Chapter 9: Making Progress

"Andy," Fiona said as she wandered into my office. "Is this right?"

She passed me her record of deposit on her January commissions.

I shrugged. "I assume it is. We don't very often make mistakes. Why?"

"It's way more than I expected. It's double my usual," she said, mystified.

"I assume it would reflect the addition of your new accounts. Looks fine to me."

She flopped down in the chair across the desk from me. "But I've only just met them. I hardly know them."

"They went on your territory January first. The numbers went from there."

"This is going to change my life," she mumbled.

"No, I'm going to change your life," I smiled. "This is just going to make you financially secure."

"My car is on its last legs," she said, looking up. "I can finally afford to replace it."

I nodded. "I've been told I should not bring my car down here. It's set up for metric and that might make it hard to sell. So ... looks like both of us will be car shopping."

"Good!" she said, "I don't know anything about cars. You can be my advisor."

"Happy to oblige. I already know what I'll be buying."

"Are you going to get a Cadillac, as befits your station?" she teased.

"Nope. My choice of cars is in keeping with our company. Quality and competitive cost. I'll probably get a Toyota Camry."

"Not buying American, huh?"

"Wrong! Made in Kentucky by American workers."

"Oh. So, what should I get?"

"What would you like?"

"I prefer a station wagon, but I need good mileage."

I nodded. "When I'm in the dealership, have a look at the Venza. It's essentially a Camry station wagon and it's made in the same plant."

"Is it expensive?"

"Not to my thinking. Less than thirty thousand for a really nice car."

"How do you know all this?"

"This will be my fourth Toyota. The other three were all made in Canada. My wife drove a Corolla, while I started with a Matrix and now have a RAV4. I'm a very loyal Toyota guy. I always feel like I got value for my money."

"That's your religion, huh," she smiled.

I shrugged. "I guess it is."

Sleeping over at Fiona's on Friday and Saturday night become a regular event. Tina had talked with her mother and, while she wasn't very visible, we didn't want her to think she had to get out of the house when we were around. As a result, she slept in her own bed, knowing her mother and I were in the master bedroom. Once we got over the awkwardness, it became normal and didn't provoke much in the way of cheeky commentary from Tina.

We went car shopping the first weekend in February and, as expected, I purchased a Camry in what the factory called Sandy Beach. It was Toyota-speak for gold metallic. I chose the V6 model since I wouldn't be putting huge miles on it and gas consumption would be less a factor. It was on the lot and I got a good deal on it for cash. I could borrow money better than they offered.

Fiona fell in love with the Venza. They had a four cylinder model on the lot in Sunset Bronze and it was over before she got it off the lot for the test drive. It had plenty of power, plenty of room, looked rich as hell, and had all of the bells and whistles she would want. The list was just over twenty-eight thousand, but with some aggressive haggling (by Fiona of course) she got a ridiculously large amount for her Taurus and the deal was done. Between the trade in and a hefty down payment made possible by her January commission check, her monthly payments would be well within her budget.

The cars wouldn't be prepped and available until Monday, but it didn't matter. Fiona was on a high and I was the recipient of an enthusiastic bedroom session that night. We kept the noise down so as not to alert Tina. I had no idea if she could hear anything. If things went the way I was beginning to think they might, she would have to get used to us being together every night.

It did throw a monkey wrench into my house hunting efforts. I wasn't quite ready to commit to Fiona and I thought we had better talk about it. Whatever we decided was going to affect a number of decisions.

I kept my hotel room because I felt it was presumptuous to suggest I move in with the Alexanders. I knew I was stuck in neutral, but I didn't know for sure where Fiona was. I decided it was time I found out.

"Sweetheart, I'd like to talk to you about us," I said, hoping it didn't sound threatening.

I failed. I saw a look of alarm and I quickly my hand over hers to try and calm her.

"Everything between us is wonderful. Don't you ever think anything else. But I'm caught in no man's land right now. I'm not quite ready to commit to you and I'm not sure if you're ready to commit to me. I think we should talk it out and see where we are in our relationship."

For the first time I saw a look of uncertainty in her eyes. I needed to defuse this quickly.

"I'm pretty certain I'm falling in love with you," I began, waiting for her reaction. I thought I saw her relax slightly, but I wasn't sure.

"I think you feel good about being with me, but I don't know if it's love. I think we could be really good together and it has nothing to do with business. We have so much in common and we fit together so well. That's what I want to talk about."

She sat silently, looking at me strangely before she spoke.

"I think I've fallen in love with you, Andy. I know we haven't known each other very long, but I can feel it in my heart for the very first time. I think about you all the time. I want to be with you whenever I can. I want to make you proud of me ... to show you that your faith in me is justified. No one has ever had the affect on me that you have. I'm hoping ... I'm praying that you feel that way about me."

I gave her a loving smile. "I think we're going to make it happen, my love. I want us to carry on the way we have for a little while longer. At the end of April, if you're still sure, I will propose to you. I promise."

"Why then? Why not now?" she asked.

"My circumstances are different than yours. I have parents and children who will wonder why I would find someone new so quickly. I was married for a long time and to replace my ex-wife so soon might be hurtful to some. I'm not stalling, Fiona. There won't be anyone else in the future. All I can see is you and Tina."

I saw a single tear trickle down her cheek before she moved into my waiting arms and let me hold her.

"I was afraid," she confessed.

"Of what? I wasn't going anywhere unless you sent me away."

"This has been too good to be true, Andy. It's been my own personal fairy tale, written just for me. I've waited so long for this and now ... it's just out of my grasp."

"No ... no it's not," I said. "It's there and I'll prove it to you. Give me the chance to prove it to you."

She was blinking away some tears as she looked into my eyes. I held her gaze steadily. I wanted her to believe me and believe in me.

"I love you, Andy," she said, still looking uncertain.

"And I love you, Fiona. You're what I've been missing in my life and I won't let you get away. I promise."

"Will you move in with me?" she asked.

"Are you certain about that?" I wanted to be with her every day, but I also wanted her to be sure.

"Positive."

"Then I'll check out of the hotel and be here tomorrow."

It was an uncomfortable conversation, but a very necessary one.

I contacted Sylvia Castro and let her know my plans had been stalled and I wouldn't be in a position to make an offer on any house until the beginning of April. However, I did want to continue to look at prospective homes when they appeared. She knew my preferences and promised to call me when anything likely came on the market.

I drove by the house I had originally liked and noticed that the "for sale" sign was still on the front lawn. Maybe I'd get lucky and it would still be available when I was ready to buy. That would happen when I knew what my future with Fiona was going to be.

In the meantime, work on the Tracy plant continued on schedule. The floor was now finished in a very durable, chemically-resistant epoxy finish. The old presses were long gone to a re-seller, along with the laminator. The first of the new presses had arrived as had the solventless laminator. The installation crews were scheduled to arrive in the next week. We discovered one of our supervisors could speak Italian and we designated him our translator. No one else in our plant could speak any other language than English or Spanish, but it turned out that didn't matter. Our Swiss laminator installation crew spoke quite passable English.