by Lynn Story
It was another long day and nearly midnight when I was done at the office. I needed to go home and get some sleep, the thought of Kay haunted me. I went to the Ironclad instead. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the dimness. And Charlie Pickens was almost done with his set, Kay was sitting in the same spot as the night before. She smiled when I approached the table.
“I hoped I might see you again.” She said.
My heart did about three flips and I sat down. “I hoped you’d be here.” I smiled.
The same waitress from the night before brought two bourbons to the table and left without a word.
“You’ve almost missed the set.”
“I’ve heard it before.” I shrugged. Tonight, I really didn’t care about Charlie Pickens. I wasn’t really listening to the music anyway; I was too busy admiring the color of her eyes. I felt her touch my hand. I looked down in surprise.
“You were pretty far away there; you didn’t hear a word I was saying.” She smiled playfully.
“I’m sorry.”
“Come on.” She said standing up.
I had no choice but to follow.
The waitress rushed over.
“Your change.”
“Keep it.” Kay said.
“I can’t really.”
“Yes, you can.” Kay gave the waitress a sweet smile. “It’s okay. Keep it.”
It was the same scenario as the night before.
“What’s the deal? Why doesn’t the waitress want the tip?”
“I have no idea, but she better learn to accept them is she is going to make any money in this job.” Kay shrugged.
I turned back and saw the waitress look down at a one-hundred-dollar bill. That was a big tip for a journalist, or at least I thought it was. I honestly, had no idea if being a photojournalist was a lucrative career or not. I guess I always thought of journalist in general as being the stereotypical starving artist type. You know the one you always see in the movies, who always looking for that one big story that will win them a prize or something.
“Where are we going?” I asked catching up to her.
“I don’t know. Someplace quiet I think.”
“Okay.”
I fell in step next to her and we walked for a while talking. We passed the veteran’s cemetery and I realized we were heading into the Garden District. I wondered if she somehow knew where I lived. We turned in the opposite direction of my house and I breathed a sigh of relief.
We walked through an iron gate. I realized the property contained a beautiful garden, a large house with a small one to the rear. I was familiar with the property in passing. It stood out because it took up an entire block. I followed her to the smaller of the two houses.
“Is this where you live?”
“It’s where I’m staying while I’m home.”
She opened the door with a key, and I followed her in. I scanned the room, there was nothing of a personal nature, it was definitely a guest house.
“Have a seat,” She motioned to the cluster of chairs and a sofa. I chose the sofa. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Maybe just a club soda, I have to be up early. I’m working on a new case.” To her credit she didn’t ask what the case was about, and I was grateful. I didn’t want to talk about it. I wanted to talk about her. She handed me my drink and joined me on the sofa, kicking off her shoes and tucking her legs under herself.
“This is a nice place.”
“It’s comfortable and quiet.” She sipped her own club soda.
I nodded. I suddenly felt very awkward.
“What about you?” She asked.
I looked at her confused for a moment.
“Do you have siblings?” She asked picking up the conversation from the night before.
I smiled. “No.”
She nodded and looked at my hand.
“You have a wife; do you have children?”
“A daughter.” I answered feeling awkward at the mention of Diane. I hadn’t brought it up before because I wanted to learn about her and because I frankly hadn’t given it much thought.
“Just the one?”
“Yeah. She is so beautiful.” I smiled a little.
“She must take after her father.”
I looked up at her. It was the first personal thing she had said, and I felt all the blood rushing to all the wrong parts of my body.
“How old is she?” she continued.
“She ten going on thirty.” I sighed.
She nodded.
“No one special for you?” I asked.
“No, long distance is tough, and the dessert isn’t really the best place to meet your soul mate.” Her eyes looked like she was looking into my soul.
I thought of her with a boyfriend and a new feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time rose up in my gut.
She noticed my glass was empty and she got up to get me another. She leaned over to take my glass from me, and her face was so close to mine. Too close. She smelled like vanilla.
“Let me get you another.”
“You don’t have to do that.” My voice was hoarse.
“Sure, I do.” She whispered back.
In that moment I have never wanted another woman more. Not even Diane and that bothered me. I am not the man that looks at other women, I don’t cheat on my wife no matter what kind of problems we are having. I’m just not that guy. But there was something about Kay that I had no control over. I couldn’t control my feelings and I already felt like I had known her my whole life. She must have sensed how uncomfortable I was because she quickly stood up and walked to the kitchen.
“Maybe I should call it a night.” I said not trusting myself to be alone with her. The look of disappointment on her face pierced me through the heart. I didn’t want to leave. I was afraid if I didn’t, I might lose control. I couldn’t stay and risk doing something I might regret, because I knew I wouldn’t regret it and that was the problem.
She put both glasses on the counter and walked back over to me. She sunk down on the sofa closer than she had been sitting before.
“I wish you didn’t have to go. I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you.”
“I am enjoying it too.”
“So why leave?”
“Because,”
She looked at me. I was hoping she wasn’t going to make me say it. What if she didn’t feel the same way and then I would sound like a total idiot. But I believed with every fiber of my being she felt the same way.
“Because I might do something that I shouldn’t.”
She raised her eyebrows at me. “Are you sure?”
“Am I sure about what?” I asked my thoughts were getting cloudy.
“That you shouldn’t?”
Oh god, here we go. She was tempting me. She knew how I felt. She leaned back and drew circles on the sofa with her finger.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure.”
“Because of your wife?”
“Yes.”
“I understand. I do not want to be party to any stress or unhappiness in someone else relationship.”
She looked up at me. Her eyes were on fire. “I have to leave tomorrow. I’m going back to my assignment. If we are meant to be together, we will meet again. And if not, I’ll treasure these past two nights with you.”
It took all my power to stand up and prepare to walk out the door. She stood up and followed me.
“Kay, I…” I couldn’t bring myself to say the words.
“I’m going to miss you, Ethan.” She stood on her toes and kissed me gently. Her tongue touch my lips for the briefest of moments. I wanted to pull her close to me. I wanted to explore her mouth with my tongue. I wanted to carry her to the bedroom and spend a week exploring her body. I felt the blood pulsing through my veins, and I needed to leave now, or I would never be able to go.
“Kay.” I whispered again. Then I turned and walked away. I didn’t look back instead I waited to hear the door close behind me. It didn’t, not a
s long as I was in earshot.
Chapter Two
Kay
I had only been stationed in the Middle East for six months when my mother died. The cancer had been in remission, but it came back with a vengeance. My mother had called to tell me the prognosis and I started making arrangements to return home immediately, unfortunately, she passed while I was in route. Eddie, my mother’s personal driver provided by the family business met me at the airport and gave me the news. Fortunately, when my father died two years previously, he had seen to it that things were put in place, so that at the time of my mother’s eventual demise, the legal aspects of the family business and the private property would be a matter of me signing a few documents. I was an only child so the will was pretty straight forward. I received the real property, some money and the family business. There were sizable donations made to various charitable organizations in Gates Point.
My first order of business upon arriving home was to meet with the family attorneys; one for the estate and one for the company, Port City Industries. The family attorney for the real property was a very brief meeting. We went over the will I signed a few papers accepting the house and the monetary funds so they could be transferred into my personal account. Then I met with the corporate attorneys to sign the necessary documents that granted Elliott Goode limited power of attorney. Elliott was the corporate attorney for Port City Industries, he had been with the company for more than twenty years. But my father had taught me well and I only allowed him to exercise control over what might be considered minor items for the day to day operation. Anything major short of a vote by the shareholders would have to be forwarded to me no matter where I was in the world. I owned the majority of the stock in the company in addition to being the new chief executive officer.
As we sat in the conference room on the twentieth floor of the Port Cities Industries building, I was starting to get a headache from the whining of the corporate attorney.
“Ms. Dandridge, are you sure you want it set up this way?” Elliott protested.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“You are living in a war zone at the moment what if something urgent arises?” Elliott continued.
“You have my cell number, call me. As you pointed out, I’m in a war zone, not another planet.” There was no way I was going to budge on this matter, and I would fire him if I needed to, I was not signing away control of the family business. “And I want to meet with the employees while I’m home.”
“That’s impossible.” Elliott blurted out allowing his frustration to show.
“Not for the ones here in the corporate headquarters.” I leaned back in the leather chair that my father had occupied for so long. I don’t think my mother ever came up there even though she was the head of the company after father’s death. “Listen, I realize that mother pretty much handed over control to you and the staff here during her tenure, but she never understood the business side of things. I do and I intend to be just as involved as my father was.”
“From the other side of the world?” Elliott was incredulous.
“I will make it work.”
“Hmmpf.” Elliott was clearly annoyed.
“It’s like this Elliott, I will make it work with or without you. The choice is yours and there will be no hard feelings.” Elliott turned red in the face and looked around the room. It was only himself; a junior attorney, Michael; the administrative assistance, Sherry, and me.
“I wasn’t implying that I would not be supportive, I am merely trying not to over burden you at this time.” Elliott was a little thin-lipped weasel of a man and I wasn’t sure if I could trust him. I sure as hell wasn’t taking any chances while I was halfway around the world.
I held up my hand to stop him. “I appreciate that Elliott and I wasn’t implying anything different.” He let out a sigh and relaxed a bit.
His junior attorney spoke up. “I think we can all agree that this is a stressful time, maybe we should just focus on the paperwork today and then Sherry can organize the meeting you’ve requested.” He looked at Elliott and then me.
I liked him; he wasn’t afraid to speak up. “That’s an excellent idea. I need to get to the funeral home.”
“Of course, I apologize.” Elliott offered.
“Thank you, Michael for keeping us on track.” I smiled. He nodded and avoided eye contact with Elliott.
“Sherry how soon can you have business cards made up for me?”
“I can have them here tomorrow,” she responded.
“Perfect. Do that and set up the employee meeting for after mom’s funeral.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I shook each one of their hands before leaving. I had the company car and driver at my disposal now. It felt silly. But Eddie had insisted. He said it was no time for me to worry about things like traffic and getting to meetings on time. We drove away from the corporate offices, then to the funeral home to sign the final papers that would allow my mother’s funeral to move forward as she had planned.
She had pre-paid and picked out her own casket the day she found out the cancer was back. It seemed morbid to me at the time, but today I was grateful for her forethought. She’d be placed next to my father in the family crypt. I had a space there as well, although I had not made any pre-arrangements. However, today I was thinking it might not be a bad idea considering I’d be going back to the Middle East when all of this was over.
With the corporate lawyer confrontation over I had just one more hurdle this week. My grandfather. His car was in front of the house when I returned.
“Grandpa!” I smiled as I walked into the house.
“Kay, there you are!” He advanced on me for a hug. “Where have you been?” he asked holding me at arms-length.
“At the office to get things straight with the lawyers.”
“And did you give them hell?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That’s my girl.” He laughed and squeezed my shoulders. Richard Beauchamp was my maternal grandfather and he was the Secretary of the Navy. We kept the family connection very quiet for the sake of my career. I didn’t want any special treatment and I didn’t need the hassle of everyone assuming I was getting special treatment.
“Are you staying here?” He asked leading me over to the sofa.
“Out in the guest house. I just couldn’t…”
He patted my arm. “It’s okay.”
“Besides, you and your security detail will need the privacy of the house anyway.” I tried to smile.
“That is very thoughtful, but not necessary,” he soothed.
“I like the guest house.”
He nodded. “Now tell me how things are going in the Corp?” He hadn’t been a fan of me being imbedded with a military unit, particularly a Marine unit. But I had wanted to go where the action was and I learned as a child, the Marines saw a lot of action.
“Squared away, sir.”
“I know you are. Are they giving you a hard time?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Some do, some are coming around.”
“Hang in there.” He smiled.
“I will.”
“You’ve got a lot on your shoulders right now anything I can do to help?” he offered.
“No, I have everything under control.”
“You always do. You are your father’s child.” It was a family joke that my grandfather was happier than anyone when my father proposed to mother. At the time my father was a marine and the son my grandfather never had.
I gave him a small smile. “Want to have dinner together tonight?”
“That sounds good.” He agreed.
“I’ll see what we have in the kitchen.” I got up and left grandpa with his security detail I was certain he had work to do.
I found everything I needed for seafood casserole and cornbread. I made sure there was enough for the security detail, as well. It seemed security details were a way of life in our family. My father as CEO of Port City Industries didn’t have
a detail but he had Eddie. Eddie’s title was company driver. When he was with my father outside of the office, he never let my father out of his sight. I never got the full story of their relationship. I knew they had served together when my father was a young man. My grandfather, being Secretary of the Navy, couldn’t go anywhere without his detail and pre-checks and sweeps. For every one of my grandfather’s security team that I saw I was sure there was another I couldn’t see.
The rest of the week was a blur, the funeral was well attended, and my mother would have been happy to see so many of her friends. My grandfather had to leave the day after the funeral, and frankly I was surprised he stayed as long as he did. The meetings at the company headquarters to review new contracts and address the employees went along without further problems from Elliott. I gave each employee my personal cell phone and told them to call me if they had any concerns about their jobs or the company itself. A personal touch is what my father believed. It didn’t matter how big the company got or how many cities we were located. He made sure each employee knew he was approachable and would take the time to listen to them no matter the concern.
I remembered accompanying my father to visit employees or employee’s family member in the hospital. He’d set up a scholarship fund for employee’s children to attend the college or trade school of their choice. He was always looking after the them as if he was still a small company of only ten people and I believe that was the secret to his success.
Finally, it was all over. The meetings, the funeral. I returned to my family’s home, now my home. The Garden District was a historic area and most of the families had lived there for generations. It was a quiet neighborhood with a lot of pride. No matter how big or how small the house, it was well kept, lawns attended to, flowers and garden flags proudly displayed, some with fences, many these days with children. It was a wonderful picturesque place and I was grateful for it today.
I walked up the wide front steps and entered the house. It was quiet without my grandfather and his men. Amidst the emptiness everything to hit me at once, my mother was gone. My father had died two years earlier. Now the house felt so completely empty. I couldn’t bring myself to sleep in my old room, so I returned to the guest house. It was close enough but without the constant reminders of what I had lost. It didn’t take long, and I was tired of staring at four walls I needed a distraction. Something to cheer me up a bit. I decided I needed fresh air and a fresh perspective. I could hear my mother telling me to hold my chin up and get on with it. I decided to walk downtown for a little entertainment. As luck would have it, Charlie Pickens was playing at the Ironclad. The Ironclad was home to two of my favorite things, bourbon and blues.