Vivian: Life in Estonia Ch. 16

Vivian had been wise enough not to get hooked on drugs. That way she could function even when attending parties where drugs were blatantly available, and a majority of the partygoers were indulging. As a result, she never suffered a malaise or a hangover that would render her useless for several days required in recovering from an excess of debauchery.

As a result of such reasonable and wise disciplined lifestyle choices, Vivian easily transitioned into a professional life, after her formal education. She acquired a position with one of the most prestigious law firms in Chicago. Not only that, but it was a dream job for her. The firm had in mind that she would concentrate on being exclusively a criminal law defense attorney to take on cases most of which were handled on a pro bono basis to enhance the charitable image of the firm.

The situation in the United States is that every indigent person who is charged with a criminal offense is entitled to legal representation in court. If a person cannot afford a lawyer, the Court will assign a public defender to take on the defense representation. Naturally, given the existence of the demands for the services of a public defender, the legal representation afforded by the public defender necessarily is at its best perfunctory. And that is the case no matter how competent of a lawyer the assigned public defender may happen to be. It's just a case of economics and time constraints. The simple fact is that the public defender has not the sufficient budget or wherewithal to mount an effective defense in a controversial criminal case.

This is where the offices of Kirkland, Mayer & McDermott, come into play. Since the firm had committed to do a certain amount of pro bono cases, they were naturally prone to select the most prominent and controversial cases that would garner favorable publicity for the firm. The beauty of Vivian's employment was that she was relieved of the pressure of a fulfilling a quota of billable hours. Since the firm chose what cases Vivian was to take, she never had to worry about lack of clients.

Vivian was fired by the law firm, but not for incompetency. She had been recognized as a very strong criminal defense advocate. Without obtaining permission from the firm, she had represented her husband charged with embezzling huge sums of money from Baxter & Sons. Since Jed Baxter and his company was a major client of Kirkland, Mayer & McDermott, the firm could not tolerate that conflict of interest.

As that door in her life closed a new entirely different door opened. She married Eino Tarvas and moved to Estonia. With her help and her money, Eino's dairy farm became one of the most prosperous farm in Estonia. And now with divorce pending Vivian had emerged into a new career as a prominent official in the Estonian government and owner of a very successful beer company.

In reviewing her life with all its ups and downs, Vivian was grateful for her strict and exacting background. She attributed her successes in overcoming the obstacles she had encountered in her life to her work ethic and the discipline to persevere. That then was the driving force for Vivian in deciding how to raise her daughter.

Considering her private wealth, Vivian knew that life could be very easy for the two of them. She certainly had the wherewithal to obtain a more spacious living accommodation, and hire some help for cleaning, cooking, laundry and other household chores. However, she eschewed such luxury, as in her mind it would only produce indolence in Maia. Vivian valued work as it gave purpose to life, and she most certainly despised laziness. Her goal in raising Maia, was for her daughter to become self sufficient and a true woman of substance.

That is why, Vivian decided against hiring help. She expected Maia to help in household chores. She also knew that living on the farm had already prepared Maia to accept the responsibility to help. The main plan that Vivian had in mind, was for her daughter to take over the cooking. In that regard, Vivian had Maia help her prepare every meal for the first few months. When September rolled around, even though she was still only seven years old, Maia was able to do some of the day to day cooking for the two of them. Vivian then only prepared some elaborate meals, but even on such occasions, Maia was helping. As Maia grew older, she took on more of the household chores.

Vivian did impart to Maia her knowledge and skills in, knitting, cross stitch and needle point as useful and worthwhile pastimes. She decided there was no point in teaching her daughter to sew. Although Vivian was frugal by nature and she hated to spend money foolishly, there is not much saving in monies to sew one's own clothes. Besides with her friendship with Carmen Kass, Vivian was attuned to buying the finest clothes prudently.

Vivian was grateful that Hele Mölder was able to babysit Maia when her daughter came home from school. Whenever she bought clothes for Maia, she would also buy clothes for Hele's daughter Riina. Vivian overrode Hele's protests that it was way too much magnanimity. Vivian reminded Hele her generosity of allowing the girls to have a weekly sleepover usually on school night. This provided Vivian a whole night to herself or with a companion, usually a male companion. Besides, Vivian frequently had to schedule an emergency babysitting because of sudden demands of her official cabinet position.

With such familiarity, Riina Mölder and Maia Laaning were inseparable friends. As a result of Vivian supplying the girls a top of the line wardrobe, they were easily the best dressed students in their school. This meant, that even in in their prepubescence, they were the elite and the most popular girls; every one of their peers wanted to be friends with them.

Vivian's work was challenging but she was up to the challenge. As we've seen her potential embarrassment of the wardrobe malfunction at the Party's gala fete turned around to become a triumph. Since her witty rejoinders in that affair were so quotable, she was constantly besieged by the Estonian political reporters for her views and reactions to the issues of the day. It soon was acknowledged that she was one of the most popular members in the administration.

As Vivian demonstrated that she was quite content with her position, it appeared she had no higher aspirations. Thus, Kaja Kallas felt no threat from Vivian, and they remained solid friends. When one reporter asked the Prime Minister if she was worried about Vivian's popularity and the possibility, she might want to replace her, Kaja quipped, "Well if the Minister of Culture does go gunning for my job and does succeed in replacing me, why I have only myself to blame. After all it is I who recruited her to enter politics in the first place and to get her to join our Party."

Because Vivian held such a high position in the government, she realized it behooved her to be discreet and circumspect in her love life. With regard to Urmus Tralla, that was no problem. He was firmly committed to remain married to his wife Juuli. Although fairly certain that his wife would not become aware of his adultery given her seclusive living pattern, still she could become aware if a scandal becomes unduly publicized.

As a result, their trysts became patently clandestine, as well as less frequent. It was once a week during a weeknight. The weeknight would vary so that a regular pattern could not be discerned by any potential reporters or such. The sex would take place at her house, as she felt for her to hire a babysitter would attract too much attention. Thus, he would come to her place at ten, after Maia was safely ensconced in her bed sound asleep.

After a couple of interludes of sexual intercourse, he would leave usually between midnight and 12:30 AM. He was ever so careful not to make a sound, and he would shush her whenever she became vocal. As a result, the sex was just slightly better than masturbation but even that was debatable, since sometimes she did not climax. At least she always orgasmed whenever she masturbated.

She sighed as these new experiences were a far cry from that exciting first week of their initial meeting. She realized she has a little hasty in predicting that Urmus would become a significant man in her life. She now resolved that once she had established a reliable coterie of fuck buddies Urmus Tralla would be toast.

Vivian's first step towards finding and acquiring some new fuck buddies was found in the Kaja Kallas cabinet. His name was Raimond Kruuse. He was an accountant so naturally he was appointed as the Minister of Finance. He also happened to be the member of the Centre Party the coalition partner to Kaja Kallas' administration.

After about two months into her tenure as Minister of Culture, Vivian and her staff had drawn up a special request to add one million euros to her department's budget to specifically upgrade and improve certain museums in Tallinn as well as others in the rest of the country.

Despite Vivian's eloquent plea, Raimond Kruuse refused the request at the general cabinet meeting, pleading lack of funds in the treasury available for this additional allocation. When the meeting was breaking up, Vivian asked for a private meeting to discuss the matter further. Kruuse agreed to see her the next morning at his office.

At that meeting, Vivian pointed out that all she was asking for was a mere half a per cent increase in the budget allocated for her department. Besides she assured that the monies could easily be recouped by a modest admission price increase at the museums affected. Kruuse let Vivian talk at length in making her pitch. He made little comment as he patiently waited for Vivian to finish. She was getting the impression she was getting nowhere fast and started to wonder why she even continued to persist.

However, when she was done, he surprised her as he replied, "Well Ms Laaning you do make a strong argument. As the matter is somewhat delicate it needs more consideration. What do you say we discuss the matter further over dinner at the Horisont Restaurant this Saturday night. Say eight o'clock?"

Vivian gasped at such an unexpected invitation. The Horisont Restaurant & Bar was located on the 30th floor of the luxurious Swissôtel Tallinn and offered great views of the Old Town and the Gulf of Finland. It was celebrated for its fine dining in the style of French cuisine with an added complexity by Asian flavors. She replied, "I'll be there unless you wanted to pick me up."

Kruuse replied, "It's best you meet me there. I'll have a table reserved in yours and my name."

Vivian left his office in a daze. She had difficulty in determining what to make of this sudden out of the blue invitation. She surely couldn't take it at face value that it was a legitimate political meeting where she was expected to refine her political pitch to secure more money for her ministry. The chosen locale logically negated such a presumption. She had to believe this was a date with perhaps sex included.

Because Raimond was a member of the other Party, she did not know much about him. In checking the internet, she discovered he was fifty-four years old, was married and had two daughters. Vivian thought, 'Well, I guess that lets sex out, but then again maybe not. One just does not book a meal at one of the finest restaurants in Tallinn to have dinner to merely discuss and finalize mundane and inconspicuous allocation of government funds.'

Taking no chances though, Vivian contacted Hele Mölder who agreed to take in Maia for a sleepover. Just to cover all bases of possibilities Hele had no problem in agreeing to keep Maia as late as Sunday 01:00 PM. Vivian promised to phone Sunday morning to confirm when she would expect to pick up Maia. As Vivian had already obtained some very fashionable clothes for Riina, Hele did not protest nor refuse our heroine.

For the date, she chose a floor length red floral lace gown with short sleeves and crew neckline. She looked quite stunning in it. 'No chance for a wardrobe malfunction in this one,' quipped Vivian in her mind. Then again maybe a wardrobe malfunction would work to her advantage. She secretly knew that it there was any chance for sex she would have no problem in accepting the same.

When Vivian arrived, she was escorted immediately to her table, as Raimond was already sipping on his pre-prandial gin martini. After having just had the opportunity to greet him, the server was there to take an order for her initial drink. Vivian opted for an Estonian vodka on the rocks. He presented a toast to urge a great coalition arrangement to further the interests of Estonia. This toast augured well for at least a successful grant for her department.

They ordered for appetizers a plate of cured and smoked trout; apple and cucumber; crème fraîche; and trout roe. For her entrée she chose beef tenderloin: side of apple-celery gratin; mushrooms; blue cheese; and served in a black garlic sauce. Vivian ordered another vodka while partaking of the trout appetizer. They shared a full bottle of a French Gamay Beaujolais for their main course.

Before they got into a serious conversation, they each took turns in gazing at each other. For Raimond, he was more pleased than he thought he would be when he made the invitation for this evening. What he knew of Vivian was mostly what he had learned from the public press. Since they each belonged separately to the two different major political parties in Estonia, there had been no scope to gain a more personal perspective. Even the formal cabinet meetings of the coalition government which they both attended, offered very little more in way of personal insight.

Like most Estonians, Raimond Kruuse was thrilled at how Vivian had handled her wardrobe malfunction mishap. Of course, she had to have been embarrassed, but it was not like she had deliberately flashed her boobs. Her response: 'These things happen' were the perfect words to utter as it underscored in essence the actual lack of consequence to the incident. And now gazing at her physical appearance which was very much enhanced by the resplendent dress she was wearing along with her make-up and her perfume made her ultra sexually attractive to him. The prime thought in his mind was, 'I must have her.'

As to Vivian, she was harboring some similar lascivious thoughts as she focused on Raimond's appearance. He did not possess the type of male sexual allure, which male celebrities who are deemed to be heartthrobs, would seem to have in attracting most straight women. In his physical favor he was not overweight, but he had a serious, studious look to him. He wore glasses, which stereotyped him as a nerd but at least a respectable nerd.

When people first introduced to him and were advised he was an accountant, they would not be in the least bit surprised. Despite his age he appeared younger, but not too young not to be taken seriously. His voice had a deep baritone sound which reinforced the impression that he was a serious man. To Vivian hearing him speak was sexy as all hell to her. She noticed at the cabinet meetings everyone else paid great deference to him even those of the Reform Party.

After the usual non consequential verbal exchanges, they partook of the appetizers. Vivian ventured out this sentence, "Well Finance Minister Kruuse this seems to be an unusual setting for you to decide whether my department would get the extra funds we have requested."

Kruuse replied, "You may relax my dear Minister of Culture. I've decided I'll be able to find the monies you seek and add it to your department's budget. By the way since we are both in the cabinet, I think it's appropriate to use 'sina*' between ourselves.

{*note to reader: the Estonian language like the French language has two different words for the second person singular: 'sina' (French 'tu') to address family members and intimate friends (including animals BTW); 'teie' (French 'vous') to address all other persons generally. 'Teie' (and French 'vous') would also refer to the second person plural in all cases, just like 'you' is the second person singular and plural in English. Therefore, Vivian had said 'teie' first, but thereafter pursuant to Kruuse's request they referred to each other as 'sina'}

Surprised by this declaration, Vivian mischievously asked, "That being the case, and I thank you by the way, what may be the purpose of this meeting other than satisfying our normal nutrition requirements?"

Raimond chuckled at that remark and replied, "I wouldn't say that was the prime reason for this get-together, although that is an added bonus. I'm actually intrigued by you, and I wanted to get to know you better. I was of course aware of you as a political adversary in the Riigikogu. However, I really took notice in your debut as a cabinet minister. You sure made quite an impression, not just in Estonia but internationally, as well."

Vivian quipped, "Yeah well, I guess a woman important in government flashing her boobs in public is bound to draw attention."

Kruuse chuckled again as he was enjoying Vivian's witty banter. So, in mock protested, "If that were all that occurred, I wouldn't have been intrigued, although I must say from the pictures I saw, your breasts were a pleasure to behold."

Vivian corrected, "I believe only my left breast was exposed."

Kruuse said, "True, but I imagine your other breast is equally as alluring. In any case I had to applaud the way you handled the situation. Even the American actress, who apparently suffered a similar embarrassment as you, had to admit you reacted much better than she did. Not that there was anything wrong about how she had reacted to her embarrassment, but your reaction easily dismissed the incident such that reporters are sure not to bring the matter up again in the future."

Vivian replied, "I don't know about that. The incident with the American actress happened as I understand quite some years ago but is still to this day available for anyone to dig it up on the internet. So, I'm pretty sure the photos of me will be likewise forever available for anyone to leer at."

Kruuse responded, "That's certainly true as well. However, during that very first week in office, you obtained full cabinet approval to negotiate and secure an FIA World Rally Championship round, one of twelve rounds, to take place in Estonia. That was quite a feather in your political cap, as it puts Estonia on the map amongst millions of motorsports fans in 155 countries.

"Now the reporting of your triumph was factual and straight forward and basically very favorable. But I daresay when you were asked to comment on your wardrobe malfunction at the Reform Party gala, had you complained and said something to the effect that the photographers ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking the pictures, or reacted similarly in the fashion of how the American actress reacted, then I would suggest the reporting of your obtaining the FIA event would be slanted differently.

"I imagine the reporting would go something like this: 'The Minister of Culture in trying to regain her political credibility lost by the unfortunate wardrobe malfunction etc. etc. And thereafter in every reporting of you, there will always be made mention of that incident which implies to the reader that you should not be taken seriously."

Vivian was impressed by Raimond's analysis, as she replied, "Gosh I hadn't thought of that, but I guess you're right."

Raimond beamed a smile, "Exactly! You reacted with good political instincts automatically. That's why I'm intrigued with you, and I would wish you were in our Party."

Vivian gushed, "Wow! Thanks for the compliment. Even though you are with the Centre Party, I have such great respect for you, and I value your opinions."