New Beginnings (6 page)

After they hung up.  Vicky felt so many different emotions all at the same time but the one that stood out the most was just grateful.

An hour after Ryan had spoken to Vicky, Ryan was still sitting at his desk looking at the same proposal for the 3
rd
time.  Finally, he picked up his phone “Gina, the woman that called Ms. Martin, did she leave any contact information?”

“As a matter of fact she did Mr. Carter would you like me to get her on the phone for you?”

“No, just give me her information and book me a commercial flight as soon as possible to Atlanta.  I need to be there as soon as possible meaning by 5 or 6 this evening.  If that’s not possible then make arrangements for our company plane. Clear my schedule for the rest of today and tomorrow.  I’ll take care of the rest.”

Ryan hung up with his administrative assistant and immediately headed for home to get a few things before heading out to the airport.

Ryan made it home in record time.  The house was very quiet it seemed like even the housekeeper was out.  He wasn’t typically home during this time a day.  He guessed Alicia was out doing whatever it was that she does with her time.  It was probably best she wasn’t home.  This way, he could just pack a bag, tell her he was leaving for an overnight business trip and be back tomorrow before dinner.  Ryan hoped Gina was able to get him a commercial flight.  It’d be harder for Alicia to track his whareabouts and ask a million questions.   His legs felt like lead as he took the stairs two at a time.

When Ryan entered the bedroom suite he was surprised to find his wife still in bed “No don’t get up on my account.”

“Ryan! What are you doing home so early? I wasn’t expecting you?”

“Clearly not or else you would have made sure not to be caught in bed with you lover.” Then, he raised his cell phone and took a picture.

Ryan calmly walked over to his wife and her lover.  The man was freaked out he had no idea what Ryan would do.  At first, it seemed like nothing but then like lightening Ryan grabbed the man by the throat.  Ryan was seething with anger and through clenched teeth managed to get the words out “Now…you might want to get out of my bed and out of my house before I kill you.”

The man quickly scrambled to grab his pants and shoes before running out of the house.

Alicia still clutched the sheets to her body “Jason, I...I...don’t know what to say."

Jason just stared at her.  “I’m going out of town tonight for business.  I should be back tomorrow evening.”
“That’s it!  We’re not going to talk about what just happened?”

Ryan was exhausted, “Alicia what do you want me to say? It’s not like this is the first time and it probably won’t be your last.”  He turned around and went to the closet.

“You just caught your wife screwing another man in your bed and that’s the best you can say or do! What do you feel Ryan?
Don’t you feel ANYTHING
?”

Ryan turned around and looked hard at Alicia.  His stare could have born holes through her body.  His eyes were blazing but he needed to remain calm because if he truly let his emotions come out he would be on an episode of “Snapped”.

“Yes, Alicia, I’m feeling a lot right now.  But mainly disgust. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Franklin and Sandy boarded the private plane from Minnesota to Atlanta.  They had been seated and were waiting for take off.  Franklin was reviewing some reports and without looking up he spoke to Sandra “The flight from here is about 2 ½ hours Ms. Catchings.  We should be there before noon.”

Sandra smiled at him “That’s good to know.  I thought we decided it was okay to call each other by our first names. Did that change? If it did I wish you would have let me in on it.” He didn’t smile back.  She wondered if he was always this serious or if he was this way because he was worried. 

She guessed they were back to being formal. Franklin seemed different since they made plans earlier.  Maybe it was just her being paranoid. Sandy reached over and touched his hand anyway. “Mr. Roth, like I said earlier, you’ve got to believe that everything is going to be ok.” 

Franklin
removed her hand and responded very coolly “Thank you Ms. Catchings.  I hope you are right.”

Sandy was kind of surprised at how odd Franklin was behaving.  If she didn’t know any better she would almost say it was disdain for her.  Of course, that would be ridiculous.  They didn’t even really know each other.

Franklin couldn’t stop thinking about his conversation with Joshua Jones on his way back to his office earlier.  “Mr. Roth, I’m Joshua Jones, Director of Sales.  I wondered if you had a minute.” He’d recognized Joshua Jones most recently from being in Sandra Catchings’ office. “Actually, I really don’t.  I’m in a hurry.  However, if it’s important please schedule some time with my administrative assistant, Verna.  I’ll be out the next couple of days though so it might not be until mid next week sometime.”

“That’s fine.  That would be great actually.  I just wanted to run a couple of ideas past you.” Joshua’s phone buzzed.  He made a big show of looking at his phone “Sorry about that Mr. Franklin that was Sandra Catchings.  She’s always calling me.”

Franklin had only been half listening to Joshua until he mentioned Sandra Catchings. “When I walked into her office earlier you two seem to have been in an intense conversation. Is everything alright there?”

“Everything is fine.  She seems to think somehow I can help her with her career.  I don’t know why some women think they can make their way up the ladder on their backs.  I’m sure you’ve had to deal with this sort of thing all the time.”

“Actually, I haven’t.  The people who work for me have a clear understanding of my professional expectations.  I don’t mix business with my personal life…EVER.  My suggestion to you is whatever ‘confusion’ there might be between you and Ms. Catchings, clean it up.  CkR International won’t tolerate even a hint of impropriety.”

“Of course Mr. Roth, of course.”  Joshua turned three different shades of red from embarrassment.  “I’ll schedule that meeting with Verna and see you next week.” Before Joshua could say anything else Franklin turned around and went into his office to gather his things.

Franklin and Sandy had been in the air for about two and half hours.  They’d barely spoken to each other the entire flight. Her head was down as she read a magazine.  Franklin couldn’t help but notice Sandra.  She was stunning.  She was wearing a form fitting sun dress and sandals.  Her legs were crossed and it seemed like they went on forever before disappearing underneath her dress.  When he’d seen her at the office she had her strawberry blonde hair pulled back into some type of up do but now it was put up into a sculpted ponytail.  Sandra oozed sexy from those incredible blue eyes to the red nail polish on her perfectly manicured toes. Franklin’s eyes followed those hands as she turned the pages of the magazine.  He couldn’t help but think how they would feel roaming free over his body. 

Sandra looked up from the magazine and caught Franklin staring at her.  She smiled at him.  He did not return the smile.

But, she knew that look.  She’d seen it time and time again.  Maybe that was why he was acting so strangely towards her.  He was angry that he’d allowed himself to be attracted to her.  His jaws clenched seemingly after being caught red-handed oogling her.  His eyes suddenly went from heat to hard. 

Franklin had had enough of women using their beauty to get what they wanted from men.  It was sickening.  After all, his ex, April had taught him well not to trust them.  As a matter of fact she was the poster child of using men and Ms. Catchings seemed to have quite a bit more experience than April if Mr. Jones was to be believed.  Jason was one lucky bastard.  It was wild how it all happened but he was able to know for sure that Vicky loved him not for his name, money, cars, or homes that he could buy for her but truly for him. 

Sandra returned to reading her magazine.  She didn’t look up from the glossy “Maybe if you had a drink you could relax a little.” Franklin didn’t seem like one of those men who let power go to his head.  Who knows maybe he was just the type.  All Sandra had to go on was that Vicky said he was a nice guy.  As sweet as Vicky was she wasn’t very experienced when it came to men and sometimes she could be very naïve.  But to Sandy, Franklin seemed like a pompous ass. 

“Excuse me?”

“You seem pretty tense more so since we spoke this morning.  Did something happen since then?”

“Ms. Catchings there is a little girl who is holding on to her life by a thread.  Of course, I’m tense.  I would think you would be a little more concerned yourself for the health of your
‘friends’
daughter.”

Sandra looked up from her magazine and lifted one of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows then focused her piercing blue eyes directly at him. “Mr. Roth one thing you will learn about me very quickly is that I am very direct.  I say what I mean and I mean what I say.  Since this morning you seem to have a problem with me.  I cannot fathom what it could be and I won’t waste my energy trying to guess.  However, I will not tolerate you or anyone else for that matter questioning my motives for
ANYTHING
that I do.”

Franklin wasn’t expecting Sandra to talk to him that way and in a weird
way he was impressed.  Most people would have been intimidated by him.  She obviously was not.  “I wasn’t questioning your motives just merely making an observation that you don’t seem the least bit worried. No need for you to get so emotional.”

Sandra was seething on the inside.  What was it with men that if you challenged them on their bullshit
then women were being
emotional
?  “Emotional?  I’m a lot of things Mr. Franklin, but I can assure you
emotional
is not one of them.  And, let’s get this strait YOU most definitely were trying to question my motives.  You don’t know me well enough to make any informed opinion about me whatsoever.” 

As they stared each other down neither was willing to be the first to turn away.  However, when the pilot came on the intercom to inform them to prepare for landing, Sandra was the first to look away.  But, only because she realized Franklin wasn’t worth her energy.  Men like him were a dime a dozen. 

She was tired of dealing with arrogant, self-absorbed men.  Joshua Jones immediately came to mind.  He had texted her at least ten times since they left for Atlanta.  She decided not to answer any of them.  For the next several days she needed to put all of her energy into helping Vicky and Jason get through this nightmare.

Franklin couldn’t understand what Vicky and Sandra could possibly have in common.  Vicky was sweet and giving.  Sandra seemed like a calculating cold-hearted ice queen.

The hospital staff finally moved Angel to her room in the pediatrics intensive care unit.  Jason and Vicky had been sitting with her for the last several hours.  There had been no change in her condition.  If anything, Vicky could tell by the nursing activity surrounding Angel that things weren’t getting better.

Jason leaned over and put his lips on Vicky’s temple.  “Shirley should be here soon.  Her plane is scheduled to land in the next 10 minutes or so. ”

“I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”

“I know I’m not her real dad but I feel like it.  There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you or Angel.”

Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford silently walked into the room. Jason looked up and it seemed like they had bought the entire gift shop.  They brought balloons, teddy bears, and toys galore.

“When she wakes up we want this room to be filled with happiness and love.   So we just bought everything we could think of and everything we think she might like.  We’re sure it’ll make all of us feel better too.”

Vicky didn’t take a moment to look around at all the gifts the Rutherford’s had purchased.  She just sat holding her little girl’s hand and watching her closely.

“Thanks mom and dad.  This is wonderful.  I’m sure when Angel wakes up she’ll love it.”

Mrs. Rutherford sat down on the opposite side of Vicky and put her arms around her shoulders.  “Sweetheart have you eaten anything today?”

Vicky sat stoically; holding on to Angel’s little hand. “I’m not very hungry but thank you.” Her eyes never left Angel.

“I know I’m not very hungry either.  But, the difference between us is you’ve got a little baby growing inside of you that needs you to take care of yourself.  Can I at least get you a little bit of soup?”

Vicky would have said or done anything to be alone with Angel.  She gave Mrs. Rutherford a nod. 

Mr. Rutherford chimed in “How about mom and I go and order a late lunch for everyone? I’m sure none of us are hungry but we need to keep our strength up for when Angel wakes up.”

Jason’s focus had returned to Vicky and Angel.  He barely heard his father.  He would give anything to end this nightmare for all of them.  There was a quiet knock on the door.

Franklin and Sandra
had arrived and were quietly entering the room just as the Rutherford’s were leaving.  Vicky and Jason’s backs were to them so they hadn’t even noticed they had arrived.  Mr. Rutherford motioned for them to step back outside before they could walk inside “Franklin, I’m glad you could fly out.”