I don’t remember how I got home. I was soaked and shivering when Mom opened the front door. I had left everything in my office, all I had with me was my phone. I barely remember functioning. I spent the evening sobbing on Mom’s lap while she kept stroking my hair.
It must have been Yana who made the hot soup, and who took care of Amelia that evening, because Mom stayed by my side as I died. There was no other description I could use. I died. If it weren’t for Amelia and the baby inside of me, I saw no reason to carry on.
When I woke in the morning, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. My eyes were swollen, and my throat was sore. I remembered thinking I was dying the night before, so clearly, this feeling was what people meant when they said, ‘felt like death warmed over.’
But I had a reason and purpose for living. I was a marketing professional, I had children. I also had an asshole brother who wanted me out of my properties so he could give them to his fiancée.
I texted Bria and Maggie at work, “I feel like crap, I’ll update you on the numbers with Peters later. Can one of you send my coat and purse to my address? Thanks.”
With my phone in my hand, I barely glanced at all the voicemails and text messages from Chase. I saw enough to know that John had even sent something. I deleted every last one of them and then blocked both numbers. Blocking the owners of the company I worked for might not have been a wise career move, but I didn’t know how much longer I would have that job.
I slogged my way downstairs to the kitchen. Mom was feeding Amelia.
“Momma, mom-mom,” Amelia said and reached out for me with grabby hand motions.
I picked her up and snuggled into her belly. She giggled. I was glad Amelia was happy. I would be happy for her. She didn’t need to know that I was broken more than I ever thought I could survive.
“Pay Tace. Mia pay Tace.”
I stared at her. Her speech seemed to have improved overnight.
“The paediatrician said she knew her words, she simply isn’t using them. I guess she’s decided to start using her words,” Mom said. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Can we go home?” I asked.
“Isn’t this your home?”
“I mean Orchard View. Home-home. This has always been the townhouse, that’s always been home. You know?”
She nodded. “I know what you mean. What about work?”
“I’m taking time off before John can have me fired. He found out last night.”
“Oh, honey,” Mom cooed.
“Yeah, it didn’t go well. On top of everything, I broke up with that man I was seeing.”
“Gemma,” Mom looked like she was at a loss for words. “I had feared it was something like that.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I want to go home.”
We packed that day. It broke my heart all over again every time Amelia asked for Chase to play with her. I should have been more careful with her heart as well. It hadn’t occurred to me that she would develop an attachment to him so quickly. I swallowed down my tears as I remembered how perfect they were together. He was a natural father figure to her without realizing he was her father.
It had taken no time at all to be back in the habits that made Orchard View home. I was up early to take Haha, the old mare, out for morning rides. The Spanish tandem saddle I ordered before moving to the city had arrived, and I was able to take Amelia out for rides on Haha.
I was used to this life. Caring for the horses, and not many other obligations. Father had made sure we were all taken care of in his will. Mom would never have to worry about having a place to live, neither would I, nor John for that matter.
As my horse, Haha, ambled along the path, I was able to think over what I had learned the past few days. My meeting with Mr. Lawson, the family’s lawyer, had helped me to understand my position in regard to the properties. If John wanted full ownership, he would have to buy me out at current market value. That got me thinking. Orchard View was non-negotiable as far as I was concerned.
This was my mother’s home for as long as she wanted it. Even ten years after my father’s death, she hadn’t remarried. I didn’t know if it was because she loved my father that much, or if she was afraid to lose her home. It was in the will; Orchard View would be her home until her death. Ownership was split between John and me, and we were not allowed to dissolve the property while Mom was alive. I realized now how much that must have bothered John. He blamed me for the death of our mother. I’m sure he blamed me for my father marrying my nanny, my mom, too. No wonder he thought my mom, and I, by extension, had taken his home from him.
I hadn’t been to the Hamptons house since that fateful night when I finally caught Chase’s attention. Even then, I hadn’t been staying at the house. Before that, Mom didn’t like going there since my father died, so I didn’t go. By the time Haha was back in her stable I knew which properties I was willing to sell. John could have the Hamptons property, but I wasn’t going to give up the townhouse, or the ski lodge in Aspen.
I kicked off my muck boots at the back door and stepped into the kitchen. This morning’s ride helped me to sort through the one issue with John. What to do about the properties. I still didn’t know what to do about work. I wanted to go back; I liked the team I worked with. I believed in the campaign we had developed. I liked my job, even if it was considered playing on the internet.
The ringtone I used for work went off.
“Hey, it’s Bria,” she said as soon as I said hello.
“Maggie is going to call you to make it all official, but I wanted to call you, friend-to-friend.”
“Crap, what’s wrong?” I sat in one of the spindle-back kitchen chairs.
“Don’t get mad at Maggie, she really went to bat for you, but… I don’t know what went down when you saw Peters last week, but HR said you’re fired and not allowed on the premises. And Peters demanded that all social media be shut down before it makes everything worse.”
I sighed heavily. “What a fucking idiot. He never even looked at the numbers. I’m sorry Bria. I’ve made a mess of things.”
“What did you do Gem?”
“John Peters is my brother. My last name is really Lafayette-Peters, same as his. He found out I was there and pitched a fit. I didn’t think he would really go so far as to tear everything down just because I was involved. I wanted to do something good for my dad’s legacy. I wanted to show John I could be an asset to CP Manhattan.” I had wanted to prove my brother wrong, that I was a person of value if only in a professional capacity.
“Fuck,” she dragged the word out long, into multiple syllables that each expressed a different meaning to the word.
“That explains a lot. I mean a lot. You haven’t heard from Chase, have you?”
“No.” I didn’t want to hear from Chase. I didn’t want to hear about him either.
“I was hoping he ran away with you,” she laughed.
“I didn’t run away. I really wasn’t feeling well,” I whined a little. She was right, I had run away. I didn’t like the fact that I had any more than I liked the reason for doing so.
“You aren’t even in the city, are you?”
“I’m not,” I said with a shake of my head.
“Well, Chase is missing.”
“What?”
“No one has heard from or seen him since the same day you left. He’s not at work stopping Peters from destroying everything. Rumor has it that HR is slogging through paperwork in preparation for massive layoffs.”
“Oh shit,” I said. “How are you holding up?”
She gave a bitter laugh. “It’s like living under the sword of Damocles. I’m sure he’s going to axe the entire marketing department. He’s gone off the rails. If he’s your brother, can’t you talk to him?”
I shook my head. “He’s not talking to me, and even if he were, he never listens to the things I say. He’s always been short-tempered. I can’t believe he’s lashing out at the company.”
“For what it’s worth, I think you did a phenomenal job here. And I liked working with you.”
“Thanks, you too. Keep in touch,” I said.
“Maybe we’ll find ourselves working together at another company. I’ll put in a good word for you if you put in a good word for me,” she suggested.
“You know I will.”
After the call ended, I sat and stared at the kitchen walls. How had I managed to screw up so badly that I put other people’s jobs at risk? I had a light-bulb moment, a sudden flash of a brilliant idea. John could do what he wanted with CP Manhattan.
