Duxford Airfield (the band) Pt. 07

My ex-wife Susan had been extremely physically attractive, yet she had been also been a walking train wreck in every area of her life, especially with money.

I'd been the perfect dupe for Susan.

The ironic part in all of this was that I'd desperately wanted Susan back, for the first six months, after our divorce.

That wasn't the case today, however.

Andrea finished our meal and quickly walked back to the hotel and to our room.

I soon laid down in bed and closed my eyes. I was glad that I was so tired; because upon laying down, I suddenly realized that didn't give a fuck about anything except sleep, right now.

Andrea soon joined me and turned out the light above our bed.

"You OK?" she asked.

"Andrea, I'm going to do something that I haven't done in a long time. Despite all the nonsense that's happened during the last ten days, I'm going to trust you completely. I hope you don't take that lightly" I said evenly.

This reply was met with a long silence between us.

"...I wish you'd hold me," she said, sounding a little hurt at my curt reply.

It now dawned on me that I hadn't even said goodnight or I love you, to my wife.

I rolled toward her and pulled her into the spooning position.

"I love you," I said.

"When are you ever going to trust me?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

"Right now, right now, baby, OK?" I answered gently.

Andrea and I slept.

...I opened one eye and noticed that it was now seven-fifteen AM. Andrea was busy on her laptop and sipping coffee, she'd obviously been up for several hours already.

The hotel room was now permeated with an aura similar to that of a large office building on Monday morning. - There was a no-bullshit feeling surrounding me and the air seemed to be thick with expectation.

"Good morning, Tim, could you please shower and dress in Herb's suit now? Helen and Herb will be here within the hour" she said, speaking as if I were a junior employee within a large corporation.

"Good morning, honey. Yes, let me get a cup of coffee down first" I replied, rolling out of bed.

She made no response to this. Andrea was totally engrossed with her laptop and taking notes.

Her phone rang as I was fumbling with the coffee pot.

"Diane, hi, what have you got for me?" she answered the phone.

After several minutes of taking intense notes Andrea hung up the phone with "OK, thanks, good work, let me know if anything else comes up, please."

I took a shower and shaved. Coming back into the room I slipped into Herb's suit and selected a tie and began putting it on.

"Oh, Jesus Christ, - NO!" Andrea said as she roughly, ripped the tie off me. She now began putting another one on me.

"Why is it, that the best-looking men can never dress themselves?" she asked emphatically to the empty hotel room as she roughly tied the tie on me, to her own satisfaction.

Andrea kissed me and then said, "Please sit in that chair and don't move until I tell you! - That means don't go anywhere and don't work on your bicycle, it means sit there, please."

I was about to reply to this when there was a knock on our adjoining door to Helen's room.

"Come in" Andrea said loudly as she turned back toward her laptop.

Helen and Herb walked in, and the four of us greeted each other with "Good morning."

"I was just about to jump in the shower now, Diane just called me in regard to Earl Billingsly. Did you get those dossiers printed for me, Helen? Herb, I hope you remembered those tax documents that we talked about, last night. Before we go I need to find out where the hell that bank statement of Danny's went to, Helen I think you have it. Andrea quickly rattled off as she headed to shower, before any of us could reply.

Andrea closed the door to the bathroom and soon water could be heard running. I sipped my coffee and remained quiet.

...This all had to end today. This MUST end today, I thought as I shook my head.

"You doing OK, Tim?" Helen asked, sitting on the opposite bed.

"Who the hell is that woman?" I asked in regard to my wife.

"A very seasoned professional, Tim" Herb answered, sitting in the chair opposite me.

"Uh" I replied, suddenly disinterested.

"Tim, please listen to me, I'm here to help you. I understand completely that these last two weeks have been a rough road for all of you. We are now, just within a few hours of closing this deal and it could be very beneficial to everyone involved; if we just stay calm and focused.

Please stay in the ring just a little longer, have faith in your wife and me to get you through this. We all need to show support for Andrea, she's carrying the load now and we need to openly show support and have confidence in her when we walk into that meeting" Herb said, almost as if he were a surgeon talking to a patient.

"Herb, I'm on board, but this ends today, one way or the other," I said emphatically.

"Fair enough, that's all I ask," Herb replied.

As Andrea showered, Herb continued talking calmly to Hellen and me, giving us tips on posture and body language to show throughout the meeting. He also advised us on what to say, if asked certain questions...

...Andrea was dressed to the nines now and smearing on war paint as she studied herself critically within the hotel room's mirror. I hated it when she had on war paint, Andrea was the last woman in the world that needed the crap.

Andrea's phone rang and she answered abruptly with "Millhouse!"

...Andrea really was reverting back to her past, she hadn't been "Millhouse" for almost two years now...

"Great, good job! I'll let you know" she abruptly hung up and put the phone down again.

After one last look in the mirror at herself, Andrea grabbed her briefcase and barked out "We've got fifty-eight minutes to get there, let's go!"

Andrea was now dressed to kill, she looked intimidating and her current demeanor echoed this, loudly. Here then, was the real estate agent that had fought, tooth and nail, for every cent that she could save the billionaires that had built the massive casinos during the Vegas boom years.

...If someone wanted a fight, this woman was ready to step forward and give them one. I'd never really seen this side of my wife before and quite frankly, she scared the hell out of me.

"Andrea," Herb said quietly, motioning for a quick huddle.

Herb then quietly leaned close to my wife and whispered into her ear for several long seconds. Andrea nodded her head several times until Herb patted her on the shoulder with a final nod of his own head.

It was go time.

The four of us got into the rental car with Herb at the wheel and proceeded to the meeting.

Someone's life was about to change...

We stopped a block from the oil company and parked for a few minutes. Andrea wanted us to show up at the meeting EXACTLY on time, not a minute too soon or a minute late.

Finally, with Andrea looking at her watch, my wife gave the command, "Herb, go!"

...At exactly nine AM the four of us walked into the front office of Prominent Energy, with Andrea in the lead.

"Good morning, my name is Andrea Millhouse - Donovan, we have a nine AM appointment with Mister Billingsly," she said curtly.

...Andrea, had again, referred to herself as "Millhouse" but she'd caught the mistake, just in time, by adding "Donovan", I noticed.

Despite her frontal armor, my wife was obviously a bit nervous but that wouldn't stop her, no, not now.

"Mister Billingsly is ready to receive you now, Misses Donovan," the lead receptionist said, a bit meekly.

The receptionist lead us to the door of Earl Billingsly's office and stepped aside, allowing Andrea and the rest of us to step past. She quietly closed the door behind us.

"Mister Billingsly, good morning. I am Andrea Millhouse Donovan. - My husband, Tim, whom you've already met, and Helen Lunsford. May I also introduce Herb Nelson, a lifelong friend, and our personal attorney" Andrea said, shaking hands firmly with Earl Billingsly.

Also in attendance were three other gentlemen, dressed in expensive suits. All of us shook hands and then sat down.

Before anyone else could speak, Andrea opened her briefcase and said "I believe the reason that all of us are here this morning is to deal with the issue of Parcel 134, which was willed to Helen Lunsford and myself by the late Daniel Wickersham.

My own understanding is that the ninety-nine-year lease on the entire oil field itself, will be up for renewal within five months, this includes Parcel 134.

It is also my understanding that Prominent Energy, and the Federal Government, would now like to obtain Parcel 134, so as to have the entire oil field property under one roof without the nuisance of dealing with a third party and thus complicating matters. Am I correct in this assumption, Mister Billingsly?" My wife asked, directly.

"You are correct, Misses Donovan. Are you and Miss Lunsford offering to sell Parcel 134?" Earl Billingsly asked, a bit taken aback by Andrea's abrupt lead.

"Yes sir, we would like to sell Parcel 134" my wife answered.

"What did you have in mind, in regard to price?" Earl asked, seemingly holding his breath.

My wife now slid a folded piece of paper toward Earl Billingsly yet she remained quiet.

Earl Billingsly unfolded the piece of paper and the look of shock seemed to cross his face now.

"This? is what you're asking for the entirety of Parcel 134?" he asked, looking at my wife steadily.

"Yes it is, sir, but I'd like a couple of things in return. First, we would like the opportunity to go through the mansion on at least six more occasions, six to eight hours each time, with the escort of Ms. Ludus, of course.

Second, we would like permission to photograph and video the interior of the mansion, as well as the exterior - which Ms. Ludus could do for us.

I understand your concern with security so all photographs and video could be scrutinized by Prominent Energy before our cameras ever leave the property.

Thirdly, we would like to make available the antiquities and rare novelties to a local museum here in Texas. Here is the business card for a Patricia Murphy, a curator for The Museum of History in Texas.

Mister Billingsly, Myself, and Ms. Lunsford have each enjoyed successful careers and have no desire to bilk this oil company; or the Federal Government. We want no royalties and we also have no interest in the hundreds of golden door knobs or other valuables inside the dwelling, other than things which we may deem as reminders for us of Mister Wickersham.

We have no axes to grind with anyone and neither did Daniel Wickersham. Regardless of however much a of nuisance he may have been to some, he was an old and dear friend to us and we would like to have any keepsakes in regard to the man, himself" Andrea said.

Earl and the others seemed to let this settle now with a brief silence within the room.

"Ms. Lunsford, I understand that you were once a reporter for the L.A. Times" Earl now said, looking at Helen.

"Yes sir, I was, thirty years ago" Helen replied.

"Do you have employment now or are you retired, may I ask?" Earl said.

"I write books now" Helen replied.

"May I ask what kind of books you write?" Earl replied.

Andrea now reached into her briefcase and began stacking Helen's published books upon Earl Billingsly's desk, all fourteen of them.

"I write biographies and autobiographies, Mister Billingsly. Please accept the books that Andrea is now placing upon your desk. My writing interest is in people, not politics, my writing will back up that claim" Helen said.

"You seem to have enjoyed quite a bit of success with your writing," Earl said, staring at the stack of books.

"Thank you, I write under the pen name of Kathryn Dalloway, here is my publisher's card so you can verify that. You'll also notice my photograph on the inside jacket of each of those books" Helen said proudly, leaning forward and handing Earl a business card.

Andrea now abruptly took control of the conversation again. "Mister Billingsly, it's my understanding that you have an outstanding record in Service to your Country, may I commend you. My father flew the B-17 over Normandy, he eventually flew twenty-seven missions in total and survived the war. It saddens me that people of our caliber need attorneys present to strike a deal and come to a fair agreement.

Yet I also understand the need for legal representation in regard to a transaction of this magnitude, not to mention the importance to our Nation's energy needs. If you would like time to consider our offer, we would be more than happy to leave you in the company of your legal advisors and return at a later date. I currently have a real estate engagement in Phoenix, beginning tomorrow, and would be happy to return, - say two weeks from today" Andrea said, with a ring of finality in her voice as she snapped her briefcase shut.

Andrea was bluffing now, she had no engagement in Phoenix but I was positive that someone there would verify that she did...

"Uh, Misses Donovan, please stay, and if you would, please allow me to hold counsel for a few minutes with these gentlemen," Earl said, waving his hand toward his three colleagues.

"Certainly sir, we'd be more than happy to give you a whole hour, if need be," My wife said standing and extending her hand for another handshake with Earl.

Herb, myself, and Helen also stood.

We then left the office and headed for the reception area to wait.

Andrea stood off by herself with Herb as the two talked quietly among themselves. I understood this.

Herb had instructed all of us not to drink any liquids during the meeting - if we were sitting in a meeting and needed to go pee, our urgency to use the bathroom could cloud our judgment, so said, was the logic behind this.

I could sure as hell use a good cup of coffee, right now.

...

An hour and fifteen minutes later, the four of us walked out of the office building with two checks in hand. One check was made out to Helen Lunsford and the other check was made out to Andrea Millhouse Donovan. - Simple as that, done deal. Earl Billingsly had also agreed to all of Andrea's requests in reference to photographs and video concerning Prominent House. We would begin exploring Prominent House again tomorrow morning with Kendall Ludus.

Herb now began driving the four of us toward a local bank but once we were out of sight of the office building Andrea made a request for Herb to stop the car immediately.

Andrea quickly got out and threw up beside the car.

"Water please!" she now demanded of no one in particular as she leaned against the car, with her head on the roof.

Helen handed me a bottle of water, which I opened and gave to my wife. Andrea chugged half of it on the first pull.

"You knocked them on their ass, lady," I said proudly.

"Maybe you'll fuckin' trust me next time," she said roughly.

"...I deserved that," I said quietly and deeply hurt.

"I'm sorry babe," she said as she leaned into me and shed a few tears of relief.

Herb and Helen were now standing with us in a group hug as if Andrea were a victorious gladiator, which really, she was.

Thirty-five minutes later, our checks had been deposited and we were enroute to the hotel once more, with Herb at the wheel again.

Little by little, as we drove, my wife slowly began to shed her hardened exterior armor, to become Andrea, my wife again.

"I didn't get us sixty-grand, Tim," she said handing me the check stub.

"That's alright, honey, you did the best you -" I began to say as my mouth suddenly went dry and I became speechless as I looked at the check stub.

Andrea had gotten Helen, and us, each, one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars for the sale of Prominent House.

"You're unbelievable," I said, shaking my head in disbelief and total awe of my wife's abilities in negotiation.

"You owe me dinner, you little fuck, but I have something for you to do first; when we get back to the hotel," she said seriously.

The four of us had a wonderful steak lunch within the hotel's restaurant, with Herb picking up the tab. A celebratory dinner was also scheduled for the next evening. As for the rest of today, however, Andrea and I planned to spend the rest of the day in bed. The reason for this was twofold, we needed a day of frolicking to relieve the remainder of the tension which the meeting had caused, and secondly, we simply needed to catch up on our sleep. Neither of us had seen a decent night's sleep for what seemed like a whole week.

After our lunch was over, Andrea and I bid Herb and Helen good after noon until the next morning. My wife and I then proceeded to our room whereupon we quickly locked the door behind us.

"Andrea, take off that damn war paint" I said abruptly.

"C'mere and undress me, Tim," Andrea now demanded, looking at me.

_________(8)________

More to follow...