They seemed confused at first, but then took a better look in her face. Antonia missed the knowing looks and the slight nod both of them exchanged because she was trying to look away from all the food. She was really feeling ill and wondered where she’d gotten a germ that would hit her so hard and so fast.
They spent an hour and a half at the first caterer, trying several types of meals ranging from heavy appetizers to a sit-down dinner. When the sales representative carried out a tray of cakes, Antonia stomach rebelled violently. She rushed outside and took deep breaths, trying to calm her stomach.
A moment later, Marsha came out and put an arm around Antonia’s shoulders, guiding her to a wooden bench hidden from the view of the parking lot by shrubbery. Jennifer walked around the corner to a convenience store while Marsha tried to get Antonia to drink some cool water the caterer had given her.
Jennifer came back and handed Antonia a handful of soda crackers, not saying a word. Antonia sat down gratefully but she pushed the crackers aside. “No, please. I’m really not hungry. I just need a few moments then I guess I should head home.” After a few minutes, her stomach calmed down and she was able to smile weakly at the two women.
“Sorry about that. I don’t know what happened in there. I just became so ill I couldn’t’ stand it anymore. I’ll be ok now,” she said, wiping at the fine film of perspiration that had formed on her forehead.
Antonia tried to stand up, but Marsha came and sat down beside her. “Just wait another few minutes to be sure,” she said, rubbing Antonia’s back.
An hour later, Antonia felt wonderful. In fact, she was starving. They were sitting in the conference room of another caterer and the small samples just weren’t enough for her. Once they were finished, Antonia suggested lunch. Again, she missed the smiles exchanged between Marsha and Jennifer who herded her into the nearest restaurant.
That evening, when Brett called at eight o’clock, Antonia was already sleeping on the sofa, the television still on.
Sal gently shook her arm to wake her up. “It’s Brett. Can you talk?”
Antonia nodded and pushed herself upright. “Brett?” she asked.
“What’s wrong?” Brett asked immediately. “Why are you sleeping so early? It’s only eight o’clock.”
“I had a long day of shopping. What’s up?”
“I just wanted to call and find out how your day went.”
“Oh,” Antonia said, a little off kilter hearing him say he just wanted to talk to her. “Fine, I guess. Thanks. And yours?” she asked, yawning. She had trouble keeping her eyes open so she settled back onto the sofa, letting her eyes drift closed as she listened to his voice.
“It was ok.” They talked for a few minutes and Antonia enjoyed hearing Brett’s voice, even though she suspected that he was just checking up on her, making sure she didn’t get into any trouble during the day.
“You sound exhausted. I’ll let you get to sleep. I’ll see you Saturday, right?” he asked, confirming their dinner with some out of town clients of Hancock Enterprises.
Antonia was planning on getting out of it, but she hadn’t come up with an excuse yet. So she agreed. “Yes. What time?” she asked sleepily.
“I’ll pick you up at six.”
She hung up the phone a moment later and tried to watch television. But she fell asleep again, only to be woken up by Sal an hour later.
The next morning she felt much more alive. She dressed in a pair of neat, brown slacks and a white silk shirt, tying a silk scarf around her neck to add some color. Today was the big day. She was liquidating some of her stocks and closing down her savings and checking accounts, putting it all in traveler’s checks. Monday was the big day. She was planning on leaving right after Sal left for work.
Hopping into the Porsche, she zoomed off, feeling free and happy after yesterday’s ordeal. She thought about stopping for breakfast somewhere, but she wasn’t in the mood to eat. She wanted to be at the bank first thing to close everything down.
Parking the car at the corner, she walked in right as a teller was unlocking the doors. “Where’s Mr. Pennyworth?” Antonia asked after the friendly greeting of the teller.
The teller pointed to a corner desk where a man in his middle forties was working at a computer. As soon as the man realized she was heading towards him, he stood up and greeted Antonia.
“I’m Mr. Pennyworth. How can I help you?” he asked solicitously.
“I’m Antonia Mazzuchelli,” she said, noticing the instant tension in the man. “I’ve spoken to you on the phone a number of times. It’s nice to meet you finally,” she said, not understanding the look of apprehension on this man’s face. She was sure they’d never met before. Why would he be wary of her in person, she wondered.
Mr. Pennyworth gestured to a chair for Antonia to sit down in. “It’s nice to meet you. What can we do for you today?” he asked.
“I want to close out my accounts and put them into traveler’s checks.”
“The whole amount?” the man asked, shocked.
“Yes,” Antonia said, pulling her purse around to take her wallet out, handing him identification.
He took the driver’s license reluctantly. “Ms. Mazzucheli, there seems to be a problem,” he said after typing in some information into his computer terminal.
Antonia looked up, eyebrows raised in question.
“You see, there’s a hold on your accounts. It seems that Mr. Thomas Attracelli called yesterday afternoon and inquired about these accounts. He said there might be some confusion with the holder of the accounts.”
Antonia smiled confidently, glad that was the only problem. “Thomas is my brother. The accounts were opened with my mother’s maiden name so that I could maintain my own identity, separate from my family.”
“Well, you see, Mr. Attracelli is on our Board of Supervisors. The accounts are frozen until an investigation is conducted,” Mr. Pennyworth said, a fine sheen of perspiration forming on his upper lip and his forehead. He loosened his tie in an unconscious gesture of tension.
Antonia didn’t believe her ears. “What do you mean? They’re frozen for how long?”
Mr. Pennyworth was clearly uncomfortable about the situation. “I can’t say. It might be a few days, or it could be several weeks. There are several matters that need to be cleared up.”