"You know, you really had me fooled." I walked around him to get my shoes from the corner of the room. "You had the whole town singing your praises. The great Dr. Crain, who would never do anything wrong." Angry tears began to fall as I tied my shoes. "Little did they know all it would take was a grown-ass woman flirting, with her fake-ass tits hanging out at him screaming ‘suck me’!"
When I stood up straight, his mouth was wide open, shock written all over his face.
"You know what really gets me about the whole situation?" It wasn't really a question, and I didn't give him enough time to answer. "Peyton actually wasted a birthday wish for a daddy on you. A man who’s no different than the one who gave her half of his DNA and then abandoned her."
I grabbed my jacket and keys, ready to head to Carolyn's house. I was going to get my daughter back and have nothing further to do with this place.
"Wait...you think...?" He began to talk to me in an angry tone, but I wasn't having it. I was finished with him.
"You don't get to talk to me. You gave up that right when you started salivating over my mother!"
"Shut up, Natalie! Goddamn it!" His voice was so loud and sharp it made me jump. "I don't know what kind of crazy illusion you have going through you fucking brain right now, but I was not ogling your mother!" I lifted my index finger to speak, but he grabbed it. "No, you got to say what you wanted to say, and now it’s my turn. The only reason I was looking at your mother, was because of the fact she has obvious surgery scars even a blind man wouldn't have left behind. Her surgeon is an idiot and I was so shocked at how bad she looked, it was like trying to look away from a train wreck. I find your mother to be overly forward, cheaply made up, and fake."
My anger was slowly dissolving.
"But what you just said about Peyton? That...that’s...ugh! Is that how you really feel?" His hand was in his hair now, his eyes shiny like glass from unshed tears. The silence was deafening as we glared at each other.
"You’re a real piece of work, Ms. Reid. Go ahead. Put your walls back up. Hate me, hate all men. But tell me this...what happens when your hatred for men begins to poison Peyton? What will you do when she sabotages every relationship she ever has because that’s all you taught her? Will you finally be happy then? Or will you both be sad and alone, with nobody to love you?"
Grant started to walk toward the door, his anger clearly leaving him as well. "As for Peyton wasting a wish on me? Well, then we’re even, because I wasted one on the both of you. I wished you two would love me as much as I love you."
With his final words, like nails in my coffin, he slammed the door. Only then, did my anger completely run out of steam, my body slumping to the floor, tears coming in waves as my body jerked with sobs. He was right. I was going to poison my daughter with my fear of getting hurt.
Carolyn tried very hard to get me to stay the night with her. She said Grant had phoned and spoke with Martin. Seemed there was a medical conference Martin was scheduled to attend, but Grant volunteered to go for him. Even if I wanted to apologize, he had left a few minutes ago. I thanked Carolyn and headed home.
"Mommy, Grant gone? Him mad at me for wishing him my daddy?” Peyton asked with wide, red-rimmed eyes.
She and I were cuddled up in my bed. I didn't have the strength to do much that day. "No, baby, Grant just needs a time out. He loves you, my sunshine."
"Auntie Lily said if you gets mad, you say sorry."
Oh, how I wished this was that easy. "Lily is right, honey. You should always say you're sorry." I planned to do just that. I would tell him I was sorry.
I tried all week to call him, but his phone always went to voicemail. Maybe he just didn't want to hear from me.
It was Saturday afternoon, a week since the great blowout. I’d spoken with my father, who told me my mother and Holden had stopped by their house as well. Dad said Peggy wouldn't even let them stand on the porch. They told Dad the same story about wanting to congratulate me on my success. Peggy called their bluff and that was when the true reason for their sudden appearance came out. It seemed my mother had bled Holden dry in the finance department. She’d managed to get him fired from his last job due to her “messing around” with his co-workers. They had come to Crain’s Landing, not looking to see me or congratulate me, but to try and hit me up for money. They’d assumed I was getting tons of money from the city for putting them on the map.
As for Jackie's pregnancy; they had a couple lined up in Miami who would be receiving the baby once it was born. Apparently, during their fight on my dad’s porch, Holden made it clear the baby was not his, and then Jackie tore into him about his affairs. Holden then made a comment about her not being able to satisfy a man, claiming that was the only reason his eyes would wander. However, Jackie reminded him of Courtney, a girl back in New York he’d had an affair with while I was pregnant. She finished, saying he had an established pattern for cheating, too.
Dad said Peggy threw them both off their property when they began to argue about Holden's other illicit affairs.
Whispers had surrounded me at every turn this week. What people didn't know concerning what really happened, they made up. By Friday night, I was ready to crawl into a hole and never come out.
"Natalie, these bushes are going to be a beautiful red come spring." Carolyn had come over this morning with her trunk full of new plants to fill the flowerbeds.
"I'm just glad they take care of themselves."
Carolyn turned to me, a sad look about her face. "Natalie, plants are much like people. They need a good place to grow and live. They need water and food. But most of all, they need someone to love them and take care of them."
I hung my head and prayed the tears would stay away. "I messed things up so badly, Carolyn. He won't even take my calls." Carolyn wrapped me in her arms, her gloved hands brushing fresh dirt on my shirt.
"Oh, honey, you both said things you didn't mean and were said in anger and high emotion. You just need to talk with him. I happen to know that Martin dropped him off at his house about an hour ago." I pulled away from her, the smile that now decorated her face brilliant. "Go on, Natalie, go get him. Tell him you love him and that you’re sorry. Trust me, he’ll forgive you."
I thanked her and grabbed Peyton then put her in her car seat. I didn't have to beg Peggy long to watch her when I dropped her off at my father's house.
It was nearly dark when I pulled up to Grant’s house. His garage door was wide open and there was a black Mercedes in the driveway behind his car. Martin must still be there. I checked my face in my visor, and then climbed out of my car and made my way to the front door. The lamps in the living room cast warm light onto the sidewalk near where the big picture window spanned. I remembered Grant talking about the big Christmas tree he wanted to have sitting there. I glanced up to look into that window. What I saw there took my breath away.
Standing in a lover's embrace was Tiffany and Grant, kissing. I swore to myself I would never jump to a conclusion and act irrationally. No amount of smoke and mirrors could ever duplicate the scene before me. Defeated, I turned around and walked back to my car.
Grant hadn’t been avoiding my calls. He had moved on. I was too late.
I NEVER TOLD A SOUL what I had witnessed that night. When I pulled back into my driveway, Carolyn was getting ready to leave. I lied and told her that I had time to think on my way over to Grant’s house and decided not to surprise him. I would call him when he had a chance to rest from his trip. I asked her to keep my attempt to see him between the two of us. I didn’t want the rumor mill to get any new gossip. She hugged me and agreed.
That night I sat in the middle of my bed and cried. I let myself completely break down. When the sun rose the next morning, I decided it was time to pick myself up and carry on. Grant was just a man, made of flesh and blood like the rest of us. Someday, he would be a distant memory; a bump in the road that had jarred my senses. I had far too many people counting on me; the most important was a little girl who,
admittedly, would be sad that her Grant was gone.
Monday morning when I dropped off Peyton at daycare, not a single word was uttered about Grant being back in town. Perhaps they all knew about him and Dr. Garrison.
I threw myself into my work for the rest of the week. I even took work home so I didn’t have to think about what they were doing in that big house of his. I had to stop at the market mid-week to get a few items. The rumor mill was alive and well as ladies pointed and whispered; clearly everyone knew Dr. Garrison had secured her desire to have a Crain. I faked a smile and ignored the pitiful looks, said hello, and then promptly left.
On Friday, I wanted to give my staff a little thank you for all their hard work so I decided to buy lunch for them. I pulled into the local pizza restaurant and just as I was reaching for my purse, I noticed Dr. Garrison sitting in a booth by the window. She was flipping her hair over her shoulder and laughing at what the waiter was saying to her. The last thing I wanted to endure, though, was her gloating to me about her kiss with Grant. With lunch forgotten, I started my car and drove back to my office.
That night, I was sitting on my bed after laying Peyton down to sleep. I was trying to come up with ideas for Christmas at the library. People were more focused on gift shopping than reading and I needed to change that. I had sent an email to one of my professors at Cornell, asking if he had any suggestions. As I checked my email for his reply, I noticed I had something from the library in Atlanta. I opened the email and read that they were still interested in me working for them. They had increased their offer to paying for my move, which included any fees I would have if I had a lease to break.
I thought back to the ladies gossiping about me in the grocery store. Did I want that for Peyton when she grew older? Did I want her to be the little girl on the playground everyone talked bad about? How mothers would speak in hushed tones about her poor mother who couldn’t even keep a man around long enough to solidify a relationship.
How would I react to seeing their children? Grant had made it clear he wanted a big family; could I handle looking at his children and watching him hold and kiss Dr. Garrison? With a big sigh and a wipe of my face to clear the tears, I responded to his email. I wanted to have an interview.
His response was quicker than I expected. By the time I woke up the next morning, I had hotel reservations and a detailed map of how to get to the building. I called Dad, asking if he and Peggy could watch Peyton for a couple of days. I explained to him what my plans were and he told me he understood. Next was a call to Ashley; she was my second in charge and I knew she could handle it. I lied and told her I needed to get out of town for a few days. She knew I had taken the breakup hard and agreed with me that time away was a great idea.
Atlanta was a beautiful city. I could see many opportunities for Peyton and myself. When I arrived at the public library, you would have thought I was a celebrity. There were fresh flowers placed all around and every employee wore a uniform. I was greeted by an extremely attractive man, Evan Tucker.
Evan was on the city council and owned several businesses in Atlanta. His dark hair and bright blue eyes would cause any red-blooded woman to swoon. He was taller than Grant, yet had the same mannerisms. Evan shook my hand and tried to hold my gaze a little longer than was socially acceptable. I politely removed my hand from his, as he continued to stare at me.
“Ms. Reid, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I have heard so many wonderful things about you. However, none of them included how extraordinarily beautiful you are.”
His compliment should have made me blush, but I couldn’t take it for anything other than words. “Thank you, Mr. Tucker.”
“Oh.” He shook his head. “Please, we are going to be together for the next two days, call me Evan. ” I smiled and nodded my head. I intentionally refrained from asking him to call me Natalie.
I sat at the elongated table that housed the entire Board and listened to their reports. I discerned the library was running quite well. However, the former director had recently passed away and they wanted someone who could work just as hard. They didn’t expect many changes only to keep the ship sailing, as Evan explained. I was shown a lovely PowerPoint on every feature the building had to offer and every benefit I would receive as director. It was all presented in one big beautiful box with a pretty pink bow on top.
No one in their right mind would turn this job down. The salary was nearly three times what I was making in Crain’s Landing. I would have nothing to build or clean up and no programs to start. I could simply sit at my desk and maintain the status quo.
“We have recently opened a child care room on the third floor. Little Peyton would be welcome to participate. When she is school age, Mr. Tucker has assured her a place at Saint Anthony’s.”
Saint Anthony’s was explained to me in another PowerPoint, which also included details of the condo they had for me and Peyton. Saint Anthony’s was one of the top ten prep schools in the country. Children who graduated had a ninety-seven percent acceptance rate in the nation’s Ivy League schools. It was the perfect situation for Peyton and me.
“Ms. Reid, we don’t want to overwhelm you with any of this. We want you to take time and tour our fine city. Enjoy some of its cuisine and activities. Go back to Crain’s Landing and give it some serious thought.”
Everyone smiled and shook my hand. I was told I would be taken to my hotel and to charge anything I wanted to the room. As I was escorted back down stairs, I noticed a limo waiting outside the entrance doors. “Ms. Reid, the Board has arranged for your stay to be completely covered. However, I would like to escort you to dinner this evening. I would appreciate the opportunity to get to know you better perhaps?”
My mind wandered briefly to the memory of Grant and Dr. Garrison kissing and then to the restaurant. He had moved on and maybe, just maybe, I could too. Smiling, I said, “Mr. Tucker, I would really like that.”
Evan helped me into the limo. He assured me my car would be taken care of and I wouldn’t need it for the remainder of my stay.
As the limo pulled away from the building, I noticed a park across the street. I could see several women sitting on benches as they watched their children play. They seemed happy here. Could I be as happy? As we continued down the street, the limo driver announced we were almost to Saint Anthony’s school.
The turn of the century building stood majestically at the end of a large courtyard. The tall iron gates stood guard over the children, as many could be seen walking on the sidewalks. The intricate design of the metal workings looked to be as old as the building itself.
“My sister is a teacher there. She tells me that children go on the waiting list as soon as the pregnancy test is positive.”
I rested back in my seat as I pondered his words. According to Evan, Peyton would already have a place at this school. She would receive an amazing education and perhaps attend Cornell, or even Yale. She certainly wouldn’t be the receiver of the poor little girl looks around here. No one knew, or cared, that Grant had moved on. They knew nothing about what we had both suffered at the hands of Jackie and Holden. It would be a fresh start for both of us. We could hold our heads up high and not worry about what was being said behind our backs.
The hotel was beyond my wildest dreams. I should have expected it with as grand as it was, considering how they had already pulled out all the stops. I didn’t even need to check in. Evan was waiting to take me up to my room.
The double door should have clued me into the grandeur of the suite. However, I would admit to having my breath taken away. The large French doors had to be twelve feet tall. They opened to what appeared to be a roof top balcony. There were massive curtains that housed equally vibrant windows in the room. There was also a sitting room beautifully decorated in creams and tans. To the left was another set of massive doors and sitting just beyond them was a king size bed, covered with fine linens and inviting pillows.
“Ms. Reid, I know the hotel has some excellent restaurants,
however, I would like to take you into the city. Sample some of the places I love.”
I turned around to face Evan. He was standing by the door in his dark suit with a blue tie and matching shirt. As I looked at the black and white photograph of the hotel that hung on the wall, I asked myself one question. What did I have to lose by agreeing to dinner with him? “I’d actually like to see the city.”
The smile on his face grew. I knew he was reading more into this than I was willing to let happen. It was only dinner. I could allow myself that much. “I’ll be back around six and pick you up. Dress casual, no black ties needed where I plan to take you.”
I agreed to be ready as I closed the door behind Evan. It had been a long morning and I was a little tired from it all. Tomorrow, I would see the condo they had for me and take a look around the area. I crossed the room and entered the door that housed the bed. I jumped onto the bed and threw my arms out to the side. I needed to talk with my munchkin; needed to hear the sweetness of her voice.
My father’s phone rang three times before he finally picked up.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Dad, how is my baby?”
“Oh, Natalie, Peggy and I are fine. I had toast for breakfast and Peggy is making soup for dinner.” I laughed at his banter. He always knew how to make me laugh.
“Sorry, Dad, long day.”
“Peyton is fine. Sleeping at the moment.” I paused briefly as a yawn of my own took over. “Oh, sorry, Dad... I guess I’m tired.”
“Natalie, we have always been honest with each other, haven’t we?”
The telltale stinging behind my eyes started as I knew what was coming. “Yes, Dad, we have,” I responded quietly.
“You don’t have to tell me everything. I just want to make sure he didn’t physically hurt you.”
“No, Daddy...just broke my heart. It isn’t entirely his fault though.”
Crain's Landing Page 24
