The Better Half Returns

The commotion outside was building and moving toward the front doors of the apartment lobby as Nancy Edwards came charging back into the thick of things. The mayor and her retinue were fast approaching. In the lead was the Madam mayor herself, Claire Simone, clad in a lovely blue-gray plaid dress, being pulled along by her two Great Danes, Bruno and Max. Trying to keep up was her dog walker, Mila and anyone else who wasn’t out of breath yet.

Still smarting from her embarrassing pratfall, Nancy sought to reestablish her dignity and authority. Turning her mortification into anger. Anger and disgust at the thought that these degenerates were amusing themselves with dirty and lascivious thoughts of her. Not to mention photos. “God! Photos!” she realized. And suddenly blurted out:

“I will haul each and everyone of you into court if a single photo of my accident earlier today gets out on the internet or anywhere else. So help me God.” Nancy paused long enough to let the threat sink in. Silence.

“Good. We understand each other then.”

“Now, where’s my assistant, Ms. Morgan? And who is this woman standing here out in the open without her pants on? What in God’s name is wrong with you people?” she barked.

The residents looked at each other, at Megan, and then back to Nancy.

“She got dragged off to some appointment. I don’t think she’ll be back anytime soon.” snickered a few of the group.

“No matter. Clear this area. The mayor and her entourage are arriving.”

No one moved or seemed to care.

“NOW!” she bellowed.

Nancy smoothed out her clothing and made sure that her hair was neatly tucked up. Time to look and feel like the intimidating attorney that she knew she was. Time to teach mayor Claire Simone a thing or two about the art of fine print and the backroom deal.

Master of court intrigue and the political chessboard. Claire Simone, age 47, blonde and quite good looking with a very attractive figure. Unlike Nancy, she made time for romantic liaisons and could parley them into collaborative affairs as needed. She had risen to become mayor of the city and used her office to become one of its wealthiest residents by any means necessary. Fair or foul.

She had a teams of rivals. And she knew how to control the flunkeys and bootlickers that made up the associates of her staff. Claire knew all about the cliques, the petty personal slights and the professional jealousies that extended throughout her office. An office that was permeated by mutual suspicion and loathing. Better still, Claire knew how to set the mix of rivalries aflame as a way to ensure that her bidding was done and more importantly, in a way so that they feared her. But all of it would soon be history as Claire Simone had bigger fish to fry. For now, she was here to see the financial fruits of her hard work and intrigue. A jewel in her crown.

As the mayor’s personal attorney, Nancy Edwards was there to greet Claire, her staff and invited guests, cordially directing them to sit down and relax at the carousel bar as she finished up with the tenants before joining the mayor.

As the mayor handed the dogs over to Mila, she turned to Nancy and asked: “Everything in order?”

“Of course. You know that I always look after YOUR best interests.”

“Of course you do, dear. And Nancy, get these people out of here. I don’t want them around when the press shows up.

Giving Nancy a knowing wink, she turned the others and in a loud voice announced:

“OK everyone, let’s enjoy ourselves at the bar, shall we?”

(Author’s note: here is the description for the carousel bar from the chapter, “The Stage is Set” as it will now have a roll to play in the story.)

*****Built along the side of the koi pond and overlapping it slightly, was the showcase piece of the renovated lobby. This was the rotating carousel bar. It was a small, refurbished amusement park carousel which had been salvaged after Madame Mayor had recently declared the park ‘hazardous’ thus clearing the way for the land to be bought up on the cheap by the adjacent country club for expansion.

The original horses had been removed and replaced by a number of benches radiating from the center like the spokes of a wheel. Made of wood with spaced, slatted backs, colorful cushions and matching wooden coffee style tables, they could accommodate up to six guests each. A small bar for serving coffees, drinks and light snacks stood in the center. Around the outside circumference was a waist high iron “fence” pierced by a single small gate. The body of the banister was decorated with Fleur de Lis throughout and along the top of the railing. The whole configuration rotated continuously at less than a slow walk, allowing guests to easily step on or off onto the lobby floor. As it revolved, one would have a marvelous view of the koi pond, the rest of the lobby and then further out through the large glass windows to the manicured lawns beyond.*****

Nancy stood on the floor outside of the carousel bar but close to the rail as she made the final announcements to the gathered tenants before dismissing them. She wanted the mayor and everyone else to appreciate her brilliant legal mind as she was about to toy with these simpletons for making fun of her pratfall earlier.