The Lives of Genius
A Boy Meets World/Girl Meets World Fanfic
By Auburn Red
Chapter Six: The Young Marrieds Pt. 1: The Bottle Itself (Stuart Minkus Age 20)
Author's Note: The subtitle for this chapter came from Elizabeth Wurtzel's book Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women in which Wurtzel describes viewing photographs of Nicole Brown Simpson: "Not the genie in the bottle, but the bottle itself, the colorful ceramic case whose hieroglyphic surface is so compelling….beyond and beneath the surface itself there is only more surface…One who is hiding secrets and isn't telling. Which turned out to be the case." It is an apt description, I think of Jennifer Bassett. (of course ironically and tragically in real life, Nicole Brown Simpson was herself a victim of domestic violence, while in this case, Jennifer is the abuser.)
Oh and Mitzi and Mamie Van Houten, the Park Brothers, and Dr. Sandra Levin are original characters.
"Stuart, Stuart," Jennifer called her husband as he worked on his laptop. He looked through the various charts for Minkus Technologies making sure that the accounts were on top, as well as scanning programs for potential issues. Everything had to be checked and rechecked. He nodded at his wife barely listening until she called him again. She poked him on the shoulder somewhat roughly.
Minkus jumped to attention. The incident with the cell phone was never far from the back of his mind. He knew that his wife had a temper that could be displayed. Just that morning, she fired their housekeeper, Maria, after the woman had slightly overcooked Jennifer's breakfast. Jennifer yelled and swore up a storm leaving the poor woman in tears. Minkus calmed her down and promised to pay her full severance. Maria accepted it muttering under her breath, "La Diabla," as she left the Minki's employment. They were now in the process of hiring new housekeepers. He turned to face Jennifer, "What is it?" he asked.
She held up a piece of cardboard paper in her hand. "Guess what, you'll never guess," she said. Instead of waiting for her husband to guess, she continued. "We have been invited to Mamie Van Houten's charity gala!"
"Great," Minkus said trying to be pleased but still confused.
Jennifer shook her head. "You don't know who she is do you?"
"I know she's wealthy," Minkus said. "I think I've heard her name a few times."
"Wealthy? Stuart her family is one of the oldest in New York," she said. "They own property all over the city. Remember when we went to Club X, a couple of weeks ago?" Minkus nodded. How could he forget? He didn't exactly have a good time in a cramped, smoke filled room with enough strobe lights to give epileptic seizures and techno music to give him ear worms for the rest of his life. Jennifer however seemed to hit it off well with some of the party goers. They were in a corner, dancing, drinking, and laughing very loudly. A couple of times Jennifer pointed at her husband causing some of her new friends to laugh louder. Minkus had a feeling that he was the topic of conversation.
He wasn't sure in the dim light, but Minkus thought that he saw one of the other party goers pass Jennifer some white powder. Since then, he had been somewhat cautious about recognizing signs of drug use in his wife. So far, he couldn't find any. "Well at the club, I ran into Mamie's daughter, Mitzi."
"So it's Mamie and Mitzi Van Houten?" Minkus teased.
Jennifer glared. "You should talk, Minkus! Well Mitzi said that she would wrangle an invitation from her mother. Sure enough she came through!"
"Did she now?" Minkus asked.
"Come on Stuart," Jennifer said. "Do you know what this means? We have been accepted by New York society! Once we get on the Van Houten's invitation list, all other doors are open to us! Think of what business contacts you would have and think of how many influential friends we would make!"
Stuart looked at the invitation. His wife puzzled him at times. It was almost like there were two sides to her social life. The one side was the wilder one that liked to hang with the young empty-headed socialites, supermodels, rock stars, and celebutantes by attending wild parties and raves wearing hardly any clothing, the idle rich. The other side wanted respectability to attend the more high society functions that featured power brokers, CEO's, millionaires, and particularly their wives, women who were called "hostesses;" names that were more at home on donor lists than in celebrity scandal sheets. There was no telling which side was the more driven and at times the more ruthless.
It made sense in a way in Minkus' mind. In Philadelphia, Jennifer's family was well-known, a Main Line family. There was not a party or a charity event in Philadelphia that did not have a Bassett, or at least a representative of the family present. Now even though Edward Bassett was still fairly well-known in New York, his family didn't have the same
cache as in the City of Brotherly Love. Jennifer was somewhat out of place in the larger city, a sea creature on dry land. So she was always angling for a sign of recognition, a sign that she was as accepted here as she was in the city that she grew up.
Minkus smiled. "Well it does sound interesting, maybe we ought to give it a try."
Jennifer grinned and gave her husband a deep kiss. Minkus was happy. This is what married life was all about. They had their issues mostly about Jennifer's temper and sometimes reckless spending and partying and Stuart's constant working and the occasional time when she felt he didn't bring home enough money. What young married couple didn't have problems at times? Their relationship was as good as it could be. The two went out to lavish parties and events, spent a great deal of time together, were often seen holding hands even kissing in public, and their sex life was very unpredictable but satisfactory. Stuart and Jennifer went out on private dates one night a week and they never forgot each other's birthdays, appointments, or their first anniversary. When
they fought, the arguments were verbal and reduced to voices being more snide and sarcastic rather than screaming and yelling. What more could any married couple want?
"Thank you, Stuart, you are the best," Jennifer said. "Now I need to go buy a new dress." She moved her hands up and down her body and looked through the mirror. "Basic black is so old fashioned! Perhaps red? No, too much like a street walker! Do you think that I should go with spaghetti straps or strapless?"
Stuart shook his head. "Tell you what why don't you go to Sak's or Bloomingdale's and see what they have to say about it because I have no idea!" He took out his wallet and gave her some money.
Jennifer picked up the cash, but then pouted. "Nothing for shoes?"
Minkus rolled his eyes. Sometimes he had to indulge her. He gave her the extra cash. Jennifer pouted again. "No jewelry?" Stuart rolled his eyes once more and gave her more money. His wife smiled and took the cash greedily from his hand and put it in her purse. She gave him another deep kiss as she thanked him before she left for her shopping spree.
The Van Houten's party was in the penthouse of one of the luxury apartments. They were dressed very well: Minkus in a black Ralph Lauren suit, black Magli shoes, and a gray Yves St. Laurent neck tie and Jennifer in a spaghetti strap off white knee length Oscar
De La Renta gown with sash and white Jimmy Choos high heels. Her hair was tied in an up style with a white diamond head piece and she wore a matching De Beers diamond necklace, earrings, and bracelet set. She made damn sure that she got all of the right brand name labels for herself and Stuart for this party. She wanted to impress them in the worst way. "How do I look?" she asked her husband. It was clear that she was nervous.
"Breathtaking like a Snow Queen," Minkus said as he kissed her on the temple for good luck. He removed his wife's coat and his own and gave them to the coat check girl.
As soon as The Minkus couple entered the grand room, they were greeted by a woman
dressed in a turquoise A-line gown. She had a short dark bob cut and carried a cigarette in a long cigarette handle. While the woman had to be at least in her sixties, her face certainly didn't show it, probably due to the surgeon's knife. She jumped over to Jennifer and greeted her with an air kiss. "Jennifer darling," she said. "It's good to see you. Mitzi's told me so much about you!"
"Thank you, Mamie," Jennifer said. "This is my husband, Stuart Minkus."
"Charmed I'm sure," Mamie said holding her hand out.
Minkus shook it. "It's nice to meet you too, Ma'am."
"Charming, charming," Mamie said with a patronizing tone to her voice. "If you will excuse me I have to go greet some other guests."
Jennifer hit her husband on the shoulder. "Ma'am what are you a cowboy?" She whispered severely.
"I was trying to be polite," Minkus whispered just as severely as they entered the party. "I don't exactly know the woman personally."
"Well be polite, but don't embarrass me!," Jennifer whispered back as the two headed to the bar and Jennifer accepted a glass of wine. Minkus looked around weighing out the possibilities. "And stop looking like you would rather be anywhere else! At least pretend you are having a good time!"
"Fine I will," Minkus accepted a glass of wine from the bartender as well. The two drank in silence.
A voice called out from the hallway. "Jen!" Stuart and Jennifer looked up to see a woman about their age run up to the couple. She had curly black hair that came to her waist and was dressed in a silver thigh length dress. "I knew you'd make it, as dull as Mummy's parties are!"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Mitzi," Jennifer said. "You remember my husband Stuart?"
Mitzi nodded up and down. It was clear that she didn't but she was making a show that she did. "Oh of course, it's nice to see you again, Stuart."
"You too," Stuart said. He vaguely remembered Mitzi from Club X, though it was hard to recognize anyone in the dim light.
Mitzi laughed. "Well at least now that there are people my age at least we might be able to breathe some life into the party." Jennifer laughed as well and Stuart offered a courtesy laugh and looked around. It was true, most of the other attendees were in their 30's or above. The oldest appeared to be about in his 80's and he was next to a young blond woman who Minkus had a feeling that he shouldn't mistake for his daughter or granddaughter. He, Jennifer, and Mitzi appeared to be the only ones in their early 20's. Perhaps it was quite a cache that a couple so young could be invited after all, he reasoned.
Jennifer drank another full glass of wine getting a little tipsy. Mitzi held onto Jennifer's hand and pulled her aside. "Now if you will excuse me, Stuart," she said. "I have got to get your wife alone. You know meet in the ladies' room, girl talk?"
"Okay, sure," Minkus replied as Jennifer and Mitzi headed for the lady's restroom getting lost in the crowd.
A couple of older middle-aged men approached Minkus as he sipped on his wine glass. "Excuse me," one said. "You are Stuart Minkus right?" With their graying fair hair, overweight frames, and similar round facial structures, Stuart guessed that they were related.
Minkus nodded. "Yes, I am," he said.
The one poked the other on the shoulder. "I knew it. I read that profile on you from Scientific American! You were in their Up and Coming Technology Stars edition."
Minkus nodded. "That's right," he said remembering the interview from two months earlier. Shortly before that he had been interviewed by Wired Magazine as well. Even the New York Times had cited Minkus Technologies as one of the businesses to watch for in the Millennium. His little company was certainly riding high in publicity.
The older man handed Minkus a business card. "My name is David Park and this is my brother, Matthew. We have been having some issues with our current software providers. How would you be interested in putting together a whole network?"
Minkus' mouth dropped open impressed. "Well certainly, an order like that would be most impressive! I would love to talk this over with you!"
Matthew Park shook Minkus' hand warmly. "Splendid, splendid. Let's make an appointment with our secretaries and talk it over. My brother and I are available Friday morning if that's possible!"
"That is absolutely possible," Minkus said. He handed the Park brothers his business card. He was about to shake their hands again when he heard a shrill laugh coming from the far end the type of laugh that made his hair stand on end.
Jennifer was standing in the corner with Mitzi Van Houten and a small group of people. She was speaking rather loudly clearly the center of attention. Stuart approached his wife so he could get a better hearing of what they were talking about. Jennifer continued to speak clearly ignoring her husband's presence. "Yes he would be wonderful if he could get it up once in a great while!" The others laughed, some a bit nervous and embarrassed but others like Mitzi laughed hysterically. "I think I fell asleep the first time!"
"Well you know what these computer geeks are like," Mitzi said. "Their idea of sex is man on top, woman on computer screen!" She said amidst the laughter.
Stuart pulled his wife away from the crowd and moved her aside. "Uh oh Daddy's mad," Jennifer said with a giggle.
Stuart pulled her to the coat rack and faced her. "What's the matter with you?"
"What's the matter with me? What's the matter with you?" She asked. "Do you have to embarrass me like this dragging me off? Why don't you club me and drag me by the hair?"
"I'm not the one telling personal stories at the top of my voice to total strangers," Minkus said. He smelled her breath. He didn't have to investigate for very long. "And I'm not completely drunk!"
"I'm not drunk, Stuart," Jennifer said. "I'm just fine!" She staggered away from her husband trying to maintain her balance and return to her friends. "Just fine," she said and giggled madly as if she said the funniest thing in the world. Her heels turned inward and she lost her footing. Minkus helped her stand until he saw something fall from his wife's grasp. He picked it up. It was a small bottle of white powder. He opened it and sprinkled a bit on the tip of his finger to look closer.
"Cocaine," he said realizing what it was. He threw it on the ground and broke the bottle sending the powder flying. "How long have you been doing this?"
"I don't have to tell you that," Jennifer said. Blood trickled down her nose and she grabbed for a tissue on a nearby table.
"How long?" Stuart half-shouted.
"Only at Club X and just now," Jennifer said grudgingly. "Just twice. Mitzi and I are just experimenting with it alright?"
"Well the experiment is over," Minkus said. "I'm taking you home!"
"The hell you are!" Jennifer shouted running towards the party when Minkus pulled her back. By now the attendees had watched the married couple get into their fight. All eyes were turned on to them. "You can't tell me what to do Stuart Minkus!"
"I think I just did," Minkus said. "We are getting out of here!" Out of the corner of his eye, Minkus could see Mamie Van Houten nod at the coat check girl to get his and Jennifer's coats. The genius had a feeling that they were crossed off the Van Houten's guest list.
"I am just trying to have fun," Jennifer said. "You know it's a word that you don't hear very often! You are embarrassing me!"
"I'm embarrassing you? You're embarrassing me," Minkus countered.
"I was personally invited to this party not you," Jennifer said. "You don't even know how to act at these things! Maybe if I married someone whose family name meant something, I wouldn't have this problem! But no I had to marry new money nothing like you!" The coat check girl handed the married couple their coats. "What are you doing?" Jennifer demanded.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Minkus," the woman, a timid bespectacled blond girl said. "But Mrs. Van Houten wants you and your husband to leave right now."
Jennifer laughed bitterly. "That's ridiculous," she turned towards Mamie Van Houten who gave a stone faced look. "Mamie tell this idiot that I don't have to leave!" But Mamie didn't answer. Jennifer took that to be a sign that she and her husband had to. She turned to her husband and once again her heel turned inward. "Stuart, take me home," she said slowly. Stuart led his wife out the door. On the way out, Stuart glanced over at David Park and returned the older man's business card to him. Park just glared at the young computer genius and tore both his and Stuart's cards in half.
Stuart practically dragged his wife home into their apartment. Jennifer no sooner arrived than she stumbled to the bathroom and vomited. Minkus patted his wife's back and whispered comforting words to her. He then led her to the bedroom and set her on the bed. He removed her headpiece and undid her hair style sending her blond hair cascading down to her shoulders. He then removed her dress, shoes, and pantyhose and threw her sash on the bed. "I don't feel so good, Stuart," Jennifer said slowly. "My head is pounding and I feel dizzy."
"Well I wonder why after downing that much wine and cocaine," Minkus said tenderly but with a severe tone. He helped her into her blue teddy and bathrobe. He removed her necklace, earrings, and bracelet. The only jewelry that remained were her engagement and wedding rings. Minkus felt like his wife was a little girl that couldn't dress herself and needed someone to help her.
He entered the bathroom and dampened a wash rag with warm water. Then he walked into the bedroom and gently wiped off his wife's makeup. He began by removing the blush and foundation from her cheeks. She looked so lost and vulnerable sitting on the bed. "I just wanted to be accepted and fit in," she said. "I've never felt out of place before. Is that so bad?"
"No not at all," Minkus replied as he dabbed at Jennifer's lips to remove the lipstick then at her eye lids to remove the eye shadow and mascara. "It's perfectly understandable. We all feel out of place at times. Just don't lose yourself to be accepted."
"Stuart," Jennifer said slowly. "I didn't mean what I said about falling asleep the first time and the other things. You are a great lover. I just said those things, I don't know I just couldn't stop myself. What's wrong with me?"
Minkus held his wife closely. "You just become angry sometimes." He then pulled out his pajamas and removed his own clothes.
"I sometimes feel like I can't control myself," Jennifer said. "Like there's something in me that comes out. I don't always know what I'm doing or saying. I can't control it." She cried as her husband sat back down. She leaned on Stuart's shoulder.
"That's why I'm here," Minkus soothed his wife. "When you can't control it, I can." He reached over and kissed his wife slowly and lay her on the bed. "I will take care of you, Jennifer. I love you."
"You are too good to me Stuart," Jennifer said. "Much better than I deserve. You will always be good to me."
"I will always be good to you," Stuart promised. "Always."
Jennifer reached down as her husband lay next to her. He rested her head on top of his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Jennifer sat up and rubbed her husband's crotch. "Even now?" she asked.
Stuart felt his penis harden and said, "Yes even now." He said feeling a sexual arousal. He pulled his wife closer and the two made love.
Stuart knocked on the door of his grandfather's apartment in Greenbriar Meadows, the retirement community in Manhattan that he and Jennifer selected. As promised, he visited at least once a week. Despite the busy schedule of being a rising CEO and filling Jennifer's requests, Minkus made sure that he made time for Grandpa Ginsburg. He figured that the old man in a strange way still kept him grounded when the rest of his life was pushing him too high or too far.
He handed the monthly check for his grandfather's care to the main office then headed for his grandfather's apartment. "Come," Stuart heard Ginsburg's voice call. Stuart used the spare key and entered. His grandfather was busy looking for something. He had pushed off the cushions on the sofa and armchair.
"What's wrong Grandpa?" Minkus asked. "What are you looking for?"
"Oh Stuart, I am looking for my keys," Ginsburg replied.
Minkus held up his grandfather's apartment keys. "You mean these keys?"
"No, son," Ginsburg said annoyed. "The keys to the café! I'm supposed to open it! You can't trust these kids to open it! Now where the hell are they?" He said and he began to mumble. "Joan and Bob are supposed to be entertaining and they do not like to be late. For folk singers they can be pretty tense. Between you and me, I give them six months at the most!" He began to search more frantically. "Supposed to be the best place in the Village! How can it be the best place in the Village if I can't find the damn things?"
Knowing that his grandfather wouldn't stop in his delusion unless he was placated or restrained, Minkus came up with a solution. He held out his own spare key to the apartment. "Is this it, Grandpa?" he asked.
Ginsburg sighed with relief. "Yes that's it, Stuart," he said. "You're always good to me." He sat back down on the sofa as his grandson readjusted the cushions.
"Would you like some green tea, Grandpa?" Stuart asked.
"Sure thing, as always,," Ginsburg said. Minkus then made green tea in their favorite mugs then offered them to himself and his grandpa. Minkus could see the Howl quote, "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness," and winced thinking how true and prophetic those words were now.
His grandfather no longer had the concentration to play farkle. He would sometimes get bored or distracted easily, but he and Minkus still continued to play brain teaser games. Minkus wrote down on a piece of paper the letters "J," "F," "M," "A," "M," "J", "J," _"S", "O", "N", "D." "Okay now Grandpa guess what's the missing one," Minkus invited.
Ginsburg looked closely. "A for August, don't waste my time," he said. Then he wrote down several numbers: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, _,21, 13, 61, A, B, D,
Minkus looked closely. Ginsburg's memory blanks and lack of concentration got the better of him. "8," Minkus guessed. "It's the Fibonacci Sequence." Even though most of the numbers and letters weren't actually in the sequence or were in the wrong order, he understood what his grandfather was trying to write.
Ginsburg looked closely. "Yes that's it, kiddo." He sighed. "I don't feel like playing anymore, Stuart." He said.
"I was thinking the same thing, Grandpa," Minkus said as he put away the paper.
"Because I want to talk to you about something, Little Man," Ginsburg said. "I have my faculties for now and I want to say things before I leave and never come back. You're a good boy and you know I love you-"
Minkus winced. "Grandpa don't do this now," he began.
"-Let me finish," Ginsburg said. "I know that I'm old. I know that I may not have much time left so I want you to know how I'm planning my send off," he said. "First off I don't want to buried. None of the nonsense in a box stuff. I want to be cremated. You writing this down?"
Minkus had already taken out his laptop and transcribed everything that his grandfather was saying. "Got it, you want to be cremated."
"Good and I want my ashes spread around the Village. In fact I wouldn't mind seeing them spread in Central Park. I used to love going there on the benches and just watch the people go by and just be. Not in Philadelphia. The only good thing about that place is sitting right across from me." Minkus smiled at the compliment. Ginsburg continued. "I don't want a religious ceremony, no ministers, no rabbis none of that claptrap! I want people who knew me to speak of me. Is the café still open?"
Minkus shook his head. "No Grandpa, it closed down years ago in 1967 remember?"
"Oh," Ginsburg said sadly. "Well I'm sure that there could be a good place, filled with jazz, folk music, good food, good people and good memories. In fact I want jazz and folk music to be played there. Is Miles still alive?"
Minkus shook his head. His grandfather could only be referring to Miles Davis. "No Grandpa he died in 1991."
"What about Bob?" Ginsburg asked.
"Still alive but virtually retired," Minkus answered. "His son, Jakob's a musician now."
"I don't want the son," Ginsburg shot back. "Janis?"
"Ian or Joplin?" Minkus asked.
"Either," Ginsburg replied.
"Joplin died in 1971 and Ian is still alive but mostly retired as well," Minkus replied. Ginsburg continued to name musicians that he knew personally and Minkus replied that many were dead, retired, or playing the oldies circuit.
Ginsburg sighed. "Well I suppose anyone will do," he said. "I always liked hearing young people sing. Nothing filled my heart more than hearing some newcomer pour their heart and pain into their words. Some of that alternative music that you kids like these days isn't too far different than what we listened to back in the day." Minkus nodded. Of course the music had changed over to pop boy bands and girls in spandex, but he did make a point about the alternative music of the 90s.
"I want people to remember stories about me, sad stories, funny stories, silly stories. I want them to remember the whole Ginsburg not just that he left, but what he did when he was alive," Ginsburg said as his grandson continued to transcribe. "I want you to be my heir. Of course what is 100% of nothing?" The grandfather and grandson laughed and Ginsburg looked down at his box of photographs, his windows. He looked old and sad. "Who cares about all this? Why bother remembering anything? Who wants to remember these anyway?" He said giving the box a slight kick. "Just some old faces in a box! Who cares about them?"
"You do," Minkus reminded his grandfather as he put his hand on the older man's shoulder. "They showed someone doing something at sometime that to them was important. So it was important to you and it will be important to others."
"Yeah who?" the man glowered.
"Well they're important to me," Minkus said. "Because they remind me of you. Maybe someone else in the future will recognize their value as well."
Ginsburg looked closely at his grandson and smiled, his eyes filling. The two continued to talk into the late night. When Minkus left, he gave his grandfather a hug wondering if it would be the last time that Ginsburg would be aware that his grandson had hugged him.
Minkus listened as Elliot and Ingrid Iverson-Smackle discussed their future plans to their colleague. The three sat inside Minkus' furnished office overlooking Greenwich Village.
"We want you to buy us out of Minkus Technologies," Ingrid said succinctly.
Elliot nodded. "We're both willing up to give up our shares. We want to leave the company."
Minkus started. "Well I must say, I was not expecting this. I know you two weren't happy with the move to New York at first. But you seem to be okay with it now."
"It's not that," Elliot replied. "We actually do like it here. In fact Ingie and I have accepted teaching positions at MIT."
"Well Elliot has," Ingrid replied. "I will only be teaching there part time because I will have to go on leave in nine months." She said with a smile. "But it will become a full time position after that."
Minkus smiled. So you're pregnant congratulations! Any names picked out?"
Ingrid and Elliot held hands. "Well we're thinking of Horatio if it's a boy and Isadora if it's a girl," Ingrid answered. "We already have the little one on the waiting list for Einstein Academy."
Minkus nodded. He had heard of Einstein Academy's commendable reputation for enriching gifted students. It might be a good school for any future Minkus child, if he and Jennifer were going to have one that was.
Elliot grinned. "And hey who knows if you and Jennifer have one maybe they'll go to school together, even debate with each other."
"Maybe," Minkus said falsely not wanting to hint at any improbabilities of Jennifer getting pregnant any time in the near future. That time after the Van Houten's gala was the last time in about a month that the two made love. Jennifer had been in tenser moods lately and hadn't really been interested in having sex with her husband.
"Things are okay between you and Jennifer right?" Ingrid asked.
"They're just fine, Ingrid," Minkus answered not wanting to elaborate.
"Well that's why we want to get out of the company," Ingrid said patting her stomach. "
"We have more important things to think about. It's about time that we slowed down a little and not be so pressured to reach such business heights."
"No offense, Stuart," Elliot said. "But it's not much fun anymore. It was more fun when we were just four poor kids who could barely scrape together broken parts. Now it's gotten too big for us."
Minkus rolled his eyes. "You actually miss those days? You would give up all this?"
He waved his hand around the office to indicate the large floor rented out to Minkus Technologies. "Orders come in by the hundreds now! We have had spreads in Wired and Scientific American! We have about 50 staff members!"
"That's it, Stuart," Elliot said. "We don't know most of these guys' names! It used to be about just pleasing us, putting together something that would make us happy and our clients happy. Now, it's about impressing everyone. The last three items that we produced ended up costing more for the public than the initial MIMS. Our last mobile phone begins at $25.00. That wasn't what we had envisioned ourselves to be."
Ingrid nodded. "There was a time when our slogan 'Technology For Those Who Need It the Most' was not just words. Can we truly say that now?"
"Well times have changed," Minkus said stiffly. "There's a lot more to consider."
"I know but I don't want to consider those things," Ingrid said. Elliot nodded in support of his wife. He didn't either. "Maybe I just don't have the business mind that you and Alvin do and I don't want to."
"We still believe in who we were," Elliot said. "We just don't want to be a part of who we have become."
"In fact if you want to you can take our names off the MIMS device," Ingrid offered. "Write us out completely."
"You got to admit the MM device has a nice ring to it," Elliot said. "You can even get the guy from the Crash Test Dummies to record a jingle!" He went into an impression of Brad Robert's distinctive bass singing voice but sounded more like Weird Al Yankovic doing the parody, 'Headline News'. Elliot sang, "Once there were these geeks that
created a device that you could hold in your hand palm…"
Minkus held up his hand. "Do me a favor Elliot don't get into advertising." He said with a laugh, but then became serious. "No it will keep your names. You helped create it, you should still be a part of it. We'll get the legal team together to make sure that you still get your cut of the trademark fees."
Elliot and Ingrid smiled and shook Minkus' hand. "Thank you Stuart," Ingrid said. "We'll still keep in touch."
"I'll hold you two up to it," Minkus replied. Now that he was on the verge of losing them, Minkus had to admit he did feel something like friendship towards the Iverson-Smackles.
"Good luck, Stuart," Elliot said. He and Ingrid were about to leave when Elliot continued singing his version of the jingle to get a laugh out of Minkus: "And when they finally made it they found that no other device was better…."
Minkus waved his hand in a shooing manner. "Get going you two!"
Ingrid and Elliot passed by Alvin Meese on the way out. "Hi Alvin, Bye Alvin," Ingrid said. "We're leaving the company for good."
"Alright then, bye," Meese said keeping his eye on the financial reports clearly not paying attention. The door shut behind the remaining two members of Minkus Technologies.
Meese placed the report on Minkus' desk. "I don't know whether you are aware of this or not, but there is a bit of a problem when money leaves a company faster than when it comes in." He showed a line chart featuring two amounts: one for outgoing amounts and one for incoming. Sure enough there was a large margin of difference in the amount that was leaving than entering.
Minkus put down the graph. "So we're in a slow season. It happens. Things usually pick up by the next quarter anyway. You know that."
Meese rolled his eyes. "Minkus, we are still considered the New Kids on the Block. If things don't pick up soon, we will be the New Kids on Chapter Eleven. New businesses do not recover if they have to file for bankruptcy within their first year. It's not just a slow season. It has been an ongoing trend for the past few quarters." Meese showed Minkus similar charts with the same data. "For some reason the money that disappears the fastest seems to be from the CEO's earnings, care to elaborate?"
Minkus ran his fingers through his hair frustrated. "Well there have been expenses for the business. We have had to spend more than we anticipated. Surely we have enough to cover it."
"I don't think chief among those expenses should be to pay for your wife's shopping trips," Meese said sarcastically. He then threw down some envelopes. Minkus looked through the addresses, Visa, Master Card, and Discover. Some from stores like Bloomingdales, Macy's, and others. A lot of them were suspiciously stamped: Final Notice. "Now why were they sent here do you wonder?" Meese asked.
"We have a joint account," Minkus replied. "They probably couldn't reach Jennifer, so they sent them to me at work."
"Minkus have you been juggling accounts or keeping separate books?" Meese asked. "Because as your head of accounts I would sort of like to know that."
"No," Minkus answered truthfully. "I haven't been doing anything illegal to support Jennifer's…habits. She's just been taking money out. She gets bored and when she gets bored, she shops."
"Make sure that she doesn't shop us to filing for unemployment," Meese said. "For now it's just out of your earnings, so the only one who gets affected so far is you. But if it spreads to the company, I won't cover for you."
"I'll talk to her, Meese," Minkus replied.
"Make sure you do," Meese answered. "Because if you don't talk to the bitch, I will and I won't have the loving concern of a husband to choose my words carefully."
Minkus rolled his eyes. It's no wonder that the closest that Meese had ever been with a woman was one that he had to pay for. "Meese, I said that I will talk to her."
From his laptop computer, Minkus could see an icon appear. He pressed on it to see Jessie look at the screen. "Mr. Minkus you have a call from Greenbriar Meadows on line 2."
"Thank you, Jessie," Minkus answered. He picked up the phone and pressed the line. Meese stepped out figuring that he made his point. "This is Stuart Minkus," he said to the representative of the senior assisted living quarters that Grandpa Ginsburg was staying in.
"Mr. Minkus my name is Sandra Levin," she said. "We've spoken a few times."
"Yes of course, Dr. Levin," Minkus answered. "Is there something wrong with my grandfather?"
"Nothing more than usual," Dr. Levin replied. "But I have to talk to you about your grandfather's placement here. I'm afraid that we can no longer keep him living at this facility."
Minkus started. "Why is that? He hasn't become too disoriented or violent has he?"
"Well he has," Dr. Levin said. "But he is able to be restrained. No, that's not the main reason. Mr. Minkus, we agreed to house and care for your grandfather contingent on whether you could afford to pay for his care. Unfortunately, your last check bounced."
"What?" Minkus asked. "I don't believe it. I had enough in my accounts. I checked
it myself." He had a separate bank account for Ginsburg's care from his and Jennifer's joint account. He wasn't a complete fool. Jennifer hadn't gotten to that had she?
"Well you may wish to speak to your bank about this, but in the meantime your mother has come to pick up your grandfather," Dr. Levin continued.
Minkus rose from behind the desk. "My who has come to pick up my what?!" He hung up the phone and mumbled for Jessie to cancel all future appointments for the day and leaped into a cab to head for the retirement center.
There was a large traffic jam keeping Stuart from arriving at the quarters earlier than he expected. He told the receptionist his name and the woman led him to Ginsburg's apartment. There was already quite a commotion by the time he arrived. Dr. Levin had already been in attendance and two orderlies and a nurse also surrounded the elderly man. Unfortunately, Nancy Minkus was also there. She glared at her son. "Well you've done a splendid job," she said sarcastically.
Minkus ignored his mother's snide remark and approached his grandfather. The senior had thrown a glass at the people around him and threw another one. Minkus ducked to avoid it. "Who are these people, Stuart," Ginsburg said. "I'm not going with them!"
Minkus held onto his grandfather by the arm. "Grandpa, Grandpa, it's alright. They are just here to take care of you."
"But I don't trust any of them, especially her," Ginsburg pointed at Nancy. "I don't know who she is but she's a liar, a devil! She only brings trouble, I can tell by looking at her!"
Minkus turned towards his grandfather. "No, Grandpa, that's your daughter, my mother. Remember you always called her Nonnie?"
"But that's not my Nonnie," Ginsburg objected. "She doesn't look like my Nonnie. She doesn't act like my Nonnie! She acts like someone else. She acts like Essie!" He threw another glass. Stuart nodded, Essie. Esther. Ginsburg's former wife, Nancy's mother, a woman that he could never live with because in his words they wanted "different things."
Ginsburg looked to Stuart as if he had calmed down. "Stuart, I can't be like this you know. I have to go open the café." He looked around. "Now where are the keys?" He looked up and down throwing cushions and sheets. "How can I open the café without the goddamn keys to unlock it?" Minkus walked behind his grandfather and held him by the shoulders. He pulled him closer in a quick embrace while he sobbed that he couldn't find his keys.
Dr. Levin stepped behind Minkus. "Because of your financial situation, we had to notify your mother as the second emergency contact person. She will be taking your grandfather to a nursing home in Philadelphia."
"I hope you appreciate me coming up here to fix your mess, Stuart, because I won't do it again," Nancy said sourly.
"Thank you, Nancy," Stuart glared at her through clenched teeth. "I appreciate you helping me."
"I'm not doing it for you," Nancy countered. "I'm doing it for my father." She turned to her father. "Pop, you're going to go home to Philadelphia. There's a nice place there that you will live." Minkus rolled his eyes. Nice place in Nancy Minkus' definition was probably somewhere that hadn't yet been investigated by the local news team. Stuart silently cursed his mother, but also cursed himself realizing if it weren't for him and Jennifer living above their means, this wouldn't have happened. He felt equal parts guilt and shame at himself and anger and frustration at Jennifer.
Ginsburg looked up. "Philadelphia, I'm not going there not unless I can see my Little Man!"
"You're Little Man's right here, Grandpa," Minkus said softly. He turned to the doctor. "Will he be well enough to make the journey?"
Dr. Levin nodded. "He will be sedated through most of the trip."
Minkus rocked his grandfather back and forth like a small child as the old man sobbed. "Don't let them take me, Stuart," he said. "I come back you know I always come back."
Minkus felt tears coming to his own eyes. "I know Grandpa, but they will look after you until you do."
"Did I do something bad, son?" Ginsburg asked almost like a small child. "This isn't a farkle."
"No, Grandpa," Minkus said kissing the old man on the top of the forehead. "You didn't do anything bad. I did." It wasn't a happy surprise or a joyous occasion. Not a farkle at all.
By the time that Minkus arrived at home, he was furious. Even more so when he saw the shopping bags and jewelry cases on the coffee table. "Jennifer," he commanded.
"What?" Jennifer said appearing through the bedroom door. Minkus smelled his wife's breath and investigated her eyes. No she wasn't drunk or high well not yet anyway.
He threw the bills on the table. "Care to explain these?" He asked. "Or explain to me how my last check for my Grandfather bounced?" He crossed his arms as Jennifer looked at the bills as if she didn't know what they were. "My mother is taking him to Philadelphia right now as we speak."
"So he'll go to a home, big deal," Jennifer said. "The old man is senile anyway! Who cares!
"Dammit, I care," Minkus shouted. "Did you get into my private account?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," the blond woman said but she smiled in a way that implied that she had.
"Jennifer that is earmarked for emergencies and my grandfather's care, as well as most of my earnings from Minkus Technologies," he said feeling like he was talking to a child. "Not for your extravagance! How did you find out my PIN number anyway?"
"Because I know you Stuart," Jennifer said. "Believe it or not, sometimes I do listen when you go off on your Math Nerd tangents. I guessed they were all prime numbers. Turns out I was right!" Minkus glared. It was time to change his PIN.
"Why did you do it Jennifer," Minkus said wearily. "You not only hurt me, but you hurt my business and you hurt my grandfather. Are your new clothes, new jewelry, and all your other new things that important to you?" He tossed one of her bags to the ground.
Jennifer laughed bitterly. "Well what else can I do around here? You have your job to go to and all of your precious clients and coworkers! What do I have to do during the day besides sleep, eat, and watch TV? Do you realize how boring it is around here when you're not home?"
"I have to work," Minkus insisted. "Even more so now since you decided to singlehandedly support every store in New York City! Here's a crazy thought: If you are so bored, maybe you could find a job!"
"A job," Jennifer laughed like it was the most ludicrous suggestion that she ever heard. "I'm not the one who is going to work! You are just going to have to work harder!"
"Work harder?" Minkus said. "I work 60 hours a week! How much harder can I possibly work?" Out of frustration, Minkus kicked some of her shopping bags to the ground.
"Goddamit, I am tired of everything being on my shoulders! If we want to continue as we are, you are going to have to find a job!"
"And what pray tell would I have to do," Jennifer said as she picked up her things that Stuart threw on the ground. "You forget, I dropped out of college after we got married!"
"I never asked you to do that and you could have gone back anytime!," Minkus said. "I took most of my courses online and so did my coworkers! You could even go back to school here! There are plenty of schools you could enroll in, NYU, Columbia even take some courses at The New School!"
"And if I did, Stuart," Jennifer said. "I would have to quit in a few months anyway!"
"What are you talking about?" Minkus asked his wife.
Jennifer then held out an official letter that lay on the coffee table and threw it at her husband. "Dammit Stuart, I'm pregnant! What's the matter with you?" She ran towards her room starting to cry.
Stuart was stunned. "Jennifer, what? I thought-We've been using birth control!"
Jennifer halted in running. "I forgot to put in my diaphragm the night of the Van Houten's party! When we came back well, you know I wasn't in any condition to remember anything! It was an accident, alright!" She ran to her room and slammed the door.
Stuart picked up the letter. It was an official one from Mt. Sinai's OB-GYN clinic to confirm test results that Jennifer Bassett-Minkus was indeed pregnant! Apart from feeling excited or joyous about the news, Stuart Minkus suddenly felt very exhausted. What were he and Jennifer going to do now?
Minkus knocked on the bedroom door. "Jennifer are you alright?" he asked.
"No," his wife called through her room. He could tell she was still crying.
"Jennifer there are alternatives," Minkus suggested.
The door opened and his wife faced him. "What do you mean alternatives?"
"Well if you want to have an abortion there are some clinics nearby," Minkus suggested.
This news only made Jennifer cry harder. "You don't want this baby?" She slammed the door again.
Minkus knocked on the door. "Jennifer, no, I just don't know if we are ready to take care of a baby right now!"
"Go away and leave me alone!" Jennifer shouted through the door.
"Jennifer," Minkus pleaded. "I didn't mean that I didn't want the baby. I just said that we have options."
"And I said for you to leave me alone!" Jennifer screamed through the door. Minkus then turned from the door knowing that he was going to sleep alone in the study tonight.
Minkus went through the pile of bills and bank statements feeling more and more depressed. The Visa bills were past due. Discover had already been declined. At least two credit card companies had already contacted collection agencies. Not to mention, the Con Ed bill was already two months past due, their cell phone bills had three pages each, and rent had been skipped for a month. Several stores were demanding that Jennifer pay the credit that she promised. On and on.
He called the bank to get an accurate statement of his earnings. His heart sank when he heard that even put together their joint account and his personal one would never be able to pay off the large debts.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Now to top it all off, his wife was pregnant. How could he even think about looking forward to fatherhood when a pile of debt was staring at him in the face? How much more pressure could a baby put upon their finances? How much more pressure could a baby put upon him? Jennifer was already draining him. Would a baby take what was left?
Minkus rubbed his forehead. He had to think this through logically. He could recruit some more clients. What about the Parks? They seemed somewhat interested at the Van Houten's party. But no that was about a month ago, the night he and Jennifer conceived. Surely the brothers would have found someone else by now. And sometimes clients took their time in sending money, after negotiating fees and issues. He had some money coming in from the mobile phone and the MIMS, but after they got through the percentages, Stuart would not end up with very much. Right now his wages would be garnished to pay all of these debts, so they would be left with very little to survive off of.
He had two options neither of which he liked:
1) He could file for bankruptcy. Of course he knew that it was difficult to get out of. Plus Meese was right. Businesses that had to file for bankruptcy within their first year almost never bounced back. He would have a hard time pulling out of bankruptcy after that. He had just headed his own company. He would be overqualified for the average computer programmer job. How long would Jennifer stick around after he was unemployed and unlikely to find another job?
2) He could get some wealthy benefactor to pay off his debts and who was the wealthiest benefactor that he knew? Well who else, his father-in-law, Edward Bassett. Edward would do anything to make sure that his "Princess" was taken care of. However, Stuart had too much pride to go on his hands and knees begging for money. He recalled Bassett approached him to finance his company not the other way around. He had a feeling that Edward Bassett would never let Minkus forget the time that he had to save his son-in-law's ass. Minkus sighed, well what other choice did he have? Logically, asking Mr. Bassett to pay off the debts, even for a loan was a much better option than going bankrupt or not doing anything and becoming broke and homeless.
Minkus quickly dialed the number for his in-law's Philadelphia home. One of the maids answered. "I'm sorry Mr. Minkus but Mr. and Mrs. Bassett are not here," she said briskly. "They are at their Rochester home."
"Are you sure?" Minkus asked relieved at the coincidence.
"Yes sir," the maid replied.
"Thank you," Minkus answered as he hung up then dialed the number for the Bassett's Rochester home.
Minkus entered Edward Bassett's study feeling every bit as nervous as he did when he first met the man. Mr. Bassett sat behind the desk his hands folded. Teddy and Thomas sat in opposite chairs looking at their brother-in-law with barely concealed glee and contempt. Across from Mr. Bassett also sat Hathorne, his aide and another man in his 30's that Minkus recognized to be Eugene Bassett, Jennifer's cousin and the family attorney. "Well Stuart," Edward said evenly. "It looks like you're in a bit of a bind."
Minkus nodded. "Yes Edward, I am," he said. He explained the basics of the situation that they had overspent and were now on the verge of bankruptcy. He omitted the fact that much of it was caused by Jennifer's splurges or that she was pregnant.
"And I assume that you are here because you want me to help you," Edward said.
"Yes sir, I hoped that you would," Minkus said slowly.
Edward smirked and laughed at the young man, his sons, nephew, and assistant joined him. He then stopped. "Stuart, remember what I said would happen if you hurt my family especially my daughter? What did I say?"
"That I would wish that you killed me, sir," Minkus said sadly. "Edward please if you won't give me the money then we can make it a loan. I will work it off. I don't care what you do to me but you don't want your daughter to suffer do you?"
Bassett grinned thinly. "Why all the urgency, Stuart? Is there some new development that I'm supposed to know about?"
Minkus blinked. "Nothing."
"Oh and I thought it was because of my grandchild," Bassett said matter-of-factly. "My mistake."
"Jennifer told you," Minkus reasoned. He could see Teddy and Thomas exchange an amused grin at Stuart's humiliation.
"Yes, she told me," Bassett said. "She even implied that you suggested that the child could be….taken care of."
"I simply said that there were alternatives," Minkus said. "I didn't think that we are financially ready to take care of a baby."
"Of course that would be a suggestion from the evolutionist anti-Christian husband of my daughter," Bassett said. "Understand this, my daughter is not going to any Baby Butcher no matter how legal the process is!"
"Edward, religious and political views had nothing to do with this!," Minkus said. "I just want to make things easier for Jennifer! I simply suggested it as a possibility. I am not going to rush her out to a clinic and certainly not against her will! She wants to have the baby, so we are going to period! I just need help for both of them. I know you don't want to see your daughter and grandchild go broke do you?"
Bassett was silent for a long time, then put up his hands. "Well against my better judgment, I will help you Stuart." He said. "I will gladly pay all of your debts. You won't go bankrupt."
Minkus breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir. If you like we can work out a repayment schedule right now!"
Bassett held up his hand. "No, it won't be a loan."
Minkus smiled. "That's even better!"
"I'm not finished," Bassett continued. "This will be a payment. You will get your debts paid off and I get something in return."
"What is it?" Minkus asked.
Edward Bassett looked at his family members and smiled. "We want part ownership in Minkus Technologies!"
"What?" Minkus gasped.
"There is a vacancy in the ownership since Mr. and Mrs. Smackle left," Bassett suggested. "I think my sons and I will fill the void nicely."
"But what about what you said that you would be silent and invisible?" Minkus asked. "You said that you would not interfere with the technologies and the ideas would be ours!"
"Well times have changed," Bassett answered. "There's a lot more to consider."
Minkus felt like he had been pierced with an arrow. Those words echoed back haunting him as he recalled saying the same thing to Elliot and Ingrid.
Bassett motioned for Eugene to step forward. Eugene reached into his briefcase and pulled out a contract form. "50% of Minkus Technologies will go to Bassett Investment, in the care of Edward Bassett Sr., Edward Bassett Jr., and Thomas Bassett. All subsidies and patented technologies rights will be split among the shareholders, meaning yourself, Mr. Meese, and the Messers Bassetts. Clients will also be recommended from both sides. Of course, if you decide to dissolve the partnership for any future reason, the Messers Bassett will have the rights to withdraw any current and future monies and clientele."
"Look at it this way, Stuart," Bassett said. "We have plenty of clients, even international ones. Minkus Technologies can go global. It will be a much wider spectrum than you would have envisioned on your own. Your dream of being a millionaire will finally come true! Of course if things don't go well between you and my Princess well not only your marriage will suffer, but your company will become the small business that you started with."
Minkus considered that possibility. Part of him was fascinated with the idea of taking his company to an international market. He knew that Japan and China would be fascinated by such technologies. Some interesting things were happening in the Central Asian and European markets as well. This company might grow bigger. Too big, a voice in his head seemed to say.
That part was disgusted with the idea. The company was his. He built it, he created it. It was the one thing in Minkus' life that he could say belonged to him. When he and the others put together the technologies, he felt like he had created something wonderful, something tangible, something independent, and something that was his personal gift to the world. Now Minkus Technologies would be forever tied in with the Bassetts. He could see himself being strangled within the confines of Jennifer's family and being threatened with a grim future if he decided to leave it. What it amounted to was that Edward Bassett was willing to pay off his daughter and son-in-law's debts and all he wanted in exchange was a lifetime of service from Stuart Minkus. How high a price was that?
Stuart could see no other logical solution to this. All other options were gone to him and would prove disastrous for his wife and future child. He made a choice that to him was no choice when it came right down to it.
"Alright, I'll sign it," Minkus said.
"Good," Bassett replied. "Of course we will need Mr. Meese's signature as well to make it formal."
Minkus winced. Meese would sign it, the second Bassett would mention the possibility of going global and becoming a millionaire and he would do it without so much as a quiver. Like Minkus was feeling now. Minkus held the pen to his hand as he signed his name. He felt like he was losing a part of him that would forever disappear.
"Thank you, Stuart," Edward replied. "The money for your debts will be transferred into your account within the next business day. That wasn't so painful was it?" He asked as he shook his son-in-law's hand.
Minkus sighed. "No Edward," he said ironically. "Not painful at all." Like a stab in the heart would not be considered painful.
Minkus came home from his encounter with his father-in-law, his feet felt like lead. By the time he got home, it was night. Jennifer was in bed reading What to Expect When You're Expecting. "Well did you sign it?" she asked.
Minkus changed his clothes and crawled into bed next to his wife. He didn't have to ask how his wife knew. He had a feeling her father told her everything about the deal. "I signed it," he said forcing himself to be numb.
"That's my darling husband," Jennifer said putting the book away and running her fingers through his hair.
Minkus could do nothing more than lie in bed feeling his wife's hand on his head and sigh wearily already feeling the weight of Jennifer and her family on him.