Not So Zen Ben

Chapter 10

"How are you feeling today?" JR asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Better than yesterday," Jacqueline said with a small frown.  "I think I'm ready to go home."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's time." 

"How about tomorrow?"

"You want to stay a little longer on the lane?"

"I wish my dads could work out their problems.  I wonder if Ben called Pittsburgh," JR mused.

"It's not your responsibility, you know," Jacqueline cautioned.  "Their relationship is their relationship."

"I know, but I'd like to help them."

"Hm," was Jacqueline's only response.

JR's phone rang and she answered immediately hoping for good news.  "Ben," she said.

"Yeah, it's me."

"What's wrong?"

"Could you come over for a few minutes?"

"Sure, I'll be right there," JR said before she cut the connection.  "Ben wants me to come over," she told Jacqueline.

"So, go."

"You'll be okay?"

"I'm fine, go!"

JR hustled down the lane to meet Ben at the big log cabin.  He gave her a warm hug that went on much longer than normal.

"What happened?" she asked when he finally released her.

Ben hesitated before he replied.  He needed to talk to someone, but he didn't want to burden his daughter.  JR watched Ben noting the conflicting emotions that ran across his face.  He looked like shit, unshaven and probably not getting enough sleep.  She wanted to help. 

Finally Ben said, "I called Michael, and it went just as I expected.  He thinks I'm in the wrong and won't budge unless I go back to Pittsburgh."  Ben let out a long breath like the life was draining out of him.

"I'm so sorry," JR said.  "I thought he would be ready to give in."

"Michael doesn't give in unless he's forced to," Ben replied shaking his head.

"Unfortunately that's true," JR admitted.  "What can I do?"

"I thought maybe you could talk to him when you go back to Pittsburgh."

"I can give it a try."

"That's all I can ask," Ben said softly.  "I want to write my book, but it's so hard to concentrate with things the way they are between Michael and me."

"I'm so sorry.  Jacqueline and I are going back tomorrow, so I can talk to dad then," JR informed him.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah," JR said with a smile.  "Jacqueline's getting a little stir crazy."

"Is she really ready to go back to everyday life?  You don't want to rush things."

"She's ready," JR declared.  She had already experienced the telltale signs of frustration if she tried to keep Jacqueline longer on the lane.

"I'll be sorry to see you guys leave.  I hope you got at least a little R&R."

"You'll be okay, won't you?" JR asked looking into Ben's troubled eyes.

"Don't worry about me."

"I do worry about you ... and dad."

Ben shook his head again.  "We'll get through it, at least I hope we will."

JR gave him a big hug before leaving.  She was worried.  As she walked up the lane, she wondered what either Ben or her father would do without each other.  It would not be pretty.  She was not sure that either one of them could survive very long without the other.

As she approached the B&B, she hesitated then continued on up the lane.  She knocked at the door to Brian and Justin's cottage.  When she heard a 'come in' from somewhere inside she opened the door and entered.

"Hello!" she called.

"Out here."

She proceeded to the sun porch where she found Justin putting away his paintings.  She watched as he hauled them up to the ceiling.  That had always fascinated her.

"What's up?" Justin asked when he was finished with his job.

"I wanted to thank you and Brian for inviting us to stay on the lane.  It was a good getaway."

"Except for the whack on Jacqueline's head," Justin reminded her.

"Yeah, we could have done without that."

"How is she?"

"Going a little stir crazy.  She wants to go home, so we're going to leave tomorrow," JR said.

"Oh?  I thought you might stay a little longer."

"I'd like to."

"Then stay."

"Jacqueline needs to get back."

"You could stay by yourself," Justin suggested.

"I don't want to leave her on her own.  She's still recovering from that concussion."

"Right."

"But...um...there is something you could do for me."

"What's that?" Justin asked.

"Keep an eye on Ben.  I'm really worried about him.  "He's taking this separation from dad really hard."

"Yeah, I know.  I thought writing his book might take his mind off Michael." 

"I don't think he can concentrate on writing, on anything.  I'm going to talk to dad when I get back to Pittsburgh.  This has to stop."

"I agree.  I know Ben's miserable without Michael, and I assume it works the other way too."

JR nodded.  "I'm going to do my best to talk some sense into my stubborn father."

"If anyone can do that, it's you," Justin told her giving her a hug.  "If you insist on leaving tomorrow, come for a barbeque tonight, and you can say goodbye to everyone then."

"Thanks for the invitation.  I'll talk to Jacqueline about it and let you know."

"Okay," Justin said releasing her from the hug.  "Take care of yourself too."

"I will," JR promised.

*****

A while later Justin had told Brian about JR leaving and that he had invited the girls to a barbeque.  He also informed Brian about how worried JR was about Ben.

Brian nibbled on his bottom lip as he thought about the situation.  "I can see why she's worried.  Ben hasn't been himself since Michael left," Brian said.

"I wish Ben would come to the barbeque tonight," Justin said.

"It would be good for him to be with other people," Brian agreed.

"Maybe if you issued a personal invitation, he'd come," Justin said with a wink.

"Just what are you suggesting, young man?"

"Just an invitation from you, personally delivered.  He couldn't refuse."  Then Justin's brow wrinkled as a thought occurred to him.  "I do mean just an invitation.  You know that, right?"

"Oh ye of little faith," Brian said with a wink and a chuckle.  "I'll go talk to him now."

Brian walked down the lane checking out each of the gardens as he went past.  He made mental notes of things he needed to do to bring them all up to his stringent standards.  He knocked on the door of the log cabin and waited till Ben opened the door.

"Professor," Brian said cheerily as he walked past Ben into the main room of the log cabin.  "How's it going?"

"Okay," Ben said uncertainly.

"You don't look ... okay. Did you shave today?"

"I don't have to shave every day if I don't want to," Ben said defensively.

"No, you don't, but you don't usually look like shit every day either."

"I look like shit?" Ben asked in surprise.

"You didn't know?"

"No, I guess I didn't."

Brian chuckled.  "Look, professor, I know things haven't been going the way you want them to lately.  JR and Jacqueline are going back to Pittsburgh tomorrow and Justin wants to have a barbeque for them tonight.  So, be there."

"That sounds like I don't have a choice," Ben replied with a frown.

"You don't.  The girls will expect you and ... Sunshine wants you there."

"And Michael wants me in Pittsburgh," Ben said shaking his head before he slumped down onto the sofa.

"It's not quite the same thing," Brian said as he sat down beside Ben.

"How did you do it, Brian?  All those years with Michael and his demands and..."

"His whining and wheedling and stubbornness."

"Yeah."

"My relationship with Michael is not the same as yours.  Even if he might have liked it to be different, we were friends, and that's all.  I didn't have the investment you have in the relationship.  I didn't ... love Michael like you do."

"Like you love Justin."

"Yes," Brian admitted.

"How am I ever going to fix this?" Ben asked with a forlorn voice.

"You know, professor, for a smart guy, you are pretty dumb sometimes."

"What?  You have the magic fix?  Is that what you're telling me?"

"God no!  I'm just saying that you can't fix this by yourself.  It takes two of you, you and Michael.  Until he's willing to help in fixing it, stop beating yourself up.  Live your life, write your fucking book, let him know you can function without him.  Otherwise he has the upper hand."

"Shit!  I think you're right," Ben exclaimed.

"Of course I'm right.  I'm always right," Brian said with a smirk.  He stood up and started towards the door.  "Oh, and professor, be at the barbeque tonight."

The door clicked shut behind Brian.  Ben still sat on the sofa shaking his head.

*****

“Pierre, my friend, so good to see you!” Shane said as he stood to greet his friend and friendly rival in the advertising business.  The boys stood to meet their potential new partner.

“So good to see you as well,” Pierre repeated the sentiments as the friends hugged and kissed European fashion.

“Pierre, I would like you to meet Gus Kinney and Raymond Mann of Kinnetik,” Shane stated.  Pierre gave each young man a firm handshake.

“You are your father’s son,” Pierre said in a thick accent.  “He must be very proud.”

“I like to think so,” Gus said with a coy smile.

“Raymond Mann; any relation to Kenneth Mann?  I admire his work.” 

Ray leaned forward to shake Pierre’s hand.  “He’s my father,” he replied with pride.

“And do you follow in his footsteps as well?”

“I can’t draw a straight line to save my life,” Ray said with a chuckle. 

“He’s the legal part of this pair,” Shane supplied.  “Our Gus does double duty; a good business head on his shoulders and not too shabby with the pen and ink.” 

With that, Gus subtly gestured that they should all sit.  He gave a small wave ala Brian Kinney and a waiter was tableside in moments.  After a few more minutes of pleasantries they got down to business.

“First, I’d like to thank you for helping us with the Max Jacobs situation,” Gus sincerely offered.  “Although you and Shane are friends, you didn’t know us, Kinnetik.  You showed a lot of faith and we appreciate it.  And as it turns out, it helped to stall Jacobs’ plan long enough for some of his key people to get out.”

“I hear that a few relocated to North America.  Did Kinnetik take them in?” Pierre inquired with interest.

“No, we didn’t,” Ray replied.  “We considered it but decided companywide that the gesture would put Kinnetik back on the radar, so to speak.  And that would’ve defeated the purpose.  We wanted no associations with Max Jacobs.”

“However,” Gus took up the conversation, “we did make sure that each potential applicant was well vetted before referring them to our competitors.  We also learned that a few wanted out of the business altogether to pursue other interests.”

“Our HR department assisted as much as we could without being too influential or obvious,” Ray said.

Pierre listened and watched with amusement as the boys described the process of assisting the former Max Jacobs employees get out from under Max’s thumb and into what turned out to be a better life. 

“This must be what it’s like at Wimbledon,” Pierre said as he laughed, nodding toward the boys.

“Aye.  Me staff are in a perpetual state of dizziness,” Shane teased, his brogue thickening.

The boys feigned insult then laughed as the waiter came with the first course.

“Pierre, we were under the impression that you were seriously considering retirement.  What changed your mind?” Gus asked.

“I see nothing gets by you.  I was bored, I lost my passion for the business.  The Jacobs offer came at the right time.  Fortunately your warning came before my people were damaged by him.  I couldn’t live with that,” Pierre said with honesty.  “I thank you, my friend.”  Pierre looked at Shane.  “And you boys, for many reasons.  My interest was rekindled but I’d still welcome the change, and the chance to step back a little to spend more time with my family.”

Gus nodded with understanding.  He had watched his father do the same.

“My main concern is protecting my people.  They are good and they’re loyal.  Shane tells me you didn’t change personnel when he merged with Kinnetik; that is most important to me.”

“Why would we want to change a winning combination?” Ray asked.  “That would defeat the purpose of the merger.  You know the clientele and the culture, Kinnetik will learn from you.”

“And what do we gain?” Pierre asked as he gave Shane a poignant look.

“Us,” Gus confidently replied, looking and sounding much like his father.  “You get to use the Kinnetik name, our capital and the opportunity to take on the more unconventional client.  Plus the ability to temporarily exchange personnel if you so choose.”

“Meaning?”

“How often does one of your people get the opportunity for an all expense paid trip to New York or L.A. or to Pittsburgh?  Not that anything exciting ever happens in Pittsburgh,” Gus teased.

“Aye, I’ve survived several of their invasions.  Those colonialists and their strange way of talkin’.  Plus they wouldn’t know a decent cup of tea if it smacked them in the face!” Shane griped making the other three men laugh.

“Have you lost many employees to the Americans?” Pierre asked with a smirk.

“We came close but fortunately the lady’s husband and children demanded she return home.  And come home she did filled with so many ideas, talkin’ like one of them and drinkin’ that there fancy coffee.  You know the one, you see their shops on every corner.”  Gus, Ray, and Pierre were laughing so hard you couldn’t tell this was a business meeting.  “She barely dropped her suitcase before she was back at her desk, working on a new ad for some weird unisex perfume…”

“Genderless!” Pierre gasped.  “That was yours!  It was brilliant.  The sales in Paris alone have been in the millions.  No one can keep perfume long enough in the shops.  It’s one of the best selling products in Europe, but you took such a chance.  That company was new, no one had ever heard their name before.”

“And now everyone knows it,” Gus stated with cool confidence.  “And it paid off in a very big way.  Ray negotiated that contract,” Gus stately proudly. 

“May I ask the terms of the contract?” Pierre ventured. 

Before Ray could answer Gus jumped in.  “You could ask but you’ll know the answer when you’re part of the Kinnetik family,” Gus said as he picked up his glass of wine and slowly took a sip.

“I can tell you that the lady in question earned enough of a bonus to move kit and caboodle outside of the city and into a proper home.  Her family are in raptures.  Now she complains every day of the commute,” Shane groused.

“You do many of these exchanges?” Pierre asked hoping this question wasn’t taboo.

“Several a year,” Ray took up the mantle.  “They’re carefully planned.  While it’s a very good learning opportunity we don’t want to disrupt branch business.”

“Sensible.  You’ve given me much to think about,” Pierre said.  “Do I have time to discuss this with my staff?”

“Take as much time as you need.  We’re in no rush,” Gus assured Pierre. 

Pierre nodded.  “Would you care to visit us?  Meet my family, business and personal?  Shane, you could bring your partner; let him see how civilized people live,” Pierre teased.

“I take exception to that,” Shane retorted with a roll of his eyes.

“I’m sure you do,” Pierre winked.  “Gentlemen, this has been very pleasant as well as informative.  You give me much to consider,” Pierre stated as he stood to go. 

Gus nodded to Ray who handed Pierre a very formal looking dossier.  “Share this with those you trust.  We’ll retrieve it when we visit you,” Gus said as he shook Pierre’s hand.  Ray was next then Shane who gave his friend a warm hug.

“We’ll call your office to arrange the visit for some time next week,” Shane said.

“You’ve become bolder in your old age; it works for you,” Pierre teased.  “I look forward to your visit,” he went on to say.  They all shook hands then watched Pierre exit the restaurant.

“So what do you think?” Ray asked as they sat back down and ordered another round of coffee and tea.

“I think he’s more than interested but he needs time to let the idea ferment a bit,” Shane commented.  “He’s been in this game longer than I have.  It’s not easy to give up control.”

“Agreed, but he won’t be giving up anything.  You’ll be able to assure him of that,” Gus said with a glance at Shane.

“True.  Even when your father, bold as brass, marched into me shop spouting his wild ideas he never presumed to know more than me even though I’m sure he does.”  Gus and Ray laughed.

“He fakes it well,” Gus admitted.

“No one fakes it that well.  Your Da has more knowledge tucked away in his little finger than most of us do in our entire body.  And you’ll be just like him; I guarantee it.  And you, me boy, know a lot more about lawyering than most twice your age.  Between the pair of ya, you’ll be taking this business by storm.  The rest of us will have to hang on tight for the ride!”

As Shane spoke his accent became thicker and thicker.

“Methinks you’ve been kissing that there Blarney Stone,” Gus ventured in his own crude imitation of Shane’s accent. 

Shane did a double take.  “Now who here has been kissin’ the Blarney Stone?” Shane asked narrowing his eyes at Gus.  Gus just gave him those sweet innocent Kinney puppy dog eyes.  “You’re not foolin’ anyone!” Shane growled, shaking a finger at Gus.  Ray just laughed at the antics of the two men.

“I do have one concern,” Gus said in all seriousness.

“What’s that?” Ray asked.

“Communication,” Gus replied.

“What about it?”

“We speak English, or at least some form of it,” Gus said, teasing Shane at the same time.  Shane glared at him.  Ignoring it, Gus went on.  “I took some French in high school; it might be good enough to get through a menu but that’s about it.  Pierre speaks English well enough but what about the rest of his people?”

“Now don’t get your panties all in a bunch.  Pierre might come off as some big Frenchie but he spent many years living in London.  He can lay on the posh accent when he chooses,” Shane stated.  “I’m sure his people speak a passable form of English.”  Shane glared at the boys daring them to comment.  The boys plastered innocent smiles on their faces.  Shane snorted.

“Molly,” Ray said breaking the momentary silent tug of war.

“Molly?” Gus and Shane asked in unison.

“Molly,” Ray repeated.

“Molly!” Gus said with a smile when he got it.

“Fer the love of all that’s holy!  Who is Molly?” Shane asked working himself up into a tizzy.

“Justin’s sister,” Ray said.

“Oh well that explains it,” Shane said calmly followed by, “What in blazes does this Molly have to do with the price of tea in China?”  Shane was turning red.  Ray and Gus broke out in giggles.  “I see I’m going to have to knock heads.”

When the boys got their act together they explained.

“Molly is a linguist.  Cynthia hired her years ago when Kinnetik started taking on some European campaigns.”

“Makes sense,” Shane said.  “Do you think this Molly will like Paris?” Shane asked with a broad smile.

“Let’s find out,” Gus said as he waved his hand in the air.  Within minutes he had their check and they were getting ready to leave.

“How do you do that?” Ray asked.

“It’s a gift, plus giving the maître d' a hefty tip doesn’t hurt,” Gus admitted.

“Hmm, is this where you had dinner?” Shane asked as they left the restaurant.

“Yes, why?” Ray asked.

“I received an interesting call this morning.  Just an inquiry from a certain restaurant owner.  He happened upon a Kinnetik Isles business card.”  Shane got those innocent smiles again.  “Uh huh.”

Ray hailed a cab.

“And I suppose you have a preliminary campaign floating around in your head?” Shane asked as he watched Gus “play” on his phone.  Before Shane could get all worked up about being ignored, his phone pinged indicating he received an email.  

“I believe you should check your email,” Gus casually mentioned as a cab pulled up.

Shane took out his phone as they all climbed into the taxi.  While Ray gave the driver instructions, Shane opened up his email.  He briefly looked over the contents then looked up at Gus.

“Uh huh,” was all that Shane murmured.

Puppy dog eyes.

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