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“Hey, Dad. Um… are you alright? You sound blue.”
“I’m sorry, honey.” I try to bring some life into my voice.
“What’s wrong?”
The deep concern in her voice has me blurting, “I had a misunderstanding with a… friend… I… uh… I’m trying to settle things with the friend, but it isn’t working.”
“Oh my God.”
“What?”
“Are you having woman troubles?” There’s a note of laughter in her voice.
I blink in surprise at her astuteness. I laugh uneasily. “What makes you think so? The said friend could be a guy.”
“Dad, please. Don’t treat me like a child.”
I sigh. “Okay. The friend is a woman.”
Amber chuckles. “Who is she? What did you do to her?”
I yearn to tell her it’s Hailey, but since I haven’t talked to Hailey yet and sorted things out, I leave the information for another day.
“You’ll get to know her as soon as we reconcile. As for what I did to her…” I rub my hand across my bearded chin. “I allowed my insecurities to get the best of me.”
“Oh, Dad. Don’t let what happened between you and Mom stop you from finding happiness. And truly, I know I reacted poorly to you guys parting ways, but I’m over it now and won’t mind a stepmom as long as she’s chill. Siblings would be cool too.”
My heart fills with joy at her words. “You’re the sweetest daughter ever. You mean the world to me.”
“Aww, Dad. Now you’re going to make me cry.”
“I love you, Pumpkin.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
“Fingers crossed that I make it up to my… friend. I’ll introduce you to her when you come for the weekend tomorrow.”
“That would be great, Dad.”
“So, how is school? And your friends?”
Amber and I talk for a few minutes longer before ending the call. Recalling Amber’s acceptance of my mystery friend, I’m determined to make it up to Hailey and tell my daughter about her.
However, my plan to get Hailey to talk to me proves unattainable when, over the weekend, I try everything possible to get a hold of her without success. She’s unreachable, and I’ve gone to her apartment several times to no avail. I’m so worried about her and afraid I might have lost her for good that I’m not eating and sleeping well. Sometimes, I get so distracted thinking of her that Amber has to nudge me or call out multiple times to bring my attention back during her weekend stay at my place. Hailey has me so worked up that I’m acting out of character. For the first time in a long while, my business doesn’t distract me from my turmoil.
Swallowing my pride, I ask Susan on Monday morning before I meet with my new clients if she has heard from Hailey. After giving me a strange look, she replies that Hailey has returned to Wyoming to take care of her sick mom. I know the bit about the sick mom is a lie. She ran back home to avoid me, but she has another thing coming if she thinks I won’t follow her to the end of the earth.
“Inform my flight crew to get the jet ready. We’ll fly to Wyoming after my meeting.”
She pauses for a second before nodding. “Okay, Gareth.”
At this point, I don’t care about her suspicions. Once I sort things out with Hailey, there will be no more sneaking around. I put thoughts of my private life aside as she leads two prospective clients into my office.
* * *
“It will benice doing business with you. Thank you.” I shake hands with another set of new clients before they walk out of my office. It usually gives me pleasure when I secure a new contract, but there’s no joy today, not when I haven’t seen or spoken to Hailey in days. Quickly, I stroll to my coat hanger and reach for my suit jacket.
Susan bursts into my office with a flushed face. I look at her, wondering what’s wrong. The phones in her office have been ringing nonstop, so I assume she’s harried from all the calls, despite sharing the load with Alex. The New York Magazine Hunter works for, which publishes only on Mondays, must have issued the story of my company enabling a secure election. Hence the numerous calls, probably to congratulate me or do business with me.
