“Daddy, please, no, nothing happened. I’m so sorry, it was wrong of me to take the food up to the studio, but nothing happened, I swear.” She’s near tears now, and part of me is glad that this has come back to bite her in the ass a little bit.
“We trusted you.” Margot nearly spits the words at Damon.
“And I trusted Amanda, now didn’t I?” He pins me with hateful glare, and I almost sob again. There is just no recovering from this.
“Cheers.” Damon gets back into his car and drives off.
I can’t believe Damon just kissed Sylvia. I can’t believe Stirling punched him. And now everyone’s looking at me to see what’s next.
“I can’t…Margot, I’ll call you when I land tomorrow,” I say. My eyes are already overflowing with tears. “I love you all. I’m sorry—for everything.”
Margot starts toward me, but I duck into the car and lock the door. The driver gets back in and backs out of the driveway. And just like that, my summer vacation has come to a horrible, bitter end.
19
Amanda
I’ve never been an artist,not the way Damon is an artist.
Ironically, though, the only thing that calms me and distracts me on the flight home is to do some more jewelry sketches for the designers. I’ve actually gotten quite good at it. Instead of following the type of new designs I’ve recently been working on, I decide to try and conceptualize something new. Something Sutter Jewels has never done before. Of course, the folder in my office is full of sketches of just such cutting-edge designs for brooches, pendants, rings, and earrings. I’m sad to think that those designs will never see the light of day. They’re just too specific and would probably result in a loss of customers.
The ones I’m working on now, though, might entice just the right buyer for the company. They’re more traditional in nature with a contemporary flair, which should keep the long-time clientele and bring in younger customers, in turn making the store itself an appealing acquisition. Margot had talked about how to help the ship sink with grace, and this is one way I can leave a little part of myself with the company even as it goes down.
Eventually, I do fall asleep, and I’m awakened by the pilot’s announcement that we’ve begun our initial descent into LAX. I put my sketch pad away and lock up my tray table before the flight attendant can scold me. As soon as I can take my phone out of airplane mode, I discover a text from Margot:We’re moving to another rental property in Maui. Hopefully we can salvage the rest of our vacation. Miss you already. Love you.
I feel so heavy. So tired. I know I promised I’d call her when I landed, but I just don’t have the emotional energy.All I can manage is a brief text in response: Glad for your change of scenery. Exhausted, call you tomorrow I promise. Love you more.
In spite of the fact that my body clock is still three hours behind, I have no problem crashing when I get back to my condo. I wake up super early the next morning and there’s no avoiding the inevitable. I shower and dress and head into the flagship store in Beverly Hills. I keep smaller offices at the Santa Monica and Pasadena stores, but most of my files and other important information is at the Rodeo Drive store.
At least Father won’t be there. For a brief instant, I panic and worry that he will indeed be sitting in my office ready to make a nuisance of himself. But the store, and my office, are completely, mercifully empty.
Since the staff won’t be in for another two hours at least, I can finish the reports that Margot and I had started to prepare in Kauai. I’ll finalize them and get them over to Clark. When my assistant arrives just before nine, I instruct her to clear my calendar and hold my calls. I spend the better part of the day calling the other Board members. Most see the urgency and the necessity of Margot’s and my plan, and some refuse to participate in anything that appears disloyal to my father. But together with our supporters, Margot and I will still command the majority, and Clark is prepared to handle any legal action taken by our detractors.
I only take one twenty-minute break to eat a deli sandwich I have delivered, so by four o’clock, I’m fried. I can’t leave yet, though. There’s one phone call left to make. I make a cup of herb tea to steady my nerves and dial Father in Palm Springs.
“Hello,” he says, as if he can’t see that it’s me calling on his cell phone.
“Hello Father, it’s Amanda.”
“Amanda, yes! How’s Hawaii? Is your sister there? Put her on.” Same old Father.
“I’m actually not in Kauai anymore. I came home early, just some work stuff I felt was better to deal with in person.”
“Oh. Anything I need to know about?”
“No, it’s really that I was getting too bored not being able to work,” I lie. “You know how I am. But there is a special Board Meeting coming up next week. Margot and I really need you to attend.” All of my previous attempts to talk to Father have ended in yelling and him slamming the phone down in my ear, since I’ve been too intimidated to meet him in person when discussing these matters. Now it’s time to implement our plan and bring in the big guns, which really just means the Board Members who are on our side.
“What? Well, who called this meeting? What’s it pertaining to?”
“I think Margot did. You’ll have to ask her.” Lie number two. I know she’ll forgive me and gladly take the brunt of Father’s ire. He also trusts her more than me, and will be a little less likely to attack her. That is, until he finds out that she’s turned the Board against him along with me.
“Huh…I’ll call her later. Whatever it’s about don’t go in there unprepared. Be sure Clark is in attendance.”
“Oh, he will be.” Sigh.
My father isn’t one for small talk, and since I can’t pass the phone to Margot, he ends the call in his usual dismissive manner. I immediately fire off another text to Margot:Heads up, he thinks you called the Board Meeting, he’ll probably call you soon—sorry. Headed home, call you around 6 my time with a full update.
Within minutes she responds:No worries, I’ll be ready for him. The house in Maui is great, but not quite as opulent. And you’re not here. Talk soon. xo
