Milk Money

by Jude E. McNamara

  As far as I was concerned my job was done. I made it through the presentation. I made it through telling Nicky he was the father of my baby. And now I was going to make my way right out of this entire scene before the floodgate of tears that were building opened up on me.

  I turned quickly, exciting the Joduku office doors, not looking back. But not before calling CEO Nobu, telling him Montgomery Consulting was withdrawing its bid. Fuck it.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Nicholas

  It was hard having to watch my baby maker make a quick dash out of the Joduku offices without me, but I needed to get Milk Money out of this bidding war first. Business was business and there were just too many millions at stake. I figured I could set things right with Harper and make peace later.

  “Ladies, Gentlemen, and Board of Directors, this is going to come as a surprise to you, but at this time, Milk Money is officially withdrawing its bid. We thank you again for your careful consideration of our firm. However, extenuating circumstances requires us to forego our planned presentation,” I stated calmly.

  I heard a few voices in the room gasp. I quickly left the podium. I know I must have looked like a fool. I certainly felt like one. But I didn’t care. As far as I was concerned, this was a stupid idea from the beginning that Big Daddy had drummed up.

  CEO Nobu had his phone up to his ear and his face was in shock. I couldn’t tell if it was the phone call he was on, or Milk Money’s troubling news. What a fiasco. Brooks had a shit grin on his face, and Harper had conveniently left the building. Lucia was moving expeditiously, quickly gathering our things. I had mixed emotions. I was happy not to have to compete with Harper. I was pissed that this meant that Brooks was likely going to win the bid. Big Daddy seriously had shit up with him. Never in a million years had I ever been put in this position. Note to self. This is exactly why you stay the hell out of any matters having to do with Becker Foods. Next time, just say no.

  “Tell Cameron to fuel the jet and let’s get the hell out of Dodge,” I said to Lucia.

  “Fine with me,” Lucia responded. “Stephen’s waiting outside with Silas in the car to take us to the airport. It’s raining cats and dogs, so we need to get out of town.”

  “Good. I’ve had about all I can handle for one day,” I said wiping the back of my hand across my brow. “About Harper. How in the hell was I supposed to know that she was serious that the baby was mine, Lucia?” I asked shaking my head, walking and talking at the same time, exiting the Joduku headquarters.

  “Because I told you,” Lucia said shaking her head in disgust. “I gave you a heads-up Nicky.”

  “How is this even possible?”

  “Ah . . . maybe you need to think back to you little soiree in Vermont, perhaps?”

  “Oh . . . yes . . . that . . .” I grinned at the memory of our trip to Vermont. “The Mile High Club, among other things.” I smiled as we entered the limo. “Bloody Mary mornings.” I opened the privacy window long enough to say, “Get us the hell out of here Silas.”

  “Yeah well now you’re in the Mile High Doo-Doo Club, Nicky,” Lucia said. “Your skull is so thick. I tried to warn you, but you and Harper . . . it’s this thing the two of you do,” Lucia said with exasperation. “You two a have a thin line between love and evisceration that exceeds all bounds,” she said. “I’m scared to think what your kids will be like,” Lucia cringed.

  “Well if it’s a boy, he’ll be beautiful like his mother and a shark like me, and if it’s a girl, she’ll be a beautiful piranha like her mother.” I laughed loudly.

  Lucia rolled her eyes at me, shook her head and went back to fumbling with her phone.

  Thirty minutes later we were back at Mercer Airport ready to board the Milk Money jet. Silas let us out. He was traveling by car back to Manhattan.

  “Have a safe trip Silas,” I said.

  “Thank you. See you in the Apple, sir.”

  The rainstorm was much fiercer now. It felt like we were in the middle of a monsoon. Lucia was completely engrossed in whatever she had going on that damn smartphone, not listening to much of anything that I was saying. It was always hard to make small talk with Lucia. If you’re weren’t talking multimillion-dollar deals, her attention span was short. I was used to it, but it still irked me from time to time when I needed somebody to talk to, wanting to forget about business. I might as well have been talking to a brick wall. I had to give Lucia credit for trying, however. Every twenty words she looked up at me, nodding and feigning that she was giving me her undivided attention. We both knew better. If I really wanted her ear, all I had to do was to start repeating myself. That was her signal I was under stress and that she needed to engage. Yes, Lucia was indeed the Yin to my Yang.

  Stephen was back on board, annoyed for some reason about the fact that Scott wasn’t answering his calls.

  “This is your Captain,” Cameron said. “Prepare for takeoff. We have about a three-minute window to get this baby up and out of here, otherwise we’re grounded for the night. Most of the airports on the eastern seaboard are rapidly closing due to the worsening thunderstorms. “We’re going to rock and roll, sir.”

  “That suits me just fine,” I said to Lucia, who was fastening her seatbelt and looking concerned.

  “Not to worry, Lucia. Cameron is an excellent pilot,” I said, hoping to quell her concerns.

  “No, it’s not that,” Lucia said. “It appears that between Peachtree Plastics and McKenna Textiles, the bid’s going to go to Brooks after all. I know how you hate to lose, Nicky.”

  “Well we didn’t really lose. We withdrew. And, as soon as we get back to Manhattan I’ll be able to talk to Big Daddy and find out what the hell is going on with him, and Elizabeth too for that matter. At least Harper and I didn’t have to shed more blood over which one of us was going to end up the loser,” I said.

  “Yeah I guess that at least was a blessing in disguise. I don’t think I could have stood watching the two of you fight over companies and artwork for the rest of the year. Or will I?” Lucia said, not looking too confident that Harper and I were through lobbing grenades at each other.

  “Nope, she’s carrying my child,” I said with all assurance. “Baby’s mine. She’s mine. To everything there is a season, and a time and purpose under the heavens,” I said.

  “I sure hope so, Nicky.”

  “Harper and I both know this is our time. She and I are going to learn how to make love, not war,” I said. “It will be a new experience for us both. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

  “You know, Nicky, you have a good heart underneath all that . . . stuff,” Lucia said waving her hand in the air.

  “Thank you Lucia. I love you, too.”

  She blushed. I knew she knew I meant what I said. She was the best friend and business partner anyone could ever have. Devoted. I was getting sentimental now and she was getting embarrassed.

  “Thank God this is a short flight. The turbulence is awful tonight,” Lucia said after a long period of silence between us.

  I raised my head from the Wall Street Journal. I wondered what was really bothering Lucia. She had good instincts. I relied on them often. I knew her well. My instincts were good, too and one thing that I knew, Lucia was a bit off balance.

  I glanced back at Stephen. He was still looking anxious. I supposed it was due to the fact that he still hadn’t connected with Scott. I suppose it had more to do with the fact that we were up in the air and his Wi-Fi was off. We all needed to get off this plane, out of this storm, and back on ground, solidly on our home turf.

  My team had morphed into technology junkies, unable to function for a few hours when they were forced to disconnect. It was like watching them go through withdrawal. Me, I relished the technology break, brief as it was. It gave me time to think about how I was going to get my woman back. I was going to have a baby with Harper. I needed to make plans to create some differences in my life. I was getting a second chance. Things would be different for us than they were t
en years ago. I was elated. I was looking forward to the change that was upon me. Big Daddy was going to be so happy. Three was going to get to be an uncle. I was going to be a daddy. A daddy . . . I rolled that word around in my mind. Just think, a little person looking up to me and saying “Daddy.” It was like a prayer to my ears.

  I would marry Harper before the baby was born and we would finally get our happily-ever-after. Harper and the baby would want for nothing. I would lay the world at her feet. I needed remember to call Mico when I landed. I want him to be my best man. It had been awhile since I had caught up with him and Riley.

  What was I saying? I know I hadn’t asked Harper to marry me yet, but I was not going to take a no for an answer. She was going to be my wife once and for all. Nobody was going to deny me my baby. I was going to have a presence in my son or daughter’s life. Surely Harper wouldn’t deny me. Surely she wouldn’t deny me the very air I need to breathe. I loved that woman more than anything. It was impossible for me to live without her. Not getting a plastics company was one thing, but Kitten not being my wife was something entirely different. This was non-negotiable. And as icing on the cake, Big Daddy and Elizabeth would get a grandchild. Life’s puzzle pieces were starting to fall into place.

  I decided to grab a few winks.

  I awakened to the realization that our plane had touched down in what appeared to be a major tropical storm. Thank God we hadn’t gotten stranded in New Jersey. Fortunately we each had our Wi-Fi back. Now I could call Big Daddy and Three. Not that it mattered because I noticed my phone was buzzing out of control. I had messages from Big Daddy, Three, and Scott. Scott? Messages from Scott, this can’t be good.

  Stephen was on his feet, pacing up and down the plane’s aisle, yelling at the steward to get the plane’s “fucking door” open.

  Lucia’s face looked pained.

  “What’s wrong?” I said turning to Stephen.

  “Harper’s plane left New Jersey before us, but she and Scott weren’t on it. Harper and Scott are unaccounted for, Nicky,” Stephen said.

  “Exactly what the fuck are you saying?” I shouted.

  No way, my baby maker was—what did he say?—“unaccounted for.”

  “They are missing, Nicholas,” Stephen said.

  “Scott?” Lucia asked.

  “Missing? As in their plane is missing?” I asked, seriously confused.

  “No their plane is not missing,” Stephen said. “They are missing. Harper and Scott are missing,” Stephen said again, just as he punched his fist into the side of the plane’s wall. “I fucking told Scott I didn’t trust that Brooks fella.”

  “Brooks? What’s Brooks got to do with this?” I asked.

  “Their plane has landed at LaGuardia, but they’re aren’t on it,” Stephen said. “I got a text on my phone from Charlotte. She was worried. Apparently Charlotte boarded the plane early ahead of them to do some work while Scott planned to take Harper to grab something to eat before boarding the plane. Harper was feeling hungry after the commotion at the presentation and was starting to feel ill. Their flight crew waited as long as they could. They had to leave without them to beat the storm. Harper and Scott never made it to the plane.”

  “Never made it to the plane,” I mumbled out loud.

  Lucia momentarily put her hand over her mouth and gasped.

  “Charlotte said Harper told her to go on without them. Charlotte thought that perhaps Harper and Scott would catch a later commercial flight,” Stephen went on. “When the Carmichael Ketchup plane landed in New York with Charlotte and the flight crew, Charlotte powered up her phone and noticed she had received a puzzling text message from Brooks.”

  “What did the message say Stephen?”

  “The message said ‘Today is the day that everything changes’. I have no idea what it means, Nicky, but I sure as hell don’t like it,” Stephen said. “Nicky, what do your messages from Scott say?”

  “It says ‘don’t worry, Nicky. I mean to catch them’,” I said, thumbing rapidly through my messages to see if I missed any more messages. “Them who?” I said out loud.

  “We need to get back to Becker Towers as quick as possible,” Stephen said. “It’s time to marshal our resources. The quicker we move, the better.” One thing for sure, Stephen was an aficionado in the art of war. His twin brother Scott was equally as lethal. If Brooks or someone else was involved in Harper’s disappearance, it could only mean one thing.

  I needed to do to find my baby maker and my baby as soon as possible or else somebody was going to die.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Harper

  “God that was a painful phone call. CEO Nobu was definitely not happy about my withdrawing our bid,” I said, shaking my head at Charlotte who was ending her phone call.

  “Harper, the flight crew just called. We need to get back to the plane as soon as possible. There’s a major tropical storm headed our way. I was hoping to make my sister’s bridal shower tomorrow,” Charlotte said.

  “No problem Charlotte,” I mumbled. “Why don’t you head back to the plane and call your sister. I haven’t forgotten you’ve got maid of honor duties. I just need to get Scott to take me to get something to eat first.”

  “Are you sure?” Charlotte asked with a look of concern.

  “Yes. You can work on the plane until we get there. We’re done here. I’m going to run to the ladies room first. Tell Scott to have Winston bring the car around. I need to eat something before we board.”

  I was anxiously looking for the restroom doors inside the Carnegie Center. I was a bundle of nerves. God, I needed to relieve myself in more ways than one. My bladder felt like it was going to burst, I’d been holding back a flood of tears, and I was starving. My mood was rapidly turning sour.

  I was long overdue for calling Mackenzie. She must be worried about me. I swore I’d keep her abreast of everything going on today. My mind was operating on several different tracks at once. I needed to call my mother and find out why in the hell this bid was canceled. This was turning out to be a really shitty day. As a matter of fact, the day was starting to get downright insane.

  I watched Scott as he was finishing up his conversation with Charlotte and approached me.

  “Scott, I need to go to the ladies room before we leave and then I’d like to get something to eat.”

  “No problem Ms. Montgomery. Winston will bring the car around for us. I’ll just stand outside here in the lobby and wait for you,” he said looking stoic.

  “I’m not a baby Scott. I’m completely capable of going to the ladies room on my own. You can go ahead and wait for me with Winston,” I said.

  “I prefer not Ms. Montgomery. Mr. McKenna is still in the building and things have been tense today. I wouldn’t want you to have to deal with him getting you upset, your being pregnant and all,” he said with his eyebrows raised.

  Damn, nothing is ever sacred around here. I just bet a pair of my favorite Louboutins that Nicky has already told Stephen, who has already told Scott that I’m pregnant. They are just starting to get to be a regular good ole boy’s club.

  “I doubt that Mr. McKenna has time to be concerned with me right about now. He has bigger fish to fry. Besides I’ll be fine. Perhaps you should use the opportunity to relieve your own self before we hit the road. I’ll be fine.”

  Scott glared at me hard. I could tell he wasn’t too comfortable with the idea of leaving my side. I hope Nicky didn’t think he was going to have my own security detail smother me like this.

  “You work for me Scott. Go. I insist.”

  Scott nodded but headed for the men’s room reluctantly. I eyeballed the ladies room, reflecting on the day’s events. A fight on the tarmac, a bid withdrawal, and my baby’s daddy thought I was pulling some joke on him. I could just slap him all over again just for the hell of it. I knew in my heart of hearts that I deeply loved Nicholas but it didn’t negate the fact that he made me crazy. I was reminded of Beyoncé’s song, “Crazy in Love.” That song
took on a whole new meaning today. Yep. That was me. Crazy in Love. I reached down on my phone and downloaded the Dangerously In Love CD. I immediately changed my ringtone for Nicholas. Yep. Crazy In Love. Every time Nicholas rings my phone, this little ringtone would make me think twice about whether or not I wanted to answer my phone and do crazy. I giggled briefly to myself.

  As I exited the bathroom stall I looked in the mirror at myself. My body was changing. I turned to the side and peered at my stomach. I was losing my waistline. Nicholas’s child was growing inside of me. I rubbed my belly.

  Yeah, honey. You’re getting fat. This is what happens when you do the panty drop at thirty thousand feet. Nicholas has invaded the gene pool and you’ve got the big belly to prove it.

  I rolled my eyes up in my head, looking in the mirror and shaking off the voice in my head. I needed to talk to Reese. Mackenzie and Reese were going to have to help me get through this pregnancy. I tapped my phone changing my ringback tone to Beyoncé’s “Me, Myself and I.” Nicholas would hear that whenever he dialed my number. There was more than one way for me to deliver my message to him. If Nicholas didn’t want to commit to me and this baby, we’d make it together alone. I thumbed through the rest of the album. Yes, I was “Crazy in Love.” This music was very fitting for this moment in time.

  As I moved through the Carnegie Center main building toward the lobby doors, I tapped the keypad on my phone hoping to be able to reach my mother. I hung up, briefly deciding that I needed to call Mackenzie first. I ended up in her voicemail instead.

  “Hey Mackenzie, this is Harper. I’ve probably caught you right when you’re picking up Gill Jr. at basketball practice. Give me a call, babe. I desperately need to talk to you.”

  My phone rang. It was Charlotte calling from the plane.

  “Yes Charlotte I’m aware there is a major storm coming but I need to eat. Scott and I will be there to catch the plane as soon as we can. If we’re too late, go on ahead of us. We’ll charter a plane to get back if need be.”