The Brass Statuettes Ch. 16

"It's late. Let's pack it in and get a steak," Frank said. Aaron hesitated. "Call you wife and tell her I said that you have to."

They ended up in a restaurant Frank knew not far from the office. Frank and Aaron each nursed a scotch on the rocks. "Nice place," Aaron said.

"It's not the kind of place where the waiters wear tuxes and arrange your napkin on your lap like a doily," Frank said. "It's the best steak in town and nice and quiet."

"It's fine with me," Aaron said.

"Have any trouble when you called home?" Frank asked.

"No," Aaron replied. "My wife was surprised, that's all. She didn't think..."

"No need to explain," Frank interrupted. "She didn't think I would give a damn you were working late. She probably thought I was already gone for the day."

Aaron looked down at the table in front of him, as if the whiskey in his glass would yield some sort of oracle. "Not exactly," he mumbled.

"What d'ya mean?"

"It's nothing," he said, "not worth mentioning—and it's just her opinion, anyway."

"I don't get it, Aaron," Frank said. "You've got to tell me; you can't leave me hanging like this."

Aaron took in a breath. "Well, it's..." He hesitated again. Frank didn't say anything; just leaned forward in expectation of the rest of the answer. Aaron let out his breath. "She didn't think you'd want to be seen with someone like me."

"Hmmm, I see," Frank answered. He paused for a few seconds. "I've got a feeling that's your opinion, too."

"Not exactly," Aaron replied.

"There are some people...you know your wife would be right in saying what she did."

"Yeah, I know."

"Aaron, you have to decide which route you're gonna take. You can expect the best from people and risk being disappointed from time to time. Or, you can be on defense at all times. Of course, there are disappointments connected with that, too."

"Yes, I suppose..."

"You're not the only one that's ever had to deal with this sort of thing," Frank said. "You know, my grandfather's last name was Bennedetto when he came to this country. He changed it, hoping it would help him get a job. He always said it was so it was easier for Americans to pronounce. I think that wasn't the only reason."

"So, did it help him get a job?"

"No," Frank laughed. "He couldn't speak English back then. It was a dead giveaway."

Aaron laughed along with Frank and drank some whiskey.

"He did get a pretty good job, eventually. Raised a big family. He never let those early years get to him—at least that I know of. He never had a chip on his shoulder. He was better off that way."

"Okay, I get it," Aaron conceded.

"Like I said, it's up to you," Frank said. They were interrupted as the waiter came to take their order.

"This used to be a pretty unexciting company," Aaron said after the waiter left with their order. "You can't say that now.

"I could do with a lot less excitement," Frank said, "especially the type we're having."

"A lot of people are saying the company is about to be taken over."

"A lot of people are wrong," Frank replied. "Don't count on it—not right now, at least. I would fight it tooth and nail. The shareholders would never get value. After that, who knows? I'll worry about it then."

"If it wasn't for this insider trading thing, we'd be humming right along."

"It's a temporary setback," Frank said. "We'll put it behind us and get back to normal."

"What about the deal in Germany? Do you think that will ever come off?"

"You never know, but I doubt it," Frank answered. "Once these deals hiccup, they usually don't come back to life. There'll be other deals, if it's deals we want. The most important thing at the moment is to get our credibility back and get the financing for R&D. If we can do that, we'll be fine."

"There's a lot to think about," Aaron said.

Frank had enough of shop talk.

"Hey, speaking of a lot to think about, I've got a question for you," Frank said. "What d'ya think about those Astros?"

*************

In a restaurant, just outside of Austin, Frank sat in a booth with Trudy and Patricia. In a rented minivan in the parking lot, were Patricia's belongings that she was taking to her dorm room as she began her college career. Trudy was on the cell phone checking on Margaret, who had begged her way out of the trip. It was just as well—it was Patricia's time. While Trudy was busy on the phone Frank and Patricia finished their lunches.

"Better clean your plate," Frank warned. "It might be the last decent meal you'll get until you come home for Thanksgiving."

"Everything's alright with Margaret," Trudy piped up before Patricia had a chance to answer. "I reminded her that I didn't want anyone in the pool while we're away from the house." She folded the cell phone and stashed it her purse.

"If I know her," Patricia said, "she's still in her pajamas talking to her friends on the internet."

"No doubt she is," Frank agreed, "but you won't have to worry about that anymore, will you. You'll have plenty to keep you busy."

"I know," Patricia mumbled, in the way she always did when her father instructed her. She cast her eyes downward at her empty plate for a few seconds. "Are you telling me I can't come home until Thanksgiving?"

"You can come home anytime you want to," Trudy answered.

"Of course," Frank agreed. "I'd bet you'll be so occupied that you won't want to leave the campus until then."

"Maybe," the daughter half-conceded.

"Take it a week at a time. If you want to come home for a visit, let us know. Just be sure to take advantage of everything that the University has to offer."

Before Patricia could reply, the cell phone rang. Trudy answered and then handed it to Frank. "It's for you; it's Jeannette."

"I wonder what it is," Frank said. "Jeannette wouldn't call if it wasn't important. He rose from his seat in the booth and took the phone to a waiting area near the entrance of the restaurant.

"Frank, I thought you should know. There's a meeting going on with all the Directors on the Finance Committee in Mr. Warner's office; Herr Mueller, Simon Lambert and all the others."

"I didn't know about any meeting," Frank said. "What about Jim Sweeney?"

"Yes, him too," Jeannette confirmed. "Mr. Crossman went in, as well."

Frank thought for a second and then heaved a sigh. "I don't know what it means. They obviously didn't want me there. There's nothing to do about it right now. Just..."

"Wait!" Jeannette interrupted. "Mr. Hart and Mr. Smith are heading in that direction, too."

"The only thing to do is wait it out, Jeannette. Keep track of who goes in and fill me in tomorrow morning. If they come looking for me, they know where to find me. In the meantime, not a word to anyone."

"Right, Frank."

"Thanks for the call. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Trouble at the office?" Trudy asked when Frank returned to the table.

"No," he replied. "It was just an accounting question."

"Oh," Trudy grunted and glanced at Frank for a few seconds. He didn't see her. He was looking over the check that the waitress brought to the table while he was on the phone.

Frank looked at Patricia. "Ready to go to college?"

********************

The sun was behind Trudy and Frank as they drove back to Houston that evening. It was after three before Patricia checked into her dorm and they lugged all her things up three floors. By the time they looked around the campus, and Patricia was pleading for them to leave, it was closing in on five-thirty in the afternoon.

"You must be tired," Trudy said. "Want me to drive for a while?"

"I'm forty-two, not eighty-two," Frank teased back. "I'll let you know."

"Okay—okay," Trudy laughed. "Just make sure you don't spend all your energy driving."

"It's too bad we can't stay over," he said with a sigh. "I just don't have the time to spare from the office right now."

Trudy patted him on the thigh. "Don't worry; we'll be home before ten, even if we stop to eat." She sat back and relaxed in the passenger's seat. "I'll bet Margaret would tell us to stay out as long as we want—but she'll have to be disappointed," she added and then laughed again. "I'll call and check on her on the cell phone a little later."

They sped along on I-10, watching the scenery pass by. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. Trudy fumbled with the radio dial on the rented van hoping, to find a station with some of her kind of music.

"You know, Trudy," Frank finally said, "sometime soon, when we have time we could take a trip. We could drive right around the whole state. We'd start at Houston, stop at San Antonio, over to El Paso..."

"That sounds nice, Frank, but you're not thinking about touring around Texas in a minivan. You're trying to find a way to tell me about Jeannette's call during lunch."

Frank looked at Trudy. "How does she always know before I tell her?"

"It doesn't look good, Trudy. You better be ready for anything. We might have some time on our hands to take that trip."

"What could have happened in the space of a single day?"

"Beats me; there was a meeting today in Alvin's office with all the members of the Finance Committee. I should have been there, but I didn't even know it was going to take place. It's hard to take that as good news."

"But Frank, you haven't done anything wrong. They've got to give you a chance..."

"Things aren't always fair, Trudy. They might think by shedding me it would be a chance to hit the recycle button—get a fresh start. I don't agree, but..."

"So, you figure to throw in the sponge and take a drive around Texas?"

"It's not like that Trudy. It might be already decided. Anyway, it's not like we'd be out of money, or anything. They'd pay off my contract and..."

"Listen to me, Frank," Trudy answered in her stern voice. "I know care about the money. And I really don't care at all about the status or fitting in with Gloria's crowd. It's you, Frank. You never give up. If you do, you'll never get over it. You have to fight it out all the way. Then, either way it comes out, things will be okay."

Frank laughed and shook his head. "Trudy, you know me better than I know myself."

"I've had plenty of practice," she countered.

"Does that mean that if I fight it out and they can me anyway, we can take that trip around the state?"

Trudy gave out a hearty laugh. "I'd like to think about a riverboat trip up the Mississippi and back," she said as she patted his thigh. "That would be nice, but it'll never happen. We'll never have the time. You're going to win."

Frank stole a glance at her as he drove. He reached across to her seat and patted her leg. "Trudy, I feel better already."

**************

TO BE CONTINUED

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