Bailey sat on the couch beside Matt, and they all held their breaths as the football game took a commercial break. Without a thought, Bailey took Matt’s hand in hers and held it.
In the commercial, a woman and her two children (Carol, her youngest daughter, and Carla) were sitting in their family room watching TV. The room was a mess, and all three of them were wearing sloppy, everyday clothes. Suddenly, the husband (Alex wearing a mustache) burst into the room, saying that his boss and his wife had come home with him and were expecting dinner. “I’m sorry, Hon,” Alex said, “but I told him what a great cook you are.”
Carol said that she had made a pot roast for dinner. “But what do I serve before and after?” she wailed.
The camera went to Carla, who said, “I know, Mom. How about using those preserves you bought at the grocery?”
The next scene was played in double time, with Carla in the kitchen, dressing her mother (her pulling panty hose on was hilarious), while Carol opened jars from the Mulberry Tree Preserving Company and made a beautiful plate of hors d’oeuvres. The youngest daughter took a frozen pound cake from the freezer and poured a jar of marinated cherries on top of it.
The camera slowed down to show a beautifully coiffed and dressed Carol (three hours with Opal, under Arleen’s direction) serving hors d’oeuvres to her husband’s boss and his wife (Mr. Shelby and Arleen, who was wearing Chanel). The last scene was the two couples sitting at the dining table, finishing the cake. The boss turned to Alex and said, “You get the promotion and the raise.”
When the commercial was over, Patsy grabbed the remote, turned the set off, and looked at everyone. “Well?” she said.
Rick started the applause, then everyone joined in. Matt got the bottles of champagne out of the refrigerator and filled glasses. “To the Mulberry Tree Preserving Company,” he said, and everyone drank.
Laughing, they went outside to the food, dissecting every aspect of the commercial. But Bailey hung back and found Matt alone in the kitchen.
“Did you like it?” she asked. “Really like it?”
“Yes,” he said softly. “It was great. It got your point across, and it was funny. You couldn’t ask for more.”
“What would you change?”
“Nothing,” he said. “I wouldn’t change anything.”
They were alone in the house. “Matt, I’m sorry about lately. It seems that—”
Bending, he kissed her on the nose. “It’s okay. You don’t owe me anything.” He went back into the living room and picked up the remote, Bailey right behind him. “You mind if I catch the news?”
“You mean the football scores, don’t you?”
Matt smiled. “You’re beginning to know me too well.”
“Maybe not well enough,” she said, and looked him hard in the eyes.
Matt’s smile grew warmer. “How about another glass of that wine, and maybe we could—”
“Snuggle down and watch an old movie?” she asked.
“Certainly snuggle down,” he said, smiling back at her.
“Two glasses of champagne coming up,” Bailey said, then disappeared into the kitchen.
When Bailey returned, the news was on, and when she heard the name “Manville,” she halted, standing behind the couch, a glass of champagne in each hand.
A woman on the news was crying. “They’ve closed the plant,” she was saying. “And I have three kids to support and no job.”
The newscaster looked back at the camera and said, “This is just one of many plants and factories that Atlanta and Ray Manville have shut down in the last few weeks.”
When Bailey gasped, Matt turned to glance at her, but her eyes were on the TV.
“The Manvilles have put Wall Street in a turmoil as they dump stocks, sell everything that once made up the empire of multibillionaire James Manville, and turn it into cash.”
On the screen was Ray, surrounded by reporters and furious people who’d lost their jobs. He was flanked by three bodyguards and four lawyers as they pushed their way through the crowd. Ray stopped in front of one microphone. “My little brother knew how to run all these businesses, but my sister and I don’t. We’re just simple country people, so we’re selling up and getting out,” Ray said, then started pushing again.
“But what about all the people you’re putting out of work?” the reporter asked.
“They’d be out of work when we went bankrupt, wouldn’t they?” Ray snapped at the man.