Chocolate and Gold Ch. 07

"What are you thinking about?" Vannie asked with a smile.

"Everything. Just all the amazing things that have happened since that day last May in Ste. Maxime."

"Yeah. It's really something, isn't it? I've been thinking about it too. Some of it's strange ... maybe a little bit scary, but ...still, I wouldn't change any of it."

I looked at my beautiful lady, and suddenly realized there was something I hadn't done. "Vannie ... would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" There! I'd said it and I'd meant it.

She smiled immediately. "Yes. I thought you knew that already?"

"I'd never asked you properly. I almost took you for granted. Don't let me do that again."

I pulled out my cell phone and called the office, telling the receptionist that I'd be a little late getting back to the office this afternoon. I pocketed the phone and reached for Vannie.

"Come on, we've got some shopping to do," as I helped her rise.

We caught the cable car to the downtown and entered a large jewelry store on Market Street near the Renaissance Hotel. It took well over an hour to find just the right ring that we were both happy with, but when we did, Vannie was crying and laughing at the same time. There was nothing frivolous about this woman I was engaged to. That she was happy was my prime objective.

I didn't get a report back from Ben or Charlie that afternoon. They were still at the lab at eight o'clock that evening when I called. They had just finished coating the last of the test cells, meaning the performance testing wouldn't start until tomorrow. Charlie said Ben and the technical guys were satisfied so far, but tomorrow would tell the tale. I probably wouldn't have had much sleep that night if it wasn't for Vannie and the fact that we were going to be separated for a few days again.

I don't think Vannie knew how long it would take for her to clean up her obligations to the company and make sure her mother was set as well. I told her not to rush, but I didn't mean it. I was being selfish. I wanted her back with me as soon as she could get away. I think she knew that, but family is family, and responsibilities came first. She would not just abandon either her mother or her company. I, of all people, should understand that, she intoned.

We made love that night, knowing that once again we would be apart, but there was no sadness in it. I knew she would be coming back, and it lifted my spirits to think that this time it would be forever. It made our joining that much more special and comforting. When we parted at the terminal, there were no tears, just smiles of happiness and promises that she wouldn't be away one moment longer than necessary.

As I drove back to the city, I realized that today was important for another reason. We would have the results of at least some of the trial panels, and that energized me immediately. When I arrived at the office, Charlie had already phoned in, almost incoherent in her excitement. The first tests were positive. It looked like we had a product! I immediately left to drive to Emeryville and see for myself.

When I arrived, the lab was quiet and I could only see one of the AmChemTech technicians near the back by the extruder. No one else was in sight.

"Where is everyone?" I asked him as I approached.

He smiled and pointed over his shoulder at the little office/lunchroom at the back. I opened the door and stopped, gazing at the sight. Ben and Charlie were curled up on the floor, their backs propped up again the wall, wrapped in each other's arms, sound asleep. The second tech was asleep, sitting in a chair with his head in his arms on the table. It only took a moment to realize that they had pulled an "all-nighter."

I stepped out of the room and closed the door quietly, returning to the only other awake person in the building. "Didn't anyone go home last night?"

"Nope. Once we got started we couldn't wait to start the performance tests. We got so charged up with the preliminary results that none of us were going to be able to sleep anyway. You've got a winner on your hands, Mr. Zheng," he said with a smile.

"So have you," I replied. He nodded and I could see, despite the fatigue in his eyes, he was a happy guy.

"They don't often go this well right out of the gate, but so far ... all the parameters are coming up to expectations. We'll know more when the gel sets later today. We've got some isolated in a UV chamber. They should be cured tonight at the latest."

"Have you called your company and let them know?"

"No ... didn't think that was my place. I'm sure Ben will want to do that. I know he was heaping praise on our executives for making this happen. I'm just happy to be a part of it. I think this could be something people will read about in the history books ... that is ... if we still have books," he laughed.

"Aren't you going to get some sleep as well?"

"I'm the guard. Make sure no one who isn't authorized gets in here. Since you had a key card, and I knew who you were, I didn't worry. But, just the same, I think you should consider getting some security for this place."

"Good idea. Tell you what. You go get some rest. I'll take over guard duty, and while I'm at it, I'll arrange for a security company to look after the building."

"Thanks. I am about ready to drop. I'm sure the others will be awake before noon. That floor can't be too comfortable."

I pulled out my cell and called the office, asking Mrs. Wong to arrange for outside security as soon as possible. When Charlie told her that it appeared the trials were successful, she was already thinking about the problem, and my phone call just confirmed it. She was confident we would have people there this evening.

I found the finished product on a large bench along the side of the building. Each set of samples had been labeled with an incomprehensible code. I noticed some charts on a clipboard and saw that each batch would be tested in a consistent manner and the results recorded. The laptop that sat alongside the sample cells had a spreadsheet with the same information. Everything looked completely organized and professional. To an outsider like myself, it gave me a sense of confidence. Everyone knew their job, and was properly prepared to carry it out.

I wandered outside the building to get some fresh air. Emeryville was near the bay, and the little industrial park where Ben's lab was located was in company with several other businesses. A coffee operation was one of them, and I could smell the roasted beans from our location. I wondered if they had any fresh brewed, but I couldn't leave the building unattended to find out. One of the other buildings housed a wine merchant. Not a bad combination, I thought. Coffee in the morning, wine in the afternoon.

I walked back into the lab and saw Charlie slowly emerging from the lunch room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She saw me and smiled a tired smile, but moved toward me.

"Hi, brother. I guess you've heard by now ... we're a winner," she said groggily, giving me a hug.

"Yeah, congratulations! We'll have to get Ben to call Houston and let them know. They deserve a lot of credit too."

"Absolutely, but we better wait until he's a little more with it," she said, turning back to the doorway into the lunchroom. "He's not wide awake yet. We were here all night and the guys worked non-stop."

"I know. Have you had anything to eat lately?"

"No ... nothing. I'm starving."

"Let me look after that. I'll get some fresh coffee too. I think I know where to find that first," I said.

I turned and walked out the exit and made a beeline for the coffee roaster in the next building. I walked in the warehouse door and found several employees loading sacks of coffee beans into a hopper.

"Morning, guys. I've got four people next door who've just pulled an all-nighter and we need some fresh strong coffee. Is there anyway you can help. We'd be glad to pay for it."

A big, well built man looked me over as I handed him my business card. He glanced at it briefly. "No problem. We've got several test batches already brewed. We can give you one of those as long as you bring the container back. What type do you prefer?"

"Uhm ... not sure. Dark I guess."

"That'll wake them up," he grinned as he handed me what must have been a half gallon insulated jug with a pour spout. "That's French Dark with a bit of Vanilla. That should do you," he said with a grin.

"Thanks. I won't forget this. Now I've got to get some decent take-out food for them. I don't think they've eaten since yesterday morning. Any suggestions?"

"Sure, there's a deli around the back of the wine guy's place. They do lunches for most of the people around here. It's good food, too."

"Thanks again. That's a big help. I'll get this container back to you pronto."

I took the coffee to the lunchroom and let everyone know it came from next door and was just freshly brewed. They were happy to see it and I headed for the deli next. I ordered enough sandwiches, salad, and juice to last for the rest of the day and carried them back to lab. Again, I was greeted enthusiastically. I let them know that if they were going to be working here regularly, they could order their food in advance and the deli would deliver. That met with their approval as well.

We sat around the lunchroom table as they dug into the food ravenously. It was my first chance to quiz Ben on just what they had accomplished.

"Harry, the initial performance of the new panel is as good or better than my trial-and-error units. When they are fully cured, I'll be able to tell more, but so far there's every indication we've hit the jackpot on the base formulation. What we're going to test this afternoon is the new, thinner cell, and a couple of special configurations that may give us some improved properties. We were all pretty high about two o'clock this morning," he laughed. "We were tired, but wired, as my friend Tom over there said." He got a nod from one of the tech reps.

"That's great news, guys. Now, don't forget to call Houston and thank them for their support and let them share some of the excitement too."

"Right after I eat," Ben grinned.

"Good. Mrs. Wong is arranging for some security to be here later today. I think we'd better start guarding this project a lot more carefully now that it's about to be commercial."

I decided to go back to the office and see what was happening. I knew Ben would give me a full update as soon as the tests were complete. I was feeling more and more confident that we had an amazing product on our hands. Now, the big question would have to be answered: what do we do with it? That would require a meeting of the board.

It was Friday morning by the time Ben, along with the two technical reps Tom and Dieter, were finished with the initial trials. With their permission, we arranged a luncheon meeting in the board room. It would be a working lunch, with the results of the trials discussed. I also wanted to get some sense of where Ben wanted to take this project in the beginning. I had to keep reminding myself that this was his invention, not ours. We were the facilitators and to some extent, contributors. But, when all was said and done, it was Ben's baby.