Four: Stories of Marriage

by Nia Forrester

  “And what’s all this. What’s going on?”

  “I told Jamal I needed a couple people to help me with a new project I’m working on. Why? Does it bother you having people working here? I told Felicity to keep the kids well clear of …”

  “No, it’s not that.”

  But she didn’t know what “it” was.

  At the mention of Felicity though, she thought of Elaine. The still unresolved issue of Elaine Richards, which had been burrowing around in the back of her mind like a worm.

  “Rick’s outside,” Chris said. “I told him you’d probably need him to run you into the city as soon as you were ready.”

  “I do. Thank you. But … what’s this new project?”

  “I don’t know for sure yet. It’s something Riley and I were talking about.”

  Robyn exhaled sharply. “Riley knows about this?”

  “It was her idea. Look … baby I need to …” He nodded in the direction of the office.

  “Okay, I can see you’re busy.”

  “Yeah. See you tonight.” He kissed her almost absently on her forehead and turned to go back to the office.

  “Second time’s a charm,” Jamal said nodding at Robyn and Rebecca. “You guys did a good job with this. All those non-issues his lawyer brought up? That was just shit to make him feel like he earned his fee.”

  “It was mostly Robyn’s work,” Rebecca said. “I was the definite second-chair on this one.”

  “However y’all worked it out, don’t matter to me. Kendrick signed, and we own that ass until mid-century, that’s all I care about. Go buy yourselves a bottle of champagne or something.”

  When Jamal was gone, Robyn lingered, even though she had very little to gather. Rebecca, standing up from the table, slid her iPad back into its case, smiled at her briefly and then turned back to the task of stacking her things together.

  “Good work,” she muttered.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Robyn said, shaking her head.

  “Do what?” Rebecca didn’t look at her.

  “You drew up the framework for the new contract, Rebecca. And all I had to do was color by numbers after that. You don’t have to give me more credit than I’m due.”

  She looked up, her grey eyes curious now. She wasn’t quite sure she trusted where this was going, and Robyn didn’t blame her for her caution.

  “You didn’t need my help in getting this to the finish line,” Robyn continued.

  “I know that,” Rebecca said, her gaze even. “But you’re acting GC. I know how the game is played.”

  Robyn smiled. “Except, I don’t think we should have to play games. You’re smart and capable, and I wanted you hired for that reason. Yet these past few weeks, I’ve been pretty … threatened by just how smart and capable you are.”

  Rebecca sat.

  “And you’re driven. And dedicated. Every morning when I get here at seven, you’re already here, or get here shortly after me. So, are you … interested in being general counsel?”

  Rebecca folded her arms but said nothing.

  “Because if you are …” Robyn swallowed hard. “I wouldn’t oppose it.”

  “But I thought you were …”

  “I’m acting general counsel. I could make it known that I’m … satisfied with the deputy role. And that I support someone else’s appointment.”

  “You would be my deputy?”

  Robyn shrugged. “I guess that’s the way it would work.”

  “They’re doing a national search for someone.”

  “Yes. So, there’s a strong possibility it wouldn’t be you, but …”

  “Hopefully not a strong possibility,” Rebecca said archly.

  Robyn smiled. “What I mean is, it still might not be you. But I’d be happy to …” No point telling that lie. ‘Happy’ would be overstating things just a bit. “I’d make it known that I’m no longer looking to be considered, and that I would support you as GC if that’s what the board were to decide.”

  Finally, Rebecca looked like she believed.

  “Robyn, that’s very gener …”

  “It’s not that generous.” Robyn shook her head. “This is my husband’s company that he worked very hard to build. I have every interest in making sure the general counsel is someone who’ll do a stellar job. And I know that you would.”

  “Thank you,” Rebecca’s voice was hoarse.

  “No need to thank me. Just be a kinder boss than I was to you.” Robyn said.

  Leaving a little early seemed well-deserved, for whatever part she may have played in bringing Kendrick Cruise back to safe harbor, so Robyn knocked off around four and took a company car directly home. She did notice as she left that unsurprisingly, Rebecca was sticking around even though Jamal had made it clear that as far as he was concerned, they had earned their keep, at least for the day.

  It would take a little while for the sting to die down, Robyn thought, as she exited the hired car and went into the house. She wasn’t accustomed to relinquishing a prize that was still very much up for grabs, but after watching and listening to Rebecca downplay her contribution to getting the Cruise contract done, the ‘win’ for the position of GC would not have felt like a win. It would have felt like a … theft. And she was not a thief.

  The foyer of the house was empty, but Robyn knew that because of their home’s security system, there was no way at least three people didn’t know she had arrived. Still, the house was quiet. It was early still, so Felicity would be with the children, upstairs, or maybe out back on the terrace, though she hoped not, since the temperature had recently taken a nosedive.

  Dropping her pocketbook near the stairs, she went down the hallway toward Chris’ office, wondering whether the two young people who had been with him that morning were still there.

  They were. Staring at their laptops sitting at his meeting table, while Chris stood at the window. He was looking out onto the front driveway and courtyard and talking on the phone. He was doing more listening than speaking, and occasionally nodded at something he was told. His posture was different, more confident.

  The thought surprised her because Chris was confident. He always was. Except maybe, she thought now, less so of late. Only now that it was back in full force did she realize it had diminished or been muted somewhat recently.

  For how long? How long had it been since she had noticed—or not noticed—what was happening with her husband? What else hadn’t she noticed? Her mind went immediately to Elaine Richards.

  “Chris.”

  Only when she spoke did anyone notice her, they had all been so engrossed in their respective tasks.

  Chris spun, and seeing her, looked surprised then pleased. He told the person on the other end of the line that he would call them back and strode over to her, pulling her against him with one arm around her waist. His assistants discreetly dropped their gazes back to the work on their computers.

  “You’re early today,” he said.

  “Yes. We re-signed Kendrick Cruise, so I thought I’d use my victory lap to come home and see my family.”

  “Felicity has the kids at …”

  “You,” Robyn modified. “Of course I want to see the kids. But really, I wanted to come home early to see you.”

  Chris looked at her closely, studying her, his gaze running over her face, settling on her mouth, then roaming back up to her eyes and lingering there.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, keeping his voice low so only she could hear.

  Robyn shook her head.

  Taking her by the hand, Chris led her out into the hallway, and asked her again.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Still she said nothing. She wasn’t sure how to verbalize it. She had been self-centered, she had been blind, she hadn’t been paying attention.

  He leaned in closer, nuzzled her at the curve of her neck, and Robyn let her head fall to one side, closing her eyes to revel in it. He was always there when she needed him. Always. It hadn’t occ
urred to her that he might need her. And what was worse, she hadn’t been there when he did.

  “Let’s go upstairs,” she said.

  She felt Chris’ grin against her neck. “Now?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Now.”

  She didn’t have to convince him, or ask again, he just took her by the hand, and led her there.

  In their bedroom, as soon as the door was shut behind them he turned and with no preliminaries, lifted and carried her to the bed, tossing her back onto it. He tugged his shirt free of his pants and shrugged them off, watching as she removed her own clothes. When she was naked, he held her by the ankles, dragging her to the edge of the bed.

  When he kissed her, his hands dropped to the small of her back, urging her forward and then he guided himself inside her. His lips still on hers, he stood still, while Robyn felt him pulsing and her body clenching rhythmically in response. They were like that for a while, neither of them moving, their bodies speaking to each other in whispers.

  Chris’ lips scarcely left hers, and he didn’t pull back, or push forward, but just stood there so she could feel him. Robyn felt full, stretched, but the irresistible urge to tilt and press her hips forward to get even more of him, all if she could. But when she tried, Chris’ hand on her hip stilled her. He kissed her jaw and neck, so softly his facial hair tickling her, her skin tingling.

  She tried once again. And once again he stilled her. Robyn’s core had become hot, and liquid. Chris looked at her. He stared in her eyes and reached down between them pulling back just enough so he could exert gentle pressure on her clit with his thumb. He didn’t rub or circle it. He just … pressed.

  And it was as though he had pressed a magic button. Robyn’s orgasm was immediate. And this was not a whisper. It was a rush so profound her legs clenched, wrapping themselves around his thighs and involuntarily pulling him to her. Her head fell back, and she cried out.

  “Shh,” Chris said into her ear, kissing her there. “Shh.”

  Not to quiet her, Robyn realized in wonder, to comfort her.

  14

  She slept afterward, though she wasn’t sure for how long. By the time she woke up, the light had softened, and the room was almost dark. Sitting upright, she checked the time and went to shower. Felicity would be leaving soon, and if she got organized she could help Mrs. Lawson with dinner, something she hadn’t done in a very long time. Robyn’s mind was fuzzy and sluggish from the deep, coma-like sleep and what preceded it. She smiled thinking about how just the memory of recent lovemaking with her husband could still produce a girlish giddiness, like a first crush.

  After the first time, they’d done it once more, and that time, Chris allowed himself to finish, but only after again taking care of her first, as he always did. Then he kissed her, asked if she was okay, and said he had to go back to work. It should have been jarring, to have him leave her so quickly but it wasn’t. It felt good in a strange way because it was him saying he had something to do that was important, but that taking care of her first, had been more important. And once done, he could resume the other, lower priority task.

  She thought of the past several weeks, and how he had been doing just that, though in a different way—taking care of her, when he needed care.

  The nap and shower had her refreshed, and Robyn felt lighter somehow as she descended the stairs to see what was going on with her family. She suspected Chris would still be working, even if he had sent Scott and the girl whose name she had forgotten home. It wouldn’t be long before he got official office space, and started going there every day, and hired new people. She knew this, even though she still had no idea what this new venture was about. Chris was not one to sit idle for long.

  “Oh, hello!”

  At the foot of the stairs, Elaine Richards stood. And next to her, Chris.

  Mrs. Lawson wasn’t in sight, and neither was Felicity. The mellow certainty Robyn felt just moments before dissipated somewhat seeing the two of them there together, in the dim foyer, Elaine standing a little too close for Robyn’s taste.

  “Hi,” she managed. “Did Felicity …”

  “Yes, she’s gone to get her things. It’s getting nippy out, isn’t it? So I thought I’d come wait for her in here.” And when Robyn said nothing, she added, “I hope that’s okay.”

  “Of course,” Chris said.

  Before Robyn could add anything, Felicity came from the rear of the house, a tote slung over her shoulder.

  “See you tomorrow, Mr. Scaife, Mrs. Scaife,” she said, touching her mother on the shoulder indicating she was ready to go.

  “Actually,” Robyn said. “We won’t need you tomorrow, Felicity. I’m going to be home to spend some time with the children, so … we’ll call you, okay?”

  Elaine Richards went very still, and Felicity smiled, though a little uncertainly.

  “Okay,” she said. “So, I’ll … wait to hear from you then, about when you’ll need me next?”

  “Yes,” Robyn said. “Thank you. You both have a good night.”

  She smiled at Elaine Richards, pointedly waiting for the woman to follow her daughter out the front door and to her car.

  “Goodnight,” Elaine said.

  Sending one last glance in Chris’ direction, she turned to follow Felicity, though it was clear there was something more she would have liked to say.

  Once they were gone, Robyn shut the door decisively and leaned against it, giving Chris a shrug.

  “Well,” she said. “That woman just lost her daughter her job. I’m going to see about dinner with Mrs. Lawson. I know you’re probably working, Chris, but please be ready to eat in about an hour.”

  She shoved herself off the door and tried to brush past him when he grabbed her arm. For a moment, Robyn thought she was about to castigated, but instead he walked her backward until she was pressed against a wall. Widening his stance so his legs straddled hers, he looked down at her. His brows were furrowed, his expression quizzical, but he didn’t speak.

  Instead, he kissed her, one hand cupping the back of her head. Then, just as suddenly, he released her, and by the time Robyn reopened her eyes, he was striding down the hall to his office.

  They ate dinner together, all four of them—Robyn, Caity, Landyn and Chris—sitting together in his office at the same table where the SE staff had worked earlier in the day. After considering having him come eat in the kitchen Robyn decided not to pull Chris away from his office after all, and instead, she and Mrs. Lawson set things up for the evening meal while he stared at his computer, semi-oblivious to the activity just a few feet away.

  When they finally brought the children in, Robyn had Caity go pull him away from his desk, knowing that for her, he would do just about anything. Sitting opposite each other at the table, Chris tending to Caity’s messy eating while Robyn looked after Landyn, they said very little. And the quiet helped Robyn recognize the sense of contentment she got, just by being there with her babies and the man who had given them to her.

  Looking up from smashing a meatball and putting it in Landyn’s sauce-covered fingers, she felt Chris’ eyes on her. Robyn tilted her head to one side in silent inquiry.

  Shaking his head to let her know he didn’t need anything Chris didn’t look away but blinked lazily, watching as she fed their son.

  Watching Robyn with Landyn, it crossed Chris’ mind that before her, he had never experienced this with any of his other kids and their mothers. Not with Deuce, nor Jasmin and Kaden. He had never been part of the day-to-day-ness of being with a woman and watching her nurture their children. It made him both sad for what he’d missed and grateful for what he had now.

  Their daughter was nodding off over her plate of spaghetti, so pushing back from the table, Chris reached for her. Caity put her arms up so he could lift her, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder. She smelled like little girl perspiration, and spaghetti sauce.

  He carried her up to her bed and lay her down on it, removing al
l but her undershirt and underwear, tucking her under the sheets and backing quietly out of the room. Robyn might have made her wake up to brush her teeth first, but with the little ones, Chris was the lax parent. On his way back down, he passed Robyn on her way up to put Landyn to bed as well.

  He was in his office when she returned a few minutes later, clearing away the remains of their meal and then coming back to join him.

  “Tell me about what you’re working on?” she said, sitting in the same chair where she’d eaten her dinner.

  Chris was surprised. He expected at least some interrogation about Elaine Richards. After all, she had basically ushered the woman and her daughter out of the house earlier in the evening and made it clear that neither of them would be back.

  “Thinking about starting a new media company.”

  “You’re thinking about starting a new company?” Robyn echoed.

  “Doing a little research, talking to some folks. It was something Riley came up with that might be kind of interesting. Question is, will it make money. So that’s where I’m at, trying to figure the business side of it out.”

  “You’re thinking about starting a whole new company and I didn’t even know.”

  She looked down, speaking not to him but to herself.

  “It’s been forty-eight hours, Robyn,” he said quietly. “There’s nothing for you to know.”

  She nodded, and then looked at him. “I’m telling Jamal tomorrow that I’m withdrawing my name from the running for the GC position.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I didn’t want it for the right reasons. Maybe I didn’t want it at all.”

  Chris narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t sound right. Are you sure you’re not …?”

  “Doing it because things have been a little … weird between us lately?”

  He nodded.

  “I can’t pretend that isn’t part of it.”

  “What’s the other part?”

  “There’s someone at SE who might be better in this role than me. You know, Rebecca.” She shrugged. “And I … I honestly don’t think Jamal will give her a fair shot if I’m the other alternative.”