SO FAR: Jilted a few days from the altar and now back in her homeland, business consultant Bianca White's attempt to find a female business partner and possible mate for her first client nose-dives. But the quest continues while both Biance and client Marty Young inch closer together. Exciting times lie ahead for both of them.
*
Bianca White awoke on Saturday morning becoming aware she was stroking her left breast and thinking of her client Marty Young. Oh you lucky man, she thought. Gloria comes to you later this morning. I bet you have clean underpants laid out, she giggled.
Well good luck to him. God, she could do with a man β it was more than a month since that twerp Joe had jilted her in Melbourne. The memory of phoning her folk in France, crying, and then sending out the 'I'm Sorry' letters to invitees on her side remained painful. Her problem was she wasn't socializing to meet men and not reuniting with old girlfriends to give them the opportunity of pairing her with somebody they thought suitable β like he was smart enough to know how to unzip. Yeah! They'd do that pairing expeditiously if she began hanging around to keep their own husbands out of the equation; very clever how the system worked, really.
After a small pot of fat-reduced yoghurt and lightly toasted piece of whole-meal bread with just a smear of marmalade, Bianca finished her coffee with a happy sigh; time to do the housework. She actually looked forward to Saturday morning chores because it made her feel house-proud and she really only cleaned properly on Saturdays, regarding what she did on all other days as 'environmental care'. She hooked up her MP3 player, selecting Sandi Thom's 'Smile, It Confuses People' and pushed the vacuum cleaner around the apartment, humming along with Sandi. The morning just flew by.
Bianca met Kit Hughson, wife of Fitzroy Herbert, MP, at 12:30 at the chosen restaurant overlooking part of the 185-acre Auckland Domain, a reserve of land around the core of an extinct volcano. They greeted each other excitedly,
Fighting against thinking it, unsuccessfully, Bianca mused with Kit having her hair pulled down severely like that and wearing a granny-print dress down to mid-calf and very light pink lipstick plus shoes that looked like clogs, Fitzroy could almost be excused for wandering. But that was overlooking the warm personality under that awful dress.
"Oh Bianca, just look at you β you're blooming," the university lecturer cried as she was drawn into Bianca's enthusiastic hug.
Bianca did look arresting β to both men and women β in a strapless orange and white paneled sundress with matching orange sandals and orange hair tie and white frame sunglasses. The lipstick was violet, not orange. Overall, she looked lithe and lethal.
Eventually they got to the purpose of the luncheon meeting.
"It's going to be a dismal week for me when the crap hits the fan tomorrow with the story about Fitzroy being caught in our garden on a neighbour's telephone camera having sex with my friend against the trunk of an oak tree."
"I thought you caught him in bed?"
"Oh, don't the rumors twist the facts."
Bianca said indignantly, "That wasn't a neighborly thing for the camera person to do."
"She belongs to a party that detest's Fitzroy's lot."
"Were the police called?"
"Advised but declined to become involved when informed the act took place well out of the sight of the public and it occurred on private property."
Bianca smiled and said at least the copulating couple did one thing right by keeping behind bushes.
"Yes, but there were in sight of the neighbor's kitchen windows," said Kit.
"This is awful for you."
"Yes, but thankfully I work in a very liberal environment of a university when this sort of thing is considered normal behavior. I still can't understand why you have been employed to talk to me about this. There is no solution, but I've decided not to divorce him."
Bianca topped up their glasses and signaled for a replacement bottle of the Matakana pinot gris.
"My task is to find a solution. Have you seen a proof of the articles?"
"There is only one article β I detest the other Sunday newspaper."
"I understood you went to both Sunday papers?"
Kit smiled and said it was appalling that rumors could not be trusted. She confirmed only one newspaper was involved and both she and Fitzroy had read the article.
Kit continued: "A conference was set-up which we attended with our lawyer and the three newspaper people had two lawyers there. We first had to sign a paper that we'd not talk to anyone about the article until it was published."
"But Fitzroy spoke to me."
"Well, what do you expect from someone who fucks his wife's best friend?"
"Of course, I see your point. What can you tell me about the article β mind you, you're already in breach of that agreement you signed."
"I know but I knew I could talk to you as I trust you."
"Oh, I see."
"The article is a page 3 story under the heading, 'Naughty Boy Fitzroy'. The neighbor tells what he saw and the writer moralizes and the story summarizes my background and political CV. The article was referred, in confidence, to the Prime Minister who was quoted at saying 'No Comment'. The low resolution photographs have been digitally enhance so are quite clear. The main photo of Fizroy with his trousers around his ankles and slamming into Leta is very arresting, as her Boxer is caught in the shot, looking at them with a very bored look on its face, poor doggie. Another shows Fitzroy with his head in the air β the moment of climax no doubt β and he's clearly identifiable. Leta's face has been partially screened out but her eyes have rolled up into their sockets and her mouth is open, obviously in a great cry of release. I had to agree with one of the newspaper's lawyers β it's a very sexy photograph."
"Oh God, you poor darling. What did you tell them for publication after reading that filth?"
"Nothing β my lawyer said I was only to look β to say nothing, not even to nod my head if asked was the man my husband β and they did ask. He also urged me to display no emotion and I believe I acted like a pro. Er, a professional actress."
"I'm sure you did."
"What do you want from me, Bianca?"
"For me to collect you from your home at 5:00 tomorrow afternoon and take you to the 'New Zealand Herald' where a reporter and photographer will interview us at 5:30. You may ask your lawyer to meet us there if you wish. I just want you to tell the newspaper the incident has distressed and disgusted you but when you married you vowed to stick with Fitzroy for better or for worse so you've decided to stay with him and bring him to heel."
"Bring him to heel?"