The Widow and the Orphan

by J. Thomas-Like

  When she’d left home all those years ago, it hadn’t been her intention to cut off her family forever, in spite of the abuse. Pepper had been certain one day she would breeze back into their lives, a glamorous and successful movie star and shove it down their throats.

  When it became obvious that mega-stardom was not in her future, she was too embarrassed and humiliated to even consider contacting them. God only knew what they had told Rhys and Morgan about her. She just figured they’d been conditioned to hate her like the parents did.

  Pepper had secretly waited for them to find her. The more time that passed, the easier it got to blame them for not reaching out. It wasn’t as if she had fallen off the face of the Earth. A Google or Facebook search would have turned up her name easily enough. Pepper had simply learned to live with the fact that her family didn’t care.

  Yeah, it stung. No one wanted to think their parents could forget them so easily, but Pepper took it in stride, just like she did every other pitfall she’d faced. What else could she do?

  After a while, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Picturing Rhys and Morgan at seven, she remembered their cherubic faces and loving smiles, a couple of little towheads with the same blue eyes she had. She put them back into the mental box in her head and locked it up tight. Maybe someday she would open it again, but now wasn’t the time. Her life was finally in order and she was in love. Why mess it up now by chasing the past?

  Not really wanting to go back into the house, Pepper got up to do it anyway. With Gabe gone, it felt empty and seemed less like a home. She had to wonder why he’d ever bought such a big house for just him. There was way more space than one or even two people needed. Observing from the outside, Pepper wrinkled her nose at the cold, concrete exterior. It looked more like an office building in some ways. The inside was really beautiful, if you preferred the modern, austere look. Pepper had warmed it up with some throw pillows and art for the walls, but honestly, it was just a place to hang her hat when Gabe wasn’t there. And when he was home, his presence filled up every space in her heart, so she didn’t give a second thought to where they slept.

  Pepper shuffled her way back inside and closed the front door, engaging the locks and the alarm system. Then she wandered through the main floor, making sure shades were closed, drapes were pulled and everything was buttoned up. It would have been nice to have a dog or a cat following her around while she did it, but they didn’t have any pets. Frowning, she thought about why – had they ever even had a conversation about animals? Almost two years together, and the subject hadn’t ever come up. “Weird,” she said out loud, and her voice echoed in the empty kitchen. Really considering the possibility, Pepper thought it would be nice to have a cat or two to cuddle with.

  She made her way back in front of the laptop and stared at it for a couple of seconds before lunging for the mouse and opening up Skype again. Taking a chance that Gabe would still be around, she dialed his number.

  When his worried face came on the screen, he spoke before she had a chance. “Is everything all right, love?”

  “Yeah, everything’s good. I just missed you and wanted to see you one more time.”

  “I miss you too, darling,” he answered, looking visibly relieved. She could see the water from his shower dripping off his hair onto his neck and chest. “Are you sure you’re all right? You look upset.”

  “No, no. I’m not upset. I did have a question for you, though.”

  “Yes?”

  “How do you feel about cats?”

  Chapter 10

  Pepper was dreaming about cats and kittens and the sound of purring when the buzz of her cell phone came clawing its way through the haze. Without opening her eyes, she ran her hands along the bed until her fingers found the cool metal sides of the iPhone. She had to crack one eye open so she could find the slide button, but as soon as she answered the call, she closed it again.

  “Hello?”

  “Pepper?”

  Who is that? She frowned, trying to recognize the familiar male voice. “Yeah?”

  “It’s Aiden.”

  Her ass could have been on fire and she wouldn’t have moved any faster than she did. “What’s wrong?” Aiden almost never called her directly. Pepper’s stomach clenched and her heart started beating like she had just finished a marathon.

  “Nothing, I think. Gabe didn’t want me to call you, but–”

  “What the hell is going on?” she yelled, not caring if she hurt his feelings or pissed him off.

  “Gabe was in the hospital.”

  “What?”

  “He passed out today.”

  “What the fuck, Aiden!” Pepper jumped out of bed and started pacing around the bedroom. Maybe she was dreaming. Maybe this was all some screwy nightmare brought on by too much cat-induced mania or something. “Is he all right? Can I talk to him?”

  “He’s not here–”

  “What time is it there?”

  “I don’t know, maybe around seven–”

  “Get me a flight!” she screamed, making a bee-line for the closet. She needed a suitcase. And her passport.

  “Pepper, calm down,” Aiden pleaded.

  “How fast can I get there?”

  “You don’t have to–”

  “GET ME A FLIGHT!”

  She was in the mammoth walk-in closet, tugging at the handle of one of the suitcases on the top shelf when it came loose and crashed down on her head, along with a box containing a pair of Chanel boots. “God dammit!” she yelped, rubbing her forehead.

  “Pepper? Are you there?”

  Aiden’s voice seemed far away. She’d dropped the phone and it lay on the floor. Crumpling to her knees, she fumbled for it, pulling it back up to her ear. “I’m here.”

  “Please just listen,” Aiden said firmly. “I think it was just jet lag and exhaustion. I took him to the ER, but he wouldn’t let them run any tests or anything. He signed himself out against medical advice and then jumped into a cab back to the hotel. I’m following him now. As soon as I get a chance to talk to him, I’ll have him call you. Just sit tight.”

  “That’s easy for you to say,” she snarled, running her free hand through the hair falling around her face.

  “No, it’s not,” he snapped back. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m tired and frustrated and just as worried as you are.”

  Pepper couldn’t believe she was smiling, but that made her feel a little better. Aiden had been Gabe’s assistant for more than a decade and was practically family. She knew he would make sure everything was all right. “Okay, okay. I get it. I’m sorry I freaked out.”

  “No worries,” he said quietly. “I knew you would. But try not to. I’m sure he’ll be calling you very soon. After he’s fired me, of course.”

  Pepper took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m right here. I’m not leaving the house. I’m not going to do anything until I hear from you or Gabe.”

  “Okay.”

  Pepper ended the call and burst into tears.

  Impulsivity had ruled the day and she’d adopted three damn kittens as a surprise for Gabe. So consumed had she been with getting the cat gear set up and playing with them, she hadn’t even worried when she missed her Skype session with him. All her attention had been on those fucking kittens she just had to have, and to what end? If she had seen Gabe that morning or even last night, she might have known something was wrong. She might have told him to stay in bed or take the day off. Or come home. Now she was stuck waiting for news, five thousand miles away, and there was nothing she could do. Except maybe go scoop cat shit.

  Chapter 11

  Standing at the end of the ramp, waiting for Gabe to come through customs, Pepper’s stomach churned over and over and she thought she was going to hurl right there. The seconds ticked by like they were hours and she couldn’t stand it. Bobbing up and down on her toes, she searched the sea of people coming through in waves. Once or twice, she thought she saw Aiden’s shock of b
lond hair, but she was wrong. Wrapping her arms around herself, she squeezed, trying to block the anxiety that was constricting her like a snake.

  Finally, finally, she caught sight of Gabe’s face at the far end of the corridor and Pepper began jumping up and down like a lunatic, waving her arms and calling his name. She thought he might laugh at her antics, but he didn’t seem the least bit amused. His handsome face was stiff with irritation and his clothes were a disheveled mess. Pepper’s nerves were raw from worrying about what he would say when he finally got to her. There had been some strong words on the phone before he boarded his flight home. She had called him an idiot for not staying in the hospital. He had told her to mind her own business. She didn’t want to remember that now. Pepper wanted to throw her arms around him and hold on as tight as she could, but she found she couldn’t move now that he was there.

  “Sweetheart,” he said and dropped his bags. He pulled her close and Pepper wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his neck, grateful that he made the first move.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered into his ear. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” His jaw clenched and he spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m absolutely fine.”

  Just then, Aiden walked up and stood behind them, setting his bags down too. He looked worse than Gabe, unshaven and rumpled. Pepper shook a fist at him and glared, but only for a second and then she wiggled her fingers at him. He hesitated, then shuffled closer so she could grab him and hug them both at the same time. Gabe stiffened, but allowed her to clutch them in each of her arms.

  “You both look terrible.” She released them and then peered from one to the other. “Have either of you slept in the last two days?”

  “No,” Aiden said softly.

  “Some,” was Gabe’s response.

  “Let’s get you home.”

  There was no conversation while they maneuvered their way out of the airport and to the car. Pepper fished the keys from her pocket and fiddled with the button on the fob to pop the trunk. Aiden took it upon himself to heft all of the luggage, while Gabe went immediately to the passenger side and climbed into the front seat.

  Pretending to help Aiden, Pepper took the opportunity to try and talk to him. “Is he going to tell me more about what happened?”

  “I doubt it,” Aiden confessed. “He hasn’t spoken to me since he fired me.”

  Pepper sighed. Gabe had jokingly fired Aiden on other occasions. Whenever anything happened that Gabe wasn’t happy with and Aiden stepped in to save the day, the boss would either fire him or agree when Aiden would say, “Am I fired? Can I go home now?”

  “But is he okay?”

  “I have no idea, Pepper. He signed himself out of the hospital and I couldn’t communicate with the staff to find anything out. Plus, they wouldn’t have told me anything anyway because I don’t have any kind of authority. I’m only his assistant, not family.”

  Pepper sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “Arg.”

  “Yes, arg. My advice is to get him into the doctor for a physical ASAP. It might just be nothing. It could be that he was jet lagged and exhausted. But passing out is not something I’d take lightly.”

  Pepper pulled Aiden in for a quick hug and thanked him. “I’m so glad you were there. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

  Aiden managed a smile through his exhaustion. “Just get me home. Since we had to rebook our flight, I was forced to take a seat in coach. My whole body is killing me from being squeezed into that tiny space for twelve hours.”

  Pepper clucked sympathetically and pulled the trunk hood closed. “Okay, sweetie. Get in.”

  She tried to make conversation on the drive to Aiden’s condo, but it was stilted and uncomfortable. Gabe didn’t say a word and Aiden didn’t want to say too much. There really wasn’t much to talk about besides the elephant in the car anyway, so eventually Pepper gave up. When they got to Aiden’s place, she helped him by carrying one of his bags to the door and then gave him another hug, promising him that everything would be fine. He promised her that he would be at work without fail.

  When she got back into the car, she glared at Gabe. It didn’t matter that she was scared about what had happened, she was still pissed off that her fiancé would treat his assistant in so shabby a manner.

  “Shame on you for being such a dick to Aiden.”

  Gabe frowned, but refused to be baited into an argument.

  “Oh, you are not giving me the silent treatment.”

  Pepper had left the car running while she walked Aiden to the door, but now she turned it off and pulled the keys from the ignition. “We’re going to sit here and have a moment.”

  Gabe turned to look at her, and for a split second his eyes flashed with an anger she’d never seen before. It actually gave her pause for just a moment, and she wondered if this was the right time or place. But as quickly as that gleam appeared, it fizzled out and Gabe was Gabe again. “Darling, don’t do this. Not now.”

  Pepper deflated like a three-day-old helium balloon. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. But you’ve got me pretty worried and scared.”

  Gabe reached for her hand and held it between his two. “I’ve told you, I’m perfectly all right. Aiden panicked and acted before I could get him to see things clearly. Please, let’s just go. I’m exhausted.”

  Pepper raised her eyebrow, but conceded. She started the car again and drove them home.

  * * * * *

  “What is all this?” Gabe stood inside the doorway, looking around at the feline prison set up in the living room and the cat trees peppering the landscape of the rest of the main floor.

  “Oh, uh,” Pepper stammered, “I kind of forgot to tell you I made some changes.”

  For the first time since he deplaned, Gabe smiled and Pepper was relieved to see how it erased some of his weariness. “You told me you were thinking about getting a cat, but what did you do?” He chuckled as he strode to the fenced area and looked down at the mewling kittens. He caught the clasp in the one section and opened it, so the kittens could scramble out.

  Pepper wanted desperately to talk about what had happened in Japan, but she couldn’t bring herself to pounce just then. There was something ridiculously relaxing about kittens. The inky, black one she called Smudge was rubbing against her leg, so she reached down and pulled him into her arms, cuddling him against her chest. He chased the ends of her hair with his little paws and she needed to pay attention so she didn’t drop him on his head. Once she looked away from Gabe and into the bright green eyes of her charge, she felt herself calming down.

  Gabe snuck a glance at Pepper. “Tell me more about these little fellows.”

  Pepper sighed and let her anger slip away. “They’re all boys. No other girls in this house. I’m the Queen.”

  Gabe chuckled and sat down on the couch, bringing Wolfie, the white, brown and gray tabby with the bright blue eyes onto his lap. Out of nowhere, Crank, the brown and gray striped tabby, scaled the back of the couch and sat on its edge looking at Gabe. He was a beautiful creature, but his attitude thus far had been pretty crabby. He didn’t seem to like to be petted anywhere, held, or loved up. He slashed and bit at Pepper’s fingers whenever she tried to give him any affection. “That’s Crank. Because he’s cranky.”

  “Really now?” Gabe reached around slowly and plucked the kitten up and held him gently against his chest. Pepper’s mouth dropped open as the little guy snuggled right in and closed his eyes, purring loudly.

  “Well, I guess we know whose boy he’s going to be.”

  “Hmm,” Gabe sighed. With one hand he stroked Crank’s back and the other he used to rub Wolfie’s ears.

  I should have gotten pets a while ago. Still holding Smudge, Pepper gazed at the perfect scene. While he looked tired from his long flight and the probable lack of rest in the emergency room in Tokyo, Gabe didn’t seem any worse for the wear. If there was anything wrong with him, it wasn’t outwardly noticeable. She went ov
er to the couch and sat down beside him. “I love you, ya know.” She rested her head on his shoulder.

  “I am aware,” he murmured, as he pressed his head against hers. “I am quite fond of you as well.”

  Pepper snickered at their little joke. Whenever she got too smarmy for him, he would whip out his snobbiest British voice and put her in her place. She decided it was more important to enjoy the fact that he was home, with her and the new cats, than fight over whatever might have happened in Japan. There would be plenty of time to do battle.

  Chapter 12

  Back to her usual ways, Pepper went on the offensive as soon as he’d had a shower, a meal, and a fairly good night’s sleep. As they prepared to go to work the next day, in spite of all her protests, she tossed out barbs and her two cents relentlessly.

  “You need to see a doctor.”

  “How many times are you going to pass out before you make an appointment?”

  “Maybe you should conk out on the other side, so you have matching lumps on the back of your head?”

  Each time, Gabe just laughed or jabbed back with something he knew would piss her off.

  “Perhaps you should spend your time learning wifely duties.”

  “Maybe it’s time to concentrate on wedding planning.”

  “I’m not sure if you realize it, but I’m an adult. A grown man.”

  When he left, Gabe kissed her on the forehead and promised he would call her later. Pepper shot a quick text to Aiden to make sure he was at the office. She would keep him enlisted as her spy and informant on Gabe’s every move. Of course, Aiden was already at work when he responded, assuring her he would keep an eye on her guy.

  Pepper knew she had no other choice but go into work herself, so she called Vivienne on her way.

  “I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do with him,” she sighed when Vivienne answered the phone.