The Artist's Paradise (19 page)

Chapter 3
3

Jonathan awoke with a start. Something warm and wet tickled his ear. He rolled over onto his side, raised his arm, and rubbed the point of attack with the palm of his hand. Then he gathered up Mister Tubbs in his arms and held him tightly against his face. “We’ve got to hurry. I have an appointment with Doctor King at nine today.”

Jonathan sailed into
Doctor King’s office by 8:45. Today was an important day. Graduation? Perhaps.

“
You’re looking fit. How are you?” Doctor King asked.

He settled into the chair in front of her desk. He preferred this more impersonal seating arrangement. He’d avoid the other side of the room
, if he could. His memory of losing control at his first session still embarrassed him. That would not happen again.

“A
fter our last five sessions, I’m doing a lot better.”

“Good. Tell me about what helped you the most.”

He leaned back in his chair and gazed up to the ceiling, as if trying to read a script. “You know I had a difficult time getting past my anger. I felt abandoned. Trying to think of any reason to stay with Angie was almost impossible.”

She smiled and remained silent.

“All my life, I’ve been abandoned. My sister died before I got to meet her. My Mom died when I was only twenty, and my dad left me to be with Mom. All my life I tried to work myself into a long-term relationship. I felt Angie and I would be together forever. Then Angie left.”

She jotted down a few notes and looked up. “Yes. I can see how you could see these events as if you caused them. But you didn’t
. Did you?”

He laughed. “No, of course not. With your help, I realize I am a
control freak. I’ve spent over forty years trying to control everyone and everything. If I had that power, I’d be the master of my fate. Control is a figment, a vapor, it does not exist.”

“True. How does that make you feel?”

“I’m good. I practice releasing control of the things I can’t change and working on changing the things I can. I’m a fast learner.”

“Yes, you’re a very intelligent man.”

He grinned.

“How do you think you’re handling the absence of your wife?”

He placed his hands on the desk, palms together, and fingers steeped. “Angie’s gone. I don’t know if she’ll ever come back. Since you’ve made it clear to me that I can’t drive to Knoxville and drag her back home, all-in-all, I’m doing pretty good.”

She
added some additional notes to his file.

After what seemed like an eternity, he continued, “I
know I’m better than when I first came to see you. At least now, I realize my fear of losing her may have driven her away. Pretty crazy, huh? If I get the opportunity to make it up to her, at least now, I know that things have to change. Actually, I have to change. She can choose to change or not. But I will.”

Doctor
King tapped her pen against the pad on her desk. Could she read his mind?

“I’m hearing the right words
. My hope is that you will embrace them and make them a part of you. Do you think you will?”

“I know I’ve got to.”

“How are you viewing your marriage?”

He slumped in the chair, replaying her question over and over. What would he have to do to salvage their relationship? Gina had told him to man up, learn the value of real love. Could he do it? He trusted Gina. She knew him better than anyone, maybe even better than
Angie did. Why was that?  A wife should be the closest person in his life, not an assistant. He couldn’t keep Angie at a distance any longer. Not if he wanted to have her love.

“I love Angie.
I realized when I met Lucinda, that no one could take Angie’s place. The only hope I see for our marriage is to learn to trust her and give her space to be herself.”

As their session ended,
Doctor King rose and walked Jonathan out into the lobby. She shook his hand. “At this point, you are ready to fly a small prop. If you need to increase your flying skills to tackle a 737 jet, please call and we’ll schedule some additional flying lessons. If you have a question or a need, pick up the phone and call me. Once Angie’s home, we can schedule joint sessions, if she is interested.”

That was it
. Really?

“Your next challenge will be in group.”

“Group? What’s that?”

“I run a weekly support group. The participants are all patients of mine. We maintain total privacy and help each other practice what has been learned. My role is to keep the discussions on track. The sessions are free
, and confidential.”

H
e stared down at his feet. It had been almost impossible to open up to Doctor King. Now she wanted him to talk to strangers. “How many people are in this group?”

“I keep it to twelve or less. If necessary, I start a second group. There are both men and women in the sessions. It’s amazing how much you can learn from the opposite sex.”

Jonathan paused by the outer office door. It was time to tackle life in a more meaningful way. He could only hope the time would come when Angie returned and allowed him to make things up to her. “Tell you what. I’ll try it. But if I hate it, don’t expect me back. One on one has been hard enough.”

Doctor
King extended her hand. “See you on Tuesday at 7. You won’t regret this, Jonathan.”

#

Jonathan reached his office by eleven o’clock. Gina glared at him as he entered the reception area. Ouch! He’d seen that look before. He’d forgotten to tell her he had an appointment before work.

“Hey, pretty lady, what’s happening today?”

“Don’t
Pretty Lady
me. Where’ve you been?
Upstairs
called for you three times. I’m supposed to know where you are at all times.”

He caught his breath. Counted to ten mentally and then released the trapped air. “I was at the counselor
. Remember?”

“You put nothing on your calendar. How would I know?”

“I’m sorry. I could’ve sworn I gave you all my appointment cards to enter into our office scheduler.”

Silence.

“I know. I messed up.”

She continued to glare without response. Finally, she spit out
, “Upstairs called every fifteen minutes since I got here. You should go right up to the boardroom.”

“Do you know what they want?”

She stood up and pointed toward the door. “They want you, and they wanted you two hours ago. I suggest you grab the elevator and get up there before they come down here.”

Jonathan approached the conference room on the twelfth floor. This area was considered
no man’s land
. Only the equity partners, lawyers who owned the firm, were allowed to be on this floor. Everyone knew that if you were ever called to come up to the sacred hill, you were usually on your way out, permanently. What had he done or failed to do that brought him to this dubious honor.

T
en senior partners occupied the twelfth floor. Oversized windows wrapped around the entire space. The elegant flooring, black marble with flecks of gold, sparkled in the afternoon sun. The reception-area walls, gently graced with golden faux trickled with black accents, shouted –prosperity. The seating, all-leather armchairs, matched the elegant area.  Each office displayed wood- paneled walls, mahogany furniture, and a private bath. Their salaries matched the opulence they worked in.

He knocked on the conference room door and a voice called out, “Come in.”

As he stepped inside, all ten partners sat waiting for him. He stood erect, directed his gaze toward the men gathered at the table, and entered with purpose in his stride.

“Jonathan, it’s good to see you. Come in and take a seat,”
senior partner, Mel Banks said.

“Thanks. Sorry I kept you waiting.”
Jonathan pulled out an empty leather chair and sat at the end of the conference table. He accepted a cup of coffee and watched Mel Banks with interest.

Banks began, “Our firm has been retained to represent Regal Pharmacy in a landmark case. As our up-and-coming star, we have determined to utilize your courtroom skills.”

“I appreciate your confidence.”

Banks spent the next hour providing a high-level description of the case. “The defendant, Regal Pharmaceuticals, faces federal prosecution for falsifying drug
trials. The government claims the deception allowed Regal to bypass any resistance from the FDA in order to commit fraud.”

Jonathan
pencil flew across his notepad.

“Years of rumors imply that Regal has a reputation for being fast and loose, but not dishonest. Their main products are for heart patients.” Banks
pulled some material from his briefcase, and continued as he passed out colored charts. With his laser pointer, he directed attention to the charts that popped up on the Smart Board. “A secondary study found apparent irregularities in the drug trials. An omission failed to include the potential risk, one in ten thousand patients who had taken the new drug had suffered a heart attack or death within six months of the drug trial.”

When f
inished with the debriefing, Banks leaned on the mahogany conference table and eyed Jonathan. “You’ll be the lead attorney. Jones will be your second chair. This afternoon Gina will be sent the entire discovery and motions filed thus far. Clear your calendar and keep Carl updated daily.”

“No problem with updates,” Carl volunteered. “
Jonathan and I tailgate daily.”

Jonathan’s ego, badly in need of stroking, swelled. A
not guilty
verdict for the client would bring a great deal of money into the firm’s coffers. It would also result in a guaranteed position as a senior partner, perhaps even equity partner. The name recognition and notoriety, positioned him for his future aspirations in politics. This opportunity was perfect. His future might be back on track.

Mel Banks shot up from the conference table. “We’re adjourned.” Then he disappeared through the double doors leading to his executive office. The rest of the partners followed suit.

Five minutes later, Jonathan winked at Gina as he strolled toward his private office. He stopped, whirled around, and gave her a high five. Then he burst into laughter. “I’m
not
fired.”

Her pale face regained color. The sparkle in her eyes returned as she burst into laughter. “Thank goodness. They kept calling for you. I tried to call your cell.
When you didn’t pick up, I panicked.”

“Come in. I’ll tell you all about it. We are about to make senior partner.”

“One minute. There’s another item you’ve got to tend to.” She turned to her desk and retrieved a blue sheet of paper.

“I miss
ed a call from Angie?”

She
nodded.

“Why didn’t you put her through?”

“Put her through! I couldn’t even put the calls from upstairs through. She called earlier, while you were at your appointment with Doctor King. I forgot when you came back. Sorry.”

He smiled. Gina was his strongest ally, and he wasn’t the only one to feel pressure from the firm. “No problem. I’ll call her. Don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks for understanding, Boss.”

“Now, let me tell you about
the m
eeting.”

Jonathon sipped his coffee and described
his encounter with the
top ten.
He’d almost forgotten the excitement of being on the latter to the top, until Mel Banks praised him and assigned him to this high-profile case. “This is my big chance. A win now and I’m set for life.” He envisioned his future as if holding up a crystal ball. “I’m golden. Nothing can stop me now.”

Gina placed her hands in her lap
, and stared at him. She bit her upper lip with an icy glare.

“This is our chance for it all. I make partner and you become the partner’s right-hand admin. Where’s your excitement?”

She picked up her cup of coffee from the edge of his desk and took a sip.

“What?”

She leaned forward. “Is this what you really want out of life?”

“Are you
kidding
?” The hair on his neck stood up. “Why did I go to law school and spend the next four years here as a law clerk doing grunt work? Of course, this is exactly why I’m here.”

“What about your marriage? Are you ready to kiss Angie goodbye?”

Her words hit like a punch landing in the center of Jonathon’s chest. He gasped. Angie? Had he already given up on his marriage?

“Look
Boss, it’s none of my business, but every choice you make impacts two people in a marriage. Angie left on a journey to find herself. Have you wondered how this court case would affect
her?
”

He frowned. “Sure, she would be alone more, but she would be set for life. She’d have the financial resources to buy an art studio, teach painting, anything she wanted to do.”