Sixteen Candles Times 2.5

"Hi Daddy." Maddie is less than thrilled by the phone call. It is not that she does not want to talk to her father, but it is the reason for the call that she wants to ignore, and wishes that everyone else would ignore it too. Miss Me jumps on the bed with her throw toy in her mouth. Maddie pulls it away and tosses it across the room to Miss Me's delight. The dog doesn't care that today was Maddie's 40th birthday.

Her photographs on the wall distract Maddie. Sitting in the chair, brush in one hand, she studies each one individually and only occasionally looks back into the mirror as if she were surveying the change that has taken place over the past 20 or so years.

Seeing that time is getting away from her and that she will be late for work, she finishes her regimen -- the pictures of another time forgotten. Putting the final touches on her hair - brush - spray - fluff - spray; something stops her; and she takes a long lingering look in the mirror surveying not just herself but the whole picture reflected there - as if it were a window to her life.

Call #2: (A number easily marked in her organizer): "Good Morning … This is Madolyn Hayes … I would like to make an appointment with Vincent … this morning … if that is possible … 9:30 will be perfect. Thank you." As she hangs up she smiles to herself - she loves having clout even if it is only at some Beverly Hills Hair Salon.

Call #3: (A number she knows by heart): "Good Morning Sydney … Did I get you before your first cup of coffee? … So I was thinking about your suggestion. … Yeah, refinancing … you still think this is a good idea? … How much equity do I have? … I was thinking about redecorating. … What no third floor?" She laughs. "No … you know, carpet, drapes, furniture, couple coats of paint. … I can … what's my budget? … Well start pushing some pencils and let me know. … Thanks Syd … you're the best. … Can we meet for lunch? My treat? … I am sure I can afford it, but I will check with my Accountant." She laughs. "… Tomorrow good for you? … OK I'll see you at Spago's at noon. … Thanks, bye."

Call #4: (A card that she needed to dig out of a section of her desk - another message) "This is Madolyn Hayes calling for Milo Florsheim. Please tell Milo that I am ready - finally. He will know what I mean and he can call me at the office today after … one o'clock. 213-203-2020."

Call #5: (Another number in her organizer): "Carroll Phillips please … Maddie Hayes …………… Good morning, Carroll. … I'm great, how are you? … Yes, yes I am. I knew that would make you happy. … Nothing wild, now ... nothing crazy … I still have to work for a living. … Professional, tasteful, classy. … Nothing PASTEL. I am so done with that. … Yes of course money is an object … I have an appointment with Vincent at 9:30 … so you know I will be there at least until noon … Why should he have changed?" Maddie laughs. "Sure you can come by the Salon - I can certainly meet you at your shop though. … Ok I'll see you then. Thanks."

"MISS HAYES? Is that really you?" Agnes is shocked. The staff looks up from their respective distractions. There is an audible gasp. The men drop their jaws and the women smile a knowing but a little confused smile.

In the past 4 hours, Maddie has undergone a complete transformation. Her hair is styled completely differently. It is shorter, straighter and feathered around her face. The flip-itty-do curls are gone as is the bottle of Aqua Net needed to keep them in place. Now her locks flow nicely as she turns her head. The color is slightly darker over all but has a lot of gold blonde highlights, which just give it more depth. The new cut frames her face to accent her eyes and her cheekbones. It generally makes her look more professional yet more casual. The new DO was just the beginning. Her make up is toned down a bit - no more pink and rose colors - it is more blush and peach tones and overall, a lot less severe. Finally… her attire. She is wearing a DKNY black suit, with a tailored jacket, a skirt that hugs her thighs and is cut to the knees with a slit in the back. Barely visible under the jacket is a black camisole. She looks like she just got off the runway for MODERN WOMAN.

Maddie goes into her office as the office staff watches her every move. Agnes is the only one who understands. She is the only one to remember that today is Maddie's birthday … and that it is a decade turner.

"Now that is what I call a POWER LUNCH. Took the guys from the eighth floor for their milk money for the next three weeks. Little lesson for you boys - never bet against David "SNAKE EYES" Addison at craps. Crap is my middle name." He stuffs the money into his breast pocket. He looks confused; "Isn't that supposed to be Maddie's line?"

"So ... today was beauty day, eh? A rinse and set on the mane, buff and polish on the claws and gossip with the other lionesses about who is doing who and who will be sleeping alone in the tall grass tonight. Hardly a good reason for SHEBA - Queen of the jungle to miss the morning."

"Hey Partner … don't remember signing your permission slip for your outing this AM." David says as he takes her chair behind her desk. With his feet up he starts to recount the cash he won at lunch.

"Put your ego in park, Addison." The phone rings and Maddie picks it up. "Yes Miss DiPesto? … Thank you … Please show him into David's office … we will be right there." Maddie hangs up. "Not everything women do - they do for men. And pretty close to nothing I do - I do because of you."

A man is standing in the middle of the office. He is older - early 50's. He is very professionally dressed and is quite handsome. Maddie enters the office first and he turns to greet her and is immediately captivated by her beauty.

David of course notices the way this man is eying Maddie. For the first time David can recall, he is bothered by the way another man is looking at her. He shakes the man's hand, mostly to get him to let go of hers.

"Normally … but this is a different circumstance. The car was not stolen - at least not literally. It was sold." Al paused. He is not thinking about the car, he is undressing Maddie with his eyes. At least that is what David thinks; and he is not too far off base.

"That is a story for a marriage counselor … anyway it was obviously over long before the papers were filed Mad - Miss Hayes. What I wouldn't give to find the right woman to share my life with. Someone who is soft and tender and …"

"Car? Oh yes -- I was not in the country … I have been working in Egypt for the past 7 years - paroled is more like it. So I had my lawyer handle all the particulars. That was before I knew that my lawyer and my … that alley cat were more than friends. Anyway - I have - had - a `53 Vette."

"Right." Al turns his attention back to Maddie. "It is perhaps one of the finest condition first series Corvette in existence and has been NCRS Top Flight certified at Cypress Gardens, Florida. It's Convertible, Blue Flame Six power glide, Polo White paint with Red interior and Black soft-top. Optioned with Wonderbar radio, e-brake warning flasher, windshield washers, courtesy lights, heater, first design hubcaps, and 6.70x15" wide white tires. With most all factory direct components including the spare, jack, jack tools, side windows, side window bag, shielding, washer system, #066 head, and spiral shocks. I have documented the services policy and history back to 1953, show photos at NCRS/Cypress Gardens... all neatly organized." He produces a thick 3 ring binder from his brief case. "Also, Zora Arkus Duntov - developer, designer, and acknowledged Father of the Corvette - signed the underside of the hood."

"This car was donated to the CALIFORNIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE which received twenty six of these cars as a gift from businessman and philanthropist, John Stonebridge - the founder of West Coast Paints. My father was a researcher at the institute. I bought the car from him with less than a hundred miles on it." He laughs "I wasn't even old enough to drive."

"It is more than that Miss Hayes - it is a piece of my life. Like I said I have had that car since I was 15. I took my drivers test in that car, asked my wife to marry me in the backseat, and I went without food or heat in the lean years in order to keep the insurance current and the maintenance up. In college I slept on the floor of my friend's apartment because the money I had for rent went to pay for garage space. I spent every weekend working on it, polishing it, maintaining the integrity of the original factory options. I met my best friend through the Corvette Club of Southern California. That car is more important to me … well than just about anything."

"He likes you." David quickly adds in a Brooklyn accent. "Maybe too much, eh Doll-face? Want me and the boys to fit him for some cement overshoes? Just say the word, he'll be sleeping with the fishes." He turns to the guys and gestures for them to stay in their seats until Maddie has given the high sign. They of course are oblivious to the entire exchange.

The cocky David is back. "Why not? He's not trying to fake his own death. He didn't kill his wife, although that should've been the first thing he did. He's not lying, cheating or stealing … he just wants his car back. This is definitely prime time … Sunday night reading material."

Maddie turns to Agnes and gestures that she will take the call in her office in a minute. She then turns back to David. "So Fine … let's help the man David if you want to - but I think that there are better things to do and better ways to spend money than to hang on to some stupid symbol of a long forgotten youth."

Maddie glares briefly. "Take the case, Addison. I am taking this call." She strides into her office with a quick slam of the door to finish their conversation. David follows her with his eyes. God, she looks so good - tight black is definitely her color.

Al Carmichael makes an almost too rude comment about Maddie. "I'll bet you love your job. Working with so much woman as that … I envy you, Mr. Addison. Like to try my hand at taming that wild cat."

The Blue Moon Males exit David's office like they are coming back from half time to take the Lakers to a championship. They each grab a phone and start making calls. The Blue Moon Females are a little confused. Agnes enters through the still open door.

"That explains a few things." Agnes shrugs. "Well I had big plans - well I am sure that Diane had me having BIG plans …." David looks directly into the face of the writer - with a sparkle and smirk enough to melt her heart. "Hey Lizzie! … you better be able to pull this off, babe. I would never forget Maddie's birthday - not after all this time."

She left after that meeting to meet Milo Florsheim at the house. He is her decorator and they were discussing what changes she wanted to make. Most of the changes were superficial: new paint, furniture and décor in the bedroom as well as the living room. She wanted to do something with the foyer, but they each felt that unless she were planning on doing a total remodeling job on the house, it was best to leave it as it was. He was going to check into replacing spiral staircase with an open one with wrought iron railing … very in "in" the early 90's. It would not be overly expensive and would fit with the Mediterranean theme already there. Maddie likes Milo. He is the one that helped her the last time. He was grateful to be called upon again.

Before Milo got there, Maddie made the decision to remove her cover shots ... the ones that made her famous. It was not that she wanted to forget her past modeling life, but the past several years have been about looking to the future and her future was not in front of a camera. She put them all carefully in a box and deposited them in the guest room. She would pack them up later. Milo asked about them, but her rebuff was so final he did not press the point. To be honest … he was thrilled that they were gone.

Maddie arrives back at the office just after 5PM to learn that David has also left - "to run a few errands." Burt, McGillicuddy, O'Neal and Simmons all crowd into Maddie's office - without really being asked - to give her the information that they found on Al Carmichael's car. They are too excited to wait for David. An hour later they are excused with a very high compliment from their boss.

Maddie is becoming very interested in this case and totally confused. She tries to remember exactly what Al Carmichael has told them. She really wasn't paying that much attention, but she is thinking that the information in front of her does not add up with what Carmichael said. There is a soft knock on the door and Agnes lets herself in.

"Good night, Miss Hayes." Agnes has something that she wants to say but doesn't quite know how to say it. "Miss Hayes? Can I just say that this new look of yours is wonderful - not that the old look was bad - but this one -."

"It is my experience that MOST men about MOST things are very superficial. But it is also my experience that once you get past the HELLO, the YOUR PLACE OR MINE and all the rest of that mating ritual stuff - men are just like everyone else. Does that answer your question?"

"Miss Hayes?" Agnes tentatively approaches Maddie's desk and gently places a small beautifully wrapped box with a card attached. "I know how you feel about days like this --- but …. Many Happy Returns, from the staff." She turns to leave but is stopped again.

Maddie opens the box which contains a crystal paper weight. It is a moon - a full moon with a blue hue - like the real moon. It rests on a delicate bronze hand. It is stunning and must have put Agnes and the staff back a few lunches. Maddie studies it for a long time and puts it in a place of honor on the center of her desk. She slips the card out of the envelope and reads:

With his other hand he presents her with a small box from Gelson's bakery. She opens the box to see a slightly smashed chocolate cake. Inscribed on the cake is: "Congratulations, Marddie!" The first "d" had been altered from a "k" and the "die" was crammed in on the side. Clearly the cake was meant for someone other than Maddie.

"A toast! - to Madolyn Hayes - years ago (no need to count how many) you came into the world kicking and screaming - and never stopped - I am the luckiest man in the world to have you around to keep me on my toes by day and curl `em by night. On this memorable day --- let's give credit where credit is due --- Good Job, God!" He drinks and she does too - reluctantly.

Maddie and David are wrapped up in each other's arms and the light of the new day streams into the room. They are sleeping soundly and look beyond happy together. The radio clicks on and David reaches over to hit the snooze. He stretches and pulls her very close.

…It looks like it is going to be another beautiful day in the Southland. Partly cloudy … is that what those little white wisp things in the sky are? … and upwards of 70 degrees. Chance of rain? A snowball in hell has better odds. Ho Hum. Don't you love living in paradise? And now here is Jake Jackson with the news.

Thanks Bob. And now for the news. At this hour the fire at the West Coast Paint factory in Irvine is still burning out of control. Fire departments from 5 surrounding cities have been called in. There is at least one person at this hour is confirmed dead and the authorities have called in the arson investigators. In other news …

A little over two hours later, the fire at the West Coast Paint factory in Irvine is still raging out of control. Only the back three warehouses are affected. The office and the front two buildings are safe - for the moment. Three women, tall, dark, extremely beautiful, approximately the same age (Maddie's age) and who look very much alike are standing in front of the office having a very heated discussion as David and Maddie walk up.

The middle one steps away and walks right into David who needs to put his hands out to prevent her from falling. She looks up into his face and is clearly attracted to him. Without removing herself from his hold she looks over at Maddie and is also taken with her beauty. She looks back at David and frees herself.

"Oh my GOD!" The youngest one says from behind. "Do you know who that is?" She is referring to Maddie. "You have been an idol of mine ever since I can remember. I have all your covers and have the Blue Moon Shampoo commercials on tape. You haven't changed a bit."

"Do you need to tell EVERYONE you meet, Alexia." Alana is irritated that the reference to them all being Carmichaels, sadly, proving that they were all UN-married women who have reached or about to reach the ripe old age of 40. And you know what they say about the chances of a woman getting married for the first time after the age of 40.

"People Magazine." Alissa is proud of her wealth of gossip knowledge. "This is David Addison, he just became partner in the firm. I must say Mr. Addison I refuse to believe that thing they wrote about you in STAR. I mean really… limboing in the office? … where would they come up with something so … absurd."

Maddie and David are dizzy talking to these woman. They talked so quickly and leaped from subject to subject without any warning it was like talking with three Agneses after they had had six pots of coffee. To their relief, the captain of the Irvine Fire department pulls the women away to discuss the fire - which has since been contained. It was still burning and would continue to burn for a while, but the rest of the complex was safe.

"So I gather that the guy that came by yesterday - Mr. Lion Tamer … is not Algeron Carmichael." Maddie shakes her head "no." "I suppose that means the check he left us is no good either." Maddie shrugs.

"From the top -- John Stonebridge founded West Coast Paints. He married and had a daughter, Alice. Alice married Algeron Carmichael, a scientist at CRI. They had three daughters; Alana, Alexia and Alissa."

"Stonebridge --- a very wealthy business man - gifted these cars … the '53 Vettes to CRI - supporting his son-in-laws institute. Algeron dies of a heart attack in 19…" Maddie checks her notes. "… 1975. Three years later Stonebridge dies leaving the company to his grand daughters - fresh out of college. Two years after that Alice-."

"The girls - well Alexia and Alana, discover some discrepancies in their mother's finances after a couple years of `wedded bliss'. It turns out that Lex... the HUSBAND has been siphoning off money - as well as sleeping with every woman on the planet under the age of twenty five.

"That is it? What the heck are we supposed to investigate? And how does the car play into all of this? Why would this Lex guy pose as his dead wife's dead first husband and hire use to find a car one day and set a string of warehouses on fire the next?"

"My father … Algeron, was working on the side for my grandfather. This all happened before I was born or right after. Anyway … Daddy created an additive to paint that makes it fire resistant, chip resistant, … you know like a bulletproof vest. It made the car - specifically cars made of FIBERGLASS -- indestructible."

"That's ridiculous." David says firmly. "I have never heard of anything like that … well not since an episode of Remington Steele." He looks at a confused Maddie. "There was this material that was light …"

"But … Grampa always said that the only way to make money in the paint business was by repeat customers. So that the paint had to be good and do what you said it was going to do - but if people never needed to paint again … there would be no repeat business."

"OH NO … you misunderstand. It works in all kinds of paint - house paint, wall paint. The biggest deal was what they discovered it did for cosmetics. It was good for the skin and the makeup did not rub or wear off. You literally needed to take it off with this cleanser. I don't know any of this as FACT … it is like the family fiction."

"I think he loved my mother and I think she loved him. Lex was very different from my father. He was much more into living the good life. It is true that close to $250,000 was taken over time from the family account to an account under Lex's name, but I think that my mother knew about it and it was her idea."

"Alana and Alexia are totally into THE FAMILY BUSINESS and money is watched very carefully - this started with Grampa. We all draw just enough salary to have `walking around money' and the rest of our expenses - mortgage, insurance etc - are all paid through WCP. Alexia is in charge of that. She doesn't refuse to pay for anything - new cars, clothes, trips to Europe - but she likes to be IN CONTROL. I think my mother just wanted her OWN money. I think she wanted to be free. She had been living like that since she was a little girl."

"Something like that. My mother died rather suddenly - it was an accident. That's when Alexia found the second account. She manipulated -- well that may be too harsh - she SPUN the information and convinced the judge that Lex stole the money."

"Alissa is a huge … I MEAN HUGE fan of Maddie's … sorry -- Miss Hayes. Yesterday was your birthday right?" Maddie nods. "Well Alissa thought that it would be a fun little case to have you look for this car. It wouldn't have been hard to find and she would have gotten a chance to meet you. It seemed harmless enough and what the heck … I needed the money too."

"I have known the Carmichael family most of my life. I forget now how we met exactly. I think my father worked for Algeron or at WCP --- anyway I worked for them in summers to put myself through school, picked up some easy money. I did a lot of stuff for Alice - driving etc. Alice Carmichael was the sweetest most wonderful woman I have ever met in my life. She deserved so much more than what she got. A father who was condescending and controlling, a husband who could barely tear himself away from the lab long enough for dinner much less anything else, and three daughters who were - well let's just say they were never any comfort to her."

"Alice and I were in love. Algeron knew all about it and really didn't care. We were discrete and kept it from the daughters and particularly John Stonebridge. He would have flipped - hell he would have cut her off. Algeron was the son he never had. Never knew what he saw in that guy. Anyway once Algeron and Stonebridge were out of the picture --- so to speak, Alice and I felt that there was no reason to hide our feelings for each other. We forgot how much STONEBRIDGE was in the girls. Alana and Alexia turned on their mother like rabid dogs. They pulled the purse strings so tight she could barely afford a cup of coffee and were downright cruel about us. They were pretty nasty to me - the jail thing was the worst - but it hurt me more to see how miserable Alice was. She did love her daughters, but was never able to make them understand."

"NO - don't be ridiculous. We were trying to build up a little nest egg so that we could get out from under them. We were going to escape to Mexico or Fiji or some island that no one ever heard of - but she died before we could go."

"Exactly. Alissa concocted this idea. Alissa was always nice to me when the other two weren't around. She sent me letters and stuff in prison and was able to secure this apartment when I got out. I am not sure if she is playing with a full deck. I think she has a little too much time on her hands. Anyway, like I said it seemed harmless so I went along."

"Alissa and I were having dinner. She wanted to know every detail of what took place at your office. She was like a crazy woman. Then she started talking about this FORMULA that her father had invented. Said that it was on the car. I didn't believe her. I mean I heard the stories too - but I just figured it was bull. She claimed it was REAL and in order to prove it, we went down to the warehouse where the car was. At first she hit it with a bat - nothing, then she tried to scratch with a key - still nothing. Then she kicked it up a notch and tried to set it on fire. Talk about NOT A FULL DECK. I didn't understand what she was doing until it was too late. The place went up like a fireball. We got out - but I guess George - the night watchman - didn't see us. He must have gone in after Alissa."

"I of course was going to go to the police right away - but I know how Alexia and Alana are. Thought I might stand a better chance if you went with me and maybe get Alissa to tell the truth. That is not really her forte."

"And you won't." She kisses him on the cheek. "There is another box of these upstairs in the guest room." She drops into a sweet southern belle accent. "Would you be a dear and run and get those for little old me?"

David finds the box that Maddie was referring. He is about to pick it up when he notices the box of her cover shots on dresser. He carefully takes a couple out and looks at them and smiles. A puzzled look comes across his face as he glances back and forth between the box of designer samples and her pictures.

Maddie is comparing the samples. One set was done many years ago when she first moved in and reflects pretty much what the place looks like right now. The other are three options that Milo has put together. She is looking back and forth between them trying to make a decision. David enters from the kitchen with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

"Milo is so funny. He must have put these together weeks ago when I first spoke to him about redecorating. It is sad when your decorator knows you better then you do yourself." She was not really talking to David, but he was listening.

"Hallmark makes a big deal about it and if the rest of the world wants to … fine. I have led a pretty full life so far but it is far from over. I could say that this is close to the halfway mark - hopefully shy of the halfway mark. I guess I just want to make sure that the next forty are as full as the first were."

David runs gleefully out of the room. Maddie looks happy but not like she is planning on enjoying the game. She takes a final look down at the designs that Milo sent. She pulls two away and nods to the last one. She has made up her mind.

Three days later David climbs the stairs to his apartment. It is Friday night and it has been one heck of a week. He's going home to shower and change and meet the guys for a drink and some pool, darts, bowling - you know Friday night guy stuff. Maddie left the office early that afternoon. She said she had errands to run - something about the redecorating.

David opens the door. Facing him at a three-quarter turn in the middle of the living room is a 1953 Corvette convertible, blue flame six power glide, polo white paint with red interior and black soft-top folded down. Maddie --- dressed in something red and provocative --- is doing her best CAR MODEL pose. Needless to say David is stunned.

David slides into the driver's seat without opening the door. Maddie slips into the passenger seat. The car looks for all intents and purposes like it's in mint condition. Slowly a smile comes to his face. He likes it - he never would have picked it out for himself - but he likes it.

"Alexia Carmichael called me yesterday. Alissa is going out of state to a … place she can … rest. Anyway she was very sorry about the whole thing. We started talking and she told me about this car. It evidently was the one that they pulled parts out of to keep the other one running."

Hope you enjoyed the episode as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you. Thanks to Diane as always the ever supportive, encouraging and exceptional writer/editor-of-poems, idea-bouncer-offer and all round experienced Beta reader. D - you're the best. Thanks

I would like to dedicate this story to two heroes and gold medal champions in my heart: Michelle Kwan and Todd Eldridge. Their strength, dedication, determination, talent, artistry, and grace in defeat are elements of true Olympic class champions. I am sorry that this one particular goal has eluded the two of them, while not taking anything away from the other athletes; Michelle and Todd will forever be Gold Medal winners in my heart.