In the morning Ann lay awake with his naked body pressed to hers. His arm was around her and she listened to him sleep. For the first time in a long time she was happy and she had a reason to expect much happiness in the future. She knew that she had found a special man. She was determined to not let him get away. She had wasted enough of her life.
The telephone by her bed rang and she reached for it.
The caller was her Aunt, "Ann, this is Aunt Edna. Uncle Rolf had a heart attack last night. We've been at the hospital since midnight. He's in intensive care and they think that he'll be Ok. He keeps asking for you. The doctor said that you can only see him for a few minutes. Can you come down to the hospital?"
Ann assured her that she could and hung up. She told Jim what had happened and they started to get dressed. Jim told her that he was going to the hospital with her and when she started to tell him that he didn't have to do that, he took the keys out of her hands and went out to warm up the car.
He was sitting in the passenger seat when she came out of the house. She hesitated and then got behind the wheel. They drove to the hospital and went right to the intensive care section. As they walked down the hall she saw her Aunt Edna in the visitor's lounge and went to her.
"He's going to be alright. They said that he's going to have to take it easy for a while. He's going to have to have a nurse at home for a while. I called young Rolf and he's flying in from overseas tonight."
The nurse came out to them and asked if Ann was the one he was asking for. When Ann nodded her head the nurse took her in to see her uncle. He was hooked up to a heart machine and had tubes in both arms. He had his eyes closed when they walked in but opened them when he heard them come into the room.
Ann walked to the bed and took his arm. He looked up at her and she almost cried. He looked very frail, not the robust man that she had lunch with every day.
He looked at her and started to talk haltingly, "You're going to have to run things for a while until I can get back to work. In the top drawer of my desk is a power of attorney giving you the right to make any decisions if I am incapacitated. I had it drawn up a couple of years ago. Hire somebody to help you. It's too much for just you."
The nurse came in and made her leave. Ann walked out to where her aunt was standing and made her sit down. She told her aunt what Rolf had said and her aunt nodded her head.
"That makes sense Ann. Young Rolf doesn't know anything about the business and neither do I. I just thank God that we have you to rely on."
They stayed several hours and then Ann and Jim left. Edna's sisters came before Ann left and were trying to talk Edna into going home. On the way home Jim asked Ann to drop him off at his place. He asked if she wanted him to be with her when she told Jessica what had happened to Rolf. She told him that she needed some time to make some plans and that it would be better if she spoke to Jessica alone.
Jim went to work the next day. He didn't get to see her because both of them were so busy. They only had a chance to be together a few times over the next few weeks. Ann was trying to run the whole thing herself and Jim could see that it was taking a toll on her.
The second week in January, Bill Park called Jim and told him that he had to fly down to see him and asked Jim to pick him up at the airport. Jim was waiting when Bill's plane touched down. When Bill walked out up to Jim he had a big smile on his face. They shook hands and started toward the baggage carrousels. Jim grabbed the one bag that Bill had brought with him and they headed for Jim's pickup.
When they started to drive to Parameter, Bill asked if they could stop somewhere and talk. Jim pulled into a restaurant. They parked and Bill brought his briefcase in with him. When the waitress greeted them Bill told them that he needed a table where they could talk and not be disturbed. He handed the waitress a 50-dollar bill and told her to bring 2 coffees and then leave them alone.
They sat down and Bill started telling Jim what a great job he was doing and how Rolf Parameter was praising him to the heavens.
"Ok Bill, something is on your mind. What is it?"
"As you know, I've been in Europe for the past 3 months. A German outfit has made an offer to buy the company. It's just too good to pass up. It's more money than I think that I can make off of the place for the next 20 years. I personally think they are overpaying for Park, but who am I to argue."
"What does this mean to me? Where do I stand in this deal?"
"That's the kicker Jim. You know the Germans. They are going to keep the design team we have now but they want to bring their own person in to run it. You know that when I took out key man insurance on the four of you guys, the insurance company required that anyone that I insured as a key man had to have a contract. Everybody else got a 2 or 5-year contract. I was joking around with you when I told you that I wanted you to sign a 10-year contract. We both knew that I would probably leave before you would. Well, the Germans are going to buy out your contract including you average bonuses. They almost shit when they found out what you were making in bonuses. You still have 8 years left on your contract. That's 8 times almost 240,000 dollars. You're going to be a very rich man."
"What about the job I'm on now?"
"They want you to work for 30 days to show the guy what you've done so far. The guy that is going to replace you is good. He speaks English better than I do. The Germans have agreed to honor all written agreements that you've made and if there are any agreements you've made that aren't in writing, they have agreed to look on them on a case-by-case basis. The job will be finished just as you've designed it and according to the schedule that you've set. They made a claim that they can finish the job quicker than you have projected.
Jim let out a big sigh, "Then this is all signed, sealed and delivered?"
"It's done. I have to move out of my office at the end of the month."
"What's in the separation agreement?"
"The usual stuff. No compete, company secrets, inventions. This is a great package for you."
"What about Parameter, who's going to tell them?'
"That's where we're headed right now."
"Bill, would you do me a favor and let me tell them? Rolf Parameter had a heart attack Christmas day and Ann Bristol and I have become a lot more than business acquaintances."
"Sure Jim. I know that you'd never do anything to hurt the company. Now how do you feel about this deal?"
"Some things have changed in my life recently. I'm ready to stop all of the traveling and jumping around that I used to do. I think that you just might have done me a big favor. You might want to tell the Germans that I'm going to make sure that this project is run like I would run it. Nobody is going to harm Parameter Fabrication."
"I don't think that you have to worry about that. This German outfit has as good a reputation as we have. I think that you'll like how they work. Now if your going to tell Parameter about this and convince them that everything will be done as it was when you were running the show, you can turn around and drive me back to the airport."
Jim took him back to the airport and dropped him off after they had shook hands and hugged each other. Jim told him that he was really glad that his friend had been able to walk away from the company while he was still young and be a very rich man. Bill Park walked into the secure area and waved as he walked out of sight.
Jim left the airport parking lot and headed back to town. He called Ann's office. When she came on the phone he told her that he had to meet with her as soon as possible, that an important matter had come up. She agreed to meet him as soon as he got back to her office.
When he walked into the lobby, the receptionist told him to go right in that Ann was expecting him. He walked down the hall to her office. He knocked and walked in. He closed the door just as she reached him and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. She pulled back and wiped the lipstick off his lips.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been able to see you more often since Rolf had his heart attack. Can you come over tonight?'
She saw the look on his face and she went behind her desk and sat down.
"Ann, I just had a meeting with Bill Park at the airport. Park machinery has been sold to a German outfit. They're going to send one of their own people to finish this job. The new company is going to buy out my contract. They've assured us that nothing will change as far as this project is concerned. I'm told that the guy that is replacing me is very good and will honor all agreements that I have made.
"When will you be off of the job?"
"I have to stay for 30 days to show the new guy what I've been doing. He's probably going over the drawings right now. After that I'm unemployed."
Ann looked down at her desk, "Will you be going back to your home.?"
Jim shoved a box across the desk to her. She looked at him and opened it. She smiled when she saw the ring.
"Does this mean what I think it means, Mr. Furol?"
"I think so. I'm asking you to marry me. I was going to ask you on Christmas day, but with Jessica's marriage breaking up the timing didn't seem right."
"We both have homes, what do you have in mind about that? I just can't leave Parameter now."
"Our kids have grown up in the homes we own now. Why don't we give them the houses and we can buy a home of our own. Ann, I'm leaving Park Machinery with well over 2 million dollars and I have almost that much in savings and stocks. I think we can afford a place of our own."
Ann came around the desk, "If you think that I would allow you to lay around the house all day, you're crazy. I need some help here. Would you consider coming with Parameter as production manager? It might be a step down in pay."
He pulled her to him, "If you're offering me a job, I'll take it."
"How would you feel about working for your wife. I talked to Rolf this morning. He's out of intensive care and is going home tomorrow. He's decided to retire and enjoy the rest of his life. When he and Edna both die he has left me 51% of the stock in Parameter Fabrication. Rolf Jr. gets 49% plus a ton of money and all of the properties so he's happy. So, one day you'd probably be working for me."
"Good," he said as he pulled her closer, "It will give me a chance to keep an eye on you."
She kissed him, "I'll marry you then. If I decide I don't like you, I can always fire you can't I?"
He laughed and held her while she looked at her ring.
"Now get out of my office. I have to call my daughter and tell her
she's about to get a stepfather. You'd better go back to your trailer
and rest. Your not going to get much sleep tonight."