by M T Stone
“I’ll always love you, too, Jack. Sweet dreams.”
Jack
As I hung up the phone, I had never felt more conflicted. On the one hand, Jayne had given my relationship with Kate her blessing. On the other hand, Kate was beginning to focus on the long-term predicament she would inevitably find herself in. Anxiety began to fill my mind once again, so I took a little walk up to the Lido deck. It was a beautiful night, with millions of stars overhead, and only the sounds of the ocean below. I thought about the last time I was up there and how much fun it had been with Kate by my side. I snapped a picture with my phone. I wanted to send it to Kate, along with the message “Missing You,” but I didn’t. I had already twisted her emotions enough in the last 48 hours. She definitely needed a break.
I reclined back in the seat and stared at the heavens until it all became a blur, one star blending in with the other. I closed my eyes and tried to purge Kate from my mind. My efforts failed miserably as my thoughts kept drifting back to the last time we were aboard and the good times we had shared perusing the Virgin Islands. My thoughts lingered on the exhilarating shower we shared at the end of our excursion that day. My lips curled upward and I felt my dick strain against my pants as I thought about how flexible and adventurous she was. God I miss her. The chirp of an incoming text message broke the silence and I thought that maybe Kate was feeling my vibe. Picking up my phone, however, I was greeted by a message from Kristen. She was wondering when we might be able to meet in order to wrap up a few loose ends. I realize that my quick departure left her a bit flustered. She really is obsessively organized.
Me: I’m thinking of coming back to New York in the morning. We can meet for lunch.
Kristen: Really? You just left.
Me: I should’ve taken more time. I need to address a few things in person.
Kristen: The Modern @ 1:00?
Me: Sure, why not. Will you reserve a chopper ride from LaGuardia?
Kristen: Done. See you at 1:00.
The tension in my mind immediately eased at the thought of being back in New York. I needed to talk to Kate in person and let her in on the real reason why I’ve been so hesitant. I knew that leaving with a vague letter - no matter how well written - and a text message - no matter how well intended - was not sufficient. Kate deserved much better. I shot Captain Chuck a quick text message.
Me: Hey Cap, can the plane be ready for flight by 7am?
Captain Chuck: Tomorrow?
Me: Yeah… tomorrow morning.
Captain Chuck: It shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll check with maintenance
Me: Thanks Chuck
Captain Chuck: Where are we going?
Me: LaGuardia… Don’t ask.
Running my hands over my face, I got up and headed for my cabin. It had been a very long and emotional day, so I was ready to crash for a few hours. Knowing that I would see Kate soon allowed the persistent thoughts to momentarily drain from my mind. Tossing my clothes on a chair, I hit the bed with a thud and was out for the night.
Tuesday Jan 31, 8:00am
Kate
Tuesday morning was better than Monday had been, but there were still a lot of conflicting thoughts running through my mind. After getting ready, I grabbed my designs and began focusing on what needed to be accomplished in the morning meeting. As the driver opened the door to the limo, it felt as if Jack should be on the other side to greet me. It was incredibly strange to be living in his world, with him nowhere in sight. It was as if I had somehow switched lives with him or something. It was a feeling that’s hard to describe.
Things became even more awkward when Jayne and Brandon immediately ceased their “hushed” conversation as I entered the conference room at Ryker Fashion Merchandising. After briefly exchanging greetings with one another, Jayne was the first to hit me with a question.
“Did you talk to Dad last night?” she asked, as Brandon distracted himself by looking through his notes.
“Yes, he called. How did you know?” I asked, wondering if she had access to a surveillance camera in her old place.
“I just thought that he might have called you after we talked.”
“You talked to him last night, too?”
“Yeah, I felt bad after seeing him leave so hastily yesterday afternoon. I wanted him to tell him that I’m fully aware of what’s been going on between the two of you. I’m fine with it.”
“Okay,” was my only reply as Brandon chimed in, agreeing with his sister on the issue.
“I’m glad both of you are okay with things, but Jack left because he didn’t think that it was in my best interest in the long run. I want to build my dream business and raise a family. He claimed that he’s not interested in either of those things anymore. Apparently that’s why he thought that I should date you,” I replied smirking at Brandon.
“Yeah, I was actually embarrassed for him yesterday. I didn’t know what to say. It was like… alright, Dad, I’ll look after your girlfriend for you or whatever.”
We all needed the laugh that followed Brandon’s comment. The expression on his face was priceless. None of us had any idea what was going to happen next, but at least it seemed like our business relationship would be all right regardless of how things played out.
“I don’t know about you two, but I’m ready to get busy building a business,” Brandon declared once our laughter had again transformed into awkward silence.
Jayne and I both agreed as she called the receptionist to have her send the manufacturing director, Brenda Dickson, back to the conference room. Once Brenda joined us, we all settled in and began working though each phase of the plant retooling. Noon arrived quickly and with no lunch in sight, we all agreed that Kristen and her organizational skills would be sadly missed.
“If she were still here, we would be eating already,” Jayne said while scrolling through delivery options on her phone. “What are you guys hungry for?”
“Chicken Kebab’s, Lobster bites, and Crab cakes” Brandon replied. Jayne and I immediately knew that he wanted to go to Jack’s old haunt.
I couldn’t get myself to even look in the direction of the St. Regis, so I told the three of them to go ahead without me and excused myself from the meeting. “I’ll grab a quick sandwich downstairs and meet you guys back here at 1:30,” I told them as I made my way to the door.
It was a good thing that Brenda went with the other two because tears were streaming down my face by the time I reached the restroom. I took a deep breath as I looked in the mirror and tried to collect myself. Everything is just fine. It will all work out for the best. I tried in vain to reassure myself and keep moving forward, despite the growing pit in my stomach. I’m just hungry.
Chapter 2: Lunch With Kristen
12:58pm @ The Modern
Jack
A familiar smile spread across Kristen’s lips as I entered the restaurant and spotted her. Judging by her expression, it seemed as if it had been far longer than 21 hours since we had last seen one another.
“I know that this might sound strange, but I already miss working with you,” she confided as we settled in and began to glance over the menus.
“We’ve been together a long time. It will definitely take some time to adjust,” I conceded.
I could tell she had more to say, but she held her tongue and reluctantly turned back to the menu. Our conversation turned to what each of us was craving for lunch, but I knew that there was something else on her mind.
“You mentioned wrapping up some loose ends in your message last night,” I said after the waiter took our order.
“Yes, it seemed easier than telling you that I needed to see you,” she responded, reaching for my hand.
“I understand this is a big change for you. Work has been the focal point of your life and I’m sure it’s going to take some time to figure out what comes next,” I assured her.
“Do you remember when Coleman and I broke up?”
Coleman was Kristen’s longtime boyfriend. Th
e poor son of a bitch was even more uptight than she was. I could still picture him standing in his black double-breasted suit, with a matching bowtie and his hands clasped in front of him. He had the same pose and facial expression whether you saw him at a funeral or the annual Christmas party.
“Yes, was that two years ago?”
“A little over three actually,” she corrected while shifting nervously in her chair.
I gently squeezed her hand and waited patiently for her to share her thoughts.
“Coleman always said that the reason I didn’t want to get married… was because I was in love with you,” she finally confided.
“Really… was that true?”
“At the time, I really thought that it was simply because he wasn’t the one. But shortly after Eva was killed, I realized that no one could’ve been the one. No one could ever compare to you Jack. You were always the one,” she confessed with pleading eyes.
“So all of these years of working together, you’ve been secretly in love with me? Why would you do that to yourself?”
“I don’t know… I justified it by telling myself that at least I was spending my days with you,” she replied running her fingers along the top of my hand. “You weren’t dating anyone, so I was just waiting to see a sign of life. Then you met Kate and overnight you turned into a sex-crazed teenager. I was caught off guard to say the least.”
“I hope you realize how important you’ve been to me, Kristen. I consider you to be a lifelong friend, not just a personal assistant.”
“I know. I was just hoping our relationship could become more than that. After you left yesterday, I felt as if I had lost my reason for living.”
“That’s a little extreme. After more than 20 years of working together on a daily basis, I can understand why you would feel that way. It obviously hasn’t sunk in yet that after the corporate buyout yesterday you’re a multi-millionaire. You probably can’t imagine how much your life will open up and change over the next few years. For now, though, how about I keep you on as my personal assistant?”
“I would like that Jack. You don’t even have to pay me,” she replied with a warm, but subtle smile.
Kristen really is a beautiful woman with her long black hair, cool blue eyes, and nicely toned body. We get along great, too. But I don’t think that I could ever make the transition from being her friend and business associate, to a more personal relationship. That’s just not something that can be forced. She knows that Kate and I are both uncertain about our future. That’s why she chose this moment to tell me how she really feels.
“I will always love you, Kristen, and I probably wouldn’t have survived the last few years without you. To be perfectly honest, I would’ve been lost without you as my personal assistant. In fact, I have been thinking about spending some time in Greece next month. Would you mind helping me with coordinating a few things?”
“You know I’ve always wanted to go to Greece, so I’ll be happy to do some research for you,” she responded with a renewed sense of purpose.
“Maybe you can join us for a week or two while we’re there.”
“Who will be there?”
“I’m not sure at this point, but it will be the crew and me at the very least.”
She obviously wanted to know whether or not Kate was going to be there, but at that point it was anyone’s guess. Kate hadn’t been overly receptive to my call the night before, so I obviously had to smooth things over in person. I chuckled to myself as I thought about the fact that I had flown to Puerto Rico and back in less than 24 hours. Escaping the city seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but hastily leaving Kate behind was a tragic misstep.
Part of me didn’t want to talk to Jayne about her, part of me was worried about my health, and another part was horrified about keeping up with someone less than half my age. I truly meant what I wrote in that letter. I don’t want her have any regrets later in life. On the other hand, Kate is such a little cutie that I’m sure she would make a great cougar one day. Turning my attention back to Kristen, it struck me that she still hadn’t yet come to the realization that she was in a very enviable position. She was so focused on the fact that she was alone at age 47, that she completely overlooked the fact that she was an attractive, healthy, and financially independent woman.
“You are right about one thing,” I told her. “I went from basically being dead, to feeling like a hormone crazed teenager almost overnight. We are at an age where we can either act like we did in our 30s or we can act like we’re getting old. It’s a conscious choice.”
“So you simply changed your mind and decided to be young?” She snickered.
“I decided just to live again and not really think about my age. After Eva’s death, I got so depressed and my health deteriorated so quickly that it made me feel like I was seventy years old. I began to have several drinks each night, hoping it would help me sleep. However, every night I would wake up in a cold sweat and have a hell of a time getting back to sleep. In the morning when my alarm went off, I would have to peel myself out of bed and struggle through another day of being tired. Living like that makes you feel really old.”
“That pattern changed when you met Kate?”
“It did. Honestly, I was so worn out by the time we went to sleep that I never woke up until the next morning. After the first few days, I started feeling like I was 35 again.”
“You actually look that young too,” Kristen replied with a lustful smirk. “Don’t ever go back to the long hair and goatee. You are much sexier clean shaven.”
“Alright, thanks for the fashion tip.”
As we finished our lunch, I left Kristen with one last thought.
“Take some time and find yourself. Go to a spa or something and just get pampered, reflect on where you want your life to go from here. Relax for God sake; you can do anything you want with the rest of your life.”
“You know that I have a hard time relaxing. I always feel like there is something I need to accomplish.”
“At this moment, the only thing you need to accomplish is figuring out how to feel young again.”
“That sounds good, but my youngest nephew is 30 and he’s getting married next weekend. I think that’s another factor that has me feeling old and depressed. Now at family functions, I’ll be the only single one in the bunch. Chronically single Kristen, as my mother would say.”
“Where are they getting married?”
“In Poughkeepsie, that’s where his fiancée is from.”
“That’s perfect. I want you to go home and pack your bags. A car will be by to pick you up at 6:30.”
“6:30 tonight? Where am I going?” Kristen squealed with a girlish laugh.
“You are going to turn this wedding into a nice getaway. A good friend of mine owns a beautiful spa up on Shawangunk Ridge. It’s only about fifteen miles from Poughkeepsie. I’m going to tell him to give you the royal treatment and I want you to stay there until you feel better.”
“Wow, thank you. The saddest part is that I have no excuse not to go. I literally have no other plans until the day before the wedding.”
“Now you do. Go home and get packed.”
“I will. Thanks again, Jack. I’ll get back to you on planning for Greece.”
“You’re welcome, and Greece will wait until next week. Go have fun.”
As we got up from the table, Kristen looked at me with a reflective look in her eyes. There still seemed to be more that she wanted to say, but her conservative nature must have held her back. Not wanting to hear anymore, I took her in my arms and gave her a warm hug.
“Go get packed, relax and have some fun,” I repeated. “We’ll talk next week.”
“Alright, boss,” she replied, giving me a peck on the cheek.
As Kristen walked away, I was relieved that everything seemed all right. She looked back over her shoulder as she exited the restaurant. I waved and we exchanged smiles. Kristen really needed to go find herself instead of spe
nding another moment fixated on the idea of being with me. After the past 24 hours, there was no doubt in my mind that the only woman I wanted in my life was Kate. I felt a sudden uneasiness in my gut as I thought about what I was going to say to her. I guess I’ll start by saying I’m sorry… again.
~~~
Chapter 3 – Tears and Questions
Kate
After a productive morning, I found myself struggling to remain focused on business. The fact that Jack was reconsidering the viability our relationship after talking to Jayne made me angry. Was his initial hesitation really about my future or was it more about preserving his image, especially in the eyes of his daughter? I thought back to how he acted so distant when we had dinner with Brandon, and how he kept referring to me as a business associate when introducing me to colleagues. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. It wasn’t really about me.
“Are you alright?” Brandon asked with a look of concern on his face.
“Yes, I’m alright. I’m just feeling a little nauseous for some reason. Would you guys mind if we took a break?”
“Actually, we’ve covered a lot of ground today,” Brenda chimed in. “Let’s pick up right here tomorrow morning. Does nine o’clock work for everyone?”
“Perfect,” replied Jayne.
“It’s almost happy hour, where should we go?” Brandon added looking at his watch and raising his eyebrows.
“You guys can take Brenda out, I’m going to have to pass,” I said, “I’m not feeling well.”
“I’m out, too. I have a bridal shop appointment at 5:30 and I need to finish a few things first,” Jayne replied.
“Well, Brandon, it looks like it’s you and me. I have nothing going on until nine tomorrow morning,” Brenda said, tossing her notes into her handbag.
“You two stay out of trouble,” Jayne said teasingly on her way out the door.