Chapter 43
“William! – It’s so good to see you!”
Tim Hesketh-Browne lowered his newspaper, stood and shook hands vigorously with William
Will pulled out a chair and sat at the table, and a waiter came and gave him a menu
“They’ve done this place up a bit since I was here last!” William said, taking in the now light summery décor. Gone were the heavy chintz curtains and the dark furniture; in were pale green walls, potted plants, cane and glass furniture giving the place a more conservatory feel.
“It’s a lot nicer – bought out by a company that like to make their restaurants and hotels more individual, to suit the building’s style, rather than just being a corporate chain”
William flipped open his menu
“I didn’t know how you’d be, time-line wise, that’s why I said to come here – it’s a biggie with all the consultants, chef is really understanding, he’s English would you believe, English chef in a French hotel! What I mean is, if you’ve just flown in from Adelaide say, and it’s dinner time for you, but breakfast for the rest of us, he doesn’t mind cooking from the main menu, bless him!”
“Is that so…” William said, perusing the menu
It was nearly lunchtime, but William fancied something more substantial than something light…
A waiter appeared and Tim asked William if he was ready to order
“I sure am, after you”
“Right then, I’ll have the quiche Lorraine, with salad and a side of steak fries, William?”
“I’ll have a sirloin steak, medium-rare, fried onions, mushrooms, steak fries, and a side salad please”
“And to drink, sir?”
“Oh, just water for me, sparkling – make sure it’s cold, plenty of ice and lemon”
“Same for me” Tim said, and the waiter nodded, took the menus and left.
Stifling a yawn, William apologised.
“Don’t worry old man, I understand – I’ll cut to the chase, shall I?” William was pleased at this, he wanted to know what sort of offer Tim was going to make without it dragging on, because after the operation he was going to do tea-time, he was back to California and his lady-love, and it couldn’t come quick enough for him.
“Thing is, old pops is retiring – have you heard?”
William shook his head; Tim smiled at this and continued,
“I know, lucky beggar – got himself a beautiful new American wife, half his age, doncha know, and he wants to enjoy his millions and squander all my inheritance money before he’s too old!”
William grinned. The waiter put tall glasses on the table, full of ice and slices of lemon, and began to fill them up from a large bottle of sparkling water, which he then left on the table.
William picked up his drink and asked,
“So, can’t say I blame him, when does he actually go?”
“From St Stephens? – End of the month officially, but he had holiday due, so he’s already gone – he’s not hanging around! He told me that there’s a polo match in Argentina he wants to see, play golf in Flushing meadow, hit the casino’s of Las Vegas, and back in dear old Blighty in time to follow the England cricket team when they take off for Australia for the winter tour – he’s got it all planned out!”
“And how’s your mother?”
“Ma-ma? – Oh, um, she’s fine, you know, fine. She kept the house in Berkshire, but she tired of fund-raising for the church and the local play-group and what have you, so she’s taken herself off to Africa, of all places!”
“Africa – what, on safari?”
“No, god no nothing as simple as that, she’s set up a medical teaching centre in Kenya, about twenty miles south of Nairobi – and two missionary schools – she also runs three mini buses, taking the ‘AIDS AWARENESS’ message out to the villages and townships”
“Go mom, eh wow!” William was impressed to say the least!
“I know, she puts me to shame, she has the energy of a woman half her age”
“So…this proposition?”
Both men leaned back in their seats as their meals were put in front of them and when the waiter had gone, they began to chat again
“Right, the proposition – well, you know my speciality, repair of soft tissue damage, plastic surgery – you’re like my opposite, with the bone thing - it could work well, if we pooled our resources”
“What would it be, me contracted to you, or-“
“If you like, we could work it how you liked – I mean I now you get called all over the world to do surgery – I’m surprised you hadn’t sort of gone in for a clinic of your own”
“I am, I have, I mean, that’s just what I’m looking for now – I’m sick of living out of a suitcase, I need to put down some roots, a base if you like” Tim nodded vigorously and smiled
“Well then! Say we contracted you to work for 26 weeks in the year – that would still give you the other half of the year to fly off or whatever”
When William finished chewing, he said,
“But it wouldn’t actually be mine, would it?”
“Ah, well you see this is where your name comes in – sponsorship old man, sponsorship!”
William frowned
“What’s up?”
“Well, I kind of looked into that route…seems these people who are willing to sponsor you want to own your very soul…and if you get it wrong, boy – are you in trouble!”
It was Tim’s turn to frown, and then he said,
“Well, how do you mean old man?”
“Well, take this doctor I knew in Queens, he was sponsored by this antibiotic company, they gave him a car, calendars, pens, books a computer – holidays, golf clubs – but he couldn’t prescribe any other drugs than the ones who were sponsoring him – he did once and they sued him, he lost everything and had to go back to ER – he hated it”
“Yes but, that’s the ‘States’ for you old thing, not here!”
****************************
“Which do you think, the red………or the blue?” Buffy held the tops up to her, still on their hangers.
“What are you wearing with it?” Willow asked
“My black skirt, the one that’s all swirly cut at the knees”
“Hmm…the blue, no! The red!” Buffy rolled her eyes
“You’re as bad as me!”
“What about that one, there, that top, the white one”
“Which one, this?”
“No, next to your cellophane covered dress”
“This…hmm, could do – no, it’s as old as the hills – oh I just can’t make up my mind!” Buffy bounce-sat on the bed
“Tell you what…are you meeting William at the airport tomorrow?”
“Uh huh, 4.30pm, why?”
“We could go into town early, and you could buy something new!”
Buffy grinned
“Yeah, okay – oh, and I could get my face done at one of those swanky make-up houses…then buy an eye shadow! That’s a mom trick, if she’s got something special on at the gallery, she goes and browses, and buys the lipstick they’ve used – they’re happy they got a sale, and moms happy coz she’s had her face professionally made up!”
“Willow, ready to go now hon?”
Both girls stood
“See you tomorrow then, what time?”
“Hmm, come here for 10 O’clock?” Buffy said
“Great – see you!”
“Willow!”
“Coming mom!”
*******************
“Pudding?”
“Just coffee for me”
“Two coffee’s please”
“So, let me get this, you’d want to use my name for the clinic, and get me to put in half a million dollars, as a sign of goodwill?”
“That’s about it old man, yes!”
“Right, well if I can take this, it’s all drawn up legally in here is it?” William picked up the blue folder Tim had given him
“Uh huh, you just sign on the dotted line, give me a cheque and we’re in business!”
“I see, well obviously I’ll want my legal adviser to go over the small print first”
“Sure thing old man, but don’t keep me waiting too long!”
“Course not…how does the middle of next week sound for the answer?”
“Excellent!”
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