My Magazine Ch. 16: Final

Rhonda was outside talking to Janus when Jenni arrived back at the office. Jenni noticed they were very near the same corner of the building where Colette had indicated she'd pulled Janus around and had her way with him. She wished she hadn't told Rhonda that story, and uneasily she saw Rhonda look at her wickedly, or so she thought.

"The courier's been and this time brought only one red rose and a card that simply says 'Thanks for lunch.' Is there any significance in dropping down from a whole bunch to a single stem, or is it simply reflecting a decreasing level of interest?"

"For goodness sake Rhonda, you're the romantic one. Where's that brain of yours. This time it's a RED rose."

"Oh my God, so it is."

"You women, you are so strange," Janus said. "You talk in riddles. First you say there are lots of roses and then there's one, and now the colour has changed and you become clucky. I wonder do you have any other talents besides talking Rhonda?"

"Goodbye Janus," Jenni said firmly, taking Rhonda by the arm. "I must get this idle woman back to work."

Rhonda cooed, "But Jenni all I was doing was having a theoretical smoke to assess its possibilities."

Jenni sighed.

"Rhonda you come with me and Janus, I think I can hear your wife calling."

"That's odd because Lucille has gone to Basingstoke to visit her parents."

"Oh and you have two children to look after?"

"Yes Katarina has them after school until I collect them on the way home. But I'm such a poor cook. I was thinking perhaps Rhonda might have time to work her magic in my kitchen. That is why I was asking did she have any talents besides talking."

"Go play with your toys Janus. Rhona, you come with me."

"These toys you talk about, I have no toys," he protested.

"Goodbye Janus."

Going up the stairs Jenni said to Rhonda, "It is not a good idea to play around on your own patch."

"Play around, but I have no toys," replied Rhonda cheekily.

"He's married."

"So what? I seem to recall you sort of thought that has a distinct advantages?"

"This is one area where I have no wish to be any sort of inspiration, Rhonda, and you very well know that."

"Oh Rhonda is seeking inspiration from Jenni is she? Very good, Rhonda, you learn everything you can from Jenni. She's very good is Jenni."

"Oh Nico!" exclaimed Rhonda. "How is it that you should know that?"

"Go to you room, you bad girl," said Jenni, almost bursting with suppressed laughter.

"What's she say that's bad, eh?" Nico asked "You women, at times you are so difficult to understand."

Late Friday morning the last two sections of pages for the second issue, together with the front cover, were despatched by courier along with four sections that had come back to have corrections/late changes marked up.

Jenni was scheduled to go to the magazine production department at Zephyr Media the next morning to sign off proofs of the cover and final two sections after corrections/changes had been made. This earlier than expected completion had occurred because Mae and Timothy had worked late into Thursday evening to complete design and layouts.

"Listen up everyone," Jenni called. "I'm giving Rhonda authority to use her company card to shout all of you lunch at Leo's. You've done a great job. Take the rest of the day off to mark the last issue for JJ Publications. On Monday we'll have our conference at 9:00 to start the third issue on behalf of Zephyr. I want that issue to be even better than this one."

Jenni was given three cheers, led by Timothy. Jenni noted that the chip on his shoulder was well gone. Obviously Brenda was performing her role well, whatever she was doing with him after hours.

Rhonda came in and tried to urge Jenni to join them for wet lunch.

"No there are times when the boss must opt out socially, and this is one of those times. I'll just stay here and hold the fort."

"I'm really sorry that you're not coming with us, but I can understand your reasoning. That's why you are so much stronger than me Jenni. Anyway what can I get you for lunch?

"The usual - double chicken roll and strong black machine coffee."

Rhonda went to her cubicle, looked up a number and made the call. She then phoned Leo's but Gina was working the late afternoon/night shift that day. Rhonda had a hunch - "Is that Leonardo speaking?"

"It is."

"It's Jenni Giles' personal assistant Rhona speaking."

"Oh the tall fair-haired beauty with that lovely walk."

"How do you know that?"

"I've watched you walk past my restaurant with Jenni. Your walk is so beautiful - so graceful."

Rhonda's fingers tightened on the phone.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

"You're married?"

"I know."

"Oh what a dumb thing for me to say; of course you know that?"

"It's not a dumb thing Rhonda. You could never say a dumb thing but my dear, why did you want Gina?"

"Oh your restaurant does off-site catering. I want to know as a special favour would you do a special meal - just for two I'm afraid and deliver it to our offices for Jenni and her male guest. The rest of us are all coming to lunch at your restaurant today and she is staying behind to deal with phone calls and any people who drop in."

"Is this person someone special?"

"I hope so because each time they meet she seems to talk less about him which means she's keen about him."

"I don't understand."

"Usually she talk about her dates."

"Oh now I understand. Leave it to me. A three-course lunch, perhaps - any preferences?"

"Not that I know of, but she does like pasta, and she likes salmon and chicken and I think they both like sweet deserts but very small portions. Could it be delivered at 12:15?"

"Leave it to me, Rhonda. You know, we must talk sometime, perhaps somewhere quiet."

"That would be nice Leonardo."

"Please call me Leo."

"Goodbye, Leo."

"Arrivederci!"

Just after noon Jenni heard a car pull up outside. More than likely it was a customer for Janus' business so she didn't bother going to the window to check.

"Hi - am I welcome?"

Jenni sprang out of her chair and headed for the door, calling, "Of course you are Rhys. Come right on it. I'm all alone as the others have gone out for a celebratory lunch as we've finished our latest magazine, apart from final checks in the morning. What brings you here?"

"Rhonda phoned an invited me here for lunch."

"Lunch? But I don't have any ..."

A young male voice in the stairwell called, "Your lunch has arrived, Mrs Styles."

"I'm Miss Giles."

The man from Leo's ignored the correction and callied ,"You are being very spoiled. The boss must really like you."

Jenni went to the landing where a young man came up carrying two insulated containers against his chest.

She recognised him as one of the kitchen hands from Leo's.

Rhonda! This would be just like her!

"Here is the meal for two - cold zucchini and leek soup, salmon pasta and then the boss' speciality - sour lemon tart with ice-cream with three different liquors. Your Rhonda says this will go on your bill of your people now at the restaurant. But the boss tells me to give this to you Mrs Styles - it's a famous dry French wine, from his own cellar, given to you and your guest with his compliments. Leo says to keep these two glasses as a memento."

Jenni and her guest ate chatting, with no callers, not even Nico to disturb them.

"That was a most beautiful lunch Jenni. That desert was something to die for."

"Don't thank me Rhys. Thank Rhonda who obviously invited you here to lunch with me."

"Was it Rhonda? I can't recall the caller giving her name."

"Liar."

"I never lie, though I do restructure the truth occasionally. I must tell dad about Leo's. He and Mrs Smart eat out a lot and there are often grizzling about the restaurants they've been to."

"Thanks for the lovely rose."

"Aw it was nothing. Just something I threw into a courier bag."

"You went out and bought that rose for me didn't you?"

"Yep and considered you might like the thought."

"Quite."

Jenni thought that a romantic interlude was not likely to occur. Rhys seemed to be a one-step-at-a-time guy, which was fine by her. Therefore it was an opportune time to mention business.

She poured the coffee - the wine being despatched before they started the sweet desert.

They were in the lunchroom, a rectangular room with windows at the western end looking out over roofs to more distant tree softened cityscapes. A bench ran down most of the eastern wall. On this long bench sat a microwave oven and sandwich toaster, and above it were cupboards. Just inside the door against that same wall was the cleaner's cupboard. An old wooden table with twelve assorted chairs occupied the centre of the room and two sofas ran along the other longer wall, above which was the only element of uplifting décor - a Visit Morocco travel poster. Along from the poster just inside the door was the staff noticeboard.

Neither Jenni nor Rhys worried that their surroundings were a poor substitute for a street bench looking into one of the great rivers of... perhaps the world. Jenny timed her probe as Rhys placed his cup back on to its chipped saucer.

"I wonder just how financially viable is your newspaper? Don't answer if you feel that question is too intrusive."

"No it's fine. After dad and I have taken our salaries and we pay the bills there is not a great deal left, in fact some issues run at a loss and the number in that category is increasing."

Making that admission did not appear to distress Rhys. In fact he appeared pleased that Jenni was taking an interest, though she speculated that any solace he derived from that could quickly sour once her motives became clear. She pressed on although not unsympathetically and not at all predatory.

"Are you planning ways to try to stimulate sales?"

"Well, there is a problem. You see dad is thinking about quitting at the end of the year and I thought that would be a good opportunity to seek something more challenging."

"Does he have a buyer in the wings?"

"No at least not when we last discussed it. He's got a fat superannuation fund he'd built up but doesn't want to touch that before retirement. He believes we've sunk enough money into the paper."

"We?"

"He owns the business but I get twenty-five percent of any profits because I put one hundred grand into replacing plant when I joined him five years ago after returning from overseas. I'd spent eleven years working as a journalist in Australia and South Africa. It was a risk I took but now will never see that money again unless your interest means you might be a buyer, although I don't see our rag pairing neatly with My Magazine."

"Rhys I must say I have a reason for switching on to this topic. I'll tell you as much as I can without compromising business confidentiality.

"An idea leaped into my mind when I saw the reaction of my staff reading that piece you wrote about me in Business People. Their opinion was that you are a damn good jurno. I slept on that idea and it still loomed large in the morning. Yesterday I managed to convince a certain party to listen to my proposal. It was touch and go, but it was agreed I should try to set up a meeting with them and your father. I intended to do this the next time I saw you, although I didn't know when that would be."

"Then Rhonda, who knows nothing about this confidential proposal, jumped in and invited you to lunch today hoping to please me no doubt."

"Why would she think that would please you?"

Oh gawd, thought Jenni. Should she parry, run for cover or do the brave thing?

"Because she thinks I getting sweet on you," she said, with brave simplicity.

Rhys appeared to be unmoved. He was impossible to read.

"Are you?" he asked, nonchalantly.

She continued confidently.

"Something's beginning to happen. Look it's not my style to beat around the bush - today and on previous occasions with you I feel that I am being assessed."

"Do you have an opinion why I might be doing that, if indeed I am doing that?"

Accepting that she might be digging a hole for herself, Jenni took a deep breath, and looked unwaveringly at Rhys.

"Because you've been living ready to bolt ever since a woman hurt you terribly and now - if only for just one date - you are still unsure it will be okay."

"That's impressive Jenni.."

He glanced at his watch.

"I have to go. I've really enjoyed being here with you. I guess the unnamed party is Zephyr."

Jenni nodded.

Rhys pulled out his wallet and sorted through some business cards.

"Here's dad's card with his unlisted mobile phone number. Get them to phone him and invite him out to lunch. Dad likes doing business over lunch."

"Tell you father to stick out for a very fair price but explain to him that he should insist on keeping all of his plant to flog it off, as Zephyr won't want it. He should also ask if any sweeteners are being offered."

"But there's not much left if one excludes plant. Oh there are advertisers of course."

"Think like a businessman rather than a journalist Rhys. Central to Zephyr's restructuring plan for the newspaper is your current subscriber base and the reasonably consistent casual purchasers. I cannot tell you anymore because it's Zephyr's business to divulge and negotiate. Although I came up with the idea I am still an outsider as there are still nine days to go before I re-join the company."

"Do you have any further recommendations?"

"Only one: suggest to your father that he go to lunch alone with David Brooks, the executive chairman of Zephyr. Your father would probably feel more comfortable in that situation rather than being squeezed between two or more company predators."

"Thanks Jenni and thanks again for a beautiful lunch."

He stood up and stretching said, "If I may, I would like to collect you at your home at 6:30 on Sunday to go to dinner at the old Riverside Hotel, with sedate dancing to follow. I think you will enjoy it."

She counted to three before replying, to avoid appearing too eager: "Sunday? Yes, that's fine I would love to go."

She waited half expectedly, but he waved goodbye instead of kissing her.

Watching Rhys walk away down the stairs Jenni felt a surge of excitement. It had been a long, long time since she'd been asked out on an old-fashion style date.

An hour later Jenni answered a phone call. An obviously upset neighbour of the Flagstaff's said she was calling on behalf of Brigetta. There had been a terrible accident and Kevin Flagstaff was dead. Brigetta wanted Rhonda home to comfort her.

Jennie closed the office and drove down to Leo's. She heard the revellers from her office before she saw them. They were definitely in party mood and waved to her like fans at a football match spotting one of their favourite players.

Rhonda were easy to locate in her colourful dress and red scarf draped around her neck. The man in a dark suit seated beside her was Leo.

Jenni stood below looking anxiously and Rhonda being Rhonda responded exactly how Jenni thought she would. She jumped up and came running down the steps to her.

The revellers saw Jenni say something to Rhonda and Rhonda slumped against her.

"Something's up - looks like something bad," Timothy said.

Brenda told the others to stay put and hurried down to assist Jenni. They led Rhonda to the car.

"I knew this would happen someday," Rhonda sobbed. "He should not have had such a powerful car at his age."

"It's all right," Jenni soothed. "It wasn't a car accident. Mrs Knox said he was cutting limbs off a tree and apparently lost his footing on the ladder. He fell backwards and hit the ground head-first, apparently breaking his neck."

"So he died instantly?"

"Yes Rhonda. It would have been instantly."

The funeral was held the following Wednesday, a small private gathering at the country church and an even smaller assembly at the cemetery. Most of the non-family members were Kevin's closest buddies from his rally driving days and close neighbours. Rhonda appeared more distressed than her mother.

After the twelve or so friends and neighbours had left, Rhonda's mother went off to her bedroom. Jenni and Rhonda sat in the sun lounge, sipping vodkas on the rocks.

"What will happen now?" Jenni asked. "Has your mother decided?"

Rhonda nodded, having re-gained her normal composure, a process that had become evident as they had left the crematorium when Jenni heard her say to her mother, "This is the beginning of our new life mum."

Mother and daughter stood for a few minutes talking, Jenni moving discretely away. Then everyone returned to the Flagstaff home for afternoon tea.

Rhonda took another sip of vodka and turned to Jenni.

"Mum has decided to continue with the planned tour of Germany. This place does not have kind memories for her; she plans to sell everything."

Jenni smiled at Rhonda.

"Well, I can understand that. She's making a clean break. When is she leaving?"

"As soon as she can list the house for sale and get a couple of legal things sorted out. Dad's old friend Bud Watson wants to buy dad's car - I thought that was an awful thing to say to me when we've just said farewell to dad, but that's how Bud is. Dad wouldn't have minded, in fact he'd say the car is going to a good bloke.

"Jenni mum wants me to go with her."

Jenni took Rhonda's hand and said, "Yes of course, you must go. Take as much time as you like."

"I am going, but I don't think I'll be back."

Looking surprised, Jenni asked why ever not?

"My life has been on the verge of slipping away from me a bit, you saw me hovering around Janus. Now there is someone taking a big interest in me."

"Leo."

Rhonda nodded, and smiled.

"I am not unattractive and have great skills so am very employable. My first option would be to try to get into publishing. I'd like to be another great editor's PA but would do anything just to break in. I possess the drive to get myself up the ladder quickly."

"Indeed you do, Rhonda. Indeed you do. Let me know what city you decide to relocate in and perhaps I will know someone to assist you. I know perhaps twenty-five senior journalists who are working on publications in the UK, Europe and South Africa and a few of them are editors. Now, you will come to our closing down party on Friday, won't you?"

"Yes and Jenni, I'm sorry that dad's death led to you cancelling that romantic date with Rhys."

"It's fine. I wanted to be with you and anyway it would not have been very romantic for me thinking about you coping with your tragedy. But anyway, we're going to that hotel this Sunday evening. Why don't you come with us?"

"Jenni you're unbelievably good at times. But no thanks, you need time with him alone. I think I will take mum to visit one of her dear friends in Kent."

"I'll miss you Rhonda. You've been a real friend you know, my youngest friend ever. You will be impossible to replace."

The party on Friday was in full swing and almost by accident Jenni had found an excellent replacement for Rhonda - not an eye-opening beauty like Rhonda but someone with good administrative skills as she'd worked earlier in commerce before studying journalism.

Brenda had been filling in for Rhonda and to Jenni's surprise the transition had been remarkable good - not seamless, of course, but the cover was more than adequate. Then when asking her 'temp' to organise the party Jenni had left Brenda to it, being called away to deal with the mother of a daughter quoted in an article on teenagers who spend extravagantly on personal appearance.

The mother was frantic because the daughter was being quoted of having had light surgery to reduce the roundness of her tummy whereas the father had been told that his daughter had gone into hospital to have a slight adjustment 'for a woman's complaint'.