“I’m not sleepy, though. I’ll go and make some breakfast.” He moves his blanket to get out of bed.
“No, you have to stay in bed and rest – you’re still feverish. I’ll bring some breakfast to you, if you’re hungry.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” he insists, getting up.
“I’m not worried, it’s for your own sake. I thought you’d better take a few days off work. It’s up to you.” Jamie freezes when I say this, and lowers his head thoughtfully. Maybe I was too harsh, again.
“I have to sign some documents today, I can’t stay at home.”
“You’re not going out today – no way. It’s too cold out there; you’re going to make yourself really ill. It would serve you right, considering your childish behaviour, but I would then have to take time off work to make sure you don’t die and I can’t afford to. I have deadlines of my own to meet.” I reply, perhaps sounding even colder than before.
“Did you cry off work?” he asks, surprised.
“Yeah, you’re going to kill yourself if I don’t take care of you.”
“Then…”
“Stop it, Jamie. I told you. My world doesn’t revolve around you, I just don’t want your illness on my conscience!” I can’t let him think that I stayed at home for him. Even if it is the real reason, I don’t have to admit it.
“I didn’t mean that – I just wanted to ask you if you could pop in to my office…”
“Me?” Perhaps he’s too feverish to think straight.
“Yeah, there’s something that I really have to sign today and you could just do it for me.” he insists, smiling.
“I haven’t been to Morgan & Hall for… years.” I reply.
“That’s another good reason to go, then. It won’t take long, I promise. I’ll call my secretary. You just have to go, sign the papers and you’re done. It will take an hour at most. I promise not to die in the meantime.” he says happily, with an unusual burst of energy for somebody who’s still feverish.
“Hmm, okay then. As long as it only takes an hour,” I agree, then I go to get changed.
*
I’m standing in front of the entrance to the Morgan & Hall building. A strange, unsettling feeling has come over me. How did I let Jamie persuade me? I shouldn’t be here right now. A long stream of memories flashes through my mind and I’m suddenly overwhelmed by nostalgia for my childhood. I used to run up and down the building when I was little, stealing chocolate and sweets all day long. I used to like to go and see Dad at work, to talk to the staff. I remember that most of the people who worked on the chocolate used incredibly subtle movements, much as Jamie does. I remember the passionate way in which my father used to talk about his company – a way that made me fall in love with the place. To me, being able to find a position in the company meant deserving some of my father’s love. I couldn’t get myself one and it’s useless thinking about it now. I thought Jamie saw me as a spoiled girl… nobody would entrust a spoiled girl with something as important as signing some documents.
I’ll have to do this really quickly – the sooner I do it, the sooner I’ll shake off this nostalgia. The freezing cold air hits me in the face and makes me shiver. I’d better make a move if I don’t want to be covered in icicles soon. I head to the glass entrance door and enter the warm, welcoming lobby. There’s a faint smell of chocolate in the air.
“Good morning, are you Miss Morgan?”
A petite woman welcomes me – she looks slightly older than me and she’s wearing a red suit and a pair of ballerina pumps, which make her look even shorter than she really is. She must be about my height, but I look a lot taller than her because I’m wearing high heels.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“I’m Heather Ashton. Mr Standley called me to tell me that you’d be here this morning.”
“Yeah, I just came to sign something…”
“Okay, follow me please.” She looks incredibly happy for this time of morning – it must be the smell of chocolate in the air. I wonder if it has the same effect on Jamie? I have a funny feeling that the answer is ‘no’.
I follow her into the administration office, the one that I used to like the least when I was little. There was nothing tasty to eat in that room and the man who worked there was always a bit short with kids; I was no exception. Heather leans over a desk and pulls a bunch of papers towards me.
“There you go – these are the papers that need signing,” she says, pointing to the dotted line at the bottom of the page where I should put my signature.
“All these?” I ask, perplexed.
“Yeah, I’m afraid so,” she admits. I can’t believe that Jamie has to sign so many papers just to make chocolates and sweets! I drop onto one of the chairs near the desk with alacrity. I’ll power through this pile as fast as I can. Who said it would only take an hour?
*
I’ve signed goodness knows how many papers now. My hand hurts, but I’m nearly done. When I finally sign the last paper, I sigh heavily and drop my pen on the desk with a victorious gesture.
“Thank you so much, Miss Morgan. We’d be in trouble if we hadn’t had them signed today,” She pulls the pile towards her and arranges the sheets neatly.
“That’s alright, I’m sure I’ll be able to use my right hand again in a couple of hours!”
Heather laughs. “Would you like to take a look at our kitchen?” she suggests happily after putting the pile in a corner of the desk.
A walk around Morgan & Hall? Me? I’m slightly tempted to accept her offer. I wonder how much this place has changed ever since I was little… maybe there’s nothing wrong with taking a peek around, why not?
“Sure… I don’t have a lot of time, but I’d like to have a look around.”
“Excellent, follow me!”
As we’re about to leave the office, a woman walks in – she looks vaguely familiar. She must be about sixty years old, but I could be wrong – her grey hair could be deceiving. Her hair is short and very well styled – I wonder why she doesn’t dye it, it would certainly make her look younger.
“Liz!” Heather exclaims, surprised.
The woman stops for a moment and looks at me with her intense green eyes. She obviously didn’t expect to find anybody in the office, and certainly not me.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you guys. I would have knocked had I known…” she adds.
“Don’t worry at all, Liz, you’re not bothering us.” Heather seems happy to see her. “Let me introduce you to Miss Ashley Morgan, she's Nathan’s daughter.”
Liz’s face brightens immediately – at the same time, she slides a small, blue object in the pocket of her jacket, hoping that I didn’t notice.
“Nice to meet you, Ashley,” she greets me with a big smile. She looks very familiar, and yet I don’t think I have met her before. A moment later, she takes my hands and holds them in hers, looking deep into my eyes.
“P… pleased to meet you,” I mutter, glancing at Heather for some support. Who is this woman? I feel unpleasantly overwhelmed by confusing memories and emotions.
“Ashley – meet Elizabeth Jane Darcy, Mr Standley’s mother.”
I open my eyes wide, unable to control my emotions and I stare at her for a few seconds. Jamie’s mother keeps smiling at me. I didn’t see this coming.
“I’m so glad to finally meet you. Jamie said that you’re beautiful and you’re even prettier in real life than I had imagined!
“Thank you…” I struggle to say anything meaningful – I don’t know what to say, I’m completely unprepared for this meeting. Jamie told her about me? When? Why? What did he tell her? And how did Jamie’s mother manage to dumbfound me just like he does?
“Liz is an excellent cook, you know.” Heather breaks in. It looks like she noticed that I am speechless.
“Yeah, kind of, but I’m not so good with desserts,” Elizabeth says humbly. She lowers her eyes for a moment, slightly embarrassed. Perhaps she feels a little under pre
ssure because we’re having this conversation in the kingdom of chocolate and sugar.
“She makes some delicious dishes!” Heather says enthusiastically, showing her admiration for Elizabeth’s expertise.
“I love cooking… do you, darling?”
“Well… I’m not that good, to be honest.” I can only cook a few dishes. When I want a good meal, I would rather go to a restaurant… or at least, that’s what I used to do before Jamie moved into my apartment.
“Don’t worry,” she adds. “Each to their own.”
“I reckon Jamie inherited your skills in cooking.” Elizabeth giggles – her laughter is incredibly similar to Jamie’s.
“Jamie is so different from me… apart from the cooking detail.” she admits, and her face lights up with pride. “I’m glad that I was able to get him into cooking – it’s always been my favourite hobby and I’m proud that he made a career out of it. Cooking is more than a hobby – it’s an art!”
“An art?” I ask.
“You know how I managed to win my husband’s heart?” she asks, smiling at me in a friendly way. I shake my head and she continues.
“With spaghetti!” she reveals. I open my eyes wide – I’m pretty sure that Jamie has cooked spaghetti for me.
“I was about to take Ashley on a tour around the building, actually. Would you like to join us?” Heather asks.
Jamie’s mother releases my hands and smiles in a way that reminds me of him again.
“I can’t, I’m afraid – Eva is waiting for me in the car. I just came to bring Jamie something… is he in today?”
“Mr Standley has taken a day off today,” Heather explains.
“Just a bit of a cold but he’ll be fine soon – he doesn’t change!”
“I’ll come back another day, then.” She smiles again and she slides her hand into her coat pocket. She looks smaller in this pose. She looks cute… I should stop thinking that every member of the Standley family is cute. It’s compelling, though!
“I can give him whatever it is, if you like. I’ll be going back to the apartment in soon.” I offer. Elizabeth stiffens a little and then lowers her eyes. That’s one of his mannerisms.
“That’s alright, thanks anyway. It’s just an excuse to see my son every now and then. He’s so busy lately that I only seem to manage to talk to him on the phone.” The relationship between Jamie and his family is clearly a lot different to mine. I’m a little bit jealous, but I choose to ignore it… I’m already swept away by a thousand emotions, I don’t want to try to cope with any more.
“It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Ashley. I hope to see you again soon.”
I shake her hand and smile. “Nice talking to you.” As she holds my hands, I can’t help thinking that I know very little about Jamie’s family, while he knows almost everything about mine.
I follow Heather and Elizabeth out of the office, then we head towards the other side of the building. Walking through the corridors gives me a strange feeling of deja-vu. The fragrance of chocolate in the air is just like it was when I was little. When Heather opens the doors to ‘heaven’, the smell of chocolate becomes even stronger. Everything is just as I remember in this room – the long, metallic tables; the ovens on the walls; the noise of the machines; the neon lights that cover the whole ceiling – so bright that they almost blind me. I remember every single detail. Everything except the tall, pale, middle-aged man who’s making his way towards me. Who is he? It’s been a morning full of surprises!
“Heather! What are you doing here, among us humble cooks?” he asks jokingly – he sounds a little too loud for this early in the morning, almost as if he’s a little drunk.
“Liam – meet Miss Morgan. Miss Morgan, meet Liam, he’s one of our most experienced pastry chefs… after Mr Standley of course.” she adds. Maybe she thinks that I care about the hierarchy in the company.
Liam stretches out his hand and I shake it. His handshake is a lot firmer than I would have expected.
“I’m Ashley, nice to meet you.”
“Ashley Morgan?” he asks in surprise. How has my name become famous in this building?
“That’s right.”
“I’m honoured to meet you, Ashley! Ever since Jamie suggested making the Ashley cake, I’ve been dying to know what the Ashley it’s named after looks like. I figured you were beautiful, but meeting you in person takes it to a whole new level…” Why does Jamie talk about me to the whole world?
“The Ashley… cake?” I ask, looking at Heather. “What is he on about?”
“I promise that Liam is not drunk or crazy – that’s just the first impression that he gives, don’t worry. He’s talking about our new lines for Christmas. As I’m sure you know, Morgan & Hall always make something new every year for Christmas… this year’s creation is a special cake.”
“A special cake?”
“Yeah… the recipe is delicious and the cake looks beautiful. I can see why Jamie wanted to call it Ashley.” Liam says, winking at me. What is he hinting at? Does the whole world know about the kiss?
“Why Ashley?”
“You didn’t know? I thought that Mr Standley had told you about it. Our special Christmas product is called after you this year. Mr Standley did it in your honour.
“Me?”
“Yeah, she probably didn’t know,” Liam mutters to Heather, as if I can’t hear them.
“Oh good grief… maybe we shouldn’t have told her.” Heather looks alarmed now.
“Jamie didn’t say anything … but I kind of thought that it could have been a present for her.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before, Liam?!” Heather asks, exasperated.
“Can I see it?” I interrupt their argument. Both of them stare at me, embarrassed.
“I don’t think you can… if it’s supposed to be a surprise…” Heather mutters.
“I want to see it! I won’t tell him!” I insist, looking around trying to figure out where they could hide the Ashley cake.
“So long as you don’t say anything to Jamie… it’s okay, I guess.” Liam says and gives me a friendly wink.
“I don’t think we’re supposed to, Liam…”
“But Ashley has asked us to – she’s the boss after all, isn’t she? We can’t refuse!” Liam insists, and then leads me through the tables to the cake. Heather remains behind, still unsure whether showing me the cake is a good idea or not. She’s still muttering away but I’m not listening to her any more – and I don’t think that Liam is either. My life’s ambition right now is seeing Jamie’s Christmas cake. Why on earth did he decide to call it after me?
Liam stops in front of one of the huge fridges against the wall and pauses thoughtfully. Has he changed his mind?
“What?” I ask impatiently.
“It’s going to be fun seeing your expression – I want to enjoy this moment to the full!” As he speaks, he smiles in his seemingly drunken way. This man is one of a kind – yet the ring on his finger means that, despite everything, he still managed to find somebody willing to marry him!
I just have to be a little more patient – Heather is walking towards us and Liam is waiting for her before opening the fridge. Finally, Liam opens it. I lean forward to have a peek inside – there’s nothing in the fridge apart from the cake, sitting on the top shelf. It’s wonderfully and beautifully crafted – at the same time, it’s so dark and intense that I can’t help but stare at it for a while. I recognise Jamie’s expert craftsmanship in the dark chocolate decorations around the sides of the cake. It’s covered in dark chocolate and has gold shavings scattered on the top together with some tiny orange peel ribbons. It smells delicious and I fight the urge to grab it and take a bite. I imagine that Jamie has hidden a surprise inside the cake – maybe small chocolates, like the ones I ate a couple of weeks ago. I try to figure out which chocolate flavour he might have hidden inside – spicy, fruity, creamy or crunchy milk chocolate, bitter or sweet.
“Miss Morgan?” Heather’s voice
sounds miles away. I’m lost in my imagination. I try to nudge myself awake but it’s difficult. I can’t quite analyse what I’m feeling right now – my heart beats fast, so fast that it echoes in my ears. Why would Jamie decide to create such a beautiful work of art and name it after me? It’s hard to accept the fact that Jamie seems to know me a lot better than I’d like to admit. This cake mirrors my personality, it’s delicate and vulnerable and it reflects me perfectly. It’s me. The gold curly shavings hint at my vanity, the dark chocolate which decorates the sides reminds me of my stubbornness, the orange peel ribbons reflect the sweet side of my character. If I were a cake, I would be that cake.
“Are you okay, Miss Morgan?”
“I didn’t think that one could be so overwhelmed by a cake… I should do the same for my wife!” Liam says jokingly.
“Stop it, Liam. That’s inappropriate. Everything okay, Miss Morgan?”
“Yeah… yes, thanks. I’m just a little tired, that’s all,” I try to pull myself together. I don’t like how Jamie manages to overwhelm me even when he’s not around. “Maybe I got the bug, I should go home…”
“Already? Do you want to see how we make our Valentine’s chocolates?
“Valentine’s… chocolates?”
“Yeah, we have so many flavours – raspberries, mint, almonds and orange. The boss said that you chose them,” Liam says. He’s right – I did try the chocolates that he mentioned and many others. It worries me that, amongst all the chocolates that I ate in three days, the few that made it to production are my favourites… even though I never told Jamie. How the heck did he know? I have a funny feeling that he spent an awful lot of time observing me. Why does he want to find me a place in the company so badly? After all that he did to win Dad’s favour, why does he care about me?
“Oh, yeah. The chocolates. I almost forgot. Thank you, Liam. My taxi should be out there for me now though… I have to go. Thanks for showing me around and for letting me see the cake.” I quickly take my leave and then I stride back to the corridor that leads to the exit.
The Inheritance: A feisty, giggle-inducing romance Page 18
