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Ellie smiled warmly when she arrived.
“You look much better. Glad you’re back. The good news is nobody else seems to have come down with the flu, so you must not have been contagious.”
Cath smiled. It would be a miracle if what she had had been contagious.
“Mr. Williams wanted to see me,” she said.
“Call him Trace,” Ellie said. “He’s asked everybody to do so. Let me tell him you’re here.”
She spoke into the phone and a moment later nodded to her to go right in.
Taking a deep breath Cath pushed the door open and stepped into Trace’s office. He sat behind his large desk. The tall glass window behind him gave a wide view of the city and a glimpse of the bay. He looked up when she walked in but didn’t speak for a moment.
Cath took the plunge.
“I brought the latest projections from my department,” she said. “I’ve been in touch with Tom who gave me some more recent figures. You wanted them last week, but since I wasn’t here, I hope today is soon enough.”
He held out his hand for the folder and motioned her to take a seat. Scanning the top page quickly, he tossed it on the desk and looked at her.
“I heard from Ronald that you are not willing to meet to discuss the situation,” he said.
“That’s right. There’s nothing to discuss.”
“I am not the naïve young man I once was. This time things will be done my way.”
“What do you mean?” she asked. “This time?
“I mean I will take steps to ensure my rights,” Trace said.
“I’m seeing an attorney myself this afternoon. I’m asking her to draw up papers releasing you from all parental responsibilities. I’m not trying to trap you into marriage or demand child support or anything.”
“It’s my child, too,” he said. “Maybe I want certain rights.”
“Make up your mind. Saturday you accused me of coming after you for some sort of scam, the next minute when you hear I do not need any help, you’re indignant that I’m trying to keep him from you.”
“Him?”
“Or her. It’s too early to determine the gender of the child at this point. I’m sure my attorney can be in touch with yours to alleviate any concerns you have as to my motives. That should satisfy you.”
Trace threw his pencil onto the desk and leaned back in the chair studying Cath.
“I’d be interested in hearing your proposition.”
“No proposition, simply a release for you to sign relinquishing parental responsibilities.”
“Even if I would agree to such a thing, how do you propose to raise this child?”
Cath looked at him warily.
“What do you mean? I make a good salary. I have investments and savings. I’ll be able to find child care in Brussels as easily as I find it here in San Francisco. This child will be well loved and cared for. My mother is already over the moon knowing there may be a baby. My family will be delighted for me. No one ever thought—”
She stopped abruptly. Trace wasn’t interested.
“That there would be a baby?” he asked quickly.
“I wasn’t lying when I told you I couldn’t get pregnant. I have been told that since the accident when I was a teenager. I plan to tell my family at Thanksgiving, if I’m still pregnant then.”
He studied her for a moment, then said, “What about my parents? They will also be the child’s grandparents.”
