families and have to bring out grilled cheese sandwiches and hamburgers for their picky children."

Emma puffed up with pride under her grandmother's praise.

After dessert, Emma asked Mia if she was going to the show with them. Mia begged off and said she had plans.

Mona said, "What plans?"

Mia didn't like the look in her daughter's eyes, so she said, "Well I have two alternatives. The cruise director offered to fix me up with one of the young dancers after the late floor show. Jeremy Waters asked me to show him around the ship and in exchange for my services as a tour-guide, he offered to fix me up with his son, who is a dancer. Either way, I plan to spend a couple of hours in the casino and the rest of the evening on the dance floor."

Mona looked apoplectic. Emma looked up and grinned, "Oh, Gram, that sounds like fun!"

"Unfortunately, you can't go into the casino, but at least one night during the cruise if your mom and dad are agreeable, I'll take you dancing. Every young lady should know her way around a ballroom floor."

Mia noticed that JJ and Mona exchanged a glance. It was pretty clear to her that they had been planning to pass Emma off on Mia more than one evening during the cruise. Mia pretended not to notice. She and David had dragged Mona with them every where they went. She figured Mona and JJ could do the same.

Mona suggested a trip to the ladies room for the three girls. Mia, who suspected Mona planned to give her hell, said she was fine. She blew them kisses and promised to meet them early in the morning for their trip to Rome. JJ asked if she was taking the tour. She said, "Not at all. It's a terrible waste of time and money if you've been to Rome. I bought a train ticket and have a tour guide waiting to take us on a private tour. If you purchased tour tickets through the cruise line, you can cancel them and buy tickets to Rome at the station."

JJ said they would think about it and hustled Mona down the hall before a scene could erupt.

Mia took off down the corridor in the other direction. Once she was out of Mona's site, she ducked into a ladies room, went to the bathroom and freshened her makeup. Then she strolled out onto the promenade deck in what she hoped looked like a nonchalant manner. Jeremy was waiting for her by the railing near the entrance from the dining room. He watched her approach with obvious pleasure. As she approached, he held out his hand, shook hers gently and said, "Mrs. Thomas, you look ravishing!"

"Thanks. It's nice to know that I can still make a decent appearance. Most of the time it is my responsibility to hover around the sidelines of parties, where I do my very best to disappear into the wallpaper. It's kind of fun to step out from the shadows occasionally."

"You sure made a splash tonight."

She smiled. "How about a couple of laps around the promenade deck before we go back inside. After all that heavy food, I'd like to take a walk."

"Sounds good to me." He held out his arm and she put her hand in the crook of his elbow. They walked along the deck, watching the moonlight flicker across the calm water.

Mia sighed and smiled. Jeremy said, "You seem pleased."

"I am. I love cruising the Med. It sucks when the weather is bad, but it is rarely stormy in the summertime. David used to like to go on long cruises where he could get a lot of work done. He especially loved transatlantic crossings and long trips around South America. I like this nice calm cruising much better than the wild times I've had out in the Atlantic."

"Have you ever been in a really bad storm?"

"They go around the really bad storms, which is a good thing because ordinary bad weather can be kind of rough on a ship. Do you get sea-sick?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so. I spent a tour of duty in the Navy in Vietnam and then I re-enlisted and went to Guam. They have some wicked weather in the Pacific, and I never had a problem. I think I'll be okay."

"In any case, this is lovely. Did you enjoy your day?"

"I did! The scenery was every bit as incredible as you described it. I took over 200 photos, and that was only my first day! Dinner was amazing. I'm actually a steak and baked potato kind of guy so most of that fancy stuff is lost on me. I was a little nervous about how they would handle my simple request. I think it was the best steak I've ever had. I could do without the baked Alaska, though."

"Me too. Here's a tip for future reference. I doubt you could get away with it on this trip because your son and his family appear to be having a total blast, but if you ever go on a cruise again, on the formal nights go to their special dining room where you have to pay extra. They don't do all that nonsense and they don't serve baked Alaska unless somebody specifically asks for it."

He nodded and said, "That's a good tip, but you're right. The kids are having a great time and I'm having fun watching them enjoy themselves."

They took about four laps around the deck and Jeremy said, "I'm ready for an after dinner drink and some roulette. What about you?"

She grinned, "I'll take the drink but I usually stick to slot machines."

"Oh, dearie, you've never lived until you've had a hot hand on the dice at the roulette table."

They went inside and ordered brandy. He bought a large stack of chips and led her to the roulette table. Handing her about a third of the chips, he told her to put chips on as many empty squares as she wanted. She asked him how much money it was, and he told her not to worry about it. She divided the chips into three short stacks and set them on empty squares. Someone rolled the dice. She lost.

Jeremy handed her another short stack of chips. This time she put them all on one square. He muttered something about living dangerously. The person rolled the dice again, and Mia won. She applauded as the attendant pushed a quite a number of short stacks of chips in front of her. She didn't know how much money was involved, but she could tell she had much more on the table than Jeremy had started with.

She pushed aside a stack of chips that she thought looked about as much as Jeremy had given her to begin with. She pushed that pile in front of him. He grinned and put the chips in his pocket. Playing with the casino's money allowed her to take chances. She divided her chips into two stacks. She lost one and won on the other, ending up with more than she started with. The table filled up and lots of people made bets before she selected her number. She ended up putting all of her money on one square again, and she won. The table erupted in applause. The attendant pushed a huge pile of chips in front of her. She motioned for the attendant to give it to Jeremy, and she said, "Let's try something else. This is kind of boring."

Jeremy looked at her incredulously and said, "You are the only person I've ever met who could be bored winning $25,000."

"What?!"

"That is how much you just won."

Mia shrugged. "It's your money, not mine. I'd rather play something else."

He asked the attendant to cash in his chips and motioned Mia to the bar. He ordered another brandy and asked if she wanted another, she held up her still half-full drink and shook her head. He laughed and leaned against the bar, "I guess I don't have to worry about you being any kind of a problem gambler. I happen to love to gamble. I've never seen anybody do walk away when they were winning like that."

"How much did you spend on chips to start with?"

"Five hundred dollars."

She made a face, "You're twenty four thousand five hundred dollars to the good. That should make you happy."

"Thank you. I understand that you don't want to keep the money, but you should get something out of the deal. I insist on taking care of your bar tab for the entire cruise."

"What if I'm a lush?"

"I don't think even a lush could drink up $24,500."

"That's a deal."

"If you don't like roulette, what do you do when you come to the casino?"

"I typically play the slot machines or the poker machines. David loved to play black jack, and he did really well at the tables. On one cruise, he won enough to pay for the entire cruise. I'm not much of a gambler when it comes to cards."

"I hear a 'but'."

She grinned. "I save all my gambling for my job."

"How so?"

"As I told you, I'm an event planner. My clients often want things that are 'out there' and 'different' and, occasionally, 'edgy'. Sometimes we spend a lot of money on things that don't pan out. On the other hand, sometimes we roll the dice, as it were, and come up golden. I guess that's why roulette doesn't interest me. I gamble with huge amounts of money every day. The good part is that, like tonight, I'm gambling with other peoples' money."

He clinked glasses with her and said, "Well even accounting for your bar tab, I think you just won more than enough money to pay for my family's cruise. Thanks."

They played the slot machines for a while and even sat down to a couple of hands of black jack. Mia won $500 with her own money. Jeremy noticed she kept looking at her cell phone.

"Are you expecting a call?"

"No, I'm checking the time. Let's go up to the lounge. The second show should be over. The good dancers will take all the good spots by the floor if we don't get a move on."

"Not to worry. My son and his wife promised to stake out a good table with enough room for us. Turns out a couple of the floor show dancers were Jeff 's students. I think you may have all the dancing partners you can handle tonight."

She put her hands together and twinkled. "Oh, how marvelous!"

They headed toward the atrium and she started up the stairs. He asked, "Where are you going?"

"To the lounge."

"It's on Deck 11. This is Deck 5."

"I know."

"You're going to walk?!"

"Yep. Iron clad rule never to be violated except during rough seas: never take the elevator. I have never gained weight on a cruise, and I put it up to that fact alone. I'm happy to let you take the elevator and meet you in the lounge."

He made a face, "No. I'll walk, too. You shamed me into it."

They slowed down just a little on the last couple of flights of stairs but when they got to the top floor they were only a little bit winded. They stood in the atrium for a second to catch their breath. Mona and JJ walked out of the elevator and Mona looked at her mother and laughed, "Do _not_ tell me you just walked up here."

"Yes, we did. From A Deck."

Mona shook her head and then looked at her mother with a strange expression, "We just heard that there was a woman wearing incredible silver combs in her hair who won $25,000 at roulette and then another $500 at black jack. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

Mia laughed, "Well, the $25,000 actually belongs to Jeremy. He gave me the chips I bet, so I gave him the winnings. I won the $500 on my own."

Mona shook her head and said, "Sounds to me like you inherited a bit of Daddy's luck at the tables."

"'ppears I did. I never tried the tables before. Who knew I would be so lucky?"

She introduced Mona and JJ to Jeremy, and said, "Where's Emma?"

"She's in the child care area. She pretty much told us not to hurry back any time soon after she got a load of the musical video games."

Jeremy said, "We were just about to meet my son and his family in the lounge. We'd love for you to join us."

Mona laughed. "I assume there will be dancing?"

Mia said, "You assume correctly. Evidently Jeremy's son is a ballroom dancing teacher. I'm assuming other dancers will congregate as they usually do when there is good dancing happening."

Mona put her arm around her mother and, for perhaps the first time since David's death, looked at Mia as something other than a fragile object that might break. "Have you been dancing since Daddy died?"

"I take ballroom classes like I always did, and I have been pressed into service at work from time to time, dancing with unaccompanied men at weddings, but I have not been out like this since ... then."

Mona asked Jeremy, "Do you dance?"

He shook his head, "Not well enough to keep up with her, I assure you. My son is a dancer. His wife is a dancer. I know the look."

Mia asked, "What about Joanna? Did she dance?"

His face softened and he said, "Oh, did she dance! Joanna was a professional ballerina when she was young. She stopped dancing when she got pregnant with Jeff. After he was born she opened a studio and taught dance. Jeff danced on the competitive ballroom circuit until he fell and broke his leg about seventeen years ago. After his accident, Jeff came home and became partners with his mother. He runs the studio now."

Mia smiled, "How did you manage to live in a family of dancers and not learn to dance?"

"My job was to pay the bills for all those dance classes, costumes and travel from one dance competition to another. I had to work like a galley slave night and day. I never had time to learn to dance."

They laughed and walked into the lounge, which was filling up fast. Mona looked around. "Mom, isn't this a little unusual for a cruise?"

Mia looked around, "A little. But sometimes there are a lot of dancers on a ship. Occasionally there are dance groups traveling together. When that happens, the cruise turns into a floating dance party. This has all the looks of being that kind of cruise." She rubbed her hands together and grinned.

They sat down at Jeff's table and made introductions. Mona asked her mother, "Mom, you and Daddy used to dance all night and he would work all day on your cruises. Did you ever actually see the ports of call?"

Mia made a face, "I did. Most of the time I visited the ports of call, either on my own or on the guided tours. Your father rarely so much as glanced at the scenery. He told somebody once that he had spend more than 90 days in South America and only set foot on the ground once or twice. I had to think about it, but I think that was a true statement. His favorite cruises were transatlantic voyages where there were no ports of call."

Soon the music started and the dancers took the floor. Most of the people were amateurs, although there were some obvious professionals mixed in. Jeremy stood up and reached for Mia's hand, "I'm going to assume that once you hit the floor with Jeff or some of his buddies I won't see you again all night, so I'd like the opportunity to have the first dance, if I may."

Mia looked up at him and smiled, "I'd be delighted."

As she stood up, she noticed a rogue wave of grief wash over Mona. Mia knew all about those unexpected flood-tides of grief. She put her hand on Mona's head and held it there for a minute in something like a benediction. Then she glided out on the dance floor with Jeremy. He was no Fred Astaire, but he was a better-than-average dancer. She was very rusty, so she rather appreciated the opportunity to start slow. They danced a slow foxtrot and a waltz. He ran out of gas just when she was about to hit her stride.

He brought her back to the table and said to his son, "She's all warmed up and ready for a real dance partner. If Carol wouldn't mind, you want to take a crack at her?"

Jeff stood up and the two of them were gone. Carol said to Mona, "Actually, I'm thrilled to have your mother keep him occupied. I recently had surgery and I can't dance yet. I was afraid he would be frustrated by that. I should have known he'd find another partner!"

Mona visibly relaxed now that Mia had switched partners. Jeff put his arms around Mia and guided her out onto the floor. Glancing over her shoulder, he said, "Something tells me your daughter is having a hard time with the idea of you and my dad."

Mia said, "I think she is. I have not dated at all since my husband's death." She looked at him and cocked her head to one side, "What about you? How do you feel about your dad dancing with a woman other than your mother?"

Jeff sighed, "Dad has dated some, so I've had a few opportunities to get used to the idea. He's never dated a dancer, though. It surprises me a little that he would do that, but I'm generally okay with him dating, now. The first time he told me he was going out with a woman it was with a lawyer he had worked with for years who was recently divorced. They just went out for dinner. I felt awful because I was absolutely furious with my dad. I hope to God I managed not to let him know how I felt because it was unfair to him and mean of me. I actually talked to our pastor about it, and sort of worked through it. Hopefully Dad will never know."

"That was kind of you."

"What?"

"Both working out your feelings without dumping them on your dad, and sharing it with me."

He looked at her oddly, "If I happen to have the opportunity to talk to your daughter, I might share that story with her as well."

"That would be another kindness."

They danced a waltz and then glided through a slow foxtrot. After that, the band played a cha-cha. She started to leave the floor, but he pulled her back, saying, "Mrs. Thomas, you are about to have the pleasure of dancing the cha-cha with a former national Latin runner-up."

She said, "Latin dances are not my thing...."

He wasn't having it. He pulled her out into the very middle of the floor and she gave herself over to the music and to a wonderful teacher. After that the band took a break, and they went back to their seats. Mia asked for a liter of water and a large glass of ice. Jeremy's daughter-in-law threw back her head and laughed, "Oh, my God, we're in for a long night."

Shortly after that, the dancers from the floor show came in, and the party kicked into high gear. About one o'clock, Mona said, "Mom, we're going on the bus tour tomorrow. We have to be ready at 7:30, so we're going to go to bed."

Mia looked at her watch, "Oh, God, is Emma still up?"

Mona shook her head, "No, we moved her to our room and we've been looking in on her periodically."

Jeremy said, "We're on the bus tour also, so we'd better hit the hay as well." He looked at Mia and asked what she was doing.

She made a face and said, "I'm taking the train from Civitivecchia to Rome and I have arranged for a tour guide to meet me at the station. My train leaves at 8:30. I'll be in Rome before 9:30. You folks will still be on the highway."

Carol asked, "It was my understanding the cruise lines won't leave without you if you take their tours."

Mia shrugged and said, "So they say; I have no reason to believe they would hold the ship for a tour that did not return in time whether or not it is one of the tours they sell. When going out on your own, you just have to make damned sure you get back in time. I have spent a few miserable days sitting in traffic jams on tour buses. One time we went to London and the traffic was so bad we had to turn around immediately upon our arrival to return to the ship. We only had time to stop and go to the bathroom. It can be that bad at times if you take the bus from LeHavre to Paris. Don't do it. Take the train! European trains are much more reliable than anything that goes on the roads.

"You all do what you want tomorrow. I've taken these cruise-line bus tours of Rome, and I'm not doing it again. Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome."

Mona said, "We checked, and they won't give us our money back if we cancel."

Mia shrugged, "Do whatever you want to do."

Jeremy said, "Our group is much too big to horn in on your party. We'll take the bus tour, and see you at dinner tomorrow."

They shook hands all around and headed for the atrium. The others all paused at the elevators. Mia and Jeremy headed down the stairs. Her stateroom was on Deck 8. His was lower down. He walked her to her room and told her he had not had such a wonderful time in ages. He seemed about to kiss her when Mona and JJ, whose room was down the hall, came around the corner.

Mia chuckled, "I'd love to invite you in for a minute just to see how much of a shit storm it would stir up, but I'm inclined to be nice to her tonight because I know the evening was a real challenge for her."

He shook her hand and said, "I think I know what you and Jeff were talking about while you were dancing. It must be hard for them to see us with other people."

Mia nodded. "My parents were married for more than 30 years when my mom died. Daddy started dating again almost immediately. I wanted to kill him."

"Did he remarry?"

"As a matter of fact he did. He married a wonderful woman who took good care of him in his last years. She died shortly after he did. Mona was a baby when my mother died and she was only about six when Daddy and Roxie died. She doesn't remember seeing how good it was for him not to be alone. I keep reminding myself of that."

"Well, in any case, I had a wonderful – not to mention unbelievably profitable – evening. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. It'll be fun to share stories of our adventures after dinner."

After he left, Mia walked down to Mona's cabin and knocked on the door. Mona answered and Mia said, "Even if you and JJ want to take the bus tour, let me take Emma. You're going to spend half the day standing in line to get into St. Peter's. She won't care about that. Let me take her with me."

Mona nodded and said, "I'll drop her off in your room when we get ready to leave."

"Fine." Mia paused, then she turned and kissed Mona on the cheek. She started to say something but stopped. "Good night. See you in the morning."

Mona patted her mother's cheek and said goodnight.
Chapter 4 -

Mona and JJ dropped Emma off at Mia's room at 7:15 and headed for the buses that would take them to Rome. Mia and Emma went to breakfast to kill time until the buses pulled away from the dock. Then then exited the ship and took a taxi to the train station in Civitivecchia. They arrived at 8:15, in plenty of time to make the 8:30 train.

Mia telephoned the tour company from the train station to let them know when she would be arriving and indicated that she would only need a small car. After a few minutes of conversation, they decided to skip the car altogether and use the Metro and city buses. The guide promised to meet their train at the Termini station.

Emma listened to her grandmother's conversation and asked how she knew the tour guide. Mia explained that after her first cruise to Europe when she booked herself on the bus tours, she swore she would never do that again. A few months after that she planned a wedding for a couple who wanted to get married at the resort where she worked and then take a European cruise for their honeymoon. They asked her to work with the travel agent to make sure the wedding plans dove-tailed with the honeymoon plans. That travel agent gave her some great tips. Since then she said always contacted local tour guides. For many years her travel agent made the arrangements. In more recent years, she made her arrangements directly either simply calling guides she had used before or looking up guides on the Internet.

Emma enjoyed the train ride (her first), and said that the Italian countryside looked just like she imagined it would.

They arrived in Rome at a few minutes before 10:00 a. m. and found their guide among the hoard greeting the train. Many of the passengers were the seasoned cruisers like Mia who knew what they were doing. Most of the rest appeared to be locals. The first thing the guide asked was what time they had to be back at the ship. The actual "all aboard" time was 6:00. Mia told the guide they needed to be on the ship at 5:00. They consulted the schedule and concluded they would need to be back on the train by 3:00 at the latest, 2:30 to be safe. That gave them a little more than four hours.

The guide suggested they start at the Coliseum. She led them across the street to the Metro station. Only a few minutes later, they were standing in front of the Coliseum. Mia felt an overwhelming sense of awe that a building that was the site of so much horror could be so unbelievably beautiful. The guide was an elementary school teacher and, without even discussing it with Mia, she geared the entire tour toward Emma's level of interest. She talked about the Roman Empire and explained how the Coliseum fit into the history of Rome.

After they had made their way around the Coliseum, they wandered around the Roman Forum. The guide continued her lecture, weaving information on the current dangers of pollution damage to the ruins with historical information and stories about individual Romans from history to illustrate her points. Mia was thrilled to see that Emma was asking a questions and was totally engaged in the process of soaking up a the history of the place.

After that, they took the Metro to Vatican city. They wandered around in the square, but did not bother to get into the line that snaked all the way around the square. The guide gave Emma a perfunctory talk about the history of Vatican City and its status as a nation separate from Italy. She explained a little about the architecture. She said, "The next time you come to Rome, plan to spend at least four hours in the Vatican museums. Start in the Sistine Chapel and then move into the museums. You don't have time for that today, and you are, perhaps, not old enough to appreciate the art anyway. Study art. Then come to Italy and spend a summer."

Emma said, "Actually, I am sort of more into music."

The guide said, "We have marvelous music here, as well. Enough of this, let's move on."

Emma said, "I'm kind of hungry. Can we have lunch?"

Francesca said, "I know just the spot." They hopped back on the Metro and came out in what appeared to be a business district. Francesca led them down an alley into a tiny restaurant with only a few tables inside and several outside in a narrow interior courtyard. Mia said she didn't want to spend too much time at lunch, so they ordered pizza, which Emma noted was much different from the pizza she was used to. Francesca asked her to describe how it was different. Emma said she thought it had less cheese, less meat, less everything.

Francesca smiled and applauded, "Bueno! That is exactly right. Italian food is light. Roman cuisine is spicy but not heavy. Italian food in America is an Americanized version of Sicilian food. Americans use too much cheese, too much meat, and way too much oregano! Real Italian food is light and sunny like our country."

After lunch, Francesca beckoned them to follow her down the alley in the other direction from which they entered. They came out onto a narrow street lined with art galleries and wandered down the street marveling at the beautiful paintings and sculpture. At first Mia couldn't figure out where they were, but as they rounded a corner and she saw the crush of people at the end of the street, she suddenly knew where they where headed.

The street ended in an open plaza, and they stepped out of the shadow of the buildings into blinding sunlight. Immediately to their right was the Trevi Fountain. The area in front of the fountain was too crowded to get close, but they all agreed the view of the whole fountain from further back was better. Francesca laughed and said to both of them, "You don't need to throw a coin in the fountain! I can tell by the light in your eyes you are both so in love with Rome that you will return, with or with out help from the Trevi Fountain!" They ate a gelato while Francesca filled them in on the significance of the fountain and its environs.

Next stop was the Spanish Steps. Mia could tell that Emma had just about enough of history lessons for one day. She looked at her watch, and said, "We have about an hour and a half left. I would like Emma to see something of today's Rome. Perhaps we could combine that with a bit of shopping. I would like to buy her perhaps a book or two and a keepsake of this wonderful day we've shared."

Francesca said, "I suggest we hop in a taxi, and take you for a brief tour of a few of the things you did not see." She hailed a cab and said something in staccato Italian. They were off on a twenty minute thrill ride through the streets of Rome, where Francesca pointed out sights as they whizzed by. Emma enjoyed the way the driver weaved in and out of traffic, blew his horn and shouted at other drivers. Mia was not so amused.

Eventually, the driver dropped them off in a small shopping district. There were a few book stores and a jewelry store on the corner. Mia suggested that Francesca take Emma into one of the bookstores to see if they could find some picture books or perhaps a book in English. She said she would be right back.

In a short time, Mia joined the others in the bookstore. They made some purchases and then stopped in a café and ordered a cold drink, mostly so they could use the bathroom. Then they got back into the waiting cab for the ride back to the train station.

Many other cruisers were returning to the ships as well. Francesca admonished them before they went into the station to have their money and their purchases safely tucked away and she gave them the standard warnings about Roman pickpockets. Mia paid Francesca for the tour and they shook hands and kissed cheeks all the way around.

Before they entered the train station, Mia said to Emma, "I want you to hold my hand and do not let go. When I have to pay for the tickets stand close to me and put your arms around me. Do not under any circumstances let go of me. The train station is very crowded, and I don't want us to get separated."

"Don't worry, Gram, I'm not about to let go of you. I'm kinda scared."

"Traveling to new places is fun. You have to be careful in order to be safe, but you don't need to be afraid."

Mia muscled her way through the crowd to the ticket window, purchased their tickets and then moved on to the line for the trains. Someone bumped up against her in a manner she thought was inappropriate, she didn't know or care whether he was trying to pick her pocket or get fresh, she turned and shouted at him. He scurried away.

Finally they got on the train and settled down for the ride back to Civitivecchia. Emma was so excited she talked non-stop for the first half hour. Then she fell asleep. Mia stretched out in her seat and watched the scenery go by out the window. She thought that had been quite possibly the best day of sightseeing she had ever experienced. She hoped she had made some precious memories for Emma. Even if she didn't, she had made some precious memories for herself.

The train arrived in Civitivecchia at 4:30 PM. They took a taxi to the ship and arrived only minutes before the first of the tour buses returned. Mia suggested that they each take a shower before all the rest of the passengers returned to their rooms and decided to shower at the same time. She let Emma into her room and told her to call when she was finished with her shower if her parents weren't back yet.

Mia went to her room where she showered quickly and changed into dressy casual attire for dinner. Emma called on the phone and said she was ready. Mia suggested they leave a note for Mona and JJ to the effect they would meet them in the dining room. They went up to the Lido deck and watched as bus after bus after bus pulled up, disgorging bedraggled looking passengers. A waiter asked Mia if she wanted a drink before dinner. She ordered a martini. Emma asked for a soda.

They relaxed in the sunshine until it was time for dinner. Once again, Mia timed her arrival at the last minute. She hated having to sit at the table too long before dinner. Once again, the dining room manager escorted her to the table, this time with Emma on his other arm. Mona and JJ were just sitting down. They had apparently come straight to the dining room from their bus. They still had their day bags with them. They looked tired and dusty.

Emma greeted them with hugs and kisses and proceeded to give them an almost minute-by-minute description of everything she had seen and done. Her parents had to ask her to be quiet while they looked at the menus.

Mia noted that Jeremy's family was not in the dining room. In fact, the room was less than half full. Emma asked where everybody was. Her mother said, "A lot of the buses are late. There was apparently a wreck on the highway and traffic was awful. The ship may have to delay it's departure."

Mona looked at her mother and grinned, "Well, aren't you going to say it?"

Mia tried to look innocent, "Say what?"

At that moment Jeremy walked up behind her and said softly, "Say: 'I told you so.'"

He looked so tired and sweaty she wanted to laugh. Instead she merely, grinned and turned to the waiter saying, "Please send this man a cold beer, and put it on my tab."

They looked at each other and cracked up.

Jeremy joined his tired-looking family and Mia tried to get herself under control.

Mona said irritably, "It wasn't that funny."

Mia said, "Oh, yes it was. After I hit the big win at the roulette table last night, I insisted he take all the winnings. He said I should get something out of the deal, so he offered to pick up my bar tab for the entire cruise. I think I'll buy him lots of drinks!"

Mona said, "I'm guessing there will not be a lot of dancing tonight."

Mia made a face, "I wouldn't be too sure about that. Tomorrow should be an easy day. It isn't far to St. Tropez and we have a long stop." She looked at Mona and JJ. "Are you taking a tour tomorrow?"

They said they had not booked a tour. They sort of planned to go to the beach. Mia suggested they might not want to take Emma. Emma said, "We looked at the books and the stuff online. I think I'm going to spend most of the day in the Kid's Area. They have all kinds of activities planned. Maybe at some point Mom and Dad will come back to the ship and we can go into the town, but it's no big deal if we don't. We think this may be more of a grown up stop."

Mia smiled. It appeared she might have a whole day to herself. She rather liked that idea.

Once again, dinner was spectacular. Emma wanted to see the show, which featured a magician, so her family headed for the theater. Mia went outside for her after dinner promenade. On her second lap around the deck, Jeremy stepped out of the shadows and fell into step with her. She took his arm. They walked for a while without talking. The ship was moving very slowly because it was not very far from Rome to St. Tropez. The moon was nearly full and the sky was clear. It was almost like daytime on the deck. They took one entire lap around the ship without saying a word.

As they neared one of the doors that led to the atrium, he said, "How's about you buy me an after dinner drink?"

She grinned, and said, "Only the very best, top shelf liquor for you on this trip, eh?"

"Right-o!"

They ordered drinks and went back outside, away from the noise and crowd in the casino. Jeremy said, "I don't have to ask you how your day was. You look like the picture of happiness."

"I had perhaps one of the most wonderful days of my life. We had a fabulous guide who is an elementary school teacher. She geared her entire presentation to Emma. It was so wonderful to see Rome through Emma's virgin eyes, and to be the one to share it with her.

"What about your day?"

"Well it was evidently not as relaxing as yours, but I enjoyed sharing the day with my grandchildren, too. They are teenagers now and they are very busy with school and sports and activities. It was wonderful to spend the whole day with them. The tour was something of a drag, although we all liked the Coliseum. Frankly I could have skipped the Vatican but Megan was mesmerized by it. She is very into modern dance. She loved the sculptures from the standpoint of the movement and the poses the artists captured."

"That's kind of sophisticated for a kid, isn't it?"

"Her parents are both dancers. She has grown up with nothing but music and dance. I guess body movement is in her blood."

"We should get her and Emma together. Em's only 10 but she's very mature for her age. She's not so much into dancing, but she plays the piano and the violin. She's very musically talented."

"We should do that."

She asked, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Well, evidently, there is a general opinion that St. Tropez is an adult stop. The kids have heard enough about the wild beaches here that they have decided to stay on the ship."

"Interesting. Emma decided the same thing. I wonder why."

"Megan explained it has to do with a fear of seeing naked old people."

Mia laughed, "Actually, that does not sound the least bit appealing."

"Anyway, the kids are staying on the ship. Jeff and Carol are taking a tour that goes out into the countryside for a winery tour and lunch. Would you care to go?"

Mia sighed. "That sounds lovely, but you know, I think I would rather stay close to the ship. The town of St. Tropez itself looks lovely. I think I would prefer to have a relaxing day on the ship and perhaps walk around the harbor area a bit. I doubt there will be many naked old people running around there."

He laughed, "I agree. Perhaps we'll run into each other."

She said, "I can tell you where I'll be. Until after lunch, I will be on the top deck watching the sail boats. I absolutely love to watch boats. The weather forecast for tomorrow is spectacular. In the afternoon, I'll take the tender into town and wander around ogling the boats."

He asked, "Would you mind some company?"

"Not at all. It would be fun."

He hesitated and asked, "What about a dance or two now, since we can sleep in tomorrow?"

"Sure. Maybe just one or two."

Three hours later, when he walked her to the door of her room, they were both sweaty and bedraggled, after dancing with each other, with his kids and with half the other people in the lounge. She grinned, "I am exhausted, but I can't remember the last time I had so much fun."

"Last night?"

"Oh, yeah, last night was fun too. Anyway, tonight was hugely fun. Thank you."

He said, "Hey, it was really fun because the drinks were all on you!" They chuckled. He looked around to make sure no one was in the corridor, and then leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the temple, "Good night. I'll see you tomorrow."
Chapter 5 -

In the wee hours of the morning, Mia felt the ship drop anchor and shut off the main engines. She got out of bed and opened the curtains enough to be able to tell when it was light outside, then she snuggled back under the covers and went back to sleep. She awoke just as the sky was beginning to lighten and went out on her veranda. The sunrise was not spectacular because it was foggy but she watched with something like reverence as the world changed from inky black to a gray haze. The only sound was the water lapping against the side of the ship far below her stateroom and the occasional clanging of metal against metal somewhere nearby.

Once it was light enough to see, she got dressed and headed for the promenade deck where she walked for more than an hour, watching the sun burn off the fog. Mona and Emma fetched her at 8:30 for breakfast in the buffet. Mia insisted on walking the stairs. Mona and Emma opted for the elevator.

When they were seated in the Lido, Emma asked why Mia walked the stairs even after exercising for over an hour. Mia said, "Walking, and especially walking stairs, is great exercise. I hardly ever take an elevator, even at work, unless the trip is longer than five floors. On a cruise I never take the elevator at all unless there is bad weather. That helps keep me from gaining weight despite the fact that I always eat too much on cruises."

Mona shook her head, "Mom, it has always bothered me that you obsess so about your weight. Until the last couple of years, when you've lost quite a bit of weight, I've never known you to fluctuate more than a few pounds."

Mia grinned. "That is purely by design. I was a chunky girl and as a young woman I was headed for trouble in the weight department. I gained way too much when I was pregnant with you and I had a very hard time getting the weight off. At that time I was the manager of a restaurant on I-Drive in Orlando. I was constantly tasting the chefs' new creations and getting heavier and heavier instead of losing my baby weight.

It was a swanky place and I was supposed to wear slinky black dresses. At one point the owner suggested I should consider going on a diet. Despite the understated tone of the request, I knew it to be an ultimatum. I suppose that today somebody could probably claim that was some kind of discrimination or whatever. I chose to interpret it as a wake-up call. I joined a gym and started working out. I hired a trainer to develop a workout routine for me. She's the one who preached the gospel of never taking an elevator and taking every opportunity that presents itself to take extra steps.

It took me a year, but I lost about forty pounds and, as you noticed, I have fluctuated very little over the years. After David died, I lost about fifteen more pounds, and I like this weight even better. I do obsess about my weight, I guess. But, I do it because I'm not one of those naturally thin women who talk about how fat they are. I really do have to work at it."

Emma scrunched up her face and asked, "Why do you take the elevators in bad weather?"

"When the seas get rough, I am afraid I might fall on the stairs. I stick to the elevators for safety."

"Gram, will it get rough on this trip?"

Mia patted her granddaughter's hand and said, "I don't think there's anything to worry about. The weather forecast for the entire week is good. When we get out into the Atlantic, especially after we leave the coast of Spain, we'll have some swell. The Mediterranean is a great place to cruise because it's so calm ... at least when it's not storming. It really kicks up in a storm because it's so shallow. The Atlantic is a whole different ballgame."

JJ asked if Mia had ever taken a transatlantic crossing.

"Oh, yeah. Crossings were David's favorite cruises. He loved those six uninterrupted days at sea. Before satellite phones and the Internet, David always said he did his best work on Crossings. He must have been onto something because every single project for which he did the preliminary design work during a Crossing won him some kind of architectural award. I have to admit that, although they may have been good for David's career, those cruises were never my favorites, especially the trips across the North Atlantic."

Emma asked, "Why?"

"The Southern route from Ft. Lauderdale to Spain is, at certain times of year very nice. The Northern route from New York to England is dicey any time but the closer you are to winter, the worse it can be."

While she was talking Jeremy and his son joined them.

Jeff asked, "Have you ever taken a cruise that ends in the harbor of New York?"

Mia closed her eyes and the entire group could see she was transported to another time and place. Her smile started small and grew to beatific proportions. "Oh, yes. About fifteen years ago, David designed a special home for a very rich client. David had already designed several commercial properties for the man. He had been widowed for a long time and had just remarried. He wanted a vacation house in the Rocky Mountains for his new wife. David outdid himself on a chalet in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The guy was so thrilled, he gave David a $20,000 'tip'. The design itself made the firm several hundred thousand dollars and totally priceless great publicity, so they let him keep the gratuity.

He booked us on a dream trip. We flew to London where we did a few days of sightseeing. Then we took the train to Liverpool, where we boarded the Queen Elizabeth II for a transatlantic crossing. We had what the crew euphemistically referred to as 'some weather issues' in just about the same spot in the North Atlantic where the _Titanic_ sank. It was my first Crossing and I was not a happy camper, especially when the wind and the seas got so bad they closed the outside decks so I couldn't take my promenades.

"It turned out to be worth it, however. We entered New York harbor about a half hour after sunrise on a glorious summer day when there was not one cloud in the sky. It had rained the day before and the entire city looked freshly washed. We stood along the railings on the top deck, along with thousands of other passengers. First we passed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and then we sailed directly in front of the Statue of Liberty.

"Both of our families were of Irish descent. There was an excellent chance that virtually all of our ancestors arrived in America by that route. Most of them probably traveled in steerage or second class at best. Only a few generations later, David and I found ourselves standing on the top deck of what was then the most elegant cruise ship on the seas. I was embarrassed to realize that we were holding each other and sobbing, until I looked around and realized that virtually every other American in sight was doing the same thing.

"We had recovered somewhat by the time we disembarked, but we made it a point to visit Ellis Island that afternoon. That was before they closed it for renovations. I'd like to go back now to see the new museum.

"It's funny. We made a crossing into New York again a few years later, and it had the same effect on us, but we also came into New York on a cruise from Canada and it wasn't as emotional. Somehow, crossing the ocean and safely entering New York Harbor is a special experience, perhaps especially for Americans of European descent."

They were all quiet for a while.

Jeremy asked, "What's the second coolest thing you've ever seen from a cruise ship?"

She grinned, "I suppose I should say the Panama Canal, but frankly I didn't enjoy that as much as I thought I would. My other favorite thing is coming under the Skyway Bridge and cruising up the channel into Tampa."

Jeremy prodded once more, "What haven't you seen but would like to?"

She didn't hesitate long enough to take a breath, "No doubt about it: Sydney Harbor."

Jeff grinned. "I haven't cruised to Sydney, but we flew there a couple of times and took harbor tours. I gotta tell you that it is even more spectacular to be there than it is in pictures, but there is one harbor I've seen that is even more amazing." He paused.

They all said, "Where?"

He smiled and said, "Hong Kong at night."

Mia asked, "You've traveled a lot?"

Jeff nodded. "I was on the international competitive ballroom dancing circuit for a couple of years. I didn't do it all on one trip, but I've actually been around the world. Granted, we didn't travel on fancy cruise liners. We took the cheapest flights we could find on some of the world's crummiest airlines and stayed four to a room in fleabag hotels to save money. It's a wonder we didn't die in plane crashes into the jungle or more slowly of dysentery or some other insect-borne exotic disease! But, I was young, single and I was getting paid to dance, so I was, of course, ecstatic about the whole thing. As a bonus, I got to see some amazing things, so I guess it was worth it. I suppose being too young and ignorant to appreciate the dangers helped."

Jeremy commented softly, "Some people were not too young and ignorant to appreciate the dangers.... and your mother and I worried ourselves frantic every time you left on one of those trips."

Soon after that, the party broke up. Jeff left to join his wife for their tour. Mona took Emma to get her situated with the kids play group. JJ went to get their tender tickets. Jeremy looked at Mia and said, "It appears we're on our own for the day."

"Yep. Let's go find a spot in the sun until the people jam for the tenders clears out a little."

They took their coffee outside and watched the tenders ferrying passengers from where they were anchored in the Gulf of St. Tropez to the tender pier near the inner harbor. They watched motor boats and sail boats plying the impossibly blue waters and they marveled at the huge motor yachts at anchor in the Gulf, many of which looked like small cruise ships.

They were in no hurry to go anywhere or do anything, so they sat on the deck for a couple of hours soaking up the sun and fresh air, and watching the boats and the sea birds.

After a while, they took a tender into the town and walked around in the lovely harbor area. They ogled the boats and marveled at how the boats were crammed together. Mia wondered that captains would dare to squeeze such hugely expensive boats so close together. They looked at the beautiful paintings for sale in the street market, and they made brief forays into a few stores, but found the merchandise to be expensive and the merchants to be stand-offish. Jeremy was disgruntled by the latter and muttered something about the rudeness of the French.

Mia had a different view, "I think the French reputation for rudeness is an American invention. In my experience the French are not rude. They are arrogant, but that is not the same thing. Americans, on the other hand, are truly rude. In the case of these merchants, I swear to God, I think I'd roll up the shutters and close up shop every time a cruise ship anchors in this harbor."

Jeremy was surprised. "Why?"

"I can't believe they let the cruise ships in here. It is gorgeous. Absolutely fabulous from the standpoint of a cruise passenger. But, look at it from the standpoint of the merchants of the village. They have been catering to the rich and famous for at least a couple of generations. This place is world famous as a vacation spot for celebrities, movie stars and other jet setters (is that even a meaningful expression anymore??). St. Tropez has always been a place where the rich and famous could come to let their hair down, or even take their clothes off, without worrying about adverse publicity.

If too many cruise ships start coming here, the 'regulars' will go elsewhere. I'd rather have a few rich clients who visit a couple of times a year and drop a ton of money than a literal boatload of people traipsing through town with those god-damned shopping maps looking for cheap trinkets."

Jeremy laughed, "That's quite an anti-cruise rant from a frequent-cruiser."

"Perhaps a frequent cruiser is in a position to know whereof she speaks. When I travel, I like to see new places, experience new food and learn new things. I get so fed up with the 'shopping lectures' on the cruise ships. It seems to me that some people spend thousands of dollars to go on vacation in order to shop. You can shop on the Internet from home, for God's sake. When I visit new places, I want to learn something about the place I'm visiting."

"You don't shop on your vacations?"

"Yesterday I bought Emma some gifts in Rome. That's the first time in years I've bought any kind of souvenir on a vacation. It seemed appropriate to buy her something. As for me, I take pictures, and I collect things like postcards, menus, tourist maps and the daily logs the cruise line puts out showing where we are on any given day. At home, I have an entire closet filled with folios of travel memorabilia, almost none of it purchased. I used to have a whole bookcase of photo albums, but I converted them to digital images, and have them all stored online. "

Jeremy laughed. "You should talk to Jeff. He has thousands of photos he took when he was on tour. He keeps saying he wants to do something with them, but doesn't know what."

"The last time I checked, I have over 10,000 pictures. Periodically, I go through them and weed out the duplicates and those I really don't need to keep. It is so wonderful, however, to be able to look at them whenever I want, wherever I am. It helped a lot after David died. I would curl up in bed with my laptop and look at pictures for hours on end. In some weird way it helped me get through the grieving part. You'd think it would have made it worse, but it didn't."

Jeremy cleared his throat and said, "I know exactly what you mean. I don't have thousands of photos on line, but I have quite a number of photo albums. When Joanna was sick, she used to look at them for hours and hours every day. She knew exactly where every picture was taken and who all the people where who were in them. In most cases, she knew who took the picture, because it was usually her. She sort of relived her entire life in those last months, and I think she took as much joy in her life on that second pass as she had on the first time around. I took a lot of comfort in those photos after she died."

Without really discussing it, they cut up a side street leading away from the harbor area and walked a few blocks in silence, each lost in their own thoughts until they regained their composure. After a while they wound their way back to the harbor area.

Jeremy said, "I'm kind of hungry. Do you want to get lunch?"

Mia shook her head, "I'm kind of cheap. We'd pay a small fortune for a sandwich and a glass of wine here. Our lunch on the ship is already paid for. Let's go back, have lunch and hang out a bit. I'd like to come back into town later this afternoon. I'm guessing that it may be quite something late in the day, when all those motor boats and sail boats start moving back into the harbor."

"Excellent idea. Perhaps we could persuade the grandkids to come with us."

"Great idea. Let's spring 'em from their isolation chambers."

"You're not big on the cruise activities for kids."

"I'm not big on isolating people by ages, period. When I was growing up, my parents did not go anyplace where they could not take me. If they were invited to a party which did not include children, they declined. I did the same thing when Mona was little. I often hated being dragged to concerts and weddings and other grown-up functions. Mona sometimes resented it, too. But, you know what? We learned how to behave in social settings at a very young age. These days, kids are relegated to child care centers, and they don't learn how to behave. Most of the weddings I plan exclude children altogether. That's a shame, but too often when the family chooses to invite children, the events are often ruined by little monsters running around and running amok.

"Just as bad, I think are the retirement communities where older people live in isolation from young people and kids. The elderly have so much to offer and children have so much to learn from them! Instead retired people wall themselves up in what amount to fancy ghettos and shut the rest of the world out.

"Sorry. I must be in a ranting mode today."

He laughed and said, "I'm almost afraid to ask this question, and I'm mainly doing it because I want to see the look on your face. Have you been to The Villages in central Florida ?"

She puffed up like a blow-fish and her face turned red then nearly purple. She said only, "Do NOT get me started."

He put up his hands in the classic baseball "stop" sign. "Fine. I get your point." He laughed. "I have to share with you my first – and only – visit to that dreadful place. I handled a litigation matter for a client who, even after he paid my firm our exorbitant fee, ended up a few million to the good. He invited me to spend a weekend at his vacation retreat in The Villages, playing golf and hanging out by the pool. It wasn't that far from Boca, so I accepted.

"I was so appalled by the place, after only an hour or so I sneaked off to the bathroom and called Jeff's house. Carol answered the phone and I asked her to wait fifteen minutes and then call me to tell me there was an emergency and I had to come home. We were ready to tee off on the third hole when the phone rang. I made a big deal of answering it so my client and the others in our foursome could hear. I offered my regrets for my abrupt departure but said I had a family emergency at home, and made a bee-line for the parking lot. I think I set a speed record between The Villages and Boca.

"Oh, my God, what a horrible place!

"I think I agree with you that the only way to teach kids to behave is to take them to places where they have to behave and then make them act appropriately. When Jeff was about four or five, the American Ballet Theater was touring with Baryshnikov's version of _Giselle_. I don't know if you're into ballet, but _Giselle_ is a long show. It is also very boring if you're not into the technicalities of dance, or sappy romance stories for that matter. Joanna was friendly with the prima ballerina, Gelsey Kirkland, and we were invited to dinner after the show with the cast. Joanna dragged me and Jeff with her. Alicia, who would have enjoyed it a couple of years later, was too young. I accused Joanna of setting the whole thing up as a way to meet Mikhail Baryshnikov. She always denied it, but only after blushing deeply and stammering for a while. That became a family joke. In any case, both Jeff and I managed – somehow, and with difficulty – to behave through both the performance and the dinner afterwards.

"I was totally miserable, but I actually think that evening was the thing that sparked Jeff's interest in dance. The thing I remember most about was how many people complimented him on his behavior, with such surprise. Why would they be surprised that a kid would sit still after his mother threatened him with serious and permanent bodily harm if he so much as made a peep or wiggled in his seat. I didn't get any compliments for my behavior, but I have to tell you, I was operating under the same threats of retribution and punishment if I didn't behave."

Mia laughed. "Wives and mothers must be the same all over. My mother had a standard lecture threatening all kinds of dire consequences for any lapse in public behavior. That lecture was delivered generally to husband and children alike. The first time I took my family to the company Christmas party after I went to work at the resort, I caught myself giving the same lecture but I shut up when I heard David muttering under his breath, 'God I hate it when she starts turning into my mother.'"

They were still laughing when they hopped on the tender for the ride back to the ship. They ate lunch in the Lido. When they finished, Jeremy stood up and said, "I don't know about you, but I think I'd like to go take a nap so I can stay up for some dancing again tonight. Let's meet up about four o'clock. We'll spring the kids and then go back into town."

"Sounds like a plan. A nap sounds good."

They each retreated to their cabin. Mia wasn't much for sleeping in the middle of the day, so she stretched out on the chaise on her veranda and read a book.

A few minutes before four, her phone rang. Jeremy told her his grandchildren were joining him in the stairwell to the tenders in 20 minutes. She said she would go check Emma out of the children's area. Emma was having such a great time, she was reluctant to leave, until Mia told her that they would be going into town with Jeremy's grandchildren. They were teenagers who were just enough older than Emma for her to be stricken with hero worship. What was more, Tim was very cute. Emma decided she could tear herself away.

Mia called her daughter on her cell phone to explain they were kidnapping Emma, in the off chance Mona and JJ came back to the ship early. Mona asked if the gang would be returning to the ship for dinner. Mia said she doubted they would be back in time for dinner in the dining room. They might opt for the Lido. She said, "Why don't you and JJ plan an evening together. I'll take Emma ... at least until it's time for me to hit the dance floor."

Mona chuckled and said, "I guess I don't have to worry about you if you have Emma and Jeremy's grandkids to chaperon the two of you."

Mia said, with just a touch of frost in her voice, "I don't think we need chaperons, period."

Mona replied, "It was a joke, Mom. Lighten up. We'll see you later."

Jeremy, Mia and the kids spent nearly an hour checking out the boats in the harbor, the arts and crafts for sale by the vendors, and the shops along the street by the harbor. They walked all the way around the harbor and climbed up on the top of the quay separating the inner harbor from the Gulf of St. Tropez. A small lighthouse guarded the end of the quay. Jeremy said, "Look, a whole bunch of sailboats are headed this way! Let's go out to the end. It looks like they'll have to pass right by the lighthouse."

They climbed back down to the quay and walked out to the observation area by the lighthouse. Their timing was perfect! A dozen or more large sailboat racing teams were practicing nearby. One by one, they were returning to the harbor, with their support teams in accompanying vessels. The girls were all a-twitter at the sight of the handsome sailors in their matching uniforms standing at the rails of the boats. The boys admired the boats. Jeremy and Mia couldn't decide which was cooler, the colors and pageantry of the impromptu boat parade or the enthusiasm of their grandchildren.

Just before dark, they headed back toward the tender pier. There was some discussion about whether they wanted to have dinner in the Lido, in town or order room service. They checked out a few of the menus in the restaurants near the harbor. Jeremy whispered to Mia, "If they want to eat here, I'll treat, but, Holy Mackerel, it's gonna be expensive."

Ultimately, the kids decided that they would prefer to go back to the ship and eat in the Lido because they couldn't read any of the menus and they were afraid they might accidentally be served some strange food if they ate in town. Mia made a face, "You mean some odd food like vegetables instead of hamburgers and fries?"

Jeremy's granddaughter said, "We're not that bad, Mrs. Thomas. We actually eat a lot of stuff. The main reason we have to be a little careful is that Tim is very allergic to shellfish. Mom warned us that the French use a lot of shellfish in their food and she told us to be careful about what Tim eats."

Mia put her hand on Megan's arm and looked at Tim, "I apologize. I am sorry if I jumped to conclusions. In my business I see so many kids who refuse to eat anything 'different'. I didn't mean to insult you."

Tim smiled and said, "No problem. Mom makes us try lots of stuff, but the problem with food allergies is they can ruin your vacation pretty quick."

Mia nodded and said, "You know perfectly well they can do worse than ruin your vacation! You are right to be cautious."

They waited in line for the tenders and then went to their respective rooms to clean up for dinner. They met in the Lido bar, where they ran into Jeff and Carol. While they were waiting for drinks, Mona and JJ came off the elevator. Both family groups were complete, and they decided to dine together. They pushed a couple of small tables together. The kids went through the line to get appetizers while the adults lingered over cocktails. Jeff and Carol told the group about the winery where they had lunch and sampled (and purchased) several lovely wines. As soon as the kids were gone, Mia leaned forward to Mona and JJ and asked, "Tell us about the beach! Did you see any celebrities."

JJ made a face, "We saw a whole lot of a couple of celebrities."

Mona said, "Actually we saw _all_ of one or two sort of minor celebs."

They all laughed. Finally Carol said, "Okay if nobody else is going to ask the obvious question, I will: who?"

Mona gave the names of a TV actor and a person who seemed to have no real career other than being a celebrity. She said they were frolicking nude in the water and attracting attention.

Mia made a face, "I have never understood the attraction of public nudity. I had to plan a wedding once for a bunch of nudists. It was truly the most challenging wedding I've ever done. They wanted to get married in the nude, with a nude wedding party. The reception was to be clothing optional as well. We never could get around all the city ordinances on nudity in Orlando, so we ended up going to a sister resort in Aruba, where the rules were not as strict. I was actually looking forward to unloading that crowd on the event planner in Aruba, but the clients insisted I do it. I got a free trip to Aruba out of the deal, but to me it wasn't worth it."

Carol asked, "Why?"

"Well, I try not to be a prude, and, believe me, I've seen some things at weddings, that, well, trust me: I'm not a prude. Still, that was difficult because the wedding was set in the most gorgeous location imaginable, in a grotto near the beach, and there were all these naked people walking around. To make matters worse, apparently the groom did not make it clear to all of his relatives that "clothing optional" meant you could wear clothes or not. An aunt and uncle understood that to mean you could dress up or not. They showed up with their three small daughters and freaked out when the best man greeted them, in his birthday suit. A scene ensued. It was not pleasant."

The rest of the adults became hysterical. The kids walked up and everybody looked around wondering if they should have Mia continue. Mia looked at Mona, who raised her eyebrows and said to the kids, "Mom was just telling us about a wedding she planned for a bunch of nudists in Aruba."

The kids rolled their eyes but sat down and listened as Mia continued, "As I said, not everybody got the message that the wedding party would be nude, so we had to set up a sort of impromptu – clothed – receiving line to greet people and ask if they objected to the nudity. We quickly set up a bunch of strategically placed plants so the people who objected to the nudity didn't have to see anything – uh, objectionable."

The adults laughed until some of them got the hiccups. Megan spoke for the kids, "Yuck!"

Mia nodded, "I have to confess, that was how I felt. It just did not sit well with me. That's why I have never really gone to the beach in France or South America. I guess I operate on the theory that there are some things I just don't care to see."

By the time they finished dinner, Jeff stood up and looked at his watch. "Well, Mia, it appears to be about time to dust off the old dancing shoes. What do you say?"

Mia ate the last bite of her crème brûlée, licked the back of the spoon, and said, "After that meal, I need to dance until dawn."

The older kids went off to the teen area. JJ and Mona took Emma back to their room to put her to bed. The rest of the adults headed up to the lounge with the largest dance floor. The "dancers" among the passengers had already claimed almost half of the seats in the lounge area, and they proceeded to monopolize the DJ after 10:30 or so every night. According to the ship's schedule, there was supposed to be a different kind of dance music every night. The DJ tried valiantly to stick to the schedule, but the large group of ball-room dancers on board had their own ideas. Their requests ran to traditional ballroom numbers, heavy on the foxtrot, waltz and cha cha.

Mia and Jeremy danced together until the dancers from the floor show arrived. The guy who had been Jeff's student seemed to enjoy dancing with Mia, and he more or less monopolized her for the rest of the evening. Jeremy did not complain. He said he liked kicking back and watching everybody else knock themselves out.

It was very late when he walked her to her room. They said goodnight in the hall. This time he kissed her, quickly, on the lips.

She managed to get inside without letting him know what a shock that was to her. It had been more than two years since a man had kissed her on the lips. She tried to shake it off, telling herself she was totally overreacting to something that was no big deal.

Her internal narrative on that subject was utterly unconvincing, given the other things that were going on in her body.
Chapter 6 -

The next day the ship stopped in Barcelona, Spain. At breakfast, JJ announced that he and Mona planned to take one of the open air tour buses. Mia eagerly agreed to join them. She said she loved bus tours, and the double decker tours were some of the best she had ever experienced; she especially loved the fact that passengers could get off and on as many times as they wanted all day long. They took the shuttle from the ship to the Monument to Christopher Columbus at the foot of La Rambla. Then they walked up the Rambla to the Plaza de Catalunya where they bought tickets for the tour bus. They planned to take the entire bus tour, which lasted three hours hours. After that, they could go around the loop again, hopping off and on in the places they wanted to visit.

It was another beautiful day and they enjoyed the sights from the top deck of the bus, even though the day was a bit cool for Floridians. By the time they returned to where they started they decided not to take the tour again. Mona and Emma wanted to do some shopping. JJ offered to wait for them at the Hard Rock café, which was conveniently located down the block from the department store the girls wanted to visit.

Mia seized the opportunity to venture off on her own. She explored some of the shops along the Rambla. Then she decided to head back to the ship for lunch. She strolled down the Rambla enjoying the day and the sights and smells of a city she thought was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. She paused frequently to enjoy the street musicians, mimes and performance artists who lined the street.

Too soon, she found herself back at the shuttle stop. She heard familiar voices behind her and saw Jeff and Carol, along with their two kids. They were carrying many bags. Jeff was grousing about the fact that 90% of the crap they bought they could have ordered online. He fumed about how the purchases were going to cause their luggage to be overweight. He went on for a few minutes, until his tirade was interrupted by tinkling laughter from Carol and the kids. Carol asked, "Are you finished yet?"

Mia held her breath. She had made the mistake of saying something like that to David a time or two early in their marriage. She learned it only made him more furious. In Jeff's case it had the opposite effect. He laughed and said, "No fair using my mother's tactics! I can't stay irritated when you make fun of me."

Carol made a goofy face and said, "Then knock it off."

They greeted Mia. Jeff looked at her empty arms and asked, "Didn't you buy anything?"

She shook her head and held up her guide map in one hand and camera in the other. "I'm not much of a shopper. I like to take pictures."

Jeff said, "Will you marry me?"

Mia laughed and commented, "I'm a little old for you, don't you think?"

Jeff said, "I could go for an older woman, if she didn't shop me out of house and home every place we stop."

Carol poked him with her elbow, "You have to admit, I used admirable restraint in St. Tropez."

Jeff said, "What restraint are you talking about? We went on a tour that cost us $100 each and the you bought a couple of cases of wine which will cost God knows how much to ship home. However, considering that the alternative was to turn you loose in the shops of St. Tropez, I guess I came out ahead."

Carol made a face at her husband and asked Mia, "I know you went shopping in St. Tropez with Jeremy. What did you buy?"

Mia shrugged and said, "Actually, we looked at a lot of stuff, but we were all way too engrossed in looking at the boats to make any purchases. I didn't buy anything."

Jeff put up his arms, "I'm in love!"

Carol laughed, "You might want to discuss that with your father before going too far down that road."

Jeff pursed his eyebrows together and asked, "What does that mean?"

Carol said, "I think he is rather taken with Mrs. Thomas, too, but perhaps not for the same reasons as you."

Mia blushed deeply, and muttered, "Oh, I think you must be mistaken."

Carol smiled at Mia and Paul patted her arm, saying, "I'm sorry. I hope we didn't embarrass you. I know perfectly well my father seems to be very taken with you. I was only teasing. Please don't be offended."

She said, "Oh, I'm not offended by your teasing. I love that kind of banter. I just don't think you should lay too much importance on the time your dad and I have been spending together. He's alone. I'm alone. We seem to have a lot in common. It seems kind of natural to hang out together on the ship. It has the added benefit of keeping us out of our children's hair for at least part of every day. I certainly wouldn't take it very seriously, if I were you."

Paul looked at her with a very serious expression, "Mrs. Thomas, you're probably right, but I truly would love to think that there is more to it than a shipboard flirtation. My father has been totally lost without Mom. He needs someone in his life more than he would ever admit, probably more than he realizes. You seem like a nice lady with a nice family. I mean no disrespect when I say I think he could do worse. I rather hope I'm right and that he is sort of smitten with you... particularly having discovered that you are probably not the type to spend all his money on frivolities."

Mia looked at Carol and the kids. They were all nodding in agreement. She shrugged, "Well that's very kind of you. I'm honored to receive such a vote of confidence. I truly hope your father finds someone to serve as a companion and friend. Whether that someone turns out to be me will remain to be seen." She blushed again.

A few seconds later, Jeremy joined them and asked what they had been talking about. They all stammered around and Mia stood there blushing like a teenager on a first date. Jeremy said, "OK, don't tell me. Let me guess. You were embarrassing Mia by telling her what a miserable, lonely and desperate old fart I am turning into, and you were more or less inviting her to take pity on me."

Jeff laughed and said, "Actually, Dad, I was commenting on the fact that Mrs. Thomas spent yesterday in St. Tropez and today in the shopping district of Barcelona and she didn't spend a dime. I sort of asked her to marry me."

It was Jeremy's turn to laugh and blush at the same time. He said, "Well, the last time I checked, you have been very much in love with a wonderful woman not only puts up with you, but who is a super mother to your two kids, even if she is afflicted with a shopping gene similar to your mother's. Therefore, I suggest you butt out and let me explore the possibility of developing a relationship with a woman who may not risk putting me in the poorhouse every time she walks into a store with a credit card in her hand."

Mia was looking at her feet and blushing a most unflattering shade of purple. Jeremy put his arm around her and said, "Pay no attention to us. We are a bunch of lunatics. But, tell me, is it really true you didn't buy anything today or yesterday?"

Mia continued to blush and look down at her feet. She nodded and said, "I bought Emma a gift in Rome, but other than that, I can't remember ever buying souvenirs on a cruise."

Before she could stop him, he threw his arms around her and leaned her back over his arm saying, with a wheedling tone, "Pleeeeeeeeeeease marry me!"

Jeff, Carol, the kids and Jeremy laughed. Mia shuffled her feed, blushing and stammering.

Jeremy said, "Oh, my god. I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to embarrass you."

"I'll be okay. Let's just change the subject. Okay?"

They honored her request and chatted about the beauty of the city until the shuttle picked them up and took them back to the ship. Jeff and Carol headed for their stateroom to drop off their purchases. Jeremy, Mia and the kids said they were too hungry to wait, so they headed straight to the buffet. Mia moved toward the stairs. Jeremy said, "You honestly don't intend to walk from here to Deck 11, do you?"

She grinned, "I most certainly do. I may be miserly when it comes to spending money, but I'm positively profligate when it comes to spending calories."

He laughed, "Well, I hope you don't mind, but we'll save a seat for you."

Mia looked at him with an evil smile, "What makes you think you'll get there first?"

"The elevator will beat you."

"You wanna bet?"

"Sure."

"What do you bet?"

"If you win, I'll buy the drinks tonight as usual. If I win, you actually have to pay for the drinks."

Mia laughed out loud, with her head thrown back and her mouth open. She said, "Deal!" The next thing Jeremy saw was her back as she hurried up the stairs. Jeremy and the kids had to wait for two elevators before they were able to cram on the third one. That elevator stopped at every floor. At one floor a person in a wheel chair squeezed into the elevator. Paul said, "Gramps, I don't know if we're going to make it."

Megan laughed, "I think you're toast, Gramps."

The doors slid open on the Lido deck and Mia was standing in front of the elevator, looking at her watch. She was slightly out of breath and a few beads of sweat glistened on her throat. Jeremy said, "No fair running!"

She shook her head, "I did not run." She jutted her chin up in the air adding, "I hurried, but I swear to you, I did not run. I've never had the wind for running."

Megan said, "Even with all our stops, I don't think I could have beat the elevator. I think I will take that as a challenge. When a lady my Grandpa's age can walk up nine flights of stairs and barely break a sweat, I think I need to do something about my fitness."

Mia laughed and made a silly face, "Thank you ... I think."

They found a large table in the Lido, poured their soft drinks and waited for Paul and Carol. Mona and JJ walked into the room a few minutes later with Emma. The guys pulled over another table. By that time Paul and Carol had joined them, and the entire group headed for the lunch lines.

About half way through lunch, Mia leaned over to Jeremy and whispered something. He nodded and said, "I think that's a great idea. Do you think you could get them to do it?"

She pursed her lips and held her hands, palms up, "I don't know, but it's worth a shot."

Emma asked, "What do you have up your sleeve, Gram?"

"We all seem to have so much fun together, I wondered about asking the dining room manager if we could somehow switch our dinner assignments so as to all sit together. There are nine of us. Our tables are next to each other. They may not be able to accommodate us half way through the cruise, but it can't hurt to ask."

She pushed back from the table, and stood. "Where's everybody off to next?" Most of them said they were going to the pool. She said, "I'll find you." She marched off towards the midships atrium.

JJ laughed and his wife asked what was so funny. He said, "Anybody wanna make any bets against her?"

There were no takers.

Mia was back about twenty minutes later. Mona laughed, "You know you don't have to look so disappointed."

Mia looked confused, "I don't know what you're talking about. Why should I be disappointed? I got what I wanted."

Mona said, "Yeah, I know, but I'm guessing the dining room management gave in a lot easier than you expected. You were prepared for a fight. I'm guessing they laid down for you. I detect a bit of disappointment in that you were all geared up for a battle, and you didn't have the chance to engage."

Mia said, "I rather resent that. I'm not like that at all."

Every one in the entire group, including Emma and Jeremy's kids and grandchildren laughed. Mia snorted, "Well, I'm not." That made everybody laugh all the harder.

They spent the afternoon at the pool until it was time to dress for dinner. The family groups negotiated who would get the shower first. Jeremy and Mia, who each had private rooms, walked down the stairs together. He asked, "How long will it take you to get ready?"

She looked at her watch, "I could get ready in 20 minutes if I had to. Half an hour would be easy. Forty-five minutes would give me time to shower, shampoo and do the makeup routine right."

He grinned, "Meet me in the Ocean Bar in an hour."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, saying, "If you get there first, order me a gin martini."

"On the rocks... shaken, not stirred?"

"On the rocks. Super dry. Tell them just to show it the vermouth. I don't care about the shaking or stirring part. I never understood that whole bruising the ice crap. Mainly what I want is gin on the rocks with an olive." She asked, "What do you want if I get there first?"

He smiled, "Glenfiddich on the rocks."

She smiled, nodded, and then she hurried down the corridor.

Mia walked into the Ocean Bar exactly fifty minutes later. Jeremy was talking to the waiter. She slid into a barrel seat next to him. The waiter asked her what she wanted. She asked Jeremy if he had ordered yet. He told her he hadn't gotten around to it. She told the waiter she'd have whatever he ordered. He looked at her oddly and asked, "What about the martini."

She made a face, "Before I met David, I dated a guy who drank Scotch. I thought it was the most fabulous drink I'd ever tasted. David did not drink hard liquor at all, ever. I haven't had scotch in decades. I think I'd like to try it. Please order for me."

He smiled at her and turned to the waiter, "Two Glenfiddich on the rocks. Only a few cubes, please."

The waiter grinned and nodded. "Yes, sir."

He asked Mia, "Do you remember what kind of Scotch your friend drank?"

She said, "I think it was Chivas."

He laughed, "Then prepare yourself for the treat of your life, my dear!"

They sipped the whiskey and chatted until time to go to the dining room. As they walked down the corridor toward the dining room, Mia sighed and took his arm, "That was quite possibly the best drink I have ever had in my entire life. Please don't let me have anything else to drink tonight."

"Not even wine with dinner?"

She grinned at him and said, "Especially not wine with dinner."

They entered the dining room and joined their families, who were all seated at a large table in the center of the dining room. As they sat down, Mona raised her glass to her mother and said, "Way to go, Mom. You got us a great table. Thanks."

The others toasted her with whatever they had in their glasses. She accepted their kudos with smiles. JJ poured her a glass of wine. Jeremy looked at her and grinned. She smiled a crooked smile and shrugged. She leaned towards him and said softly, "It is your responsibility to make sure I do not embarrass myself tonight."

He whispered, "I'll make sure you get back to your room with your honor intact."

"And once I get there?"

"We shall see."

They laughed into each others eyes.

After dinner, Jeremy and Mia walked a few laps around the deck and then spent a little while in the casino before retreating to the lounge for the late evening dancing. Mia danced first with Jeremy, and then began to rotate around among the other dancers, while Jeremy watched. Much earlier that she had on prior evenings, Mia sat down by Jeremy and said, "I'm beat. Would you walk me to my room?"

He stood and took her arm. "Would you like to catch a breath of fresh air on deck before you go to your room."

She said, "I have a balcony room. I wouldn't mind sitting outside for a while. Would you care to join me?"

As they walked down the stairs, he said, "I noticed you drank hardly anything tonight. Would you care for a night cap?"

She asked, "Something like a single malt Scotch?"

He shrugged, "We could stop at the bar."

She said, "Or we could order room service."

He smiled, and said, "Yeah, I never thought of that. Could we do that?"

She shrugged. "I'll charge it to my room. You're paying for my bar bill anyway."

He said, "Let's order a bottle. We won't finish it, but we'll have it whenever we want a drink."

She grinned and said, "Ordinarily I'd object, saying that would be a terrible waste, but I guess I'm not playing with all my faculties."

He asked, "Do you want me to order it from my room, so as to protect your reputation?"

She laughed, "This is a cruise ship. They are used to such craziness, I suppose. Perhaps especially from their frequent customers." She picked up the phone and ordered a bottle of Glenfiddich. Only a few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Mia answered the door and signed for the liquor. The waiter put the bottle on the credenza, and waited while Mia signed the slip. Jeremy waited on the veranda, in sight of the waiter, so he wouldn't think she was ordering all that booze for herself.

They poured short drinks and went out to the veranda where the air was soft and the sky was clear. The moon was a few days shy of full, leaving a silvery path across the calm waters of the Mediterranean. They sat back with their drinks, put their feet up on a table and relaxed. After a few minutes she said, "When you start to snore, I'm going to throw a blanket over you and go to bed."

He laughed and said, "You must have been reading my mind. I was just thinking that if you started to snore, I would throw a blanket over you and leave quietly. You look so relaxed and happy."

"I am. I didn't want to come on this cruise for a lot of reasons, most of all because Mona and I have not been really on the best of terms since David died. I didn't want to spend two weeks having her order me around. As it has turned out, I think we have made some huge strides towards getting our relationship back on track." Her voice became raspy and she stopped to clear her throat.

He said, "I sort of know what you mean. After Joanna died my kids had different reactions. Paul sort of tip-toed around me for a long time. It was very strange. Because he worked with Joanna, they were very close. After she died, he stopped talking about her, and he started avoiding me.

"My daughter, Alicia, did a little of what you say Mona did. She seemed to have decided I needed someone to run my life. I know she was trying to be helpful, but it drove me crazy. I have a secretary who always ran my life very well, especially when Joanna was very sick and I could barely function. I didn't need my daughter's help in that department. What I did need was to talk about Joanna. Eventually, I managed to let both of my kids know that it was okay to talk about their memories of their mom and that I did not need a care-taker."

"That's exactly what happened with Mona and me. Add to that the fact that Mona knew David had always taken care of everything in our personal lives. After the kids were grown, and especially after I went to work at the resort and started this event planning madness, I abdicated virtually all household responsibility to David. He paid the bills, made all decisions about household repairs, insurance, etc. He contracted with a cleaning service and a lawn service. Other than occasional grocery shopping and cooking, I did nothing around the house. I even had our laundry and dry cleaning done at the hotel; they deducted the cost from my pay. It was understandable that after David died, Mona might think I needed help. At first I most certainly did."

"Was he sick a long time?"

"Absolutely not. That's what made it so awful. He had never been sick a day in his life. He went to the doctor once a year for a physical, but I don't remember him ever going to the doctor for an illness. He broke his ankle once water skiing and had to see an orthopedic doctor, but I don't recall him ever being sick.

"He died in an accident at a construction site. A boom on a crane malfunctioned, and it swung too close to the building, which was at that point 15 stories of open girders. David, a couple of guys from the company acting as general contractor and a couple of the client's employees were standing in the wrong place on the 15th floor. Three of them, including David, were knocked completely off the building and all three were killed. The others managed to hit the deck and came away with relatively minor injuries."

"Oh, my God, how awful!"

"Yeah. I had kissed him good-bye on my way to work. He was still sleeping. He called me mid-morning to tell me he had made reservations for dinner that night. An old friend of his from college had called him. The guy was in Orlando on vacation. I bitched at him because I was in the middle of planning an annual meeting for a large corporate client, and I had planned to work late, probably sleeping at the hotel instead of going home. He laughed at me and told me that he, as usual, had outsmarted me. He made dinner reservations at the hotel where I worked. He said that way he could be sure I ate a decent meal before I pulled an all-night work marathon. I gave him a raspberry and told him that I really appreciated his mothering me – not. He said he loved me even if I was a cranky bitch. I told him I loved him even if he was a pain in the ass. We laughed, and I promised to tear myself away for dinner.

"Two hours later, the police came to the hotel and told me he was dead.

"They never let me see his body.... or what was left of it." Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. She sniffled and wiped her face.

Jeremy did not say anything nor did he move until she had composed herself. Then he said, very, very softly, "How awful for you.

"With us it was totally opposite. Joanna lived for fourteen months after the doctors told us there was nothing else they could do for her. The first few months she didn't feel too terrible, especially after they stopped the chemotherapy. We traveled a little bit, but it tired her out too much. She loved the beach, so I bought a beach front condo and we moved in there. I continued to work, but I traveled as little as possible. Mostly I worked from home. My secretary was past wonderful at playing gate-keeper. Nobody got to me unless it was absolutely necessary. The last month or so, I didn't work at all. I spent all my time with Joanna. She died in my arms on the balcony of the condo, just after watching the sun rise.

"As hard as it was, even at the time I was grateful we had so much time to say good-bye."

It was his turn to clear his throat and struggle for control. Then he went on, "I guess in a way I felt fortunate that the kids were grown. I don't think I could have dealt with my own loss and helped little kids through the process as well."

Mia nodded, and said, "I agree. I guess I humored Mona, perhaps more than I should have done. I was in such shock that at first I appreciated her help with making decisions. I'm sure that by the time Joanna died, you had the funeral all planned and arranged. We had done no advanced planning. We had done some estate planning, so there was a will and a trust; fortunately, I didn't have to go through probate. But we had made no funeral plans. We didn't even have a burial plot. Mona helped a lot with those decisions.

"After a while, when the shock wore off, she continued to treat me as though I had turned into an old person who needed to be taken care of. I started to resent it, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything because I think taking care of me was part of her grieving process.

"The good thing is that on this trip, we seem to have shifted our relationship just a little. I am beginning to think we'll be able to resume the kind of closeness we had before."

"She's your only child?"

"Yes."

"I think I've arrived at an equilibrium with my kids, too, but what happened with us was that right after Joanna died, both kids pulled away from me and they started fighting with each other. Granted, they always did fight with each other, but it got worse. I couldn't stand it, so I sort of pulled away from them. I think this trip was an effort for Paul and me to get back on track."

"What about your daughter?"

He made a face and turned up his hands, "I guess that will be the next big challenge. She's really not happy she was not invited on this trip. The fact is she has two very small kids who are not terribly well behaved, and neither Paul nor I was prepared to cope with that."

They were quiet for a long time. After a while, they resumed talking, sharing stories about their jobs and their lives. Eventually, it became obvious that Mia was yawning more than talking. Jeremy stood up and said, "Thank you for a lovely evening. I think you need to go to bed."

She walked him to the door and said, "I am up way past my bedtime. Usually I go to bed really early and get up at the crack of dawn."

He put his arms around her and whispered, "It's not too far from the crack of dawn now."

She leaned against him and put her arms around him. Her head fit perfectly in the hollow where his neck met his shoulder. She could hear his heart beating. What was worse, she could feel hers pounding. Willing herself to calm down, she breathed slowly. He pulled her closer and held her firmly. Neither of them moved or said anything. Eventually, her heart beat slowed to match his. They stood for a few more minutes, holding each other in the narrow corridor just inside the cabin door.

He buried his face in her hair and kissed the top of her head. She leaned her head back and met his lips. Their kiss lasted a long time. It started out soft, gentle and tender. They had dredged up a lot of painful things during their conversation, and they were both very careful. Soon, however, they both started responding to one another in a different way. Jeremy pulled his head back and hugged her to him one last time, saying, "I think that ought to do it for tonight. We both had more to drink than we're used to. I don't think we should move too fast."

Mia laughed, with her face buried in his chest, then she leaned her head back and giggled, "Geez, all the handsome men in the world and I gotta meet a one with a conscience, who won't get me drunk and take advantage of me."

He chuckled, and said, "Sorry."

She reached up and took his face in her hands, running her thumbs along his cheekbones, as if memorizing his face, "No need to be sorry. I appreciate it. I really do..... Well, I will in the morning, anyway.

"Now, get out of here."

She heard him laughing as she closed the door behind him.
Chapter 7 -

Mia slept fairly late the next day, and was just coming out of the shower when Mona called to see if she was ready for breakfast. Mona said they planned to take another of the double-decker bus tours in Lisbon. Mia said she was up for that because she had never been to Lisbon before. She thought that a bus tour was a good way to get an overview of a new place. She told them to go on to the Lido and she'd meet them there shortly.

She finished dressing and packed a day bag, heading out the door and up the stairs only a few minutes. She almost ran up the stairs. She noticed a lightness in her that she had not felt in a long time. She giggled as she walked around the pool toward the buffet. She couldn't quite decide if she felt like a hormonal teenager or an old fool. She made the decision that, at least for the duration of the cruise, she would let her inner teenager run wild. After she got home she could get back to normal and deal with the old fool. She was still chuckling when she dumped her bag in a chair in the buffet and went to get coffee and fruit.

While she was standing in line for coffee, Jeremy and his daughter-in-law walked up behind her. Carol greeted her and asked what she planned to do in port. She told Carol her family was going to take a bus tour. Carol grinned, "So are we. Evidently the bus stops right outside the port. We don't even need to take a shuttle. We plan to just walk out there after breakfast and get on the next double-decker that goes by."

Mia said, "I think that's sort of generally our plan as well. Actually, I'm just following along. Perhaps we'll see you there."

Carol asked Jeremy if he would bring her a cup of coffee and said she was going to go get some fruit and bagels for the kids. After she walked away, Jeremy said softly, "How do you feel this morning, Mrs. Thomas? No worse for the drink I hope?"

She shook her head and said, "I've always heard that good booze does not cause hangovers. In fact, I've often talked clients into ordering more expensive liquor then they originally wanted using that argument. I learned it from a bartender. I'd never, until last night, tested the theory. It seems to be true. I actually feel fine."

"You didn't drink that much. My main concern is that we stayed up so late. I'm afraid I'm going to fall asleep on the bus."

Mia laughed and said, "I'll drink enough coffee to stay awake for sightseeing, but I assure you there will be no late-night dancing tonight."

He stepped around in front of her and said, "Oh, I sincerely hope you don't mean that. Take a nap this afternoon, but please plan on spending some quality time with me on the dance floor tonight."

She looked up into his eyes, which sparkled with humor behind which there was something else, something that made her inner teenager respond. She smiled and batted her eyes, "Well, we'll have to see what we can do about that, now won't we?"

He winked and walked away saying, "Perhaps we'll end up on the same bus tour."

She grinned and called after him, "Then we can keep each other awake."

Mona was watching her as she approached their table. She didn't care much for the look on Mona's face, but decided to ignore it so long as Mona didn't say anything. Mia could tell that her daughter was on the verge of asking a question Mia knew would piss her off. She struggled for control and turned to Emma to discuss their day in Lisbon. Mia had told Emma she knew little about Lisbon, which was not really true. She had never visited Lisbon before, but she had done a lot of reading about all the spots they were visiting and she knew more about Lisbon than she let on. She had encouraged Emma to check tour books out of the ship's library and to read about the ports of call. Emma had risen to the challenge, and the two of them chattered about the sights they were going to see. JJ joined in the conversation. Mona said very little.

After breakfast, Mona's family had to go back to their room to get their things. Mia told them she would meet them on the pier. While she waited, she entertained herself by taking photos of the ship from up close. At one point, Jeremy's son walked up to her with his hand outstretched, "Hand me the camera and I'll take your picture beside the ship. I'm guessing you don't have one single picture of you on this entire trip."

She laughed and said, "I have literally thousands upon thousands of photos from my travels. There probably aren't a dozen pictures of me among them all."

Paul laughed and said, "Then stand still."

Jeremy walked up and handed Paul his camera, saying, "Take a picture of the two of us."

He walked up to Mia put his arm around her waist and smiled at her. Paul took the picture. Then he said, "Hold it." He switched to Mia's camera and took another one. He handed them each their cameras. While they were chatting, both Mona's family and the rest of Paul's caught up with them. There was a sort of awkward moment for the adults. The kids, however, didn't notice. Jeremy's grandson said, "Come on. There should be a tour bus coming by out front of the port in about ten minutes. Maybe we can all get on the same bus."

Emma said, "I want to sit in the front row on the top deck."

Megan said, "Yeah, that's the best place to sit, as long as it doesn't rain."

Tim said, "Don't be a dork. Do you see any clouds?"

Megan stuck out her tongue, took Emma's hand and the three kids marched off in the direction of the street. Their parents followed. Jeremy and Mia brought up the rear. Mia muttered, "This could be an interesting day."

"Why?"

"I believe Mona thinks something is up with us, and she is having some second thoughts about you."

"First of all, something is up with us. It will remain to be seen exactly what it might be. Secondly, we'll just have to show Mona that she has no reason to be concerned about my intentions."

"And how are we going to do that?"

He shrugged and took her hand, "I guess we'll have to make that up as we go along."

Mia looked up into his eyes, squeezed his hand and laughed, "That could be an interesting experience."

He whispered, "Oh, I sincerely hope so."

They hurried to catch up with the rest of the group. They waited at a bus stop with several other groups from the ship. The tour bus came and the lower level of the bus filled up. Few people went to the top deck. The girls worried the "good seats" would be taken, but Tim said softly, "Don't worry about it, most of these people are old, they probably couldn't make it up to the top deck."

Jeremy said, "Hey, watch it with the 'old-folks' remarks in the presence of the oldsters."

Emma laughed and said, "Oh, Mr. Waters, you and Gram aren't old. At least not like most of those really old people on the ship."

Mia patted her head and said, "Thank you, sweetheart."

JJ and Paul arranged for the tickets and all nine of them clambered up to the open top deck of the bus, which was almost empty. The kids sat in the front row. Jeremy and Mia sat directly behind them, with Paul and Carol behind them and Mona and JJ across the aisle.

Jeremy had been to Lisbon before, and was quite knowledgeable about the city. He leaned forward in the seat and filled the kids in on some of the things they would be seeing. Soon the tour narration started, so they all put on the headphones and listened. Jeremy kept interrupting Mia with his own narration, so she soon abandoned the earphones altogether and just listened to him. At one point, she stood up to take a picture and the bus stopped suddenly. Jeremy reached up and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back down in the seat. She landed about half way in his lap. He muttered, "You're supposed to stay seated."

Paul leaned forward and said, "Hey, you two. Settle down or we might have to separate you." Mia blushed and scooted all the way over in her seat. She notice that Jeremy did not move his arm. She notice out of the corner of her eye that Mona was watching them.

One of the last stops on the tour was a gorgeous park in the Belem area of the city where the Monument to the Explorers is located. Jeremy suggested they get off the bus, wander around in the park for a while and then take a cab back to the ship. The children wanted to go swimming, so the younger families decided to stay on the bus while Jeremy and Mia hopped off to go exploring. As the bus pulled away Mia waved to the kids in the front row. Then she waved at Mona and JJ. JJ was taking photos and didn't see her. Mona waved, but did not smile.

As they walked across the street towards the park, Jeremy said, "It looks to me like you're in a bit of hot water."

"So it would appear. It's funny. I know she really liked you at first. I don't get it."

"As long as she thought we were just killing time with each other, she had no reason to be concerned. Now that we appear to actually like one another – or at least I like you a lot – , she sees it differently."

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't want to see you with anyone but her dad."

"Paul seems to be okay with it."

"Paul has surprised me by actually encouraging it. Maybe he wants me to move on with my life. I guarantee you if Alicia were here, however, it would take all of us and the officer corps on the ship to keep her from scratching your eyes out."

"Oh, what a delightful image that is."

"Trust me, I'm not going to allow myself to be alone with your daughter, for my own safety!"

She laughed, "That's probably wise. What do you think we should do?"

He put his arms around her and kissed her quickly on the lips, "Right now, we are going to enjoy an hour or so in this fabulous park, then we'll go back to the ship and sack out for a while. Hopefully, by dinnertime we'll have figured out a plan. If not, then we'll wing it."

They walked around the park arm in arm. It seemed to Mia that at every turn in the path, the views became more and more spectacular. They took dozens of photos and then walked back to the bus stop. It happened that another tour bus was at the stop, so they hopped on and rode back to the port. The only seats left were up top, but not together, Mia listened to the recorded narrative.

They stopped in the Lido for a late lunch and then headed for their respective rooms to nap until dinnertime. Mona's balcony was in the shade. She took a pillow and a light blanket off the bed, stretched out on the chaise and fell instantly asleep. At some point her cell phone rang. She answered it, in a fog. It was Mona. She asked, "Mom where are you? We expected you to meet us by the pool."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was tired and fell asleep on my balcony. What time is it?"

"It's 4:00 PM. Why don't you come up and join us. It's gorgeous. We're going to get in the hot tub for a while."

"I will join you shortly, but I won't get in the hot tub."

"Why?"

"I don't like the idea of sitting in a bath tub with a bunch of strangers."

"You get in a swimming pool with strangers."

"Not very often. I'll be up in a few minutes."

Mia sat on the edge of the swimming pool and watched Emma swim while Mona and JJ relaxed in the hot tub. She notice that Carol and Paul were lounging in deck chairs on the second tier where they could see their children, without hovering. Emma told Mia that Tim and Megan had gone off to the teen area to see what was planned for the evening. Mia asked Emma if she felt left out. She said, the older kids had played with her most of the afternoon, and she thought they were really nice. Soon, Mona and JJ got out of the hot tub and joined them by the pool.

Around 5:00, the families disbursed to dress for dinner. Mia stood by the rail for a while and then went back to her room. The message light was on her phone. Jeremy asked her to call him when she got in. She called his room and he answered on the second ring. "Where have you been?"

"After my nap, I went up to the pool deck to watch Emma swim. What's up?"

"Well, I was thinking. Two things actually. One, I'd like to have a drink before dinner and since you've got a bottle of Scotch I'm already paying for, I'd rather not go to the bar for it. Secondly, since this is a formal night, I thought perhaps you might be willing to be my date for the evening."

She laughed, "Well, since we'll be sitting at dinner together anyway, and we already have plans to go dancing, I guess the answer to the second question is yes. You want me to bring you the bottle of Scotch?"

"No. How long will it take you to get dressed?"

"I've had my shower. All I need to do is put on my makeup and slip into my dress."

"Why don't you pour us a couple of drinks and meet me on the observation deck. Isn't there an open deck forward on your deck?"

"Yes, there is."

"I'll meet you there."

She poured a really short drink for herself and a slightly more generous drink for him. She put about three ice cubes in his drink and filled her glass with ice. She realized the pants she had on did not have any pockets, so she stuck her card key into her bra and headed down the corridor with the drinks. Jeremy was stretched out in a deck chair in the sun with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. Mia stopped and just looked at him for a while. He was very handsome. After a minute or so, he said, without opening his eyes, "Honey, you're blocking my sun. How's about handing me that drink and sitting down."

She muttered, "Use that tone of voice again and you'll get the drink ... over the head."

He looked at her and laughed out loud. She almost cried when she saw the look in his eyes.

They sipped their drinks until it was almost too late to get ready for dinner. Mia said, "You know, we could skip dinner in the dining room and get room service. We could eat out here."

He nodded, "I was just thinking about that. It would be lovely. But, this is the last formal night and I think our kids would not like it if we bailed on them for dinner. Let's go ahead and have dinner with them ... then we'll ditch 'em."

She laughed, "Deal. Shall I meet you in the atrium?"

"No. I'll meet you in the dining room. I want to watch you make an entrance like you did the other night. I'm guessing your gala gown is spectacular. I think I'd like to be sitting down when I get a load of you."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek, whispering, "Thanks. It really isn't all that fabulous, but now you've got me feeling pretty good which always does wonders for a woman's looks. I'll be there just before they close the doors."

She dumped what was left of her drink into his glass and headed back to her room where she put on her makeup, twisted her hair up in a dramatic French twist and slipped into her gala gown. She looked at herself in the mirror. She almost hadn't brought this gown. She thought it was a little too sexy for a widowed grandmother traveling with her family. She had chosen to retire David's favorite gown, but hadn't found a suitable replacement on her whirlwind shopping trip. This was a gown she had bought to wear to a New Year's Eve party at the resort. It was heavy silk, the color of merlot wine, with a rather modest bodice that plunged almost to her waist in the back. The front of the gown fell to slightly above her ankles; the back dipped to the floor. She had not danced at the New Year's Eve party because she was working, but she knew the dress would be perfect for dancing. It was clingy but full and it floated when she walked. She could hardly wait to see what it would do on the dance floor.

She walked down the stairs to the dining room. Several officers were waiting near the door. The dining room manager nodded to a senior officer who took her arm and offered to take her to her table. The dining room manager winked at Mia and gave the officer her table number. She winked back at him. She'd been set up ... in the nicest possible way. She knew walking into the dining room in that dress on the arm of a very handsome officer in a pristine white uniform would turn heads.

The officer held out her chair and kissed the back of her hand. Jeremy was the only man at the table who'd had the presence of mind, or old-fashioned manners, to stand as she sat down. He leaned over and whispered, "I don't know whether to punch the bastard or pass out."

She grinned and whispered, "How about just pouring me a glass of wine."

Emma gushed, "Oh, my gosh, Gram, you look amazing!"

Megan agreed, "How do you do that?"

Tim looked at his sister and said, "Do what?"

Mia waved her hand in front of Tim's face to shush him and smiled at Megan, "The way to do that is to be absolutely positive that you look fantastic. Feel it in your bones. Then, step out into the world and watch what happens. You don't have to be beautiful. You don't even have to be wearing a fabulous frock – although that definitely helps me – you simply have to convince yourself that you are amazing."

Carol made a face, "I'm sure that's true. I've seen dancers do that. Even scrawny kind of homely girls would stand back stage sort of putting their game face on. By the time they made their entrance, they were ravishing. It's hard for most women to do."

Mia said, "That's because everything in our culture is geared toward making women feel bad about themselves."

Paul leaned forward and said, "How did you avoid falling into the trap?"

"I didn't. I was as gawky and as self-conscious as the next woman. Shortly after I started working at the resort, I was assigned to work as an assistant for a wedding of a Hollywood star. She was marrying a guy half her age in the Bahamas. Our resort in the Bahamas didn't have an event planner who could handle the job, so they sent in a team from Orlando. It was cool because they let David go as well. Mona had just left for college. I think it was one of the first trips David and I took alone.

"Anyway, I actually had to attend the reception. The bride picked out the dresses she wanted the event staff to wear. When I saw my dress I refused to wear it. It was low in front, low in back, tight, and slit up the side. Frankly, it didn't leave much to the imagination. I told my boss, the senior event planner, I wouldn't wear it. She pretty much told me that I damned well would wear it and I would look fabulous in it, or else.

"I asked her how in the hell I was going to guarantee I would look fabulous. She told me to go take a shower and she'd be back. She came back a few minutes later with the actress. They gave me a half hour lecture on how to make an entrance. They showed me how to walk, how to hold my head. They showed me something to do with my hips that wasn't obvious but was very effective. Then they helped me into my dress. The actress said, 'Here's the deal. Your husband is waiting for you in the bar. You've been married, what, twenty years. You do what we told you and when you make your entrance, he will damned near fall off the bar stool and every other man in the bar will stop and stare. If that happens, you wear the dress to the party. If not, then you can wear that dowdy black thing you want to wear. Deal?'

"I told her it was a deal. She and my boss hurried off to lurk in the shadows to see how I did."

She paused, and everyone at the table leaned forward. She leaned forward, too, and waited another long minute before continuing, then she held up her hands, leaned back in her chair and laughed, saying, "It worked then, and, I guess it still works!"

Megan said, "You gotta give me lessons in that!"

Her father said, "I think not.... at least not for about another ten or fifteen years."

That broke the tension and they all laughed, although Mia could feel Jeremy's attention as though he were actually touching her. She also noticed that neither Mona nor JJ had said a word. Emma said, "Did Grandpa fall of the bar stool?"

Mia smiled and said, "No, he didn't fall off the bar stool, but my boss said he did a big double take, so that counted."

Mona had and odd look on her face and said, "That's not exactly the way he told the story."

Mia's head flew up. "He told you that story?"

"He told me the story at a New Year's party a few years ago. I guess it was the Millennium party. You invited all of us to the party at the resort. Anyway, Daddy wanted to wait in the bar while you got ready. He said he loved to watch you make an entrance. That night you marched into the lobby like a queen, in a purple beaded gown. You were giving orders to the troops, offering encouragement, patting shoulders, smiling to your staff and the guests alike. You were both the Hostess and the Boss. In any case, you were amazing. I guess I must have wondered aloud where in the world you learned that. Daddy told me about that little scene in the Bahamas. Only he told me when you walked into the room he went to set his glass on the bar and it fell, crashing into a million pieces. He said he didn't even notice, until the waitress started pulling glass shards out of his pants!"

Mia shook her head, "That's not true. He was an Irishman with the gift of Blarney. The man absolutely could not tell a story straight if he thought exaggerating would improve it."

Paul said, "Well, in any case, it would appear you learned your lesson well."

"Thanks." Mia felt like a million bucks. She turned to Jeremy and smiled. The look in his eyes told her that her plan had worked exactly as she had hoped. The twitch at the corner of his mouth told her that he was aware that the performance had been more or less entirely for his benefit. What was more, she could tell he appreciated her efforts.

Mona laughed and shrugged, "I know Daddy was a hopeless storyteller, but I've seen you pull that act a few times and it never failed to stop him in his tracks whatever he was doing."

Mia sighed. She really did not want to bring David into this. She said, "Well, all I can say is that it's gratifying to know that, while I may be a widowed old grandma, I can still turn heads from time to time!

"Now, let's look at the menus. I'm buying the wine for all of us tonight." She smiled at Jeremy.

He said, "Then we must order something dreadfully expensive!"

The entire table laughed at the joke, and the awkwardness ended. They ordered a couple of bottles of wine, and enjoyed the meal, laughing and talking. While they were waiting for dessert, Carol said, "Paul, let's have a family portrait taken tonight. We're all dressed up. The kids are at the age where they may not want to go on vacation with us many more years."

Paul thought about it and said, "Excellent idea!"

Carol looked at Mona and said, "You all look lovely tonight. Why don't you come with us and have a portrait made, too."

JJ started to shake his head but Emma piped up and said, "Oh, could we, please! We don't have any pictures of all of us together!"

Mia said, "I think you should do it. I would love to have a portrait of you three."

Mona said, "Well, you should be in the picture, too."

"No, it's a picture of your family."

"Last time I checked, Mom, you were part of the family."

Mia made a face. "You know how I hate to have my picture taken. I think I'll pass."

Jeremy winked at Mona and said, "Mia, I find it hard to believe a woman as lovely as you doesn't like to have her picture taken! You should be in at least one of the shots. It would be a great souvenir of the trip for Mona and Emma."

Mia glared at him but Mona and Emma both said, "Yeah!" with an eagerness she could not resist, so after dinner they all trooped up to one of the photographers and sat for portraits. When they were almost finished, Mia said to the photographer, "You know my boss has been on my case to have a new head shot taken for our brochures. The one we're using now is like fifteen years old. Could you do a head shot for me?"

He said, "Sure, but aren't you a little glamorous for a business head shot?"

Mia looked at JJ and winked, "Tip that man well, please." She smiled at the photographer. "Actually, this is perfect. I'm an event planner, specializing in really fancy, schmantzy parties. A glamor shot will thrill my boss."

After they finished with the pictures, the children went off to the kid activities. Mona and JJ headed for the theater to see the floor show. Carol and Paul planned to spend some time in the casino. Jeremy said to Mia, "How about a walk on the deck?"

"You're talking my language."

He said something to the photographer, who nodded. Then he took her arm and they walked out on the promenade deck. After a couple of laps, they passed the photographer who was standing by the railing smoking a cigarette. As they started to pass him, he said, "How about a picture of the two of you?"

Mia shook her head and said, "No, thank you. That won't be necessary."

Jeremy put his arm around her and pushed her toward the rail, saying, "Yes. That sounds perfectly wonderful. Can we do it out here on the deck?"

The photographer said, "Sure." He positioned them against the rail with the moon behind them and said, "Nearly everybody else on the ship made do with a fake background. You two will have a photo against the backdrop of the real deal. This should be lovely."

Jeremy gave the photographer his card and told him they'd call for the pictures in the morning.

The photographer went back inside. Mia sniffed, "That was silly."

"No, it wasn't. I wanted one of the two of us together."

"Don't tell me you're a romantic."

"I never have been before, but it must be the air or something."

"Shipboard romances are famous for being over the minute the gangplank hits the pier." She shrugged. "You probably wasted your money." He didn't respond.

They went to the lounge and danced for a while. About midnight, she sat down next to him and said, "I'm tired and I'm ready for a night cap. It seems to me I'm still holding your bottle of Scotch hostage in my room. How about a drink? Maybe we could go out on the deck like we did earlier."

"Sounds good."

She poured drinks while he stood at the railing of her balcony. She brought him the drink and said, "Then again, it's nice here. Is it too cool for you?"

He said no, but he was still wearing his dinner jacket. She went inside and came out with a shawl. They stretched out in the same position as the night before. The only sound was the swish of the water against the side of the ship. Jeremy said, "Are we going faster than last night?"

She nodded, "I think we're going a lot faster. LeHavre is far from Lisbon. By the way, we could have some rough water later tonight. I saw on the marine forecast, there's a pretty good swell in the Atlantic. It tends to kick up after we get around the north west corner of Spain. Be warned."

"If it was going to be bad, wouldn't they warn us."

She laughed, "Hell, no! This is a floating resort. They don't want us to worry about anything, so they won't tell us about anything that might worry us, including bad weather, crimes on board, or anything else." She laughed, "I used to not believe all that stuff I heard about how the cruise lines cover up things until we ran into a really, really bad storm off the coast of Mexico once, and they gave us no warning whatsoever even though they went through the ship battening down all the hatches in the public rooms. Our room was trashed with things rattling around."

"Yikes!"

She said, "Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

"No, really. I appreciate the warning."

He lapsed into silence again. She looked at him for a long time and asked, "Why do I think you've got something up your sleeve?"

"Maybe because I do. When do you have to go back to work?"

"Not until next Monday. We're leaving the ship in Dover. After that, we plan to spend a couple of days in London and fly home from there on Wednesday. I'm taking off the rest of the week to get back on Eastern time and do my laundry. Why?"

"Well, my family is scheduled to leave the ship in Copenhagen on Tuesday. I talked to the folks at the desk and learned that I can actually change my plans without a whole lot of cost, other than a few hundred dollars extra for a flight change. I have never been to Paris. I've decided to leave the ship tomorrow and spend a couple of days in Paris and fly home on Tuesday." He paused.

She was quiet for a minute. She was disturbed by how very much she didn't like the idea of his leaving the ship so suddenly, but that seemed selfish of her. She told him she thought it sounded like a wonderful detour.

He cleared his throat and said, "I'm glad you think so, because I want you to go with me."

"You what?!"

"Come with me. It truly won't cost much more than you've already paid for the cruise. If money's an issue, you've got quite bit left in the kitty if you know what I mean. It would be fun! Have you ever been to Paris?"

"Yes. I've been there several times, but it was always a quick bus trip through the city either because we were on our way to a ship or to the airport from a ship. I've never spent any time there." She stopped herself, "But I can't do that. It's crazy!"

"Why? We will have separate rooms. We have the money. We have the time. Let's spend tomorrow and Monday visiting the sights. Come on! What do you say? Let Mona and her family have a little time to themselves."

"I'm not sure Mona will see it that way."

He laughed. "Mona is not my biggest fan, I take it."

She laughed. "When Mona was dating, nobody but nobody was good enough for her as far as her dad was concerned. I think she's giving me a taste of that medicine."

"Okay. Don't answer me now. Think about it."

"It seems as though a decision needs to be made soon, since we dock in Le Havre at 5:00 AM."

"The concierge told me we can let them know in the morning."

She thought about it a minute. "No. Let's make the arrangements tonight. If we're going to do this, I want as much time in Paris tomorrow as possible. That means I think we should take an early train from LeHavre."

He leaned forward until they were nose to nose and asked, "Does that mean you'll come with me?"

She laughed at his little-boy expectant look, threw her hands up in the air and made a bemused face, "It's totally crazy, but I can't say no to you! Let's go to the concierge and make the arrangements."

They went to the desk and booked the change in their travel. They booked two rooms at the cruise line's preferred hotel on the Left Bank. Mia asked if they could buy train tickets. The concierge shook his head and handed them a train schedule, with assurance that they would have no trouble getting tickets at the station. He told them the cruise line would change their flights and deliver their new tickets before the ship docked in the morning. He said if they wanted their luggage transferred directly to the hotel, they should drop their suitcases by the concierge desk before 7:00 AM.

As they headed back up the stairs toward the staterooms, Mia put her hand in the crook of Jeremy's arm and asked, "What time do you want to leave the ship?"

"Let's let the early tours get out of here first. We can leave about 8:30 or so. That will put us in Paris before noon."

She smiled at him and said, "Now, perhaps you would like to take your Scotch and go to your room. I have packing to do and I also have to go visit my daughter and break the news to her that I'm abandoning her to run off with a handsome man for two days in Paris. That's going to go over really big, I am sure. I hope the ship can withstand the explosion.

"Have you told your kids?"

"Not yet, but I don't think I'll have as much trouble with them as you will with Mona. I have to confess to being grateful for the 10,000th time that we did not invite Alicia. She and Mona, together, might be formidable obstacles."

"Let's go back to my room, fortify ourselves with your good booze and then sally forth to face our children."

By that point, they were back at Mia's room. She freshened their drinks, and they prepared to head off in opposite directions to find their kids. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, "Call me when you get back to your room, regardless of the time."

She nodded and took a deep breath. She knocked softly on Mona's door as Jeremy disappeared around the corner. Mona answered the door immediately and whispered, "Is something wrong, Mom?"

"No. Not at all. I have something I need to tell you. If Emma's sleeping perhaps we could talk on the veranda or in my room."

Mona pushed her out in the hall and said, "Let's go to your room. Emma and JJ are both asleep. I was just getting ready to go sit outside."

They went down the hall to Mia's room. Mona saw the bottle of whiskey and asked where it came from. Mia explained and asked if Mona wanted a drink. Mona declined. Mia put her untouched drink on the tray. Mona tasted it and said, "Whoa, Mom! That's really good."

"Drink it. I barely touched it and I've got way too much to do to get addled."

They sat on the veranda and Mona took a couple of sips of the whiskey. Mia uttered a wordless prayer that it would mellow her our quick enough to avoid a scene. Mona said, "So, Mom, what's this thing you need to tell me?"

"Well, I'll just blurt it out because it's getting late and I have a lot of packing to do. I've decided to leave the ship tomorrow. Instead of going on to London with you, I'm going to finish my trip in Paris."

Mona took another sip and licked her lips. She looked at her mother over her glass and shook her head, but not in an angry way. Then she smiled and said, "I don't suppose you'll be going off on this adventure in Paris all by yourself."

"No, I won't. I'm going with Jeremy."

Mona didn't say anything for a while. She looked off into the distance, watching the moonbeams dance on the waves, which were beginning to grow as they reached the northwest corner of Spain. The ship rose and fell with the swell. It was clear to Mia from the look on her daughter's face she was considering several responses. After a while, she made a decision and nodded to herself.

She stood up and hugged her mother for a long time, then she sat down leaning toward Mia and said, "First of all, I want you to know that I'm glad you came with us and you stuck around this long. We've had a wonderful time. Emma has not shut up about your day in Rome. She hasn't take off her necklace, and I don't think she will take it off any time soon. This will forever be a cherished memory for our family. That being said, you deserve to have some fun on your vacation, too. You work too hard and play too little. If staying up all night dancing and kicking up your heels isn't enough excitement for you, I guess gallivanting off to Paris with a handsome man ought to do it."

"You're not upset?"

Mona shook her head and said, more to herself than to her mother, "I think I would have been yesterday or even earlier today. But, this evening I saw how radiant you looked. More importantly I saw how much he appreciated it. You deserve to be happy again. You're too young to bury your heart and spend the rest of your life as Daddy's widow.

"I always thought I would hate to see you with another man, but now that it's happening, I can't feel anything but happy for you. This thing with Jeremy may be just a shipboard romance, but it's a turning point for you. Maybe it will give you permission to allow yourself to accept some of those invitations you keep getting from your rich clients. Then again, Jeremy lives in Boca. Maybe you two actually will see each other after we get home. I suppose that's possible. Maybe shipboard romances can pan out.

"Whatever happens, I want you to be happy. And, I also want you to know that if it doesn't work out, I'm there for you. ... um, provided one thing."

"What's that?"

"Um, I'd rather not have too much information, if you know what I mean."

Mia looked puzzled for a minute and then said, "Oh, have no fear about that!"

Both women stood up and hugged for a very long time. Mona said, with a husky voice, "Have fun, Mom. I'll call you when we arrive in Orlando on Wednesday."

"I love you, sweetheart. Give kisses and hugs to Emma and JJ."

"What time are you leaving in the morning?"

"We're going to catch a train about 8:30 AM. We'll let the tour buses leave first. What time do you have to be at the pier?"

"Our bus leaves at 7:30"

"I'll be up. Knock on my door."

"No. You'll be busy and I'll be frazzled trying to get my sleepy family moving. Call me on my cell phone in the evening."

"I will."

They hugged again. Mia noticed that Mona took the drink with her. She chuckled while dialing Jeremy's number. He answered on the first ring. Mia said, "Well that wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Mona surprised me by not putting up a fuss."

"Excellent. Paul and Carol are cool with it. As I expected Megan wanted to come along, but I talked her out of it by promising to bring her and Tim on a trip to Paris without their parents sometime."

"Whoa. Big promise! I hope you don't live to regret it. Where do you want to meet in the morning?"

"I'll call you when I wake up."

"Okay." She gave him her cell phone number in case she was not in her room when he called.

She finished packing, which took her all of about twenty minutes, and then she went to bed.

The next morning, she left an envelope with a tip for the room steward. She put a note on the whiskey bottle asking the room steward to deliver it to her daughter's room. She took her suitcase to the concierge by 6:45. Then she delivered an envelope to the dining room for the wait staff.

After that, she went up to the Lido deck and stood at the rail, watching the passengers filing onto more than a dozen tour buses. She had barely touched her coffee when Jeremy called her cell phone. She asked if he wanted to get breakfast. He said he'd rather they get breakfast on the train.

They met at the entry to the stairwell leading to the gangplank. As they scanned their cards, the attendant wished them a bon voyage. Their cruise was over. They took a taxi to the train station and bought one-way tickets to Paris. They settled themselves in their second class seats and waited for the train to leave the station. Once they were under way, they sought out the dining car for a breakfast of café au lait and croissants.

After buttering her second croissant, Mia said, "Oh, my God, I'm glad I don't live here. I'd be so fat eating bread and butter all the time."

He laughed. She said, "I'm serious. I'm going to have to take extra dance classes next week, but that will be then. This is now." She added more butter to the croissant and stuffed it in her mouth, closing her eyes and savoring the pleasure.

They spent the rest of the trip with their noses pressed to the window watching the lovely farmland of Normandy go by. At one point Jeremy said, "My dad arrived in France on D-Day. He told me once that he essentially walked most of the way to Germany. He said he considered himself very lucky because he was wounded shortly after they arrived in Germany, and he was rotated back to Normandy to await evacuation. He said he spent the last weeks of the war in Europe being fattened up by a farmer, who then trotted out his daughters as potential brides. Later on his unit liberated some of the concentration camps. He always said he was okay with having a permanently bunged up leg in exchange for missing out on that. I'm looking at this idyllic countryside and having a hard time imagining it ever being anything but peaceful."

Mia nodded and patted his hand, "Did your dad ever visit France again?"

"No. As a matter of fact, unlike a lot of other veterans who wanted to come back, my dad never left the U. S. again. In the run-up to the 50th anniversary of D-Day, I offered to take him and Mom to France. He declined. My mom was disappointed."

"I take it your mom was not one of the Norman farmer's daughters."

"No. Dad always said he couldn't tell the farmer's daughter's from the cows. He was a bit of a, what do you call it.... I guess 'bigot' is the word that comes to mind."

They laughed. He asked, "Was your dad in Europe or the South Pacific?"

She made a face, "Actually, my dad spent World War II in Washington D. C. He was a specialist in codes. He helped crack codes from the other side, but most of the time, he helped develop codes for the Allies to use among themselves. He rarely told anybody about that because he felt that there was some stigma attached to the fact that he never served in the military."

"He was a civilian?"

"Yeah. He already worked for the agency that ultimately became the CIA when the war started. The government considered his job essential, so they gave him a draft deferment. That never set well with him. He would have preferred they inducted him and posted him to Washington. Problem was his job was so secret, they didn't want to do that. Anyway, he spent the war in what he described as a bunker in Langley, cranking out codes."

Jeremy pursed his lips, "He may have saved a whole lot of lives by keeping the military secrets safe."

"That's what the government told him. He never bought it. His lack of military service was always a sore spot. After the war he quit his job and got a job as a history teacher in a small town in Pennsylvania."

He said, "I'll tell you the truth, I guess WWII was different, but if I could have figured out any way to avoid Vietnam, I'd have done it. Was David in Vietnam?"

"Yeah. He served with the Sea Bees. Actually, he told me that's sort of how he got interested in architecture. He spent the war building bridges, walls and other stuff for the Viet Cong, or sometimes even the Americans, to blow up or burn down. When he came home, he went to architecture school because he liked designing things better than getting out in the sun swinging a hammer."

"Smart man."

"Yeah. Very smart. What made you decide to be a lawyer?"

"I wanted to make a lot of money and I didn't have the stomach for medicine."

She laughed, "No, seriously!"

He said, "I am serious. I grew up in a farm community in central Illinois. In my world only two types of people had any money: doctors and lawyers. I couldn't stand to be around sick people, so I decided to become a lawyer."

He shrugged and said, "Crass as that may sound, it's true." He looked at her and raised his eyebrows, "How did you become a glamorous event planner for a world class resort?"

She made a face, "I literally started out as a waitress, working my husband through architecture school. I didn't go to college myself, at least not until many years later. I did figure out early that I could make more money working in fancy restaurants than flipping burgers at McDonald's. While working one job a regular waitress in a local neighborhood place, I got a second job busing tables at one of the nicer restaurants in Pittsburgh. Eventually, I worked my way up to waiting tables there, full time. I put David through grad school. Actually, you'd be amazed at how much money a good waitress can make in a fancy restaurant. It's damned hard work, but the money is really good.

"After we moved to Orlando, I got a job in a really expensive restaurant in the attractions area. Mona was in high school. I enrolled in the hotel and restaurant management program at the University of Central Florida. I had always felt bad about the fact that I didn't have a degree, and all of David's colleagues, and most of their wives, had graduate degrees. Besides, I thought it might inspire Mona, who was a lackadaisical student, if she saw me studying. I got my degree and was promoted to manager of the restaurant.

"I got a little bored with that, and when Sterling opened its resort in Orlando, I applied for a job in the banquets department. I started out working as a shift supervisor on the rubber chicken and creamed peas circuit. At one point, the Company decided it wanted to get into the wedding and fancy party business. They put together a team and gave us special training. We went to a resort in the Bahamas to learn how they handled special events. They sent me on a cruise to learn how they manage celebrations. I hated it, but David thought was great fun; that's how we got started cruising. I guess I had sort of a flair for party planning. I've been with the Company since 1989. Most of the time, I totally love my job."

Shortly after that the train pulled into Paris and, sooner than Mia expected, stopped in the Gare St. Lazare. Jeremy pulled a notebook out of his pocket and unfolded a map. She asked, "What's that?"

"Our marching orders for the day. Paul has been to Paris many times. He told me we should get a day-pass for the Metro. He wrote down here what to ask for. This map is a one day whirl-wind tour of Paris by subway and on foot."

"How wonderful! Do you speak French?"

"Not a word. You?"

"The only French I know is cafe au lait. I intend to say that a lot today!"

They bought their subway day passes, and consulted their map. Paul had suggested they start at Mont Martre, which was the farthest point from their hotel, and work their way backwards. They took the subway to Mont Martre and spent the next six hours visiting the sights of Paris. They didn't take time to eat a sit-down meal. They ate sandwiches from street vendors and pastries from bake shops. By four in the afternoon they had worked their way back to the Left Bank and located their hotel. They checked in and were grateful to discover their bags had been delivered to their rooms. Jeremy suggested that Mia shower and change for dinner. She said, "I hope its casual. I don't feel like dressing up too much."

He said, "You're in Paris. I guess you don't need an evening gown, but dress up at least a little."

She sighed and headed for the elevator. She turned, "Aren't you coming?"

He waved her away and said, "I'll be up in a minute. I want to make arrangements for dinner. I'll call you to let you know what time we need to leave."

Somehow Mia knew he was planning something special. She wore black slacks and a black satin tunic that she had not worn on the ship. She added the silver-and-ruby combs with ruby earrings. She started to bring a white sweater, but then remembered she had brought a brightly colored Mexican shawl which she had only worn while sitting on the balcony of her room. She applied her make-up with a much heavier hand than she usually did, but she was headed for dinner with a handsome man -- in Paris, France! Dramatic makeup was in order. Bright red lipstick brought out the color of the rubies. She tossed the shawl around her shoulders and checked herself out in the small mirror. She knew she had a winning combination when even she was thrilled with the look. Jeremy called to tell her their cab was waiting. She told him she was ready.

A minute later he knocked on her door. She opened it and grinned. It wasn't exactly an big entrance, but it had the desired effect. He shook his head and whispered, "You must have been a French woman in a previous life."

She shook her head as she slid past him into the hall, batted her eyes and said over her shoulder, "Yes, probably a courtesan."

When they got into the cab, he handed the driver a card with an address. The taxi driver smiled. Both Mia and Jeremy noticed that the driver checked her out carefully and seemed to approve. A few minutes later they pulled into a parking lot at one of the many docks along the Seine. Mia got out of the cab and turned to Jeremy, furiously batting tears from her eyes, "Oh, please, please tell me we're going on a dinner cruise?"

He put his arms around her and said, "We are going on a dinner cruise on the Seine. It will be getting dark soon. We will watch Paris light up."

Mia had a hard time getting control of herself. She had seen the boats on the river in movies and in person on several occasions. This was a dream come true for her. She whispered, "Remind me I owe you a long, lingering kiss at the end of the evening after the lipstick wears off."

He pulled her close and said, "I guarantee you, I won't forget that promise."

She could tell by the look in his eyes that he meant it. It occurred to her that he might have more in mind than a kiss. She momentarily felt like an idiot because that thought had not previously crossed her mind. She was amazed to discover that she did not feel totally opposed to the idea.... but by then the maitre d' was showing them to their table. Soon, Mia was caught up in the magic of the evening.

The food was good but not spectacular, although the ambiance and the scenery more than made up for it. They drank the wine the waiters poured and ate the food that was set in front of them, barely noticing either. The only thing either of them noticed were the incredible lights of Paris. At the end of the evening, Jeremy said, "Come on. We have to tear ourselves away from the scenery for one dance."

The female singer started singing _La Vie En Rose_. Mia buried her face in Jeremy's shoulder and laughed. He asked what was so funny. She looked up into his eyes and said, "I have always thought that was the sexiest torch song ever written."

He pulled her close and murmured, "I gotta tell you that you look mighty fine tonight, lady. You don't need any help from torch songs."

They finished the dance just as the boat pulled up to the dock. A line of taxis was waiting. When their turn came, they hopped in a cab and Jeremy gave the driver the name and address of their hotel. Mia complimented him on his French. He said the concierge at the hotel helped him learn to give the address in at least comprehensible French. He thought that was nice. They walked into the lobby arm in arm. They both noticed that the night clerk checked Mia out and raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. She giggled. Jeremy muttered, "I'd like to punch the bastard, but that would mean I'd have to let go of you and I don't want to do that just yet."

He walked her to her room. She opened the door and said, "Wait here." She went inside and stopped at the dresser, turning her back on him. When she returned to the door, he noticed she had wiped off her lipstick. She said softly, "I have a promise to keep," and she moved into his arms for that long, lingering kiss. It turned out to be longer and more lingering than she had intended. At some point she backed into the room and Jeremy closed the door behind them. They kissed for a long time, leaning against the inside of the door.

He buried his face in her hair and said in a choked whisper, "I have to go."

She looked up into his eyes and said, "Not unless you really want to."
Chapter 8 -

The next morning, Mia woke early and sat up in bed. Jeremy was lying on her leg and she was pinned down. She laughed out loud. He rolled over, which freed her leg and she hopped out of bed, wrapped herself in a sheet, which was on the floor, and went into the bathroom. She was still laughing when she came out of the bathroom. He grumbled, "You'd better have a good reason for disturbing my sleep with your giggle fit."

She said, "Look at this place. It looks like something out of a movie." Their shoes were inside the door and there was a trail of clothing strewn on the floor and draped across furniture all the way to the bed. Her bra was hanging from the foot board.

He looked around and laughed, "Actually, it looks like something out of a _CSI_ episode. You'd expect to see a bloody corpse in the bed." He looked down at himself and said, "I appear to be more or less intact, although I think I may be a little bruised and battered."

She climbed back in bed beside him and covered them both with the sheet. He put his arm around her and she snuggled against his shoulder. They were both quiet for a long time. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and saw that his cheeks were wet. She whispered, "It's been a very long time."

He nodded, "At first I thought I would never want to be with another woman. Then later when I realized that I could be attracted to other women, I didn't quite know how to handle it. I have been sort of dating an attorney friend, and we've occasionally engaged in some serious fooling around, but I would never go into the bedroom and would not even consider spending the night with her. She's divorced and she hates her ex-husband. I knew that the first time I spent the night with a woman it would be emotional. I guess I didn't want to be misunderstood."

She nodded and a tear dripped onto his chest. She wiped it off with the sheet and kissed the spot where the tear had been. "Someone who is divorced and bitter could not understand. I have not been able to bring myself to date anyone. I couldn't imagine ever wanting another man. I surprised myself." She looked around the room, "I guess I should be ashamed at my wantonness, but what I'm actually feeling is amazement and joy at discovering that I can still enjoy something I thought was lost to me forever. Is that silly?"

"If it is, then we're both a couple of dopes. I guess I worried that I would be emotional, finding that this experience might make me miss what I had. That didn't happen. I'm overwhelmed by the feeling that this is so wonderful. Sex is one thing. Maybe for a man, anyway, that part is easy. Sleeping together and waking up tangled up together is quite another thing. I didn't think I would ever be able to achieve that level of intimacy again. And, quite honestly, in many ways that's the thing I missed most of all."

"Me, too."

She snuggled closer and they held one another until the wave of emotion passed. She wrapped her legs around him and asked, "What's on the agenda today, Mr. Waters?"

He swatted her on the backside and said, "If you don't move your leg, more than you bargained for, I think."

"Oh, yeah?" She snuggled closer and said, "What other options do you have to offer. Let me choose before I have to move."

"Well, you will have noticed that yesterday we avoided museums. Today Paul suggested we focus on the museums in the central city. We could go to the Louvre. There are several others Paul thought we would like."

She said, "I want to see the Monet paintings at the Musee d'Orsay!"

"Okay."

She went on, "And I'd love to see the Rodin sculpture garden."

"I promised Megan I would go there and bring back lots of pictures. Maybe we can buy a video."

She moved her leg and sat up, patting his hip. "Well, I guess as wonderful as it would be to linger in bed, we should take advantage of our last day in Paris. I am going to take a shower." He got up and started rummaging around in the mess on the floor looking for his underwear and pants. She laughed and said, "Where, oh, where is my camera?"

He grumped, "It had better damned well stay in your purse." He found his pants, but not his underwear. He put his pants on and his shirt. He said, "If you find my underwear, put them aside. I'm going to take a shower, too. You think you can be ready in 45 minutes or so?"

She said, "I'll be ready. Knock on my door when you are ready to go."

They bought coffee and croissants in a boulangerie and ate at a table on the sidewalk. She called Mona and said, "Sorry I didn't call last night. We went to dinner on one of those cruise boats on the Seine and didn't get back until late. Oh, yes, it was magnificent. Every bit as wonderful as you could imagine. What are you up to today?" There was a long pause. "Great. I am sure Emma will adore London. Today? We're doing the museums today. Yeah. We're flying home tomorrow. I'll call you at some point during the day tomorrow."

They started their day at the Musee D'Orsay and then moved on to the Rodin Museum. Mia thought they were the most wonderful art museums she'd ever seen. They debated about skipping the Louvre altogether because it was so daunting, but then they felt they needed to at least see the _Mona Lisa_. They had to stand in line to see the painting, which was very small and hard to see behind its bullet proof glass. Mia said she liked the Rodin sculptures better than most of what she saw at the Louvre.

After a couple of hours, they went in search of lunch. They ate a sandwich and drank bottled water in a park and then walked around on the Isle de La Cite, admiring Notre Dame from the inside and out. At one point, they passed a jewelry store. Jeremy stopped and looked at the display in the window. He said, "Wait here."

Mia waited on the sidewalk, watching people. He came out a short while later empty handed. In response to her puzzled look, he patted his breast pocket. They walked on. Mia assumed he bought something for Megan, who had been so disappointed not to be included on the trip.

In the afternoon, they walked along the Seine, holding hands. She laughed and said, "This makes me want to dance."

He looked puzzled. She said, "You know American in Paris? Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron."

He grinned and said, "You are a wonderful dancer, but, darling, you are no Leslie Caron and I am for damned sure no Gene Kelly! There will be no dancing!"

He looked at the map. "Our hotel is across that bridge and a couple of miles away. Are you up for walking?"

"Sure!"

They spent most of the afternoon strolling along the Left Bank, eventually ending up at the intersection of several streets a block or two from their hotel. There was a bistro/bar with outdoor seating at the corner. Mia said, "Let's just stop here for dinner instead of getting dressed up and going out. I'm guessing you dropped a bundle on dinner last night. Please let me treat tonight."

He put his arm around her waist and said, "We'll eat here, because I am starved, too. Not to mention pooped. You will not, however, pay for dinner. This little excursion was my idea. I will pay the freight -- with money you won for me."

She smiled and said, "Well, since you put it that way....."

He paused, "You think we'll get by here with no French."

She said, "I can say all I need to know: vin rouge de table, un baguette de pain et fromage."

He said, "I thought that was 'a jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou'. What's with the cheese."

"We are hungry and I know that word."

They walked into the restaurant and a waiter showed them to a table just outside the door. They were very early and the place was almost deserted. The waiter spoke very little English but he was a good sport, and they managed to let him know they wanted a bottle of wine and they wanted to see the menus. He brought a bottle of their house red wine, which was rustic and rather ordinary. Mia chuckled and said it tasted like jug wine, but she liked it because it was truly what the locals drink.

The waiter then brought them the menus. He showed the the prix fixe options on the back. They couldn't figure out what some of the courses were, but they knew poulet was chicken and poisson was fish. They ordered one of each and hoped there wasn't anything too disgusting in the other courses. The waiter removed the bottle of red wine and brought a bottle of chilled white wine. He winked and said, "Ça va mieux."

They didn't know what he said exactly but they understood that white would probably be better if they were going to order chicken and fish. The entire meal was fabulous. Mia said, "We would charge a bloody fortune for this meal at the resort."

He said, "This is Paris, we'll pay a bloody fortune for it even without linen napkins and crystal glasses. Trust me."

After dinner, they took a walk in a nearby park, but when it got so dark they were concerned about their safety, they returned to the hotel. On the way up in the elevator, she asked, "What time do we have to leave in the morning?"

"Our plain leaves Charles De Gaulle in the mid afternoon. Checkout time is 11:00 AM. We can take our time."

"Go do your packing. I want to take a shower." She hesitated and looked at him with a question in her eyes. He kissed her and said, "I'll be back in an hour." She handed him her key in the event she was in the bathroom when he came back.

She took a shower and put on her pajamas. Then she packed her suitcase, but for incidentals and her traveling bag, and sat down with her laptop to catch up on her travel journal. She had kept journals of her travels since she was in high school. In the past few days she had gotten behind in her cruise journal. She jotted down the places she had visited in Paris, but she could not bring herself to write about the things that mattered the most. She would deal with all that emotional stuff later. It was chilly, so she wrapped herself in her shawl. Then she noticed the hotel had wireless Internet access, so she logged in to her email and sent a quick message to Mona and one to Emma. Then she checked the weather for traveling the next day.

Jeremy knocked softly and let himself in. She looked up and smiled without getting up. The only other chair in the room was the vanity stool. She offered him the chair where she was sitting. He shook his head and told her she looked both comfortable and lovely. He climbed up on the bed and sat cross-legged. He was wearing sweats and flip flops. He asked somewhat sheepishly, "Did you happen to find my underwear?"

She nodded and said, "I put them in the drawer next to the bed."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but where were they?"

"Under the bed."

He motioned at her computer, "Am I interrupting something?"

"No. I was reading my email and checking the weather for tomorrow. Looks like a wonderful traveling day tomorrow all along the line."

He asked, "I was thinking about it in the shower. Am I imagining it or did we have utterly perfect weather for the entire duration of the cruise?"

"Yes. We did. I think it rained a couple of times at night, but the days were perfect."

"What are the odds of that?"

"Actually, given our itinerary, pretty good in the summertime. Still, I guess you could say this was one of those magical vacations where even the weather gods were inclined to be cooperative."

She held out the computer and asked, "Would you like to check your email?"

He shook his head. "I cleaned out my email before we left the ship. I'll deal with any new crap when I get home."

She shook her head. "I don't check my work email when I'm on vacation. It would be too easy to get sucked into something I can't get out of."

He turned on the TV, and flipped channels, but turned it off again in only a few minutes. For the first time, they felt awkward with one another. He picked up a book she had laid on the night stand, and laughed, "Tim Dorsey. If I weren't already about three-quarters of the way in love with you, this would do it. I love his books."

She laughed and said, "I think the first few pages of _Orange Crush_ are the funniest pages in American literature."

"I'm not sure I'd call what Dorsey does 'literature' exactly, but I agree with you. His stuff makes me laugh out loud. I can't read it in planes any more because people think I'm insane."

She closed her laptop and yawned. "I'm sorry. Between all the walking we did today and the wine we drank at dinner, I'm sleepy. Is it too early to turn in?"

He looked at the clock. "Actually it's after ten." He hopped off the bed and turned down the covers, and then climbed in between the sheets. He winked, "I already brushed my teeth."

She stuck out her tongue and said, "I don't care. I'm not your mother." She went into the bathroom saying, "I have not yet brushed my teeth."

She came back a few minutes later and climbed in beside him. He put his arms around her and whispered, "In some ways it seems more intimate and scary with our clothes on."

She laughed out loud and said, "Does that mean you want me to take my clothes off? If so, it may be the greatest 'line' ever."

He chuckled, and said, "If you want to take your clothes off, I won't object, but that isn't really what I had in mind."

She snuggled against him and wrapped both arms and legs around him, saying, "I know what you meant and I only said that to make you laugh."

"In a minute, I'm going to have to ask you to take off your clothes if you keep that up."

She unwrapped her legs from around him, but still encircled him with her arms. He reached up to the head of the bed where he'd hung his sweatshirt. Without taking his eyes off her face, he reached in his pocket and pulled out a box. He held it in front of her and said, "You don't ever have to wear this, but I want you to have it as a souvenir of our time in Paris."

She opened the box. It was a dainty gold chain with a medallion about the size of a dime. The medallion bore no decoration whatever. She looked at it closely and realized it opened like a locket. As she flipped the clasp, both the front and the back swung open, leaving a circle of gold with a tiny three dimensional figure hanging in the middle. It was a replica of Rodin's _The Lovers_. Tears sprang to her eyes and she clasped it in her hands while looking into his eyes. "Oh, my God. This is incredible. Thank you. Oh, thank you so much."

She took one last, long look at the secret inside and then closed the medallion. "Please help me put it on."

He propped up on an elbow and fastened the clasp of the chain. She lay there with her eyes closed and the medallion in her hand. He watched her for a long time, then he leaned over and whispered very softly in her ear, "If you are so inclined, now would be a good time to take off your clothes."

She smiled up into his eyes and teased, "What makes you think I would be inclined to do a thing like that?"

He leaned over and kissed her, while the hand he was not using to prop himself up caressed the rest of her, very slowly.

When he pulled away, she grinned and said, "Oh, that...." In the next minute her pajamas were in a heap on the floor.
Chapter 9 -

They slept fairly late in the morning. Jeremy went back to his room to dress and finish packing. Mia took a shower and dressed in her most comfortable long-distance travel outfit. When Jeremy walked in a few minutes later she was putting the finishing touches on her hair. She stood up and smiled at him, "I'm all ready."

He stood with his mouth hanging open. "For what?"

"For traveling."

"In that?"

"Yep. I learned this trick years ago from a very elderly and very filthy rich old bag on one of our first long distance cruises. She told me she always traveled in leather outfits. It's waterproof, stain resistant, warm but not too hot, and it doesn't wrinkle. Cowboys were onto something! I have accumulated quite a collection of leather suits for traveling. Never pants. Always skirts."

He shook his head and said, "You look amazing. Too good for me to travel with."

"You're fine. The khaki's are perfect."

They checked out of the hotel and took a taxi to the airport. The check-in lines were long, but eventually, they turned their luggage over to the airline and headed for security. Mia laughed, "I always want to wave good-bye to my suitcase thinking I may never see it again."

He made a face, "Have you ever had your luggage lost?"

She knocked on her head and said, "Believe it or not, no I haven't."

He said, "As much as I travel, I haven't either." He paused, and added, "Of course, most of the time when I travel on business, I don't check bags."

"You carry on? That's such a pain."

"No. Actually, I keep an apartment in Chicago, so when I go there, all I take is my briefcase. The down side to that is that I often make last minute arrangements. Do you know what happens if you make last minute travel arrangements and show up at the airport with no luggage?"

She laughed and said, "Not exactly, but I'm pretty sure it takes place behind a screen and involves security people wearing surgical gloves."

He nodded, "You got it."

She made a face. "I'd carry an empty suitcase, if I were you."

"I tried that once. That gets you in worse trouble. I actually got strip searched that time."

She bumped him with her shoulder and said, "Sounds like fun."

"It wasn't."

They had a sandwich for lunch. Mia made a face, "We may be technically still in the country of France, but we have entered into 'The Airport Zone' with its dreadful food. How the hell can a sandwich be dry and soggy at the same time?"

He shook his head, "You know, the bad thing about your job: it makes you pay attention to things like how food looks and tastes. That's fine if you're on a cruise ship or in Paris. You're in an airport now, Toots. Food here exists only for the purpose of controlling blood sugar and killing time. Taste and texture are irrelevant."

"Thanks for the tip."

Soon they were on the plane bound for JFK International Airport. They read, listened to music, and dozed. They passed on the lunch served by the airline, but did eat the dinner, if only for something to do. At Kennedy, they went through customs and then headed for their domestic flight to Orlando. As Mia had expected, the travel weather was perfect and they were amazed to discover they landed in Orlando exactly on time, at 11:30 PM local time.

He asked, "Is your car here?"

"No. We took a taxi. Actually, we took two taxis because Mona had so much luggage."

"I parked at the airport. I'll take you home."

Once they were in the car and on the way to her house she said, "I don't want to sound forward, but it's a long drive to Boca and its late. You've had a long day. Why don't you stay with me tonight and then drive home in the morning."

He thought about that for a few minutes and asked, "Are you sure you don't mind?"

She smiled and said, "Think of it as extending our shipboard romance an extra day. I wasn't supposed to be home until tomorrow anyway, so, technically, I'm still on vacation. Besides, if I read in the paper tomorrow that a handsome attorney from Boca ended up in a ditch by the side of the road because he tried to drive home in the middle of the night after flying home from Paris, I'd never forgive myself."

He grinned and said, "Well, given the fact that I'm not thrilled about ending up in a ditch or even trying to drive home safely at this time of night as tired as I am, I think I'll take you up on your offer."

She directed him to her house and they went inside. He looked around at her sterile Florida golf course condo. He said, "I don't mean to be rude, but this does not look like the home of a prize winning architect."

She said, "That's because it isn't. I sold our home very shortly after David died. He designed our house, acted as the general contractor when it was built and he actually worked on the construction of certain portions of the house. He built some of the furniture in his workshop in the garage. There was no way I could live there without him. One of the first things I did after he died was to sell the house -- for a small fortune -- and I moved here.

"It's small and convenient to work. The fact that it's rather hideous was an advantage at first. It was obviously NOT anything David would have been involved with. I'm beginning to rethink that decision. I was used to living in a beautiful, well-designed space. This place could not be remotely considered either one. I'm thinking of buying something more suitable."

She motioned toward the master bedroom and suggested he stow his gear. He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. She shuffled through the mail and then followed him a few minutes later. He came out of the bathroom in his underwear, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorry. I am just too tired to dig through my suitcase for pajamas."

She shrugged and said, "Trust me, I'm too tired to care one way or the other." She looked at him with her head lowered, as though looking over the top of spectacles, and added, "If you get my drift."

He looked up toward the ceiling, folded his hands and said, "Thank you, God."

She tossed a pillow at him as she went into the bathroom. She came out a few minutes later wearing a floor-length cotton nightgown. She slid into bed beside him, stretched out and groaned with pleasure. He laughed and said, "Do not toy with me, woman! I told you I was tired."

She laughed and stretched again, "No matter how comfortable the beds are in hotels, they're never as good as my own bed and pillow at home."

He turned over on his side and she nested her body against him. He put his arms around her and whispered into her hair, "Thank you for this. I think I'd have had to get a hotel room."

She mumbled, "Any time you're in the neighborhood...." And then she was asleep.

Mia woke before Jeremy the next morning, and padded into the kitchen where she made coffee and actually sorted the mail. She looked at the clock and dialed Mona's number. "Hey, there. I didn't want to bother you last night. I'm home. Are you at the airport yet?"

Mona said, "We're in the shuttle on the way to Heathrow. The traffic is awful. Our flight doesn't take off for several hours, but I don't think we're going to be any too early. How was your trip home?"

"It was totally uneventful. The weather was perfect. Flights were on time. No problems at all." She paused, "I need to tell you up front: we got in very late last night. I invited Jeremy to stay here instead of trying to drive to Boca after traveling all day. I'll extend the same invitation to you. Take a cab to my house and spend the night."

Mona was quiet for a minute. "I guess that was kind of the original plan. But, then, originally we planned to all come back together."

"I'd pick you up, but I can't drive your van and we wouldn't all fit in my car."

"We'll take a cab." Mona paused again and said, "As to the other thing, it was kind of you to let him spend the night." She paused again, "I'm not going to ask which bedroom he slept in and I don't want you to tell me."

"Deal."

Mona laughed and said, "Well, maybe you beat the odds, Mom. Your shipboard romance extended past the gangplank."

Mia said, "We'll see. You know my vacation doesn't really end until tomorrow. We'll have to see what happens after that."

"Right. Hey, you know I have a key to your house. If you are tired and want to go on to bed before we get there, please do."

"I will probably nap for a while. I think you might scare me if you come in while I am sleeping. Besides, knowing how I am about security, I'll forget you're coming and set the burglar alarm. Call me when you get close so I won't freak out when you come in, and I can turn off the alarm, if necessary."

"Okay. We'll see you tonight. Love you, Mom."

"I love you, too."

She closed the phone and put it on the counter. Jeremy said from the doorway, "Can a guy get a cup of coffee for the road?"

She stood up and put her arms around him, giving him a long, happy kiss. "Good morning. Wouldn't you like breakfast before you leave?"

He shook his head. "No thanks. Just coffee. I need to get back to normal eating soon. Now seems like a good place to start."

She poured them each coffee. He joined her at the breakfast bar. They sipped their coffee and glanced at the paper. After a little while, Jeremy put down the paper and turned to her, "I want to be clear about this, even if I am being too blunt. I want to see you again.

"I know this started out as a vacation flirtation. I don't want it to end like the typical shipboard romance. If it doesn't work between us, I don't want it to be because we didn't give it a chance. What do you say?"

She nodded. "I agree. I'd like to see what could possibly be next for us, if anything. What do you propose?"

He shook his head. "I'm not exactly sure. I've got some things I need to do. First of all, I think I need to move."

"Why?"

He fiddled with his cup and started absently ripping his paper napkin into shreds. She poured him some fresh coffee and handed him a new napkin. He said, "Well, after Joanna died, I gave our house to Paul's family. It's very close to the dance studio. They needed more room than they had. Giving up the house to Paul seemed a natural and right thing to do. I moved into the beach condo. It's a beautiful condo and in a gorgeous building. She loved it. After she died, I felt close to her there.

"I realized yesterday on the plane that I need to live in a place where I can move on with my life. I need to stop drinking my morning coffee every day on the balcony, sitting in the very chair where I sat while she curled up in my lap and died in my arms." He paused, wiped the tears from his cheeks and finished ripping the new napkin into confetti. He went on, "I know I couldn't bring myself to sell the condo. I think I'll let the kids use it for vacations. Maybe I'll even use it occasionally. I do know I need to stop living there every day."

She put her hands over his, taking the shredded bits of napkin from his hand and lacing her fingers through his. He leaned over and put his head on her shoulder. She rested her head on his. They stayed like that, both crying for a while and then struggling for control, for several minutes. Then he unlaced his hands from hers, wiped his face and looked into her streaming eyes. "I think I'm ready to start living again. I don't know where you figure into that in the long-term, but I know that you have been a life-line. Short-term, I hope to continue to cling to you. I hope you don't mind."

She wiped his face with her bare hands and kissed his wet cheeks. "Don't forget that I'm in very much the same boat. Maybe we can row to safety together. Once we hit dry land we can figure out if we want to continue to travel together from there."

He stood up and drew her to her feet, holding her close to him and said, "When can I see you again?"

She said, "Well, I'm pretty much at your disposal. I'm almost always home."

He said, "I have to go to Chicago on Monday. I usually fly out of Ft. Lauderdale, but I could fly from Orlando. May I come over on Sunday?"

"Absolutely. Come early in the day. We'll spend the day by the pool. Or, if you like to play golf, we can do that. I'll make dinner. I am actually a pretty decent cook."

"I guess we have a plan." He kissed her again and added, "That being done, I really do need to go."

She walked him to the door and held him for a long time. She said, "Thanks to you, the vacation I rather dreaded turned out to be a wonderful experience. Whatever happens, I am grateful to you for that."

He started laughing, touched the gold medallion at her throat, and said, "I guess it would be true to say that, no matter what happens between us, we can honestly say, 'We'll always have Paris.'"

She laughed and then tried (without success) to look angry, "That's it! No more of that corny romantic bullshit! Go home!"

He laughed and was still laughing when he got into the car. He looked up and saw her standing at the door, laughing ... and crying.

She straightened up the house, paid her bills, caught up on her emails from work and went for a long walk. In the early evening, she took a shower, changed into her pajamas and stretched out on the couch, with her cell phone next to her on the coffee table. About 11:00 PM, Mona called to say they were on the ground and had collected their luggage. She estimated they would be at Mia's house in half an hour or so. Mia got up, turned off the burglar alarm, and drank some juice that she hoped would keep her awake until they arrived, but not keep her up all night.

Soon, Mona's family pulled in the driveway. JJ came in first, half carrying and half leading Emma. Mia said, "Put her in my room. She can sleep with me."

She led the way and turned down the covers. JJ helped Emma into bed. Mia noticed she lay in almost exactly the same spot Jeremy had occupied the night before.

When they returned to the kitchen, Mona was bringing in the second load of their carry on luggage. She looked up and said, "I packed overnight stuff and one change of clothes in our carry on. We won't need the rest of the luggage tonight."

Mia motioned toward the guest room and said, "I put out clean towels. If you need more, they're in the hall. I'm going to turn in. Sleep as late as you like. I'll make you breakfast before you head home."

She hugged JJ briefly, and then threw her arms around Mona, kissing her on the cheek. Mona kissed her back.
Chapter 10 -

The next morning, Mia crawled out of bed quietly so as not to disturb Emma, who was sleeping like the dead. She went for a long walk after which she made a pot of very strong coffee and sat down at the breakfast counter to read the paper. When she had finished reading the entire paper, she prepped the kitchen for a breakfast of blueberry pancakes, Emma's favorite. Then, she curled up on the couch with a book to wait for the sleepyheads to decide to get up.

Mid-morning, Mona came out of the guest room, looking bedraggled. Mia poured her coffee and suggested they sit out on the lanai where they could talk without disturbing Emma or JJ.

After a few minutes, Mona leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek, saying, "Mom, I'm so unbelievably happy for you! You are positively radiant these days! At first, I had a hard time imagining you with someone other than Daddy but when I saw how happy you looked when you told me you were leaving the ship with Jeremy, I had to stop and think long and hard. I like him. I really do. What is more, I like you with him. JJ keeps reminding me that it's not my business and I should keep my opinions to myself, but I think I know you well enough to believe you would like to know how I feel."

Mia put her arms around her daughter and kissed her cheek. "Thank you. You're right. I do appreciate knowing how you feel.

"Do you remember when your Grandpa married Roxie?"

Mona shook her head. Mia went on, "I didn't realize until today that when they got married, Dad was only a few years older than I am now and Roxie was younger than I am. At first I resented her very much.

"On the one hand, I thought Dad was being somehow disloyal to Mom for taking up with another woman. On the other, you should know that I was about your age -- or maybe a little younger --, and I thought it was kind of disgusting that such old people would have any interest in sex. To be honest, I was kind of a bitch about their marriage at first, but as time went on, I came to appreciate what Roxie meant to my dad. They had a wonderful relationship. He adored her, and she cherished him with every breath she drew. It took me a while but eventually the beauty of their love softened even my hard heart.

"Eventually, I came to love her very much. She was a wonderful wife to my dad. She made him happy. He made her happy. I guess now at my advanced age, I am even able to understand how such old farts could be interested in sex. Sorry; I know that falls into the category of 'too much information.'"

Mona hugged her mother and said, "You can stop there," then she grinned and winked and continued, "I remember one thing about Grandpa's funeral. You and Roxie and Aunt Jackie were standing by the casket. You and Aunt Jackie put your arms around Gramma Roxie and held her while she sobbed. I guess in many ways, that has always been for me the model of how daughters should behave at their father's funerals. I have felt terribly guilty ever since Daddy died that I was not able to support you like that. I was such a mess!"

Mia wrapped her arms around Mona and said, "It never crossed my mind to think that you would be there to support me at David's funeral. Remember, my dad died at a fairly advanced age and he had been sick a long time. Our entire family had plenty of time to say good-bye and we were ready to be supportive to Roxie, and to one another. Your dad was a young man, in the pink of health who died in a freak accident. That was a totally different situation.

"I think that a sudden tragedy like David's death sort of falls into a category by itself. We each had to cope as best we could. And now a couple of years have passed and, despite all my efforts to avoid rejoining the human race, I'm still alive and show no signs of kicking off any time soon. Therefore, there is something in me that seems to want to live again... something that responded to Jeremy. Perhaps the fact that he is a person who is also intimately familiar with the loss of the love of his life has something to do with how well we understood each other at first."

She paused for a while, considering her words, then she just blurted out, "You know, I used to think that my dad and Roxie were weird because of the way they kind of included their prior spouses in their marriage. They had a lot of photos hanging on the walls. Most of them were of Dad and Roxie together or by themselves with various combinations of children and grandchildren.

There were, however, a couple of pictures, in a very prominent place on their wall, that always struck me as out of place. One was of Roxie with her first husband on the occasion of Jackie's graduation from high school. The other was a picture of my dad and mom and me on my wedding day. I always thought those pictures seemed out of place, but now I understand what their presence meant. Those pictures affirmed that both Roxie and Daddy were were affected, influenced and shaped by their first marriages. They loved each other, but they always acknowledged that they had each loved other people first. What was more important, they cherished one another, with the explicit understanding that they were each the people they were in part because of their first marriages. Each of them honored the first marriages of the other as much as they each cherished the memories of the spouses they had lost.

"I thought that was weird and strange. I never understood it -- until this week. In almost our first conversation, Jeremy and I shared stories about our first marriages. On more than one occasion, we actually cried together while talking about our lost loves. For me, that was important. It was important that both of us honored the memories of David and Joanna before either of us could move forward to embark upon a new relationship with each other.

"Does that make sense to you?"

Mona hugged her mother, and said, "Yes and no. It makes sense that you would honor Daddy's memory. I guess I don't understand how you could bring that into your relationship with Jeremy, but it doesn't matter whether or not I understand it, any more than it mattered whether you understood the relationship your dad had with your step-mom. What matters is that you and Jeremy are doing what feels right for each of you. Cherishing those memories is important to both of you. I guess I have to add, it's important to me, too. I want you to be happy. I really do, but I'm glad to know that, somehow, Daddy will remain a part of your life, because he remains a really important part of mine."

Mia wrapped her arms around her daughter, and swallowed the lump in her throat, "No matter what happens with me and Jeremy, I will hold and cherish your father's memory in an important place in my heart. Jeremy understands that because he does the same thing with his memories of Joanna."

Mona put her arms around her mother and said, "In that case, you have my full and complete support, regardless of what happens next."

Mia put her head on her daughter's shoulder and tried, without success, not to sob for a minute.

Eventually, they calmed down and moved on to less emotional topics. By the time JJ awoke, they were sitting on the lanai, looking at Mia's cruise photos on the computer. Mia poured JJ coffee and fired up the griddle while Mona went to wake Emma. Mia cooked the pancakes, which the others devoured as fast as they came off the griddle.

Shortly after breakfast, they loaded up the car and headed for home.

Mia put in the first of several loads of laundry and tried to find something in the house to straighten or clean. There being nothing dirty or out of place, she went for another long walk and then read most of the rest of the day.

The next day she got up early, took a walk, drank her coffee and wondered what in the hell she was going to do the rest of the day. She contemplated going to work but decided to resist if for no other reason than to pretend that she was not a total workaholic. She went to the library and checked out several books which she hoped would see her through until Jeremy arrived on Sunday.

A little while before noon, her boss called on her cell. She answered on the first ring. He laughed, "You must really be bored. I know you usually make it a practice never to answer until the fourth ring."

"Oh, hush. I'm on vacation. You wouldn't interrupt me if it weren't important. What do you want?"

He laughed, "If I told you I need you to come in today, what would you say?"

"I'd sigh really loud, say a prayer of thanks for relief from the boredom and tell you that I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"He laughed. The cruise was boring?"

"Actually, the cruise was spectacular. My only miscalculation was coming back too early and having nothing to do between now and Monday."

"I'm glad you had a good time. I'm wondering if you have time for lunch today."

She said she did, and they arranged to meet in the main dining room of the resort at 1:30, after the lunch rush and before the staff had to ramp up for dinner. After they hung up, she showered and changed into a business suit. She put her hair up in her standard French twist, and applied her 'professional' makeup.

Mia arrived first. The maitre d' seated her and asked if she wanted a glass of wine while she waited. She smiled and said, "I'll have water with lemon, please. This is a business lunch and by the tone of Mark's voice on the phone, I think I'll want to maintain all my faculties.

"Did anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

He made a face, "We had a couple of groups that got rowdy and out of hand. The staff had to eject some people from the premises. We actually had to call the cops because of a fight that resulted in some injuries. It was a rough couple of weeks.

"You know, I don't understand it but the events put together in your department rarely get out of hand, even though there is usually a lot of alcohol and people get rowdy."

She pursed her lips and said, "That's because the event staff is trained to watch for situations that appear to be going in a bad direction. We do our best to defuse things before they blow up. When we can't prevent it, we have bouncers to break things up. They know how to do it quietly and cleanly. I've suggested to the GM that you incorporate trained bouncers into the hotel staff. He has always shot me down about that because he thinks that if he has to employ bouncers it would not reflect well on his hotel. I disagree. I have at least one bouncer in the wait staff at every event I do. I also insist that I or someone on the event planning staff attend every event in order to walk around and watch for trouble brewing."

The maitre d nodded and said, "After the fight in the bar the other night the GM may rethink."

"What happened?"

"A wedding party was staying at the hotel. It was not a wedding we planned. They didn't tell us when they booked the rooms that it was a wedding or the front desk would have turned it over to your department. They evidently got married at a church nearby and then had a reception at a restaurant. After the reception, they came back here and some of the people ended up in our bar ... after they were already seriously over-served. Evidently there was a bit of bad blood between certain relatives. Words were exchanged. Then somebody stood up. Somebody else stood up, and fists started flying. We just don't cope with commotion like that very well because it happens so infrequently."

The GM walked up to the table and laughed, "Geez, don't tell her that story, she's been on my ass about hiring bouncers for years. Now, I'm gonna have to admit that she was right and I was wrong and I'm gonna have to ask her help in recruiting and training them." He put up his hands and said, "I just hate that!" They all laughed and the maitre d' left them alone.

He leaned over and bussed Mia's cheek and said, "My God, woman, you look fantastic. I guess I hadn't realized how overworked and tired you were. Your rest and recreation paid off!" He paused and looked at her with a very serious look on his face. She expected him to ask if there was a man responsible for her transformation; she felt that it must show. He surprised her by putting his hand over hers and saying, "Starting right now, I want you to make the commitment to yourself to go on vacation at least once a year. You went too long without one. Throwing yourself into your work and never taking any time off is not good for you."

Mia laughed and patted his cheek, "Coming from a person who lives on the premises and who, to my knowledge, has never taken a vacation, I find that a bad case of the pot calling the kettle black."

He tried to look sheepish, and simply muttered, "That doesn't make it untrue."

"Point well taken."

The waiter approached the table and started to give them the list of specials. Mia waived her hand and said, "I just came back from a two week cruise, tell the chef I want grilled chicken with lemon and rosemary on a bed of raw baby spinach. Dress it with balsamic vinaigrette, heavy on the vinegar, light on the oil. Shortcut for that is 'Mia's regular'."

The GM laughed, patted his stomach and said, "I want the same only instead of chicken, make mine fish."

She looked up and said, "Ooooo, yeah. Change mine to fish, too."

The waiter walked away shaking his head. Mark said, "He's thinking that they have all these wonderful dishes and he can't understand why we would order something so plain."

She made a face and said, "He doesn't eat here every day like we do."

He looked at her again and said, "You should give classes on how to eat at resorts and not gain weight. Did you lose weight on your cruise?"

"Probably. I usually do. Most people approach cruises as one long extended eating orgy. I think of it as a floating health spa. I almost always get more exercise and eat better on a cruise than I do the rest of the time. This time was no exception. I walked hundreds of stairs every day and danced the night away every night."

She looked at him, wondering what the hell was up. He never made small talk. It was one of the things that drove the staff crazy. He couldn't schmooze with the guests because he was usually all business. This pussy-footing around made her nervous, so she decided to cut to the chase, "What's up? I find it hard to believe that you would have such a sudden desire to have lunch with me, when most of the time you avoid me because you think I'm a pain in the ass. Spill it!"

He sipped his water and said, "Dammit, Mia, just once I wish we could have a conversation that you don't control."

She laughed, "The fact that I'm a control freak is why I'm so good at my job. Deal with it."

It was his turn to laugh, while nodding, "Yes, my dear, I don't tell you often enough because you're enough of a pain in the ass as it is, but you are good at your job. Very, very good. As a matter of fact, you are so freaking good at your job, you've gotten the attention of the folks in Corporate.

"Essentially, they want to talk to you about a new job they want to create, I think with you in mind. I don't know all the details, but they are planning to create a sort of International Event Planning department to handle very large events, events with special needs, and/or events that involve more than one resort location. I have the impression that they are trying to better tap into the special skills of some of our senior event planners by bumping them up to Corporate so they can use them where they are most needed, without local GM's getting into spats over sharing profitable employees."

He scowled at her with a twinkle in his eye, "Do NOT look at me that way. I know for a fact you've been working with event planners from other resorts for years, despite my specific prohibition on cooperating and sharing profits with other hotels."

Mia smiled and said, "We all work for the same company."

He nodded, "That's true, but each resort stands or falls on its own profitability."

"Ok. I understand. I have always thought that the bottom line of the whole company was, however, the most important thing."

"Theoretically you are correct, but my job is to make this hotel as profitable as possible. As an employee of this hotel, I expect you to row in that direction."

"Are you suggesting that my work is insufficiently profitable to this hotel?"

He shook his head and put his hands up, palms out, "Down, girl. You and I both know that your events are extremely profitable to this resort, despite your cussed insistence on referring clients to other resorts and working with event planners in our international division. You have made me a ton of money, and I've always tried to show my appreciation. Evidently, Corporate has figured out that you could probably make more money if you were free to do events at any resort or hotel where they were needed. They're putting together a team made up of the Superstars in the Event Planning department."

"Who, besides me and probably Dolores Sanchez, is going to be on that team?"

"Actually, I don't know. All they told me was they want to talk to you. They offered me a very attractive deal to make it worth my while to give you up, including having first dibs on you for events in this hotel if you are available. I'm guessing they are going to start with you and let you build the team."

"Why me? Dolores has more tenure and has done a lot more big dollar, celebrity events than I have."

"I don't know, but I'm guessing that Dolores has specialized so much in the Hollywood celebrity events in California and Mexico that she doesn't have the breadth they're looking for. I'd expect her to be on the team, but I think they'll ask you to be the hub of the wheel because you've got broader experience than just celebrity events. You also have good relationships with staff in hotels and resorts around the world... primarily because you have always defied my specific prohibitions against cooperating with them."

She leaned back in her chair while the waiter set their plates in front of them. His presentation of the plate and his posture were not up to the hotel's standards. She glanced at Mark and realized he noticed it, too. She scanned the room and made eye contact with the maitre d' and every so slightly furrowed her brow. He nodded and made a call on his cell phone. When the waiter walked away, she noticed the head water pull him aside into the kitchen. She knew the kid would be catching hell, but she wanted to give him the chance to redeem himself before the lunch was over. If he didn't, Mark would probably tell them to fire him before the end of his shift.

Mark took a bite of his fish and asked, "Do you honestly think I didn't see that?"

"Of course not. You didn't get to be the GM of a joint like this without an eagle eye to every detail, including collusion among your employees."

"Is the head waiter talking to him now?"

"Yes."

"You know if his hand shakes when he pours us more water, he's toast."

"I think you should give him the opportunity to finish serving our lunch before you fire him. He's young and inexperienced."

"Stephan should not have had a newbie wait on me."

"I think Stephan knew what he was doing."

"Which was what?"

She said, "Something tells me Stephan sees something in the kid. He would never let a newbie wait on you without a reason. He'd never jeopardize his own exalted position, for one thing. I think this was a make-or-break opportunity for the kid. He makes the GM happy, he's golden and may go on for a career here. He screws up, the GM fires him."

"Would you do a thing like that?"

"I think it makes sense. In fact, I think it's a great idea. Wouldn't it be better for an inexperienced staff member to learn by waiting on senior staff than to learn the hard way by waiting on demanding VIP clients?"

"Good point. I may not fire him if his hand shakes, but if he spills a drop of water, he's out of here."

"Just give him a chance. Now, where were we... Oh, you were telling me that you think Corporate wants to steal me away from you so I can make more money for the whole company as opposed to just your hotel. What do you think of the deal?"

He shrugged, "Leaving aside my bitterness at losing a key employee, even if she is a huge pain in the ass and never follows the rules, I think it's a brilliant idea. I also think, between you and me, that you can hold them up for a lot of money."

"I'm thinking more along the lines of asking to work on commission."

"Oh, baby! If you could work that out, you could buy your own hotel in a few years."

"Hey, it can't hurt to ask! So, what's the next step in this dance? You've asked me if I'm interested. I'm telling you I'm at least willing to listen to their pitch, no promises. What next?"

"They want you to go to Chicago on Monday for a meeting with the big dogs. You're supposed to confirm the time with Roger Benedict's secretary."

"I'm meeting with the CEO?"

"Yup. This is a BFD, apparently."

She sighed. "Suddenly, I think I know how that waiter feels."

Mark leaned across the table and said, "Don't let them rattle you."

"I rarely get rattled, but I've never met the CEO before."

"Actually, you sort of did."

"I did? When?"

"Well, a few months ago, you planned a 50th anniversary party for a couple named Barton. It was a very elegant affair. Do you remember it?"

"I do. I really liked those folks. They were very rich, but they were about the easiest clients I've ever had to work with. It wasn't one of our usual froo-froo over-the-top affairs. It was elegant and lovely. I remember telling the client that if I were going to plan an event for myself, that was exactly what I would do. What does that have to do with Roger Benedict?"

"Roger Benedict is their son-in-law. He went to extreme lengths to keep that a secret. They even reserved his room in his daughter's married name so nobody at the hotel knew he was here."

"Do you mean to tell me Mr. Benedict made a secret visit to the hotel and nobody told you?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I knew because somebody on his staff tipped me off. I tried damned hard not to let Roger know I knew. I didn't tell anybody else."

She put her hands in front of her face, "Not even me?"

"Especially not you. I know how smoothly your events go. I knew you'd do just fine. He was adamant that he wanted the event to be totally about his in-laws and he didn't want people falling all over him. I didn't need to tell you. I will tell you now, you hit a home run with that one, Cookie. A grand slam home run.

"After he left, Roger called me to tell me that not only were his in-laws thrilled with their party, but he had enjoyed it as well. He's apparently been watching you." He smiled and gave her a thumbs up sign, "So what you do now is you book yourself a flight to Chicago on Monday morning. Plan to return on Tuesday. Let Roger's secretary know what time you will arrive. They'll book you a room at the Mother Ship."

He handed her a card, "That's Roger's secretary's private number."

She slid the card in her jacket pocket and said, "I'll call her this afternoon as soon as I've booked my flight."

They finished their lunch, and chatted about goings-on in the hotel during her absence. On her way home, she called Jeremy to ask what flight he was taking to Chicago on Monday. She told him she'd like to book the same flight if there were seats. He said he would plan to stay in Chicago over Monday night as well, and they could fly back together on Tuesday.

When she got home, she booked her flight and called the CEO's secretary. The secretary instructed her to go directly to the corporate headquarters upon her arrival for meetings with some of the senior leadership for most of the day. They would book her a room at Sterling's flagship hotel. She thanked the woman and asked if there was any preparation she could do for the meeting. The secretary said, "No. They want you to come in cold. This meeting will be a sort of brainstorming session. You'll leave with plenty of homework, I imagine."
Chapter 11 -

If they truly did not expect Mia to prepare for the meeting, they would not have told her about it in advance. One of the hallmarks of her professional life was her thorough preparation for every meeting with clients or other company employees. Mia spent hours and hours over the next few days jotting down notes about her thoughts on the makeup of the new department she already thought of as the "Signature Event Team".

Over the years she had suggested a number of ideas that she thought would improve both the quality and the profitability of the events department. Her various GM's had always shot them down if they involved any sharing of resources with other hotels. Now she was being invited to do just that, so she tried to dredge up some of her old ideas and at least consider how they might work. She wanted to go to the meeting armed with an array of ideas, no matter how half-baked. It would be important for them to see her as a creative thinker. The ideas didn't have to be good: there just had to be a lot of them.

She also reread the company's latest annual report several times, paying special attention to the locations of its international resorts that she felt were under-used for events. She went on the company's Intranet and studied the organizational charts of both the resort and the hotel divisions. She made a list of the event planners she knew to be superior performers. She discovered that there were several resorts where she did not even recognize the names of the event planners. She checked their financial statements and realized those hotels had relatively low profits from events. She noted that there were some hotels and resorts that had a very strong corps of event planners, and others that were very weak in that department. She began to feel a plan emerging that involved moving people around as needed to give a boost to those resorts and hotels that were thin in their event departments.

In addition, she envisioned creating a global training program for event planners that would include both classes and on-the-job training for apprentices to learn from more experienced planners. In addition to that, she wanted to include specific training for special events in the standard training program for staff. She had always cherry-picked the best young wait staff from the hotel to work in her department, and a number of kids who had started out waiting tables and tending bar at parties were now working on her staff as certified event planners.

Mia was all about making the best use of her people. She wanted to make the point that spending money on properly training the event staff paid off in the long run. She had been having a years-long running battle with Mark about that. He wanted her to use temporary employees as wait staff for banquets and parties. She wanted to use full time employees to work banquets and parties. She had never convinced Mark that event staff beyond the small corps of planners required anything other than temporary unskilled labor. She hoped she could make the point to management that training wait staff for events is not a waste of money and that using full time employees as the backbone of the event staff improves the service.

By the time she was finished, she had several pages of notes. Next she memorized them, jotting down only a few reminders and nematic devices on a sticky note, which she stuck on the back of a pack of tissues in her purse. If she needed to consult her notes, she could do so under the guise of getting a tissue. She doubted she would need to check her notes, but she always liked to have them, just in case.

On Sunday morning she straightened the house, packed her suitcase and put a tray of scones in the oven. Jeremy arrived shortly before noon. They greeted each other with a hint of awkwardness. She wondered where that had come from, and how to make it go away. She invited him in and suggested they have coffee and scones for a snack because she planned a very early dinner due to their early departure in the morning. Jeremy thought that was a great idea. He left his suitcase in the hall. A little later, Mia had to use the bathroom, and seized the opportunity to move his suitcase into her bedroom.

They spent most of the afternoon watching the Chicago Cubs getting mauled by the New York Mets. More precisely, Jeremy watched the game while Mia continued to study Sterling's annual reports, looking for clues that might give her more ideas for operational changes, until it was time for her to start dinner.

She made dinner the easy way. She always kept in her freezer a few ready-to-cook items from the resort kitchens. She usually had some savory appetizers as well as a main course and some kind of frozen bread dough. She planned to serve a low fat vegetable lasagna with a salad. When everything was ready and the lasagna was finished but had to sit for 20 minutes before she could cut it, she asked, "Do you want me to open a bottle of wine? On the one hand it would be good with the lasagna, but on the other, we have to get up really early."

He clicked the TV off with the remote and said, "Yes. Let's have a little bit of wine with dinner because that's what civilized people do. After dinner, I want to go for a long slow stroll so we can talk and get some fresh air. We'll need to go to bed shortly after dark."

She rummaged around in the wine bin under the sink and came up with a wonderful Cabernet which she uncorked like the pro that she was. She poured an ounce in a glass and held it out to him. He laughed and said, "Where's your little wine spoon on the chain?"

She laughed and said, "I know you're kidding, but the fact is that I am qualified as a sommelier. I rely heavily on our senior sommeliers for advice, but I became certified so I can understand what they're talking about. Moreover, some of our really VIP clients are very knowledgeable about wine. For a long time, I couldn't keep up.

"In my family, adults drank locally brewed beer that my dad brought home from the neighborhood bar in plastic milk jugs; I knew nothing about wine. After I took the class I was much more confident in my communications with both my staff and my clients. I also learned how to properly uncork and serve wine. That turned out to be a real advantage because very often, for VIP clients, I open the wine and offer the first taste to the client. They love having the event planner they have worked with serve them personally. The bigger the event, the more personal service I give the clients.

"Now, taste the wine and tell me it's okay so I can pour myself a glass, too."

He made a face, "What if I don't like it?"

"You'll like it ... unless it's corky."

He tasted it and smiled, "This is very good."

"I told you."

They sat next to each other at the kitchen island, sipping wine and chatting. The awkwardness they felt earlier was almost gone. He filled her in on the cases he was working on, amusing her with stories about the quirks of some of the other attorneys and their clients. He asked her what she was working on all afternoon with such concentration. She told him about the potential new job and what she was doing to prepare.

He looked concerned, "Will you have to move to Chicago?"

She sighed, "God, I hope not! I've lived in Florida for too long to like the idea of having to cope with Chicago in the winter. I expect I'll be traveling so much I won't be in any one place too long. If that is the case, I think I'll sell this house (I hate it anyway) and either rent an apartment near an airport or stow my personal stuff in a storage locker for a few years. I guess I'll figure out the logistics of that after we work out the exact nature of this job, and determine whether or not I'm the right person to do it. I have to tell you, I'm not really convinced that I am."

She plated the lasagna perfectly and brought the plates to the table. Jeremy brought the bottle of wine and topped off their glasses. They filled each other in on their children and grandchildren, and made other small talk. After they finished eating, Jeremy helped clean up the kitchen, despite Mia's initial objections. He helped her anyway, saying he didn't want to be merely a "guest" in her home. That remark made her heart race for a minute, so she let him help while she got herself back under control.

When the kitchen was clean and the dishwasher was running, they took a walk around Mia's neighborhood. They talked little, mostly they commented on certain birds or plants they saw. At one point, Mia asked, "What time do we need to leave for the airport?"

"The plane leaves at 6:00. We need to be at the airport by about 4:30."

"Wow. That early? It only takes a few minutes to get there."

"Early flights to Chicago and New York are typically full on Monday mornings. We could get stuck going through security if we wait until the last minute. You have to understand that, unlike nearly every other attorney I have ever met, I am not a procrastinator."

She laughed and said, "I already knew you were very special. I guess I didn't realize how completely unique you are!"

"Anyway, I go to the airport early in order to get through security before its clogs up with the late arrivals. I would rather hang around and wait at the gate, drinking coffee and reading the paper, than get caught in the people crush that happens right around 5:00 AM."

She said, "I'm for that. I'm a little bit claustrophobic. If I can avoid crowds crushing in around me, I do. Those security lines give me the creeps under the best of circumstances."

"Cattle going through the chutes to the slaughterhouse."

"Something like that.... Okay, if we have to be at the airport by 4:30, we need to leave my house by about ten after four." She looked at her watch. "That means we should go to bed in about five minutes."

He raised his eyebrows, whispering, "But I'm not sleepy yet."

She put her arm through his and pulled him close, "Who said anything about sleeping?"

They laughed and turned back toward her house. They did not hurry their walk, and it was considerably more than five minutes before they went to bed because they stopped inside the front door for a long kiss. Mia noticed that the kiss eliminated the last of any awkwardness. She made a mental note for future reference that a such a kiss might be helpful as a greeting.

Later, Mia cuddled up next to Jeremy and sighed happily, just before drifting off to sleep. He asked, "What time did you set the alarm?"

"3:30"

"Can you really get ready in a half an hour?"

"Sure. I can actually get ready in about fifteen minutes if I have to, but with both of us trying to dress at the same time I thought it prudent to leave extra time. By the way, I moved my toothbrush, etc. to the other bathroom. You can use this one."

"Oh, dear God, I always believed that there must be a woman somewhere who didn't make a huge production over getting dressed and take hours doing hair and makeup to go to the grocery store. I knew there must be one. Thank you for answering my prayer. Amen."

Mia poked him with her elbow and said, "Shhhh. Go to sleep."

They were not able to sit next to each other on the plane, but they met up again on the way to the cab stand, and they shared a ride into town, splitting the fare. Jeremy's office was about four blocks away from Sterling's headquarters. His meeting would be over by about 2:00, but he said he had plenty of work to do and would wait for her to call him regarding whether or not she would be free for dinner. He invited her to spend the night at his apartment, but she said she felt that she should sleep in the hotel room Sterling had arranged for her. He commented that in the interest of her career, she should probably sleep there alone. She agreed.

He said, "Bummer." They both laughed. The cab pulled up in front of the Sterling hotel and she paid half the fare. Just before she stepped out of the cab, Jeremy reached out and turned her towards him. He kissed her quickly and said, "Knock 'em dead, sweetheart. I know you're going to be fabulous."

She smiled and said, "Thanks! It means a lot to have a cheering section for this. I'm really nervous."

"It doesn't show."

"It has taken me years of practice to learn to hide my nerves."

"I'll be waiting for your call."

Mia took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and marched into the building exuding a lot more confidence than she felt. She had been instructed to check in at the reception desk. They were waiting for her. A concierge took her suitcase and told her it would be delivered to her room. Then they escorted her to the elevator to the executive suite. The concierge waited until the doors opened, and he pushed the button for the 32nd floor, but he did not accompany Mia. She forced herself to breath very slowly. When she walked out of the elevator and greeted Roger Benedict's secretary, she gave the appearance of being totally relaxed.

The secretary ushered her into a waiting area outside a large conference room and offered her coffee, which she accepted. The secretary handed her a cup and saucer. Mia took it with a steady hand. She could tell the secretary was watching for signs of nerves. In fact, she had the impression the secretary was trying to rattle her. She flashed her most gracious party-hostess smile and said, "Thank you."

She could see the amusement in the secretary's eyes, and she raised her eyebrows ever so slightly to let the woman know that she fully understood what was going on. As the secretary walked away to summon the executives, Mia heard her chuckle. She thought, _Round One to Moi_.

Mia set the cup down without tasting the coffee. She knew she would drink a lot of coffee over the course of the day. She walked into the conference room, and picked out a seat facing away from the windows. She laid her brief case on the table to claim that as her place. She wanted to concentrate on the meeting and not be distracted by the incredible view. When the others walked into the room, she was standing by the ceiling-to-floor window looking down on the city of Chicago and Lake Michigan beyond. It was a fabulous mid-summer day: the cloudless blue sky reflected on the lake, where dozens of boats bobbed about on its navy blue surface. Mia was so moved she thought for a minute she might cry. She put her hand to her mouth and stood transfixed.

She heard a deep laugh behind her. Roger Benedict stepped forward with his hand out in greeting, saying, "You know I've worked on this floor for more than fifteen years. I have that same reaction every time I look out the window."

She grinned and said, "How do you ever get any work done?"

He glanced at the seat she had claimed and said, "I think I do the same thing you did. I sit with my back to the window."

He introduced several other senior VP's who would be joining them. Then he launched into a spiel explaining that this meeting was intended to be a brainstorming session to determine if there appeared to be any merit to the proposal for creating a new department. If the group agreed there was reason to move forward, then they would discuss more specifically Mia's potential role. She agreed that sounded reasonable.

The rest of the morning went by in what seemed to Mia little more than a heartbeat. She was bouncing around ideas with a bunch of brilliant business people who knew the company inside and out, and who knew the hotel business as well as anybody in the world. She was very glad she had prepared so diligently. She could tell that they were impressed by her knowledge of the company structure and financial statements.

By lunchtime, they had hashed out a general outline of the Signature Events Department and its function. The goal was to create a team of highly experienced event planners to handle large events or events for VVIPs at any of the Company's resorts. The core team would also be responsible for training and improving the quality of the Special Events departments in all the hotels and resorts. They would coordinate between hotels for events that spanned various regions. Mia suggested that if a bride in Seattle wanted to get married in Hawaii, she should be able to work with a local person with whom she could meet in person. That event planner would, in turn, coordinate arrangements with the hotel in Hawaii. They loved that idea, even though it meant that many of the event planners would have to be mobile.

They couldn't quite decide how many people they needed. Mia suggested they start with very few staff working directly in Corporate. She suggested they have a list of planners they could call on for special projects, based on their expertise and experience. Corporate would have to come up with a plan to reimburse their profit centers for time the "hi-jacked" employees devoted to jobs involving other hotels. They knew there would be bugs to work out, but they agreed as to the general idea of what they wanted.

Mia had not totally sold them on the idea of using full time staff for events, but she did get them to agree that the headwaiters, head bartenders and meeting attendants should be full-time staff, with special events training. They also agreed that in those hotels and resorts that did a lot of events, the core event staff should be devoted exclusively to events.

As they prepared to break for lunch, Roger Benedict and a couple of the other executives bowed out. Roger winked at Mia and said, "Please enjoy your lunch with these fellows. I have a meeting with the corporate HR director. We 'll want to talk to you at about 1:30."

Mia stood up and said, "That will be fine. Thank you, sir."

The others stood as well, and led her to the executive dining room. Not surprisingly, the food and the service were exquisite. Mia found herself laughing. One of the VP's asked her what was so funny. She said, "We are all trained to watch for little things: water spots on silverware, shaky or poorly manicured hands on waiters, wilted flowers, haphazardly plated food. Few of our clients notice any of those little details. But when it's done right, the experience is so wonderful, the client can't help but relax and enjoy it. I think it is sort of like symphonic music: you don't have to really know how it's made to appreciate how beautiful it is, but the more you understand it, the more completely you can enjoy it. This lunch was as close to perfection as dining service can be, and I fully appreciate how difficult that is to pull off. My compliments." She inclined her head to the VP in charge of corporate operations. He beamed. Mia was one of the most discriminating critics in the company. That was why she was there.

After lunch, she was ushered into Roger Benedict's private conference room. He introduced her to the corporate HR director. The corporate ops guy followed her into the room, and the rest of the assorted VP's disbursed. The group spent the next couple of hours designing a job for Mia. Because they couldn't figure out where else to put her, they decided to designate her as a corporate employee, reporting to the Senior VP of operations, to begin with. Nobody said it out loud, but it seemed clear to Mia that if she played her cards right, she would end up with her own department, ultimately reporting directly to the CEO.

Their offer blew her away, and she was not entirely sure she successfully maintained her poker face. They offered her an Executive VP level position. She would be paid a salary plus bonuses, calculated based on the profitability of the events she worked on. She would have free hand to pick her team. Initially, they wanted her to hire only one or two full-time assistants. The rest of the work would be done by a select team of planners from various resorts and hotels. Mia worried about how she would sell that to the GM's. Roger waived his hand and said, "You pick your team and get your chosen folks on board. I'll take care of the GM's. They'll come around when I make it clear that we will make it worth their while to cooperate."

Mia laughed and quipped, "And if that fails, you'll simply lower the boom and tell them to suck it up and deal with it."

Roger laughed, too, and replied, "I don't get to play hardball often, but on occasion I have been known to use a club. A few of our GM's are kind of mule-ish."

She laughed and said, "Not mentioning any names!" She scanned her notes and said, "I have no problem with the offer as it stands and I'm not going to quibble over salary or benefits. You've put together an outstanding package, but I do have a few questions. First of all, will I need to relocate to Chicago? I have lived in Florida for a long time. I'm not sure how I would cope with Chicago winters."

The COO said, "We don't think you will have to move right away, but we can't rule it out as something that we may want you to do eventually. Initially, we think that you'll probably be traveling so much it sort of won't matter where you maintain your residence. We initially intended to to have you continue to work out of your office in Orlando, but we decided that is probably not a good idea. We're concerned that the staff there will take advantage of your presence and expect you to continue to be available to them on a preferential basis.

"We don't have much space for expansion in this building, so we don't have an office for you here. We'll expect you to come here for meetings periodically and to keep us advised of your whereabouts, but you will be on the road almost constantly, especially at first as you travel around inspecting event operations and selecting your team. When you're not in Chicago, we really don't care where you are. We'll give you an allowance to set up an office in your home if you want."

She nodded and said, "Perhaps I'll sell my house and move into an apartment near an airport somewhere."

The HR director said, "We actually have a number of employees on our audit staff who rent subsidized apartments in our timeshares. They pay less rent and our housekeeping staff keeps an eye on their apartments when they are traveling. I could give you a list of the open apartments we have available. Would you be limited to Orlando?"

"If possible, I would like to stay in Florida, but I am not tied to Orlando. My daughter lives in Boca Raton. I could just as easily live in Boca, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm or, even, I suppose," she made a face, "Miami Beach."

"I'll send you the list of our properties in those areas."

"That would be great. I'll have to sell my house first. That could take some time."

The COO shrugged, "If your house doesn't sell in a couple of months, let me know. We'll buy it. We don't like our executives to have to worry about selling their houses while trying to get settled in new jobs."

"Thank you. I am sure I will have a lot of questions and concerns, but at this point, all I can really think of to say is, 'When do I start?'"

Roger Benedict laughed and said, "You already did. Go back to Orlando and wrap up any loose ends. If you have any events already booked that might be considered Signature Events, keep them. For all the rest, I want you to hand them off to your staff, with the understanding that you will be available to help, on a consulting basis, if needed. Mark has known about this for a couple of weeks and has already been giving some thought to your successor. Go home tomorrow and work that out with Mark. As far as I am concerned, I want you on board in corporate as soon as possible. Friday is payday. Let's make your promotion affective on Monday. That's the first day of the new pay period."

The HR director laughed and said, "Payroll will be shocked and amazed to learn that you are making a promotion effective on the first day of a pay period. You are typically not so considerate."

"I was not doing it for the benefit of payroll. I get so tired of their petty whining about bullshit. I was doing it out of courtesy to the General Manager of my Orlando resort."

Mia said, "I'm sure Mark will deeply appreciate that."

Benedict laughed and said, with an ironic tone, "I am sure he is consumed with gratitude." They all laughed because they all knew how prickly the Orlando GM could be, and having Corporate cherry pick one of his best employees was not likely to have gone down easily with him. Benedict stood up and offered her his hand, saying, "I'm thrilled to have you on my team."

"Thank you, sir. I hope I'll live up to your expectations."

They shook hands all around and Mia headed for the hotel tower. She called Jeremy on the way. "How was your meeting?"

"It was fine. No surprises. Nothing special. How was yours?"

"Pretty spectacular to be honest. I took the job. I'll be an executive VP, reporting to the COO. If you are free tonight, I'd like to go out to celebrate. This is my celebration, so it's my treat. What's the best place in Chicago to celebrate a big promotion?"

"Morton's, of course. I already made reservations for seven o'clock. Will that fit with your schedule?"

"Yes. I want to go to go to the hotel and shower. I may even buy a new dress. I only brought business suits. Maybe I should buy a cocktail dress."

"That's a good idea. You're an executive vice president now. That merits a new outfit. Do you want me to pick you up at the hotel or meet you at the restaurant."

She said, "I'll meet you at the restaurant."

Three hours later, Mia walked into the lobby of Morton's wearing a deep burgundy cocktail dress that took his breath away. It clung to her body without being tight. It left her shoulders bare, but did not reveal too much bosom or back. She wore the necklace he had given her; it's simplicity was perfect with the fabulous dress. He was dazzled by her transparent joy. It seemed to him that she positively sparkled.

The maitre d' led them to their table and asked if she wanted champagne. She shook her head and said, "I really don't like champagne very much. Please have the sommelier suggest a nice red wine."

The sommelier came back a few minutes later with a bottle which she expertly uncorked and poured an ounce. She handed it to Jeremy to taste. He handed it to Mia, saying, "This is your party. You taste the wine."

She made a face at him but she tasted the wine and a slow smile crept across her face. She nodded and said, "Oh, yes! That is very nice."

The sommelier poured them each a glass and bade them to enjoy. Jeremy tasted it and made a happy noise. "Oh, my. That's excellent."

"I'm not going to even look at the price. We're making a party. I'm not going to worry about the cost."

"That may be difficult for you. I thought you live and die by your budget."

"Normally, I do. Both at work and in my private life. Tonight is special. I never in my wildest dreams imagined I'd get tagged for a job like this. Tonight I refuse to worry about my budget. I simply want to enjoy the moment." She beamed at him, "And I want to thank you so much for being a part of it."

The waiter came back to take their dinner orders, and then left them alone again. They chatted and flirted and they both basked in the glow of her joy. After they finished their dinner and ordered coffee, a man came by the table and stopped to talk to Jeremy. He introduced the man to Mia as the managing partner of his firm. The man looked her up and down and then glanced at Jeremy. The question in his eyes was unmistakable. It was all Mia could do not to laugh. She tried to look as innocent as possible.

Jeremy laughed and said, "No, she isn't a lawyer. She's an executive VP with the Sterling Hotel Corporation."

The man looked at her and smiled, "I'm pleased to meet you. I like the look in Jeremy's eyes when he looks at you." He shook her hand and started to walk away, then he turned around and came back to their table. Jeremy looked annoyed.

His partner asked Mia, "I hate to intrude on your dinner, but I'm wondering if you could refer me to a wedding planner with your company. My oldest daughter plans to get married next year. As far as I can tell the plans are to put on a wedding that will outdo the marriage of Charles and Diana. She wants to get married in the Caribbean or Bermuda or someplace else very expensive. I have no idea where to start, and I'm afraid to let my wife and daughter have total control of the selection of wedding planners."

Mia laughed, "Today must be your lucky day. I don't have my new business cards yet, but I'm the new executive VP in charge of Signature Events, which would include weddings on the scale you just described." She pulled a card out of her purse and said, "My office number will change, but my cell number won't. Please have your wife and/or your daughter call me. I'd love to help you."

He smile broadly and took the card, "Thanks. I have to admit I'm nervous about this. My wife and daughter have delusions of grandeur."

She said, "Before we sign a contract, we'll do a detailed proposal. What you need to do before we get to that point is to establish a budget. Your wife and daughter may not take you seriously, but I will. You give me a number and I'll work within it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"How do I establish the number?"

"You wanna know the best shortcut?"

"Yes."

"Write down the amount you would willingly spend on your daughter's wedding, then add 25%. That's the magic number."

He leaned back his head and laughed. "You haven't met my wife. I think I should perhaps double the number."

"How you arrive at my budget is up to you. You give me the number before I do my proposal. I'll bring it home for you within budget, regardless of how much your wife and daughter beg."

"You mean that?"

She smiled and put her hands up in an 'I swear to God' motion, "It's what I do."

"I will definitely have them call you."

"I'll look forward to working with you."

He made a face. "You won't be working for me. You'll be working for my wife."

"Who's going to write the check?"

"I will."

She winked and said, "Then, I'll be working for you, despite what your wife and daughter may think."

He turned to Jeremy and said, "I think I'm in love."

Jeremy winked and said, "Me, too."

The partner walked away, the picture of a happy man. Jeremy cocked his head and said, "I'm afraid you may have oversold yourself, darling. I know his wife. She's a barracuda. The daughter's even worse."

Mia made a face, "You forget I've been planning weddings for years. Frankly, I prefer corporate events. They're much easier. But, weddings are still the backbone of our event departments. What is more, weddings bring in a lot of other business. We do a wedding for a guy like that. He comes back to plan the firm's next corporate retreat or annual meeting or he recommends me to his rich friends. Here's my secret. I don't really give much of a rat's ass what the bride or the mother-of-the-bride think of me -- if they're not paying the bill, that is. I work for the person who's writing the checks. Nine times out of ten, that's Daddy-o. He's got the money because he's a workaholic. He owns a business or he's a big shot in a publicly traded company. I'll take grief from Momma and Bridezilla, but, trust me, I'll keep Daddy happy no matter what. He's the ticket to future business for me."

He grinned at her and took her hand, "Underneath that lovely feminine exterior beats a the heart of a pure capitalist! Who would have ever guessed?"

"My company would not stay in business if it didn't make money. I insist on quality services. In fact, I butt heads regularly with management because of my refusal to cut corners. I provide stellar services to my clients, and I will not hesitate to fire any staff member who does not take seriously the admonition to provide simply spectacular service to every customer. I do everything, however, with one eye constantly on the bottom line, because that is what the Company pays me to do, and ultimately the client deserves it as much as he or she deserves the fantastic service."

She looked a bit sheepish, and added, "There is one thing I didn't mention to your friend that often throws a monkey-wrench into cost containment for weddings. When they can't talk me into something the budget will not allow, the wife and daughter usually go to work on Daddy. Nine times out of ten, he agrees to the more expensive options. When that happens, I make more money, but he can't blame me for going over budget, because he's the one who wimped out."

He held up his glass and said, "I salute you.... for your brilliance, your well-deserved promotion, and your utter loveliness."

She blushed and murmured her thanks. They finished their dinner and passed on dessert because they were too full. Jeremy hailed a cab. The cabbie asked them where they wanted to go. He gave his address. She gave the hotel address. They looked at each other and smiled. Jeremy said, "Drop her at the hotel first and then take me home."

While they rode, they coordinated plans for the next morning. Jeremy said he would pick her up at her hotel at 7:30 AM. She sighed and said she would be ready. The cabbie kindly pretended to drop something on the floor when he pulled up in front of the the hotel. That gave Jeremy and Mia time for a quick kiss before the bellman opened the door and welcomed her back to the hotel. She noticed he greeted her by name.
Chapter 12 -

After a restless night, she waited for Jeremy on the curb the next morning. They rode to the airport holding hands. Jeremy had managed somehow to change their seats so they sat together. They leaned against each other and dozed nearly all the way home.

They arrived in Orlando around noon and located his car in the garage. Jeremy suggested they stop somewhere for lunch. Mia shook her head, saying, "I have plenty of food at home. Let's go to my place. I'll make lunch, then we can go for a walk. If you can spare the time, go home tomorrow instead of driving back today."

He thought about that and said, "I have some work to do this afternoon, but I can do it here as easily as at home. I have to fly to Dallas on Thursday; I could fly from Orlando instead of Ft. Lauderdale. Would you mind if I bunked with you tonight and tomorrow before taking off again on Thursday?"

She grinned. "Not at all! We can work side by side when we're just using our computers. When we have to make phone calls, we can go to separate rooms. I'll be doing my laundry later today or in the morning. You can toss your stuff in, too. I doubt you brought enough clothes for the whole week."

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, "You're too good to be true."

"Then you don't know me well enough."

"I'd like to, though."

She grinned, "I'd rather you didn't. I like the fact that you're so taken with me. I'm afraid if you get to know me too well, you'll lose interest."

He reached over and laced his fingers through hers, "Somehow I don't think either of us needs to worry about that."

Only a short while later, they were walking hand in hand through her neighborhood. Mia filled him in on more of the details of her new job. His congratulations were enthusiastic and sincere, delivered with such fondness in his voice it nearly made Mia cry. When she had wound down a bit, she asked what was up with him. Jeremy shared with her the sort of general outline of the case he was working on, and amused her with a few humorous anecdotes about the bumbling of one of the attorneys at a recent hearing. He told her he was going to have to go to San Francisco to select temporary office space because the case was scheduled to go to trial in the fall.

When they got back to her house, they fired up their laptops and spent the rest of the afternoon focusing on their work. They did not talk to each other, but whenever one would get up to stretch or go to the bathroom, they would manage somehow to brush against the other one as if to say, 'I know you're here.' That afternoon always stood out in Mia's mind as the most perfect day at work she could imagine.

They ordered Chinese for dinner and spread the cardboard containers out on the coffee table, sampling an array of dishes ranging from mild Cantonese to fiery Szechwan. Jeremy laughed, "Did you ever watch the TV show Dallas?"

She looked at him with mock surprise, "Did I watch it? I never missed it! Why?"

"My wife used to call me 'Cliff Barnes' because I love Chinese take out so much."

She laughed. "David wasn't much for Chinese food. He used to make fun of Cliff and his fetish for Chinese take out. I, on the other hand, love Chinese, Japanese, Thai and all other Oriental food I've ever tasted. Take-out or dine-in or made at home, I love it."

They ate until they were stuffed and then they curled up on the sofa to watch TV. Mid-evening, Mia's phone rang. She glanced at the number and said, "Damn! I am in such big trouble. I promised to call Mona after the meeting. I totally forgot. I'll be back in a bit." She took the phone into the bedroom and left Jeremy alone. She filled Mona in briefly on her promotion. Mona gushed her congratulations, and probed for more details. Mia said they had not hashed out all the details yet. The intention was to sort of invent her new job as she went. She cut off the conversation sooner than Mona expected. Mona asked, "Is something wrong?"

Mia made a face because she knew what was coming, "No. Nothing is wrong. Number one, I'm tired. It's been an exhausting and nerve-wracking couple of days. Number two, I have company."

"Company? Who?"

"Jeremy Waters. He had to go to Chicago on business on Monday also, so we flew up together and returned together. He has another business trip later in the week, so he's just sort of crashing here."

Mona chuckled, "How very convenient."

Mia bristled and said, with a chill in her voice, "Meaning?"

Mona replied, "Down, girl! I didn't mean anything by that. It is very convenient. You live close to the airport, although I can't figure out why he flies out of Orlando when the Ft. Lauderdale airport is so close."

Mia laughed, "He usually does fly out of Ft. Lauderdale. He sort of... I don't know. I guess he wanted to come to Orlando."

"I'm guessing you're blushing."

"Quite probably."

"I'll let you go."

"Oh, Mona. I have a favor to ask you. I'm going to send you a list of apartment buildings the Company owns in Boca, Ft. Lauderdale, and maybe West Palm. Would you mind checking out the neighborhoods and the distance to the Ft. Lauderdale airport. I'm going to sell my house and move into a condo. Sterling is going to give me a good deal on rent and housekeeping. I want my apartment to be convenient to the airport. A nice view would be good. A good neighborhood is essential because I'll probably be returning home from trips at odd hours."

"Sure, Mom. I'd be glad to. It will be wonderful to have you close. Actually, I can tell you now, the building your resort owns in Boca is fabulous. It's maybe fifteen minutes from our house. No more than a half hour to the Ft. Lauderdale airport, and it's right on the beach."

"Really? How do you know so much about it?"

"The park where we go to the beach is right next door to the resort. Why don't you come over this weekend and take a look at it."

"I may do that."

Mona chuckled and Mia asked, "What's so funny?"

"You may have more reasons for moving to Boca than merely proximity to us and the airport."

Mia said, "What would that be?"

"Hello!? Earth to Mom.... Jeremy lives in Boca."

"Oh, yeah. That's right. But, you know he's thinking of moving. I'm not sure to where."

"I'm betting that once you tell him you're considering moving to Boca, he won't go far."

"Oh, for Pete's sake! Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I guess I'm a little worried that my new job as a Road Warrior Wedding Planner and his job as a Road Warrior Lawyer may not do our relationship any good." She sounded sad.

Mona said gently, "Then you two will have to work very hard to make sure to figure something out. Congratulations on your promotion. We'll make a celebration on Saturday. Why don't you invite Jeremy to join us if he's free."

"I will. I'll call you later to let you know when to expect me."

She rejoined Jeremy and invited him to join her family's celebration on Saturday. He nodded and said, "I'd love to. This could work out well. I'm coming back from Dallas early on Saturday. I'll swing by and pick you up on my way home."

She asked him if he was familiar with the condo Sterling owned in Boca. He laughed and said, "As a matter of fact I am very familiar with it. I can see it from my kitchen window. As a matter of fact, I was thinking of checking into renting there. I want to move, but I like being on the beach when I'm at home. Sterling also owns another condo in Ft. Lauderdale that is only minutes from the airport. I wanted to check that one out, too."

She said, "Maybe we could put that on our agenda for the weekend."

"Saturday, we'll look at the condo in Boca. Sunday before I bring you home, we'll check out the one in Ft. Lauderdale."

"You don't need to bring me home. I'll rent a car."

"I'm headed for San Francisco on Monday. I've already booked my flight out of Orlando for Monday morning.... I'm wondering if Mia's Bed and Breakfast could accommodate me Sunday night."

"I'll check my reservations book."

He left very early the next morning. When she heard his alarm go off, she started to get up to make him coffee. He pulled her back down in bed and whispered, "Don't get up. I want to think of you sleeping peacefully." A few minutes later, he kissed her on the head. She murmured a sleepy goodbye and rolled over, burrowing down in the covers.

A couple of hours later she woke and called Mark on his cell phone. She knew he got up early. He picked up the phone and, without any greeting, said, "Well, well, if it isn't the new Executive VP? To what do I owe the honor of this call?"

She couldn't tell if he was teasing or if he was angry. The safe bet was to assume it was the latter, so she said, "I'm sorry I didn't check in yesterday. I should have called when I got home, but I was so busy transcribing my notes and making plans. I'm calling now to see when would be a good time today to meet with you. We'll need to talk about which events I will keep, if any, and how to handle transitioning all the rest to my staff. I guess I mean, your staff. I also would like to request the opportunity to tell the staff about the change myself, unless you've already told them."

There was a long pause. "Come in as soon as you can get here. We'll have breakfast and then figure out a game plan. I have not said anything to the staff because, quite honestly, I'm afraid that they'll all leave. I want you to break the news to them, and I want you to do it in a way that makes them want to stay with the Company rather then leave for greener pastures now that their beloved Mia will no longer be here to mollycoddle them."

"You think I mollycoddle my staff?"

"You know I have always thought that, but it works for you. They are loyal and efficient and they do a great job. I'm just afraid their primary loyalty is to you and not the hotel. How soon can you get here?"

"I'll be there in forty five minutes."

She dressed quickly and drove to the hotel in record time, because it was much later than her ordinary commute time. She walked into the hotel and had a moment of emotion at the thought that this hotel that had been her work place and -- since David's death, anyway -- her refuge and hiding place, was no longer her own, at least not on a regular basis. She passed the housekeeping office on her way to Mark's office. She stuck her head in the door and asked the the head housekeeper on duty to send some empty boxes to her office. The woman looked up and grinned, "Sure. How many do you need?"

"Two or three ought to do it."

"You moving?"

"Moving some stuff around anyway."

Mark's office door was open. She stopped at the door until he looked up to motion her in. He was on the phone, but he waved her into the room and signaled for her to close the door. A coffee service was on the credenza. She helped herself to a cup and warmed his. He finished his call and stood up. Walking around his desk, he held out his arms, saying, "Typically, I do not hug employees, but I'm going to make an exception in this case. You and I have been together for a long time, I am very happy for you. This is a great opportunity for you personally, and I think it's a good move for the Company."

He hugged her warmly and she returned the embrace, saying, "If it pans out, it will reflect well on you and this resort. This was where I learned the job."

"And I was the GM against whose stubbornness you got to develop your muscle."

"Well, we won't talk about that."

"That would be good."

They spend a couple of hours going over all the events she had already booked and, making decisions about how to allocate them among her staff. They both knew that she was leaving more events with him than she should have, but she promised to be available to help if the local staff ran into problems. Once they had figured that out, he leaned back and asked, "When will your new position be official?"

"You mean they didn't tell you?"

"No."

"They are making the change effective on Monday."

"Monday as in five days from now?"

"Yes, sir."

He shook his head and said, "Well nobody ever accused Roger Benedict of letting grass grow under his feet when he sees something he wants."

"How well do you know him?"

"Not well. He's kind of an enigma. Even the people on his staff don't know him very well. He plays his cards close to the chest and confides in few people. As you have experienced, he thinks things out before he moves, but once he moves, he does not waste any time."

She nodded, made a couple of notes, and then looked at him, "Okay, now we have to figure out when and how to tell the staff. I want to do it right. I don't want you to lose anybody, and I want to make a clean hand-off. I will personally call some of my more high maintenance clients to let them know that someone else will be handling their events."

He looked at the roster of people on duty that day. He said, "I managed to schedule most of your key people to be on duty today. Tamika and Graciela won't be in until later today because they each have events later, but most of the rest of the key people are here already."

"I'll get them together in my office. Do you want to be there."

He shook his head. "No. For one thing, this group is your handpicked staff. This is between you and them. When we decide who will take your place, I'll meet with that person."

"I would like to talk to my departmental staff in person before you make a general announcement to the rest of the hotel employees. However, I want you to do that either while I'm meeting with my core staff or immediately after we are finished. I want the announcement to come from you or me, not spread via the hotel grapevine."

"I agree. Send me an email as soon as you've told your staff and then I'll let fly with the general announcement."

"Fine. Okay, now for the hard part. Who do you think should take my place?"

He grinned and patted her hand, "My dear, nobody could ever take your place. Based on what I know about your plans for your new department, I think you'll continue to provide a lot of support, which will be good. Personally, I don't think anyone on your staff is ready to step up. Graciela has the most experience, and she's a really good wedding planner, but I have the feeling she doesn't 'get' corporate meetings, and I don't think she's a manager. Rachel is the best manager and has the best profitability of any of them but for you, but she's too young and she's too rough around the edges. Michael is not a standout in any one area, but he's definitely above average in all of them. What is more, I think Michael sees himself as having a career with Sterling. That is an important point for me. If I were making the choice by myself, I'd choose him. What are your thoughts?"

"I agree with your assessments, generally. Graciela doesn't want to do anything more than what she's doing. Keep your eye on Rachel. She's got a lot of potential. I plan to tag her for additional training by my unit once I'm up and running. But, you're right, she'd not ready yet. Michael is ambitious and he is above average, it is true. Problem with Michael is he is only above average, and he thinks that is good enough. He's lazy and he's willing to cut corners. If you plan to move him up, then I think you should make Rachel his Assistant Manager or something. He needs somebody breathing down his neck to keep him on his toes. She's ambitious too, and she's not lazy or likely to try to cut corners.

"All that being said, I think Mary Jane is the one you should promote for now. She's got plenty of experience. She does great work on corporate events. She'll team very well with Graciela. Graciela can do weddings and Mary Jane will capitalize on the corporate events that come out of them. They like each other and work well together. She's older and more mature than Michael or Rachel. She's not going to be a star, but she'll hold the staff together until either Michael gets his head out of his ass and shows us what he can do or Rachel matures and her star rises. My recommendation is to make Mary Jane the manager, designate Graciela Senior Wedding Planner and maybe Assistant Manager. Let Rachel and Michael duke it out for the job when Mary Jane hangs up her apron."

"I think that's wise advice. What about Tamika?"

"She's way too new. She hasn't shown her stuff yet. She's got good instincts and good ideas for parties, but I don't know how she'll do with the clients or the staff. I have very good feelings about her, but it's way too soon to tell."

He nodded and sipped his coffee, pondering what she had said. One of the things Mia liked most about Mark was the seriousness with which he listened to staff input and the thought he put into making decisions. He did not always accept staff's suggestions (in fact, she sometimes thought he took rather inordinate pleasure in shooting down her ideas), but he listened carefully and thought through his decisions carefully. She appreciated that.

After a while he nodded again and said, "I think you're on the right track. I sort of have my doubts about Mary Jane being strong enough for the job. I'm a little afraid Michael and/or Rachel may run over her. You know I don't like to have to get involved with internal squabbles in my departments. I expect my managers to run their own shops."

Mia made a face and put her hands up, "If Mary Jane can't hack it, then we'll have to find someone who can. She should be able to at least hold things together here long enough for me to finish my survey of what's out there. She's very good with corporate parties. She's been around forever and she's an excellent trainer of staff. If she can't hack it as a manager, I'll take her off your hands. She's been my right hand for several years, and she's way too good to lose to the competition. I'd like to see her given the chance to step out from behind me and show us what she can do. If she can't handle the management part, let me know. We'll work something out. By then I'll be in a position to send in someone in who is up to the job if Rachel hasn't grown into it yet. Right now the Orlando venue is number 8 worldwide in special events. It should be in the top five, given it's location. That is on the list of objectives I've set for myself. I want your resort to be a showpiece for events."

"Why do you suppose we're only number 8 now?"

"The truth?"

He nodded. "One reason, I think, is the lack of cooperation between hotels. So many of our weddings are destination weddings. It's expensive and inconvenient to plan a wedding long distance. Another reason is our proximity to so many other resorts which also offer event packages. We're always going to lose out to the Mouse House for certain events. We need to differentiate ourselves from what the others can do. I'm not sure how we can do that. It's one of the questions I'm going to ask when I visit the event planners in all of our resorts."

"You're going to visit all our resorts?"

"I'm going to start with the top five resorts and the top five hotels to find out what they're doing right. Over the next couple of years I'm supposed to visit all the under performers and come up with a plan to improve them. As I have with your resort, I'm also going to establish goals for even the top hotels. Establishing benchmarks will give me something to measure."

He smiled and patted her hand, "I think you will do a great job in your new position. Don't move too fast. Don't ruffle too many feathers too quickly. Show the GM's that you're going to make them more money, not siphon off the talents of their best people."

She nodded, "Which is precisely why I want to see this hotel succeed beyond your wildest previous expectations. I want you to profit from my promotion, in part, out of gratitude for the faith you have shown in me. I also want your resort to shine in the events area to show how the Signature Events Department could benefit any of our profit centers." She grinned, "I want Orlando to be the resort I can point to as an example of how Signature Events can benefit the profit centers."

He stood up and said, "I truly appreciate that. I was pretty pissed off when Corporate came in here and informed me they were taking away the manager of my most profitable department, even if you are also the manager who is my biggest pain in the butt. I appreciate the prospect of getting something out of the deal." He stood up to signal the meeting was over.

She stood as well and took his hand, "Mark, we've clashed a lot of times over the years and I have every reason to believe we'll clash again in the future, but I want you to know that I believe I would not be in this position without your guidance. I won't forget that."

He pointed to the door and said, "No need for thanks. This is business. Go meet with your people. I'll compose my email announcing your departure. Let me know when I should send it."

She went to her office and asked her assistant to call the staff in for a brief meeting. That was not an unusual request. She often marshaled the troops for status reports. They were expecting it on her first day back from her extended vacation. In only a few minutes, the conference room was full. Her assistant let her know everyone was ready. Mia was suddenly overcome with a wave of such intense emotion she had to sit down for a minute. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before marching into the conference room.

She greeted each person individually before calling the meeting to order. She said, "Before we get into the details of your updates on where our various events stand, I have an announcement. As you know, my return from vacation was delayed by a trip to Chicago earlier this week. While I was there, I met with senior management and they offered me a position on the corporate staff. They are creating a corporate events department and they have asked me to be the director. We haven't worked out all the details yet, but the idea is to provide corporate resources for large and/or high profile events. In any case, effective on Monday, I will no longer be an employee of this hotel; I will be on the corporate staff." She laughed, "And I know how we all just love the corporate staff." Nobody else laughed. "I will continue to work with the new manager here to coordinate events that involve more than one hotel, very large or high-profile events, or any specialized event that you may need help with. I will expect each of you to provide your full cooperation during the transition phase."

Michael asked, "Who will be our new manager?"

"Mark will make that announcement very soon. What I would like to do right now is to go over the list of each of the events we have booked. I want to reassign virtually all of the ones that are mine. I'll work with the new event planners for each event to manage the transition. In most cases, we'll call or meet with the client together to let them know about the change. First, I need to step outside for a minute."

She called Mark on his cell and said, "You can send out the general announcement. You should probably talk to MJ very soon."

He said, "I'll send her a message to see me when your meeting is over."

She stepped back in the meeting room and asked the staff to begin reporting on each of their projects. A few minutes later, a ripple went round the room as their PDA's picked up the email from Mark announcing Mia's promotion. A couple of minutes later MJ looked at her with an odd expression and raised her eyebrows. Mia was careful not to make eye contact when she nodded slightly. In an hour or so, all the events were reassigned except for two which fell into the category of Signature Events that would be supervised by Corporate. Mia said, " MJ, I would like for you to be the local contact for those two events."

MJ nodded and said she would be delighted. Mia noticed that both Michael and Rachel exhibited negative reactions to that. She was not happy about that at all but tried not to show it.

Mercifully, the meeting ended and the troops disbanded. Mia returned to her office and put her personal effects into the boxes housekeeping had sent up. It turned out she only needed two boxes because she had very few personal items in her office. She called a bell boy to take the boxes to her car.

She blocked out a couple of hours with each of her staff for the next day. She planned to spend that time telephoning clients to inform them she was turning over their events to other people. She scheduled most of the afternoon with MJ. She called Mark and asked if he wanted to join them. He said he was meeting with MJ right then and invited Mia to come to his office.

The next day and a half went by in a blur for Mia. She met individually with each of her staff. She called her personal clients to inform them of the change in assignments. Only one client balked, and Mia agreed to oversee that event personally. By the end of the day on Friday, she was exhausted and emotionally drained. At one point, she found herself daydreaming about the weekend ahead with Jeremy. Mark and Mary Jane walked into her office while she was sitting with her head back, eyes closed and a smile on her face. Mark said, "You know, Mary Jane, if I didn't know better, I'd say that woman has the look of someone in love."

Mary Jane said, "I don't know. Maybe she's just fantasizing about how she'll drive Roger Benedict crazy instead of only driving a mere GM, such as you, to the brink."

Mia turned to them and smiled, "I've been so busy with all this job stuff, I haven't filled you in. I met someone on my cruise. To be exact, I met a man on my cruise. A man I like very much."

Mark said, "Oh, my God! I can't believe it!" He sad down suddenly and put his hand over is face, "Mia, that is wonderful news! I can't tell you how worried I've been about you since David died. You have worked so hard and you've done a great job for the Company, but I have had the impression that you have not not taken very good care of yourself."

She said, "Thank you for your concern. And, even more, thank you for not letting me know you felt that way. Do you have any idea how much it would have pissed me off?"

He laughed and said, "Of course. That's why I never breathed a word of my concerns."

Late on Friday afternoon, Mary Jane stuck her head into Mia's office and said, "Do you have a minute?"

Mia looked up from her computer and said, "Sure. Come in. What do you need?"

"Actually, Mark asked me to bring you to the Manatee Room."

Mia stood up and looked at Mary Jane with a suspicious glare, "What is going on?"

"You can't think we'd let you go without a going away party! Even if you don't want that kind of thing because you'll still be working for the Company and you think nothing will change, please consider that we need to mark the occasion and get used to the idea of not having you around here."

Mia nodded, and said, "Okay. I'll be good sport about it."

They went to the Manatee Room where all the staff that could be spared, plus a lot of off-duty staff, waited to give Mia a big send-off. They toasted her with champagne and hors d'oeuvres. She went around the room and made an effort to greet and to thank everyone in attendance. It was after six by the time the party broke up. Mark asked if he could buy her dinner. She declined, saying, "I'm not leaving the Company. How about you and I make arrangements to have dinner a month from now. I'm sure by then I'll have a million questions and may need your advice."

"Deal."

With hugs, kisses and not a few tears, the staff of the Orlando resort said good-bye to one of their longest tenured employees. Mia was a wreck by the time she got home. She packed a suitcase for the weekend, and went to bed very early. It took her a while to cry herself to sleep.
Chapter 13 -

On Saturday, she got up just after five o'clock and drank coffee until it was light. Then she went for a walk and picked up the newspaper on her way back to the house. Just about the time she finished the paper, Jeremy called to let her know he was on the ground at Orlando International Airport. He promised to call her again when he collected his bag. By the time he called back, she had showered and dressed. He called her from the parking garage. She said she would be waiting by the door, so he would not need to come into the house, unless he wanted to use the bathroom.

A few minutes later he pulled into the driveway and beeped his horn. Mia all but ran out to meet him. He got out to help her put her bag in the trunk, and seized the opportunity to sneak a kiss. She remembered their awkwardness the last time and made sure the kiss lasted long enough to get them back to where they had been, without putting on a show for the neighbors. They wrestled her small overnight bag into his trunk, alongside his small bag and a bunch of beach chairs, an umbrella and fishing poles. Mia asked, "What's that about?"

He said, "I like to be prepared to pull off the road and drop a line whenever the situation seems to call for it."

She smiled and slid into the passenger's seat. Jeremy did not strike her as a fisherman, but then she knew lots of fishermen who did not appear to be fishermen. She loved the surprise of discovering something so new and interesting about him. She planned to probe deeper when the time was right.

They drove about half the way to Boca in silence. Eventually, she felt that she could trust her voice enough to tell him about the events of the days before. She told him about her meetings with her staff and Mark, and about the party they threw for her on Friday. She became weepy in the telling. Jeremy took her hand and simply held it tight. He did not say anything. Mia thought that was the most perfect response he could have made. There was nothing to say. All she needed was someone to listen to her express her feelings and to validate that it was okay for her to feel so emotional. She squeezed his hand.

Jeremy said, "I would like to drop my stuff at home. Then, let's go check out the Sterling resort. What time do we have to be at Mona's?"

"She's planning an afternoon picnic. I told her we'd be there about mid afternoon." She cleared her throat and said, "Mona told me that she's planning to serve wine for the party and she said if you didn't want to drive home, you would be welcome to crash at her place."

He grinned, "And exactly where does she plan for me to sleep?"

"I'm not exactly sure. I was afraid to ask. Mona knows you've been bunking with me, but she has a child at home. I'm not sure what her thoughts are."

They pulled into the parking garage of his condo. Mia said softly, "I'll wait here if you prefer."

He thought about it for a minute, then he said, "No. I want you to come up." He looked sheepish for a minute and then added, "You might think I'm crazy for saying this, but I think Joanna would like you."

She suddenly felt all weepy again because she knew there was no higher affirmation that he could give her. They took the elevator to the fifteenth floor, and Jeremy unlocked the door. Mia gasped. There were floor to ceiling windows on three sides of the apartment. Everywhere she looked she saw sea and sky, with birds flying by at about waist level. The beauty of it all was dazzling. Jeremy laughed, but when Mia looked at him, he had tears in his eyes. His voice was raspy when he whispered, "That is exactly the same expression I saw on Joanna's face the first time she walked into this apartment."

Mia said, "It's spectacular." She carefully avoided the balcony, instead moving into the kitchen to look out the window. Jeremy said softly, "She died on the balcony off the bedroom. If you want, you can wait on balcony off the living room. I'll only be a few minutes."

She put her hand on his arm and whispered, "Thank you for sharing this place with me. I know how special it is to you."

He put his hand on her cheek, but did not say anything.

He packed an overnight bag for the weekend and then packed another bag for his trip to San Francisco. He was back in less than twenty minutes. Mia grinned, "And I thought I pack fast."

He shrugged, "When you travel as much as I do, it becomes second nature." He laughed, "I have a feeling you're going to learn very quickly."

"You're probably right. In the next couple of years, I think I'll go around the world at least once."

"I am grateful that 99% of my business travel is within the continental U.S. Those long, international flights are tough. Will you have access to the corporate plane?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask. I probably will be able to hitch a ride occasionally. Does it make that much of a difference?."

"And how! Have you ever flown on a private plane before?"

"No."

"It's truly the only way to go. I've had a couple of clients who let me travel on their planes from time to time. It is truly awesome."

"I may bring that up with the brass at some point."

They left his condo and drove a couple of long blocks down the beach highway to the Sterling Condominium. They went to the sales office and asked to see an apartment. Mia explained that she was looking for a subsidized apartment as a Sterling employee. The sales agent on duty checked his computer and found her listed as eligible for the subsidized apartments. He showed her an oceanfront condo on the eighth floor. The view was fabulous. The apartment itself was relatively small, but Mia did not plan to spend very much time there. The living room/dining room area occupied the southeast corner of the building, with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides. The kitchen looked out into the living room. The master bedroom had a southern view. The den was an interior room with no windows, but it had floor-to-ceiling book shelves on two walls. The other two walls had large empty areas, perfect for paintings of beach scenes. The price was $1500 a month. Mia asked about maid service, because she would be traveling so much. The agent told her that Sterling would provide twice monthly maid service; if she wanted it more often than that she'd have to pay for it.

Mona liked what she saw.

Jeremy liked it, too, and asked if there were any other apartments available in the building. The agent showed him a fabulous apartment on the 15th floor. It had the same view as the one they were offering to Mia, but the rooms were larger and the den had a small balcony opening to the west. They both loved the idea that they could watch the sun come up in the east and set in the west without leaving the apartment. The price was $1000 a month more than the price they quoted for the subsidized apartment for Mia. Jeremy asked how much it would cost for maid service. They told him that would run extra hundred a week. He jotted the prices down in his notebook, and started to walk toward the elevator.

At the door, he turned to the agent and asked what it would cost if they shared the 15th floor apartment. The agent said he would have to run that up the chain and ask how that kind of arrangement would work with the subsidization from the company for Mia. Jeremy offered to wait while the agent checked it out. Mia wandered around pretending she had not heard the exchange. She went out on the balcony and contemplated how freaked out she was by his suggestion.

Jeremy sensed her alarm, and left her alone. He wandered around inside, opening drawers and closets, watching Mia out of the corner of his eye.

A little while later the rental agent came back and told them Sterling agreed to rent them the 15th floor apartment for $2500 a month including maid service. That was a substantial discount. Jeremy extracted a promise that the agent would hold both apartments until Tuesday. Mia had not come inside when the rental agent returned. Jeremy joined her on the balcony and put his arms around her. They stood in silence for several minutes, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the seashore. Mia leaned back against him and asked softly, "What did he quote for a price on sharing this place?"

He told her the price. She laughed. "That represents several hundred dollars a month in savings for me based on my current mortgage payment, assuming we split the cost 50/50. What about you?"

"Ditto."

He asked, "What if we each rented the apartments he showed us?"

She said, "I'd still save a couple of hundred dollars a month. You?"

"If I rented it by myself, this apartment, including the maid service, is a couple hundred more than I'm paying now, but it's a lot bigger."

"If we share 50/50, we both save money."

"That's right."

She said, "It makes sense to share because most of the time neither of us will be here, and we'll still have the maid service to check on the place. Most of the rest of the time only one of us will be home, so it isn't like we'll be in each other's way all the time."

He said, "You look dubious."

She leaned against him and took a deep breath, smelling the scent of him and feeling calmed by it in a way that frightened her. "I am scared. We haven't known each other very long."

"There are two bedrooms. We can each have our own room; we'll give each other plenty of space. Hell, I don't see any reason why we can't be room-mates whether or not our romance goes anywhere. I can afford this apartment all by myself. If we don't get along, you can still move into a hotel-owned apartment, here or somewhere else."

She considered that offer and saw the logic in it. "Let me think about it."

He whispered, "We have until Tuesday to let him know."

She laughed, "No pressure or anything."

They had lunch at a place on the beach and then took a long walk. After that, Jeremy said he'd like to take a shower before going to Mia's so they went back to his apartment while he showered and changed. Mia sat on the balcony, watching the ocean, without moving and barely breathing. Jeremy joined her a few minutes later, but she did not even look up. He watched her for a few minutes, then he knelt down beside her and took her hand, saying, "You look like someone who's had an epiphany."

She tore her eyes away from the ocean with difficulty and turned to him, her eyes huge and shining, and said, "In the past, going to the water, either to a beach resort or a cruise on the deep blue sea, has always been my favorite recreation. I grew up in Pennsylvania. We went to the Jersey Shore for our vacations. After David and I moved to Orlando, we went to the coast for weekend getaways, to the Keys for fishing, to the Bahamas for partying. I know I'm going to sound like an idiot when I say it never occurred to me what it might be like to live at the beach, where I can see this view every day. Well, every day when I am home."

He kissed the backs of her hands and whispered, "Then you'll understand why it has been hard for me to make a move. It has been partly due to my reluctance to leave behind this place I shared with Joanna, but it has been every bit as much due to my reluctance to leave that incredible view."

"The new apartment has almost the same view."

"That's one of the things I like about it." He stood up and said, "Come on. Mona will be expecting us soon."

Mia directed him to her daughter's house. She noted that it only took them about twenty minutes to get to Mona's house, and most of that time was due to traffic as opposed to distance. She liked the idea of being close enough to them to see Mona and Emma frequently.

Mona greeted them at the door, grinning. She hugged them both and kissed her mother, saying, "Mom, I am so proud of you and happy for you," she paused, glancing at Jeremy and added with a wink, "for a lot of reasons."

Mia started to say something and then she looked over Mona's shoulder -- and her eyes went wide, her mouth dropped open and tears sprang to her eyes. Mona smiled and stepped aside. Mia said, "Jackie! Oh. My. God!" She fell into the arms of the woman who had been sitting on the couch and they hugged and kissed. Mia took the woman's face in her hands and said, "It's so wonderful to see you. What on earth are you doing here?"

"Actually, we were on our way south on I-95 headed to the Keys for my husband's annual fishing-and-lying vacation when Mona called me to tell me about the party. We made a detour, and here we are. I'm so happy to have a chance to see you for any reason, but it's especially cool to be here to celebrate your new job." She looked past Mia and added, "Do you want to introduce me to your oh-so-handsome friend or are you going to continue to be your typical rude self?"

Mia jabbed Jackie with her elbow and said, "Behave!" She looked at Jeremy, beaming, and said, "I want you to meet my wicked stepsister, Jackie."

Jackie jabbed Mia with her elbow and said to Jeremy, "I am NOT the wicked stepsister, Mia is."

Mona waved her hand in the air and said, "That's such BS, you are both way too goody-goody for wickedness but you are pains in the ass when you get together."

All three women laughed at the tired old joke. Jeremy looked confused. Mona said to him, "That's an old joke that never was funny in the first place. Pay no attention to us. Mom and Aunt Jackie don't get together very often, but when they do they have a great time together."

Jackie said, "That is the secret to family harmony: live hundreds of miles from the nearest relative and only see them every few years."

Mia and Jackie walked out to the lanai, arm in arm, chatting and occasionally hugging each other. Mona said to Jeremy, "I hope you won't feel ignored. Those two haven't seen each other since Daddy's funeral, at least I don't think they have."

"Did they grow up together?"

"No. Mom's dad married Aunt Jackie's mom when I was a little kid. Jackie and Mom are almost exactly the same age. According to what I've been able to piece together from eavesdropping on their conversations, neither of them liked he idea of their parents' marriage at first, but they both came around. Eventually, they became friends. They both supported Gramma Roxie when Grampa died. They supported each other when Gramma Roxie died a few years later. Over the years, they've remained sister-friends. Aunt Jackie had a child who was killed in an auto accident about twenty years ago. Mom took time off from work and went to stay with Aunt Jackie's family for several weeks. She took care of everything while Aunt Jackie and Troy tried to put their lives back together. I was a little kid and I highly resented being abandoned while my mother went away to stay with people who were strangers to me, but over the years I've gotten to know Aunt Jackie and her family; she has two living children and a whole slew of grandchildren. They are really nice people.

"When Daddy died, Aunt Jackie came here." Tears filled her eyes and she cleared her throat, "She came here, moved in with Mom and took charge of everything. I don't know what we'd have done without her."

He said softly, "The miracle of womens' friendships is a totally amazing thing."

Mona smiled and said, "We love our husbands. We adore our children. But we cherish our girlfriends in a way that transcends all other relationships. In a way, our women-friendships enhance all those other relationships. I bitch about my husband and my kids to my girlfriend. That allows me to bitch less directly at them."

He laughed. "Will I meet your sister-friend?"

"Yes, sir. She'll be here tonight. I never throw a party without her. She's the party queen of the neighborhood. I'm not a very good hostess. Karen is my rock..... in many, many ways."

He said, "They're going to be busy for a while. What can I do to help?"

She said, "How about stowing your suitcases in the room on the left at the end of the hall." She chuckled and cleared her throat, "The fact that Aunt Jackie and Troy are here relieves me from having to make awkward decisions. We have two guest rooms. Well, we have Mom's room and a guest room."

He laughed, "I'll make the sacrifice."

She made a silly face and said, "Somehow I knew you would."

He came back a few minutes later. Mia and Jackie were still talking on the lanai. Mona was puttering around in the kitchen. Jeremy asked, "Where are JJ, Emma and Jackie's husband?"

"JJ is working. Emma is playing with the little girl across the street; she will be home about 4:00. Troy went off allegedly to explore Boca. He's fooling no one. He went fishing. The man is a fishing nut."

"Where do they live?"

"They live in Pittsburgh. Troy works for an insurance company. Jackie is a painter. She says it works well. During their down-time, he sits and fishes. She sits and paints. She says they never fight because they hardly ever talk to each other."

He laughed, "What can I do?"

She said, "Nothing, really. Unless you want to take that pitcher of tea and some snacks to the girls out there. They may need to wet their whistles after all that high-speed chatter."

He took the tea and a tray of crackers out to the lanai. Mia scooted over on the love seat and patted the cushion next to her, "Please join us. I want you to get to know Jackie."

Jeremy sipped tea and basically listened to the women chatter for a while. Every so often they would say something to him to acknowledge his presence. After a while, Mona joined them. Jackie and Mia did most of the talking. Mona and Jeremy primarily served as an audience.

About four o'clock, the front door opened and Emma came racing through the house yelling, "Gram!"

Mona hollered, "Honey, we're out on the lanai."

Emma ran into Mia's arms and tried to crawl up in her lap. They hugged and kissed. Only then did Emma seem to notice Jackie and Jeremy. She greeted them each politely and apologized to her mother for running and shouting in the house. Mia hugged her again and said, "You are such a good girl."

Jackie gushed over how big Emma had grown. Soon they moved back into the house to finish preparing dinner. Jeremy said he'd like to stretch his legs and take a walk around the neighborhood. Emma said, "If you would like, I'll go with you so you don't get lost. I can tell you all the scoop about the neighbors."

Jeremy looked at Mona and raised his eyebrows, with a concerned look. The adults all knew that a strange man walking around the neighborhood with a little girl would quite probably cause talk, if not generate a call to the police. Mona said, "Mom, why don't you go, too. This is a special celebration for you. Aunt Jackie and I can make dinner. Go spend some time with Emma and Jeremy."

Mia put down the knife she was sharpening and said, "You don't have to say that again. I'm gone."

Jeremy turned around at the door and asked, "What time do we need to be back for supper?"

"Supper will be at seven."

Mia asked, "Did you invite other people? Do we need to dress up?"

Mona made a face, "This is party for you, Mom. You party for a living I know that in your personal affairs you like to keep it simple. It will very casual and just for us: Aunt Jackie and Troy, Karen and Steve. It's a private family celebration. Hope you don't mind my inviting Karen."

Mia said, "For one thing, Karen is all but a member of the family, and for another, I don't think there can be a party in your neighborhood without her."

Mona made a shooing motion and said, "Go!"

By the time they returned, Karen and Steve had arrived, and Troy had returned. The party had already started without them. Jeremy made a comment to that effect, and Emma piped up, "Well, you see, when Aunt Karen is around, there's sort of a party no matter what else is going on."

A tiny but incredibly beautiful woman walked up to the group and said, laughing, "I resemble that remark!" She put out her hand and greeted Jeremy, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Waters. I'm Karen Powers."

He cocked his head and looked at her. "Is your maiden name, um, something like Wisinski?"

She looked surprised, "Actually, it's Wisniski." She looked at him closer and said, "Oh, my God, Mr. Waters! You're Miss Joanna's husband!" She looked confused.

Jeremy said to Mia and Emma, "Karen studied with Joanna when she was little. She was one of the best dancers to ever come out of Joanna's studio. Joanna was so proud of her." He smiled at Karen, "Do you remember how we sort of butted into your family party when you danced professionally in Atlanta for the first time?"

She put her hands in front of her body in the classic dancers pose of delight and said, "Oh, that was so wonderful." She paused again and asked gently, "Your wife is ... ?"

He said softly, "She passed two years ago."

Karen looked away and blinked madly, saying, "Oh, I am so sorry."

Mona said, "What an idiot I am! I knew Karen was a dancer and I knew your wife had been a dance teacher. The dance world in Boca must be relatively small. I should have mentioned your name to her."

Karen said, "I feel stupid I didn't make the connection."

Emma looked up at Karen with shining eyes, and said, "Aunt Karen, I didn't know you were a ballerina dancer. Did you dance on the stage in those beautiful costumes?"

"Yes. I was never a soloist, but I danced in the _corps de ballet_ with the Atlanta Ballet and, then, later the San Francisco ballet for several years."

Emma looked at her with something like awe. Jeremy said, "You know, Emma, I believe Jeff still has pictures of Karen on the lobby of the studio. He has two walls of photos of students who have gone on to dance professionally."

Karen asked, "Who's Jeff?"

"My son. He runs the studio now."

"Oh, how wonderful! I was thinking the other day it's time to start researching studios for my daughter. She's four, and ready to start lessons. I guess I don't need to do any research if The Seaside Academy is still in operation."

Jeremy grinned, "I have to go to San Francisco Monday, but I'll be back on Friday. Let's meet at the studio. I'll introduce you to Jeff and he can show you and your daughter around."

Emma said, "Can I go, too?"

Her mother said, "Sure. I thought you didn't want to take dance lessons."

"I don't. I'll stick to my piano. But, dance studios are full of music and stuff. I think I would like to see Aunt Karen's picture and I would like to be there when Caroline steps onto a dance floor for the first time."

Karen and Mona laughed. In response to the quizzical looks from Jeremy and Mia, Karen said, "My daughter has been a drama queen since birth, and a dancer since she could walk. I swear to God she learned to walk on her toes. Emma's right. Caroline will step out on the floor in the studio and go directly to Heaven."

Jeremy's eyes misted over, "Joanna wanted Alicia to be like that, but Alicia had no interest in dance whatsoever. One day when Jeff was about two years old, the babysitter called in sick, and Joanna took him to the studio with her. She was teaching a class for three and four year old beginners. All the students were girls. She set Jeff in the corner of the studio with a bunch of toys and started class. Almost immediately, Jeff was in the front row, moving through the various dance exercises almost perfectly. Joanna took Jeff to the studio with her every day from then on. She let him join in any classes he liked. She always said she could tell a real dancer by the look on the child's face the first time they took a class. Jeff swears that is correct even today."

Karen introduced Jeremy to her husband, who was also an attorney. She threatened both of them with serious bodily harm if they ended up in a corner together talking shop. Jackie introduced him to her husband, Troy, who, it turns out was also an attorney. Karen heard that and interrupted, saying, "I'll say this again so Troy can hear it, if I hear the words 'my client' once tonight out of any of you, there will be hell to pay."

Steve put his hands in front of his face and said, "Oooooooh, I'm scared."

The others laughed, but they confined their conversation to sports and fishing just to be on the safe side. Everyone was clearly hungry, but JJ had not arrived. Mona announced dinner, and Mia asked, "Aren't we going to wait for JJ?"

Mona made a face, "One of the first rules of being a doctor's wife is: never hold dinner."

Mia snorted, "JJ's an anesthesiologist, not an obstetrician."

Mona said, "Yeah, I know. The fact is, his tendency to not show up for parties has less to do with his job and more to do with the fact that he's also not much of a people-person. When it comes to parties, he usually manages to pull a double shift and fail to show up."

Karen folded her arms and arched her eyebrows, "I keep asking you to let me kill him."

Everybody laughed because the words seemed so incongruous from such a delicately lovely woman, but her inner toughness showed through her delicate exterior and there was not a person in the room who doubted she could hold her own in any confrontation.

Mona said, "I learned a long time ago to take him as he is. He's the greatest guy in the world when we are together alone. In a crowd, he turns into a bump on a log. I actually have more fun at parties without him, so I no longer want to kill him when he stands me up for a party."

About that time the front door opened and JJ walked into the room, looking sheepish. He looked around as though he expected they would already have eaten. Karen said, "Sorry to break the news to you, JJ, you managed not to miss dinner."

He gave her a dirty look that also conveyed enormous affection, and said, "I know you and Mona expected me to fail to show up like I usually do, and, I admit, I considered it." He walked over to Mia and smiled, kissing her on the cheek, "But, it's a family-only party, so I figured I could manage it. Besides I really am thrilled for you and wanted to be here to celebrate your new job with the rest of the family."

Mona laughed and put her hand in front of her forehead and said loudly, "Oh, mercy me, someone get the smelling salts, I feel faint."

That set the tone for the evening, which began with much laughter over dinner and ended in story telling that became more and more outrageous as the night wore on. It was very late by the time the party broke up. The men went off to bed and Mona, Karen, Jackie and Mia all pitched in to clean up and debrief the party. When they had put all the food away and loaded the dishwasher, Mona said, "That'll do for tonight. Let's go to bed."

Karen kissed Mia and Jackie and then gave Mona a long affectionate hug before leaving for for home, which was next door. Mia and Mona sent Jackie off to bed with hugs and kisses. Then Mia turned to her daughter and pulled her into a full-body hug, burying her face in Mona's hair. She struggled for control for a minute, and then said, "I thank you so much for the party. It was absolutely perfect. Even more, I thank you for the fact that our relationship seems to be back on track."

Mona hugged her mother tightly and choked back a sob. Eventually she responded, hoarsely, "I'm sorry I was so bossy and mean. But, Mom, you have to know I was really, really worried about you. I am so glad to have my 'old Mom' back."

Mia kissed her on the cheek and said, "I guess it's good to be back. Good-night, sweetheart."

She tried to slip into the bedroom quietly so as not to wake Jeremy. He said softly, "I'm not asleep." He held up the covers and invited her to join him. She changed quickly into her pajamas and crawled in beside him. He took her in his arms and they spooned their bodies together. He whispered, "That was fun. I appreciate being included."

"It appears you're part of the family now, for good or for ill. I was an only child and neither of my parents was close with their family, so I never really had much of a family. David had no contact with his family. The closest thing I have to family is Jackie. Mona was an only child, so she sort of went through life collecting 'sister-friends' like Karen. She and Karen have been friends since they were in their early twenties."

"How is it that they live next door to each other?"

"They met in New York. Mona was a student at NYU, sort of. Mona went to school at NYU to give herself an excuse to live in New York. Karen was a dancer, living in a tiny apartment with a bunch of other dancers. They all lived in the same apartment building. Mona and Karen became friends.

Karen moved on to Atlanta and later San Francisco to dance professionally, but she maintained her legal residence in Boca. When Mona had enough of living in poverty in New York, she came back to Florida and finished her degree at the University of Central Florida. A year or so later Karen came back from San Francisco. Mona moved to Boca and the girls rented an apartment together. Mona got a job in the business office of the practice where JJ worked. That's how they met. Karen met Steve when he enrolled his daughter in a dance class she was teaching. He was newly divorced and miserable. She was newly returned to town and all of the friends she had grown up with had moved away. You may have noticed a preponderance of old folks in Boca...."

He chuckled and said, "You're kidding! Old people in South Florida? I'd never noticed!"

"Anyway, the girls met their future husbands about the same time and the couples double dated a lot. They got married about the same time, although not in a double wedding, thank God. Steve and JJ were young professionals. They left the selection of houses up to their wives. Their first homes were in different neighborhoods, but fairly close to one another. When this housing project was first advertised, the girls seized the opportunity to build new homes next door to one another. It's been great. They take care of one another's kids and pets. They have a wonderful relationship."

"That's neat. Karen was a nice kid. She's turned out well. As a matter of fact, I liked all of your gang, and I feel privileged to be included in the family."

"I hope you continue to feel that way because we don't let people go easily."

He pulled back her hair and kissed the back of her neck, whispering, "I'm very glad for that. Since we're having a family weekend, how do you feel about getting together with my family, if my kids are available for lunch tomorrow. I don't think we need to even look at the condo in Ft. Lauderdale unless you want to."

She said, "First of all, it won't be lunch 'tomorrow' it will be later today. That sounds good. I'd like to see Jeff and Carol again. Call them in the morning." She snuggled down and made it clear she intended to go to sleep.

He said softly, "I think it's time to introduce you to Alicia. I can't put it off any longer."

"Okay. I'll deal with that tomorrow. Right now, please shut up and go to sleep."
Chapter 14 -

The next day everyone slept fairly late, and when they did get up they lingered over coffee and newspapers. JJ had run out and picked up several papers in order to allow for sharing. Jeremy excused himself and said he needed to call his kids.

Mia frowned, and Mona asked, "What's up with the scowl?"

"Oh, nothing. You know how nice Jeff and Carol are. Evidently, daughter Alicia is not quite so pleasant. Jeremy has been avoiding her since he came back from the cruise partly because she was mad at him for not taking her family on the cruise, too, and partly because he didn't want to tell her about me. I guess he figured it would not be necessary to tell her at all if our relationship went nowhere. Now that my family has evidently adopted him and we appear to be on the verge of taking up residence together, I guess he feels he can't put it off any longer."

"What's this about shacking up? Isn't that kind of soon?"

Mia shook her head, "Yes, and I have to tell you I'm very freaked out by it. The problem is that it just makes so much sense. Jeremy travels all the time. I'm going to be on the road more or less constantly for at least a couple of years. Part of the deal Sterling offered me included subsidized rent and maid service at one of their condominiums. Jeremy wants to move out of his condo. We can both save money if we share an apartment. I imagine we will rarely both be there at the same time."

Mona nodded and said, "It makes sense."

"We're going to have separate bedrooms and consider it a room-mate arrangement."

Mona made a dubious face and said, "Yeah, right."

"No. Really. I mean it won't mean we can't sort of 'date' if and when we ever actually find ourselves home at the same time, but we thought that would make things less weird."

"That's probably a wise idea, but, Mom, I gotta tell you: the way you two look at each other, nobody would ever believe you're just room-mates."

"It's that noticeable?"

"Yes, ma'am. It is. It'd be kind of disgusting if it weren't so cute."

Jeremy walked into the room at that moment and asked, "What's so cute?"

Mona poured him more coffee and said, "You and Mom."

Jackie looked up and said, "Geez, Mona, you're taking this a whole lot better than your mom took it when her dad started dating my mom."

Mia reached out and took Jackie's hand, "I can't tell you how many times in later years I apologized to Roxie for the way I behaved. She was a wonderful woman and a good wife to my dad. I was pretty rotten to her at first."

Jackie said, "She understood. She really did. And she never held it against you. I did, for a long time. But Mom never did."

Jeremy put his arm around Mia's shoulders and said softly, "I truly hate to break the news to you but you deserve the warning. I have a feeling that you're about to get a taste of your own medicine. My daughter did not take my news well."

"What goes around comes around, I suppose," Mia replied, "I guess I'll have to just deal with it. Roxie and Dad handled me very well. Dad spent a lot of one-on-one time with me to let me know that he still loved me. Roxie steered clear of me as much as possible at first. She was very nice to me on the rare occasions that we had to be together, but she never pushed me to actually have any kind of relationship with her. Eventually, however, when two people love the same person as much as Roxie and I loved Dad, I guess you sort of naturally build up an affection for one another. Roxie and I eventually came to love one another, too. But, it took a long time and it didn't come easy, at least not to me.

"That being said, I have to tell you I'm very nervous. Was she willing to meet us?"

"Yes. Actually, Jeff and Carol are busy today, so we're invited to Alicia's house for an early supper."

"I hate to have her cook. Why don't we take them out?"

"Quite honestly, because her two kids are such uncivilized monsters she can't take them out to eat in public places."

Jackie raised her eyebrows and said, "That's a rather hostile thing to say about your grandchildren, isn't it?"

Jeremy sighed, "It isn't that I don't love them. They are nice kids. They are kind and polite. The problem is that they can't sit still and they are very loud. Alicia has never made them learn to sit down and behave. I honestly don't know how their teachers manage them. They absolutely cannot sit at the table and eat a meal without getting up and running around creating chaos. It is just so annoying. That is why I didn't invite Alicia to join us on the cruise.

"Anyway, I guess that I came off unnecessarily hostile towards the kids when I'm really just very annoyed with Alicia."

Mia patted his arm and said, "It'll be okay. She doesn't have to like me," she smiled and added with a wink, "Her father is the person whose opinion matters to me."

He smiled back at her and said, "Well, her father is crazy about you."

She blushed and everybody laughed. Jackie and Troy left shortly after that to resume their journey to the Keys. Emma came home from across the street in time to say good-bye. Mia and Jeremy hung around so Mia could spend some time with her granddaughter. Jeremy took his laptop into the bedroom and worked for a while. About 3:30, he came out and said it was time for them to go. Emma said, "Geez, Gram, I wish you didn't have to go so soon."

Mia hugged her and said, "I do, too. But, the good news is that I've decided to move to Boca so I can see you more often. I'll be traveling a lot in my new job, so we won't see each other every week or anything, but we'll be able to get together a lot when I'm home. I'm renting an apartment at the condo near the park where you go to the beach. When I'm home you can come and stay with me."

Emma jumped up and down, "Oh, Gram, that's great!"

Jeremy and Mia kissed and hugged Mona and Emma. JJ had said his farewells earlier when he left for work.

As they pulled out of the driveway, Mia asked, "Where does Alicia live?"

"She lives in a very upscale gated community in West Palm Beach."

"What does her husband do?"

"He's sort of an entrepreneur. He owns a whole bunch of businesses including several fast food chain franchises, mini-markets, and self-service laundries. His business plan seems to be to run businesses that provide services people need regardless of the economy. Seems to be working. He appears to make a lot of money. Or at least they spend it like he makes a lot of money."

"Those two things are not necessarily the same."

"I bet you have had experiences with clients who spend it like they have it, but don't."

"I certainly have, and I learned the hard way to get my money up front for big expensive weddings for daughters of entrepreneurs. A lot of time they're all about appearances, and they don't have the cash in the bank to back it up. Then again, some of them are amazingly rich because of an business idea that seems as simple as 'giving people a product or service they will buy'."

He laughed. She looked annoyed and asked, "What's so funny?"

"I am sorry. I don't mean to laugh at you. It's just that you look like, and most of the time you act like, a regular middle aged grandmotherly lady. Then you say stuff like that, revealing a little about the tough businesswoman you apparently are as well. It strikes me as a little incongruous."

She made a face and said, "In a way, I think that works to my advantage, at least in business. I have to be tough because the hotel business is a dog-eat-dog business. I have tried never to achieve that high-gloss polish a lot of women executives assume. I have always wanted to appear down-to-earth and approachable, both for my staff and my clients. It never fails to surprise people who they think they can push me around when I take off the kid gloves and show the brass knuckles underneath."

He laughed and said, "Remind me never to try to push you around." He looked at her and said, "You look very calm but something tells me you're nervous."

"I am nervous. I have to tell you it freaks me out that you could tell. I'm usually very good at hiding my emotions."

"You're quieter than usual and when I touched your arm to help you in the car, it felt like your pulse was a little fast. I don't think anybody else could tell."

She smiled, "I guess in your business you have to be able to read people very carefully. For a minute, I thought I was losing my poker face."

"Not at all, dearie. As far as I can see, unless somebody takes your pulse, you don't even have a tell."

"Good. I hope to keep it that way. By the way, I'm sorry Jeff and Carol are unavailable. Perhaps the next time we're in town at the same time we can get together with them. We can share our cruise pictures."

"Good idea. Perhaps we can have a sort of housewarming party at some point. I'm assuming you're taking the apartment even if you don't want to share with me."

"I told Mona we were going to share an apartment."

"You did?"

"I sort of wanted to say it out loud to see how it sounded."

"How did it sound? And what was her reaction?"

"Well, she didn't drop dead and I didn't fall into hysterical laughter at the ridiculousness of moving in with a man I've known for less than a month."

"Does that mean you've made up your mind?"

"It means I guess we can try it for a while. If it doesn't work out, we're only renting. I can always move into the other apartment."

"When do you want to move?"

"I'm going to plan on moving right away."

"Don't you have to sell your house?"

"If I can't sell it in a reasonable time, Sterling will buy it. I actually think I can sell it pretty quickly. It's in a great location, and I don't have to ask a lot for it. I didn't pay a lot for it.

"In any case, I want to move as soon as I can. I'm going to LA this week to meet with the Event Planner to the Stars. I want to explain in person why she didn't get this job before they make a general announcement about my promotion. I want to make sure she doesn't feel slighted for not getting tagged for the job, and I also want to line her up to be on my team. When I come home later in the week, I'll start packing and plan to move as soon as I can. The apartment is furnished. I'll offer to sell my house with the furniture. That is often an inducement for buyers of winter homes. I'll give most of my treasures to Mona and Emma. The rest of the usable stuff I'll give to charity, and throw out the accumulated junk. I think I want to move into this next phase of my life with as little baggage as possible. I'll probably bring only my clothes and my computer."

"You carry this 'traveling light' business to amazing extremes!"

"I want to kind of make a new start in my life."

"I understand that. Without having consciously decided to do so, I think I have been sort of moving in that direction, myself. When I turned over my house to Jeff, I left just about everything there. Joanna and I never moved much of our personal belongings into the condo. It was never a place we intended to live. It was the place she went to die. You may have noticed I have very few things there. Most of my personal stuff is in my apartment in Chicago. I'll probably move into our apartment with a couple of suitcases, a computer and my special chair."

"Did you like the furnishings in the place?"

"Honestly, I didn't pay that much attention to the furniture. I won't be there very much and, when I am there, I'll be looking out the windows."

"I agree, and share that opinion, but I sat on the couch and it is hard as a rock and very uncomfortable. Would you mind if we looked for something a little more comfy."

"I'll trust you to do that. I've never bought a stick of furniture in my life, and wouldn't know where to begin."

"Not even your special chair?"

"Alicia bought that for me for Father's Day a few years ago. It's some kind of ergonomic chair from Europe. It's positively hideous to look at and you'll hate having it in the living room, but it is so comfortable, I absolutely won't move without it. I had her order another one for my apartment in Chicago, too."

"Wow! I might look into that. I'm thinking a nice comfy ergonomic chair might be better for my back and my circulation than a squishy couch."

"Good point. Spend too much time in airplanes and you'll need something to work out the kinks."

He pulled up to the entrance of a gated community and gave his name. The guard checked the visitors list and took his license plate number, then waved them through. Jeremy shook his head, "I hate the very idea of gated communities."

"Me, too. Wow, these houses are huge."

"McMansions."

She laughed and concentrated on calming her nerves. After winding around through streets that seemed go around in circles and turn back upon themselves, to the point that Mia felt lost, Jeremy pulled into the driveway of a huge house that Mia was surprised to discover was actually amazingly beautiful. She looked at it for a minute, cocked her head, and said, "Oh my God!"

"What?"

"How long has your daughter lived here?"

"Oh, I think about seven or eight years. They moved here right before Becca was born. She's seven. Why?"

"If David didn't design this house personally, one of his staff did. It has all his signature features."

"I thought he worked on large commercial projects."

"That was his bread and butter, but he loved to design residential dwellings for fun. He designed a lot of houses for corporate executives of his client companies and for his friends. Did they build this house or buy it from someone else?"

"They built it."

Jeremy rang the bell and squeezed her hand. His son-in-law, Mark, answered the door. He shook their hands and invited them in. When she walked into the foyer, Mia felt overwhelmed by the sense of the house welcoming her. Everywhere she looked she saw David's handiwork. She smiled, but tears filled her eyes.

Just then, Alicia walked into the room. She looked concerned and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Mia shook her head and smiled, "I'm just overwhelmed by the beauty and comfort of your home. It reminds me of .... of."

Mark said, "It reminds you of the work of a certain architect whom you knew very well?"

Mia looked at him and smiled with shining eyes, "David designed this house didn't he?"

Mark nodded. "My dad owns a bunch of shopping centers throughout the South and David's firm did a lot of work for my dad. David designed some commercial properties for him and then he designed a vacation house for my parents in western Virginia."

"Your dad is Stephen Ross?"

"Yes. You remember him?"

"Yes. He was a very good friend to David."

"Anyway, I loved Dad's vacation house, so when Alicia and I were expecting our first child I asked David if he'd be willing to design a house for us. He agreed, and this is the result. We love every square inch of the place."

Mia bit her lip and said nothing for a minute. She turned to Alicia and said, "I apologize for my rudeness. I'm Mia Thomas." She held out her hand in greeting.

Alicia laughed and said, "It used to bother me when people came into my house and were so bowled over by it they couldn't even talk to me for a few minutes. Now, I'm used to it, and I have come to appreciate the fact that the house welcomes company so graciously. By the time my guests recover enough to talk to me, they're already very relaxed and comfortable."

Mia laughed out loud and said, "That happened every time we had company. I used to get so irritated by the fact that my guests didn't even look at me for ever so long, and then most of the time the first thing they would say was..."

Alicia interrupted and said, "'Please show me the rest of your house!'"

Mia laughed, and then looked sheepish. Alicia smiled and took her by the arm, "You don't have to ask. I can see the look in your eyes." She called over her shoulder for Mark to give Jeremy a drink, took Mia's arm and headed for the stairs. Alicia showed her around the house, which at every turn thrilled Mia with its beauty and, at the same time, caused wave after wave of grief to wash over her. When they walked into the master bedroom, Mia gasped and backed into the hall. It was almost identical to the upstairs sitting room which had been her favorite refuge in her old house. Alicia put her hand on Mia's shoulder and said softly, "If you'd like, I'll leave you alone for a few minutes."

Mia brushed the tears from her cheeks and tried to smile, "I am so sorry to be such an emotional wreck. This is the first time I've been in a house David designed since I sold our home. I had no idea it would cause me to be so emotional. I am unbelievably embarrassed."

Alicia went into the bedroom and came out with a few tissues. She handed them to Mia, and said, "Actually, Mrs. Thomas, your reaction to my home may have worked to your advantage. I was predisposed to reject any notion of a woman moving into my father's life and taking my mother's place. I gave him a really hard time about it every time he went out with someone. I was prepared to do it again this time. However, the fact that it is very clear you loved your husband and still grieve for him, just as I know my dad still grieves for my mother, makes me think maybe I was being a little unfair."

Mia smiled and took Alicia's hand. "My dad remarried a couple of years after my mother died. I gave his second wife a hard time at first. I understand the impulse to be protective of your father while he is so vulnerable after such a terrible loss. I understand, from firsthand experience, the distaste children have for seeing someone else in their late parent's 'place'. It is unbelievably hard.

"I don't know what's going on between me and your dad. Lord knows, whatever it is it is moving way too far, way too fast. But, one thing I can tell you: he and I both cherish and honor the memories of our first spouses and we always will. What is more, we seem to be able to give the other one space and support when those tidal waves of grief wash over us from time to time. Like today."

It was Alicia's turn to get weepy. Mia handed her a tissue. After Alicia pulled herself together, they checked each other for smudged makeup and then Mia said, "What do you say we rejoin the guys. We'll shock your father by being all friendly-like."

Alicia laughed. "He won't know what to say!"

"That'll be a real switch for the silver-tongued trial lawyer who seems never to be at a loss for words."

Alicia threw back her head and laughed. They were still laughing when they walked down the stairs arm-in-arm. Jeremy looked up and his face registered something bordering on astonishment. That caused another wave of hilarity. Mark poured them each a glass of wine and asked them what was so funny. Alicia started to answer, but collapsed into giggles again. Mia said, "We were laughing at how surprised and speechless Jeremy was going to be when he saw us laughing." She thought about that for a minute and shook her head, looking at Alicia, and added lamely, "Or something like that."

They chatted for a few minutes. Mark asked Mia if she would mind if his dad stopped by. He told her his dad had said he would love to see her. Alicia looked at him with a bemused expression, "You knew she was David's wife?"

"I didn't know for sure, but I mentioned to dad that your father was seeing a woman from Orlando whose husband had been an architect. Dad told me that if she turned out to be Mia Thomas, your dad had picked a real winner."

Alica narrowed her eyes, chewed on her lower lip for a long minute, and, after a meaningful pause, said, "You knew that and didn't share it with me?"

He said, "Well, you know, you had already made up your mind you weren't going to like her no matter what, and I wasn't sure she actually was Mrs. Thomas." He paused and added, rather delicately, "I sort of didn't want to fall into the category of 'turncoat' -- if you get my drift."

Jeremy chuckled, and mumbled, "Wise man."

Alicia pretended to glare at her father, and said, "You keep out of this, you're in enough trouble as it is." Then she fell to giggling again.

Mia looked at Jeremy and at Alicia and then turned back to Mark, "I'd love to see Stephen, but I'm not sure this is the time or place to sit around an reminisce about David."

"I assure you that isn't what he has in mind."

Jeremy said, "Call him. I enjoy your dad's company. Besides, I think what with the women so riled up and all, I wouldn't mind another man around to even things up a little." He stuck out his tongue at Alicia. She got up to go to the kitchen and said over her shoulder, "Tell him to come for dinner. I'll add more potatoes to the soup."

Mark went into the other room to call his dad and Jeremy turned to Mia and whispered, "What the hell did you do to her?"

"Would you believe I cast a voodoo spell on her?"

"I almost believe that! I'm confused."

"I got a little emotional about the house. David's houses have always felt to me like David is personally welcoming me and trying to make me comfortable. I got really overwhelmed when I walked into the bedroom, which is just like my old sitting room, my favorite room in all the world. I started to cry. It startled Alicia and made her understand that I loved David and cherish his memory, and she also had a kind of flash of insight that you could be interested in me and still feel the same way about Joanna. She decided to give me the benefit of the doubt, although, I have to say that if anything were to happen and you were to get hurt, I may have to move to a Sterling-owned condo in Indonesia or someplace."

He nodded and said, "A welcome, but perhaps, temporary reprieve." She nodded.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang. Mia looked at Alicia, and said, "That can't be Stephen!"

"Yes it is. He only lives around the corner."

Mark answered the door and in a few seconds Mia was in the arms of one of David's best friends. She had not seen Stephen since David's funeral. His wife had died before David's accident and he had sent Mia a beautiful letter about loss of a spouse which she kept and reread many times during those first horrible months. He held her at arms length and said, "My God, you look fantastic. I should have kept in touch. Perhaps I'd have beat Jeremy to the draw."

She shook her head and laughed, "You forget, I know you way too well for that."

He shook hands with Jeremy. "It's good to see you again." He looked from Alicia to Mia to Jeremy and puckered up his brow, "It's also good to know that Mia's charms have worked on more than one member of your family." He winked at Alicia.

"Oh, knock it off. You are all making me feel like a witch."

Mia said, "There's no reason to feel bad about defending your father from potential gold diggers and heaven only knows what other kind of rapacious women who might try to take him for a ride."

Jeremy looked offended and said, "I am not a little kid, you know."

Mia and Alicia both shook their heads, and Mia beat Alicia to saying, "No you're not. You're smart and accomplished and apparently a wonderful lawyer, who is – in addition – very handsome." She raised her eyebrows and winked at him. "You also had the privilege of being happily and faithfully married to a wonderful woman who treated you well. Your compadres who do family law could fill you in on the horrible damage done to the lives of smart, successful but nice men when a certain type of woman gets her hooks in them." She shook her head and shuddered, "I have on occasion planned weddings for couples like that. Twice I actually violated every code of professional conduct there is and warned the groom to run away – far, far away."

Stephen laughed, "I remember one of those situations. It was actually a couple I referred to you, although they apparently did not tell you they knew me. At the time he was so offended, he almost ratted you out to the your corporate superiors."

"Who was that and why didn't he?"

"It was Todd McAndrews. He worked for the Coopers Group. He said he intended to have a conversation with your GM when he got back from his honeymoon. He never got around to it because before the first week of the honeymoon was over, he realized you had been right. The divorce ultimately cost him something like $5 million."

Jeremy whistled. He looked at Mia, "What about the other one?"

"That groom broke off the engagement. I think he was already having serious reservations; I sort of pushed him over the brink. The would-be bride sued for breach of contract. There was a settlement. I don't know how much it was, but considering who her attorney was, I'm guessing it was sizable. Still, it was probably worth it if it got him out of living with someone who was that horrible." Mia paused and said, "You see, I'm one of those lucky few, too. I was treated well by most of the guys I dated before I met David, not that there were that many. David treated me like I was the Queen of Sheba. Mona has been wonderful. I have great friends, wonderful bosses and colleagues at work. I've lived my whole life in a sort of cocoon of comfort, love and kindness. I can't imagine living any other way.

"However, you would not believe the fighting and cold-blooded manipulation that occurs in some families over wedding-planning." She laughed and added, "You know we have more problems with fights at weddings than any other kind of event that takes place at the hotels. I always have at least one professional, trained bouncer at every wedding, even really small ones. For large affairs, I bring in a whole security team."

She put her arm on Jeremy's arm and said, "I know it will piss you off when I say this: I know you're not a kid, but you are very naïve when it comes to women. Alicia was right to be concerned about your emotional safety."

Stephen added, "Not to mention your financial safety."

Mia nodded and said, "Yeah, that too."

Jeremy shook his head. It was pretty clear he wanted to be angry with them for treating him like someone who could not take care of himself, but their motives were so pure, it was hard for him to be mad. He huffed and puffed, which caused Alicia and Mia to look as though they were going to laugh again. He glowered at both of them and said, "Oh, knock it off. Let's change the subject."

The children, who had been playing at a neighbor's house, came trooping in jumping on their grandfathers' laps, whooping and hollering. Alicia marched them off to the bathroom to wash their hands for dinner. They went to the table and managed to have a festive dinner, albeit one that was interrupted countless times by loud interjections, spills, a broken glass, and cross words between the children as well as from the parents' to the children. Almost as soon as the dinner table was cleared, Jeremy and Stephen hustled the kids into the play room. Jeremy came out a few minutes later and told Alicia and Mark that he and Mia had to leave. He explained they were each flying to the West Coast from Orlando in the morning, and they had to get up early.

Alicia's head came up and she looked at him through narrowed eyes, "You are driving to Orlando tonight?"

"Yes, and, before you ask, I'm staying with Mia. In her new job she will be traveling as much as I do, or more. Soon she's moving to Boca to be closer to her daughter. You might as well know that we're considering sharing an apartment, since both of us will be on the road most of the time."

Alicia said, with a squeaky voice that was clearly an effort not to shout, "You're moving her into Mom's condo?"

Jeremy made a face, "Of course not! I'm going to let you and Jeff use that for weekends and vacations if you want. Mia works for Sterling Hotels and Resorts. They're going to give us a great deal on an apartment. We'll both save money, and we'll have maid service to keep up the apartment when we're not there. I'm guessing we'll each still have a lot of privacy because we don't expect to both be home at the same time very often."

Alicia obviously didn't like it, but verbally agreed that it was a very practical plan. They said their good-byes. Mark shook her hand warmly. Alicia hugged her, without the warmth that the beginning of the evening had promised, but without any real animosity. Stephan gave her a bear hug and a big kiss on the cheek. He congratulated Jeremy on his "catch".

After they got on the highway, they rode in silence for a while, each one catching their breath. Eventually, Jeremy said, "Well, that was interesting."

"That's a good word."

He said, "You know I have always loved Alicia's house. As you said, every time I walk in the door I feel as though the house is greeting me. There's a house on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago that has the same affect on me. It doesn't look like their house, but every time I drive by it, I have this wonderful sense of welcome. Sometimes it's all I can do not to pull in the driveway and ring the doorbell."

Mia laughed, "It's a sort of semi-Tudor style red-brick with white trim. Looks Tudor from one angle, ultra-modern from another. The circle driveway is lined with tulips in the spring."

"How did you know?"

"That was David's favorite project. It was one of his first big residential commissions. He designed it for a doctor and his new bride. You should see the inside of the place! It is fabulous. The entire back of the house is glass, looking out on the lake."

"Amazing. How do you think he did that?"

"Making houses that invite you to come in and be happy was his signature."

"I'm sorry it was such an emotional thing for you, but in a way I think it turned out as a good thing."

"That's what Alicia said. She said it sort of shocked her into giving me the benefit of the doubt, although you almost screwed the pooch there at the end when you told her we were going to share an apartment."

"Better she hear it from me, early on. Remind me to call Jeff and tell him. I don't want him to hear it from her."

"Call him now. I usually hate when people talk on the phone while I'm in the car, but this is an exceptional situation."

He placed a call to Jeff and gave him a brief update on the dinner with Alicia. First he told Jeff about the fact that Alicia's home was designed by Mia's husband. Jeff said, "That's awesome. I have always loved that house. It's the only thing Alicia has that I really envy."

Jeremy went on to tell Jeff about the possibility that he and Mia might share an apartment. Jeff thought it was a great idea and asked what his dad was going to do with his existing condo. "I think I'll let the management rent it out. I'll make arrangements for you and Alicia to use it whenever you want."

"That would be cool. I have to go, Dad. Our dinner's ready. Thanks for filling me in. Have a good trip to San Francisco. I'll look forward to talking to you in more detail later."

They clicked off.

Jeremy said, "On another subject, I appreciate the fact that you were able to score some points with Alicia by pointing out how lucky I have been in the woman department. I wouldn't say this in front of Alicia, but I want you to know that I'm not as much of a naïf as you take me for. I was at first, but I have, in fact, encountered some women like the ones you referred to.

"As a matter of fact, I ran into the first one while Joanna was still alive. The woman offered me all kinds of services, including but not limited to dating, while my wife was still taking chemotherapy on a weekly basis. That conversation stands out in my mind with amazing clarity. It is the closest I have ever come in my life to hitting a woman. As I sit here today, I have to tell you that I rather regret my decision not to pop the bitch."

She asked, "If you knew that kind of person was 'out there' why did you move so fast with me on the ship? How did you know I wasn't one of those women?"

He laughed, "Now it's your turn to be naïve! My dear woman, your entire demeanor positively screams of decency. I've been amused to discover that you have that hard-nosed businesswoman side to you; that came as a surprise – a pleasant surprise, by the way. The thing I noticed that first night on the cruise was that you were someone in exactly the same situation as me. I was right about that in more ways than I knew at the time, because, while I am a grieving widower, I'm also a tough attorney."

She leaned back in her seat and sighed. "I am sorry if I seemed to denigrate your capacity for identifying predatory women. I guess I was playing to Alicia's hand a little. She was leaning in my direction. I wanted to make her an ally rather than an enemy."

"I think you succeeded."

"I did until you told her we were going to shack up. The good news is that, by then, I think she was already predisposed to being okay with me."

They passed the rest of the drive in silence, but they held hands for support all the way back to Mia's house. Jeremy left his travel bag in the trunk and took his overnight bag into the house. Mia's travel bag was inside the front door. He asked, "Will you need to throw anything in that in the morning?"

She shook her head, "I don't think so, but don't put it in the trunk just yet. I'm kind of new to this business-traveling stuff. I may decide I want to toss something in at the last minute."

They changed into pajamas and went to bed almost immediately. He pulled her close, his entire body asking a question. He felt her sigh and he said, "You're tired."

"Yes. I am. I'm tired. I'm also emotionally overwrought." She paused and added, "If you really want to make love, I'm sure I could be persuaded to join the fun, but I'd really rather you just hold me."

He said, "Gladly," and pulled her even closer wrapping both his arms around her and throwing one leg over hers. It had been a long time since she had felt so loved and so safe. She slipped into slumber almost immediately and woke before the alarm went off in the morning.

She went into the bathroom in the hall where she showered quickly and dressed for her trip. By the time she came out of the bathroom, Jeremy was coming out of the bedroom, dressed and ready to go. They decided to pick up coffee at the airport instead of taking time to make coffee at home. She had nothing to add to her suitcase, so he tossed it in the trunk with his, and the headed for the airport in only minutes.

He laughed, "You know I adored Joanna, but she was a pain in the ass when it came to trying to get ready to go anywhere, especially early in the morning. I truly and deeply appreciate the fact that you can get ready so quickly and without any drama. Thank you."

She laughed and patted his hand.

They were on the same flight as far as Denver. They checked their bags, and headed for the coffee shop where they bought large coffees to go. They cuddled together and, despite the caffeine, dozed most of the way to Denver. When they arrived, they went their separate ways. He headed for his flight to San Francisco, which was departing almost immediately. She had a while to wait for her flight to LA. She caught up on emails and rehearsed her conversation with Dolores Sanchez, jotting talking points.

Her first foray as the Vice President for Signature Events was a screaming success. Sterling sent a limo to meet her at the airport. The concierge greeted her by name when she arrived, and instructed a porter to take Mia's bags to her suite. Another porter ushered her to the GM's office. She talked with him for a while, explaining the purpose of the new department and giving him plenty of assurance that she did not intend to raid his staff to fill her department, although she did intend to pick their brains.

She explained the economics of the arrangement and showed him some figures comparing his revenue from special events to other hotels. She said, "You're doing a great job. We want to examine your model carefully and export what we can to other hotels. We won't take business away from you. Hollywood's not going anywhere, and Dolores has plenty of loyal customers. We want to use your model, modified as necessary to get gigs in other resorts we are losing to the competition.

"We also want to provide support to you when necessary for really big events. For example, I've noticed you've never done a huge premier party or after-Oscar party in the hotel. Why not? I'm guessing that you may not have the internal resources to staff an event like that. If I could help provide staff and resources, could you move in that direction? Maybe those huge events aren't worth the bother. I don't know. I'm just going to be asking a lot of questions at this point."

He grinned at her and said, "I have to tell you I had a big fight with Roger Benedict about letting you come here, but he pulled rank on me. Dolores, on the other hand, was thrilled to have you visit. She thinks you are fabulous and looks forward to working with you. I will admit I have my reservations about this whole plan, but I'm at least willing to give it a try. Provided you do not move in on Dolores and provided there is something in it for my hotel."

"Understood. That is perfectly reasonable. I believe Corporate has agreed to reimburse your hotel for any consulting services Dolores may provide to Signature Events."

He looked dubious, and asked, "Do you want to see any reports on our events schedules?"

She pulled a folder out of her briefcase and shook her head, "I don't think so. I pulled all the numbers I think I need. She showed him the reports she had run, and asked if he had anything else that might be helpful to her."

He looked at the report quickly at first and then more closely, then he whistled. "Who designed this report?"

"I did."

"Will you send me a copy of the template and formulas. This is fabulous."

She smiled. "Gladly. If you tweak it in any way that will make it even more useful, I'd appreciate your sharing it with me."

He shook his head and gave her a crooked grin, "You're going to make the GM's cooperate with you one way or the other. If you can't charm us into it, you'll blow us away with your brilliance. Right?"

She smiled, "That's the plan. And if that doesn't work, I'll call Roger Benedict and he can lower the boom."

He leaned back in his chair and laughed out loud, "Mark told me you'd amaze and bedazzle me."

"I'm sure he also added that I'd piss you off eight ways to Sunday, and drive you to drink before I leave as well."

"He said something to that effect."

"See, you GM's can cooperate already. You just didn't know it."

He put his hands on his desk in a clear signal he wanted to get rid of her, "What do you want to do next?"

"I'm meeting with Dolores this afternoon. If possible, I'd like to have a tour of the hotel first. I want to see the public face of the hotel, but I also want to see the back rooms, the kitchens, the storage rooms, the offices."

He buzzed his assistant. The manager of hotel operations came into the office. She offered to take Mia on the grand tour. After that, she delivered Mia to Dolores Sanchez's office for lunch. The women hugged in greeting. Dolores congratulated her profusely on her promotion.

Mia said, "I wanted to visit you first for two reasons. First of all, I wanted to make sure you heard about this from me before the announcement is made from Corporate. I want to make sure there are no hard feelings about why you were not selected. The reason they gave me the position was because you are too valuable here. I also want to enlist your assistance. You're the best there is at what you do. I want to understand how you do it, so I can learn and develop a model I can export."

Dolores patted her hand, "I am happy for you. I am not the least bit upset that they didn't pick me. First, I love what I do here. I have clients with whom I have worked for decades. Besides that, I absolutely hate to fly. You should understand that. I'll help you all I can, over the phone, by email. I'll loan you my people. I'll give you advice, but I won't get on a plane."

Mia said, "Understood. And thank you."

They spent the rest of the afternoon reviewing reports, party planning templates, tips and hints. Late in the day, Dolores said, "It happens that we are having a birthday party this evening for one of our long-time movie star clients. It's a relatively small affair, only a few hundred people. I thought perhaps you'd like to attend and observe."

Mia nodded. "Is it formal?"

"Yes."

"I'll need to buy or borrow a dress." She jotted something in her notebook, saying, "Note to self: always toss in an evening frock when going on inspections for events staff."

They laughed. Dolores looked at Mia and said, "Anything I own would hang on you. Why don't you check out one of the stores in the lobby."

"God, I'll pay an arm and a leg for a dress here!"

"Expense it, silly."

Mia thought about that and made another note. "I need to talk to Roger about that. A clothing allowance might be in order."

Mia had done a few events for movie people in Orlando. Typically there were a few movie stars in attendance, but most of the attendees were crew member or vendors who had worked on location shoots. This was the real-deal: a true Hollywood party. Mia recognized at least a few people at every table. She stood off to the side and tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. At one point she found herself standing next to a man whom she recognized immediately as a bouncer. She raised her eyebrows and asked, "Are your services really needed at an event like this?"

He smiled and said, "You know what I'm here for?"

She introduced herself and explained why she was there. She asked him for his perspective on the event. He pooched his lips and said, "Dolores brings in extra security for parties like this. Anytime you mix legal alcohol and an unknown quantity of illegal chemicals being ingested by an unknown number of guests with such huge egos, you get a potentially volatile situation." Mia noticed he did not look at her. Vigilant as a lifeguard, he never took his eyes off the room. Mia followed his gaze. They talked for quite a while. She liked the guy, and asked his name. Dolores walked up and looked at Mia and then at the bouncer, she said to Mia, "Don't you even get any ideas about taking any of my security staff. I've trained them up the way I want and I'm not letting you take any of them away from me."

Mia said, "If Corporate pays for it, would you conduct training for people I bring in?"

Dolores nodded and smiled.

The bouncer laughed and moved away quietly. The next time Mia saw him, he was very discretely escorting a woman, who appeared to be quite intoxicated, out of the ballroom.

Mia spent the next day interviewing mangers in the events department as well as the managers of other departments regarding the role of food service, hotel operations, inventory control, and housekeeping in planning, executing and recovering from special events. She took copious notes. At the end of the day, she met Dolores one last time. She reviewed her findings with Dolores, who said, "My God, woman, you have the soul of an internal auditor. I had no idea you were going to turn us inside out like that. Do me a favor and share this information with Corporate Ops and Quality Assurance. Maybe you can get me a pass on my next inspection. Just out of curiosity, what kind of rating would you give me?"

Mia looked at her reports. The last Quality Assurance Audit gave the hotel a Five Star rating. Mia thought that was a bit generous. She screwed up her face and said, "I think you're doing a great job, really. I have the feeling, however, that your entire operation sort of takes your clients for granted. You're doing the same dance over and over. You do it brilliantly, but I'm not seeing anything that really blows me away. Forgive me if I sound like Randy Jackson!"

Dolores said, without smiling, "Wrong show."

Mia felt the negative vibe. Dolores was used to having people worship at the Altar of the "Event Planner to the Stars." She probably hadn't heard a negative word in a decade. Mia shrugged and said, "Whatever. Anyway, you've got the drill down pat. You do it perfectly. You're doing the same events year after year for the same clients. Having long-term clients is a good thing. What you're not doing is generating a lot of new clients and you're not doing weddings for your existing clients."

Dolores made a face, "I hate weddings."

Mia laughed, "Anybody who's done as many weddings as you and I have would hate them, and for good reason. There is no question that they're a pain in the ass. We both know, however, that weddings are not only hugely profitable, they are a fantastic source for new business. Even if you don't want to do weddings here, you could siphon them off to other hotels. Joe Megastar's daughter wants to get married in Cabo. Joe's been your client for years. Invite them to work with us to plan a wedding in Cabo. You don't have to do the wedding. Just give me the referral."

"Will I get something out of it?"

"Of course."

Dolores made a note, and nodded. Mia almost feared the kinds of events Dolores would be sending her way. Then Dolores, by way of ending the meeting, said, "The GM wants to talk to you again before you go."

Mia nodded. She expected to be grilled by him as to what she intended to tell Corporate. They talked for a couple of hours, and by the time she left she had the sense that she had both the GM and Dolores mostly on board with what she had in mind. They both understood that what she wanted to do would have a positive impact on the ability of the entire chain to market elaborate special events. They agreed to help as best they could in her efforts. She went there to get them on her team, and left with exactly what she had hoped.

In addition, she had accumulated some valuable information she needed in order to develop an action plan for their internal operations. She hadn't quite decided yet when or how to roll out the action plans for the superior hotels. For the time being, she intended to keep that plan to herself.

She had booked herself on the red eye back to Orlando. She spent the entire evening typing up her notes while waiting in the airport lounge (the Company had sprung for a membership in one of the VIP travel clubs). She worked for a few more hours on the plane, until long after the other passengers had dozed off. When she finished transcribing her notes, she caught a couple of hours' sleep.

Only after she arrived in Orlando, she realized that she did not have transportation, so she took a cab home. After traveling all night, she thought that was a wise idea anyway.

The resort in Boca had a courtesy car and a shuttle service to the airport. She decided then and there to take advantage of that option in the future. After arriving home, she sent a quick email to Mona to let her know she was home safe, and going to bed. She didn't get up until the early afternoon. She took a long walk, and then sat down to compose her report on her trip. She did a detailed report for her files, and a one page summary for the Operations VP.

She forwarded it to him with her proposed schedule for the next eight weeks. She built in a week of vacation for her move to Boca. She also raised the question of a clothing allowance, mentioning that she had purchased a rather expensive gown for the party in LA.

An hour or so later, the Ops VP, Tomas Gonzalez called her cell. He was laughing when she picked up the phone. "Well, my dear, you have started off with a bang."

"How so?"

"Both Dolores Sanchez and the GM of the LA hotel thought the visit went so well they think they should be able to skip their next Quality Assurance audit. What do you think?"

"I understand how they would feel that way. I took a pretty good look under the hood, but I don't think I looked at all the things QA does. I'm a big fan of QA, and I would not be inclined to give the hotel a total pass. Maybe I could share my findings with Sarah; she can streamline her audit if she chooses. I'm also wondering if maybe I should not review the last QA audit before I go into a hotel so I don't bother to look at the stuff we know the hotel is doing well. Could you get Sarah to copy me on her reports?"

"That's an excellent idea. You might also consider taking one or two QA people with you to help when you go into profit centers that are under-performing."

"That's a good idea, too, if we handle it right. I'll call Sarah and explore how we might work together."

"I'm very pleased with your first outing, and I've shared your memo with Roger. He's happy with it too."

"I'm assuming you don't want all the details."

"That's correct for now. We're assuming you're compiling them and you'll give us some kind of detailed report, say, after your first 90 days."

"Sure. Give me a date, and I'll come to Chicago to give you an update."

"I'll have my assistant call you.

"On the other issues you raised. A clothing allowance is not a bad idea. We want you to be the public face of our Signature Events Department.

"Roger suggested perhaps we go even further. We want you to make arrangements with an image consultant. Dolores may be able to put you on to one, or maybe you could find someone in Miami who's plugged into the fashion industry. Sit down with the person and come up with a 'Look'. Hair, makeup, wardrobe. As much traveling as you'll be doing you'll need a haircut and makeup routine that are easy. Map out a good wardrobe with resort clothes, business clothes, and party frocks. We'll pay for the consultation. Once we see the person's recommendations, we'll figure out how much of a clothing allowance you'll need."

"Holy smoke! You know that sounds really extravagant, but I'm guessing it may be money well spent. I'm a horrible shopper. If the person can teach me what to look for in the way of color and style, I can save a lot of time, and I'll probably get more bang for the buck, whether it be the Company's or mine."

He laughed and said, "That's the line Roger's wife used on him when she convinced him to let her hire a consultant. He complains that she isn't spending any less money, but he does concede she looks a hell of a lot better."

She laughed and said, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"Good. Because I never said it."

She switched back to business, and asked, "What do you think of my proposed schedule for the next eight weeks."

He paused and then said, "Well, I guess I thought you would cover a little more territory, but maybe it is best for you to start slow. I think you're building in a little too much time between trips. At that rate, I don't think the initial review will take too long. Instead of leaving the hotel immediately upon concluding your meeting and going home, spend another day at that hotel. Walk around. Use the gym. Get a massage. Eat in the restaurant. Write up your report while you're still there. That will do two things. It will give you more time on the ground to get a feel for what the place is really like. It will save you time and travel from going home after each inspection."

She interjected, "I guess I didn't want to make the GM's feel like I am nosing around."

"Why not? You are nosing around."

"You're right. I think I wanted to write up my notes after leaving the site for the sake of objectivity. Maybe typing up my notes while I'm still there will give me more detail and more immediacy. I'll do my summary report to you when I get home. That will give me the objectivity and distance."

"Try that."

"Okay. I'll get you a revised schedule by the end of next week."

"Are you moving already?"

"Yes. I'm going to start packing today. I hope to move this weekend. I'm going to meet with a Realtor this afternoon."

"Well, all I can say is, you're off to a great start."

"Thanks."
Chapter 15

Mia spent the whole day on Thursday, sorting things in each room. Most of the furniture would stay in the house. If the buyer didn't want it, she would donate it to a charity. The house would show better with furniture, and a seasonal buyer might want to buy it furnished. She divided her personal items into three piles in each room: trash; donations; keepers. Friday was trash day. She set out two large garbage cans for the trash, and was embarrassed at how much crap she had collected. She laughed at the thought. She was putting out less trash for a move than some of her neighbors put out weekly!

Goodwill was scheduled to arrive at 9:00 a. m. on Friday to pick up items she was donating, most of which was excess furniture, some old clothes that no longer fit her but which she had never taken the time to sort through, an extra set of dishes and duplicate pots and pans, and a dozen or so boxes of books she had accumulated over the years; her TV's and radios, which she did not need because the apartment had a much newer TV, not that she would be using it that much.

After the Goodwill people left, she boxed up and labeled her personal items. She didn't think she would have very much stuff to move. Even she was amazed at how little there was: a few boxes of dishes and kitchen paraphernalia; a couple of boxes of books she couldn't part with; a half dozen boxes of clothes, shoes and purses.

She called a moving company and asked how much it would cost. They quoted her an astronomical figure. She called a rental car company and asked how much it would cost for a van. It was less than $50. She told them to hold it for her.

The Realtor came by about noon and she signed the papers to list the house. The Realtor told her that even in the bad real estate market, the house should sell. It was priced right and it was in a very attractive area. Mia rolled her eyes. The house wasn't "priced right". It was a total steal. She signed the papers, gave the lady a key and shooed her out the door.

Jeremy arrived about a half hour later. He looked at the pile of boxes in the hall and raised his eyebrows, "That's it?"

She made a face, "That's it!"

He looked around in the kitchen. "Have you eaten today?"

"No. I've been busy."

"Come on. Let's go get something to eat. We can pick up the van on the way back. I propose we drive to Boca today. You can drive my car. I'll drive the van. You can move into the apartment. I'll move over the weekend. What's your schedule next week?"

"I'm taking a few days of vacation to get situated, although I think I overestimate how much time it would take. Maybe that's good. I can spend some quality time with Mona and Emma before I hit the trail again. I'm off to San Francisco on Wednesday."

"Okay. We'll move this weekend. I'm going to Chicago on Tuesday. We could get a one way car rental, and then bring your car back to Boca on the return. After that, we fly in and out of Ft. Lauderdale, thank God."

She laughed, "That will work, but you'll have to bring my car back yourself. I'm going from San Francisco to Calgary and then to, probably, Montreal. I may work in a stop at our resort in the Catskills on the way back."

"Wow! How long will you be gone?"

"Coupla weeks. They want me to get this preliminary tour done as quickly as possible. I'm going to be on the road even more than I thought."

"Okay. Come to Chicago with me on Tuesday. Fly to San Francisco on Wednesday. I'll bring your car back to Boca."

She laughed. "You know completely starting over in your life shouldn't be this easy."

He walked up to behind her and wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "You're a very organized person and you appear not to be that into material things. That part was easy. I think the emotional part will be much harder. For both of us."

She leaned back against him and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and concentrating simultaneously on the effort not to cry and the wonderful feeling of safety she had when he held her. She smiled, turning to face him and said, lightly, "Yeah, but I'm going to be so tired and jet-lagged, I won't have a chance to be all emotional and gooey." She kissed him softly and added, "But, I'm going to have a blood-sugar meltdown if I don't get something to eat – soon!"

After lunch, they loaded the van. Mia drove Jeremy's Mercedes. He followed in the van. She tried to go slow so he could keep up. It was difficult in a powerful car like that. She felt herself fighting the car. It seemed to want to get out on the autobahn and go. She called Mona to let her know they were on the way. The family planned to have a housewarming party on Sunday. Mona asked if Mia needed any help unpacking. Mia declined, saying she would order pizza and have everything unpacked and squared away before she went to bed. She said she thought by Monday they would know what items they would need to purchase for the house. She asked Mona to set aside some time for shopping.

Jeremy and the porter for the condo helped bring the boxes up from the van. They only needed one trip with two luggage carts for the job. Mia had labeled each box as to the room in which it belonged and they had loaded the van carefully so the boxes were together by room. She had Jeremy and the porter stack the boxes in the entry hall. Jeremy offered to help her unpack, but she declined, saying, "I'd like to unpack by myself. I want you to go home tonight. I'll put my stuff away and then tomorrow when you bring your stuff, I'll get out of your way. There's one thing we need to decide."

"What's that?"

"Who gets the big bedroom?"

He said, "I've been thinking about that. The second bedroom and the den are both about the same size. I think you should take one of them and I'll take the other. Let's turn the big room with all the windows into a den/office/work space which we can share, separately or together."

She clapped her hands in front of her, "Perfect! That is brilliant. I'll take the 'den' because it's kind of cozy. I'll put a sofa bed in there. When we're here together, we can ..." She stammered. "Well, there's a queen bed in your room."

"We could, on the other hand, give up any pretense of having separate bedrooms."

She laughed, "That's an option, too. But, I still like the idea of using the master bedroom as an office. It will keep all of our work crap out of the living room."

"Suppose we use the master bedroom as an office, we share the second bedroom and use the den as a TV room."

"Excellent." She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, "Will this fly with our kids, do you think?"

He laughed and said, "I am pretty sure our kids were laughing behind our backs at the pretense anyway. They're adults. If they have a problem with it, it's their problem not ours."

She sighed, "Yeah, I know. But, ... Oh, I don't know."

"But, you're scared."

"Yeah."

He made a face and cocked his head, "Me too."

She grinned, "Then at least we can be scared together."

"Or not. I have a feeling I'm going to be spending a lot of time in this beautiful apartment all by myself."

"Sorry to say it, but I think you're right. Now, get out of here so I can unpack."

"There's nothing to eat here."

"I'll order a pizza. Oh, but that reminds me. Would you bring some coffee and bread when you come over in the morning. We can go to the grocery later, but I'd like some coffee before I have to go out and face the world."

"Sure." He kissed her good-night and she set about unpacking. She never did order the pizza. Instead, at about 10:30, she went across the street to a mini-market where she bought some snack crackers and a six pack of beer. She also picked up a pound of coffee and filters. When she got back to the apartment, she went out on the balcony. She couldn't see the ocean because it was too dark, but she could smell it and hear it. She ate her crackers and drank a beer, allowing herself to begin to explore for the first time the enormity of the changes that were overtaking her life. Somewhat to her surprise she discovered that her dominant feeling was anticipation. It was a little scary, but mostly she couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. She went to bed and stretched out, smiling. The whole business with Jeremy was totally crazy, but it seemed to be a good kind of crazy.

Jeremy arrived midmorning the next day. He had kept the van and brought his stuff with him. As he had expected, he had even less to move than Mia. He only made one trip with one luggage cart. She suggested that she go to the grocery store while he unpacked. He said that would be a good idea. She jotted down a list of what she thought they would need for the weekend. Mona had already arranged for a caterer to prepare the party on Sunday. Jeremy handed her his car keys, since her car was still in Orlando. She said, "Oh, by the way, I'm in love with your car."

He gave her a dirty look, "That is my baby. You be nice to her."

By the time she returned from the store, Jeremy had his stuff all stowed away. He was reading the newspaper in his "ugly" chair, which he had set directly in front of the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the ocean. She laughed and said, "You were right about one thing."

"What?"

"That is a hideous chair."

He stood up and motioned her to sit down. She settled into the chair and an amazed look washed over her face. Then she snuggled down, leaned back and closed her eyes. "Oh, my. I think I shall just stay here all day. You can find someplace else to sit."

He pulled her by the arm, "Not a chance, Toots. This is my chair, and you better not forget it. Knowing how wonderful it is, and knowing how much traveling you're going to be doing, I asked Alicia to order you a matching one."

She laughed, "We'll have the ugliest living room in Boca but we'll be comfortable. Why don't we move the chairs into the 'office' where they won't be the first things people see when they walk in the door."

"That's a great idea."

They moved the chair into the other room, and both of them nodded. Jeremy said, "That is better."

She said, "I thought we could go shopping on Monday to pick up anything we need to add."

He waved his arm, "I'll leave that to you. I've got everything I need."

She grinned. "Comfy chair? Check. TV? Check. Beer? Check. What more could a man need?"

He put his arms around her and said, "You left out something."

"What?"

He paused and buried his face in her hair and whispered, "My greatest weakness in life: chips and salsa."

She laughed out loud until he smothered her laughter with kisses. He whispered, "How's that mattress?"

"Pretty comfy. Would you care to try it out?"

"Sure. Would you care to join me?"

In the afternoon they went for a walk on the beach and stopped for lunch at a tiki bar on the beach. Later, he took her on a driving tour of the area to acquaint her with the neighborhood. She liked the idea of living at the beach where she could see the ocean from her apartment. She wasn't sure she was going to like living in a neighborhood that was so filled with tourists. He told her the solution for that was to shop and eat and conduct her day-to-day business in parts of town away from the beach.

She prepared a light dinner and they spent the evening reading and listening to music. He asked if she would mind if he went in to the other room to watch TV. She said she wouldn't mind at all, but she would prefer not to join him because she was reading a good book and didn't want to stop. He tousled her hair, blew her a kiss and said, "You know where I'll be."

A little while later, she went into the den where she found him asleep, scrunched up on a love seat with the TV still on. She shook his shoulder and said, "I am going to bed. I recommend you join me, or you can stay here and sleep here and wake up tomorrow with a sore back."

He growled at her but joined her in the bedroom a few minutes later.

On Sunday, they walked on the beach early in the morning and then rented a couple of chairs and a beach umbrella. She said, "I have lived in Florida for more than twenty years, and I can't remember the last time I went to the beach here. It was probably when Mona was little. We to the beach in places like the Bahamas, Mexico and other places. I guess we went to Clearwater a few times when Mona was little, but we never frequented the Atlantic beaches."

"Why not?"

"I have no idea." She shook her head, and added, "But that makes this all the more special. This is something new, different and wonderful. I'm loving it."

He took her hand and closed his eyes.

In the afternoon, they showered and dressed for their housewarming party. The caterer arrived about five and took over the kitchen. The kids were due to arrive by six-thirty. If only to get out of the way, Jeremy and Mia took glasses of wine into the 'office' and sat on the balcony. The sun was behind the building, and the beach directly in front of the condo was in the shadow. There were few people left on the beach. The gulls had taken it back, at least for the night. They sat quietly enjoying the sights, smells and sounds of the ocean. After a while Mia smiled and, in response to his quizzical look, she said, "It is so amazing how we can be quiet together so comfortably after so little time."

He grinned. "If you told anyone who knows me that I can be quiet for long periods of time, they would call you a liar."

She laughed, "You talk for a living. I assume you need to give your voice a rest at home."

"You would be right about that. I take you for being naturally quiet."

"Yeah. Like you, I have to talk a lot at work, although even there I do more listening than talking. In my personal life, I have always been quiet. I have opinions and thoughts on things but I don't usually care to share them. That's the only thing David and I ever used to argue about. He loved to talk about politics and current events and all that stuff. He and his friends would talk and argue and debate for hours. He used to get mad at me for not joining in the conversations and sharing my opinions. I always told him that I felt that I knew too little about those things for my opinion to be worth anyone's consideration. Actually, that was not true. I was as well-read as he was and I listened to him and his friends – who were all very smart guys – talk politics for years. I think my opinions were as valid as anyone else's.

"The reason I rarely shared my opinions with David was because I almost always disagreed with him. He accepted disagreement from his buddies, but I always had the sense he wouldn't like having me disagree with him, especially if I did it in front of his friends. For one thing, he was a pretty traditional kind of guy and we had a very traditional marriage. Disagreeing with the paterfamilias in public was not part of that deal. Just as importantly, David was a brilliant guy who was one of the best in the world at what he did. Like many brilliant people, he had an ego to match his talent. He didn't like being challenged. I guess I mainly kept my mouth shut to keep the peace. After a while it sort of became second nature."

"At what cost to you?"

She thought about that for a while. "Actually, I don't think it really cost me much. When it really mattered to me, I spoke my mind and let the chips fall. David knew that when I spoke up about something, I meant business. We would often, under those circumstances, agree to disagree. Most of the rest of the time, it didn't bother me to keep my opinions to myself. I know what I believe, and I'm not exactly interested in trying to persuade anyone else to see things my way."

"You'd have made a really shitty lawyer."

"That is why I'm a wedding planner."

"I suppose the skill of keeping your opinions to yourself is a really good skill to have in that job."

"Oh, my dear man, you have no idea how right you are about that!"

While they were still laughing, the doorbell rang, but they did not hear it. The caterer answered the door, and both families trooped in at the same time. Jeremy and Mia recovered quickly from their giggle-fit, and made the necessary introductions between those of their children who had not met. Stephen Ross had invited himself to join the party, and nobody had the nerve to tell him no. Mia and Jeremy both welcomed him with open arms. He was, after all, a sort of member of Jeremy's family as well as an old friend of Mia's.

The caterer poured champagne. The adults toasted the new digs. Then they switched to other beverages because none of them actually liked champagne. Mia and Jeremy had set up the den for the kids. The TV was hooked up to the latest video games and they had rented a bunch of kid-friendly movies. In case that wasn't enough, they put both laptop computers in the den for Internet surfing. The adults circulated around the living room and the 'office'.

The men admired the views of the ocean and the openness of the apartment. The women were less enthusiastic. Each of them politely suggested that the place needed more personal touches. Mia said, "Mona and I are going shopping on Monday."

Alicia said, with her eyebrows knitted and her lips tight, "What about what Dad wants?"

Jeremy said, "You know that when it comes to home décor I was never allowed to have any preferences."

Mia said, "You know, I sort of like it the way it is."

Mona frowned at Mia and said to Alicia, "My dad was an architect. He was the one who did the decorating and most of the furnishing of our home. Shoot, he built some of the furniture himself. Mom was the cook and she shopped for our clothes. Based on what she did with her house in Orlando, I don't think she knows how to decorate a home."

Mia laughed and said, "I have a great idea."

The others looked at her and she said, " Jeremy says he doesn't care what we do with this place as long as his ugly chair is a part of the package and – oh, by the way, Alicia, could you let me know where to order one for me? It is fantastic." Alicia made a face, but she nodded.

Mia went on, "You three," she pointed at Mona, Carol and Alicia, "are the ones with the opinions. Why don't you go shopping. Mona knows my taste, such as it is. Alicia and Carol know Jeremy's. We'll both be out of town next week. We'll give you a budget and you can have at it. Nothing too fancy or rococo! What do you say?"

Carol shook her head, "Leave me out. Alicia did my house because I'm hopeless in the decorating department. You can put me to work in the kitchen, but don't send me to the home store."

Mona and Alicia looked at each other and laughed. Alicia looked at her dad and then at Mia, pursing her lips again. At first Mia thought she was going to say something nasty, but then Alicia threw back her head and laughed, "That is positively brilliant, Mia."

Mia gave her what she hoped was an innocent look. Jeremy looked honestly confused. The other women were about to burst into hysterics. The men knew something was going on, but didn't know what it was, except for Jeff, who appeared to have figured it out. Alicia said, "Well, there are only two people in this room who appear to have any lingering reservations about whatever insanity is going on with the two of you. By enlisting Mona and me to do something we each love – i. e. shopping for furniture –, thereby causing us to spend time together and share stories about how great you both are, I'm assuming you hope we will put aside our reservations."

Mia said, "Oh, it was nothing nearly so well thought out as that. It was more a case of, you're the only two people in the room who would enjoy doing the decorating, and you will do a much better job than we would. At work, I like to put the best people for the job on each project. That's all it was."

Alicia looked at Mona and asked, "Do you believe her?"

Mona laughed and responded immediately, "Hell, no! But, I'm fully prepared to accept the invitation if for no other reason than to not have to look at bare walls and ugly furniture like I've been doing with her Orlando house for a couple of years. You have no idea how hideous her house is."

Mia stuck out her tongue at Mona. Alicia said, "Well at least she bought a house. Dad's been camping out for more than a year. It's time he got on with his life, with or without Mia. I love the idea of decorating a place for him. You should see how horrible his apartment in Chicago is."

"My apartment in Chicago is perfectly fine!"

"Your apartment in Chicago looks like a freaking cave!"

"I think its cozy."

"Then, why do you avoid staying there?"

"Because I live here!"

Mia said, "Well, you know. Maybe if Mona and Alicia do a good job decorating this apartment, they could do the same for your place Chicago."

Jeremy shook his head and threw up his hands, "Sure. Whatever. I guess if I'm going to quit camping out in my life, as you put it, I might as well go all the way." There was a catch in his throat at the end. He walked over to the bar and took a rather inordinate amount of time in pouring a glass of wine. Alicia and Mia exchanged looks. Alicia motioned with her head for Mia to take the next step. Mia joined Jeremy at the bar and said something softly. He didn't reply, but he nodded and touched her arm.

When they rejoined the group, Jeremy grinned and said, "Okay, I'll let you two girls decorate this place, but I have a couple of absolute rules. First, the ugly chair is not a negotiable item in either apartment. Second, no orange or bronze-ish colors; I hate those colors. Third, no modernistic artwork. I'm sorry. I like paintings of actual scenery or discernible people, not impressionistic splatter. Finally, Mia and I will discuss a budget tomorrow. We will give you a budget and we expect you to stick to it. No fair cheating by adding 'presents'. Keep in mind you are decorating an apartment for people whose tastes are relatively simple."

Mona laughed, "Simple, hell! Mom's tastes are positively Spartan."

Mia interjected, "You're damned right, and I will thank you to keep that in mind. You have a beautiful house Mona, but there's too much stuff in it. Alicia's house is, well, Alicia's house is totally perfect, but there's too much of David in it for me to be comfortable at this point in my life. I would hope that you will keep in mind our tastes, not yours."

Alicia said, "Well, at least Mia has taste. It may be plain, but that's a preference. Dad, on the other hand, has never shown any preferences one way or the other."

Jeremy made a face and said, "Your mother never gave me the chance. Here is what I like: I like your house, Alicia. I also like Mia's house. It's simple, plain and uncluttered. That's my taste."

Mona and Alicia looked at each other and Alicia said, "I think we have quite a job cut out for us."

Mona laughed and said, "Lucky us. We're shopping for a couple of really hard cases."

Jeremy said, "We'll let you know tomorrow what your budget will be."

The party broke up relatively early, but it had succeeded beyond anyones expectations in beginning to create bonds between the two families. When the guests left, the caterers cleaned up the apartment, packed up their stuff and left quietly while Mia and Jeremy lingered on the balcony. When they went in to go to bed, Mia set their wine glasses by the sink and looked around the apartment.

She said, "I agree with the girls that this place needs a few personal touches, but I hope they don't go crazy. I do rather like the place the way it is."

Jeremy nodded, "What do you say we give them a really small budget so they can't do much besides accent pieces."

Mia shook her head, "I have a different view on that. I think we should not give them a number at all. If we give them a budget they'll be incline to spend it all. If we tell them to simply be reasonable and keep our tastes in mind, I think we'll come out ahead both in the ultimate result, and financially."

He thought about that as he went around turning out lights and checking the door locks. Mia went into the bedroom and he followed a few minutes later. He said, "You know, I think you may be right. We'll tell them simply to be reasonable."

Mia nodded and said, "I gave Mona my personal credit card. It has zero balance and a $100,000 credit limit. They can put the purchase on the card and we can straighten up between us later."

He nodded. They talked while they got ready for bed. He didn't even close the bathroom door when he went in to brush his teeth. She changed into her pajamas and slid into bed. Jeremy followed a few minutes later. They snuggled together for a few minutes, kissed each other good-night and fell asleep almost instantly, both with smiles on their faces.
Chapter 16 -

On Monday, Mia and Jeremy packed for their trips. Jeremy was taking only a small valise for his computer and papers, since he had clothes and toiletries in his apartment in Chicago. Mia was scheduled to be on the road for more than two weeks. She had only one suitcase in addition to her briefcase, but it was a fairly large one. They drove the van to Orlando. Jeremy dropped Mia off at her house to pick up her car while he took the van back to the rental office. Mia met him at the airport.

They flew to Chicago together, and spent the night at his apartment. She didn't say anything to him, but Mia agreed with Alicia's assessment that his apartment was a bit cave-like. The inside of the apartment was filled with heavy, dark furniture and dark paneling. It was very rich looking in an old-fashioned and very masculine way. She thought it looked like some kind of aristocratic European drawing room which did not suit Jeremy at all. She could tell that he had simply left the place exactly as it had been when he moved in. Perhaps he was right that he spent so little time there, it didn't matter.

Jeremy was standing across the room watching her. She looked at him and smiled. He asked, "Are you through?"

"Huh?"

"Are you finished sizing up the unsuitability of this place for me? I can tell by the expression on your face that you agree with Alicia's opinion of my home."

Mia shook her head, "This is not your 'home'. This is a place where you stay when you are in Chicago to conduct business. It is more like a hotel suite than a home."

He nodded, and said, "I don't disagree with that. And perhaps there's more method to my madness than you think. You're right, when I'm in Chicago, I'm working." He paused for effect and said, "But, you haven't seen the best part of this apartment." He opened the curtains and the City lay before her with Lake Michigan dazzling in the sun beyond.

Mia whispered, "Oh, my God. How magnificent!"

He came up behind her and whispered, "Wait until you see it at night."

She leaned back against him and said, "Now I 'get' this place. It's about power. The heavy furniture and masculine feel to the interior and the amazing view of the city that lies beneath you. This is where you come to put on your game face and get ready to do battle in the courtroom. I betcha Joanna never came here."

He hugged her and smiled, clearly thrilled that she understood. "When I first bought the place, she came here once. She, like you, 'got' it immediately. She looked around, checked out the view and said, 'Take me to a hotel.' She never set foot in the apartment after that. Alicia and Mark stay here when they come to Chicago, and she just doesn't get it. Mark actually loves it, but he's afraid to tell her."

Mia smiled, "You know, I think I would love to see you at work."

He led her to the couch which looked out over the city and answered, "I don't know that you would. Being a lawyer is a lot like being an actor. I know because I have a couple of clients who are actors. I've actually learned a few tricks from them. Each trial is different. Sometimes I have to be the bad guy. I have to be mean and pummel witnesses on the stand. It's always fun to do that to expert witnesses, who a lot of times are just whores and who don't take it personally. It's not very fun to do that to ordinary folks who made the mistake of suing a client I represent. It's a lot of fun when I get to be the 'really smart guy' who has it all figured out and I show it to the judge and jury one piece at time. Depending on the venue, sometimes I have to be a 'nice guy'. I always think of that as 'playing Matlock', which is a very effective technique.

"Actual trial practice, especially in a jury trial, is almost like a dance. You have to play to the jury, which, thanks to television lawyer shows, expects drama and emotion. You have to play to the judge, who, thanks to television lawyers, will generally put the smack-down on any lawyer who tries to upstage the judge. You have to play to your corporate client, who generally has a very smart person – often a lawyer – sitting in the gallery the whole time. The client doesn't want drama, emotion or anything else. The client wants results, and no dilly-dallying around at $500 an hour."

She gasped, "You charge $500 an hour?!"

He grinned, "Well, that's my maximum rate. Rates are negotiable depending on a lot of factors. I think my minimum rate which I'm charging two of the companies for whom I do a lot of litigation that is paid for by their insurance company is $350. The insurance companies bitch and growl about that because they can get lawyers to work a lot cheaper than that.

"One of those clients manufactures medical products and they have a huge product liability exposure. In the three years before they came to me the first time, they lost more than $15 million in lawsuits. I've handled eight cases for them. The first one went to trial and we walked away with a total victory. The jury awarded the plaintiff nothing, nada, zilch. The judge ordered the plaintiff to pay my client's legal bills, which amounted to approximately $600,000. The second one settled after I made my opening statements at the trial. The client's insurance company paid me $350,000 and paid the plaintiff some nominal amount. The six subsequent matters have all settled very early and for very minimal amounts. The insurance company doesn't like to pay my bills, but they do it because, to quote the commercial, 'I'm worth it.'

"As an aside, I will tell you that particular insurance company hired me directly to handle a bad faith case. I charged them my maximum rate and I got them out of a jam. They don't bitch about my bills much any more."

Mia turned toward him and ran her hand over his face, "I like hearing you talk about your job. You've never done it before. Why not?"

He shrugged. "I guess I've always made a very strong delineation between my work life and my home life. At work, I have to be rational and I can't let my emotions be involved. Particularly when handling product liability cases where the plaintiffs are often ordinary people with terrible injuries, it is hard not to feel sympathetic. The problem is that most of the time, the injuries do not result from any actual negligence on the part of my clients, so we hang tough and refuse to pay.

"Just as often, the families of injured parties – I think largely because of TV lawyer shows – think that they are entitled to get rich off their claims. Sometimes even when there is some negligence on the part of my client, we have to hang tough simply because the plaintiffs want too much money.

"I drew a line between work and home because I didn't want to be that hard and tough at home, especially when the kids were little. So, I sort of set up a system where my family lived far from where I work. That gives me time to put on my armor and get ready for battle while traveling from home to work. On the other end, it gives me time to lay down my armor and put aside my snarling guard-dog lawyerly ways before I go home to my family."

Mia laughed, "So this place is kind of like Superman's phone booth. It's where you change from the handsome, socially prominent lawyer in Boca Raton to Perry Mason."

He laughed, "Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but that's kind of the general idea."

She made a face and asked, "Do you think it's good for you to compartmentalize your life like that?"

He shook his head and said softly, "Don't go there."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Okay. We'll save that conversation for another time.

"Changing the subject: I'm hungry. I feel sure there's absolutely nothing to eat here. Why don't you show me around the neighborhood. I've never actually spent any time in Chicago, at least not outside of the Mother Ship."

"The what?"

"That's a pet-name for the Chicago hotel which is the headquarters of the Sterling chain."

He laughed and flipped on the TV to a local access channel. He checked his watch and then said, "How do you feel about baseball?"

She screwed up her face and said, "Provided it's not the American League, I like it."

He laughed. "How about going to a Cubs game?"

"That is a totally awesome idea. I used to love to watch the Pirates visiting Wrigley Field. I always thought those people sitting across the street on the rooftops had the greatest seats in baseball. As opposed to that hideous monstrosity on the Monongahela, known as Three Rivers Stadium."

"The what?"

"The Monongahela River. Technically, the stadium is at the place where the Monongahela joins with the Allegheny to form the Ohio River."

He laughed, "You're a river rat!"

She said, "Shhhh. It's a secret."

They changed into casual clothes and Jeremy called a cab. A half hour later, they were in the bleachers at Wrigley Field, munching on hot dogs and sipping draft beer."

Mia stretched and turned her face to the sun, the picture of relaxation and happiness. Jeremy laughed, "If your fancy-schmancy clients could see you now!"

"If my fancy-schmancy clients saw me now, they'd never hire me, so let's keep this little adventure between us."

The Cubs were playing the Cincinnati Reds. It was a perfectly dreadful exhibition of so-called baseball. Neither team deserved to win, and they both seemed to try their best to lose. Jeremy and Mia had a great time booing both teams. They yelled and swore and booed along with the rest of the Bleacher Bums. Afterwards, they hopped a cab and Jeremy had the cabbie drive them around town. Near the end of the tour, they drove down Lakeshore Drive. When they reached the house David Thomas had designed, Jeremy asked the cabbie to stop for a second. He laughed and said, "You'd be amazed at how many people do that. Some people get almost past and make me stop and turn around."

Jeremy asked, "What do they say is the attraction of the house?"

The cabbie said, "Most people don't say anything. They just look at it."

Mia asked, "What do you think it is?"

The cabbie shrugged, "I don't know what it is unless its some kind of magic. My wife works as a nanny in the house next door. She says the house is enchanted."

Jeremy asked, "How so?"

"The story is that the house was built for a newly married couple by an architect who was recently married himself. The people in the neighborhood say that the house brings joy to anyone who enters it."

Mia laughed, "Sort of like the opposite of haunted."

"Exactly. It's enchanted."

Jeremy said, "I don't know that I believe in enchantment, but I can tell you it is certainly beautiful."

Mia didn't say anything.

They turned in early because she had to leave for the airport very early. Jeremy arranged for a car to pick her up at 5:30 a. m. They talked for a while, made love and then fell asleep with their arms and legs still entwined.

Mia woke at 4:30, before the alarm went off. She turned it off and slipped out of bed. She showered and dressed quickly and as quietly as she could in a strange bathroom. She kissed Jeremy good-bye and was going out the door by the time he murmured something unintelligible.

Her trip to San Francisco, Toronto, Quebec and the Catskills was, more of a success than she could have imagined. All of those hotels had problems in their special events departments. All had been repeatedly admonished to do something about it, but nothing they tried helped very much. Mia spent most of her trip to San Francisco running reports and crunching numbers. She was already about three-quarters along the way to developing a profile for each hotel. By the time she landed in San Francisco, she knew exactly what she wanted to examine more closely in each hotel.

What surprised her was the enthusiasm with which she was greeted. The GM's and the Events Managers in these hotels had believed the message that Mia was there on a mission to help them. They turned the hotels inside out for her and asked for her help. In each place she tried to attend one special event if they had something scheduled. If they did not have a party scheduled, she wandered around the hotel, watching the operations. She intentionally scheduled her final meeting with the GM near the end of the final day of her visit. After her early morning workout, she spent most of the day writing up her detailed notes, making an outline of things to discuss with the GM, and composing the beginning of her summary memo to her boss. Just before her meeting, she dressed carefully and packed for her trip to the next hotel. Thus, was her routine established.

While she was in Toronto she got a message from a client in the fashion industry responding to her request for a referral to a fashion consultant. The person worked out of New York City. Mia called him and made an appointment. She decided to add the New York hotel to her itinerary. She called the GM to see if he could work her in. The Events Manager nearly did a backflip. She had over booked her events calendar and ended up with two very high profile weddings going on at the same time. Mia changed her flight and headed for New York right away.

She spent most of her first day with the events staff. The Events Manager was consumed with final arrangements for the wedding of a high-profile politician and was having problems galore. That left the wedding of two prominent (and well-loved) Broadway stars virtually leaderless. Mia met with the staff who were handling that event. They had everything under control. It was to be a small, understated and exceedingly elegant affair. It called for impeccable service and attention to detail, but there were no discernible problems. Mia told the staff to carry on, and went to offer her services to Charles Bolton, the manager of events who was attempting to avert disaster with the other wedding for the evening.

While the Broadway stars' wedding was to be understated and elegant, the politician's wedding was designed to be something only slightly less over-the-top than a Busby Berkley musical. Mia commented that the only thing the event lacked was pyro. Charles laughed and replied that was only because fire codes prohibited it. There were a lot of last minute difficulties, beginning with the fact that the politician's "people" were in the way, meddling, interfering, and threatening to torpedo the entire thing. Mia recognized immediately that disaster loomed if they didn't do something drastic. She said, "You have to live here and deal with NY politicians. You be the Good Guy. I'll play the Bitch from Corporate. Got it?"

Bolton almost cried with relief. "You think you can get these people out of the way?"

"I'm damned well gonna try. Your folks have the other event under control, and I'll supervise it tonight. I'll do everything I can to help you during the day. Starting with getting rid of these idiots!"

She and Bolton went to the politician's suite and Bolton introduced her. The groom was unimpressed that the hotel had sent in the cavalry from Chicago. He was haughty and rude. Mia wanted to deck him. She listened to his bitching about the hotel and the lousy work the events staff was doing. Mia let him wind down.

Then she walked up to him and said very softly, but firmly, "You have fifteen minutes to get your staff the hell out of this hotel. It may be too late already, but if you get your people out of our way and let our people do their fucking jobs, we may be able -- by some miracle -- to prevent this event from turning into a complete disaster. If that happens and your new wife asks me tearfully why her wedding was such a fiasco, I'll have to be honest and tell her that it was totally your fault."

The guy looked as though she had punched him in the gut. He was not used to people standing up to him. He started to say something, but Mia turned to walk away. She paused at the door, and said, "In fifteen minutes I'm going to have security eject your meddling staffers if you haven't ordered them to go hang out by the pool." She walked out and closed the door, just a tad firmly, behind her.

In the elevator, Bolton asked her, "Can you really have security eject those people?"

Mia shrugged and said, "I guess we're going to find out. Have the head of security meet us in your office." While Mia was explaining to the security chief what she wanted, Bolton took phone calls from his staff.

He laughed and interrupted, "Looks like your bluff worked, Mia. My staff is reporting the meddlers are all leaving."

"Ok. Then let's get in there and salvage this mess."

They spent the entire day frantically running through checklists, making last-minute adjustments to assignments, and checking, double-checking and triple-checking every detail. Mia checked in on the progress of the other wedding from time to time. With only forty-five minutes to go before the events started Mia and Bolton ordered room service to be sent to their respective rooms and bolted for the showers. Thirty-five minutes later, Bolton walked off the elevator on the floor where the ballrooms were located, and found Mia talking to the evening's security chief.

Bolton said, "My, God, woman. How in the world did you get ready so fast?"

She smiled, "I think I outdid myself. I wanted to get here early so I could calm my nerves for a few minutes."

He looked at her oddly and asked, "What nerves?"

She winked, "The ones I can feel but you can't see."

Both events went off without so much as a broken glass. Mia thought the wedding of the Broadway actors was the most beautiful event she had ever seen. The food and cake and decorations were elegant and the guests were gorgeous, too. They seemed to enjoy the evening, and the bride and groom positively glowed.

While "her" group was eating dinner, Mia took the opportunity to check in on the other event. They were making toasts. Mia walked up to Bolton and the Event Planner who had been primarily responsible for the project. They made a place for her between them. Bolton introduced her to Sandra Blackman. She shook Mia's hand and thanked her and Bolton profusely for coming to her rescue. She said, "I could handle the actual preparations, but when his people descended on me yesterday and started second guessing me, countermanding orders and interfering with the work my people were doing, I freaked out. I feel awful for having to call for help."

Mia smiled and patted her arm, "That is precisely what I am here for. It is just such an event as this one that corporate wants me to help with."

Bolton asked, "Are you getting much push back from the GM's?"

Mia said, "What you might expect. If I can convince them that I'll make them more money, we'll be okay."

Bolton laughed and said, "Well, you have a fan in our GM. He was not happy that you barged in here and started working without checking in with him first, but when I explained to him what was going on and what you did about it, he was thrilled. I'm guessing when you meet with him tomorrow, he'll do everything but fall at your feet in gratitude."

Mia raised her eyebrows and said, "Well, let's put these newlyweds to bed without incident first."

She scheduled her meeting with the GM for late in the afternoon. She spent the morning writing up her notes, then had a long lunch meeting with the fashion consultant.

He basically interviewed her to find out what she liked and didn't like. He said he would put together a proposal for a look for her and they would meet again in a couple of weeks. Mia was surprised to discover she really liked the guy and opened up to him about how she felt about her appearance to an extent she never expected. She rather looked forward to seeing what he might come up with for her.

Her meeting with the GM of the New York hotel went well beyond her wildest expectations. He told her he had already called Roger Benedict personally to thank him for sending Mia in to save the day. He said he would serve as her cheerleader and would personally provide assurances to any GM who had doubts about her value.

She laughed and said, "Don't be too reassuring to all the GM's. You run a great shop. I happened to be in the neighborhood when you had an emergency and I was glad to be able to help. Not all of our hotels do the job you do. I am capable of shaking people up if I have to."

He laughed, "Sort of like you went nose-to-nose with a powerful New York politician and threatened to forcibly eject his toadies?"

She tried, totally without success, to look sheepish. In fact, she was mighty proud of that little performance and hoped he spread the story far and wide. He shook his head, "You look like such an elegant and refined lady. Chuck said he about shit when you dropped that f-bomb as though it were a word you use all the time."

She raised her eyebrows and said, "Dan, I've been in the hotel business for more than twenty years. I've worked with every manner of prima-dona from florists and pastry chefs on our own staff to movie stars, entrepreneurs and politicians. I can talk like Tony Montana ..." she smiled, "... and I can also sip tea with civilized people. It all depends on what the situation requires."

He grinned and said, "Remind me not to get on your bad side."

She smiled back and said, "That would probably be wise." They chatted for a while about events in New York. He asked how long she was staying. She said if he could spare the room she'd like to stay another day to catch up on her paperwork and make plans for her next few stops. He invited her to stay as long as she liked. They both knew he was billing corporate for her room and board anyway.

Jeremy had sent her an email earlier in the week to the effect that he had rented space in San Francisco and would probably just stay there throughout most of his trial, which was expected to last up to three months. He suggested that they both plan to take a few days off at Thanksgiving to spend together. Mia agreed, and replied that she would like to spend Thanksgiving day with Mona and her family, but she would not schedule anything from Friday through the middle of the following week.

She had three months with essentially nothing to do, so she decided to pour it on at work and show her stuff. Instead of going straight home, she decided to visit the resorts and hotels in the Islands, starting with Bermuda. After that she would move on to St. Croix and Aruba. While she was in the neighborhood, she'd hop over to Belize. Her last stop would be Marco Island, Florida. She called Tomas to make sure he was okay with that agenda. He laughed and said perhaps she had gone a little too far in the other direction and was now trying to do too much.

Mia said, "Hey, this is not exactly ditch-digging labor. I'm taking relatively short flights between four- and five-star hotels. When I arrive, they pamper me with amazing accommodations and fabulous food. My biggest concern is that I'll get fat, which is why I take advantage of the gyms! I'm not exactly killing myself here, but don't tell Roger that."

Gonzalez approved the itinerary and told her he liked her summary reports. He suggested she plan to visit Chicago at the end of her trip. She said she'd like a couple of days at home at the end of her trip to spiff up her reports. She contacted the GM's and Event Managers at each of the hotels she planned to visit to reserve her room, schedule meetings and offer help. The event planners were generally glad to hear from her; she knew most of them and had established a very good working relationship with them over the years. The GM's were generally not so enthusiastic in their reception, but they tried to hide it.

When the fashion consultant called her back to schedule an appointment she told him she was traveling. He told her house calls were included in his services. He said he was going to be in Mexico meeting with a client and asked where she was. They agreed to meet in Aruba. Mia commented that Aruba was a very nice place to get a makeover.

She was completely bowled over by the suggestions the guy made. She liked the hair cut he suggested... so well that she immediately made an appointment with the salon at the resort and had them cut her hair to the consultant's specifications that very day.

He showed her a make-up palette that went easily and quickly from day to evening. It was not too different from what she had worn for years, so she didn't feel like she was wearing clown makeup. It was different enough that she could see the improvement.

She loved the clothes he suggested for her. The tailored business suits in rich colors were beautiful. Mia generally wore black or navy blue suits, because it was easy. She loved the jewel tones he suggested. For cocktail and evening wear, he suggested she go with darker colors: always black for corporate events, with burgundy (her favorite color) and dark blue (a few shades lighter than navy) for weddings.

He had gone so far as to figure out exactly what she needed to pack for a four day visit to a resort, down to gym-wear and jammies. All the clothes would have to be travel-friendly. He figured that she could have the hotels do her laundry she could repeat suits and evening wear almost ad infinitum because she was on the move so much. One medium suitcase would suffice. She could swap out suits and evening wear for variety when she stopped at home. He thought four suits, two cocktail dresses, and three evening gowns would get her started.

She said, "How much?"

He shook his head and said, "I won't lie to you. It's gonna be pricey."

"How much?"

"I could probably pull it together for $10,000 if I cut some corners. Fifteen would be better."

She laughed. "You want me to spend $15,000 on clothes?!"

"No. I want your employer to spend $15,000 on clothes."

"Absolutely not. That is utterly ridiculous."

"Roger Benedict doesn't think so. He's already authorized me to spend up to $20,000 over the next two years, on top of what he's paying for consulting. I think we should start with the basics, and leave some room in case you have need for something spectacular. My services include this initial consultation and shopping. After we get you set up, I'll be available for two years to help with special things that may come up. You don't like the hair-do; we'll change it. You need special make up or clothes for some kind of gala, call me. Roger has already paid me up front so you might as well take advantage."

She sighed. "Okay. Let's do it."

He paused and said, "One more thing. I have found that, generally speaking, it is best to redo a woman's wardrobe from the skin out. Underwear is included in the package. I need to know if you prefer silk or lace."

She laughed and blushed, "Actually, my tastes tend to run toward cotton."

He shook his head and clucked, "That is what I suspected and why I raised the subject. I'm going to throw in some silk undies. You can wear your grannie panties in the daytime under your suits. For evening events, go with the silk." He looked at her for a long time and asked softly, "Roger told me you are a widow, and he didn't think you had begun dating yet. I think he is wrong about that. I sense a man somewhere in your life. How about I throw in a negligee?"

She started to protests and then said, "Actually, I would like that. I would also like at least one cocktail dress that I will not wear for my job. I want something lovely that I can wear out to dinner on my own personal time. I want it to be green or red or royal blue. Some rich, beautiful color. I feel like a crow wearing dark colors all the time. I want one dress that will dazzle. I'll pay for that myself. That and a negligee."

He smiled, and nodded. "Okay, now stand up and strip."

"What?"

"Take off your clothes at least down to your underwear. I have to take your measurements. I'll buy the clothes and have them altered for you. I'll catch up with you in a couple of weeks for a final fitting. Now, off with your clothes."

Mia was embarrassed, but she took off her clothes. When he was through with the measurements, he handed her a robe. "Put this on. I've arranged for a massage for you. Usually these meeting tend to make my clients feel tense. The masseuse will be here in a few minutes. I'll call you in a week or so." He kissed her cheek and was gone. For the first time in her life, Mia had a personal taste of what it must be like to be really rich. She wasn't sure whether or not she liked it.

She finished her island hopping trip and arrived in Boca in early October, just in time to deal with the prospect of a hurricane moving in on South Florida. Mona called to ask if she wanted to sit out the storm at her house which was a few miles inland. Mia said, "Absolutely not, and if the storm comes too close you get the hell out of the way. As for me, I'm supposed to go to Chicago in a few days. I'm leaving early. I'll catch you on the flip side!"

Mona laughed and said, "That's no attitude! Floridians hunker down and have hurricane parties when storms threaten."

Mia said, "You know I hate storms. I don't hunker down. I intend to get outta Dodge before the excitement starts."

She changed her flight reservations and called Tomas to let him know she would be arriving early. She asked if the hotel could accommodate her. He said unfortunately the hotel was totally full due to a convention. She told him she'd book herself somewhere else and spy on the competition. She couldn't find decent hotel anywhere nearby, so she asked Jeremy if she could camp out at his place. He gladly agreed and arranged for the super to give her a key.

Her consultant, Randy, called to let her know her wardrobe was ready. She invited him to meet her at Jeremy's apartment in Chicago. He came in with two suitcases. Each one was packed with clothes for a five day trip. In addition, he carried a garment bag slung over his shoulder.

He looked around the apartment and said, "Don't tell me, let me guess. The guy's some kind of expert. Maybe either a world-class surgeon or a lawyer. Very smart. Very, very intense." He looked at her for a long time and said, "And he must love you a whole lot to allow you access to his lair."

She shrugged, "It's early in the relationship. He's out of town. I couldn't find a hotel room. I sort of invited myself here."

He made a face that clearly said he didn't believe her. "Okay, time's a wastin'. I want you to try on these duds. Every single outfit."

She said, "That means I have to take off my clothes again."

He handed her a small package. "Go into the bathroom and put these on. Come out in your undies."

The undies were silk and so light Mia felt naked. She came out in a robe. Randy waved his hand at her and said, "Take that thing off. I'm not interested in your body. Just relax."

She laughed and spent the next couple of hours trying on the most beautiful clothes she had ever seen, virtually every one of which fit her perfectly. The few items that needed further alterations ended up in a heap on the floor. The rest went carefully back into the suitcases. Randy suggested she just keep them packed. He also suggested she have two complete sets of toiletries and cosmetics and keep them packed. She thought that was a great idea. She said, "How about lunch? I'm starved!"

He said, "In a little bit. We're not through."

He picked up the garment bag and unzipped it with a flourish. First he pulled out a silver-gray negligee that was sexy and elegant at the same time. She laughed and said, "That looks like something you'd see in a 1940's movie! It's fabulous." He grinned and looked around the room. "Something tells me the gentleman in question will like it very much."

Then he reached in his bag again and pulled out the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen. It was a heavy red silk cocktail dress, cut just low enough to hint at cleavage without showing any, and low enough in back to show some skin but still allow for a bra. It had long sleeves with ruching down the entire length from the shoulder to the wrist. The bodice was gathered as well. The whole thing was designed to show off her curves, but modestly. She loved it!

Before they left for lunch he asked to use the bathroom. She pointed him to the bedroom. He came out a few minutes later and said as they got into the elevator, "By the way if it doesn't work out with your mystery man, let me know. I think I'm in love just based on his apartment."

"You rummaged through his bathroom stuff didn't you?"

"Of course! How the hell else do you think I get to know so much about my clients so quickly!?"

"Sorry, but my guy likes women."

He snapped his fingers and said, "Damn!"

She bought him lunch at a nearby restaurant and gave him a check for her personal outfits. Just before he got into the cab to return to the airport, he said, "Am I correct in believing you will be meeting with Roger Benedict this week?"

"I'm meeting with Tomas Gonzalez. His office is down the hall from Roger's. I don't know if I'll actually spend any time with Roger, but I'm sure I'll see him. Why?"

"His favorite color is green. That emerald suit would probably go over very nicely."

"How the hell do you know what Roger Benedict's favorite color is?"

"I dress his wife. Do you want to know more of the things he likes??" He gave her an evil grin.

She held up her hands and said, "No! Stop there."

He shook his head, "Not to worry. I do not reveal personal information about my clients. They have to be able to trust me. You can trust me, too."

"That means you won't tell Roger about my mystery man?"

"Roger hired me to dress you. Those are tricky assignments because I've got a company paying the bills but an individual who gets naked for me. Generally, I keep my yap shut about the employees' personal information, unless I find out something that would affect their job. I do tend to rat on drug abusers. That's about the only thing I ever tattle on."

She shook his hand and said, "I'll call you in a few months. Maybe we'll have to discuss lightening up some of my stuff for summer."

"Good idea. I'll look forward to seeing you. Call me sooner if you need me."

The following day, she put on the green suit and walked to the Mother Ship. The concierge greeted her by name and led her toward the express elevator to the executive suite. He pushed the button for her and stood aside. She spent the morning with Tomas, going over her detailed notes about each hotel. Later in the morning, Sarah Johnson, the Director of Quality Assurance, joined them. They discussed how QA could assist Mia. Mia showed Sarah her reports. Sarah laughed and said, "If the Signature Events Department doesn't pan out, I want you on my team. This is totally awesome!"

They agreed to share their schedules so Mia could piggy-back with QA where appropriate and so she could call on Sarah's folks if she needed extra help at any point. About noon, Tomas stood up and said, "Let's break for lunch."

They went into the executive dining room where Roger Benedict and a couple of Senior VP's were already seated. Roger invited Mia to sit next to him. He complimented her on the fantastic job she was doing. He also raised his eyebrows and asked softly, "I'm guessing Randy suggested you wear that suit today."

"He gently suggested it. Thanks for hiring him. I didn't realize what a dowdy old bag I was until he spruced me up a bit."

"You were never dowdy. You were however very, very conservative. That is good to a degree. In this position, we want you to be conservative, but we also want you to be elegant and lovely." He paused and gave her an appraising look, "I think we have succeeded."

"Thank you." She blushed.

Over lunch the VP's fired questions at Sarah and Mia. They both answered quickly and completely when they knew the answers. For the rare question which neither of them could answer, they each made notes and promised to report back within a week or so. Later in the day, Mia and Sarah had a drink in the bar and Mia headed back to Jeremy's apartment. She mapped out the next leg of her travels, which would cover Europe. She decided to plan on spending the next month hotel hopping around Europe. She sent an email to Tomas advising him of her proposed itinerary, which she also forwarded to Mona.

Mona responded by telephone. When Mia picked up the phone, Mona said, "You know, Mom, your job really must suck."

"It does for a fact. Shlepping around the world sleeping in elegant hotel rooms, eating five star food, meeting the rich and famous. It's just awful."

She sent Jeremy an email advising him of her schedule. She did not expect a response at least until the weekend because she knew he was in the middle of his trial, and he told her he was not checking his personal email during the week. He had instructed her that if she needed to reach him, she should contact his paralegal. Mia finished making her plane reservations and sending emails to the GM's and Event Planners in Europe. She booked a flight for home the next day. She planned to take off a couple of days and spend some time with Mona and Emma before heading for Europe. She decided to make plans to get together with her friend Brenda in Orlando and catch up on the gossip at the hotel. She thought she'd try to have lunch with Mark while she was there.

It was very late when she crawled into Jeremy's bed. She found herself sleeping on the side of the bed she knew he preferred. The sheets were freshly laundered. She got up and went into his closet. She found his robe and wrapped it around her. It smelled of his preferred cologne. She took it to bed with her and slept with it on her pillow. Just before she fell asleep it occurred to her that it was odd neither she nor Jeremy had discussed it but they did not call each other or check in when they were working, other than to keep the other one apprised of their travel schedule. Without even discussing it, they had reached an agreement that their time together would be totally devoted to one another and their time at work would be totally devoted to work.

Mia was not 100% sure she thought that was healthy, but it sure as hell was convenient not to have to try to figure out how to accommodate a relationship while working with the kind of intensity and focus the two of them did. The next day, she turned in the key to the super and sent Jeremy an email thanking him for letting her crash at his apartment. She ended with an assurance that she had not trashed the place too much.

She spent a day with Emma at the beach and spent another day lunching and shopping with Mona, who loved her mother's new "look". She decided to play some politics and call Alicia to tell her how much she loved what she and Mona had done with the apartment.

Her praise was sincere. The two of them had used what must have been almost super human restraint. The changes were subtle, but very effective. The apartment was still very plain and simple, but there were some paintings and personal photos. Uncomfortable, institutional furniture had been replaced by simple but comfortable replacements. A second "ugly chair" graced the office. Mia thought it was totally perfect, and she felt sure Jeremy would love it, too.

Alicia invited her to dinner, and Mia surprised herself by accepting. It turned out that Mark was out of town. Alicia and Mia played with the kids and put them to bed early. They they sat down to dinner. Alicia said, "I'll open a bottle of wine if you'd like. You can spend the night. It's too far to drive home at night if you've had wine."

Mia declined the invitation but said she'd take a rain check. She told Alicia she was leaving the next day for Europe and wanted to spend her last night in her own bed. Alicia was shocked to learn that Mia would be gone for a month at a stretch. Mia shrugged and said, "Your dad's been in California for weeks, and I understand he won't be back until Thanksgiving."

Alicia nodded and said, "If we're lucky. A lot of times his cases settle early in the trial. When they don't settle, the trials can drag on for weeks, and sometimes longer. I don't know how he stands being on the road so much. I hate leaving my house."

Mia smiled and said, "I'd hate to leave this house if I lived here, too."

Alicia cocked her head and asked, "However did you manage to sell the house he built for you?"

Tear sprang to Mia's eyes, but she blinked them back and swallowed, saying, "Leaving the house was almost as hard as losing David, but I just couldn't stand being there with his spirit so present. The way his presence filled the house only underscored his physical absence."

"Jeff and Carol are coming here this year for Thanksgiving. Hopefully Dad will be back from California. Mark's dad will be here, of course." She laughed, "He's kind of a fixture here. You're more than welcome."

"Thank you. It's kind of you to include me in your family holiday. I'll spend Thanksgiving with Mona's family. Jeremy and I have tentatively made plans to 'do something' over the weekend. I'm pretty sure it won't involve going to stay in a hotel anywhere. Maybe we could plan to come over one day for leftovers."

Alicia smiled, "Just let me know when it would be convenient for you. We try to see as much of Dad as we can when he's here. I think he has another long trial scheduled for early next year."

Before she went to bed, Mia sat down at the desk in the office and wrote a note to Jeremy, with the expectation he would get home before she did. It turned into a rather long and even somewhat mushy love letter. She started to throw it away, but realized, upon rereading it, that every word was true. She tucked it under the alarm clock on his side of the bed and headed off for the airport.
Chapter 17 -

Mia's trip to Europe went smoothly. Events were a relatively small part of most of the European hotels business. They had some great event planners on their staffs who Mia felt were seriously underutilized. Most of them were uninterested in working on Signature Events, however. A couple of them were openly hostile to the idea of cooperating with other hotels, particular hotels from the American Division. Mia knew the Corporation would have tried to force them to get on board, but she did not want to work that way. Several of the most experienced people were up for the challenge of helping to train event planners and/or to help out in other places for large, complex events. For the most part, the GM's took her visit relatively easily. They assumed their profit centers would not figure significantly in Mia's operations.

She had other ideas about that. She loved the elegant and sophisticated way the European hotels were run, and she wanted to use them as a training ground where new staff from other divisions could learn the basics in what she considered to be the right way. She didn't think the European GM's would like that idea very much, so she refrained from mentioning it to any of them.

About half the way through her trip, she received a call from Tomas. The hotel in Bahrain had a crisis and needed help. They were doing a wedding for the son of some local prince and the arrangements had gotten out of hand. The local events manager was in over her head. Mia scrambled around, changed her travel plans and hustled off to Bahrain where she arrived to find a chaotic situation. The wedding was less than a week away and the client had just requested major changes in the plans for the third time in as many days. With a multi-million dollar event five days away, it was way too late to make such significant changes.

Mia met with the staff and ran through all the checklists. Mia was almost sure things had deteriorated past the point of saving. The staff had attempted to accommodate too many drastic change orders, when Mia thought they should have hung tough. In America, she would have sat her client down and drawn a line in the sand. This was, however, the Middle East where money is no object and saying "no" to a billionaire sheik could piss off his uncle or somebody who is in charge of licensing the hotel's operations.

Mia felt she had no choice, however. They were headed for a disaster, which could be equally damaging to the future of the hotel. She called a meeting with the client and the senior event staff. Since everyone in the room but her was Muslim, Mia she refrained from calling it a "come to Jesus" meeting out loud. In her mind, however, that was precisely what it was. She laid the situation out very clearly to the client. She told him what could be accomplished and what couldn't be accomplished. She suggested a few small modifications that would give them a fighting chance to avoid chaos, but she said she could not accommodate the drastic changes he wanted without risking the entire event.

The client insisted that he didn't care about the cost, he wanted the modifications. Mia agreed to those changes she thought she could pull of with more money. A few of the things the client wanted to do, in Mia's opinion, simply were not possible with the resources available and in the time remaining. In order to add the extra guests and additional food courses, they would have to bring in cooks and waiters from other hotels, and there was not enough time to make those arrangements. In a few years, after she had her Department up to speed, she might be able to pull such a thing off, but as things stood, she could not manage it.

She felt she had no other option, so she dug in her heels and said she would not agree to even try to make modifications she didn't think she could successfully manage. The client got mad and threatened to sue for breach of contract. Mia looked him straight in the eye across the table for a long minute, almost certain that she was making some kind of unforgivable cultural _faux pas_ , but by then she had gone too far to stop \-- and she was angry. She did not like having the hotel staff set up for what was bound to be a colossal failure on account of the ridiculous whims of a client, no matter how rich or powerful he was.

She stood up, leaned across the table and said very softly but firmly that she would put on an event exactly as provided for in the original contract the client signed, with none of the recent modifications. That was what she was required to do pursuant to the contract and that was what she would do. The client could sue, and the Corporation would respond with its own counter suit if the client failed to pay on time.

She glanced out of the corner of her eye at the local event manger who looked as though he was about to have a heart attack, but the man didn't say a word. He was going to let her take the brunt of the client's wrath. The client yelled and screamed and said a lot of things in Arabic that Mia was very glad she didn't understand. She let him go until he ran out of steam, and then she reiterated her original statement.

She ordered her staff to pull back to the original plans, as provided for in the contract the client had signed. They put on the event exactly as has been promised. The bride and groom and their guests were thrilled. It was a magnificent event, albeit ostentatious in Mia's opinion.

The next day, the client sued for breach of contract and refused to pay the $4,000,000 bill. Sterling counter-sued the day after that, demanding payment for services rendered. It appeared Sterling was going to be in for protracted and expensive litigation. At that point, Roger Benedict made a sudden and unilateral decision. He called the GM in Bahrain and told him to close down the hotel within the next 60 days. The same day, he sent a letter to the minister of tourism explaining that if the hotel was going to be the object of such blatant shakedowns by clients, taking advantage of their money and political connections to the detriment of the hotel's reputation, the Company didn't want to do business in his country. He instructed Mia to work with Sara and a whole team of people from Chicago to assist the GM in the process of laying off employees and shutting down operations.

The government, faced with a significant public relations black eye, persuaded the princely client not only to pay the bill for the wedding, but also to pay the corporation's legal expenses.

As a result of that turn of events, the word went out among the local populace that the hotel could be trusted to deliver on its contractual obligations. Suddenly, it was the hottest spot in Bahrain to get married.

The whole crisis was over in less than a week.

After the settlement was announced, Roger let Mia know over the phone that the next time she pissed of a prince with that kind of stunt, it would be her last time. She calmly informed him that if she felt compelled to do anything that dramatic in the future she would let him know in advance. She pointedly did not promise never to do it again. Roger took what he could get.

He asked her how many times she had played that kind of contractual "chicken" over the years, albeit on a smaller scale. Her response was that he should think twice before asking questions to which he might not want to know the answers. He growled at her and angrily hung up on her. About an hour later he sent her a terse email informing her that in the future she would report directly to him as the Executive Vice President in charge of the Worldwide Signature Events Division. She was to receive a 10% raise, effective immediately. The email ended with a warning that she should not plan on a repeat performance. If she was chastened by Roger's warnings, she never let on.

In the preceding weeks, Mia had polled all the events departments in the company regarding their plans for holiday parties. She had always believed that the company could save money by leveraging purchasing for large events. For certain standard purchases such as dishes, linens and crystal, all of which came with the company's logo, she wanted to consolidate purchasing. Up until that time, the company bought those commodities from a number of vendors around the world. Each hotel ordered from local suppliers in its region. Mia was all for using local suppliers for regular operations. However, she intended to put in one large order for the bulk of supplies for holiday parties, taking bids from all the usual vendors. The result was that the order for special holiday dishes and glassware alone saved a total of nearly a quarter of a million dollars. She did the same thing with champagne. Instead of having each of the hotels order champagne from local vendors; she ordered all the champagne directly from a couple of French wineries, and saved a few hundred thousand dollars more. All of those savings were to be funneled directly back to each of the profit centers, making the holiday events more profitable than had been anticipated for each hotel.

She had known from the beginning she wanted to hire an inventory and supply guru, and she had been on the lookout for one. She made some calls and got the name of a person in the purchasing department for WalMart in Bentonville. She called the man, talked to him on the phone for about forty-five minutes and made him an offer that blew him away. He accepted immediately and, without Mia even meeting him, he took the position of the Signature Events Purchasing Director.

There being no room for an office in Chicago, Mia invited her new employee to move into the condo in Boca Raton, and so, Boca became the headquarters for the Signature Events Division of Sterling Hotels.

Mia finished the rest of her European tour while working over the phone and by email with Brandon Vickers to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Mia's phone rang off the hook with questions from event planners. She answered them as best she could, and picked the brains of senior event planners in other resorts for those questions she couldn't answer immediately.

She started an online forum for the events departments. That turned out to be a huge success from the first day she opened it. She had always wanted to foster collegiality among the event planners, but in the past the GM's stood in the way out of fear it would siphon off profits. At every turn, Mia had argued that the profits could actually be increased by cooperation among the event planning departments.

The forum turned out to cost Sterling absolutely nothing. The technology already was built into the corporate Intranet. The Accounting Departments had been using it for years. It took Mia about twelve hours to set up the Signature Forum. It took the event managers from around the world about a day and a half to assume control of it and start using it to share information and tips. The more experienced people became instant gurus, guiding newbies through the labyrinth of professional party planning.

Brandon was doing a heroic job with purchasing. He was a single guy, so he was able to move to an apartment in Mia's building the weekend after he started with Sterling. He set up a room full of computers and a phone bank in his second bedroom and immediately assumed the role of Command Central for Signature Events. Having been trained the WalMart way, he leveraged every purchase to the max.

He also suggested moving inventory from one place to another instead of having each hotel purchase its own special events necessities. He proposed having a sort of generic events inventory on hand that could be moved around as needed when large weddings or corporate events required it. That way individual hotels could "rent" glasses and dishes for large events rather than buying inventory it didn't need once the event was over.

In less than a month from his hire date, Brandon became the hero of the Sterling accounting departments worldwide. Roger Benedict instructed Mia to give him a 15% raise, effective retroactively to his hire date. The deepest darkest secret in the company was where Brandon had come from. Mia told him she would fire him instantly if anyone ever found out he previously worked for WalMart.

Roger also told her he wanted her to plan on taking at least two weeks off in January for a well-earned vacation, at the company's expense. It was to be considered a bonus perk. He offered to put her up in a luxury suite at any hotel in the chain (anywhere in the world), with transportation included. She would be fed, massaged and pampered to the max during her visit. She asked if she could bring a guest on her vacation. Roger told her she could bring her whole family if she wanted. She said softly she had in mind bringing only one guest.

Roger was quiet for a long minute. Then he said, "Oh. I understand. Of course. Your guest will be our guest as well. This is our way of thanking you for the wonderful job you are doing. In only four months, you have moved things forward beyond all our expectations."

At the end of the first week in November, Jeremy sent her an email informing her that his trial was over and he was headed home. She replied indicating that her last stop was Monte Carlo for four days and after that she would head home as well. He responded with a terse quip to the effect that she had a really tough job, but somebody had to do it.

She wrapped up her work in Monte Carlo in record time. That hotel did relatively few special events. Those it did were primarily small but extravagantly expensive parties. She and the Events Manager discussed a few options for working with Brandon on inventory control and ordering that they thought would maximize the already outrageous profits of that operation. Beyond that Mia thought that hotel was doing a great job. The Events Manager was not interested in being a part of Mia's team. Mia didn't push her, because she thought the woman was kind of stuffy and condescending anyway. Without discussing it, they more or less agree to leave each other alone. To her credit, the woman did contact Brandon immediately and made some changes that boosted her profits immediately.

For her return trip from Monte Carlo, Mia hitched a ride on the corporate jet, which was ferrying Roger Benedict and the senior leadership for the Far Eastern division back to the States for Thanksgiving. When Mia boarded the plane, Roger Benedict, the divisional president for the Far East and four divisional vice presidents were sitting at a conference table in one of the corporations jumbo jets. The first thing out of Roger's mouth after Mia sat down at the table was, "Next year, I want you to spend as much time as you can in the Far East. My God, it's a disaster over there."

Mia nodded and said, "That was why I started where I did. Our best events operations are in the States and in the Caribbean. Our European operations do their own thing in their own way and pretend the rest of the company doesn't exist.

"The Middle East is the Wild, Wild West and I'm not even going to attempt to bring those folks under control. I will help out as best I can when they have to pull off some multi-million dollar birthday party for a billionaire now and again like we had a few weeks ago." She looked at Roger and winked, "Only without all the drama." Roger tried to glare at her, but couldn't help smiling at her impish look.

She went on, "The Far East Division has been the unknown quantity for me. It does fewer special events than I would expect for a market its size. Its hotel operations have decent numbers, but their events departments are the weakest in the company across the board."

The president of the Far East Division said, "Why is that? And, what do you suggest we do about it?"

Mia said, "I have to learn a whole lot more about it before I will be able to make any suggestions. First of all, I need to understand culturally what kinds of events they could be doing that they are not doing. I need a better understanding of the economies of the eight countries where we have hotels in the Far East." She paused. "I think what I really need is somebody to help me sort that out. Who's the best person you have for that?"

The president replied instantly, "QA has an auditor named Sally Quang. She started as a waitress in our hotel in Thailand. She was an instant star, and ended up heading their bar operations after only a year or so. At that point QA grabbed her and she's done a great job. She speaks about ten different languages and and knows all of the managers of all of our hotels in the Far East. They all respect her, although I doubt any of them like her very much. She busts their chops something awful every time she walks into a hotel."

Mia said, "I'll ask Sarah if I can borrow her for a tour of our Far East Division. I'd like to plan to make one fast trip around the profit centers to meet and greet the troops. After that, I'd like to plan to go home, and spend anywhere from several weeks to several months digesting what I've learned and putting together a plan. I'd like to roll out my Signature Events Plan in the Far East resorts. They have the biggest problems. They can be our guinea pigs." She looked at the divisional president and then at Roger Benedict. "That is, if you agree?"

They both nodded. She concluded, "I suppose I'll be spending a lot of time in Asia over the next couple of years as we work out the kinks."

The Far East President laughed and said, "You know, Mia, the only person I know who can move faster and more decisively in so many directions all at once is," he paused and pointed at Roger Benedict.

Roger laughed and said, "Why the hell do you think I hired her?"

All the vice presidents laughed, but everybody in the plane knew that Mia had both the CEO's and the divisional president's personal endorsements. They all knew that when she showed up in their hotels, they would be expected to be in the mood to cooperate – or else.

As the plane taxied to a stop at the FBO in Boca, which was only minutes from her apartment, she said to Roger, "Thanks for the ride. You know, a person could get used to this kind of travel."

He shook his head and said, "Call my assistant first whenever you need to visit our hotels, especially if you are going really far. Our corporate planes are always shuttling folks hither and yon. Especially when you're going to Europe or Asia, feel free to hitch a ride. And, if there's a plane available, I'll authorize you to reserve it." He grinned, "Subject of course to being bumped by me, of course."

Mia beamed, "Of course. I most definitely will take you up on that offer. Thank you."

She had requested a courtesy car from the condo to pick her up at the airport, so she was surprised to see Jeremy standing inside the front door of the terminal as she headed for parking lot. He looked up at her with a boyish grin and said, "Can I give you a lift, ma'am?"

She said, "Oh, you most certainly can!" She threw her arms around him and gave him a long, wet kiss on the lips, without giving a thought to who might be looking. He responded in kind.

It was seven o'clock Boca time. He asked if she wanted to get dinner. She thought about it for a minute and said, "Actually, I think I want lunch. Whatever meal we call it, food would be a good thing, but I don't think I want to go out. Can we pick up something and take it home?"

He called the local Chinese take-out place and placed a pick-up order, which they promised would be ready by the time Jeremy arrived to pick it up. At the next traffic light, he took Mia's hand, looked over at her and smiled, "God, I've missed you!"

She asked, "Do you think it's weird that we don't stay in touch when we're working?"

"I think we may need to talk about that. I didn't expect us to be apart for such long stretches. What's your upcoming schedule look like."

"Well, I hired a new person for my department. He moved into the same building where we live. He and I have a lot of work to do, so I'm planning to stay close until after Christmas. My bonus this year consists of a two-week vacation for me and a friend anywhere in the world. After that I need to make a tour of our Asian operations. That will probably take a month. After that, I think I'll be home for a few months during the middle of next year. After that, it appears I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Asia."

"Why Asia?"

"Across the board, they under-perform when it comes to events. We're going to focus on improving their events operations."

He nodded. "I think we will need to work something out in the way of communications while we are traveling. I don't think it's good for us to go for such long periods of time without touching base with one another." She agreed with him and suggested they revisit the issue before her next long trip.

She asked, "How did your trial go?"

"It was total, complete and absolute victory for my client. Total annihilation. The plaintiff got nothing. We filed for attorney's fees and I think we would have won on that issue. Ultimately, we agreed to waive our application for attorneys fees in return for the plaintiff agreeing not to appeal the verdict."

"Congratulations! After I rest up for a few days and get back on Eastern time, we must make a party and celebrate."

"That's a great idea. Now, tell me. Who's the friend you plan to take as your guest on your vacation?"

She grinned and said, "Well, I haven't decided yet. It has to be someone I enjoy spending time with. Someone who won't hog the covers at night. Ideally, it should be someone handsome and who likes to dance."

"Hmm. You got anybody in mind?"

She squeezed his hand and said, "Maybe. Just out of curiosity, if you could go anywhere in the world for two weeks of being spoiled and pampered in outrageous luxury, where would it be?"

He looked sheepish and said, "If money were no object, the one place I've always wanted to go was one of those resorts in Tahiti with the rooms on stilts over a lagoon."

"Isn't that just the most interesting thing?! Sterling happens to have two resorts in French Polynesia. The one in Bora Bora has bungalows built over a lagoon."

"Really? It seems to be an amazing coincidence to me that you have to go to Asia early in the year. Maybe you and your guest could go to Bora Bora and then you could start your tour of Asia from there. As it happens, at least one of your friends has a new client in Hong Kong who would benefit from an in-person visit."

She smiled and said, "Hmm. Perhaps I should poll my friends and find out who that might be."

He picked up the Chinese food and they drove home, holding hands, in silence. They sort of babbled at each other through dinner, and then went to bed immediately. She curled up in his arms and started to doze off. He said, "About that letter you left for me...."

She murmured, "What about it?"

He gave her a very long, slow and gentle kiss. He whispered, "Ditto."

She snuggled against him, clearly with something in mind besides sleep, but before she could finish what she was trying to start, she fell asleep in his arms.

When she awoke the next morning, he was awake and watching her. She grinned and said, "I'm so sorry. It seems I fell asleep right in the middle of something kind of important."

He smiled and said, "What do you say we pick up where you left off?"

She scooted over and wrapped her arms around him and threw her leg across his body. "I was pretty tired last night. Remind me exactly where we were."

He muttered, "Just about right there."
Chapter 18 -

During the next few weeks, Mia and Jeremy fell into what became their "at home" routine. After having coffee together and perusing several newspapers from various parts of the world, Mia went downstairs to Brandon's apartment and spent the day working the phones and email in his den. By the second week of December the holiday dishes, glasses, champagne, and decorations had been shipped to the various hotels where they were needed. Brandon had worked out an inventory arrangement whereby hotels could return dishes, linens and flatware to Corporate, for a credit. He located one hotel in each division that had some extra storage room, so he instructed the hotels to ship unneeded inventory to those hotels following the holiday parties. It relieved the hotels of carrying all those extra dishes on their inventories, but made extra dishes available (at truly nominal costs) if a large event required it. Corporate reimbursed the hotels that served as warehouses for the storage costs.

While Mia was working at Brandon's apartment, Jeremy took over the "office" in their apartment.

They each tried to spend as much time with their kids and grandchildren as they could. Most of the time they did their visiting separately. Occasionally, they had dinner together with one or the other of their children. Several times a week, they invited Brandon to their apartment for dinner. He was single and alone in Boca Raton. Mia worried about him. She needn't have. For someone who was kind of a computer nerd, he had pretty good people skills, or at least he did well with women, so he managed to have a pretty decent social life. Nevertheless Mia and Jeremy sort of adopted him anyway.

The advantage of that was that in addition to being rather interesting company for them, in a kind of nerdy way, he often spent the evening souping up both Mia's and Jeremy's computers just for fun. Jeremy took to referring to him as "my IT guy."

Mia and Jeremy spent Thanksgiving Day separately, each with their own kids. They abandoned their original intention to go someplace for the rest of the weekend. Instead, they holed up together at home. By prior arrangement they had agreed not to do any work over the holiday. They read, walked on the beach, and cooked elaborate meals, which they shared with their kids and Brandon.

Jeremy invited Mia to his firm's Christmas party in Chicago. She would have given almost anything to avoid having to go to Chicago in December, but Jeremy was so eager to introduce her to his colleagues, she agreed to go with him. She had always wanted a fur jacket, so she used that as an excuse to buy a silver fox jacket that would look stunning with the midnight blue gown she bought for the party.

It turned out to be a profitable trip for her, as well. His firm's managing partner's wife had never called her about their daughter's wedding because she couldn't believe anyone her husband might know would be suitable as a wedding planner. Mia sucked up to her at the Christmas party to a sufficient degree that she agreed to set an appointment to meet with with Mia to discuss the wedding. The bride-to-be wanted to get married in the Bahamas. The mother of the bride seized the opportunity to make a trip to Nassau to meet with the wedding planners at Sterling's resort there. Mia agreed to meet her at the resort on Paradise Island the week before Christmas.

Jeremy and the managing partner tagged along for the hell of it; they played golf while the women met with the wedding planners. Sterling got the booking. Because they planned to keep the event fairly small, Mia flipped it directly to the Paradise Island Resort instead of keeping it as Signature Event. That, of course, endeared her to the hotel management.

Three days before Christmas, Jeremy and Mia sat on their private veranda overlooking the azure water, sipping rum drinks and swapping stories about their day. He asked, "How's the wedding coming?"

She said, "It's going to be quite extravagant, but not completely over the top."

"What do you think of the bride and her mother."

She made a face and said, "The bride is a spoiled brat who's incapable of an independent thought. The mother is kind of barracuda, but I like working with her."

"How so?"

"She knows exactly what she wants and how to get it. I prefer working with an opinionated bitch who has very specific and well-articulated requirements to having to deal with a client who doesn't know what they want on the front end but knows what isn't it when it comes time to pay for it."

He laughed and said, "I'm guessing you have more experience working with the latter."

"You got it. In this case, I rather like the wife. The unknown quantity is the groom. It seems to me he's just not strong enough for that family."

Jeremy made a face, "He's from an extremely wealthy, blue-blooded family. He doesn't need to be strong. He's very rich and very smart."

Mia laughed, "Interesting. A predatory mother-in-law, a spoiled rich girl, and an egg-head rich dude. What's his mother like?"

"From what I hear, she's a good match for his mother-in-law."

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think it's potentially a marriage made in heaven."

"You're kidding!?"

"Not at all. I've seen this kind of thing before. It can absolutely work. What's funny is the spoiled, brainless brat often turns into her mother as the years progress." She laughed, "It may sound strange, but I like these people. They're strong-willed and a bit prickly, but they know their minds. That's huge for me."

"Are we going to be invited to the wedding?"

"You're on the guest list. I'm not."

"Would you be my guest?"

"I dunno. That's kind of complicated. I've never tried to be a guest at a wedding I facilitated. I guess I could pull it off. I'll have to talk to the wedding planner and make sure I won't be intruding. I'm sure we can work something out. Trudy and I get along well enough."

He took her hand and said, "Maybe it will be a good thing for you to be a guest at a wedding in one of your hotels."

"Good point. It will serve as a sort of spying mission on my part."

They returned to Boca Raton a couple of days before Christmas. After a number of conversations, the families had decided to spend Christmas morning at home with their immediate families. In the afternoon, they planned to gather at Jeremy and Mia's apartment for a laid-back afternoon of beaching and picnicking. Mia and Jeremy settled into a "holiday" routine that involved early morning visits to the gym followed by several hours of work until lunchtime. After lunch they took a walk on the beach, and then they went back to work for the rest of the afternoon. They typically quit for dinner about seven and spent the rest of the evening cocooning, talking and reading or listening to music.

Mia spent most of her at-work hours in Brandon's apartment, concocting inventory systems and devising procedures and protocols for moving supplies around among the hotels, based largely on what did and did not work as they worked through the last minute details of holiday parties around the world. It was a heady and exciting time for both of them. They stumbled upon a very efficient method of operating. Mia and the event planners in the various hotels figured out what they wanted. Brandon and the accounting and operations folks figured out how to do it. Mia liked that because it was one more way to make "events" more integral to the operations of the hotels.

Christmas Day was quiet. Jeremy and Mia spent the morning reading the paper and walking on the beach. Their kids and grandchildren arrived shortly after noon. They had a picnic lunch on the beach and spent several hours playing in the sand and sitting around talking. The families went home early.

The calls started coming in late in the afternoon. The last-minute run-up to New Years had begun. By two days before New Years, Mia moved into Brandon's apartment because the cell phone ringing all night long disturbed Jeremy. Mia and Brandon worked nearly around the clock the last three days of the year. They slept in shifts, cat-napping on the couch between phone calls.

By dawn on January 1, they were exhausted, but Mia had the sense they had pulled off something wonderful. She stood up, dumped the last of the coffee out in the sink and reached into the refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of expensive French champagne. She opened it and poured a glass for each of them. She walked into Brandon's den, which they referred to as "Party Central", where Brandon was still crouched over his computer, scanning three monitors, fingers dancing across the keys.

"I think we're through. It's time for us to celebrate." She handed him a glass.

He turned to her and beamed, "Oh, dude, you have no idea what we just pulled off!" He walked over to the printer and waited. A single piece of paper popped out and he handed it to her. It was a comparison of the profits from events during the month of December that year versus the year before. Every single hotel showed greater profitability for their holiday events. Several of the hotels they had worked most closely with showed double digit percentage increases. The net increased revenue to the corporation was more than $10 million. Six million went directly to the bottom line of each hotel and the other $4 million went into corporate operations. Other than investment income, it was the only profit earned directly by the corporation.

Brandon said, "Lady, if they didn't love you before, they are going to love you now. The GM's should greet you at the door with flowers and champagne."

Mia studied the sheet and smiled. "I want you to keep a running report like this for every event. Monthly, let's go through them line by line to see where we can improve things. Quarterly, I'll provide a summary report to Roger." She grinned at him, "I'm guessing that if we continue to show results like this, by the end of the fiscal year you and I will be looking as some very nice bonuses."

"Speaking of bonuses, when are you leaving for your vacation?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"I think I'd like to take some time off, too. We have hardly any events in the next couple of weeks. If you don't mind, I'd like to go on vacation for a few days while you're gone."

"Where do you have in mind?"

"I don't know. I've never been anywhere. I grew up in Oklahoma. Moved to Bentonville right out of college." He looked sheepish, "Until I moved in here, I had never seen the ocean."

Mia said, "Okay, here's what I want you to do. I want you to pick out any of our resorts in the US, the Caribbean or Mexico. Go there for a week. Eat at the hotel restaurants. Drink at the hotel bars. When you come back, give me your receipts. We'll call that your Christmas bonus."

"You mean that!!?"

"The Company is giving me a vacation. You earned one as much as I did. Yes, I mean it. Now go look at brochures, and pick out a destination."

"What do you recommend?"

"Well, if you want to party and have fun go to Aruba or St. Bart's. If you want to lie around in the sun, drinking rum drinks and looking at astonishing scenery, go to St. Croix or Jamaica."

"I like the lady I've been dealing with in Jamaica."

"Go there."

They sipped champagne. Mia sent a blast email to all the event planners congratulating them on a great holiday season and wishing them a Happy New Year. She sent a brief summary to Roger and Tomas, attaching the profitability report and added at the bottom of her message:

Brandon and I have been up for three days. I'm going to bed now. I'll catch up with some paperwork tomorrow. After that I'm off for my South Pacific vacation and Brandon is taking a week off as well. If anybody needs anything, perhaps they could call Dolores Sanchez. I am not checking messages during my vacation, but I will be at the Grand Polynesian in Tahiti. If you need to reach me, you can get a message to me through the hotel.

She went upstairs and crawled into bed beside Jeremy. Without waking up, he opened his arms and she snuggled close to him, smiled and fell asleep instantly. A few hours later, she woke to the smell of breakfast. She walked out of the bedroom and found Jeremy in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on a breakfast of eggs, toast, potatoes and bacon. He said, "Please go back to bed. I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed."

She put her arms around him and said, "I'm really not much for eating in bed. I've never exactly understood the attraction. Let's have breakfast on the balcony if it isn't too cold." She turned him around and put her arms around him, saying, "But, first things first." Then she gave him a long, deep, lingering kiss.

He pulled back and laughed, "Oh, no, you don't. I worked all morning on this breakfast. You're going to eat it while it's hot no matter how much you try to distract me!"

They ate breakfast, laughing and talking. Jeremy asked how the New Years parties went. She went into the bedroom and fetched the report Brandon had run from the pocket of her slacks. Handing it to Jeremy, she watched his reaction. He studied it for a minute and then chuckled, deep in his chest. He looked at her, raising his eyebrows and grinning, "Well, girlfriend, it would appear that you have accomplished exactly what Roger Benedict wanted to see."

"Maybe. I actually think Roger might have wanted more of the benefit to accrue directly to Corporate, but I intentionally pushed the greatest share of the profits back down to the local profit centers in order to make them understand that it is in their interest to cooperate with me."

"Damn right it is! I can't wait to see this report at the end of the fiscal year."

She laughed, "Brandon and I are already mentally spending our bonus checks."

They spent the day lounging around the house. The following day Jeremy ran errands and worked for a while. Mia and Brandon debriefed the holiday season, making notes of things that worked, and things that didn't. They brainstormed ideas for the spring wedding season. Mia mapped out a strategy to have the experienced event planners help each other while she was in the orient. She put together a tentative schedule for the year that put her in the far east the first six months, Europe and South America during the third quarter, the US during October. During November and December she would stay home and manage the holiday season from headquarters. She sent an email to Roger Benedict, mapping out that plan for the calendar year.

Roger responded with a telephone call. He didn't beat around the bush, "Mia? Roger. Is Brandon there? Put this on speaker."

Mia clicked the button and held up the phone. Roger said, "Okay, you two, I am not generally big on flattery or even praise, but the two of you deserve more credit than I can possibly give you. At some point, I will share with you the flood of emails we have received in corporate from GM's and Event Managers alike singing your praises and thanking us for your help. I truly expected it to take several years for you to convince the profit centers that the Signature Events Department was a good thing for them. You did it in only a few months. With very few exceptions, the GM's are fully on board. You did an incredible job through the holidays, and I am very proud of both of you.

"Mia, I know you are going on vacation, and it couldn't be more well deserved. Brandon, I understand you are planning to take some time off, too. Please stay in Sterling resorts and submit an expense account for your trip. Consider that your Christmas bonus." Mia winked at Brandon.

They talked for a few minutes and then clicked off with Roger's admonishments for both of them have some fun after the holiday madness.

Mia sent Brandon shopping for resort wear, with a shopping list she drew up and a five hundred dollar check from her personal account.

As she was returning to her apartment, Mark called from Orlando. When she clicked open the phone, all she could hear was laughter. She spoke first, "Ordinarily, I'd hang up , thinking it was an obscene call. However, I recognize that particular evil laugh. Happy New Year, Mark."

He replied, "Same back at you. Well, well, my dear, it would appear that you have not merely done a good job in your new position, you have totally and completely blown us all away with your brilliance. This holiday season was a grand slam home run for Sterling Corporation, thanks almost entirely to you and the Wunderkind. I sincerely hope you intend to make sure you both benefit while Roger's in a good mood."

"I'm off for a two week all-expenses-paid vacation in Tahiti."

"I seem to recall that was scheduled before the holidays. Hit Roger up for a big bonus for the holiday success, too."

"He flipped Brandon a big prize. That was gratification enough for me ... for now. I'll wait until the end of the fiscal year. Then I'm going to hit him up for a bonus and a fat raise."

They chatted for a few minutes and then Mia said she had to go. Mark said, "One last thing: I want to thank you. I have the feeling you've been pushing some events my way that might originally have gone to other hotels. We had a really big holiday and we have more weddings scheduled than ever before. I can't think that is an accident."

"Could be because now that Mia the Wonderful is out of the way your event staff is starting to grow into their jobs?"

"I think that could happen, and actually I do see some of them rising to the challenge we have offered them. But they're event planners, not marketers. My marketing department hasn't done anything different...."

"A situation which you should remedy."

"Why do I think you have ideas about that?"

"Because I do. You'll learn about them soon enough, but you were saying..."

"I was saying – before you interrupted me – that I am pretty sure that you're pushing business my way, and I appreciate it. Our numbers for the holidays were the best they've ever been, and the spring wedding season is looking mighty fine."

"I told you I want your hotel to be the model for what I can do for a hotel. I want you to profit hugely from Signature Events. I'll flip you business every chance I get. Your job will be to make as much money as you can from it."

"We always were a great team."

"Even if you are a jerk a lot of the time."

"And even if you are a total pain in the ass most of the time."

She laughed, "That's what they pay me the big bucks for."

"I sincerely hope so. You've earned it! Have a great vacation."

Mia and Jeremy had dinner at Alicia's with all of the kids and grandchildren. Mona and JJ were the last to arrive. When Mia heard them pull into the driveway, she walked to the door with Alicia, and whispered, "Has Mona been here before?"

"No."

"You take care of JJ, and I'll take care of Mona."

"Feel free to take her upstairs if you want."

Mia nodded and Alicia opened the door. Mona walked into the hall and looked around. She whispered to Alicia, "I need a minute."

Mia ushered her into the den and closed the door. Mona put her arms around her mother and sobbed for a few minutes. "Oh, my God, Mom. How can you stand being here?"

"It was overwhelming at first, but after a while I have discovered I love it. David is here in a very special way. I know in my heart that David would be okay with Jeremy. Jeremy understands how I felt about David, so it's cool (in a freaky kind of way) for me to have both of them "together". I gotta tell you, I'm seriously trying to buy one of David's houses. I am afraid I sold our house in Orlando too quickly."

"Would those people sell it back to you?"

"No way. I already asked. They love the house as much as I did. It is definitely not for sale. I got a list of the houses he built from his firm, and I have a Realtor watching them. If any of them come up for sale, he will notify me right away."

Mona calmed down and looked around, smiling, "Daddy's in every nook and cranny of this place, isn't he?"

"Yep. You wanna go upstairs?"

"Not yet. I've already been rude enough. Let's join the party."

The family spent the early evening eating pizza and chatting. Carol asked Mia and Jeremy, "Are you two all packed?"

They both shook their heads. Mona said, "What do you mean you're not packed? You're leaving for a two week holiday tomorrow!"

Jeremy made a face, "We're going to a resort on an atoll in Tahiti. We intend to spend the entire two weeks on the beach. I don't know about Mia, but I'm taking about three bathing suits, a couple of Hawaiian shirts and a pair of flip flops."

Mia chimed in, "I'm taking a couple of bathing suits, a sarong and flip flops. I may throw in workout clothes. The resort has a world class gym. I am also taking a half dozen books. I think we could probably get all our stuff in one suitcase. The pilot will like that."

Jeff asked, "How so?"

"We're flying to Tahiti on the corporate jet. Luggage weight is a huge factor in the cost of operating those planes."

Jeremy said, "Don't you need to take clothes for after our vacation? I thought you were going to start your tour of the Far East while you're already in the area."

She shrugged, "Oh, I'm way a head of the game there. I already shipped a suitcase to our hotel in Hong Kong. They're storing it for me until I arrive."

Alicia waved her arm in a dismissive gesture, "You two! I guess traveling as much as you do, packing is easy. It freaks me out!"

Mia said, "Packing for vacations can be hard, especially if you plan a vacation where you will be doing all kinds of things. I thought packing for our cruise last year was awful. Packing for business travel is easy. Jeremy and I both keep suitcases packed."

Mona scrunched up her face and said, "You're going to spend two weeks on the beach doing nothing?"

Jeremy beamed, "There is no cell service, nor are there TV's or radios in the cabins. I understand there is Internet access in the business center at the main building of the resort. I'm not even taking my computer. Mia, are you?"

"My travel laptop is already in Thailand. I'll take my cell phone with me only because I need it now. It'll stay in a drawer while we're there, unless we have some reason to want to use it for a clock." She took out her phone and tapped out something, then she put it back in the holster at her waist. She said to the kids, "I just sent you a link to the resort's website. It has the information for how to contact the hotel if you need to get a message to us. They have a special email address for messages to guests. They guarantee they will deliver the messages immediately."

Emma made a face, "What are you going to do with yourselves for two weeks with no TV and no Internet."

Jeremy stretched and said, "Oh, I think we'll just relax and sleep and talk and eat."

Mia laughed and said, "To be honest, I'd bet that by the third or fourth day, we'll both be in the business center trolling the Internet and responding to our work emails. I'd also bet we won't stay the full two weeks. I think we'll be bored."

Jeremy looked at her irritably, "You do?"

"Yep."

"Well, you can leave if you want to, but I'm looking forward to two weeks of doing nothing."

"You think you can stand it?"

"Yes."

The party broke up early because Mia and Jeremy did have to pack at least a few things. When they got home, they piled up all their stuff on the bed and realized that they could, in fact, fit everything into one medium sized suitcase. After they closed the suitcase and got ready for bed, Jeremy said, "Are you absolutely sure we won't need at least one outfit of regular clothes."

Mia snuggled up close and said, "We will be wearing one outfit of regular clothes to travel there. That is all we need. Once we get there, we will spend our time wearing bathing suits." She snuggled closer and whispered, "That is when we bother with clothes."

"Exactly what do you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know. I guess we'll just have to make it up as we go along."
Chapter 19 -

They arrived at the jet center just before noon. The corporate plane was waiting for them. The co-pilot met them at the door, took their suitcase and ushered them to the plane. Because they were traveling a long distance, they were on one of the larger jets owned by the company. They were the only passengers. They read and talked and watched movies until dinnertime. The crew fed them dinner at a conference room table that doubled as a dining room. They ate on china plates with linen napkins and crystal wine glasses. After dinner, the attendant served brandy and invited them to make themselves comfortable in the main bedroom cabin.

It turned out the cabin was something like a small hotel room, with a queen sized bed and a full bathroom. They drank their brandy and went to bed. They woke to the sound of the wheels lowering for landing in Tahiti. They hopped out of bed, dressed quickly and took turns brushing their teeth. The next thing they knew, French customs had boarded the aircraft and were inspecting the paperwork.

It only took a few minutes for customs to clear the aircraft. The pilot handed their bag to a limo driver, who put it in the trunk of a white Mercedes. Mia and Jeremy climbed into the back seat and the limo headed for the resort where the head concierge greeted them at the curb. She personally escorted them to their cabin, situated at the end of a dock over a lagoon.

The concierge explained that they would have complete privacy if they wanted it. Meals and beverages would be delivered to the cabin whenever they wanted. There were also a couple of fine-dining restaurant on the premises if they wanted to go "out". She added that the only place on the premises where there was cell phone reception or Internet access was in the business center of the main hotel. She added that the center was open 24/7. Then she was gone.

Breakfast breads, jams, butter and fruit were arranged on the table with a large carafe of coffee and a pitcher of what appeared to be pineapple juice. They ate breakfast and then walked outside. Stairs led down into the water, which was crystal clear. The lagoon teamed with life.

Jeremy said, "I don't know about you, but I am not a fan of swimming with the fishes."

"Me either. I think I'll sit here and watch them, especially considering that there's a really big shark down there. I'm sure he's very well fed, but I'm not inclined to test that theory. According to the hotel's publicity, the beach is 8 miles long. That will give us some nice walking space. There are other places to explore on the island as well. When we were packing, I noticed that we each brought several books. I say we try really hard to lay around as much as possible."

Jeremy laughed, "After the fall I had, I'm for that. I am mentally, emotionally and even physically tired after that trial."

"Alicia told me you have another one coming up."

"Don't remind me! Yes. I have a trial set for April in Chicago. The good news is I can stay at home in my apartment and work out of my regular office with a staff to support me. The bad news is that this one is not going to be a slam dunk and it could truly take months to try. Once I get back to the States, I may have to spend most of my time in Chicago from now and for the foreseeable future."

Mia chuckled, "So much for us shacking up in Boca."

Jeremy patted her hand. "Maybe I can get home on the weekends at least before the trial starts. Or, perhaps, you'll have occasion to visit the Mothership and you can pay me a visit as well."

She smiled at him and said, "I'm sure that can be arranged." She looked around and added, "I hereby adopt the red chair. You can have the blue one. I am going to put on my bathing suit, pour more juice and let's stretch out in the shade with books until nap-time."

Jeremy grinned and said, "That sounds like a plan."

The days of their vacation went by. They walked up to the business center once a day and checked in with their kids. Jeremy had told her about his arrangement with his assistant to send him urgent emails to his personal email address so he would not be tempted to look at his business email. Mia asked Brandon to monitor her email and forward any that needed to be dealt with immediately to her personal email address as well. Somehow they managed to limit the exercise of checking emails and returning calls to a half hour or so a day.

The rest of the time they walked on the beach, read in the shade, rowed around the lagoon in kyaks, and ate exotic fruits and the freshest seafood imaginable. They drank amazing juice blends for breakfast. Late in the afternoon, they added vodka and ice and blended up an amazing variety of frozen concoctions. Before they left Florida, Mia had had some doubts about their ability to unwind sufficiently to enjoy the full two weeks. She was pleasantly surprised to find that she did not miss the constant vibration of her smart phone, not to mention the TV or the radio. The waiter who brought their breakfast asked if they wanted a newspaper. Mia started to say yes, but Jeremy shook his head, "No. If some earthshaking event happens in the state of Florida that might affect our family, give us a heads up. Otherwise, there is very little that could happen out there that will not wait until the end of our vacation."

Mia told him she felt a little bad about being so disconnected. He suggested that most of the people during most of the history of the world did not have immediate information about events, and it worked pretty well for them. He said he often paid little attention to breaking news because more often than not the first reports about what happened are incorrect anyway. He preferred to wait a while and let the reporters figure things out a bit before becoming too engaged."

Mia laughed. "David was kind of like that. He only read the Sunday paper and Time magazine. He didn't bother with the daily paper, and he never watched the TV news."

"Smart man."

One day a hotel employee netted a huge fish from their dock. He held it up and grinned, "You want this for lunch?"

Jeremy said, "Sure."

Less than an hour later, their room steward brought them lunch of grilled fish and fruit. Mia said she had never had such fresh and wonderful seafood. Jeremy commented that it was great, but he had once had fish that fresh once on a fishing trip. "My buddy caught the fish, and the mate filleted it right there on the deck took the fillets directly to the kitchen where he pan fried them them and brought us sandwiches in only a few minutes. I swear to God, I had never in my life tasted anything so fabulous ... until now, anyway."

Their two weeks passed amazingly quickly and they were not bored for even an instant, but too soon, it was time to leave. They both flew on the Sterling corporate plane from Tahiti to Hong Kong where Jeremy had arranged a quick lunch meeting with his client at a restaurant, then he took their bag and caught a commercial flight to Chicago.
Chapter 20 -

Mia checked into the Sterling Hotel in Hong Kong and let the GM and Event Manager know she was there. She asked if Sally Quang had arrived yet. The Concierge told her that Sally's flight out of Thailand had been delayed, but they would let her know immediately when Sally arrived. Mia looked at her watch; it was 3:30 local time. The GM was a Brit. She asked if they would call the GM and ask him if he would mind meeting her for tea.

Only a few minutes later the GM came out of his office and directed her to a small porch at the rear of the hotel where a formal British tea was being served. She laughed, "I expected to have a cup of tea in the dining room or your office. I didn't expect this!"

He laughed. "We seem to have an inordinate number of guests from Great Britain. They like their tea time. Or, perhaps I should say, 'we like out tea time.'"

Mia smiled and poured cream into her tea, "I do, too. The first time I visited England my husband had a meeting with his wealthy client. Their meeting was at the man's country estate. While the men met in David's client's office, his wife invited me to have tea with her. I had never had milk in my tea before. I had never had scones before or watercress to my knowledge. I was totally hooked. I love having tea in the afternoon. Now, it's kind of a ritual with me."

They chatted for a while about Company gossip. Mia asked a string of pointed questions about doing business in Hong Kong generally – government regulation; dealings with Communist China; cultural difficulties. She probed him about what the challenges were to his operations. After a while he leaned back in his chair and put up his hands in a stop sign. "Enough! No mas!"

He laughed. "Mia, you have just asked me about ten questions that no one from corporate has ever even thought to ask before, and you asked a half dozen more questions that never even occurred to me. I need to ponder some of them before I try to answer."

Mia looked sheepish for a moment, "Sorry. I get a little intense."

"I expected as much from Roger Benedict's Golden Girl."

"Is that what they're calling me?"

"Yes. They are saying that Roger discovered his female counterpart. He is very high on you and has made it clear that we are to give you whatever you want, when you want it, how you want it ... or else."

"No pressure or anything."

He raised his eyebrows, "I would think the real pressure is on you. All I have to do is kiss your ass. You have to deliver for Roger."

Mia laughed, "Thank you for your support, I think."

"Oh, believe me: I want you to succeed. If you can pull off what Roger wants you to do, the entire company will benefit. Personally, I have to say I don't think you can do it, but, then, I've been wrong before." He laughed, "Such as the time I thought Roger Benedict's elevation to CEO would run this company into the ground."

"If that's supposed to make me feel better, it doesn't."

"Sorry. It's the best I can do. But, seriously, I do want you to succeed. I have given my staff instructions to cooperate fully with anything you want. I will be interested in hearing your recommendations." He looked across the room, "Oh, good, here is Sally now."

He stood and introduced Sally Quang to Mia. Then he left them alone.

Sally was a tiny Cambodian woman with raven hair and luminous skin. If she were taller she could have been a fashion model: she was that beautiful. Her reputation as a tiger was well known in the company. In her QA reviews, she was thorough and fair, but when she found a problem she brought it to the attention of management and expected it to be fixed, immediately if not sooner. She was in her late 20's, and had been with the company since her teens, when she started working as a maid in the resort in Thailand after running away from her home in Phnom Penh.

Mia invited Sally to sit and asked if she wanted a cup of tea. Sally looked uncomfortable for a minute, but nodded. Mia motioned to the waiter who was at her side immediately. "We would like more tea." She looked at Sally. "I'm wondering, dear, would you like Chinese tea rather than English?"

Sally said, "I'd give my right arm for a cup of green tea right now, but they don't serve Chinese tea in this hotel."

"Excuse me?"

Sally smiled without any real humor. "I mean it. They serve probably 20 varieties of English tea, but they do not serve Chinese tea."

Mia shook her head, "How is is possible that a hotel in Hong Kong does not serve Chinese tea?"

Sally shook her head and said, "I don't know. I do believe that is one of the problems with our events departments in Asia."

Mia smiled, "Don't tell me! Let me guess. It's kind of hard to book weddings and other such family events, where traditional foods are so important, when the hotel doesn't serve the local food."

Sally leaned back in her chair and laughed, "I've been trying to diplomatically make that point to the higher-ups for several years. They don't get it. You figured it out in half a second. God, I think I love you!"

Mia grinned, "Don't get carried away. I'm not that clever. This one just kind of jumped up at me, quite possibly because it's so freaking obvious."

Sally said, "Here's what I think is the fundamental problem: Sterling requires that anyone who wants to book an event, anywhere in the world, has to use the catering facility of the hotel. The hotels in Asia serve only Western food. People want their favorite family recipes for their weddings, anniversaries and other family celebrations. They are not likely to book their special events at our hotels because we don't offer the local cuisine and we won't let them bring in their own food."

Mia leaned forward, "What do you think would happen if we made it possible for people to book events at our hotels without requiring them to use our catering. Not on a routine basis, but for those situations where the ethnic foods cannot be accommodated by the hotel."

"I think we'd see a huge jump in events in our Far Eastern hotels, first from employees."

"Employees? Why?"

"You have to understand that our employees in the Far East, especially those in some of the poorer countries, are the most loyal staff we have in the entire corporation. They see Sterling as their personal savior. Their jobs lifted their families to an economic level most of them never dreamed of achieving, and they are often only one or two paychecks from sinking back into the pit of oriental poverty. Every one of them would book their special family events in the hotels if the hotels served local cuisine or, better, let them permit their relatives to cater the events."

Mia nodded, "What would happen if we offered employees the opportunity to use local caterers and we gave them a discount?"

"I'm guessing you would see double digit increases in events in this region, but why would you offer them a discount? They'd book their events with us in any case."

"Two reasons. One, if they are such fiercely loyal employees, they deserve a break to celebrate special occasions. Two, their relatives and friends would come to their parties, see how wonderful the hotels are, and they would want to book their special events there too. Weddings and anniversaries are the best marketing tools we have. Instead of spending money on advertising, I suggest we offer our employees a job perk that creates employee goodwill and is a natural marketing tool."

Sally laughed and poured herself a cup of Earl Grey tea, saying, "If you can pull that off, I think it will make a huge difference in our events departments region wide."

Mia made a note on her pad, and bit into a scone. "What else do I need to know?"

"The cultural issue is huge, and it isn't simple. I've spent endless hours talking about this with employees at every level. The resorts in the Far East would not stay in business without European and American tourists. They advertise themselves as vacation destinations. Their profits are almost 100% from foreign tourists, mostly Westerners. As you know, with the exception of the occasional international wedding extravaganza, most events are driven by local customers: weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and company meetings for local businesses. The more the hotels position themselves as Western, the less the locals will even consider them for their special events."

"What else? What about legal or political issues?"

"I have never really gotten into the legal stuff. You'd need to talk to the boys in Internal Audit and Legal on the subject of taxes, permits and graft. Politics is a rampant problem all over the Far East. Political unrest keeps away tourists. It also endangers the hotels and their staff. When we are seen as too Western, we are targets for anti-Western attacks, and our employees are put in danger by virtue of what is seen to be their collusion with the enemy."

Mia pursed her lips, "Okay, so being a little schizo would help a lot. If the public face of the hotel is Western, and its guests are mostly Western, the hotels make money. We can't change that part. How hard would it be to add a few local chefs to the kitchen teams and offer local food as well as western food?

"That way locals could use our catering and I wouldn't have to take on Roger on the subject of that sacrosanct directive that came from his lips the first day he became CEO. However, given the cultural diversity of the area and the huge variations in food, I think we need a mechanism for providing exceptions to that rule when the hotel simply cannot accommodate the cultural needs of the potential customer. I'll put that on my list of things to discuss with Roger.... But, what do you think about adding local cooks?"

"We could do it tomorrow. Virtually everyone in Asia knows how to cook. Probably a third of the bus boys or waiters in our hotels could move into the kitchens immediately. Most of our chefs are Asians."

Mia grinned, "The hotels could run 'Iron Chef' competitions among potential applicants as a way of choosing the best local chefs and as a kind of staff-appreciation function."

"Oh, my God! That's a fabulous idea!"

"Okay, so we have to offer local food. What about the décor? This hotel could be anywhere in the world. It does not have an oriental feel. If I were a Chinese woman planning a wedding for my daughter, I'm thinking that I'd be looking for something that looks and feels oriental."

Sally nodded, "That's true, but our banquet halls are all very neutral in their décor. We could 'orientalize' them relatively easily with table settings and floral arrangements. It wouldn't take any real structural changes. However, especially in Japan, having small Zen gardens or Buddhist temples tucked away somewhere on the grounds would be a nice touch." Mia made a note. Sally asked, "Are you really going to consider that?"

Mia smiled, "Absolutely! I hate the idea that a tourist from America or Europe can visit Hong Kong and never taste the local cuisine or see anything that looks Chinese. I think it is absolutely vital for the profitability of the hotels to have the resorts be so accommodating to our foreign guests, but it would seem to me to be a huge advantage to offer at lest some local food and beverages as well as to have some local art and architecture built into the overall design."

Sally beamed. "Do you think you can pull it off?"

Mia made a face, "Probably not without stepping on toes, but then I'm famous for that, so that will come as no surprise to anyone. Roger wants my candid assessment of the situation. I'm going to give it to him. It will be up to him to decide how many of my recommendations to accept." She made a face, "Which is why I will make sure to give him a whole lot of recommendations, some of which would be totally and completely unacceptable. He can reject those out of hand, and I can slide through a few things that might otherwise be questionable."

Sally laughed and said, "It sounds to me like you are talking from experience."

"Hell, yes. I've been doing that with Mark for years."

Sally said, "You want to know QA's line on the Orlando resort?"

"I don't know, do I?"

"The last six times the place had a QA review the report recommended that the Company consider promoting you to GM of a hotel. The review teams drew straws for the person to review your department. The winner spent a day in the spa or at the bar and then wrote a glowing report without lifting a finger."

"That's no way to run a QA audit."

"It is when the department being reviewed is as nearly perfect as yours."

"Thanks. But, I'm glad Roger didn't take you up on promoting me to GM. I would hate that job. I'm much better at being a pain in the sides of GM's. Mark says I perfected being a pain in the ass in Orlando, now I'm just taking it global."

They worked for hours, reviewing detailed financial reports for each of the hotels in the division, with Sally filling Mia in on the people and the stories behind the numbers. After dinner, they mapped out a tentative schedule that would take them to each of the twelve hotels and resorts in the division over the next eight weeks.

Mia and Jeremy communicated by email several times a day, and they tried (not always successfully because of the time difference) to speak on the phone once or twice a week. She told him she would be back in April and would probably need to make a visit to Chicago. He responded with an invitation for her to stay with him, but cautioned her that he would be in trial and not very sociable. She decided it would be best not to bother him until after his trial. She blocked out a couple of weeks in June for a break and sent a message to his secretary asking her to block out the same weeks on his calendar.

As Sally and Mia moved from hotel to hotel, they found a rising tide of enthusiasm for what they were trying to do. Clearly, the intra-company grapevine had been working overtime. After the first week, the new hotels they visited knew everything about what had transpired in previous hotels. There was universal excitement about the idea of adding local cuisine to the catering menus. Mia was surprised to learn that doing that would probably not involve hiring any new staff. Most of the chefs and virtually all of the sous-chefs in the division were Orientals. They cooked Western food because that was what the hotels served, but many of those chefs were accomplished cooks in local cuisine as well. The food services manager in the Bankok hotel proudly reported that he his existing staff could accommodate sixteen different regional cuisines.

Mia asked, "Then why don't you?"

"What?"

"Why don't you list that option on your catering menu? Why don't you add one regional special a day to the restaurant menus?"

"Don't I need approval for that?"

"I don't see why you would. But, if it would make you feel better, ask your GM. I can't imagine why he would turn you down. It won't cost you any money. It could potentially bring in a lot of new events business. I would thing that some of the Western guests might appreciate the opportunity to sample local cuisine. And, on top of all of that, it's a super way to showcase your staff. Turn the opportunity to be the 'chef of the day' into a reward for excellent work."

The GM walked up while she was talking, and shook his head, "That's a great idea, Mrs. Thomas. It is so glaringly obvious, I'm amazed it hasn't come up before."

"We don't have to wait for Roger's approval. I think you should go for it."

Within the week, virtually every hotel in the region – except Hong Kong – was offering at least one local option on their regular restaurant menus and they all added the option to serve local cuisine to their catering menus. When the word got out, events inquiries started coming in, and a few of them resulted in actual bookings. Before Mia left Asia, Brandon reported that events inquiries were up more than 800% and six events had actually booked, three weddings and three business meetings. Two of those events were large enough to come under the aegis of Signature Events.

Mia returned home at the end of March, energized and excited. The Far East division had been under-performing for years. Senior management had feared major changes were needed. Mia agreed that there were some major issues that should be addressed in due course. In the immediate future, she believed that some very minor changes could pay off in a big way. She planned to spend most of her flight back to the States working on her report to Roger.

The steward on the corporate jet greeted her as she boarded and, almost as soon as she was seated, he was back with a split of very expensive champagne, saying, "Mrs. Thomas, this is a gift from Mr. Benedict in celebration of the enormous success of your Asian trip. He wants you to arrange for a visit to Chicago within the next week or so."

Mia thanked the steward and wrote a message to Roger thanking him for the wine and a second message to his assistant requesting time on his calendar for the following week. She queued the messages until the plane landed and she could log onto her email. She drank a glass of champagne and then stretched out for a long nap.

When the plane landed she logged onto the Internet, sent her two messages, and read a message from Roger, which he copied to the senior leadership from the Far East Division. It read: _Congratulations on a triumphant tour of our Asian operations. You are truly the Golden Girl, who leaves a wake of profits everywhere you go. We initially feared GM's would resist your 'meddling'. They are, instead, sending me messages asking when you are going to get around to visiting their hotels. [All except Mark in Orlando, I might add.]_

Mia grinned and replied, adding Mark to the copy list: _Thanks for the kind words. The GM's are excited now because I've offered some simple suggestions that will improve their operations immediately without any cost or pain. My guess is they won't be quite as enthusiastic when they see my full report which is going to recommend some systemic changes that won't be as easy. Mark's lack of enthusiasm for me is born out of up-close-and-personal experience._

A few minutes later she received a message from Mark, which also went to the entire group: _I am not unenthusiastic about what Mia can accomplish. My up-close-and-personal experience is that she has an amazing capacity for getting it right. The problem is that she asks us to do hard things, and she nags until she gets her way._

To which Roger replied: _Which is why I put her in her current position._
Chapter 22 -

She arrived in Boca mid-afternoon local time. Once she was settled in the backseat of the courtesy car from the condo, she checked in with Mona by phone. She had the concierge take her bag to her apartment, and she went straight to Brandon's apartment. He greeted her with a cheery smile, "You done good, boss! While you were in the air, Osaka booked two events, Bankok booked two and the beach resort in Thailand booked a Signature wedding for some Indonesian big shot."

"Wow!"

He chuckled at the look on her face, and said, "I'm guessing we have work to do?"

"You'd be guessing right. Take notes." She sat down and reviewed her report outline with him, pointing to sections where she wanted him to create charts, graphs or other exhibits. After a few intense hours, she returned to her apartment and took a long shower. She sent Jeremy a quick email telling him she was home and asking him to call her if he could spare a minute, and then she stretched out in her ugly chair with a glass of wine and some cheese and crackers, watching the water and the seagulls. She had just dozed off when the phone rang.

"Hello."

"Did I wake you?

"I dozed off in the chair, but I was waiting for you to call before I actually go to bed."

"How was your trip?"

"Well, it appears it was something of a continuation of Mia's Magical Mystery Tour. Roger's assessment – the only one that counts, of course -- is that I leave a wake of profits where ever I go."

"I guess it doesn't get any better than that."

"Not professionally. Personally, it's a different story. I miss you terribly. How's your trial going?"

"My trial is going very badly. It's a sexual harassment case. I firmly believe my client did not harass the woman. The problem is that my client is a pompous ass. Our principal defense is that he does not discriminate in his treatment of employees: he's jerk to all of them. The biggest problem is that the judge is a woman, and she's not buying it. I can't say that I blame her.

"I miss you, too. More than I care to admit even to myself. I can't get away right now, but is there any chance you could come here for the weekend? I know you've been on the road for weeks, but I need a break and I know I won't take one unless you are here to make me."

"Do you want me to arrive on Friday or Saturday?"

"You'll come!? Even though you just flew back from the other side of the globe?"

"You couldn't keep me away with a shotgun! When do you want me to time my arrival?"

"Come late Friday. I'll knock off for the weekend, or at least until sometime Sunday afternoon when I'll have to get my head back in the game."

"That will work out well. I am supposed to meet with Roger next week. I'll move to the hotel on Sunday to stay out of your way."

"No. Please don't. I'd rather you stay with me, even if it means I'll come in late and leave early."

"Do you want me to plan on staying through the rest of your trial."

"Much as I would love to have you here (I rarely have such a dreadful time in trials and I feel the need of all the emotional support I can get), I can't ask you to do that. This torture could go on for weeks."

"We'll talk about it later. I'll put in a couple of good days with Brandon and I'll see you on Friday. I'll leave my return open."

He was quiet for a long time, and eventually said softly, "Thanks. I can't wait to see you on Friday." He paused again, cleared his throat and said, "I love you."

Mia did not hesitate an instant, "I love you, too. I'll see you on Friday. I have to go to sleep now."

"Good night."

She turned out the lights and changed for bed. She lay staring up into the darkness for a long time wondering what in the hell had got into her.

The next morning, she called Roger Benedict's secretary and made an appointment for Monday afternoon. The secretary said she'd reserve a room and asked when she would be arriving. Mia said, "I won't need a room. I have access to an apartment in Chicago. Thanks anyway."

She made arrangements to have dinner with Mona and Emma because JJ was on duty at the hospital. Mona volunteered to bring the makings for dinner to Mia's apartment. She said, "I'll make dinner while you visit with Emma."

They had a wonderful evening of girl talk. Emma talked of school and Mia showed them photos from her vacation and her travels around the Orient. She suggested that sometime Emma might want to go with her on one of her tours. Mona glared at her; it was obvious that the thought of Emma traveling to the ends of the earth was too much for her to bear. Mia grinned, "You can go, too!"

As they were leaving, Emma said, "Gram, I'm in a recital at school tomorrow. Can you come?"

Mia put her hand on Emma's head and shook her head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm going to Chicago to spend some time with Jeremy. His trial is not going well and he needs some cheering up."

Mona hugged her mother and whispered into her ear, "Looks to me like you both may need a dose of each other's company. You miss him, don't you?"

"You mean Jeremy?"

Mona nodded. Mia said, "Yes, I do... to a disturbing degree."

Mona held her mother tight and said, "You and Jeremy are the only two who seemed not to see how serious it was with you. I think you both deluded yourself into believing your relationship was casual. There has been nothing casual about it. Ever. I know. I was there from the start, if you remember. I really think it was a case of love at first sight even if you two are the last to figure it out."

Mia sighed, "You may be right. I guess I am a little freaked out by how serious it has gotten so suddenly."

"Mom, in case you haven't noticed, you two have been together for more than a year. You live together, for Pete's sake. The fact that you miss him when you're apart for long periods should not surprise you."

"It shouldn't. But, it is does. I guess I've been clinging to the notion that we have been friends and sort-of room-mates who travel a lot." Mia made a face and waved her hand in front of her face, "Never mind. I'll be okay. I guess Jeremy and I are going to have to renegotiate our deal."

They hugged and said goodbye. Mia straightened up the house and sent Jeremy an email asking if he had a minute to talk. Her phone rang a couple of minutes later.

He sounded concerned, "Is something wrong?"

"No. The fact is that I just wanted to say good-night. I'm really tired today and I am going to bed super early in the hope I won't fall asleep in my dinner plate tomorrow before you and I have had a chance to get reacquainted."

He laughed, "That long trip catching up with you?"

"Yeah. It usually takes a few days for me to work the jet lag out of my system. I gotta warn you, I may not be a lot of company this weekend."

"I'm pretty exhausted, too, so I probably won't care as long as you are willing to cuddle in between naps."

"Now that sounds like a plan! I won't keep you. I'm fading fast."

"Do you want me to meet you at the airport?"

"Oh, no. I'll get a cab. You order dinner and open the wine."

"I can handle that. Good-night, sweetheart."

"Good-night."

Mia spent the next morning working with Brandon, polishing their exhibits to her report. She spent the afternoon at the airport and on the plane working on the report itself. As the crew prepared the cabin for landing, Mia put away her computer and freshened her makeup. She noticed that she felt her excitement growing. That scared her a little, but she knew it wouldn't make any difference: she was in far too deep to turn back now.

She hailed a cab and phoned Jeremy, "I'm on the ground. You can open that wine now."

"I'll wait a little while. It's Friday night. The traffic is awful. I hope you went to the bathroom before you got in that cab."

"As a matter of fact I didn't, so maybe you'd better get out of my way when I get to your place."

When she hung up the phone she had the urge to cry because she was so happy at the thought of seeing him again. She noticed that she was no longer afraid.

The doorman buzzed her through and announced her over the intercom. Jeremy greeted her at the door and said, "Do you have time for a kiss or do I need to get out of your way?"

She stepped into the circle of his arms and said, "I'm good." He pulled her into the room and kicked the door closed. They kissed for a long time. Eventually, Mia whispered, "Now I have to go to the bathroom."

He said, "You do that. I'll see to the wine."

They ate Chinese take-out and talked for a couple of hours, still sitting at the table. She gave him a detailed account of her trip and he filled her in on the woes of his trial. They cleaned up the mess and moved into the living room where they cuddled on the couch like teenagers, alternatively talking (sometimes both at once) and making out. At some point they move into the bedroom, where the talking ended.

The next morning Jeremy asked Mia what she would like to do. She said, "Let's go for a ride and find some out-of-the way place to have lunch. I'm afraid if we stay here we'll both end up either working or obsessing about work."

"That's actually a great idea. It's a pretty day. Let's go north along the lake. There are some neat little places between here and Waukegon."

"Sounds good to me. I've never been north of Chicago."

Jeremy drove and Mia enjoyed the scenery. Suddenly, she leaned forward and said, "Pull over!"

He pulled to the side and into the end of a driveway. A For Sale sign stood by the mail box. Neither of them said a word. Mia whipped out her cell phone and dialed the number on the sign. "Hello. I am sorry to call so early, but I just noticed the sign on the house you have listed on Lakeshore near Lincoln Park. I am very interested in this house. Would you be available to show it today?"

She listened for a minute and then said, "I am fully aware of the value of a home designed by David Thomas. I'll figure out the money when the time comes. In the meantime, I would like to see the house. Yes. Three o'clock will be fine." She hung up.

They sat there and looked at the house. Soon a car beeped from behind them. Jeremy moved his car over to the side of the driveway. The other car pulled up beside them. The driver rolled down his window and said, "Are you interested in the house?"

Mia said, "Yes. We just made an appointment to see it at three this afternoon."

The man grinned, "I'm going in to water the plants. You want to take a sneak peak now?"

Jeremy asked, "Are you the owner?"

"My mother owns it. She just moved to a condo downtown. My sister and I are handling the arrangements of the sale of this house. I think Mom's having as hard a time parting with the house as she did parting with Dad." He added, "He died a year ago."

Mia asked, "Is your mother's name Mrs. Cassidy?"

"Yes. Do you know her?"

"I never met her, but my late husband designed this house. It was a wedding present for a Mr. and Mrs. Cassidy from her parents."

"You were married to David Thomas?"

Mia nodded. "I sold my house too quickly after he died and I regret it. The people I sold it to won't part with it. I've been scouting around to find one of his houses to buy. This was one of his favorites. He took me through it when it was almost finished. I'm very interested in it."

"Follow me. We won't tell the Realtor."

The man led them to the front door and said, "If you don't mind, I'm on a bit of a schedule. I have to be at a Little League game in an hour. I'll water the flowers and you can wander around."

Jeremy said, "We won't hold you up. Let us know when you're ready to go. We can take a more detailed tour later with the Realtor."

They wandered through the house holding hands. Mia didn't cry, but she gasped a few times. She heard Jeremy gasp a few times as well. The house was, if possible, more fabulous than Mia remembered. Every window in the rear of the house had a spectacular view of the lake. The rooms were filled with light that glowed iridescent. They walked quickly through the upstairs rooms and then went back down to the living room facing the lake. Jeremy put his arm around her and said, "There is love in every square inch of this place."

The owner commented from the doorway, "My parents always said that."

Jeremy looked at Mia with an odd expression, cocked his head and asked softly, "How long had you been married when your husband designed this house?"

Tears filled her eyes. She croaked, "He sketched it out when he was in architecture school, shortly after we were married. He said it was supposed to be for us. We couldn't afford to build it at the time, so he put the plans aside. A few years later, his client, Mr. Metz, asked him to build a house for his daughter. David sat down with the newlyweds to talk. He called me and asked me if I'd be hurt if he used the design for our house. He said he thought it would be perfect for these people and, even more, it was totally and completely perfect for this piece of land. I agreed and he sold them the design that day. I was sad for a while, but after I saw how perfect it was for this location, I knew we had done the right thing. Every time David came to Chicago, he stopped by to visit."

The owner said softly, "Mrs. Thomas," he paused and looked at Jeremy, "Or whatever your name is now, I want you to know my sister and I will be very motivated to work with you. My mother will be happy to know that the house will be in the hands of someone who will love it as much as we know you will."

Mia smiled, "I will want her to visit whenever she would like. Just as David used to visit her."

Mr. Cassidy nodded.

Mia bit her lip and looked around, "What's the asking price?"

"Just over $2 million."

Mia nodded and asked, "What's the selling price?"

"Perhaps you should make an offer to our Realtor and we'll see how close we can get."

Mia nodded, and asked, "How much are the taxes?"

"A little less than $60,000 a year."

"Ouch!"

"That's the main reason we are selling it."

"Thank you for showing it to me. I'll discuss the details with my financial advisor."

Cassidy shook her hand and said, "I hope we are able to make a deal."

Mia's eyes swept the interior of the house, and filled with tears, "Oh, I hope so, too. But, you have an important commitment and we've taken up too much of your time already. Thank you."

She and Jeremy climbed back into the car and continued north. After a while, he said, "That's a lot of money, but if we sell the condo and dig kind of deep, I think we could swing it."

Mia chuckled, "You misunderstand. 'We' are not buying this house. 'We' may live here if you want to, but 'I' am buying the house."

"You can afford it?"

"There is an important bit of information I haven't shared with you. David made a lot of money and we did not live extravagantly, so I would have been comfortable after he died regardless. In addition, he had a substantial life insurance policy through his company. I sold our house for quite a lot of money. With just that, I would not ever need to work for money if I were so inclined. On top of all of that, the insurance companies for the owner of the building where David was killed and the construction company that was operating the crane determined that there was negligence on the part of the crane operator. The other families sued, but I settled out of court." She paused, "They paid me more than $5 million. I gave one fourth of the money to Mona and I put one fourth of the money in trust for Emma. I put my half in the bank and haven't touched it. I thought of it as blood money. I wanted no part of it. The investments have done quite well.

The bottom line is, I could buy the house, at the asking price, for cash and have enough money left over to furnish it. My other investments should cover the taxes as well without even touching my regular income from my job." She grinned, "Perhaps you might consider springing for groceries occasionally and paying some of the utilities."

He said, "Suppose you buy the house and pay the taxes and I'll pay for absolutely everything else."

"That seems unfair."

"Keep in mind, I'm an exceedingly successful trial lawyer. I can afford it. I think we should keep the condo in Boca, too, because both of us have become accustomed to spending the winters in Florida. I'll pay for that."

She laughed, "Yeah, I guess I can't see us living in Chicago in the winter. We should keep the condo."

They pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant on the water. Mia said she'd like to call her accountant. Jeremy told her he'd wait inside. She joined him shortly with a huge grin on her face. "It would appear my investments have been doing very well, indeed."

She looked at him and reached across the table, taking his hand in hers. She lay his hand in her right palm and rested her left hand on top of his. Locking eyes, she said, "Before we move forward, you need to think long and hard about whether or not you are willing to live in that house."

He said, "You told me you thought David would approve of me."

"I did say that. I meant it. I believe it."

"I told you I have always loved that house. It has called to me for years. I would have bought it myself if you hadn't seen it first. "

Mia held his hand tightly. "I have to tell you something. I don't think David designed that house for the two of us to live in. There are a lot of things about the house that David would not have put in a house where he intended to live. I didn't understand that when we were young, but I came to understand his preferences over time. Seeing the house again today, I can tell you, David never intended to live there. He designed it for another couple."

"You and me?"

She nodded. "It's crazy, I know, but I think you're right. I remember walking through the house when it was being built. I was transported with ecstasy. David was thrilled that I loved it so much. But, it was not a house for David and me. He sold it without any second thoughts or any regrets. He designed that house for me to live in without him. Maybe he even designed it for me to live in with somebody else."

He said, "Then we have to buy it."

"I thought I was going to buy it."

"Nope. You are going to marry me and we are going to buy it together."

"Oh, yeah?"

He looked at her, grinned and gripped her hand between his, "Do you have a problem with that?"

She thought about it for a few minutes, never taking her eyes from his. Eventually, she said, "No. As a matter of fact. I don't have a problem with that."

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

He grinned, "Let's have lunch and then go meet the Realtor. After that we'll call Mona and Alicia and tell them they have a wedding to plan."

Mia laughed, "Good thing we get to do that over the phone."

"You think either of them will have a problem with it?"

She thought about that for a minute. "No. I don't think so."

"Where do you want to get married? And when?"

She didn't hesitate for more than a second, "I want to get married in the living room of our house in Chicago, as soon as we can make arrangements. How does that sound?"

"Perfect. What do you say we plan a September wedding. My trial will be over. It won't be cold yet."

Mia's eyes filled with tears. "That will be perfect. David always said this house was at its most beautiful in September because of the angle of the light."

They left the restaurant and he took her in his arms beside the car, "Are you absolutely positively sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. I love you. I totally believe David designed that house for the two of us. How or why that is possible, I have no idea."

Jeremy said, "I think he loved you enough to want to make sure you were happy even without him."

Mia buried her face in his chest and said, "I think you're right. And here you are."

He said, "For better or for worse,"

She said, "In sickness and in health,"

They said, "Until death do us part."

After a long moment, she smiled up into his eyes, "I guess the rest is mere formality, Mr. Waters."

"You would be right about that, Mrs. Waters. What do you say we go ransom our house and then call our kids."

She grinned, "That sounds like a plan."

The End
