AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I went inside and closed the door, leaning up against it. The evening doorman must have been taking a break. I’d let Randy know things were getting lax at the Riverview.
***
Purposely staying busy for the rest of the week kept me grounded and calm. If a thought of Ryan, the baby, Myrla, or Eimy came to mind, I blocked it and replaced it with the excitement of attending the police academy, or the possibility of buying that beach shack next door to Lisa. My old, independent, single-minded endeavors came to the rescue once again.
Ryan had called me and left a message apologizing the same night, and after that, I blocked him.
The entourage left for Taiwan on Thursday. Randy stopped by after checking in one last time at the office.
“I wish you’d change your mind. I have a feeling this trip is going to be life-changing. You know how you can feel something in your blood but can’t really put your finger on it? That’s what is happening to me.”
“I’m so happy for you, Randy. It’s wonderful to go into a project with so much promise.”
“Taiwan is going to be an event no one will forget,” he continued. “I bet it makes television history. I know, I know, I’m bragging, as usual, but I have a sense of these things. I knew Adventure Trek was going to be huge, and guess what? It is! It made a wealthy man ridiculously rich, and his family will benefit. And the only family I have are you and Pam.”
“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Dad.”
“Could we have dinner together?” he asked.
“Don’t you think Pam will want to have a last dinner with you before you go?”
“Pam’s angry with me,” he said. “I promised her I wasn’t going to do another Adventure Trek because she didn’t want me to travel anymore. But once I discovered the new opportunity, I couldn’t just walk away from it. She will not forgive me, either. Pam can hold a grudge.”
“Randy, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, Laura. I’ve been a bachelor almost my entire life. I knew adapting to marriage was going to be difficult. I just didn’t think it would end before it really got started.”
“Oh, no. Is it over?”
“It could be,” he said. “I won’t stand in her way if she wants a divorce. It will just be sad.”
“Well, I insist you go home and have dinner with Pam,” I said.
He agreed, sadly hugging me one last time before he left my apartment.
I’m not prone to depression or melancholy, but I have to say, meeting Randy seemed to instigate those things, and I wasn’t happy about it. After he left that day, I was at a loss as to what I should do next. I was just tying the laces on my sneakers to go for a walk when the buzzer rang again. I looked at the intercom and saw it was Mark Spinoza.
Taking a deep breath, I considered ignoring it, but if Ben let him in, he’d come up and I’d have to hide. So I pressed the button to talk to him, not unlocking the door.
“Hey, Mark. What’s up?”
“Can you buzz me in?”
“Why?” My heart beat so fast, I hoped I didn’t faint.
“I need to talk to you. I saw your father leave, so I know you’re alone.”
“Oh, God, you’re stalking me now?”
“Please let me in,” he begged.
“No. I’ll come down. I was just getting ready to take a walk, anyway.”
“It’s freezing out,” he complained.
“I’ll dress warm.”
“I’m not.”
