The Champagne Sisterhood

by Chris Keniston

  “Maybe you should ask him?” Kat sat back down in the chair.

  “I’d rather not.”

  “You have to talk to him. You, can’t ignore this.”

  “Watch me.”

  Pulling into the hospital parking lot, Mark parked the car and gathered all his energy to climb out and make his way into the building.

  By the time he’d left the hospital after the transfusion, Marcia had already begun to show signs of improvement. Last night she’d improved enough to be moved out of PICU and for the first time since she’d gotten sick, he’d had more than small snatches of sleep.

  He’d been at the office since almost the crack of dawn, catching up on everything he’d neglected. Now he was ready to drop, but he needed to spend some time with Marcia. All day he’d pushed his concerns aside and forced himself to focus on work. At every turn, his mind wandered back to Marcia. Was she feeling better? Out of the woods? Would their lives be back to normal soon?

  Normal, that made him laugh. What was normal now?

  Walking into her room, he was surprised to find only Anna with Marcia. “How’s she doing?”

  “Better.” Anna didn’t look up. In the two days that had passed since his paternity was made known, she had barely spoken to him, and this was the first time he’d found himself alone with her. He suspected if she’d known he would be coming, she wouldn’t have let Kat and Erin leave.

  “Good.” He offered a weary smile. “She been asleep long?”Anna’s eyes darted past him to the doorway. He wasn’t sure if she was looking for someone to rescue her or preparing to bolt from the room.

  “Not long,” she finally said, taking an interest in the IV monitor. Her fingers strangled the tiny bear in her lap.

  “Something new?” He pointed to the stuffed toy.

  Anna nodded, and for a long moment he thought she wasn’t going to elaborate. Closing her eyes, she took a long deep breath as though speaking to him caused her true physical pain. “It’s Becky’s.”

  “Becky’s?”

  “Sally came by to visit today. She wanted Marcia to have it. I tried to refuse. She wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  His head bobbed in a quick nod. He didn’t say anything. Didn’t know what to say. Not about Becky who died too young, not about Sally learning to deal with her loss, not about Barb, or Anna, or Marcia or any of the other weights that clung to his shoulders like insects to fly paper.

  But he had to say something. He had to explain. Make her understand none of this was what she’d been thinking, and this was his first chance alone with her. “Anna--”

  “Don’t.” She held up one hand. “Please don’t.”

  “I need to explain. I wanted to tell you before.”

  “Yeah well, they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” She pushed back from the bed, shaking her head. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to get into this. Not here. Not now. Marcia should be waking up soon. I’m going to catch up with Erin and Kat downstairs, grab a quick bite to eat.”

  “But...” He reached out to her as she walked past him.

  Skimming sideways she avoided his hand. “Take care of your daughter.”

  His daughter. That sweet little cherub was his daughter. The realization shocked him. Yes he’d always known he was Marcia’s biological father, but from the day she was born, she’d always been Tom’s daughter. Tom and Barb’s daughter.

  With the caution he might use to approach a frightened doe, Mark inched toward the still sleeping baby. His daughter.

  Anna walked down the hall at a New York clip. She wanted to get as far away from that man as fast as she possibly could. She’d run out of antacids and her gut felt ready to split in two.

  Ignoring the churning discomfort, she stabbed at the elevator buttons and rode the enclosed capsule to the ground floor. Kat and Erin had come to the cafeteria to get them all something to eat. With Mark in the room upstairs, she’d just as soon have her meal downstairs with her friends in the closest thing she could find to peace.

  “What happened?” Erin came up to her holding a tray with two salads and two bowls of soup.

  “Nothing happened.” She took a step to the drink cabinet and pulled out a small container of milk.

  Kat caught a glimpse of her and Erin from the cash register at the end of the line. Sheer panic took over her expression and Anna quickly shook her head to signal nothing was wrong.

  Erin followed her to a nearby table. “If nothing happened, why are you here? I thought we were going to eat in Marcia’s room?”

  Kat reached the table in time to overhear Erins’ question. “Yeah, you almost scared the life out of me. What’s going on?”

  “Nothing is going on. Mark’s visiting Marcia so I gave him some alone time.”

  “Right.” Kat nodded. “Alone time.”

  “Look.” Anna ripped open the miniature milk carton. “I don’t want to get into this now. I just want a decent meal and then we’ll go back up and sit with the baby.”

  Before either Erin or Kat could raise a protest Anna’s cell phone rang. Now what? “Hello.”

  “Ms. Bartiglioni.”

  Her already unruly stomach clenched tighter. “Mr. Peterson?” She’d been gone for weeks. And until now hadn’t heard a word from her superiors.

  “I understand you’ve been dealing with a family emergency,” her boss said.

  “Yes. My...there was a ... death, and now my goddaughter is in the hospital.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I do hope she’s feeling better.”

  Her mind flashed to Marcia upstairs, the color returning to her cherublike face. “Some. Thank you.”

  “I had hoped to have this conversation in person.”

  Damn. She shot a quick glance at Kat and Erin then chose to stare at some stranger on the food line. This had to be it. Old man Peterson probably wanted to clean out her office and install Keller. “Yes, sir.”

  “As you know Bob Anderson is retiring.”

  She nodded, then added a quick, “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m sure it’s no secret to you that before your unplanned trip, you were under consideration for his replacement.”

  She had hoped. “Thank you, sir.”

  “In your absence there have been some recent changes to your department.”

  “Yes, Mr. Peterson.” She reminded herself to breathe.

  “But despite recent inconveniences, everything is in good order and ready for the debut.”

  She supposed inconvenience was one word for catching his son with his hands in the till. Just not the one she would have chosen. “I tried, sir.”

  “You did more than try, Anna. You handled a difficult situation with skill and speed successfully protecting the Nobel name. Unfortunately...”

  Here it comes. She did her best to brace herself for the bad news, her gaze steady on a new stranger by the cash register.

  “Under the current hectic situation it’s best if our Division Merchandise Manager were here in New York not in California.”

  “I understand, sir.” She closed her eyes, and bit back the urge to cry.

  “Steve Keller is moving into your office. Elizabeth will be helping him with the transition.”

  At least Liz still had a job. “She’s an excellent assisant. Steve couldn’t ask for better.”

  “I thought you’d say as much. Anna.” She could almost hear a grin in the old man’s voice. "Despite personal hardships, and physical distance, you’ve lived up to your responsibilities to Nobels. No small feat in light of my son’s private business dealings.”

  Why did the rich have a way of making thievery sound so respectible? “I did my best.”

  “Yes. That’s why Liz will only be working with Keller until you’re able to return to New York as our new Vice President of Merchandising. Bob’s willing to stay on until you’re ready to come back.”

  Did he say Vice President? “I’m sorry, sir. Could you please say that again?”

&nbs
p; Old man Peterson let out a raucus laugh. “You heard me correctly. Vice President. The job is yours. You’ve earned it.”

  “I ... Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re welcome. Keller will keep you updated on the debut progress, but for now, consider this your vacation.”

  “Vacation. Yes, sir. I’ll... try.”

  He laughed again. “You do that.”

  She disconnected the call and stared at the black piece of plastic. Her heart tapped a faster beat, and her breath caught in her throat. “Vice President,” she muttered. Then she turned to face her friends and squeeled at the top of her lungs. “Oh my God! You’re looking at Nobel’s new Vice President of Merchandising.”

  “Oh, hon.” Kat sprang from her seat, pulled Anna into her arms and squeezed.

  Erin jumped to their side and joined in the group hug. “You did it! You’ve got what you’ve always wanted!”

  Still hugging her friends, Anna’s grin slipped. “Yeah, I got it. Exactly what I’ve always wanted.”

  Two more days had gone by and Anna still wouldn’t talk to him. Mark had heard of the cold shoulder, but being in the same room with Anna was enough to give a man frostbite.

  Maybe today would be the day. Maybe four days was long enough for her to calm down. Though he wondered sometimes if four years would be enough.

  “Hey angel,” he called, stepping into Marcia’s room. The reception was chilly at best. Kat gave him a halfhearted nod. Erin looked to Anna. It made him think of a foot soldier taking her cue from her general, silently asking if they’d let him stew long enough. The way Anna turned her back to him and stared out the window, obviously she didn’t think he had.

  “Ladies.” He smiled politely, hoping for more than a nod in return. Grinning back at Marcia’s open arms, he picked her up and kissed her forehead with a loud bubbly kiss that made her giggle. It felt good to see her laugh. She still wasn’t well. But for the most part she was out of the woods. Her renal output was still low, but the total renal failure Dr. Gibbons had feared, never happened.

  Anna moved away from the window, squeezing behind the back of Erin’s chair to reach the door rather than walk past him. “I’m going for a little walk.” She wasn’t going to risk getting anywhere close to him. His heart tightened in his chest. He had to make her listen.

  “Actually, I could go for a snack. I’ve got a craving for some ice cream.” Kat turned in Anna’s direction. “Want to join me?”

  “No. I could use some fresh air.”

  The dig didn’t escape him. He’d hoped now that a few days had past, and Marcia was feeling better, Anna might give him a small opening to explain. From the looks of it she’d be more open to peace negotiations with Al-Qaeda.

  Within seconds it was only him and Erin in the room. The cold set of her eyes scared him. Each and every one of the friends looked at him as though she were the one he’d betrayed. Pain and raw anger always stared back at him. He sighed. “How long is it going to take for her to stay in the same room with me long enough to let me explain? We can’t go on this way. I have to make her understand.”

  For the first time in days he saw the hardness in Erin’s eyes soften. She pushed to her feet and took the baby from his arms. He wondered when had that happened? When had Marcia accepted her Aunt Erin? Then he heard what she was saying.

  “It’s not just you. Anna doesn’t want to face what Babs did. She’s afraid if she deals with the Babs you knew, she’ll lose what’s left of the Babs she knows.”

  “But it’s not what she’s thinking. Not what any of you are thinking.”

  Erin tilted her head and studied him for so long he began to wonder if that special feeling of hers included mind reading.

  She tipped her head. “Maybe it’s time you stop worrying so much about who’s listening and just start talking.”

  “You can’t stay mad at him forever. Sooner or later you’re going to have to listen to him. You owe Babs that much.” From the corner of the small elevator Kat watched the floor indicator above.

  “Don’t tell me what I owe Babs.” Anna spun around and faced Kat. “I’ve risked everything for her daughter. I’ve done what she wanted.”

  “Except give Mark a chance to explain.”

  Anna turned back to watch the lit panel of descending numbers over the elevator doors. “There’s nothing to explain. In a few more days none if it will matter anyhow. Marcia will be well enough to go home. Mark is perfectly capable of taking care of her, and now that we know he’s her father, custody won’t be a problem. You’ll go back to writing a future best seller, Erin will continue to train up the next generation and I’ll... I’ll...” Anna trailed off.

  “You’ll what?”

  Standing in front of the shiny stainless steel doors, Anna glanced over her shoulder at Kat as the elevator dinged their arrival at the lobby level. “I’ll go back to New York. Where I belong.”

  Holding the arms of the teddy bear in each hand, Erin leaned over the crib playing Pooh Bear Patty-Cake with Marcia. “I wish I knew what your mama was thinking. I know whatever it was, she had your best interests at heart as sure as I know my name is Erin O’Hanlon. I just hope your Aunt Anna figures out how to forgive your Uncle Mark soon so we can straighten this mess out. But don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. You can count on your Aunt Erin and Aunt Kat to set her straight if she doesn’t come to her senses soon.”

  “I’m sorry to interrupt the entertainment.” A soft-spoken nurse stepped into the room. “Dr. Gibbons ordered a CT scan.”

  Erin frowned, but didn’t straighten. “I thought she’s doing better?”

  “This is typical. Checking on her progress.” The nurse stepped up to the IVs and inserted a needle.

  “What’s that for?” Erin stiffened.

  “CT scans can be frightening for small children. This will put her to sleep for a short while. When she wakes up she’ll be tucked in safe and sound in her room again.”

  It felt as though the french fries Erin had for lunch were doing a tap dance in her stomach. Surely the scan wouldn’t show some new complication? Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and willed her stomach to settle down. As the nurse wheeled the sleeping baby out of the room, Erin held the small bear tightly against her chest and followed.

  “You’d better wait here,” the woman said softly over her shoulder. “This won’t take long. She won’t wake up before it’s over.”

  Erin hesitated, not sure if she should follow or stay.

  “She’ll be fine.” The woman reassured her. “Really.”

  A few minutes later, Erin was still standing in the doorway when Dr. Gibbons came down the hall and stopped outside the door. “Getting too crowded in there?”

  “Waiting for the nurse to bring Marcia back.”

  Dr. Gibbons’ brow buckled in confusion. “Back?”

  “From the CT scan you ordered.” Erin’s stomach did a somersault when the doctor’s brows rose high on her forehead and all the color drained from her face.

  Pushing Erin aside, Catherine Gibbons glanced into the empty room. Looking around, she bent over to pick up what looked like a hospital bracelet and what little color was left on her face bled away. “How long ago?” she snapped, already running up the hall.

  Erin ran after her. “Less than five minutes.”

  Stopping short at the desk, the near breathless doctor banged her rings on the counter. She spoke softly to the clerk, but the firmness in her tone demanded the same attention as a shouting woman. “Call security,” she ordered, dropping the security bracelet on the desk. “I think we may have a child abduction.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

  Anna did belong in New York. Her life was there. Her family. The job of her dreams waited for her.

  “Now that I think about it,” Kat announced loudly to Anna’s back as she stepped out of the elevator. “Some fresh air would be nice.”

  Ignoring her friend keeping pace behind her, Anna strode with long brisk steps ac
ross the large lobby. Instead of stepping outside and taking a walk, she stopped to stare out the floor to ceiling glass windows.

  So much had changed so fast. Babs was gone. Marcia belonged to Mark. And despite all the crap that Junior pulled, she was now Vice President of Merchandising. Maybe she should call Harrison. She sighed. Or maybe not.

  Soon Marcia would be completely well and she wouldn’t be needed here any longer. It made sense for Mark to apply for custody. He had no reason to keep up the ruse of Uncle Mark or to let Marcia go home with her. Not with all of Babs secrets out in the open. “Oh Babs. How could you?”

  “She didn’t,” a deep voice, his deep voice, drifted over her shoulder.

  Anna turned to see Kat backing away. “On second thought, that snack is really calling my name.” Kat took another retreating step.

  “No.” He lifted a hand to her. “Don’t leave. You both need to hear this.”

  “I don’t want to hear anything.” Anna shifted to walk around him.

  He reached out and snagged her elbow. “Barb and I didn’t have an affair.”

  Her eyes narrowed, then dropped to the hand still gripping her arm. When he didn’t let go she looked up again. “So what was it? Just one night? One of those things? Did she come crying on your shoulder and you just had to make her feel better? Maybe in the hot tub?”

  She hadn’t wanted to go there. Hadn’t wanted to paint pictures of Mark and Babs that would be impossible to erase.

  As though her skin had turned to fire and burned him, he pulled his hand away. His pleading gaze transformed in a flash to piercing anger. His spine stiffened and shoulders squared. “I didn’t deserve that.”

  Rubbing her arm, she stepped back, watched him take a breath and shift sideways. For a moment she thought he was going to turn and walk away.

  Instead, he closed his eyes, took another deep breath, let it out slowly then looked her straight in the eye. “I never touched her, not that way. They, Tom and Barb, came to me.”