Second Chance, Book 02

She could see Brent's face beginning to darken and knew it was the sign of building anger. She prepared herself for the worst.

"Did you ever give a thought to what your friends and family would think if they knew you were up there ... displaying yourself ... your privates ... in front of a bunch of drunks and perverts?" He had worked himself up and his voice had risen with each syllable of his question. "Do you have any idea of what your parents might think about it? Your children? Your friends? Never mind me, I'm only the husband. I don't count!" he spat.

Jeanette's face dissolved again, and she bent her head to her hands and began to cry once more. Brent just sat and watched her, not inclined to comfort, but more tempted to scream his outrage at her. It took every bit of his self control not to do the latter. He tried to digest what she was saying and why she would so easily fall into this trap. It wasn't just once ... she was a regular performer and had been for three weeks. It explained the shaved privates she told him were a special surprise for him. That was a lie!

"So Jo is doing this too?" he asked, fighting for control.

"No ... she didn't want to," Jeanette said, shaking her head.

"Jesus, Jeanette! When a hair-brain like Joanne doesn't want to, doesn't that tell you something?" he snapped.

"I don't know, Brent. It was just so ... so ... exciting. I was a performer on a stage and it wasn't real. It was make-believe. I could be someone else, not the little Jeanette Gordon mousy housewife person."

Brent sat with a stunned expression. She was rationalizing what she had done and now it was acceptable in her mind. It wasn't real, it was just acting and therefore it couldn't hurt anyone. She had been unable to separate the real from the imaginary. This was serious and he needed to do something about it. The question was what? He rose and went to the kitchen. Luckily, there was coffee ready and he poured himself and Jeanette a cup and returned to the living room. She nodded her thanks and leaned back into the sofa and Brent sat beside her once more.

"Jeanette ... do you understand what you've done to my career at Mountain Pine? Do you understand the consequences?" he asked, his tone indicating his struggle regaining control of his emotions.

She shook her head, afraid to speak.

"I offered my resignation and unless something unexpected happens, they'll probably accept it. I don't see any place else in the corporation that I could go that wouldn't carry the ... stigma of this with me," he said in an angry tone.

Jeanette began to sob again, looking down at her hands in her lap, afraid to look at her husband and the reality of their future. What now?

"I'm sorry, Brent. I never meant for this to happen. I'm a fool. I should have thought more about what I was doing. I just wanted to put some money away for us to take that special vacation with the kids. I never dreamed it would backfire like it did."

He looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and anger. She had, for whatever reason, done something so bizarre and so destructive, he had a hard time believing it had happened at all. He was shaking his head in wonder and trying to collect his thoughts. Punishing her verbally wouldn't accomplish much, he thought. He needed to have her see the consequences of her actions. What it would mean to all of them. It wasn't going to be pleasant and she had to understand that.

"I talked to Walter this afternoon and he gave me a piece of advice that hit home. He told me to make sure I found something I truly wanted to do, something I really liked. I'm forty years old and there are only so many times you can start over again. We aren't that old, but we need to look further down the road. The kids will be grown up and gone, and sooner than we think, we are going to be on our own. We will have some freedom to do what we want to do with our lives. I just hope this isn't the end, Jeanette. I want us to get another chance."

Brent's attempt at optimism held out a flicker of hope to Jeanette. She began to think there was at least a little chance for them. She lifted her head and offered a faint smile to her husband. He was a brave man. He had overcome his anger and hurt and had thought about what was important to them. She reached for him and wrapped her arms around him again and held him tightly to her. It felt good to have him back again. She had clung to the belief that somehow, someway, things were going to work themselves out.

Chapter 12:

Ron Dixon's firing caused barely a ripple at the plant, but plenty of ripples at headquarters. Dixon had reacted badly to the message delivered personally by Henry Cullen and had immediately promised suit for wrongful dismissal. Henry knew he had a case, but didn't care. He wanted him gone and gone he would be. It was only a matter of the cost, and nothing else. There was silent applause when the staff announcement was made and his successor named. There would be no going-away party for Ron Dixon.

Terry Timple, the reluctant Human Resources Manager, was frightened this would be a black mark on his record, but Henry told him to "suck it up and do the paperwork because Ron Dixon was fired, no matter what." Timple naturally complied.

The greater problem was Brent Gordon. What could be done to salvage the situation? Henry had given the problem his almost exclusive attention since the noon meeting on Thursday and he was no clearer on alternatives than he had been then. He had talked continuously with Lloyd and some of the area managers for Mountain Pine. A few had possible placements, but they were for less demanding jobs and there was no promise of promotion in the near future. He got the impression that some of the managers were looking to take advantage of the situation. There had to be a place for someone of the quality of Brent. He hadn't, however, been able to uncover anything that suited his particular skills, and was becoming more and more resigned to the probability that Brent would leave the company.

There was no thought Brent would go to a competitor. He knew him well enough to know that would never happen. It was simply the loss of a very good employee that bothered the general manager. When the inevitable promotion opportunity came later that year, it would now be Adam Richards that would succeed Lloyd. He was young, bright, capable, and energetic. He wouldn't be a second choice in most situations. The company wouldn't suffer with him at the controls of their successful sales department. They were the dominant player and they would remain so, barring the unforeseen.

Walter Francis had called him and passed along his conversation with Brent. Walter was another old friend, and Henry kicked himself for not dropping in now and then to see his former customer. Brent had formed that same special relationship with him and had the wisdom to learn from the senior man. Henry was aware of Walter's illness and Brent's regular visits. Business didn't always have to be cutthroat and heartless. There was always time for the human side. It was something he and Lloyd had preached for many years and he was convinced it was one of the core elements of their success. Now, he may be on the verge of losing one of those disciples, and it would hurt ... personally.

It was Lloyd who brought forward a possible solution late Friday afternoon. It was one Henry should have thought of, but hadn't. What about placing Brent with a customer? Someone he knew and respected, in a job where he could both enjoy and prosper. It was a question of whom and it was there that Lloyd demonstrated his exceptional value. He knew his customers and he knew their strengths and weaknesses. He also knew their people - whom he could talk to in private and not have to worry about the information getting around.

"Henry, I had a quiet conversation with Charlie Verano this afternoon. He's someone who can keep a confidence and I told him about Brent and what happened. He nearly jumped out of his chair when he thought there was a chance of Brent being available. I had to calm him down, but he would love to have him on his staff. He's been looking for some leadership and even though Brent doesn't call on him, Charlie knows about him from conventions and trade associations." Lloyd had a thoughtful, almost detached look as he related the conversation to Henry

"He's not local, Lloyd, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. I'm thinking Brent might want to put some distance between himself and these memories." Henry was thinking out loud again, a habit Lloyd had become used to over the years. He wasn't looking for interaction, he was trying to sort out the plusses and minuses. "We'd have to be careful how we pitched it to him. We don't want him thinking we are trying to steer him, just give him an option." The two men were quiet as both were deep in thought.

"I guess it's all going to depend on what Brent tells us. I'm guessing he'll be using the weekend to decide, and knowing him, we won't have to wait long on Monday morning to find out what he thinks," Henry said finally. "Can anyone figure out what Jeanette was doing up on that stage? I just can't get my head around it. We always knew she was a fun kid, but this is something different altogether. I just don't get it," he said finally. Lloyd shook his head in agreement.

Chapter 13:

The weekend had been hell for Brent and Jeanette. He had gone with her to their parents' houses to explain what had happened in general terms and what the consequence would be. At first, Jeanette didn't want any part of revealing what she had done to his or her parents. It would be a humiliation at best and could cause a family rift at worst.

"Why are you making me do this?" she cried.

"Because I'll be damned if I'm going to explain to your parents, my parents and our kids what the hell you were doing on that stage," he shouted. "On top of that, with all the gossip-mongers in the world, how long do you think it will take for someone to tell them about it ... not necessarily factually, either! You were the one on that stage -- you face the music, lady!"

Jeanette shrank back from his blast, cowering as she nodded her acquiescence.

With Brent's insistence and with him by her side, they went to each house and explained in as vague terms as possible what had happened, and what the consequences might be. It was no surprise to Brent that both sets of parents were mostly supportive and generally non-accusatory as they heard the story. Jeanette was only partially relieved, but understood that it meant there were no secrets to be revealed in surprise from some other person. Everything was out in the open.

Brent was also adamant that Jeanette should seek professional assistance to help her understand what provoked her decision. Whether that would be a psychiatrist or a psychologist was undecided, but Brent was unyielding in his insistence. Again, Jeanette was reluctant.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" she asked incredulously.

"No, I don't. But I think you did something so completely out of character that you and I both need to know why or what caused it," he said adamantly. "How do you know you won't be tempted to do something different, but just as ... bizarre again?"

Again, it wasn't open to negotiation and Jeanette reluctantly gave in. She was feeling a bit stronger and slightly more confident, but she would have to be careful not to undo all the repairs that had been made to their relationship in the past three days.

What had brought her some confidence was the desire by Brent to make love to her. He was always an attentive and thoughtful lover, but now he seemed to be a bit more aggressive with her. She didn't understand his need to do that. She was happier with the "old Brent," but she wasn't about to complain. She was just grateful they were back together and that their relationship seemed to be more stable.

Brent understood that his thoughts were jumbled up with his confusion over Jeanette's behavior. Was she insecure and uncertain of her looks or his love for her, or something else? She was one of the most attractive women of any age, and more often than not she was the focus of attention at social gatherings. She had a bright and carefree manner about her and was one of those "life of the party" people that hosts and hostesses count on to liven things up. She just made things that much more fun. How could she possibly be insecure? It was with these thoughts that he put even more effort into making sure she knew that he found her very desirable.

As they sat together after dinner on Sunday night, Jeanette knew that Brent had made a decision. He would tell her about it and ask for her opinion, but he had made a decision. That was his strength. It was the reason he would have been promoted to Sales Manager, but now ... now she thought sadly ... that was all gone. They would be starting again.

"Jeanette, I want to know if you can face a move ... to another place ... maybe another city?" he asked.

"Oh ... I hadn't thought about that. I don't know. I guess so," she said tentatively. "I'll be happy wherever you are, as long as I'm with you. If we have to move to find a new life, then we have to move. We've lived on both sides of this country already. You can't move much farther than that," she said cautiously.

"Yah ... we have. Both the kids were born on the Atlantic Coast, so I guess that means we're pretty portable," he said. "All I can do is try not to make it too far away from our folks."

He lapsed into thought as Jeanette watched his face for hints of his mood. Is this something he thought was inevitable, or was it necessary to escape what he thought was shame -- shame brought on by her actions. She couldn't bring herself to relax. She was still tense, wondering what would come next. Was there more pain to follow?

"Well, Jeanette, I guess I'll talk to Lloyd and Henry tomorrow. I can't see my staying with Mountain Pine and I need to start my search for a new job. In the meantime, I'll see if I can get some advice on who we can see about some professional help," he said with a resigned voice.

"We?" she asked tentatively.

He turned to her with a quizzical look. "Of course. You don't think I'm going to leave you on your own with this, do you? We're in this together, girl," he said emphatically.

Jeanette virtually leaped at him. "Oh god, Brent. I love you. You are so good to me. I've been so stupid and you still ..." Her voice trailed off as the tears began to flow once more. This time, however, the tears were not of sorrow, but of hope and gratitude. She remained wrapped in his arms with her head on his chest. They were quiet for a while until Andrea unexpectedly walked in from her room.

"Hey guys, what's up?" she asked with questions written all over her face.

"Have a seat, Andrea. We have something to tell you," he father said seriously.

Andrea sat in one of the two large wing chairs, her attention fully on her parents. Her instincts told her this was serious and she waited for one of them to begin.

"Something happened the other day that you need to know about," her father began. "I was taken to a strip club for a fortieth birthday lunch and got a big surprise. Your mother was one of the ... entertainers."

Andrea's sharp intake of breath was all the confirmation they needed that she was paying full attention.

"Unfortunately, I didn't know anything about it and it was a huge shock. It has a big effect on my career at Mountain Pine and I've offered to resign. That will likely happen soon and I will begin looking for another job." He had said it in as a-matter-of-fact way as he could manage. He was looking to avoid shock, but he could tell immediately that he had failed.

"Mother! Oh my god. Did you really do that? I mean, were you actually naked in front of all those men?" She seemed to be hoping that her mother would deny it. She was to be disappointed, as her mother nodded her affirmation.

"Oh wow. I would never have thought ... I mean ... jeez mom. You're hot for your age, you know ... but ... wow!" she finished, wide-eyed.

Jeanette finally summoned her courage and spoke to her daughter. "It's not something I'm proud of, Andrea. I did something very stupid and I hurt your father very deeply. I'm going to try and get professional help to find out why I did it. I can only apologize to him and to you. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. We'll just have to wait and see. We just want you to know what happened and that we love you and will do anything to help you understand." She had delivered her comments in a quiet and almost sorrowful voice.

"What does it mean to you, Dad?"

"Well, as you can imagine, it will change how people will react to me, and to us. I think it will be very difficult to stay here and work at Mountain Pine. I guess what we are telling you is that there is a possibility that we may have to move. It depends on where my next job is. That's all I can tell you right now," he said calmly.

Andrea nodded her understanding. Inside, she was distraught. She would be leaving her friends behind again, but she was determined not to let her mother see her pain. Mom had enough to worry about.

Brent read his daughter's face like a book. He was stunned at how mature she was and how contained she had been with her emotions. Like any sixteen-year-old girl, he knew she would be heartbroken at leaving her friends and home. He was unable to hide the smile he offered her in secret. It was confirmation of his pride in her. She saw and averted her eyes for fear of breaking down in tears. She had to be there for her mother. She would need her support.

Telling Scott had not been quite so easy. He didn't understand the implications of what his mother had done and was very upset at the prospect of moving. All his thinking was centered around himself and he was angry that his mother may have ruined his life for him. What about his friends and his teammates on the soccer team and all the things that he had become used to in the last eight years? He was only five when they moved into this house, and he barely remembered it. His whole life was focused on where he was now and the people he knew here.

It was Andrea that came to the rescue. As hard as Brent tried to make Scott understand, he was unable to reach him. He understood his son's anger and frustration about what might happen, but he couldn't force him to accept it willingly. At some point, Andrea had intervened and perhaps because she was in the same situation as Scott, he could relate to her better. She had a lot to lose herself, and he was willing to listen and try to understand. It didn't lessen his anger and he vowed he would never talk to his mother again, but in his heart, he knew that he was going to have to accept whatever happened.

Brent once again recognized the special qualities of his daughter; wise beyond her years he thought. With Jeanette preoccupied preparing dinner and Scott off with his friends, he chose that moment to ask his daughter to go for a walk with him. She readily agreed. It would be the private time for them to talk and try to understand what might happen next.

"I'm very proud of you, Andy," he said, using his pet name for her. "You've grown up in such a hurry. I know this hurts and I guess what I want you to do is tell me what you're feeling ... what you're thinking."

"Why did Mom do this ... thing, Dad? I don't understand. I can't imagine her taking off all her clothes and dancing in front a bunch of men. I just can't understand it," she said.

They were holding hands as they walked down the street in their subdivision.

"Well, I don't either, but more importantly, I don't think your mother does. That's why we're going to try and get some professional help for her. If we can understand what made her think it was OK to do this, then we can deal with it," he said in a calm and level voice.