Chapter 19
Gordon wondered if was himself, or just the general atmosphere that usually pervaded funerals. The air was thick with tension. People seemed to be gathered in little protective groups. Conversation was a muted buzz of undistinguished platitudes. Of course, the greater number of them were lawyers, that was enough to ruin any atmosphere.
He'd seen disaster areas littered with dead people that were more lively than this gathering.
Gordon didn't recognize anyone at first, though there was a anoretic-looking blonde woman who looked familiar. She was dressed in a black number that would have looked better at a cocktail party than at a wake. She eyed him sharply, like a plate of of tasty appetizers.
Speaking of which he caught a glimpse of red hair disappearing into the kitchen. Scenting his quarry, he moved in for the kill. All of his carefully rehearsed lines fled out of his head as he saw the forlorn figure with her back to him. He took in the bowed head and the shoulders shaking with barely controlled emotion.
"Aw sweetheart..." he turned her by her shoulders and she tipped her face towards him.
"Gordon!?" Watery blue eyes brightened and her sad face tried to smile. The kiss was meant as a greeting, a comfort, but her soft lips trembling under his urged him to something more intimate, with more feeling.
Her fingers twining into the hairs of his neck and the soft body pressed to his encouraged his arms to draw her closer and on the breaking of the kiss softly nuzzle her cheek. A familiar scent of soap and some kind of flowers drew a contented sigh from him. God, he missed her!
"Oh very pretty! Daddy not even cold in his grave and you are snogging with the guests in the kitchen." A familiar low syrupy voice interrupted the embrace.
The slim blonde woman stood in the doorway tapping her perfect nails on the counter. "Oh and not just with anybody, but with my dear ex-husband." She smiled a smile that would have made her father proud, showing sharp white teeth. "Do I get a kiss, too?" She pouted in a little girl way that years ago had been so engaging and now was...disturbing.
Gordon thought he hid the double take rather well, but the sudden stiffening and withdrawal of the woman in his arms told him at least one woman had guessed his confusion.
"Charlotte. Of course." He said smoothly and went over to her to kiss her well made up cheek. She moved her head to engage him in passionate tonsil lock which he returned to the best of his ability. Her heady perfume made his nose twitch and he broke off the kiss with a gasp for clean oxygen.
"Oh Gordon, dear, I hope you are not still carrying a torch for me after all these years." A small satisfied smile touched her face. "How sweet of you to comfort poor Martha."
"Yes, wasn't it." Gordon caught himself staring at the two women. Charlotte was made up perfectly, not a hair out of place, dressed in what even he recognized as 'top fashion'. Something that even Lady Penelope wouldn't be ashamed to wear, though not necessarily to a funeral.
Em was the real surprise. Her red hair, tied back with a black ribbon was escaping in soft curls that framed a face that was thinner. She was still curvy, but the curves seemed to have settled nicely into more pleasing proportions. Her black dress was tasteful, but not in her sister's class by a long shot. Both women looked at him rather expectantly. Gordon was at a loss for words, just when he needed them the most. Somehow it wasn't surprising that Em came to his rescue.
"I've got some work here to do, Charlotte. Why don't you take Gordon out to mingle." She suggested.
"Oh do the sinks need unclogging?" The laugh wasn't terribly kind. Charlotte latched a possessive hand on Gordon and leading him out of the kitchen said in a rather loud voice. "Martha is a plumber. Isn't that just too much? Of course I'm an investment consultant with Hotek, Bradford, Coony, and maybe next year...Jones?"
"Good for you." Gordon said faintly, his head seemed to be spinning with a lot of bits and pieces of information that just weren't falling into place. "So, do you like your work?" His own voice sounded rather inane.
"But of course. It is what I always wanted to do. Even as a little girl I read Forbes, and Financial Weekly rather than play with dolls. Aunt Deirdre was totally supportive of my wishes. And I got into the firm very early, due to some work I did for them even as a teenager.
"You went back to live with her? When?"
"Why right after the annulment. Daddy was up for a state supreme court seat at the time and the scandal of our elopement would have been a disaster." She smiled at him. "I guess that going back to Aunt Deidre was something good that came out of our little..." she giggled, "mistake."
"Mistake?" Gordon felt the heat rise to his face.
"How sweet of you Gordon...you still care." Charlottes face softened and a genuine smile flashed on her face. "I could stay an extra day..." Her body leaned towards him in promise, he found himself leaning towards her.
"Why uh an extra day?" Gordon said thickly. The people around them seem to have become unimportant. Murmurs and conversations were muted buzzing. He noted absently that Em's bringing a full tray of sandwiches from the kitchen caused a slight decibel rise.
"Why? Well, you are quite attractive darling and we never did get to enjoy our," her voice lowered suggestively and huskily "...honeymoon."
"There you are darling." An older man with wings of gray hair over his ears came to take a rather possessive hold over Charlotte.
"Oliver, dear, this is Gordon Tracy." Charlotte said rather smugly.
"Really?" The man drawled. "So, you are the fellow that got our little Charlotte started in business?
Gordon was tired of this game already. He stared back. "I don't think my marriage to Charlotte was either a mistake or a business venture." He said coldly.
"Oh but it was for Charlotte. Tell him darling. You were just a cog in the wheels to take over Tracy Industries. But imagine, she was just a teenager at the time. No surprise she is so ruthless, so successful, so hmm sexy, today." The man said in tones of real admiration Charlotte smiled like a cat with canary feathers around its mouth. "But, after all, the attempted takeover of Tracy Industries failed. Your father was the better business man. I, of course, got Charlotte." He smiled possessively at the blonde at his side. "She is too much woman for most men."
"If it had been you doing the take over dear Oliver, there would be no Tracy Industries. Lucky you." Her brilliant blue eyes focussed on Gordon, she ran a long fingernail down Gordon's cheek so that the little hairs on his neck stood up. "I have to give some credit to dear Martha. Her diary showed me how to win you over. It was simple. She was hopelessly in love with you." She shrugged and smiled. "Go and ask her. Make the poor little plumber's day complete. Kiss her again. She can tell her pillow all about it for years to come!"
Gordon stepped back from the couple as if he were standing on the edge of a sharp precipice. Inside he felt a churning in his gut and a nasty taste in his mouth. Discipline kept him from hitting someone, including the smug Charlotte.
"You used me." He said flatly.
"Yes." Charlotte said proudly.
"I suppose it was you who called your father. That last performance was quite impressive." Gordon said coolly even though he was seething inside.
Charlotte nodded as if accepting the academy award for underhandedness.
"How could you?" Martha Jones came out from behind Gordon. "How could you?" She had obviously heard some of the revealing conversation.
"I just followed in Daddy's footsteps. Take what you want."
"He was a rotten father, but he did have principles. Something that seems to have escaped you!" Em was standing toe to toe with her sister her eyes glinting with rage.
"Principles make you losers. Look at you...what do you have? Nothing. And knowing Daddy he probably left everything to his secretary. So, don't play at being the loving daughter with me! It is your fault that mother..." Her words were stopped by the roundhouse blow to her mouth. Gordon admired the hit. Em could always throw a good one.
Charlotte went down like a falling log. Her partner stared at her lying inelegantly lying on the floor a red spot already forming over her eye.
"My lawyers will be in touch." He began smoothly.
Gordon grabbed the infuriated Em firmly, keeping her from punching out the older man.
"I didn't see anything. My word against yours. Don't even think about messing with a Tracy again - ever!" Gordon gritted out between his teeth as he held onto Em as she struggled to get free. He pulled her forcibly into the kitchen while smiling inanely at the other guests who were trying not to stare at the interesting show.
"Dammit Em, settle down!" He turned her towards him by the shoulders and gave her a shake. "Hitting people isn't going to make it right."
"I know!" She yelled at him and then stopped struggling. "I know." She repeated in a lower voice.
Gordon loosened his grip sensing her capitulation to a calmer state of mind. "But I bet it felt good." He said softly looking into her face.
"Yes and no. I had hoped, now that Daddy was gone..." Her voice tailed off as they could hear Charlotte winding herself into hysterics in the other room. "Excuse me." She pulled away from him and ran for the hall. He hesitated a moment and then with a grim look on his face went to find her. She wasn't in the judge's study where a group of lawyers were making inroads into the liquor cabinet. He was passing the downstairs bathroom on his way upstairs when he heard the unmistakable noise of someone being sick. He waited outside the door. Em wouldn't appreciate him watching her toss cookies, or in this case finger sandwiches.
Sure enough, she came out looking altogether too pale and shaken.
"Em?" He put his hand out to touch her and she warded him off.
"Just go away Gordon. Just disappear again, like you did before." She swallowed and glanced back at the toilet as if considering a return engagement.
"Where's your coat? We are leaving, now!" Gordon said decisively. Em looked too damn pale and he felt too mad to do another round with those two wolves in the living room. He felt unbalanced. Everything was happening so fast like a house of cards collapsing around him. He needed to hang on to something. That something was Em.
Em pulled herself up to her full height just coming up to his chin. "Thank you for your concern Mr. Tracy, but I think ..."
"That's always been your weak point Em, you think too much." Gordon said forcefully and repeated. "Your coat Miss Jones?"
The look she gave was mutinous, but she went to get her coat from upstairs while he retrieved his own. He almost missed her going out the backdoor stalking down the street away from the house she had grown up in.
"Hey Em! Wait!" Gordon shucked his jacket on, it was freezing out and from the looks of the leaden sky it was going to snow soon.
He caught up to the redhead as she was fumbling with the keys to an old white van that had "Jones the Plumber" written in bold script on the side. The picture of a fat balding man holding a wrench adorned the side.
"Em, please!" Gordon took her arm as she was fumbling for her keys.
"Gordon..." The look she gave him made his heart thump harder. For the second time that day he kissed her, only this time he knew who he was kissing. He broke off the kiss when he felt her shivering in his arms. It was cold out, but maybe she was shaken by the debacle with her sister, or maybe it was the kiss. He wasn't sure anymore. He wasn't sure of anything to do with Charlotte or Em Jones.
"I'm driving." He said firmly.
"This is a truck." She said faintly, but handed over the keys.
"Don't worry. I've driven bigger vehicles." Gordon gave her a grin thinking of some of International Rescues big equipment.
"I'm sorry Em." He began, starting the van. The heater started blowing hot air into the cab warming the air efficiently.
"For kissing me?"
"No! For this whole situation with Charlotte. Jeez what a mess!" He ran his hand through his hair. "Look Em, can we go somewhere and talk?"
"I got a thirty mile drive home and a septic tank to clean out in the morning. What do you want to talk about?"
"Did you know? About Charlotte and her plans?"
She was silent a moment. "I suspected, but.."
"I wouldn't listen." Gordon interrupted.
"No. What more do you need to know?" Her voice was strained.
Gordon was silent. His brain was moving little pieces into place like a 5,000 piece puzzle. There were still a few pieces missing. "Well, why do you have the picture of a fat balding man on your van?"
"Cause that's what people think Jones the Plumber should look like." She turned to look at him.
"Uh huh." Gordon said and snickered.
Em joined his snicker with hers "Gordon you're an idiot."
"Uh huh." He replied laughing with her. "Now, tell me how to get to your place."
Gordon wondered if was himself, or just the general atmosphere that usually pervaded funerals. The air was thick with tension. People seemed to be gathered in little protective groups. Conversation was a muted buzz of undistinguished platitudes. Of course, the greater number of them were lawyers, that was enough to ruin any atmosphere.
He'd seen disaster areas littered with dead people that were more lively than this gathering.
Gordon didn't recognize anyone at first, though there was a anoretic-looking blonde woman who looked familiar. She was dressed in a black number that would have looked better at a cocktail party than at a wake. She eyed him sharply, like a plate of of tasty appetizers.
Speaking of which he caught a glimpse of red hair disappearing into the kitchen. Scenting his quarry, he moved in for the kill. All of his carefully rehearsed lines fled out of his head as he saw the forlorn figure with her back to him. He took in the bowed head and the shoulders shaking with barely controlled emotion.
"Aw sweetheart..." he turned her by her shoulders and she tipped her face towards him.
"Gordon!?" Watery blue eyes brightened and her sad face tried to smile. The kiss was meant as a greeting, a comfort, but her soft lips trembling under his urged him to something more intimate, with more feeling.
Her fingers twining into the hairs of his neck and the soft body pressed to his encouraged his arms to draw her closer and on the breaking of the kiss softly nuzzle her cheek. A familiar scent of soap and some kind of flowers drew a contented sigh from him. God, he missed her!
"Oh very pretty! Daddy not even cold in his grave and you are snogging with the guests in the kitchen." A familiar low syrupy voice interrupted the embrace.
The slim blonde woman stood in the doorway tapping her perfect nails on the counter. "Oh and not just with anybody, but with my dear ex-husband." She smiled a smile that would have made her father proud, showing sharp white teeth. "Do I get a kiss, too?" She pouted in a little girl way that years ago had been so engaging and now was...disturbing.
Gordon thought he hid the double take rather well, but the sudden stiffening and withdrawal of the woman in his arms told him at least one woman had guessed his confusion.
"Charlotte. Of course." He said smoothly and went over to her to kiss her well made up cheek. She moved her head to engage him in passionate tonsil lock which he returned to the best of his ability. Her heady perfume made his nose twitch and he broke off the kiss with a gasp for clean oxygen.
"Oh Gordon, dear, I hope you are not still carrying a torch for me after all these years." A small satisfied smile touched her face. "How sweet of you to comfort poor Martha."
"Yes, wasn't it." Gordon caught himself staring at the two women. Charlotte was made up perfectly, not a hair out of place, dressed in what even he recognized as 'top fashion'. Something that even Lady Penelope wouldn't be ashamed to wear, though not necessarily to a funeral.
Em was the real surprise. Her red hair, tied back with a black ribbon was escaping in soft curls that framed a face that was thinner. She was still curvy, but the curves seemed to have settled nicely into more pleasing proportions. Her black dress was tasteful, but not in her sister's class by a long shot. Both women looked at him rather expectantly. Gordon was at a loss for words, just when he needed them the most. Somehow it wasn't surprising that Em came to his rescue.
"I've got some work here to do, Charlotte. Why don't you take Gordon out to mingle." She suggested.
"Oh do the sinks need unclogging?" The laugh wasn't terribly kind. Charlotte latched a possessive hand on Gordon and leading him out of the kitchen said in a rather loud voice. "Martha is a plumber. Isn't that just too much? Of course I'm an investment consultant with Hotek, Bradford, Coony, and maybe next year...Jones?"
"Good for you." Gordon said faintly, his head seemed to be spinning with a lot of bits and pieces of information that just weren't falling into place. "So, do you like your work?" His own voice sounded rather inane.
"But of course. It is what I always wanted to do. Even as a little girl I read Forbes, and Financial Weekly rather than play with dolls. Aunt Deirdre was totally supportive of my wishes. And I got into the firm very early, due to some work I did for them even as a teenager.
"You went back to live with her? When?"
"Why right after the annulment. Daddy was up for a state supreme court seat at the time and the scandal of our elopement would have been a disaster." She smiled at him. "I guess that going back to Aunt Deidre was something good that came out of our little..." she giggled, "mistake."
"Mistake?" Gordon felt the heat rise to his face.
"How sweet of you Gordon...you still care." Charlottes face softened and a genuine smile flashed on her face. "I could stay an extra day..." Her body leaned towards him in promise, he found himself leaning towards her.
"Why uh an extra day?" Gordon said thickly. The people around them seem to have become unimportant. Murmurs and conversations were muted buzzing. He noted absently that Em's bringing a full tray of sandwiches from the kitchen caused a slight decibel rise.
"Why? Well, you are quite attractive darling and we never did get to enjoy our," her voice lowered suggestively and huskily "...honeymoon."
"There you are darling." An older man with wings of gray hair over his ears came to take a rather possessive hold over Charlotte.
"Oliver, dear, this is Gordon Tracy." Charlotte said rather smugly.
"Really?" The man drawled. "So, you are the fellow that got our little Charlotte started in business?
Gordon was tired of this game already. He stared back. "I don't think my marriage to Charlotte was either a mistake or a business venture." He said coldly.
"Oh but it was for Charlotte. Tell him darling. You were just a cog in the wheels to take over Tracy Industries. But imagine, she was just a teenager at the time. No surprise she is so ruthless, so successful, so hmm sexy, today." The man said in tones of real admiration Charlotte smiled like a cat with canary feathers around its mouth. "But, after all, the attempted takeover of Tracy Industries failed. Your father was the better business man. I, of course, got Charlotte." He smiled possessively at the blonde at his side. "She is too much woman for most men."
"If it had been you doing the take over dear Oliver, there would be no Tracy Industries. Lucky you." Her brilliant blue eyes focussed on Gordon, she ran a long fingernail down Gordon's cheek so that the little hairs on his neck stood up. "I have to give some credit to dear Martha. Her diary showed me how to win you over. It was simple. She was hopelessly in love with you." She shrugged and smiled. "Go and ask her. Make the poor little plumber's day complete. Kiss her again. She can tell her pillow all about it for years to come!"
Gordon stepped back from the couple as if he were standing on the edge of a sharp precipice. Inside he felt a churning in his gut and a nasty taste in his mouth. Discipline kept him from hitting someone, including the smug Charlotte.
"You used me." He said flatly.
"Yes." Charlotte said proudly.
"I suppose it was you who called your father. That last performance was quite impressive." Gordon said coolly even though he was seething inside.
Charlotte nodded as if accepting the academy award for underhandedness.
"How could you?" Martha Jones came out from behind Gordon. "How could you?" She had obviously heard some of the revealing conversation.
"I just followed in Daddy's footsteps. Take what you want."
"He was a rotten father, but he did have principles. Something that seems to have escaped you!" Em was standing toe to toe with her sister her eyes glinting with rage.
"Principles make you losers. Look at you...what do you have? Nothing. And knowing Daddy he probably left everything to his secretary. So, don't play at being the loving daughter with me! It is your fault that mother..." Her words were stopped by the roundhouse blow to her mouth. Gordon admired the hit. Em could always throw a good one.
Charlotte went down like a falling log. Her partner stared at her lying inelegantly lying on the floor a red spot already forming over her eye.
"My lawyers will be in touch." He began smoothly.
Gordon grabbed the infuriated Em firmly, keeping her from punching out the older man.
"I didn't see anything. My word against yours. Don't even think about messing with a Tracy again - ever!" Gordon gritted out between his teeth as he held onto Em as she struggled to get free. He pulled her forcibly into the kitchen while smiling inanely at the other guests who were trying not to stare at the interesting show.
"Dammit Em, settle down!" He turned her towards him by the shoulders and gave her a shake. "Hitting people isn't going to make it right."
"I know!" She yelled at him and then stopped struggling. "I know." She repeated in a lower voice.
Gordon loosened his grip sensing her capitulation to a calmer state of mind. "But I bet it felt good." He said softly looking into her face.
"Yes and no. I had hoped, now that Daddy was gone..." Her voice tailed off as they could hear Charlotte winding herself into hysterics in the other room. "Excuse me." She pulled away from him and ran for the hall. He hesitated a moment and then with a grim look on his face went to find her. She wasn't in the judge's study where a group of lawyers were making inroads into the liquor cabinet. He was passing the downstairs bathroom on his way upstairs when he heard the unmistakable noise of someone being sick. He waited outside the door. Em wouldn't appreciate him watching her toss cookies, or in this case finger sandwiches.
Sure enough, she came out looking altogether too pale and shaken.
"Em?" He put his hand out to touch her and she warded him off.
"Just go away Gordon. Just disappear again, like you did before." She swallowed and glanced back at the toilet as if considering a return engagement.
"Where's your coat? We are leaving, now!" Gordon said decisively. Em looked too damn pale and he felt too mad to do another round with those two wolves in the living room. He felt unbalanced. Everything was happening so fast like a house of cards collapsing around him. He needed to hang on to something. That something was Em.
Em pulled herself up to her full height just coming up to his chin. "Thank you for your concern Mr. Tracy, but I think ..."
"That's always been your weak point Em, you think too much." Gordon said forcefully and repeated. "Your coat Miss Jones?"
The look she gave was mutinous, but she went to get her coat from upstairs while he retrieved his own. He almost missed her going out the backdoor stalking down the street away from the house she had grown up in.
"Hey Em! Wait!" Gordon shucked his jacket on, it was freezing out and from the looks of the leaden sky it was going to snow soon.
He caught up to the redhead as she was fumbling with the keys to an old white van that had "Jones the Plumber" written in bold script on the side. The picture of a fat balding man holding a wrench adorned the side.
"Em, please!" Gordon took her arm as she was fumbling for her keys.
"Gordon..." The look she gave him made his heart thump harder. For the second time that day he kissed her, only this time he knew who he was kissing. He broke off the kiss when he felt her shivering in his arms. It was cold out, but maybe she was shaken by the debacle with her sister, or maybe it was the kiss. He wasn't sure anymore. He wasn't sure of anything to do with Charlotte or Em Jones.
"I'm driving." He said firmly.
"This is a truck." She said faintly, but handed over the keys.
"Don't worry. I've driven bigger vehicles." Gordon gave her a grin thinking of some of International Rescues big equipment.
"I'm sorry Em." He began, starting the van. The heater started blowing hot air into the cab warming the air efficiently.
"For kissing me?"
"No! For this whole situation with Charlotte. Jeez what a mess!" He ran his hand through his hair. "Look Em, can we go somewhere and talk?"
"I got a thirty mile drive home and a septic tank to clean out in the morning. What do you want to talk about?"
"Did you know? About Charlotte and her plans?"
She was silent a moment. "I suspected, but.."
"I wouldn't listen." Gordon interrupted.
"No. What more do you need to know?" Her voice was strained.
Gordon was silent. His brain was moving little pieces into place like a 5,000 piece puzzle. There were still a few pieces missing. "Well, why do you have the picture of a fat balding man on your van?"
"Cause that's what people think Jones the Plumber should look like." She turned to look at him.
"Uh huh." Gordon said and snickered.
Em joined his snicker with hers "Gordon you're an idiot."
"Uh huh." He replied laughing with her. "Now, tell me how to get to your place."