Brian couldn't get a word out. He strode across the front of the room before coming to an abrupt halt. He ruffled his short hair. What could he say? He hadn't come up against a situation like this before. Thank heavens for the extra security they had put in place.
Ian Blackburn. Jesus. He hadn't seen Ian since University. He'd been strange back then, but never violent like this. Could he be the one responsible for the threats leading up to this seminar? If what Ian had said during his rant was true—that his wife had left him after attending a workshop—then it was quite possible that Brian had become the target of Ian's rage. It was a logical explanation. Certainly not reasonable, but then Ian certainly hadn't appeared to be in a reasonable frame of mind when he'd burst through the doors, screaming at him.
Still, Brian had to salvage the seminar right now. Somehow.
"My apologies, everyone. I'm not sure what's going on exactly. Clearly, this man is blaming me for an upset in his life."
Brian paused. "This sort of backlash is always a possibility when one does these types of workshops. Although this is the first time that I've come up against it." He opened his arms wide, turning his palms upwards, hoping for their understanding and acceptance. And that they'd take this example as a lesson to look deeper into their own issues. "That's why we try to look at the real issues, when someone says they're 'unhappy' in their relationship. Often, leaving a relationship is the best answer."
Walking slowly across the podium, he chose his words carefully. It was important to deliver the right message. "You need to look at the underlying cause of your unhappiness. When no other solution is possible, then in some cases, leaving is the right answer. However, one person's decision in a relationship will affect both people." He stopped and cast his gaze around the room, looking at all of the intent faces focused on him. "The repercussions can be severe. Not everyone is willing to work out problems and not everyone can accept change. This type of thing," he said as he gestured toward the double doors, "can be the result."
Mark returned just then, quietly closing out the world behind him. Swiftly, he walked over to Brian and spoke softly into his ear. Brian turned to address his audience.
"Mark has spoken with our visitor." He looked directly at Karina, hoping to settle her nerves. Hell, he could use something to settle his own. "He has calmed down. Apparently, his wife attended a workshop several weeks ago and after that, she asked him for a trial separation. He's having trouble dealing with this." He shrugged. "Obviously, this is a difficult situation for him."
Several heads turned to follow Mark's path as he headed back towards the doors. Brian watched as Mark patted Karina on the shoulder as he passed by.
Karina looked up toward the stage and sent him a shaky smile.
He took that to heart. Everything was going to be fine. It had to be.
***
Karina tried to stay focused on Brian. Instead of feeling relieved her uneasiness had grown. She studied the other people in the room. Was there any change in their attitude? She searched Susan's features. She seemed fine, normal. Honestly, the audience looked as if they had perked up. Margaret, the barracuda, looked even more fascinated, if that were possible. Everyone seemed to like that bit of excitement, something more for their money, a bit of scandal and drama to take away with them.
A hand gently tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped. She'd been so distracted studying everyone else that she'd missed Mark's return. Now he crouched beside her.
"He's left. Everything's fine."
She peered into his eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. Mr. Blackburn was apologetic and seemed both calm and rational. He said he'd just been overcome when he saw Brian and the emotions were too much for him. He went home a few minutes ago."
"You don't think that he'll be back?" She didn't think it could be that easy. Besides, it seemed to her that he’d been looking for Brian the first time she saw him here. As if he’d been stalking Brian.
"No, I don't think so. He did finally admit that he no longer blamed Brian. It was his wife's decision to leave that had him so upset."
"That's understandable." She spoke slowly, letting go of her uneasiness. She’d only known Mark for a short time, but she trusted his opinion. "His reaction makes me wonder if she isn't making the right decision by leaving." She gave a small smile.
Mark grimaced and nodded. "I hear you. We're going to take a break here soon. After that there'll be an hour's question-and-answer session and then we end with the closing address. A scene like this isn't the best way to finish but it happens." He shrugged. "We'll have to roll with it." He nodded toward Brian. "That's his signal. We're going to break now."
Mark opened up the double doors, calling out lightheartedly, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready for a coffee and dessert. Everything's ready, let's enjoy."
The conversation level was loud and lively during the break. Mark and Brian had done their best with damage control, but people needed to discuss the recent events. Some things were just human nature.
Karina stood off to one side, unwilling to be drawn into conversation. Susan had gone to get coffee for them both. Excitement permeated the crowd. It was a heck of a way to finish off the weekend. Brian was saying goodbye to several of the guests who were leaving early.
Susan returned with coffee and linked arms with Karina. Both women sipped at their beverages for several long moments.
Studying her friend, Karina decided a change of topic was in order. A new focus. Something to take her mind off Ian and the past, and to direct it forward, into the future.
"You know, Susan," she said, half-jokingly, "A while ago you talked about starting your own company. What do you think about the idea of starting one together?"
Susan looked at her in surprise. "You know, that isn't such a bad idea. I've wanted to open a toy store since I started my own family."
The two women stopped and stared at each other, the idea rapidly sprouting and gathering steam. Susan continued. "You have the bookkeeping and office experience to be able to tackle the business side of things, don't you?"
"Absolutely. You know, I've often wondered why toy stores don't carry much in the way of educational material. There's a huge home schooling market. You have the parenting and retail experience and I have the business experience. I wonder what Victoria has to offer right now, along those lines."
Karina stared off in to space, turning the idea over and over in her head. She had some money set aside for a place of her own. It wasn't much, but this way she could be her own boss. Money would be tight for the first while, it always was with new businesses. She'd have to crunch some numbers to get a better idea of the project's viability.
"You know, there are a lot of daycare centers here in town. We could see what their needs are. And I wonder where the school board buys their supplies? We could wholesale their materials and still supply to the public." Susan hopped from foot to foot, unable to stand still in her growing excitement. "Just think, I'd be home part-time and could still bring in some money." She stopped for a moment considering. "Well, maybe. I guess we wouldn't make much money in the first year, would we?"
"That would depend on what our competition is and on startup costs. If we worked for a lower rate than if we went out to work, we'd be able to bring some home. If we can't make enough to live on, I can't do it. I have a little money set aside but I couldn't handle waiting one full year before drawing a salary from the business." Karina's mind buzzed as figures clicked rapidly in her head.
The idea excited her, and that was a first.
"You do realize that we'd both have to work long hours at the beginning," she continued. "However, instead of you having to go home, if our location was right, your children could come to you at the store. If you needed them to, that is."
Susan looked at her, hope dawning in her eyes. "Do you really think we could? I think you're better at making changes than you think."
Was she? This seemed like a good idea. It felt right. But they were a long way from starting.
Karina shrugged dismissively. "How do you think your husband will like the idea?"
Thoughtfully, Susan said, "I think he just might. He'd be concerned about the size of the investment and the amount of time that I'd be away from the family. If the location were close to home and if the children could come after school or maybe on a weekend for a little while, that would help."
"When you have your own business, you get to make some of your own rules. You never know, maybe I'll get married and have a family one day. I'd like to think that the children could be with me some of the time at least." She backtracked a bit. "Obviously it wouldn't work all the time. But if the children know where you are and that they can come to the store if they need to, it might be enough to make the difference. What ages are they again?"
"Sara is eleven and Michael is eight. Which means they both need someone at home after school." Disappointment crept over Susan’s face.
"That's not necessarily a problem. Maybe you could leave at the end of the school day or have the children come to the store after school and all of you go home together. You might be able to work one evening instead. I could work until six and then a half-day on Saturday. I don't know. This has some real possibilities, Susan."
The women looked at each other, hope growing between them in leaps and bounds.
"We'll have to do a lot of research first," warned Karina "And we'd have to find the right location." A niggling thought popped into her head. "Susan what did you say your husband does for a living?"
"Paul's in advertising! He could be a real help to us. If he wanted to, that is…" She looked over at Karina, determination on her face. "I'm going to talk to him tonight."
"By the way," Karina asked curiously, "why did you stay at the hotel last night? Couldn't you have driven home instead?"
A faint pink dusted Susan's cheeks as she grinned. "Yes, I could have. On Friday night, I did. But with the late lecture last night and the early-morning start today, my husband suggested that I stay overnight. That was my first night away from the children in over a year."
"And did you enjoy it?"
"It was blissful to get a good night's sleep, but honestly, I missed all of them. Sometimes, that's the trouble with family—you can't live with them and you can't live without them." She laughed at herself. With a shake of her head, she added, "I really do love them, you know."
Karina smiled. How lucky Susan was. She had a husband who loved her and two wonderful children. In addition, she was at a place in life where she could choose a completely new path for herself.
Could they make a business work? Did they have what it would take?
Maybe they did.
"Susan, why don't you do the research for Victoria and I'll do the Internet stuff and some of the money crunching from my place in Vancouver? We can compare notes over the phone in a couple of days."
"It's a wonderful idea! My sister manages a children's clothing store in my neighborhood. You never know what ideas she might have. It's in a neat mini-mall. What a good location that would be." Susan opened her notebook to a clean page, jotting down some of their ideas. "Karina, any idea what square footage we'd need?"
"Need for what?" interrupted a deep male voice.
"Paul!"
Karina turned in surprise to see her friend engulfed in a stranger's arms.
"What are you doing here?" Susan asked.
The tall, attractive man seemed almost embarrassed; he shrugged and pulled Susan tightly against him. "I came to pick you up. Grandma has the kids so I caught a bus across town, thinking we could drive home together. Maybe we could stop for a special dinner on the way home. If that's okay, that is." He peered closely into her eyes. Whatever he saw seemed to satisfy him. He broke into a wide grin and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Maybe you should introduce us," he said. "Your friend doesn't look very sure about me."
Reassured by the delighted smile on Susan's face, Karina grinned. Her friend looked very well adored. "You're her husband, I hope." She smiled warmly as she reached out to shake his hand.
Susan just laughed as she introduced them.
"Susan, if I had known that there'd be beautiful women here, I'd have come too," he whispered loudly. "She's gorgeous!"
Karina laughed. Glancing around, she noticed Mark and Brian were rapidly approaching, questioning looks on their faces.
"Hi guys." Susan beamed up at them. "This is my husband, Paul. He's just here a little early."
Brian held out his hand. "A pleasure to meet you. We've had a little excitement here today. As such, we're being a little more careful about strangers."
Paul thanked him. "Obviously the 'excitement' involved the seminar. I'm grateful to you both for keeping Susan and all of your other attendees safe. Honey, walk with me to the coffee shop. I'll wait there until you're finished." The two walked away, heads together, deep in intimate discussion.
Karina studied the pair as they walked away. Paul seemed so solid, safe. Dressed in jeans and t-shirt, with his jacket tossed casually over his shoulder, he looked very normal and dependable, and the affection he had for Susan was obvious. With a sigh, she turned back to the two men, who were also watching the couple walk away.
"He surprised me at first, yet another stranger." Karina admitted. "But the instant I learned who he was I realized I was totally safe."
"I only saw him from the back. With the end of the seminar, there could be a lot of strangers coming in." Mark studied the crowd.
"Karina, I'll drive you to the airport once we wrap things up. Just give me a bit after I close this down." Nodding at Mark, Brian touched Karina briefly on the shoulder and headed in.
Mark followed his progress, speculation in his eyes. "That's unusual."
Karina looked over at him curiously. "What is? I mean, we do have a bit of a history, but I haven't seen him in a long time."
"He doesn't normally go out of his way for conference attendees." He grinned down at her. "You never know." He tucked her arm through his and guided her through the crowd. "Maybe this time you'll work things out."
Unable to immediately formulate any kind of response, Karina just laughed. Really, she didn't know what to think. She hadn't come here looking for a happily-ever-after. She'd just wanted some closure, at the very least. But having seen Brian again, and having spent time talking with him, she couldn't help but consider the possibility.
***
A bit rushed, and not quite as dramatic as he'd hoped, but enough to disturb the seminar and shake Brian up. Good. He hadn't planned more. Just a simple disruption at this point.
Besides, he hadn't really had time to set a plan in motion. His trip to the hotel had been more to see how these so-called workshops functioned, and just who the people in Brian's life were.
This was to show Brian that he had no intention of bowing out gracefully. He just needed a little time to figure out a way forward. To find justice in a world that seemed to be lashing out at only him.
Brian couldn't be allowed to ruin all these lives without feeling the repercussions in a personal way.
No one should.
And Ian was going to show him the error of his ways. Karina just happened to be a bonus. How perfect that they were both there at the same time. Talk about a two-for-one special.
Maybe he'd get some payback after all. Besides, he had to do something while Mary was 'finding' herself. And having a target for all that anger helped. All that hate needed a target. He smiled.
He wondered just how Brian was going to enjoy the reminder that he was still out there.
Watching.
Waiting.