by Donna Every
Daniel opened the door to the condo and allowed the others to precede him. The drive from the airport had taken forty-five minutes on the ABC highway. Traffic in Barbados was getting to be just as bad as anywhere else in the world but, when he led them onto the patio, it was worth the trip. They looked over the wooden balcony and feasted their eyes on the aquamarine waves, stretching from the horizon to where they gently lapped against the white sand of the West Coast.
“This is wonderful,” said KT excitedly. “I can’t believe I’m here!” she added turning to Daniel.
“I can’t believe it either but I’m glad you are,” he agreed hugging her again.
“That is getting to be a habit,” complained Paul half-jokingly.
“You’d better get used to it,” returned Daniel pulling KT to his side. KT smiled up at him while Paul frowned and opened his mouth to say something.
“Be good, Paul,” cautioned Michaela who was very much in KT’s corner when it came to Daniel.
“Can I get you a drink now or would you like to see your rooms?”
“Drink first and then room,” said KT “but you don’t have to wait on us, just show me where everything is and I’ll get the drinks.”
Daniel was only too happy to do that as he led KT into the kitchen where he had her all to himself. Pushing her back against a counter he nuzzled below her ear, nibbled on the lobe and then dropped kisses all across her cheek to the corner of her lips. KT shivered slightly and turned her mouth towards Daniel’s. That was all the encouragement he needed. So much for not touching her he thought. He couldn’t stop doing that any more than he could stop breathing.
Daniel knew that he had to stop now and with great self-control he reluctantly released KT and kissed her forehead.
“I don’t know how I’m going to keep my hands off you for the week,” Daniel murmured against her hair.
“Don’t worry, Paul is more than willing to help you,” joked KT.
Daniel smiled ruefully and moved over to the cupboard to take down some glasses.
“Do you think the others would like to try some mango juice?”
“Sure, that sounds delicious.”
Daniel fixed the drinks although he promised KT that it was the last time he would do so.
“I don’t want you to think you have to serve us Daniel. We’re imposing on you so we’re hardly guests and I feel terrible that I’m putting you out of your room.”
“KT, don’t you know that giving you my room is nothing? Besides I like the thought of you sleeping in my bed,” he added wickedly. KT punched him playfully on the arm and picked up two of the drinks to take back to the others.
“Would you guys like to go out for dinner or shall I order in Chinese or Indian?” Daniel asked when he joined them on the patio.
“Actually I’m feeling too tired to go out,” said Michaela “so if you don’t mind, I’ll go with the take out. Indian please”
“No problem, I can order it from Sitar which is not too far from here and I can pick it up. Now shall I show you ladies to your rooms?”
Michaela and KT followed Daniel, complimenting him on the beautifully decorated condo with its coral stone finish and traditional mahogany Barbadian furniture. He showed Michaela to the guest room first and left her to unpack. Then he led KT to his room which was immaculately made up by the maid.
“Surely you didn’t clean this up for me, Daniel?” teased KT.
“You know me well. A maid comes every day to clean the condo when I’m here which isn’t very often.”
He indicated the en-suite bathroom and told her that he would have to share it with her since the powder room had no shower.
“I feel terrible that you’re sleeping on the couch Daniel and having to share your bathroom as well.”
“It’s no hardship and I’ll enjoy sharing with you and having you in my bed. There’s so much I want to show you and to talk to you about. You’ll be happy to hear that I’ve read through John and I’ve just started Luke. I’m going backwards it seems.” KT was thrilled to hear that and she wondered if Daniel was being impacted by what he was reading. He seemed different somehow, more peaceful and less driven. Maybe it was just from being on holiday but she really hoped that it was God working on him.
“We’d better go back to the patio before Paul comes looking for us,” suggested Daniel. He really didn’t want to spend the whole week fighting Paul and, to tell the truth, he knew that based on his past, even up to a week ago, he wouldn’t have trusted himself with KT either. That reminded him of Mandy. He cringed inwardly. He’d have to tell KT about that but not just yet. He just wanted to enjoy the week without KT hating him but he promised himself he would tell her before she went home. Hopefully she would understand.
Daniel spent the next few days playing tour guide for the others although there were some places he had never been to himself. They visited Harrison’s Cave where the women “oohed” and “aahed” over the crystalline stalactites and stalagmites that populated the cave and the waterfalls that dropped into clear pools of water. It was amazing that all this existed under the ground. He took pictures of KT on the tram with her hard hat on as they drove through the cave. He took advantage of the few minutes that the tour guide turned off all the lights in the cave to demonstrate just how dark it was in its natural state. The lights coming back on made him reluctantly release KT’s lips and they both laughed when they heard a girl behind them whisper rather loudly to her mother that the man and woman were kissing when the lights were off.
The next day they went on a catamaran cruise and swam with the turtles in the warm Caribbean Sea when the boat anchored further along the West Coast from his condo. Daniel was happy that he’d booked the cruise when he saw how thrilled KT was by the turtles swimming unafraid all around them.
They took a walk around Bridgetown which boasted having the third oldest Parliament in the entire Commonwealth, having been established in 1639, and took pictures of the two bridges which gave the city its name. Afterwards they ate at a restaurant overlooking the Careenage where a number of private yachts were berthed.
The week was speeding by faster than Daniel would have liked. He was happy that they hadn’t run into Mandy and then he remembered, with relief, that she had mentioned going to Mustique, a tiny island in the nearby Grenadines, with her parents to visit some friends for a week.
On Thursday, KT and Michaela left the men to go shopping in Holetown, a nearby town, for souvenirs. They said that they would take a bus so that they could experience the local culture. The men were more than happy to laze around the condo rather than go shopping.
Daniel and Paul sat on the patio sipping rum punches and enjoying the view. The silence was surprisingly companionable as both men weren’t big talkers. Eventually Paul asked: “When are you coming back to Manhattan? Things are getting fairly serious. Businesses are cutting staff like crazy and foreclosures are skyrocketing. Aren’t you worried about your business?”
“I’ve been watching the business news from here and yes I am getting concerned. Before this whole thing we were trying to come up with some new consulting services so that we wouldn’t be relying so heavily on mergers and acquisitions. In fact, since my surgery, I’ve been feeling dissatisfied with the merger side of things in any case. Too many of them have been failing and in the past I can’t really say I’ve cared much once my bill got paid, but now I find that it’s not enough. So I’m looking for ways to help with the post-merger issues so that more mergers succeed. I’m going back to work in April but I’m afraid I’m no closer to a solution as yet.”
“Well if Jack Welch could get a brainstorm here, you should be able to,” encouraged Paul.
“That’s what I’m hoping,” Daniel agreed with a slight smile. They thought alike in many ways he’d discovered over the last few days and he was beginning to like Paul.
“So what are your intentions towards KT?” asked Paul suddenly but not unexpectedly. Daniel knew that it would be coming;
he was surprised that Paul had restrained himself this long.
“They’re completely honorable,” replied Daniel. Paul looked skeptical.
“Look, I know my reputation in the past hasn’t been the best, but I’m really trying to change and I’m serious about KT. In fact I’m thinking about marriage for the first time in my life.”
“Well I’m glad to hear that. I had warned KT to stay away from you but seeing the two of you together this week, how happy you make her, I’ve changed my mind and I’d be glad to have you for a brother-in-law.”
“Thanks Paul.” He knew then and there that he had to tell Paul about Mandy and ask his opinion on how best to break it to KT. He’d probably lose his respect but nevertheless he drew in a breath and said: “I’ve done something pretty sick and when I tell KT, I’m not sure she’ll even want to see me anymore, far less marry me.” Daniel paused and then confessed: “I slept with someone a couple of days after I got here.”
“What? You’re talking three weeks ago?” Paul erupted. Daniel held up his hand.
“She literally threw herself at me and it had been a while, with this surgery and everything, and I didn’t fight it. I feel sick about it and I know that I betrayed KT but it didn’t mean anything which makes it even worse. I’ve even apologized to the girl but I don’t know how to tell KT about it.” He closed his eyes as a wave of regret coursed through him once again.
“Look, if I were you I wouldn’t tell her anything.” Daniel’s eyes snapped open. That was the last thing he expected Paul to say. “At least, not while we’re on holiday because you’ll ruin the rest of her time here and then we’ll go back home and for the next month or so she’ll be wondering what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with. It will torment her.”
Daniel saw the wisdom in that and agreed. “OK, I’ll wait until I get back to talk to her.”
“In the mean time, keep your zip up,” warned Paul “and I would recommend an AIDS test!”
Daniel knew he deserved that and, given his past, he owed it to KT to make sure he was safe before he asked her to marry him.
“Thanks Paul.” Paul nodded, clearly not comfortable with Daniel’s confession but as a man himself he could understand how it could happen. For Daniel’s sake he hoped that KT would as well.
Chapter 25
Sleep was not easy in coming that night because the conversation with Paul kept playing in his mind. He’d decided to take Paul’s advice and not say anything to KT but he felt that the longer he kept the truth from her, the worse it was going to be. He knew that he was probably more quiet than usual when KT and Michaela came back from shopping and he caught KT giving Paul some penetrating stares as if she felt he had done something to upset Daniel, which only made him feel worse.
At about 1.15 am he turned on the lamp and picked up the Bible which was on the end table and flicked through the New Testament and eventually landed on a verse that said: Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Well, he certainly was heavy laden with guilt and he needed rest so he simply said: “Lord I need rest from this guilt. Please help me to find the right words to tell KT and help her to forgive me when I tell her the truth.” Having said that, he realized that tormenting himself with his thoughts was not helping so he deliberately stilled his mind and eventually fell asleep.
In spite of his restless night Daniel woke up very early, before the sun had even come up fully. He could hardly believe it was Friday already and KT would be leaving the next day. Something had woken him up but he wasn’t sure what it was. He lay there for a few minutes and eventually bits of a dream he had came back to him. He was on some sort of a construction site but he didn’t recognize what the people were building and, even as he was trying to work it out in the dream, he heard the words: Indeed the people are one and they all have one language and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
What did the words mean? Where were they from? He wanted to wake up KT and ask her if she knew what they meant since they sounded like something from the Bible. Instead he went to the small powder room and washed his face and brushed his teeth and then quietly opened the French door so that he could sit on the patio and wait for the sun to come up. He loved this time of the day which was so fresh and unspoiled, like KT, he thought with a smile. His thoughts must have conjured her up because he heard the door open a couple of minutes later and looked around to see her in silky Mickey Mouse pajamas with her hair mussed up from sleeping. He liked the fact that she didn’t bother to fix it before she came to find him. She looked gorgeous. Daniel held out his arms and she came and sat on his lap. This was the first time they’d really been alone for the week. He held her tight.
“Good morning sunshine,” he whispered.
“Good morning to you too,” she said burrowing into him. “Um, you’re so warm and nice. I’m surprised at how chilly it is out here.”
“That’s because you’ve become acclimatized to the Barbadian weather. Tomorrow when you get back to New York, you’ll think that this was warm.”
“Don’t remind me. I don’t want to go back,” groaned KT.
“I don’t want you to either. This week was wonderful. This is the best time I’ve ever had in my life.”
“Yeah, right.” She believed that Daniel was just saying that for her benefit.
“No, I’m serious KT. I never had much to enjoy in life when I was young. My dad left home when I was ten and never looked back…” And Daniel shared his story for the first time in his life.
“I’ve never told anyone that before so I was really shocked by Dana’s prophecy,” he confided.
“I’m glad you told me, Daniel. It helps me to understand you so much better. Thank you.” She kissed him softly on the lips.
“That is not a good idea KT, especially with you sitting on my lap.” KT was about to jump up when he pulled her back against his chest and they just sat looking at the horizon as the new day began to dawn. Daniel would have loved to ask KT to marry him there and then, but he knew it wouldn’t be fair to her. He had to tell her about Mandy first and hope that she would find it in her heart to forgive him, far less marry him.
Suddenly he remembered the words that he’d heard in his dream or when he woke up he wasn’t sure which and asked: “KT have you ever heard the words: ‘The people are one and they all have one language and this is what they begin to do; now nothing…”
“…they propose to do will be withheld from them,” she finished.
“Yes,” he said excitedly, “Where are they from?”
“From the story of Tower of Babel in Genesis. Why?”
“I woke up with them in my head but I haven’t read Genesis. That’s weird.”
“Maybe God is speaking to you.”
“What’s the story about?”asked Daniel.
“It’s about a group of people who got together and agreed to build a city and a tower that reached up to heaven. They were succeeding too and the Bible says that God came down to see what they were doing and that’s when he said “The people are one…”
“Oneness!” Daniel interrupted excitedly. The word Dana spoke to him flashed into his mind and he remembered that she said God would reveal what it meant to him.
“That’s it, KT. The word that Dana told me was Oneness,” he said excitedly. His brain was now ticking over rapidly.
“The people are one and they all have one language. Now nothing they propose to do will be withheld from them. That’s it!” he repeated.
“What’s it?” KT hadn’t got the revelation yet.
“I believe that’s the key to unlock the problems in merged companies. Oneness. We need to get to the place where the two companies don’t just merge but they truly become one and everyone is speaking the same language, so that nothing they plan to do will be impossible.”
KT then got it. “The power of agreement.”
Daniel hugged her tightly and she could tell he wa
s fighting his emotions. When he pulled back a few moments later, his eyes were moist and he said in a hushed voice: “I can’t believe that God spoke to me KT. He revealed what oneness means just as Dana said he would. God is amazing!”
KT was overjoyed for Daniel as she watched the dawning awareness on his face at the thought that the God he never really cared about before would care enough about him to give someone a word of encouragement for him, and then prove it by giving him the revelation he had promised. She was even more delighted to hear him acknowledge that God was amazing. Maybe there was hope for them.
Chapter 26
On Saturday afternoon Daniel was torn. He didn’t want KT to go but he was also consumed with the concept of oneness and wanted time to explore it further. He was eager to start developing strategies to create oneness in companies. He had read through the story in Genesis and he wanted to study it more thoroughly and hopefully get some more revelation. The fact that his dream had been on a construction site but he didn’t recognize the structure that was being built was puzzling until he Googled ‘Tower of Babel’ and the diagrams of it resembled the structure he had seen in his dream. That blew him away! He had excitedly called KT to his laptop and showed her the weird tower.
Now they were at the airport and KT and the others had checked their luggage and were making their way towards the departure lounge. Just before they got to the security checkpoint, Paul shook Daniel’s hand and said: “I’m glad I had this time to get to know you better. Let’s catch up when you get back to Manhattan.” KT noticed a look in Paul’s eyes, almost as if he was reassuring Daniel which didn’t make any sense to her. Daniel hugged Michaela who said, “Thanks so much for having us Daniel. We had a wonderful time. When you get back you’ll have to come over for dinner.”