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Her sister was all around her. She was in the glorious sunset. Tabitha flew in the ocean breeze. Although Addie knew she was in the kingdom of heaven with God, she also believed her sister’s essence was all around her. She wiped away a few stray tears from her cheek. Addie wasn’t crying out of sadness. She felt joyful. It was the first time she’d felt Tabitha’s presence since she had lost her. It felt like sweet victory.
Thank you, Lord. For showing me that Tabitha has been with me all this time. I just couldn’t see past my pain. I was so angry at losing her, I couldn’t see that she was too engrained in my heart for me to ever lose her.
Addie got up and stretched. After making some oatmeal, whole wheat toast and ginger tea for breakfast, she sat in her kitchen and ate in a leisurely fashion. She then hopped in the shower and washed her hair, then began the process of blowing it out so it was straight and sleek. Laurel had given her a few tips about her hair that had been life savers. Using a little Moroccan oil made the world of difference.
Suddenly, she heard a banging sound.
“What in the world?” she asked out loud. Following the sound of the racket, she found herself in her foyer. Someone was banging at her front door. She approached the door and looked through the peep hole. Even though her condo association had security in the lobby, she wasn’t taking any chances. The world was a scary place. She had to wonder why Simon the concierge hadn’t announced a visitor.
Addie wanted to head straight back to bed and pull the covers over her head when she saw her mother standing at her door. Helena Fontaine was standing there with her hand on her hip, an imperious expression etched on her face. Addie wanted to scream. She loved her mother dearly, but not the whirlwind drama she brought along with her.
“Open up, Adeline. I know you’re in there.” Was she imagining it or was there a slight screeching tone to her mother’s voice?
Addie slowly opened up the door and waved her mother inside. “Please don’t call me Adeline. You know I hate it.”
“It happens to be your birth name.” Her mother rolled her eyes and waltzed across the threshold. Addie closed the door behind her mother and took a deep, steadying breath.
“What brings you over here, Mom?” Addie asked.
“Can’t I come by and check on my only child?” Helena asked, her eyes growing wide.
Zing. Her mother liked to stress the part about her being an only child. She wondered if her mother realized how badly it hurt to hear her say it.
“Of course, but I do have to go into work in a little bit,” she explained.
Helena waved her hand in the air. “I won’t stay long. Tell me all about this job your father gave you.”
“Would you like something to drink? Tea? Water?” Addie asked.
“I’m fine. I have my bottle of sparkling water in my purse.”
Addie ushered her mother into the living room and began to tell her about working with Caleb at the Blue Bayou. She told her about her co-workers and some of the customers. Addie knew she was gushing, but she couldn’t help it. She loved her job.
Her mother listened to her without uttering a single word or comment.
“So, that’s about it. I’m really excited about this opportunity. Caleb is great to work with.”
Her mother arched her eyebrow. “Caleb, huh? Sounds mighty intimate.”
Addie sucked her teeth. “We’re business partners. It’s hardly intimate. Would you rather I call him by his last name?”
“I know you, Addie, like the palm of my hand.” She narrowed her gaze. “There’s something funny happening to your face when you say his name.”
She felt her cheeks blush. “Mother, you’re being ridiculous. And fanciful. Can’t you just focus on the fact that I’m happy partnering with Caleb at the Blue Bayou? It’s been a Godsend.”
“Adeline, I don’t see how this is going to place you in a position to impress your father or to assert yourself in his corporation. You are his only heir after all. You need to position yourself within his company where he can see your successes up close and personal. He needs to know in no uncertain terms that you’re poised to be his heir-apparent.”
She wanted to scream. Her mother was beginning to sound like a broken record. She failed to understand that although she wanted to make her father proud, it had nothing to do with being his future heir or achieving wealth. “That’s not my main concern. I want to get my feet wet in business. This is a wonderful opportunity for me. And it was Daddy’s idea.”
Helena leaned forward in her seat. “It was? You didn’t tell me that before.”
Addie wanted to tell her mother that she hadn’t given her a chance, but she held her tongue.
“I know you think I’m nagging, but I was completely blindsided when your father divorced me. I really don’t want you to have the rug pulled out from under you if your father decides to go in a different direction with his fortune. You have to ingratiate yourself with him and show him what a valuable asset you are to the Fontaine corporation.”
Ingratiate? She hated the sound of that word. It made her mother sound underhanded.
“He’s my father. I shouldn’t have to ingratiate myself with him,” Addie protested. “And I’m not worried about his fortune. I have more than enough to make me happy in this lifetime.”
