Chocolate and Gold Ch. 05

Jeannie, Mike and I talked about the meeting over a glass of wine before dinner. Mike was enthusiastic with what he saw, while Jeannie was satisfied that if Mike thought it was okay, then it was okay. She was a housewife and mother, first and foremost. What I hoped she would be able to help me with was how to approach the subject with Vannie.

"Just tell her what you saw and how you think it's important. It's pretty obvious that everyone else thinks so," she advised.

"I suppose. I'd like to find a way to get her to be enthusiastic about it ... enough to come and see, at least."

"Hell, Harry, invite her out. Send her an airline ticket. Send one for her mother, too. Put them up in a nice suite. You can afford it. If she's that important to you, she'll get the message."

"Yeah. I think that's what I'll do. Convince her to come here and then I can show her what's going on, and she can meet the family, too. Yeah. That might work."

It didn't go as well as I hoped. Vannie knew almost immediately that I was going to stay in San Francisco, at least for the foreseeable future. It took a fair amount of convincing to get her to come and see what the business was all about, as well as to see the city. I didn't think Naples could hold a candle to the Bay Area, but that was just my opinion.

"All right, Harry. I'll come out. Mama will stay here, though. She said she wanted me to make up my mind without her being around to influence her. Do you want me to book a flight?"

"I can do that for you, Vannie. Just let me know when you can get away for a few days. I want to show you around the city and let you see what a great place this is."

"I'm sure it's lovely, Harry. But moving out there is a big thing. I'd be quitting my job, and I'm sure I'd have to bring Mama with me. I couldn't leave her here all by herself. I want to be with you, Harry. It's just a big move for me. I hope you understand."

"Yes, of course I do. I know I'm asking a lot, Vannie, but ... I love you and I think you love me. This could be the career that could be meaningful for me ... for both of us. When I show you what we're working on, you'll be surprised. I think there's a place for you here, Vannie."

"All right, Harry. I'll call you Monday night and let you know when I can get away."

We talked for a few more minutes, and then hung up. I wasn't feeling very confident at that moment, but perhaps when Vannie got here and we were together again, she might be more enthusiastic.

On Monday, I went into the office to meet with Mr. Yee Fung. He was late arriving, and looked very tired that morning. I wondered how much time he had left, and I deliberately kept my meeting with him brief. We arranged an interview with the financial candidate, after which I asked him for suggestions on financial partners. He suggested that our new controller should participate in those discussions since he would be the one living with the decision. We set the interview for Tuesday morning, and I asked Mrs. Wong to make the arrangements.

We met with Winston Chen at ten am the following morning. He was approximately forty years old and I was impressed with him immediately. Mrs. Wong had obviously filled him in on the operation of Orient Pacific Imports, and he was eager to be a part of it. He seemed particularly well versed about how outside financing could be obtained on an as-needed basis. The company already had a very good balance sheet, and strong cash flow, so outside money would be on an individual basis. He considered that an ideal situation.

When Winston left, I could see that Mr. Yee Fung was tired, and I asked him only one question.

"Do you think Mr. Chen would be a good choice for this very important job?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yes. The automobile dealer business is very accustomed to complex financing. He has the experience to find the sources, plus, Mrs. Wong vouches for his trustworthiness. I think he will be a very valuable asset."

That was good enough for me. I would contact the other board members and make sure I had their support to hire him. Problem solved.

Mr. Yee Fung left the office at lunch time, and I went out to a local deli for a sandwich and a soft drink. When I returned, I asked Mrs. Wong for some time to discuss the day-to-day running of the office and how I could fit in without disrupting things. She thought that was a humorous question.

"Harry, you are the boss. You may not realize it yet, but you are the boss. You proved that Friday with the way you conducted the meeting. Everyone in the room understood that. Mr. Yee Fung told me that you reminded him of your father. His meetings were run in the same manner: very efficient."

I hadn't expected Mrs. Wong to be so plain-spoken. "There's a big difference between running a meeting and running a company, Mrs. Wong. I'm going to need a lot of help to understand the workings. I don't want to make a mistake. I'm really relying on you and Winston, to give me guidance."

She smiled and nodded. "When will you be seeing your grandfather?"

"I've asked my girlfriend to come out. We've become very close, and I want her to see what I've gotten myself into. I'm hoping she'll stay. When I know her plans, I can arrange to go to Arizona and visit my grandparents. I haven't seen them since the funeral."

"Your grandfather will be honored to become involved in the business once more. I think he needs something like this. He sees what has become of his little company, and he will be excited with the direction it is taking. Your grandmother will be pleased as well."

"I'm going to need all the help I can get. I have a feeling the solar cell is going to be a very big drain on our people, and I'm going to have to watch out for that."

When I phoned Vannie that night, she sounded a little brighter. She had been able to get two days off later this week and another two at the beginning of next week. That meant she would arrive Thursday afternoon and not have to leave until the following Tuesday morning. At least we would have some time together.

I immediately booked a suite at one of the downtown hotels. I wanted the privacy and the convenience of being in the city, close to the major tourist attractions.

When she arrived on Thursday, I was a nervous wreck. I had convinced myself that this was my one and possibly only chance to talk Vannie into staying and marrying me. To my thinking, there wasn't another alternative. If she stayed, she would become my wife. I wasn't able to come to terms with what I would do if she decided not to stay.

As she strode up the ramp from the gate, she looked wonderful, and better yet, happy. She saw me and her face lit up as she rushed to me.

"Oh ... Harry. I've missed you so," she cried, pulling me toward her and covering my face with kisses.

I had my arms wrapped around her and was almost lifting her off the ground in my excitement.

"Not as much as I've missed you, girl."

We didn't have much more to say. We stood there holding each other and waiting for the luggage to arrive. I asked her about her flight and she thanked me for the first class ticket and the extra comfort it provided. I told her a little about the hotel and where we would be staying. Apparently, she had been doing a little internet research on my city and already had some ideas of what she would like to see. It turned out that most of them were places I had on my list as well.

When we entered the hotel room, she was impressed. It was a suite, with a living room, two private bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was a corner room and the view from the fifteenth floor covered from the Bay Bridge to the Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge. I pointed out Alcatraz, Chinatown, and a number of other sites as we gazed out over the city. I was glad the weather was sunny and allowed my town to show itself off.

It took us a while to calm down and get comfortable with each other. It seemed like we were nervous and tentative, wondering what came next. I know what I wanted, but I was almost afraid to initiate the first move. It was like being a teenager on his first date all over again. I was standing behind her as we gazed out the window, my hands on her shoulders. She was tense, I could feel it in her body.

"What's the matter, baby?" I finally asked.

She turned to me and buried her head into my neck. "I'm scared, Harry. I'm scared about how I feel and what's going to happen. I want you and I want to be with you ... but ... I can tell ... it isn't going to be easy."

"Vannie ... I love you. I want to marry you. I want to be with you always. I don't have any doubts. It's just that I have responsibilities I didn't expect to have a couple of weeks ago. Family responsibilities. I know I can handle them with you by my side."

"Harry, we've only known each other for a few weeks, barely a month. I know I'm in love with you ... but ... I've got family responsibilities too. I have to help Mama. Right now, I'm all she's got. My brother is in Dallas, and if I was here, she'd have no one."

"Vannie, we can bring her out here to live. She can live with us, or we can get her a place of her own. She'll love it here. This is a great city, but if she likes country living, you can find that up north, or on the other side of the bay."

"Let's not talk about this right now, Harry. I don't want it to spoil our time together. I want to make love with you. I've missed you so much. I need you, baby."

This wasn't the vibrant, exciting Savannah Wilson that I'd first met. This was a somber, quieter woman. I had an uncomfortable feeling developing inside. This wasn't going the way I hoped it would. I had barely four days to change that mood.

We made love, and that seemed to restore some of Vannie's spirit. She never for a moment left me in any doubt how she felt about me. We ordered room service and lounged around the living area, sitting closely, sharing our food and wine. By the end of the evening, I felt she was regaining some of her liveliness, and it showed itself when we returned to bed.

When we awoke the next morning, we made love again, just as we had in France and Italy. There wasn't any hesitation on her part, and her spirits seemed to have been restored to what I thought was normal. She was bouncy and playful. We shared the giant shower in the bathroom and the playfulness continued there. Perhaps yesterday was just a reflection of fatigue from jet lag.

We spent our four days together, seeing the sights of the city and the surrounding area. I took her to Napa and Sonoma for a day. She liked the winery tours and the various gift shops. She bought a number of things for herself and her mother. She found a nice, red Zinfandel that she liked, and I bought her a case of it to be shipped to her home in Naples.

We had an afternoon barbeque at Jeannie and Mike's, and Charlie was there as well. I thought Charlie and Vannie got along particularly well. They spent quite a bit of time talking and sharing experiences. I was happy to see that and a bit surprised too. I wanted my girl to feel welcome in our family and I think we must have succeeded. I was sorry to hear Ben Metzler couldn't make it. I was anxious to meet him.

We went to Monterey and Carmel for a day as well. By the time we were finished touring around the area, she had seen quite a lot, and I got the impression it was enough. When Tuesday rolled around, she was packed and ready to go, but we hadn't yet addressed our future. Both of us had been putting it off, but now time had run out.

"Vannie, you know I want you to come here and be with me. What will it take for you to do that?"

"Harry, I still have to think of my mother. I can't leave her alone, and I don't know if she would be willing to move out here. I'll talk to her about it when I get back. I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best. I do want to be with you, and I know you can't leave here now with your new responsibilities. We'll just have to see if we can find a way to work it out."

I didn't want to argue with her, mostly because I knew she was right. We both had family obligations, and they weren't going to go away immediately. I felt frustrated, knowing this was the inevitable result, but now more determined to find an alternative. Mariah was a strong, vibrant, alive woman, just like her daughter. She wasn't some helpless invalid that needed constant care. One way or another, I wanted Vannie to understand that.

"I'll call you regularly, Vannie. I want to be able to hear your voice. I don't ever want to lose you. Somehow, someway, we'll be together. It's only a matter of time."

She was in tears, as I had expected, and I was close myself. I had never felt this way about any woman before, and I doubted that I ever would again. You don't easily forget someone who invades your dreams well before you meet them. She was not only an exceptional beauty, but an exceptional woman. I wasn't about to give up, but only Mariah could help me now.