Mommy Was a Whore Ch. 08

* * *

Nathan arrived home after visiting his parents and said, "Mom asked where were you?"

"As if she cares."

"She seemed disappointed you weren't with me."

Gina looked quite surprised.

"Mom will be calling you about lunch on Sunday to ask you what you'd like. She is organizing a buffet lunch to introduce you to some of her friends. She was astonished they all seemed to know you and said some great things about you. Mom said not to tell you this but she's suddenly 'found' you and realizes she hadn't started off on the right foot with you."

"What did your father say?"

Nathan threw his keys on to the sideboard and scratched the back of his head.

"Come on. What did your father say?"

Nathan said if Gina let on to his parents that she knew he'd murder her. "Dad said, 'Why bother going to this fuss; after your frosty reception she won't want to know you'."

Gina laughed and handed Nathan a glass of fruit juice. "It seems the drawbridge is down for me."

Nathan chuckled and said his mom could be a difficult cow but he'd not thought she would have held out this long.

"Nathan!"

"Ooops, I meant to say difficult person. This juice is great."

* * *

After introductions by council property manager Susan Howell, the chairman of the council's 5-person property, parks and reserves committee Max Creighton said, "Welcome Miss Lott. We record for this hearing that your applications for the purchase of the two properties that we are about to consider were lodged before your appointment to the future planning commission was announced and that you also wish that fact be emphasized when our decisions are presented to the full council for ratification. Although such disclosure is not required Miss Lott, we acknowledge it as an ethical submission. Thank you."

Gina outlined how she was related to Palin's first settlers through Silas Youngerman's family and for that reason wished to have the stables in Pilcher Street preserved but also she'd established beyond doubt the stables and the long demolished house on that site was the final home of Sergeant Thomas Palin whose name was given to the settlement in 1871 that became Palin city. She was in the process of leading a move to have a monument erected to Thomas Palin as the acknowledged founder of Palin in another part of the city. Gina then tabled supporting documentation that was passed between the committee members.

Brief whispered discussion between committee members followed and then Mr Creighton declared, "It is the decision of this committee that subject to ratification of the full council that Miss Lott's offer to buy the council-owned property at 32 Pilcher Street, Palin City, be accepted and after the new owner has completed fenced the aforesaid property that it be gifted back to the council as a historic reserve and a notice be erected and maintained by the council outlining the historical significance of that property. Subject to this transaction as outlined being endorsed by the full council meeting this committee congratulates you Miss Lott on her generous action to clear the debt on the aforesaid property and to gift the property to the council on behalf of the citizens of Palin City."

The sale of the Gaynor Building was required to go through a commercial process.

"Your conditional offer for this building will remain confidential Miss Lott," said the chairman. "This committee and council officials have discussed the situation and have agreed, subject to full council approval, to place the building for sale by tender, the sale to be advertised each Saturday for four weeks in the Palin Post and tenders to close on the second Friday after the last publication of that advertisement. We thank you for your interest and trust you are aware that the possible sale of the Gaynor Building will be open to you as a bidder. This ends our business today with you Miss Lott. Thank you."

As they left the room, Mrs Howell said, "I pushed for a sale directly to you but the CEO intervened and said there could be an outcry if we allowed a commercial sale of that amount without it being sold by auction or tender. He met with our chief attorney yesterday and I have only just learned of the outcome. It's like getting a rap over the knuckles without being told. My mistake and I apologized for implying a quick sale could be possible."

"No sweat Mrs Howell. I want to purchased the building sure, but I want to do that without controversy."

As she walked out Gina decided to place a tender before closing date for $2.1 million just in case any other interested party thought two million was a nice round figure. It would allow the council people accepting a tender of $2.1 million to know they had gained more than two million dollars for 'the White Elephant'. If hers were the only realistic offer it wouldn't matter. If she wasn't competitive she could miss out.

"At least that's how I see it," Gina sighed aloud.

When Nathan came home she took him to view her purchase, sure that the council would accept her offer.

"It's a waste of money," Nathan said, shaking his head, "but I can appreciate where you are coming from. It also will leave people admiring you and Silas and his immediate family would have been well pleased with what you have done. Most people like a bit of family history to keep."

Driving home Gina told Nathan about her suspicions that five six-guns were entombed in the base of the old stables.

"Jesus -- let's get them out and sell them to collectors. If their history is enclosed you'd make a small fortunate from payment from gun collectors or even museums."

"I will decide in time. My thinking is Silas left them there, so why shouldn't I? It's a thought I have to work through."

"Well if you get a key made, please make sure I'm there when the lid is opened."

"Sure. If they are there and I disperse them, I'll give one to you. Silas could have sold them or given them away, but he didn't. I guess I'll never know why."

They arrived home to find five boxes of the campaign buttons had arrived.

Gina buttoned one on to her shirt and gave one to Nathan.

"I'm a Committed Trooper -- Back the Tom Palin Campaign. Very good. Give me a couple of dozen to sell to people at the clinic and their families. Two bucks each you said?"

"Yes, and thank you for your support kind sir."

* * *

Sales of the campaign buttons went through the roof virtually overnight. Gina thought that might happened when Nathan came home at lunchtime on the day he took buttons to the clinic. He had lunch with Gina and took a box of fifty buttons back with him. Charlotte called her and said some booksellers had sold out their supply within two hours. Another 10,000 had been ordered and would arrive in two days.

Tubby called her to complain, "Where's my free button?" Laughing Gina took the four boxes she had, give him a button and asked him to have the buttons placed at the front reception desk and in the staff café for sale at two dollars each, with proceeds going to the Tom Palin Project Fund."

"Don't bank on plonking your memorial in our busiest intersection," Tubby said, "but here -- and keep this confidential -- this is fifty bucks for my button. Go girl. God you have balls!"

Gina almost floated out of City Hall, thinking that was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to her; she knew what Tubby had meant.

Two days later the scowling face of Adam Castle appeared on local TV K0Z0 news, almost making Gina puke. She and Nathan watched in silence as Adam, as president of the Palin You Are Being Conned Campaign Society explained to the earnest presenter of After the News why his organization was opposed to the 'glorifying of a simple minded soldier as the founder of Palin City'.

Gina's phone went. She asked Nathan to answer it. He said it was the TV station asking if Gina would debate the issue now if they could get Adam to agree.

Gina grabbed the phone and said yes, providing Adam Castle got Nicci Bergamini to walk on stage and join him.

The reporter stopped the interview to listen to her ear microphone. She continued, "Mr Castle, our producer is in telephone contact with Miss Gina Lott of the Sergeant Palin campaign. Miss Lott has agreed to debate your criticism of her campaign but only if you ask Mrs Nicci Begamini, your campaign organizer, to join you on stage."

That incensed Adam. "See, that's so typical of Gina Lott the [bleep]. Our legal adviser Mr Green has contacted Gina Lott twice asking for a face to face public debate with me over this issue and she has contemptuously refused the [blank][blank]. Sorry about my foul language but I'm so upset." He looked across stage and said, "Nicci, get your ass over here. Right feed Gina Lott to us."

Looking at a photo insert of Gina on-screen the reporter said, "Miss Lott, why had you refused to debate this issue?"

Gina: Because there is no issue, only in the heads of Adam and Nicci and their few supporters. I'm talking now because these idiots are damaging the good name of Palin and I'm furious Adam has publicly slandered me. I'm not a [blank][blank].

Reporter: I'm sure you fit neither of those abhorrent descriptions. Mr Castle, fire away.

Adam: Why are you engaged in ripping off tens of thousands of dollars from the citizens of Palin over a phony campaign?

Gina: We began selling campaign buttons yesterday for two dollars a pop. That's the full extent of our fund-raising to date and I'm not sure we will need to raise any more money. Guilt will ensure other funding comes forward. So Adam why are you falsely claiming we are raising tens of thousands of dollars? Substantiate you claim please.

Adam threw up his hands angrily and asked Nicci to ask her question.

Nicci: Palin has gone for more almost one hundred and forty years without acknowledging a founder so why are you, an outsider, attempting to find one for us and impose him on us?

Gina: Could it be that people like you and Adam have been too dumb to acknowledge his existence?

Nicci: That is insulting and I've never heard anything so absurd.

Gina: I thought the same when I heard the name of the organization you founded: the Palin You Are Being Conned Campaign Society. Do even you guys know what it means?

Nicci: I've had enough of this. This is getting us nowhere.

Gina: Okay, I believe I can end this debate right now. Answer this Nicci: Where does the name Palin City come from?

Nicci froze and stared at the TV camera, mouth in a tight line.

Gina: Adam, I'll try to simplify a very simple question. Why is Palin City named Palin City?

Adam sat scowling and showed no sign of answering.

Penny said, "Well I guess this ends this very interesting little debate. We're not broadcasting from Palin City and I've never been to that city that I understand is a very nice place. But it would seem to me that Palin City was named after Sergeant Tom Palin. Is that right Miss Lott?

Gina: Yes, the city was named after him. A census conducted by the Army in 1871 of what is recorded as the Settlement of Palin's Folly names one of the twelve adult males as Sergeant Thomas Palin and no other male or female is named as a Palin. We secured this evidence ten days ago. Goodnight viewers and thank you for taking an interest in Palin and the guy I now call Sergeant Tom."

As Gina put down the phone Nathan said, "You were marvelously wonderful." He began pulling off Gina's top. Her phone rang. His phone rang. Someone was knocking at the door.

"Let them ring, let them knock. You've made my randy you gut-ripping debater."

"No -- stop it. I mean it Nathan. The light must never dim on this project if we are to prevail!"

Nathan scowled, a picked up his phone. Gina smiled, pulled her top back on and answered her phone, walking out to answer the door.

A hour later during a lull in calls, Gina's phone went.

"Hi, Gina Lott speaking."

"Hello dear."

There was a pause before Gina answered: "Hello mom."

"Your father and I are staying at the Pioneer Hotel, arriving a couple of hours ago. We are here for you engagement luncheon at Mr and Mrs McGeorge's tomorrow. We saw you on TV and have been trying to get through to you but understood your friends must be calling to congratulate you. I thought you performed like a Joan of Arc dear. You also moved me when I read in the Palin Post your comment that it was long overdue to bring Sergeant Palin in from the cold. That phrase has sat heavily with me. Then when Mrs McGeorge called to inform us you were engaged and to invite us to her party tomorrow the dam broke and I realized -- no, I acknowledged -- just how despicably I'd treated you. I spurned you for inadequate reasoning and took your father along with me. I simply ignored the fact that you are my daughter to make my petty point."

"Mother, it was scarcely petty in your context. You've forgiven and I'm sorry for tearing at your heart by being a scarlet woman in Rome but what's done is done. Give me another two hours to mop up the last of these calls and entertain the people who are gathering her and Nathan and I will be down to have supper with you and dad. You'll love him mom -- he's the kind of guy I know you always wanted for me. I'm thrilled to hear your voice again."

* * *

Tears flowed at the family patch-up and for sometime Eva Lott couldn't stop herself from glancing at Nathan, as he so fitted the mould of the man she'd wanted for her daughter. Nathan didn't have to work hard to talk to Gina's dad. Neville was a good conversationalist and early in the piece admitted his two big passions were beer and poker.

Returning home that evening Nathan said, "You had rarely said anything about your mom but in her ostracizing you I formed the impression she'd be big and strong, looking rather like an ageing Superbitch. Instead what do I find? A mild-mannered woman who if anything is a little mousy."

"Mousy?"

"Ooops, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's acceptable I guess from someone who refers to his own mother using unflattering tags such as cow."

Nathan hung his head a little and said sorry, he'd try to improve. Gina told him to just be himself. She didn't want to change him but perhaps they both could be kinder to their mothers. Nathan had the look of a guy thinking she'd handled that very well.

The buffet luncheon next day for seventeen couples was a real success for Jacqui McGeorge. Everyone praised her catering and the floral arrangements. Gina soon became aware just how proud Jacqui was of her; what a turnaround.

Archie was on good form because some of the guys were long-time pals and he showed he was accepting his prospective daughter-in-law as one of the boys by drawing her into a small group of guys and telling a joke that bordered on the obscene. A couple of guys were frowning at Archie when Gina saved him from embarrassment by telling a joke that almost sizzled the hair on their chests. Archie gave her a look that was saying, 'Thanks pal.' It was just one of those gatherings that just floated on.

As the guests were leaving Nina's parents and she and Nathan were invited to stay on for dinner and the invitation was accepted. Mother and daughter went for a long walk an hour before dinner and returned smiling and walking hand in hand. They were at peace again with one another, completely.

To be continued...