Chapter Thirty-four
Gracie called the local news station. She spoke with one of the managers about the news conference she wanted to set up for Dillian.
“Oh, Ms. Gregory, I’m sorry, but the timeslot has been filled. Why don’t you come by the station at three o’clock instead?”
“But I was previously told to come at two o’clock. Why was I moved?”
“I must apologize, Ms. Gregory. I don’t have the answer for you on that matter. On the schedule it had down that a Michelle Eisenhower is to come in with her proposal for a press conference as well.”
Gracie knew what Michelle was up to. “Oh really? Okay. Three o’clock will work out fine.”
Gracie hung up the phone and briefly considered calling Marcus and getting his opinion on whether she should confront Michelle. She knew he would tell her not to worry about Michelle, but Gracie had no choice. Her friends and her livelihood were involved.
As Gracie sat at her desk and doodled, she knew she had to pull out all her connections to right Michelle’s wrongs. For the most part, she liked to play fair, but she knew that desperate times called for desperate measures. She picked up the phone and began to dial.
Gracie arrived at her appointment with the news station a bit early. She leaned against her car and waited for Michelle to leave the news station.
Taking her tight strides to her luxury car, Michelle had no idea that Gracie was waiting. She gave her outfit a look over to make sure she had indeed been presentable at her appointment. She had on the right attire to get next to the manager on shift, making sure she got exactly what she needed.
As she got closer to her car, Michelle became aware of Gracie. “Oh. Hi there, Gracie,” Michelle said slowing her stride. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Hmm,” Gracie replied, “no, not really. I just thought I’d wait out here for you. I figured there was no need for a big scene inside.”
“Umm, a big scene?” Michelle threw her ‘you stole my man’ attitude at Gracie and she played nonchalant. “What are you talking about? A big scene?”
Gracie kept her cool, but the hotness showed on her face. Gracie let Michelle have it.
“I know it’s you, Michelle! Just like you blocked my two o’clock appointment, I know it’s you that’s representing Sean. You’re not the only one with connections.”
Michelle made it to her car in record time. Not responding until she got close enough, Michelle unlocked her car door.
“Gracie,” she began, “I have plenty of clients, and yes, some may even be named Sean, but as far as you saying ‘you know it’s me,’ I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she concluded with a sly smirk pasted on her face.
“Sure you don’t. You mean you’re not the one calling my home or having someone else do it?”
“No,” Michelle said as she placed her purse and briefcase in the backseat of her car. She turned and threw her hands up onto her hips. “No, it’s not. Why would I call your home?”
“Because you think that I stole Marcus from you. That would be one good reason, wouldn’t it? That’s why.”
“Don’t be so silly, Gracie,” Michelle stated as she opened her car door. “It’s not that serious. Besides, Marcus isn’t all that. He likes plain things in life ... if you know what I mean.”
“Sure, I know what you mean, and I’ll let that go over my head. But if it’s not that serious, then why are you trying to ruin my business and ruin other people’s lives?”
“Ruin your business? Other people’s lives? I could care less. If your clients are leaving, it’s not because of me, Gracie!” Michelle found the courage to defend herself.
Gracie let Michelle know that she was busted. “How’d you know they were leaving, Michelle? You’re sick and the game is over!”
Michelle felt cornered. She took steps backward and got into her car.
“... And that’s not what Dominique says.” Gracie walked up to the car and leaned down to the window, looking Michelle eye to eye. “For Valentine’s Day, Marcus took me to dinner, and I happened to run into Dominique there. I asked her about her pulling her membership. In so many words, she told me why. Long story short, I called a couple of days ago and she explained that you called her out of nowhere, and let her know what was going on. So, Michelle, what is going on?”
Michelle sat and gripped her steering wheel harder than she knew. She tried to hide her fear but failed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You wanted Marcus, you got him! And as far as he’s concerned, I was just trying to be a friend to him, letting him know about your status. It didn’t seem like you ever would. The same with Dominique. People need to know!”
“My status? For your information, I don’t have a status, and if I did, that would be my decision to tell people, not yours. If you’re that hard up for a man, I really feel sorry for you. But just like I took up for myself with Dominique and got her back as a client, I’m going to take up for my friends. So you can try what you want, it doesn’t matter. You won’t prosper from it!”
“Yeah right! Just watch me!” Michelle yelled out as she gunned her car. Gracie jumped back just in time to avoid being a hit-and-run casualty.