“There’s also going to be a rec center in there. I want residents to be able to exercise, do crafts, have social functions… you get the idea. Now, as to the cottages. They’re all going to be alike in structure, just vary a little in the layouts for one or two bedrooms and the outsides will be painted different colors. Basically, though, they’re all the same floorplan. Every resident can decorate as they see fit, though. I want them to feel special and that they still have something creative to control in their lives. Now, here along the road will be the administrative buildings. This is for offices, maintenance, staff quarters if they want to stay there, storage… well, you get the idea. Those buildings should be brick, but attractive and have landscaping. Everything needs to be well-landscaped. I want a band shell for concerts and docks where they can fish in the lake. The beach should be filled with cabanas for shade and I want an Olympic-sized pool with a retractable roof so they can swim for exercise in the cold months. Now, that’s just the beginning, but it gives you some idea of what I’ve got planned.”
“Brice, this is awesome. I had no idea you were thinking of such a scale. But, are residents from around here, especially seniors, going to be able to afford all this?”
“It will be affordable,” I said firmly. “I’m not saying it won’t need to be subsidized, but I’ll handle that. As soon as this development is full, I’ll buy more land and build a second. Maybe not on the beach, though. I’m thinking a forested tract might be nice, too. Same idea, just a location with shade and more deer and squirrels. You see what I’m going for, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Paradise,” he said without hesitation.
“Well, I don’t know about that, but as close as I can come to it.”
“Why?”
“Why, what?”
“Why are you doing this?”
I put down the pencil and sat back. “You know, it’s hard to put into words. While I was in med school, I saw the suffering people went through; especially the elderly. They’d lost control of their lives, you know? The ones I saw were sick, or spouses of the sick. They were just giving up on life. Watching the clock spin down their lives. I couldn’t stand it. I looked at the accumulation of all those years of wisdom, abilities, history—you know? They were being kicked to the side and with the economy crash and rising prices, none of them were able to enjoy being retired the way they’d planned. Then me, well, I had more than I needed, and it sort of came to me that it was intended for me to win because I would help these people. I’m not sure how, but I’m going to find a way to make these villages self-supporting. I’ll finance the original but each one will have small jobs for the residents. It’ll let them recover their pride and hopefully, be self-sustaining so I can move on to the next one.”
“Huh… never saw you as a philanthropist.”
I folded up the paper and put it in a drawer with the pencil. “I don’t think you saw me as a lot of things, ol’ buddy. Now, off with you. I’ve got to grab some sleep before I go on duty.”
I laid down on my bed and heard the door close as Todd left. I closed my eyes and fell instantly asleep. When the alarm went off, I was dreaming of Mina and for a disappointing moment, discovered she wasn’t lying next to me as she had in the dream.
Jesus, but I wanted her by my side. As excited as I was about building my retirement community, it was so tempting to let it be set aside for a while until I could bring Mina into my life to share it with me. I knew she’d approve. She had to.
Chapter 13
Mina
As promised, David’s representative delivered my copy of the script right to my door. His knock startled me, and I almost ignored it as tourists often knocked at my door looking for a bathroom once the state park was closed. I peeked between the kitchen curtains and saw a man in a suit.
I slid the door open but kept my foot behind it. “May I help you?”
“Mina Stewart?”
“Yes?” Was I about to be served was something legal?
“I represent David Bretherton. I have a script for you and a simple contract for you to sign. May I come in a moment?”
“What’s your name?”
“Stanley Ellingham, III,” he replied and clipped a business card out of his breast pocket, holding it toward me. I glanced at it and saw that he was an attorney. He had to be legitimate, only David would send an attorney to do his bidding.
“Sure, come on in,” I said, holding the door open and pointing to the living room. “Please have a seat, can I get you anything?”
He shook his head. “No, I’ll only be a moment.” He settled himself on the sofa and with an attorney’s precision, stacked the documents in order of presentation. “Now then, Ms. Stewart. I believe you’ve been expecting a script for your part in an upcoming production sponsored by the Bretherton’s, is that correct?”
“Why do I feel as though I’m on the witness stand?”
“I apologize. This is a far more casual arrangement, however, I’ve developed a particular approach when dealing with the Bretherton businesses. I’m sure you understand.”
I wanted to text David and ask what was going on, but I didn’t want him to offer to come over. “What can I do for you, Mr. Ellingham?”
“If you’ll just look over this brief contract, sign, initial, and date where indicated, I’ll turn the script over to you and be on my way.”
I took the document he handed me and quickly read through it. It was legalese for my commitment to play be starring role, to show up for practices at the times David and I had discussed and then, of course, to show up and carry out the performance itself. I shook my head. “Mr. Ellingham, I don’t see any need for a contract. This is an agreement between friends, nothing more.”
“Everything with the Brethertons is a matter of business, Ms. Stewart,” he pronounced.
“This isn’t what I agreed to, and it was a casual agreement. I will not bind myself by signing any documents and if Mr. Bretherton has a problem with that, he can contact me, he knows how.” I stood up, signaling to him that our time had come to a close.
“I’m not sure you understand, Ms. Stewart. You and Mr. Bretherton already have a verbal agreement, that is true. And as such, it is binding legally even if you do not sign this contract. A judge will recognize a verbal agreement is binding. Should you decide not to sign, that might be seen as a breach of contract and the Brethertons would be within their rights to address this in a court of law.”
“What? Are you out of your mind? Please leave now, Mr. Ellingham. This conversation is done.” I walked toward the door, opened it and held it wide, motioning him to leave. He gave me a hard look, laid the contract on the table but picked up what I assumed was the script and came to the door to leave.
“I’ve left the contract for you as you can see. If you decide to reconsider, you may sign it and bring it to my office. Please do not mail it as mail delivery is whimsical at best in Bretherton Bay. Good day, Ms. Stewart.” I whiffed his subtle, but expensive aftershave as he passed me on his way out my door. My hands began to shake as the sense of violation his threats represented began to sink in. If merely having a discussion with David constituted a legal agreement, he could rest assured I would never speak to him again.
I went into the kitchen and brewed myself a cup of coffee. It felt like something stronger, perhaps a cup of brandy instead, but I was never much of a drinker. My lifeguard job had ended for the season and I was preparing for the fall term through the intervening days. I finished the coffee, grabbed my bag and headed for the school.
As a teacher of the fourth grade, it was my job to carry on the transition from being a group babysitter, as the kindergarten teachers often felt they were, to creating responsible young teens who could begin to grasp the nuances of becoming adults. I taught the normal subjects of geography, history, math, English and so forth, but I also tried to teach them about respect and diversity. While Bretherton was not very diverse in its population, few of my students would live in Brether
ton Bay for the rest of their lives. They needed to understand what lay outside our end of the rainbow.
I pulled out a file folder I kept of magazine clippings and printouts of clipart from the computer. It was my habit to welcome my students with a board just inside the door titled, “This day in…” It was there that I posted a reminder of something famous in history that happened on that date. They began to look forward to this and it often was the opening discussion for the day. I knew it also gave them something to bring up at dinner time during family conversations. I began organizing these and made notes of additional content I’d look up and find illustrations for. There was a tap at my door and I looked up to see David standing there.
“Hi, Mina,” he greeted me, shuffling coins between his forefinger and thumb in a nervous gesture. “I guess my attorney came by your place?”
I said nothing but nodded.
“I guess it didn’t go so well? He seems to think you felt intimidated.”
“I think that’s exactly what you intended me to feel, David. I’ve signed nothing, and our conversation was speculative. However, if you feel it necessary to see that as some sort of a breach of agreement, then I guess you’ll have to sue me. But from here on out, I’m not talking to you. It seems everything I say will be on the record.”
“Mina, don’t be that way. That’s his job, to be like that. That’s what we pay him to be.” I kept my eyes on my work and didn’t respond. “Don’t let this come between us.”
“There is no us, David. We were friends, but you pretty much blew that out of the water. I’d like you to leave now, David, and if you don’t, I will push this button and someone from the office will be down to see you out.” I moved my hand below the lip of the desk.
“Mina, you forget, not only am I free to come and go from these buildings as I wish, there is no button on your desk. You’re faking me out because you’re scared.”
Damn! “Well, the idea is to get you out of here, so I’ll just ask you politely to leave.”
“Mina, forget the contract. Forget the fact that we talked about the play and your role in it. I’d like very much for you to be in it and as you’ve probably heard, the word around town is that you will be. How about this? How about if I send Ellington around with a contract that reads that there is no contract, neither written nor verbal. How would that be?”
“I don’t really trust you anymore, David. For all I know, that could be illegal, and you might be setting me up for something.”
“You could call your own counsel and get his opinion,” he tried.
“David, normal people don’t have an attorney on staff. You have to have some idea how the rest of us live, don’t you?”
“Sure, I guess I do. I mean, I’ve always lived the same way and I don’t know any different.”
I actually felt pity for him at that moment. He’d been living in an ivory tower so long, he didn’t know what it felt like to have his feet on the ground. I wouldn’t have traded lives with him for any amount of money. “David, I’m not very happy with you just now. I’ve asked you twice to leave and if you don’t, I will personally walk down to the principal’s office and no matter who you are, I guarantee you I will say whatever I need to have you thrown out. Now, that would prove embarrassing for you, as well as me. Somehow, I think they’re going to take my word over yours. After all, I’m one of the poor folk, remember? I don’t need contracts with my friends.”
I think it was that last sentence that got his attention because his expression drooped and for a moment he looked like the kid nobody wanted on their baseball team. His chin dropped as he swiveled in his polished leather shoes and I heard them retreating down the hallway as he left the building. I released a huge sigh of relief. I wasn’t sure what could come of this, but I would keep him at arm’s length from that point on.
It was just after lunchtime when someone knocked at my door and I looked up to see Bob Marchand, from Marchand Florists standing there with a hideously large bouquet in his hands. “David Bretherton sent these. Looks to me like he’s got a pretty big apology to make to you.”
I motioned him in and pointed to the counter behind my desk. “Bob, I appreciate you bringing those over, but I don’t want them. The Brethertons have to learn that not everyone and everything is for sale.”
“Mina, what am I supposed to do with them? They’ve been bought and paid for.”
I cursed David mentally for putting Bob in this position. It was probably his largest single sale of the month. “Tell you what. Let them sit right there and I’ll sign the delivery receipt. No reason for you to get involved in all this.”
He nodded and did as I suggested, giving me a sweet smile of thanks as he left. I tried to ignore the bouquet, but the scent was overpowering. They really were beautiful. I bent back toward my work.
There came another knock at my door. This time it was Barry Wellick, owner of the only other florist shop in town. He was holding multiple bouquets of roses. “Mina?”
“Let me guess. David Bretherton?”
He nodded and looked as though he was begging me to accept them. “Put them over there, please,” I indicated. “Right next to the delivery from Marchand’s.” He didn’t hesitate, and I quickly initialed his delivery receipt and then he was on his way.
This is just ridiculous. I could see a card tied to both deliveries but didn’t need, or particularly want, to read either one of them. Finally, I threw down my pen and picked up my purse. It took several trips, but I got them all loaded into my car and headed for Bretherton General. I went inside to the reception desk. “Hi,” I began. “Listen, I’ve gotten some flowers and I’d like them to be distributed to the patients. Would you have someone with a cart who could help me bring them in?”
The woman looked puzzled. I didn’t blame her. Her face showed a fraction of the confusion I was feeling inside. She nodded, lifted the phone, and spoke a few words. Shortly thereafter, a man with a food tray delivery cart came out of the elevator and toward me. I motioned him to follow and between the two of us, we loaded all the flowers. “Can you just split those up to people who can have them?”
He nodded and turned to go back inside. I’d left my car parked at the patient drop-off and opened my door to climb in and leave when I heard my name called. I looked up and there stood Brice.
“Everything okay?” he asked, coming toward me.
“Sure. Just had to make a flower delivery,” I explained, which sounded perfectly natural to me, but completely confusing to him, I supposed.
“Are you doing an extra sideline job?”
“Nope. David Bretherton ordered every flower in town delivered to my classroom. Don’t want them and thought there were people here who could enjoy them a lot more.”
“That’s very kind of you. Is it your birthday or something?”
I hesitated, but I needed someone to talk to. I stepped back out of the car and motioned him closer. “I know this isn’t something you’re interested in, but I need a word of advice.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, David, who is a friend only, and I stress that, asked me to be in a play his family is putting on in the converted playhouse.”
“I heard about all that. Congratulations on landing the role.”
“Well, I don’t know about that. There wasn’t even an audition if you get my drift.”
He nodded, and his brown eyes were kind and made me want to spill my guts.
“So, today, his lawyer shows up at my house with the script and a contract, telling me it’s how they do business. I told him to get lost and he claimed that I’m already obligated because the conversation when David and I talked about it was binding and I could get sued for breaking a verbal contract. Do you think that’s true?”
He smiled. “I think David might be over-stepping his position. People who abuse the kindness of others often have to resort to contracts to remind them to do the right thing. Did you sign the contract?”
I made a face
that told him I was no fool and he nodded. “Okay, got it. Well, since you ask, I can tell you I wouldn’t sign anything from a Bretherton attorney and as for a verbal contract, well, I’m fairly sure you could plead that you weren’t made aware that the general discussion constituted a promise of any kind. You hadn’t even seen the script yet, right?”
I nodded.
“So, it could have been smut and you certainly wouldn’t have wanted to perform in that, justifiably so. I wouldn’t worry about it. If he causes you any trouble, you come to me, you hear?”
I nodded. “Thanks, Brice. I thought you might have the answer.”
I gave a short wave, climbed back into my car, and left the hospital parking lot. It felt kind of nice to have Brice looking after my interests. In a weird way, I should even be grateful to David for having put me in the position to accept Brice’s counsel.
Maybe the strangest aspect of all that was that somehow David ticking me off made Brice my ally. I wasn’t as angry with him as I’d been. Funny how things work out.
Chapter 14
Brice
Demolition had begun on what was to be called North Bay Village. A little generic, I’ll admit, but there was no way I was putting the Bretherton name on this. This was one thing they couldn’t own.
Seeing Mina again got me in the gut. She could shake me to my core when a major disaster with the trauma center filled to over-capacity didn’t even make me blink. The fact that Bretherton was behind her being stressed was not going to be repeated. I would see to that.
I stopped by the town’s planning and zoning office. Buck Henry headed it up and he was a personal friend of mine. We’d played football together in school and had shared more than one keg by a bonfire on weekends. It was also a matter of great luck for me that he hated the Brethertons. For as many people who sought the approval of the wealthy family, there were just as many who hated their superiority and controlling ways of doing business.
Built for Pleasure Page 99