“You’re going back?” Wanda asked.
“Not entirely.” Galina took a sip of her tea, but her eyes never left Wanda. “I’ve decided to move to the other side, the employee side. I’m tired of defending employers. I’m looking into starting my own practice, so I can balance the roles of mother and attorney as I see fit. And if you would like—if the offer still stands—I would be honored to play a role in your case.”
Wanda set her cup on the coffee table and threw her arms around her friend. Galina laughed.
“I’m glad you have such faith in me, Wanda. But I’m not going to do things much differently from your attorney. I don’t plan on taking this case away from him. That would be a mistake. Even though I understand Lambert passed the case on to another attorney at the firm, they’ve started the process and have done quite a bit of research. I propose joining the team, and doing it pro bono.”
Wanda didn’t have to answer with a longwinded discourse. The expression on her face sealed the deal.
Chapter 43
Wanda studied the name and phone number: Michael Smith of The Times. She’d scribbled it down even though she swore to herself she wouldn’t call him. She would not make herself and her case a public spectacle. But since the day he had called her out of the blue, Wanda realized this wasn’t about gaining a spot in the limelight or trying to make a name for herself in a sleazy, dishonest way. Whether she spoke with the press or not, the outcome of her case would be the same. Especially at this point. She no longer needed witnesses to come forward. By speaking to the press, she would be helping other women in the same situation. At Whilt and at other companies.
Her collaboration with Kate and reconciliation with Galina had put her in a generous frame of mind. She no longer felt alone and on the defensive. She felt ready to step out of the shadows and show other women they could do the same.
Wanda left Nelly at Galina’s place with the nanny and then headed to the café where she had agreed to meet Michael Smith, the newspaper’s Paris correspondent. She dashed through the rain, her ballerina flats filling with water with each splash.
Michael told her he would be wearing a blue scarf and sitting at the back of the café. He recommended his usual place on the Rue des Martyrs. Wanda made her way past the wooden tables to the dim corner where a young man sat, pen in one hand, coffee in another.
“Michael Smith?” she asked, even though he could be none other.
“That’s me.” He must have been in his twenties, hardly out of internship territory. He had eager brown eyes and a firm handshake. “Thanks for agreeing to the interview.”
Wanda grimaced as she dropped her bag at her feet and settled into the rickety chair that one would never find at a café in her old neighborhood. “The word ‘interview’ makes it sound intimidating. My life never attracted this sort of interest before, so I’m not used to the attention.”
Michael laughed. “That’s the case with most people before they make the news. You’ve got to start somewhere. But don’t worry, it’ll be painless.”
Wanda ordered a coffee, then took a deep breath as she watched Michael glancing at his list of questions. At least he wasn’t intimidating. He was an ordinary young journalist, not one used to interviewing celebrities or big name politicians. This somehow comforted her.
They made small talk until Wanda’s coffee arrived, hot and fragrant—a soothing distraction. She dunked the small gingerbread cookie and bit into the sweet softness.
“Tell me how everything started, Wanda—can I call you Wanda?”
She nodded. “No need to be formal.”
And then she began her story. She didn’t accuse Whilt of anything, only presented the important elements from start to finish. Michael jotted everything furiously in his notebook, stopping her only a few times to ask a question.
Normally, Wanda hated talking about the Whilt situation. With Max and Galina, she’d worried about their reactions, what they would expect of her. With her attorney, she had been concerned about having all the right answers so he could build a case. With her parents, she dreaded the aftermath: being badgered on a weekly basis about finding a job or a wealthy husband. Only as she told the story to Kate had she begun to speak with authority rather than shame. And that was the dominant characteristic as she told her story in the back of the unpretentious neighborhood café.
This confidence meant the story didn’t come across as the whining of a dissatisfied employee. Instead, Wanda brought forth real, significant points as well as legal and sociological issues that applied to many other women, many other cases.
“Interesting,” Michael repeated over and over, shaking his head and writing simultaneously.
And he didn’t know the half of it. After all, Wanda had only talked about the parts relating directly to her job, performance, firing and contract. She wanted to keep the story serious and on track since she wasn’t doing this to fuel the rumor mill. She was doing this to denounce the sort of practices that had ruined her career and were ruining the careers of other women—and that’s what she told Michael.
“You think your career is ruined?” he asked. “Why?”
“Whilt’s practices aren’t unique to Whilt. You read about this sort of thing—the glass ceiling, discrimination—present at many companies in many fields. I just so happen to work in finance, but it’s not a problem unique to finance. When I apply for a job elsewhere, those managers see I’ve stood up for justice, to the point of taking my employer to court. Who wants to hire someone who has the nerve to sue?”
Michael finished noting Wanda’s words, then set down his pen and looked at her curiously. “Off the record, what are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know.”
“You look pretty serene for someone facing that kind of uncertainty.”
“I wasn’t always. I wasn’t until just recently. When I realized I didn’t have a choice so I might as well accept things as they are.”
“Well, thanks for agreeing to this interview. I think it’s going to be a good story.”
“At least now you have the truth. I was getting tired of reading the rumors and suppositions.”
Michael smiled. “Yeah, my editor will be thrilled with this.”
Wanda glanced around at the calmness of their surroundings. A few regulars sitting with newspapers, chatting with the waiter or bartender.
“Is your office in this neighborhood, or do you live around here?” she asked
“I live here and work from home. No budget for an office in Paris.”
“Looks like it could be a fun place to settle down. I used to think the sixteenth was the only livable spot in Paris, but maybe I was wrong.”
“You in the market for a new place?”
“I just moved a few months ago, to a neighborhood I can’t connect with. It was in a rush, so I didn’t have much of a choice. It’s been difficult. I can’t move now, but it’s nice to have a look around. To be ready next time.”
“I highly recommend this neighborhood—and most of Montmartre really.”
“I know someone who lives in Montmartre,” she murmured, thinking once again of Max.
Chapter 44
When Wanda pictured Galina handling her case, she imagined playing a day-to-day role, being more involved in the details than she’d been with Lambert. But in reality, Galina’s involvement meant more of the same.
Constance Dupuis, a partner at the firm and one with extensive experience in discrimination cases, was the perfect attorney for this case, Galina had said as she and Wanda met with the woman for the first time.
Wanda couldn’t help but admire the woman’s pristine white Chanel suit against the ebony of her perfectly straightened hair. She must have been in her mid-fifties, but she looked ten years younger.
Looks, however, were secondary to Ms. Dupuis’ knowledge and sharp analytical skills. She and Galina quickly found themselves on the same page as they discussed the elements in their possession, the strengths and weakness
es of the case, and the plan of action. Wanda listened, entranced, but her presence in the room with these great legal minds would be restricted to this initial meeting.
“Why?” Wanda asked as she and Galina sat at a small bistro over plates of roasted chicken and summer greens.
Galina pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head and leaned closer. The tables were empty around them as many Parisians had already headed off for their famous summer vacations, but Wanda and Galina were used to lowering their voices to share secrets.
“It’s time for you to start living your life, to move forward. Your lawsuit is my job and Constance’s. You’ve provided all the essential information, and if we need anything further, we’ll ask. But you are not an attorney, Wanda, so you have no business hanging around the office and discussing strategy with us.”
Wanda chewed on a forkful of chicken and sighed. Galina was right, but it was hard to let go of what had become her life over the past nine months. Nine months. Like a pregnancy. That was the problem; she had treated this whole situation as a new part of her life, a new baby. But it wasn’t. It was something she had to set aside, to be handled by professionals. She had to move on, to find her place.
Her phone rang, and Max’s name flashed across the screen, as if some sort of sign. Galina glanced at the phone before Wanda had time to send the call directly to voicemail.
“You are being a fool, letting him get away.” Galina sipped on her mojito and stared at Wanda with the expression that always broke her down.
“Galina, you don’t understand.” Wanda sat back and pressed her fingers to her temples. “It’s not that I don’t care about him. I just need to get past this case and find myself in a better position. My only choice now is to depend on Max, and I don’t want to do that.”
“He won’t wait forever. He’ll go on with his own life. You even said he was dating. That’s an accident waiting to happen. Do you realize how many women would snap him up in about ten seconds? I know you’re worth waiting for, Wanda, but do you want to take the risk? Think about it.”
Chapter 45
The Times article filled Wanda’s heart with pride. Her words sounded eloquent and professional, honest and sincere. And as she read the story over and over, she realized the importance of her message. She emailed Michael a thank you, for truthfully telling her story, for making her voice heard. And he quickly replied, thanking her for sharing her story and asking her to keep in touch with further developments.
The next development, however, was one Wanda wouldn’t share with the press and one Wanda hoped her attorneys could manage to prove false in the courtroom.
It was a hot afternoon, too hot to remain in a top floor apartment without air conditioning. So Wanda had taken her laptop, along with Nelly in her stroller, to the park. It was easy to find a quiet spot, alone on a bench near a cluster of rose bushes, on an afternoon like this, when most other people were at work.
Wanda was thankful for the massive plane trees that provided her and Nelly amnesty as the sun beat down and any sort of breeze remained scarce. She scrolled through the job listings, her usual occupation, and with one hand rolled the stroller back and forth to lull Nelly to sleep. Just as she dozed off, Wanda’s phone vibrated. Galina. She answered it in a half whisper.
“Nelly must be falling asleep,” Galina said.
“You know our routine well.”
“Do you have a minute to talk?”
“Yes.” Wanda’s heartbeat accelerated. Her friend’s tone was enough to signal something was wrong. “What is it?”
“How well do you know Flora Fortin?”
“Well, I… We used to go out for drinks with some of the others. But that was before maternity leave. We talked a lot less since I got back. She never really understood how my priorities changed. Why?”
“She’s provided an affidavit, basically saying that the two of you worked closely together and she had been present during your conversations with Louis—and that nothing inappropriate took place.”
“What?” Wanda shrieked and stood up, sending her computer sliding onto the seat. She paced in front of the bench, her breath caught in her throat in such a way as to block any words from forming.
“It’s OK, calm down. We know this is a lie. This happens quite frequently in these sorts of cases, Wanda. Flora was probably put in a situation where it was either her or you. She chose to save her ass, as most people in her position would have done.”
“So what do we do? This means it’s my word and Kate’s against her and Louis… and God knows what other Whilt employee they’ll force into testifying!”
Wanda lowered herself to the bench. She was shaking like a leaf, in spite of the hot temperature and blazing sun.
“Your testimony and Kate’s are important. But I would be lying if I said we didn’t need other witnesses.”
Wanda’s mind raced. She thought of Maddie, who had offered to testify. But now, in light of Flora’s statement, her confidence disintegrated. Could she trust any current or former Whilt employee? What if Maddie betrayed her at the last minute? A couple of years ago, Wanda would have never believed Flora would do such a thing.
“Let me think about this, Galina,” she said.
“All right, you have a few days.”
“But the trial isn’t until—”
“Wanda, we need time to prepare this case. We don’t want to scramble at the last minute. I don’t work that way.”
Wanda leaned against the hard wooden bench, turned off her computer, turned off her phone. She gazed at Nelly sleeping peacefully and tried to focus her mind on productive thoughts. She would consider Maddie. She would reconstruct each of their conversations, as if somehow, she would find a clue previously overlooked. Could she take the risk of calling this woman to testify on her behalf? She didn’t know the answer. As much as she pondered and analyzed, she didn’t know who she could trust.
Chapter 46
Wanda and Galina sat in the twin black leather chairs in Constance Dupuis’ office. Galina with her legal pad and favorite fountain pen, and Wanda with one hand clutching the other in her lap. Ms. Dupuis glanced from one to the other from behind a stack of papers pertaining to the case.
“I don’t know what to suggest,” Wanda said with a sigh.
“You’d said you had an idea,” Galina said, impatience in her voice.
“A woman named Maddie Rosenberg recently left Whilt and signed a nondisclosure non-disparagement agreement. She told me that if she were subpoenaed, she would be willing to support me.”
“But you don’t trust her?” Galina asked.
“I don’t know who to trust any more. That’s the problem.” Wanda played with the ends of her hair, giving her nervous hands something to do.
“What are your reasons for trusting her, and what are your reasons for doubting her?” Ms. Dupuis asked.
Wanda thought for a moment, then replied, “She’s always been honest with me in the past and has gone out of her way to warn me about the problems I would face at Whilt. That’s why I would trust her. As for doubting her… I would doubt anyone who signed an agreement of any sort with Whilt. I haven’t seen the agreement. I don’t know what it contains. And if some people—like Flora—dare to lie under oath for Whilt, I imagine others could do the same.”
Both attorneys were silent, their eyes on Wanda.
“What would you do?” she asked, glancing from one to the other. “Who would you trust?”
Ms. Dupuis spoke first. “Galina and I will discuss the matter. There isn’t an obvious answer. But we depend on your guidance since you know Ms. Rosenberg.”
“Do you have one feeling that outweighs the other, Wanda?” Galina asked. “Based on your personal experiences with Maddie.”
Wanda closed her eyes and let her mind wander, scrolling through images, words and memories.
“It’s too much of a risk,” she said, her eyes flying open. “We’ll make do without her.”
“You have doubts
then?” Ms. Dupuis asked. She doodled on the corner of a legal pad even as her eyes found Wanda’s.
Wanda nodded. “I guess I do.” Then she turned to Galina. “Based on feeling, she wouldn’t betray me. But I can’t trust my feelings, Galina. I have to eliminate all risks. And Maddie’s testimony is a risk. What would happen if she backed up Flora? I would lose everything, wouldn’t I?”
“It’s not as clear cut as that,” Galina said, sighing. “But of course it would be extremely negative.”
“I refuse to take that risk.”
In Wanda’s mind, the matter was settled.
~~~~
Wanda brought takeout sushi to Kate’s apartment, and Kate hugged her with delight.
“How did you know I’ve been craving sushi?”
Kate led her down the hall to the sitting room and lay down in her usual spot. Her powder blue maternity dress unfolded around her like a fan.
“I’m so tired of this couch,” she grumbled. “Only another month.”
They chatted about this and that, and then Wanda brought Nelly into the nursery to play with Kate’s daughters. Nelly tugged at Wanda’s jeans for a minute or two, then crawled off toward a rather tempting stack of board books as the girls chased after her.
“Luckily your girls like playing with little ones,” Wanda said as she returned to the sitting room and sank into the plush cushions.
“Have a California roll,” Kate urged, pushing the box in Wanda’s direction. “They’re lovely.”
Wanda took one but had trouble concentrating on the food. She was too busy thinking about her case.
“How do you manage?” she asked. “With the baby arriving any time and giving nearly full control to the attorney working on your case.”
“You have to learn to let things go, Wanda. That’s what I’ve done. To a certain degree, we have to be involved, to provide information, to help each other out as we’ve done. Then it’s the lawyers’ turn to take over. I’ve stopped thinking about the case. My doctor put his foot down during my last appointment. I don’t have a choice if I hope to have a healthy delivery.”
The Creepshow: A Novel Page 17