Second Chance, Book 06

After dinner, Scott left to visit Tanya and Andrea retired to the family room to phone Sam, and then watch TV. Bonnie and Brent sat on the porch, holding hands and talking about their plans for their vacation and the summer. Andrea had been right. They fit together like an old married couple. There wasn't any hesitation between them any more. Later, when they finally headed for the master bedroom, there were no second thoughts or nervousness. They made love slowly and quietly, afterwards falling asleep in each other's arms.

Andrea and Bonnie looked after the shopping at Brent's request. He had an errand to run and would meet them for lunch at their usual place, The Trench. Shortly before noon, Brent walked into the restaurant with a guest in tow. Bonnie and Andrea were already seated and didn't notice the two until they were almost at the table. It was then that Bonnie looked up and gasped in surprise.

"Tim! How did you get here?" she gasped.

"Hi Mom. Mr. Gordon arranged it. Mr. Duguid gave me the ticket and a ride to the airport. He said it would be a surprise," the young man said, looking around at the others.

"It's a wonderful surprise. Oh, Brent, thank you so much," Bonnie said, close to tears.

"You're welcome. We couldn't very well have a family barbeque without all the family being here," he said smiling.

"Hi Tim, I'm Andy," the young woman popped up from her seat and reached out her hand to him.

Tim still looked a bit bewildered at the reaction and finally sat down at the table after lightly shaking Andrea's hand.

"How did you arrange all this?" Bonnie asked Brent.

"Yesterday afternoon, when I was making phone calls, I called Chuck Duguid and had him call Tim and the Verriers' to make the arrangements. Chuck called me back on the cell last night and left a message that everything was looked after. I thought it would be a nice surprise for both of you," he explained.

"How was the flight?" Andy asked the teenager.

"Great. I've never been in a jet before and it was so quiet and fast. We just seemed to get up in the air when it was time to land. Thanks for letting me come, Mr. Gordon," he said shyly.

Brent nodded and smiled his acknowledgement, enjoying the fun the surprise had generated. It was a bit of inspiration to include Tim. He had felt the young man was left out of much of what was going on with his mother and him, and it was time he rectified that. Bonnie agreed, as did Andy, who had looked at her father and nodded her approval with a big smile.

After lunch, they spent some time wandering around the small town and seeing the sights. While Calgary was close to the Rockies, Castlegar was right in the valley of the mountains and the scenery on a clear day like this Saturday, was magnificent.

"Uhm ... where's Scott?" Tim asked at one point.

"Ah ... he's with his girlfriend, Tanya. You'll meet them this afternoon," Bonnie explained.

"Oh ... OK. Hey Mom, is this where we're gonna' live?" he asked innocently.

The snort from Andy was clearly audible and the bright crimson of Bonnie's face was the visual equivalent.

"Well talk about that later, Tim," she scrambled.

Brent tried to hide his smile, but didn't quite succeed. "It's an honest question, don't you think," he said to no one in particular.

"Yah Dad, it is. So what's the answer?" Andy goaded.

"I don't know. What would you think about that, Tim?" he asked seriously.

"It's not very big ... I mean ... not like Calgary. It's kind of neat though. Not far to go snowboarding I bet," he said, looking around at the mountains. "A lot of places have boats, too," he noted.

"Yes ... recreation is a very big thing up here."

"Did you always live here?" Tim asked him.

"No ... not at all. We've only been here three years. We came up here from Vancouver when I took the job with Verano Custom Millwork. I think I can safely say Andy and Scott love it up here ... right Andy?"

"Yes ... I didn't think so at first because I left all my friends behind, but now ... this is where I want to live," she said positively.

Tim nodded and remained silent. He was thinking about the future and what it might hold. He would bide his time and talk to Scott and see what he thought. He was almost the same age when he came to Castlegar. He'd understand what was worrying him.

Bonnie had remained silent as she tried to shake the embarrassment of her son's question. It implied a future that hadn't been decided by either Brent or her. She didn't see herself settling down as a housewife. She had ambitions, and an idea of what she wanted to have for a career. The time was rapidly approaching when she would have to talk to Brent about this and see what the future would hold.

The party was a great success. Everyone welcomed Bonnie and Tim while Charlie made sure the wine, Italian of course, flowed generously. The evening was cooling off and some of the guests drifted inside to the great room. Tanya, Scott, and Tim had been talking together on the deck for over an hour. Both Bonnie and Brent noticed and felt good about the decision to bring him here. He was a smart kid and he knew this might be his next home.

Tim liked Brent Gordon. He thought he was a nice guy, and he thought that he and his mom would be pretty happy with a guy like him. He never knew his dad, so this was as close as he was ever going to get to having one. Why would they bring him here on the plane otherwise?

Tanya and Scott were the first to leave. Tanya had an eleven o'clock curfew which wasn't negotiable, regardless of the reason. The two youngsters bristled at the constraint, but Tanya reminded Scott that she would be eighteen soon, and free to make her own rules. They were counting the days. Scott was back home by eleven fifteen and rejoined the party. He was immediately cornered by Tim, who wanted to talk to him about what it was like to move from the 'big city' to the small town. Scott was surprised and then flattered that Tim wanted his opinion. Both of them were convinced that their parents would marry and that their home would be here in Castlegar.

Chapter 26:

"Are you ever going to ask me to marry you?" Bonnie suddenly asked. It wasn't an accusatory or challenging tone, it was a quiet question, but one that had come with no preamble.

Brent turned toward her in the bed. His hand stroked her belly and breasts beneath the covers as she lay naked beside him. His initial surprise at the question had dissolved, and a smile formed on his lips.

"Yes."

"When?"

"Uhmmm ... I don't know ... maybe tonight, maybe next week ... sometime ... I guess."

Thwack! The flat of her hand had come down hard on his flank. "Youch!" he reacted.

"Wrong answer, mister!" she snarled, only partly feigning anger.

"Uhmmm ... is the right answer ... now?" he smiled.

"Yes. Give the man ten points if he can say the words," she teased.

"My dearest Bonnie, I love you with all my heart. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" He had tried to be serious and yet, somehow it sounded glib.

"No! Not until you do it properly," she demanded.

"OK, OK, just give me a minute," he said, slipping out of bed and padding naked to his armoire. Opening the door and extracting a small box, he returned to the bed and sat by Bonnie's side. He leaned over and kissed her, holding the side of her face with the palm of his hand.

"I truly do love you, Bonnie. I truly do want to marry you. I want you to wear this as a symbol that I mean it." He almost whispered his words to her as he opened the box and revealed the ring.

Bonnie looked at the ring and then back at Brent. The tears came easily and she raised her arms to embrace him, pulling him down and kissing him passionately.

Brent took the ring from its holder and took her right hand in his, slipping the ring on her third finger. Bonnie had yet to actually examine the ring. Her eyes were on her man, and the tears were blurring her sight. The long wait was over.

On Sunday morning, Andrea was the first to notice the ring.

"Yikes! Look at this Scott ... Tim!" she yelled from the kitchen table. She looked up at Bonnie and jumped up to hug her and then turned to her father. "Nice going, Dad," she said in genuine admiration as she hugged and kissed him as well.

Scott wandered into to the kitchen with Tim in tow to see what the fuss was all about. Andrea grabbed Bonnie's hand and displayed the ring to them.

"Hey ... does this mean ... I mean ... are you guys getting married?" Tim asked.

"Yes, that's what it means," his mother answered with a smile.

"Wow ... that's a really nice ring. It must have cost a bundle," Scott observed.

"Scott!" his sister warned.

"Oops ... sorry," he offered contritely.

"It's OK," Bonnie said with a smile.

"Have you decided on a date?" Andrea asked.

"No ... there's a couple of complications to work out yet," her father suggested.

Bonnie had a secret smile as she listened to his answer.

"What kind of complications?" Scott asked.

"Well, Bonnie has some ... plans for a career that she wants to ... explore," he stammered.

"What does that mean?" Andrea asked, now very curious.

Bonnie was now truly enjoying the awkward moment that had fallen on her husband-to-be.

"It means that I've told your father that I intend to apply for the next open sales position at Verano Custom Millwork. Since he's the Sales Manager, I expect to be offered an interview," she stated confidently.

"Oh man, that is so cool," Andrea enthused. "Go for it, Bonnie!" she yipped.

"Oh, I intend to, don't you worry," she said emphatically.

Brent just sat at the table, shaking his head with a chagrined look on his face.

"So, where's the next sales job likely to be?" Scott asked innocently.

"On the coast," Bonnie smirked.

"Oh no, don't tell me we're going to be moving again?" Scott moaned.

"Now hold on, you three," Brent finally interjected. "Nothing's settled yet and won't be for a while. Besides, I don't want to leave here any more than you guys do, so there are things to be decided about how we would manage if Bonnie were to be the successful candidate," he said cryptically.

"You mean, she hasn't got the job for sure?" Andy asked incredulously.

"Well, I do have other candidates to interview. And, I may have to turn this whole thing over to a third party to avoid conflict of interest," he explained.

"You've got to be kidding," Andrea said with another look of amazement. "She's a natural. She's perfect for the job. You know that, Charlie knows that, what's to decide?"

"Thanks for that," Bonnie said with a wide smile. "Unfortunately, as your father reminded me, there are employment laws in this province and we have to obey them. Since he has already started a search, he has to treat each candidate fairly or you end up in some arbitration or other to make sure it's done properly," she explained.

"But, that's only if someone complains, isn't it?" Andrea continued.

"Yes, Andy, that's true," Brent answered. "But in this case, we have to make sure there isn't any hint of favoritism that's apparent to the other candidates. Bonnie will have to demonstrate her credentials against the others. I don't think it's going to be a problem, but sometimes perception is more important than fact. Besides, how am I ever going to discipline my own wife when she messes-up?" he laughed.

"Man ... that's lame!" Andy offered. "Besides, I hear spankings can be effective and fun," she giggled.

"Andrea!" he father snapped.

"Sorry ... I'll leave it to you two to figure out how to ... discipline your employees," she smirked, prancing out of the room, leaving Scott, Tim and her father open-mouthed.

She had no sooner left than she peeked around the corner. "Don't take no for an answer, Bonnie ... we have to talk." And as quickly as she had appeared, she disappeared.

"I've got to go," Scott announced. "I'll be late for church."

OK, Scott. Is Tanya coming for lunch?" Brent asked.

"Yah ... anything to get away from home chores," he grinned.

"OK ... see you then."

Tim watched him leave and turned to his mother. "He sure is lucky. Tanya is ... nice," he finally managed.

Bonnie laughed and hugged her son. "I know ... she's a babe. Everyone says so," she grinned.

"Yah ... he sure is lucky," Tim repeated.

Everyone got together for lunch at one that afternoon, before Brent had to drive Bonnie and Tim to the airport to catch their flight. The chatter was constant. Talk of the impending marriage, mixed with the sales job that Bonnie was aiming for. Even the logistics of how they could live in Castlegar while she worked on the coast. Brent sat back and listened. He had a very good feeling about all this. They were all trying to find ways to make it work, even the job for Bonnie. He had a sense of deep satisfaction about their future. They would find a way to make both Bonnie's ambition and their love come together.

It was a bittersweet moment at the airport as Brent and Bonnie hugged and kissed before their farewell. Andrea had insisted on going with them and unexpectedly, Scott and Tanya arrived before they boarded the flight. Tim and Scott were going to get along fine, while Bonnie and Andy were nothing short of co-conspirators as they plotted Brent's future. He could only smile. It was out of his hands now.

Chapter 27:

Will Franzen was both surprised and disappointed when Brent had met with him at his home. He knew he wasn't doing well, but he didn't expect that Brent would act this soon. The only good part was the offer of a job interview with Mountain Pine in their lumber trading department. It would mean some travel, but the salary was similar and there was no loss of benefits. He accepted that his days at V.C.M. were over, and hoped he would be better off in the commodity lumber market. He didn't bother to ask who would be replacing him, and there was no talk of "breaking in the new boy" as far as he could tell. His last day would be just prior to Labor Day.

Bonnie had the job from the moment she had asked for it. Brent knew it and she knew it. As Andy had said, she was a natural. She knew the products and understood the concept of selling value. More importantly, she was aware that most of the decision-making in renovations and kitchen design was made by the wives, and that gave her an edge. She could talk their language. She wasn't shy about field work with the contractors, either. She could hold her own and not get run over by the rougher characters she would encounter.

Brent had taken care of the conflict of interest problem by having an independent interviewer select the best candidate. The fact that the interviewer was a personal friend of Lloyd Bruton only helped speed the process up. In fact, it wasn't much of a contest. Bonnie was far and away the best candidate.

Bonnie would be moving from Calgary to Castlegar. Brent helped her and Tim get organized, and since school was out for the summer, it would be a fairly simple matter to get Tim registered at the local high school. Much of Bonnie's furniture would go into storage, with only clothes, personal items, and Tim's bedroom suite coming into the Gordon's home.

Tim had been given a separate bedroom in the finished basement of the house. It had its own bathroom with a shower stall, and even a TV, microwave and mini-fridge in the open family room just outside his door. The bedroom itself had lots of room with a large desk for his X-box and computer. He had a separate entrance from outside through a sliding patio door. He liked this new home already, even though he'd only seen it once.

The problem that Brent faced was Bonnie's new territory. She would be away from home constantly and he wondered what that would do to their relationship. They hadn't planned anything more than their vacation, which had been put off to early August. The wedding date still had to be set, as did the starting date for Bonnie's new career.

"Charlie, you've always said I should come to you if I have a problem ... and here I am," Brent smiled ruefully.

"I've been wondering when this conversation would come about," Charlie grinned.

"Oh ... so what do think this is about?" Brent asked with a slight smile.

"Well, let's see. You have this lady that you plan to marry, right? And she's also your new sales rep on the coast, right? And you still plan to live here in Castlegar, right? How am I doing so far?"

"OK, OK, I get the message. This is my problem, right?" Brent said, defeated.

"Well, yes, but then, I'm not completely without sympathy, Brent." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful, but still smiling.

"Gerry said something about this a while ago, just after you got engaged and Bonnie applied for the sales job. She said it was role reversal. We didn't think anything about being on the road with our jobs in the past. I was off trying to get dealers and new customers for Verano at least half the time. And I'm sure you weren't home every night when you were running your sales territory. There must have been plenty of times when you were in some motel room away from home or enduring another rubber chicken dinner at some meeting or other.

"In the meantime, Gerry and Jeanette got to stay home, cleaning house, doing laundry, looking after the kids, and being by themselves until we came home, usually dog-tired at the end of the week. I don't know about Jeanette, but Gerry never complained. She knew that's what it took for us to do our jobs," he concluded.

"Yah ... so what's your point?" Brent laughed.

"Suck it up boy, it's her turn," he said with a "you did this to yourself" look.

"So, this is the wrong door for the weeping room, huh?" There was another small smile to go with the rhetorical question.

"No ... maybe not entirely. I think we should look a little further down the road, Brent. I can see a day when we are going to have to have a permanent office in one of the major cities. The way I see it, its either Calgary or Vancouver," he said thoughtfully.

Brent nodded in agreement. He had been thinking along the same lines, but didn't think they were quite ready for that yet.

"I talked to Gary, and I have an idea that he says is doable. I was going to suggest we lease an apartment for a year to two. It would be in the downtown Vancouver area, or close to it preferably. It would be a place for Bonnie to stay, set up an office and occasionally meet with clients," he continued.

"She wouldn't have to pay rent; we would just treat it like a hotel. One thing Gary did say, though. She can't declare her travel costs to and from Vancouver from her permanent home here. Only her travel expenses while she is working in the Vancouver area."

"Well," Brent began, "our combined incomes make that a smaller issue. I think the thing that's been on both our minds is the time we'll have together ... or maybe more accurately ... the time we'll be apart."

"I don't think you can avoid that unless she gives up the job," he said seriously.

"I won't let her do that. It something she really wants to do, and I think she'll be terrific at it. I won't let her turn it down." he said without hesitation.

"Well then, it sounds like the issue is settled," Charlie smiled.

"I guess it is. But, just the same, thanks for the help. I'll sleep better if Bonnie has a permanent address when she's away."

"Yah. Listen," Charlie said changing topics, "since you're here, I wanted to tell you about a meeting I had a couple of days ago. Sam came to see me."

"Oh?"

"Yah, he wants to work for us when he graduates. He wants to set up a production planning unit."

"Sounds like something we could use," Brent said nodding.

"It is. There's just one catch. He says it's a package deal. If he comes, Andy comes too," he said with a sly smile.