If we hustle.
So well hustle.
Lets do it.
They hustled. And to good avail.
Connie found darling dresses for her daughters. And though Llewellyn Enterprises offered an elegant line of evening wear, they took pleasure in finding the bargains that could be had in haute couture by other designers. They went on to find some fantastic gowns for the seasons parties, and there were going to be a lot of them. They would be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Llewellyn Enterprises, and the rounds of activities and events planned for the estate in Connecticut were endless. Naturally Connie, as Jillians assistant, was included, as was her husband. There were benefits to having both members of the family working for the same business. Connie had met Joe right out of college, during her first year working for Jillian; Joe had already been a rising star in the management division.
At the end of their whirlwind shopping spree, they happened upon a costume shop, with a last-minute sale. Connie was totally incapable of passing a sign that statedin large black letters50% Off, Today Only!
Wow! Will you look at this? Connie said.
Inside, Connie pulled a costume off a rack and brandished it before Jillian. It was a witchs costume in silk and velvet, decorated with rhinestones. It had a high collar, draping sleeves and a suggestive bodice. It was fitted at the waist, and flowed from there.
Exquisite, Connie breathed.
Buy it. Fifty-percent off, Jillian suggested.
Connie shook her head sadly. Too long and too tight for me. But She paused and looked at Jillian. Its you.
Me? Im not wearing a costume. And theres no time. We have to take the girls out. In fact, we need to take them soon.
Yes, and Im going to find a costume. Ive decided Im going to be one of those fun moms, all dressed up like the kids. Oh, look, there
Jillian looked where Connie was pointing and saw a large horses head. That one? Oh, no, Connie, even if I decide to come with you, I am not playing the rear end of a horse so you can be a fun mom.
Connie started to laugh. No, not the horse. Im going to be a princess, and you can be the witch. The gorgeous witch, I might add. And when we finish the trick-or-treating bit, well meet Joe at Hennesseys. She made a face and shrugged. It will be fun. You know Joe. Hell take a few pictures of the kids, tell them theyre adorable, then leave me to do the candy bit. But hes going to the annual Halloween party at the pub, and hes always telling me to get my mom to watch the kids and join him. Well do it. Well get dressed up and go together.
An Irish pub for Halloween? Jillian asked skeptically.
Why not? Its sure to be filled with pixies and leprechauns and maybe a banshee or two. Connie cocked her head, looking at Jillian hopefully. All right, so there are sure to be a few big bad wolves around, as well. Actually, you could use a big bad wolf or two in your life.
My life is fine.
You cant mourn Milo forever, Connie said, studying her friend.
Jillian felt another twinge of loss. People still tiptoed around mentioning Milos name most of the time. Today, though, he seemed in the forefront of her mind, and she reminded herself again that she had married Milo Anderson with her eyes wide open. She had known about his cancer. He had tried to talk her out of marriage on the basis that she pitied him but didnt love him. She had insisted, though. Because he had been wrong. She had loved him very much.
Even more than Connie, he had been the best friend shed ever had. Maybe she hadnt been in love the way it was in movies and romance novels, but she wasnt so sure she wanted to be in love that way. Loving Milo had hurt enough.
Neither all the kings horses and all the kings mennor all the Llewellyn moneyhad been able to stop the growth of the disease. Milo had died almost a year to the day after their wedding. Almost a year ago now. No one in her family ever told her, Well, you knew it was bound to happen, and for that she was grateful.
Im not going to mourn Milo forever. Im glad for the time we had together, glad for what he did for my life, glad for what I was able to do for his. But its not as if Ive been wasting away for years. He hasnt even been gone a year. I dont go out a lot because Im busy. I
You need a life. And I happen to know that you refused a get-to-know-you with Robert Marston for this evening, when your grandfather suggested it.
And how do you know that? It wasnt even a real suggestion.
You poor innocent! Word is all over the company. You know we love to talk about the bosses.
Im not the boss.
Your grandfather wants you to be.
No, he doesnt. He doesnt want to let go of the reins while hes living, and I dont think he should.
He knows hes not going to live forever.
Its a huge operation. Im in design, not business. I dont want the headaches of everything my grandfather has his fingers into.
A few of your cousins would be happy with the reins.
Im sure they would be.
And they all despise the fact that Douglas has hired Robert Marston. They hate him.
They dont hate him. Hes an intelligent man, a top-notch businessman, and hell be great for the company.
I bet they think your grandfather brought Marston in to marry you and create a new dynasty.
Connie! How ridiculous. This is the twenty-first century. Thats archaic.
Archaic, schmaic. I think its whats up. And I think a few Llewellyn noses are going to be out of joint.
Connie, Im not marrying Robert Marston. Im not dating him. I havent had a business lunch with him. I havent even been close enough to him to really see his face.
There hasnt been time yet.
Connie, come on. Were not a dynastyand were not going to rule New York fashion design and marketing together. You know I would never marry anyone for business reasons. I cant believe anyone would think such a thing.
Jillian, look at the facts. Suddenly, when yourewhen youre getting accustomed to the fact that Milo is gone, your grandfather brings in a handsome, powerful, unattached businessman. Out of the clear blue.
The company has gotten huge.
Marston isnt working under Daniel, is he?
No, hes
Aha!
Connie, Im not in a position of power. You know that. So an alliance with me wouldnt get him anywhere.
You have your vote. And most people do see you as the natural heir to the company.
Eileen is a grandchild, too.
Yes, but Douglas dotes on you.
It just appears that way because I was orphaned very young and I grew up with him. But I dont want to run the company. Why would I? Its huge, and Im happy to share the legacy with the family. Please, are we buying costumes or not?
Connie sighed. Im dying to dress up. But only if you will, too. Will you buy that outfit? It would look gorgeous on you.
Iyes. I guess.
Well have fun. I promise. Let me call my mom and tell her shes definitely staying on, that were going to go and meet Joe. Dont look at me like that. I wont talk shop anymore, I promise. Well have fun, fun, fun.
Iyes. I guess.
Well have fun. I promise. Let me call my mom and tell her shes definitely staying on, that were going to go and meet Joe. Dont look at me like that. I wont talk shop anymore, I promise. Well have fun, fun, fun.
It did turn out to be fun. They dressed up at Connies apartment in Chelsea, went with the kids to the Safe-Haunt party arranged by one of the churches, then took the candy-laden kiddies back home, where they excitedly told their baby-sitting grandmother everything that had gone on. Kelly Adair, Connies mother, oohed and aahed over the two womens costumes, and got into the fun by helping with glitter makeup. Jillian admitted that she was having a terrific time; she so seldom had a chance just to play this way. She worked constantly, went to charity dinners, plays, the opera and political fund-raisers. She almost never got a good night out at a pub or spent time with friends for no reason other than to have fun.
Connie called her the oldest twenty-six-year-old she knew and teased her that she needed to have a good time before moving to a retirement home, where she would get her kicks out of watching reruns and waiting for grade-school children to come and sing Christmas carols. But Jillian knewinstinctively, and due to the fact that it had been pounded into her all her lifethat she was a Llewellyn of Llewellyn Enterprises; she had a responsibility to uphold, as did all the family. Once her grandfather had entertained dreams about her father going into the White House. Hed become one of the most popular senators ever to be elected to public office, but then he had dropped dead. An aneurysm had felled him at the age of forty-one. That was when she had really come to love her grandfather. She had watched him swallow his own grief and anguish to console her.
She understood that she had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but when people called her lucky all the time, she wasnt sure why. Luck wasnt money. She would have traded every dime in the family coffers to have her father back. Connie told her that it was worse to be in agony and broke, and she guessed that must be true, but she felt it was more than enough that shed lost her mother and baby brother in childbirth, and then her father. She had been raised in a huge, cold house and a huge, cold apartmentthough not by a cold man. She adored Douglas Alexander Llewellyn. At the age of eighty-five, he remained the iron-fisted, tough-as-nails ruler of all he surveyed.
But it had never been fear of him that had made her work so hard, take such care in school, or behave with complete responsibility at all times. She loved him. She wanted to please him. And though she loathed politics, she did want to do her part to change the world. Douglas had taught her about giving back; Connie had shown her why she must do so.
Jillian, Kelly said, bright blue eyes sparkling, I have never seen you look lovelier. Not even in all those chic gowns you own.
Shes a vamp, Connie said with a laugh. We look okay, Mom? I mean, how about me? Your daughter, remember?
Cute as a button, her mother said.
Cute? I want to be sultry. Stunning.
Kelly laughed. Your husband adores you, and youre devastating. Youre both devastatingin fact, Im afraid to let you go out to that pub.
Just Hennesseys, Mom. And Joe will be there. She looked Jillian up and down and angled her head in thought. Though, come to think of it, we may pick up every sodden Irish-Americanhell, every sodden man of any nationalitybut what the hey, you only go around once, right?
Well, off you go, then.
They kissed the girls good-night. Tricia was five, and Mary Elizabeth, or Liza, was the baby at four. The excited little girls raved over Jillians costume, and as she kissed and hugged them, she found herself loving the clean, baby-powder scent of them in their jammies. They were such a wonderful part of real life, and one day she wanted something as wonderful as what Connie had: a cozy little apartment and people all around her who loved her, really loved her. Family. True, she had a family, but it wasnt the same as having a husband whod chosen to love her and children born of that love.
Were off, Connie said, kissing her mothers cheek.
Behave, now, Kelly admonished.
Behave? Good heavens, Mother. I want this witch to go wild, have a little fun.
She cant go too wild, and you know it.
Why not? Im buying her the biggest Guinness in the place the moment we get there. But dont worry, because Ill be there, protecting her.
Jillian grinned. Connie was the closest thing to a sister she had. In school, Connie had been a class ahead of her, and from the start, she hadnt been in the least intimidated by the Llewellyn power, money or prestige. She had allowed Jillian to see the streets of New York, the real streets. They had gotten into a few scrapes, but they had also gotten out of them. Thanks to Connie, she had seen harsh things firsthand: prostitutes on the street turning tricks so they could afford another line of cocaine, AIDS victims dying with no hope, kind priests, rabbis, laymen and women determined to help them.
You are going to let loose, right? Connie asked her, angling her dark head in question as she studied Jillian.
You bet I am! Jillian teased back.
You can drink like an Irish potato digger, cuss like my pa, and trust in me to see that youre okay.
Aye, and that I will, Jillian agreed, putting on the appropriate accent. She was good with accents and loved the theater. She still played with the idea of heading out to audition for Broadway one day.
All righty, then. Jillian and I are on our way out, Mother.
Toast me, ladies.
We will, Jillian promised, as Connie dragged her out the door. They flagged down a cabdriver, who, despite the absurdities rife on the street that night, kept staring at them in the rearview mirror.
See? Connie teased. Hes watching you.
Hey, youre the princess tonight.
Sad but true, everyone loves an evil woman best, Connie advised.
In a few minutes they reached Hennesseys Pub, down in the Village. Though the place was rocking, it was doing so in the nicest way. The music was loud, but not too loud. The band was Irish-American, playing mostly rock, some folk, all with a wee bit of the Old Country thrown in. Drinks had been flowing, but not to the extent that too many drunks were weaving around. For the most part, the clientele was in a good mood. Many people were in costume, from the group dressed as the different colors of M&Ms to the brawny exercise guru in the Carmen Miranda skirt, bra, sandals and fruit headdress. He greeted Connie by name right away. Connie introduced him to Jillianno last nameas Sergeant Tip Guyer of New Yorks finest. Connie did the introductions, and the cop instantly offered to treat them to a couple of beers while telling Connie that she could find her old man just inside by the bar, watching ESPN.
Can you imagine? A partyand theyre watching sports, she said with disgust. Tip, if you think you can reach the bar, well take you up on those beers.
Tip nodded, flashing an appreciative smile at Jillian.
He cant believe his good luck, Connie said, when the man had gone.
His good luck?
Getting to hang with you.
Oh, Connie, please.
Not because of who you arejust because he wants to bask in your gorgeous nearness.