Baldwin Ford

Kevin said that was right. "Once the deal is done we should tell Alec about this because he'll be looking to relocate his auto crash repair and paint business following the council forcing us to sell that land."

"Alec called me early this morning and expressed his disgust at the council's high-handed action and said, and I quote, 'that fucking out of control mayor has to go'. He asked what we were doing and said we were in limbo and I'd keep him posted. He said he would be keen to remain aligned with us if we decided to remain in business and the lease terms were good if we could provide the land for his business."

* * *

Kevin and Veronica continued to meet most nights at the customer lounge. She said it was a good meeting place to keep in touch because she didn't wish to be seen with another man until she and John had signed a divorce settlement agreement and that would occur soon. Kevin of course said she just lured him to the lounge so she could fuck him and Veronica covered her embarrassment by saying, "Yeah and why shouldn't I?"

The owners of the land containing the former livestock sale yards and holding pastures, reluctantly accepted $1 million for the property, the first offer received and no others were in sight. They made several attempts of guessing who was behind the Archie Partnership (Archie being the founder of the Baldwin dynasty in Rasper) but Antonio said they'd find out eventually. One of the co-owners of the land, Ivan Peabody had even suggested it could be Moira Baldwin. The two owners sighed when at the signing when the deposit was handed over to their attorney, they saw the signature on the check was M. J. Baldwin.

Surprisingly news of the sale didn't leak, helped by the agreement of the realty company delay publicizing the sale for a few days. The next day contractors began clearing the stock yards pens and dilapidated buildings and all personnel arrived at work half an hour early that morning and Moira announced that the business would continue operating under the new proprietorship of Moira and Kevin Baldwin, occupying temporary premises in J. J. Hooker's former warehouse until the new dealership premises on the site of the former sale yards were completed, hopefully within nine months. Engineers and architects were already working on drawings and an application for building consent would be lodged with the council as soon as the plans and specifications were completed.

Moira invited everyone to reapply for their current jobs with the new company, Baldwin Ford and at the same time to express interest in other positions within the company.

Kevin went to the offices of the Rasper Daily News with a copy of Moira's statement about the company's relocation to temporary premises and then shifting within 12 months to its new dealership premises on the site of the former sale yards in Ambrose Street. The package included an artist's impression of the new relocation premises for Baldwin Ford and photos of Moira, president and director of administration and Kevin as vice-president and director of operations, they being the sole proprietors of the reconstructed Ford dealership in Rasper.

A senior reporter interviewed Kevin who said the Baldwin family had been gutted and then split by the city council's decision to acquire the site of the family's Ford dealership and the adjoining site it owned.

"But my mother and I have regrouped and are going it alone to provide this city with its most modern and stylish vehicle dealership. That enterprise will be in operation before this time next year and I think the reason will be clear that Rasper's mayor will not be invited to open our new premises."

Next morning when Moira read the front page story under the banner headline, 'Baldwin Mother and Son Rise from the Ashes' she congratulated Kevin when she saw the large article and big image of the sketch but seconds later she reached over the breakfast table and clipped his ear yelling, "This quote of yours about not inviting the mayor to open our new premises is appalling. You know it's my wish to let sleeping dogs lie."

"Well now you know I differ. Want to fire me?"

"No," she sighed.

"Mother..."

Moira shot a look at her son, knowing he only called her mother when he'd done something wrong or had something very serious to say.

"I'm going after that bitch to make sure she loses the next mayoral election. I want you to stand against her."

"Me?"

"I believe you are the only person I call mom or mother."

"Don't be stupid. I'm telling you this, get someone else. No way will I enter local government."

"Then whom do we go for? It would have to be someone we can popularize and who has good standing if we are to unseat that bitch."

"Interest your fancy lady that I have learned you were in cahoots with to organize the counter-attack the mayor's plan to take our land."

"How do you know that I had a lieutenant?"

"Never you mind. Just persuade her father to stand against the mayor. Bob Clay is a hugely respected person in this city. I'll contribute generously to his campaign and will gather funds and influential support for him."

"Are you aware that Veronica and her husband are divorcing and that Veronica and I am now secret lovers?"

"Yes."

"Ah her mom Dolly. You went through school with her."

"Oh my aren't you a clever boy. You should be in business. I suggest the vehicle business."

Kevin leaned over and lightly cuffed the hair over his mom's ear and said, "Cheeky bitch."

She just loved it and said, with a sniff, she wished his dad were alive today to see what a fine young man he'd helped produce and raise.

"Yeah he liked being proud of me. Damn cancer. Mom you really ought to remarry. You'll be only fifty-two in two months and that gives you a lot of time ahead of you. If you marry I can move out."

"Well I am beginning to think more and more about finding another good man. Speaking about moving out this is still your home too and I have no objection to you bringing Veronica here and she being in your bedroom with you."

Kevin laughed and said she didn't show him that support when he was at high school and chicks came home with him. But he thanked her.

"She may appear here quite soon. At present we are not being seen together in public until her divorce settlement agreement is finalized. She wants no animosity with John to try to secure the best possible deal done in the friendliest possible manner. She thinks he'll be feeling guilty and will give her a bit of leeway with some of their joint possessions she really wants. I haven't said anything to Veronica but that sneaky jerk could have assets she knows nothing about."

"Well continue to be careful about that Kevin. It really is none of your business."

Kevin and Moira spent the next few days attending to legalities over the reconstruction of their Ford dealership arrangement to ensure a seamless transition and Kevin was kept busy supervising the contractors doing temporary conversion of the temporary premises. Both he and his mother had meetings about their new development at the former sale yards. They also dealt with concerns of some employees who were unsure about working in the new location at the other end of the city where there were no shops or restaurants. Some of those concerns were met with the assurance that the new facility would include a café. Moira instructed the architects to include that in their design.

Thursday of that week was a day of several significant events.

First the morning newspaper reported three realtors as confirming there'd been a rush on commercial and light industrial zoned sites in the northern end of the city since Baldwin Ford had announced it had purchased land to relocate there and landowners had hiked up their prices by up to 30% over night.

Then the engineer who'd surveyed the old sale yards site and conducted test bores called Kevin and said everything was looking good. He'd been talking to the senior architect for the project and they agreed there was sufficient land to lease to one or two businesses, that the land should not be sold as Baldwin Ford could require it for future expansion.

Kevin agreed that the development plans should be designed on that basis and he called the architect to issue that instruction and to work with the engineer because a side boundary access to those rear sites would be necessary. Kevin called Alec, owner of the crash repair paint business and arranged to take him on a site inspection and then called and old buddy Morgan Fields who operated a welding and custom-building vehicle trailer operation to see if he were interested in relocating on a ground rental deal. Morgan said yeah he better take a look. He knew Alec and agreed to go there next afternoon and after the inspection they should go somewhere for Friday drinks.

At noon Kevin heard on radio news that Easy Buy Holdings would proceed immediately on building a cut-price supermarket on a site just beyond the old sale yards in Ambrose Street it purchased five years ago. CEO of Easy Buy Holdings, Rebecca Goldsmith, said the company already had building consent to erect a 45,000 sq ft supermarket on the site and there was more than enough land available to meet council requirements for vehicle parking.

Kevin shot across to his mom's office with that news and she turned red in excitement as she shouted, "Yippee, we've got it made and thanks to you we paid bottom dollar for our land whereas values there will now go through the roof. Oh thank you Mayor Moss, you bitch."

Veronica called Kevin when he was in a café having lunch alone and reading that morning's newspaper.

"Hi baby. Having a great day?"

"Not too bad. For the past three hours we have been grinding away against John's legal team. It's going okay I suppose. We have agreed to try to get the deal done by 3:00 today. I just want to know will I see you tonight?"

"Yeah of course. We can fuck any old time. Let's go to a restaurant and get slowly drunk instead and you can unload your woes and then tell me what I mean to you."

"What you mean to me?"

"That's what I said although it's only a suggestion."

"God what do I say?"

"Have a nap and then come to Melrose's at 9:00. I'll book and with a sleep you will be in a more creative mind after doing the hard yards against your departing husband."

"Yeah right. I'll see you tonight."

Meanwhile without reference to Kevin, Moira called Dolly Clay and arranged to meet her for drinks that evening after work at the Oasis Cocktail Lounge.

"Oh Dolly call Bob and invite him to join us. It's been quite some time since I'm seen him."

"Oh good idea. He was worried you might have thought he'd taken sides with that bitch Sally Moss over pushing you guys off your land."

"The thought never entered my head and you know you were keeping me posted."

"Yes quite. Oh Bob's brother Martin is staying with us, getting over his divorce. Should I invite him or are you still grieving?"

"No that will be fine. We could go to dinner afterwards. I may as well use my soon-to-become-invalid trading company's credit card. Dinner will be on me."

Shortly after 3:30 Veronica called Kevin.

"It's all finished apart from the signing when the documents are ready. I'm emotionally exhausted but would love you to come to my home and fuck me."

"Veronica it is only mid-afternoon, I have to work, we would be seen..."

"Stop it Kevin, think. If you were married and having an affair you would not worry about what time of day or night it was, whether you had work to do and you'd make damn sure we wouldn't be seen by the wrong people? Do I mean so little to you that you simply don't care? Do you think all you have to do is to snap your fingers and say fuck, and I'll roll over and turned my pussy up for you?"

"Veronica, stop it. Of course I don't think like that and you ought to know that. I treasure you and the relationship we have is so dear to me. We are you now?"

"On my way home to that house that will be sold. So I don't have to care what the neighbors think anymore."

"Right I'm on my way. Spread your cunt lips and wait for me."

"Oooh.

Kevin grimaced thinking he was revolting talking to Veronica so crudely. Good heavens he was thirty and she twenty-nine, not snotty-nosed teens. She appeared to like it but he sighed and thought why wouldn't she after being treated for a long time in an uncaring manner by her husband. So telling her to spread her cunt lips was saying to Veronica that he cared? He resolved to tease her and be smart-lipped with her with dignity in future. Now that should show her he cared. And why had he not accepted her invitation to call her Vonnie?

Sighing, Kevin thought he was being such a fool. He regarded Vonnie as a childish name whereas she regarded it as her intimate name, possibly an endearing name.

"Grow up Kevie and act sensitively."

He called her.

"Hi Vonnie?"

"Oooh."

"I invite you to call me Kevie when we're alone but if it slips out at other times no problem."

"Oooh."

"I'm heading out to the car no, um, darling."

"Oh Kevie. You called me darling without tripping over it."

"Yeah well I'm your name baby. Bye."

He snapped his phone shut and smiled and looked up to see his mother smiling at him.

Jesus can't a guy get any privacy?

* * *

Bob Clay's mouth fell over in shock at the bar when Moira Baldwin said she was prepared to from a team and provide funding to assist Bob to run against that bitch Sally Moss in the mayoral election.

"Oh Bob say yes, quickly," said Dolly. "That will save you hours of torment as you look at the pros and cons of such an offer. With her razor sharp mind Moira has already done that hard work for you."

"That's true Bob. The role is tailor-made for you and in the twilight of your career what better way to rise to the pinnacle of community leadership, boot out a grasping mayor and to be in power to consign her stupid new City Hall proposal to the trash can."

"But why me?"

"Because this is the result of Kevin and me looking for the right person to knock over that bitch."

"But that's revenge clouding your decision-making."

"That's nonsense Bob and you know it. Sure our pride was hurt, the mayor split our family but both setbacks were heal and Baldwin Ford is in the process of rising from the ashes, bigger, brighter and better than ever. But for the good of this city that bitch must go and her grandiose empire building must vaporize with her departure. Dolly?"

"Bob just say yes. You know you have told me a thousand times you could do a better job as mayor than that bitch."

Bob looked at the two women who were ganging up on him, exhibiting the worst in cronyism. He shook his head in wonder and said yes, he'd seek nomination.

Moira and Dolly screamed triumphantly, halting conversations.

"Bar tenders, a round of drinks for everyone in the bar," shouted Moira.

"Yes Mrs Baldwin," the head barwoman acknowledged.

A tall gray-headed guy with a trustworthy smile came over to them and said, "Hi Moira."

Moira had no idea who he was but Dolly said, "Moira this is Bob's brother Martin. He could be a useful date for you. You did invite Martin to join us for dinner."

"Oh yes, Martin, please sit here beside me. You don't look as grumpy as your brother."

Everyone laughed.

Later they were in the Pillars of Wisdom, a restaurant specializing in dishes from seven Middle East countries when Dolly, looking at the entrance, said, "Oh here's Veronica. God doesn't she look so happy and Kevin is with her. She and John signed their divorce settlement agreement this afternoon."

Veronica saw her mother wave and went rushing over, dragging Kevin with her.

"Mom Kevin and I have become engaged," she said, cheeks highly flushed, and holding out the newly placed ring on her finger for both mothers to inspect.

Martin signaled to the hovering waiter.

"Please add a table for two to this table and serve champagne, two bottles of Moet Imperial Brut would be fine."

"Yes sir."

"Oooh champagne, my favorite," Moira said, placing her hand on Martin's arm.

THE END