Going For Broke (6 page)

             
Andrea immediately grabbed her mammoth purse and pulled out a checkbook.  “How much do you need?”

             
“No, I can’t do that to you.  Thanks, though.”

             
“Oh, do be ridiculous!  If our roles were reversed, you’d do the same for me,” Andrea started filling out the check.  “Do you remember when I was working three jobs and the only way I could eat dinner out was to go from happy hour to happy hour?  Who floated me then?”

             
“This is different.  Really, I can’t,” Victoria protested.  Andrea would hear none of it.  She was an imposing woman without even trying, and when she tried, there was no saying no.  Victoria took the check from her, glancing quickly to see that Andrea had made it out for $10,000.

             
“Andi, this is too much,” Victoria said.  “I don’t know when I can pay you back.”  She hated owing anyone anything. 

             
“Jesus, it was about ten seconds in a Japanese camera commercial.  Besides, I’ve seen you spend money.  That’ll barely take you ‘til next Tuesday.”  She waved the lurking waiter over for another round.  “You in?”

             
Victoria picked up her empty glass and handed it to the waiter.  “Make it two.” Might was well drink while it’s free.
             

             
             
             
             
             
             
###

             
Lumi offered to walk the kids to school for the last time.  She was devastated to be leaving the Vernons, she had been with them since Parker was a baby.  Victoria had found her a temporary job, working for a family in that was going to summer in France and needed the help.  She had made sure that Bitsy understood that she only got Lumi for the summer.  Victoria assured her that she’d be back with them by the time school started in the fall. 

             
After they had left, Victoria walked through the apartment with colored post-it notes and a clip board.  Always uber-organized, she had decided to take inventory, and to rank the items she could part with.  She loved her art, her antiques, her jewelry, though she wasn’t emotionally attached to them.  She had lived without them before, and she could live without them again.  Victoria had grown up with next to nothing, so she had a pragmatic view of her possessions.   No, Victoria valued what the possessions represented, and how they reflected her to the world. 

             
She started in the living room.  The art would probably fetch the highest amounts the quickest.  There was a sketch by Dali that Trip was over the moon for when they were in Madrid years ago.  She thought it was all the Rioja they drank at lunch.  She never cared for it much. - the Dali, not the Rioja.  It got a pink Post-It, which meant it would be in the first round to go.  The Degas got a green one - she was willing to part with it, it would go with the last lot, if it came to that.  The Lalique could all go.  Trip’s mother had sent her a different piece every year for Christmas and she had always hated it.   Oh, and Trip’s collection of first edition Longfellow.  He could take his Longfellow and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.  Pink slip.  And so it went.  When she was done with the living room, there were only a handful of items with green post-its.  Victoria was a realist.  If it had to go, it had to go.

             
She wasn’t ready for the dining room just yet.  She did love all that silver.  The tea set, the candelabras, the George III jam spoon they got for a wedding present.  Of course, with no one around to polish it all, what good would it do to have it?  She’d get to it later.  She’d inventory Trip’s library first.  His stuff should be the first on the chopping block.

             
The intercom from the lobby buzzed, which she ignored, as usual.  Then she realized that Lumi wasn’t there to answer it for her, so she answered it.  Pieter announced that the gentlemen from the “Effe Bee Eye” were there to see her.  Was it too much to ask to find a doorman who could speak even a little English?  They were back?  She wanted to say no, but she knew they’d come up anyway.

             
Mr. Trench Coat had returned, this time with quite a crew of Member’s Only boys.   He handed her his card and introduced himself again. 

             
She was tired, and spent.  She ran her hand through her hair - it still looked like she belonged in a shampoo commercial, even though she hadn’t seen Phillipe in forever.  “Mr....” she looked at the card, “Towner.  Trip isn’t here.  In fact, if you find him, could you please tell him that his wife would like to have a few words with him?”

             
Mike held up a stack of folded papers.  “Mrs. Vernon, I’m sorry, but --”  Oh My God, if one more person told her “I’m sorry, but...” she’d scream.  A.
They are not sorry
and B.
the But is never good
.  Never.  Lately it seemed to just get worse and worse.  She braced herself for this But.  “But I have a warrant to confiscate your possessions.”

             
“What possessions?”

             
“All of them,” he said as he pushed the papers at her. 

             
Mike had to hold back a little smile.  This White Collar Division may be kind of fun after all.  Victoria put her hair behind her ear as if she had misheard him.  “I”m sorry?”

             
Mike nodded to the crew behind him.  “Okay, boys.  Let’s get started.” 

             
Victoria positioned herself in a wide stance, blocking the entrance to the front hall.  “I’m going to have to call my lawyer,” she said.

             
“That’d probably be a good idea,” Mike said as he strode purposefully past Victoria.  He looked around and saw the color-coded artwork.  “It looks like we got here just in time.”

             
             
             
             
             
             
###

             
It didn’t take very long.  Who knew that the best movers worked for the government?  When they were done, she felt like the Grinch had made a pit stop on his way to Whoville.  The art, furniture, electronics.  The jewelry.  The kids’ toys.  They were left with beds, some clothing and not much else.  They even took the espresso machine.  Talk about ruthless.   What was she supposed to do now? Go to Starbucks?

             
Jack had told her to let them do what they needed to do.  He had tried to stop it legally, and had the audacity to tell her that Trip had really left her in quite a vulnerable position.  He asked if there was anything that he and Judy could do for her.   Really, Jack?    You went to Yale Law School and you end up talking to me like a funeral director?  Victoria was sick of platitudes and pity.  

             
She went to pick the children up from school, an activity that she usually left to Lumi.  Standing outside the hallowed school on East End Avenue, Victoria felt like she was waiting for an ESL class to start.  A group of nannies chatted in some Eastern European language - Polish?  The Mexican nannies huddled together.  The two Southeast Asian girls chatted on their bejeweled cell phones.  They were much too attractive - Victoria would never had hired a nanny that looked like that.  Lumi was attractive -- lord knows she wouldn’t have anyone ugly or fat working for her -- yet plain.  And more than just a little peasant in her hips. 

             
Thank God for Lumi.  She had been really quite helpful and resourceful these past few weeks.  It was Lumi who kept the children on a steady routine, made sure they got to all their lessons and tutoring appointments, she even did the laundry after Victoria had to let the laundress go.   Now that Lumi was gone too, Victoria was in unchartered waters. 

             
That was the least of her problems.  How about an empty apartment, empty pocketbook and empty bank account?  She was brought out of her thoughts by the happy squeals of her daughter.

             
“Mommy!  You’re picking us up today?  You NEVER pick us up!”

             
“Can’t a mommy pick up her special girl?” Victoria asked as she leaned down to offer her cheek to Posey.  “Where’s your brother?”

             
“He’s always late.  Lumi says it’s because he spends too much time hanging out with Rutledge Kerr after school.  Lumi says Rutledge is the kind of boy that is going to get Parker into trouble.”

             
“Is that what Lumi says?” Victoria replied.  Lumi had a good handle on that one.  Rutledge Kerr’s mother was a known afternoon drinker with a penchant for “one on one” sessions with a certain young trainer from the gym.  It would make sense that, that little acorn didn’t fall too far from the tree.  “What else does Lumi say?”

             
“Lumi says that we should be extra good while Daddy’s away.  And that if we eat the seeds from an apple a tree can grow in our stomach.”

             
Parker came sauntering up, his sandy hair side-swept across his eyes, blue blazer askew and his rep tie loosened to halfway down his chest.  If he seemed surprised to see her, he didn’t show it.  It seemed that her ten year old was entering the world of pre-teen cool.  He was very good at it. 

             
“Hey mom,” he nodded at her.  No kiss was offered, or expected.  “Where’s Lumi?”

             
“I thought I could take you guys out for some ice cream,” she said with a little too much forced levity.

             
“Whatever,” Parker said with his best cool on.

             
As they walked into Emacks, the premium ice cream store that was the favorite of the preppie kids on the Upper East Side, Victoria began to regret her choice.  Parker and Posey knew every kid in the place.  Thankfully, Victoria could be sure that none of their mothers would be with them.  When she saw the $9 ice cream cones, she had a bit of a financial cramp, a decidedly new feeling for her.  She had a finite amount of money now, and dropping $30 on ice cream probably wasn’t the most prudent way to spend it. Oh well, she thought.  One last hurrah until they find out what’s waiting for them at home.

             
             
             
             
             
             
###

             
As the elevator door opened into their near-empty apartment, Victoria got two completely different reactions from her children.  Parker ran out and into the living room, where he slid across the parquet floor like he was sliding into second base. 

             
“Cool!” he said as he slid the other way.  “Can we keep it this way?”

             
Posey, on the other hand, started to cry.  “Where is everything?  Where’s Lumi?  Mommy, are we moving?”  At that minute, Victoria knew. 

             
“Yes, honey.  Yes we are.”

             
             
             
             
             
             
###

             
Victoria had to find her address book.  She never could remember the phone number - it was in her phone, though.  Those assholes had even taken her Blackberry!  That may have been the hardest one to let go.  She flipped through the well-worn book that she barely used anymore.  Every page had addresses crossed out, new ones penciled in, wives names replaced with the names, second and third home information added.  It was a treasure map to the Upper East Side, yet worthless to her today.  Except for one name.  She picked up her phone  and slowly punched in the numbers.    She closed her eyes when the voice on the other end of the phone answered.