by Unknown
“Did you want me to help you pack? Is there anything I can do to help?” Shane asked in a soft voice as they waited for the elevator.
“No. You don’t have to stay with me, Shane. Go on to the office. I’ll be okay.”
She didn’t want Shane to feel obligated to stay with her. She was already feeling embarrassed for blubbering in his chest in the limo.
“I’m fine where I am, and I’m going with you to the airport,” Shane said in a serious tone. “I’ll wait for you down here,” he said when the elevator came.
“Okay,” Satra said softly.
‘Stubborn but sweet man,’ she thought to herself.
Once on the elevator she felt weird, and then she realized what the problem was. She no longer had the warmth and security of Shane’s strong arms wrapped around her.
Satra ran down the long hallway to her suite and began throwing things into her suitcases and garment bag. It didn’t take her long at all to pack up everything. Nothing was packed neatly, and she didn’t care. Shane thought about Satra trying to handle all of her luggage by herself and decided to come up to help her anyway. When she opened the door to leave, he was standing there ready to knock.
“I figured you’d need help with this,” he said as he took the majority of bags from her.
She was left with her carry on, purse and laptop. They both walked quickly to the elevators. Once they reached the lobby and headed out the front door of the hotel, the limo driver got out the car and took the luggage from Shane and put it in the trunk. Shane assured her that he would take care of checking her out from the hotel when he got back. The airport was fifteen minutes away and the morning traffic wasn’t too bad at the moment. Satra’s brothers kept calling her cell phone checking in with her and giving her updates. All of them wanted to know when she was going to make it home. Shane could see how much her family depended on her even though she wasn’t the oldest. Now he wondered whom Satra had to depend on if she's the rock for everyone else. Even though the tears stopped the worry was in her eyes and her voice was still thick with emotion. Shane wanted nothing more than to hold her tight and tell her everything would be okay, but instead he busied himself with booking her a flight to Milwaukee from his cell phone. Using his personal connections, he got her on the next flight that was at 9:45am which gave her more than enough time to get to the ticket counter and check her luggage in.
Once at the airport they got everything squared away. Satra didn’t want to sit down. Instead, she paced and walked the halls waiting for the boarding call for her flight. Sometimes she was on her cell phone other times she was lost in her thoughts. There was something else bothering her, Shane just didn’t know what it was. He continued to give her space but kept her within his sight. He went to the Starbucks counter and bought them both cappuccinos. Satra was watching the planes from the skywalk when Shane walked up to her.
“Here you go. I took a stab and guessed at what you liked. It’s a caramel mocha cappuccino,” Shane said handing her the coffee.
Satra gave him a sad smile. “You guessed right.”
“How are you doing?” Shane asked in a concerned voice.
Satra stared out the window and took a sip of her hot beverage. “I don’t know. My brain has been on overdrive since I got that phone call from my mom. My nerves aren’t going to calm down until I’m home.”
“Are you and your dad close?”
Satra gave a long sigh before answering. “Yes and no, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that we’re so much alike. We’re both stubborn and strong willed. He wanted me to pursue sports in college, but I wanted to do other things. He felt I was throwing away my natural gift. Our relationship has been strained ever since. I know he’s proud of me now, but there’s still some disappointment with him in my career choice. I can see it in his eyes. Now he’s in a hospital sick…” Her voice trailed off as she felt a fresh batch of tears well up in her eyes. Satra looked down at her coffee and tried to gather herself. She took a deep breath and exhaled and started again. “...Now he’s in a hospital sick and we never had a chance to have the one conversation we should’ve had years ago, to clear the air, you know?”
Shane took her by the shoulders and forced her to look him in the eyes.
“I don’t know your father, but I do know that he is proud of you. He’s more proud of you than you realize, Satra. You will have that conversation with him, and he’s going to tell you how proud he is of you.”
‘Damn you Shane!’ Satra cursed to herself as the tears she tried to hold back fell anyway at his kind words. Shane reached inside his suit jacket and gave Satra his handkerchief. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her but decided against it even though it pained him not to. She used his handkerchief to wipe her eyes and tried to give it back to him.
“No, you keep it.”
Satra looked at it closer and saw that it was monogrammed with his initials in what looked like gold silk thread.
Satra sniffed. “I’ll have it dry cleaned for you.”
Shane wanted to laugh at her adorable suggestion, but he knew she meant what she said. “No, Satra, I want you to keep it, so please…. keep it,” Shane said gently as he closed her hand around the handkerchief. Satra looked at his big warm hand covering hers and thought about how that small gesture made her feel so reassured and protected.
“Now boarding flight 1279 to Milwaukee,” the loudspeaker announced.
“Finally,” Satra said as she began walking towards the boarding area. Shane stood in line with her, and he began to feel nervous, anxious and irritated all at the same time and he didn’t know why. It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced since he was a young boy when his mom left for a month to take care of his ailing grandmother in Sicily. Now Satra was leaving him for who knows how long, and he didn’t like it. He tried to shake the feeling, but he couldn’t. ‘Good grief man, it’s not like she’s your woman! She’s someone you work with, someone you’ve known for barely a month!’ Deep down inside he knew that wasn’t true. His feelings for Satra were deeper than that.
Interrupting his thoughts Satra turned to him and said, “I just wanted to thank you for being so kind and understanding with me. One minute I’m yelling at you and the next minute I’m crying in your arms – go figure.” Her eyes were full of emotion and gratitude before she looked away from him and began looking at her hands. She was trying her best to keep more tears from falling. “Anyway, thank you….for everything.”
Without warning, she got on her tippy-toes and kissed Shane on his cheek and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Her breasts were crushed against his chest, and his strong arms encircled her small waist as he held her against his hard body. Shane knew the more he touched her, the harder it would become not to touch her. For that moment, he pushed those thoughts aside and pulled her tightly against him, again offering her his strength, and Satra gladly accepted it.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered in her ear while giving her a tight squeeze.
The hug lasted a little longer than it should have, but neither was willing to end it. Satra needed his strength and Shane just needed her. Not knowing that she’d be okay made him hang on to her longer than he should have. All Satra knew was when she was in his arms everything seemed like they were going to be okay. Shane made her feel that everything would work out, and her dad would be okay and she needed that now more than ever. She knew once she got home everyone would look to her for all the emotional support. They would look to her to “handle” certain things. Having Shane’s support and strength meant a lot to her, and it felt good. It felt right. No man has ever made her feel so protected and safe. Shane was the first to pull back even though he did so reluctantly. Good thing there wasn’t anyone behind them in line.
“It’s time for you to get going,” he said smiling down at her with his heavy-lidded eyes, his hands resting comfortably on her waist.
“Okay,” Satra said as she unlocked her arms from around his neck and let her
hands slide down to his chest and rest there. She didn’t realize what she had done until she felt the heat from his skin through his shirt.
“Oh…I’m sorry,” she said as she quickly removed her hands from his chest. Shane didn’t say anything and pretended like he didn’t notice her reaction to touching him there.
He smiled inwardly and enjoyed the feel of her hands on his chest. Clearing her voice in an attempt to recover from her embarrassment Satra finally says, “I’ll call you once I’m home.”
“Okay,” Shane whispered, his eyes still locked with hers. All he could see was worry and fear in her eyes, and he would have given anything to make that look go away.
She took a step back that made him lose contact from her waist, contact that he was enjoying even though he shouldn’t have been. She stooped down to pick up her purse and carry on. She handed the attendant her ticket and said, “Bye.” Shane smiled and waved goodbye to her. He stood there with his hands in his pockets and watched her until he couldn’t see her anymore. Then he watched the plane go down the runway and take off into the air.
‘She’s gone.’ He sighed to himself. With the emptiness he now felt in his chest and stomach, he headed towards the main airport exit and called Grayson to tell him what was going on with Satra. Grayson, of course, was very concerned and worried about Satra, but Shane reassured him that she was okay and told him that he accompanied her to the airport and stayed with her until she boarded her plane.
“I’m glad you stayed with her, Shane. She puts on a tough front, but she’s very sensitive when it comes to her family, particularly her father,” Grayson said.
“I was glad to do it. She got the call while we were on our way to Vandalay’s office, and she broke down. There was no way I was going to let her go to the airport alone in that state. She told me a little bit about her relationship with her dad and that explained some things for me.”
“Oh, she did?” Grayson asked surprised.
“Yeah, we’ve been getting to know each other these past few days. She’s a pleasure to work with, and you’d be very proud of how well she represents Lucas and Daniels.”
Grayson wondered just how well Shane was getting to know Satra.
“She’s definitely a keeper for us,” Grayson said proudly.
“Well, I’ll keep you and Mr. Di Amato informed with updates while Satra is out. Feel free to call me with any questions you have,” Shane said wrapping up the conversation.
“Thank you, Shane. I appreciate it. I’ll be in touch soon.”
Shane called Mr. Di Amato during the limo drive to Vandalay’s. Mr. Di Amato could hear the concern in Shane’s voice when he talked about Satra. Shane never behaved this way towards any woman he worked with but clearly there was something about Satra Sinclair that changed that. Mr. Di Amato knew Shane was hooked from their first meeting even though Shane would never admit to it. Mr. Di Amato patiently listened and asked Shane to pass on his well wishes and prayers to Satra and her family. He would have his secretary send a nice flower arrangement and large fruit basket to the family at the hospital as soon as he got off the phone with Shane. Finally, Shane informed Mr. Gordon of Satra’s family emergency. Mr. Gordon asked if there was anything he could do. Shane told him he wouldn’t know until he heard from Satra, but he was sure a nice card or she and her family would appreciate flowers. Mr. Gordon decided he’d let his wife pick the flowers and card since she was good at that sort of thing.
Shane got through the day and countless meetings as best he could. Even Charlene Walker seemed to be on her best behavior. Mr. Gordon must have given her a heads up that this was not the time to try any of her shenanigans with Shane. Good thing she took heed because Shane was ready to fire her at the first slip up. He kept his cell phone in view hoping Satra would call sooner rather than later. ‘She knew I’d be in meetings for the majority of the day, so she’s probably going to wait till after work to call me,’ Shane thought to himself.
Five o’clock couldn’t come fast enough for him. He rushed back to the hotel, showered and changed clothes as he continued to wait for her phone call. He even ordered room service so he wouldn’t have to leave the room and take her call inside of a restaurant. Nothing bugged him more than hearing people hold conversations on their cell phones inside of a restaurant. He had just finished dinner and was lounging in some basketball shorts and a tee shirt when his cell phone rang.
“Hello?” he answered in his deep voice. The normally cool, calm and collected Shane Evans was officially a ball of nerves, and he hated it.
The butterflies started to flutter in her stomach at the sound of his deep voice. “Hi Shane. It’s Satra. I hope I’m not calling at a bad time,” she said in a tired but soft voice.
“No, no, it’s perfect timing,” Shane gently reassured her as he sat up straighter on the couch. “I just finished eating my dinner in my room, so I’m good. How’s your dad?”
“He’s doing much better. Thank you for asking.”
Shane ran a relieved hand through his hair. “That’s great Satra. I’m very happy to hear that.”
“It really is. His entire left side has been affected, but we’re not sure how much at this point. He speaks a little slower than normal but surprisingly no slurring or anything. Now they’re running tests on him to see what caused the stroke and to see how much damage the stroke has caused.”
“Your dad sounds like a tough S.O.B.” Shane smiled.
“He’s definitely that and then some,” Satra said smiling.
“How’s your mom doing?”
“She’s doing a little better. She was really freaking out in the beginning. My brothers managed to keep her sane until I got here. They don’t know what to do or how to respond to my mom when she gets emotional because she doesn’t do it often. It feels good to be home. I just hate that it’s under these circumstances. My dad smiled when he saw me. That made my day,” Satra said smiling to herself again.
Shane could feel her smiling through the phone, and it made him smile too. “That’s awesome. I’m glad you’re home with your family; that’s where you should be. How are you doing? You sound tired.”
“I am, but I’ll be fine. I’m going to spend the night here at the hospital with my mom since she refuses to leave my dad’s side. I’ll keep her company and make sure she gets her rest and eats a little something. When her nerves are rattled, she tends not to eat.”
“It’s great that you’re looking after your mom, but promise me that you’ll eat and get your rest too.”
“I promise. Believe me, I’m not the kind of person who can run on fumes. I need my sleep, and tomorrow I plan on getting some rest. My brothers will have to come out here and keep mom company. I’ve already informed them.”
“Good.”
There was a short pause in the air when Satra finally said, “Well, I don’t want to keep you. I’m going to call Grayson next before it gets too late and fill him in on the latest news.”
“You’re not keeping me from anything,” Shane said simply, “But I’ll let you go so you can make your phone calls. Have a good night, Satra.”
“Thanks. You too. Bye Shane,” Satra said softly.
“Goodbye Satra.”
He waited until she hung up her phone before disconnecting his. The worry that plagued him all day finally subsided now that he heard her voice. Getting through the last two days of their business trip without her was going to be hard. He enjoyed getting up early and picking her up at her room, riding to Vandalay together and having lunch together. He missed popping into her conference room to check in with her periodically during the day. Satra always managed to make him laugh or smile even when he didn’t want to. He didn’t realize how much he already depended on her until now.
Chapter Seven
At the hospital, Satra slept in a reclining chair next to her father’s bed while her mother slept on a cot on the other side of her husband’s bed. Satra heard her father stir, and she immediately opened her eyes and sat
up.
“Hey daddy,” Satra whispered.
Her father had to focus his eyes, but he recognized his baby girl’s voice. He smiled, his deep dimples showing even though his smile was small. He would always be the most handsome man in the world to her. Samuel Sinclair, Sr., Sam to most, is a tall 6’3 man with a naturally stocky build. He was built to play football even though all through school he played and was constantly recruited for basketball. His dark chocolate skin was smooth and flawless, and he looked much younger than his 62 years. He had salt and pepper hair that also speckled his thin Clark Gable-like mustache. He had big dark eyes that were kind and seemed to always be smiling at you. He had a strong, chiseled jaw line and a strong, proud chin that only added to his handsome manliness. Sam Jr., the eldest of the Sinclair kids, was the spitting image of their father while his other two brothers Sasha and Sidney were mixtures of their parents. Satra looked more like her mother. Sharon Sinclair is a natural beauty that wore little to no makeup. She has smooth honey colored skin and big, beautiful almond shaped eyes. Her hair was down her back, but she always wore it pinned up or in a plaited ponytail. She had just turned 60 and had streaks of silver in her hair that only enhanced her beauty. The only wrinkles you could see in her face were the few around her eyes when she smiled or laughed. Her daily walks kept her slim figure intact years after having four kids.
Satra’s father motioned for her to come to closer. Satra got up and sat next to him on his bed. She smiled down at him and kissed him on his forehead and then cheek.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“I’ve been better,” he whispered slowly.
Satra smiled down at him. “You had us scared there for a minute. I got here as soon as I could from South Carolina.”