Friday, 15 February
8:47 a.m.
“The nerve of Garrett, pulling an end-run on us with Owen Acworth,” Brady fumed as he played airplane with Oliver’s oatmeal. “Zoom, zoom! Incoming, Oliver!”
Obediently, the little boy opened his mouth wide. He practically sucked the spoon out of Brady’s hand.
“Look, I know you’re upset,” Ally countered, “but maybe you’re looking at it the wrong way. I mean if Acworth, Collins, and Markham were truly vested in Life of Pie’s vision, they wouldn’t have stepped away from the table so quickly, now would they?” Her own attempt at coming in for a landing with Zoe’s oatmeal spoon was met with a backhanded slap.
Unfortunately, the mush hit Oliver on the side of his face.
Brady, too busy staring at Ally, ignored Oliver’s indignant squeal of protest. “Seriously? It doesn’t bother you that all the time and effort we’ve put into playing ball with ACM has been upended by someone who hasn’t yet had the courtesy of sitting down with us first, if only to hear our business plan, let alone explain his own interest in it?”
Because Brady’s hand had frozen in mid-flight, Oliver was able to smack the next spoonful of oatmeal in Zoe’s direction.
When it hit her on her nose, she shrieked with glee.
Ally smacked Zoe’s hand and hissed, “No!” at both toddlers before taking a napkin and wiping the oatmeal off her daughter’s face, and then doing the same to Oliver. “I think we know why Garrett wants in—because of his relationship with me, whatever the hell that is. So, why not use it to our advantage? The fact that he’s one of the top ten VCs in the world can’t exactly hurt us—or our stock, when we go public.” As she moved the children’s bowls to the kitchen counter, she added, “And as far as ACM is concerned, I should tell you that every time I was alone with Owen, he’d drop hints about picking up where we left off.”
“Why, that son of a bitch,” Brady fumed.
“Potty mouth!” Zoe and Oliver yelled in unison.
Sheepishly, Brady told them, “Sorry!”
As Ally released Zoe from her high chair, she asked, “As for our vision, the whole purpose of your meeting with Garrett was to go over it. Didn’t you get into that at all? Surely, he didn’t start out the meeting with his news!”
“No. We got…sidetracked.”
“Oh?” Oliver’s attempt at a kamikaze dive from his highchair gave Brady a good reason to avoid Ally’s inquisitive stare. Instead, his eyes followed the children as they went off to play in the media room.
She wants to know if he mentioned her. No way will I tell Ally what he said!
As if reading his mind, she declared, “He mentioned me. But you don’t want to tell me what he said.”
“No, it’s not that! Well, hell yeah, it is—that and more. It’s his view on women in general. And how to—to handle them.”
“Women need handling?”
“I kid you not. They were his exact words.” Only cruder.
She snorted. “It should be interesting to see how he tries to ‘handle’ me when I see him later this afternoon.”
“What? When?” Brady frowned. “I thought I’m supposed to be coordinating the negotiations with Garrett.”
“From what you’ve just said, there’s nothing left to negotiate. He owns us—lock, stock, and barrel,” Ally pointed out. “And besides, we aren’t meeting about Life of Pie. He wanted me to help him pick out a birthday present for his wife.”
And so it begins, Brady thought. The wooing.
“Don’t go,” he warned her.
“Brady…really?” She shook her head, confused. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because he’s going to tell you whatever it takes to win you over. He’ll play you,” Brady exclaimed. “And…and…”
Ally crossed her arms at her chest. “And what?”
“He’ll do whatever he can to break us up.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because he sees me as the competition—for you. And he wants to win you over at all costs.”
She shook her head at what she couldn’t believe. “Are you worried that I’ll choose him over you?”
“Yes.” His voice was so low that she could barely hear him.
She rolled her eyes. “Brady, in the past, you’ve accused me of being jealous. You had every right to do so. But admit it: now it’s you who’s imagining things.”
“In other words, you’re going to meet with him anyway.”
“Frankly, I don’t see why not.”
“Let’s start with the end-run he just made to take control of our company.”
Ally reached up to touch his cheek. “There is nothing he can say to make me doubt you. Have you forgotten? You’ve aced that test every day.” She smiled up at him. “Now, help me wrangle the hellions. I’ve promised I’d wait for Jillian prior to going into the Top Moms meet-up today. Rona is picking up Scotty this morning. It’s her turn to impress the judge with her parenting skills.”
“After what she said about the judge’s visit to her place, does she feel she still has a chance of holding onto the little guy?”
“Hard to say. Barry has our favorite detective checking her out—or more importantly, her son, Jeff.”
Brady shrugged. “Speaking of Jillian, I guess I have to break the news to her that we’re no longer in business with Acworth, Collins, and Markham.”
“I’ll tell her when I see her at ten.”
“The call should come from me,” he insisted.
“With Rona breathing down her neck, she’s got more important things on her mind this morning,” Ally reminded him. “Since I’ll be seeing her immediately afterward, it should come from me.”
He nodded. “No problem. Listen, since I’m apparently on parent duty while you’re with Daddy Dearest, ask Jillian if she cares to drop by here later in the afternoon with the twins. By then I should have heard back from Barry as to what fail-safes in the contract can stop Garrett from bulldozing us into his deal. Believe me, Ally: I don’t mind the fact that we’re back in play. I just don’t like that Garrett is the one who put us there.”
She nodded and then leaned in for a kiss.
It lasted just a second before the sound of a crash had them running to the media room, each shouting the name of their child.
10:05 a.m.
“I’d like to call this meeting to order,” Mallory shouted into the Moscone Community Center’s microphone, essentially drowning out the din created by the animated members of the Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club’s Top Moms. “We have a very important matter of business! If you haven’t heard already, both of our co-Chief Executive Moms, Bettina Connaught Cross and Lorna Connaught, delivered their babies yesterday—”
“Excuse me!” Kelly waved her hand wildly.
“It’s rude to interrupt when I’m speaking.” Mallory’s deep growl was so reminiscent of Darth Vader that it sent shivers up the spines of many in front of her. In fact, a few of the toddlers broke into tears.
“But that’s my point: Mallory, why are you leading this meeting in the first place?”
Mallory’s mouth dropped open, but Kelly’s impertinence was egregious enough that no words came out.
This gave Kelly just the opening she needed. She sauntered to the podium. With a flick of her wrist, she took the cordless mike in her hand. Then, with the assurance of a game show host, she added, “In fact, I don’t see a line of succession amongst Top Moms anywhere in the bylaws. Considering that both Co-CEMs are out—and may be for quite some time— shouldn’t we vote to add a position that acts as a substitute? Call it, say, a vice CEM?”
Her suggestion created a lively stir amongst the other mothers.
“I’ll second that,” Shoshanna exclaimed.
Mallory slapped the gavel three times. “Order! Come to order—NOW!” Her command induced the desired silence, but only because the mothers were concerned that the children might have nightmares throughout the week. Accomplishing her goal, Mallory hissed, “Next to Bettina, I’ve had more years as a Top Mom than anyone here. If you think I don’t deserve to take charge of the meetings in their place, speak now—or forever hold your peace!”
“Of course, you deserve it.” Kelly’s tone was soothing. “But for the same reason—an emergency, or illness—shouldn’t you have a co-Vice CEM? That position should be voted on, don’t you think?”
“But Sally Dunder could—”
Pleased, Sally perked up.
“Um…Never mind. On second thought, we should take a vote!” Mallory shrugged her regret at being disloyal to her dear friend.
This was club business: as Machiavellian as any theater of war. In the trenches, anyone else would make a better ally.
“Who would like to be in consideration?”
Miffed, Sally muttered caustically, “Why not Kelly?”
If she meant it as a joke, Kelly didn’t take it that way. With a hand fluttering at her neck, she exclaimed, “Me? Oh, my goodness! What an honor! And if elected, I’ll do my best to be the calming yin to Mallory’s ever-strident yang.”
Sighs of relief filled the room.
The few who also put their names forward didn’t have a chance.
After the votes were counted, Kelly wrapped her arm around Mallory’s waist and assured her, “Not to worry, dear. We’ll whip this motley crew into shape—something Bettina seems to have forgotten how to do.”
Mallory nodded grudgingly. Kelly was right. Bettina’s negligence had gone on for too long.
And it was nice to finally be recognized for all of her strengths. Strident was quite a compliment! She saw that by how the others murmured in agreement.
Maybe Kelly wasn’t so bad after all.
10:13 a.m.
“Please excuse me for being so late!” Jillian pleaded as she rolled the twins’ strollers next to where Ally was sitting on the community center’s steps. “I asked Rona to be on time, and of course, she showed up half an hour late—on purpose.” She leaned on Amelia and Addison’s double stroller in order to catch her breath. “And of course, she was dressed to the nines. I hope little Scotty doesn’t drool on that beautiful Marc Jacobs suit she was wearing.”
Ally laughed. “If he does, I’m sure she’ll figure out a way to blame that on you too. By the way, was Jeff with her?”
Jillian grimaced. “Yes. But he refused to acknowledge me. For that matter, he wouldn’t even look my way.”
“The least he could have done was get out and help his mother by carrying the little nephew he’s never seen,” Ally exclaimed.
“In a way, I’m glad he didn’t come over,” Jillian countered. “I might have slugged him. He had no right to play along with Scott’s fantasy that I’d made love to his brother, and therefore he wouldn’t have to pay child support.”
“You’re right. Had you hit the jerk, Rona could claim you were too dangerous to raise little Scotty,” Ally replied. “Listen, before we go inside, there’s been an…an interesting development with the financing for Life of Pie.”
Jillian’s eyes narrowed. “Is it good news, or bad news?”
She handed Zoe a bottle with one hand, and Oliver’s to him with the other.
“Frankly, it may be something good.” Ally took a deep breath. “Acworth, Collins, and Markham handed the deal to another VC firm.”
“Why?” Jillian asked. “I thought they loved working with us! If it has something to do with the pies, I’ve been—”
“No, Jillian, nothing like that.” Ally gave Jillian’s hand a squeeze. “It was strictly a business decision on ACM’s part. The new VC made them an offer they couldn’t refuse in order to walk away.”
“Oh…well.” Jillian’s disappointment told in her pursed lips. “So, what do we know about these new folks?”
“It’s Garrett Mitchell Hartley.” When the name didn’t register with Jillian, Ally added softly, “He’s…my father.”
“Oh!” Jillian sat down hard on the steps. “How…?”
“Brady found him. But, to be honest, had he known it was Garrett, he may have kept it from me.”
Jillian shook her head. “Brady loves you too much to hide something that important from you.” She paused. Finally, she added, “And why would it matter, anyway?”
“Garrett financed Brady’s first company. Despite its success, apparently, there’s bad blood between them.” She frowned. “He won’t tell me why. He’s now upset that Garrett wants in on Life of Pie, but he left the decision up to me whether to allow Garrett to finance us.”
Jillian nodded slowly. “Did your meeting go well?”
Ally laughed sarcastically. “I wouldn’t say that. It was…interesting. We challenged each other. I think he was impressed that I didn’t just fawn over him because I was desperate for his approval, or because of who he turned out to be.” She shook her head. “I was shocked at how much he knew about Life of Pie and Foot Fetish, for that matter. I guess he was curious enough about what happened to me to at least do a little research.”
“Did you ask Garrett to buy out our agreement with ACM?”
“No,” Ally replied. “Apparently, Garrett took it upon himself. Brady is mad as hell. He thinks Garrett is trying to win me over. He also thinks that”—she hesitated, almost ashamed of what she was to say next—“that Garrett is competing with him for my affections.”
Jillian whistled softly. “Brady never struck me as insecure.”
Ashamed, Ally dropped her head. “He shouldn’t be. Sadly, my reluctance to marry him has given him reason to be. Even before we went into counseling at the first of the year, he suspected that my fear of commitment was grounded in my father’s desertion. Imagine his surprise when the same man who funded him—and whom he now resents—is not only interested in my company, but is also my father.”
Jillian nodded. “In all honesty, Ally, it worries me, too. From what you’ve just said, it’s hard to say whether Garrett Hartley has your best interests at heart—let alone the best interests of our company’s.”
Ally frowned. “All I ask of you is that you hear him out and keep an open mind. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my father. I’d never put the success of Life of Pie in jeopardy.”
“I know that, partner.” Jillian patted her hand. “Our financial wellbeing depends on it—as does our children’s future.” She looked down at her watch. “We’d better go inside!”
“It should be total chaos, considering that both Lorna and Bettina won’t be there,” Ally opined.
Jillian giggled. “For the most part, the members are sane adult women. Seriously, how bad can it be?”
By the time Ally and Jillian walked into the room, conversation had already turned to the business of what to get Bettina and Lorna as gifts.
They were not surprised to see Mallory at the podium, but Kelly’s presence there surprised them. They listened along with everyone else as she made the suggestion to send flowers to both new moms, and that a stroller be purchased for Bettina with some of the money in the reserve account.
Mallory seconded the suggestion. “We’ll call it a tribute to her years of service to us, so that she feels special.”
Kelly nodded as she patted her on the back. “All in favor, raise your hands!”
All hands went up. Still stymied as to Kelly’s role there, Jillian and Ally’s were the last hands to do so.
They got their answer when Mallory exclaimed, “Good suggestion, my co-Vice CEM!” Mallory was practically beaming.
Jillian’s eyes grew large. “What did she mean by that? Since when did they get new titles?”
Shoshanna tapped her on the shoulder. “You missed the vote. With both Bettina and Lorna out for who knows how long, Kelly suggested that we vote on temporary leadership. She and Mallory are now our co-Vice Chief Executive Moms. Makes sense, don’t you think?”
Ally waited until Shoshanna turned around before murmuring, “Yikes! I’m glad I won’t be anywhere around Bettina when she hears this news.”
Jillian nodded. “At least this is one thing she can’t blame on Lorna.”
Timidly, Sally raised her hand. “Do we really need to get Lorna a gift too, considering that she just had a big shower?”
“Well, definitely one for Bettina. No one held a shower for her,” Mallory snickered.
Kimberley turned bright red. Still, she kept her mouth shut.
Upon hearing Mallory’s jibe, Jillian frowned. “When Matt picked up Lily and Dante yesterday from my house, he mentioned that Kelly somehow sabotaged a surprise baby shower Kimberley was throwing for Bettina, which was to take place on the same day as Lorna’s. For some reason, Eleanor was under the impression that we were the culprits.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past Kelly. She’s always scheming.” Ally shuddered. “Still, why would Kimberley take on the task of hosting a shower for Bettina? They’ve never been particularly close.”
“I’ve got no idea,” Jillian replied. “And yet, I believe it. Eleanor is usually warm and forthcoming. If what Matt says is true, it might explain why she was cold as ice to me at Lorna’s shower, and why she hustled Bettina out even before we cut the cake.” Jillian’s eyes flashed angrily. “I’ve got half a mind to put her on the spot, here and now.”
“No. Wait,” Ally cautioned. “Let’s corner Kimberley after the meeting. If she knows something, she’ll talk—especially if it made her look like a fool.”
“Which is something she can do all by herself,” Jillian murmured.
They didn’t have to wait long.
As the room emptied out, Ally pulled her stroller on one side of Kimberley’s. Jillian flanked her on the other side. Kimberley’s wary sidelong gaze volleyed back and forth between the two of them. Finally, she asked bluntly, “Okay, what do you want?”
“We wanted to tell you that we wished you’d invited us to Bettina’s shower.”
“What shower? There was none.” Kelly’s voice came from behind them.
“Bettina’s mother was under the assumption that there was,” Ally declared. Turning back to Kimberley, she asked, “Was there?”
Kimberley blanched. She dared not make Kelly out to be a liar—especially now that her nemesis had an even stronger position in the club. “No, it was just a tea, for Bettina, her mother, and myself,” Kimberley insisted.
“No one else was invited?” Jillian prodded.
“Let me put it this way: no one else showed up.” She hurried out of the room and down the hall.
Kelly shrugged. “I guess Bettina isn’t as popular as her sister-in-law. No surprise there. What’s that saying? Oh yes: ‘you reap what you sow.’ Her actions may finally be catching up with her.”
As she glided past them, it occurred to both Ally and Jillian that Kelly might be right.