Chapter 10
Felix
I returned to the office the next day and my staff was surprised to see me there. I was supposed to be in New York.
“You’re here, sir?” Joan followed me down the corridor to my office on the top floor of the hotel.
“I’ll conduct the meeting via conference call. Make the arrangements, I’ll be ready in an hour,” I said to her as she followed me into the office.
“Yes, of course, I will, sir…and how is…how is Cecilia?” Joan asked as I walked to my desk. I clenched my jaw and turned to look at her.
“She’s fine, why?” I barked and Joan gulped, looking a little lost for words.
“I just hoped she wasn’t in shock after what happened yesterday,” Joan continued and I furrowed my brows.
“Why would she be? She was in good hands. Unlike the state she would have been in if she was at the reception with those incompetent…” I didn’t finish the sentence; instead I just clenched my fists.
“I can talk to them, if you like? I can speak to Michael and see if we can find replacements?” Joan offered and I shook my head.
“I’m going to let this go, this time. Just tell Michael that everyone on our staff needs to be trained on how to deal with a lost child,” I stated and sat down with a thump on my leather chair.
“I’ll make sure of it…and what about the girl?” she continued.
“You mean Nora?” I asked and Joan nodded her head lightly. “What about her?”
“Well…Sir, I saw her come into the building today. I thought Jackson would have taken care of her already.”
“I told Jackson to keep her on, to train her properly and make sure she’s comfortable at the job,” I told Joan, who seemed surprised to hear those words.
“Why?” she asked, shaking her head.
“Because she looked after Cici yesterday and she did a damn good job of it!” I barked. Joan gulped and nodded her head, smiling weakly at me.
“Of course, yes, that’s right,” she mumbled and turned to walk out of the office again.
“Send up Jackson,” I called after her.
She shut the door gently behind her and I sat at my desk, drumming my fingers on it. I spent very little, close to no time at this office, even though this was my headquarters. I looked around the office, not really knowing where to begin with work.
The phone at the desk buzzed and when I picked up, it was one of the receptionists on the line.
“Mr. Stone, your mother’s on the other line. She says that she needs to speak with you urgently,” the girl said. I pressed my eyes close and sighed. This was just what I needed! I’d been avoiding my mother’s calls for weeks now and she’d caught me here at the worst possible moment.
“Put her through,” I said and slammed the phone down. I waited for the line to buzz again and I picked up.
“Felix! My darling son, you’re still alive!” I heard Mom’s voice, and I tried to calm myself. The worst thing would be if she whiffed a scent that there was something going on.
“Hello, Mom, how are you? Sorry for missing your calls lately, I’ve been…” She cut me off before I could finish the sentence.
“Busy. Yes, I know. Surprise, surprise!”
“What is this urgent matter that you wanted to talk about?” I asked her.
“Oh, just that I’ve booked my flights to San Francisco, and I need someone to pick me up from the airport tonight,” she said.
I was stunned into silence for a few moments. I hadn’t seen this coming.
“Tonight? Mom, that’s very short notice. I have an important meeting in New York today, I won’t be here,” I argued.
“That’s fine. I’m going to see my granddaughter; if you’re missing from the picture, then it’s your bad luck. You’re the one who’s going to miss out on my apple pie,” Mom continued. I remained silent, trying to think.
“Will you send a car for me then, son? Six p.m.,” Mom said, still in her usual cheerful voice.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Good, and don’t tell Cici. I want it to be a surprise. Bye now.” Mom ended the call with that and I sighed deeply as I put the phone down. I shook my head. My mother visiting was always an anxious time for me, because she always had complaints about how I was raising Cici. I’d had enough of that already from Nora, and I just couldn’t deal with Mom too.
There was a knock on my office door and Jackson stepped in, looking meek and respectful.
“Mr. Stone, you asked for me?” he said in a low voice and I looked up at him sharply.
“How is Nora?” I asked him, weaving my fingers together on the desk.
“N…Nora Stevens? She’s fine, I guess. I’m training her like you asked me, but she has no experience, sir. She’s from some small town in Minnesota…” Jackson was speaking quickly, trying to make excuses while I glared at him.
“I don’t care where she’s from, just make sure that you train her well and report back to me in ten days with her performance,” I stated and Jackson nodded his head.
“Yes, I’ll do that, sir,” he replied.
“Is there something else you want to say?” I growled at him and Jackson shook his head.
“Then get out of my office,” I barked, and he backed away quickly to the door.
After he was gone and I was alone again, I sat back in my chair and rubbed my temples with my fingers. I felt like there was a headache coming on. I was thinking about Mom and what I was going to do about her, and at the same time, I couldn’t get Nora out of my mind. I’d laid awake all night in bed, recalling every feature of her face. In four years, this had never happened to me before. Why was it happening to me now?