Theron's Hope (Brides of Theron)

by Pond, Rebecca Lorino

  "That it is. Hopefully, the traffic won't be so bad either." He replied as he carefully pulled the car out onto the street.

  The car was not a stretch limo but a luxury car with a nice sizable back seat and a lot of leg room. There was a divider available between her and the driver if she wanted privacy, but typically she never used it. She hated driving in the city and had employed a driver on call at all times. It was the one thing she most appreciated about having money. The biggest perk about not having to drive was never having to park in the city. She looked out of the window as they passed the busy streets filled with people making their way to work. Many of the men wore expensive suits and the women were wearing stylish clothing with tennis shoes until they made it the office to put on their high heels.

  They pulled up to a very nice and particularly tall skyscraper. This was the building that the firm’s board selected to move in to after the terrorist attacks. It was a nice office building but not nearly as nice as the office suite they had in the twin towers. As William opened her door he asked, "When should I plan to return Miss Abernathy?"

  "I honestly have no idea when I will be done. So, why don't you take the afternoon off and I will have Michael drop me off at home. I have a feeling that today will be an all day affair. Besides, you probably did not get much sleep last night having to pick me up at the airport so late."

  "Thank you, Miss Abernathy. I am fine and do have my cell phone, so if you do end up needing me to drive you, just call me and I will be by to pick you up shortly thereafter."

  "Thanks again. It really is good to be home. I will see you tomorrow."

  She entered the building and went up to the 37th floor. Abernathy and Associates was a rather large firm, occupying 7 floors. Under its umbrella, it had employed 53 lawyers and over 75 individuals as support staff permanently, hiring temporary workers as needed. They practiced many different disciplines of law from foreign to domestic cases, and business to family law, delving in criminal law as little as possible. Michael sure did have his hands full and he counted on many individuals to make the business work as well as it did. She had no complaints. The firm was more profitable than it ever was and she knew that she picked the best man for the job.

  She was not looking forward to the meetings and issues that needed to be discussed today, but tried to focus her mind for the brutal day ahead of her. After saying hello to Michael’s secretary, she entered his office, ready for business. The meetings ended up going on for hours and after the all the issues were thoroughly dealt with and filed away for good, Michael and Grace finally were able to sit down and catch up on their own news.

  Michael looked at Gracie with an exhausted look, running the palm of his hand over his face. She could tell that he needed a vacation. "We are going to get out of town this weekend. I know that it is a bit early to go to the Hampton's house, but I need to get away. Would you be interested in coming along with us? I am sure the kids would love it and Emily has not seen you in a couple of months. She made me promise to make you come with us."

  "I would love to spend the weekend with Emily and the kids, and you of course. When are you planning to leave?"

  "I wanted to be on the road tonight, but Em wouldn't have it. Jacob is cutting a couple of teeth and she is at her wits end. She said she wants to get some sleep before leaving so we are going to head out about 6am tomorrow morning. Can I please text Em with the wonderful news that you will be accompanying us? Please?"

  "Sure, you can. It sounds like Emily was twisting your arm. I would love to come with you guys. I feel like I haven’t seen the kids in ages and as a matter of fact, I am taking some time off myself. I am really tired and overworked too. The last story I worked on has left me completely burnt out,” she shook her head to rid herself of the feeling of failure. Try as she might, she could not understand why she wasn’t able to uncover the truth in this story. Rarely, did she find herself in this situation because she was really good at what she did. “Who would have thought that finding a very old heiress was going to be such a tough task. Something is not right about this story, but I just can't seem to grasp it. Hopefully, after a little time off, I will finally be able to figure it out. Besides, I was planning to go to Florence for the month to check on my mother's vineyard in Tuscany. It is a wonderful time to be in wine country. I was planning to leave on Monday morning, but I think that if I plan it right, I can leave the Hampton's House and go directly to the airport and make the evening flight instead. It would give me a few more hours to catch up with the kids.” She pulled out her smart phone and looked at the flight schedules. She briefly looked up at Michael and asked, “Can you swing by and pick me up or should I plan to have William drive me?"

  "Unless I can get a small bus on such short notice, you should plan on having William drive you. You will never fit in the car. The back seat is full now, remember. I have three kids."

  "I just thought I should ask. Maybe you should consider investing on a larger vehicle. Do you think that you can drive me home tonight at least? I didn't know how long I would be, so I gave William the rest of the day off. I really wanted to catch up with you as well."

  "Just let me finish up here and I will be ready to take you home.” He shook his head and smiled, “Really Grace, you are never home and the one day you come back, you give your driver a day off? He must have the best job in town. He rarely has to work at all."

  "I know. I know. I guess I am a softie like that. But, he was up late picking me up from the airport. Excuse me for just a moment, I am going to call Jo and ask her to make me dinner. She did want to catch up with me this evening."

  When she finished her call home, Michael asked, "How is Jo doing? Is she still the highest paid housekeeper in the building?"

  "What are you so worried about what I pay my staff for? She is worth every bit of money I pay her! Besides, just for saying that to me, I might just see it in my big kind heart to give her another raise."

  "I am just kidding with you cousin. I have always loved you for your generosity. Pay your staff whatever you want. It really isn't my business. I am just trying to fire you up Grace, and as usual, you are up to the challenge.” He chuckled while he made sure that his case was packed with all the work he intended to bring home with him for this evening, grabbed his keys, and asked, “Are you ready to go now?"

  "Yes." She stopped in her tracks, looked at her favorite cousin and said sincerely, "Thank you, Michael."

  "For what, might I ask?" He asked puzzled by the serious look on her face.

  "I don't know? Everything. It’s because of you that I know that the firm is in good hands, just like my dad would have wanted it. Also, I can completely trust you with everything. You are the closest family member I have left and I just want you to know that I love you." She walked to him and gave him a hug. "You are the best cousin a kid could ever have."

  "You better remember that." Michael said with a sly smile. "I love you too, cousin. Without you, I wouldn't have Em and the kids and the life I have now." He gently bumped her chin with his fist, bringing her gaze to him, "You can always count on me to stand up for you. I am, and forever will be, in your corner. Remember that."

  The drive home was horrendous. Traffic was bad and it gave them time to talk about the children. Michael told her of the latest antics performed by said children as well as their newest accomplishments. Turns out Gianna lost her first two teeth and they just happened to be the ones in the front so she was really unhappy about her food choices. She loved to eat apples whole, liking the sound that was made when she took a big bite of the fruit, and now Em had to slice them or replace them with bananas. She was marking the days off on her calendar to count how long she would have to wait for her new teeth to come in.

  One day, Chelsey found herself in the closet with a pair of scissors and cut her hair so bad that they had to chop most of it off. It was a good thing she was not in school yet because her haircut was terrible and uneven, almost boyish and she would have undoubted
ly been teased by the other children in her class. When they were out at the park and running errands, Emily would make her wear pink until her hair grew back so that everyone would know she was a girl. She also made sure that every pair of scissors in the house were stored completely out of her reach.

  And finally, Jacob was at the potty training stage and they were trying to figure a way to get him to comply. Dunking the Cheerios was a fun game that Jake actually liked to play but they still had not figured out how to teach him to do #2. His secretary suggested giving him one matchbox car at a time as a reward for making poo poo in the potty. He loved little cars and trucks, so it just might work. He would tell Emily when he got home.

  As they ran out of stories about the children, they had arrived at Gracie's building. She said goodbye and told Michael she would meet him tomorrow about 10am at the Hampton's house. As he drove off, she appreciated how God was good to her when He let her keep Michael. She was also glad that the kids had such involved parents. Emily stayed home with them, and despite Aunt Marion's suggestions, she refused to hire a nanny. She was determined to handle the good, the bad, and the ugly by herself and with Michael’s help when available of course. The children were blessed to have parents such as these. As she stepped on the curb in front of the building, Tom opened the door. She made her way to the elevator and pressed the access card to the panel. After the door closed she listened to the soft wordless music and random dinging marking each passing floor.

  When she opened the door to her apartment the wonderful aroma of her dinner surrounded her. This would be her first home cooked meal in weeks. Peeking out behind the kitchen counter stood Jo. She was ready to hear about Gracie’s day and her latest trip.

  "Jo, it smells delicious. Are you going to stay and eat? You could invite Miguel," Gracie added.

  "Miguel is working tonight. But, don’t you worry Miss Grace. I will take him some on my way home. I have some time to join you and would love to spend some time with you tonight. You have been so busy lately that I am rarely seeing you anymore. I am starting to think that you won't need my services in the near future."

  "Really Jo, you have nothing to worry about. As far as I am concerned, you will always have a job with me as long as you want it." She looked towards the stove and saw the pots of varying sizes on the burners with steam escaping from under the lids as the contents within them simmered, "I am starved. Can we eat?"

  Jo placed a plate of steaming hot biloche, one of her specialties, in front of her with a nice glass of her famous sangria. Jo’s biloche was Cuban dish that consisted of an eye of the round roast stuffed with chorizo sausages simmered in a tomato sauce base and served with saffron rice was Gracie's favorite and Jo knew it. She already planned to cook it for today whether cooking was requested of her or not. She noticed how skinny Grace looked lately and wanted to be sure she would eat. This was a dish that she knew Grace could not refuse. After dinner she planned to serve the caramel topped flan she prepared with fresh vanilla bean she had to make a special trip to the nearest whole foods store to get.

  They talked about Grace’s latest trip and what was going on with Jo's nephews and nieces. Jo and Miguel could not have children of their own so they lived for the children of his brothers and sisters. In a way, Grace believed that this is why Jo treated her like the daughter she never had. Sometimes, she felt guilty because in her heart she loved Jo more intensely than she ever loved her real mom. She blamed it on the fact that her mother was not all that involved in her life and that she really did not truly know her. Try as she may, she could never lay blame on her mother. God only knows if her mother had a similar relationship with Grace's grandmother Anne.

  All she knew was that if a child were ever to be in her future, she would not follow the same path as her mother and father did. She would raise her children just like Michael and Emily were. Her daughter would know her mother and love her hopefully as much as she loved Jo. They finished up the meal after having seconds, followed by desert. It was such a tasty dish and Jo cooked it to perfection as usual. She rose to help clean up the dishes but Jo shooed her away, so she decided maybe she should pack up for the weekend and the trip to Tuscany following right after. She informed Jo of her plans with Michael and his family and then her trip to the vineyard. She left the kitchen and went to her room to pack up. As she packed, she called William and let him know the details of her plans. He determined that they needed to leave at 7am for the three hour drive to the Hampton's house.

  Jo peaked into the room, "Miss Grace, I am leaving now. That is unless you need anything else."

  "No, Jo. I am fine. Actually, I am better than fine. Thanks for making a wonderful dinner. It tasted better than anything I have eaten recently."

  "Miss Grace, you will have to promise me that after you are finished with your travels, you spend at least a week at home. You are getting very thin and I know how to fix that right up." Jo smiled at her and gently patted her cheek.

  "I will certainly try Jo. Be safe going home and give Miguel a kiss for me. Maybe, next time I am home we can all have dinner here together."

  "Definitely, Miss Grace, he would like that. Bye now. Have a good night."

  “Good night!” she said as Jo walked out the door. She could hear the click of Jo’s shoes on the hardwood floors in the hallway while she resumed packing her things.

  Now that she was all by herself, she felt somewhat lonely. It would be a treat to be with the children for the weekend and she was really starting to look forward to it. She moved the several pieces of luggage bu the bedroom door and decided that a nice hot bath with another glass of Jo's sangria would be divine. After her bath, she dressed and went to lie in the bed debating on watching TV or reading a book. In the end, she decided she was too tired to do either so she just went to bed. She set her alarm for 6 am and went to sleep. She was looking forward to the beach reprieve. Time with her family was just what the doctor ordered.

  Chapter 3

  Grace always loved the Hampton House. It sat on a cliff and had a private beach. It was a red brick mansion with massive Greek revival columns adorning the front. Several large suites on the second and third floors had large balconies that projected out from the main building in a semi-circular shape that connected them to the large bedroom suites by way of French doors. The house employed a full time caretaker/gardener who resided in a small cottage off to the back of the property and a staff of several maids, a butler, and a couple of cooks year round.

  Her grandmother, Agatha lived at the house most of the time since she became a widow. Before Grace was born, Agatha was responsible for the design and building of the house, insisting on the green house that contained her prized orchids and rare roses she bred as a hobby. The house was huge and was used by many members of the Abernathy family of several generations. Her Father was the oldest of 4 children, three boys and one girl. Michael was the son of her Aunt Marion Abernathy Jameson and her Uncle Harold. Aunt Marion and Uncle Harold assumed responsibility for Grace after her parents passed away. All members of the family that used the house contributed to the upkeep and care of it as well as the salaries of the employees that worked there, her grandmother contributing the most.

  The house was built with 110,000 square feet of living space, 29 bedrooms, and 39 1/2 bathrooms. Its attributes were a large swimming pool with waterfall and hot tub, a 5 car garage, a large Tudor style knot garden, a screening room, a bowling alley, and a very large gourmet kitchen with all of the best top of the line appliances. The library contained beautiful mahogany bookshelves with over 150,000 books including many leather bound first editions mostly on the subject of law and classical literature which her Grandfather John collected.

  As the car entered the gated entrance that led to the long circular driveway she could see the children waiting for her on the front lawn. She felt elated watching them excitedly calling out her name and jumping up and down like they were waiting for her for hours. She could not wait to grab each one of them
into a tight long hug and kiss their chubby cheeks identifying all the tiny details of their apperances that had changed since she had seen them last.

  The car pulled up to the front entrance as the servants came out ready to collect her bags from the trunk of the car and bring them up to her room. William opened the door to the car and Gianna ran up to her screaming excitedly, "Auntie, Auntie. You are finally here. What took you so long? We have been waiting for hours."

  Emily, who was about the same size and shape of Grace with short bobbed dark brown hair and blue eyes, came up behind the little girl. "Now Gianna, give your Auntie some space. You knew she was coming at 10am. It looks like Auntie Grace is right on time as usual. It is not her fault that you decided to wait outside on the front lawn for her since we got her 30 minutes ago." Looking at Grace and shaking her head, "Honestly, I am really starting to believe that children have absolutely no real concept of time. You look great! Albeit, little skinny and tired but otherwise great."

  "Aww, Em. I knew I could count on you to be honest. I am tired. I am about to remedy that with a very long trip to Florence and check on the Tuscan vineyard my mom bought years ago."