Chapter 6

Angela was waiting outside of Jim Peterson's office at Wallace & McQuaid. It was her old office—the office of the President. Despite having success at her own agency, Angela was still upset by her ousting from this place. Being the President of such a large advertising agency had been her dream job. To be fired for taking a vacation didn't sit well with her. She'd needed that vacation desperately and Tony had dragged her, quite literally to Mexico for some well-deserved R&R. It wasn't her fault that between all of the VP's, copywriters and creative minds, not one of those incompetent morons had been able to save a toilet paper account. And yet, the blame had fallen squarely on her shoulders because she'd dared to take a family vacation. She clenched her teeth and sat up straighter, waiting.

"Ms Bower?" the secretary addressed her. "I'm sorry but Mr. Peterson is busy in meetings all day. If you'd like to schedule an appointment with him, he does have an opening next month."

"Next month? No, thank you, Helen. Please tell him that I can wait here all day." Angela had no intention of leaving until Jim saw her; a visceral rage was building within her and she needed to deal with 'the Jim situation' today. She was primed for this and she wouldn't be sent away. Helen, however, looked harried and stressed by Angela's presence. She went into her boss' office and exited, her expression grim and embarrassed.

"You can't wait here all day!" she informed Angela quite apologetically. She hated relaying such a rude message. "Mr. Peterson says he'll have you escorted out by security if you don't leave." The secretary shrugged uncomfortably. She liked Angela Bower and felt very uneasy telling her this.

"I'd like to see him try!" Angela exclaimed indignantly. To be threatened with removal by security from her old office was more than merely bad-mannered; it was downright insulting. She stood up, pulled herself up to her full height plus heels, and towered over Helen. "I'm going in and if Jim isn't happy, he'll have to throw me out himself." And with that, Angela simply opened the door to Jim's office, ignoring the frantic secretary's protests.

"Hello Jim", Angela greeted him calmly as she shut the door behind her, hard. "Busy meetings, I see", she said sardonically as she scanned the empty room. Jim blinked in surprise and angrily stood up.

"Angela! How . . . how the hell did you get past my secretary?" he stammered.

"I walked past her, Jim. We need to talk!" Angela slammed her cereal storyboard onto his desk. "You stole this, Jim. And I don't appreciate the manner in which you did it. What exactly did you tell Mr. Harper about me?" Angela wasn't going to waste a second on small talk or social niceties. Right now, she was using every ounce of her self-control to keep her rage in check.

"I . . . I . . . said nothing. Mr. Harper simply decided to go with the best. And that's me!" Jim replied arrogantly once he regained his bearings. Angela bursting into his office unannounced had him at a distinct disadvantage.

"Really . . . nothing? You said nothing? Damn it Jim, you lied to him and you know it! I heard about what you told my client …"

"My client, Angela", Jim cut her off rudely. "He's my client now and you lost him. Don't be a sore loser. Just go back to your own little agency and find yourself some other fish. Small fish. Important clients belong here, in a large agency. You can't compete with me. You don't have anybody to …"

"To what Jim?" Angela didn't like his suggestive tone of voice.

"Come on Angela. You know very well what I'm trying to say", he hissed at her harshly. "Grant was your free ride to the top here. When he left, you couldn't cut it anymore. It's a well-known fact that you don't do your best work in the boardroom!" Jim paused to study her. Two angry red spots were forming on her otherwise pale cheeks and a dangerous glint shone in her eyes. He suddenly felt a bit nervous.

"You've got a hell of a lot of nerve!" she said, her nostrils flared in outrage. "What are you implying Jim? If I don't do my best work in the boardroom, then where do I do it? Go ahead, say it. Are you going to say it? Or are you too chicken to tell me what you think of me to my face?" Angela challenged him, her deep rage possessing her. She felt its powerful current crackling in her scalp and running down into her toes. It demanded to be expressed; the fourteen-year-old rape victim wasn't hiding anymore. She was ready to fight. "Well Jim?" she demanded.

"The bedroom! The bedroom! We all know you slept your way to the top, Angela! Girls your age don't become presidents! And Mr. Harper would rather work with people of integrity!" Jim spat out. He was shouting and didn't care. This little hussy couldn't just burst into his office and start bullying him. He wasn't going to have it. "I'm calling security now", he told her.

"Oh no you don't, Jim. I'm not going to let you wimp out of this one by calling for your bodyguard. We're not finished. I find it ironic that you speak about 'people of integrity', Jim. You couldn't possibly be referring to yourself now, could you?" she asked him sarcastically. "Because I know about the perks you've gotten for potential clients; the nudie bars and the call girls. I know all about your Boy's Club, Jim. Did you think I was blind?" She chastised him. "I had to be more creative than you. I had to come up with excellent campaigns because your way of winning new clients was the smutty way!" She gave him a disgusted look before continuing, "As a woman in this industry, I have to rely on my brains! That's why you bungling idiots couldn't even save a toilet paper account when I took my first vacation in years. And that's why you feel the need to steal my accounts and my ideas!" Angela was speaking truth and it irked Jim; he couldn't let her say it nor admit to it himself.

"Angela, we all knew that you were special friends with Grant and that's why he promoted you to President. You can't deny that", he told her as nastily as possible. He smirked at her when she went pale and stumbled back.

Angela was reacting to the phrase special friend—it made her want to vomit. Lyle had called her his special friend and made her do special things to him over and over again during those three nights of hell. But right now, she was dealing with Jim Peterson and had to push the intrusive thoughts about Lyle out of her mind.

"I was not Grant's special friend. We held off on our relationship until after I got the presidency. What we did after that is none of your damned business!" Angela told him. She was secretly relieved that Tony had come into her life right before she was appointed President, urging her not to sleep with Grant. He'd been right—she never would have known that she'd gotten the presidency based solely on her creativity and hard work had she slept with Grant beforehand.

Jim looked at her incredulously. He'd already formed his opinion about Angela Bower. Jim was unable to believe that a woman fifteen years younger than himself had beaten him for a promotion on the strength of her merit and talent alone. He couldn't believe it without suffering damage to his own ego. Therefore, he chose to believe the lies and innuendoes. Throughout the years, more gossip had been added, and he believed all of it. As far as he was concerned, this woman was an unhinged whore trying to steal his rightful account from him. He did not feel guilty in the least. He'd simply been apprising Mr. Harper of her soiled reputation, after all.

"You can't use my storyboard, Jim!" she yelled at him. "You can't use my ideas for that cereal account!"

"I'm using some of Mr. Harper's suggestions, Angela. Don't flatter yourself."

"And where do you think he got them from?" Angela shoved her storyboard close to Jim's face. "Are these the ideas Mr. Harper suggested?"

Jim swallowed hard and looked away. He just wanted her out of his office. And now, he was being presented with evidence that did indeed make it seem like he'd stolen her ideas.

"You stole my client and my ideas, Jim. And you tried to ruin my reputation in the process with your lies. You're despicable. I want you to tell Mr. Harper that you lied!" she demanded furiously.

"No way! I didn't lie, Angela. Everybody knows that you f_d your way to the top of this company!" Jim fully believed what he was saying.

Angela gasped back in shock. Jim's obscenity felt like a slap across the face. To be accused of such a thing when she could literally count on one hand the number of men she'd ever been with made her head spin.

But Jim knew he was screwed. Angela's storyboard proved that she had come up with the innovative campaign. He hadn't realized that Mr. Harper's so-called original ideas weren't his after all. This could be a professional disaster for him especially if Angela got lawyers involved. He needed to save face and dump the account.

"Angela, Angela, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was so rude. That wasn't fair of me", he began in an attempt to soothe her.

Angela backed away from him, disbelieving. "What do you want, Jim?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, I thought we could deal in your currency, Angela. You want this account back? I can give it back to you . . . for a price", he began while locking his pale grey eyes on her confused dark ones. He undid his belt and the top button of his trousers, looking at her expectantly.

Angela took a step away from him, unwilling to comprehend what he was suggesting. She had been Jim's boss for years and while not always a pleasant person to work with, he'd never ever made a pass at her.

"Come on, Angela", he taunted her. "This is how you've always succeeded. Don't look so shocked. You came here demanding that I give you back that cereal account. This is how you can get it back. Don't pretend you haven't done this before. Two minutes and you're done. You don't have to play coy with me." Jim was on a power trip; he was finally the one in control. He'd hated working for Angela all those years—she'd been untouchable except through gossip and innuendo. Now, he had her right where he wanted her-where he'd wanted her for years. He unzipped his fly and beckoned her towards him.

Angela was shell-shocked and completely fused to the ground. What Jim was suggesting was beyond disgusting. She could hear Lyle's voice superimposed over Jim's, "Come on Angela, just kneel down and . . ." No! The fury stormed in her belly and charged through her foot. The kick was swift and hard; Jim went down like a tonne of bricks, clutching his groin in agony.

She watched him writhing on the floor, gasping for breath. Angela stood tall and drew a deep breath of her own. "You're a pervert Jim", she informed him.

"Gonna call security", he managed to squeak out, his face red and scrunched up in pain.

"Go ahead, Jim. And explain to them why your pants are down around your ankles. I expect you to return my account to me today. If I don't have it back by five o'clock this afternoon, I'll personally tell every single one of your VP's what you tried to pull today as well as sue you for theft of intellectual property." Angela opened the door to Jim's office and called his secretary in. Helen stared at the scene in confusion until the sick realization of what she was seeing hit her.

"Helen, you might prefer having a boss who isn't such a disgusting pig", Angela told her. "I hope Mr. Peterson hasn't tried to ask you for certain special favors. Perhaps you should warn the other female employees about him." The secretary nodded dumbly, her mouth hanging open.

Angela sauntered out, her step light and free, albeit a bit shaky. She'd won this round. She'd fought back and won! The Fibre Kernels Cereal account was returned to her before noon and she had a very productive meeting with Mr. Harper that very day. Helen had a big mouth; she told everybody and anybody that her boss was a pervert. She respected and believed Angela Bower. When news got around about Jim Peterson's morning, the VP's had an urgent meeting with the Board of Directors and together, they agreed to oust their depraved President.

XXX

That evening Angela arrived home to the comforting smell of Tony's cooking. She felt both elated and exhausted; she hadn't learned of Jim's expulsion yet but she was satisfied to simply have her account returned to her. "I'm home", she called out to nobody in particular.

"Mom! Angela!" Jonathan and Samantha called out to her at the same time, stampeding down the stairs like galloping elephants. Angela hugged them tightly and kissed their heads. She was so happy to be in the loving arms of her family. Tony exited the kitchen in time to see Angela hugging both children closely against herself. He knew how much the kids had missed her during her illness. She looked up at him now and smiled, a genuine heart-felt smile directed at him. He couldn't help but smile back at her; her return home always filled him with joy.

"Hi, how was your day?" he asked her. She looked tired but triumphant; her hair haphazardly secured into a loose bun with a comb. Tony had to fight the urge to yank that comb out of her hair and watch it spill over her shoulders. He blinked and walked towards her.

"Tony, I could use my Friday martini today even though it's only Monday", she announced.

"You got it, Angela. Is everything okay? How did your meeting with Jim Peterson go?" Tony was dying to find out the details of Angela's confrontation with Jim. Mona had taken the day off, so she had no news.

"I got my account back", she told him. The kids whooped and hollered, reminding Angela of their presence. She couldn't give Tony the full version of events in front of them.

"You did?! Angela, that's terrific. I knew you could do it!" Tony exclaimed happily. He poured her a martini and brought it to her, dry with two olives.

"Thank you, Tony." Angela gratefully accepted the drink and restrained herself from chugging it. Her nerves were still a bit shaken from her meeting with Jim. She drained her glass and waited for the soothing martini buzz to hit her.

"What happened, Angela?" Samantha asked her, curious. "How did you get your account back?"

Angela sat on the couch and handed her empty martini glass back to Tony. "Another one", she mouthed to him. If Tony was surprised, he didn't show it as he mixed her a second drink.

"Well . . .", Angela began, wondering how much to reveal. "Jim wouldn't see me and said he was in meetings but he wasn't. I walked into his office, uninvited and showed him my storyboard. I told him he couldn't steal my client and my ideas and I . . .er, threatened to sue. Right. So, he backed down." Angela's speech was stilted and uncertain as she gave her watered down version of events. The kids looked at her quizzically, as though waiting for the punch line.

"That's it?" Sam asked. "That's all you had to do?"

"Um, yeah", Angela lied, unable to face the girl while doing so. Tony could tell that Angela was holding back something big. He handed Angela her second martini and asked her to come into the kitchen to taste something. Then, he sent the kids upstairs to finish their homework before dinner.

Angela followed Tony into the kitchen. "What do you want me to taste?" she asked him.

"Nothing. There's a casserole in the oven and it's not ready yet", he replied. "Spill it, Angela. What happened with Jim Peterson that you couldn't say in front of the kids?"

"How could you tell that something else happened, Tony?"

"Seriously? Angela, I know you. I can tell when you're holding something back. Come on, I'm dying to know what happened with that scumbag!"

"You're not going to like this, Tony", she began by warning him. "But promise me you won't go over to Jim's house and beat him up."

"Why? What the hell happened?" Now, Tony was concerned.

"Tony . . . promise?" Angela needed his reassurance.

"Yeah, sure. I won't beat up Jim Peterson", Tony assured her.

"After Jim regaled me with all of the disgusting ways I became President, I realized today that he actually believes every single word of that vile gossip. I got quite an earful from him about how I slept my way to the top of Wallace & McQuaid. Of course, Jim had more colourful language for it." Angela avoided eye contact with Tony. She held up her martini glass and swirled her drink around before popping an olive into her mouth.

"So, he insulted you? That pig! That vile son of a …"

"Tony!" Angela interrupted him. "I haven't gotten to the worst part." She couldn't look at him now. She knew this would hurt him but she also knew he could handle it, just like he'd so gracefully handled hearing about Lyle. And she needed to talk, to unburden herself to her best friend.

"What did the scumbag do, Angela? What's worse than insulting you like that?" Tony looked at her questioningly.

She turned around and faced him, suddenly filled with an inexplicable urge to squeeze him tightly and trace his full lips with her fingers. Where did that come from? She could lose herself in his warm gaze—it was so caring and concerned. "What is it, Angela?" he asked her, more gently this time. His intense attention to her made her blush.

"Tony?" she looked at him tenderly and motioned for him to sit down. "Jim wanted payment for the account and I ended up kicking him-hard."

Tony looked confused. "He wanted money and you kicked him? In the shin, I hope."

"No, Tony. The payment he wanted was a special favor. The kind Lyle got from me. He unzipped his pants and told me to kneel …" she was shamefaced, looking down at the table now. She could hear Tony's breathing speed up and feel his horror.

"I'm gonna kill him, Angela!" Tony shouted, promises forgotten.

"No! Tony, I kicked him. Hard. Not in the shin, but higher. Where it really hurts a man", she smirked now, her shame forgotten.

"You did that, Angela?" Tony asked her, impressed and a bit incredulous.

"Tony, he went down so fast", she said proudly. "I brought him down. Me! All by myself. Got my account back too!" She was proud, dammit.

"I knew you were a fighter", he told her.

"Tony, I don't think I could have fought back so hard if you hadn't convinced me that the Lyle stuff wasn't my fault. It means so much to me that you . . . that you . . . oooh, Tony!" Angela choked on a sob. She grabbed Tony's hand and squeezed it hard. She had no words but when he saw the expression of affection and gratitude on her face, he understood.

"Anytime, Angela. I'd do anything for you." And he meant it. He would kill for her, of that he had no doubt. And he'd sacrifice himself for her too. He'd already fallen for her and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it. He held up their joined hands and kissed the back of hers. She looked at him in surprise and smiled.

"Tony, I'm so glad you're in my corner", she told him as they let go of each other's hands.

The back door startled them as Mona entered the kitchen, arriving for dinner. "Angela! Did you hear the news?" she began, a huge smile lighting her face.

"Oh, you mean that I got my account back, Mother? Of course I heard. I was there", she laughed.

"That's old news, Angela. I'm talking about the news I heard on the radio; President of Wallace & McQuaid fired for sexual harassment. Jim Peterson made the news! What happened today, Angela?" Mona was beside herself with curiosity.

Angela stared at her mother in disbelief. "He made the news, Mother?"

"Yes, Angela. Seems that some of the female employees complained about him—namely his secretary and one other woman. Apparently, he'd been quite "grabby" and "inappropriate" with them. But you were there today! What went down? Come on, dish it out kiddo!" Mona was all ears, eagerly waiting to find out more. She loved good gossip.

"Well Mother . . .uh, his secretary saw him behave very inappropriate today. I guess she realized it was worth telling on him after what she saw . . ." Angela began, feeling rather self-conscious and uncomfortable.

"Tell her, Angela! Tell your mother how you kicked that bastard to the ground", Tony exclaimed. He was so proud of her strength.

"You kicked Jim Peterson to the ground?" Mona asked incredulously.

"I had to, Mother! He propositioned me in a most disgusting way and was taking his pants off. He wanted a special payment in return for my own account back. There's no bloody way I would ever do that! He's a pervert and I let him know it. Helen, his secretary saw him on the ground, pant-less. I guess she had her own story to tell as well. Can't say I'm surprised." Angela hadn't wanted to get her mother involved in this story but she was proud of herself.

"Angela! You mean to tell me that you kicked him in the …"

"Yes Mother! I did. And he just came down hard!" Angela covered her mouth to stifle the little giggle that popped out.

"Ha! My daughter's a fighter. I like that, Angela", Mona cheered her. "As if you'd do anything as disgusting as what Jim Peterson was suggesting. Clearly, he doesn't know you."

"No Mother, he does not. I won't be coerced. I won't be victimized." Angela felt strong like the survivor that she'd become. She was never going to let herself be a victim again.

"Besides, you're such a prude, Dear", Mona couldn't help but throw out a tiny barb. It was simply her way.

"If I'm a prude, I have very good reasons for it, Mother", Angela couldn't help herself—that just popped out of her mouth. Realizing she'd said too much, she turned around to leave the kitchen.

Tony, who believed all along that Angela needed to confide in her mother about Lyle put a hand on her shoulder. He whispered into her ear, "Angela, maybe you should tell her. She'll understand where you're coming from. She's your mother." The strength of conviction in his eyes bore into hers. He didn't like family secrets and he knew that Lyle was a wedge between mother and daughter.

"What's going on? What are you two whispering about?" Mona asked suspiciously.

Angela met Tony's gaze. He knew her and she trusted him. She trusted him with her life and her son's life. He'd been right about so many things and he'd helped and encouraged her. He held out his hand to her and gestured to the table. "I'll stay with you", he promised. "Whatever you need Angela—you know I'm here for you."

Mona was confused but she could see that something important was being decided. She sat down at the kitchen table. "Angela? Is everything alright?" she asked.

Angela took a deep breath and looked at her mother. She didn't want secrets from her anymore. Lyle wasn't going to steal anything else from her ever again. He'd stolen her virginity and her innocence but she'd be damned if she was going to let him steal closeness with her own mother. Her mother needed to hear this so that, together they could heal. She looked over at Tony gratefully and squeezed his hand tightly. Together, they sat at the table, their hands clasped. With Tony as her best friend and support, she felt secure and protected. He'd stay with her for the entire telling.

"Mother, there's something I have to tell you. I'm a survivor! It all began right after Daddy died …"

The End