Chapter Three
Aaron
“Is that the case, Mr. Townsend?”
I ran my thumb across my lower lip, absently staring out of my office window, taking in the Williamsport skyline. I wonder what she’s doing right now.
“Mr. Townsend?”
I blinked.
“Jerry, why don’t we give my brother a break. We’ll reconvene later this afternoon.”
I stuffed my hand into my pants pocket, sighing heavily. I waited until I heard the door to my office shut to finally turn around and glare at my second youngest brother.
“Why the hell did you send them out?”
Joshua didn’t even flinch in the face of my harsh tone. He pushed out a full breath and went to sit in one of the chairs across from my large wooden desk, propping one leg over the other.
“You’re out of it today.”
My ever-present frown deepened a smidgen. “I’m right fucking here.”
“You’ve been out of it for days now, come to think of it. I haven’t seen you like this… in quite some time.” He angled his head, staring at me as if waiting for an explanation. Well, he damn sure could keep on waiting.
“I don’t have time for pow-wows in the middle of the day. We need to complete things with Oiltec and get our team together to go up there again. Then, I need to prepare my R&D guys for their international trip.” I moved to my desk to rifle through some papers. Unable to find what I was looking for, I told him, “Since you’re just sitting there, go out and ask Darcy or Marcy, whatever the hell her name is, to bring me the Downes report.”
“You mean Marsha?”
“Whatever.”
“Can’t do it.”
I lifted my head, pinning Joshua with my gaze.
“You fired Marsha last week.”
I wrinkled my brows trying to recall.
“You said she was too slow in prepping the paperwork you needed.”
I nodded, remembering. “She was. Now I need a new junior assistant.”
“That’ll be your third within the last year and a half.”
“What’s your point?”
“Just making an observation.”
“Do me a favor.”
Joshua hesitated. “What?”
“Observe how to get me my damn report.”
Much to my chagrin Joshua chuckled, before pressing his palms to the arm of the chair and standing.
“How about the report be left right where it is for now and you tell me what has you so wound up? I mean, even more than usual.”
“I’m not wound up.”
My brother made a disbelieving sound with his mouth. “Something’s getting to you and it’s not just business. I’ve seen you get wound up about business. Hell, it’s one of the only things that actually gets your attention. But you’ve been distracted and extra irritable ever since you came back from Chicago last week. I know it wasn’t the deal. That went smoothly and we came in under budget as far as the acquisition. It’s something else.”
I twisted my hand in my pants pocket and tightened my jaw, remaining silent.
Joshua watched me, silently observing, but I refused to flinch. Finally, he shrugged. “Whatever it is, you’ll either get over it or it’ll be revealed.”
I sighed. “Now you sound like Mother.”
“I am my mother’s son.” He grinned. “Let’s have lunch.”
“I need the re–”
Josh held up his hand. “It’s after two o’clock and we haven’t eaten lunch. The Downes report will be here when we get back. Thirty minutes away won’t fucking kill you.”
“As long as it’s close.” I stepped around my desk, pulling my arms into my suit Armani jacket.
“Those pin stripes look good on you, bro.”
“Fuck off,” I grunted. Before Joshua could respond, the cell in my pocket began ringing. Removing my phone, I glanced at the number and jerked my head back in surprise at the caller. “Thiers?” I answered after the second ring.
“H-hi, is this Aaron Townsend?”
I frowned at the female voice I heard on the other end. It wasn’t a familiar one.
“Who is this?” I questioned, sharply.
“M-my name is Wilhelmina.”
“And how did you get my personal cell number?”
“It’s Thiers. He’s had a heart attack.”
I paused from following Joshua, right before we stepped into the elevator. “Is he still alive?” In my peripheral, I saw Joshua glance over at me.
“Yes, thank God. He is alive. The doctors say he may need surgery. He asked that I call you. He wanted you to come see him at your earliest convenience.”
“What hospital is he in and what is his room number?”
“He’s in Williamsport General. Room four-twelve.”
“Is his situation dire?”
“Not at the moment. The doctors believe his prognosis is good.”
“I will make arrangements to see him as soon as possible.” I ended the call without waiting for her response and began texting my senior assistant instructions.
“Thiers?”
“Making arrangements to visit tomorrow.”
Josh nodded and proceeded to the elevator.
I explained everything the woman, Wilhelmina, had just told me over the phone to Josh as we got in the awaiting car to head to lunch. Throughout our meal I did my best to keep my mind off Thiers… and who else I might run into at the hospital.
****
Patience
“Kyle, stop jumping on the couch please!” I admonished my son who was shrieking and laughing while he watched one of his favorite cartoons.
“Mommy, I’m hungry!” he whined, plopping down on his butt on the couch.
“I’m making breakfast now. Do me a favor and go wake your sister, and the both of you go brush your teeth.”
He blew out a breath. “Okay.”
It was a busy Thursday morning, and as usual Kennedy was the last in the house to wake up. Kennedy was like me when it came to sleep. Until I had kids, I hated getting up early in the morning. Now, the only time I could get a little quiet time was early mornings, so I made due.
I whipped the pancake mixture some more before dumping a packet of fresh blueberries into the batter and folding them in. Next, I ladled a couple of spoonfuls of the batter onto the griddle, and waited for the bubbles to appear before flipping them. By the time the children came running up the hall after brushing their teeth, I had two pancakes for each of them on their plates.
“Kyle, slow down. The food isn’t going to run away.”
That caused Kennedy to giggle.
“Thank you, Mommy!” Kyle said through a mouthful of pancakes.
“You’re welcome, baby.” I pressed a kiss to his forehead.
“How’d you sleep, baby girl?” I asked Kennedy while sitting down with my own plate. I tried to make it a point to slow down and eat with the kids whenever possible. Mornings could be busy but I wanted to savor the time I had with them first and foremost.
“Good!” Kennedy nodded in response to my inquiry.
“Sweet dreams?”
“I dreamt of ponies. Can I have one, Mommy?”
I began shaking my head, ready to let her down gently, when my phone rang. My eyes darted to the clock on the wall. It was barely seven-thirty in the morning. I wondered who was calling so early.
“Hello?”
“Is this Patience?”
“Yes. Who is this?”
“Hi. My name is Wilhelmina. I’m a…friend of your father’s.”
I frowned. What the heck was this woman calling me about?
“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but your father had a heart attack.”
I pressed my hand to my chest, gasping. I glanced up and saw Kyle shoot me a concerned look. I turned my back.
“Is… is he…”
“No. No. He’s actually doing well. The doctors may have to perform surgery later this week. But he’s asked to
see you.” That shouldn’t have been a surprise to hear, but it was. My father requesting anything of me came as a shock.
“Wh-what hospital is he in?” I grabbed a pen and pad from one of my kitchen drawers and wrote down the information Wilhelmina gave me.
“All done!” Kennedy yelled from the table, holding up her plate to show me.
I gave her a small smile. “Good job. Put your plate in the sink and go wash your hands to get ready to get dressed,” I told both her and Kyle, who was staring at me worriedly. I bent down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Go on.” Kyle was definitely the most intuitive of my two children.
“Hi, Ms. Sheryl, I’m sorry to call so early but I have a family emergency.” I explained to her what happened and we came up with a plan for her to watch the kids while I saw to my father. Next, I had to call my job and request at least a week off, before moving on to make flight and hotel reservations. This morning certainly had not turned out how I’d expected it to.
Chapter Four
Patience
I had an eerie feeling as I proceeded down the hall to my father’s hospital room. I’d arrived the night before and only had a few minutes with my father before visiting hours were over. At his insistence, I agreed to return early the next morning. I rounded the last corner of the hallway where his and only one other room resided. It was just after nine a.m. and the nurse at the desk had already informed me that the doctors had done their rounds and my father had been checked. I figured he would be alone, since Wilhelmina had informed me she wouldn’t be in until ten or eleven that morning. I lightly tapped on the door and opened without waiting for a response. As soon as I stepped in, all the air rushed from my lungs. My eyes locked with a pair of hazel orbs that were very much not my father’s.
All rational thought fled my brain and I just stood there, staring at Aaron. He did the same until my father spoke up, breaking into my thoughts.
“Patience, you came back. Come in.”
I finally looked from Aaron to my father, whose perfectly white teeth appeared as he greeted me with a smile. I can’t remember a time, if any, in which my father had greeted me with such enthusiasm.
“I-I can come back if you’re busy.” I cleared my throat, hoping to remove the tremble from it.
“Nonsense. Aaron is an old family friend.”
I began to feel queasy. Then the anger began to start. Old family friend. I bet.
“How’re you feeling?” I asked my father, choosing to ignore the other man in the room. That was the only alternative I had. But I felt him watching me.
“I’ve definitely been better, but for an old man who just had a heart attack, I’m not doing so bad.”
I gave my father a tight smile. It was the best I could do at his attempted humor.
“I was just telling Aaron that the doctors have scheduled my surgery for this Friday.”
I blinked. “Already? Don’t they need to run more tests?”
“Nope. It’s all set.”
A sense of dread filled my abdomen. Open heart surgery was a huge deal. And though I shouldn’t be this emotional over a man I barely kept in contact with, I was.
“Well, if they think it’s for the best.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“It is. I’ll be up and around in no time.”
“The world still needs you around.”
I bit my bottom lip, refusing to acknowledge Aaron or the first words he’d spoken since I entered the room.
“The world will be fine with or without me. Anyway, Patience, I was telling Aaron about you living in Oakland.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“You’ve been there what five, six years now?”
“Almost six.” I cleared my throat again. “I’ll let you two catch up and then come b–”
“Nonsense.” My father waved his hand, dismissively. “We were talking about some of the changes Oakland has seen in the last decade. You know Aaron’s company, Townsend Industries, does a lot of donating to literary charities here in Williamsport. I bet you could convince him to extend that to Oakland. She works at a library in Oakland,” my father informed Aaron.
I bit the inside of my cheek, both anger and embarrassment rising up in the pit of my stomach. I will most assuredly not be doing any convincing where Aaron Townsend is concerned. I mostly remained silent while my father continued talking about God knows what. Aaron chimed in a couple of times here and there but I did my best to ignore him, never once looking in his direction. But just as if they were his hands, I felt it every time he looked my way.
I don’t know how many minutes went by, but finally Wilhelmina entered the room. I decided that would be my time to escape and I could make an appearance later in the day once Aaron was gone. I told my father I would be back and didn’t give anyone a second glance as I made a beeline for the door.
I pushed out the air from my lungs as soon as I shut the door behind me, while I rubbed my forehead with my fingertips, attempting to quiet my nerves. Two seconds later, I jumped as my father’s hospital room door was forcefully thrust open again and the man who was the cause of all the stress that just barely begun to unravel in my body emerged. I finally gave him a once over, taking in his immaculately tailored suit. Probably something Italian because Aaron only wore the best. He towered over me by ten inches. I let my eyes travel up his body but I refused to let my gaze settle on his eyes.
“Patience.”
A ringing in my ears sounded. Why did my name sound both like a command and a plea from his lips? I was not going there. I quickly side-stepped him, thanking God that my balance remained intact while I wasn’t so sure about my sanity.
Refusing to acknowledge him, I moved toward the opposite end of the hall, toward the nurse’s station, to get to the elevators. He didn’t call my name again, but I felt him. He was still there, following me. I wanted to either break out in a run or pick up the nearest pair of scissors and stab him with them. I couldn’t decide which to do so I kept walking. Within ten steps of the elevator, the door chimed and opened up.
“Mommy! Kyle keeps teasing me!” Kennedy ran to me, circling her little arms around my legs. “Make him stop.”
“Mommy, Kennedy’s a liar! I just told her the truth,” came Kyle’s petulant reply. He also ran up but stopped a few inches from me, cocking his head to the side as he stared behind me.
I squeezed my eyes shut. This could not be happening.
“I’m sorry, Patience. They got restless and wanted to come see you,” Ms. Ryan came rushing around the nurse’s station to inform me.
I gave her a tight smile. “Th-that’s okay.”
“Mommy, I’m hungry!” Kennedy whined, arms still around my legs.
“We’re leaving now, baby.”
“No. Why don’t you stay?” a deep, booming voice sounded behind me and I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me where I stood.
****
Aaron
I had to be losing my fucking mind. I absolutely had to be. Maybe the late nights and early mornings in the office were finally catching up to me. Because I refused to fucking believe what I just saw. It had to be a figment of my imagination. Of course, I doubted I even had a fucking imagination. I didn’t indulge in bullshit fantasies, so whatever I was seeing in front of me had to be reality.
“Are they mine?” I asked Patience, seething, as soon as I slammed the door behind us. I’d practically dragged her into one of the private waiting rooms.
She forcefully pulled her arm away from me, giving me the same deadly glare I was giving her.
“Don’t touch me!”
I flexed my jaw, trying to clamp down on the rage inside. “Are. They. Mine?” It was a bullshit question. I knew the answer before I even asked. The boy. Kyle. He looked just like … me.
“No.”
My head shot back. She was lying.
“They’re mine! Now, if you’ll excuse m–”
“Do not fucking play with me, Patience.” I pressed her b
ack against the door, gripping her arm. Again she snatched it away from me, pushing me back, only because I allowed her to.
“I’m not playing, you jackass,” she hissed. “What the hell are you upset about? I wasn’t going to abort my children. And never, not once, in the last five years have I ever disturbed you after you made it abundantly clear you wanted nothing to do with us!”
I took a step back as if she’d smacked me or pushed me away. What in the hell was she talking about?
“Have you lost your damn mind?”
“Have you?” she shrieked. “Pulling me away from my children like a damn lunatic. You probably frightened them.”
“Your children?”
“Yes, mine. I’m done with this conversation.” She tried to brush past me but my firm hand on the door stopped her.
“What type of game are you playing?”
Her face collapsed into one of confusion. “What game am I playing? Why don’t you ask that of yourself.”
“I don’t need to ask myself anything. How the hell could you have my children and not tell me?”
“What are you talking about?! I told you!” she shouted. “And very unceremoniously, I was informed by your fiancée that I was to never contact you again. Right after she tossed an envelope stuffed with five hundred dollars for an abortion in my face.”
My throat squeezed, stomach clenching. She tried to hide it behind her anger but the pain in those sepia-colored eyes was apparent.
“What?” I managed to get out.
“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
She attempted to pull the door open, but once again my hand stopped her efforts. She turned back to me, staring. I pressed my lips together, my free hand clenched tightly at my side. I was doing everything in my power to rein in the outrage I felt. Without removing my eyes from her, I lowered my hand to the doorknob and pulled it open. I took a step back, allowing her to exit.
She frowned, taking one last glance at me, as if asking without words if this was me letting her leave.
Not by a long shot was that what this was. But I silently watched as she exited the door and went over to the shorter, older woman who stood supervising the children while we were in the room. I glared as Patience took both of the children by their hands and walked swiftly down the hall to the elevators, not bothering to look back as the door closed behind them.