You're Worth Dying For Ch. 01

She reached for her car keys on the key hook and noticed a 'Things to Do' note from her mother. The entries -- Take S's personal stuff away; clean out his drawers, wardrobes; go through his study carefully; sell his golf gear, tennis gear and fishing gear; get in professional cleaners, asking them to put anything masculine out for me to inspect; pay bills keeping receipts; sell car; arrange thank you cards and send out; go through entire property one more time (ah, sell car trailer, cancel his magazine subs; cancel his Playboy channel sub; leave this record for DM).

Maggie's eyes softened at sighting her mother's pet name for her, DM stood for Darling Mine.

God, what a perfect mother. She'd ticked off everything including the bereavement thank you cards which had a little note above that entry 'All posted off'. Maggie had been about to drive off to arrange thank you cards, not at all looking forward to doing that and the morbid task of addressing the envelops to send off -- so, she was free for the rest of the afternoon, Friday. What should she do?

The phone went.

"Christ, you're home. Thank God for that."

"And good afternoon to you, Ryan. Yes, I'm fine, and how about you?"

"Maggie, listen to me. A strike meeting has been called for three this afternoon. That fat slimy bastard Kruger has called in union reps from Auckland. Kruger and three other union delegates plus the two union officials have just left my office after mouthing fire and brimstone. We're in the gun for paying over big money, Maggie; they are proposing to hold rolling strikes until we give into their demands, no matter how long that takes."

Maggie said calmly: "They always say that; those are union tactics to spread fear and panic to break resistance. What are you going to tell the assembly?"

"Tell them? Nothing; it's a close union meeting."

"Bullshit -- don't listen to bully boy Kruger. Here's what you do. Get Stan Meadows into your office right now and ask him as soon as the meeting starts to propose a motion that you and I be invited into the meeting to join the officials at the top table and after hearing the grievances we will give our decisions, thus short-circuiting the process in responding to demands."

"Okay, but what is our response?"

"Ryan, you are managing director. Do you really want me to takeover from you?"

There was a brief silence. "No, not quite, but as executive chairman you have more clout than me. I'd like you at my side, with us working as a team."

"Excellent -- a good decision. Get talking to Stan right now; I'm on my way."

Actually, that wasn't true. Maggie showered, did her make-up and hair then dressed in a skirted business suit. She looked in the mirror and sighed, pulling out her combed up hair and changing into a black shirt, trousers and jerkin and poking around in the wardrobe found her black wool Fedora with narrow brim. She picked out a pair of black gloves but decided that might be a little bit over the top. Instead she redid her face, making it unusually white.

Maggie entered the executive parking lot slowly, timing it right. Ryan de Lacey rushed out, looking at his watch and, looking ever so handsome, she thought.

"Christ, hurry. They are about to start. We are to wait outside the press room where we will be called in if that's the wish of the meeting."

"Who's running this show, Ryan -- we or them?"

"Er, good point. Where should we wait?"

"In your office."

"Right -- but how will Stan find us?"

"He'll phone either you or me."

"Sorry about this -- it's got me all wound up. I've done a quick calc. of their demands. It comes close to $20,000 a month extra for us."

"Are you sure, that sounds awfully low."

"Low? Oh blast, I mean $200,000."

"That's more like our greedy union delegates."

That seemed to take a load off Ryan. He smiled and said, "You're looking awfully tragic. I guess that's intentional?"

"Good one. So what are our tactics?"

"To tell them to get stuffed and to boot the disruptive Kruger out of office."

"But you can't -- their union chief will have your balls...er...I mean you backside for supper, claiming employer stand-over tactics and interfering with union democratic rights in lawfully electing their delegates. You must..."

Maggie's phone went.

"Maggie."

"Hi, Stan. Thank you. We're on our way from Ryan's office. Give us two minutes."

Stan, the office workers' union delegate introduced Maggie and Ryan to the two visiting union officials. Joe Kruger, chairing the meeting, pointed to two chairs at the end of the table. Joe then thundered away for fifteen minutes and one of the union officials then addressed the meeting on the right of unionists to take strike action to defend their rights. Then Joe invited Ryan to speak. He expressed disappointment that employees were pushing for expensive improvements to their near-derelict premises after having agreed by mass vote only five months ago to tolerate existing conditions while new premises were being constructed. He appealed to the meeting to consider their options. From the employer's point of view, any money being spent unnecessary on the present premises would be at the expense of spending to fit-out the replacement premises.

"Right," said the chairman. "As soon as our guests leave we'll take a vote on this."

"Point of clarification, Mr Chairman," called Stan. "If Mrs Roberts was invited to attend this meeting as the principal player in these issues, why isn't she being invited to speak?"

Joe turned to Maggie and asked if she wanted to speak. She answered only if it was the wish of the meeting.

Before Joe could think on that one, a roar erupted, "Let her speak."

Maggie took two pieces of paper from her pocket.

"This email is from Logan Property Developers confirming their offer made two months ago which is fifty percent more that I paid for this rundown property. This second email is from Logan Property Developers offering me almost two hundred percent more for our new site where work on the new press room commenced four weeks ago. If this meeting decides to accept the recommendation and begin rolling strikes, or if any other restrictive industrial action is taken delaying our transfer of all operations to the new site, scheduled to be completed in eleven months from today, then I will simply take the money and walk, then ending my dream to convert our city newspaper into a much larger newspaper covering the entire South Auckland Region. Thank you."

There was complete silence as Maggie began walking to the door, Ryan hurrying after her. Maggie stopped abruptly with Ryan almost colliding with her.

"Oh, one more thing. It is not my wish to ever again have Mr Kruger to deal with my executive officers; his attitudes and tactics are too confrontational and antiquated for my liking. Thank you."

At first only coughs and scuffling of chairs and feet could be heard as the chairman and chief executive walked to the doors, but then a murmur began, with increasing volume.

"That's your lynching being discussed," Ryan whispered. He was ignored until the door closed behind them.

"So you are willing to put one hundred and twenty-six of us out of a job?"

"Yes, either that or drag you all into the 21st Century."

"Save your investment is more like it."

"Well, rolling stoppages could easily bring us to our knees, including losing advertising, some of which may never be regained."

Ryan rubbed his chin. "What now?"

"Come with me and get half drunk."

Ryan looked disappointed and said he had important work to do.

"You don't really know how to treat a lady, do you?"

Stopping in astonishment, Ryan said that was a very personal remark.

"Bullshit."

"I beg your pardon!"

He was told he'd heard the comment and that if he wasn't broken in now it was unlikely he'd ever be suitable to be invited to drink with a lady.

Ryan began to pontificate and saying their definitions of the term 'lady' might possibly differ enormously but he was too much of a gentleman to punch below the belt.

"Really, Ryan, you must be in the clutches of a woman who is suffocating you as a social being. I get better vibes from my neighbor's cat than I get from you."

"May we continue this conversation over a drink?" he said, rather stiffly. "I feel we are becoming much too personal."

Maggie flashed him a huge smile. "Oh Ryan, how simply dashing of you to enter the fray against all your internal warnings; that is a heroic quality that I'd like to see all men display, modestly."

"You car or mine?"

"Whichever is nearest to the exit gate, Ryan."

Ridiculous at it may seem, they stood by their cars, parked opposite to each other. Maggie thought well, this is a test for this man -- gentleman or dork? If he mentions fetching a tape measure I'll scream."

"A dead heat, it appears to me. But no arguing; you're coming with me."

Maggie virtually floated over to his car, thinking this guy is capable of being romantic. I think I'll not search for a suitable man for the moment as a possible candidate may be standing -- "Ouch!" right on my toe, opening the door for me.

"Oops, sorry. You have such tiny feet they were difficult to notice."

What a liar, and how can a man change so much within such a sort time? Ah, I know; he feels the pressure has come off him with me now here to share collective responsibility and he thinks we've won the day with our employees. Have we? Yes!

When their drinks arrived -- a low alcohol Rosé wine for Maggie and a beer for Ryan he raised his glass and toasted her: "Good health and thanks for your support today -- you handled it proactively whereas I was waiting for the decision -- I've learned a valuable lesson; thanks, Maggie."

"My pleasure but I concede you were not in a position to be too aggressive, lacking full authority to seize the moment. Why do you think it's taking so long for my phone to ring?"

"The attacking reformists are busy circling the wagons sheltering the defending traditionalists. Make no mistake, Kruger has built up a hardcore of supporters."

"You think the strike is a no-go?"

"Logically I'd have to say yes, but the officials may have pleaded for a deferment to allow the pro-strikers to apply pressure on their opponents."

Maggie's phone went and she stepped outside to take the call as the bar was beginning to fill. She returned beaming.

"The officials made no attempt to interfere and the vote to reject strike action and any subsequent pressure went through with a substantial majority. Joe Kruger is out and you can expect his resignation in the morning; Stan said he's off to Australia where he says unions have more power."

Ryan congratulated Maggie for having the courage to go for the dumping of Kruger. "I hate to imagine the fall-out had that initiative come unstuck and the hardcore demanded the union take you to the cleaners, alleging illegal interference in labor relations."

"Well, if we all worried about what might happen or use up energy on considering every option and every possible counter-action we'd end up being brilliant strategists ready to solve problems that in the meantime have either been solved by someone else or have blown up to threaten our business survival."

Ryan looked thoughtful. "I take it that's a gentle rebuke?"

"Sort of, and thanks for use of the word gentle. We are both on learning curves and just because I'm naturally a little more aggressive it doesn't mean I'll mature before you as a business person -- it takes all types. As I see it, the more we talk about these things and tune our minds the more effective we'll become in leading this company forward. I must ask you this: would you like to appoint an operations manager as pressures on you will increase with having to run the operation here as well as keeping an eye on developments at our new site and running meetings to plan the staged relocation with minimal disruption?"

A smile broke out over Ryan's face. "During the first week you were away I wrote a report to you recommending I be authorized to create a new position of operations manager but it remains sitting within my computer."

"Excellent -- good minds are in synch. Have it on my desk by first thing on Monday morning and I'll be ready to discuss it with you over coffee mid-morning."

Maggie stood ready to leave. Ryan finished his beer and joined her. On the short drive back to the office for her to collect her car Maggie asked: "Do you currently have a girl friend?"

"Yes and I'm two months away from my divorce finalizing. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, must an idea I had. I see a couple or so lonely months ahead of me until I get back into the social swing again. I want to suggest you knock around with me for a while."

"You mean drop Kate for you?"

"I only said consider."

"And if my answer is no?"

Maggie looked at him straight in the eye as he turned to glance at her. "I'd consider you a fool but as I don't know Kate that's a ridiculous thing for me to say."

They drove into the company's parking lot, and Ryan switched off the ignition and hunched over the steering wheel. "You mean just for sex?"

"Oh yes sex, probably as much as you can handle, but also to go for walks, the occasional weekend away, to accompany me when I'm invited out...you known the sort of thing."

Ryan grinned. "This almost amounts to an indecent proposal, especially with its implication that I give Kate the push."

"There is no pressure for you to make any change."

"Oh yeah," he grinned. "I've always fancied you."

"I know."

Ryan attempted to hide his surprise.

He made no comment so she said: "I've seen your eyes on me and read your expressions. Just think about it, huh? I'm off."

"Do I kiss you goodbye?"

"Heavens no, what would Kate think in that sort of news got back to her?"

"Are you serious?" Ryan asked, scratching behind his ear.

"Yes, definitely. I'm putting myself in her place -- I would be very upset."

"But not as upset at being told -- if that were to happen -- that it's all over Kate?"

Maggie sighed and stretched a little, just to remind him she had breasts -- nice ones, bordering on being voluptuous according to one of her girlfriends. "Oh no, that declaration may well devastate her, at least for a day or so.

"And yet you are prepared to let that happen?"

"Yes, Ryan. Relationships are severed all the time -- just look at what's happened to me, recently. It's just part of the cycle of life with some of us accepting it and others who don't; whatever happens, life usually goes on, occasionally for the better."

"I'm sure Kate's views on this would be a lot different to yours."

"It's entirely your decision, Ryan. If you don't want to hurt her, then don't."

Looking a little agitated, Ryan said, "This sudden whim of yours..."

"Oh it's no sudden initiative, I assure you; I've thought about it extensively over the past three weeks. Good-bye."

She was gone. Ryan emerged from his mid-size Mercedes and watched Maggie walk to her sleek black car, her ass moving like he'd never seen it sway before -- or was that his imagination? She was one dangerous woman; he decided he'd be safer sticking with Kate.

"Oh, Ryan," called his PA from the open window immediately overhead. Jane waved to Maggie who returned the wave. "I've received a message for you from the printing press agents. Our new presses and associated equipment are aboard a container ship that left Germany yesterday -- ten days ahead of schedule. I thought you'd like the good news first."

"Oh, and what's the bad news."

"We've a virus -- my computer has been infected by your laptop. I need you to come to my rescue as I think the virus is deleting every file I open."

"Stay two yards away from our computers, Jane. I'll on my way to eliminate your distress."

Driving home, Maggie was confident this would be a bad weekend for Kate. She knew that Ryan was typically male and generally a large number of typical males had a desire to place themselves between Maggie's legs. Ryan had now received a offer that would consume his mind every waking minute, including after he and Kate did it tonight if indeed it was on their schedule which was likely as Ryan was not the kind of guy who should be left to his own devices,

She giggled, threw he head back in delight and only the blare of a car horn thumped by an irritated driver behind her made her aware she'd driven through a red light. Miraculously she was not in danger of hitting anyone because no-one had been fast out of the blocks. Checking in her mirror she could see the horn-blower waving her fist. She heard a siren and pulled over. A police car, lights flashing, went hurtling by, allowing her guilt to dissipate. She drove home exactly on the speed limit, which was very unusual for her and during that slow journey home wondered whether she'd have her first meal with Ryan at his home or hers and whether they would then do it and have dessert or perhaps have dessert but have the coffee later. She then began to worry that he might be the sort of gentlemen who didn't believe in doing it on the first date, which raised the question, how many dates did those gentlemen require before they succumbed to being normal lecherous males?

She squirmed in her seat and knew by her warming body what she needed right now. Maggie stopped to allow the Marks' cat cross the road to her property. Fluffy, tail in the air and queening along sedately instead of running as it normal did when vehicles approached...the damn cat recognized the car so knew she could be trusted to stop!

* * *

Maggie lived in Southgate, a city, founded twenty-one years ago as a bold plan to halt the sprawl of Auckland, which it did -- for a few years. The city was only twenty miles away from the urban boundary of metropolitan Auckland -- 'A day's ride on horseback from central Auckland including a stopover for a lunch and swim in the Waikato River' as a correspondent in the Letters to the Editor column in theNew Zealand Herald so quaintly described it soon after the site of the new city was confirmed. Today anyone asking 'Where's Southgate City?' may be told, 'A day's ride on horseback south of Auckland City' and would be left wondering how far that was?

Speculating developers raced to erect buildings, the city authorities being rather lax about enforcing standards because they were bent on accelerating the establishment a city infrastructure to attract commerce and industry - which provided a more lucrative rating base than residential housing - to finance roads, bridges and other services the city council was responsible for providing and maintaining.

When Maggie returned from England ready to begin her business career, her mother had moved to Southgate to live with her new husband and Maggie's second stepfather, Grayson; he was one of those rare breeds -- a 'lively' accountant whom Maggie came to adore. Like his predecessor and successors, he was handsome, exactly her mother's height, infatuated with Harriet, articulate, adventuresome, childless, wealthy and not overly intelligent; it was as if they were cloned to her mother's specifications.

Leasing a shoddy apartment, Maggie implemented her investment plan, with a kitty of just over $NZ536,000, courtesy of grandfather Otis. Quietly she bought out the seven largest lawn mowing contractors in the city and paying the penalties to cancel their franchise contracts, amalgamated them into the one company and appointed a retired businessman to run it after re-engaging all the former sub-contractors as paid employers. Ten months later she sold the business to a family of new immigrants looking to establish themselves in their new homeland, walking away with a net gain of 2.76 times her total outlay.

Similar forays were made into creating a monopoly of pizza home delivery services, three companies specializing in constructing residential drives, footpaths and fences and then she purchased six hair salons and opened three new ones and sold that integrated business also to rich new immigrants wanting to invest into a 'walk in' business.