Montana in Oz

Hagen collected Montana on Saturday morning in a red pickup that he called a Holden Ute (short for utility vehicle).

"It's a six-cylinder six-speed manual," he said and added it had been upgraded.

"I bought it four years ago when I gained a big salary hike moving to new employment. What's your car that we are going all the way to Melbourne fetch?"

"It's a 1959 Corvette that mom had rebuilt and modernized and gave it to me for my 21st birthday. Restored originals sell these days from US$60,000 or under and up to $110,000 as they are highly regarded classics that fit the so-called American Dream. Being substantially modified no one really knows the value of my vehicle but it's insured for US$85,000."

"I know the model, a really cool looking sports car and you driving it with the hood retracted with you hair flowing in the wind and you wearing large-lens sunglasses would look really cool."

"Yeah well that's also the image my mother had of me whereas me I like to meld into the crowd although I soon came to realize you don't pass unnoticed driving a car like my baby."

"My baby eh, you love your car?"

"Yes because it feels just made for me."

In Melbourne while documentation was being finalized Hagen inspected the vehicle and said to Montana when she came over, "This certainly isn't a factory colour."

"No and I wasn't surprised because there's nothing much about my mother is standard. By having my own unique colour for a Corvette which is Electric Indigo Blue, this car has become very special to me."

They left the yard with employees coming out to watch Montana drive off and eyeing the audience Hagen said, "This makes me feel like royalty."

"Yeah but you ignored it after a while because it's rather meaningless but is part of that dream notion I had mentioned to you."

They'd left later than expected and decided to take the more direct route, taking turns to drive the 880 miles. Montana led the discussion on that option because of her reignited desire to avoid any awkwardness in deciding about overnight accommodation arrangements.

"Nice car to drive," Hagen said, shortly after taking his first stint at the wheel.

"Yes I have the modernisation work to thank for that. The engine swap meant a lighter and more flexible V8 with 6-speed manual transmission which is more than enough power for me as I cruise and don't care to burn rubber."

"I spoke to Dana about your employment termination issue and she looked cross that I had mentioned it but stopped short of telling me to butt out."

"Did she explain what the delay is in getting things moving?"

"Yes and I can tell you in confidence as she told me not to tell you because it would only anger you."

Gritting his teeth Hagen said, "Gone on?"

"Do you agree not to reveal I passed on her comments?"

"Yes."

"Because it is a family matter she had to advise the senior partner responsible for her division about acting for you in a dispute that could go to Court. The firm prefers to have possible controversial legal matters affecting its employees not handled by lawyers under its roof."

"What's controversial about an open and shut case over wrongful dismissal?"

"Rarely is anything open and shut in law. If an action proceeds, the employer's counsel will be briefed to show what a total misfit you turned out to be."

"That's bullshit."

"And that's for the judge to decide."

"Christ I can't believe this but what is Dana is doing about it?"

"She was waiting for her application to act for you to go to a partner's subcommittee meeting for approval or rejection. I engaged with her and we had a bit of a ding-dong."

"Oh Montana I've sorry."

"No it's okay. We emerged smoothing each other's feathers and she agreed to modify her application to a request for permission for me to act for you in this matter on the understanding we'd not take this matter through the court system."

"Oh Christ and that would make my claim ineffective without the inclusion of learned legal minded independent decision-making."

Montana said he could say that and Hagen scowled and said he just did.

She laughed and he joined in half-heartedly.

"Trust me Hagen; I have no intention of coming away from negotiations empty-handed."

"Get real Montana."

"Fuck you Hagen."

He looked alarmed and said, "I-I apologize but you had no right to speak to a client like that."

"So I'm your client now; since when?"

"That profanity tumbled me into reality."

"Hmmm. Then here's the deal Hagen. Providing I win internal approval to represent you, if I lose I'll pay your legal fees but if we win I want 40% as the company's take after deduction of our expenses."

"That's a bit rich isn't it?"

"Yes my dear client, it's at the top end of the scale. But I wish to chalk a scalp for good financial return to be placed against my name in our office."

"And I'll be left with 60% of practically nothing."

"Oh man of little faith, please share my optimism and confidence in my ability. And now as you drive attentively, tell me everything from the time you applied for that position with your heartless employer."

"Okay and I've kept a diary of notable things and I have a copy of the email from their IT manager who invited me to apply for the position and a copy of that advertisement."

"He invited you, practically head-hunted you?"

"Yes."

"Oh hallelujah."

"Are you indicating that's good?"

"Oh its way beyond being good my dear client. You could say if you don't mind my language, we have that company by the balls."

"That doesn't sound like a typical American female speaking."

"Perhaps not and I do appear to have picked up some bad habits since arriving in Australia."

The travellers arrived back in Sydney late and Montana looked at Hagen asleep buckled into his seat and her heart soften - either that or her mind told her to quit being so equivocal with her hesitant acceptance of him.

She shook him awake.

He eyed her.

"We're at the airport for you to pick up your pickup and it's almost midnight. Would like to come to my place for more food and um stay the night?"

He appeared to be talking to her breasts and said, "Some other time perhaps; mum wants me to clean the pool in the morning for a family luncheon. Oh shyte; she told me to invite you because Jenna has been yapping on about her quote/unquote adorable American friend."

"Some other time perhaps. I have..."

Taking her hand Hagen said, "Please Montana, it you are a no show mum will claim I forget to pass on the invitation. Um Jenna will become scratchy if you don't arrive and um Dana will think you have rejected her and her family."

"That's bullshit Hagen."

"Well perhaps it shows just how desperate I am to keep in mum's good books. I'm back living with them, being unemployed, and they have begun supporting me financially until I manage to sell the beach house I own at Norah Head on the Central Coast."

"Oh useful ammunition to support our case is just tumbling out of you. Give me the address and what time should I arrive for lunch."

* * *

"Look at me," Dana said. "You inspired me with this makeover and so many people have been complimentary that I feel I've reached a new milestone in my development of a woman."

"Montana I shouldn't be angry at you, but I am. You had the chance to slowly emerge as a star in this law firm but with the ridiculous terms you've set in your proposal to represent my brother in his dispute with his last employer you'll be the laughing stock of our department and you are bound to be nominated for the biggest failure of the year award."

"Dana calm down. I made you promise you'd submit my proposal with a request for utmost urgency and that's all you are responsible for. After acceptance everything will be on my neck, but no worries. My client and I will emerge as winners."

Dana snorted.

"Oh for the confidence of youth. The partners will probably reject you proposal and say if my brother wishes to be represented by this firm it will be by the head of litigation and no one else."

"No they won't. Those of the panel are senior lawyers with a long understanding of the judicial process and of democracy and most if not all will have children and know that sometimes you have to give kids the chance to try for a goal whatever the consequences."

Dana reached out and hugged Montana.

"God knows I love a trier darling but you are out of your league here. You are now in corporate law where lucky breaks are as rare as tits on a bull. Fail once and you'll be a marked woman. They won't break your contract but you'll be pushed away out of sight, probably into research."

In alarm Dana saw Montana's nostrils begin to flare.

"Now listen to me Dana, you volunteered to immerse me into this law firm and I accepted you as the person most likely to advance me the greatest distance. Your duty as my mentor is to go to the chairman of that panel before they meet in a day or two and give him the emphatic challenge for the panel to allow me to fly."

Dana's phone went.

Montana turned to look and the view of the central business district, chest heaving slightly as she'd become passionate to help her cause.

"Oh Christ," Dana said, walking over and patting Montana on the shoulder.

"That was Charles Chippendale advising me he's called the panel together for a 15 minutes meeting at 10:15 which is forty minutes away to consider our application. He wants me at the meeting. Darling help me with my make-up please. I wish to stride into that meeting a couple of minutes late and looking like a winner."

* * *

Montana and Hagen sat on one side of the long table in the boardroom of Allen, Joseph and Zimmerman, Small Business Services Pty Ltd.

Facing them were four males and two females representing the company plus the head of IT who'd fired Hagen with the approval of the company's legal team plus the CEO.

"We are outnumbered."

"Hagen don't worry; they are simply attempting to intimidate us. The CEO and the manager of HR will make the decision and will phone the company chairman for final instructions.

The CEO introduced everyone and made a show of sounding remorseful that dismissal of a brawling staff member had degenerated into a legal challenge.

Mr Smart then invited Montana to speak.

"It's probably in everyone's interest to keep this short. We shall leave after one hour if no settlement appears imminent and the next time we meet will be in court but it will have to be a large courtroom to hold all of your representatives if this line-up here today expands according to the stakes becoming higher and the media taking a huge interest in a good old David versus Goliath confrontation."

"I would image the hearing would take three days, and so that's three nights the evening news will have an update on what they probably will term 'The Battle'.

"Oh don't forget the legal costs and the court no wishing to appear stingy in making its award to my client should we succeed in our claims that must surely impress any judge in the land."

"My client's suggest the easy way out to agree to pay him $440,000 in total and at this juncture of course we'll not be interrogating your IT manager that would be the case if we go to court. You are only dealing with a junior law specialist in dispute resolution. In court we'll have one of the sharpest QC's (Queen's Counsel) around to wring the truth out of that manager and others who witnessed what they saw happen being blown all out of proportion."

"Excuse me for a moment."

"Yes Hagen?" she said to her client who'd been tugging at the arm of her jacket

He whispered, "We agreed to settle at $220,000."

"Okay what's half of $440,000?"

"$220,000."

"Bingo, we settle and your former employers will feel relieved that they beat us down by $220,000."

"Omigod."

"Yes well let's not count our chicken before they hatch."

"Thanks for your patience guys. My client was trying to boost the size of his claim but I warned him if we did that the company would think we were acting irresponsibly."

The COE responded after talking to the legal adviser on one side of him and the HR manager on the other side.

"Miss Reynolds we too would like rapid resolution to occur. I've consulted senior colleagues and our counter-offer is $50,000."

"Oh Mr Smart we usually settled on payment in one lump sum but if you wish to make $50,000 a month for nine months then I daresay our law firm could consider that."

"Miss Reynold you are being too clever by half. Please bear with me, I wish to make a phone call."

Hagen whispered, "Mr Smart intends to run rings around you."

Montana whispered to him to shut up and said, "Oh Mr Smart."

Mr Smart pulled his phone from his ear and said. "Yes Miss Reynolds."

"Tell the chairman that we are on a countdown and it appears doubtful that we will come together on this and so a court hearing looms."

Mr Smart scowled and turned his back and continued with the phone call.

He resumed the proceedings but immediately asked Montana and her client to leave the room for a few minutes and they would be served coffee if required.

"They will be scheming something."

"Yes but I doubt their deliberation will be to our disadvantage. My thinking is the chairman told the CEO to settle and get us out of the building and has instructed the CEO to begin an investigation of that alleged lying IT manager."

"So you think the offer will be $220,000 or somewhat lower?"

"Higher and that would leave you with more money than you expected and I might impress my peers at my law firm with my negotiation skills. I gave them a lower figure in my application to represent you."

"How much did you say?"

"I said my bottom line for settlement would be $100,000."

"God you sneaky bitch. You've set them up to make yourself look good."

"No my seniors will know these negotiation can flop, stall or end with a better result than expected."

Twenty minutes later Montana and Hagen were back on the street.

"I can't believe you managed to squeeze them for $300,000 plus agreement that the company will mount a full investigation into the IT manager's allegation about me. It's likely he will be fired."

"Yes Hagen that's the likely outcome if what you told me that happened is accurate and supported by witnesses."

Hagen kissed her lightly and walked off with almost a swagger, and his boyishness made Montana smile and she suddenly knew why she had reservations about Hagen. In some ways he was still rather boyish whereas socially she preferred to mix with men. Yes that was it; he was rather immature for his age and his intellect was almost feeble compared with that of his sister.

She called Dana.

"Yes," her mentor said almost breathlessly, already aware from the readout that it was Montana calling.

"We have achieved a settlement of $300,000."

"That's great, congratulations."

"Great? I think it's bloody amazing."

"It's great darling and yes it's more than what we expected. You got the equivalent of three years' salary and I agree that's on the high side of usual settlements. Bloody amazing would have been you taking that company to the cleaners and yanking $500,000 from them."

"Oh," Montana squeaked, and cut the call, feeling deflated.

She almost slunk into the office but brightened when Dana kissed her and said, "Well done, a tidy result and you look a little down. That will be the stress becoming more noticeable now that it's over."

"Oh."

Dana made a call and simply said "She's here."

Minutes later Charles Chippendale, a fit and good-looking guy in his mid-fifties walked in and congratulated Montana on behalf of his department.

"Montana that's a big tick on your first engagement on our behalf and I must emphasise well done."

Her heart soared.

They chatted briefly and Charles said, "My eldest is visiting from Perth with our first grandchild and I'm taking the family out to near the heads (the entrance to the massive Sydney Harbour at the coast) on Sunday and would like you to experience the sight of the huge flotilla of craft involved in one of great activities of Sydney families."

"That's a lovely invitation but..."

"Accept Montana, you can have Sunday lunch with my lot next Sunday."

"Oh you already have arranged something?"

"Yes Charles I'm urging Montana to accept because there's nothing like a day out on the harbour for new arrivals to the city; the weather forecast for the weekend looks great."

Charles left and Montana said she should have declined that invitation.

"I will have disappointed your mother."

"Darling many of the extended family will be there and mother will be so busy on catch-up that she won't be aware of your non-arrival and may have forgotten having invited you anyway."

Christ Dana was a cold bitch, Montana mused and sighed as she thought that probably was why her mentor was so totally focused on her career.

Yes totally focused but at what cost? Jenna her daughter acted as if she felt she was motherless and husband Jarrod was probably running rife with half-drunk lonely females at his golf club.

Oh Montana, she thought and told herself why she wasn't she having affairs like most other people. She was becoming too focused on carving out a successful career and remembered a favourite saying of her late maternal grandmother - "Moderation in everything dear, that's my advice."

On Sunday Montana drove to the Marina, dialled in the code at the controlled gate and drove to park behind Charles' SUV as she'd been instructed. She'd memorised the plate number. She'd taken care to leave a bit of space between their vehicles.

An athletic looking guy in white shorts and for god sake a t-shirt emblazoned on the front with 'New York Mets' arrived alongside her and said, "Great looking car and great looking driver. You must be the American Wyoming that dad told me to keep a weather-eye out for."

"Montana."

He laughed and said yeah, he was a bit of a tease but he really did like her car.

"But what about me?"

He laughed and said step out and he'd assess her.

She obliged, thinking she would be stepping out anyway and experience had taught her to largely ignore sexist comments from males as to them it's just ordinary conversation. She put up the soft top and locked the car.

"Jesus," he said, looking impressed. "Dad said you were quite a beauty but made no mention of your figure."

"Thanks and you are...?"

"Oh my apologies. I'm Charles and Robyn's son Scott and I have two sisters, one younger than me and the older one is visiting for the first time from Perth with her three-month old daughter and her hospital doctor husband arrives tomorrow.

"Then this is a big occasion for the family."

"Yeah I suppose so; it was Lucy's first trip in an aircraft."

He took Montana's hand and that surprised her.

"Don't you have a girlfriend at the moment?"

"No she left for London last week to work in the head office of her company for the next two years. I suppose that's why dad invited you here today, with mom egging him on of course. He's mentioned you a couple of times and sounded impressed. Apparently you've had a big win over unjustified dismissal."

"Big win you say?"

"That's what dad said."

Montana squeezed his hand and said, "I think I'm going to like you Scott.

"That's cool."

They reached a big cruiser and a beautiful woman with a trim figure aged around fifty was cuddling a wrapped and probably sleeping baby.

"Omigod," she said. "Aren't they made for one another."

"Yes mum, this Montana looks really cool," beamed the attractive daughter perhaps a year older than the visitor.

"Hi I'm Montana."

"We know," chorused the two women.

At that moment Montana knew she had the makings of a solid romance in prospect.