by Layla Holt
It was another outdoor entertainment area with a grill, comfy seats, and a gorgeous view of the hills and woodlands.
“Dean’s plan is to fill the house with children,” Ruby said with a laugh. “I’m not sure I’m up to it, if this exhaustion is anything to go by.”
“It’ll ease, I promise,” Leah said. “I want to be an aunt to many.”
The two women exchanged a fond look. They were so lucky to be friends and part of a close-knit family.
“We should go,” Leah said. “I have to pick Matt up from his grandparents before going home.”
Corrine was in a daze as they walked to the car. She knew wealthy people back home. As a matter of fact, Mark’s family was pretty wealthy but not the obvious magnitude of the Cohans. She thought of Lance, Dean, Adrian, Jaime and Sean and her dealings with them in the office.
You wouldn’t know they were wealthy by talking to them. Each of the brothers was down to earth and humble. On the drive back to the Cohan family home, Leah kept up a stream of conversation which was just as well because Corrine was still trying to wrap her mind around Ruby and Dean’s magnificent home.
She drove through the wrought iron gates onto the Cohan family property. She felt as though she was driving through a golf course. When the house came into view, a gasp escaped her lips.
Leah giggled. “I had the same reaction myself.”
There was only one word to describe the Cohan family home. Stately. Suddenly Corrine did not want to go in. It was too far removed from her own reality. She needed to touch base with the simplicity of Aunt Maureen’s cottage where she felt completely at home.
“Adrian and I live in a cottage on the other side. We knocked out the walls of two cottages and made it one house. It’s cozy but nothing like this,” Leah said. “Living in a house like this would intimidate me.”
“It’s beautiful,” Corrine said staring at the home as she brought the car to a stop.
“Come in and meet Matt,” Leah said.
Corrine desperately wanted to leave but she couldn’t refuse to meet Leah and Adrian’s son Matt.
“Okay,” she said and turned the ignition key.
She got out of the car and followed Leah up stone steps, thinking how gracefully Leah fit in the environment. She probably came from a super wealthy family as well.
The foyer was almost as big as Aunt Maureen’s entire cottage. Awestruck, she followed Leah down a hallway to a room at the very end. Corrine did not, at first, notice the silver haired woman and boy crawling on the floor. Her attention was captured by the magic wonderland she had entered.
It was a kid’s playroom, the kind you saw in celebrity homes in magazines.
“Matt,” Leah said. “Come and say hello to mommy.”
The woman stood up and helped Matt to his feet. He looked almost three years old and Corrine immediately saw the boy’s resemblance to Adrian. There was a bit of Leah in there too.
“Margaret, this is Corrine, Lance’s secretary. Her aunt is the one who runs the art lessons we were all talking about during dinner last night. Corrine, meet Mrs. Margaret Cohan, Lance’s mother.”
“Oh yes,” the classy lady said and smiled welcomingly. Corrine automatically held out her hand and Mrs. Cohan shook her hand firmly.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Corrine said, intimidated by the direct stare of the Matriarch. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Cohan said. “You must join us for dinner soon. Lance talks about you a lot. I’m glad to finally meet you.”
Corrine didn’t know what to say to that. Luckily, as if sensing her discomfort, Leah jumped in and asked her mother-in-law about Matt’s day.
“He’s a bit quiet today,” Mrs. Cohan said. “And he doesn’t want any noise. I turned on the train and he covered his ears and wouldn’t uncover them until I turned it off.”
Corrine turned her attention to Matt. She went to him and dropped to her knees. “Hi Matt, I’m your mommy’s friend.”
He looked up but did not make eye contact, and then continued playing without saying a word.
“He’s changed a lot in the last six months,” Leah said, a note of worry in her voice.
“Oh, he’ll be fine,” Mrs. Cohan said. “Children go through phases, don’t worry.”
Corrine stood up and observed the boy as Leah and Mrs. Cohan discussed the day. He had lined up all his red toys and he kept adjusting them to ensure they were in line. Something else struck her about Matt. He was very quiet. Hardly any noise came from him.
That was not the typical behavior of a child between two and a half and three years old. They were noisy and rarely played quietly.
Later, Corrine was deep in thought as she drove away from Glenn acres. She was not a doctor but she had taught Special Ed students for long enough to pick on the signs when something was wrong. She suspected that Matt Cohan was on the spectrum but had not been diagnosed yet.
Chapter Ten
LANCE MADE NO MENTION of the weekend that Monday. Corrine followed suit and kept their conversation to professional matters. Mid-morning, she took some printouts to his office and placed them on his desk.
He looked up at her and smiled. “Leah and Ruby said that you girls had a great time on Saturday.”
Corrine smiled. “It was wonderful. Your home is beautiful.”
“You mean my parents’ home,” Lance said. “Well, thank you. I used to live in one of the cottages but I moved to Dean’s condo when he and Ruby moved into their home.”
“Did you grow up in the Glenn Acres house?” Corrine asked him.
He nodded. “Yes, we all did. You met mother and Matt?”
Corrine had wrestled over what to do about Matt all weekend. She wasn’t close enough to Leah to say something but now, the opportunity had presented itself. Maybe she could tell Lance. He would know what to do.
“I did. Your mother reminds me of my mom. The no-nonsense type,” Corrine said. “My mom will tell you what she thinks without sugar coating it.” She was talking too much.
“That sounds like you too,” Lance said.
Corrine inhaled deeply. That encouraged her and she took a breath and dived in without giving herself time to chicken out.
“Have I ever told you what I did back home, in terms of work?” Corrine said.
“No,” Lance said, a curious look on his face. “I didn’t want to ask in case it was something that brought back bad memories.”
She smiled. Lance was sweet. Most people did not get to see underneath his tough businessman exterior. “It’s okay. I loved my job. I just needed a little distance from it. I was a Special Ed teacher.”
"Sit and tell me about it," Lance said.
She was glad for the invitation to sit down.
Seeing Matt had woken up something in her and she missed her Special Ed kids desperately. She missed seeing their progress and being there for them when they needed encouragement.
But her point in telling Lance that she had been a Special Ed teacher was to establish her credibility when she told him her fears about Matt.
"I loved it and I miss it," she told him. "But actually, what I wanted to talk to you about is Matt."
"My nephew Matt?" Lance said.
"Yes," Corrine said. "When Leah and I went to the play room in your mom’s house, I noticed a few things about Matt that got me a little worried."
"What's that?" Lance said.
Corrine’s heart pounded hard. She was treading on very dangerous ground but keeping quiet was not an option. It was her responsibility to point out if there was something wrong with a child.
"Has he ever seen a speech therapist?" Corrine said.
"Tell me what it is you think is wrong with him," Lance said.
She'd planned to go about it in a roundabout sort of way but Lance wanted it straight up. "I suspect he may be on the spectrum."
He stared at her for a few seconds and then shook his head. "No, I don’t think so. We would have known. His mother is a dietician and sh
e works in a hospital. She's around patients and doctors all day. She would have noticed."
Corrine was not surprised by Lance's reaction. Loved ones always reacted with denial when something like that came up. "Parents are often the last to realize when there’s a problem with their child."
Lance looked tense. "Okay, I'll mention it to Adrian and see what he thinks. It can’t be harmful to have Matt checked out."
Corrine was relieved. She pushed her chair back to stand.
"My sister and her husband are coming home for a short visit and we're having a barbeque at Dean and Ruby's," Lance said.
"Oh," Corrine said. "Ruby didn’t mention it." She blushed as soon as she said that.
The other woman was so friendly and warm that she made Corrine feel as though they had known each other for years.
“That’s because she doesn’t know it yet,” Lance said with a grin. “The plan was to hold it at my parents’ but we realized Dean’s would be more fun. They have a huge pool and a fantastic area for a barbecue.”
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Corrine said with a sigh.
“It is. They did an awesome job designing it,” Lance said. “So, will you come?”
“When is it?” Corrine asked.
Why was she hedging when she really wanted to go? Probably because she didn’t know where she and Lance stood. Maybe he had decided they could be friends.
Whatever it was, she was glad that there was no awkwardness between them. Like him, all she wanted was to forget that kiss and return to their easy boss-secretary relationship. Maybe his invitation was his way of extending an olive branch.
“This Sunday,” Lance said. “Megan and Luca are flying in on Friday.”
“How long have they been away from here?” Corrine asked, intrigued by the sister who had left her large family, gotten married and gone off to live in Europe. Now, that was the power of love.
“They were home in the weeks that followed my father’s stroke, then Megan came for Dean and Ruby’s wedding, which was almost two years ago,” Lance said.
“Everyone must be so excited to see them,” Corrine said.
“We are. She’s changed a lot in the last couple of years. Going to Italy was good for her,” Lance said.
“And so romantic,” Corrine said.
Lance merely looked at her. “You still haven’t answered my question,” he finally said.
“Of course, I’ll come. It’s a chance to meet all the Cohans,” Corrine said.
“Don’t make us out to be different,” Lance said. “We’re just regular folk who happen to run a big company.”
Corrine held his gaze. “I was an only child, Lance. Large families fascinate me.” That wasn’t strictly true. No matter what Lance said, there was something special about the Cohan family.
It was if they were held together by an invisible glue. Dean and Ruby had built their home not too far off from the family home. Adrian and Leah seemed happy enough to live in the same compound with their parents.
It was a wonder that their sister had managed to leave the safety of the family.
“I better get back to work. Oh, and we have a game today,” Corrine said.
“I know, but thanks for the reminder,” Lance said.
She returned to her office, a smile on her face. She was glad that she had told Lance about Matt. He had promised to speak to Adrian. That was the only thing she could do for now.
Corrine worked steadily until lunch time. Just as she was stretching and yawning, Mary, Adrian’s secretary, appeared at the door.
“Looks like I’m right on time,” she said. “Someone’s ready for lunch.”
Corrine laughed and stood up. “I’m starving.”
Her mom would be shocked at the amount of food she was tucking away these days. Just a few weeks earlier, she’d been struggling to finish a plate of food.
She felt like a completely different person from who she had been weeks earlier. A change of environment had done wonders for her general outlook on life. But it was more than that, Corrine mused. It was the people she was surrounded by.
You couldn’t live with Aunt Maureen and wallow in self-pity. She was like a source of joy and hope, and it was infectious. She lived life like it was a gift and slowly Corrine had come to have the same outlook. Then there was the Cohan crew.
They were all so friendly and helpful. Lance had shepherded them all to Aunt Maureen’s art classes and they’d attended the class happily. They were a noisy happy bunch and she liked them all. A whole lot, she thought thinking of Lance.
Corrine and Mary joined the queue for lunch and after they’d been served their food, they joined the other secretaries at their usual table.
The conversation was on the ping pong matches.
“There’s a bet going on downstairs with the production line workers, but it’s all hush hush,” Katie, who worked under the General Manager, said. “There are several bets placed under your name Corrine.”
Corrine almost choked on her food. “Really? God! I feel like a horse.”
“A thoroughbred horse,” Mary added with a chuckle.
Just then Adrian strolled into the café. To get his food, he had to walk past their table. “Hello ladies,” he said and then singled out Corrine. “Leah asked me to say hello.”
Corrine smiled. “It was nice meeting her. Say hello.”
The same thing happened when Dean passed by as well as Sean and Jaime.
“How did you get so thick with the bosses so quickly?” Katie asked, a playful tone in her voice.
“It’s this competition,” Mary said. “The fact that Mr. Lance, Mr. Jaime and Corrine are organizing it means that she met everyone very quickly.”
“Lucky girl,” Charlene said. “Hey, has anyone heard about the big party at the Cohan’s?”
“Yes, I booked a caterer,” Millicent said. She had been the elder Mr. Cohan’s secretary and now she sort of worked under Mrs. Cohan as well as Adrian.
“What I wouldn’t give to go there,” Lillian said.
Corrine listened to the conversation quietly without offering her views. She felt guilty but she couldn’t say that she had been invited. It was uncomfortable enough that she was friendly with all the bosses but to be invited to a private family function was a whole different matter.
The teasing had been good-natured and she was sure none of the ladies would change how they treated her if they knew, but still.
After lunch, the matches commenced. Corrine and Lance went first against Chloe and Henry. Corrine found herself playing with more intent to win than usual. Chloe and Henry were very good but Corrine and Lance won by a few points.
“You played Olympic standard today,” Lance teased her later as they returned to the office.
Corrine smiled and did not respond. She did not tell him that there were bets on them and she didn’t want anyone to lose their money.
“WE’RE IN THE KITCHEN,” Aunt Maureen shouted as Corrine entered the cottage.
Delicious smells wafted up Corrine’s nose. She dropped her handbag on the small table in the hallway and followed the scents. Aunt Maureen had confessed to Corrine how much she disliked cooking, and since she herself didn’t mind, she did most of their cooking.
In the kitchen, Aunt Maureen sat on a comfy chair, her legs up on a footstool. Stirring the contents of a pot on the cooking stove was a distinguished looking, silver haired man, wearing an apron.
“There you are,” Aunt Maureen said. “We’ve been waiting for you before sampling the soup.”
Corrine bent to kiss her aunt’s cheek. “I could smell it from the front door.”
“Sam’s a great cook,” Aunt Maureen said.
“Hi,” Corrine said to him. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Underneath the white apron, she noted that he was smartly dressed and around his left wrist was an expensive looking watch. Corrine was glad. She’d been worried that Sam might be a man after Aunt Maureen’s money.
“
Likewise,” he said with a warm smile.
“I told Sam that if he wanted me to go for a road trip with him, he had to meet you first,” Aunt Maureen said.
“Road trip?” Corrine said, unable to hide her surprise.
“A short one,” Sam said.
“We leave on Saturday after my classes and come back on Sunday. Will you be okay here by yourself?” Aunt Maureen said.
“You can come with us,” Sam said, his tone genuine. “There’s more than enough space in my gargantuan RV.”
Corrine chuckled. “I’ll be fine and no, I don’t want to go on a road trip, thank you for the invitation.” However well-meaning the invitation was, she couldn’t imagine tagging along and spoiling their fun. Now, it if was Lance inviting her...
“It sounds like so much fun. Where are you going?” she continued.
“Sailings,” Aunt Maureen said.
At Corrine’s uncomprehending look, she explained further. “It’s a beach town three hours away from Lockwood. And this baby will be out by then,” Aunt Maureen said, tapping the cast on her leg.
She had an appointment to remove the cast and she and Corrine had been counting down the days.
Sam was easy to chat with and he was obviously smitten with Aunt Maureen. Any worries that Corrine had harbored about their fast progressing romance dissipated. He was a retired attorney and throughout dinner, he kept them entertained with tales from the courtroom.
Later, she and Aunt Maureen sat in the living room talking.
“I’m so excited,” Aunt Maureen said. “I’ve never really been to the beach except in passing. Leonard didn’t like the sand. It irritated his feet.”
“I’m happy for you,” Corrine said. “And I like Sam. He’s good company.”
“Isn’t he just?” Aunt Maureen said. “We have a lot more road trips planned for the weekends. We’ll make them longer and longer. I’ve never looked forward to the future as much as I am now.”
It was easy to judge Aunt Maureen from a distance if you were not familiar with her world. She could imagine how it would seem to her parents to hear the news that Aunt Maureen had gone on a road trip with a man she had met.