Slow and deliberate they walked together into Collin’s office. Dominique had already started packing the files, along with the stack of paper that they’d copied for the audit.
“Oh, I see that you’ve come as comrade-in-arms, quite literally.” She indicated the chair. “Have a seat.”
Collin allowed Athena to sit, but he remained standing. The past twenty-fours had been hellish. But with his woman at his side, a night of sweet loving and his integrity intact, he no longer feared his fate. He locked gazes with Dominique to let her know the show was over.
She gave a slight nod, but he saw her mouth tighten; the blast of red lip color looked like an ink blot.
“Let’s get started. I’ll begin with Athena. Collin, you can leave the room.”
“No, I’m going to stay.” He placed a hand on Athena’s shoulder, sending as much reassurance to her.
“As you wish.”
“Athena, there has been accusation levied against you and your boss of improper behavior. Is that true?”
“I-in…”
“There is no policy on file,” Collin piped up.
“There is sexual harassment.”
“It certainly was not harassment.” Athena leaned forward, but Collin kept his hand on her shoulder to ease her back.
He knew that Dominique relished raising the drama and making her subject feel out of control. Athena had to recognize the rules of the game to survive her. But he wouldn’t let the situation get to that point.
“So you’re admitting that there were relations?”
“Yes,” Athena answered.
“Was it out in the open?”
“No.”
“Then it was improper. You knew it was improper, otherwise you wouldn’t have had to have secret meetings.”
“I didn’t want anyone to know,” Athena explained.
“Usually the sign of someone who has done wrong.” Dominique flipped open a file and trailed her finger down a paper covered with writing. She stopped midpoint and then looked up.
“Collin, because you insist on being here, I might as well bring you into the conversation.”
“Oh, is that what this is? I would have tossed it up there with inquisition.”
“Watch it,” she warned. Her eyes sparkled with open hostility. “Do you feel that in your capacity as head of this school, you should have been fraternizing with the staff?”
“It was not my intent.”
“But you didn’t stop it. Was there no guilt? No remorse?”
Collin didn’t want to reveal the inner dialogue. She didn’t deserve to know how much he battled with his feelings. She would have no respect of the complexity of emotions.
“I love him,” Athena said with a small but clear voice.
Dominique’s eyes flashed down to Athena. Then she pushed back the chair and walked in front of the desk. Her scrutiny flickered over him, but settled back on Athena, who kept her gaze straight ahead.
“Four years ago, I was an intern for this organization in America. Everything about the country dazzled me. Big cities. People not afraid of showing their emotions. Feeling uninhibited. I loved the American lifestyle,” Dominique reminisced.
Collin knew where she was going with this as she coaxed them along her path.
“Then I met a man, a young man, still wet behind the ears with his mother’s milk. I could barely speak English. But we made quite the couple.”
Collin felt the tightness of Athena’s body. She realized there was about to be an untimely revelation.
“I was in love. We were going to conquer the world. We were going to save it. So many dreams thrown up in the air before crashing down.” She sighed. “Chalk it up to youth.” Dominique stopped pacing, staring hard at Collin. He didn’t have a problem meeting her attempts to intimidate. However, he did cringe at the sight of Athena pinching the bridge of her nose. Her mouth drew into a tight line. He hoped that she trusted him.
“I went back to France, but we kept in touch. And then I was hired by the organization. But the young man who had melted my heart, well, I outgrew him. I’m a complex being, but we women are, aren’t we?” She glanced down at Athena, as if waiting for her to answer. With a shrug, she continued, “I have learned not to throw out love with such careless abandon. Use what you have to get what your heart desires, but move on. Move up. I did and look what it’s got me.” She stood and walked over to Collin. Despite her cool façade, her anger bristled off her.
“Who broke your heart to make you so cold?” Athena interrupted.
“A stupid boy with too many ideals. Now I only go after men.” She took a deep breath. “You love him, right?”
Athena nodded.
“And you love her, right?”
“More than this job.”
Athena gasped.
“More than the opportunity to come back to France with me.”
“Collin?” Athena looked up at him.
“This is home. This is my job.”
“I’m offering you a life’s rope. Opportunities such as what I’m presenting don’t come around often. I can make you a star in this organization.” Dominique spoke as if only him and her existed.
“Your offer of a rope is like a hangman’s noose. All of this will be a memory, but a victorious one. I’ll still be here with this woman who I want as my wife.”
Athena stared at him openmouthed. He took the opportunity then to plant a kiss that even took his breath away.
“Surprise!”
Athena stood on the porch with Cicely and Thelma not believing what she saw. She couldn’t believe her eyes.
“What the heck are you doing here?” Athena cried and laughed. “It’s so good to see all of you.”
“Your letters were killing us. We had to see this place. Then the kids sounded so adorable. And your boss sounds yummy,” Naomi raved.
“Where is he?” Denise asked. She offered Cicely and Thelma a small wave.
“Right here.” Collin stepped from the truck with their suitcases.
Denise hooted. “Oh, no, I thought you were just the driver.”
“I figured that.”
Athena could barely see. Her eyes filled with tears of joy. Her sorors had come. She’d missed them so much. She turned to Collin. “How did you know they were coming?”
“I arranged it.” Asia stepped out from the car.
Athena screamed and ran toward her twin. Now she really was crying. But the heaviness of the day slipped off. She had friendships to celebrate.
Quickly, she introduced everyone. The men joined them, too. The only missing person was Lorraine. Athena had heard through Clarissa that Lorraine did it out of jealousy. She had feelings for Collin that were never reciprocated. Maybe one day, she could deal with hearing her name. But she couldn’t say that she was terribly upset that she chose to leave with Dominique.
“Let’s go inside.” Athena led them into the house.
After they finished exploring, she had to get the information.
“Now how did all of this happen?” Athena asked Asia.
“I contacted Collin and told him that I wanted to surprise you. He picked this date. Actually it was supposed to be tomorrow, but that flight got canceled. Then I told the others we should come to see you, but didn’t tell them I was talking to Collin.”
“Wait a minute, where is Sara?” Athena looked around the room to make sure that she didn’t miss her.
“Very pregnant. She’s beside herself that she can’t be here.”
Athena clapped her hands. “Oh, I’m going to have a niece.”
“Or nephew.” Asia gave a thumbs-up.
Denise nudged Athena. “So heard you have big news.”
“What?” Athena looked around the room. “News about me?”
“Our news,” Collin explained.
Cicely brought a black box from off the dining table and handed it to Collin.
He lowered himself to one knee.
The living room was quiet, except
for Athena’s sniffing.
“Give her a tissue, please,” Denise prompted. She snatched a tissue for herself, too.
“Athena, you are my earth that has kept me grounded and humble. You are my wind that has lifted me higher with your love. You are my fire that has lit a path through the storm. Will you marry me?”
“Always and forever.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2995-6
ONLY IN PARADISE
Copyright © 2009 by Michelle Monkou
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