Chapter 16

Ali entered the office late one morning in March. She had been on the phone to the people at ComTech that morning; there was a board meeting scheduled for the end of the week. The company also had a computer operations problem and Ali mentioned the work that Joan Fredrick had been doing for her Firm. She agreed to see if Joan could be available to come east with her to take a look at their systems.

When she walked into the conference room and looked at the girls, her eyes were sparkling in spite of the frown on her face. Joan was pouring coffee; all of the other girls were in bad shape. Ali asked, "Joan, do you charge extra for playing Florence Nightingale ministering to the wounded? What's happened to the rest of you people?"

Sandy pretended to prop one eye open with her finger. "Ali, Jack got a promotion and a raise yesterday. So I took the chance and told him about my raise. And he took me ... and took me ... and took me." She grinned and added, "Ali, I'm thinking of marrying him and then encouraging him to take a mistress so I can get some sleep!"

Ali just grinned and shook her head. "Virginia Jamison Conrad, what's your excuse? You're already married."

Ginger had her arms folded on the table with her head resting on them. She opened one eye and said, "I made the mistake of teasing Charley about getting old last night. I think he found a gray hair or something. Anyway, he set out to prove to me he's not." She grinned sleepily and added, "You know what Ali? He's not! It was utterly glorious!" She closed her eyes again.

"Kathy?" Ali said.

Kathy smiled sleepily. "I got carried away last night. I fixed a very fancy dinner to celebrate Ken's last class in law school before spring break. I even bought some of the cognac you recommended. And Ali," she said sleepily, "I even washed him down with Dom Pérignon early this morning."

Judy just held up her hands in a sign of surrender. "Ali, I'm still trying to get in shape. I can't even get my thighs back together yet!"

Ali said, "Okay, enough is enough. I need your help again. Fortunately, the work is for Joan who seems to be the only one of you left alive."

She looked at Joan and smiled sheepishly. "Joan, I think I should have kept my big mouth shut. I volunteered your services to ComTech. They're having a major problem with administrative systems; I told them you're the world's leading authority on computer-based administrative systems. Anyway, they've asked if you could come east with me." Ali now looked embarrassed. "Joan, we're supposed to leave tomorrow morning. Can you do it? Do you want to?"

Joan's eyes had lighted up and were now as big as saucers. "Do you mean Ali, I get to fly ... to Boston? With you?"

"That's exactly what it means. Joan, we're going to have a problem, though. You're a Southern California girl, aren't you?" Joan said she was. "The problem is that this is winter in the East," Ali continued. "They can get thoroughly miserable weather this time of year. Are you sure you want to go?"

Joan was sure. The girls had quickly come back to life and were listening attentively. Ginger said, "Ali, could we do a Jennifer on Joan? I thought we did a pretty good job for her. Could we try it again?"

Judy grinned and said, "It's a chance for revenge! Ali, Joan spilled the beans to you about our pool, didn't she? About who had cum more times the night before? Did she tell you, though, that it was a steady source of extra income for her? I think she has one of our computers programmed to come up with the answers somehow. Anyway, it's a chance to get back some of our money."

Ali held up her hands. "No, it is not! She's representing the Firm. Moreover, there's going to be no problem persuading the IRS that these are specialized clothes she would not need in the normal conduct of our business. Joan's wardrobe is a Firm expense. And by the way, this is a top firm and I expect her to look the part. Now get with it." Turning to Joan she asked, "By any chance do you ski?"

She said she skied a great deal up at Tahoe. Ali knew she was going to be tied up over the weekend on Cape Cod, so she suggested that Joan plan on going skiing in New England. Joan thought it was a great idea. The girls scattered to do the shopping. Whatever she needed had to be acquired that day.

At four o'clock they got together again. It was a replay of Jennifer's experience. Like Jennifer before her, Joan was stripped to her pants. Ali saw once again what a perfect body the girl had. The outfits were magnificent. Joan looked like a very young senior executive. Her ski wear and leisure clothes were sensational. Finally, they were sitting around the table with drinks Joan had insisted on making for them. Everyone was exhausted.

Sandy and Ginger left the room and came back a few moments later with a big box which they presented to her. Sandy said, "Joan, this is separate from the rest. It's a gift from the junior partners in the firm, Ginger and me. We know we yell and scream at you constantly. Your response is an inevitable warm smile or grin ... and a level of support every other lawyer in practice can't even dream about. Unlike our senior partner who goes out of her way to tell you girls how well you're doing, the junior partners tend to take it all for granted and just grump. Joan, we really do appreciate it in spite of the way we usually act, and hope you like our gift."

The girl opened the box. Inside was a full-length nutria fur coat. Ginger shook it out and held it for her to try on. Joan shrugged into it. Tears came to Ali's eyes watching the girl pull the coat tight around her face and snuggle in the fur the way Jennifer had done.

Tears were rolling down the girl's cheeks. "Ginger and Sandy, I don't know what to say! Needless to say, I've never had a fur coat in my life before. It feels so light and warm and wonderful. Thank you so much!" She kissed them both; Ginger found a tissue and wiped Joan's eyes. As she did, Ali could see that Ginger's eyes were running, too.

The next morning Joan met Ali at the Admirals Club at American Airlines. "How do I look?" the girl asked. As she had done with Jennifer, she had taken Joan to Henry's studio. His styling of her hair was perfect. She was magnificent — in some way the hair style featured her gorgeous green eyes. She was wearing tight jeans and a chambray shirt under her new fur coat. She looked stunning and Ali said so. Joan said with a grin that the Levi's and shirt were the firm's official casual uniform.

Ali enjoyed the flight to Boston because Joan was enjoying it so much. The girl had seldom flown anywhere and never flown coast-to-coast. She had never flown first class before, either, so the trip was obviously a big thrill for her. Ali took joy from the girl's excitement and enthusiasm.

Ali was impressed with the way Joan so professionally took charge of ComTech's administrative problem. She acted, spoke and dressed like the senior systems professional she truly was. The ComTech people, all of whom were East-Coast trained, were impressed. She left on Friday for Sugarloaf in Maine while Ali stayed on for the weekend Board meeting. They agreed to meet Tuesday afternoon at the Admirals Club in Boston for the flight back to Los Angeles.

Joan was sitting in the club waiting when Ali arrived. Ali was amused at the looks Joan was attracting from the predominantly male clientèle in the club. Looking at Joan's face it was instantly apparent that the weekend had been a success. Joan was reading and hadn't seen Ali come in. Ali went up to her and said very softly, "Hi!"

Joan looked up quickly and beamed. She jumped to her feet and hugged Ali close. Suddenly, the girl looked embarrassed and let go as if Ali were scorching hot.

"What's wrong, Joan?" Ali asked softly.

"That was familiar, Mrs. Clifford. I'm an employee, not your daughter."

"It's still Ali," she said, taking a seat beside the girl, "and sometimes I feel like you are. Joan, I couldn't be more proud of you if you were my own daughter. In fact, I think that's the way it should be." Ali smiled softly and added, "Besides, it felt so good when you hugged me. Joan, you smell so fresh and sweet and look so beautiful. Anyway, looking at you it seems like your weekend was fun. Want to tell me about it?"

Joan began and continued the narration after they boarded the plane and were in the air headed for home. It seems she had met a young man on the ski slopes and then had run into him again in an arcade that had a lot of computer games. They had played together, eaten together, and skied together. They had not slept together, though.

Joan said, "Ali, it was like no weekend in my life. First of all, for the first time ever, I was the rich kid. Usually, I'm traveling on the cheap."

Suddenly Joan's lips pursed together and she seemed to be angry, but Ali noticed there was still a glint in her eye. "Speaking of which, the reason I have money is I went to make a payment on my giant collection of student loans. Ali, the total of my loans is exceeded only by the National Debt. Do you know what happened? There aren't any! I went to make payments and found they are all paid off! Now who could have done a thing like that, Allison McGrath Clifford!?"

Ali pretended to look contrite. "I'm sorry, Joan! I didn't realize... ! How was I supposed to know that the loans were a surrogate security blanket? Now I guess you feel all exposed because they're not there any more?"

Joan beamed and her eyes flashed. "No! Now I feel rich. Ali, for the last two months, there's been money left in the bank at the end of the month. It's delicious."

She grinned and said, "But back to my story. I was staying at the Sugarloaf Inn in the best room they had. I was feeling as rich as a Clifford! I was eating at the good places and didn't even have to ask which beer was the cheapest. Anyway, I met this guy who is just super. He's in medical school in Boston and now he's off for six weeks of vacation. He graduates this June after one more six-week rotation when he goes back. Anyway, he may come out to see me in Los Angeles."

Ali was interested. "What's his name?" she asked.

Joan looked embarrassed. "It's Bill. Believe it or not, I don't even know his last name. He never said, or if he did, I didn't catch it. I have his phone number and he has mine, as well as my address."

Joan continued to bubble all the way back home. When they were met by Bill and Fred with the limousine and Joan was driven home, she said, "This is absolutely the perfect ending to a perfect trip! My God, what will the neighbors think — being taken home in a limousine." She kissed Ali on the cheek and ran in ahead of Fred who carried in her luggage.

Bill had been watching and listening during the ride back. Ali said, "Bill, that is one great girl! Would you believe she's all alone in the world? Whatever she has, she's done herself. My God, tending bar topless because it paid more and she needed the extra money for the tuition at Cal Tech. What do you think?"

"I think she's the kind of girl my wife loves. I think she reminds my wife of her own struggles. That's why there's a little more money in my wife's bank account to cover a few payments she made on some student loans." Ali beamed at Bill with her sunshine smile. He kissed her softly, and then with increasing passion. Her blouse was unbuttoned and Bill was caressing her breasts when Fred returned to the car and headed toward the hotel.

On Friday morning ten days later Ali was in her office when Joan Fredrick knocked and came in. The girl looked embarrassed. Ali asked her to sit down and buzzed Kathy for coffee. Joan looked even more embarrassed when Kathy served her as if she were a client. Ali waited for the girl to get around to telling her what was troubling her. Ali saw the girl take a deep breath and look up at her. "Ali — Mrs. Clifford — could I take a two-week leave of absence?"

Ali looked at the girl, then looked startled, and finally, embarrassed. She ignored being addressed formally. But without answering the girl she buzzed and asked Kathy to come into the office with her pad. Kathy came in and sat on a side chair with her pencil poised. Ali said, "This is a staff memo, Kathy. To: Employees of Clifford & Jamison; From: Managing Partner; Subject: Vacations.