Chapter 11: Oops!

Every year the Chamber of Commerce holds an awards banquet in mid-November. While I wasn't an active member, I was a member and knew that my presence would be missed if I weren't there. Previously, Andrea and I attended so I felt comfortable inviting Kim to accompany me. The banquet would be held at the Skyline Hotel and after the dinner and the awards presentations there would be dancing.

We were seated at tables of eight people, usually four couples. I looked up my name on the seating diagram and noticed we were located at the front left-center of the room, not far from the head table. I wasn't sure that would be a great place, especially if we wanted to slip out early. I made sure that Kim had been listed separately as Ms. Penny and not Mrs. Tyler. I didn't want her embarrassed.

I knew two of the three other couples and introduced Kim to them as my friend. The fourth couple was new in town and over the dinner the rest of us told them about our municipality and a bit of its history. As the dessert was being served I felt Kim's foot tapping against mine. I looked at her and I could see her looking over to my left. We were seated with our backs to the front corner of the room and as I followed her gaze I saw what had attracted her attention.

On the far side of the next table sat Kurt Howell. His partner was hidden by the back of a very large man between us but as I leaned back to look around him I saw Andrea. I was a bit surprised but not overly so. I assumed Everlast Construction was a member and he was the designated attendee. I had a memory flash of my disguised silly phone call to confirm it was he who was screwing Andrea and I must have snorted aloud.

"What's so funny," Kim whispered.

"I'll tell you later if I can remember the name."

She had a quizzical look but didn't dwell on my cryptic remark.

"You saw her, then?" she asked, again in a whisper.

I nodded, turning to look over again. "And him."

At that moment Kurt looked up and our eyes met. I held my gaze longer than I might normally have and then gave him the faintest of nods. That produced what I could only describe as a smirk from Mr. Howell. I turned back to our table and tried to ignore his expression but it was too late. I saw it and he knew I saw it.

I'm not very good at hiding my emotions and I guess Kim picked up on my anger. The son-of-a-bitch was gloating that he took my woman.

"What's got you upset?" she whispered, tightening her hand over mine.

"I'll tell you later."

"A minute ago you were laughing."

"Things change," I said, turning to her.

Just looking at her face was enough to bring me out of my brief bout of anger. She was so damn beautiful that it washed away any feeling of insecurity and resentment that I might have had. I hadn't lost a wife, I had gained an extraordinary woman who fulfilled every male fantasy I'd ever had. Kurt hadn't won anything that still had value to me. Andrea would always be the mother of our children and I couldn't forget the good years we shared. But she was now in my past and I liked the look of my future.

I had prepared Kim for the boring speeches and presentations that were to come. They would take about a half-hour to forty-five minutes and then the tables would be moved and the dancing would begin. The Master of Ceremonies was the Chair of the Chamber of Commerce, Mario Tanucci, a prominent restaurateur. After the usual welcome and thank-you to the support groups that sponsored the dinner, he got down to business.

I wasn't really paying attention. I was thinking about Kurt Howell and, of course, Andrea. He seemed pretty smug, almost arrogant about having stolen my wife. I wonder if he knew that it wasn't the first time she had cheated. Would that unsettle his confidence? Then again, he went after a married woman, so he wasn't so noble either.

I was snapped out of my reverie when I heard my name and Kim was grabbing my hand again.

"What?" I said, looking around.

Our entire table had risen and was applauding and it looked like they were applauding me. What the hell? And then it twigged. I had won an award.

I stood and acknowledged the applause, finally realizing I had to go up to the podium to accept the award. I had no expectation of this and immediately began to think of what to say. I knew I was expected to say something. It had better be short and it had better be coherent.

When I arrived at the podium, I was handed the etched glass mounted tablet as I shook Mario Tanucci's hand. A quick glance told me that I had won "Business of the Year" for our store, the highest award given by the chamber. Mario stepped back and left the microphone to me.

"Thank you, Mario ... uh ... and members of the Chamber. I'm honored by this award. I hadn't even thought about winning it, but I'm delighted that we have. I may be the owner, but every person working at Highland has a part of this award. My mentor, Walter Cromwell, taught me the basics of the business and the business principles that I've stuck with all along. If anyone deserves this award it would be Walter. Thank you, one and all."

I made a small wave to the audience, shook Mario's hand once more and returned to my seat in a bit of a daze. I placed the transparent plaque in front of me and stared at it as people began to gather around to congratulate me. The plaque was mounted on a walnut base and it was elegant in its simplicity. I felt really good for our employees and I would let them know how proud I was of them on Monday morning.

As Kim and I stood and accepted the congratulations and praise of my fellow members I was struck by just how many people were sincere in their praise. Walter really had taught me how a retail business should be run and by sticking with his guidance, I had never had a moment of doubt about my progress. Tonight might have been a surprise, but it was an endorsement of my keeping the faith – and Walter's faith in me.

In a matter of minutes, the staff had moved the tables, replaced the table covers with new ones, and the band had begun to set up. The tables had been moved to the perimeter of what would be a fairly large dance floor and luckily the room was large enough to allow reasonable distance between the tables and chairs.

Kim had chosen a black dress, slightly longer than knee length and elegant in its simplicity. Two slender straps held it up although her display of cleavage was modest. She was showing a conservative look that evening. Nothing, however, could hide her golden, swept-back hair and sparkling blue eyes. I was getting envious looks from the men. My dark blue suit, white shirt and dark tie were equally reserved, but that was fine as I didn't want anything to detract from Kim's beauty.

We sat out the first number before I asked her to dance and we moved to an open area on the floor. The music was appropriate for the age of our group. I might not have been the youngest man on the floor, but I was certainly in the lowest third. We melded immediately and I quietly breathed a sigh of satisfaction. The award was the cherry on top of the sundae that my life had become. The main part of that sundae was Kim.

"Are you going to tell me what little laugh was about at dinner?" she asked.

"When I was trying to find out who Andrea was seeing I had a phone number and I wanted to confirm who it belonged to. I was pretty sure it was Kurt's. So, I made up a little speech by a guy named Sammy Wallapoola of the Gay Peoples Survival Alliance and faked an East Indian accent. He lost his cool when he thought I was some telemarketer calling his trac phone but he confirmed he was Kurt Howell."

Kim started to laugh, then stopped.

"Do it for me," she said insistently.

I did. It only took a few seconds to get the words out but by them time Kim couldn't contain herself. She was laughing to the point where tears were forming in her eyes.

"Norman Tyler, I never knew you had it in you," she said when she finally got control of herself.

"Neither did I, to be honest. I guess it was pretty funny when you think about it."

She gave me that curious look again.

"What other little secrets do you have that I don't know about yet?"

"Lots, I suppose. You'll just have to wait as they reveal themselves, one by one."

"I saw you turn a bit red and look angry for a moment not long after that laugh. What caused that?"

"Mr. Howell gave me a look that spoke volumes about him. He's pretty proud of stealing Andrea away from me. Gloating, in fact. I'd love to have him know how grateful I am."

"Grateful? Why?"

"Isn't that obvious? It led me to you. That wouldn't have happened without his help."

She gave me a funny look that I couldn't interpret but said nothing.

I danced with several other women at the banquet. I thought it was expected since I was the honoree that evening. Kim wasn't abandoned. She had plenty of offers and wasn't on her own for more than one dance. I asked Gina Tanucci for a dance and she quickly accepted. I had met Gina several times at their family restaurant and she was a lovely hostess. She was in her fifties and rail thin, but had such a great personality that everyone thought of her fondly.

"Who is that lovely woman with you tonight, Norman?"

"Kim Penny. She is my daughter's best friend's mother. She's also my newest employee."

"She only has eyes for you, you know."

"And I only have eyes for her," I replied.

"I was very sorry to hear about you and Andrea."

"Thank you. It was a very difficult time. Luckily, the children are older and have been able to accept it."

"Pardon me for being so forward, but Andrea is a very foolish woman. Her new husband is nothing like you. She does not look very happy tonight."

"Perhaps it's because I'm here. She might be uncomfortable with that. Besides, Mr. Howell looks quite satisfied. Maybe that's what she was looking for, Gina. Maybe I wasn't ... dynamic enough for her."

"Nonsense. I've known you long enough to say that. Ms. Penny will prove her very, very wrong," she smiled knowingly.

I looked at her and returned the smile. "She already has."

I thought briefly about asking Andrea for a dance if for no other reason than to ask her how she was and if she had been staying in touch with Brandon. I knew she and Candy were still on the outs, so I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't transferred her energy to her son. He never mentioned his mother during my weekly call to him on Sunday afternoons. I decided against it when I could see that Kurt was looking around, probably wondering when they could leave. I couldn't remember seeing them get up to dance.

We left the banquet not long after eleven that evening. We were heading to Kim's home. The girls were at my house, so we had the privacy we wanted once more. I was still on a bit of a high from receiving the award and wasn't in the least bit tired. Kim proved she wasn't either. We slept in on Sunday morning and when we finally rose, I set about proving my boast about my special omelets.

It had been bothering me that I hadn't really sat down with Andrea and talked about what had happened between us. I only knew the effect, not the cause. Also, I didn't want her to give up trying to reconcile with Candy. I knew our daughter was making it difficult for my ex-wife and I was doing what I could to encourage her to talk to her mother. I knew she was hurt at her mother's actions, but so was I.

I suppose the big difference in the situation was Kim. I had her to keep me company and right now, Candy had only me. She needed a woman's guidance and Kim couldn't fill that gap yet. I knew it was going to be difficult to get Andrea and Candy together again but I had to try. It seemed like the right thing to do and Kim agreed with me.