by Mary Peart
He had ordered her not to see him or speak to him again and he was so used to being obeyed by people around him that he had been surprised when she had so openly defied him. He knew she had a big heart and knew instinctively that was why she was helping him but he could not get past the fact that he had been her first and that he had hurt her all those years ago. He wanted to punish the bastard for that. He did not care how sick he was. He thought savagely, downing the liquid with a grimace. He did not want her around him. He ignored the sneaking voice that said to him that he was going insane with jealousy. He just could not understand why after what he had done to her she would now want to help him.
Chapter 7
It was a lovely spring day with a scattering of white clouds in the brilliant blue sky. The air was filled with the smell of flowers blooming and it would have been a day perfect for a family outing but Christopher had gone into the office to take care of something, he had mumbled as he made his way out right after breakfast.
She had found herself wondering if he had really gone to the office or if he was just going away to avoid her. It had been three nights since he had been sleeping in another bedroom. They were barely speaking to each other and even in the office he only call and spoke to her when it concerned work. No one seemed to notice the distance between them and she was happy for that.
In the meantime, she still saw Jeremy when he called her and wanted to talk. He was getting worse and looking thinner by the week and he had told her that he might have to stop working.
“I am so grateful for your friendship Sophia,” he had told her with a ghost of a smile as he sipped the soup she had ordered. He had also told her that his girlfriend Sally had left him.
“I guess I drove her away, I did not want her feeling sorry for me and she is a nice girl who deserves better.”
She had promised the kids to play tennis with them and was in the process of getting them ready to go outside. The weather was still a little bit chilly so she had them dressed in long sleeved shirts and had them put on leggings underneath the tennis wear. Christopher Junior could not keep still and it took several tries for his nanny to get him ready while Christine and Christian were ready long before him. He reminded her so much of his dad.
She held their hands as they went outside, waving to the gardener as he pruned the hedges. There was another man who did the landscaping and he was going around the mossy green lawn and making sure they were no weeds hiding between the blades. She was still not yet accustomed to so much wealth and the people who worked for them and sometimes had to physically stop herself from going forward to help them.
“They are paid to work Sophia, I am sure they would be horrified if you offered a hand,” Christopher had told her in amusement. Just thinking about him brought the longing to her heart and with a bolstering spirit she took the children onto the smooth green courts.
“I want you to be my partner Mommy!” Christine called out as soon as she had taken hold of her racket. Christopher had gotten handmade rackets for all three children and had made sure that they were all very good swimmers by hiring an instructor.
“How about you partner with Christian honey and I will take Christopher Junior and remember this is a friendly match and it is not important who wins or loses.” She told them gently.
The game was lively and had them laughing and rolling on the smooth court each time the ball landed somewhere else. Christine was getting quite good and had a fierce competitive spirit which to her surprise reminded her of Christopher. She might not be his biological father but she certainly was his in every other way.
“Okay I am done!” she cried out as she flopped to the floor, breathless. Her hair had become undone by the exertion and several tendrils were clinging to her damp face. Christine and the twins came to join her reluctantly and plopped down beside her. She glanced at the watch on her wrist surprised to see that it was almost one. “How about some refreshments?”
“I want pizza!” Christopher Junior chortled as he rolled all over the court.
“May we have pizza Mommy?” Christine asked, her voice pleading. She had restricted them from eating fast food preferring that they ate healthy but would give them a treat once a month.
“Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!” Both boys started a chant as they crowded around her.
“All right just this once,” she pulled them into her lap and breathed in their familiar scent of baby powder and the sweat and gave a sigh. Christine more lady like and reserved, rested her head on her mother’s arm.
She got up after a while to go and make the order and saw Madge hurrying out with the phone. Her heart thudded as she wondered if it was Christopher calling. “Hello?” her voice sounded breathless.
She heard the faint hesitation before his voice came over cool and distant. “How are the kids?”
She closed her eyes and refused to let him get her down. “They are having fun. We were playing tennis just now and I was just about to order pizza.” She forced the brightness in her voice.
“I thought you said no junk food.” He said his tone mild.
She could almost believe that everything was back to normal when he said that.
“They twisted my arm,” she answered lightly. “When are you coming home we could use you out on the court.”
This time the hesitation was longer and she found herself holding her breath.
“I have some things to finish up so I don’t know when yet.” He said abruptly. “Kiss them for me and tell them I will be home soon.”
No words of love for her, no telling her that he could not wait to come home to be with her. She missed him and she was pining after him. “I will,” she said with forced cheerfulness. “Christopher?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
He did not respond and she thought he had hung up but the line was still open. “I will see you,” he said gruffly before hanging up.
Sophia held the phone in her hands for a minute, feeling as if she was going to just curl up in defeat but remembering that her children were waiting, she smiled brightly and made the call for the pizzas.
*****
Christopher stared at the wall in front of him broodingly. He had almost broke when she told him she loved him. He had almost said it back; it was right on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he was a fool and that he loved her and wanted to make love to her so desperately that he could not stand it. But anger and pride stood in his way.
He could not get passed her seeing him even after he had asked her not to. No, correction, he had ordered her not to see Matthews again and she had gone ahead and done so. He still had Marcus watching him and knew that they had been to lunch several times. He was punishing her and by doing so he was punishing himself as well. He had come to the office to do some thinking and to get away from her, the more he was around her the more he wanted to pull her into his arms and bruise her with his lips. He had been hard every night without release and no amount of cold showers was doing the trick. With a sudden decision he reached for the phone. “Matthews this is Tang and I would like to talk to you.”
The hesitation was so long that Christopher thought he had hung up.
“Listen man I don’t want any trouble.”
Christopher almost smiled at that. “I just want to talk. I am alone in my office building and I am sending a car to get you. Are you at home?”
“Yes,” Jeremy replied after a brief pause.
“Get ready, the car will be there in ten minutes.” He hung up without waiting to hear if the man wanted to come or not.
*****
“What can I do for you Matthew?” Sybil was surprised at how calm she was. It had been two weeks since he had walked out on her and he had tried to call her several times but she had not taken the calls. She was in the store putting up some displays when she turned and saw him standing there. He looked haggard, she thought objectively.
“I need to talk to you; you are not taking my calls.” He told her sha
kily.
“As you can see I am very busy right now and I hardly think we have anything to talk about.” She smiled pleasantly at an old man who was browsing through the DIY section.
“How about later I come by the house and we talk then?” he asked his voice desperate. She turned and looked at him. He was wearing faded denims and they seemed to hang around his frame loosely. His shirt looked crushed and his jaw was covered in growth.
“I will be at home around seven.” She told him with a nod and without saying anything else she walked towards some customers.
*****
“Drink?” Christopher asked him mildly making to pour himself a glass of bourbon. The guard had ushered him up and he had found himself staring at the elegant interior as he made his way up. He recognized some of the artwork on the walls and the furnishings were simple but elegant. The office he had been shown into was huge and the view from the large glass window was breathtaking. The man was certainly doing very well.
“I don’t want to cause trouble,” Jeremy shifted in the comfortable leather seat, his eyes darting around the room as if he expected to see some burly men jumping from the corners to beat him up.
“Relax,” Christopher told him in amusement. “If I had wanted to hurt you I would have done so already. I had you followed.”
“You have been watching me?” Jeremy was so shocked that he forgot to be afraid.
“Of course,” Christopher downed the drink in his hand and put the glass on the desk. He was half sitting on the edge of the desk and had his hands folded over his chest. “Ever since you came back to the States.”
The significance of what Christopher told him dawned on him and he looked at the man in fear. “So you know?”
“That my wife has now become your best friend? Of course.”
“Look man, I did not ask her, she was the one who offered.” He was sweating profusely even though the office was very cool.
“My wife has such a tender heart.” His smile was rueful. “A creep like you does not deserve the time of day.”
“I made a lot of mistakes,” Jeremy gripped his hands and felt the shame going through him at the man’s words. “I wish I could take them back.”
“But you can’t, can you?” Christopher’s tone was mild. “You ran out on her when she was pregnant and I have to thank you for that by the way. If you had not done that, I would not have met the love of my life.”
“What do you want?” Jeremy asked him stonily.
Christopher shrugged. “I want you to go as far away from my wife as possible.” He said with a shrug. “But knowing Sophia I think she feels responsible for you and I have a feeling she is going to continue seeing you no matter what I say.”
“She has a good heart,” Jeremy said softly and Christopher’s eyes narrowed at the look on the man’s face.
“Careful Matthews, your feelings are showing.”
Jeremy’s head snapped up and he stared at the man in front of him seeing the barely concealed anger. “I am not in love with her,” he said hastily. “I am just grateful to her that’s all. She is totally in love with you man, you have nothing to worry about.”
“I am not worried about her, I am about you.” He said softly.
“I am too sick to make a pass at her,” Jeremy meant it as a joke but it was not taken as one.
Jeremy wished he could find a way to get the hell away from this man who was looking at him as if he wanted to tear him from limb to limb. He was a scary individual and he suddenly realized why he had risen to the top. He was ruthless and did not allow anything to get in his way. “I have found an oncologist for you. A Doctor Barrington Grey.”
Jeremy looked at him sharply, not quite believing what he was saying. He knew the name, the guy was one of the most renowned oncologists in the country and he cost a pretty penny.
“I am afraid he is not in my league, thanks though.”
“It’s on me,” he was told briefly.
Jeremy stared at him in shock. The man was offering to pay for him to get treatment and by a doctor that only the very wealthy could afford! What was he up to?
“I appreciate the very generous offer but I cannot accept it.” He finally said.
“You prefer to let my wife pay for it?” the question was simple enough but there was an underlying touch of steel.
“I told her I would think about it and I was going to tell her no.”
“Accept the goddamned offer!” he bit out causing Jeremy to jump. “My wife is bent on being your savior and as much as I don’t like it I have to give my support somehow. We give to charity all the time so this will be no different.”
“I am not a charity case!” Jeremy blustered smarting at the insult.
“Aren’t you?” Christopher’s tone was insolent.
They stared at each other for a full minute before Jeremy looked away. “I will let you know.”
“Let me know now,” Christopher rasped. “Dr. Grey is a very busy man and does not have time to wait until you decide whether or not your pride should be shelved. Take it from me Matthews this is one time in your miserable wasted life that you need to think smart.”
Jeremy looked at the man in front of him and knew he was right. He was wasting away daily and the more he waited the worse he was getting. He had stopped working and his savings were running thin. He nodded.
“Good, I will be in touch.”
*****
He had time to think about it and the more he thought about it the more he was drawn to the idea. Tang was right. He had to put away his pride and start thinking smart. He was slowly dying and if the good doctor could add a few more years or months to his life then that would be something. But what life? He thought with a frown. He had no one to call his own and the woman he had dumped callously was now the one who was standing in there for him. So why would he want to preserve a life that sucked? Because there can be hope a little voice said to him. He called Sophia and told her.
“Christopher offered to do that?” he could hear the skepticism in her voice.
“He sent a car to get me and I really thought he was going to have me disappear. He knew you have been seeing me Sophia, he had me followed.”
Sophia felt a shimmer of rage flashed through her. He had known all along that Jeremy was back and he had not said anything to her.
“Are you going to accept?” she forced the lightness into her voice.
“He reminded me that I need to be smart and I have not been very smart all my life so I think I am going to start now.”
“I think you should.” She said softly.
“Can you have lunch with me on Monday?” his voice was pleading.
“I will let you know.”
*****
She waited until they had had dinner with the children and waited until the children had regaled him with how they had spent the day and even waited until he had followed them into the playroom and let them climb all over him until they were exhausted. He asked the nannies to take charge after and told him she wanted to talk to him.
“I am going down to the gym,” he told her coolly as he made his way downstairs. It was approaching seven thirty and he had not said anything to her about Jeremy. She followed him and watched as he took off his clothes and put on boxing shorts and went towards the weights hanging from the ceiling. She knew he did the punching bag thing when he had a lot of things on his mind and he had frustration to let out.
She sat on one of the benches and watched his supple body, the sheen of sweat and the play of muscles. Within minutes the thin shirt he had put on was clinging to his sexy frame and his thick black hair was falling onto his forehead. She was patient and she waited until he was finished and moved away leaving the bag swinging gently. He sat on the bench far away from her and took off his gloves. “Jeremy called me.” She told him, watching as he ran his fingers through his wet hair.
“Of course he did,” he said sardonically. “You are the one he runs to these days.”
&nb
sp; She ignored his tone and what he had just said. “You are doing a good thing.”
“I am not doing it for you and I sure as hell did not do it for Matthews. I did it for my daughter.”
She blanched at his words but plowed on. “He also told me you had him followed and knew the minute he was back here.”
He shrugged.
“You had someone spying on me?”
“Technically he was spying on Matthews but you can just imagine my surprise when you were also in the photos he showed me.”
“He took pictures?” Sophia’s voice trembled with the magnitude of her raw anger. His arrogance took her breath away.
“He did, don’t worry you look stunning in them; Matthews not so much.” He stood and went to the mini fridge there and took out a bottle of water. “Be thankful that it’s innocent and not one where you were coming out of a motel room.”
Sophia stood up, her body trembling. “You bastard!” she wanted to lash at him with her fists. “You have gone too far.”
“Not far enough,” he gritted coming to stand before her. “If he had laid a hand on you inappropriately, he would not have the leukemia to worry about. I would be his worry.”
The threat was made in such a cool off hand voice that she was not sure she had heard correctly.
“I don’t know you,” her voice trembled as she stepped back from him. The heat that was radiating from his body had her unnerved. “Not anymore.” With that she ran from the room the tears blinding her.
*****
He was sitting on one of the steps when she got there. She had been thinking about what she was going to say to him for the entire time she had been at the store but seeing him sitting there on her steps made her falter. He looked lost and bewildered and she almost felt sorry for him. He stood up and took the grocery bags from her, letting her precede him after opening the door. He placed the bags on the kitchen counter and she could almost believe that it was back when they were okay.
