0 comments/ 16476 views/ 5 favorites A Womanizer Reforms By: egmontgrigor2010 CHAPTER 1 Thirty-year-old Hal Pearson's divorce was finalized and it was goodbye good-time Melody who had got away with half of his assets and was back at her dance studio and screwing her financial backer, a married guy. Sure Hal was bitter, having lost three years spent unwisely married to a hot bitch that soon tired of being with him exclusively, although he had to admit there had been many great times. When he found Melody in bed with her brother oblivious to him entering the room because they were being so disgusting, Hal kicked both of them out of the house and had it sold before Melody thought of applying for divorce. She still got half of his, um, his disclosed assets. Hal leased a studio apartment and continued at The Sentinel newspaper as a business columnist and with Melody gone considered fancied was free to have any female who'd suck his tongue. His strike rate rather pleased him but as most were married the liaisons failed to blossom into satisfying affairs. Damn. A buddy told him the latest 'zip' (gossip) doing the office. Macy Aphelia Law, the executive editor's 26-year-old glamorous journalism graduate daughter, had walked out of the General News Department where she'd been deemed 'next to useless' and had said no to a transfer to Features and no to Home and Fashion and no to Motoring. Her enraged father ruled it was Business or she was history. Macy was inducted into business reporting where on her second day she was deemed to be 'next to useless.' Hal sniffed. Macy, God was a name. Perhaps she ought to be working in a department store. Alan Wright dropped in to Hal's office and that was rather ominous. Alan rarely spoke to Hal these days because his married daughter had been one of Hal's post-divorce conquests and daddy found out. Hal tensed, thinking Alan was about to announce he was ending Hal's column and returning the adulterer to financial reporting. But Alan was smiling, showing bad teeth. Huh? "Great column yesterday," Alan began. Huh? And ten minutes later Hal had been told he was to take Macy Law under his wing and groom her to become a successful newspaper journalist. "I don't think so," Hal objected gently. "Oh I think so. You fucked my daughter, a mother of two little kids. So who's next, Macy Law's mother? Now what do you think Frank Law would say to that possibility if I presented it to him and told him you'd soiled my daughter who just happens to be Frank's goddaughter?" Huh? When the smiling Alan left, Hal called Accommodation and Supplies and ordered a new desk and chair and filing cabinet for his office, asking for the smallest desk available. When thinning-on-the-top blond Hal arrived Monday and smelt a sickening fragrance in his office, he found Macy was at her desk painting her nails. "Oh hi Mr Pearson or is it Hal?" "It's Hal. What's your bra size?" "That is confidential personal information Hal and for some reason the HR manager called me to her office after I had been advised of this transfer. Mrs French spoke to me about harassment and how to report breaches of our company's Code of Ethics. She gave no explanation for that briefing. Do you have a reputation for being a naughty boy Hal?" "Who me? I should think not. Christ look at the size of your desk. Someone's been an idiot. I'll call Accommodation and Supplies and demand they come up and change it immediately." "No Hal. I anticipate doing only a little bit of work and so a desk this small seems appropriate." She uncrossed and re-crossed her beautiful long legs slowly, as if to capture Hal's attention. "I'm a person who prefers quality over quantity Hal. I guess you being a columnist also fit that profile?" The move didn't fail. Hal swallowed and had the ridiculous feeling of being caught in a web. He cleared his throat. "I um noticed on your profile that it's your birthday Friday. For some reason a bra jumped into my mind." Macy folded her arms high up over her chest and said coldly she believed she knew why. "God Hal get your mind above you belt. If you must know 34C." "Are you sure?" "Of course I am. I'm narrow across the back. Flowers will be very acceptable and you may take me out to morning coffee. Now teach me the practicalities of journalism to add to my academic absorption." "Pick you phone and call around for leads. I'll get coffee." "Call whom?" "Those deadbeats lecturing at the School of Journalism would have taught you about cold calling." "Yes but we were given phone numbers." "Pull up the Yellow Pages on your computer. You do know how to use a computer to bring up the Yellow Pages I take it?" "Yes but what kind of business do you wish me to call?" "Any business with a payroll exceeding 1000 initially. In Business we give priority to big business and after them niche business." "Give me an example of a niche business." Hal hitched up his trousers and grinned, looking where her folded arms had been. "A small company that produces very strong big bras. She scowled at him and didn't look very pretty. If she hadn't hurled her desk paperweight at him, drawling her arm back for the throw and thus revealing to Hal a taunt breast of magnificent classical shape, he would have written off Macy. Instead he ducked athletically and the lead weight shattered the glass division behind him. The thought of that breast shape momentarily flooded his mind before he regained composure. "Call Joey in Accommodation and Supplies to get someone up here fast with a new pane of glass. Tell him what happened but if word gets out about this I'll have his balls for a necklace." "I-I couldn't say that to him." "It's your choice -- either you momentarily embarrass yourself saying that to Joey or you suffer the humiliation of having the 170 people in Editorial knowing you behaved like an idiot after you had to admit I'd not laid a finger on you." "Oh god." "My office is usually an atmosphere of intelligence, friendliness and creativity Miss Law. When you report to your father tonight about you day at the office please say I said you have a great throwing arm. I reckon I was point-two of a second from being hit fatally between the eyes by a lead weight." "Oh god." When Hal returned with two machine coffees Old Ted was already placing the restraining glass around the new pane. "Morning Hal." "Hi Ted. How's Lucy and is Robert still at McEwan Aviation?" "Yeah Robert's foreman of a jet engine maintenance crew and Lucy's florist shop is going great, particularly since you convinced HR here to decree all flowers and formal floral tributes should be ordered from Flowers by Lucy." "It was just an idea Ted and putting three kids through high school must eat up a bit of income." "Here's you coffee darling." "Jesus Hal, does the big boss's daughter allow you to call her darling?" "It's her first day here. I pulled out her chair and welcomed her and told her she'd come to the right guy to teach her about cutting-edge journalism and she shed a couple of tears of gratitude and told me to call her darling." Hal heard Macy splutter coffee behind him. "Miss Law, Top Gun Hal is likely to teach you more than journalism. Heh-heh-heh." Hal pulled his chair over to Macy and asked her to show him what she'd got. She looked confused until Hal pointed to the three entries on her notepad. The third item caught his attention. "Why the hell is Simon Bedding International sending a waterbed to Afghanistan?" "Because one of our military commanders there has slept on a waterbed since his marriage and wants one sent out to him. His wealthy parents are paying all costs and it's a practical shipment because he is based at HQ." "Has it gone yet?" "No." "Darling. You grab a photographer and get right out to Simon Bedding and first speak to the business development manager who will probably be female. She of all people within the company will know what a story in The Sentinel will do for the company and she'll steer you quickly through company hierarchy. The company chairman is a pal of dad's and so I can assist if you get stuck. I'll coach when you begin writing the story. I'll tell the news editor to hold space for you on the front page. "Front page but I'm a business columnist aren't I?" "Actually you are the assistant to the business columnist but why bother about that detail when you full your bra so well? I get something on page one or three at least three times a month as general news and I work in competition with the fucking entire business reporting team." "God you make it sound like it's dog eat dog." "Ah so they did teach your something at journalism school? Off you go. Try to get a female photographer." "Why?" Hal sighed. "It's camera guys for blood, rape, explosions, murder, building collapses, traffic accidents and hostage dramas. Females for homecomings, funerals, weddings, awards and anything else that can make female readers cry. Didn't they teach your anything at journalism school? Off you go." "What will you do while I'm away?" "Find stuff to fill my column without an assistant." "Oh god, I should be helping with that." "Get that great ass moving Macy or I'll plant my boot into it. You are making me emotionally disturbed with your unremitting loyalty." "My what?" Macy yelled as she ran out the doorway with her handbag. Hal took his phone and went to the café to find someone to chat with while waiting for the calls that would come from PR people and other tipsters who knew getting a mention in the column 'Hal Person on Business' rated at least as good as getting a single column story on front page and if the information was good enough Hal would get his story splashed on page one or three or use it as the lead on his column. Hal had to take his hat off to Macy. She'd learned something at journalism school. By the time she was ten minutes on her way back from the plant with the photographer who was driving, she'd emailed him a brief outline of the story and one of the digital images Macy had downloaded from the camera. She advised she'd decided not to contact Army HQ in case they then attempted to kill the story. "Good girl. Fuck Army chiefs," Hal grinned talking to himself. "If the family is paying all costs it's really none of the Army's business. Let them be embarrassed. This story will be run in media internationally. My girl is already on the way to becoming a star." His email reply stated, 'Good work, tell no one about this story'. Business news editor Alan Wright wandered in and looked at the empty chair and he snorted, "How the hell can Macy work at a desk that small?" "She is capable of working with her laptop on her knee Alan so quit bitching. I ordered a small desk to teach her humility. Being the executive editor's daughter she will have a feeling of being privileged." "Well where is she? You haven't sent her crying to the women's room already have you?" "No she's out on a small job with a photographer. She got the lead herself Alan; that ought to make you smile." "She's green and so it won't be good enough for any of my pages?" "Well Alan would you be interested in one of our companies sending a bed to a customer?" "Christ Hal you're on thin ice. Fancy sending a rookie out chasing a fucking useless story like that." "It's what is called incremental extension in reporting Alan but then you never got a degree in journalism did you?" "Watch your mouth Hal. I'm warning you. And I order you to get Macy's incremental extension moving along briskly. Her father expects her as a fourth-generation newspaper journalist to become a star. Christ it was a mistake giving her to you. You'll send her in the opposite direction." "If she's not already there." "Well yes, her dad is worried about that." Hal walked into the office of the news editor and said, "Gillian honey save the second front page lead page in tomorrow morning's edition for a story with picture from my office and expect to get good money for it from international agencies." "Have you been drinking Hal despite not been to lunch yet?" "You know Macy's being dumped on me." "Oh yes, even I have to feel sorry for you about that. Well at least you can stare at her tits all day. God what I'd give to have a pair like those." "Macy is coming in with one of our best stories of this year Gillian and you better believe it. She found it herself and has emailed me already and it's as good as we anticipated. Here look at the picture on my phone." "Christ Hal you baboon. Why the hell would I be interested in three grinning goons standing over a bed?" "If I can sell this to you promise you'll run a mugshot of Macy with her byline that states, By rookie Business Reporter Macy Law." "That will be the day. For a start the use of the word rookie is banned. We give the impression all of our reporters are experienced and very proficient." "Think of the reaction of her father when he reads his daughter is being called a rookie business reporter. His chest will swell with pride." "He'll more likely have kittens and his boot will end up my butt." "Gillian I do have your agreement?" "Yes providing pigs can fly." "Well sit back sweetheart and listen to the précis." Gillian's eyes widened and her eyebrows lifted higher and higher. "Jesus pal." "Great eh. And if any of your crew attempt to rewrite her story I will personally report the blasphemy against his daughter to her father." "Well if you supervise as she writes then the story she files it will be ready to run unaltered." "Gillian you sweetheart and how's Harold?" "Still more interested in fishing that in me." "Then take him away to new places for new shopping experiences for you and new fishing locations for him. Guess how pleased he'll be about that?" "Well I admit to having thought about it." ""We just thinking has never yet caught a fish. You know what to do Gillian." "God how can you be such a bastard to women and yet be so lovely?" Hal laughed and said he thought it had something to do with perception. Macy rushed in looking hot and flustered. "Hey slow down. There are hours to go before deadline." Hal turned to the photographer, "Let's see what you've got Gloria um I mean on camera." The grinning photographer connected her camera to the TV monitor and they watched the shots roll. Really revved up, Macy said, "I prefer the third shot Hal, don't you?" "Baby let's do this in the traditional manner. Please ask Gloria which is her preference and if that's not the shot your favor then utter one word, why?" "Which shot do you prefer Gloria?" "SP2282 (the number of the exposure) or the fourth exposure taken to you." "Er why?" "Because the light on their faces is best, their expressions are best, they are no longer posing and although the next three are okay this one will crop best. Hal?" "You make a sound argument for a technical person Gloria but I go for SP2279, your first exposure. It will crop okay but I like the spontaneity of expression, two workmen and their female supervisors taking pride in their work and delighted to have a fuss being made of it and aware who their client is. This had to be a special order, at least that's my guess. Few water beds are made these days." "Why yes," Macy said in surprise. "The production supervisor told me that." "So it's SP2279, SP2281 and SP2282 as choices. File all three Gloria dear and allow the so-called experts make the selection. Good work guys. Photographing a bed for front page was never going to be easy. The illustrations editor and news editor will crop for the faces by showing less of the mattress. Jesus Gloria you've lost weight." Gloria flushed but looked pleased. "I was thinking it was so unfair no one saying anything but I'm enjoying working hard at the gym and eating a bit less. Hal you are a gorgeous man." "Come on Macy, quit staring at me. Get to your keyboard. I'll coach from your shoulder." Macy shed her jacket and sat. "I'm not a fan of this perfume." "It could be sweat." "Nah I'm used to sweating women. It's one of those heavy spice fragrances." "Yes grandma gave it to me for Christmas." "Do you have um Joy?" "Yes." "Think about wearing that occasionally and then I may like you." "Yes Mr Pearson." "Well that's gotten you relaxed. Now just write your story as if you were relating it to your grandmother but cut out the flowery talk. You can then go back and review it as many times as you wish and try to make improvements. But let's get the bones of the body of your story assembled first." "God you ought to be lecturing in journalism." "What surrounded by all that tit and leg. I'd be an incoherent mess." Macy smiled and pressed her fingers together, composing herself. Hal sat back a little and waited patiently, wondering what she'd be like to plunder. Possibly very good. She appeared physically strong and mentally strong too judging by the way she'd come through her initial immersion at The Sentinel. Her father and mother and grandparents and her great grandfather had been revered as reporters and so much was expected of Macy; the stupid people to whom she'd been assigned had expected too much of this rookie. Well Uncle Hal would show the bastards how wrong they were with their initial assessments of Macy. God she couldn't help being blonde, great-looking and with big tits. But Macy a bimbo? No way, not if she would allow Hal Pearson, former award-winning reporter and award-winning columnist to apply his magic. Macy was packing up to leave mid afternoon when the news editor Gillian Masters walked on. "Hi Tracy." "Hi Mrs Masters. It's Macy." "Congratulations young woman. I've just come from the editorial conference. There's only more of the same today by way of crime and mayhem and so it has been decided the lead should be the Colonel's bed." "Omigod, Omigod." "It's not a favor or an attempt to lick your dad's boots Macy. We simply recognize the huge human interest in this story. Our legal team is satisfied no military regulation is being broken and it won't cost the Colonel his job if political fallout embarrasses his superiors because they know the media would fall on them with vengeance. It's a real fun story and you have written it well." ""Hal helped me." "Indeed he probably did but I'm very familiar with his style and don't see it here." "Then his influence is buried." "The take credit where credit is due dear, there's no reason to fight. But believe you are nowhere near as bad as you have been led to believe. This is why your father insisted you be placed with Hal. Listen to him, learn from him but watch his hands Macy." As Gillian left Macy giggled at the astounded look fading from Hal's face. "I thought you were here with me because Alan didn't know what to do with you?" "Hal please believe me, I had no idea my father was involved." "I accept that. God I've been conned. Alan presented it as his idea. But it doesn't matter; you're not going to be tossed around like a sack of chaff. You are staying here until you are groomed ready for anything. You are a lovely young lady and..." "Let's go and have sex. I need to celebrate." "No let's keep emotion out of our relationship." "Oooh do you emote when you engage in sex Hal? How interesting." "Off you go clever lady. Remember there are hours to go before press roll. If something big comes in you'll loose the lead position and you might even be held over." "I know. They teach us stuff as journalism school Hal and I did work on other newspapers between semesters because daddy didn't want me coming here. I love it you talking about me having the lead or me being held over for another day. It makes the story sound like me." A Womanizer Reforms "Yeah well that's how I regard my work and so should you. Feel it as part of you. Anyone can operate a keyboard baby but the question is can they inject creativity? Every story is different and all stories require different treatment. That's the nature of journalism; it goes beyond crafting. Think of it as the ownership has when a farmer looks out at his corn field." "God Hal you're an inspirational genius." He grinned and told her to fuck off. "Let me know when you want it Hal," she giggled. * * * Macy hung out with some of her friends after work and when she arrived home found her parents, as usual, having a pre-dinner drink. As she entered the room her mom Davina felt the radiance of her daughter than went beyond her excited smile. "Oh darling, what is it?" Macy caught her father's concealed grin and was disappointed to learn that he knew. "Oh I met this gorgeous man today and know he and I are destined to have a tumultuous affair," she said, driving the grin from her dad's face. "Oh yes and who is he? Not someone from the newspaper I should hope." "Hal Person," Macy said in triumph, watching her dad's nearest fingers ball into a fist and then heard the horror in her mom's voice. "Oh god no. Not Hal Pearson," her mom cried, laying back in her chair and pressing her diaphragm as if in need of increased air supply. "If that bastard lays a finger on you I'll gun him down." "Frank speak responsibly to your daughter. Darling Mr Pearson might be a bit of a celebrity as a newspaper journalist, um in fact the only one in our city, but that man harvests women and then spits them out like crumbs, or so I've heard said." ""Gee mom, don't you find that fascinating?" "Not when my daughter is next in line I don't." Macy confessed she'd only met him that morning. "At first I thought I would dislike him intensely with his improper innuendoes but as the day worn on he really got through to me." "I can't believe any man is that impressive," Davina snorted. "Well his the only guy who's ever learned my bra size without removing my bra and in fact he's not even said he will date me." Macy heard her father cracking his knuckles. "Cool it dad. He's not touched me and neither has he made an improper suggestion as far as I can recall. But he is so manly, so awesome. He even knows the names of old Ted's kids." "And who is Ted?" he father asked. "He a maintenance guy from Accommodation and Supply. His daughter is a florist and his son leads a crew maintaining jet aircraft engines. Dad that's why Hal is a celebrity and excels at his craft, he knows everyone and they like the interest he takes in him. I couldn't believe that tough news editor Mrs Masters straighten his hair and jacket, taking a motherly interest in him. "Gillian treats him like that, Gillian?" Frank asked in awe. "Yes and she obviously loved it when he swatted her butt." "Well actually I more than like him, but I mean that in the nicest possible sense," Davina said. "His smile knifes through me and nobody says my name like he does." "There's only one way to say Davina," Frank said. "He says it kind of breathlessly, saying 'Dav' and then leaves a slight pause before finishing the 'ina'." "Mom he's romantic. But he has yet to look at me like that. I just feel his presence and I presented him with a story after being told to make calls and thought he'd grab it for himself. But no he sent me out with a photographer and then in the hour after my return taught me more about reporting, photo choice and writing than what I learned in three months, perhaps longer, at journalism school." "Well yes dear and I'm aware he's acknowledged as the consummate professional amongst his peers. They just ignore his woman-devouring reputation." "Mom most of that will be just gossip. He probably bowls five women and gets credited with thirty successes. You know what women are like." Macy said with quiet reverence, "Mom thanks to Hal unless something big came up I'll have the lead in tomorrow's editions." "You're joking?" "No it's true," Frank grinned proudly. "I read it in the minutes of the mid-afternoon news conference and felt it necessary to call through for confirmation. Ollie Edwards said it was the pick of the bunch and good enough to hold off anything for that spot baring a catastrophic event and then that probably would have to be local to topple Macy's placing." "Omigod. But the word I was getting darling was you were next to useless. Did Hal write the story for you?" "No he sat at my shoulder and criticized my perfume and told me to wear something like Joy." "Oh not to the office darling but I have a bottle that will upgrade you. And after the criticism?" "He told me to write the rough as if I was telling the story to grandma and then I could review my work as many times I wished and he would discuss possible changes with me. Mom the man's a genius." "Well I could have told you to embark on that approach darling. Don't they teach you anything at that School of Journalism?" "Of course they do. Mom I think the photographer could be gay but she was practically drooling over Hal when he congratulated for getting great shots from a nothing situation." "What sort of nothing situation?" "Three people standing over a mattress." "Yes that's a sort of nothing situation. So why is it the lead story in our newspaper tomorrow?" "Mom wait to you read it. Basically it's a story that tells itself but I'm excited because it gives me a bit of credibility. People have been treating me like I was crap. Don't tell her dad because I want my mom to be surprised in the morning." "Well nothing Hal Pearson is associated with would surprise me darling," her mom said dryly. "Some of my girlfriends say his column is about the only thing they read in the business pages apart from interest rates and specific stock prices." "Belinda Evans is too old, too out of touch and too stale mom. Once Hal Pearson has me up to speed writing half of his column for him I will be asking the editor to replace Belinda with me as the Page 5 Columnist." "Frank?" "A horse never jumps a fence until it reaches it darling and our daughter will have to lean to use similar restraint and patience." "Mom listen to dad and please try not to unduly influence me. If Hal Pearson seduces me so what? Other chicks have had that questionable honor and here's something to consider mother: Hal Pearson is one of the few males on the entire staff of The Sentinel who was not ready to dismiss me as a bimbo and he didn't even know me but had heard about me. Think hard about that mother." "Well at least that's something. Do you wish me to invite you to your birthday party at the restaurant on Friday?" "Oh god no. You and dad would buttonhole him and warn him off me. No way do I wish him to loose interest in me, professionally or otherwise. You must know what it's like when you feel like the touch of a good man mother?" "Yes that's why I sometime call you father home for a couple of hours," Davina said dryly. Frank stared at the ceiling and endued the cackling of his wife and daughter. In the morning Davina waited for almost twenty minutes at the front door until the delivery kid thudded the newspaper on to their front porch. She raced out to retrieve it and flew back to bed with it, leaving the front door wide open. She elbowed Frank awake as she tore off the wrapper and yelled, "Macy." They waited until Macy came in and jumped into bed with them, stowing away a rogue breast and sweeping untidy hair out of her eyes. Davina unrolled the newspaper like Queen Bee, her husband and daughter lolling against her. The heading read, 'American Colonel in Afghanistan Awaits Water Bed.' "Omigod," breathed Davina. "Heads will roll over this," Frank yelled. "That word 'rookie' in the byline is banned in my newspaper." "Oh calm down Frank. That will just be Hal Pearson winding you up. He will have also warned the news editor if anything attempt was made to rewrite your daughter's story they would be answering to you." "Great guess mom. He did issue that warning." "Oh darling hasn't your daughter done well, sniffing out this story and then writing it. It should be going on the wire." "We use email these days Davina. Get up to date. It has been sent to international news agencies and will now be arriving on to the desk of agency subscribers around the world." "Omigod around the world. Macy Law, you may have just achieved the biggest first for a rookie reporter in world journalism." "Congratulations my sweet girl. It is indeed a tremendous feat." "Thanks guys," Macy said snuggling down alongside her mother. "Dumb bimbo eh." "It's doubtful you'll ever hear that label attached to you again by anyone in journalism baby," said her father snaking a hand down his wife's thigh and getting it smacked away. * * * Macy arrived at work next morning minutes ahead of Hal and paled when she clicked on to the personnel network to find a message to all staff containing a big photograph of her with a terse caption: Anyone working on this newspaper who has regarded Macy Law as a dumb blonde and a misfit in journalism ought to be now questioning their judgment and assessing their suitability to remain in journalism. This waterbed effort from Macy will not be the last news missile you'll see from her. She found the story unassisted and wrote it with very little assistance required from me. Macy's mentor Hal Pearson.' As Macy finished reading the message for the second time she saw responses appearing from people also reading the message. 'Great work Macy. Welcome to the team.' 'We expected nothing less from the Executive Editor's daughter and you delivered.' 'Amazing. I consider myself a good reporter but worked here four years before I got my first lead placement. You are amazing.' 'So young, so pretty, so loaded with talent and now you have unloaded the fruits of that talent. Congrats Macy.' "Wow that story and who produced it stunned me Macy. Ps Never turn your back on your mentor although if you do you may not be disappointed.' Oh god. Well Alan Wright was her boss. She'd go to him and face the music because that story had not passed through his hands. He'd be furious. Reporters and the two business sub-editors were at their desks when Macy began walking through the room. A guy yelled oh here's the white-hot Macy and a female called "Brilliant work Macy" and began clapping and everyone stood and clapped. Alan came out of his office with his PA and they were clapping and smiling. Macy waved a little nervously and went and asked Alan could he see her in his office. He hugged her and released her said, "We are so proud of you Macy. In future if you get a big story pass it through my hands, ignore your, what does he call himself, your mentor." "I was coming to apologize for that. I thought it was a breach of procedure but I got carried away by Hal's generous verbal support and disbelief that he thought my story would make the front page." "Yes a compulsive rule breaker is Hal Macy, you just make sure it's not contagious. Back to work everyone. That is probably the biggest story this newspaper has ever produced in terms of readership Macy. General news will have a team on to it now to write about the wrath of military chiefs and claims they have been ridiculed and no doubt politicians will be jumping in to grab the limelight. Meanwhile during the next twelve hours people around the world will be reading your story, er at least some of them." "I hope a reporter calls on the colonel's parents about this." "Jesus," Alan said, pulling out his phone. Half and hour later Macy was collected by a general news reporter and photographer to call on the colonel's parents. The reporter wanted a photograph of Macy meeting the parents and the reporter had coached Macy about some of the comments she should make. Macy arrived back at 11:30 and Hal said, "Where have you been?" "I left you a note." "I would prefer you being here rather than being out of the office and leaving notes that I don't have time to read. I received a call at 7:00 this morning advising that Johnstone Industries would be announcing at 8:00 it would be laying off 470 people. I got a photographer and another reporter that should have been you to join me and now I'm writing the front-page lead for tomorrow's paper. That will keep me busy so I want you to write the column today. Your deadline is at 5:00." "Oh god, what will I write about, who will I call?" "You should have began your calls at 8:00. I suggest you just write something to introduce yourself as assistant business columnist." "And write about what?" "How would I know? You are today's columnist." Unsure of herself, Macy called her mom for help. Her mom had been features editor for many years. "You have company stock worth tens of thousands of dollars. Write about that." "I can't that would be akin to boasting to many readers and power investors would sneer a portfolio that small was chicken shit." "But I was meaning write how you came to hold that stock." "Oh mom, you're a genius." Macy had gone for the day when Hall went to his computer and pulled up her story filed via Alan. He expected it to be okay but still was responsible for the content of his column and so checked it out. He finished reading it grinning and thought she really had nothing to worry about if committing to a future in journalism. Frank brought the paper in next morning, poured coffee and took the tray back to bed and gave Davina what she usually demanded, the front news section. But instead she demanded the business section. She read with great fascination. By Deputy Business News Columnist Macy Law Today we discuss a way to be extra nice to your kids or grandchildren. Buy them stocks and hand over the holdings to them administer when they are eighteen or even much older if you prefer. I was six and apparently talked almost nonstop. One day I told my maternal grandmother I liked ice-cream so much I wished I could own the store that made it. Gran thought that was fine and said she would pay some money so I could own part of the business. Apparently I thought she meant she could only afford to buy part of one cow that made the cream that was turned into ice cream. It was unlikely I ever figured out until many years later how they put the flavor in ice cream but then people today have shares in Microsoft and will have no idea about how the screens that display their company sells actually made the color renderings or where are the chips to be found or how can there be memory when you can't see memory? From then on my smart grandmother gave me a certificate for my birthdays and at Christmas, while other people gave me dolls and books and even more exciting things than a stupid piece of paper... but of course later electronic transactions replaced paper transactions. Gran decided not to over-spoil me and so purchased stock in minimum parcels. Sometimes she confided things had gone wrong. For instance the airline I had stock in went under, whatever that meant, and she said she should have brought me a heap of dolls instead but I said that would have been silly because I had Rebecca, my favorite doll. Gran knew I liked her taking me to Sears so purchased some Sears stock at one time and added Westinghouse, Johnson and Johnson and Kellogg. I wanted to own a part of my school but Gran said the only money they'd take in my name would be a donation and offered no return on that. When I won a scholarship to college Gran was so proud of me she bought me 1000 Apple shares to go with holdings in my name in oil, gas and gold exploration. She could never find a doll-maker for me to have an investment in and the bicycle-maker she invested in using my name was another to flop. Unbeknown to me my benefactor was building wealth for my future and because she started on this twenty-four years ago with stock in an outfit that made ice cream and raised capital from the public and now it's part of a multinational corporation through DIPS and DRIPS, terms I only came to know about from about the age of eighteen. I had no idea that most of the stock held in my name was increasing in value over time, above and beyond the value of Gran's original investment in me. Grandma and Granddad became millionaires when in their mid-thirties by selling their ranch they'd worked hard and with the hope of reasonable favorable seasons to make debt-free. They had almost reached that goal when a guy came along and wanted to build houses on the ranch that was adjacent to their city. But that's another story. When I turned twenty and was at college Gran handed over the portfolio of stocks she'd purchased for me over the years and I was flabbergasted at how much I was worth. Now six years later I know a great deal about trading in stock but the funny thing is I've changed nothing because I am convinced Gran's conservative investment program has proved it's worth and so I decided to let them ride. Gran stopped her stocks donations when giving me the Apple shares when I graduated high school. But when I gained my masters in media studies (print journalism) she gave me a new car and sadly that proved to be her worst investment on my behalf apart from those companies that went belly up. Each year that car lost value in depreciation and I realized the loss I'd suffered, less the value of usage as transport of course, when I sold it and went overseas on a working vacation for two years. Now here's the crunch. Through grandma's generosity, wise purchasing and the accumulation of good fortune owning stock in some companies that benefit stockholders, my Gran's investment in me today is valued at just under $150,000. I've never worked for any of those companies and indeed have never visited any of them and not attended any of their functions. In fact I have never actually contributed a cent to them apart what was removed from my dividends account with a broker to meet special offers of advantage to me or to be reinvested. Think about this if you have children or grandchildren. Some young people without children to date set up an education fund for their future children and that's a marvelous, forward-thinking commitment. But my Gran, who is still alive, taught me endowment could be even more ambitious. I have to report I have no idea how much money Gran invested in me but she said it was more or less chicken shit. Even so I know sometime ahead it will be spent on buying a house, a big house, because some guy will be asked to front up with his share of our joint home. Thanks to those who coped with my ramble. I wrote it like this to get my message across. The next day Macy began the routine of making calls from 8:00 and filed three items for Hal to add to his column and turned one into a double column story she filed with Alan for the general news business pages. On Thursday's edition The Sentinel ran an illustrated story of the waterbed being loaded on to a road freighter to begin its journey to Afghanistan. The military chiefs had wisely decided to leave it to the General who had the colonel under his command to figure out what would happen to the waterbed when it arrived, as there would be media interest in the event. Later than day Macy counted the emails she'd received from the public about her story, some writers being critical that the story had been published. She'd received sixty-six emails since publication of the initial story. As she was leaving work Hal told her he'd already written a column for Saturday and would be attending a business conference all day next day. He suggested she try to find general stories for Alan. A Womanizer Reforms "Oh Macy," he called as she was leaving. She stopped. He came over and kissed her, beautifully she thought. "Happy birthday for tomorrow." She expressed surprised he'd remembered. Next morning Macy found a package on her desk and opened it excitedly, wondering whom it was from. It was a beautiful bra and panty set, the right size. The card with it stated: "Happy Birthday 34C. Great tits!" Macy called her mom and told her about the present. "Would you like me to invite Hal to your birthday dinner tonight?" "Oh yes please. Here's his phone number. You may have to leave a message" * * * Davina had been surprised on Wednesday night when she asked and Macy revealed Hal had not hit on her. Macy then told her Hal had suggested their relationship ought to be confined to a professional one. "But why?" "I really think he's afraid of how dad might react with me and how other people might react." "Do you want me to call off your father?" "No it's really no business of his what Hal and I do providing it doesn't affect our work adversely. Its expensive for the newspaper to provide Hal with an assistant and really quite unnecessary and I think I'm almost ready to go solo." "Darling this is absolutely confidential and I mean that Macy." "Understood mom." "Your father is about to announce Hal will replace Susan Fields as managing editor in three months when she retires. Hal will be appointed assistant editor forthwith and work with her." "Omigod Hal of all people?" "Yes I rather wobbled when he told me. But he said it sometimes pay to take risks and who is to know when it's the right time to take risks or avoid the risk such as this?" "Then he has confidence in Hal?" "Absolutely." "What is the attitude of the deputy editor Mr Joyce?" "That accounts for the delay. Ray Joyce has been given all this week to come back with his objections, if any." "He'll be devastated." "Ray knows he is not very good with people. Your father believes Sylvia will tell her husband to ride with the decision, that the humiliation will last only days once the appointment bypassing him is made." "So dad hasn't spoken to Hal about this?" "No and that is why you must not alert Hal in any way." "God Hal will want to take The Sentinel apart and reassemble it." "You father hopes he does because he's a very creative young man and would be our youngest-ever editor. But he'd have to establish a working party to review anything approaching major change." "Fair enough. It would keep the lid on things and ensure proper change management." "You are talking like a managing editor yourself darling." "We studied change management." "Hmmm, did you now?" Davina smiled, recalling that conversation. It seemed Macy was proving a surprise package simply because she'd been a slow starter. Her phone went. "Hi Dav...eena. You left a message asking me to call." "Yes not much notice I'm afraid but Macy has asked that I invite you to her birthday dinner her father and I are giving her this evening. Apparently she found just the sweetest birthday present from you on her desk this morning when she had no idea you'd remember it was her birthday. We have booked out Le Beaujoloiais Restaurant." "Well it's lovely to receive that invitation Dav...eena but first I need to know what is your opinion about Macy and I becoming more closely attached?" "I'm ambivalent." He laughed. "Great answer. It leaves me uncertain whether I have inched forward or been pushed back a step. Tell me, do you believe your daughter's reputation would be harmed if she associates with me?" "I'm quite certain she would come to no harm." "Great and then the final question, "Do you find me acceptable?" "Yes of course." "Great answers Dav...eena. You have raised a great daughter and she is on the cusp of an outstanding career. She's just a lazy starter but the talent is there." The birthday dinner was a great success and Davina looked at her radiant daughter and thought yes she really was a young woman now. Macy was hard-pressed to spend much time with any individual with so many family and friends seeking her attention. But Davina saw Macy greet and kiss Hal and marveled how long it took Macy's arm to fall away from his shoulder. Well it was obvious Macy wanted some action from him. Late in the evening Macy kissed Davina and thanked her for organizing such a memorable event for her. "It is what you deserved my dear sweet daughter." "Mom say no if you feel the need to say no and I promise I won't be too disappointed but is it okay if I ask Hal to take me home tonight and to sleep with me?" "Yes dear you have my approval but don't ask your father; I'll deal with him." When most people began leaving Davina saw Hal kiss Macy goodnight and he left, and Macy's body language indicated rejection. Davina placed an arm round her daughter and squeezed and said, "It will work out okay darling. He asked me on the phone this morning is it okay with me if he associates with you and I said absolutely." "Omigod, Omigod. Oh how relieved I am to hear that. Thanks mother. He has this notion that he must allow a relationship between us to develop slowly so that people around us don't paint me as one of his conquests." "I suggest you admire him for that darling and wait patiently." * * * Hal enjoyed the event, sitting at dinner between Davina's 10-year younger sister Lisa, who said she'd been divorced for almost two years. Unfortunately one of Macy's great-aunts on the other side of him monopolized conversation and everything had to be repeated two or three times because she was partially deaf. As Hal reached his car a woman emerged from beside a vehicle opposite and called Hal. It was Lisa and she was straight into it. "I'm in a predatory mood. Would you like to come to me home for a night cap?" Of course Hal thought. He must be a gentleman and say yes. Hal followed her home and the 43-year old kissed him heavily as soon as he entered the house, making her intent even clearer. "You don't really want a drink do you?" "Nope." "Then what do you want?" "This," he said, grabbing a handful of tit. "Mind my dress, it's new and expensive. I'll take it off." They fucked ferociously on the hallway mat, ferociously because she set the mood. He went home feeling a little battered but smiling. They'd only done it the once but she was so good that she got him off really big time. It was the best sex he'd had in a couple of years but the bitch had raked his back. He grinned even more when she stood and fell against the wall for support and sighed, "Jesus Hal you are much too much for me." It was a pity she hadn't remarried and chosen a robust guy who'd go to work each day with a big smile on his face. He was pleased she'd handed him a condom. Hal walked into his office on Monday morning and said hi and Macy said hi brightly. "Alan came in looking for you and went out grumpy and snarled you were keeping gentleman's hours." "I get my work done so there is no need for him to be nasty." "Well perhaps I have reason to be nasty. Mom saw you kissing Aunt Lisa in the parking area last night. Did you fuck her?" "Yeah." The guilt ravaged him when he saw Macy's face turn pale. Shit he should have lied; she would have been expecting him to lie. She bit her lip and then said, "Why her and not me?" "You have a reputation to develop. Your aunt couldn't care a fig about her reputation." Macy stood and began unbuttoning her shirt and she opened it, not bothered about the door being open. "I wanted you to see your birthday present, um the top half of it. Hal looked at the beautifully made and decorated garment but then a bra is a bra. He was more interested in the way the breast was tightly packed into it. "Show me a nipple." Macy calmly pulled up the left-hand side of the bra and what Hal saw made him lick his lips. "Now put both hands around the breast and squeeze." He was almost certain she wouldn't do that and might even yell something like 'How revolting'. But no, she looked down at her breast and did as he'd asked. The compacted breast pushing forward to emphasis the nipple was thickening accelerated Hal's breathing rate and that made him feel randy. "Thanks, put it away," he croaked. "That was a magnificent display baby. I admire you doing that for this foul lecher." "I don't regard you as either foul or being a womanizer. It's just something in you and from what I know you control it well. Would you fuck my mother is she came on to your strongly?" "Jesus Macy. You probably sense I won't lie to you. Just be careful what you ask me. Actually I am able to say no because it would be the end of you and me as a duo." "But you thought I'd accept you having sex with my aunt?" "Yes but the truth is I did not think about it because there wasn't much time to think and we both were a little randy." "Well off you go, our immediate boss wishes to see you." Alan walked in and said, "No he doesn't, and he wants to see both of you." He looked at Macy doing up her shirt and frowned She smiled and undid the buttons. "You may as well look too. It was my birthday yesterday and this is part of the lingerie set Hal gave me." Alan's eyes bulged. "Jesus Macy, there's more of you than I had thought. Er nice bra. Please button up. We have to talk." "Hal you are about to be re-assigned. This was dropped on me only an hour ago. It means a reshuffle here. Bert Shaw has agreed to take over the column. I'm sorry Macy but you are still too inexperienced to be responsible for grinding out a column day after day. However I'm taking a risk and placing you in Bert's chair and that's reporting new business." "No thanks Alan. If I can't stay with Hal then I'll be resigning." Frank looked shocked. "You can't throw your career away on a whim. Tell her Hal." "Macy is a big girl, quite capable of making her decisions. Personally I think you ought to try TV baby. You have the full on personality to earn really high ratings and from there you go into presenting, study drama and then specialize in directing." "Yes Hal I do think I should try for a job in TV but if I succeed I think I would not go beyond presenting. With experience under my girdle I might attempt to come back here as features editor. You'd welcome me back wouldn't you Hal?" "To see you working back on The Sentinel, yes sure." "Macy I strongly recommend you consult your father." "I hear you Alan, and thanks for your concern. I'll have my resignation to you within fifteen minutes. Could I leave at the close of work today? I know this is irregular but..." "Sure Macy. I realize you had decided your next step was to become a columnist but you first need a good grounding in basic journalism." "I know the news editor on Channel 4 Macy," Hal said. "C-4 is a network affiliate with strong emphasis on news and current affairs." "Thanks guys. You are being so kind to me." "Your father will kick my ass allowing you to walk like this Macy." "His bark is worse than his bite Alan. He'll know you buckled under pressure." "Rude bitch," Alan grinned. "Right let's begin working on tomorrow's column," Hal signed. "Who knows but the end of today I may be without a job. No way do I wish to run Features. A female is more suited for that kind of work." Later Macy told Hal she had an interview with Roger Wilson the news editor of C4 at 4:00 that afternoon. Hal said fine and excused himself to take a call. He said to Macy, "Something's up. That was your dad's PA. He wants to see me now in the board room." "Gosh I wonder what that's about? Perhaps he needs a few tips on womanizing?" "Bitch," Hal laughed and strode off. He returned half an hour later looking dazed. "The board chairman and deputy chairman, your father and the manager of HR were there. I was offered the editorship of The Sentinel and have accepted, effective in two months. In the meantime I work alongside the retiring editor. It will be announced in an all staff email at noon today." "Oh congratulations. With you being aware of your huge womanizing reputation, that offer must have come as rather a shock." "It was." He caught himself, "What womanizing reputation?" "Oh I hear people talk." Hal chose to ignore that. "Did you know about this?" Macy calmly lied and said of course not. "So that's why Bert Shaw has been given the column. Alan knew about the decision to make me the offer and assumed I would accept. Macy you must have known because that why you resigned." "Bullshit. I'm aware I'm totally unsuited for business reporting. It stifles a creative mind, er apart from being a columnist." "I think you knew." "Right I don't wish to have you whining on about this. I'm calling dad and you can ask him if he told me about that proposed offer." "Um no don't do that. I accept you told me the truth." Alan came in with Macy's termination check and documentation to sign at 3:00 and said she could go. "So what do you think about Hal now?" "Providing he stops shafting every woman who makes eyes at him, he will in time be hailed as one of the great editors of The Sentinel." Both men looked at Macy wide-eyed. "Well bye guys, it was great working in this department and I feel I was treated exceptionally well. Hal when you feel you can unbend enough to sleep with me, give me a call. Alan I regret I'm unable to make a similar offer to you." Macy kissed them both and went into the business department to say goodbye to everyone. They were all shocked to learn she had resigned. She went to the general newsroom and spoke only to Gillian the news editor who was preparing to go to the mid-afternoon news conference. "Oh god this is a shock," Gillian said. "I guess it's because of Hal's appointment, you'll not have him as your mentor?" "No I resigned before Hal was made the offer. I had decided I'm not suited to general reporting or business reporting." "You should try TV darling. You would excel in front of camera." "I'm seeing someone on C4 in an hour." "Great that's the strongest channel for news and current local affairs. I'm genuinely sorry to see you go." "Well I'll return eventually. My aim is to be features editor." "I'll mention that to your father," Gillian said. "I must go. Best of luck darling." CHAPTER 2 Macy expected the meeting with the news director would be a preliminary assessment and if she interviewed well she would be recalled for a formal interview. But when she arrived the news editor's PA took her straight through to make-up, explaining she would be interviewed formally after the screen test. "Just be yourself Miss Law and don't fret. A preliminary interview wasn't necessary. We know who you are?" We know who you are? Jesus this was a step up on the drubbing she'd received when beginning in the general newsroom of The Sentinel despite her father being the executive editor. A woman standing beside the operator of the sole camera said, "Just chat with me and try to keep relaxed Miss Law. Nothing will jump out of the camera to garrote you. I will ask you questions. This is to test how you would appear on-screen to viewers watching your news reports if you are hired to work here. Are you ready? Macy said yes and assumed the people who would be interviewing her would be either watching this or would watch the replay before she faced them. Interviewer: It's a lovely day today is it not? Macy: I would think not. Brief but heavy rain bursts plus wind from the north are not my idea of pleasant weather. Interviewer: And what is your idea of a lovely day? Macy: Sitting in the shade near a pool on a hot day, a gentle caressing breeze and with a glass of chilled white wine beside me. Interviewer: Do you like being caressed? Macy (giggling): Don't we all? The woman said that was it. "Oh was I that awful?" Macy asked, stretching her hands back to straighten her ponytail. "In my opinion you presented perfectly. That's all Jack." The cameraman straightened and placed a cap over the camera lens, making Macy aware filming had only just ceased. She sighed. She was taken to a room where a round-faced guy with a beer belly introduced himself as Roger Wilson. He introduced his two females colleagues to Macy. "Set the clip rolling Thelma." The room darkened and the test clip played on the monitor. Macy heard the three on the interview panel talking quietly but took no interest. She thought she looked good and moved and spoke naturally and smiled when she saw the extension when she was adjusting her hair, showing just what a great bra she was wearing, she sighed in satisfaction. If these guys want to see sex appeal, er camera appeal, they'd just looked at it. The interview got underway and she was asked numerous questions such as why was she leaving The Sentinel and why hadn't see asked her illustrious father to save her ass and why was she so bereft of experience. The big-jowl bitch on the panel, the HR manager, Anna Bowler, alleged, "You only got a reporting position on The Sentinel because of the influence of your illustrious father didn't you." "No." "Macy darling I simply cannot believe it." "Well you are wrong. I got the position because of the tremendous influence on senior editorial people of my mother, who was Davina Allen-Jones at her peak when she was perhaps the best-ever female newspaper journalist within 500 miles of where we sit." "Ah yes, Davina who scared the crap out of people who had something to cover-up and they knew they were doomed," Roger said. "Are you claiming to have the journalistic genes of your parents?" "No although I won't be surprised if time proves that I have." "Our top reporter Meg Thurlow wants to become a trainee director and we were about to seek her replacement. Do you know her?" "Yes she was two years ahead of me at college but we were in the same swim and hockey teams and I was chosen to thank her when she addressed us one afternoon at the School of Journalism and we went to dinner that evening and I've occasionally seen her socially because our mothers are good friends." "Well we are willing to hire you to replace Meg. What do you say to that?" "Thanks and you'll not regret taking the chance with me although I have little frontline experience." "But we hire people like that Marcy. We like to train graduates ourselves and don't look at experienced newspaper reporters; they find it difficult to make the transition because of the differences between their media and experience our distinctive requirements." "When may I start?" "Go with Mrs Bowler and she will present you with our standard contract offered to new recruits and you can refine conditions in discussion with her." During the next two weeks Marcy accompanied Meg on assignments and also attended long coaching sessions by the TV station's training officer. Marcy had called Hal to thank him for opening the door to television reporting for her and he was pleased to hear that and said it was lovely hearing her voice. "Um I have decided to abandon my licentious ways." Macy giggled and said how disappointing. "What?" "If you reform as a womanizer you might not be exciting enough for me to take much interest in you." "Well I've never failed to disappoint a woman yet Macy. Give me eighteen months to reform. You probably will see me photographed with a woman from time to time but it's likely to be the same woman to reinforce public perception that I have changed my ways. But rest assured it will not be a woman that I'd want to marry." "Why not." "Figure that out for yourself my sweet lady. Bye and I'm pleased you are in through the door of TV. You'll be a top personality."