Charlie left the payment for the wine on the table and the group split up to drive or take taxis to the book signing. Charlie and Gina went alone.
In the cab Charlie turned to Gina and said, “You look terrific! Are you always this beautiful?”
“No way I can answer that one, Charlie. If I say yes I will sound like I think I am beautiful and if I say no, you might wonder what I look like when I’m ugly!” and laughed.
“Gina, I really find it hard to believe that you could be ugly. Not even if you tried!”
“Why, thank you Charlie Mullins! I’ll remember that when I look in the mirror covered with face cream and curlers in my hair!”
They arrived to the hotel where the book signing was to take place. The room where the signing was to occur was packed. Gina moved through the room like a diva. She would stop at some group, introduce Charlie, kiss a few people on the cheek and move further through the crowd until she reached the table where Jerry would be signing the books that were piled up nearby the table. Waiters were circulating with trays loaded with flute glasses of ice-cold champagne. Jerry’s book was one of those big coffee-table jobs of photographs. He had assembled a collection of the old and the new in Philly. Some of the pictures were in color and some were black-and-white. There were some pictures of the Irish and Italian immigrants that had populated South Philly and some shots of the old townhouses that had been renovated in the 70s by young couples who moved into the center city. It was a very nice piece of work and Jerry’s photos were captivating. He had captured well the energy of Philly in his shots.
Charlie purchased one of the books and Jerry signed it: “Charlie Mullins, to the guy who has brought happiness to Gina.” Charlie was at least confused. “What power that woman has over people! I’m known as the guy who makes her happy. They are all so protective of her,” he thought.
Charlie watched as Gina worked the room. She seemed to know everyone and everyone knew her. He sipped at his champagne while he watched her flit from one group to another like a butterfly gathering nectar. As she moved closer to where Charlie was standing, she signaled for him to join her. She introduced him to several people and he saw plainly that when Gina introduced him it meant immediate acceptance. This was not just a book signing, it was a collection of friends and Charlie felt comfortable to be among them. No one seemed to be posturing. Gina was supporting actress to Jerry’s work and she was superb in the role.
As the crowd began to thin, Gina again moved from group to group to say goodbye and thank people for coming to the signing. Jerry looked satisfied and pleased. She took Charlie along with her and introduced him to each group as they left. Charlie had the impression that everyone left knowing who he was, not because he was Charlie Mullins of Shaw Corporation but because he was there with Gina.
She had introduced him to the friends that were with her when she showed up at the trattoria and they all seemed to know about Charlie. Clearly, she had talked to them about him.
“OK, Charlie, we can go now. Are you ready for dinner or have you had too many canapés?”
“No, I’m fine, Gina. I took it easy and I’m hungry. In fact, what I would really like is a good steak. How about you?”
“I can do with a steak, Charlie. It’s been a long day.”
Over dinner Charlie told Gina how much he enjoyed the evening and how he was impressed with the way she seemed to make everything work. “Gina, you must know everybody in this town. And, I’m sure that everyone sure knows you. You were like an orchestra conductor at the signing. It was absolutely seamless. I am truly impressed – really.”
“Maybe it’s easy when they are your friends, Charlie. I like Jerry a lot. He is a very talented photographer and he was ready for a show. He looked happy, didn’t he?”
“You know what he wrote on my copy, Gina? Look!” he opened the book to the page with the autograph. Gina blushed. “Jerry is so nice. He thinks he needs to protect me and he wants to see me happy. Don’t take it the wrong way.”
“Oh no, that’s not it, Gina. I mean I get the feeling that while you manage and organize these events, everyone there is also protecting you. I don’t know how to describe it. Maybe it’s like you are a plant with deep strong roots but a very delicate flower. I mean it’s obvious you are a strong person. You are sure of yourself and have enormous poise. But somehow you are vulnerable. I don’t know. It’s strange and exciting in a way.”
“Exciting, Charlie?”
“Yeah, it’s not every day a man meets someone like you. There is enormous depth to you, Gina. I sense character and integrity. You love your friends and you do things to help them. You don’t seem to need them but they seek to protect you. It makes you sort of mysterious.” He stopped. “Am I sounding silly? Do you know what I am trying to say?”
“I do, Charlie and it’s very nice. I do think my friends are protective of me. Especially in the area of emotions and romance. I know I am attractive to men and I am financially independent. That scares a lot of guys, you know? They figure they can’t control me, you know. I don’t depend on them. I’ve been hurt a lot by that. I’ll meet a guy and when he gets to know me, he disappears. Maybe I am a delicate flower, Charlie, but a lot of guys have thought I was also poison. That’s my vulnerability, Charlie. And my friends try to protect me and watch over me. Jerry was being sincere and grateful when he said you are the guy who makes me happy.”
“Look, Gina, I’ve never met anyone quite like you. I would be lying if I said I was not impressed by your beauty. I’m not concerned about your money and I am certainly not interested in controlling you. My parents had a close and very interesting relationship. I never heard them argue about money. I never even knew what my father’s salary was. We weren’t rich by any means, but money was just never a concern in our family. Mom and Dad had a partnership. It wouldn’t have mattered if either or both had been rich. What held them together was first of all respect and second, love. Money was just what you needed to pay your bills. It did not enter the relationship. I would feel terrible if I thought I had to control you. I would want you to support me in what I do because you respect me and love me.”
“Charlie, I sometimes think you are too good to be true. I get scared that I might just be wrong and that you will back away from me like others did.”
“I don’t think so, Gina. That’s not my style. I learned that I should never stand in awe of someone as long as he puts his pants on one leg at a time. The only person you have to consider as possibly better than you is the one who can put their pants on by simply jumping into them with both legs. Since I’ve never met anyone who can do that, I don’t figure I have to stand in awe of anyone. Now, maybe you don’t wear pants, but I bet you put your pantyhose on one leg at a time, right?”
Gina started to giggle. “That’s funny Charlie. I actually had a vision of someone standing up and trying to put on a pair of pants without doing it one leg at a time!”
“Yeah, it’s ridiculous to imagine.” Charlie continued, “So I make you happy, do I? That’s really nice to know because I have never been so comfortable around a person in my life. I live in the town where I was born and raised. I know just about everybody in it. All the guys I went to school with are there and we play softball and go bowling together and I feel more comfortable around you than around people I have known my entire life.”
“Thank you, Charlie. I feel that way too. I only have my uncle and he sheltered me all my life while he taught me my own style of independence. But he was always there when I needed him. I barely remember my parents. He was all I had and I suspect that I was all he had. He loves me and doesn’t want to ever see me hurt. Anyone who makes me happy has his heart too. My friends are my other pillar of support. I love them all dearly and they love me. They are all just regular people with tremendous talents in their respective areas or a dedication to the well-being of others. I never ran with the ‘fast crowd’,