Addison stared at Andy in shock, looking almost as if he'd just said there was another woman in his life. He'd told her if the business sold he wanted to switch to an academic life and climb to the status of professor at a college's department of media studies.
"I can't believe this. You'd have to start at the bottom."
"My thinking is a year as a lecturer to prove that I can teach successfully, then promotion to senior lecturer follows and I publish papers and then see how it goes from there, probably associate professor in four years or so, whatever it takes."
"This intent is such a shock. I didn't bother to ask because I thought you would automatically want to buy a business."
Andy said, "We could buy an apartment close to the university or college where you can relax and mingle with the wives of other academics who have infant children and..."
"Omigod, you are making this sacrifice for me?"
"Yes to a degree. I was mindful of the environment you wish to have. But I'm not thinking the bustle of Harvard or say Princeton."
"Oh god, you want to stake me out into nowhere, that university you attended?"
"Well it's my best chance of (a) finding an understanding of my quest, (b) being hired, and (c) gaining rapid promotion because I proved myself to them as a student."
"If that kudos was ever recorded with admiration."
"Er yes."
Addison sighed. "I can't believe you wish to give away everything we have ground away to achieve, but okay, go for it. I can't say that living and working within the Loop is living in Eldorado."
"I'm only giving up a fat salary because what I have achieved in business counts hugely for my academic appeal. I've had real-world business experience and in the process have found what works and what doesn't."
Addison said well first things first. She couldn't imagine JCA accepting the demand of $2.6 million to buy a business in rented premises.
"Oh woman of little faith, they'll pay close to it because they get a busload of talented people whom we have slaved away to help train, they get our work in progress, our record of impressive profitability and they buy our highly valuable goodwill and the high recognition of our trading name."
"Yes but..."
"And they are greedy darling. They want what we've got and we don't really know their reason for that apart that they don't have a promotions department and it would take big investment to establish a department the size of our business and the two offices are only three blocks apart."
"Well I don't know."
"Darling of little faith, be prepared to locate. I've already written to my old university."
"Omigod, it there no end to your optimism?"
"When I was fired by that publishing company in California I learned my lesson, and that was the way forward was to gather in the people you need to have with you to go forward. I'll never make the mistake of out-jumping my support again. On this occasion I have spent hours converting the woman at JCA you call a bitch to my way of thinking."
"Have you physically seduced her?"
"God Addison, don't be insane, I'd much rather seduce your mother."
"Andy!"
"Oops sorry, but you know what I mean."
Next day Addison and Andy received the call and went to the offices of JCA where they met the three partners and the company's internal attorney.
"We have here an unconditional sale and purchase agreement," said the smiling managing partner, Bruce Malcolm, "We made no secret of the fact that we want your business..."
Andy interrupted. "What are the outstanding issues Bruce?"
"Oh just the one, price."
"You're dissatisfied we're not asking enough?"
Bruce choked on that but Jan said, "Very droll Andy. We'll pay $1.8 million and not a cent more."
"Well fancy that," Andy grinned. "Addison and I thought you guys might try to beat us down. Well let's get this over with. Yes or no, we want $2.3 million."
Andy heard Addison suck in breath because they had agreed their bottom line would be $2.1 million.
"No way."
"Well guys and Jan. You wanted to buy our business. We are happy to carry on and cream off profits. Thank you for your time and..."
"All right, $2.3 million," Jan snapped.
"And you guys?" Andy asked, and he two partners nodded, looking relieved.
"God you can chisel," Addison laughed and they left with a signed agreement conditional on their attorney's approval.
"Well I'm still a nice guy I believe," Andy said. "I put a bottle of champagne to cool before we left home. Let's go home and fuck."
"No we will not," Addison said sternly. "We have a whole floor or loyal people to return to with the news. They probably have heard rumors."
"Well their jobs are secure, only their bosses are changing, so what have they got to beef about?"
"God you need taming and to learn about humanities," said his wife, shaking her head.
* * *
Addison had never been to Lunsdon before and in fact had never heard of the city, but to Andy it was a little like arriving back home. He used to stay there as a boy some summers when his maternal grandparents lived in the city. It was where his mother had been born.
Unable to make up her mind where to relocate, although knowing she no longer wished to live in Chicago, Addison had finally agree to come here with Andy as he wanted a place to lick his wounds. He'd been devastated to find that the instructor's job he was offered at his old university had a salary of $45,300.
"That's chickens shit," he'd whined to Addison and she asked what he had expected. Hadn't he done the research?
He went to his laptop and when he found out some of the truths he almost dropped the defenseless laptop and jumped on it.
"It could be at least 18 years before I became a tenured professor," he howled.
"Well how long did you think it would take you?" she asked sympathetically.
"Six years, perhaps a little more."
She rolled her eyes and managed to get out of the room before she fell into a giggling fit.
Christ he must be losing it. He should have known, having been a university undergraduate.
"Well what's your first impression of Lunsdon?"
"Well downtown looked rather attractive," Addison had to admit.
"And generally the folk look homely?"
"I guess so."
"And it looks better than you expected?"
Before she could answer, Andy had turned their new imperial blue all-wheel-drive Cadillac RX into a suburban street and pointed, "That's where mom was born and where my grandparents lived."
"Oh look, it's for rent, furnished."
Andy's mouth fell open.
Addison took charge and said, "Well let's rent it for a couple of months."
She had no wish to wander aimlessly around the county. What they needed to do was to dig in temporarily and consider their business future.
They drove back to the city and Andy went across to the rental department of the real estate office named on the faded to rent sign.
He returned smiling and said he'd negotiated a great deal, subject to an inspection. Most people seeking rentals at present wanted them unfurnished.
Addison giggled and said a great deal like he'd achieved in the purchase of their new vehicle.
