Second Chance, Book 03

My thanks as always to ErikThread for his skillful and timely editing. Any errors are my responsibility.

Chapter 14:

Lloyd Bruton arrived at the office earlier than usual on Monday morning. There was quite a bit to do before he could call Brent Gordon. Brent had called him at home on Sunday evening and asked him for some help finding a psychiatrist or psychologist for Jeanette and perhaps himself. He said he was worried about how he was dealing with the problem and maybe he might need some help as well.

In addition, Lloyd wanted to talk to Charlie Verano again and get more specifics about what type of job he might have in mind and what the compensation and benefits would be. Lloyd already knew the custom millwork business to some extent, but he was being cautious before suggesting Brent talk to Charlie.

Lloyd had also phoned Henry last night after he had hung up with Brent, and passed along their conversation. The more the two men thought about it, the better they liked the idea of finding a good placement for Brent with someone they trusted -- someone like Charlie Verano. The reality was that they had almost given up any hope that they could keep Brent at Mountain Pine. There were no openings for someone of his skills that would be satisfying to him and offer the kind of future he had with his present job. Lloyd had never encountered this type of problem in all his nearly thirty years at Mountain Pine, and it was taxing his skills.

By nine o'clock he had contacted the human resources department at headquarters and had been e-mailed a list of doctors used by the corporation when problems of a "non-physical nature" arose. A dainty way of putting it, Lloyd thought. He scanned down the list and a familiar name popped out at him -- Dr. Virginia Meldrum, M.D.

He remembered her when he and Diana had gone through her cancer scare a few years ago. The fear in his wife had greatly upset his home life and personal equilibrium. The woman doctor had been the right solution to their mutual problems. As it turned out, the cancer had was remission for over ten years now and according to their oncologist, unlikely to reappear. However, it had been a bad time for a few months, and Dr. Meldrum had made a positive difference.

Henry volunteered to talk to Charlie Verano. They knew each other well, and could talk in a very straightforward manner without couching their language. Henry had one objective – make sure they were steering Brent Gordon in the right direction. Everything hinged, of course, on the idea that Brent would like working for Charlie and his company. They were a long-established custom millwork company with an excellent reputation for high-quality work and on-time delivery. They produced windows, doors, kitchen cabinets and specialty millwork to custom order. Nestled in the western side of the Rocky Mountains, they were not ideally situated for the big city customer, but their good reputation and the large number of local ski and sun lodges provided more than enough work for the growing firm.

Giancarlo Antonio Verano was the only son of Giancarlo Massimo Verano, an Italian immigrant of the early 1950's. They had come from a small town near Torino, and had left the economic and political wasteland of post-war Italy for a better life in North America. The elder Verano brought with him only a few tools and his pregnant wife, Carlotta, when he made his journey.

They landed in Montreal, and after giving birth to their son, put all of their combined energies into finding a home in the west, near mountains like the ones they had so loved in their homeland. The elder Verano anglicized his name to Carl and easily found work in a millwork shop in Castlegar, British Columbia. Within two years, they had the down payment for a small bungalow and their future was secure.

The younger Verano, now known as Charlie, loved the smell of the wood in his father's shop, and it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would follow in his father's footsteps. When his father bought into the small firm he was working for, that future was a certainty. He learned what he needed to know at his father's side and the young teenager never doubted what his future would be. However, he had bigger dreams and could see the day when Verano & Son would be a much bigger company, hopefully with many employees. It was a dream he would hold to and see realized in his father's lifetime.

Verano Custom Millwork now employed forty people. Over the years they had grown, modernized the equipment more than once, computerized, and thrived in their mountain home. The ski lodges of Rossland, Castelgar and the surrounding areas provided a steady workload for the spring, summer and fall. The people who came from Vancouver and Calgary and Edmonton to ski, saw the workmanship and soon, Verano Custom Millwork was supplying products to homes in Alberta as well as the coast, and on a couple of occasions, into the United States.

With his father's guidance and conservative outlook, they had carefully expanded without putting their finances in jeopardy. They operated on a line of credit that was more than they needed for their day-to-day operations. They paid their bills on time and they backed their work with a personal guarantee of satisfaction.

As a result of their growth and potential, Charlie recognized he couldn't do it all himself. His father, now nearing seventy five, was slowing down and was entitled to pace himself. His father and mother's health was still good, but Charlie wanted them to enjoy themselves in their later years and not have to worry about the business.

It also meant that Charlie needed some professional management help. He had already found a top-notch accountant and was more than satisfied with his three supervisors on the shop floor; one for each division. What he lacked was sales management, someone to coordinate their efforts and make sure they were getting the right kind of business for the right kind of margins.

When Lloyd Bruton subtly let him know that Brent Gordon might become "available", Charlie was genuinely excited. Mountain Pine's wood division was a major supplier of his raw material, interior White Pine. Additionally, their corrugated paper division was supplying their wrapping and packaging needs for shipments from the plant to the jobsite. Last year, Verano Custom Millwork had purchased over a half million dollars in corrugated packaging for their kitchen cabinets and wrapping for their windows, doors and custom millwork. The two companies were virtually joined at the hip. To add someone with the credentials of Brent Gordon to his staff would be an exceptional coup.

"Charlie, how's your wretched golf game?" Henry began without introduction as soon as Charlie had answered the phone.

"Not as good as yours, I'll bet. Some of us have to work for a living, Henry" Charlie was used to the aggressive openings of his business friend's phone calls. No "Hi ... how are you" in this conversation.

"Thanks for that, asshole! I think I'll raise your prices five percent."

"Yah, well I think I'll call your competition and see how bad they want my business," Charlie threatened in mock anger.

"How's your mom and dad, Charlie?" Henry finally asked.

"They're great, thanks. I'm trying to get them to take an Alaska cruise this summer. I think I've almost got them convinced."

"Good for you. They've earned it after having to raise a son like you."

"Ha Ha, very funny," Charlie shot back. "What's on your so-called mind, Henry?"

"Lloyd told me he mentioned that Brent Gordon might be available. Are you interested?"

"Of course I am. He's just the kind of guy I'm looking for. What's happened to make him available?"

Henry gave an outline of the story of Jeanette's indiscretion, and Brent's reaction. Charlie listened in silence as the tale unfolded.

"I can't guarantee anything, Charlie. I know he knows about you and your company. I think he'd be a great fit, but it's his decision. All I can do is get him to think about calling you. I won't do that without your OK," he concluded.

"It's more than OK. I'd just like to have a chance to talk to him. Living up here is something special, as you already know. I think it would be the perfect place for him to get away and put this thing behind him. You know my daughters aren't interested in the business and neither are their husbands. I could find a way to have someone like Brent buy into the business just the way my dad did all those years ago. It could be the chance of a lifetime for him."

"I was hoping you'd feel that way. He's a great guy and this is a shitty situation for him. A fresh start for both of them would be a big help."

"Is this something his wife is prone to do?" Charlie asked carefully.

"No ... not at all. She's a fun girl and a joy to be around, but this was so far off the beaten path, none of us knows what to make of it. Brent's going to get her into counseling or therapy or something. I don't think she's likely to repeat what happened. I guess you'll have to decide if it's a big risk or not. Don't think I'm trying to pressure you either, Charlie. I won't do that. This is strictly me letting you know what's happening, OK?"

"Yah ... I understand. What happens next?"

"I'll talk to Lloyd and see if we can get Brent to give you a call. After that, the ball's in your court."

"Fine, I'll wait to hear from him. Have Lloyd call me if he decides not to discuss it, OK?"

"You bet. Say hi to Gerry for me. Tell how sorry I am that she had to marry an ugly guy like you," he laughed.

"I'll pass that along. It'll make her day. Take care, Henry. Thanks for calling."

Charlie hung up the phone with a smile on his face and some hope that he may just have a chance at adding to the staff of great people at Verano Custom Millwork Inc.

Chapter 15:

Brent and Jeanette waited in the ante-room of Dr. Virginia Meldrum, both nervous and uncertain of the next step. Brent had insisted that they begin these sessions together in order that he fully understand what the psychiatrist was telling Jeanette. At ten a.m. the inner door opened and a tall, slim, gray-haired woman came into the lobby and smiled at them.

"You must be Mr. and Mrs. Gordon. Won't you come in, please."

The Gordon's rose and walked into the woman's office, finding it large and very formal. They sat in large, leather wing chairs facing a heavy walnut desk. The doctor sat, leaned forward and folded her hands in front of her.

"I have some notes from our telephone conversation the other day, so let's begin by telling you what I want to do in the next little while," she began in a clear voice.

"The very first thing I want to do is for Mrs. Gordon to have a full physical examination. That may sound strange, but as a doctor, I know that some behavioral issues are caused by physical problems and we need to eliminate that possibility before we pursue the emotional aspects. Is that understood?" she asked carefully.

The Gordon's nodded their acceptance.

"Good. The physical will be quite comprehensive and I have included an M.R.I. scan as well. When the results are in we will have some sense of direction for our meetings. In the meantime, I would like to get some background on both of you, if you don't mind?"

For the balance of the hour, Jeanette and Brent answered questions about themselves and their life together. There were no testing or controversial probes, and that put both of them at ease. As they wrapped up the first session, Dr. Meldrum added a request.

"At some point, I will want to talk to you separately. I'm sure you recognize that you have inhibitions when you are together and in order to accomplish what I think we need to accomplish, I want each of you to have some privacy for your thoughts."

Brent wasn't surprised at this request, but Jeanette seemed uncomfortable with it, although she said nothing. They left the doctor's office and were advised their next appointment would be three weeks hence, when the medical test results were complete.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Brent offered as they waited for the elevator.

"Why does she want to talk to you alone?" Jeanette asked with a frown.

"I don't know. She said it might get rid of inhibitions we have when we are together. I might hold back something because I don't want to hurt your feelings. You know ... that sort of thing."

"What couldn't you say in front of me?" he asked, again with a look of concern.

"Oh, I don't know ... maybe how you like to giggle when we make love." he said with a straight face.

"You wouldn't dare ... would you?"

"It could be important, you know," he continued, teasing her.

"What's it got to do with my being crazy?" she asked seriously.

"Now stop that!" Brent said sternly. "You aren't crazy and this isn't about that. It's about finding out why you did what you did on that stage. Nothing more! Understood?"

She cringed, then nodded shyly as they rode down the elevator in silence.

Over the next two weeks, Jeanette was subjected to a variety of tests, providing blood, urine, stool, and vaginal samples. She was x-rayed and finally, underwent a full body M.R.I. The tests weren't particularly unpleasant, but they were time-consuming and left her with doubts about all the things that might be wrong with her. She was relieved when they were finished, but anxious about the results.

In the meantime, Brent had met with Lloyd and discussed the possibility of an opportunity with Charlie Verano in Castlegar. Brent was encouraged for several reasons. He had some knowledge of the millwork business from his previous job in the building materials industry. He knew of the solid reputation that Verano Custom Millwork held and both he and Jeanette loved the interior mountains. He felt it wouldn't be that difficult to relocate and they would be only a day's drive from the coast and their parents.

When he broached the subject with Jeanette, she seemed enthusiastic. It would be a nice place to live and it would give both of them a fresh start; both in business and personally. The children were somewhat more subdued in their enthusiasm, but they too acknowledged that it wouldn't be as big a wrench from their current life as moving to the Prairies or even further east. With the family's endorsement, Brent called Charlie Verano and set up an appointment to meet him.

They had agreed to wait for a few days until Charlie would be on the coast and they could spend more time together without disrupting the family. Charlie wanted to meet all of them, explaining that it was a family business and that he valued strong families in his employees. He suggested a Sunday night supper and made the reservations at his hotel's restaurant for six p.m.

Brent's preliminary meeting with Charlie left him with a very good feeling about the opportunity. He was much like the people at Mountain Pine, and that gave Brent confidence that this might be the right move. As they sat down to dinner on Sunday night, Charlie immediately put everyone at ease with his friendly manner and light banter. He told the whole family about how they left Italy and came to Canada, finally settling in Castlegar. He talked about his parents and the beginnings of their business and how hard his father had worked to get it going and make a life for his family in their new land.

Brent watched the reaction to Charlie by Jeanette, Andrea and Scott. He was surprised and pleased at Scott's reaction. He was interested and took part in the conversation, asking questions and laughing along with Charlie at his stories. One down, two to go, thought Brent. Jeanette was quiet, but smiling. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts and he wondered what they were. Time enough for that later, he decided.

Andrea was paying very close attention to Charlie. It was as if she were analyzing his words and behavior. Brent wondered what she was thinking, but there didn't seem to be any negatives at the table. He could talk to his wife and daughter later and get their impressions. He knew he couldn't force them to like the situation. He just hoped Charlie was as good a salesman as Brent thought he was. One thing was for certain, Charlie was in full sales mode that evening.

At the end of the evening, Charlie proposed that Brent come to Castlegar for a day the following week to survey the operation and meet some of the people. There was a flight arriving from Vancouver at nine in the morning and another returning at three twenty in the afternoon. It was plenty of time to look over the plant, have lunch with some of the staff and still be home for dinner that evening. In the meantime, he would send Jeanette some information on the housing market and services in the town and the nearby towns of Trail and Nelson.

When Brent arrived back from his day trip to Verano Custom Millwork, he was almost certain he would take the job that Charlie had outlined. It was what he did well and more importantly, it was a product he could believe in and people he liked. The lunch had gone very well, even though it was clear that the men and women chosen to join him were on a sales campaign of their own. He was flattered that they thought enough of his reputation to want him to be part of their company.

In private, Charlie discussed the structure of the company and his hopes for the future. He felt he might be the last Verano to be involved and he wanted to insure a future for business that would prevent them being absorbed into some faceless corporation and then, likely disappear. Charlie sketched out his thoughts about syndicating the ownership among the committed management of the company which would include their Controller, one senior supervisor who would become Operations Manager and a nephew who might be joining the company. Including Charlie and Brent, that would be a group of five that would ultimately share the ownership and steer the company in the right direction.

Brent could hardly believe what he was hearing. Ownership? It was almost too good to be true. He would need to talk to Henry and get his take on this offer. It was beyond anything he could have expected. He could barely contain his excitement, and it was all he could do to remain coherent when he told Jeanette about the meeting and the people and the proposal. Jeanette was beaming as she recognized how energized and enthusiastic Brent was. She was also relieved. Somehow, despite her destructive adventure, everything might turn out all right. It was about the best she could have hoped for.

Chapter 16:

Dr. Meldrum ushered Brent and Jeanette into her office at two o'clock on Friday afternoon. Her facial expression betrayed nothing, and both the Gordons were nervously anticipating what the physical tests had revealed.

"I know you've been anxious to find out the results of the tests and I have them all here. I can tell you that all the blood, urine, stool and other swabs are fine. In addition, there was nothing on the X-rays to attract our attention." She paused for a moment before continuing. "However, the M.R.I. did turn up something. Something I was not expecting."

Brent could feel Jeanette stiffen in anticipation and he reached for her hand.

"The Magnetic Resonance Imaging detected a spot on your cerebral cortex ... in this case, the surface of the brain. We think it might be a tumor and I am going to refer you to a neurological specialist for further examination."

Brent heard and felt the sharp intake of breath from Jeanette. He turned to her and saw look of pure terror.

"What does this mean?" Brent asked carefully.

"It's too early to tell. It may be benign and therefore can be surgically removed or dealt with by radiation therapy."

"Or?" he asked.

"Or, it may be malignant and more aggressive treatment would be required. It's just too early to tell. However, it looks like we've found it in the early stages. That's always a good thing," she concluded.