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She leaves, and it’s just Lily and I left in the room.
“Are you sure you want to know right now? You’ve just been through a lot,” I whisper in her ear.
“This can’t wait,” she looks at me with firm determination. “If I were sure I was pregnant, I wouldn’t be so vulnerable and distracted in an open, exposed area like I was. I’d pay more attention and take things more seriously.”
“You had no idea what was going to happen, princess…” I say, standing and undoing my tie, and heading for the closet to store my blazer.
“But we need to be prepared for anything, don’t we?” she asks, indignant.
“Please don’t get paranoid,” I say, calm. “Everything is under control.”
I place my blazer on the hanger and then remember my phone inside one pocket. Picking it up, I put the hanger inside the closet and close the door, already browsing my contacts for Ana’s name.
“I need to make a phone call,” I inform Lily, “can you order some food for us?”
“Sure.” Not very pleased with the request, she moves to the opposite side of the bed, where the room’s phone is.
I sit at the desk, my cell phone to my ear as I call Ana.
I grab a pen and start scribbling on the notepad provided by the hotel. It’s late and I’m afraid she will not pick up, and when she does, her voice is sleepy and angry. “This is not the time to be calling, Brody.”
“It’s important, Ana,” I say.
“What is so important that it couldn’t wait until morning?” she asks, raising her voice.
“The safety of our son,” I say, stern. “I’m placing security on Eric and you until the tour is over, or this creep is caught.”
“I don’t want any security men following me around, Brody!”
“Ana, this is not negotiable,” I say, “A driver and an escort will be at your door in the morning, and they’ll accompany you on your trip to Orlando during Spring break.”
“Brody, I don’t care that you got personally involved in this mess. I’m not going to humiliate our son during his trip to Disney World!” she yells, getting more and more angry.
“Explain to me what’s so humiliating about having a bodyguard around?” I ask, my tone neutral, but I’m quickly getting exasperated.
“It makes you stand out, Brody…” Now her voice is tired, making me feel tired too. “All Eric wants is to be a normal kid, you know?”
Massaging the bridge of my nose, I sigh and continue, “I know. Then tell you what: what if we cancel Orlando and he comes to stay with me?”
Ana takes a while to reply, but when she does, I can tell she’s trying to keep her voice down but that she wants to shout, “Are youkiddingme, Brody? Put my son in the eye of the storm?”
“He would have a big room with free food, lots of TV channels and fast internet. He would be watched over 24/7 by me and the rest of my personnel and wouldn’t need to feel exposed because he wouldn’t leave the hotel,” I say, hoping that will convince her. “You know I’ll take good care of him.”
“Your singer almost got killed in New Orleans…” Ana says, full of fear and doubt.
“She didn’t get almost killed. The harasser just got close to her,” I correct her. “The only guns allowed in the venue belong to my men.”
“And you didn’t catch him?” she asks, curious.
“Unfortunately, not. He was wearing a disguise and the staff’s uniform. It was just of matter of removing his wig to blend in.”
“Nice,” Ana says with sarcasm. “Listen, Brody, I don’t know. Orlando sounds like a bad idea right now, but I also don’t like having him with you.”
“Come with him. You can see for yourself he’ll be safe.”
I hear her sigh, fed up with me. I don’t blame her.
“Let’s talk this through tomorrow, Brody. I was sleeping when you called,” she says, now more collected.
