by ZN Willett
Christopher walked over and grabbed hold of me. “I like you always under me, and in that bed.” He leaned over for a kiss as I pushed him away.
“Not funny, Colby.”
“Why don’t we figure it out as we go along?”
“The vote’s next month!” The fact that he seemed all calm and collected started to piss me off.
“We have plenty of time to—” He reached into his pocket and looked down at his cell. “Quinn, where is your cell?”
“Over there.” I pointed as I walked over to the nightstand looking for the new phone.
“I received a 911 text from Mia. She needs you to call her immediately.”
There were several missed calls. Christopher grabbed his watch and wallet, while I looked for my purse. I had been running late and she was probably mad that I hadn’t reported in yet. We had some important contractors coming in. I found my purse and signaled to Christopher that I would be right out after I returned her call. “Mia—”
Before I could utter her name she spoke urgently. “Quinn, it’s your dad. He was driving and had an accident while in New York.”
“What? Is he okay?” I looked up at Christopher as he stopped and turned around.
“It was a minor accident, but Quinn, it looks like the accident was caused by your father. They think it’s his heart.”
I heard the words as my body swayed. I caught myself on the dresser. Everything that I had felt when this first happened to him flooded over me again. I couldn’t contain my emotions, and Christopher rushed over. He brought me to the bed and kneeled in front of me. “Quinn. Baby, can you hear me? What’s happened?”
He took the phone out of my hand and started talking to Mia. He listened for a while, saying a few things, and then he leaned back down looking into my eyes.
“Mia, notify no one else of this. Quinn mentioned having people handle this before, do you know who . . . great. Call them. No one, and I mean no one gets wind of this, understand? Good . . . meet us at the airfield in an hour. I’ll advise the pilot that we are taking off. Yes, you’re coming with us. No . . . I’ll take care of everything . . . of course, whatever you need to do with the kids. Bring them if you have to . . . yes, good . . . one hour, Mia.” Christopher hung up and kissed my forehead. “Quinn, we need to go.”
I grabbed his arm. “I want him flown here.”
“We will see what’s going on when we get there. Baby, we have the best hospitals—”
“His doctor is here.” I begged.
“Look at me. First, we make sure Joseph is feeling okay. When he is stable, we will talk about it.”
I nodded my head, and stopped mumbling. Christopher grabbed a few of my things and placed them into a bag before we headed out to the airstrip.
As I looked out of the window during takeoff, all thoughts were about my mom. I looked into the clouds telling her that if she was looking after us, to take care of dad. I couldn’t lose him too.
Christopher kept his eyes on me the entire time he was on the phone. He would walk over and brush my shoulder or hold my hand as he talked. Our flight attendant, Beth, made sure I had everything I needed, and Christopher took care of everything else. The flight was excruciatingly long and I was left alone with my thoughts most of the time. Mia and Christopher needed to go over several things, and she was also busy rearranging our schedules. I had been always thankful to have Mia, but more so that day than any other.
“You need to eat, Quinn.” I shook my head. “Baby, we didn’t eat breakfast and you’re going to need your strength,” he said, as he sat down and wrapped his arm around me. “Can we have the room, please?” Mia immediately went to the bedroom, and Beth went to her part of the plane. “What do you need, Quinn?”
I looked up at him through fogged eyes, as pools of tears sat waiting to fall. I laid my head on his shoulder, and he tightened his arm. He leaned back, as I nestled into his chest. “There was a boy named Ken. His mother worked for us for many years. She retired from the company. She would bring Ken with her when she had no one to watch him. My mother told me that I should always keep an eye out for him. She said I was his protector.” I laughed. “He was older than me. However, she was wrong. He was mine.”
Christopher hit a button and immediately Beth came out with a blanket and a fruit plate, before leaving as quickly as she had come. Christopher wrapped the blanket around us. He lifted the glass. “Drink.” I did and lay back down.
“Through the years, Ken and I grew up together; we would play around the hotel or in the guest rooms.” I chuckled. “The housekeepers would get mad. We played Fort a lot and destroyed the beds. We would have to make them back up, of course, with tightly folded corners. Our small hands would hurt after trying to tuck the corners. His mom or mine would come and inspect our work afterward.” I looked up at him. “They were never perfect.” He laughed. “But, eventually they started to be.”
Christopher reached over and grabbed a strawberry and outlined my lips with it before I opened and took a bite. A tear fell from one eye. “I love you,” I said. He smiled as he leaned down and kissed me. More tears began to fall as our lips stayed on each other’s.
I didn’t want it to end, however when he leaned back, wiping my eyes, he said, “I love you, too.” All of those memories and pain flooded over me.
I wrapped my arms tightly around him. “One night, a group of boys staying at the hotel cornered me in the hall.” I felt Christopher tense up, as a low rumble started in his core. “Ken now worked at the hotel, and thankfully came in time to save me. He took them on and received a brutal beating. I had never felt that helpless before, even though I was clawing out as many eyes as I could.”
“That’s my girl.”
“He had to go to the hospital, after protesting, of course. My father insisted.”
“I bet Joseph said some words.”
I looked up at him. “A lot, I heard. The boys were arrested, and their parents were banned from ever staying at any of our hotels again.”
“That was a start,” he hissed.
I grinned and reached up to peck his lips. “That’s exactly what my parents said. My mom had other thoughts. We were very much alike in many ways. I miss her.”
Christopher kissed my forehead.
“It was then that I knew Ken was the one.” I immediately looked up. “So I thought. Young love, you know.”
Christopher said nothing, and pulled me in tighter as he nuzzled my hair.
“After that, we became inseparable. After school, we would meet up at the hotel before our shift and grab a snack in the kitchen. On our days off, we would play in the pool. Many days, we would find an empty room and just be together. When my mom started to become increasingly sick, he was the shoulder I cried on.” I paused for a while. Christopher gave me another sip of water, but I couldn’t swallow. The lump in my throat had prevented me from breathing. All I could say was, “When he died, I thought there was nothing that could feel that painful, until my mother’s death.”
Christopher was still. He said nothing as I lay there. Time seemed to stand still, and it took me a while before the lump eased. He stayed silent, holding me, and his arms were the comfort that I desperately needed. I looked up, and with that he asked, “How did he die?”
“He rode his bike to and from work. He stayed working an extra shift one night and rode home in the dark. He didn’t have a chance. The driver was past the legal drinking limit, and they both died on impact; Ken, from the car. The driver from the pole he wrapped himself around after he hit Ken.”
“How old was he?”
“Sixteen. I was fourteen at the time. My mom died shortly thereafter. It seemed that everyone I cared about was leaving, and somehow I began to think that if I stopped caring about anyone else, they would stay. I love my dad, although he would tell you that our relationship changed that day. He did his best, he was grieving too, but the more distance I could have . . . well. After that year, I stopped celebrating birthdays as well
. Ken was working extra hours that night to buy a birthday gift for me. His mother gave it to me at his funeral to remember him by. It was a snow globe. I placed that globe with my mother for safe keeping at her funeral.”
After landing in New York, I learned that it had all started with an infection. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, was the reason that my dad’s heart had failed; limiting the ability of his heart to pump blood, due to the severe infection. Even though he had early warning signs—that he chose to ignore—it took two episodes for my father to take notice.
The infection was treated and I was pleased to hear that the tests were showing improvement. Although Dad looked pale and sickly, the doctors said he would be out of the hospital at the end of the week if he kept improving. If it were up to him, he would have left that day, but he had caused a lot of damage to his already weakened heart. The doctors weren’t taking any chances and neither was I. They gave us a list of warning signs and stressors to watch out for in the future. And, the Cardiac doctor changed my father’s diet. I was furious when he said that Joseph’s cholesterol was higher than normal. I told Dad that next time, if he chooses a burger over a salad, I would put him back into the hospital myself. He understood and felt badly that he had scared me. However, all I cared about was that he was okay.
As I continued to lecture my father, Mia and Christopher worked in the adjacent room. Christopher always had his eyes on me, no matter where he was stationed. He would occasionally bring me water or fill Joseph’s ice bucket, even though there were people to do that. Dad was staying in a private wing of the hospital in which the rooms were laid out in suites. The room he was in had a separate sitting area with a workspace, as well as an attached bedroom for family members to stay overnight. I had slept there for the first night, but he had insisted that I get away from the hospital for a while. I refused, and stayed another night, this time next to him.
My dad and I weren’t as close as my mother and me, but she was the glue to the bond that we had.
“Your mother would be proud of you, Quinn. I know it.”
“I miss her.”
“Every second and every breath,” he said, kissing the top of my hair. He looked over at Christopher. “She would have a lot to say about that young man.”
I looked over at him. He was still on the phone, but his eyes were on me. I grinned and he winked back. “I love him, Dad.”
He sighed out, “Every father’s nightmare.” We both chuckled. “You’re not alone.”
“No, I’m not. Christopher says he loves me, too.”
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all a father can wish for.”
I wrapped my arms around him.
“I made chicken soup for your father. I know it’s a fancy hospital, however there’s nothing better than homemade chicken soup to brighten his day.”
“Thank you, Constance.”
Christopher had convinced me to go to his place to relax and eat until he was finished with meetings. My dad was going to be released in the next day or two and I needed a proper meal as well as a few moments away from the hospital. Mia and Christopher both covered for my father’s absences at the office. Dad had to attend a board meeting, but Christopher was going in his place. How he worked that out, I didn’t ask, though he said everything was good and no one was the wiser. Mia rearranged all of my meetings to be taken in New York. Most were conference calls, or people would fly to the offices there. She gave great excuses and made it seem like it was a benefit for them. Most of the meetings were about the new software to be placed in my hotels.
I spoke to Lissa and Justin. She wanted to come to New York with Justin, who was scheduled to meet me this week, but no one could watch the girls at the last-minute. I appreciated the effort, and told her Christopher was taking good care of me.
She also informed me that Justin was using Guy’s company for parts of the installation. She knew all the drama that had unfolded, and I assured her that it would be fine. Guy and I were friends, and if Justin trusted him on the project, I was fine with it. Christopher, however not so much, yet I loved him. So, he couldn’t say anything.
Constance packed a to-go bag to take to my dad. She made a salad for me and chocolate mousse to share for dessert. We had light conversation, and I was able to meet one of her grandchildren. Constance’s daughter came over to pick her up for a day of shopping. I said my goodbyes, and decided to draw myself a bath.
As I soaked in the Jacuzzi, I allowed the jets to ease what stress I had away. The knots in my shoulder were coiled tight, but the pressure from the jets seemed to help a bit.
Christopher walked through the bathroom door as I opened my eyes. “Did I wake you?” he asked.
I shook my head. “My shoulders are killing me; I thought this would help. How was the meeting?”
He had a strange look that flashed across his eyes. “Good.”
“Colby?”
“Quinn, it went well. Joseph had to be called out of the country to assist me with labor disputes. I needed a high level Executive to speak with government officials. It’s all been taken care of.”
He took his sports coat off and exited the room to his bedroom. “Thank you for handling all of this,” I yelled out.
“That’s what a boyfriend does.” He walked back into the bathroom nude, and stepped into the Jacuzzi.
“You have been a very attentive boyfriend, Mr. Colby.” I kissed him. He turned me around and started to massage my shoulders. “An incredible one, to be exact.” I moaned out in satisfaction. He hit all of the right muscles, and the tension was finally easing up.
“Mia is heading back to the West Coast office. Asher is going to assist you while you’re here,” he stated.
“That’s fine, but can you afford to share him?” I asked, head turned.
He smiled, and kissed my lips before he said, “Hopefully, we’ll be sharing him more often.”
I sat up. “What’s going on?”
“I’m having your office moved to my floor. And, before you protest, it makes sense. We don’t have to go to different floors to have meetings, and we will have easier access to each other . . . for meetings, and strategy ideas . . . and so forth.”
“I think it’s that easy access that you’re more concerned with.”
He wrapped his arms around me. “Can you blame me for wanting you closer? Besides, I threw Asher into the deal.”
“That’s what made me consider it.” He splashed me. “Hey, I’m joking.” I laid back into his arms. I loved the feel of his breath as he burrowed his face into my hair. “Did you eat? Constance made lunch.”
“Mmm . . . not yet, but I’ll grab something on our way to the hospital.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Quinn, I am going. He is your father.”
I grabbed hold of his hand, and brought it up to my mouth to kiss before I wrapped him back around me. “Thank you.”
“You’re looking better,” I said, sitting down on my father’s bed.
“I feel better.”
“You have to listen to the doctors, Dad.” He had given them a lot of grief lately.
“I’m ready to leave this place. I have a lot of work to catch up on.”
I looked over at Christopher, who seemed to be having a heated conversation with someone on the phone. “Take it slow, please? Should I even ask you to take a few more days off?”
“If my job wasn’t at stake, I would take a week off, but you know I can’t.”
“Should we talk about you taking the job?”
“That’s not up for discussion. Once this is all over, things will go back to normal.”
“Millicent will do whatever it takes, Dad. No matter what the vote holds. She won’t stop until she gets her company back.”
He took hold of my hand, squeezing it. “Too bad it’s not her company to take.” He grinned, as I leaned in to kiss his cheek.
“Promise me, if you have another flair up, you will make the right d
ecision.”
“I’ll die before I give up my company.”
That was what I was afraid of.
I looked up to see Christopher staring at us before he walked away.
“Don’t worry. Go, I can handle my dad.”
Christopher had been called to a last-minute meeting that he said he had to attend. He felt bad that he couldn’t be there when my dad was discharged; however he needed to do his job to not throw suspicion on all of us.
He assured me everything had been handled, and not to worry. I trusted him. In the past week, Christopher had been amazing. And I was planning something special for him that night to show him how thankful I was. Not only would we have dinner at one of New York’s finest; I was able to snag tickets to his favorite band, and bartered for VIP access. Reagan was happy to assist, although shocked that I had asked her for a favor. I knew she had to be good for something. Although, I had to admit, the girl was pulling her weight; and the numbers that came through that week showed a significant increase over the past few months. I shouldn’t have been surprised. She was a Colby and she had proven herself. The girl would one day be a force to be reckoned with.
After the concert, I planned on showing Christopher just how much I loved him until the next morning.
I called Mia to check in, and she was surprised I called and was not at the meeting.
“What meeting?” I asked.
“The Board called an emergency meeting. I sent you a text.”
I looked at my phone and saw the missed message. “Sorry, I was with Christopher.”
“Why didn’t he tell you?”
Good question, I thought.
“Who’s on the list?” She recited everyone’s names at the meeting. “What time was it scheduled? I’ll call you back.”
I asked the nurse to hold off on my dad’s release until I returned. At first, she gave me a song and dance as to why she couldn’t be accommodating, but I said I would speak to Christopher Colby. She changed her tune. The Colbys sat on the hospital Board. Christopher Colby, in fact. I hopped in a cab and headed straight to the office.