Soul Mates. The Beginning.

by Christine Wood

  “Lorna, it’s me Mel what’s the matter? You’re on speaker Chris is here too.”

  “Mel, it’s really you? Thank God, they have been ringing me all night, I couldn’t tell them where you where I thought you were in Mexico sorting out some legal problem for Chris, where are you?”

  “We are with Bella and her family, and I am not telling you where they are, they still need to be kept safe. Listen we are going to be sending security to watch you, don’t bother packing get dressed as though going to work and do nothing differently. The security detail will follow you don’t worry about looking for them, they have been following you a while. Go into work as normal, then head to your office wait ten minutes and head to the roof, and I will have a helicopter grab you and your security from there and fly you to the airport, to get the jet to bring you here from there. Don’t worry Lorna we will look out for you, are you alright?”

  “Chris, they wanted to know where you where too? I don’t know what’s going on they are nutters the pair of them. Dad had another serious, proper heart attack, a proper one Chris, not a sympathy one. Jameson will be ringing you when he’s out of surgery. They went nutty and have been ringing all night.” We all gasped.

  “Listen we can discuss Hoyt later, but for now, do you have anything to do with me having Luis Humphries baby Lorna?”

  “Oh hell, I, oh, I guess you know then? How did you know the father was Luis? Have you had her early, and she looks like him, God are you alright?”

  “No it’s a long story too, I’m fine and Nina is fine, carry on please Lorna.”

  “Mel, I never meant for you to find out, it’s just you helped me so much. I, crapfess, I’m in trouble, aren’t I? I’m so sorry, but I wanted to give you the thing you most wanted, Luis’s baby. I sort of had it planned a while, you know after we discussed your wanting a sperm donor, you asked did my clinic have anything as good looking as dick-for-brains. You wanted the baby, but without the dad thing and all night long you whined on and on about not wanting a dick like Luis anyway, his kids yes but not the idiot dad, so when you wouldn’t stop bleating on about the dick ignoring you…”

  “Lorna, that dick-for-brains, dick, is sat here too as are my parents…” Luis smiles as he says it.

  “Oh I’m sorry. I forgot I was on speaker. Hello Mr and Mrs Humphries. Luis, I still think you’re a dick though, my sister is worth ten of any of your Barbie Bimbos.”

  “He is a very stupid boy you’re quite correct, Melissa is indeed a very nice girl, very pretty and too good for Luis. Now dear, why did you do it and how did you do it?” My dad was being so calm despite wanting to throttle Luis. Luis, he was not doing a lot, but mutter he wasn’t a dick, how childish? Nah he was just being my dick of a brother Lou- Lou. I’d laugh but I am staring at my boys hugging each other and playing. What a bloody great sight it is!

  “Well the hardest part was getting Luis contribution. I had to wait for one of his many New York bar crawls. I knew from his Facebook account that they were going to be out one weekend, on a bar trip. I posed as an agent for a modelling agency, and the other lads were well up for it, then they asked did it pay well. I said to the lad whose party it was, that it was not paid at all, but if they wanted extra money, had they thought of donating blood, or you know man stuff? They were well up for it not the blood stuff, the man stuff, typical men won’t save lives but are willing to jerk off to porn for an hour or so.”

  “Lorna, my mother-in-law is here. Please watch your mouth.” Chris laughed as he said it.

  “Sorry I forgot, alright Chris sorry. Right, where was I? A challenge of Luis’s was to get as many rounds of drinks for free, as they could. So my donating idea meant they were getting their drinks from somewhere other than their drinks kitty. Apparently, Luis also set up another challenge, to do something the folks wouldn’t approve of and it had to be something they couldn’t, or they wouldn’t get arrested for. So I told them I also worked in a fertility centre and they paid very well for, err, you know, donations?

  After their donations were received, I put Luis aside, and put together a fantastic folder full of Luis’s best features. Sheisk, which was hard work, thinking of good things to write about him I can tell you. Included in the folder where photos of him, photos that showed off his body, and just a distant look at his face, he was playing sports and golf and well you get the gist? I did such a great job, that when I phoned Melissa, she came and had a look see, at the newest donor. You’re a dumb ass and my sister is too good for you Luis, and just so you know, I am going to kick your ass when I get there, you know that right?”

  “Lorna, I get the picture you think I’m not good enough for your wonderful sister. right?”

  “Well, right as long as you know she is wonderful, I’m still gonna kick your ass though.”

  “Lorna, please continue you’re due to be getting ready to leave for work.” Chris was grinning at Luis who was ogling Mel and smiling.

  “Alright Chris it was a great folder and she bought his whole donation. She never knew it was Luis, just that the guy kind of reminded her of him. Sorry Sis, I thought I was giving you what you wanted, without having the dick-for-brains Luis knowing. How did you and him find out, please tell me you two haven’t done it again, not after six years? Really where did you meet him this time, hopefully not drinking on another bar trip, you shouldn’t be drinking Mel?”

  “I haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since the accident, as you well know, though I could do with a whole bottle of wine about now. Chris had the plane diverted to Vegas, and we flew here to their home. I knew when I saw him at the airport, the photos gave him away. He came to meet us as we landed I knew it was Luis because he was wearing those same hideous freaky goofy golf pants he had on in the damn photos I looked at. There can’t be two pairs of them in the world?”

  “Freaky? I am hurt because they are very me I will have you know. Really the pants were what gave it away?” My dad was in stitches laughing at Luis face, the pants were awful and had hideous Hawaiian flowers all over them and he teamed it with an equally hideous shirt, cap, and orange socks, yes, I agree with dad and Mel, he was truly noticeable in them.

  “No they really are hideous, my club have petitioned for them to be burnt Luis.”

  “Really the pants gave you away. I am so sorry Luis, Mr and Mrs Humphries, but she was only doing it to give me something nice. Lorna thank you and be careful. Ring us as soon as you get to work, please, now get to the hotel and ring me from your office. I’m sure Chris will put a good team together you’re in no danger. I will see you when you get here.”

  “Am I not in trouble? Mel, Chris are you going to shout at me?”

  “No little Sis we aren’t. The man following you from my team is called Grant Williams, he is already watching you, and he has been doing so since we moved you to Chicago, he will be waiting outside your door. He will take you to work and bring you here and see to it you are safe Lorna.”

  “You had me followed Chris, why did you not trust me?”

  “We trust you little one and a hundred percent too. We don’t trust those two, now grab your passport, some clothes, then give the bag to Grant and do as Mel said, go to work and act normal, or as normal as you can, you fruit loop. Really you did all this on your own? If you did, you should be working in mergers and acquisitions Lorna.” We all laugh and agree.

  “Really, I did, sorry.” She said goodbye and went to change for work, having been told to leave everything electrical in her office, and just bring her personal paperwork and purse. Chris arranged for them to meet Molly in New York and fly together here, Molly, she too is told to leave her phone and electrics with Chris’s security guy. I then wondered when and if this cloak and dagger stuff would ever end.

  “Well we have our answer to the who, the what, the why, the where and how Baby Nina is on her way, it seems my son and Melissa need to do some talking, because I’m sure they have things to discuss. Bella show Chris around the place. Take Ethan to ride his po
ny I’m sure Hill’s has been great letting him ride, she just well…”

  “...Doesn’t handle a two year old fire cracker. I’m sure Chris is up for a ride, we can’t do anything until they get here, are you sending for Henry, Chris?”

  “No Bedford has everything covered here, this is his territory after all, and you have been well looked after here. I just have to phone Jameson and see how Dad is fairing, and where he is and what he knows about Roger and Catherine’s stalking of Lorna.”

  “How did you know to have her watched Chris?”

  “Call it a gut feeling. I thought because you and Lorna had become close, they or Dad would do something, but I wasn’t having her calls monitored, my guy was just her watched, I’m glad I did now. Can I use your office here Bella?”

  “Umm, yeah of course mi casa es su casa, you don’t have to ask. I will get Ethan ready for his ride, are you alright?”

  “Fine Bella, I have everything I need right here, I won’t be long. Hugh and Maria I will see you in a moment.”

  “Fine take your time, Maria and I have to talk to the nurse about flying to Australia, unless you feel okay staying here it’s rather safe you know?”

  “I know and I haven’t been able to find Bella, so I hardly think they will be able to manage, we will speak later. Please let me just get this talk out of the way and we’ll discuss it further, I can never tell with him if it’s a play for my attention or not, he’s cried wolf so many times Hugh.”

  “I know Son, I know. Well fingers crossed.” I doubt there’s a thing wrong with him, but I go to use Bella’s office and hope for the best. I get through to Jameson. He answers immediately and I hold my breath.

  “Chris, thank the lord, it’s bad news I’m afraid, he’s just died. I was just about to phone you. They operated last night, I’ve tried getting a hold of Mel and Lorna, the others have been informed, but as next of kin you have to deal with all this, and as soon as you can Chris please? It’s going to be a rough couple of months. Roger is trying to sort things, but your father, well let’s just say he didn’t trust the pair of them. Bring your sisters please they are with you, aren’t they?”

  “What… Yes… I mean yes they are with me, what can I do from here?”

  “Well not a lot really, he set plans in motion months ago for today and top of his list was to get you in charge of the group, and as soon as possible.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think he’d do that, why did he do that?”

  “You’re his heir, his legitimate heir, you have always known this Chris, but Roger and Catherine are not happy at all. They have been looking for you everywhere and are tailing the girls. Can you get back quickly, because as soon as they are dealt with things should get better?” I was stunned, and as much as I thought I hated my father, why was this hurting so much?

  “Jameson, I have a family now, I can’t possibly just drop everything and get there, my son needs me and my wife and I have only just got back, but this needs sorting can you have the other five at the hotel when I get there?”

  “Your son, you have a wife?”

  “I have Jameson, I married the mother of my son yesterday and flew straight here to meet him, I’d love for you to see them.”

  “I’d like that too, are you happy Chris?”

  “More than I ever thought possible, being his father has blown me away, he’s so wonderful, he and his mother are the best things in my life. I expect if we come, it will be en masse as the French say, we will stop at By the Park, have them all there in two days please, as you say as soon as this is over the better.”

  “They will be here and awaiting you at your fathers hotel there. They have no choice, because as soon as died, he had their trust funds put on hold until you authorise their payments to start again. As I said, he’s stirred up some trouble for you even from beyond the grave. I have extra security in and have locked down the office and his rooms, just until you get here.”

  “I will be there as soon as I can Jameson. I’ll have the jet readied, my family may not be with me, and I can’t ask them to come. Hugh is ill and Ethan hasn’t travelled before. Shit this couldn’t have happened at a worse time, I will be there Jameson as soon as I can, and thank you, thanks for everything.” I said I’d be there as soon as I could. I put the phone down and for the strangest of reasons a tear fell from my chin, when did that sucker escape? Bella came in and looked at me. Did I look that bad?

  “Chris, was it bad news?”

  “The worst kind Bella, he has just died and I have to get back to New York as soon as possible, he was doing a business deal there and had a massive heart attack and died on the operating table, so I have to go back to sort everything out. Give me a minute, please? I will have Grant stop there with Lorna and have him hold Molly there too. I can’t ask you to come with me, so I will get this over with and get straight back.”

  “I’m coming with you, I’m supposed to be by your side, isn’t that what wives do? Besides, Ethan will love the trip in the plane. We are going on a road trip how’s that sound like Ethan?”

  “Me fly in plane with Daddy?”

  “You can help Daddy fly the plane, how does that sound Ethan?” He was placed in my arms.

  “Yeahhhhhh...” I held on to my son, and cried as he clung on to me for dear life, these were the moments I’d hoped for from my father, this little boy in my arms is going to know what it’s like to be loved by me, every single day of the year, ever year of his life, he will get what I missed out on.

  “Are you alright Chris?”

  “Yes, I feel sad for some reason, but having you two here helps, come on we need to pack again. I will explain everything to Hugh, they won’t want to schlep all the way there and who could blame him?” Bella shrugged her shoulders and smiled as Ethan and I left her to the packing.

  “Come on little man lets go and tell Papa we are going to America again.”

  “Am, err, i, ca… In a plane with Daddy yeahhhhhh…”

  “Yeah Son, yeah, come on rug rat let’s get us some talking done.” He held on to me as hard as I held on to my precious little boy. He already has my heart and I couldn’t imagine another day without him, so how could my father be so cruel to his children, not just me, but the others too? I could never be as heartless as him, perhaps that’s what he did for me, made me want to be a better father because of how he treated me, God is the only one who knows now?

  “Hugh, Maria I’m sorry but we have to leave, my father died in the night and I have to get there as soon as I can, Mel too of course, I can’t ask you to come, I’d like you by my side but I understand if you cannot.”

  “Nonsense, Maria was just saying we needed to get out of here for a while, weren’t you dear?”

  “I was yes Hugh, now we need to pack. Have Bedford get both jets ready, the whole security team needs to be there with us. Now I wonder what we still have in, oh which hotel Hugh, Chris?”

  “By the Park, if that’s alright? I technically own all Dad’s places now, so I could stop there, but By the Park always seemed like home to me.”

  “Yes, you did spend a lot of time there with us, didn’t you Son? Now, I will phone Rachel and put her off for a while, that’s just too much to deal with as well.”

  “Right, Ethan and I are going to see to it that Hills takes good care of Mojo and we will see you later.” I spent two hours running my boy ragged, so he would sleep for most of the flight. The dog and horses were left in Hills care, and the cars were loaded and sorted by my very capable wife, we then made our way to the airport, the jets were ready and Henry and Tammy were on their way from Australia too. I did time the trip well, her folks were all too happy to be left on charge of their grandchildren, my other rug rats are being spoilt, I have missed those three too, the ranch is going to be full of children when we get back, if we get back.

  Bella may not want to settle there. Crap when did life get so damn complicated? Ethan tugged at my shirt and I then realised I’d become a family guy, and I ain’t for cha
nging. I have enough money to get the whole show moved to wherever my wife wants to live, let’s get these next few weeks outta the way and then it’s us time. Bedford and Hugh talked for a couple of hours about his security issues and it had to be said he raised some valid points. Ethan was a target more now, my sister had been threatened, we were sure it was Rogers doing, helped, as ever by Catherine. I figured I’d add my opinions into the security talk, my fears for my child and my wife. I hoped Bedford would put me out of my misery. He was amazingly good at this crap. He’d kept my son and Bella away from me after all.

  “I am my father’s legal heir, even though we fell out, he apparently rated me as a businessman, damn good of him. He left me all the hotels, perhaps they thought with me out of the way, everything would go to them. I have always told Roger whatever he did it wouldn’t make him any more of a legitimate son than any of the others. I was all he considered his, the others were just mistakes of their mothers, but considering he always thought of me as your son Hugh, I never understood why he had me down as legitimate. Why was he like that Hugh, did you know him before me?”

  “Yes, he was always top of his game, his father too. Your grandfather was a hard man, he had your father running at his beck and call. I always felt sorry for him, your father that is, because his father belittled him all his adult life. Always telling him that he was useless and would never be as good as the legitimate heir to his empire, his eldest son was killed in the war, and as your grandfather couldn’t have more children, all he had left was your father, a product of a small dalliance of your grandfather.

  I only found out this from my father. We, your father and I were both brought up in the hotel game by our fathers, much as you and Bella were, as I said perhaps that’s where he gets his hate of illegitimate children from. You know his father despising him for being alive and his favoured son dead, who knows? I know I consider Luis my child and could never think of him any differently from Bella. My father was a wonderful man and I learnt from the best, alas your father learnt nothing, something I’m glad to say he did not pass on to you, you are wonderful with my grandson, perhaps old Hoyt was just wired wrong? I know he was never a happy man, even when he married your mother, he always thought he wasn’t worthy of her, but God rest his soul when your mother sees him again she will give him what for, that’s the first thing Maria said as we were packing, she’d like to be there when they meet up again.” I laughed I didn’t think they’d get to meet up, because it has to be hot where Dad is going.