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“I do not need you to tell me how to act or what to feel. I’ll handle this the same way I’ve handled everything else…in my own way,” I said to her, turning and walking towards the front of the hall to the first table which sat in front like a high table allowing us to see everyone. It was the table for the Callahan women, as well as the governor’s and mayor’s wife and any other government and business wives. A hierarchy of sorts. I picked up the microphone, swallowing my rage as I spoke to them gently.
“Ladies, ladies, I’m sure you’d all love to have lunch or dinner with Ivy and my brother, but please let us not forget why we are here. The Callahan Foundation is here to help this city and our great state; it is not simply our tea hour. Ivy,” I called out to her and she turned slightly to me. I pulled out a chair for her, saying, “Please sit so we can get started.”
“Of course, forgive me.” She laughed, walking towa
rds the table, however she didn’t sit at the chair I pulled out for her. She instead sat in the polished brass and red velvet Chiavari chair…the chair that had once been my mother’s. All chairs were red velvet for these meetings. However, that chair, my mother’s chair, was slightly bigger. It was placed at the head of the table and had her initials carved into the arm.
I wanted to slap the fuck out of her, but instead pretended I didn’t notice where she sat. I looked over to Helen and Nari; “Please, come sit.”
They both smiled and nodded moving to sit at the tables, followed by Brigitte and Fatimah. Only once they and everyone else was seated did I turned my attention to my dear, sweet sister-in-law.
“Ivy, everyone is so glad you are here. Me especially. For the last four years I’ve run The Callahan Foundation hoping and knowing one day I’d past to reins over. I’m grateful it’s to someone like you who truly understand how it must be for the most unfortunate of us all. To suffer as you have suffered for seven long years in Ricker Hill. Losing your ability to even get an education, beaten almost daily, drugged far too often, and only God and you know what else must have happened to you. On top of that, to be born into such poverty, without a mother, and to rise so high is such an inspiration to me and all the women of this foundation. I’m confident that my mother would be proud knowing you’re now in charge of one of her most beloved organizations.” Turning from her to address the rest of the women, “Ladies, as Jane Austen once said, ‘Marriage is indeed a maneuvering business.’ To my sister-in-law, Ivy Callahan, our new master strategist. Listen well, I’m sure she has much to share.”
I smiled, handing her the microphone. The look in her eyes one of anger. I knew her well enough by now to know she’d be able to handle this job, but also knew everyone else well enough to know that they’d make it as hard as possible. And what’s more, every word I had just said would be used in the future as a weapon against her. Their words wouldn’t hurt; what would hurt was trying to fill that chair and not make a fool out of herself, Ethan, and our entire family every time she sat there. The weight of that would hurt for a while and she’d get used to it, but for now… I just wanted her to squirm.
“Thank you, Dona,” she said softly, her voice cracking slightly. “You always have such a way with words. I missed the last meeting sadly, but I did hear we were discussing budget increases—”
“Mrs. Callahan.” Brigitte, who actually hated our family, spoke up as she often did because she was an attention whore. “In the last email sent out we were discussing planning events to raise the city’s spirits after that awful attack.”
“Oh,” Ivy replied, thinking for a moment. “Did anyone have any ideas?”
I snickered to myself because she’d just unleashed one hell of a can of worms.
“I was thinking a city fair in Donald Park.” Fatimah sat up and quickly said, “It would be perfect with the weather we’ve been having—”
“We can’t always have these events in Chicago. We should spend a little time outside the city—”
“But the bombing happened within the city,” another woman spoke out. “Of course, we’ll need to lift the city’s spirits first.”
“Yes, but other cities have had hard years, too—”
“There’s a big difference between a hard year and a city bombing.”
One by one, they all started to speak, all of them trying to get their voices heard, and their ideas made with Callahan backing to boost themselves. They were like hungry piranhas that would bite almost anything, even their own in order to get more. Each and every one of them were greedy, power-hungry bitches. They didn’t give a flying fuck about helping anyone but themselves. I knew this because I was like them…only I knew how to rule over people like that and keep them and their greed in line. I’d honed that skill my entire life and Ivy thought she could waltz in here and just take over. She’d most likely learned how to fight dirty in prison, but anyone could fight dirty. A real queen knew how to fight clean, to hold order with grace. Ivy was beautiful, maybe smart, but she didn’t have that grace.
Imagine their reactions when they realize she doesn’t even know the difference between her forks. Snickering, I lifted my glass of water, bringing it to my lips and drinking as they all yelled over each other.
“She’s family,” Nari whispered to me, as if telling me to do something.
“She came because she wanted to take her place; let her take it and see how well she fits,” I replied, looking to Ivy just as she glanced over at me.
“Donatella, what is your idea? I’m sure you had something in mind what with how quickly you came here this morning?” Ivy asked me.
“Me?” I said in surprise and frowning as I shook my head, “I’m just here for the food. You should try the cheese rolls; they are to die for.” I smiled, waving over the waiter and ordering without paying any of them any mind.
Squirm Ivy, squirm.
IVY
“Your sister is a bitch!” I yelled at him, taking off my heels and tossing them into the corner of my closet. “Actually, they’re all bitches! You put me in charge of a foundation of bitches! Why?”
Ethan sighed, taking off his watch and placing it on the bedside table; “Because that’s your role as my wife.”
“Ethan, I’m not good at stuff like that! And Donatella knows it; that’s why she dragged me front and center and left me to deal with those…harpies!” I was angry. I never thought I’d miss prison so damn much. At least in prison no one sugarcoated shit. If people hated you, they didn’t hide their knives. They came for you. But in this organization, everyone was two-faced. I could see it so clearly, they were only speaking and smiling to me because I was Mrs. Callahan, but in reality, they just wanted something for themselves. I wanted to call them out for their fakeness, but that would only make me look weird.
“I don’t want to do this,” I told him. “I’m a science and math person, Ethan. If you want me to do something…then…then let me help with the drugs—”
“Stop!” he snapped, turning to glare into my eyes. “Ivy, we all have roles. You may not like it. You may not like those women. My mother hated those women, too. But she understood what you need to understand. Those women are married to important people. Those women hear important things, sometimes without even realizing it. So, when they go out to brag, and I assure you they will brag, they’ll drop breadcrumbs about people and the power they have. You’re there to see what drops. You are there to make sure they know that our eyes and our pockets are endless. You don’t have to like them. But you must make sure they respect and fear you.”
