CHAPTER 13

Nicole heard voices. She walked down the hallway, and was about to walk into a living room full of strangers, when Davis spotted her coming. He met her before she stepped into the lion’s den. The tension was written all over her face. However, Nicole’s primary concern was for her children. She was doing her best to constrain her warring emotions. “Where’s Rayna?”

At least on this front, Davis could set her mind at ease. “She’s home from school. I sent her outside to play with Teena and DJ. Nicole, are we okay?”

“If you are asking me “will I behave for this meeting,” yes. I will deserve an Oscar for the performance I’m about to put on.”

He was frustrated too. “Don’t do this.”

Nicole remained silent.

He sighed. They would have to continue this argument later. Davis looked over his shoulder. “It’s an all hands on deck kind of meeting.”

“Seems like it. Do you really need all of those people?”

He attempted a smile something of a peace offering.

Her face remained set like stone.

Davis raked his hands through his hair. “According to them, I do. They are supposed to be the best of the best. Let’s go inside, and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

It’s well past time that you did that. And, as angry as she was with Davis, she loved the man. Nicole did her best to shelve her anger for now. She nodded. “Let’s meet your dream team.”

Davis spent a few moments introducing her. She plastered on a tight smile and shook too many hands to count. It wasn’t as if Nicole hadn’t done this very thing at dinner parties and fundraisers for Chatham Industries, but this was something different. This wasn’t a joyous occasion. There weren’t women in beautiful ball gowns or men in tuxedos. No, these were men and women in smart business suits with serious taking care of business masks on their faces.

Nicole hoped the picture Davis painted earlier wasn’t as dire as he made it. She supposed that over the next few hours she would find out.

As the conversations began in earnest, everything became surreal. Was all of this really happening? Suddenly, the room became a madhouse. Cellphones beeped, chirped, rang, and buzzed. One of the lawyers said aloud, “Apparently, the news has finally gone public.” Davis got up from his chair and turned on the television. Locally, it was breaking news. An entire spot had been devoted to “Home Grown Terrorists Cell has Big Moneyed American Investors”—Chatham Industries along with a few other companies had been named. The fiasco of five years ago had been rehashed and twisted so far from the truth that it sounded like someone else’s story. That made Nicole angrier than Davis keeping her in the dark all this time. They needed to fight back! Could they sue the media? Libel? Defamation? She had so many questions. However, just when she was about to ask, Nicole began to feel hot. Heat coursed throughout her body. It became difficult to hear the many conversations going on around her. Mouths were moving, but it was as if they were talking like they were underwater. Not only was Nicole having a difficult time hearing and understanding what was being said, her movements were a step or two behind her thoughts.

Davis had been focused on her the entire time and noticed the second her face went ashen. He moved quickly to be by her side, took her hand in his, and squeezed, then leaned into her body and whispered into her ear. “Are you okay?”

Her mouth was dry, but she managed to move her lips. It came out a whisper. “Yes, I’m fine.” She did her best to focus, but it was hard.

“Are you sure.”

She blinked a few times then answered. “Yes.”

Someone in the room asked Davis a question, and, after making sure Nicole was alright, he turned away to respond.

Time ticked by, but Nicole missed most of the conversation. It was taking all her energy just to keep her eyes open. She hoped that when someone spoke to her that she nodded in all the right places.

“Mrs. Chatham? Mrs. Chatham?”

She didn’t answer.

Davis heard them calling out to her and turned to see why she didn’t answer. He could see that Nicole was overwhelmed. Her shoulders had gone slack. He was so caught up with his lawyers that he hadn’t noticed that, while physically present, Nicole was no longer in the room. It wasn’t until someone tried to get her attention, and when she ignored them, that he noticed. He rubbed Nicole on her knee. “Sweetheart, Ms. Cooke asked you a question. Are you alright?” Her head was slow to turn in his direction, but when they did, and his eyes connected with hers, they had a faraway look in them. “Nicole?”

“I-I’m sorry.” She slurred her words. Nicole couldn’t think and felt as if she were floating. Her mouth felt heavy. It was difficult to speak let alone answer in any coherent way. Something with her body was off, and Nicole needed to get away to catch her breath and clear her mind. “I-I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling very well.”

His stomach clenched, and Davis’s guilt weighed on him. It was probably his fault that Nicole was in a state of shock. He’d just sprung all of this onto her and expected her to deal with it. He turned to Ms. Cooke. “I’m sorry, Nicole’s not feeling very well. Please, excuse us. I’ll be back momentarily.” Davis stood and helped her up.

She whispered into his ear. Her words were even more slurred. “I don’t think I can stand on my own.”

Davis was worried but kept his composure. He wrapped his arm around her waist and helped walk Nicole out of the room.

She wasn’t sure how he did it, but Davis managed to make it appear as though she was walking by herself. But, the truth was, had it not been for him, her legs wouldn’t have been able to carry her anywhere. Nicole’s head began to roll to the left, then the right. It moved to the front and then the back.

Davis was feeling more than just concerned. “I’m calling the doctor.”

“No. I’m fiiiine . . . just need to sleep—to rest.”

“Nicole, something is not right.” Her legs buckled, and he tightened his hold to keep her from falling. Davis swept her up into his arms and carried her to their room. Her eyes were closed as her head lay on his chest. “Nicole?”

Her voice was low. “Hmm . . .”

“Can you hear me?”

Her eyes fluttered open and then closed. “Yee-sh.”

As tenderly as possible, Davis placed her into the center of their bed then covered her with the blankets. By the time he had her settled, Nicole had fallen back to sleep. If she wasn’t better when she woke up, Davis was calling the doctor whether she wanted him to or not.

He kissed her gently on the lips. “I’m sorry, baby.” Davis felt like the world’s biggest failure as he stared down at her beautiful face. He had to fix this. He had to make things right. If not for himself, then for Nicole and his family. With a heavy heart, Davis left the room closing the door behind him.