Dealing With Fiancées

Emily Johnson had bargained for a dressing down, incriminations and reproaches. She wouldn't have deserved better after all. But it didn't happen after she finally found the courage to tell her mother about the break-up during an unannounced visit in between tea-time at the club of Albany and a DAR function. To tell the truth, Emily did not really tell her mother about the break-up (neither had she told Melinda in detail), but only used the nice and rather noncommittal paraphrase "As I'm untethered now" before she agreed to a dinner with her family next Saturday.

There was a second of silence before Lillian Johnson nodded. "Alright", she said strangely calm.

"Alright?", Emily repeated bewildered and stiff, unsure if her mother had understood the hint.

"It's not me, who'll spend her life as unmarried woman."

She had, Emily realized, she had. "I will find someone", she hence said reconciliatory, hoping her mother would understand, despite Emily knowing she wouldn't. No surprise as she still didn't understand it full-fledged herself. "Someone more suitable than Robert", she therefore added.

Lillian sighed upon Emily's naivety. "Robert Tadman would've been a very good choice and you proudly set a naught as if alternatives were hiding behind every corner. They aren't, Emily. Especially as you're almost twenty-one and hence your chances to find an appropriate husband get less with every day", she looked at her eldest daughter. Disregarding her age, the expression in her face hadn't changed through the years. It was still the same expression Emily had as a little girl whenever she had eroded something, knowing it was wrong in advance. "Of course, I don't begrudge you to get married", Lillian acknowledged, knuckling under a laconic flash of nostalgia, still grateful for the fact that she only had two children to deal with, afflicted that none of them was a son. "Not only because there's a lot at stake, but because you're my daughter."

For a second Emily's heart stopped beating and she probably was the little girl Lillian Johnson had remembered. "Mother -", she started low.

"Enough for today", Lillian interrupted her resolutely. "I've to go to a function and I'm sure you've important things to do as well."

"Yes, mother", she nodded respectful. She was right. Time was running. Emily had to hurry, if she wanted to find a husband. But then, it really couldn't be that hard to find someone. Someone she would be able to feel more for than just sympathy. Someone like Richard, she caught herself adding and pressed her lips upon the thought, wishing she never had met him. That is, she had to stop thinking of him, if she wanted to find somebody else. And she wanted to. She really did. She had to.

Actually Richard Gilmore was supposed to pack his private belongings for his move to Edmeston, where he'd start as an insurance agent trainee at the New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance Company on Monday. Instead he sat at a table in between the numerous packing cases however and checked the notes he had made on "War and Peace".

"Richard", Pennilyn stated rather annoyed, while she packed his books away. "You're not supposed to read a book, but pack them away."

"Just one minute", he murmured absentmindedly and got up, heading towards the case with his office utensils while Pennilyn folded her arms.

"The books won't pack themselves."

With some blank sheets and a pencil, Richard walked back to the table. "This is important", he explained and sat down.

"More important than having everything stowed until the moving company gets here tomorrow morning at seven?" Pennilyn rolled her eyes when he didn't answer, but started to copy his notes onto a new sheet. "Hello? Richard! The books!", she exclaimed.

"This won't take long, darling", he eventually looked up.

"It better not", she murmured displeased. "Because I actually wanted to have the packing done as fast as possible and spend some time with you before you vanish into no man's land."

"Edmeston is not no man's land. It's a lovely small town in New York."

"A lovely small town three hours from Northampton."

"I told you to go to Barnard."

"I would've loved to and it would've been perfect, if it wouldn't be a four hour drive, but you'd taken the job in Manhattan instead", she answered sulking. "But no, it had to be Edmeston and now I'm going to stale in Northampton for the next twelve months. Not to talk of the fact that I'll die of boredom in Edmeston as soon as we're married."

"We discussed that already", Richard answered without looking up, but continued writing. "The offer of the CM was simply the best offer with the best career opportunities - not to talk of the generous salary I'm going to get. We plan to start a family after all, Lynnie", he paused for a second. "What about Wellesley? You still could go there", he suggested carefully. "It has a better reputation than Smith anyway."

"Four and a half hours."

"But Wellesley offers more classes on Italian Art."

"While Smith offers Romance Languages as minor and therefore they'll impute all my certificates."

"Bernard will do that, too", he reminded her. "Seriously, there isn't that much of a difference between three and four hours driving, at least none that would justify your decision to stale in Northampton instead of enjoying Manhattan."

"I really don't see why you're constantly criticizing my choice to go to Smith while I'm supposed to accept your choice to move to Edmeston without objections."

"I'm not criticizing your choice", he called out, which caused him to smear the last letters. "I'm just trying to encourage you to visit a college in a city you love instead of going to Northampton because of 60 minutes", Richard rumpled the sheet angrily. "We've successfully handled a distance of a half journey around the world after all; 60 minutes is a joke compared to that! I really don't see why you're trying to turn me into the madman all of sudden", he sighed when he saw the hurt look on Pennilyn's face his scolded words had caused. "Come here", he waved her towards him and pulled her onto his lap. "I just want you to be happy", he stated to placate her and stroke a strand out of her face. Sometimes it was hard for him to adjust to their new situation, his new situation after the years of separation and act not like a free man anymore. He had to get used to it - moreover they had to get used to each other again.

"Being close to you makes me happy", she wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against him. "And Smith is the closest I can get."

"Alright", he put a kiss onto her forehead. "Smith it is", with a nod he reached for his pencil again and a new sheet, continuing to transcript while Pennilyn buried her head on his shoulder and watched him silently.

"Why are you doing this?", she asked after a while.

Richard had no idea, at least none that was reasonable. Actually it was preposterous. "Having my notes on one sheet only is more habile", he hence gave Pennilyn a pretty lame excuse and she snorted amused.

"You're never going to get that onto one sheet only."

"I will", he disagreed a little offended.

"Your writing is even bigger than the one on the other two sheets. Moreover, we have to get the packing done."

Richard sighed. "You're right", he conceded and rumpled this sheet, too. "Besides really no one can be able to put the essence of a masterwork like "War and Peace" onto two sides only", he threw the paper ball into the waste bin, a brief kiss before the couple continued to pack.

Robert Tadman had been searching for Emily the entire evening long and when he finally found her in a bar in Holyoke there was already a big amount of alcohol running through his veins. She sat at a table nearby the window, her loose hair falling in curls over her shoulders and back. Her eyes laughed as did her lips and lost in her sight, he forgot his anger and trauma for a moment. A brief moment only, then he realized that her laugh engaged another man. So fast, he thought with a mixture of depressiveness and disgust. Only four days ago he had been sure she'd marry him and here she was, drinking wine with another man, talking with him, laughing with him. Four days ago everything had been alright, four days only had been enough to bring the roof on his head and now he was standing here, crestfallen, heartsick and unemployed. The thought of his unemployment reminded him of the reason for his need to talk to Emily. With a last deep breath, he entered the bar and walked towards Emily's table. She was shocked to see him, he could tell despite the fact that she was a master of controlling any expressions. Still she didn't refuse to have a minute with him and followed Robert outside.

"What are you doing here?", she eventually asked when they were standing in a small byroad. The softness in her voice broke something in him.

"Can't you tell?"

"No", Emily shook her head and a sigh escaped her lips. "Robert, I -"

"You left me. You left me without a job."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You have no idea?", he let out a shrill laugh, slowly loosing control despite his resolutions to not. "Well, here's a reminder: I told you I love you and you sent me off to hell."

"Robert -", Emily raised her hands in defeat.

"And as if that wasn't bad enough you caused your uncle to fire me!"

"I did not cause him to fire you", Emily denied. "I'm in no way concerned with business matters."

"Sure", he snorted. "I'm not stupid, Emily! I knew they did not hire me because of my grades only, but because of my relationship with you as well. They fired me because of it. They fired me and my whole career. My whole life is ruined now."

"I'm sure, you'll get another job."

"I will not. At least not in an appropriate timeframe", he lowered his voice. "I called all the other companies off, Emily. They don't hire someone who called them off. The jobs are taken, at least the good ones. This whole affair will brand me and my professional résumé forever."

"I had no idea", she shook her head. "But I will try to fix this, Robert."

"Fix it", he repeated sadly, looking at the woman opposite him. Fix it, he thought, fix the most important thing. "Forget about the job", he hence said and tenderly laid a hand on her cheek. "I don't want that job, if I can have you. Anything, Emily, I would do anything to get you back. I want to be with you. I love you."

"You'll get your job back", she took a step back. "You'll get it back", she promised and vanished in the bar again.

Proudly Richard Gilmore sat behind the desk in his office that still smelled and felt new and exciting. It was not more than his third day, but he was already intrigued with his job and work. The people he worked with were friendly and competent. He knew he'd be able to learn a lot and was sure he'd become one of the bests in this business with the training he'd get here. The only thing that obfuscated his contentment was Pennilyn's final and unbudgeable decision to go to Smith. Actually it wasn't her decision that bothered him, but the fact that her decision bothered him. He knew he shouldn't care. It was ridiculous that he was afraid to run into Emily. He loved Pennilyn. He loved her while he only had a crush on Emily. A crush that slowly faded away anyhow. A crush he actually only remembered when he found himself doing stupid things like scaling down his list of "War and Peace". A crush he notwithstanding couldn't help to fear, that possibly could flame up again, if he met her again.

The unintentional chances to meet Emily grew even bigger when Pennilyn called him on his lunch break. She happily informed him that she not only had found a nice apartment in Northampton, but a tutor who would help her to adjust with the life and policies at an American college as well. First Richard was glad for Pennilyn, too. He knew she was scared that the change of universities could have a bad impact on her grades and he always had loved that his fiancée was taking her studies seriously instead of studying as pretence. However, the description of her tutor alongside the name she mentioned made him worry that he knew Pennilyn's helper and the helper knew Emily - unless there was more than one blonde curled and "thoroughly sweet and endearing" (as Pennilyn had called her enthusiastically) history of arts graduate named Melinda visiting Smith. Well, Richard thought, Melinda really was a quiet common name and heaven knew how many girls went with the fashion to dye and curl their hair (although his reason made him doubt this theory). Moreover - even if it was Emily's flatmate, she was Pennilyn's tutor only and they probably wouldn't become friends (although Pennilyn's sweet and endearing comment made him doubt the theory, too). Even so if he did see Emily again, it didn't mean that she'd be able to fascinate him once more (this time his stomach made him doubt his theory) and he worried without any reason. Although, he wouldn't really call it worrying, definitely not. Just - well, less than worrying, whatever it was. Actually, Richard had convinced himself by the end of his break, he was looking forward to see Emily again (if he should happen to see her again) and prove himself that she wouldn't have any effect on him at all. Eventually, he was a happily engaged man. Very engaged and very happy.

Carl Johnson was burning with anger - and frustration. He was a sixty-one year old man after all, if fate would be merciful he'd probably have ten, maybe even twenty years left, but he wasn't willing to leave the future of the Johnson Trade Inc. to something as flighty and incalculable as fate. Actually, he hated it to leave anything to anyone, but preferred it to do things alone. He had learned that there was no one to be trusted but him. Hence, he hated it that he needed his nieces to protect the company, girls who apparently were just as flighty and incalculable as fate. Especially the elder one, whom he always had considered to be the more dutiful and level-headed, had let him down with her sudden separation of Robert Tadman. She, Emily, was the reason for his anger, his frustration. The fact that she had asked him for a meeting angered him even more. There was nothing he had to discuss with that girl, nothing she had to say worth listening to. Moreover, she wasn't supposed to spend her time chatting with him, she was supposed to find a man, marry and give birth to his heir. Still, he had agreed to meet her, partly out of curiosity, partly out of the need to confront her and mostly because of Henry's cajoling. The influence his lover had over him irritated Carl sometimes, the fact that he was able to calm and lead him to see things clearly again after eruptions. Still, it wasn't the worst. If there hadn't been Henry, he never would've continued to support Baldwin and his spawn fifteen years ago and there wouldn't be any chance to get an acceptable heir at all. And maybe Henry was right this time too, maybe the talk with his niece would achieve a result, although Carl had no idea what this result would be.

"She's here", Henry announced after he silently had closed the door of Carl Johnson's office.

"At least she's punctual", he took a sip at his Scotch without taking his eyes from the window.

"Be nice", he felt Henry's hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know why."

"Because you need her", he reminded him of the obvious and Carl sighed.

"Alright", he eventually turned around. "Let her in", he emptied his glass and gave it to Henry, then walked to his desk and folded his hands with awkward anticipation.

Emily Johnson sat in the antechamber of her uncle's offices and tried to suppress her nervousness, the awkward anticipation that filled her. She wasn't eager to meet Carl Johnson, not at all, but she felt responsible for Robert's dismissal, awfully responsible and if there was anything she could do to help him keeping his job, she was willing to do it.

"Mr. Johnson will see you now", the secretary said and she startled.

"Thank you", Emily got up and managed it to create a smile and a dignified nod, following the elder man into the big and impressing office.

Carl Johnson sat behind a huge desk, he didn't look like she had expected him to look like, although she had no idea how she had expected him to look. Not so much like her father maybe, not so nice.

"Emily Johnson", the secretary said and left the room.

"Good day", she greeted Carl Johnson with another fake smile, unsure how the proper procedure for such a meeting was. He was her uncle, yet she never had seen him before, not since she'd been a child and hence she had no idea how to speak to him, if to curtsy, shake hands or even hug or kiss him.

"Sit down", Carl told her without any greeting at all and Emily felt even more uncomfortable.

It must be the grey hair that had misled her, she realized while she accommodated his demand, it made him look mild and friendly. Grey hair always did that with people, but there was no friendliness in his voice and acting at all. "Why did you request this appointment?", Carl asked without spending time on exchanging courtesies. Beating around the bush always tired him, moreover they were time-consuming, time-consuming and expensive. Time is money. Carl would've signed the saying without a blink.

For a second Emily hesitated, but as he had asked her directly, she thought it'd be best to give him a direct answer. "I want you to reemploy Robert Tadman", she hence told him the reason for her visit.

"You want me to reemploy Robert Tadman", Carl repeated her, unsure if he should be impressed by her forthrightness or annoyed by the impudentness of her demand.

"Yes."

"This is not going to happen", he stood up to get himself another drink. "But it was interesting to meet you", Carl saw her off. "I said it was interesting to meet you", he disbanded her again, when his niece didn't get up and leave the room. "Goodbye, Emily", he said with emphasis.

"But -", Emily swallowed confused, but it didn't help to get rid of the lump in her throat. Calm, she reminded herself, stay calm and friendly. Calm. "You can't send me away without having listened to me", she eventually stated quietly but certain.

Carl frowned. He was not used to objections of any kind. "First, I have heard enough", he trounced her therefore. "Second, I don't have to do a thing."

"I don't have to do a thing then either", she got up, proud reflecting in her face.

"There's still Henrietta."

"Two racehorses advance the odds."

Carl couldn't help to let out a dry laugh. "This is not about racehorse, it's about broodmares. And what's a broodmare without a stud?", he stated how it was. "Only a very bad horse breeder would put a gelding into his stables. Especially, if he's only having two of them."

"One is free until I'll marry. Actually it is two as Henrietta isn't married either", Emily responded, hardly trying to hide the trembling of her voice. "Let Robert work for your company until he is successful and will be able to get another good job", she pleaded Carl, although she would've preferred it to spit onto his shoes.

"I give you one year, Emily", he paused for a second, realizing that Henry had been right. There would be a result, one that would yield the much expected fruits. "Let's say one and a half", he added generously, softened by satisfaction. "But if you aren't married by your twenty-second birthday, you'll agree to marry whomever I choose. And it's not the worst choice you can make. After all I already set up a very successful marriage - ask your mother", he smiled contented. It wouldn't be a problem to find a husband for Emily. Not that the financial benefits wouldn't be bait enough, but it was always easier to marry off an attractive girl. As he was keeping one in his hand, he would be able to choose among the best and therefore the company would be in good hands after his death.

"Alright", she agreed. One and a half year seemed to be an eternity. Not a big one, but plenty of time to find a husband and overcome the agreement without taking a smear in the end. Besides, Emily thought dryly, she'd kill herself anyway, if she wouldn't be married with twenty-two. "I accept."

Her fast endorsement surprised Carl and his contemptuousness for Emily almost vanished. "It was a pleasure to bargain with you, especially as I price quickness and efficiency highly", he poured another glass of Scotch and handed it her. "Moreover, I price a sense of family and greatness even higher and you seem to be capable of both."

Instead of an answer Emily emptied her glass with one gulp and put it onto the desk. "Goodbye, Uncle Carl", she took her leave.

"Goodbye, Emily", Carl answered after she had left his office already and toasted towards the closed door, a smile played around his lips. "It was really interesting to meet you. Interesting and profit-yielding", he emptied his glass too, deciding to present Henry a new car. A Jaguar maybe. A Porsche or a Mercedes. Something expensive by all means, something that would demonstrate his gratitude worthily. Maybe they even could go on a short journey. Now that the future was safe, he could allow himself a short downtime.

To be continued

ATN: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews everyone (especially to Cira (you're crazy ;)) and to Mel for being the great and fast and helpful Beta she is. Bows.