Risky Investment

by Beth Moore

  “Excuse me,” Marie said as she stood. “I don’t want to get into the middle of all this.” Placing her napkin on the table, she walked out of the room.

  Matt shrank back in his chair as his dad began plotting out his future.

  “What will it take, about a month to close up your business here?” Charles asked. Getting no response from his son, he continued, “We’ll get all your loose ends tied up here, then we’ll move you back with us, where you can learn the ropes. We’ll even fly you home every weekend to be with Chris. After she’s through with school, she’ll move out with us. I’m sure she won’t find it hard to find a position, wherever she ends up.”

  Matt ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. “Dad, nothing personal, but I don’t want to be in the family business. I’m happy with what I’m doing now.”

  “Of course you’re happy. I’d be happy too if I could ride on someone else’s money, not really having to worry about making ends meet.”

  Charles was through with the conversation and signified it by placing his napkin back on his lap. The two sat in dead silence.

  Lynn stood outside the door of the restroom, trying to gather up enough nerve to face Chris. Slowly, she pushed the door open and stepped in. Chris was at the mirror wiping away the tear lines on her face.

  Seeing Lynn’s reflection in the mirror made Chris’s heart leap again. “Hi.” She smiled shyly.

  Lynn, trying to ignore the twinkle in Chris’s eyes, said stoically, “You okay? Did you and Matt really have a fight? Or was this just a trick?” ‘

  “I really need to talk to you, Lynn…” Chris slowly approached and, reaching out her hand, placed it on Lynn’s arm.

  Lynn remained in control. “So it was just a trick?” Turning, she started toward the door. Chris rushed over and blocked the way. Standing just inches away, their eyes locked. Chris struggled to think of a way to make Lynn stay and listen. This time she let her heart lead the way. Chris reached up and placed her palms on Lynn’s checks.

  Looking deep into her eyes, Chris whispered, “I love you, Lynn. I didn’t realize it until I saw you just now, but I love you.” Her heart racing, she slowly brought her lips up to Lynn’s. But just before their lips connected, the door eased open.

  “Oh my… excuse me,” came the woman’s voice.

  The two glanced over in the direction of the voice, then saw the woman back out of the room, and out the door.

  The two looked at each other in shock. Then, at the same time they exclaimed, “Oh my God, Marie!”

  They stood frozen, but only for a moment. They had some damage control to do.

  “What are we going to do?” Chris asked nervously.

  “I don’t know, I don’t know,” Lynn replied. Grabbing Chris’s hand, she pulled her out the door of the bathroom. “I’ll think of something, just follow my lead.”

  Practically running, the two made it back to the table, but not before Marie.

  Marie quickly approached the table, her face white with shock.

  “Marie, are you all right?” Charles asked worriedly.

  “Matt, Charles, we have a problem,” she said holding her hand to her forehead. Then turning to Matt, she said, “Matty, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I think Lynn just made a pass at your fiancee!”

  “Marie, what are you talking about?” Charles said sternly.

  Marie, trying to say this gently, replied, “Charles, I went to the ladies’ room, thinking that maybe I could help… then I saw them. I saw them… in a romantic embrace.”

  “Marie, are you sure you’re not over exaggerating?” Charles questioned.

  “Charles, they were, they were, they were kissing!” Marie finally spit out.

  “I’m afraid she’s right Charles,” Lynn admitted as she walked up to the table.

  “Lynn, you made a pass at Matt’s fiancee?” Charles asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, I…” Lynn looked at Matt and, willing to take the brunt of it, started to explain.

  “No!” Matt said as he stood and placed his hands on the back of his chair. The charade was over. He was not getting his extension on the loan. There was no use continuing. He looked at Lynn, then Chris, then Marie. Then, finally, looking his dad straight in his eye, admitted, “Lynn didn’t make a pass at my fiancee, because… Chris isn’t my fiancee.”

  “What?” the parents questioned in unison.

  “Mom, Dad, Chris isn’t really my fiancee. The fact is…” Matt paused, swallowed hard, then blurted out, “the fact is, I’m gay.”

  The reaction from his parents wasn’t as he had expected. Marie walked over and placed her hands on Charles’s shoulders. Charles looked up at his wife, then they both softly smiled.

  “Well, this certainly explains a few things.” Marie sighed.

  Matt didn’t understand. “Mom? Dad?” he said, wanting an explanation.

  “Please, let’s all just sit down and discuss this.” Charles calmly motioned for all to take their seats.

  All seated, Charles took his wife’s hand and squeezed it. “Matt, we’ve known about your lifestyle for quite some time now. Word gets around, you know.”

  Marie joined in the conversation. “When you told us about Chris, we just thought that maybe you had become, oh, what do they call it, bisexual.”

  Matt couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All of these years spent in hidin’g, for what?

  “So, Chris, are you actually Lynn’s girlfriend?” Marie asked.

  Matt answered before Chris could reply, “Well, not in the beginning, it just kind of ended up that way.”

  Chris looked at Lynn. Then placing her hand over Lynn’s, she said, “I think the verdict is still out on that. What do you think, Lynn?”

  Lynn brought her hand up from her lap and placed it over Chris’s. “I think that we still have quite a bit of talking to do…”

  “Talking about what?” Marie asked.

  Charles rolled his eyes. His wife was always putting her nose where it didn’t belong. “Marie, I think that’s between her and Chris, honey.”

  “That’s okay, Charles,” Lynn replied. Then addressing the woman who had asked the question, she added, “Well, Marie, I would say the major thing is… Chris isn’t a lesbian.”

  “Oh.” Marie was confused. “You could’ve fooled me. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. I had even discussed it with Charles, haven’t I, dear?”

  Charles nodded. “You mean, Chris wasn’t a lesbian when she met you? Lynn, you must have other talents besides giving good investment advice!” he joked, and then winked at Lynn.

  Lynn blushed and put an end to the discussion. “Maybe this should be between the two of us.”

  “So you’re not going to tell me how disappointed you are in me?” Matt asked, still in shock.

  “The truth is, it did take some getting used to,” Charles admitted. “But, over time, we’ve accepted it. So no, son, we’re not disappointed in you because of your lifestyle. However, I am a little disappointed in you in regard to this little charade that’s been going on. What did you think this would accomplish?”

  “I’m sorry, Dad, Mom… I just thought that if you saw that I had a life here… that you wouldn’t hold me to our little deal.” Matt rolled his eyes and looked over at Lynn. “I’m not getting the loan extension.”

  “My offer is still open,” Lynn suggested.

  “A business loan, pure and simple. Monthly payments, late fees, the works?” Matt stated his conditions.

  “Whatever you want,” Lynn agreed.

  “Well then, Dad, I guess you will be getting that payment in full,” Matt said.

  Charles nodded and smiled. “I know Lynn wouldn’t make a bad investment decision.” Then, looking at Lynn, he continued, “I guess that you played along with this little scheme because Matt asked you to. I’d be mad at you if you hadn’t just saved me thousands of dollars. Let’s just say that one cancels out the other, shall we?”

  Lynn nervously smile
d. She was glad that the charade was over but uneasy about the way the rest of the evening was going to play out.

  In the parking lot, Chris took Lynn’s arm and asked, “So, you are coming home tonight, right?”

  Lynn, still feeling unsure, paused. “My stuff is still at the hotel.”

  “Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll ride with you to the hotel to pick it up. Then we can head on home,” Chris suggested.

  Lynn looked at Matt for help. She was suspicious. She was confused. She was tired of it all. Matt returned her glance and shrugged. He was no help at all.

  “I hope you don’t mind the BMW. I haven’t had a chance to pick up the truck,” Lynn said as she opened the door for her passenger. On her way around to the driver’s side of the car, she pulled out her phone and made a call. She wanted to be prepared for anything.

  Lynn pulled out onto the highway. “I’ve been staying in the city, so it will take a few minutes to get there.”

  Chris nodded and stared out her window. Now that they were alone, she was finding it hard to decide what to say. She was saved by the sound of Lynn’s cell phone ringing. Lynn looked down at the number and sighed.

  “I have to take this,” she explained as she pressed the button turning on the speaker box.

  “This is Lynn Gregory,” she said out loud. Chris was a little nervous to hear both sides of the conversation.

  “Ms. Gregory, this is Carlos Tauton.”

  “Yes, Carlos, what can I do for you?”

  “Ms. Gregory, have you been watching the market? My stock has fallen significantly!”

  “Carlos,” Lynn answered in a soft but affirmative voice, “don’t you trust me?”

  “Of course, but—”

  “Carlos, I’ll make you the same offer I always do. If you want to sell that stock, I’ll send over a cashier’s check Monday morning for the exact amount you originally paid for it. But don’t come to me Tuesday crying when the stock goes through the roof, because I’ll own it then.”

  There was silence on the other end of the line. Then, Carlos, making the decision to ride it out, replied, “No, no, you’ve made a lot of money for me, I guess I’ll trust your instincts.”

  “That’s what you pay me for, Carlos. I’ve never steered you wrong, have I?”

  “No… sorry to have bothered you. Have a nice evening, Ms. Gregory.”

  Lynn reached down to turn the speaker off, then reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. “See what crap I have to deal with?” she said, looking at the road ahead.

  Chris looked over at her. “Then why do you deal with it?”

  “Because that man alone brings in ten thousand dollars a month for me,” Lynn replied, glancing over at her passenger.

  “Ten thousand a month for the firm?” Chris asked innocently.

  Lynn chuckled and shook her head. “No, ten thousand dollars for me.”

  Chris was shocked. “You make ten thousand dollars a month?”

  Lynn sighed and admitted, “No, I make a lot more than that. You can’t even comprehend how much money I bring in.”

  Chris sat back and stared at the road ahead. She was right. She had read the article. She saw the office. She saw the fabulous BMW that she was now riding in. But she never put it all together. In a way, the whole thing overwhelmed her. The rest of the drive was spent in silence.

  Lynn drove up to the hotel and pulled into the valet strip. A young man came out from the building and immediately opened Chris’s door. By the time Chris had been helped out of the car and her door shut, Lynn was by her side and had tossed the keys to the valet. Lynn ushered Chris through the enormous glass door. Chris stopped right inside the entrance. Her eyes scanned the lobby— glass pillars, marble tiled floor, and so many green plants, it could have been a jungle. She wouldn’t be surprised if the decorative metal, used as chair railing around the walls, was real gold.

  “Any messages, John?” Lynn asked at the counter.

  The desk clerk handed her a few slips of paper and a package. “Oh, and Ms. Gregory, the taxi you requested is waiting outside.”

  “Thank you, John,” Lynn commented while reviewing her messages, then looking up at Chris, she offered, “Here’s your chance, Chris. There’s a taxi outside just waiting for you.”

  Chris crossed her arms over her chest in defiance. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Lynn turned back to the desk clerk and took five one-hundred-dollar bills out from her wallet. “John, please ask the driver to wait here all night.” Then, handing him four of the bills, she continued, “Give him half now, and half in the morning, about nine, or sooner if this woman requests a ride home.” Handing him the last bill, she softly said, “And this is for you.”

  The man took the cash and nodded. “Thankyou.”

  Lynn started walking away, then turned around. “By the way, how is Miguel?”

  “He’s doing okay. Can you believe another organization just paid five thousand more of the hospital bills?” he replied.

  “That’s great, John. Keep me informed, okay?” Lynn requested. John nodded and headed out to the awaiting taxi driver.

  Lynn ushered Chris into the elevator. “Miguel is John’s lover. He has cancer.” After pausing, Lynn turned to Chris. “See, some people appreciate my money.”

  “Well, sometimes you don’t waste it on stupid things,” Chris snapped back sarcastically.

  “I don’t consider your tuition a stupid thing,” Lynn said, slightly annoyed.

  “I wasn’t talking about my tuition. I was talking about that wad you just dropped for that taxi,” Chris quipped back.

  Lynn stepped off the elevator at the tenth floor and held the door for Chris. She led the way down the long hall to a pair of double doors that she proceeded to unlock and open. Then, motioning for Chris to come in, she dropped her keys on the table, walked over to the French doors, and pushed them open. A soft breeze entered the room and Chris walked over to enjoy the view. Timing back toward the room, she examined her surroundings. Plush white carpet, burgundy leather couch, hand painted pictures—the room was beautiful. She watched as Lynn put on her glasses and proceeded to open the package she had just received.

  Lynn sat down on the couch examining the contents. Looking over her glasses, she asked coldly, “Are you having a panic attack yet?”

  Chris looked at her as if she had missed something. “Do you even remember that I told you that I loved you?”

  Lynn adjusted her glasses and continued looking at the papers in front of her. “I remember. I just don’t know if I really believe you.”

  Chris was hurt. “What do you mean?”

  Lynn, still not meeting Chris’s eyes, stood, walked over to the open doors, and answered, “Well, I thought that maybe you’d have reconsidered your decision by now. We both know how you run scared when it comes to our relationship.”

  “Wow. You really can be a coldhearted bitch.” Chris backed away. “Is this really you? Because this isn’t the woman that I fell in love with.” Then stopping, she strode over to Lynn, grabbed her chin, and forced Lynn to look into her eyes. “Where is that sweet, compassionate woman?”

  Lynn stared at her with a cold expression. She would not give in, she would not give in, she would not give in. Snapping her head away, Lynn walked out onto the balcony and leaned on the ledge.

  Chris stood there for a moment, then leaning against the door-jamb, asked, “Do you really want me to leave?”

  Not receiving a response, she said calmly, “Well, I’m not running away! Not this time.”

  Chris turned and surveyed the room: there had to be a minibar in here somewhere, and she needed a drink badly. Finally, after looking through several cabinets, she came upon the bottles. She paused, knowing how expensive these things were in hotels. Oh well, if she’s rich, she can afford it, she thought to herself.

  Chris poured two glasses and strolled back out to the balcony. She set one drink on the ledge in front of Lynn, gulped down the other, and began
. “You said we had a lot of talking to do, so I’ll start,” she said to the frozen figure.

  “Lynn, all my life I’ve felt like I didn’t really belong. I passed it off to all of the traveling that my family did. I never had any serious boyfriends. Yes, I’ve slept with a lot of men. But I never felt that emotional attachment. I guess the truth was that I was just never that interested.” Chris paused, again trying to calm the beat of her heart. “But that first night I met you, I felt a connection, a connection that I never felt with anyone before. And it felt good__ really good.”

  Chris drew a breath and continued, “And then that connection started turning into something else, something… sexual. And that Saturday night, when we were alone, looking into your eyes… I’d never felt anything like that before. That closeness, that heat, it just never existed in my life until you. And that scared me to death. So I pushed you away along with my feelings for you. But my feelings kept pulling me back in. You probably thought that I was a big tease, but I couldn’t help it.”

  Chris stopped. Lynn was not responding at all. Feeling the tears forming in her eyes, she struggled to continue. “Lynn, I didn’t really think you were trying to buy me, or that it was just a game for you, it was just another way for me to try and convince myself to pull away. And now, I believe that I’ve pushed so hard… that I’ve lost you.” Tears were flowing freely now. Chris could not fight them back anymore. “Please, Lynn, please tell me everything is okay. Tell me that you still care for me, because I’m crazy about you.”

  Lynn felt her wall crumbling inside. It was just another ploy. I’ll get close and she’ll back away again. Don’t fall for it, don’t fall for it, don’t fall for it.

  “I can’t do it, Chris!” she shouted. “I can’t deal with this anymore!”

  “Is this your bad temper showing? Because I don’t like it,” Chris stated.

  “Yeah, well this is how I deal with things, so you’d better get used to it if we’re going to have a relationship!”

  “So, we’re going to have a relationship?” Chris said with frustration.

  “Yes! No! It just hurts too much!” Lynn shouted. Then trying to calm down, she explained, “Don’t you understand? I want you so much it hurts. Chris, I can’t take you pulling away again.”