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“I’m sure I can,” Simon said with a sly smile. For my benefit he added, “D2 and I were planning my stag.”
Just like that, he’d hijacked my pet name for D2, a gesture that comforted and frightened me at the same time. Obviously in his mind it was full speed ahead to the wedding day.
I widened my eyes at him, and he smirked.
“Sorry, Doctor Mansoor,” I said. “Family politics and all that.”
Mansoor was studying D2’s chart on her tablet. She rubbed her chin and said, “No worries.” Looking over her glasses, she addressed D2. “The reports are all good, Donnie. How’re you feeling?”
I wondered at the familiarity of her and the therapist both addressing a patient like that until I saw the white board on the far wall. It had basic information about D2 on it, including the line ‘likes to be calledDonnie.’ At least it didn’t sayD2.That was my private name for him or it had been. Maybe sharing stuff in a relationship meant more than just taking turns in the bathroom.
D2 wasn’t worried. He looked at the doctor the way a hungry dog eyes a bone. She could have called him anything and he wouldn’t have protested. He arched one of his dark eyebrows and said, “I’m being treated so well here, you may have to send in the Mounties to throw me out.”
“Do all patients get their meals catered by La Belle Vie?” I asked.
Doctor Mansoor snorted. “No,” she said emphatically. “While we do want to take special care of Donnie, we couldn’t afford the staff time or the cost.”
I raised an eyebrow at Simon, but he shrugged.
D2 said, “Don’t look at me. I’m not paying for the executive treatment. That foxy redhead, Cindy’s new best friend, arranged it. What’s her name again?”
“Ronnie Flynn,” Simon and I said in unison.
Simon
When I saw how Sadie relaxed into her grandfather’s embrace, the effort to get there and meet the old man proved to be worth it. It helped me understand Sadie better, to see her chemistry with other people she loved.
Donnie was an old charmer, and it was easy to see how he’d once been the notorious womanizer Sadie described. Still, he was protective about Sadie and watched me hawkishly. I knew I was under the microscope and hoped Donnie liked what he saw. If Cynthia had much influence over the old man, it may not be easy to gain his trust and approval.
Then there was the other question as to how to rebuild the foundations of trust that were crumbling in Sadie’s mind. Did she really believe she would disappoint me so massively that I would ever, could ever, turn away from her?
Maybe what she needed to feel more comfortable in my world was a protocol droid like C-3PO in Star Wars. Someone to help her with the language of the rich and pretentious. At the same time, maybe bringing Ronnie Flynn closer where I could keep an eye on her might be a good idea. Despite her many faults, Ronnie knew the culture and could ease Sadie’s assimilation into my world. If I suggested that Ronnie come on board as a paid consultant to help Sadie, would Sadie welcome or hate the idea? Could Sadie and I bring Ronnie back from the dark side? Should we hold our friends close and our enemies closer?
The first thing we needed would be a contract with a watertight confidentiality clause.
“Sadie, my love.” I kissed her on the cheek. “I need to make a phone call. D2, will you excuse me please?”
14
CHANGING TACTICS
Sadie
“Business,” I said to D2 after Doctor Mansoor followed Simon out of the room. “You’d think the world turned on it. Simon only sleeps four-five hours a night because he doesn’t want to miss what is going on all around the world.”
“He seems like a good one, my girl.” D2 only called memy girlwhen he was trying to drive a point home.
“Not too bad,” I said, as if I was still undecided.
“May I see your ring?”
I showed him and he held my hand up to the light. The diamond glittered. “Wow. That’s some piece of ice. You better stay with him long enough to get property rights. Then you can divorce him and be set for life.”
“This coming from a man who says you have to pay your own way and count on no one?”
“He’s smitten by you. Did you see that hot doctor? She didn’t even register on his radar.”
“He barely has enough time for me.” I hung up D2’s bathrobe that was thrown over his guest chair and sat down, a little too rapidly. When my throbbing thighs touched the molded plastic chair, it stung, but I tried not to let it show on my face. I smoothed my sundress over my knees. The cotton was cool under my fingers. “Still there are times when I wonder, of all the girls he could have, why he’s chosen me.”
