Legacy of Love

by Donna Hill

  “I think Jackson Treme has got a whole lotta trouble on his hands.”

  Zoe grinned. “I think I’ll take it.”

  Zoe’s stomach was a mass of butterflies as she packed her suitcase. This was a big step on a lot of levels, for her career and for her relationship with Jackson. She had the opportunity to make a real name for herself in the arts industry. If she was successful, the sky was the limit as to what she could do next. And for the next three months she and Jackson would actually be living together. Waking up and sleeping with each other, every day. What if it was a disaster? What if they realized that it was all a terrible mistake? What if he realized that he didn’t love her after all?

  She wouldn’t go there. She wasn’t going to sabotage everything with negative thinking. She pulled in a breath of resolve. She was going to be open, receptive, give in to her real feelings and see where it took her. But what frightened her most was that everything that her grandmother predicted was coming true. And if everything else was true…

  She picked up a blouse, looked at it then tossed it aside in favor of another. She was sorting through her toiletries when the phone rang. Crossing to the other side of the bed, she sat down and picked up the cordless phone.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, sweetheart.”

  “Ma. How are you?” She tucked the phone between her cheek and shoulder and returned to her packing.

  “I wanted to wish you a safe flight.”

  “Thank you.”

  “All the plans are underway for your party. You will be back in time, won’t you?”

  “Yes, I’ll be back the first week in August if everything goes right.”

  “It will,” she said with meaning. “How are things going with your young man?”

  “Fine. He’s…coming with me to New York.”

  “Oh, for a visit?”

  “No, he’ll be staying with me while I’m there.”

  Silence hung on the line.

  “Oh. Do you think that’s wise?”

  Zoe’s neck jerked back. “Wise? What do you mean, do I think it’s wise?”

  “I mean is it appropriate for you to be staying with a man…who’s not your husband?”

  Zoe shook her head in shocked disbelief. “I don’t mean any disrespect, Ma, but that’s none of your business. And you’re the last person who should have anything to say about appropriate behavior,” she snapped. “You don’t even know who my father is!”

  The painful arrow of truth hit its mark and Zoe could feel it reverberate through the phone. She felt sick. No matter what kind of relationship she had with her mother, she’d never been disrespectful. No matter how much she’d disappointed her, failed on her promises. Zoe always remembered what Nana told her. That’s your mother. And you respect your mother.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “Yes…you should have. I owe you so much, Zoe. And I owe you the truth.”

  Zoe’s heart began to thunder. She slowly sat down on the side of her bed.

  “When you get back, when you come home…we’ll talk. Okay? Will you give me that?”

  Her throat was so tight she could barely get the word out. “Yes.”

  Jackson got out of the cab and helped Zoe to her feet. The driver got out and helped them take their bags out of the trunk. And much like typical tourists visiting New York, their eyes went skyward to the towering buildings that cut across the skyline.

  “Gotta be impressed,” Jackson commented, taking out his wallet to pay the driver.

  “Yeah,” Zoe said in awe, watching the yellow cabs fly down the busy streets, and the stylish pedestrians walking and talking on cell phones, oblivious to the swell of activity that would put most out-of-towners into overdrive.

  The doorman of the full-service condominium met them at the curb with a cart to take their bags.

  Jackson and Zoe looked at each other in wide-eyed amusement.

  “I could get used to this,” Jackson whispered in her ear as they followed the doorman inside.

  “What floor?” He turned to ask them.

  “Twenty,” Zoe replied. “Twenty-two hundred.”

  “Yes, ma’am, the penthouse suite.”

  Zoe and Jackson snatched a glance at each other and mouthed “penthouse.”

  They followed the doorman to the bank of elevators and tried to contain their excitement. He stuck a special key in the panel and the doors swooshed shut.

  Exiting on the twentieth floor the elevator opened directly onto the suite.

  “Where would you like your bags, sir?”

  Jackson was momentarily taken aback by the sheer luxury of the space. “Uh, you can leave them by the couch. Thank you.” He dug in his jacket pocket for his wallet.

  “That won’t be necessary sir. It’s all covered in the HOA fees. You can pick up your elevator key at the front desk. And if there is anything you need, just pick up the white house phone.”

  “Thank you,” Zoe was able to manage.

  He dipped his head. “Enjoy your day.”

  The instant the elevator door closed behind him, Zoe and Jackson whooped in delight. He swept her up and spun her around in a circle.

  “I can’t believe this place,” she said breathlessly. She walked across the open living space, the sound of her heels clicking across the gleaming hardwood floors that ran throughout the apartment. The window rose to the ceiling and looked out on the magnificent skyline of Manhattan. The kitchen opened onto the entertainment area and was totally high-end; stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and an L-shaped island.

  The furnishings in the living room were straight out of HGTV’s Selling New York. Now, Zoe knew her art and so did Jackson. The pieces that hung on the walls they both agreed were originals and so were the sculptures that sat atop the stone fireplace and the glass-and-chrome shelving unit.

  “Let’s see the rest,” Zoe said, taking Jackson’s hand and walking down a short hallway. Double doors opened onto the master suite.

  “Oh, my goodness,” Zoe breathed, stepping into a fairy tale.

  The centerpiece was the king-size bed overflowing with pillows in a variety of sizes and a multitude of color on a brilliant white overstuffed comforter. To the side was small sitting nook and the entire opposite wall was a massive walk-in closet.

  “What’s through here?” Jackson walked to another set of doors that opened onto what was no less than a spa bathroom.

  “Okay, I’m done,” Zoe said looking around in wonder at the double sink, overhead cabinets, massive glass shower with a rain showerhead and then there was the Jacuzzi tub.

  “This is unbelievable. Who lives here?” Jackson asked, testing out the high-end faucets.

  “Chairman Lang said that it’s leased to the museum for short and long-term guests.” She peeked inside one of the cabinets to find row upon row of towels and milled soaps and shampoos.

  Jackson wandered out of the bath and turned the corner to find another bedroom and a smaller but no less exquisite bathroom. The next door opened onto a fully-equipped home office.

  Zoe caught up with him in the hallway. She propped her hand on her hip. “So, uh, what do you think of the accommodations?” she asked.

  “I think we’re going to have to flip for the Jacuzzi!”

  She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She looked into his eyes. “I’m happy you’re here with me.”

  “So am I.” He kissed her lightly.

  “And I can’t wait to check out that king-size bed.”

  Eager to explore the city during the day, they changed clothes, checked in with the front desk for the passkey for the elevator and ventured out.

  The condo wasn’t far from the museum, situated on East 88th Street and Madison Avenue. They walked over to Fifth Avenue, marveling at the shops along the famous avenue that they’d seen in magazines and on television and the amazing amount of people out shopping in the middle of a weekday. So much for a tight economy when
it came to New Yorkers, Jackson had commented.

  They found a little outdoor bistro and stopped for soup and sandwiches then they walked over to the Guggenheim.

  “This is it,” Zoe said as they stood outside the ornate doors.

  Jackson draped his arm around her shoulder. “You’re going to do a fantastic job,” he said, sensing her trepidation.

  “You think so?”

  “I know it.” He kissed her forehead. “Come on, let’s get back to our lap of luxury and relax. You have a busy day tomorrow.”

  And it was. From the moment she walked through the door the following morning it was non-stop activity. She met with the staff, got a tour of the facility and was thrown directly into her new temporary job. She spent the better part of the day reviewing what pieces the museum currently had in house and going over the budget and what grants were outstanding. By the time her day was over she was totally exhausted and was thrilled to see Jackson waiting for her in the lobby.

  She walked right up to him and kissed him fully on the lips. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  He put his arm around her and they walked out.

  “How did it go today?”

  “Tiring and exciting. There’s so much to do in a little bit of time.”

  “You can handle it. That’s why they chose you and not someone else.”

  She leaned against him while they walked. “Yes, they did, didn’t they.” She looked up at him and smiled with a renewed confidence, feeling deep within that with Jackson in her corner, she could accomplish anything.

  Chapter 23

  Zoe’s days were filled but she was making progress. She’d completed three new grants, which she was confident that the museum would receive, and she’d begun selecting new inventory, using many of her contacts and connections that she’d established over the years. Several of the shipments had arrived.

  They’d been in New York for more than two months and she couldn’t believe how quickly the time had passed. In a matter of weeks the new exhibit would be mounted and she would finally be able to go home.

  Whatever trepidations she’d had about “living” with Jackson were gone. She looked forward to each day waking up with him and coming home to him at night. She’d even begun thinking about a real future with him.

  As the weather in New York grew warmer, they visited many of the city’s hot spots, from the Blue Note in the Village where they listened to live jazz, the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State building to boat rides on the Hudson at Chelsea Piers.

  They found local restaurants that became their favorites and they’d become experts at ordering in from the innumerable restaurants that delivered.

  And at night they found each other and made slow and passionate love that bound them even more closely together. The last thing she expected in their oasis of bliss was the proposition that had the potential to change everything.

  She was in her small, cramped office going over the inventory list when she got a call from Eric Lang.

  “Chairman Lang. How are you?”

  “I’m well. And from what I’ve been hearing you have done a magnificent job.”

  “Thank you. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m calling because I’ve been in discussions with the administration and the board at the Guggenheim.”

  She sat up straighter in her seat. “Yes.” She put down her pen.

  He cleared his throat. “The Board at the Guggenheim want to make you an offer.”

  “An offer. What kind of offer?”

  “To oversee the collection in all the divisions.”

  The air stopped in her chest. “What?”

  “They want someone with your expertise, not only in African American art but in funding streams as well, and your knowledge of the other divisions.”

  Zoe was stunned into silence.

  “I know this is a big decision, Ms. Beaumont. I don’t expect you to give me an answer right now. The Guggenheim Board is putting together an offer—a very substantial offer.”

  Her thoughts were on scramble. “What about my job at the High?”

  “Mike is doing a wonderful job. He’s taken on his new responsibilities and we are all very pleased. We have you to thank,” he added as if that would somehow soften the blow.

  “Are you saying that my job is gone?”

  “Well…we are considering making some changes.”

  “Changes.” She couldn’t breathe. Her face felt hot.

  “I do hope that you will think about this. An offer like this one should not be taken lightly. It’s not been done before. You should feel immensely proud. We’ll talk soon.”

  Zoe sat there, numb with the phone still in her hand until the buzzing dial tone snapped her back to her new reality.

  Finally she hung up the phone, got her purse and checked out for the day. She didn’t call Jackson. He’d told her that morning that he was going to hang out in the village and maybe do some shopping for Michelle and Shay. They’d planned to meet back at the condo that evening.

  Zoe strolled the streets of the city and found that the sights and sounds that had excited her when she’d arrived now assaulted her senses. The car horns were louder. The people seemed to have multiplied. The overabundance and excess of everything overwhelmed her.

  She wandered into a small eatery and was shown a table in the back. For more than an hour she played with the burger she ordered and nursed a Diet Coke.

  She’d built her career at the High. She’d turned it around. For nearly a dozen years, Atlanta had been home for her. And now…

  She should be elated. It was true that this was an opportunity beyond anything she could have imagined. But how could she live in New York with a dream job and not have Jackson to come home to?

  Her insides felt as if they were splitting. What was she going to do?

  When she got back to the condo, Jackson was already there. She wasn’t ready to talk to him about this and knowing him and what he wanted for her, he would tell her to go for it. And that’s not what she wanted to hear.

  “Hey, babe.”

  “Hey.” She put on her best face and crossed the room to where he was on the couch. She plopped down beside him and rested her head on his chest.

  “Tired?”

  “Yeah, a little.”

  “Well, another week and we’ll be back home and hopefully you won’t have to work so hard.”

  “Yeah.” She drew in a long slow breath. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  “I fixed dinner. Thought we could stay in tonight. Relax.”

  “Sure.”

  He watched her walk away, and as much as she’d tried to hide it he saw the trouble in her eyes. She’d talk when she was ready. She always did. He’d give her the space to do that.

  In the months that they’d been together he grew to understand the nuances that made Zoe Beaumont so incredible. She was a confluence of complexity, but she was loving and caring and passionate about her work and her family. She was funny and smart and carried the scars of her past deep inside. He hoped with time that he could help her heal some of them. If she would let him.

  Zoe stared into the darkness, unable to sleep. Her thoughts wouldn’t stay still. She wanted to talk with Jackson about what had happened, that if she went back to Atlanta, she wouldn’t have a job and if she stayed in New York she would have the job of a lifetime.

  At first coming to New York had been an obstacle because of Jackson. But when she’d finally told him, he’d made it all okay and here they were—together. But how could he make this okay? Would he pick up and come to New York, leave his job, his career? She couldn’t ask him to do that. She wouldn’t.

  Their last week in New York was a flurry of activity for Zoe. The show was mounted, the brochures printed, the opening scheduled and the offer on her desk.

  They wanted her decision, preferably before she returned to Atlanta. She hadn’t decided what she was going to do but what she had decided was that she was going home, c
elebrate her birthday with her family, talk with her grandmother and find out what her mother had been hiding from her for thirty years.

  Chapter 24

  “One of the best getaways I’ve had,” Jackson said as he walked with Zoe to her door.

  “Me, too. I’m glad you came with me. Really.” She dug inside of her purse for her key.

  “Me, too,” he said before stealing a quick kiss.

  She opened the door and Jackson brought her bags inside.

  Zoe turned on the lights and looked around, realizing with a pang just how much she’d missed her house. “It’s good to be back,” she said on a breath.

  “And as much as I’d love to rechristen your bedroom I need to get going. The meter is running on the cab.”

  She walked up to him and scooped her arms around his waist. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” He looked down into her eyes, hoping to find the answers that were just out of reach.

  “For being you. For being wonderful. For putting up with me. I know I haven’t been easy these past couple of weeks. It’s just been—”

  “Hey,” he said gently, cupping her chin. “I love you. Don’t you believe that by now? And I’m there for you.” He pulled her close and held her, feeling her heart pound against his chest.

  The cab driver honked the horn.

  “You’d better go before he makes off with your bags for payment.”

  “I’ll call you in the morning. Get some rest.”

  She nodded, walked with him to the door and slowly closed it behind him.

  Sharlene set her glass down on the coffee table in Zoe’s living room. “What do you mean you don’t have a job?”

  “I either take the job in New York or I’m unemployed.”

  “Can they do that?”

  “Apparently.” She curled her legs beneath her on the couch.

  “I don’t get it. They gave you no indication that helping them out in New York was going to lead to this. So what are you going to do?”