“Well, I don’t know if I should really be calling you.”
“You can always call me. For anything.”
“Uh . . . yeah. Well, it’s about Gabrielle.”
I heard the frown in his voice when he repeated her name. And then I began to spin my story. “I was hoping you could do me a favor and call her and get together with her in the morning.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, and she’s been really great with me. You know she gave me a job. But I heard her talking to Mauricio . . .” And then, I paused. His name had just come out—I hadn’t planned to include him, and right away, I was scared that this could be a bad move. Suppose Elijah called Mauricio? But there was nothing that I could do now.
I picked up my story. “I think she’s feeling a little left out.”
“Left out of what?”
“Well, all the attention has been on me, and . . .”
I paused as he laughed. “Trust me,” he said, “Gabby is fine. She was really happy to find out that you are her sister.”
“I know, but . . .” I paused. How could I convince him? “I would just feel better if Gabrielle felt better, too.”
Now I heard his smile. “You’re thinking about your sister.”
“I am. Everybody has been making such a big deal over me, and I just want you to do something special with her.”
“You know what? That’s a good idea. Okay, I’ll give her a call . . .”
“No. Uh . . . I mean, yeah. I was hoping you could just have her over to your house tomorrow morning for coffee or something.”
“Well, that won’t work.” His voice was so stern, so sure. “Gabby will never leave her office. She’s always so busy.”
“No, that’s why I’m calling you. I checked her calendar. I’m her . . . assistant.” I paused as I looked up and into the mirror. And in my reflection, I saw how much disdain I had for that word. “I’m her assistant,” I repeated. “You know that, right?”
“Yeah. Isn’t that great?”
With those words, Elijah moved from being one of my favorites. How could he think a second-rate position like that was what I deserved? I told him, “So, she’s free in the morning, but she has a really busy schedule for the rest of the week, and I think this will help her to start her day off.”
“Well, I had something I had to do in the morning . . .”
Oh, God! Why wouldn’t he just do what I asked?
“But you know what?” he said through my silent moaning. “I’m going to do it. I’m going to call her first thing in the morning. And why don’t you come with her?”
I rolled my eyes. Really? “That won’t work. I want you to give her all the attention.”
He chuckled. “The two of you . . . looking out for each other already.”
“I’m trying.”
“I love it, sweetheart. Well, consider it done.”
“Thank you, Elijah. And one thing—I want to look out for Gabrielle, but don’t tell her—”
“Oh, don’t worry. This will be my idea and our secret.”
That almost made me want to put him back on my favorites list. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. So, I’ll see you this weekend?”
“Yeah.”
“Looking forward to it. Love you.”
Speaking as fast as I could, I said, “Okay. Bye.” And I clicked off my phone, hoping he didn’t notice that I couldn’t say “I love you” back. I guessed that I could say it, but I didn’t want to be so fake.
I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. Everything was in place. Now I just had to hope and wait.
27
Gabrielle
Okay, Daddy. Your timing is perfect. I don’t have to be in the office early, so Keisha and I will drop by.” Even though he didn’t sound anything like he had just a few weeks before, I couldn’t help but wonder why my father wanted to see me. Again . . . a call in the morning. Again . . . he was calling from home. The last time, I’d ended up with a sister.
Today, would I have a brother?
That made me chuckle. But then that chuckle went away when my father said, “Uh . . . would you mind if it’s just the two of us, and not Keisha?”
Even though I frowned, I said, “Sure,” and dragged the word out as if it weren’t monosyllabic. After my, “Okay, I’ll see you in about thirty minutes,” I hung up the phone but held my cell in my hand.
“What’s up with Pops?” Mauricio asked as he stepped from the bathroom and made a path straight toward me. He stopped right in my personal space and handed me his bow tie.
Tossing my phone onto the bed, I turned my attention to Mauricio’s collar, though the frown on my face was deep.
My husband stepped back and, with his fingertips, lifted my chin so that my eyes were on his. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Just weird.” I went back to folding and tucking the tie. “Daddy didn’t say much. And you know what happened last time he summoned me to his home early in the morning.”
“Yeah.” Then he grinned, and I knew he was about to say something smart. He said, “Maybe this time you’ll get a brother.”
“That’s exactly what I thought.”
“That great-minds thing isn’t just a cliché. Anyway, let’s just do what we did before. I’ll take Bella to school, and you and Keisha can go to your dad’s.”
I tilted my head. “This was another thing that was weird. He wanted me to come alone,” I said, with my voice lowered. “That’s why I’m a little worried.”
“Oh.” There was surprise in his tone. “Well . . . instead of worrying, why don’t you just get over there. I’ll drop Bella off at school and Keisha at your office.”
I exhaled a little bit of relief. “Thanks, babe.” I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he smirked.
I knew what his smugness was about. It had been days since we’d argued about Justus, but even though we’d made up, we hadn’t made up. There was still a bit of distance between us, space that always remained whenever it came to my longtime friend and high school boyfriend.
Mauricio said, “Is this an apology?”
My answer: I kissed him with a fervor that was meant to leave him breathless, wanting, and imagining what would happen tonight. When I stepped back, I used the tips of my fingers to wipe my lipstick from his lips, kissed his cheek, and left him standing there watching me wide-eyed and wide-mouthed.
Oh, yeah, tonight was gonna be one to remember.
But first I had to deal with my dad.
“SO, HAVE YOU had enough?” my father asked me.
I lowered my eyes to my plate, which was filled with just the bones of two devoured chicken wings and the leftover syrup that hadn’t been sopped up by the waffle I’d chowed down.
When I looked back at my dad, I said, “Okay, you’ve fed me good; now you have to talk to me.” I pushed my plate aside. “Daddy, what’s going on?”
“Why does something have to be going on?” he asked as he lifted my plate from the table. “Can’t I just have breakfast with my beautiful daughter?”
“Of course you can.” I pushed my chair back and stood next to him as he piled our dishes into the sink. “But you never do because you’re always at work by six. So if you’re not at work . . .”
He chuckled and shook his head. “You think you know me, huh?”
“I do. So I’m figuring . . . last time, I got a new sister, and today . . .”
“All right.” He laughed and faced me. “I guess I have to tell you the truth.”
That made my heart pound a little faster. Was this about Keisha? Had he found out more news? Was this good or bad?
The questions rolled through my mind, and I pressed pause. My dad was standing right here.
He leaned against the sink and folded his arms. “It was really nothing, sweetness. I just wanted to check in with you. See how things are going. Because the last time I called you here, I turned your life upside do
wn.”
I breathed, a bit relieved but still questioning. “What do you mean?”
“Well”—he shrugged a little—“one morning I call you and tell you I have another daughter, and a week later, you have a new sister, a new assistant, and a new roommate.”
I laughed. “That about sums it up.”
He said, “So, how are things going and . . . do you think Keisha plans to stay?”
I nodded. Now this made sense. “Well, first, you didn’t turn a thing upside down. I love having a sister. Keisha’s a cool kid.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know if she sees herself as a kid.” He returned to his seat at the kitchen table, and I followed him.
“I know, I really like looking out for her; that’s why I call her a kid. But you’re right . . . she’s no kid because she’s really stepped up in the office. She’s a quick learner, she knows all things digital, she works hard, goes the extra mile . . . she’s a joy. So while I like looking out for her, she’s helping me quite a bit.”
“Good.” His voice suddenly got softer. “And, uh . . . what about at home? I’m sure you and Mauricio didn’t plan to have another mouth to feed.”
“Well, that’s not a problem.” I laughed. “But if you’re asking how is it having another person in our house, that’s been really cool, too. Especially for Bella.”
That made my dad’s face light up. “Bella likes having her there?”
I nodded. “But the thing is, Keisha loves having Bella there. Once we get home, the two of them spend all of their time together.” And then . . . Keisha’s words came back to my mind: So precious, my precious daughter.
Daddy said, “What? What is it?”
I shook my head to not only tell him that it was nothing, but to shake those thoughts away, too. Why did her words keep coming back to me?
“Is there a problem?”
After a final shake of my head, I turned to my dad with a smile. “No, it truly is wonderful, and while Keisha is a gift to you, she’s been a gift to me, too.”
He grinned as he stood and pulled me into a hug. “Now, if it ever gets to be too much, she can come and stay here with me. Although this”—he paused and glanced around the kitchen—“is nothing compared to that mansion where she’s living right now.”
“We don’t have a mansion, but this is all you need to know: She’s fine. I’m fine. We’re fine. It’s wonderful.”
He nodded. “Well, now that I got all the information I needed, I’m sure you’re itching to get out of here.”
“I love you, but I am.” From the back of the chair where I’d been sitting, I lifted the jacket to my suit, then grabbed my purse from the sofa.
He said, “I told Keisha that I wanted to get together this weekend.”
“Okay, we’ll do that. I’ll arrange something.” I gave my dad a kiss and rushed out the door.
Though I’d enjoyed my time with him and those chicken and waffles were the truth, I still had the feeling there was more to this morning meal. Maybe he just needed this assurance—that everything was cool with his daughters.
His daughters.
I was glad I could report that all was better than well.
Inside my car I put on my sunglasses, hit the button to call the office, but then clicked it off and instead thought about the conversation I’d had with Keisha the other day. There was something else I wanted to do right now. In two seconds, I had the plan in my head, then as I dialed the number, I grinned, just thinking about the look that would be on Keisha’s face when I carried this out this weekend.
28
Keisha
The moment Regan opened her office door and stepped out, I lowered my head and pretended that I was searching for something on my phone.
Gabrielle’s best witch was almost stomping as she led the two men from the Chancellor Corporation into the outer office. She paused when they were between where I was sitting and Mattie’s desk.
“Mr. Flynn, Mr. Williams, once again, I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine what happened to Gabrielle.” She looked over her shoulder at me as if this were my fault.
My face was solemn as I held up my phone, indicating that I was still trying to reach Gabrielle.
Mr. Williams said, “Well, the good thing is that we’re leaving with the numbers.” Turning back, he looked at me. “Thank you, young lady.”
He smiled, Regan glared, and I beamed. My plan . . . had worked.
While Regan walked the men to the elevator, I sat back, inhaled accomplishment, and exhaled relief. Through the glass panels, I watched Regan shake the men’s hands, then she marched back toward the office with fire in her eyes and brimstone in her steps.
She pushed the door open with such force it rattled, and that made me sit up straight. Especially once she came straight for me.
“Have you been calling Gabrielle?”
I held up my phone so that she could see Gabrielle’s name under my recent calls. “What do you think I’ve been doing?”
“Let me call her myself,” she said as if I were inept.
Just as she picked up the phone on my desk, Gabrielle sailed into the office. “Good morning,” she sang.
Regan slammed down the phone and faced her. “Where have you been?”
“What? Didn’t Keisha tell you?”
They both turned to me. “No,” I said, ready with this answer. “You didn’t tell me anything,” I reminded Gabrielle. “All Mauricio said was that you had an appointment. I didn’t know anything else.” That was the truth. Mauricio had only told me that he would be driving me to the office. I guessed he didn’t want me to know that Gabrielle and Elijah were getting together without me.
Regan turned her glare back to Gabrielle as if she was now giving her permission to speak.
Gabrielle said, “I’m here now, but if you have to know, I was having breakfast with my dad.” She looked from Regan to me, then back to her best witch. “What’s going on?”
“You just missed the financial meeting with the Chancellor Corporation. Remember, the follow-up they wanted to have before they made the decision about which PR firm they were going to choose?”
“Oh my God.” She pressed her hand against her chest. “That was this morning?”
Regan nodded, and they both turned toward me.
“I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened, but somehow the calendar didn’t sync correctly when I got this new tablet. Everything from Pamela’s didn’t download to mine.”
“What?” She shook her head as if she was confused.
“That’s why I didn’t tell you about the meeting.” I continued my explanation. “Because it’s not on my calendar or yours. It’s like the cloud wiped it out or something.”
“Oh my God.” Gabrielle exhaled as if she were just getting the full understanding. “I missed the meeting?”
Regan nodded, and I waited for her to say something. But when she didn’t fill Gabrielle in, I did.
“But I was able to step in and give them the numbers.” I stood up. “I remembered that you’d worked on them sometime last week, so I went into your computer, got the numbers, and printed them out.”
“Really?” She frowned as if she didn’t understand how I was able to do that. “Well, why didn’t anyone call me?”
Regan glared at me and once again, I held up my phone. “I did, like a dozen times. And it would ring a few times and then go to voice mail.”
Gabrielle grabbed her phone from her purse, tapped the screen, and said, “I don’t have any missed calls.”
Another glare from Regan, but her scowl didn’t scare me. I held out my phone. “You can check it.”
When Regan grabbed it from me, I was a bit surprised, but then, I was even more amazed when she and Gabrielle studied my call log.
“Ugh,” Gabrielle moaned. “I see what happened. You were calling our home phone.”
I gave her a blank look. “It says cell.”
“Yeah, I guess when I put in my numbers when we were buyin
g your phone at the store, I must’ve mixed them up.” She took the phone from Regan and handed it back to me. “My fault,” she said to me, and then she turned to Regan. Regan folded her arms, and her stare stayed hot. As if she still thought I was to blame. After a moment, she said, “Well, they got their numbers, and that was what they came for.” She shook her head, glanced at me, then said to Gabrielle, “Can I talk to you in my office? Go over what I told them?”
Gabrielle nodded, and then, as she moved past me, I mouthed, I’m sorry.
She nodded and smiled as if she was trying to assure me that all was well. She didn’t have to tell me that—this, I already knew.
When Regan closed, or rather, slammed her office door, Mattie whispered, “That was intense.”
I nodded, kicked back my chair for a moment, and then sauntered into Gabrielle’s office. I closed the door behind me, then let my eyes drift from one corner of the room to the other. This office with the big red block desk and the yellow leather butterfly chairs wasn’t like anything that I would have designed, but I’d be able to work it.
I still hadn’t figured out this company situation yet because Regan and I didn’t like each other—I certainly didn’t want her for a partner. But I’d figure out how to get rid of her later. Today proved that I was going to be able to pull this whole thing off. There was not a bit of this situation that I didn’t plan out—down to switching the numbers that Gabrielle had put into my phone. I’d done more than just cover the bases, I’d wrapped each one up in silk and satin.
Moving toward the oversize purple chair behind her desk, I sat down, but then I popped up and locked the door before I returned to where I’d been. I snuggled into the chair, then swiveled so I faced the windows.
This view was everything, this was Los Angeles, this was just a moment away from being my life.
The way this was beginning to go down, I wondered if this way had been God’s plan all along. Maybe God was looking out for me and He believed that since I’d lost so much, He was going to give me this new life. I’d just have to work for it.
I laughed. I was thinking about God, giving Him credit . . . something that I’d never thought I’d do again. I’d been doubting Him for such a long time—since I was fourteen, really. Since I’d met Mr. Stanley. And when Mr. Stanley deserted me when I was fifteen, I knew for sure that God had left me, too.
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