STAY THE NIGHT (The Phillips Family Book 1) (40 page)

             
“
The leaves are changing,
”
she said in an attempt to make small talk.

             
“
Yes, Central Park is beautiful this time of year.
”

             
“
I don't leave the house.
”
  Her voice still soft and low, but he concentrated and listened to every word while his eyes studied her countenance, her beautiful countenance.  The ordeal she suffered hadn't affected her gorgeous face.  In fact, she appeared more ethereal.  He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip.

             
“
Is something wrong?  You look sad.
”

             
He took a sip of the wine and said,
“
The wine is wonderful.
”

             
“
You don't want to tell me,
”
she whispered.

             
He couldn't tell her how much he loved her and missed her.  He said,
“
I'm struggling with a new acquisition at work.
”

             
“
Dinner is served,
”
Jackie said from the doorway.

             
He stood and started to reach for her hand to help her rise and then withdrew it. 
“
You go first,
”
Angelica said.

             
He glanced at Jackie and she gave him an imperceptible nod.  He understood Angel didn't want any man behind her where she couldn't see him.  At the table, he said,
“
May I hold your chair for you?
”

             
“
No, please, it's all right.  Please sit down, Cray.
”

             
It's the first time she uttered his name and that pleased him.  Jackie served their dinner and left the room.  He took a bite of tender beef and said,
“
This is wonderful home cooking.
”

             
“
Thank you.  I helped Jackie.
”

             
“
You did a good job.
”

             
“
Will you tell me about the new acquisition and what's got you worried?
”
  She still didn't speak in a normal tone of voice.

             
“
Yes if you don't mind.  I always appreciate your insight.
”
  He explained in detail the problems they encountered with the employees at the new place.

             
“
Have you gone there?
”
she asked.

             
“
No, Dirk and Mona are handling it.
”

             
“
Do you remember the problems you had with Grayson Mills?
”

             
“
Yes, on again, off again.  It drove me batty.
”

             
“
Until you made a personal call to the owner.
”

             
“
Yes, that sealed the deal, but this one is a done deal.  We own it.  It's the employees who are threatening to strike.
”

             
“
Go there.  You'll make a compelling argument and they'll give you the time you need.
”

             
“
It's worth a try.  Thank you, Angel.
”

             
“
Will you call me after you've been there?
”

             
“
I'll call you if it's good news,
”
he said, smiling at her.

             
“
It will be.  Cray, did you call the University?
”

             
“
Yes.
”

             
“
What did you say?
”

             
“
I apologized for such short notice and told them you needed some time off this year.
”

             
“
Did they ask why?
”

             
“
Yes.  I told them it concerned a personal issue and I refused to explain further.
”

             
“
What did they say?
”

             
“
They said they'd grant you a sabbatical for this semester.
”

             
“
I won't go back to teaching ever.  I'll write them a letter and tender my resignation.
”

             
He wanted to remind her how much she loved teaching and encourage her not to make a hasty decision, instead he said,
“
It's your choice.
”

             
“
Mona told me the foundation is now a recognized charity and donations are pouring in, so my salary isn't needed.
”

             
“
Freddie keeps our name in the news.  He's pretty amazing.
”

             
They finished dinner and Angelica stood. 
“
I'm tired.
”

             
He recognized her dismissal and rose. 
“
Thank you for the delicious dinner.  May I visit with you next Friday?
”

             
She nodded and moved across the room toward the bedroom.

             
He took a cab home and when he got there he dialed Mona's number.  She answered on the first ring and said,
“
How did it go?
”

             
“
It's the hardest thing I ever did,
”
he said and choked up for a few moments before he could speak again.  Mona waited until he composed himself.

             
She said,
“
I'll be there in fifteen minutes.
”

             
He started to tell her she didn't need to come to him, but she'd disconnected.

             
He changed into casual clothes and poured himself a stiff drink while he waited her arrival.  He opened the door when she knocked and she flew to his arms.  When they released each other, she said,
“
Pour me what you're having and talk to me.
”

             
He described verbatim the entire evening and their conversation. 
“
Mona, this is killing me.  I want to be with her, but not like this.  She's afraid of me and what I want to do is hold her, protect her and promise her I'll keep her safe for the rest of her life.
”

             
“
Cray, I view your time with her tonight as a breakthrough.  It will still take time for her to be your wife, but she talked to you, advised you and asked you to call her.  Deep down she realizes you'd never be a threat to her.  She's not blind.  She can see your love for her in your eyes.  Please, don't despair.
”

             
“
I couldn't get through this without your help and support.  I'm your older brother.  I'm the one who should be supporting you.  Who does she let support her?  It's not family no matter how hard we try.  She talks to strangers if she even exposes her troubles, worries and fears to them.  Her caregivers are marvelous at what they do, but they don't understand the vibrant person she used to be.
”

             
“
We need to trust that with the medical people's help there will come a time when she turns to us because she no longer needs them.  I believe that will happen.
”

             
“
I pray you're right.  Should I fly to Milwaukee next week?
”

             
“
Yes.  Angie is spot on and it makes me angry that I didn't think of it.  You do exude charisma and confidence that neither Dirk nor I project.  As the CEO it'll work.
”

             
“
Mona, what gives with you and Dirk?
”

             
“
If he gets to my place at a reasonable hour and I'm there, we share a meal and lots of alcohol.  We get tipsy and fall into bed together.  When we're sober, we sleep in separate rooms.
”

             
“
Is that weird or is it just me?
”

             
“
It's weird.
”

Chapter 21

    Cray boarded the private express elevator, carrying a medium-sized box with holes in it, inserted the key in the panel, withdrew it, and the elevator rose to the forty-seventh-floor penthouse.  He checked his wristwatch and noted the time as six-fifty-five.  Without calculating in his mind, he recognized this as the seventy-eighth time he took this weekly trip on a Friday evening to spend a few hours with his wife, dine with her and engage in idle chitchat before leaving to go to his condominium, his private hell.

    Never did he dream in his wildest imagination three years ago when he spotted the vivacious, ethereal  Angelica Andersson across a room that their marriage would be reduced to this....a weekly dinner with her and nothing more.  Besides her beauty and effervescent personality, her laugh, loud, bawdy and somehow lyrical captured him that first night and he decided he'd win her and make her his wife.   He carried a deep and abiding ache in his gut from missing her.

    The elevator door slid open.  He stepped to the large foyer and nodded to the ever-present two woman who provided around-the-clock security.  He considered them unnecessary because entry to this floor was impossible without the proper credentials and tools, but their presence eased his wife's fears, and he paid for them willingly.

    He rapped softly on the door, and it opened immediately. 
“
Good evening, Jackie,
”
Cray said to his wife's loyal companion.

   
“
Good evening, Cray.  Angelica will be with you shortly.
”

   
“
How is she, Jackie?
”
  He asked the same question each Friday and every time he called during the week when Jackie answered the phone.

   
“
I sense a slight improvement.
”

   
“
Tell me.
”
  Hope clutched at his chest, squeezing the breath from him.  He knew better than to expect too much, but that didn't stop his ardent wish to reunite with the woman he loved.

   
“
She seems more alert and interested in the outside world.  She bought a new dress to wear for you tonight.
”

   
“
She left the apartment?
”
Cray asked, his astonishment tripping his heart to a fast pace.

    Jackie looked at him with sorrowful eyes. 
“
No, Cray.  She bought it on line from Neiman Marcus and had it delivered.
”

   
“
But that's good news, right?  And a step in the right direction.
”
  He grasped at any straw that would bring her back to him.

    Jackie smiled at the hope radiating in his face. 
“
Yes, to my recollection she's bought nothing new to wear since we moved here.
”

    Cray held a wiggling box in front of him. 
“
I brought her a kitten.  I didn't think of it before, but she loves puppies and kittens.  Did I do wrong?
”
  He didn't want to misstep.

   
“
It's an ideal gift, Cray.
”

   
“
Hello, Cray,
”
Angelica said, entering from the hall that lead to her bedroom.  Jackie departed.