Chapter 63: Letter From A Lawyer

July 28, 1996, Chicago, Illinois

On Sunday morning, we awoke to news that a bomb had gone off in Centennial Park in Atlanta, where the Summer Olympics were being held. One person had been killed and a dozen injured by what was reported to be a pipe bomb hidden in a backpack. A security guard, Richard Jewell, had discovered the bomb just before it detonated, and had cleared people away, reducing the casualties. He was being hailed as a hero.

“Real terrorism this time?” Elena asked.

“I’d guess,” I said. “But I still haven’t ruled out a Stinger or some other kind of missile for TWA Flight 800. I don’t trust what the government says, because when you have dozens of witnesses who all say the same thing immediately after the incident, who all suddenly change their minds, forget what they saw, or go quiet, SOMETHING is up. And why doesn’t the FBI have ANY verbatim interview records. Something is rotten in Denmark, that’s for sure.”

“But you think this one is straightforward?”

“A bomb in a backpack? Sure. I’d say ‘Unabomber’ but he was arrested back in April and this wasn’t his MO, so it’s not a ‘copycat’ thing. Now, whether it’s domestic terrorism or foreign, I can’t speculate. I’m just glad that security guard found the bomb.”

“True. We’ve dealt with things like this in Europe for many, many years. Shall we dress and head to your house?”

“I was thinking we had at least an hour before we had to leave,” I grinned.

Elena didn’t object, and we left the hotel just over an hour later to head to Hyde Park.

“You have a very lovely home and a wonderful family!” Elena said as she, my wives, and I ate lunch together on Sunday.

“Do you have a house in Rome?” Jessica asked.

“No, a very nice apartment with a wonderful balcony facing the street, and a beautiful interior garden. We have a private villa with a swimming pool and large garden in the north where we spend a lot of time when I’m home, and where Beppe goes on the weekends when I’m not. Do you have a place in the country?”

“Not that we own,” Kara said. “But we rent a place for a week in Iron Mountain, Michigan, which is about as far north as you can go without going into Canada. It’s very peaceful. It’s too far to go for the weekend because we’d have to drive.”

“We use the train, mostly, which is very nice, but occasionally we drive. None of you are from Chicago, if I understand. When did you buy this house?”

“Steve bought it when he was in college,” Kara said. “That was about thirteen years ago. I came to live with him the next year to start school, and then we met Jess the year after that and the three of us married in December.”

“And your eldest was born when?” Elena asked me.

“February of the following year, which was 1986,” I said. “Then they came fast and furious for a few years!”

“I’ll say! Seven kids are quite a lot! Having only one, with my travels and business, is a real challenge, but I love Tomasso with all my heart.”

“Did you get a new au pair?”

“Yes! A young Swedish girl who thinks Beppe is too old for her!” Elena said with a laugh.

“You’re enjoying that, aren’t you?” I asked with a grin.

“Absolutely! But he has his Finnish college student to keep him occupied while I’m traveling. But that doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining to see my husband just slightly frustrated that a girl he would like to have won’t even consider it!”

“That’s happened to Steve,” Kara teased.

“It has NOT!” I declared with feigned irritation. “And if you’re thinking of whatever her name was at the dance, I did NOT make a single move towards her except to ask her to dance!”

“I think you hit a nerve, Kara,” Elena laughed. “Steve, would your ego be mortally wounded if a girl you wanted didn’t want you?”

I chuckled, “I can’t tell you because it HAS NEVER HAPPENED, despite what my troublemaking wife would like you to believe!”

“Oh come, now, I don’t believe that!”

Jessica shook her head, “You should. I don’t know how many girlfriends your husband has had, but is it less than 25?”

Elena nodded, “I’d say it’s about that, yes, since he was fifteen.”

“Steve’s had more than five times that many ... and I think more than half were virgins.”

“Mio Dio!” she laughed. “You’re serious?”

“Absolutely.”

“And I’ve turned down quite a few over the years, too,” I declared smugly, “including the mothers of some of the girls!”

“And,” Kara smirked, “I think 25 of them were before he turned sixteen!”

“So, the one he couldn’t have?” Elena asked with a silly smile.

“He asked her to dance and when the dance finished, she stepped back and said ‘No!’ very firmly, then walked away.”

“It’s his eyes,” Jessica said. “I saw them that day at the hospital and that was it!”

“I think I have to agree,” Elena replied. “They were the hardest part of him to capture in my drawings.”

“Not THE hardest!” Kara teased. “He showed us the one you drew of him nude. It was very good, and reminded me a bit of ones our friend Jorge drew.”

“An artist?”

“Yes,” I replied. “But he was killed by a drunk driver about three years ago.”

“Terrible! Do you have any of his work?”

I nodded, “Yes, but it would be up to Jessica and Kara to share.”

“You want me to share the comic books?” Jessica gasped.

“I said it was up to you,” I grinned. “And I didn’t mention the comic books!”

Elena asked about them, of course, and that led to a discussion of Jorge, and how important he had been in our lives. And when we finished lunch, Kara and Jessica showed her Jorge’s drawings, including ‘What if?’.

July 29, 1996, Chicago, Illinois

“I’m going to have to drop off the programming roster until Stephanie comes on board,” I said at what in my mind was the Monday morning ‘operations’ meeting.

“Has something changed?” Julia asked.

“It’s a mix of things,” I said. “And it’s no reflection on Kimmy’s contribution. In fact, she’s stepped up and is doing even more. But I need to take a more active role in managing our growth, developing better long-term plans, and looking out for the spiritual health of the company.”

“Spiritual health?” Barbara asked, over the videoconference link.

“NIKA has a soul,” I said, “or maybe it’s better to use the Japanese term «kami». And I feel like our huge expansion has weakened it. And my real fear is that it will grow so weak that we lose it. And if that happens, I’m not sure what the result might be. I don’t really want to contemplate losing it, so I’m going to do my best to strengthen it. That means traveling more, spending more time with the senior leaders AND the staff, ensuring our policies and practices are conducive to that end, and ensure our corporate culture doesn’t become too corporate and not enough culture.

“Our business, as Cindi and Charlie can attest, is based on relationships. NIKA itself was founded on relationships - Cindi, Elyse, Julia, Dave, and me before we started, and Penny and Mario almost immediately afterwards. Charlie was next, then Debbie, Zeke, Tasha, Barbara, Terry, Kimmy, and Alonzo. Think about what that means. Every single senior position here, except for Deborah’s, which is brand new, is filled by someone who was here basically at the start.

“Alonzo started June 1st, 1987. All of us have been here at least nine years now. NIKA works and makes money because we’re a cohesive team with good relationships, both internal and external. And I’m afraid that’s breaking down, that our DNA is mutating in ways I don’t like. Change isn’t a bad thing, but bad change is a thing. And it’s a thing I’m determined to fight tooth and nail.

“I think the bottom line to what I’m saying is, that if anyone in this room, or on videoconference, sees the other people here as ‘co-workers’, then you’re doing it wrong. It has to be deeper than that, and, frankly, I’m not going to accept any arguments on this point. If you don’t believe that’s the correct way to do business, come talk to me and we’ll formulate a mutually-agreed transition plan.”

“Steve, does that apply to staff as well?” Mario asked.

“I would hope that when they see us model what I consider to be proper behavior, they’ll follow suit. But it’s not nearly so critical at their level as it is at the top. Yes, we need strong teams to deliver our software, and that’s the responsibility of directors like Zo, Tasha, Terry, Brenda, and Cèlia to make happen, with our help. I guess the short answer to your question, Mario, is ‘no, but yes’. Clear?”

“As mud,” he laughed. “Seriously though, I think I get it. We’re so geographically diverse now, we just don’t see everyone the way we did, even when it was just the expansions to LA and Pittsburgh, not to mention having 100 people instead of 25.”

“Or seven!” I added. “I don’t want to debate this issue here, so if you have any concerns, come see me. Tell Kimmy it’s about this and I will literally drop whatever it is I’m doing to address your concerns or your questions, including flying to speak to you face-to-face. That said, I’m immovable on the point which was instilled in me by Don Joseph, Joyce’s grandfather and our first investor - that you cannot separate business from relationships, and you do business with friends and are friends with the people with whom you do business.

“I’ve spent years cultivating friends like Ben Jackson, Ben van Hoek, Ned Jenkins, Patrick Shaughnessy, Jamie Ferguson, Jackie Phelan, Katya Anisimova, and even a couple of FBI agents. There are others as well, including our Board members. Cindi and Charlie have cultivated numerous relationships, and some of those have turned into friendships, as well they should. All of this started when Don Joseph explained things to me, and put me in touch with the right people. And if you’re unsure, think about what might have happened with BLS without Jeri, or with Lone Star without Samantha.

“I’ve said my piece and I’ll get off my soap box. Julia, please let Dave know. And let me know if that creates any scheduling issues which will need to be addressed.”

“Will do,” she replied.

I sensed an edge to her reply which, frankly, I’d expected. My broadside had been, at least in part, against her husband, and possibly to some extent, her. But I wasn’t sure. It WAS possible there were issues at home, and that was the reason she’d equivocated. If that were the case, she’d have to solve them, because I wasn’t going to accept wishy-washy answers going forward.

“I think that’s it,” Kimmy said. “If there are no other items, we’ll adjourn.”

There were none, so she disconnected the call and everyone filtered out of the ‘Lemieux’ room to head back to their offices. I totally wasn’t surprised when Cindi and Charlie followed me as far as Kimmy’s desk.

“Come on in,” I said. “And Cindi, this time, remove your shoes!”

“Sorry,” she replied. “I was a bit ‘on edge’ the last time I was here.”

“I understand. We have about thirty minutes before my office-mate returns from her status meeting. What’s up?”

“Mind if we sit?” Cindi asked.

“«Zabuton» or «yōshitsu»?”

“I can go Japanese today,” Cindi said.

We sat down and a moment later Kimmy brought a pot of green tea.

“Was that about Dave?” Charlie asked.

I nodded, “Partly, but it really is something I’ve been sensing for some time now. And it’s something I need to get a handle on before Stephanie starts. She’s going to be operations, and I’m going to be leadership. Or, to put it in historical terms sure to annoy Cindi, Stephanie will be the Empress and I’ll be the Patriarch, each supreme in our own area. But I can’t wait another seventeen months to deal with this. Do either of you think I’m wrong?”

Both women shook their heads.

“Dave is going to take it as a personal attack,” Cindi said. “You two have been clashing, but you just declared war, via a proxy.”

“I did it in the correct venue,” I said. “One in which he not only declined to participate, but actively avoided. He’ll get the message loud and clear through the chain of command.”

“I’m not sure that’s going to go well.”

“No shit, Cindi!” I laughed. “But it’ll expose the TRUE source of the issue. I think it’s Dave, but it could be both of them, and it could be the result of trouble at home. How each of them responds will give me a good idea of how to move forward. If I pussyfoot around, nothing will be resolved. I’m taking the bull by the horns and I’m sure as hell going to be the matador who delivers the death blow to this infection which is trying to kill the «kami» of NIKA, no matter where it arises.”

“What happens if he quits?”

“He has a succession plan,” I said firmly. “We implement it.”

“Bullshit!” Charlie snapped. “It’s not that easy and you know it!”

“Did the word ‘easy’ escape my lips without my noticing?” I asked, slightly annoyed. “I didn’t say it was easy, I said we’d do it. It’s the same if we lost someone for any reason. That’s what those plans are about. Would it hurt? You’re damned right it will hurt. Will it cause disruption? Probably more than I can imagine! Will it suck? Absolutely! But what’s the alternative? Surrender? I don’t recall anyone sitting idly by while Maddie tried to force change on our culture. We’re going to have to fight tooth and nail against that kind of insidious thinking which is infecting the culture at large.”

“It might not hurt to dial it back just a bit,” Cindi suggested. “Some people won’t take well to the way you’re presenting it.”

“You know, despite a shitload of evidence to the contrary, I’m not actually a COMPLETE idiot! Was there a single person in that room who flinched at how serious I was about this? I’ll answer - ‘No’. Why? Because all of you know this goes right to the core of my being and it’s always been important to me. But you also know I know how to talk the panties off just about any girl you can point to! It works on guys, too, just not the same way!”

Both Cindi and Charlie laughed.

“I think I’d give up my entire annual bonus to see that,” Cindi laughed. “What do you say, Charlie?”

“Definitely!”

“I charm girls out of their panties all the time,” I chuckled.

“Not what we meant, and you know it!” Cindi laughed. “And besides, you worked overtime to keep mine ON!”

“Sorry?” I smirked.

“Jackass!” Cindi laughed.

“How was your first week sober?” I asked.

“I cheated a couple of times and both times I called Charlie. I’m working on it. And I did talk to Employee Assistance and they put me in touch with a private counselor. I’m not sure being seen at AA would be good PR, even though nobody is supposed to say anything.”

“Thanks for being honest with me,” I said.

“Thank Charlie. She was adamant about me telling you the truth.”

“If you do, you’ll get all the help you need. If not, it’s going to get ugly.”

“I know.”

“Anything else?” I asked.

“Besides you being right again?”

“Which thing this time?” I asked with a smirk.

“God he’s a smug bastard, isn’t he?” Charlie asked with a silly smile.

“Always!” Cindi agreed. “That another Federal court ruled part of the CDA unconstitutional.”

I nodded, “It’s basically dead; well, at least the worst parts of it. Anything else? Work-related, I mean?”

“No,” they both replied.

“Thanks. Charlie, stay a sec. I have something for you.”

Cindi got up and left and once she was out of earshot, I leaned a bit closer to Charlie.

“Our new intern starts in a couple of weeks,” I said. “Her name is Jodie Billings. She’s a member of The Club.”

Charlie laughed, “Of COURSE she is! I’ll talk to her once she starts. I knew about Claire. Any others likely in the future?”

I shook my head, “Highly unlikely. I mean, you never know, but I doubt it.”

“This is why you brought in Deborah, right?”

“Partly, yes. If Jamie ever found out, he’d make a huge stink by ending the relationship between Allen & Baker and NIKA. And that would cause problems with the Board.”

“But you can override them.”

“And then what would happen?” I asked.

“Good point. It would hurt your relationships.”

“Exactly. I’ve put my foot down with them exactly twice. Once was those non-compete agreements which they wanted me to force people to sign, rather than ask; the other was over Michelle. And actually, that issue with Michelle was caused by Dave and Jamie, more than anything. And Deborah is completely read in, so there’s no issue there.”

Charlie laughed, “She’s so funny. I swear she’s intrigued and curious.”

“But not curious enough to be a problem,” I said. “And that’s a good thing. She does like to tease me about it, and that’s OK, too. Jamie had NO sense of humor; Deborah has one. And I do understand Jamie’s point, but they have the business because of relationships, as I said in the conference room.”

“Promise me one thing, Steve.”

“What’s that?”

“If Cindi does complete her year sober, you induct her into The Club.”

“I accept your advice; whether or not that can happen will depend on circumstances at the time. I told her I wouldn’t hide behind policy nor would I say ‘no’ out of hand. You know my take on committing irrevocably to sex in advance.”

“I know. I just strongly encourage you to make good on the implied promise. Call it a reward for saving NIKA no end of trouble.”

“A reasonable request between friends.”

“Permission to step completely out of line?”

“That’s part of the remit of being part of the ‘Kitchen Cabinet’.”

“You and Eve? It happened, didn’t it?”

“Are you fishing, or do you think you know something?”

“I suggested it, remember? And I’m not exactly fishing, nor do I think I know something. I’m just asking. But I think you just confirmed it because if it hadn’t you would have said ‘no’, and the ONE thing I can count on is that you’ve never, ever, from the beginning, lied to me.”

“And I don’t think I’ll start now. Yes. But do NOT share that with anyone; not even Eve.”

“Boss, the day I would even think about fucking you over that way is the day I kill myself. You know that. Never. I will die on that hill. Willingly. Gladly. And you know why. Most people don’t get a second chance.”

“I believe in second chances,” I said. “But third chances are few and far between, if they ever happen.”

“I promise not to need one. I’m here until you no longer want me.”

“The chances of that day coming are zero. And thanks for the vote of confidence and loyalty.”

“You deserve it. And my respect.”

“And you deserve and have mine.”

We stood, she quickly checked to ensure the coast was clear, gave me a peck on the lips, then left the office.

When she was gone, I made a phone call which I thought might help resolve the situation with Dave.