The Gravity of Anti-Gravity (35 page)

“And he believed them? Oh well, that’s our President,”
Buckholder commented. After a short pause, he continued. “Maybe the President knows about the Chinese attack and is hoping it is successful.” Buckholder added. “The phone call may have been an attempt to have you let your guard down, Bill. If the Chinese get you again, the President gets his big pay day and is not held responsible. He will act publicly outraged at the Chinese brazen attack and kidnapping but will privately sit back and count his money. It sort of returns things to where they were when you were in China but this time, The President will bear no responsibility for the outcome like he did before. It’s quite ingenious and I wouldn’t put anything past this guy. Take care, Bill, and I mean that seriously. You’ve got my direct line so call me when you know something.” Buckholder said good bye and hung up.

After about ten minutes, the phone rang. It was Stella.

“Hello beautiful,” I answered dragging out the hello part.

“Hi, lover boy,” Stella responded in a playful, coy voice. “Rolf has to go out late this afternoon. He asked if you could move our meeting to two.”

“For you I’ll do anything,” I said. “Hey, did you get a call from Agent Alvarez?”

“Yes I did and going to some secret place for now may be a good idea and Rolf agrees. I hope that Sunday is not too late. The Chinese mobilized Joanna’s abduction in just a few days so there’s no telling what they are capable of.”

“I wonder, Stella” I said and added, “I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” and hung up.

The meeting with Rolf and Stella lasted only about twenty minutes. Buckholder’s contract was written deliberately with very few specifics. The clause that impressed our attorney was the fact that we were given total control and veto power over every aspect of the project at every point. The only stipulation was that, in the event we left, any work we had done to that point would remain with the consortium.

“Bill, if I read this contract correctly; it will give us the freedom to steer this project from beginning to end. It even gives us final control over the eventual licensing and marketing decisions.” Stella commented. “I think we should do it.”

“Does that mean we can keep it out of the hands of the Chinese, I hope?” I commented.

“Be careful what you wish for Bill. By the time you are ready to go to market; the Chinese may be the only country left with enough money to buy it.” Rolf commented and as he was walking out the door. “Stella, I’ve got to go, I’ll be back later tonight.”

“Rolf, real quick,” I interjected. “I got a call from Forest Buckholder late this morning. Let me tell you what his suspicions are.” I outlined what Forest had said regarding the President’s possible plan.

“I am inclined to agree with Buckholder,” Rolf said. “Let me think about it and we’ll talk later. Then Rolf left.

Stella turned to me and said, “I’m hungry Bill, let’s go have lunch.”

“Shucks,” I said. “I was hoping you wanted to have me.”

“Maybe later we can discuss it,” Stella said with a wonderfully devious smile.”

“Let’s go back and do a picnic at Chantry Flat,” I suggested. “I had a great time when we went there before. The weather is clear and it’s a glorious today.”

“Sounds great,” Stella answered. “Give me a minute to change.”

While Stella was changing, I called Buckholder and gave him the news that we were accepting his offer. I also told him that on Sunday the FBI was moving us to a safe house and we would discuss our preferences for going forward after we got there.

“It is probably good that you lay low for a while.” Buckholder said. “It will only take us a couple days to mobilize so call me after you get settled and we’ll figure out the next steps together. I suggest you don’t inform the government of your decision yet. We’ll make it a surprise for them later. Talk to you next week.”

Forty five minutes later, Stella and I had drinks and a bucket of chicken and were pulling into my favorite place at Chantry Flat. When we finished eating, we sat on the picnic table top with our feet on the bench and took in the wonderful view of the city. I was beginning to have romantic thoughts when a couple walked passed our table.

“Bill? Stella?” It was Brenda. She was with another man.

My mind started racing. I couldn’t get Humphrey Bogart’s line from
Casablanca out of my head. “Of all the gin joints in all the world, you had to walk into mine!”

“Brenda, fancy meeting you here,” were the only stupid words I could come up with.

“I’ll bet Bill,” Brenda said sarcastically. “Let me introduce my friend from college, John Hickson.”

My response wasn’t cordial and it wasn’t kind. “Is this the guy who asked you to marry him Brenda?” I demanded to know.

“Yes it is Bill.”

“And you brought him to Chantry Flat? I don’t know what to say.” I wailed.

I knew I’d been caught red handed but I thought a little diversionary tactic might get a little of the heat off me.

“Well Bill,” Brenda said with surprising calmness. “I’m here with John and you are here with the gorgeous Dr. Stella Morton. What have you got to say for yourself?”

“Brenda, I think we’ve both got some explaining to do. If you are free later,” my gaze went to John as I said this, “Let’s talk.”

Stella and I excused ourselves and left.

“That was uncomfortable,” Stella said as we were pulling out of the lot.

“I don’t know what Brenda is thinking.” I said.

“Bill, I’ll bet Brenda is thinking the same thing about you.” Stella responded.

It was a quiet ride back to Stella’s apartment. When we went in I asked Stella if she would like to go to the bedroom. Her response surprised me.

“Bill, I think it’s best if we don’t get together right now. You need to consider your relationship with me and with Brenda. Up until today, our encounters have been pure and sweet and free of any encumbrances. That changed today. You can choose to tell Brenda the truth or you can lie to her. I will go along with whatever you decide.”

“Stella, I don’t know how you did it but you’ve made my dilemma hard and easy at the same time. I’d better go home and do a little soul searching,” I said as I walked out shaking my head.

When I got home I called Brenda. My call went directly to voice mail so I told her to call. I waited an hour and called back, same thing. An hour later about six, I called for a third time and Brenda answered.

“Sorry I didn’t answer Bill. I had to take John back to the airport after I told him I wasn’t in love with him.”

“I’m not sorry that it ended that way Brenda. I know it was really hard for you but it must have crushed poor John.”

“John is a fine man and he was devastated.” Brenda said. “It was extremely difficult for me too, but the hardest part was trying to defend you after John and I caught you with Stella. John almost had me convinced that you are a lying, conniving, cheating snake. The evidence suggests that that’s exactly what you are Bill Burton!”

“Brenda, meet with me and I will tell you everything. I can’t guarantee you’ll like what you hear, but it will be honest, sincere and complete. Then any decision after that will be yours to make.”

At Brenda’s request, I agreed to meet at her house. If the conversation went south, I thought, I could leave and run for cover quickly. We went into her bedroom to talk. When I passed through the living room where Brenda’s parents were watching television, I felt like I was walking though the freezer at the super market. The only heat I felt was coming from their eyes.

“Wow Brenda, it was a little chilly out there. You told your parents everything, didn’t you?” I asked.

“You know I confide in my parents completely and yes they do know the whole story up until three hours ago at Chantry Flat. Bill. I don’t know a word that’s stronger than skeptical, but if that word exists, that’s what they feel.”

“As long as what they feel doesn’t include the words hate or murder, I’m ahead of the game,” I said.

As painful and embarrassing as it was, I told Brenda the whole story. I minimized the descriptive details but I was honest about my general relationship with Stella.

The only defense I had, if I had any at all, was that Brenda and I were not a couple when she returned to the area. When I was finished, Brenda gave me a look of rage I’d never seen in her before.

“You rotten bastard,” Brenda began as her words grew louder. “How could you do this to me? How could you sleep with that woman when we were getting back together? You never hinted at any of this. And I risked my life for you too. How stupid am I? How would you like it if I went and slept with Rolf? He’s a real hunk. Maybe that’s what I’ll do, Bill! How would you like that, you son-of-a-bitch!”

I sat there quietly taking my punishment and when Brenda slowed down I jumped in. “Brenda I know you are beyond upset and you have every right to be. If you will allow me explain things from my standpoint and I promise not to make any excuses. I only hope to have you understand me just a little.”

“Brenda, when you came back into my life, I was excited and frightened all at the same time. Don’t forget you dumped me and it felt like you had completely rejected all the love I felt for you back then. For the last two years I never heard from you at all and as painful as it was, I forced myself to move on. At almost the same time that you came back into town, Stella entered my life. With no preconceived notions of any long term connection, our professional association grew to include a sexual relationship. How or why it happened I can’t explain, but it did happen.”

“Even though it seems longer with all the craziness in our lives lately, you were here for less than a month before I was arrested and taken to
China. Even though you did tell me that you wanted to live the rest of your life with me, remembering the emotional pain you put me through, caused me to be cautious. I actually tried not to fall back in love with you because of the fear of reliving that pain. I failed Brenda. I do love you again!”

Brenda calmed down a little and began to cry. “I need to reconsider our relationship Bill. I’ve got to pray about this and discuss it with my parents.” Brenda whispered as she fought through her tears.

“I want you to leave now Bill.”

As I got up to go, Brenda added, “I did tell you I’d help with your party tomorrow and I will. Those people are my friends now too. Hopefully I’ll be able to decide on our future by then. I’ll see you at three, Bill.”

-43-

The next day was Saturday. I had planned to help Grandma and Pops get ready for the party. Based on Grandma’s direction, I vacuumed the entire house, washed a few of the dirtiest windows and cleaned the toilets.

“Bill, you look a little down,” Grandma commented. “Anything I can do to cheer you up?”

“Grandma, I had to tell Brenda about my relationship with Stella.” I said.

“What possessed you to do that Bill? Are you crazy?”

“In an absurd turn of events Grandma, Brenda caught Stella and I together so I was caught red handed.”

With your luck lately, I’d stay away from the lottery or investing in stocks Bill.” Pops said after he overheard the conversation.

“I’ll keep that in mind Pops,” I answered and went back to doing the cleaning I had been assigned by Grandma.

About the time I finished my chores, Brenda arrived to help with the cooking. We said hello to each other but no other words were exchanged. Brenda just went to work helping Grandma.

About four, I asked Brenda to accompany me on a trip to the liquor store and help me pick up my order.

Several cases of beer, a ton of ice to keep things chilled, several bottles of wine for the classy people and some soda for the non-drinkers later, Brenda and I had the car loaded and were ready to return to the house.

“Before you start the car Bill, we need to talk.” Brenda said.

“Oh no, not that again.” I whined. “You know how much I hate that comment Brenda. It’s always bad news and I’m not sure I can handle any more of that right now.”

“Bill, sit back and buckle up if you’re afraid but here’s what I’ve decided.”

“After considering your side of the argument, I have determined that you are right in some respects. We were not a couple when I returned. You, through crazy and incredible circumstances, were forced to work closely with a truly beautiful woman, not to mention brilliant. I know she invited you into periodic episodes of lust.”

“You are a young, virile, handsome young man and even though it saddens me, very few men would have had the will power to resist that level of temptation, even if they were so disposed. Bill, I have determined that you are guilty as charged with extenuating circumstances. You are sentenced to probation. If there are no further violations, your record will be expunged and your file will be closed in six months time.”

“Hooray I’ve gotten a reprieve,” I said happily. “Brenda, you sounded like an attorney!”

“Bill I’ve decided to go to law school instead of getting my teaching credential. Some day I think I’d like to be a judge.” Brenda added.