Two and a Half Million...and One

 Author's Note: Special thanks to Buzziecat for inspiration

********

“Miranda, step right inside here and take a seat and Brian will be in shortly to go over the particulars of the new Eyeconics Campaign. I think you’re going to be really pleased....” Cynthia tried to usher the unsmiling marketing executive for Eyeconics, one of their biggest clients, into the luxurious conference room, but she could not get her to move past the large displays in the reception area. The big campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which was scheduled to roll out in a few weeks, on October 1^st, was taking up all the open space in the main lobby and hall.

Miranda turned to look at Cynthia. If it weren’t for the fact that Cynthia always made sure to wear her highest Jimmy Choo heels when Miranda was expected, the woman would be staring down that patrician nose at her.

“What in the world is all of this? It looks like Kinney upended a Pepto Bismol bottle all over this office space,” she sneered.

“Real men decorate in pink.  Didn’t you get the memo, Miranda? It’s the new blue,” Brian walked up and the two executives gave air kisses.  “Next month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Kinnetik does advertising for several of the local groups that work with the Susan G. Komen Foundation. I’m sure you’ve heard of them?”

“Certainly. Eyeconics is very community oriented. But, don’t you think some of these slogans are a bit...vulgar?” She curled her lip as she stood in front of one poster.

“What? ‘Do it for the Girls’ doesn’t speak to you?” Brian hid a grin. The poster in question had several strippers posing with the word “mammogram” spelled out on their boobs. 

“I’m fond of this one,” Cynthia said, pointing to one of Drew Boyd, standing in his Brown Athletics boxer-briefs with a pink helmet and pink football. The slogan on that one said, “Don’t Fumble the Ball – Get Your Annual Mammogram – Beat Breast Cancer Now!” There were a couple others with sports figures.

“So, Miranda – you’re up to date on your mammogram, I trust,” Brian said casually as he led the statuesque blonde into the conference room.  She gasped slightly.

“That is a very personal question, Brian.”

“Yes, it is. But here at Kinnetik, we care about our long-term clients, and we want you to be around a good long time. I’m betting that was a no, huh?”

Miranda Courtright blushed. Cynthia did too, actually, as she could not believe that Brian had the nerve to push the topic. Miranda was an old, and valued client, but she was also one of their touchiest.  Right now, she was avoiding looking him in the eye as she said, “I’m not all that old, Brian. Though I suppose there is a compliment in there somewhere, perhaps because you might think I’d have to be older to have held this position this long....” 

Brian shook his head. “I know exactly how old you are, Miranda. You’re two years older than I was when I got cancer.” She looked shocked. He nodded. “Yeah, testicular cancer, and no, I don’t like to talk about it. But I sat in meetings with your predecessor after having had chemo and I don’t know which was worse, chemo or dealing with Marcia Frampton. She makes you look like a pussycat. No offense.”

With an odd look, Miranda said, “None taken.”

“Anyway, unlike testicular cancer, which is more of a young man’s disease, breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. It crosses age lines, race lines, even gender lines.” She raised her beautifully waxed eyebrows and he nodded. “Yeah. Men get it too. But, you’re a smart woman. Why don’t you do something as simple as get a mammogram to make sure you don’t have a time bomb.”

Blushing even more deeply, and looking at Cynthia, Miranda muttered, “If you ever had to deal with one of those technicians, you wouldn’t ask that. They are so critical.”

“The boob nazis.” Brian nodded knowledgeably, startling a laugh out of both women. He flushed slightly.  “My mother used to call them that. Hard to imagine if you ever saw my mother, but, well, they used to intimidate her into not going also.”

“But she went anyway, I guess you’re going to say.” Miranda rolled her eyes, ready for the PSA to be done.

“She did...eventually because I, well, Justin, you’ve heard of him, the orange is the new blue kid?”

Miranda nodded, wondering where the story was going now, since it wasn’t where she expected. Cynthia had her hand on Brian’s shoulder – and he was letting her.

“Justin found out some information by accident, a doctor’s office slip-up. We made my mother go for her tests – but she’d let it go too long. We had some time with her. But not enough. Not nearly enough. There are two point five million survivors of breast cancer, Miranda – but my mother isn’t one of them.”

Brian got up briskly and walked to the front of the room.

“Get your fucking tits checked out. Now...this is what we have in mind for your new campaign....”

*******

( Two and a half weeks later, in Philadelphia)

Brian had just  walked past at a brisk pace with Justin on one side, Jen Taylor on the other. Cynthia and Ted were manning the comfort tent.  Their Team, “Sunshine Walkers” was raising over $250,000 in the Three Day Walk.  Emmett and Drew would be coming by later with Debbie and Carl. It was the usual family effort.  Molly, her latest boyfriend and Tucker were showing up for the graveyard shift, when Brian and Justin would be taking turns walking with the other two couples.

Cynthia grabbed Ted’s arm.

“Don’t look now but isn’t that the grande dame of Eyeconics herself, Marcia Frampton?”

“In a pink sweatsuit! And pink framed glasses – those actually look good. Seems like she believed what Brian said about it being the new blue, even if Miranda hasn’t called again since that disastrous day,” Ted groused.

“Shh, time to make nice,” Cynthia hissed.

“Ms. Frampton! How lovely to see you. In Philadelphia! Brian is here too, you know....” Cynthia hurried over to greet the president and CEO of Eyeconics.

“Ms. Preston, Cynthia, isn’t it?”  At Cynthia’s nod, Ms. Frampton continued, “Please, call me Marcia. Do you think you could help catch Brian’s attention for me? He’s walking a little bit too fast for me to catch up to him and I’m not sure how long the circuit is.”

“Of course!”  Using her Iphone, Cynthia sent a text message to Brian, advising him that his once and hopefully soon to be again, major client was here and asking for him.

“Do you support the Breast Cancer Three Day, Ms. Fram...Marcia?” Cynthia tried to hide her confusion – and her hope that this might mean they were being forgiven for Brian’s heavy-handedness with Miranda.

Marcia just smiled. “I’d like to discuss it with Brian first, dear. Oh, here he is, good.”

Brian came running up, his body gleaming with healthy sweat. Justin and Jen were right with him – Taylors always being sure to have his back these days. All of the Taylors, Cynthia thought with pride.

“Marcia, Marcia, Marcia,” Brian said with a smirk.

Ted rolled his eyes. Trust Brian never to kiss ass, even when it would help. Well, not metaphorically, Ted amended his thought, looking at Justin’s pert rump in his pink shorts.

“Brian,” Marcia smiled back at him. “I had to come see you in person. I know all about what happened when Miranda came to see a presentation for our spring line of glasses, and instead received a lecture on getting a mammogram regularly.”

“Well, the lack of any returned calls did rather let us know her feelings, Marcia, and I’m sorry if I lose your company as a client, but I’d be sorrier if I lost....”

“Miranda as a client. Yes, she told me you said that. And....” At that point, Marcia Frampton’s eyes filled with tears. She threw her arms around Brian and hugged him tightly.

“Thanks to you, dear man, there will be two million, point five, and one survivors this year. My beloved partner did get her mammogram after leaving your office. And, it showed a lump. A lump she did not know about. One that I had not noticed either. She had surgery less than a week after she saw you. That’s why she didn’t get back to you. I’m getting back to you for her...and for me. And let me also say that, along with signing on for your campaign for the next year, Eyeconics will happily match whatever amount you’ve raised with your walking this year and for the next five years.

“You’ve given my Miranda the chance to be one of the millions who survive. We can never thank you enough.”

Brian thought of Joan and gave Marcia a faint smile. “No, thank you. Thank you for letting me know.”

(There are 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States as of 2009. Almost 200,000 new cases will be diagnosed in this year in women, and just over 40,000 women will die. We need to improve these odds. Mammograms and early diagnosis are the best way to do that.)

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