* * *
By the end of the day she had the whole story. Mr Nesbitt was seldom there and the assistant manager, Mr Lundy, a horrible little man who was feared by the staff, had total control and was obviously cooking the books. He was obsequious, attempting to flatter her and put the blame for the disappearance of funds on Mr Nesbitt.
She called the president on her cell phone – she had a feeling Mr Lundy might be listening in if she used the office line – and reported what she’d learnt.
“I want to fire Nesbitt and Lundy,” she told him.
“Go ahead, my girl! That’s what you’re there for. You have my blessing.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Well, that was a good day’s work, she thought, as she walked to her car.
* * *
She knew the moment she got home that something was wrong. Marvin was sitting holding Lexi and she could see they’d both been crying.
“What is it?” she asked, fear clutching her heart.
“It’s more than a cyst, I’m afraid,” Lexi told her. “I got the results of the MRI back and they found some cells that they’re not happy about. I have an appointment to see an oncologist tomorrow.”
“Oh, Lexi, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
“Well, maybe they’re wrong,” Lexi said hopefully. “No point in worrying about it till then. Maybe it’s all a storm in a teacup.”
Mel wasn’t fooled and she could tell Marvin wasn’t either. Lexi was putting on a brave face for their sake. An oncologist meant cancer and it would take a miracle to change that.
“And Mel, please don’t say anything to Angel or Brenda. I don’t want to worry them. Promise me you won’t.”
“I won’t say a word, I promise.”
“We thought we’d go out to eat in the Beachcomber tonight,” Marvin said brightly. “That okay with you?”
“Would you two not prefer to go alone?” Mel asked.
“Of course not,” they both said together.
“We thought we’d ask Troy to join us too. By the way, he moved his things out of the house today so after Maria gives it a good cleaning, it will be ready for you to move in tomorrow evening.”
“Thanks, Marvin, I appreciate that.”
Lexi tried bravely to be upbeat during the meal, of which she ate practically nothing. Troy told them all about his new pad which sounded fabulous and then Mel told them about her experiences in the Tampa office that day. Hanging over them all however, like a dark cloud, was the worry of what the oncologist would decide tomorrow. The mere word ‘oncologist’ drove fear into all their hearts.
Mel offered to go with her to the hospital the following day.
“No, no, I’ll be fine. Marvin will take me,” Lexi assured her, looking lovingly at her fiancé. “Anyway, by the sound of it, you’ll be having a very busy day at the office tomorrow.”
“Watch out for the Wicked Witch of the North, folks,” Troy cried, as Mel swatted him.
They all laughed which lightened the atmosphere somewhat.
* * *
That night, for the first time, Mel felt her baby move. For a moment she thought she’d imagined it, but no, there it was again, a tiny flutter in her tummy. She felt the love surge through her for this tiny little being and began to understand for the first time the joy of motherhood.
* * *
Mel strode into the office the following day, determined to get proof of the fraud carried out by Lundy. She pored over the books all morning and finally she found what she was looking for. The little schemer, she thought. She called him into her office and asked him to explain the discrepancy in the accounts. He blustered, denying all knowledge of it, but she knew by him that he was lying.
She did not tell him of the off-shore account she’d unearthed into which millions of company money had been poured. She would contact the fraud squad first before alerting him that she’d discovered his scam. She would need to get those assets frozen immediately.
“Mr Lundy, I would like you to take a few days off while I look into this matter. Good day, I’ll be in touch with you.”
He marched cockily out of the office, certain that he had covered his traces well enough. Mel watched him go in disgust. He wouldn’t be so cocky when she’d finished with him. One down, she thought as she rang Police Headquarters and got put through to the fraud squad.
* * *
Nesbitt turned out to be an overweight blusterer who she guessed had a drink problem. He was a quivering mess when he realised who she was and what she was doing there. Knowing that the game was up, he broke down in tears, begging her to give him another chance. She looked at him coldly, finding him pathetic.
“Kindly have all your golf paraphernalia removed from the conference room and your office by two o’clock this afternoon. Oh, and I would like your keys back, please, all of them.” She put out her hand and he dropped them into her palm, still snivelling. Good riddance, she said to herself.
She instructed Donald Young to supervise Nesbitt to make sure he took nothing that did not belong to him and especially not any files or his computer.
Young agreed readily, knowing which side his bread was buttered on. He looked at Mel with a new respect.
She then called a removal company to come and remove everything else in his office. Next she called a painting contractor and instructed them to come and paint the office. They would come the following morning and paint it white, as she’d instructed.
* * *
Marvin called that afternoon. “The prognosis is not good, Mel. Lexi has had a PET-CT scan to discover how far advanced the tumour is. We won’t have the results for a day or two.”
“Can I come in and visit Lexi?” she asked.
“Better not, she’s sedated now and sleeping. I think Lexi would prefer to wait until we have the results.”
“Give her my love when she wakes.”
“I will, of course. By the way, she says there’s a chicken dish in the fridge for your supper. She told me to tell you it just needs to be reheated in the microwave.”
When Mel got to the privacy of her own car, she broke down in tears. How typical of Lexi to think of her, in the midst of her own anguish. Drying her tears, Mel drove home thinking of her best friend, terrified of what they would find in her body.
* * *
When she’d eaten she took the keys that Maria had left for her and took her things over to Marvin’s house, her house now. Troy had offered to help her but she didn’t have that much to take. She had arranged for Donna to send some of her stuff down when she’d found a place. She looked around the beautiful airy house, thinking that she could be very happy here. And this would be the first home her son would know. She felt him move again just then, as if he understood. Somehow, it gave her comfort.
Chapter 34
Mel got the call she’d been dreading.
“Bad news, Mel. It’s Stage II cancer – in the ovaries. They’re starting chemotherapy right away.”
* * *
The treatment was tough, very tough, and Lexi felt very ill after each session. Her first course of treatment was given intravenously, three times a week over a three-week period. She felt increasingly tired and nauseous but she was incredibly brave and uncomplaining. She wanted to live – she had everything to live for, she said – so she stayed positive which helped those around her to be positive too. They knew, as she did, that it was only a preliminary to the surgery which would hopefully rid her body of the cancer so she bore the chemo with fortitude, knowing that every treatment was giving her a better chance to survive this terrible disease. By the third week her hair had started to come out in handfuls but, as Lexi laughingly admitted, that was the least of her worries. She decided to cut it off and it was devastating for Marvin and Mel to see her glorious abundant golden curls fall to the ground.
“Now I know how Anne Hathaway felt having to chop off her locks for Les Misérables,” Lexi joked and the others laughed, but inside their hearts were brea
king.
Finally, the first block of treatment was over and they were ready to go ahead with the surgery. They all prayed that the chemotherapy had killed off some of those lethal cells.
Mel did her best to support Lexi and Marvin in any way she could, grateful that God had brought her to Tampa in this time of their need.
* * *
The day of Lexi’s major surgery arrived. Mel had been in to visit her the night before and had found her stoic and brave, ready to face whatever life had in store for her. Marvin, on the other hand, was in a terrible state.
Mel felt bad lying to Brenda and Angel when she told them that Lexi had been away for a few days. Well, it wasn’t actually a lie, was it?
Marvin rang Mel that morning. She could tell from his voice that he had been crying. “Lexi will be going down now shortly,” he said.
“Can I talk to her?”
“Of course.” He handed the phone to Lexi.
“Don’t worry, sweetie, it’s in God’s hands now. Hopefully they’ve caught it in time, Mel,” Lexi said, brave as ever. “Please take care of Marvin for me, Mel. He’s more upset than I am about this. I hate to be worrying him so.”
“I love you, Lex,” Mel tried to comfort her friend, tears in her eyes. “I’ll be praying for you.”
“Love you too, honey.”
* * *
The next five hours were the longest five hours of Mel’s life as she imagined what Lexi was going through and wondered what would be the outcome of it all. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on work, she first went to an office supply company and ordered a whole new office for herself, sleek, elegant and modern.
Then she went shopping in the Countryside Mall which was quite close to the hospital. Her New York wardrobe was unsuitable for the relaxed Florida lifestyle and besides her clothes were all getting a bit tight. She bought some lovely maternity wear and to pass the time, wandered into the baby department of Macy’s. She drooled over the beautiful baby clothes, unable to imagine anything so tiny. She couldn’t resist the Ralph Lauren bodysuits in blue and white and bought three in different patterns. She also bought tiny romper suit in white with blue smocking.
“It’s a boy then, is it?” the saleslady asked her, looking pointedly at Mel’s tummy and smiling.
“Yes,” Mel replied. “I can’t wait.”
“It’s so nice to see someone buying blue and white instead of all those horrible oranges and browns and dark colours the young ones these days seem to prefer. Your first, is it?”
Mel nodded.
“Oh, I envy you. There’s no feeling on earth that can compare to holding your firstborn in your arms. When are you due?”
“Mid-August,” Mel replied.
“You must come in at the end of June when we have a terrific sale. You can buy your whole layette then. And there are great bargains on nursery furniture too.” She looked around to see if anyone could hear her and then whispered, “Actually, where you should go is to the Ellenton Outlet. They have fabulous baby shops there, all for next to nothing, especially at sale time.”
“Thanks for that tip. I must go there,” Mel said, smiling as she took her purchases.
“Don’t forget to come back and see us and bring the baby too,” the saleslady called after her.
Suddenly it all seemed so real to Mel. She felt like crying at the woman’s kindness. She was always close to tears these days. She could cry at the drop of a hat. Hormones, the doctor explained. Her anxiety about Lexi didn’t help.
She decided to have a look at the nursery furniture which was so cute that she felt like buying it on the spot. She was going to have so much fun planning it all. Her feet began to ache and she realised that shopping in heels was not such a good idea. She stopped for lunch in the Food Court but found she had no appetite and decided to go back to the hospital and wait there. On the way, she stopped off at a church – it wasn’t a Catholic one but what did that matter? – and said a prayer for Lexi.
She arrived back at the hospital and, hearing that Lexi was still in surgery, went into the cafeteria where she spied Marvin sitting staring out the window.
“She’s in a long time,” Mel remarked.
“Yes, I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or bad thing.”
He looked so forlorn that Mel’s heart went out to him. How cruel that this should happen when they’d just found each other! “I think it’s a good thing. It means they’re able to do something for her.” Mel tried to sound cheerful.
“Oh Mel, if anything happened to her, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“Lexi’s a fighter, Marvin. I’m sure she’ll fight this thing with all she’s got.”
“I should have made her go to the doctor sooner. I feel so guilty.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty. You know how she feels about doctors. Brenda tried to get her to go when she was here but she steadfastly refused. She can be very stubborn, you know.”
“I know,” he smiled sadly.
Just then he got a call telling him Lexi was out of theatre and in the recovery room. The operation had gone well and the surgeon would meet him in an hour, in Lexi’s room.
“Do you fancy having something to eat?” he asked. “I haven’t eaten all day. I couldn’t before but I’m ravenous now.”
“Me too,” she grinned at him, relieved to hear that Lexi had come through okay.
After they finished their meal they went back to Lexi’s room to wait for her return. The surgeon sought them out there.
“Well, she’s come through all right,” he told them, “but it was quite an extensive procedure. I’m afraid we had no choice but to do a total hysterectomy. We can only hope that it has been contained and won’t metastasise – spread to other organs, that is. She will need more chemotherapy of course but we’ll discuss that later. Right now, she needs to rest and get her strength back before treatment can begin.”
“Thank you, doctor. That means she’s going to be okay?” Marvin asked, shaking the surgeon’s hand vigorously.
“Only time and treatment will tell.”
Lexi was wheeled in shortly afterwards, looking pale and fragile. They each held a hand as she tried to smile at them. She was very groggy so Mel kissed her and left the two of them alone together. She drove home happier than she had been driving in that morning. Lexi had survived the operation and hopefully all would be well.
Chapter 35
Brenda and Angel were shocked and saddened to hear about Lexi. It was all so sudden. Mel told them that Lexi had sworn her to secrecy until after the operation and the doctors were hopeful they’d caught it in time. She explained that Lexi would have to undergo more chemotherapy but would need to build up her strength before treatment could begin.
Brenda was upset to hear that Lexi had undergone a full hysterectomy. She knew that Lexi had secretly hoped to have a child with Marvin. However, she tried to be upbeat and look on the positive side. Hopefully they’d caught it in time before it had spread to other organs. She wished she could be with Lexi at this time, to give her support, but it just wasn’t possible. She was still working in the salon. That would end soon however as the receptionist she was replacing was due to have her baby any day and would be returning to work. Brenda didn’t know what she would do then. Jobs were so hard to find these days and she wasn’t really qualified for anything.
* * *
Angel was shocked and deeply upset to hear of Lexi’s illness. Lexi had always been her rock and if anything happened to her she didn’t know what she’d do.
She called Kenny after she’d spoken to Mel. Marvin had already called with the news. Angel was crying and there was no denying how upset she was.
“I’ll just die if anything happens to Lexi,” Angel told him in between her tears.
“I know, honey. I know how much you care for her. A lot of people will be very upset if anything should happen to her.”
Kenny and Angel had become firm friends and he was something of a rock for
her too. He called her every day to see how she was and she had come to rely on his support. She admired him greatly and was determined not to let him down. He was gentle and kind and she considered him the best male friend she’d ever had. Come to think of it, she’d never actually had a male friend that she hadn’t slept with before.
“I was wondering. I’ll be in LA next week to finalise the TV deal. Why don’t you fly back down with me to visit Lexi and I’ll take you back whenever you want?”
“Are you serious?”
“Absolutely!”
“Kenny, you’re an angel.”
“No, honey, I thought you’re the Angel.” They both laughed.
“Thank you, Pops,” she prayed afterwards, looking heavenwards. She just knew that her father was up there pulling the strings and had sent Kenny to her to take his place.
* * *
Mel was very pleased with her new office and was settling in well. The atmosphere had improved considerably since the departure of Nesbitt and Lundy. As a result the staff were happier and performing better, all of them trying to impress the new boss. Donald Young turned out to be a gem and within a week Mel had promoted him. He was now her greatest ally, as was Ginny, the receptionist, who admired Mel greatly. She was an exceptionally bright girl and Mel suggested to her that she study law at night school, saying that the company would pay for her. Ginny was overjoyed and Mel’s biggest fan after that.
Mel was extremely happy and seriously considering staying on here in Tampa rather than returning to New York. Word had spread that she was in charge of the Tampa office now and big-name clients came flocking to seek her services. The president was extremely happy with this and had even suggested that she might like to extend her time there and expand the business. It was very tempting. She had a life now with her friends close by and it would certainly be better for the baby. She started work at eight-thirty in the morning now and finished up at four-thirty every day. She didn’t know herself and she began to realise just how stressed she’d been all her life in New York. Did she want to go back to that?
The Birthday Girls Page 27