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I can’t believe I didn’t ask Dennis about this. But even if what Brian says is true, and though this job does sound intriguing, it would require a lot of work. “I’m sorry Brian, but that doesn’t seem like a fair trade. I’m offering you three days of paid vacation and you’re asking me for possibly weeks of hard work.”
“I know, that’s why it didn’t feel right to ask. But I think we can fix that imbalance.” He leans forward, his eyes locked on mine. “Just tell me what you want in exchange and you will have it.”
Chapter Ten
Brian
“WhatdoyoumeanJane’s not there yet?”
I slow down the car until I’m able to pull over near the traffic lights. Even though it’s late afternoon, the traffic is just as bad as rush hour in the mornings.
“I talked to her over an hour ago and she said she was busy but would be here soon.” Mary’s voice is shaky and low so that Daniel doesn’t realize what’s happening. “It’s nothing to worry about, Brian, Daniel is fine. I’ll just call her again, but I wanted to let you know.”
I sigh and loosen my tie. Great, just what I needed right now. Daniel had been fussing all day about her visit but it’s obvious Jane can’t bother to do even the bare minimum. We can’t go on like this.
“It’s alright, Mary, I’ll come. What’s he doing?”
“There’s no need, Brian, really. Daniel is watching TV. We’ll be fine. Please, focus on your date. And I’ll send you a message once I talk with her.” Mary knows that Daniel needs a mother and has been nagging me to find someone almost as much as Andrew. I appreciate her insistence, but my gut is telling me to turn the car around.
Will I get another chance with Carol if I bail on her again though? She won’t mind canceling the date for Daniel, but I know that the more time we spend apart, the more she will begin questioning the situation and perhaps change her mind.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, funneling the building anger there. “Call me when she arrives. If she’s not there in half an hour, I’m coming.” I say.
It’s a selfish risk but this is supposed to be my second date with Carol. Well, not exactly, but if tonight goes well, we’ll get there. And this will ensure Daniel will always have a loving, motherly presence by his side.
Last night, there was still pain in her eyes, I could see it clearly, but there were also moments when she looked at me like before. Fleeting but still there. She agreed to the date and the work, with a hefty price of course—I don’t know exactly how much yet—but she’ll have it. It is a lot of work, and she deserves to get paid for it. The way she asked for the payment made it obvious that her goal was to annoy me.
I start the car again and wait until the light turns green before I speed to the restaurant. It’s a notch down from the previous one—caught in my desire to impress her, I forgot that I shouldn’t flash my money—but the food is just as good.
Briefcase in hand, I get out of the car. Carol insisted on having a look at the documents before naming her final price, so I have brought her the report summaries for the last eight months.
I’ve taken only a few steps forward when I hear a taxi stop right behind me. Perfect timing.
Carol steps out and there’s a flash of a smile when she sees me, but she quickly suppresses it. Her hair is pulled back in a loose updo. She’s wearing a dark blue, silk dress—longer but more tailored to her body than the one she wore yesterday. Her lips are red, either from lipstick or biting, or maybe both.
She moves toward me slowly, her eyes glued to my briefcase, as she just walks past me. Getting closer to her is not going to be easy but the almost childish way she pushes me away tells me that there’s no hatred in her.
“We’ve got a reservation,” I inform the hostess, using my maternal surname again. She nods and moves to guide us inside but my phone beeps, stopping me in my tracks.
Jane’s not coming. I don’t need to read the message to know. I glance at Carol who’s frowning.
“Just give me a minute,” I ask her while I read Mary’s message.
“Is there something wrong?” she asks.
I purse my lips as I read the long text. Things are worse than I expected. “I’m afraid I need to go. Daniel’s not— he’s upset.”
“What happened?” Carol’s worried voice soothes me. Her mask of indifference disappears while she draws closer putting her hand on my shoulder. Her perfume is enthralling but as much as I want this, Daniel is always my number one priority. This quest to settle down was just to find him a mother.
I explain that Jane was supposed to visit him today and not only did she not show up, but she also argued with Mary on the phone for bothering her. “My sweet boy is in his room crying. Mary isn’t sure how much he heard but to be in that state, I guess it was a lot. I need to be there but— don’t worry, I’ll take you home first,” I assure her. There’s no way I’ll let her wait for a taxi.
Carol shakes her head. “No need for that but—” She pauses for a moment, and I can tell she’s torn. “Should I come—is there something I can do?”
I don’t want her to meet Daniel before, or rather if, we get together but…maybe her presence would help. Daniel is easily distracted when there are new people around.
“I think seeing you might help him,” I tell her honestly.
She doesn’t need to hear anything else—we head back to my car, and she slides inside, sitting with her arms crossed over her stomach.
