THE BILLIONAIRE BARITONE

Amethyst loves music and enjoys hip-hop dancing to spice up her dull and dreary life. But one evening on her way home from dance class, she hears a voice that drew her away from her route.

Caught in the act of eavesdropping, her life is about to change in a way she has never foreseen.

David didn't quite know what to do with the beautiful trespasser, but when he learned that she was injured, taking care of her was the only solution.

Little did he suspect that she was about to take care of his lonely heart in return.

CHAPTER 11

Phyllis switched off the television set. They had just seen the whole spectacle on a live news broadcast.

My heart ached for those people, but I also felt proud of the way David handled the situation. It must have been really hard to tell them that they no longer had a job.

The TV presenters didn't show what happened after that, but somehow I knew David didn't dessert his employees.

I had no right to feel that way, but there was no getting away from one's feelings. I twisted the blanket around and around as I considered my own situation. The chances of me still having a job by the time I got released was remote. It wasn't a good feeling.

I looked at Phyllis, sitting next to my bed serenely sipping her tea. To be honest, I envied her. Having money was one thing, but to be so content and happy were things I had not experienced since my parents died.

She had eaten Jeff's intended lunch, even a little of the dessert, after confessing that she didn't like ice cream or custard.

I looked at my own empty dishes. People who complained about hospital food had never gone without. My stomach was aching, but I held my tongue and finished my own cup of bush tea.

“What is going to happen to them?” I asked nodding at the TV hanging high above the floor against the wall.

Phyllis put the cup down and looked at me. “I don't know; my poor son.”

“Why did you say 'poor son'? It is his responsibility, isn't it?”

Phyllis put her cup and saucer back on the tray and sighed. “David has a brilliant mind for business strategies—”

“But not with people?”

She nodded. “He was always the quiet one, finding it hard to make friends.”

I found that almost impossible to believe given all the women I had seen him with in the tabloids. Maybe those women were only interested in his money. I couldn't be with someone and not want to talk to him. Listen to him talk about his dreams for himself and his future.

Phyllis smiled. “Jefferson is the opposite, but he chose the piano instead.”

“The piano?”

That was a surprise. I thought Jeff had been the one singing that night.

“Yes, he is a classical pianist. We should go to a performance soon. He would love it if you came.”

I couldn't afford it, but held my tongue. It would sound ungrateful after everything the Morecrofts were doing for me.

“Does he sing too?” I had to ask.

Phyllis laughed. “No, that is David's pleasure. I love it when both my sons make music together. And trust me, that doesn't happen very often these days.”

I could feel my heart jump when I remembered that rich and shiver-inducing voice. “It was David singing at the house? Outside in that theater thing you have at the back?”

“Yes, it was him. He likes to sing opera arias, the focus it requires helps him deal with stress.”

She stopped and took my good hand. “Is that why you were there? To hear him sing?”

“I didn't know he sang. I was on my way home when I heard someone sing. It drew me. It was so beautiful. I am not smart enough to understand opera, but I love music, and I couldn't help but go closer to listen.”

Embarrassed I looked down at my aching hand. “I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused you. I shouldn't have gone there in the first place. Getting injured is a sign that I screwed up.”

“Nonsense,” Phyllis replied. “None of us think that. In fact, we are all happy to have met you.” She winked. “My sons especially.”

“I like them too,” I replied avoiding her eyes.

Exhaustion dragged me down in the bed, and I closed my eyes. My foot hurt, but it was okay. I was going to be okay. It was what survivors did.

Even drifting off I wondered why David didn't sing all the time. He had such a beautiful and expressive voice. My problems didn't exist when I listened to him sing.

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Linzé's Mischief: 23 August 2016

New Year's Resolutions and Unfinished Paintings

I am all for having New Year's resolutions, but like many people I have a hard time sticking to them. This year, however, seems to be the exception to that rule - to my delight, I have to say.
When the first of the year rolled around - seven months and a few hundred hours ago - I made myself the promise to do more art this year. Sure, I have always set aside one month of the year, usually December, where I do nothing else except art.
But as a writer first and foremost, this created some problems: despite my intentions, I always ended up writing instead. I did paint, or sketch, but not as much as I wanted to, and always had to spend more time getting my fingers into 'art' more instead of writing mode.
So I set a new challenge for myself: I was going to do art one weekend every month. It lessens the guilt and withdrawal symptoms of not writing for days on end, and my fingers don't forget their art skills. Win-win all around!
And it has been working like a charm. I have three books (maybe four) coming out this year, one being the fourth novel in my fantasy romance series, and I have managed to do more sketching and painting than I have managed in the Decembers of the past few years.
After submitting my tiger for the Art Feeds the Soul competition in my art group earlier this week, I have been wondering what to do next. I have some ideas, one or two already outlined, but somehow the call of the paintbrush/pencil/pastel didn't come when I looked at those. Frustrated, I went back to editing Waiting for Adrian, and then got stuck in a scene where I have to rewrite the whole thing.
Irritated with my lack of progress in any creative project, I set about cleaning up the library (where I paint) at home. And there stood (taller than I am!) an unfinished painting that I started many years ago. I took off the very dusty plastic covering and stared at it for an indecent amount of time - it was like staring at the scary blank screen when starting a new writing project. Something had to be done!
It is an abstract resembling a lead-glass window inspired by a book I bought, even more years ago with the designs from Frank Lloyd Wright. I took one look at that book and bought it without giving it a second thought. So while my brain ponders the rewrite of that very important scene between Erin and Adrian, I will be expending my creative energies on painting my orchid lead-glass window on canvas.

What do you do when a creative project is not going to plan?

THE BILLIONAIRE BARITONE

Amethyst loves music and enjoys hip-hop dancing to spice up her dull and dreary life. But one evening on her way home from dance class, she hears a voice that drew her away from her route.

Caught in the act of eavesdropping, her life is about to change in a way she has never foreseen.

David didn't quite know what to do with the beautiful trespasser, but when he learned that she was injured, taking care of her was the only solution.

Little did he suspect that she was about to take care of his lonely heart in return.

CHAPTER 10

With worried faces, the managers followed David into the building as the fire alarms started screeching.

They followed him to the production floor and then outside to the loading bays where the two groups were now throwing insults at each other. The women looked scared and were clutching their purses like a lifeline.

Once they were spotted the crowd turned their ire to them. David raised his arms. The crowd quieted down.

Those arrested were put inside police vehicles with bars and armour protection.

“You remember last year during the strike of the whole textile industry I told you if anything like that would ever happen again, I would have to close down the factory.”

People were getting fidgety.

David looked around. The labour representative was missing. Typical. Now that he was in trouble, he left the people he was supposed to represent to fend for themselves. Maybe they would learn from this and stop supporting people who didn't really care about them.

“That day has come,” David continued. “The sabotage this morning destroyed the future this factory still had once and for all.”

A roar started up, and the police reinforced their position.

David held up his arms once more and waited for long minutes for the crowd to quiet down again.

As he waited, he heard a young woman say to her friend. “What now? I have a baby. Where am I going to get a job?” She started crying.

Amethyst's face appeared before him. Like her, they were people who depended on their salaries to support themselves and their families.

He never got involved at this level of his businesses, but meeting Amethyst changed all of that.

“I know this is a difficult situation that we didn't plan for—”

“What do you know? We need these jobs to feed our families!”

David nodded. “I know. If you would give me a chance to continue?”

The crowd murmured among themselves but kept looking at him.

“As I said, we didn't plan for this to happen. We have a list of everyone who have families to support and we will start with you. Single parents and single income families will be looked at first to see where we can find work for you.”

He looked around. “Where are the HR people?”

Five people raised their hands in the air.

He pointed towards them while addressing the crowd. “Okay. Make sure that they have your details on files and that your work experience record is up to date. I will have them contact other companies in the area, to start looking for opportunities for you. This might take a few days, so please be patient. Your salaries are covered until the end of the month, so there is no need to panic. Any questions?”

While he answered questions, the young woman who mentioned her baby came forward and managed to get onto the loading dock with him. Without saying anything she ran forward and hugged David.

“Thank you,” she whispered, wiping her face.

He swallowed hard as she stood back and blushed furiously. “I am sorry,” she whispered.

He reached out and took her hand. “No, I am sorry that this had happened, but we are going to try and make it better again. Okay?”

She nodded, smiling now.

He nodded to one of the women who stuck up her hand earlier. “Please start with...what's your name?”

“Cynthia,” she whispered.

“Cynthia,” he continued, making the crowd applaud.

When the questions were no longer coming, he turned to the managers still with him. “Our people got a raw deal today. Make sure you pull all your contacts and favours to help them get jobs in the area.”

He pointed a finger at them. “I want daily progress reports. Not just numbers, I want the details Who, where, when they start, their new salaries, benefits, the works. Got that?”

They all nodded.

“Good. Your futures depend on your success in helping them,” David said and pointed over his shoulder, “and helping the police sort through all the evidence they need.”

He paused for a long moment. “I have a feeling this wasn't some random labour incident.”

“Get going,” he ordered. He looked at the financial manager. “Nicole, walk me to my car.”

As they walked, they discussed the process to shut down the factory.

“I will get on it right away,” she said as he got into his car.

“Let John know if you need anything.” John Lambert was the chief financial officer of the whole group of companies.

She nodded. “I will.”

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THE BILLIONAIRE BARITONE

Amethyst loves music and enjoys hip-hop dancing to spice up her dull and dreary life. But one evening on her way home from dance class, she hears a voice that drew her away from her route.

Caught in the act of eavesdropping, her life is about to change in a way she has never foreseen.

David didn't quite know what to do with the beautiful trespasser, but when he learned that she was injured, taking care of her was the only solution.

Little did he suspect that she was about to take care of his lonely heart in return.

CHAPTER 9

All the way to the factory, the only thing he saw was the smile in Amethyst's eyes. While he called the company lawyer and the factory's manager again, he thought about were those blue eyes.

Upon arrival at the premises, he could see the workers outside. They were being held at bay by the police. This was bad.

When he got out of his car, he was met by the lawyers of both the workers and the company. The labour representative was there, as well as two of the managers of the factory. They all started talking at the same time. He held up his hands.

“Are the people still inside safe?”

The factory manager nodded. “We managed to get the troublemakers outside before they caused more damage.”

David looked at him. “What did they do?”

The production manager sighed. “They set fire to the stockrooms and destroyed the bales of clothing that were ready to ship this week. We got the fires out, but I am afraid we couldn't save any of the stock or the shipments.”

“I see. The security footage?”

“It is being checked right now with the police present.”

The lawyers started speaking again, but he shut them up.

“This is arson and destruction of property. Why are they threatening to strike?”

No one spoke. David arched an eyebrow towards the labour representative. “Well?”

David couldn't help the sneer he aimed at the man. He had never trusted the guy, but since he wasn't on the payroll, there wasn't anything he could do to get rid of him.

He was still glancing from the one to the other man in the group, avoiding David's eyes, when the factory manager spoke up.

“There was an incident on the floor. Two guys got into a fight.”

“And why wasn't it stopped then and there?”

The factory manager shifted from one foot to the other, but he didn't look away. “We were too slow. By the time security made it to the floor, people were already getting involved. We had to call the cops.”

The head of security and three police officers approached. “We have the names and faces of the ones responsible for the damage. Do you want to press charges?”

David looked away from the people with him towards the group of people making threats and shouting all kinds of slogans at the police.

“Yes, but can we wait for a few minutes. What about the two guys who started the fight?”

The head of security spoke up. “It looks like they were used to cause a distraction. The fires were started when most people were getting involved in the fight.”

“We will take them into custody for questioning,” one of the officers said.

David nodded. “Okay. Where is Nicole?”

The financial officer of the company was called. She came out with a police escort.

“Short answer,” David began after greeting her. “How much did we lose?”

The number Nicole mentioned made him clench his jaw. He nodded. It wasn't her fault, so venting his anger at her was not going to solve anything.

He nodded to the police. “Arrest the guys and charge them, but don't leave yet. I want to tell everyone with them present what damage they had done today.”

The cops left.

He looked at the security personnel watching the mob, then addressed their boss.

“Wait until the police have arrested everyone, and then activate the fire alarm to evacuate the building. Keep the women and the men inside separate from these people.”

“What are you going to do?” the factory manager asked.

Nicole replied. “The only thing he can.”

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Book Feature: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN by Lynn Steward

Linzé: How would you explain the value of good story telling in women's fiction?

Lynn:  Good story telling in women’s fiction transcends any period. An example would be Middlemarch by George Eliot. Although a Victoria novel, the themes are universal and relatable today: the consequences of life choices, conflicted spouses in an unhappy marriage, power struggles, and maintaining dignity. Periods, locations, and personalities may change, but human frailties remain the same.

ABOUT THE BOOK

As a fashion buyer at one of New York’s most glamorous department stores, Dana McGarry is a tastemaker, her keen instinct for fashion trends and innovative ideas coupled with a razor sharp business sense. But like the elegant and conservative store that employs her, Dana is caught between two eras—between being liked and standing her ground, between playing by the rules and being a maverick. Dana is sensitive and beautiful, but what you see is not what you get. Behind the cool and attractive facade, Dana is both driven by her need to control yet impeded by her expectation of perfectionism.

As she competes to replace women at the top of their game, she is challenged by jealous colleagues. And when a wealthy love interest wants to open doors and support her ambition, she embraces Coco Chanel’s mantra of “never wanting to weigh more heavily on a man than a bird.” As the women’s movement paves the way, Dana finds a path to the career she wants at the expense of happiness that was not meant to be.

Steward captures the nuances of 70s life in New York City and provides the perfect backdrop for an independent woman determined to make her mark. What Might Have Been is a story that transcends any period.

Title: What Might Have Been

Genre: Literary fiction/women’s fiction

Author: Lynn Steward

Website: www.LynnSteward.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/What-Might-Have-Been-McGarry-ebook/dp/B00U8CR2KG

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn Steward, a veteran of the New York fashion industry and a buyer on the team that started the women’s department at Brooks Brothers, created the Dana McGarry series, set at a transformational time in the 1970s world of fashion and in the lives of multigenerational women. What Might Have Been is the second volume in the series. A Very Good Life, Steward’s debut novel, was published in March 2014.

LynnSteward.com

Pinterest.com/LynnStewardny

Facebook.com/LynnStewardnyc

Twitter: @LynnStewardNY

THE BILLIONAIRE BARITONE

Amethyst loves music and enjoys hip-hop dancing to spice up her dull and dreary life. But one evening on her way home from dance class, she hears a voice that drew her away from her route.

Caught in the act of eavesdropping, her life is about to change in a way she has never foreseen.

David didn't quite know what to do with the beautiful trespasser, but when he learned that she was injured, taking care of her was the only solution.

Little did he suspect that she was about to take care of his lonely heart in return.

CHAPTER 8

True to his word he returned quickly but had a frown on his face.

“What's wrong?”

He crossed his arms. “The nurse said you could only have ice cream if you eat proper food first.” He dropped his arms and sighed.

“So we will just have to eat proper food before we can have dessert.”

David turned when he heard laughter coming from her room, distracted from his call. When the man said his name again, he closed his eyes for a moment. “Okay. Don't panic. I will be there as soon as I can.”

After he rang off, he spotted Phyllis coming towards him.

“Good morning, Mother.”

She smiled as he kissed her cheek. “And how is our patient?”

He waved her inside and followed. “Why don't you ask her yourself?”

“I have to go. There is a problem at the factory on Main street. Jeff, don't you have a concert to prepare for?”

Jeff looked at his watch. “Yeah, gotta go. The damn conductor is a pain in the butt.”

He kissed Amethyst and Phyllis on the cheek. “Sorry, ladies, the great Jefferson Morecroft has a concert hall that awaits his genius.”

The women laughed at his antics, and David envied his brother's easy going personality. Despite his drama queen act, he was a great guy.

He turned to the women. “I will see you later. Mom, a moment please?”

Phyllis patted Amethyst's leg. “You relax, and I will be right back.”

Outside her room, David rubbed his forehead.

“There is a labour strike threatening at the factory. Could you please look after Amethyst? Make sure she eats properly?”

Phyllis nodded. “Of course, don't worry.”

He turned then stopped. “One more thing: find out what the hell she was doing at the house.”

Ignoring his mother's scowl at his language, he dug out his car keys and left.

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