Chapter 4: The Foundation

Almost Three years later:

Early was in a bad mood. Being in a bad mood was a common occurrence recently. Damn! It was still three weeks until he had to read that letter from his cheating slut of an ex-wife and the dread was as bad as the event. Every time he thought about just how manipulative she was it made him furious--with himself--for marrying her.

Early parked his new Mercedes in an open slot and looked around. This was one of the rougher parts of town. The cops didn't have to patrol in pairs here, but they did. "Well I guess it shows these folks aren't wasting any money on things that don't affect their mission," he mumbled under his breath as he got out of the car. "It's a good cause though and I promised."

The door to the store front location was unlocked as he entered the place. It doesn't look any better on the inside, he thought. From a room down a hall that he assumed was the conference room a disembodied voice called out, "Early, if that's you come on back and we'll officially welcome you to the board."

Opening the door he saw eight people seated around a battered conference table. Their clothes and accoutrements spoke of an affluence at odds with the surroundings. Harry Wilson, a recent 'best friend' rose to greet him. "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Early Conroy. My company began doing business with his company and I've never meet a more competent trouble shooter.

"I really appreciation your willingness to serve on this board, we need you badly."

Early had to smile, Wilson was one of the world's good guys even if he wasn't too proud to twist a few arms, but he hadn't had to twist Early's. "You were very persuasive, Harry, but the truth is I'd decided several months ago I wanted to help. I was just guilty of procrastination."

After everyone was introduced, Wilson said, "Okay Early, the way we do this is we take turns reading a request and then we brainstorm how we might accomplish the wish or decide if it's beyond our means. Then we'll take up the next one. Your skills as a problem solver are going to be invaluable.

"Here's the first one. A seven year old girl, with advanced leukemia, would like to help rescue wild mustangs in Oklahoma. It was something her parents did before she got sick and they always promised they'd take her when she got old enough."

Early felt like someone had hit him in the gut, "Jesus, Harry, I'll buy the whole family plane tickets to where ever..."

The woman on his right put a gentle arm on his, "If it were that easy, Early, it would have been handled by the staff. She'll need to be transported by air ambulance. She'll need round-the-clock nursing care; but the biggest hurdle is all the legal liability issues at the other end. After all, the reason we here is because the Make-a-Wish Foundation was sued out of existence in this city after they took some terminal kids hunting. People are scared to death that if something were to happen to one of those kids they'd be sued to death. The sad truth is that some of our clients have sued... "

As if on queue Susan Edwards, Esq., walked into the room. When Susan saw Early, her whole face lit up with a beautiful smile. Early felt his settle into a scowl. The woman continued, "Early, I'd like to introduce our legal genius who, single handedly has been keeping us out of trouble for the last two years. Sue Edwards, this is our newest board member Early Conroy."

Susan's eye's made contact with Early's and Early couldn't contain his contempt as a wave of rage washed over him. All pleasure left Susan's expression. She very carefully turned so she was not speaking to Early. "Mr. Conroy and I have met." Looking around the table she then said, "I'm sorry I'm late..."

Early watched her carefully as she continued. Susan always was brilliant, and she was still beautiful. If she weren't a manipulative slut Early knew he'd be interested.

After the meeting broke up, Early tried to get Harry alone. As much as he wanted to help this group, he simply couldn't work in an organization that included Susan. As the meeting progressed Early had been forced to admit, grudgingly, that she was indeed central to the group's success and that it was a work of her heart. Although it made him mad, he had decided that he needed to withdraw from the board. He'd continue to help them as he could. Even his short association with them made him realize that he needed to be involved in efforts to give back some of what he'd been blessed to receive. As much as this effort tugged at his heart-strings, he'd just have to find someplace else. Unfortunately, Susan and other members of the board were involved in a second impromptu meeting as soon as the formal meeting ended.

When he got home Early wrestled with his conscience. Part of what appealed to him about the organization was the kids. Early loved kids and was slowly coming to the conclusion that he might never have any. It was just another reason that he hadn't been able to let go of his anger with Susan. Because of her, he knew what real love was and as much as he'd tried, he hadn't been able to love anyone else. He thought frequently about what his private investigator Bill Miller had told him that night about trust and marriage. He had just assumed that when he got rid of Susan that trusting someone else would be natural. It wasn't.

As a fit and wealthy single man, finding dates hadn't been a problem. With the help of friends he was overrun with women looking to fill the hole Susan had left in his heart. Several of those had ended up in his bed. Two had even become serious monogamous relationships. The problem was that even after a month or two he still wanted to use a condom. He simply couldn't trust a woman not to cheat and that destroyed any hope there might have been.

After the last relationship crashed and burned a few months ago, one of his oldest friends had taken Early out for a wine and song, no women because he was married. In the early morning hours they were solving all the problems of the world when his friend blurted, "Early when are you going to forgive Susan and go on with your life?"

Early was just mellow enough to not respond with his characteristic anger. He was just drunk enough for the Latin "en vino veritas" or "when you're drunk you let the truth slip out." In drunken profundity said, "It's that damn letter I have to read every year. Just when I think I can get past her I have to read what that manipulative bitch wrote and know that I've got to do it for years to come."

His friend looked him in the eyes and said, "Early, if that's all it were you'd just laugh at how lucky you were to be quit of her. I'm not saying you need to take her back. I wouldn't, but you've got to get past this for your own sake."

His friend paused, looking so sober it made Early concentrate to appear less drunk, himself. "Early, what is your hatred doing to Susan? How is it hurting her? Does she even feel it? Is your hate ruining her life?

Indignant and still very drunk. Early slammed his fist on the table. "It sure is, it's making her miserable!"

Still looking him deeply in his eyes the friend then asked, "How do you know Early? Have you seen her or asked?"

Feeling smug as only a drunk can, Early almost sneered, "She told me so in her damn letter!"

Looking a bit sad now the friend asked, "Do you believe her? If you can't trust her, why do you believe anything she has ever said? If you do believe her then why can't you trust her? Ah shit, this is getting too deep for me. Let's have another round. What do you think the Huskies will be favored by on Saturday? It should be a great football game."

As Early got ready for bed he felt his anger bubble up. That bitch didn't so much as say a single word to him. Not a "how are you" nor even a polite "hello."

The next morning he'd been at work for a little more than an hour when Harry called. "Early, what's the deal with you and Sue? She called this first thing this morning and said she was going to have to withdraw from the foundation. She tried to tell me that she had some sort of conflict of interest, but a blind man could see how upset she was every time she looked your way. What's going on?" He gave a rather mirthless chuckle. "Was she your ex-wife's lawyer or something?"