CHAPTER FOURTEEN
New York City - the Law Offices of Farmer and Sheehan
December 20, 2000
6:00 PM
The office Christmas party at Farmer & Sheehan was just getting started. The managing partners had spared no expense this year, and it was soon obvious to everyone that it was going to be quite a bash - *especially* in light of the completion of the Henderson deal the next day. Most of the work-related activity at the firm had shut down by four o'clock and some staff began hanging decorations in the office. By 4:30 PM, the caterers had arrived with the food and drink.
Ed was just finishing with what should be his last meeting on the Henderson contracts. Actually, Jerry Pender had run most of the meeting, Ed having rather quickly turned it over to him once the introductions were made. In fact, Ed spent the majority of the meeting staring out the window at the New York skyline, speaking up only when absolutely necessary.
By 6:15 PM, everyone had filed out of the conference room except for Ed and Jerry. Jerry looked over at Ed and said, "Are you okay, Ed."
"Hmm," Ed said distractedly. "Oh, um, yeah. Just got a lot on my mind, that's all. By the way, Jerry, thanks for covering for me and running this meeting. You did a great job. Actually, this merger wouldn't have happened without you."
"That's not the way Miranda's telling it around the office," Jerry replied. "I can't believe you called Shaffer's counsel 'The Law Firm of Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle Dum." He chuckled. "She said they tried some last minute re- negotiations and that you really pulled the rug right out from under them."
"I'll just bet she did," Ed said, a tad sarcastically. "Don't listen to Miranda. I couldn't have pulled this off without you."
Jerry just waved aside the compliment, but was secretly pleased. He knew the office scuttlebutt about Ed's probable promotion to partner and it wouldn't hurt to have a friend like Ed in that position.
"Just doing my job, Ed," Jerry said.
Ed smiled sadly and said, "Where have I heard that before?"
Jerry grinned, but then sobered. "Seriously," he said, "are you okay. There's a buzz around the office today that something big is going on, but no one seems to know what. And you seem really down. Did you and Carol have a fight?"
Ed winced at Carol's name. 'Uh oh,' Jerry thought.
Ed sighed and said, "Not exactly."
"Well, that cleared things right up then," Jerry said.
"Carol went back to Stuckeyville a day early," Ed said sadly. "She left me a note asking not to follow after her ... that it would 'be better for me' if I let her go."
"That's ridiculous!" Jerry exclaimed, "You two kids are great together. Everybody sees that."
Ed looked at Jerry quizzically, "Kids? Jerry you're only five years older than I am."
"So I'm channeling the spirit of my father ... so sue me."
"What do you mean you're channeling the spirit of your father?!! You can't channel the spirit of your father. Your parents are still alive. They live in Tallahassee. I just got a Christmas card from them."
Jerry shook his head and said, "Ed. Just go with it. Okay?"
"Oh," Ed nodded.
"Ed, you know that my wife complains every now and then that I haven't risen higher at Farmer & Sheehan. Well, I like playing second banana and not being one of the big boys. Do you know why?"
Ed shook his head and said, "No."
"Because I don't want to be put in a position where I," Jerry said pointing at Ed instead of himself, "have to choose between my job and my wife or family. (Jerry leaned in close and spoke more quietly) Ed, being a lawyer is a career choice, but this is still just a job. Carol, well it seems to me that Carol is about life and love and those two things top a job any day of the week in my book. Just remember, some day you're supposed to retire from your job. If Carol isn't there when you do, what good is it?"
Ed stood there stunned. In all the time he'd known Jerry he'd never heard him speak like that. He was both impressed and touched. He nodded and said quietly, "Thanks, Jerry. I'll remember that."
Jerry smiled, slightly embarrassed that he had said all that. Then he put his arm around Ed and started leading him out to the party, "You ARE going after her, aren't you?"
"Deloris made the plane reservations this morning."
"Way to go, sport! Now, come on, let's go celebrate this damn acquisition almost being over. I'll buy you a drink."
"Jerry," Ed said, "the drinks are free."
"Well then," Jerry said with a laugh, "I'll buy you two!"
***
Stuckeyville - the home of Carol Vessey
December 20, 2000
6:30 PM
Once Carol started talking she couldn't stop.
"It started on the flight to New York ...", Carol told them how she'd spent the majority of her flight to New York reviewing the contract Knight Publishing had mailed to her, and then the harrowing cab ride from the airport, "You know how they tell you that when you're about to die, your whole life flashes before you?"
"Yeah?" Molly replied. Mike and Nancy just nodded.
"Whoever wrote that must have been riding in a New York City taxi-cab at the time. I mean ... I finally understand what people mean when they say 'I found religion'! I must have said about a thousand prayers while he was weaving in and out of traffic!" Carol said.
"Well, you obviously made it to the hotel in one piece, so ..." Nancy quipped.
"What my dear wife is trying to so delicately say, is get to the good part!"
"Yeah, the good part!" Molly affirmed.
Carol grinned in amusement at her friend's impatience. She knew they just wanted to help her. And there was a part of her that really did want to get to the "good part" of the story - about her time with Ed, but she just felt like she wasn't ready yet. So, instead she told them her first night in New York City and about the surprising homesickness she felt for Stuckeyville.
"Yep," Mike said, "there is NO place like Stuckeyville!"
"Quit stalling!" Molly replied.
From the look on Molly's face, Carol knew that she couldn't keep hiding and so she starting talking about her first meeting with Knight Publishing and the sudden contract change that prompted her decision to seek Ed's help. The second she said Ed's name, the expressions on her three friends' faces switched from mild amusement to intense interest.
"Aha! NOW we're finally getting somewhere," Mike stated.
And Carol told them about her meeting Ed, seeing him for the first time and how he had almost knocked the lamp off his desk. Molly and Nancy laughed. Mike seemed to have a pained expression on his face.
"Wait, it gets better," Carol said. "When he went to shake my hand, his hand was full of raisins and he said - I kid you not - 'Raisins! They're.they're nature's candy!'"
The three women laughed. Mike looked on surprised and said, "I don't get it? They ARE nature's candy!" Molly, Carol, and Nancy laughed even harder and Nancy just patted his arm.
Carol told them how when she had asked Ed about the baseball bat in his office, he had deftly turned it around and wheedled a flattering comparison between him and Tom Cruise out of her. "I couldn't believe it. One minute I was asking him about the bat, and the next minute I was telling him he was like Tom Cruise!"
"Hah!" Nancy said. "That sounds like Eddie all right!"
Carol continued her story, telling them how Ed had agreed to look over the contract and had started to walk her back to her hotel. ".I lost my balance and stepped off the curb. Ed pulled me back just in the nick of time, otherwise I would be just a hood ornament for some New York City taxi!"
"Oh my god, Carol!" Molly exclaimed. "Did you get the cab's license plate number?"
"I... uh," Carol blushed, "... didn't get the chance. It, uh ... went by so fast." Carol didn't see the point in telling them how she had just felt so content in Ed's arms. 'I had just met him twenty minutes earlier, they'll think I'm just acting like some silly school girl with a crush'.
"Oh..." they all nodded, understanding.
'Pheeeew' Carol thought.
"Later that night, Ed and I went out sightseeing." Carol said. Molly noted the warmth in Carol's eyes as she talked about that first evening, the connection she had felt so quickly with Ed and the wonderful time they'd had.
"When I realized he wasn't going to kiss me," Carol said, "I kissed HIM."
"You go, girlfriend!" Molly said with a grin.
Mike didn't say anything, but exchanged a quick knowing glance with his wife.
"When I woke on Friday, I was just inspired!" Carol said. She told them about her new book and outlined the plot and characters, they all noted the similarities between the male lead and Ed - something that Carol finally admitted.
"Am I in it?" Mike asked suddenly, surprising the women.
"Wuh.what?" Carol asked.
"Am I in the book? Ed's in the book. What about me?" Mike asked.
"Well," Carol said, hesitantly, "um, not exactly."
"What does that mean?" Mike asked.
"Um, there is a doctor in the book," Carol said in a non-committal tone.
"And he's a young, handsome doctor with brown hair and a great sense of humor, right?" Mike said.
"MIKE!" Nancy exclaimed.
"Um, no," Carol said, clearly uncomfortable. "He's, uh, a little older, balding with, um, glasses and is kind of, uh, rough around the edges."
"Oh," Molly said, amused, "sounds more like Dr. Jerome than Dr. Burton."
"Really," Carol said, desperately trying to sound surprised and innocent. "I, uh, hadn't noticed."
Mike glared at Carol, but didn't say anything further. He just sat there and sulked.
She spoke with disgust about the evening with Victor Knight and how she had wished so much that Ed had been there. "Ugh! That man was such a swine. I had to take a shower when I got back to the hotel room.... By the way, Molly, thanks again."
Molly waved it off and said, "No problem. But I do have to remember that little escape tactic next time I need to talk to Toby at school."
"I can't believe she put Dr. Jerome in the book!" Mike whispered disappointedly. However, the three women ignored him.
"Saturday was a dream." Carol began, her eyes bright as she talked about the shopping trip, helping Ed find gifts for his family and friends, picking up little items for each of the three at the table with her.
"I mean, the man has the face of a squid ..." Mike continued, more to himself than anything. Nancy shot a disapproving glance at him, but said nothing.
Molly eyes teared up and she held Carol's hand while Carol told them about the pendant. "Molls," Carol said a little emotionally, "I couldn't believe it. It was identical to my mother's. I just wish it hadn't be so expensive!"
"I went to one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country... *HE* studied with Dr. Frankenstein ...." Mike said, *still* sulking. This time Nancy elbowed him hard in the arm.
"Ow!"
"You're like a nine-year old crying that someone took his Zagnut bar! Now, quit moping about the book," Nancy said, clearly exasperated at her husband's incessant rivalry with Dr. Jerome, "Carol's probably going to put you in the sequel, right Carol?"
"Uh... Right." Carol covered, "I had a few thoughts on that just the other day."
"Well that's different then," Mike replied, proudly beaming. No longer depressed over yet another defeat, Mike listened intently along with the others as Carol told them about Ed's chaste kiss under the mistletoe. Nancy was clearly surprised that Ed hadn't been more bold, given his high school crush on Carol, but said nothing.
"FAO Schwartz was so ..., so... You guys would have loved it." She mentioned the Vera Wang Barbie that Ed had bought her over her strenuous objections. "It was very expensive, but I couldn't talk him out of it! He's very stubborn - VERY sweet, but stubborn."
They all laughed again as Carol described her lack of prowess at ice skating, but they all noted how she kept using certain adjectives (strong, athletic, sturdy) in her descriptions of Ed's teaching her to skate.
"I couldn't believe it. There I am, trying to maintain my balance, my arms flapping around like I'm trying to take flight - and Ed is just gliding along."
"Well," Mike said, "the key to good skating is to wear sturdy pants."
Carol, Molly, and Nancy just looked at him. Mike said, "What?"
Carol was just about to tell them about how she had shown Ed how you were supposed to kiss someone under the mistletoe, when she looked over at Mike and became a little embarrassed. Nancy picked up on the silent clue, and grabbed her husband's arm.
"Mike, don't you think you'd better check on Sarah?"
"Nance, she's with the sitter. She's fine."
"MIKE."
"Alright. But this was just getting good." Mike sensed he wasn't going to win this one. He stood up, grabbed his coat and started towards the door. Then he turned, walked quickly back to the table and grabbed one of the boxes of take-out Chinese food. Then he walked out of the kitchen and towards the front door.
Once they were sure that Mike wasn't coming back, Carol told them about the fourth kiss she'd shared with Ed. Third if you didn't count the peck on the cheek he'd given her under the mistletoe, which as Carol explained she *didn't*.
"I stepped forward, put my hand behind his head." When she was done, Nancy and Molly shared a look.
Carol continued, telling them about the Sunday she had spent with Ed. "This time, he showed up with roses.in a vase..." She continued, telling them about how she'd first been terrified on the observation deck at the Empire State Building but, how one look in Ed's eyes ("He's got such incredible blue eyes..." she had sighed) had given her the strength to not only look out at the city from so dizzying a height - but to enjoy it.
"Really!?" Molly exclaimed. "Wow. I know what a basket case you turn into just trying to climb a ladder."
"I don't turn into a basket-case when I climb a ladder!" Carol snapped back. Then she paused, "Do I?"
"You do honey," Molly replied.
"She's right." Nancy added.
Carol blushed, as if appreciating all over again the way Ed had helped her overcome her fear that day. She continued, "Then we had to make a detour into Ed's office," Carol said, her voice chilling the room. Molly actually shivered when Carol recounted the conversation with Miranda because of Carol's icy tone.
"I hate her. I don't even know her, and I already hate her," Nancy said.
Carol's tone warmed and her eyes danced when she described the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular and the dinner she and Ed had shared at the German restaurant. She mentioned the kiss at the end of the night. "It was so unforced, .... so spontaneous. So, perfect!" Carol said with a sigh.
"When I got up on Monday, though, all I could think about." She spoke about her nagging thoughts about Ed's relationship with Miranda. How they had caused her to write some more discordant pieces into her novel.
"Then it hit me! I... I was... I was falling in love with Ed!" Carol said quietly.
"Well... duh!" Molly said. Nancy just nodded.
She told them about her decision to 'knock his socks off'. Molly and Nancy giggled like teenagers when they heard Carol's description of the black dress she had bought.
The three women were startled, when they heard a wolf-whistle coming from Carol's living room. They suddenly realized Mike had not actually left the house - he'd just gone into the other room.
"Michael Roger Burton," Nancy asked, "I thought I told you to go check on Sarah?"
"I was going to, but I realized I could just call the house," Mike said as he fished his cell phone out of his coat pocket and waved it back and forth. "Everything is fine and Sarah is already in bed."
Carol clearly looked embarrassed.
"How much did you hear?" Nancy demanded.
"Nothing. NOTHING! Okay, maybe something about incredible blue eyes, perfect kisses, falling in love, and a black dress. But that's it. I swear!"
Nancy just *looked* at him with that oh-you-are-so-in-for-it-when-we-get- home-Michael-Roger-Burton-look. Molly, however, was quick to break the tension, "Actually, it's a good thing you're here, Mike"
"It is?" Mike asked, a bit confused but grateful for the sudden reprieve.
"It is?!!" Nancy and Carol asked, equally confused.
"Of course," Molly explained, "because we need someone to make an ice cream run!"
"It's the middle of winter and you want ice cream?" Mike asked.
"Times like this always call for ice cream," Molly insisted.
Mike stood his ground stubbornly for a moment, then sighed and stood up. As he put his coat back on he said, "You know, this is just a conspiracy to keep me from hearing any of the good stuff!"
"Yep," Molly said with a smile. "Rocky Road and Mint Chocolate Chip, please."
Mike stalked out the door.
Carol picked up her story, moving on to her evening with Ed at 'Windows on the World'. Carol described the incredible setting of the restaurant, the view, and how Ed couldn't take his eyes off of her. The passion, the emotion in her voice was clearly evident.
"Wow!" Molly said. "Sound like an incredibly romantic evening!"
"Mmm," was all Carol said, completely lost in her tale now. She didn't even realize the intimate details she was giving away when she said, "So I took him by the hand and led into my room." Nancy's eyebrows rose and rose and looked like they were going to become part of her hairline. Nancy thought, 'I am SO glad we got Mike out of here before THIS!'
Carol's face flushed as shared the details of their kissing and groping. She wasn't the only one - both Molly and Nancy were clearly 'involved' in the story. 'If she puts this much detail into her book, they may need to publish it as a adult book!' Molly thought with a flush.
But all eyes returned to her when she spoke about how Miranda had called, ruining the moment, the passion. She talked about almost crying herself to sleep.
"That bitch!" Molly and Nancy declared in unison.
"So we made plans to get together on Tuesday night to talk, but I couldn't wait," Carol said. She told them how she had decided to take him to lunch. Molly's hand reached over and held Carol's hand as her voice broke. After a deep breath, Carol told them how she had found out - through Miranda - that Ed had to go out of town on business.
Carol's voice dropped to a whisper as she told them what Miranda had said. Nancy hissed and Molly said, "This woman better hope I never meet her!"
They were shocked when Carol told them she had agreed. "Ed can't come back to Stuckeyville to be with me - he would have to give up everything! And Stuckeyville. Stuckeyville is my HOME - I couldn't leave Stuckeyville and live in New York."
Neither Molly nor Nancy knew what to say about that.
"So I made the decision." She related how she had made the decision to call off her deal with Knight Publishing.
"You're kidding me!?" Molly cried. "This is all you've ever wanted!"
And finally, Carol told them how she had left a note for Ed, asking him not to follow, that it would be best for him. Molly's eyes started to tear, as did Nancy's. Carol finished her story, telling them how she had gotten a flight back home.
There was silence for about two minutes. Carol was exhausted. She hadn't realized how much she HAD needed to get that story out. Now that she was done, she was spent. Molly and Nancy were trying to figure out what to say.
Unsurprisingly, it was Molly who spoke first, she handed Carol her cell- phone.
"Call him," she said.
***
New York City - the Law Offices of Farmer and Sheehan
December 20, 2000
8:00 PM
The office Christmas party had been in full swing for about two hours now. Ed wasn't really in a very "festive" mood, but he felt that he had to be there for his staff and his friends at the firm. After all, just because he was miserable that the woman he'd loved his entire life had suddenly and inexplicably flown back to Ohio, didn't mean that he should bring down their holiday too. Besides, since he'd already decided that he was going to Stuckeyville to straighten things out with Carol and was only still in New York until he'd fulfilled his obligations with regard to the Henderson account, the party was a nice alternative to pacing back and forth in his apartment.
He looked across the room at Jerry Pender, who was doing his famous "Jack Nicholson" impersonation for a couple of staffers. 'Those guys must be new', Ed thought, 'everyone else at the firm has heard Jerry's 'Nicholson' at least a dozen times. Ed continued watching. He knew Jerry's 'Nicholson' routine by heart now. "You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH" he whispered in unison with Jerry's much louder and far more 'Nicholson'-like rendition. Then he chuckled.
He looked around for Deloris, finding her standing in the crowd of the other office secretaries. No doubt swapping stories of children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and in a few cases, great-grandchildren. Deloris and Irving had been married for an amazing thirty-five years. And while Deloris had been reluctant to acknowledge it in recent months - not wanting it to become a reminder to Ed of his own failed marriage - it had actually been a source of comfort to Ed. It had served as reminder that it was not Love - only his marriage - that had failed.
It was while Ed was watching Deloris, that Robert Farmer and Roy Sheehan had made their way over to him, once again praising Ed for his efforts on the Henderson account. More specifically, praising him for the hardball negotiating tactics that had stymied Shaffer's attempted last minute re- negotiations. Although Ed tried to wave it off, Farmer and Sheehan told him they were definitely looking forward to having lunch with him on January 3rd.
They chatted for several more minutes, exchanging pleasantries, and talking about their plans for the holidays. Ed had even confessed that he was flying back to Ohio after the contracts were signed. Farmer was concerned at Ed's admission that his plans were last-minute, and inquired if 'everything was alright at home.' Not wanting to burden his boss with his trouble with Carol, Ed lied and assured him that it was - it was just that he'd decided he wanted to spend Christmas with his friends back home.
After a few more minutes, the managing partners excused themselves to go freshen their drinks. Ed decided that it was an appropriate time to get away himself and slipped down the hallway and into his office. He closed the door quietly behind him. Then leaned against the door and sighed heavily. He was not, by nature, a patient man - and even with the Christmas party as a distraction, waiting until Friday morning to fly to Ohio wasn't easy.
He walked into his bathroom and ran some cold water, splashing his face.
Because of the running water, he didn't hear his office door open and close.
Miranda had seen Ed slip down the hallway and into his office. She'd been admiring him from across the room for much of the last two hours, waiting for an opportunity to get him alone and she decided that NOW was the perfect time. She finished the last of her glass of champagne and followed him down the hallway. As she did so, she looked around to see if anyone noticed. Satisfied that no one had, she opened the door to Ed's office and slipped inside.
She was wrong.
As soon as she was in the office, Miranda heard the water running in Ed's bathroom and saw him bent over the sink. She smiled sexily - her inhibitions sufficiently lowered by the modest amount of alcohol she'd had - and moved closer to the bathroom, unbuttoning another button on her silk blouse as she did so.
Ed walked out of his bathroom, toweling off his face. With the towel covering his eyes, he walked right into Miranda. They stumbled and Ed instinctively reached out and grabbed Miranda to steady the both of them. Miranda smiled dreamily. However, once Ed had steadied himself and realized it was Miranda, he released her and quickly stepped back.
"Miranda? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to walk into you like that. I was washing up in the bathroom. I didn't see you come in."
"That's alright," Miranda ran her hands seductively down the front of her blouse, "nothing seems to be broken."
"Is there something you wanted?" Ed asked, clearly not getting *it*.
"What?" Miranda replied, surprised that yet *again* Ed had failed to notice her not so subtle attempt to attract him.
"I said is there something I can help you with?"
Miranda gazed up at Ed longingly, "Oh, I certainly hope so," she said, stepping closer.
Ed, realizing Miranda's advances, took a step back towards his desk. "Oh. Ah. Miranda. I really don't think that's a good idea."
"Oh, I think it is." Miranda said taking another step closer. Ed felt her breath against his face.
Ed was desperately trying to figure out how to extricate himself from his current situation, when the door to his office opened and Deloris walked in carrying some files, "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't realize that anyone was in here. I was just ... I just wanted to leave these on your desk, Ed."
When Miranda turned to look at Deloris, Ed mouthed "THANK YOU" to his secretary. But Deloris ignored him. He was about to scoot around Miranda and escape out the door, when Miranda moved to block his path, almost as if she had sensed his move. Deloris walked over to Ed's desk and laid something on it by the telephone. She then walked back to the door and back out to the party.
'Of all the times for her not to start playing her games, THIS was not it!' Ed thought.
Miranda turned back around and moved towards Ed again, "Where were we before we were interrupted. Oh, yes ..."
"Miranda. This isn't going to work."
Miranda stopped, startled, and said, "What isn't going to work?"
"Us," Ed said authoritatively.
"But you haven't given 'us' a try," Miranda said in a husky tone, and again moved in towards Ed. She reached up to put her arms around his neck, but Ed caught them and pulled them down to her side.
"Enough," Ed said, "I'm not interested, Miranda. Not interested in you."
Miranda's face froze, a look of shock on her face. "What do you mean, you're not interested in me?"
"There is no 'us' Miranda. There never was and there never will be. Our relationship is strictly professional."
Miranda smiled coyly, "You've got to be kidding me."
"Do I look like I'm kidding you."
"If this is about Liz and the divorce ..." Miranda tried to appear comforting.
"This has nothing to do with Liz or the divorce. I'm just not interested in you. I'm in ... I'm in love with someone else."
"It can't be that blonde school marm from Ohio..." Miranda spat back.
"As a matter of fact, it is."
"Ed. Be serious.", Miranda said seductively and moved in again for a kiss.
Ed just stood his ground, impassionately. "I am serious Miranda. I'm in love with Carol."
"She's not here."
"She doesn't have to be."
"You're serious," Miranda stared at him incredulously. "You're *actually* serious! You'd chose Pom-Pom Barbie over me?!! I can't believe it."
"Believe it. I. love. Carol."
"After all I've done for you...." Miranda started to say, but Ed interrupted her.
"If you have a problem with the fact the you are paid - and paid quite well - for your work at the firm, then I suggest you take it up with one of the managing partners!"
"That's not what I was talking about! I was talking about what I did for you."
"I don't understand what you're talking about - unless you're referring to the research you did for Carol on Knight Publishing?"
"Carol!?" Miranda said the name like a curse. "I didn't do it for that country bumpkin, I did it for you! Because YOU asked me to!"
"Miranda if you thought that helping Carol would get you a promotion or something, I'm sorry but I..."
"Don't you dare lecture me about selfish reasons, MISTER Stevens," Miranda snarled with sarcasm. "I'm sure your were just mister altruism in your aid for poor country waif Carol Vessey."
"The subject of my relationship with Carol Vessey is closed, Miranda," Ed said calmly but with such intensity that Miranda blanched.
She recovered enough to say, "Yes, I'm sure it is!"
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Ed was certain that only he, Deloris, and Jerry knew anything about Carol's decision to leave suddenly, and given the sensitivity of the situation, he knew that neither would have spoken about it to anyone.
"Someone had to save you."
"Save me? From what?"
"From yourself, from that little blond sl--" She stopped herself, then added "You just didn't see how much of a threat she was to you, Ed," in a slightly more pleading tone.
Ed just stared at her intently.
"She was a distraction," Miranda said. "You weren't focused any longer. Leaving work early. Not paying attention. All she wanted to do was take you back to Stuckeyville. To be with her. She didn't care about your career or your future. She just wanted you. And you were too lost in some high school crush to notice it."
Ed started to piece together some things. Carol's reaction on Sunday as they left the office. Carol's reaction to the phone call from Miranda on Monday night. It all fit. Despite his anger, Ed asked calmly, "And you spoke to her about it, didn't you? When?"
"Yes, I did," Miranda said. "Someone needed to. You were about to throw away the last seven years of your life on a crush, that you should have gotten over years ago. So I talked to her yesterday. Before we left for Albany. I ran into her downstairs and I explained, among other things, how it would be better for everyone if she just went back to that little hick town in Ohio and forgot all about you. And you know what? She did. She didn't even fight. She took off crying. Is that the kind of woman you want - the kind who runs away at the first sign of trouble? Is it?"
"You said 'things', Miranda. What else did you explain to Carol?"
"I told her that you and I ..." she looked at Ed suggestively. He understood exactly what she meant.
"You LIED?!! It's not enough that you had to twist the truth to hurt her ..."
"Awww. Didn't she tell you?" Miranda said poutingly.
"Miranda, you've crossed the line."
"Oh please. Spare me the hypocrisy. We're LAWYERS, Ed. We lie all the time. We do whatever it takes to win for our client. You've got the edge. The fire. You're only problem is that you're too naive. This is the real world, Ed. People use each other all the time. Do you really think Carol loves you just for you? Or is it that she loves you because you've got money and influence?"
"Carol isn't you, Miranda," Ed said coldly.
"No, she's just some stupid ...."
Ed stopped her, "Carol Vessey is the best thing that has ever happened to me! I may have given my brain to this firm and it's been good - very good - to me. But Carol ... she's my heart ... my soul! If I had to choose between the two of them, it wouldn't even be close. I would sacrifice *everything* for her."
Ed stopped, a curious expression on his face. He took another deep breath, his face clearing. When he spoke, he sounded like his old self. He looked at Miranda, pity in his eyes, his anger gone, and said, "Thank you, Miranda."
"What?" Miranda asked in shock at sudden change in Ed. "What for?"
"Because," Ed said with a sigh, "you made me realize what I need to do. What I should have done the minute I read Carol's note. No more waiting. I'm leaving for Stuckeyville tonight. Right now. The Henderson account doesn't need me. Jerry knows everything I do about the merger, he can handle the signing tomorrow. I'm leaving."
With that Ed walked past Miranda, still standing there in shock, and opened the door to his office. Miranda finally moved, lurching to stop Ed, but he pushed past her and walked out of his office, Miranda close on his heels. As he got to the hallway, he stopped so suddenly that Miranda ran into his back.
Ed looked around in shock. The entire party was quiet. There was a mixture of expressions on the various staff members' faces. More than a few women had tears in their eyes. A few of the men did too. Others had smiles on their faces. A few just looked shocked.
No one spoke for a few moments. Finally, Deloris slipped through the crowd of people and stopped by Ed and Miranda. With a mischievous look in her eye, she said, "Oh dear, I seem to have *accidentally* (she winks at Ed) hit the intercom button on your phone when I was in there a little while ago. I had better go turn that off." She pushed past Miranda who paled and started to shake.
Everyone could hear when Deloris turned off the intercom. She walked out of Ed's office a moment later. She had his coat over her left arm and his briefcase in her right hand. She walked up to Ed, put the briefcase down and helped him on with his coat. She then picked up the briefcase and handed it to him and said, "I'll call you a cab."
Ed looked around. Robert Farmer and Roy Sheehan walked over to Ed. Farmer put his hand on Ed's shoulder and said, "Go get her, boy!" as Sheehan nodded and said, "We STILL want to talk to you - but we do NOT expect to see you until after the holidays!"
Ed looked around one more time. More people were smiling and several were giving him a "thumbs up". He saw Jerry and looked at him for a moment. Jerry just smiled, and briefly tapped his nose with his right index finger. Deloris started making shooing motions. Ed smiled, grabbed Deloris, and hugged ... well he hugged the stuffing out of her. Then he gave her a kiss on the cheek, and whispered "I'm glad you're on *my* side."
Deloris blushed.
As he turned to go, Ed heard Roy Sheehan say, "Van Note! You may think that lying to your co-workers and manipulating people is the way to practice law, but that's not how we do things at *this* firm. Clean out your desk. You're fired. Effective immediately!" at the same time, Robert Farmer said, "Pender! We need to talk!"
Ed dashed for the door and the elevators to a smattering of applause.
***
Stuckeyville - the home of Carol Vessey
December 20, 2000
9:00 PM
Mike walked into the house with the two requested half-gallons of ice- cream. He looked at the three women, "What'd I miss!?"
"Come on, Carol," Molly said as she handed her the cell phone, "Its obvious you and Ed belong together. You need to call him and straighten this mess out... before it's too late."
"I agree with Molly. You should call Ed," Mike said, as he spooned the ice cream into four serving bowls.
All three women looked at Mike in surprise. "What? I *can* be sensitive you know," he said.
Carol shook her head, touched by Molly's suggestion, but not believing it was the right thing to do. "No, Molls," she said. "I can't do this. Ed belongs in New York and I belong in Stuckeyville."
"How can you be sure?" Molly said. "Have you tried?"
"She's got a point, Carol," Nancy said. "You and Eddie were just starting to fall in love (a look from Carol) Alright maybe you're already in love with Ed, but you've only known him five days and you expect us to believe that you know what's best for him?"
"That's just it," Carol said emphatically. "It was only five days, but I feel like I've known him my entire life. And I think that this *is* the best thing for him."
"Carol, sweetie," Molly began, "we know how you feel about Ed. That was obvious from the way you talked about him. But how does he feel about you. Does he love you, too?"
"I don't know, Molls," Carol said. "I'm torn. I think he might care for me, but there's that Miranda woman."
"Whoa!" Mike said. "Let's just hold it right there!"
The three women looked at Mike, who continued, "Although a man must never betray the confidence of his best friend, I can tell you with absolute certainty that Ed has had nothing to do with that Van Note woman."
Mike replied to the three sets of raised eyebrows, "Ed would have told me. And he didn't, which tells me he *didn't*, if you know what I mean. Besides, every time he has mentioned her to me, it wasn't, well, exactly flattering. No, you can throw the idea of Ed sleeping with Miranda Van Note out the window."
"Well," Carol said, feeling better after Mike's comment, "I saw the way she looked at him. It's obvious that she's attracted to him. That she wants to ... (ahem) It's the way *I* look at him."
That raised some eyebrows.
"But even without Miranda," Carol said, "I still don't know if Ed loves me or not."
"Oh, come on," Nancy said, "Eddie's always been in love with you."
Carol looked at Nancy stunned. Molly and Mike looked at Nancy in shock. None of them had intended to tell Carol about Ed's high school crush. Nancy looked like she was going to be sick.
"What..." Carol said, "what do you mean?"
"I think what she meant to say was, 'Why wouldn't Ed be in love with you?'" Molly said, attempting some damage control.
"No! I'm the English teacher here. I think that she said exactly what she meant to say, even if she didn't mean to say it!" She glared at Nancy and said, "Come on, out with it."
Nancy looked at Mike for support. Mike shrugged, then sighed. He said, "Ed had a crush on you in high school."
"A big crush!" Molly added, then glanced down at her shoes when she realized she may have over emphasized the point.
"And you knew about this? All of you?!!!" Carol asked.
Nancy put her hand on Carol's arm and said, "Carol, everyone in high school knew it, except for you. Even some of the teachers knew."
Carol shook her head and said, "Well then, that proves I was right to come home."
"How do you figure that, Carol," Molly asked.
"Whatever interest Ed was showing in me was just him fulfilling some school boy's fantasy," Carol said. "Once he realized I wasn't the woman he probably thought I was - that I wasn't good enough for him - it would have been over. And it would have ended badly, just like all of my other relationships."
Neither Molly, Nancy, nor Mike knew how to respond to Carol's comment. The comment implied a great deal of self doubt on Carol's part, as well as love for Ed.
Finally, Molly said, "But you still don't *know* if he loves you or not, do you? Truly loves you - like you love him."
"No, I don't," Carol said. "I ... I never gave him the chance to tell me."
Molly stood up exasperated. She walked into the living room and picked up the gift wrapped package from Ed. "No, you didn't. But when a guy buys something expensive like this for a girl that he's only just met ... How much did this thing cost, anyway?"
"Two hundred dollars," Carol said in a small voice, then added. "It's a collector's item."
Mike whistled.
"Two hundred dollars!" Molly exclaimed. "Wow."
"Open it, Carol" Nancy exclaimed.
"It's not Christmas, yet," Carol explained. "I promised Ed I wouldn't open it till Christmas."
Molly looked at Carol, it was clear she was becoming frustrated, "You said you're never going to see him again, right? So it *really* doesn't matter if you open it now or not, does it?"
"I... I guess you're right," Carol said and took the package from Molly. She carefully tore off the wrapping paper - to reveal the Barbie doll box. The doll inside was dressed in a beautiful wedding gown. It was beautiful. Carol started to cry and quickly handed the box to Molly, "I... I can't look at it. Not now."
Molly looked at her friend, "I'm sorry, Carol. I didn't mean to ..." She handed the box to Mike, who started examining the box, even shaking it.
"I knew Barbies were expensive but I didn't think they came with jewelry?"
Nancy looked at her husband, "Of course they come with little jewelry -- at least some of them do. Others come with little tennis rackets. It depends on the doll."
"Little jewelry? Uh, that's not what's in here," Mike corrected.
Carol looked confused, "I don't know ..."
"Well, open it," Nancy grabbed the box away from Mike and handed it back to Carol.
Carol picked up the Barbie doll box and opened the top. Inside was a small jewelry box with a small note taped to the side. Carol drew the box out. She looked at the others around the table.
Molly made little 'hurry up' motions with her hands. Nancy kept saying "Oh my gawd!" over and over.
Gingerly, Carol opened the box. There were tears in her eyes as she looked inside. Her hands started shaking. The others still couldn't see what was in the box, but then Carol turned it around to show them. Inside was the heart shaped pendant that Carol had told them that she and Ed had seen on their shopping trip.
Molly and Nancy gasped.
"What does the note say?" Mike asked Carol.
"Oh yes, the note," Carol said, choking back tears:
'To Carol. Love, Ed'
Mike just smiled, and said, "That romantic bastard!"
***
New York City - John F. Kennedy International Airport
December 20, 2000
10:00 PM
Ed was at yet another airline counter trying to find a flight out to anywhere close to Stuckeyville that night. This was the fifth airline he had tried. Because of the Christmas season, all the airlines were booked solid. All the counter attendants could do was to put him on stand-by that night. He could get a definite flight in the morning - a 7:00 AM flight to Cleveland. But he wanted to get to Stuckeyville tonight, dammit!
***
Stuckeyville - the home of Carol Vessey
December 20, 2000
10:00 PM
Carol had just gotten off the phone. It had been frustrating. She had wanted to get a flight to New York tonight. But the airlines had said that because of the holidays all of that night's flights to New York were booked solid. She had reluctantly booked a seat on the first flight out in the morning. An 8:00 AM flight.
From across the room, Molly smiled encouragingly at her.
New York City - the Law Offices of Farmer and Sheehan
December 20, 2000
6:00 PM
The office Christmas party at Farmer & Sheehan was just getting started. The managing partners had spared no expense this year, and it was soon obvious to everyone that it was going to be quite a bash - *especially* in light of the completion of the Henderson deal the next day. Most of the work-related activity at the firm had shut down by four o'clock and some staff began hanging decorations in the office. By 4:30 PM, the caterers had arrived with the food and drink.
Ed was just finishing with what should be his last meeting on the Henderson contracts. Actually, Jerry Pender had run most of the meeting, Ed having rather quickly turned it over to him once the introductions were made. In fact, Ed spent the majority of the meeting staring out the window at the New York skyline, speaking up only when absolutely necessary.
By 6:15 PM, everyone had filed out of the conference room except for Ed and Jerry. Jerry looked over at Ed and said, "Are you okay, Ed."
"Hmm," Ed said distractedly. "Oh, um, yeah. Just got a lot on my mind, that's all. By the way, Jerry, thanks for covering for me and running this meeting. You did a great job. Actually, this merger wouldn't have happened without you."
"That's not the way Miranda's telling it around the office," Jerry replied. "I can't believe you called Shaffer's counsel 'The Law Firm of Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle Dum." He chuckled. "She said they tried some last minute re- negotiations and that you really pulled the rug right out from under them."
"I'll just bet she did," Ed said, a tad sarcastically. "Don't listen to Miranda. I couldn't have pulled this off without you."
Jerry just waved aside the compliment, but was secretly pleased. He knew the office scuttlebutt about Ed's probable promotion to partner and it wouldn't hurt to have a friend like Ed in that position.
"Just doing my job, Ed," Jerry said.
Ed smiled sadly and said, "Where have I heard that before?"
Jerry grinned, but then sobered. "Seriously," he said, "are you okay. There's a buzz around the office today that something big is going on, but no one seems to know what. And you seem really down. Did you and Carol have a fight?"
Ed winced at Carol's name. 'Uh oh,' Jerry thought.
Ed sighed and said, "Not exactly."
"Well, that cleared things right up then," Jerry said.
"Carol went back to Stuckeyville a day early," Ed said sadly. "She left me a note asking not to follow after her ... that it would 'be better for me' if I let her go."
"That's ridiculous!" Jerry exclaimed, "You two kids are great together. Everybody sees that."
Ed looked at Jerry quizzically, "Kids? Jerry you're only five years older than I am."
"So I'm channeling the spirit of my father ... so sue me."
"What do you mean you're channeling the spirit of your father?!! You can't channel the spirit of your father. Your parents are still alive. They live in Tallahassee. I just got a Christmas card from them."
Jerry shook his head and said, "Ed. Just go with it. Okay?"
"Oh," Ed nodded.
"Ed, you know that my wife complains every now and then that I haven't risen higher at Farmer & Sheehan. Well, I like playing second banana and not being one of the big boys. Do you know why?"
Ed shook his head and said, "No."
"Because I don't want to be put in a position where I," Jerry said pointing at Ed instead of himself, "have to choose between my job and my wife or family. (Jerry leaned in close and spoke more quietly) Ed, being a lawyer is a career choice, but this is still just a job. Carol, well it seems to me that Carol is about life and love and those two things top a job any day of the week in my book. Just remember, some day you're supposed to retire from your job. If Carol isn't there when you do, what good is it?"
Ed stood there stunned. In all the time he'd known Jerry he'd never heard him speak like that. He was both impressed and touched. He nodded and said quietly, "Thanks, Jerry. I'll remember that."
Jerry smiled, slightly embarrassed that he had said all that. Then he put his arm around Ed and started leading him out to the party, "You ARE going after her, aren't you?"
"Deloris made the plane reservations this morning."
"Way to go, sport! Now, come on, let's go celebrate this damn acquisition almost being over. I'll buy you a drink."
"Jerry," Ed said, "the drinks are free."
"Well then," Jerry said with a laugh, "I'll buy you two!"
***
Stuckeyville - the home of Carol Vessey
December 20, 2000
6:30 PM
Once Carol started talking she couldn't stop.
"It started on the flight to New York ...", Carol told them how she'd spent the majority of her flight to New York reviewing the contract Knight Publishing had mailed to her, and then the harrowing cab ride from the airport, "You know how they tell you that when you're about to die, your whole life flashes before you?"
"Yeah?" Molly replied. Mike and Nancy just nodded.
"Whoever wrote that must have been riding in a New York City taxi-cab at the time. I mean ... I finally understand what people mean when they say 'I found religion'! I must have said about a thousand prayers while he was weaving in and out of traffic!" Carol said.
"Well, you obviously made it to the hotel in one piece, so ..." Nancy quipped.
"What my dear wife is trying to so delicately say, is get to the good part!"
"Yeah, the good part!" Molly affirmed.
Carol grinned in amusement at her friend's impatience. She knew they just wanted to help her. And there was a part of her that really did want to get to the "good part" of the story - about her time with Ed, but she just felt like she wasn't ready yet. So, instead she told them her first night in New York City and about the surprising homesickness she felt for Stuckeyville.
"Yep," Mike said, "there is NO place like Stuckeyville!"
"Quit stalling!" Molly replied.
From the look on Molly's face, Carol knew that she couldn't keep hiding and so she starting talking about her first meeting with Knight Publishing and the sudden contract change that prompted her decision to seek Ed's help. The second she said Ed's name, the expressions on her three friends' faces switched from mild amusement to intense interest.
"Aha! NOW we're finally getting somewhere," Mike stated.
And Carol told them about her meeting Ed, seeing him for the first time and how he had almost knocked the lamp off his desk. Molly and Nancy laughed. Mike seemed to have a pained expression on his face.
"Wait, it gets better," Carol said. "When he went to shake my hand, his hand was full of raisins and he said - I kid you not - 'Raisins! They're.they're nature's candy!'"
The three women laughed. Mike looked on surprised and said, "I don't get it? They ARE nature's candy!" Molly, Carol, and Nancy laughed even harder and Nancy just patted his arm.
Carol told them how when she had asked Ed about the baseball bat in his office, he had deftly turned it around and wheedled a flattering comparison between him and Tom Cruise out of her. "I couldn't believe it. One minute I was asking him about the bat, and the next minute I was telling him he was like Tom Cruise!"
"Hah!" Nancy said. "That sounds like Eddie all right!"
Carol continued her story, telling them how Ed had agreed to look over the contract and had started to walk her back to her hotel. ".I lost my balance and stepped off the curb. Ed pulled me back just in the nick of time, otherwise I would be just a hood ornament for some New York City taxi!"
"Oh my god, Carol!" Molly exclaimed. "Did you get the cab's license plate number?"
"I... uh," Carol blushed, "... didn't get the chance. It, uh ... went by so fast." Carol didn't see the point in telling them how she had just felt so content in Ed's arms. 'I had just met him twenty minutes earlier, they'll think I'm just acting like some silly school girl with a crush'.
"Oh..." they all nodded, understanding.
'Pheeeew' Carol thought.
"Later that night, Ed and I went out sightseeing." Carol said. Molly noted the warmth in Carol's eyes as she talked about that first evening, the connection she had felt so quickly with Ed and the wonderful time they'd had.
"When I realized he wasn't going to kiss me," Carol said, "I kissed HIM."
"You go, girlfriend!" Molly said with a grin.
Mike didn't say anything, but exchanged a quick knowing glance with his wife.
"When I woke on Friday, I was just inspired!" Carol said. She told them about her new book and outlined the plot and characters, they all noted the similarities between the male lead and Ed - something that Carol finally admitted.
"Am I in it?" Mike asked suddenly, surprising the women.
"Wuh.what?" Carol asked.
"Am I in the book? Ed's in the book. What about me?" Mike asked.
"Well," Carol said, hesitantly, "um, not exactly."
"What does that mean?" Mike asked.
"Um, there is a doctor in the book," Carol said in a non-committal tone.
"And he's a young, handsome doctor with brown hair and a great sense of humor, right?" Mike said.
"MIKE!" Nancy exclaimed.
"Um, no," Carol said, clearly uncomfortable. "He's, uh, a little older, balding with, um, glasses and is kind of, uh, rough around the edges."
"Oh," Molly said, amused, "sounds more like Dr. Jerome than Dr. Burton."
"Really," Carol said, desperately trying to sound surprised and innocent. "I, uh, hadn't noticed."
Mike glared at Carol, but didn't say anything further. He just sat there and sulked.
She spoke with disgust about the evening with Victor Knight and how she had wished so much that Ed had been there. "Ugh! That man was such a swine. I had to take a shower when I got back to the hotel room.... By the way, Molly, thanks again."
Molly waved it off and said, "No problem. But I do have to remember that little escape tactic next time I need to talk to Toby at school."
"I can't believe she put Dr. Jerome in the book!" Mike whispered disappointedly. However, the three women ignored him.
"Saturday was a dream." Carol began, her eyes bright as she talked about the shopping trip, helping Ed find gifts for his family and friends, picking up little items for each of the three at the table with her.
"I mean, the man has the face of a squid ..." Mike continued, more to himself than anything. Nancy shot a disapproving glance at him, but said nothing.
Molly eyes teared up and she held Carol's hand while Carol told them about the pendant. "Molls," Carol said a little emotionally, "I couldn't believe it. It was identical to my mother's. I just wish it hadn't be so expensive!"
"I went to one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country... *HE* studied with Dr. Frankenstein ...." Mike said, *still* sulking. This time Nancy elbowed him hard in the arm.
"Ow!"
"You're like a nine-year old crying that someone took his Zagnut bar! Now, quit moping about the book," Nancy said, clearly exasperated at her husband's incessant rivalry with Dr. Jerome, "Carol's probably going to put you in the sequel, right Carol?"
"Uh... Right." Carol covered, "I had a few thoughts on that just the other day."
"Well that's different then," Mike replied, proudly beaming. No longer depressed over yet another defeat, Mike listened intently along with the others as Carol told them about Ed's chaste kiss under the mistletoe. Nancy was clearly surprised that Ed hadn't been more bold, given his high school crush on Carol, but said nothing.
"FAO Schwartz was so ..., so... You guys would have loved it." She mentioned the Vera Wang Barbie that Ed had bought her over her strenuous objections. "It was very expensive, but I couldn't talk him out of it! He's very stubborn - VERY sweet, but stubborn."
They all laughed again as Carol described her lack of prowess at ice skating, but they all noted how she kept using certain adjectives (strong, athletic, sturdy) in her descriptions of Ed's teaching her to skate.
"I couldn't believe it. There I am, trying to maintain my balance, my arms flapping around like I'm trying to take flight - and Ed is just gliding along."
"Well," Mike said, "the key to good skating is to wear sturdy pants."
Carol, Molly, and Nancy just looked at him. Mike said, "What?"
Carol was just about to tell them about how she had shown Ed how you were supposed to kiss someone under the mistletoe, when she looked over at Mike and became a little embarrassed. Nancy picked up on the silent clue, and grabbed her husband's arm.
"Mike, don't you think you'd better check on Sarah?"
"Nance, she's with the sitter. She's fine."
"MIKE."
"Alright. But this was just getting good." Mike sensed he wasn't going to win this one. He stood up, grabbed his coat and started towards the door. Then he turned, walked quickly back to the table and grabbed one of the boxes of take-out Chinese food. Then he walked out of the kitchen and towards the front door.
Once they were sure that Mike wasn't coming back, Carol told them about the fourth kiss she'd shared with Ed. Third if you didn't count the peck on the cheek he'd given her under the mistletoe, which as Carol explained she *didn't*.
"I stepped forward, put my hand behind his head." When she was done, Nancy and Molly shared a look.
Carol continued, telling them about the Sunday she had spent with Ed. "This time, he showed up with roses.in a vase..." She continued, telling them about how she'd first been terrified on the observation deck at the Empire State Building but, how one look in Ed's eyes ("He's got such incredible blue eyes..." she had sighed) had given her the strength to not only look out at the city from so dizzying a height - but to enjoy it.
"Really!?" Molly exclaimed. "Wow. I know what a basket case you turn into just trying to climb a ladder."
"I don't turn into a basket-case when I climb a ladder!" Carol snapped back. Then she paused, "Do I?"
"You do honey," Molly replied.
"She's right." Nancy added.
Carol blushed, as if appreciating all over again the way Ed had helped her overcome her fear that day. She continued, "Then we had to make a detour into Ed's office," Carol said, her voice chilling the room. Molly actually shivered when Carol recounted the conversation with Miranda because of Carol's icy tone.
"I hate her. I don't even know her, and I already hate her," Nancy said.
Carol's tone warmed and her eyes danced when she described the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular and the dinner she and Ed had shared at the German restaurant. She mentioned the kiss at the end of the night. "It was so unforced, .... so spontaneous. So, perfect!" Carol said with a sigh.
"When I got up on Monday, though, all I could think about." She spoke about her nagging thoughts about Ed's relationship with Miranda. How they had caused her to write some more discordant pieces into her novel.
"Then it hit me! I... I was... I was falling in love with Ed!" Carol said quietly.
"Well... duh!" Molly said. Nancy just nodded.
She told them about her decision to 'knock his socks off'. Molly and Nancy giggled like teenagers when they heard Carol's description of the black dress she had bought.
The three women were startled, when they heard a wolf-whistle coming from Carol's living room. They suddenly realized Mike had not actually left the house - he'd just gone into the other room.
"Michael Roger Burton," Nancy asked, "I thought I told you to go check on Sarah?"
"I was going to, but I realized I could just call the house," Mike said as he fished his cell phone out of his coat pocket and waved it back and forth. "Everything is fine and Sarah is already in bed."
Carol clearly looked embarrassed.
"How much did you hear?" Nancy demanded.
"Nothing. NOTHING! Okay, maybe something about incredible blue eyes, perfect kisses, falling in love, and a black dress. But that's it. I swear!"
Nancy just *looked* at him with that oh-you-are-so-in-for-it-when-we-get- home-Michael-Roger-Burton-look. Molly, however, was quick to break the tension, "Actually, it's a good thing you're here, Mike"
"It is?" Mike asked, a bit confused but grateful for the sudden reprieve.
"It is?!!" Nancy and Carol asked, equally confused.
"Of course," Molly explained, "because we need someone to make an ice cream run!"
"It's the middle of winter and you want ice cream?" Mike asked.
"Times like this always call for ice cream," Molly insisted.
Mike stood his ground stubbornly for a moment, then sighed and stood up. As he put his coat back on he said, "You know, this is just a conspiracy to keep me from hearing any of the good stuff!"
"Yep," Molly said with a smile. "Rocky Road and Mint Chocolate Chip, please."
Mike stalked out the door.
Carol picked up her story, moving on to her evening with Ed at 'Windows on the World'. Carol described the incredible setting of the restaurant, the view, and how Ed couldn't take his eyes off of her. The passion, the emotion in her voice was clearly evident.
"Wow!" Molly said. "Sound like an incredibly romantic evening!"
"Mmm," was all Carol said, completely lost in her tale now. She didn't even realize the intimate details she was giving away when she said, "So I took him by the hand and led into my room." Nancy's eyebrows rose and rose and looked like they were going to become part of her hairline. Nancy thought, 'I am SO glad we got Mike out of here before THIS!'
Carol's face flushed as shared the details of their kissing and groping. She wasn't the only one - both Molly and Nancy were clearly 'involved' in the story. 'If she puts this much detail into her book, they may need to publish it as a adult book!' Molly thought with a flush.
But all eyes returned to her when she spoke about how Miranda had called, ruining the moment, the passion. She talked about almost crying herself to sleep.
"That bitch!" Molly and Nancy declared in unison.
"So we made plans to get together on Tuesday night to talk, but I couldn't wait," Carol said. She told them how she had decided to take him to lunch. Molly's hand reached over and held Carol's hand as her voice broke. After a deep breath, Carol told them how she had found out - through Miranda - that Ed had to go out of town on business.
Carol's voice dropped to a whisper as she told them what Miranda had said. Nancy hissed and Molly said, "This woman better hope I never meet her!"
They were shocked when Carol told them she had agreed. "Ed can't come back to Stuckeyville to be with me - he would have to give up everything! And Stuckeyville. Stuckeyville is my HOME - I couldn't leave Stuckeyville and live in New York."
Neither Molly nor Nancy knew what to say about that.
"So I made the decision." She related how she had made the decision to call off her deal with Knight Publishing.
"You're kidding me!?" Molly cried. "This is all you've ever wanted!"
And finally, Carol told them how she had left a note for Ed, asking him not to follow, that it would be best for him. Molly's eyes started to tear, as did Nancy's. Carol finished her story, telling them how she had gotten a flight back home.
There was silence for about two minutes. Carol was exhausted. She hadn't realized how much she HAD needed to get that story out. Now that she was done, she was spent. Molly and Nancy were trying to figure out what to say.
Unsurprisingly, it was Molly who spoke first, she handed Carol her cell- phone.
"Call him," she said.
***
New York City - the Law Offices of Farmer and Sheehan
December 20, 2000
8:00 PM
The office Christmas party had been in full swing for about two hours now. Ed wasn't really in a very "festive" mood, but he felt that he had to be there for his staff and his friends at the firm. After all, just because he was miserable that the woman he'd loved his entire life had suddenly and inexplicably flown back to Ohio, didn't mean that he should bring down their holiday too. Besides, since he'd already decided that he was going to Stuckeyville to straighten things out with Carol and was only still in New York until he'd fulfilled his obligations with regard to the Henderson account, the party was a nice alternative to pacing back and forth in his apartment.
He looked across the room at Jerry Pender, who was doing his famous "Jack Nicholson" impersonation for a couple of staffers. 'Those guys must be new', Ed thought, 'everyone else at the firm has heard Jerry's 'Nicholson' at least a dozen times. Ed continued watching. He knew Jerry's 'Nicholson' routine by heart now. "You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH" he whispered in unison with Jerry's much louder and far more 'Nicholson'-like rendition. Then he chuckled.
He looked around for Deloris, finding her standing in the crowd of the other office secretaries. No doubt swapping stories of children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and in a few cases, great-grandchildren. Deloris and Irving had been married for an amazing thirty-five years. And while Deloris had been reluctant to acknowledge it in recent months - not wanting it to become a reminder to Ed of his own failed marriage - it had actually been a source of comfort to Ed. It had served as reminder that it was not Love - only his marriage - that had failed.
It was while Ed was watching Deloris, that Robert Farmer and Roy Sheehan had made their way over to him, once again praising Ed for his efforts on the Henderson account. More specifically, praising him for the hardball negotiating tactics that had stymied Shaffer's attempted last minute re- negotiations. Although Ed tried to wave it off, Farmer and Sheehan told him they were definitely looking forward to having lunch with him on January 3rd.
They chatted for several more minutes, exchanging pleasantries, and talking about their plans for the holidays. Ed had even confessed that he was flying back to Ohio after the contracts were signed. Farmer was concerned at Ed's admission that his plans were last-minute, and inquired if 'everything was alright at home.' Not wanting to burden his boss with his trouble with Carol, Ed lied and assured him that it was - it was just that he'd decided he wanted to spend Christmas with his friends back home.
After a few more minutes, the managing partners excused themselves to go freshen their drinks. Ed decided that it was an appropriate time to get away himself and slipped down the hallway and into his office. He closed the door quietly behind him. Then leaned against the door and sighed heavily. He was not, by nature, a patient man - and even with the Christmas party as a distraction, waiting until Friday morning to fly to Ohio wasn't easy.
He walked into his bathroom and ran some cold water, splashing his face.
Because of the running water, he didn't hear his office door open and close.
Miranda had seen Ed slip down the hallway and into his office. She'd been admiring him from across the room for much of the last two hours, waiting for an opportunity to get him alone and she decided that NOW was the perfect time. She finished the last of her glass of champagne and followed him down the hallway. As she did so, she looked around to see if anyone noticed. Satisfied that no one had, she opened the door to Ed's office and slipped inside.
She was wrong.
As soon as she was in the office, Miranda heard the water running in Ed's bathroom and saw him bent over the sink. She smiled sexily - her inhibitions sufficiently lowered by the modest amount of alcohol she'd had - and moved closer to the bathroom, unbuttoning another button on her silk blouse as she did so.
Ed walked out of his bathroom, toweling off his face. With the towel covering his eyes, he walked right into Miranda. They stumbled and Ed instinctively reached out and grabbed Miranda to steady the both of them. Miranda smiled dreamily. However, once Ed had steadied himself and realized it was Miranda, he released her and quickly stepped back.
"Miranda? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to walk into you like that. I was washing up in the bathroom. I didn't see you come in."
"That's alright," Miranda ran her hands seductively down the front of her blouse, "nothing seems to be broken."
"Is there something you wanted?" Ed asked, clearly not getting *it*.
"What?" Miranda replied, surprised that yet *again* Ed had failed to notice her not so subtle attempt to attract him.
"I said is there something I can help you with?"
Miranda gazed up at Ed longingly, "Oh, I certainly hope so," she said, stepping closer.
Ed, realizing Miranda's advances, took a step back towards his desk. "Oh. Ah. Miranda. I really don't think that's a good idea."
"Oh, I think it is." Miranda said taking another step closer. Ed felt her breath against his face.
Ed was desperately trying to figure out how to extricate himself from his current situation, when the door to his office opened and Deloris walked in carrying some files, "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't realize that anyone was in here. I was just ... I just wanted to leave these on your desk, Ed."
When Miranda turned to look at Deloris, Ed mouthed "THANK YOU" to his secretary. But Deloris ignored him. He was about to scoot around Miranda and escape out the door, when Miranda moved to block his path, almost as if she had sensed his move. Deloris walked over to Ed's desk and laid something on it by the telephone. She then walked back to the door and back out to the party.
'Of all the times for her not to start playing her games, THIS was not it!' Ed thought.
Miranda turned back around and moved towards Ed again, "Where were we before we were interrupted. Oh, yes ..."
"Miranda. This isn't going to work."
Miranda stopped, startled, and said, "What isn't going to work?"
"Us," Ed said authoritatively.
"But you haven't given 'us' a try," Miranda said in a husky tone, and again moved in towards Ed. She reached up to put her arms around his neck, but Ed caught them and pulled them down to her side.
"Enough," Ed said, "I'm not interested, Miranda. Not interested in you."
Miranda's face froze, a look of shock on her face. "What do you mean, you're not interested in me?"
"There is no 'us' Miranda. There never was and there never will be. Our relationship is strictly professional."
Miranda smiled coyly, "You've got to be kidding me."
"Do I look like I'm kidding you."
"If this is about Liz and the divorce ..." Miranda tried to appear comforting.
"This has nothing to do with Liz or the divorce. I'm just not interested in you. I'm in ... I'm in love with someone else."
"It can't be that blonde school marm from Ohio..." Miranda spat back.
"As a matter of fact, it is."
"Ed. Be serious.", Miranda said seductively and moved in again for a kiss.
Ed just stood his ground, impassionately. "I am serious Miranda. I'm in love with Carol."
"She's not here."
"She doesn't have to be."
"You're serious," Miranda stared at him incredulously. "You're *actually* serious! You'd chose Pom-Pom Barbie over me?!! I can't believe it."
"Believe it. I. love. Carol."
"After all I've done for you...." Miranda started to say, but Ed interrupted her.
"If you have a problem with the fact the you are paid - and paid quite well - for your work at the firm, then I suggest you take it up with one of the managing partners!"
"That's not what I was talking about! I was talking about what I did for you."
"I don't understand what you're talking about - unless you're referring to the research you did for Carol on Knight Publishing?"
"Carol!?" Miranda said the name like a curse. "I didn't do it for that country bumpkin, I did it for you! Because YOU asked me to!"
"Miranda if you thought that helping Carol would get you a promotion or something, I'm sorry but I..."
"Don't you dare lecture me about selfish reasons, MISTER Stevens," Miranda snarled with sarcasm. "I'm sure your were just mister altruism in your aid for poor country waif Carol Vessey."
"The subject of my relationship with Carol Vessey is closed, Miranda," Ed said calmly but with such intensity that Miranda blanched.
She recovered enough to say, "Yes, I'm sure it is!"
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Ed was certain that only he, Deloris, and Jerry knew anything about Carol's decision to leave suddenly, and given the sensitivity of the situation, he knew that neither would have spoken about it to anyone.
"Someone had to save you."
"Save me? From what?"
"From yourself, from that little blond sl--" She stopped herself, then added "You just didn't see how much of a threat she was to you, Ed," in a slightly more pleading tone.
Ed just stared at her intently.
"She was a distraction," Miranda said. "You weren't focused any longer. Leaving work early. Not paying attention. All she wanted to do was take you back to Stuckeyville. To be with her. She didn't care about your career or your future. She just wanted you. And you were too lost in some high school crush to notice it."
Ed started to piece together some things. Carol's reaction on Sunday as they left the office. Carol's reaction to the phone call from Miranda on Monday night. It all fit. Despite his anger, Ed asked calmly, "And you spoke to her about it, didn't you? When?"
"Yes, I did," Miranda said. "Someone needed to. You were about to throw away the last seven years of your life on a crush, that you should have gotten over years ago. So I talked to her yesterday. Before we left for Albany. I ran into her downstairs and I explained, among other things, how it would be better for everyone if she just went back to that little hick town in Ohio and forgot all about you. And you know what? She did. She didn't even fight. She took off crying. Is that the kind of woman you want - the kind who runs away at the first sign of trouble? Is it?"
"You said 'things', Miranda. What else did you explain to Carol?"
"I told her that you and I ..." she looked at Ed suggestively. He understood exactly what she meant.
"You LIED?!! It's not enough that you had to twist the truth to hurt her ..."
"Awww. Didn't she tell you?" Miranda said poutingly.
"Miranda, you've crossed the line."
"Oh please. Spare me the hypocrisy. We're LAWYERS, Ed. We lie all the time. We do whatever it takes to win for our client. You've got the edge. The fire. You're only problem is that you're too naive. This is the real world, Ed. People use each other all the time. Do you really think Carol loves you just for you? Or is it that she loves you because you've got money and influence?"
"Carol isn't you, Miranda," Ed said coldly.
"No, she's just some stupid ...."
Ed stopped her, "Carol Vessey is the best thing that has ever happened to me! I may have given my brain to this firm and it's been good - very good - to me. But Carol ... she's my heart ... my soul! If I had to choose between the two of them, it wouldn't even be close. I would sacrifice *everything* for her."
Ed stopped, a curious expression on his face. He took another deep breath, his face clearing. When he spoke, he sounded like his old self. He looked at Miranda, pity in his eyes, his anger gone, and said, "Thank you, Miranda."
"What?" Miranda asked in shock at sudden change in Ed. "What for?"
"Because," Ed said with a sigh, "you made me realize what I need to do. What I should have done the minute I read Carol's note. No more waiting. I'm leaving for Stuckeyville tonight. Right now. The Henderson account doesn't need me. Jerry knows everything I do about the merger, he can handle the signing tomorrow. I'm leaving."
With that Ed walked past Miranda, still standing there in shock, and opened the door to his office. Miranda finally moved, lurching to stop Ed, but he pushed past her and walked out of his office, Miranda close on his heels. As he got to the hallway, he stopped so suddenly that Miranda ran into his back.
Ed looked around in shock. The entire party was quiet. There was a mixture of expressions on the various staff members' faces. More than a few women had tears in their eyes. A few of the men did too. Others had smiles on their faces. A few just looked shocked.
No one spoke for a few moments. Finally, Deloris slipped through the crowd of people and stopped by Ed and Miranda. With a mischievous look in her eye, she said, "Oh dear, I seem to have *accidentally* (she winks at Ed) hit the intercom button on your phone when I was in there a little while ago. I had better go turn that off." She pushed past Miranda who paled and started to shake.
Everyone could hear when Deloris turned off the intercom. She walked out of Ed's office a moment later. She had his coat over her left arm and his briefcase in her right hand. She walked up to Ed, put the briefcase down and helped him on with his coat. She then picked up the briefcase and handed it to him and said, "I'll call you a cab."
Ed looked around. Robert Farmer and Roy Sheehan walked over to Ed. Farmer put his hand on Ed's shoulder and said, "Go get her, boy!" as Sheehan nodded and said, "We STILL want to talk to you - but we do NOT expect to see you until after the holidays!"
Ed looked around one more time. More people were smiling and several were giving him a "thumbs up". He saw Jerry and looked at him for a moment. Jerry just smiled, and briefly tapped his nose with his right index finger. Deloris started making shooing motions. Ed smiled, grabbed Deloris, and hugged ... well he hugged the stuffing out of her. Then he gave her a kiss on the cheek, and whispered "I'm glad you're on *my* side."
Deloris blushed.
As he turned to go, Ed heard Roy Sheehan say, "Van Note! You may think that lying to your co-workers and manipulating people is the way to practice law, but that's not how we do things at *this* firm. Clean out your desk. You're fired. Effective immediately!" at the same time, Robert Farmer said, "Pender! We need to talk!"
Ed dashed for the door and the elevators to a smattering of applause.
***
Stuckeyville - the home of Carol Vessey
December 20, 2000
9:00 PM
Mike walked into the house with the two requested half-gallons of ice- cream. He looked at the three women, "What'd I miss!?"
"Come on, Carol," Molly said as she handed her the cell phone, "Its obvious you and Ed belong together. You need to call him and straighten this mess out... before it's too late."
"I agree with Molly. You should call Ed," Mike said, as he spooned the ice cream into four serving bowls.
All three women looked at Mike in surprise. "What? I *can* be sensitive you know," he said.
Carol shook her head, touched by Molly's suggestion, but not believing it was the right thing to do. "No, Molls," she said. "I can't do this. Ed belongs in New York and I belong in Stuckeyville."
"How can you be sure?" Molly said. "Have you tried?"
"She's got a point, Carol," Nancy said. "You and Eddie were just starting to fall in love (a look from Carol) Alright maybe you're already in love with Ed, but you've only known him five days and you expect us to believe that you know what's best for him?"
"That's just it," Carol said emphatically. "It was only five days, but I feel like I've known him my entire life. And I think that this *is* the best thing for him."
"Carol, sweetie," Molly began, "we know how you feel about Ed. That was obvious from the way you talked about him. But how does he feel about you. Does he love you, too?"
"I don't know, Molls," Carol said. "I'm torn. I think he might care for me, but there's that Miranda woman."
"Whoa!" Mike said. "Let's just hold it right there!"
The three women looked at Mike, who continued, "Although a man must never betray the confidence of his best friend, I can tell you with absolute certainty that Ed has had nothing to do with that Van Note woman."
Mike replied to the three sets of raised eyebrows, "Ed would have told me. And he didn't, which tells me he *didn't*, if you know what I mean. Besides, every time he has mentioned her to me, it wasn't, well, exactly flattering. No, you can throw the idea of Ed sleeping with Miranda Van Note out the window."
"Well," Carol said, feeling better after Mike's comment, "I saw the way she looked at him. It's obvious that she's attracted to him. That she wants to ... (ahem) It's the way *I* look at him."
That raised some eyebrows.
"But even without Miranda," Carol said, "I still don't know if Ed loves me or not."
"Oh, come on," Nancy said, "Eddie's always been in love with you."
Carol looked at Nancy stunned. Molly and Mike looked at Nancy in shock. None of them had intended to tell Carol about Ed's high school crush. Nancy looked like she was going to be sick.
"What..." Carol said, "what do you mean?"
"I think what she meant to say was, 'Why wouldn't Ed be in love with you?'" Molly said, attempting some damage control.
"No! I'm the English teacher here. I think that she said exactly what she meant to say, even if she didn't mean to say it!" She glared at Nancy and said, "Come on, out with it."
Nancy looked at Mike for support. Mike shrugged, then sighed. He said, "Ed had a crush on you in high school."
"A big crush!" Molly added, then glanced down at her shoes when she realized she may have over emphasized the point.
"And you knew about this? All of you?!!!" Carol asked.
Nancy put her hand on Carol's arm and said, "Carol, everyone in high school knew it, except for you. Even some of the teachers knew."
Carol shook her head and said, "Well then, that proves I was right to come home."
"How do you figure that, Carol," Molly asked.
"Whatever interest Ed was showing in me was just him fulfilling some school boy's fantasy," Carol said. "Once he realized I wasn't the woman he probably thought I was - that I wasn't good enough for him - it would have been over. And it would have ended badly, just like all of my other relationships."
Neither Molly, Nancy, nor Mike knew how to respond to Carol's comment. The comment implied a great deal of self doubt on Carol's part, as well as love for Ed.
Finally, Molly said, "But you still don't *know* if he loves you or not, do you? Truly loves you - like you love him."
"No, I don't," Carol said. "I ... I never gave him the chance to tell me."
Molly stood up exasperated. She walked into the living room and picked up the gift wrapped package from Ed. "No, you didn't. But when a guy buys something expensive like this for a girl that he's only just met ... How much did this thing cost, anyway?"
"Two hundred dollars," Carol said in a small voice, then added. "It's a collector's item."
Mike whistled.
"Two hundred dollars!" Molly exclaimed. "Wow."
"Open it, Carol" Nancy exclaimed.
"It's not Christmas, yet," Carol explained. "I promised Ed I wouldn't open it till Christmas."
Molly looked at Carol, it was clear she was becoming frustrated, "You said you're never going to see him again, right? So it *really* doesn't matter if you open it now or not, does it?"
"I... I guess you're right," Carol said and took the package from Molly. She carefully tore off the wrapping paper - to reveal the Barbie doll box. The doll inside was dressed in a beautiful wedding gown. It was beautiful. Carol started to cry and quickly handed the box to Molly, "I... I can't look at it. Not now."
Molly looked at her friend, "I'm sorry, Carol. I didn't mean to ..." She handed the box to Mike, who started examining the box, even shaking it.
"I knew Barbies were expensive but I didn't think they came with jewelry?"
Nancy looked at her husband, "Of course they come with little jewelry -- at least some of them do. Others come with little tennis rackets. It depends on the doll."
"Little jewelry? Uh, that's not what's in here," Mike corrected.
Carol looked confused, "I don't know ..."
"Well, open it," Nancy grabbed the box away from Mike and handed it back to Carol.
Carol picked up the Barbie doll box and opened the top. Inside was a small jewelry box with a small note taped to the side. Carol drew the box out. She looked at the others around the table.
Molly made little 'hurry up' motions with her hands. Nancy kept saying "Oh my gawd!" over and over.
Gingerly, Carol opened the box. There were tears in her eyes as she looked inside. Her hands started shaking. The others still couldn't see what was in the box, but then Carol turned it around to show them. Inside was the heart shaped pendant that Carol had told them that she and Ed had seen on their shopping trip.
Molly and Nancy gasped.
"What does the note say?" Mike asked Carol.
"Oh yes, the note," Carol said, choking back tears:
'To Carol. Love, Ed'
Mike just smiled, and said, "That romantic bastard!"
***
New York City - John F. Kennedy International Airport
December 20, 2000
10:00 PM
Ed was at yet another airline counter trying to find a flight out to anywhere close to Stuckeyville that night. This was the fifth airline he had tried. Because of the Christmas season, all the airlines were booked solid. All the counter attendants could do was to put him on stand-by that night. He could get a definite flight in the morning - a 7:00 AM flight to Cleveland. But he wanted to get to Stuckeyville tonight, dammit!
***
Stuckeyville - the home of Carol Vessey
December 20, 2000
10:00 PM
Carol had just gotten off the phone. It had been frustrating. She had wanted to get a flight to New York tonight. But the airlines had said that because of the holidays all of that night's flights to New York were booked solid. She had reluctantly booked a seat on the first flight out in the morning. An 8:00 AM flight.
From across the room, Molly smiled encouragingly at her.