Sleeping With The Enemy

by Parker, Ali

  To be fair, I had not been in the best of moods. “Thank you.”

  She closed the door and scurried away. I didn’t think I had ever been mean to her, but she was very skittish around me. She always danced around me like I was a feral beast that could strike at any minute. I couldn’t worry about her sensitivities just then. There was another woman I needed to figure out how to show I wasn’t a beast.

  First, the lawyer. Once I settled the matter of my museum, I could devote my time and energy to proving to Mae I could be the man for her. I grabbed my things and walked out to the waiting car. I settled my head against the headrest and closed my eyes for a moment. My body was beginning to feel the fatigue. My muscles felt heavy and my brain wasn’t quite as focused. Not focused on business. I was focused on Mae.

  When the car came to a stop, I jerked awake. It was only about ten minutes of sleep, but it rejuvenated me. The proverbial catnap. I wiped my face and hopped out of the car. I made my way up to the luxurious, expansive offices where my lawyer held court. My team of lawyers. The firm was the best in the city and charged some steep prices. It was worth it. In my line of work, I couldn’t afford to miss a single thing. Being sued by an individual was one thing. Being sued by an entire government of a foreign country was another. I covered my ass.

  I gave my name to the receptionist and took a seat in the waiting area with a big screen on one wall and a full array of snacks and beverages sitting on a bar against another wall. When you paid as much as they charged per hour of their services, a bottle of water seemed like the very least they could offer.

  “Mr. Helms, they are ready for you,” the receptionist announced.

  I got up and walked across the plush carpeting. My attorney was standing at the door to his massive office. He shook my hand and thanked me for coming. “Have a seat.” He gestured to one of the comfortable chairs instead of the desk area.

  I sat down and waited. “Did you have a chance to review everything?”

  He nodded. “I did. We’ve gone through every line of the offer and we don’t see anything that is alarming. It looks very fair and straightforward.”

  “Great, then I can sign.”

  The attorney used a fingertip to tap on the documents neatly tucked into a manila folder. “This is a big deal. Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

  I wasn’t sure but it felt right. “Yes.”

  “I did as you asked and did not put in any loopholes. Once you sign, I’m afraid there is nothing I can do to reverse the decision. It is legal and binding and sealed up tight.”

  “I understand.”

  He sighed, looking defeated. “All right, let me get you a pen.”

  He picked up a pen and handed it to me. It was one of those expensive pens that weighed several pounds. In my hand, it felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. I leaned forward and opened the folder. There were little blue tabs directing me where to sign. I adjusted the pen between my fingers and scanned the first page before signing my name.

  I continued to flip page by page through the contract, signing my name on each document. I experienced a variety of emotions as I signed. I would deal with it all later. Just then, I needed to get through the signing. I needed to do what had to be done.

  Chapter 65

  Mae

  Hayden and I sat in my car in the parking lot of the funeral home. We were early. Neither of us was in a hurry to get out of the car. I turned to look at her, taking in her black dress that was new. Retail therapy was therapeutic. She wanted to wear black and I wasn’t going to tell her not to. We’d found a pretty dress with short sleeves and a hemline that reached her knees. It was youthful and we were hoping she might be able to wear the dress again.

  “Are you ready for this?” I asked her.

  She stared out the windshield, watching a couple walk inside the funeral home. “I don’t think I will ever be ready.”

  “We can go in the side entrance,” I told her. “You, me, Patrick, and Mom will all be sitting in the first row.”

  “Why?”

  I sighed. “It’s tradition. I think it’s mostly so the other attendees don’t stare at you when you are crying. The only person looking at you will be the guy talking.”

  She slowly nodded. “Will there be a lot of people?”

  “I don’t know. Before Dad got too bad, he did have a lot of friends. I’m not sure what to expect.”

  “What if I start crying again?”

  “Then cry. You can cry. You can not cry. There is no right or wrong answer here. You just do whatever comes naturally. I will be right there with you.”

  “I’m afraid to see Mom.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged. “I feel so guilty. She’s been alone in all of this.”

  “Patrick reached out. She wasn’t in any condition to help with the arrangements. Mom is grieving in her own way as well.”

  Hayden looked at me. “What if she kills herself? Whenever she is really stressed, she takes extra pills.”

  “Hayden, whatever happens next is out of our control. We have done all we could to try and help her. Patrick has been in contact with her, but she is not listening right now. We have to take care of each other. That’s my only concern right now.”

  “Okay.”

  “Are you ready?”

  She slowly nodded. “I guess so.”

  I stuffed the little pack of tissue into my purse and got out of the car. A few more attendees were arriving at the front entrance. I decided I was the one who was not up to people waxing poetic about my father. They didn’t really know him. I didn’t want to hear about how great he was. He wasn’t. I was still pissed at him and had a feeling I would be for a long time to come.

  I guided Hayden through the side entrance and found Patrick talking to the funeral director. “There you are,” he said and walked to Hayden and gave her a hug.

  Things were still tense between the two of us. We were putting on a united front for Hayden, but when this was over, I knew he was going to lecture me about Tyson. “I’m taking her to sit down before we have to walk in with a crowd watching.”

  Patrick nodded. “Everything is ready to go.”

  “What about Mom?” Hayden asked. “Is she here?”

  Patrick looked at me. The look on his face told me she wasn’t there. “No,” Patrick answered.

  “Why not?” Hayden questioned. She was not one to accept simple answers.

  “What’s going on?” I pressed. “Hayden needs to know. There is no point in lying.”

  Patrick looked upset. “She called me earlier. I asked if she needed a ride. She was out of her mind. She didn’t know what day it was. I drove to the house, but she wasn’t there.”

  Hayden’s mouth fell open. “Where is she?”

  “She said she was with a friend. Hayden, Mom has a problem. We will deal with that later. Right now, we need to get through this. Mom is making her choice. We cannot control her.”

  “But she is probably really sad,” Hayden protested.

  “Mom may not even know Dad is gone,” I told her. “When she takes those pills, it confuses her.”

  “Shouldn’t we take her to a hospital?”

  “We can’t force her to stay,” I told her. “Let’s go sit down.”

  “I’ll be right there,” Patrick said. “I need to take care of a few more things.”

  I nodded, and with my arm around Hayden’s shoulders, I steered her toward the chapel area. We entered through a door that aligned with the front few rows, saving us the spectacle of walking up the center aisle.

  I noticed a few people already sitting down. I vaguely recognized one woman as an employee of the business from many years ago. We sat down and stared up at an image of my father on the screen. It was an old picture. The yellowed eyes and the ravages of too many years of heavy drinking were absent. I barely recognized the man in the picture. He wasn’t the same man I had last seen at my parents’ house passed out in the living room.

  Th
e man in the picture was wearing a clean suit and tie and smiling. His eyes were clear, and he looked like an average guy. Even in those days, he was drinking but not quite so much. Hayden was staring at the picture as well.

  “I remember that picture in his office,” she whispered.

  I nodded. “It was taken before you were born. He was part of a chamber of commerce committee. He was so proud of that picture. So was Mom. She acted like our family was royalty.”

  “I didn’t know he was on a committee.”

  “It didn’t last long. He showed up drunk to a meeting and made a fool of himself. He was kicked off.”

  “Oh.”

  I probably could have spared her that detail, but it was who the man was. “The flowers are nice,” I commented.

  “Who sent them?”

  “We’ll find out after the funeral,” I told her. “The big ones, Patrick ordered. The smaller ones are from well-wishers.”

  “Do we take those flowers home?”

  “Yes, we can, or we can donate them.”

  It was hard to remember she was an innocent thirteen-year-old. She had never been to a funeral. Unfortunately, I had been to too many. Carrie’s husband’s funeral came to mind. That had been a much different scene. I didn’t think there would be a lot of tears for my dad. His last years were spent isolated inside a dark house and an even darker bottle.

  “I like those.” She pointed to a pretty array of lilies.

  “Then we will take those home.”

  “Is that weird?”

  I smiled. “No. It’s perfectly normal. I think they will brighten up the apartment.”

  Patrick slid into the pew beside me. “How is she?” he whispered in my ear.

  “Good. Fine. One step at a time.”

  He nodded. “I couldn’t find a lot of pictures. Usually they do a slide show but they are going to just flash the pictures behind the minister while he talks.”

  “Are you going to give a eulogy?” I asked. It was something we debated for hours the other day. Neither of us wanted to do it. We didn’t know of any of his friends that could do it. We were left trying to decide what was the right thing to do and what we wanted to do.

  “I wrote up a very short one. I can’t get up there and give a long speech about what a great dad he was.”

  “I understand and I wouldn’t ask you to.”

  “What about Mom?” Hayden asked again as she leaned forward to look at Patrick. “Shouldn’t she say something?”

  “No,” Patrick and I answered at the same time.

  I put my hand on Patrick’s leg, letting him know I would field the question. “No, the widow doesn’t need to speak. No one will expect her to. It’s best she doesn’t try.”

  “Oh,” Hayden said, seemingly satisfied with my explanation.

  I noticed a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked up and saw Tyson standing there in a black suit with a black tie. My eyes widened. I was not expecting him. Patrick noticed him as well. He flinched and made a move to get up. “No,” I told him. “I’ll handle this.”

  I walked to Tyson and put my hand on his arm to pull him away from the doorway and Patrick’s scornful gaze. “What are you doing here?” I hissed.

  “I wanted to check on you. I’ve been worried.”

  “You don’t need to worry about me,” I said. I didn’t bother hiding my anger. I was pissed at him. I was pissed at everything but especially him.

  “I do worry about you.”

  “If you were so worried, you wouldn’t have dropped me off at the airport like a package waiting to be mailed.”

  “Mae, I had to stay. I want to explain why.”

  “I don’t care why. You made your choice. Paris and your museum are far more important.” He shook his head and tried to take my hand. I jerked it away. “Don’t. This is done.”

  “Please, let me explain.”

  “This is not the time, Tyson. Do you even know where you are? Are you so wrapped up in you, you can’t see where you are or understand why this is really bad timing? My dad died. I am at my dad’s funeral and you want to give me an excuse for being a selfish prick? Save it. I don’t want to hear it.”

  “Mae,” he protested and then stopped. His eyes went over my shoulder.

  I turned to see Patrick standing behind me, glaring at the man I thought I loved with such malice I was suddenly very worried. “Patrick,” I warned.

  “You heard her,” Patrick growled. “Leave.”

  “I want to explain,” he said. “I want to be here for you.”

  “I don’t need you,” I quickly interjected.

  “Do not make a scene,” Patrick warned. “Go before I have to have you removed. She does not need your shit right now. None of us do.”

  Tyson looked defeated. My heart went out to him. I didn’t want to be mean to him, but I did want to be mad at him. “I’ll go,” he said. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about your father.”

  “That’s not what you should be sorry for,” Patrick spat. He grabbed my elbow and steered me back inside.

  Poor Hayden was sitting wide eyed on the pew by herself. I quickly sat down beside her with Patrick on my other side. I was glad the music changed tempo, indicating the service was about to start. Tyson’s unexpected visit was only going to make things more difficult between me and Patrick.

  I wondered what he wanted to explain. He could apologize all day long and it wouldn’t change anything. His actions spoke a million times louder than his words. He made his choice. He chose to think of himself and his money over what I needed in that moment.

  “Are you okay?” Hayden whispered.

  I smiled. “I’m fine.”

  The minister began to talk. I focused on what he was saying for a solid two minutes before I tuned out. He was speaking nonsense. It was a generic script that had nothing to do with my father. He was describing the empty void left after a loved one died. I certainly didn’t feel a void. In my mind, my father died long ago.

  We were just now holding the funeral. It would probably be the same for my mother. Hell, for all I knew, we could be sitting right back in the front row next week, saying our final goodbyes to her. There was nothing I could do about it. Nothing any of us could do.

  In that moment, I realized just how insignificant free will really was. When it was time to go, it was time to go. It was the moments leading up to that last breath that counted. I should probably hear Tyson out. If I didn’t do it now when I had the chance, I would be on my death bed, sucking in my last breath and wondering what he wanted to say.

  I didn’t want regrets. I wanted to go peacefully when it was my turn. I hoped my turn was decades away, but one never knew.

  Chapter 66

  Tyson

  I didn’t go into the office today. I wasn’t in the mood. Technically, there was little for me to do now anyway. I was going through my own version of mourning. I was pissed at myself for ruining the best thing going in my life.

  I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. I would give her some time and then try again. That was all I could do. I hoped she would understand and give me a chance to explain. It seemed like that was the rhythm of our relationship. Things went great, I fucked up, she got hurt, and I left her. It was not a great way to live and I understood why she was tired of it.

  I would beg forgiveness, promise to be better, and then commit to doing it. Although I’d tried that once before as well. I was destined to fuck up. I needed clear guidelines on how to navigate the very tricky road I was walking with her.

  The doorbell rang, pulling me from my thoughts. I got up from where I’d settled into the couch and answered the door. “Mae?”

  “Hi,” she said as she took off her dark sunglasses.

  “I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

  “I wanted to come by and talk,” she said. “Yesterday wasn’t the right time but I should have let you say what you had to say.”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry I showed up t
here. I wanted to see you.”

  “It’s fine.”

  It wasn’t fine. “Come in.”

  “I went by your office, but they said you didn’t go in today. Are you feeling okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine.” We were both dancing around each other. “Can I get you a drink?”

  “No thanks.”

  I walked to the living room and sat down on the couch. I was giving her free rein to rip me to shreds. She could unleash that anger I saw yesterday. She could tell me what an asshole I was and get it all out. Then, and only then, could I hope to salvage things.

  “How are you really?”

  She shrugged. “I’m really fine. It was a shock, and it is a little sad, but it’s Hayden I’m focused on.”

  “How is she taking it?”

  “Better than I thought actually.”

  “That’s a good thing.”

  She offered a small smile. I could see the dark circles under her eyes that looked very much like my own. “It’s a great thing. We’re taking it one step at a time. She went to school today. I told her she didn’t have to, but she wanted to.”

  “Routine is good,” I said, really having no idea if it was.

  “I suppose. What is it you wanted to say yesterday?”

  “First, please let me apologize. There is so much I have to say I’m sorry for. I’m sorry about your dad. I’m sorry about the way I handled it. And most importantly, I’m sorry for showing up uninvited yesterday. Truthfully, I hoped to sneak in and catch you after the funeral. I never meant to make the day more difficult for you.”

  “It’s okay. I didn’t return your calls and texts. I have been really mad. Mad about everything. Some of it you, some of it life in general, and a lot of it him.”

  I nodded, understanding grief could fuck with a person’s emotions. It jumbled everything up. Wires got crossed and emotions were raw. “I want to be here for you,” I told her. “I’m here. Lean on me.”