She Left Me Breathless

by Trin Denise

  Rachel continued to stare at Sydney. “Why didn’t you terminate Caitlyn’s position after you realized she was my daughter?”

  Sydney’s look was incredulous. “You can’t be serious, terminate her? Her job abilities have absolutely nothing to do with you and I. She is one of the best and most intelligent employees I’ve ever had. I would promote her before I would ever consider firing her.”

  “I can see that.” Rachel smiled as she thought about her oldest daughter. “She is pretty special and she definitely loves her job.

  “Are you going to tell her?” Sydney asked, coming around the bar. She pulled out a stool and sat down next to Rachel.

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure what can be gained by telling her about us. If anything, it would lead to more questions that I’m not sure I want to answer. I don’t have to tell you how inquisitive Caitlyn is or can be.”

  “No, you don’t,” Sydney agreed. She looked at Rachel’s eyes. They were the most fascinating shade of blue she had ever seen. The only person Sydney knew of who had eyes similar in color was Elizabeth Taylor. It was only natural that Sydney’s gaze fell to Rachel’s mouth. Some old habits are hard to break. “You’re even more beautiful than I remember, Rache, and I like the way you’re wearing your hair, it suits you,” Sydney said the words aloud without realizing it.

  Rachel’s throat felt like it was constricting. She struggled to swallow. She unconsciously ran her fingers through her hair. “Thank you. It’s a little shorter than I normally wear it but it’s more manageable.”

  She looked at Sydney then quickly averted her eyes. She glanced down at her wine glass. What am I doing here? I should not be sitting here having this conversation, at least not with Sydney Welsh. She felt an old familiar pain in her heart. Sydney was the last person she ever expected or wanted to see again, yet she couldn’t seem to force her legs to get up from the stool. She should leave right now. Go out the door and never look back.

  “Does Edward know?” Sydney asked although she already knew what the answer would be.

  Rachel shook her head. “Some things are better left in the past and that’s a part of my life I would just as soon forget,” Rachel answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Sydney felt as if someone had stabbed her in the chest with a knife. That’s not true. It was deeper than that. Her heart literally ached. She still hates me. After all these years, she absolutely hates me. Once again, Rachel made it perfectly clear that she regretted the love they had once shared.

  Rachel slid her bracelet watch around her wrist. She stood up from the barstool. “It’s getting late, almost eleven. I should go and find Caitlyn and see if she’s ready to go home.”

  “Yeah, I guess I should return to my party,” Sydney said as she reached for Rachel’s wine glass at the exact same time Rachel did. The glass toppled off the counter and crashed to the floor, sending shards of glass in every direction.

  “I can be so clumsy sometimes,” Rachel said, kneeling down to pick up the glass pieces from the floor.

  Sydney knelt down beside her and picked up several large shards of glass. “It’s not a big deal, besides I’m the one who knocked it off, not you,” Sydney said.

  “Ouch! Damn it,” Rachel swore under her breath as a slow stream of blood from the tip of her right pinky finger ran down the side of her hand and dripped onto the floor.

  “Shit! You cut yourself,” Sydney exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She grabbed Rachel’s left hand and pulled her to her feet. “We need to get this washed off,” she said, pulling Rachel behind her over to the sink.

  “It’s not that big of a deal,” Rachel said with a nervous laugh as Sydney turned on the water faucet and placed the bloody pinky under the cold liquid. “It stings,” Rachel said, trying to pull her hand away.

  “Keep it right there until the bleeding stops,” Sydney said firmly.

  Rachel started to comply but the tone of Sydney’s voice made her reconsider. Her right eyebrow shot up. “I’m not one of your employees that you can boss around,” she snapped.

  Sydney felt her temper flare slightly. “You’re right. You’re not and I probably wouldn’t have hired you either,” she said, although she didn’t mean it. Rachel was a very intelligent woman and would be an asset to any company. Her daughters were perfect examples of that intelligence. They had to have gotten their smarts from Rachel because they sure as hell didn’t get them from their fathers.

  Sydney didn’t look at Rachel because if she had, she would have seen how much her words had stung. She opened the cabinet door just above the sink and pulled out a first aid kit.

  “I don’t think I need first aid. It’s not that bad.”

  Sydney reached over and turned the faucet off. She grabbed a clean towel off the counter. “It doesn’t matter how small the cut is. It still needs to be cleaned or it can become infected and cause more problems.” She took Rachel by the hand and led her over to a barstool. “Sit,” she instructed. “Will you please sit?” she asked nicely when it was apparent that Rachel had no intention of sitting on the barstool.

  “That’s better,” Rachel said, pulling out the barstool. Sydney used her foot to slide a stool over next to Rachel. She sat the first aid kit on the counter and flipped open the lid. Rachel watched as Sydney took out a tube of antibiotic cream, an alcohol packet, and a band-aid, and laid them on the counter.

  Without thinking, Sydney slid her stool over so that her knees were up against Rachel’s legs. “Let me see your hand,” she said, holding her hand out to Rachel.

  Rachel’s right eyebrow shot up again and Sydney smiled. “Please let me see your hand.”

  “I, I still don’t think this is necessary,” Rachel said with a nervous laugh as Sydney took the towel and gently patted the water off her pinky finger.

  “This is going to sting just a bit,” Sydney said, ripping open the alcohol packet.

  Rachel flinched as the alcohol hit the open cut. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” Rachel grimaced. “I thought you said just a bit.”

  “I’m sorry,” Sydney said as she bent her head and blew softly on the cut to help ease the sting. She felt her heart rate increase as the warmth from Rachel’s legs permeated through her slacks. She needed to distance herself from Rachel before she said or did something she would regret. She didn’t wait ten years to have her plan blow up in her face in a matter of minutes. Now is not the time, she told herself as she spread a small dab of ointment over the cut. She tore the wrapper open and then wrapped the band-aid loosely around Rachel’s finger.

  Without thinking, she brought Rachel’s hand to her mouth. She heard Rachel’s deep intake of breath as she lightly kissed the bandaged finger. “All better?” she asked as Rachel’s eyes met hers.

  “I ... uh—”

  “There you two are,” Caitlyn exclaimed as she pushed the kitchen door open.

  Rachel jerked her hand away as if she had been burnt by fire.

  “I’ve been looking everywhere for you both,” Caitlyn said, looking first at her mom and then Sydney.

  Rachel smiled. “Looks like you found us. I ... we ... um—”

  “What happened?” Caitlyn interrupted as she moved closer, her voice rising slightly as she took in the first aid kit lying on the counter and the small band-aid on her mom’s finger.

  “Your mom cut herself on a broken wine glass but she’s okay,” Sydney answered.

  Rachel laughed. “You know how clumsy I can be sometimes.”

  Caitlyn’s just like Rachel, Sydney thought as Caitlyn’s right eyebrow shot upward.

  “Yeah Mom, you’re about as clumsy as I am and we both know that I’m not clumsy at all.”

  Sydney knew Caitlyn’s words held a hidden meaning that Rachel understood perfectly.

  “I’m fine. Really, I am,” Rachel said, trying to reassure her daughter. “Sydney and I both tried to grab the glass at the same time and it fell off the counter and broke all over the floor and—”

  “That’s not
what I’m talking about and …” Caitlyn said and then stopped when she saw the pleading looking in Rachel’s eyes.

  Sydney was right. She had no doubt that Caitlyn was aware of Rachel’s hospital visits. It was obvious by her double talk that she didn’t think her mom’s clumsiness had anything to do with all the trips to the ER.

  Caitlyn turned to Sydney. “With all the goings on in the other room, I didn’t get a chance to say thank you. This promotion means more to me than you’ll ever know and I promise to be the best employee ever.”

  Sydney took Caitlyn’s hand in hers and gave it an affectionate squeeze. “You’re welcome. As for you being the best employee ever, you need to stop trying so hard because you already are. I would not have given you the promotion, Caitlyn, if I didn’t think you deserved it or couldn’t handle it. So, now tell me what your first order of business is going to be.”

  Caitlyn grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I would like to order a new phone system for the entire company. The ones we use are so antiquated. What do you think?” she asked, looking at Sydney.

  “I think it’s up to you to decide and I will agree with whatever you say. I also think it’s getting late and I need to go check on my guests and offer the proper goodbyes,” Sydney said, sliding off her barstool. “If I don’t see either of you before you leave, have a Merry Christmas.” She looked at Rachel. “It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Ashburn. Make sure you keep that cut clean and bandaged until it heals,” she said and then left the kitchen.

  Sydney was not surprised to find Edward Ashburn propped up against the wet bar.

  “What would you like ma’am?” the young bartender wearing a nametag that said Ted asked.

  “I’ll have two of whatever he’s having, Ted,” Sydney said, motioning toward Edward.

  “I’m drinking Kentucky Bourbon on the rocks,” Edward said, his speech slurring as if he had a mouth full of food.

  “I like Bourbon,” Sydney said as she took the glass and offered the second one to Edward.

  “You’re a really, really beautiful woman, Sydney. May I call you Sydney?” he asked.

  “Yes you may, Edward, and thank you,” she said, smiling and thinking that she was about to puke as he openly leered at her.

  “You and I should get together for a drink sometime and maybe some extracurricular activities if you know what I mean.”

  Sydney smiled her best smile at him. “I know exactly what you mean and I think that is a wonderful idea.”

  “I could probably teach you a thing or two,” he said as he moved closer. He rubbed his leg against hers and she fought the urge to raise her leg and knee him in the balls.

  She batted her eyes dramatically at him. “I bet you can. How can I get a hold of you?” she asked.

  “Sweetheart, I know several ways that you can get a hold of me,” he said, taking out his wallet. “My cell number’s on the back,” he said as he pulled out a business card and handed it to her. He leaned in close. “Don’t look now, baby, but here comes the old ball and chain,” he whispered into her ear.

  Thank God, Sydney thought as she turned to see Rachel and Caitlyn approach.

  “Are you ready to go home, hon?” Rachel asked her husband.

  “Hell no, the parties just getting good,” he said, frowning.

  “All the guests are leaving and I’m sure Sydney has work to do tomorrow,” Caitlyn said.

  He shot a warning look at Caitlyn. “I’m not done with my drink.”

  Sydney smiled at him. “I can take care of that for you,” she said and turned to the bartender. “Can you give me a to-go cup with a lid, please?” She took the cup and held out her hand for Edwards drink.

  “You’re something else and hot as hell to look at on top of it,” he said, openly flirting although his wife was standing right next to him.

  Sydney smiled as he held his glass of Bourbon out to her. This piece of shit doesn’t have a decent bone in his body, Sydney thought as she carefully placed her fingers near the bottom of the glass and dumped the Bourbon into the to-go cup. “All set,” she said and handed Edward the cup.

  He grabbed Sydney’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Thank you for a marvelous evening,” he said, leaving a wet mark on her skin where his lips had just been.

  “You’re quite welcome,” Sydney said, thinking that she needed to scrub her hand with bleach.

  “Goodnight, Sydney. We had a good time,” Caitlyn said as she glanced at her stepdad.

  “Thank you for coming and I will see you at work,” she said, looking first at Rachel and then at Caitlyn.

  Sydney watched the trio leave and then turned to the bartender. “Do you have any bags back there buy chance?” she asked.

  “Sure do,” Ted said, handing her a brown paper bag.

  Sydney picked up a napkin and carefully placed it around the empty Bourbon glass. With a flick of her wrist, she snapped the bag open. “Gotcha,” she whispered as she placed the glass inside the bag and folded it shut.

  Chapter 5

  First thing I need is a strong cup of coffee, Rachel thought as she left her office and headed down the hallway toward the break room. She was surprised to see that most of the tables and chairs were taken and the occupants all seemed to be immersed in deep animated conversations. Usually by this time of the morning, the break room was nearly deserted.

  “I wonder who brought these in,” she said to herself as she looked at several boxes filled with all sorts of pastries and donuts. She finally settled on a plain glazed donut. She poured herself a cup of coffee and took her donut over to the table where her assistant Lilly, along with Helen and Mary from purchasing were sitting. The three women were leaning over the table, talking in hushed voices.

  Rachel pulled out a seat next to Mary and sat down. “What’s all the hubbub about?” she asked. She couldn’t remember when the last time the atmosphere at EMCOR was filled with this much electricity.

  “Didn’t you get the email?” Lilly asked excitedly.

  Rachel took a bite of the donut. “What email?” she asked after she wiped her mouth off with a napkin.

  “The one that said we were having a meeting in the large conference hall at nine on the dot,” Helen answered. “Oughta be a real doozy,” she said, nodding her head to the point that a normal person would be dizzy.

  Rachel found it amazing that no matter how violent the shake or nod, not one bleached blonde hair on the woman’s head ever moved. She had been telling herself for quite awhile now that she really needed to ask Helen what kind of hairspray she used. “Who’s meeting in the conference room?” she asked.

  “You really should read your emails in the morning, Rachel dear,” Helen sighed as she used a bejeweled hand to pat down her bouffant-do.

  Mary cupped her mouth with both hands in a conspiratorial fashion and leaned forward. “I heard from Jeff in shipping that he overheard young Amos talking to someone on the phone about a hostile takeover,” she whispered.

  “That’s just nonsense. You of all people should know better than to listen to office gossip,” Rachel teasingly scolded the young brown-haired woman who was just one year older than Caitlyn. It wasn’t too long ago when the local gossip machine had Mary dating Ernie, the sixty-year-old mail clerk. The idea wouldn’t have been so hard to believe if it weren’t for the fact that Ernie was actually Mary’s great uncle.

  “How do you explain the donuts and the fancy smancy breakfast buffet that’s set up in the conference room then?” Helen asked.

  “It did say that the meeting was mandatory for the whole company,” Lily added, shyly.

  Mary nodded. “Yeah that makes you wonder all right.”

  Rachel snapped her fingers to get the women’s attention. “Will one of you please tell me exactly what the email said?”

  “It said that everyone was to meet in the main conference hall at nine for an important announcement,” Helen volunteered.

  “You three are a mess. Maybe the breakfast was Bill’s way of saying Merry
Christmas and maybe the meeting is so he can announce the wonderful Christmas bonuses we all get this year,” Rachel said, trying to look on the bright side of things.

  “Yeah right and I’m Cleopatra,” Helen said with a wave of her hand.

  Mary glanced at the clock hanging on the wall by the coffee maker. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough. It’s eight fifty-five, we should be going,” she said, pushing her chair back.

  Rachel tossed her half-eaten donut in the trashcan and then followed the women out of the break room.

  Sydney was unusually nervous. She had checked the bathroom stalls beforehand and finding them empty, she had locked the door. She needed a few minutes to herself without any interruptions. She looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. It was important for her to exude confidence and to pull that off she had chosen a black pantsuit with thin white pinstripes, accented by a white silk blouse buttoned at the collar. The two-inch heeled half boots brought her eye level with most men.

  Caitlyn referred to this outfit as Sydney’s vamping power suit. The name fit the clothes well and when Sydney wore it, she did indeed feel powerful. She wasn’t what you would call an extreme femme yet she wasn’t exactly butch either. She liked wearing makeup as long as it consisted of a small amount of blush and black eyeliner, and maybe a little mascara. She had Rachel to thank for the eyeliner. She had told Sydney that she loved the way it brought out the tiny black specks surrounding her brown eyes. She used her hands to brush her hair back away from her face, not quite tucking the strands behind her ears.

  “Time to get this show on the road,” she said as she unlocked the door.

  Bill Amos, his grandson Andrew as well as Caitlyn, Allen, Kenneth, Maureen, and Bev were waiting for her in the small room located near the front of the main conference room. “Thank you,” she said, taking the file folder from Maureen.

  By the time the women from the break room reached the conference hall, all seats except for three in the back row had been taken. Helen and Mary quickly took a seat and when Lily offered Rachel the third one, she shook her head and walked over to the table where the buffet bar had been set up. She refilled her coffee cup and leaned her back up against the wall. The entire room buzzed loudly with jumbled conversations. She caught bits and pieces and could tell that most centered around speculation regarding the meeting.