You're Worth Dying For Ch. 02

Maggie snuggled up to Ryan. "Darling, do you realize that's the first time I've actually witnessed you in real action -- I've always seen you in action at meetings. You sounded so masterful and that poor Roger -- he must have been peeing himself. Oops, sorry. And there you were telling him to give the impression he saved the day."

"Well, if the boss doesn't support the team, who does?"

"Exactly -- go clean your teeth and dress -- I'm taking you out to a late movie and then supper."

Maggie was sure just as that phone call came Ryan was thinking she could stick her money. Instead, because of her comment after he dealt with that call he seemed to bask that evening in her praise of him acting decisively and effectively (Roger called back but only to report the power supply to the CBD was still out but the newspaper presses and the commercial printing presses were up and running, the downtime being fourteen minutes, thirty-one seconds). After the movie they each had a steak sandwich and shared a triple chocolate dessert, with Ryan feeding her. It was her turn to bask: if that as not love, what was it?

They had returned to work after lunch following their wedding -- something they'd agreed to do and called a meeting of all staff at 3:00 in the courtyard. Maggie had told Ryan how she wanted to handle this and he agreed to do it her way, saying he couldn't think of a better way.

"Hi everyone, thanks for coming out at short notice; nothing serious. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you all to meet my new husband: we were married this morning."

The executives were gathered around the executive chairman and no stranger was in sight. Then Ryan stepped forward and took Maggie's hand, looking very boyish, she thought. There was a gasp then someone from the bindery staff called out "Go Maggie" and Maggie's PA Cathie bounced forward amid an increasing volume of murmurs, pecked Ryan on the cheek and then kissed and hugged Maggie.

"Sorry everyone," called Maggie. "We decided keep this event to ourselves to reduce our embarrassment-- some of your may know we've both had a previous marriage and this romance has blasted off like a rocket. But you are not being excluded -- invitations will be in today's mail inviting every member of staff and their partner to our wedding breakfast which we have delayed until Sunday week because the venue is not quite ready yet."

When the cheering died, Maggie continued, "Note the invitation will state 'No presents please'. That's all, and thank you for turning up to hear this little piece of news. Ryan, do you wish to say anything?"

"Just that I'm taking Maggie and our executive officers to Al's Bar at 5:00 tonight and those of you wishing to have a drink on me are welcome to join us. The bar is limited to fifty-five patrons so I'd be obliged if you don't all turn up together otherwise we'll create bedlam. We'll be there till at least 7:00 so perhaps you could turn up in shifts. That's all."

After accepting congratulations from executive staff, and personally inviting them to the bar, Maggie drove off for a meeting with her wedding breakfast organizing committee at Harriet's apartment.

* * *

Ryan still found it difficult to accept that Maggie had wanted to marry him. But he became caught up in her enthusiasm and rationalized no harm could come of it apart from him losing his job if their marriage failed. But that sole negative thought was pushed aside when he began thinking of Maggie's thighs and her amazing personality. In truth he thought she'd be good for him, perhaps changing him into a risk-taker.

His mother had greeted his news that he was going to remarry -- and quickly -- in disbelief.

"But you broke up with that young women Kate who I know I could have loved."

"True, but now I have met the dream woman."

"Impossible, it's been such a short time since you broke off with Carol."

"Kate."

"Well, Kate then."

"Have you been having it off on the sly with this other woman, you two-timer?"

"No."

"Then how many times have you dated her?"

"Twice."

"What!"

"Sorry, I thought you heard," grinned Ryan watching his father shake his head and continue reading his newspaper. "I said twice."

"Oh lordy -- you've got her pregnant, haven't you?"

"I think it takes longer than three days after the event, if there was one, to detect a pregnancy."

"This I cannot believe. So what is this hold she has over you?"

"She is beautiful with glorious tits..."

"Ryan!"

"They are the things on a woman's chest," he said straight-faced. His father, now all ears, winked at him.]

His mother stuck out her jaw; this was serious. "Ryan, I forbid you to marry this money-grubbing wench."

"It's the women who owns most of our printing company and newspaper, mother."

Molly staggered to her favorite chair. "Rupert, I need a very strong gin."

Revived by alcohol infusion, Molly said: "I'm telling you this, Ryan. I shall never like this woman if you marry her."

Rupert's head jerked up from his newspaper, waiting to hear how his nimble son would handle that barb.

"You really have no choice in this, mother. She will have you under her spell before you can say Molly Agnes de Lacey."

"Huh -- for a moment she almost smiled. But then she was back with the barbs: You'll rue the day if you proceed with this ridiculous proposal and in doing so will disgrace the name of de Lacey, bestowing it on this strumpet of a woman. Girls have always been sex-mad on you since you lost your facial spots; it's disgusting that she'd no different, despite her great wealth."

Ryan thought it time to leave. "Dad, you'll love her. Unlike most women she treats men as her equal and is so sensuous, beautiful, highly intelligent and a consummate business planner and risk-taker."

"She sounds like Wonder Woman; try her out before you think of marriage, that's my advice."

"Rupert."

"Keep out of this woman; it's men's talk."

Molly, dabbing her eyes, held out her glass for another gin, which Ryan fetched for her.

"Work on her dad; it will be a tiny wedding and I want you both there, with cheerful faces."

Well, like a good script for a movie it failed to work out, his mother spurned Maggie despite the bride-to-be arriving bearing gifts. The first she went with Ryan who made the introductions. His mother accepted the chocolates and huge bouquet of flowers from Maggie; Molly's manner could be best described as indifference with scarcely concealed hostility.

Maggie had chosen to wear one of those dresses which, when we bent over, her upper chest superstructure threatened to pop out.

Big mistake.

Her next error was to respond to the friendliness of his father and sit on the arm of his chair, one arm all but curled around him, just above his head.

Ryan could hear her mother's teeth clicking as she gnashed them together in suppressed fury -- well, perhaps mild agitation might be more accurate. Ryan had not given any background about Maggie.

Big mistake.

"Why did your previous husband divorce you?" Molly asked.

The anxious Ryan had to give Maggie credit for letting his mother off the hook lightly.

"It was one of those marriages that dissolved itself and I could do nothing about it," Maggie said vaguely, earning an encouraging smile from her new lover.

"I see; then you weren't involved in an adulterous affair."

"Not that I was aware of."

Ryan's father snorted in laughter, diverting his mother who told Rupert to behave himself and be respectful to his guest. "Now where was it?"

"You were probing to find if I were sexually active outside of wedlock," Maggie said.

"I was not."

"You were so which was totally disrespectful to our guest," Rupert snorted.

Molly gave Rupert an I'll-deal-with-you-later frown and said, "What do your parents do, child?"

"My mother has remarried and is involved in charities and that sort of thing and my stepfather operates a real estate agency."

"Huh, one of those," Molly said dismissively. "Does your mother have any particular claim to fame?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"I'm tired, I think I should go and rest."

"Then I'll leave now, goodbye Mrs de Lacey, Mr de Lacey."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Maggie. You must visit again; it was so lovely meeting you," Rupert said, beaming.

Ryan glared at his mother, said good-bye to his father and hurried Maggie away.

His mother could be a prize bitch at times, Ryan had thought and she was proving tough to move, but he'd put his money on Maggie any day. Two days later Maggie asked Ryan to take his father out to see the new press room, editorial offices and the commercial printing factory.

"Oh no, you're not intending going in alone, are you?" Ryan asked despite already knowing the answer.

"It has to be done," she said primly. "I don't want conflict evident at our wee wedding."

Ryan returned his father home two hours later and saw no sign of broken crockery, which was good, and her mother was doing her needlework.

"You willfully avoided telling me your woman's mother is the socialite Harriet Holbrow ."

"I didn't think you would know of Mrs Holbrow and the name of my woman, as you call her, is Maggie."

"I was disappointed she was gone before we returned," said Rupert. "Taking me to view the new construction was a ruse to give her a free go at Molly, wasn't it?"

"Yes, dad."

"Smart move; your idea or hers?"

"Mine."

"Liar," snapped Molly. "For your information Harriet Holbrow was guest speaker at our last monthly meeting when we hosted twelve visitors from the Hamilton Needlework Club and thirty-two from the Auckland club. She was brilliant and we presented her with two exquisitely worked linen pillow cases done by old Mrs Monk. As you know I'm treasurer. After Sheryl our president reported we'd need to embark on fundraising as our current account was in overdraft, Harriet Holbrow quietly handed me a check for $500 just as she was leaving. It's far the largest donation we're ever received from an individual."

"Maggie has her mother's generosity," Ryan said, seizing the opportunity to put in a good word.

"Huh."

When he arrived at Maggie's apartment for dinner -- he and Maggie were not living together -- she reported having made some progress in softening up Molly although the hostility still appeared to be just below the surface.

The next day Maggie was over the moon and dashed to Ryan's office with the good news. "Last night I was on the phone for two hours, mainly listening to my mother, as Tuesday night is a poor night for TV. I told her about my problem with your mother. Well, she called on Mrs de Lacey this morning to invite her to sit with her at the wedding. Your mother accepted and was ever so pleased and my mother said she'd drive them to Auckland for the ceremony. Your mother apparently said I was ever such a pretty young woman -- and, now listen to this -- who possesses confidence and charm to burn."

Leaving the office after Maggie's announcement to staff that she and Ryan had been married that morning, Ryan went to see Albert Brown at Al's bar to inform him about the marriage and that employees would be descending on the bar from 5 o'clock that evening.

"Right mate," Al said. "You and your executives are good supporters of this bar. I'll place a closed for private function from 4:45 today at both doors and we'll fetch in plenty of finger food."

"Great Al, zap my card now as all the drinks are on me till 7:00, but only beer, wine, gin and whisky, right?"

"I'll inform my people. But put away your card," grinned the burly bar licensee -- I'll send the bill to your office which means you'll get the commercial customer discount and won't have to pay the tax content when you reimburse your office. We have to look after our newly married customers -- who's the lucky woman?"

"Our executive chairman."

"Oh boy, Maggie. You lucky skunk. Half the males in the city would like to...er...sorry, she's your wife now. Let's toast to a wonderful marriage, buddy."

Ryan's second call was to personally visit Jill Oakley, a real estate saleswoman with the exclusive listing of Maggie's apartment. He'd known Jill for years.

"I'm sorry Ryan but I'm with another client and we're just about to go out."

"Flick that client on to a colleague and you won't regret it."

She hesitated, probably thinking about doing the right thing ethically. Ryan decided to hit here emotion button: "Maggie and I were married this morning."

Jill, a friend of Maggie's, squealed and rushed forward and kissed Ryan. "I won't be a moment. "Mary, she called; help me out here will you -- come into the interview room and I'll introduce you to a client -- he's all yours now."

Fifteen minutes later Jill and Ryan had toured his apartment with Jill confirming the money he wanted was perhaps a little high, but could be obtainable. I have someone interested in Maggie's apartment but told them to find another 10k. I think they'll do that. So you and Maggie are newly married and potentially homeless, so where do we buy?"

"I don't need to inspect -- tell Sam Hunt if he drops the price of the penthouse on Blue Horizon by 50k we'll take it; Maggie and I went through the whole building two weekends ago during the open day and we thought the penthouse was great, but a bit over-priced."

"Sam won't drop that amount on it."

"It's up to you to convince him, Jill. He can have the cash in his pocket on, um, Friday week. Money in the pocket is better than waiting for the right offer that may never come -- I know that, you know that and being a developer he'll know that."

"What about 30k off? I feel I might be able to swing that."

"No, 50k, Jill. Tell him our newspaper will make a splash about the sale because even dropping 50k off his cheeky asking price it easily sets a new high for a residential sale in this city."

Ryan signed an exclusive marketing agreement for his property with Jill who then said she probably had someone who'd buy it almost at the asking price.

"It's up to you Jill, if you sell it tonight or tomorrow you better have our offer for the penthouse accepted at the same time."

"Well, that's a challenge. Do I get a kiss?"

"Sure," Ryan said easily, kissing the lush lips of the married woman. "Listen, we're having drinks from 5:00 tonight at Al's -- your know some of our employers -- you and Rex are invited to join us."

"We'll be there. Oh, by the way, be really kind to Maggie and she's not had the easiest time with men ever since I've know her."

As arranged, Maggie arrived at 3:30 to collect Ryan to take him to introduce him to her neighbors. "Lillian Marks was that woman who walked in on us when you were attempting to screw me on the floor."

"Oh dear, is that your recollection of who was the aggressor?"

Maggie blushed and accelerated, pushing them back into their seats.

The Marks's were out on the back deck having drinks several hours ahead of sunset.

Coming around the corner of the house, Maggie said, "Lillian and Harry -- I'd like you to meet my new husband."

"Hello Ryan, you look less flushed than when I last saw you," Lillian said dryly. She knew about the marriage because she was on the wedding breakfast organizing committee and had only met Mark once...with his shirt ripped open and sporting a noticeable bulge in his trousers.

"Come here and be kissed, young man," she said. "Harry, congratulate the clever couple and then get them a drink."

Harry put his shirt on and did as he was told.

Ryan told about the arrangements at Al's Bar and invited Lillian and Harry to pop in but they declined.

After the one drink the couple raced off to Ryan's apartment where they'd shifted in some of Maggie's possessions.

"Do you want a quickie now or should we save it for a slow and gentle consummation late tonight or in the morning if we've had too much to drink?"

"Hell, that is a toughie to answer," Ryan leered.

"Right, quick showers and you pour me a drink as I'll take longer dressing, but I'm not really dolling up because it's Friday night and I want everyone to relax and have a ball. Many will stay on you know after your shout runs out at 7:00."

"Yes, I figured that might happen. Let's apply good management and save our consummation till the morning."

"Agreed."

They went back into the CBD by taxi, arriving at 4:30. Al congratulated Maggie who pushed her lips forward to be kissed, which rather pleased him. He rushed off and returned with a bottle of French champagne and two glasses. "My shout -- enjoy."

After Maggie had downed a glass of bubbly and started her second, Ryan opened very gently, telling her he'd been to see Jill.

"I've invited her and Rex to join us here."

"Good, why did you go to see her?"

"Um, this is what I want to tell you. As you are selling your apartment, I decided to sell mine and thought we could pool an equal amount of the proceeds and buy a new home for ourselves to begin our new life together."

"That's very romantic of you and there was no need to be hesitant as your apartment is yours to do with as you wish."

"I know that, but in general we should share our intentions before acting."

"Agreed. As it happens Jill phoned to congratulate me and to say she has a buyer for my apartment -- I could be signing the sale agreement as early as tomorrow."

Ryan topped up his glass. "That's excellent."

Maggie said it would be exciting looking for their new home. "Where would you like to live?"

"Ladies first."

Maggie bit her bottom lip. "Really, this is extremely extravagant and you probably wouldn't wear it but I rather fancy the penthouse on Sam Hunt's new tower block. Would you consider it if we could knock him down, say $30,000."

"Yes."

"Oh darling would you. I don't want you to feel pressured."

"I had the same thought about you."

"What do you mean?"

"I've asked Jill to put an offer on it."

"You haven't -- Jill would have told me."

"Did she tell you we kissed?"

"No, but you told her about the wedding; it would have been a natural thing for her to do in congratulating you. The sly toady -- she should have told me about the penthouse offer."

"I don't think so -- client confidentiality."

"But you're my husband."

"But still her client -- you'll become the co-client if we sign a formal offer which we'll do just prior to settling as it will be a commercial sale dealing direct with Sam."

"Hmmm -- that raises a point -- what if the company makes the purchase as an investment and leases it to its two most senior executives?"

"It has merit -- we'd need the support of fellow directors," he said.

"That shouldn't be difficult but first we need to get legal and investment advice opinions. We ought to have that information by tomorrow midday if I get on the phone early, but Sam will probably procrastinate so there mightn't be a hurry to resolve these issues."

Ryan smiled. "I think Sam's bank manager would welcome a big pile of money coming back in from Sam. If Jill is as good as I think she is she'll already have worked that one on Sam, though of course he's been through this sort of play many times."

"I agree. We'll it's all sorted then, I'll get on to our legal and financial consultants in the morning as soon as you allow me out of bed."

Jill drove up, flashing her lights. Ryan pointed to his chest to indicate was it him she wished to talk to but she shook her head. "Jill's just driven up and she wants to talk to you."

Maggie, who'd been greeting Al's wife Lucy, asked how he could know that.

"Men have their acute powers of sensitive intercommunication over distances."

"Bullshit," Maggie laughed. "The only time men are capable of showing sensitivity is when they have their dick in their hand."

"She smiled happily at her joke and walked out waving to Jill while Lucy went away to the bar cackling as if she'd just heard the Joke of the Year.