Uncorked

by Rebecca Rohman

  “One day, you’ll tell me all the things she did to screw up your life.”

  “So that’s how it’s going to be, Mom? You’ve made your choice. Don’t expect me, or Emily, over for Thanksgiving. Until you’re ready to respect Chella, me and our relationship, forget that I exist.”

  “Why does it have to be a packaged deal?”

  “Because I’m in love with her. And she’s part of my life, and when you disrespect her you disrespect me.” His phone rang. After a brief conversation, he hung up.

  “Driver’s here. He’ll take you to the penthouse and to the airport when you’re ready to go tomorrow.”

  “You’re not coming to say goodbye?”

  “No, Mom. This is goodbye. I love you, but those are my terms. Until you can respect them, this is how it’s going to be.”

  “You’re not giving me much of a choice.”

  “I gave you a choice. Now it’s time for you to go,” he said, escorting her to the door.

  Chella settled back into her office to work bright and early Monday morning. She held meetings with her promotions managers at the beginning and end of each week to discuss any issues. Thankfully, everything was going as planned. The meeting was straightforward and was over within an hour. The staff and Jade were walking out of her office when her direct line rang.

  “Chella Noon speaking,” she answered.

  There was no response at the other end of the line.

  “Hello?”

  Still no response.

  Chella glanced at the caller ID. It read MCF San Diego. She made a mental note of it and hung up.

  The phone rang again. This time, she recognized the caller ID as Mitch’s.

  She answered the call. “Hey, Sweetheart. Did you just try to call me from another number?”

  “No, why?” said Mitch.

  “Before you called, I got a call on my direct line, and there was no response from the other end. No worries. Probably a wrong number. How are you?”

  “I got some news.”

  She instantly knew by the flat tone of his voice that this news was not good.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Can you take a break? Maybe go to lunch?”

  “Sure. What time?”

  “Now? I’m with the driver downstairs.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute.”

  She quickly grabbed her purse and rushed down, eager to know what was wrong. He had sounded so distraught. She slipped into the car’s backseat beside him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. His palms were sweaty and his hair was disheveled. When they had been seated at a nearby restaurant for lunch, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m a match.”

  “Isn’t that great news?”

  “I suppose. I didn’t realize how I’d feel if I were a match. I feel like someone’s life is in my hands, and it’s my responsibility to save them, only it’s a man I despise.”

  She held his hand. “This is a decision only you can make. Trust yourself. Whatever decision you make will be the right one.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Because I know your heart, and I believe in you.”

  “Chella, I don’t know how to forgive him for what he did.”

  “Do you want to forgive him?”

  “I don’t know. I’m still angry with him. Is it possible for me to forgive someone I’m angry with?”

  “What do you want?”

  “I want to be happy, and I want for this nasty situation to end.”

  “Then Sweetheart, you have to let it go. The only way you can truly heal from this is to trust. You taught me that.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know if I can do this.”

  “Take the afternoon off. Spend some time with your thoughts. Let you conscience guide you.”

  “Olivia called me this morning before I found out. My father’s condition is deteriorating. He’s back in the hospital.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish there were something I could do or say to make this easier on you.”

  Mitch’s phone rang. Emily’s face appeared on the screen.

  “Hey, Sweetie.”

  “Hi Daddy. I want to tell you what happened at school today.”

  “Why aren’t you at school, anyway? It’s too early for you to be out.”

  “We got to go home early because there was a small fire in the kitchen at school.”

  “Did anyone get hurt?”

  “When the fire alarm went off, some of my friends got afraid and ran out of the class. My friend Megan fell and broke her arm.”

  “Oh no, I’m sorry, Sweetheart. Is she going to be okay?”

  “Mommy called her mom. She said she’s going to be fine, but she’ll be in the hospital tonight and maybe tomorrow.”

  “That’s good news. I’ll ask Greta to send her some flowers and balloons from you.”

  “That would be great, Daddy. Thank you.” Emily stayed silent for a second.

  “Is there something else you wanted to tell me?”

  “Daddy, when she fell, she was crying, and I didn’t know what to do to help her,” Emily said, her voice filled with emotion.

  “But I’m sure your teacher did.”

  “She called her mom and took her to the ambulance outside.”

  “Your teacher did the right thing.”

  “I sat with her until her mom came. I didn’t want to leave her alone.”

  “I think you helped her more than you realize. I doubt she’ll ever forget that you were the one who stayed by her side during such a scary time. You’re a good friend.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so. She’ll be happy to see you when she’s home from the hospital.” Mitch replied reassuringly.

  “I hope you’re right, Daddy. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Sweetie.”

  “Daddy, are you okay?”

  “I am, and I’m even better now that you called.”

  They said their goodbyes, and Mitch ended the call a lot less confused than he was prior to the phone call from his daughter. There she was, a five-year-old child, wanting to help, wanting to do what was right, and he had the answer to his problem in front of him.

  Mitch took Chella’s hand across the table. “I think I should go see my father’s doctor.”

  “Okay. Now?”

  “Yes. I’m going to do it. I still don’t know if I can forgive him, but I don’t think I have the guts to watch him die when I know I could help save his life.”

  “I’m proud of you. I knew you had it in you,” Chella replied, caressing his cheek. “It’s the right thing to do.”

  The driver returned to Chella’s office to drop her off. That afternoon, she sat with Jade, planning what she’d do for her staff after her end-of-year promotion. Chella’s direct line rang. When she answered, there was no response. After a second and third hello, she jotted down the caller ID info on a notepad and hung up.

  “Jade, see if you can find out whose number this is or what that abbreviation is. I received a call from this number this morning.”

  “Should be easy to find. I’ll do an internet search.” Jade went to her desk and returned with a package.

  “Tiffany from reception signed for this while we were in our meeting.”

  “Thanks,” Chella replied, taking the box from Jade and putting it directly in front of her on her desk.

  She smiled as she saw the return label from Mitch’s office, the same type of label that had stuck to her rear end that steamy hot afternoon at his office months before. She shook the box gently to see if she’d get a clue as to what was inside.

  It’s not jewelry… it’s too heavy.

  She tore the tape from the cardboard box. Inside was a gift box, covered in beautiful red fabric. Excited and eager to know what mischief Mitch had been up to, she pulled away the tissue paper covering its contents.

  Blood.

  Chapter Ten

  Blood.

  What looked lik
e a dead rat saturated with blood.

  She shoved the box away. Tremors erupted throughout her body.

  The odor permeated the room, raw and pungent. Similar to what a meat shop would smell like.

  Jade poked her head through the door. “Chell, they must be calling in error. It’s Metropolitan Correctional Center. The prison in San Diego.”

  She knew who it was. Aaron Stewart and his accomplice were responsible for all of this. She had managed every other part of her life confidently, but when it came to this situation with Aaron Stewart, the threats, the explosions, the unknowns had always caused her to be paralyzed by fear.

  “Chella? What’s wrong?”

  “I’m fine, Jade. Please close the door behind you when you leave.”

  Jade looked at her, hesitated, and did as she was told, looking back through the glass door twice before she finally left. As she disappeared, Chella lost control, trying to quickly wipe away the now-constant flow of tears with her shuddering hands.

  She dialed Mitch then immediately ended the call. With all he was dealing with regarding his father and siblings, she decided she would handle this on her own. He didn’t need to be worrying about her, too.

  She picked up the phone to call Detective Carter, pushing her chair back as far from the desk and the so-called gift as possible. The phone fell to the floor in her unsteady grip. After a few deep breaths, she calmly dialed his number.

  “Carter speaking.”

  Remaining composed, she said, “Detective, its Chella Noon. Someone sent me a bloody, dead rat in a gift box, and I think Aaron has been calling me at the office.”

  “You’re at your office now?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  Detective Carter arrived with another uniformed police officer. He slipped on a pair of gloves and looked in the box. Chella stood by, arms folded, but she said nothing.

  Jade returned and was about to enter Chella’s office. When she saw the police, she stopped short.

  “We need to clear this office,” said Detective Carter. “Is there a conference room or somewhere you can go, Miss Noon?

  “Sure. If I’m not there when you need me, I’ll be in my boss’s office.”

  “Are you her secretary?” Detective Carter asked Jade.

  “Yes.”

  “Did you touch this box?”

  “Yes, I did. Tiffany from reception brought it in. She left it on my desk with a post-it note. Chella and I were in a meeting.”

  “I’ll need to talk to you later, but if you could all clear out of the room now, I’d appreciate it.”

  A small scene had started to develop. Staff looked on curiously. A photographer arrived and Detective Carter closed the door and blinds of her office.

  Chella knocked on Craig’s door.

  “Come in,” he said.

  She entered his office, unable to stop her hands from trembling. Her glassy, red eyes and smudged eyeliner was a sure indicator all wasn’t well.

  “Chella, what’s wrong?”

  “I received a package a while ago. I thought it was from Mitch. There was a bloody, dead rat inside.”

  “What?”

  “It scared me to death. I also received two phone calls from the prison on my direct line. He didn’t say anything. It was silence at the other end of the line.”

  “Do the police know about this?”

  “The lead detective in the case is in my office collecting the evidence. He hasn’t questioned me yet, but I’m pretty certain he will have to talk to some of the staff and review the surveillance cameras. I’m really sorry that I brought my personal issues into your workplace. I hate that my problems are surfacing here.”

  “Stop,” Craig responded in an unusually firm tone. “You have absolutely no control over this idiot does. We will help you with whatever you need. Your job is safe. Right now all I care about is your safety.”

  There was a knock on the door. Jade entered with a tray of coffee, tea and water. They both looked at her and smiled. Chella could tell she was worried, and she was making every effort to make her as comfortable as possible.

  “Thanks, Jade. I’ll be okay. We’ll have a talk later.”

  “Can I get either of you anything else?”

  “No, thanks. Just cooperate with Detective Carter. Give him whatever he asks for.”

  Jade left the room.

  “I never wanted her to know about this,” Chella said when Jade had closed the door, “but I suppose I’ll have to give her some sort of explanation.”

  “You might. Does Mitch know about this?”

  “No, I didn’t call him, and I don’t want to worry him with this. His father is gravely ill, and he’s meeting with the doctors now. That needs to be his focus.”

  “You’ll need to tell him about this.”

  “Soon.”

  “Chella, be careful. You’ve been taking lots of chances, coming into the office too often.”

  “I’m implementing the second phase of my promotion.”

  “Nothing you can’t do remotely. Delegate. Your safety is more important than anything. I don’t want to see you here unless it is absolutely necessary. I’m going to give my drivers instructions to take you anywhere you need to go, anytime of the day or night.”

  “Craig, that’s not necessary.”

  “With Mitch preoccupied with family issues, someone has to look out for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’ll meet with the Chief of Security now to make sure they’re extra vigilant and enforce all procedures in this building. The staff should be reminded, as well. There won’t be any lapses if they forget their security pass at home. Tell the detective to come see me in the Chief of Security’s office if he needs anything.”

  “Thanks for your support, Craig. It means the world to me.”

  He softened his tone and pulled her into a warm embrace. “Chella, I want you around until the day I die. Be careful.”

  A short while after Craig left, Detective Carter knocked on the door and entered the room.

  “We’re done with your office, Miss Noon. I’ve confirmed with the prison that Mr. Stewart is accounted for. I will be paying him and his lawyer a visit this afternoon. Do you mind if I record this conversation?” he asked, showing her his mini tape recorder.

  “Not at all. Go ahead.”

  “Has he ever contacted you at work before?”

  “No, never.”

  “So he didn’t know you worked here before?”

  “If he did, I didn’t know. I started working with this company ten years ago. Back then, our offices were in a high-rise with tons of other businesses. We’ve moved since then, and even though he found out where I work, these calls have been coming in on my direct line. Every time he’s ever managed to call me before it was on my landline at home. Since I moved when he was arrested, I have my cell phone.”

  “Tell me what happened today.”

  Chella relayed the events that had taken place a short hour before.

  “I have some phone calls to make. We should tap your phone lines, as well, in the event he calls again. The security in this building is pretty tight. He could be trying to intimidate you from the prison, as well as using his accomplice to scare you. Please, be vigilant. If you notice anything that’s even a little off or strange, call me to let me know.”

  “Thanks, Detective.”

  “I’ve interviewed your secretary and the receptionist. I’m going to have a word with security in the building to make sure they’re extra cautious. Try not to worry. We’ll make every effort to identify who delivered that package to you. Hopefully, they’ve made a mistake. This might be a blessing in disguise—the break we need. We’ll start monitoring your calls within a few hours.”

  “Detective, Mitch doesn’t know about this. His father is dying, and I’d prefer not to bother him. I might start working some days from home again.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll check
in with security at your complex and Mr. Mariani’s building to be on the safe side. The more you can limit your movements, the safer you’ll be. Try not to fall into any predictable routines, either.”

  “Thanks,” she replied as the detective exited the room.

  Later that afternoon a driver from the office dropped Chella home. She immediately called her trainer and had a longer-than-usual workout session. When she returned to her condo, she was surprised to see Mitch waiting for her.

  “Hi,” she said, smiling at him. She kissed him on the lips.

  “That was a long workout.”

  “Almost two hours. How did the appointment go?”

  “Unfortunately, in my father’s current condition, he can’t have the transplant. They have him on medication and chemo. Hopefully he’ll improve over the next couple of weeks. They’ll see if the transplant can be done then.”

  “Did you tell your sisters and your father?”

  “Not yet. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow. I’m avoiding them. In the meantime, I got all the legalities out of the way today. Once he’s healthy enough, they’ll start the transplant.”

  “How complicated is the procedure for you?”

  “It’s not. I’ll be required to take medication for five days prior to the transplant. Afterwards, stem cells are collected through a process that’s similar to donating blood.”

  “So no surgery is involved?”

  “No. No surgery or stitches.”

  “Will you have to be in the hospital for a long time?”

  “The withdrawal takes about four to six hours. In some cases, it can take longer, depending on how I feel. I may be required to stay in the hospital overnight.”

  “Any side effects?”

  “I may feel discomfort at the sites of the needle insertion and some tingling and tiredness for a short time afterward. I might feel like I have the flu while I’m on the injections. There was another method, but it required general anesthesia.”

  “So why are you avoiding telling them?”

  “It’s not so much telling them. I guess if I want to do that I can always call Olivia. She’ll spread the news, or I could ask the doctor to notify the family. I’m just not ready to face him or Simone yet. She and I didn’t start off on the right foot, and I’d rather not deal with my father right now.”