Damn me for not trying harder to find her. But then Elizabeth telling me that she was pregnant with my child was the game changer for me. Reese was gone, and Elizabeth was with me and pregnant with Jackson. In that moment, I put away all of my hurt and pain, and I knew I needed to step up and try to be the man Elizabeth deserved. I owed her that much.
I was about to close the safe when my eyes found the old, tattered ring box. I couldn’t handle opening it, so I shut the safe door and closed the painting over it. Why was I torturing myself with the painful reminders of my past? That damn ring! Her grandmother repeatedly returned it to me. I lost count of how many times I attempted to send it to her. That Lila Mitchell was almost as stubborn as her granddaughter. God, I miss that woman. It was years since I even allowed myself to remember her. I wasn’t sure if Nana was even alive.
I fixed myself a drink and clutched the back of my neck. I have to let this go, I just have to, but how do I do this? This is what happens to me every time I am in this fucking city. My private line was ringing, and I cringed on who would be calling me. As I expected, it was my mother. I had been dodging her calls for a week now. She must have phoned my office and was told where I was, unless Jackson told her. He loved his grandparents very much, despite how I felt about them. After losing Elizabeth, I was left alone to raise our son. I don’t know what I would have done if Jackson died along with his mother.
His birth was touch and go for a while there. His cord was tangled around his neck and the doctors were unsure if he was deprived of oxygen. My wife was on the operating table. She was declared brain dead after suffering a massive stroke. Elizabeth was never going to recover, would never know our child. Life was incredibly unfair and cruel. I held her hand as I listened to her breaths being controlled by a machine. While the doctors worked on our son, I leaned into my wife’s ear.
“I am so sorry this happened to you, and to us. I never thought I would be doing this without you. How can I do this? I will never be able to thank you for this incredible gift you have given me…our son. I promise you that I will be the best father I can be and always tell our son about you. You were my lifeline when I was drowning. Thank you for loving me, Elizabeth.”
I said my goodbyes to my wife and friend. She deserved so much better than half of a man who loved someone else. I kissed her forehead and was startled by the sound of a newborn crying. Our son made it and was screaming at the top of his lungs. I never heard a more beautiful sound in all of my life. The nurse brought him over to me.
My hands were shaking. I was afraid to touch him. The nurse led me out of the room so the doctors could now finish up with Elizabeth.
I sat down in a rocking chair and was given my son. Jackson looked just like me when I was a baby. His hair was dark, and he had my nose. He stopped crying, and he wrapped his finger around mine. No turning back now; I was hooked. My son captured my heart with one touch. His eyes were so bright, they matched his mother’s. I would have to tell him one day about her. How would I explain why she’s not here to raise him? It was my job to be mother and father to him, but how?
Jackson was examined by a team of doctors. I spared no expense when it came to my son. He was perfectly healthy and could go home in a couple of days. After our son was settled into the nursery, I was approached by a transplant team. Elizabeth’s organs needed to be harvested, and time was of the essence. I needed to make a decision on what to do. She never told me she was an organ donor, and although she suffered a stroke, her organs were still viable but would eventually shut down.
I signed the transplant papers but wanted to bring Jackson to his mother first. I placed him in his mother’s arms. I knew she was gone, but the machines kept her heart still beating, and I wanted our son to feel her. With Elizabeth attached to machines, I couldn’t take a picture of them, so I just mentally stored the image in my memory. I would relive this moment with Jackson when he was ready to hear it. I held my son as I watched Elizabeth be taken away by the team of doctors. That day, she would be responsible for saving lives, while hers was lost.
Walking over to my desk, I picked up my wedding photo. Elizabeth looked stunning. Her face was glowing. I questioned God every single day why my Elizabeth was taken from me and from our son. I would have given my life to switch places with her. Jackson needed his mother, but fate served us an incredible blow and took her from all who loved her. I only had a few pictures of her in this home, and of course, Jackson had many in his room. I truly had no time to grieve for my wife. I had a son to raise alone and a company to run. My life completely changed the minute I saw Elizabeth die in front of me. I knew I had to be strong for my son. I made promises to Elizabeth, telling her how much I would miss her and how I would always be the best father I could be to Jackson.
Holding her picture against my heart, I leaned back in my chair and just let my tears flow. This was not an emotion that I was used to or ever allowed myself to feel. I had held back for so many years now for Jackson’s benefit. I didn’t even know how long I was sitting there without noticing that Jackson had entered my office.
“Dad, are you okay? I tried knocking a few times, but I got worried when you didn’t answer.”
I quickly wiped my face, and placed the picture back on the desk. Jackson stared at me with worry written all over his face. This was not how I wanted his vacation to begin.
“I’m fine, son. Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Grandmother has been calling. She phoned the desk downstairs, and now has been calling my cell. She’s worried about you and says you’re avoiding her calls.” I sighed and made my way over to my son.
“Jackson, please don’t worry about your grandmother. Once again, she is being melodramatic and is only seeking attention. I am not avoiding her calls.” I lied.
“I just have a lot on my mind right now, and being here is not helping. I’m sorry.”
“Dad, I’m sorry to have dragged you here. I know you only said yes to make me happy. We should have gone to Europe instead.”
“Jackson, please don’t feel bad because you’re in a place that you love. This is an exciting time for you. I want you to enjoy every last bit of it and not worry about your old man, okay?”
“You were crying, dad. I don’t even think I can count on one hand how many times I saw you cry. Maybe zero.”
“You’re right about that, son. This is something I rarely do, but most of the tears were happy ones.” I lied.
“Remembering your mother makes me feel all kinds of emotions, and even after all of these years, I still feel her presence. How can I not? I see her in you every day. You have her beautiful eyes.”
“You say that to me all the time. Even grandma and grandpa say it.”
“It’s true, Jackson. The minute I held you in my arms and looked into your eyes, I felt as if I was looking into your mother’s eyes, and she was living on through you. Now, let’s put this to rest and get ready for dinner.”
“What about Grandmother? Will you call her?”
“I will, but tomorrow. Now…let’s go meet that girl of yours.”
We arrived at the restaurant promptly at seven o’clock. Jackson looked suave for his girl. He wasn’t overdressed, but looked good enough to get her attention. The maître d’ escorted us to the private dining room that I had reserved for our party. I barely sat down when Jackson spotted Riley walking in. He looked like his heart had just stopped beating. I knew exactly how he felt, because I had experienced that look a long time ago with Reese. She ran into his arms, and he scooped her up into a hug. After witnessing a very public display of affection, I expelled a grunt to let them know they weren’t alone.
“Dad, I would like you to meet Riley Briggs. Riley, this is my father, Walker Reed.”
I was about to extend my hand and welcome her to New York when her familiar resemblance stopped me in my tracks. I almost felt my heart stop beating when I took in her appearance. She looked like a younger version of Reese.
“Dad,
are you okay?” I felt an elbow jab into my ribs, as I came out of my daze. Jackson leaned into my ear and whispered, “Dad, you’re staring at my girlfriend. Snap out of it.”
I extended my hand to Riley and apologized for my behavior. “My apologies, Riley. You seem to remind me of someone I used to know.”
“No worries. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reed. Jackson has told me so much about you. You could pass for brothers instead of father and son.”
I laughed at her compliments, such a beautiful young lady who had sunshine radiating off of her. God, she reminded me of Reese, but I quickly shrugged it off.
“Please, let’s all have a seat and order some drinks,” I said.
Jackson, always a gentleman, pulled out her chair and gestured his girl to sit. He also placed a linen napkin across her lap. That was the Reed charm at its finest. I needed to calm myself before meeting her mother. Her mother must have been beautiful as well. Jackson must have been embarrassed by my actions. I was sure he would let me know about it later.
“Is your mother joining us, Riley?” I asked.
“Yes sir, she is. Mom had to meet up with a friend before joining us here. She sent me ahead with the car. She sends her apologies for running late, only explaining that she needed to take care of something that couldn’t wait.”
“I understand, no need to apologize. We can now have some time to get to know one another. Tell me about your family? What does your father do?” After having an earlier conversation with Jackson about Riley, I felt it was only fair to get to know the girl in person who had snared my son’s heart.
“Dad, we’ve only been here for ten minutes. Can you ease up a bit?”
Riley responded, “Jackson, it’s fine. That’s what this dinner is all about.” My son had mouthed the word “Sorry” to his girl. Oh, he didn’t stand a chance against this beauty. “As you know, we live in Maryland, right outside of Baltimore. My father is a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is also the director of Neurology and the Neurosurgery Aneurysm Center.”
“Wait a minute.” I had to stop her right there, “Is your father Samuel Briggs?”
“Yes sir, do you know him?”
“In a way, I do, although we never met in person. Three years ago my company was commissioned to build the new wing that now houses the new Aneurysm Center at Johns Hopkins. I had planned on meeting with the surgeon that this building was being built for, but I never had the opportunity. As you now know, the building is named after Jackson’s late mother, Elizabeth. I was out of the country during the ribbon cutting ceremony, but my father had taken Jackson to commemorate the day. Jackson told me that was the same day he met you. Thank you for showing him such kindness.”
“I’ll never forget that day, Mr. Reed. My father was in all his glory with the unveiling of his new wing. He was incredibly proud of his research and the great strides he and his team were working toward. I went to support him in his moment, but I really didn’t get a lot of time with him. He was too busy.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Riley. Your father sounds almost heroic. I’d love to shake his hand one day,” I said to my son’s girl.
“It’s okay, Mr. Reed. I can’t be bitter about it when the highlight of my day was meeting Jackson.”
I can’t get over how much this girl resembles Reese. She even blushes like her. I quickly turned to Jackson to shake this déjà vu feeling I was experiencing.
“Jackson, what else can you remember about the dedication? What was your Grandfather doing?”
“I remember Grandfather shaking a lot of hands and posing for photographs.” I rolled my eyes. Yeah that sounds like him, never missing an opportunity to work the crowd. “After the dedication, I was just hanging out in the background until Grandfather was ready to go. The best part of the day was watching the unveiling of mother’s portrait. Dad, I wish you could have seen the reaction on everyone’s faces when the curtain was pulled off the painting. When the crowd cleared, I just found myself staring at it, and that’s when I met Riley. I hope her father’s research can save many lives.”
Jackson’s face saddened with the mention of his mom, but I also didn’t miss him squeezing Riley’s hand and glancing up at the ceiling. Another thank you to his mother in heaven. He never got the opportunity to know how extraordinary she was, but he always seemed to find a way to acknowledge her presence. He seemed to be once again comforted by Riley, who was still holding his hand.
“I’m sorry about your mom, Jackson. I visit my father quite often at his hospital, and to see your mother’s picture when I’m there makes me feel a bit closer to you. You have her eyes.”
My son wiped the lone tear that fell down his cheek. Riley hugged him, and my heart hurt for him. I figured I should lighten the mood. I clapped my hands together and brought Jackson back into the present.
“Well, if I can be sure of anything, I know all of us being here tonight just proves what a small world we live in. My son is dating the daughter of the surgeon I built a building for.”
Jackson’s cheeks turned three shades of red. “Dad, can you be any more embarrassing?”
“Of course I can, son, but why don’t we spread it out during the course of our evening?”
Riley, now smiling, left Jackson with no choice but to laugh. The ice had been broken, and we were all enjoying each other’s company. I was wondering what was keeping her mother when Riley received a call. Her mother had just arrived and will join us in a few minutes.
Just then my phone buzzed in my pocket. “I’m sorry, son. I have to take this call. Jacques will escort your mother to our table, Riley, and I will return as soon as I can.”
“No worries, Mr. Reed, she was late first.”
“You’re too kind, and thank you for understanding.” Oh what a sweet girl! Let’s hope her mother is just as charming.
As I exited our private dining room, I met Andre, who escorted me to another room where I could take my call in private. “Donovan, I thought I had given you strict instructions not to disturb me with anything that wasn’t pressing.”
“I’m sorry, Walker, but it couldn’t be helped. Our German counterparts are up in arms with the plan delays.”
“How can that be? I just spoke with Tom earlier today, and he said everything was a go and that the plans have been finalized for the Reinhart Building. Now you tell me they’re not? I want answers, Donovan, and I want them now!” I realize I was raising my voice a bit louder than I wanted to, but this was unacceptable. And I will not accept this level of incompetence from my staff.
“Walker, I have the master files back at the office. I’ve already spoken to and calmed Sebastian and Viktor. They were upset at first, but I can assure you that I worked it out. Tom is waiting on me now, and I will personally make sure the building plans are in Sebastian and Viktor’s hands by tomorrow morning.”
“They better be, Donovan, because if they’re not, then it will be your ass that I will hold accountable. E-mail me with the answers I want to hear. This is my time with Jackson, and if it’s not time sensitive, then do not call me again. Work it out!”
“Yes sir.” I ended my call and clenched my jaw. This was all I needed. This project had been in the works for over two years now. Hours and hours spent on brokering this deal to both our advantages, and I asked a simple task to have the finalized plans messengered over, and that’s too hard to handle? I calmed myself, and shut my phone off, preventing anymore interruptions.
I tried to make my way back over to my table while being stopped by Andre. “Mr. Reed, I take it everything has met your expectations so far?”
“Yes, Andre, everything is fine. This is why Brasserie is my favorite restaurant.”
Now making the poor sap grin from ear to ear, he escorted me back to my private dining room. I stopped him and made my way back on my own.
As I reached the threshold of the room, I began to feel a familiar magnetic pull. A feeling I hadn’t felt in many years. I shook it off. Stop tortu
ring yourself, man! You’re just getting déjà vu because your son’s girl looks like your girl!
Then the feeling became stronger when I heard her voice. The sweet southern twang that could bring me to my knees just above a whisper. No fucking way! Can it be? Could it? I scanned the room to catch a glimpse of what I couldn’t believe to be true, when my eyes found hers. I actually felt physical pain shooting through my heart. How was this possible? Reese Mitchell cannot be sitting at a table talking and laughing with my son. This was why I felt an instant connection to Riley when meeting her. She was Reese’s daughter! I waited all these years to see her again, and yet my feet were planted to the floor. The love of my life was five feet in front of me. I was willing myself to try to step forward when Jackson surprised me.
“Dad, there you are. Riley’s mother is waiting to meet you. Come on.” He begins to reach for me. I take several steps back.
“Jackson, I need a minute to catch my breath.” Clearly taken aback with what I just said, my son’s excited expression had fallen to apprehension.
“Are you okay? Are you sick dad?” Not sick, more like shocked, like when you see a ghost! I want to tell him. She may as well be a ghost, considering how she disappeared without a trace.
“I’m fine, son. I just finished with a very intense business call, and my blood pressure has risen a bit. I need a few minutes to compose myself.”
“Dad, you’re three shades of white. Should I get you some water?”
“I’m fine. Please extend my apologies, and I’ll be along in a minute.”
Second Chance at Forever Page 7