fifteen
“I cofounded this organization in hopes of bringing my own family healing after my mother’s death from cancer. But I never fully took advantage of the services. Why? Because talking can be as painful as surgery and as scary as chemotherapy. But if we don’t communicate our feelings and thoughts, the silence grows into a malignancy that can’t be cut out by surgeons or shrunken by drugs. Last night I spoke with a wise man who urged me to end the silence in my own family by saying what no one wanted to hear. A simple phone call healed years of miscommunication with my father. Things were said that brought us closer and ended the silence.”
“There are many things we can’t control in life, like whether or not the cancer will spread, but we can control our communications and keep them from devolving into the cancer of silence. I urge each of you not to allow your silence to grow until it is terminal. Thank you.”
Judging by the applause, the speech went well. Colin stood at the back of the room next to Andrew, who clapped too. Since he was there, she kept the references to her own cancer minimal.
There was another silence she needed to face. Reverend Cavanagh had asked her about her next ten-year plan. She had ideas, but until she could tell Colin everything, she couldn’t move forward either.
There was no privacy on the short flight back to Chicago.
Nor was there any during dinner with Mandy, Daniel, Abbie, and Preston. They ended up watching a movie with the other couples, and Candace didn’t want to talk in front of the driver.
Sunday, Colin left with Daniel on a business trip to Hong Kong.
Candace tried to write her thoughts in an email.
Twice.
She ended up just texting generic what’s-up messages.
The silence started to grow.
The familiar lights of the Chicago skyline filled Colin’s window. O’Hare never looked so good. Daniel’s complaining about being away from Mandy on these trips made more sense now. China was especially tricky as Colin always felt like someone was watching him. Perhaps he had seen one too many spy movies. Or maybe there was something else. The two brief phone conversations he had with Candace seemed off. But then, either he was ready for bed or she was. And she was still in yesterday when he was in today.
He couldn’t wait to see her, but then he could. Candace’s father was visiting. Maybe it was his own unease at meeting him that caused Colin to think something was off. Next to him, Daniel stretched. “Please tell me we never have to fly again.”
“You know, we could just get a corporate jet like Preston’s.”
“We have one.”
Colin sat up. “We do?”
“Yes, but it is impractical to take to Hong Kong, though I took it to London in July.”
“Why don’t I know these things?”
“Probably because you don’t pay attention in all those meetings we have. We also have a smaller one. You have flown in it several times.”
“I knew about that one. Which one did we take to New York for the wedding?”
“Preston’s. His is a family jet, so no red tape for vacations.”
Colin stowed his tablet. “Maybe I should get a private one.”
“It depends. Will you fly it more than you do your red car?”
“Of course. I’ll have a pilot.”
Daniel laughed. “That car is so wasted on you.”
Colin smiled. He knew his red car, a Lamborghini, would have been well loved in many a garage. It was the last gift he’d received from his father, so he’d held on to it even if driving wasn’t something he enjoyed.
Which made his chauffeured ride back to the penthouse all the better. He could text while someone else drove.
Heading home from O’Hare.
—I made dinner. It will be ready in thirty. Ready to meet my dad?
Was anybody ever ready to meet the man he hoped to make his father-in-law?
Looking forward to it.
Colin headed for the penthouse first for a change of clothing and to splash water on his face. His body had no idea what time zone he was in. He asked Sabrina twice, but the answer made no sense to him. The only thing he could hear clearly was his bed. All he needed was some sleep to make the world right. Well, sleep and Candace. Since the two needs were mutually exclusive at the moment, he took the elevator down ten floors and knocked on Candace’s door.
He needs sleep. Candace gave Colin a peck on the cheek. With her father in the next room, she didn’t dare go for a real kiss. “Come on in and meet my dad.” She took him by the arm and led him into the living area, where her father stood from the couch.
“Dad, this is Colin. Colin, my dad.”
Her father extended his hand. “Neil Wilson. Nice to meet you.”
Colin shook her father’s hand and yawned. “Sorry, I’m thirteen hours ahead or eleven behind.”
“Don’t worry about it. Candace told me you would be a little jet lagged. I take it she underestimated how much.”
A buzzer in the kitchen rang. Candace ran to pull out the lasagna, worried about leaving the two men alone. She set the lasagna on the table, added ice to the water glasses, and set out the salad. When she returned to the living area, Colin was snoring softly.
Dad smiled a bemused smile. “I’ll give him points for meeting me.”
“I don’t think you should take it personally.” Poor Colin. He’d tried so hard.
“Dinner can wait a few moments. Why don’t you wake him up enough to get him back up to his apartment?”
Candace crouched in front of her sleeping boyfriend. “Colin?” She shook him gently.
“Huh? Wa—? I’m awake.” He rubbed his eyes.
“Not really. Let’s get you up to your place, and you can see me tomorrow.”
Colin nodded and stood, swaying a bit.
Dad stood in the kitchen doorway. “Perhaps you’d better escort him up. I don’t want him riding the elevator all night.”
Candace wrapped an arm around Colin and headed for the elevator.
The lights flickered on when they entered Colin’s apartment. “Welcome, Candace. Welcome, Colin.”
Candace ignored the AI and walked Colin to his bedroom. The door was locked.
“Sabrina, open Colin’s bedroom door.”
“I am sorry. The bedroom doors are to remain locked when Candace Wilson is in the apartment.”
Really? Do you think I am going to take advantage of him? Candace kept the thought to herself.
Colin muttered something, but the AI didn’t respond. Candace steered him to the big couch in the entertainment room. “Sorry, you’ll have to nap here until I am gone. Hopefully Janie will come soon.”
He wrapped his arms around her much the way a zombie would in a B movie. “Don’t go.”
Candace extricated herself and covered Colin with a throw blanket. “I need to. My dad is waiting.” She placed a kiss on his forehead and turned down the light. Even if she did stay with him, he wouldn’t remember anything in the morning.
The elevator wouldn’t open.
“Sabrina, please call the elevator.”
“Sorry, he said don’t go. You must stay.”
“Sabrina, he is talking in his sleep. Please let me go.”
“Orders do not compute.”
Candace went back into the room were Colin slept. “Colin, please wake up. Your AI won’t let me leave.”
“What?”
“Please tell Sabrina I can go home.”
He blinked a couple of times. “Sabrina, Candace is going home. Start evening lockdown procedures after she leaves.”
“Thank you.” Candace kissed him on the cheek before hurrying to the elevator, half afraid Sabrina would start her evening lockdown before she could escape. This time the elevator opened. She pushed the button for her floor, but the elevator didn’t move. “Sabrina, please let me go to my floor.”
The elevator closed. Candace rubbed her head. The lasagna was probably cold, and what father would believe her boyfriend’s AI had held her hostage?