Lifes Illusions

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Life's Illusions - Book Four - Chapter 14

It had taken Ralph nearly twelve hours to get from Montclair to Madrid, he was tired and sleepy when a loud knocking on his apartment door roused him.

He'd thought, what the fuck, no more bad luck please, as he stumbled to open the door in his pyjamas.

He was completely surprised to find himself facing Josef, but he was in no mood to be chastised, which was what he thought Josef was there to do.

"Please, I have no beef with you and I'm tired, I've been traveling for around twelve hours, so just say whatever you came to say, then I can go back to bed, and you can have a safe journey home".

Josef asked.

"You're not going to invite me in?".

Ralph sighed, he really didn't need this, but manners kicked in, he opened the door wide making a sweeping gesture with his hand, inviting Josef in, saying.

"Please, be my guest, hardly what you're used to, but it suits my needs".

Josef looked around, it was small, but immaculate, he commented.

"Small yes, but it's nice, can I sit down?".

Ralph was becoming slightly irritated, it came through in his reply.

"Jo, why are you here, you're a nice guy, I enjoyed your company the other evening, but I'm a little confused".

Josef smiled.

"My brother made you a genuine, though naively stupid, and from what I heard, it could mistakenly have sounded like an offensive, payment for services rendered sort of offer, I'm here to make you another offer, still on his behalf, a serious business proposal, so it's all down to whether you value your company enough to drop the high moral attitude and listen".

Ralph answered with only one word.

"Why".

Josef looked him directly in the eyes.

"Because he genuinely likes you, and right now he's completely torn up, he thinks he's insulted you, and I can assure you, he would never intentionally do that to someone he cares for".

Ralph didn't reply, so Josef carried on.

"If you ever disclose you heard this from me, your life will be in real danger, he cares for you, much more than I'm comfortable with right now, and you've hurt him".

Ralph ignored the business topic, he was more interested in the last part of what Josef had said.

"Why aren't you comfortable?".

Josef was intrigued by the question, he could have just been interested in getting a financial solution to his problems, but he clearly wasn't.

"Because, I haven't seen him like this in a long, long time, not since Pierre died, there's been no spark in his eyes for so many years, it shocked me to see it back when he brought you to Torremolinas for dinner, I don't want my brother hurting, he deserves to be happy".

Ralph was thinking, then out of the blue he said.

"What did he tell you, about why I left?".

Josef was still noting, no business talk.

"That he tried to offer you help to overcome your business problems, but he got it badly wrong, it didn't come out the way he wanted it to, he told me he knows what he said, the way he put it could be misconstrued, it sounded as though he was paying you for, well, you know what, and he bitterly regrets that".

Ralph visibly softened.

"He's one hell of a nice guy your brother, and for a guy around fifty he's very easy on the eyes, take a message back for me would you".

Josef was confused.

"I came to offer you a business proposal, no connection to Juan, a simple solution to your problems, let's discuss that, then I'll take your message back, bye the way, coffee would be nice".

Ralph sighed.

"Jeez, are all Thorn men so high maintenance?".

Josef laughed.

"You sound like Carry, and don't tell her I said that either, she'll just forge an alliance with you".

Ralph was making coffee as he answered.

"She's a strong woman your wife, I liked her, but I noticed, and if I get the names wrong forgive me, Maria, Jacqueline, Beth, Fluer, Roslyn, Cicily, they're all strong women too".

Josef openly laughed saying.

"Not bad, you only got one wrong, Cicily, it's Cecile, Roslyn's partner, and yes all Thorn women are strong, in fact, it's not just the women, we Thorns pick strong partners whatever the sex, to the outside world it probably seems we have everything, after all, as a family we're enormously wealthy, but that just ups the pressure, we need the protection a strong partner affords us, someone who doesn't shirk at striking down someone, or something, we haven't noticed".

Ralph carried the coffee over to where Josef was sitting, placing it in front of him, and asking.

"Are you driving?".

Josef was intrigued.

"No, I got a car from the airport, why?".

Ralph opened a cupboard easily within his reach, pulling out a bottle of Cognac and passing it to Josef.

"Because I've had that little beauty in the cupboard for at least a couple of years, I think it's time it paid its rent, I believe it's rather good, though I'm no connoisseur, fancy a drop in your coffee?".

Josef was excited, the contents of the bottle Ralph had passed him were rated as one of the top Cognacs world wide, ''Baron Otard XO Gold', he opened it, taking a sniff of the cork stopper.

"Oh fuck, it's like nectar, get glasses you dick, we can't put this in coffee, it would be a sacrilege".

Josef opened one eye, he tried two, the pain was too much, it was a no brainier, close them both again, sleep.

It was around midday when he tried again, this time it still hurt, but it was bearable, though his stomach was doing some kind of loop the loop.

Looking across the room he recognised Ralph, kneeling against the bed as if praying, if he weren't snoring so loudly it could have been believable.

Josef stumbled to his feet, swayed unsteadily to the bathroom, then promptly threw his entire guts into the toilet bowl.

When he exited the bathroom, showered and still looking like a resurrected corpse, Ralph had stirred, he was sat on the bed, when Josef made to speak to him he held up a hand and whispered.

"Don't shout, don't talk, don't do anything, leave me, I'm dying".

It was nearly an hour later when Josef finally felt as if he wasn't going to puke again, he'd called Carry, full of remorse.

"I'm sorry my love, Ralph found a bottle of Cognac, it must have been a little more potent than we thought, I feel like death, I'll be home for dinner".

At the mention of dinner he'd almost retched again, but what shocked him was Carry's reply, she was absolutely rocking with laughter.

"Nothing to do with the twenty year old malt, or the flavoured gin you were telling me about at four, or possibly five this morning, when you woke me up to tell me how much you missed me then?".

Josef just groaned.

"Oh, so that's why I feel like I've just been dug up, sorry my love, I'll make it up to you, just not in the next couple of days, see you tonight".

He was surprised to get an instant, and commanding response from Carry.

"If Ralph's as bad as you, bring him home with you, a good meal will sort him out, see you later my love".

Josef said to Ralph.

"You have to come home with me for dinner, Carry said so, don't argue, it's not debatable, she used that voice, you'll hear it sometime, it's scary".

Ralph just nodded, right now if Aliens told him to board their ship, he'd just do it for a quiet life.

Meanwhile in Torremolinas, Carry was calling Juan, these Thorn men, they always thought they were in control, the fools.

"Hi Brother in Law, Jo's due home this afternoon from some business trip, I thought it would be nice to have you here for dinner, could you make it?".

Juan was trembling, he knew exactly where Josef had gone, but he was certain Carry didn't, and he'd heard nothing from his brother, he was desperate to know what had happened.

In as nonchalant a voice as he could muster he said.

"I can do that, I'll be there about seven, I'll stay over, I have a fairly easy day tomorrow".

As they were speaking, Josef's plane was in the air, neither Juan nor Ralph knew they were being set up.

Josef and Ralph had arrived at The Nest, on top of Thorn Plaza around five thirty in the evening, they were up on the roof garden, relaxing, and sipping beers, when Carry came up the stairs from the apartment, with Juan behind her.

Juan's and Ralph's eyes met at the same moment, Juan stopped dead, the shock clearly evident in his expression.

Ralph was grinning, as he said.

"It would appear from your expression, I worked it out but you didn't, I almost expected you to be already here when we arrived".

Juan mumbled a reply.

"I err, ......didn't know, .......it seems I underestimated my conniving Sister in Law, but it's good to see you, if my being here makes you uncomfortable I'll leave".

Josef didn't let either of them say anymore.

"Sit down Bro, Carry's getting you a beer, the pair of you need to talk, so get on with it, dinner will be another hour, I'll see you both then".

Carry delivered a beer for Juan, then both she and Josef left them to it.

Juan was first to break the silence.

"I apologise Ralph, I never meant to insult you, what I said came out all wrong, but it was a stupid idea anyway, Jo told me how I should have put it".

Ralph was intrigued.

"And how exactly should you have put it?".

Juan looked confused.

"Hasn't he explained it to you?".

Ralph grimaced.

"No, we got a little sidetracked, and a lot drunk".

Juan chucked.

"He was supposed to be coming to Madrid to lay out a business plan for you, not to get drunk, I can explain what we came up with, if you want me to that is?".

Ralph smiled.

"Yes, please, though I doubt there's anything which can stop the inevitable happening, I expect to lose everything in three days time, but just before you give me this plan, I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have disappeared like that, I was angry and fed up, it's not an excuse but, the way I feel at the moment I'm just so sick of things going wrong".

Juan surprised him with what he said next.

"Three days is plenty of time, if you agree to the proposal, we only need a few hours".

Ralph looked totally confused.

"If you're planning on offering me finance from your pocket, we've been down that road, it's bumpy and you didn't like the response last time, so I'd suggest you bare that in mind".

Juan was beaming.

"No, technically, nothing from me, other than a slight security element until some investigations have been completed, ready?".

Ralph sighed.

"Okay, go on".

Juan also sighed, but his was in relief.

"I've arranged a change of bankers for you, you'll have an immediate uncapped line of credit, which will allow the payment of all outstanding debts, the only element where I am involved is as a temporary guarantor, just whilst the bank runs due diligence checks on you and your company, the minute those are complete, I walk away and your on your own, does that sound like something you could work with?".

Ralph was deep in thought, when he answered, his answer had nothing to do with Juan's proposal.

"Now I feel like the stupidest, most ungrateful idiot for how I treated you, why would you go to all this trouble, after I was such a prize prick?".

Juan looked him in the eyes.

"None of that matters, and I'm doing it because I want to, I like you, take that however you want, it's an honest answer, now please, what do you think about the plan?".

Juan could see he was hesitant, so he added something.

"If it's me being the guarantor which concerns you, Jo's agreed to take my place".

Ralph finally spoke.

"It's nothing to do with you, or who is, or isn't guarantor, it's whether I deserve to be bailed out by you, after the way I treated you, I'm a firm believer in paying the piper".

Juan had a thought.

"And your workers, do they deserve to suffer because you and I had a bit of a spat?, that's hardly fair, I'm guessing a lot of them have families to support".

Ralph just repeated part of what Juan had said and chuckled.

"A bit of a spat, well I suppose that's one way to look at it".

Juan was becoming exasperated.

"Ralph".

He hadn't needed to say anymore, Ralph looked at him.

"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, okay, I'll agree, though I don't see where you're going to find a bank who would agree to your plan, oh, and there's something else you need to know, I like you as well, I like you a lot actually".

As he said the last few words he blushed almost crimson.

Juan pulled out his cell phone.

"No time like the present, let's give it a go".

Ralph was mesmerised at Juan the business man, he was trying to follow the conversation from one side.

"Hi Chris, we're on, can you fax the paperwork to Josef's office at The Nest, we're in Torremolinas for dinner with them, ...............sorry can you repeat that, ...................yes I understand, I'll tell him, it's a good idea, no possibility of anyone misplacing a payment that way, thanks for your help, I'll buy you a drink at the boy's wedding, .............oh yes, I was forgetting, we have the Chicago wedding first, I'll see you there, ................ I don't know, I haven't had chance to mention it yet, I'll bring him if he wants to come, .................okay speak again soon, love to Max".

Juan clicked his cell phone shut saying.

Okay, done and dusted.

Ralph was looking incredulous.

"How?, do you own the fucking bank or something?".

Juan was openly laughing now.

"Do you remember the last time you asked a similar sarcastic question, well the answer is the same, yep, we do".

Ralph only said one word.

"Unbelievable".

Just then Josef came up the stairs to the roof.

"Dinner in fifteen guys, if you want to wash up, everything alright?".

Ralph answered him.

"Everything is more than alright, but I have to ask, why didn't you deliver Juan's message in Madrid?".

Josef smiled.

"Same reason I didn't deliver the one you wanted me to deliver, the one I distracted you from telling me, Carry and I thought you should tell each other".

Over dinner Juan apologised for talking business but time was tight, and he needed to give Ralph some extra information.

Carry gave him an okay this time, emphatically, as she put it, this time only.

"As soon as we finish dinner there should be a bundle of papers for you to sign, you're moving your accounts to Woodruff Banking, at roughly nine in the morning New York time, you'll be officially fluid again, Chris told me they will settle all of your outstanding debts, that way there's no chance that someone can misplace a payment, he's also going to lodge a complaint on your behalf with The Spanish Banking Regulator, it seems your competitor has shares in your current bank, they should have declared their impartiality when they supported the bankruptcy move, and as a final bit of icing on your cake, the client who went bankrupt on you, guess who that was?".

Ralph was looking glassy eyed, it was all too much.

"I can't even guess".

Juan was absolutely beaming.

"It only took our guys at Guardian about two hours to trace the company ownership back to your competitor, he put it into liquidation deliberately to force you out of business, so he's next on the list, there's a file of papers on the way to the Spanish Fraud Squad first thing in the morning, looks like you'll get paid after all, now after that wonderful dinner, who's for a drunken night to celebrate?".

Both Josef and Ralph groaned, Carry burst out laughing, and Juan just looked puzzled.

When they retired that night Josef said.

"I'm pleased with what happened today, you can use the rooms already prepared next to each other, but if you'll forgive me for saying, that would be stupid, goodnight guys, I'm going to fall into a coma, and here's a tip Bro, if he ever reaches into a cupboard and pulls out a bottle, run, as fast as you fuckin can, the man's a heathen when it comes to drink".

At that, all laughing, Josef and Carry left them.

Juan looked at Ralph.

"Would you consider sharing a bed with someone who likes you?".

Ralph was feeling warm, loved, but he didn't dare use the word in the correct text, so he warped it a little.

"I would, love, to share a bed with someone I really like, a lot".

They spooned together, no sex, and no sex next morning either, when Ralph awoke he was conscious of being stared at, so he gingerly opened one eye, to be met with a grinning Juan.

"About time, I've been willing you to wake up for nearly an hour, you look so peaceful when you're sleeping".

Ralph felt so happy, he couldn't have ever believed he'd feel this way about anyone, but all he said was.

"Good morning handsome, I feel fantastic, refreshed, fancy a shower?".

They didn't have sex last night, or when they awoke this morning, but that shower cubicle would need some serious communion to wipe away the sins committed in there.

As Juan flew Ralph back to Madrid he was visibly nervous.

It came to the point where Ralph said.

"Don't you think it's about time we talked about the elephant, it's crowding the cabin somewhat".

Juan was almost twitching in his seat, but he answered.

"I'm worried I'll leave you at Madrid and never see you again".

Ralph knew what he meant, it was right there on his mind as well, but this was a strong, powerful man, how did you flirt with someone like Juan, well, he supposed, you just act like yourself, so he did.

"I told you I like you, a lot, if that doesn't tell you I want to see you again, then, at the risk of making a complete idiot of myself, here goes, I don't just like you a lot, I like you more than I ever thought possible, so there, I'll be right here in Madrid, you know where I am, I want you to have this, I can't make it any clearer".

Ralph had handed Juan a key to his apartment, Juan just stared at it.

Juan did the one thing he felt he wanted to, funny, because it was the thing that validated their relationship in Ralph's mind, he'd leaned in, pulled Ralph close, and kissed him, not a peck, not a happy kiss, it was a lip locker, tongues at full salute, I love you, I just can't say it yet, type kiss.

In Chicago, the Thorn House was a hive of activity, specialist wedding caterers, specialist function construction operatives, specialist printers, specialist wedding furniture specialists, Jolly asked Mel at one point, what is it with this specialist title, what a load of bollocks, Mel just laughed, used to her Mother in Laws way of cutting to the quick.

The wedding date was set, it would be the third Saturday in March.

Mel had sent out the invitations, the replies were starting to come back, but she was terrified, what if she'd missed someone.

Then she got a regret reply, one which really surprised her, when she showed it to Jace, he took it from her, asking her to keep it to herself for the moment.

Jolly on the other hand was revelling in the arrangements, she'd brought in a landscape specialist, laughing loudly at the specialist title, but when she appeared, Jolly had commented on the fact it was a woman, how refreshing.

At the rear of Thorn House was the extensive patio, then the formal gardens, after that was a sort of flat meadow, before several hundred kilometres away the woods.

Jolly wanted a central area of the meadow land turned into a lawn, and quick, she wanted an area of around one hundred metres square as lawn, then the marquees would be set in sequence, the first, open sided, to facilitate the ceremony, and beyond that a massive central marquee to accommodate the wedding breakfast , with side marquees beyond that, offering shade to anyone who wanted it.

Jolly would freely admit, in spending terms, she'd gone so far overboard even she was hesitant to add up the receipts, but she'd also issued a chilling challenge, 'If anyone wants to try reigning me in, it would be at their peril, I'm going to see my grandson married in the most spectacular surroundings, mess with me and you'll get burned, that's a promise'.

In Montclair exactly the same thing was happening.

Jacqueline was arranging Junior and Daniels wedding for them, fortunately the timeline was more forgiving, it was scheduled for early August.

Josef and Carry were relaxing at Mano's on the Promenade in Torremolinas, their daughter Paulette was visiting with friends so they'd decided to give the staff an impromptu day off and come out for a lazy lunch.

His cell phone showing Jace calling disturbed him slightly, the last time this had happened had been the start of a major problem, but he answered.

"Hi cuz, not long now till the wedding, how's it all going?".

Jace was upbeat.

"Momma and Mel are trying to bankrupt us with their spending, and no one is brave enough to challenge Momma".

Josef laughed, conscious of the fact Jace had obviously called for a reason, so he asked.

"As much as I welcome any chance to speak with you Jace, I'm guessing there's something you need to say, and I'm feeling a hesitation, what is it?".

He could almost hear Jace's heart beating.

"I don't want you to let this get out of proportion, I just wanted to sound you out, we got a regret reply back from the invitation sent to Piers and Milo, I think I know why, but I wanted to run it past you first, in case there's a legitimate reason, work, or something".

Josef groaned, Carry looked enquiringly at him, as he replied.

"I thought something like this was probably coming Jace, and I'm guessing Jacqueline's going to be calling me with the same query shortly, because we got the invitation to Junior and Daniels wedding yesterday, I'm inclined to say treat them as coming and keep it to yourself, hopefully it will blow over, I think you know what's behind it".

Jace could be heard to sigh.

"I was hoping I was wrong, have there been any other signs?".

Josef hesitated, he didn't want to make it public, and he still hadn't told Carry, but Jace deserved to know.

"I'd rather this didn't become public knowledge but, for the last week or so he's been avoiding any contact with Juan, too busy to take calls, pressure of work, things that could have been legitimate reasons, if it weren't for something that happened about four, or maybe five days ago, I was on a conference video link with him when Juan walked into my office, he cut the call, no excuse, the moment Juan came into view he was gone, that was when the penny dropped for me".

Jace didn't reply for a moment or so, then he said.

"I agree, only Mel and I have seen this reply, I'm going to bin it, we'll put them down as coming, but I'm available if you think I could help in any way, I still hold sway from being a musketeer, let me know if you want me to help, time and distance don't matter, promise me".

Josef half smiled.

"I promise Jace, but I don't see this being easily resolved, see you soon cuz".

When Josef closed his cell, Carry was staring at him, and her expression was not friendly.

"When exactly were you planning on telling me about this Josef Caswel-Thorn?".

The use of his full name told him she was pissed off.

His reply did little to diffuse the situation.

"I wasn't, I sort of hoped it would go away, but obviously, it's hasn't, so you know now, and I'm going to need your guidance, because when the penny drops for Juan he's going to be crushed initially, then it could go one of two ways, either he'll be angry, or he'll be filled with guilt and end it with Ralph, neither option is going to be acceptable, but I honestly don't know what to do".

Carry's expression softened.

"Sorry I barked Jo, but you're supposed to share these things, have you broached the subject with either Piers or Milo?".

He nodded, conscious she'd called him Jo, a step in the right direction, she always called him lover, calling him Jo was about one step away from the dog house.

"I tried to talk to Milo, first he was evasive, then he finally told me he didn't want to be involved, Piers was angry, he feels Juan is trashing Pierre's memory, I got the impression it's caused a rift between them as well, so I don't think we can rely on any help from Milo".

She tutted.

"Oh lover, sometimes I wonder how the hell you manage a multi million dollar business, but can't solve a simple domestic dispute".

Josef relaxed, she'd said lover, he was home safe.

Carry pulled out her cell phone, dialling.

Josef was intrigued, he gave her a look, as if saying, who are you calling, but her reply was a look that said, it's obvious.

"Hi, ............yes we're all well, ............Oh, he did, ...............so, I get the impression you understand exactly why I'm calling, ...........Oh, really, we didn't realise he'd confided in anyone, ................I see, well he gave Jo the impression he doesn't want to be involved, .............that's all very well but it's not going away, it's escalating and it needs dealing with, ...................that's not fair, .............but you could talk to him, he'd listen to you, ...................you're his fucking Poppa, grow some balls, ...............well you seem content to stick your head in the sand, ...............all I'm saying is, maybe someone needs to remind you who solved Piers recent problem, who saved your son for you, ............is that right, well you backpedal all you like, you piece of chicken shit, but I'll make you a firm promise, if this ends up hurting Juan more, after all that he's suffered in the last twelve years since Pierre died, you'd better not still have your bloody head buried in the sand, because my foot will be so far up your arse you'll need to scream, now normally I'd bid you goodbye, but in this instance I'd rather say go fuck yourself you prick".

Josef was bouncing on his seat as Carry snapped her cell shut to cut the call.

"Tell me that wasn't Aly you were speaking too".

Carry was far too angry to speak, she just nodded, and Josef's cell phone rang, indicating a call from Bo.

He said.

"Oh shit, it's Bo calling".

He flipped his phone open to accept the call just as Carry said.

"If he supports that prick, tell him I've got two feet, there'll be a boot up his arse as well".

Jo listened and couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Bo was laughing hysterically, it took him a long while to calm himself enough to be able to string a sentence together, but when he did, Jo just listened, nodding occasionally, then said.

"Okay, I'll arrange it, I'll get back to you".

Carry only said one word, well actually, she shouted it, so loud several other diners turned around and stared at her.

"What?".

Josef started laughing as he explained.

"Bo was laughing hysterically when he called, he said Aly was in shock, apparently he kept muttering, that wasn't Carry, it was Lenny, we have to do something, or it'll be my Momma next, call Jo, I'm not calling her, she's possessed, tell him I'm sorry, I'll go with them, we need to do it face to face, she's right, it's time Juan had some happiness, Piers needs to understand he's in danger of hurting him".

Then they both dissolved into hysterical laughter, so much so that Mano came to enquire was everything okay.

Carry replied.

"It definitely is now Mano, my super efficient, international problem solving, but incredibly stupid when it comes to basic family problem solving husband, finally realised, sometimes it's better to share a problem, bring us two very large cognacs please Mano, we're going to have a preemptive celebration".

Two days later, Joseph's plane landed in Nice, to collect Aly and Bo, en-route to Sydney, and a face to face with Piers.

TBC Allan

Comments are welcome to cfgw2000@aol.com.

Thank you for giving me your time, enjoy.