*****
The results of the pregnancy test confirmed what Skye had known it would. She was pregnant with Cace’s baby. She clasped her stomach, contemplating the future. Was she ready to be a mother?
Skye had never pondered long on the idea of being a mother. She’d decided she would not bring a child into this world until she could provide the stability she’d never experienced as a child. So much for that concept, she thought despondently.
If Cace hadn’t wanted to speak to her before, she doubted very much he would now. For several hours, she’d considered never telling him. He’d made no attempt to contact her. He obviously didn’t care.
In the end, she’d decided he had a right to know. She’d phoned Margo and asked her to pass on the message to Cace: she was pregnant with his baby, and she was letting him know because he was entitled to know. Margo had been shocked, but sensing the defeat in Skye’s voice, she’d not criticized. She’d said she would get back in contact when she heard from Cace. Skye waited.
That afternoon, Margo called. She sounded hesitant.
“Honey…it’s not good news,” she began.
“What did he say?” Skye cut in, needing to know.
“I got a message from him before I left for work this afternoon,” Margo started. She paused. “He’s not ready at this time, Skye.”
Skye felt her heart sink. Her worst fears had been confirmed, Cace didn’t care.
***
Skye turned up on a construction site where Margo was overseeing new staff. Skye had held her emotions inside for so long, that now she needed a shoulder to cry on.
Margo parted her strong arms, and held Skye tightly. There and then, Skye wanted to sob despairingly. She held it together.
Several construction workers came over to get Margo’s opinion on something, but Margo put a hand up, signaling for them to come back later. Now was not the time. Skye needed her at that moment.
“Let me tell you what I’m gonna do, sweetheart” Margo said affectionately. “I’m gonna get my assistant, Ramon to clear up my schedule for later. I’m going to finish work early. And you and I are going to that greasy diner across the road, and we’re gonna gorge on the biggest pile-up of ice-cream they can serve us.”
Skye smiled. Margo called over Ramon, and told him to clear anything from her schedule after 4pm.
In the meantime, Skye said she would walk over to the nearby promenade of shops while she waited for Margo to finish. That had been what she’d told Margo. It wasn’t true, however. She wouldn’t be doing that at all. She had just witnessed something which had shattered her entire world.
As Margo had been talking to her so-called assistant, Ramon, Skye had noticed something quite disturbing on Ramon’s lower arm. A small bird tattoo. Just like the one on the CCTV of the arson-attack.
***
With a shaking hand, Skye inserted the key to Margo’s house, which Margo had lent her two weeks prior. Time being a luxury she could not afford, Skye made her way through the house she knew so well, and went straight to Margo’s answering machine. It was flashing “No Messages”, but Skye pressed the deleted messages and three messages started to play, starting with the oldest.
The first one, received three weeks ago, played from the speaker, and Skye’s worst fears were instantly confirmed. Petra’s unmistakable voice on the line...loving...as she finalized plans with her ‘sweetheart’ Margo to have Sean Cohen appointed as the new CEO of Arrington Woodlands. It was hard to absorb.
Next came the second message. This one had been received only two days after Skye was dismissed: it was Cace. “Hi...” he began on the recording, his voice sounding hesitant and not the confident Cace she knew. “I understand you know how to contact Skye Wilder. It’s Cace Arrington here from Arrington Woodlands. I wondered if you could give me her number. I really need…would like to speak to her.” He paused on the message. “I’d like to say I’m sorry for her recent dismissal. I think I made a mistake. And...well, I’d really like to speak to her again.”
As Skye heard Cace’s words, she felt her whole body shaking. He had been trying to speak to her all this time. She had meant something to him. Before she could fully take it all in, the third message began. It was Cace again. “Sent today at thirteen hundred hours,” detailed the automated answer-phone voice.
“Hi, it’s Cace Arrington. I just received the message about Skye. Please. I’ve been trying to reach her. Tell her everything is OK and...look, just tell her, I need to speak with her. I want to be with her.”
With that, the message ended.
*****
On the eve of the scheduled golf tournament, an important meeting was being held in the conference room of Arrington Woodlands. Cace Arrington sat at the center of the table, but he would not be chairing this meeting. In a few minutes, the board of directors would be voting to decide his fate, whether he should be replaced as CEO by Sean Cohen.
***
Outside, in the cool evening air, Skye was running across the back of the hotel building. Her feet pounding against the cold, grey paving stones, she clutched tightly to the bundle of evidence she’d compiled over the last two weeks. Dee, the doorman, had once again ‘turned a blind eye’ to her coming on the estate, and Skye had decided to go across the back of the building to avoid any staff inside the hotel, preventing her from getting beyond the lobby.
As she turned a corner, she realized there would be a problem. Standing in front of the back entrance of the hotel was Petra, a bag of golf clubs strapped across her shoulder.
“It’s over!” cried Skye. “I’ve worked out everything that you’ve been plotting with Margo. I have all the evidence!”
Petra seemed prepared as though Margo had called her, worried when Skye failed to turn up to the diner.
“Are you really going to turn in your own aunt?” Petra demanded, defiant.
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to clear Cace’s name!” Skye stated.
The two women stood facing one another, neither one budging, their hair blowing wildly in the wind.
“Not if I can help it...”
And with that, Petra pulled out a golf club and swung it directly at Skye. Skye dove for cover, avoiding its impact as Petra’s swing sent it crashing into a paving stone, sending tiny pieces of shattered stone up into the air.
The impact caused Petra to jolt forward, scattering golf clubs across the paving. Skye managed to grab hold of one, and quickly thrust it up it to deflect another powerful swing from Petra.
Skye stumbled back a few steps as Petra carried on moving toward her. Petra changed her swing, coming up from under, nearly making contact with Skye’s abdomen.
Crunch! Petra gave her golf club another powerful downward swing, missing Skye by an inch, and causing the nearby paving to splinter up. Petra didn’t lose any more time. She rammed the golf club forward, poking Skye backwards, and causing her to fall backwards onto the hard ground. Skye lost hold of the golf club she’d been holding, and saw it fall out of reach.
Feeling a sudden vulnerability at that moment, Skye remembered the little life inside of her that she was now responsible for safeguarding.
No-one’s gonna hurt my baby, thought Skye.
Summoning all her energy, Skye rolled to her side as Petra swung her club again. Skye grabbed the golf club she’d dropped. In one solid swing, Skye hit Petra to the ground.
There was a moment of silence…then a murmur. Petra was down but she was not out of the fight.
As Petra clambered to get back to her feet, Skye wondered how she would ever get her evidence to Cace. It was then she saw Alejandro. Coming from the back entrance of the hotel, he ran over. As Petra got to her knees, Alejandro grabbed her and restrained her on the ground.
“Skye! You were right. They’re having a meeting to replace Cace with Sean Cohen. Go to the conference room now!”
As Alejandro kept a firm grip on Petra, who screamed out angrily, Skye gave him a grateful smile then raced on to the
conference room.
***
Skye sprung into the conference room as the second vote had been cast. Cace looked stunned and jumped to his feet.
“Skye!”
Skye flung her bundle of evidence on the conference table.
“Before you make any decision,” she said, addressing the board of directors, “I think you need to know a few things. Isn’t that right, Sean?”
There were confused murmurs around the table as slowly…one by one…the board members started to pick at and examine the evidence Skye had placed on the table.
As Cace came to understand what Skye was showing them, he turned to face her. He didn’t care if there was an audience. He leaned in and kissed her, long and passionately.
*****
“I’m sure you’ll be throwing me under the bus to the police,” Margo said, as she sat across the table from Skye in the bar of Arrington Woodlands. Her eyes downcast.
“I told the police what I knew. Nothing more, nothing less,” said Skye, “Unlike some people, I don’t find it easy to hurt the people closest to me.”
Skye meant that. As she looked over at the aunt that had been like a mother to her, she found it hard to hate her. The woman who had always been a pillar of strength to Skye had now crumbled. It was sad to see her so weak and powerless.
“It will depend on how much your friends, Petra and Sean want to set the record straight,” Skye reminded Margo, not enjoying the reversal of roles.
“Cace had such madcap business ideas. Sean was going to bring stability to the company. Create good, solid contracts,” Margo started to explain.
“You mean protect your business?” Skye questioned.
Margo dropped her head, ashamed. Skye ignored Margo justifying her actions, and asked, “Why did you lie to me about Cace?”
“It was not going to be forever. We had worked months to get Sean in a position to replace Cace. Petra felt you were getting in the way of things…we couldn’t take the risk. I really didn’t know the full extent of what Petra was doing…” Margo stammered. Her voice trailed off as if even she saw the feebleness in what she was saying.
“Things can get in the way of good judgement sometimes,” Skye said, echoing Margo’s own words. With that, Skye stood up and stood tall. She had lost her job, lost her aunt, and was now pregnant…the future was uncertain. But it was time to face all of that head on.
*****
Skye stepped tentatively out the vehicle, and observed the signs with balloons pointing towards the venue up ahead. She scanned the other people making their way in the same direction, seeing if she could recognize any of the faces. Just a few months ago, she’d been certain she’d never attend this gathering. Just a few months ago, she’d thought a lot of things that had changed, she realized.
Cace had wanted them to arrive by limo but Skye had passed up on that idea. She had never been a person overly enthralled by great wealth. It would have been over-the-top. As a compromise, Cace had insisted on having a dress made for her by one the world’s most sought-after fashion designers.
Standing now in the ravishing dress, that served a dual purpose as a maternity-dress and a head-turner, Skye felt like a million dollars. She then had the uncomfortable realization that at that exact moment, she was worth more than a million dollars–allowing for the dress and the ring alone.
Cace joined her, and put his strong arm around her waist. She craved his touch. It was that, which was the most welcome change in her life, Skye thought. He made her feel safe. He made her feel secure. Something she’d never experienced as a child.
She also felt proud to be able to say tonight that she was now the head of her own recruitment company. Cace had been adamant that she had potential, and she’d certainly demonstrated an uncanny ability for working people out. So he’d helped her set up a recruitment company, and then given her the very first contract, to provide staff to Arrington Woodlands. The idea of going into business was terrifying for Skye. But after all that had happened, she’d decided she’d give herself more credit in terms of what she was capable of.
Skye looked over at Cace, taking in his gorgeous face. She wanted to do ‘naughty’ things with him right then. For now, that would have to wait, they had a school reunion to go to. Taking Cace by the hand, Skye took a deep breath, and strode out ahead. Into the unknown, into the future, and into their lives together.
THE END
Bonus Story 37 of 40
A Winter Moon
As the sun fell lower in the chilly November sky, Johnny Christensen wiped down the tables at the Baptist Food Kitchen in order to close down for the day. The quiet solitude of the empty floor was just what Johnny needed after a long Friday afternoon and evening of volunteering. Even though he enjoyed donating his time to the needs of the community, having some peaceful thinking time warmed him in the slight cold of the afternoon. He finished one table and went to the next, his thoughts switching with each motion from his private life to work. The following Monday he would have to provide a pop quiz for his math students at Reynolds High, where he’d been working for the past six years. During that time he’d mostly kept to himself, occasionally visiting Lake Worth Beach during the hotter months in order to drink up the Florida sunshine.
Central Palm Beach was a lovely place to be during the winter months, because it got very cold, but didn’t snow. Johnny liked that about the area, and spent his time off from teaching attending bonfires on the beach. He had met Dave, his ex-boyfriend, during a bonfire the previous year…
He suddenly started to feel the chill of the coming evening sink into his bones. After he finished cleaning, he went back into the kitchen where Sara and Parker were saving some leftover food for the following week.
“Parker, would you mind picking up the rest of those tables?” Johnny asked, while washing his hands in the sink.
“Sure thing, dude,” replied Parker before planting a kiss on Sara’s cheek.
Johnny found their affectionate nature alluring, mostly because it was something that he wanted. Their kiss made him smiled fondly, but it also caused a deep pang of longing to sit in his stomach. He watched Parker leave. He and Sara were such a lovely couple and Johnny appreciated their company. The joy they brought to any room was apparent as soon as they were present. He hoped one day to find a love that shone as bright as theirs, or brighter; a love that would perhaps surpass the edges of the universe and make itself evident to other planets!
Johnny shook his head. When Dave had left him, it had felt like a star diminishing in the sky. It wasn’t an unexpected ending, but the pain was unbearably heavy and deep, like a knife landing in his gut.
While Johnny made some small chat with Sara, he heard Parker talking on the other side of the kitchen. The aluminum shutter had been rolled down in the serving window, so he could not see with whom. He walked out the side door to find Parker explaining to a very handsome man that the kitchen was closed. The man’s eyes were an icy blue, the kind of color you might find further away from the shore, where the water grew colder. The shirt he wore was not terribly dirty, but it did appear to need a wash. It also seemed to hide a rather fit figure, whose square shoulders caused the fabric to stretch. His pants were very simple jeans that were likely supposed to be torn at the knees, but Johnny couldn’t really tell if it was for style or simply from wear. The man’s eyes implored Parker for food. The look of hunger was very clear to Johnny, who had seen that look every week.
“If you could just spare a piece of bread, it would mean the world of a difference,” said the man, with his palms open and his hands extended.
The man didn’t appear to be like any other homeless folk who came around, but then again homelessness didn’t discriminate. Some people’s clothes were torn and tattered, while others wore khakis. But it wasn’t Johnny’s place to judge who deserved food. Hunger took on many different forms and he considered it his job to fill the void. He placed his hand on Parker’s shoulder and nodded to the man with a smile,
saying he’d be happy to purchase him a meal at the local diner up the road if he wouldn’t mind company.
“That’s very kind of you,” said the man, smiling humbly. “I’d be happy to have company.”
“Parker, could you and Sara finish tidying up? I’d appreciate it,” said Johnny, patting Parker’s shoulder.
Parker smiled and said, “Of course. I’ll see you next week, Johnny boy!”
The nickname caused Johnny to cringe. He extended his hand to the man before him.
“He’s quite a vivacious young man,” said the handsome gentleman while taking Johnny’s hand. “And he’s sweet. I’m Ross O’Neal. I just moved into town.”
“I’m Johnny Christensen. It’s nice to meet you, Ross. Where did you come from?” asked Johnny, as they set off.
“A small town outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. Not even worth mentioning. I do freelance photography, but occasionally I’ll run into a bump and have to move on to wherever work might take me,” Ross explained, smoothing his brown hair back. “I found an ad for a place around here, but didn ‘t have much money left about purchasing my bus ticket. This seemed like the place to go for a hot meal that would hold me over.”
“You came to the right place, but right as we were closing. Still, I’m happy to get you a meal so you won’t be hungry tonight,” Johnny explained as they walked up the road.
“It’s very kind of you to offer that to a complete stranger. You must have a big heart,” said Ross. “That sort of compassion is certainly a change of pace.”
Johnny smiled, his eyes instinctively lowering to the ground in response to the compliment. He thanked Ross for the kind words and they continued to make small chat, discovering much of their interests were shared. Ross talked about his younger years following around punk bands up the east coast and photographing their private lives, and Johnny excitedly asked about every detail of the experience.
Alien Mate Page 130
