After six phone calls between Spencer and the First Lady’s secretary, they were able to compromise on a five o’clock visit, so Spencer wouldn’t have to close the store too early and upset their regular customers. They would still be annoyed by an early closing, but the First Lady’s visit was an honor Spencer didn’t want to refuse. She wanted to make it work for everyone, and after the fact, it would be another coup for Spencer and the store to say she had shopped there. Several First Ladies had.
The wheels were set in motion by six that night. Marcy was going to meet with the FBI with all the employee files, Beau was meeting with the Secret Service early the next morning while they checked out the building, and Paul Trask was standing by to help in any way he could.
It was chaos at the store the next day, with confidentiality agreements to be signed by everyone and the Secret Service to satisfy. Spencer assigned four of the best sales staff to help the First Lady choose a dress for an event she was going to, and Spencer herself intended to stand by, to help smooth down all the interactions and solve any problems, without intruding on the First Lady.
Spencer was waiting at the front door when the First Lady arrived. The store had been cleared only minutes before, and all the customers had to leave early, but weren’t told why. They were told simply that there was a scheduled private event, which would begin shortly.
In the end, the First Lady’s visit went smoothly, with an enormous entourage around her. She found four dresses that she liked and wanted to purchase. To her credit, she insisted on paying for two, and Spencer made her a gift of the two others. She bought shoes to go with them, and a black satin evening bag. She had gotten everything she came for and was delighted. It all went surprisingly well and there were no mishaps. It was a PR victory for Spencer and the store.
Spencer was exhausted when she got home that night, at ten o’clock, and for once she was grateful that the twins were asleep when she got home. She loved spending time with them and putting them to bed, but not tonight. Their personalities were extremely different. Axel was shy and cuddly. Ben was mischievous and more outgoing. They complemented each other and she loved how individual they were. And they loved spending time with her. She still felt guilty when she didn’t have enough free time with them on weeks like this.
Brooke’s had a security problem of a different kind the next day, when a well-known senator’s wife stole a bracelet from the jewelry department and an alligator clutch bag. They were faced with the choice of having her arrested or not pursuing it. Both items were expensive.
Spencer didn’t want it all over the press, nor did she want to encourage copycat thefts. Spencer met the senator’s wife at the door and had an extremely delicate heart-to-heart conversation with her in a private room they escorted her to. The woman returned the stolen merchandise before she left the store, and Spencer didn’t press charges. The senator came himself to escort his wife home, apologized profusely to Spencer, and attempted to press some bills into her hand, which she delicately refused. She saw Paul Trask, the CFO, standing by looking concerned when they left.
“Don’t look so depressed. She gave it all back,” Spencer said to him with a smile. The senator’s wife had taken a ten-thousand-dollar bracelet after trying it on, but it was already back in the vitrine by then. The senator didn’t want to buy it, or the alligator clutch.
“We had a burst pipe in the warehouse an hour ago, while you were dealing with this mess,” Paul said. “We lost a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of leather goods.” He looked seriously distressed.
“Will our insurance cover it?” she asked him softly, as they walked back to her office.
“Yes, with a five-thousand-dollar deductible. It could have been even worse.”
“I should have read my horoscope this morning,” she said as she sat down at her desk and the receptionist buzzed her to tell her that Francine was on the phone.
“Is everything okay?” she asked when she answered the phone, with a worried expression.
“We’re fine,” Francine said calmly. “We’re at the emergency room at NYU Medical Center. Ben fell off the jungle gym at the park and broke his arm. They just set it, and he has a bright orange cast. He’s okay. We’re going home in a few minutes.” Spencer could tell from Francine’s tone that Ben was next to her, so she sounded upbeat.
“I’ll meet you there,” Spencer said, as she grabbed her handbag from under her desk. She was anxious to get home to Ben quickly to see him for herself.