Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
“ D arling, trust me, it’s a good surprise, I think,” Jon told Steph as he produced a blindfold from his pocket making her laugh loudly which in turn made Jelly Bean jump madly.
“Jelly Bean seems to think I should trust you, unless his somersaults are a warning.”
“He, she trusts Daddy, don’t you, baby,” crooned Jon as he gently stroked Steph’s ever expanding belly. “What do you say, Mummy?”
“You play dirty, Mr Brooker.” Steph turned her back to her husband and allowed him to cover her eyes with the blindfold thinking that they must look ridiculous doing this in the lift that fortunately only contained them.
“We’ll play dirty later, both of us, before I go to the airport,” he said with almost a promise in his voice.
“Do you remember the last time you put a blindfold on me?” asked Steph with a wicked grin.
“As if I could ever forget our honeymoon.” Jon smiled before placing a gentle kiss on Steph’s head. “I didn’t bring the handcuffs though, so you’ll need to do as you’re told.” They both laughed briefly before allowing their minds to travel back to their honeymoon. “This is us then darling,” Jon told her, putting an arm around her waist to guide her from the lift towards his office.
“Good morning, Andrea,” called Jon as they reached the reception area of his office, “Rosie,” he added confusing a blind Steph.
“Good morning, Mr Brooker,” they replied in stereo. “Mrs Brooker.”
“What’s going on here?” asked Steph considering pulling off the blindfold but Jon was already removing it.
Adjusting her gaze and taking her surroundings in, Steph frowned at the space she was in.
“What? Where are we?” she asked confused and suspicious.
“Our offices, darling. Mine is more or less where it was, but yours has been relocated to there, next to mine.” He pointed towards the door nearest Rosie.
“I don’t understand,” replied Steph, spinning around.
The space they were in was Jon’s original office space but extended now. The reception area was now much larger and opposite Andrea’s work area was Rosie’s with each of them located next to doors, one with Jon’s name on and the other with hers. There was seating for visitors on each side of the room and a new coffee machine.
“I still don’t understand. Why?” asked Steph making Jon smile at her.
“Come inside and then maybe you will understand. Andrea hold my calls and can we get some tea for my wife please,” said Jon taking Steph’s arm.
“Yes Mr Brooker,” replied Andrea.
“I’ll get Mrs Brooker’s tea,” contradicted Rosie.
Walking into Jon’s office it actually did look the same, except it now extended around a little farther where there were two, offset doors.
“My office, and through here is, yours,” he said walking Steph through the door into another office with a view to rival his with her desk and belongings from her original office in place.
“Very nice, but I still don’t understand why.”
“Because I want you as close as I can, both of you,” he replied placing a hand on her bump.
“You know this baby is going to evacuate at some point and then I will be back to being just me.” She smiled. “This is nice, but it seems a lot for the sake of a couple of months.”
“Ah, now that is where the best bit is revealed.” Jon’s huge grin made him look like a little boy on Christmas morning.
“Mmm, is this why I was confined to home last week?”
“I was going to take you to the house in Spain for a few days but then your blood pressure limited my choices, but left me with one clear option, so yes. You have two doors from your office on this wall,” he said gesturing to the adjoining wall, your bathroom is back there,” he told her pointing to a door on one of the other walls.
“These two doors, one to your office and the other one, goes where?” she asked trying to figure out why the second doors in both of their offices were offset and on a built out wall that was previously flat.
“This is the best bit, darling.” Guiding her to the second door, he sounded very sure of himself, cocky almost. “Open it and then you can tell me just how fabulous I am.”
With a giggle she turned the door handle revealing Jon’s surprise and gasped at the sight before her. “It’s a nursery,” she cried tearfully as she took it all in.
There was a huge window with blinds that were currently open allowing the room to fill with natural light against the pale lemon walls. A cot sat in the middle of the room while a gliding nursing chair, an armchair and changing table were on opposite sides of the room. Soft toys, storage chests, baby items and framed photos littered the room beautifully.
“It’s brilliant, you’re brilliant,” cried Steph as she propelled herself into Jon’s arms.
“We are so lucky to have you, me and Jelly Bean,” she told him seriously.
“Hey, I’m the lucky one. When I turned up at that bloody club on Charlie’s stag night I could never have dreamt how it was going to change my life, complete my life. We’d had a good night up until that point and I was all for heading to the casino to finish the night, all the guys were up for it, except Charlie who insisted he wanted to meet up with Lindsay. I thought he was such a knob for that. Hen pecked and he wasn’t even married at that point, but I am so glad he insisted, darling, although the memory of you and that fucking stripper that night still pisses me off beyond belief.”
“God, I love you.” Steph pulled Jon’s head down, quickly finding his lips with hers.
“You like it then,” he whispered against her soft pouting lips.
“I do, so does this mean Jelly Bean is gonna be on the payroll?”
“Ah, not quite, I do have another surprise, but I thought we should have somewhere suitable for Jelly Bean to stay when he comes into the office. Now, you get to know your new office, drink your tea, if we can find who made it and where they’ve left it. Then you can explore the new conference room down the corridor, then meet me downstairs, ground floor in an hour?”
“What? Why? What’s the other surprise?” she called as he headed towards the other door that joined this room, Jelly Bean’s room to his office.
“You’ll see,” he called as she dutifully followed him hoping to find her tea.
After familiarising herself with her office, which wasn’t really that difficult as Jon had essentially had her old one replicated in this new space, Steph took a quick trip to the new conference room which was almost the same as the old one, except slightly larger and further down the corridor. She returned to her office and found Rosie looking distracted behind her own desk.
“Rosie, come through would you?” asked Steph, smiling kindly at the other woman.
Taking a seat in her office, Rosie smiled, albeit weakly at Steph.
“You don’t look too happy, do you want to talk?” asked Steph.
“I don’t really know. This is weird, sharing the office space and stuff. I mean I like Andrea but I do wonder where that leaves me when you go on maternity leave. I can’t afford to take time off with you and I don’t really want to go back to the pool.”
“Ah, I hadn’t thought about that, although I haven’t sorted my own position while I’m off. Jon and I need to discuss that, but I see you as a permanent fixture here, with me, in my office.”
“Really?” Rosie sounded relieved. “Sorry, I think this could be pre-wedding jitters,” she admitted making Steph smile.
“You should have got pregnant and married within a few weeks and by the time the jitters hit you’re already shackled and it’s too late,” suggested Steph making them both laugh. “Have you seen my baby’s office?”
“No,” frowned a confused Rosie.
“Come on.” Steph smiled broadly as she led her friend to the door to Jelly Bean’s room. “It’s not actually an office,” said Steph throwing the door open to gasps from Rosie.
“Oh wow! This is beautiful, he really has outdone himself this time, hasn’t he?”
Laughing, Steph nodded, “Oh yes, he could ask for anything right now and I would give it to him, for this alone.”
“I’m glad you’re happy Steph, you deserve it.”
“Thank you. Now I have to meet my husband downstairs in ten minutes, but when I come back I shall bring cake and you can tell me what you’ve got planned for your hen night, even with my plus one here,” she said patting her belly gently, “I can still bust a few moves.”
“That’s a date. See you when you get back.”
“Just two minutes, baby,” Steph said to her fidgeting baby as she sat down in the glider chair and began to rock. “But no making Mummy fall asleep because Daddy will be waiting for us,” she added gently stroking her belly and soothing her unborn baby.
“Mrs Brooker,” called Graham, the architect who was on the ground floor with the matronly woman, Suzie and just behind them stood Grant.
“Mr Peters?” she asked thinking she’d remembered his name correctly.
“Graham, please, after all I did rescue you from that table.” He grinned. “Although I hadn’t realised you were pregnant until I spoke to your husband.”
“Ah, so you were the one that outed me as a table climbing, furniture moving crazy lady?” She laughed.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” he said with a smile. “Had it happened now I would have moved your furniture for you,” he said gesturing to her belly that was covered by a pair of dark grey maternity trousers and a loose fitting, white blouse.”
“Ah, here she is,” called Jon appearing from the construction area that was still cordoned off beyond the lifts. “Mrs Brooker you are looking as ravishing as ever.” He was already wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer before kissing her lips playfully.
“I am getting more and more worried about what you’ve been up to, Mr Brooker.”
“Oh darling, you are so suspicious, but if you walk this way, all will be revealed.” Grabbing her hand, he led her towards the new construction on the ground floor.
“Jon,” she protested as he put a hard hat on her head followed by everyone else.
Smiling up at Jon wearing a matching hat, Steph said, “Nice helmet, Mr Brooker.”
“Glad you approve, but I should warn you that I am very happily married and my wife will kick your arse if you’re attempting to flirt with me.”
“It’ll be your arse she’s kicking if she ever finds you flirting with another woman,” Steph told him, forgetting that they’d been followed by Graham, Suzie and Grant.
“Never gonna happen, darling. Now for the final time today, Stephanie, close your eyes and prepare to be impressed.”
Closing her eyes she allowed Jon to guide her and once they came to a standstill, he said, “Open.”
As she did so a shell of a place with windows, walls and doors to a previously inaccessible outdoor area was revealed to her.
“What precisely am I looking at?” she asked confused.
“This darling, is, or will be the creche facility for Brookers,” he revealed.
“For Brookers as in your company or your child?”
“Both. The idea of employing someone to care for Jelly Bean prompted this and then I realised after speaking to Grant how much of a struggle child care is for employees and it costs us a fortune in child care vouchers, but this way our baby is on the premises when we are and we can spend time with him upstairs and know that he is close by and well cared for when he’s not with us.”
“And you’ll save a shed load on vouchers by offering childcare provision and then there’ll be the tax incentives.”
“God, I love it when you talk like an accountant.” Jon grinned making Steph laugh.
“Who’s going to give me the guided tour then?” asked Steph turning to face the others.
“Graham can talk you through the actual building, Suzie is going to run the place so she can answer any specific questions you have and Grant will talk you through the personnel side of things.”
“And you?”
“I’m going to shut up and just follow you round, darling and then I have a meeting upstairs,” he replied as he began to follow his wife listening to her questions and the answers she received.
Arriving at the office on Wednesday morning, Steph found Rosie taking delivery of some flowers and Andrea looking awfully uncomfortable when she looked up and saw Steph was present while she spoke on the phone.
“As I’ve explained, sir, Mr Brooker is away for a couple of days, maybe you could try his mobile number.”
Moving towards Andrea, Steph wondered who the caller was, the caller who had Jon’s mobile number and Andrea was avoiding extending conversation with.
“Who is it?” asked Steph and raised an eyebrow as Andrea appeared to ignore her as she repeated her advice to the caller.
“Yes, call him direct on his mobile.”
“Andrea, who is it?” Steph asked impatiently but firmly forcing the other woman to pause.
“Sorry, Mrs Brooker, it’s a personal call for Mr Brooker.”
The words felt like a punch to her guts as Steph wondered who was making a personal call to her husband and knew him well enough to have his mobile number. Spurred on by Andrea’s avoidance, Steph snatched the phone from her. “Hello, you’ve reached Mr Brooker’s office, this is Mrs Brooker, can I help you or take a message?”
There was a long silent pause before the voice responded, “Steph, it’s Steve, Steve Cannon.”
“Ah.” She suddenly understood the advice for him to call Jon direct. “Can you hold for a couple of minutes while I transfer you to my phone?”
“Yeah, sure,” sighed a reluctant sounding Steve.
Putting him on hold before he was transferred, Steph turned to Andrea, “You need to put all of your calls on divert to Rosie and sit there,” she said angrily pointing to one of the leather sofas.
“Rosie, if she so much as looks at a phone, call me, and now I will transfer my husband’s personal call through to my office.”
“Mrs Brooker, Mr Brooker will want to know about the call and my allegiance is to him,” said Andrea as she sat on the sofa.
“Possibly, but allegiance or not, I will not be ignored in my own office and while Mr Brooker is away, Mrs Brooker is calling the shots,” she snapped and flounced into her office where Steve was waiting on the phone.
“Hi, Steve, long time no see,” she said with a fond smile for him.
“Yeah I know. A lot has happened since the stag and hen night.”
“It certainly has, now what can we do for you?” she asked bluntly making him laugh.
“You’re beginning to sound like your husband,” he laughed again before continuing, “I spoke to your old man last week, so I know he gave you some details about what’s gone on, but things are heating up and I am not prepared to discuss this with you, Steph. I didn’t want to drop Andrea in the shit and I could hear that you were getting pissed off with her, so nice to speak to you but I am now going to call the main man, which means if you want to dish out some shit, do it with him, not me, and be nice to Andrea, and I’ll see you soon,” he said with a laugh before hanging up.
By the time she’d pulled her phone from her bag and hit Jon’s name on speed dial he was engaged. Probably Steve reporting in, so she called through for Rosie to send Andrea in.
The other woman looked sheepish as she stood before Steph.
“Please take a seat.”
Complying, Andrea smoothed down her skirt and looked across the desk at Steph.
“I thought about what you said, about my husband holding your allegiance and I get that, I really do and maybe that’s as it should be, but you need to understand that in the event that you ever ignore me when I ask a straightforward question or dismiss me as you did this morning, then I think we may need to look at your suitability to remain in your current post, because although I still see Jon as the boss, I won’t be treated like a second class citizen in my own office, does that make sense?”
“Yes, of course Mrs Brooker, but I was following Mr Brooker’s instructions and I didn’t want to lie to you by saying it was anyone other than Steve Cannon, but because you’d already heard me tell him to phone Mr Brooker on his mobile I panicked.”
“I do understand that Andrea and maybe I should speak to my husband and clarify a few things with him,” replied Steph as her mobile sprang into life. “And as if by magic.”
“Can I ask Rosie to divert my calls back?”
“Yes, of course,” replied Steph as she answered her call from Jon. “Mr Brooker, what a pleasant surprise,” she answered sarcastically.
“And good morning to you too, darling. I believe you and Steve had a catch up this morning and you’re pissed off with Andrea,” he said calmly, infuriating her slightly.
“You are unbelievable! You really are.” His friendly, playful tone only served to irk her.
“Steph, I’m not getting into this over the phone, but I get how you must have felt. Steve thought I was due back today and phoned the office first and Andrea really was following orders, mine,” Jon explained.
“What? And your orders take precedence over mine?”
“I’m not sure what you expect me to say, Steph, but yes, yes they do. I don’t want this to cause a problem between us, darling, it’s just the way it is and if anybody had disregarded you I would support any action you wanted to take, but not while they’re doing as I’ve told them.”
“I know,” she conceded. “And I don’t want to be or see myself as the boss and if I’d known it was Steve I would have been okay with it I think, but when Andrea said it was a personal call and kept repeating that the caller should call you on your mobile, I got suspicious,” Steph admitted.
“What am I going to have to do to make you trust me, Stephanie?” Jon asked. “I love you, I married you, you’re having my baby. Any secrets I keep from you are either business or for your benefit or both, not because I don’t trust you or because I am planning on replacing you.” He sighed.
“Sorry, it’s just that I have never been this happy and I keep thinking that something or someone is going to come along and burst my bubble,” Steph admitted to them both.
“Well if anything bursts our bubble we’ll get a new bubble, bigger and better, stronger.”
“You’ll make me cry if you say nice things like that.” Any earlier annoyance disappeared in that moment.
Laughing, Jon said, “Then maybe I should go, I have a meeting to get back to. Is Andrea okay, are things between you okay?” He sounded slightly nervous.
“Yes, we’re fine. How’s Rome?”
“Rome is Rome but would be much better if you were here with me. I miss you and your crazy hormones,” he told her making her want to cry again.
“I miss you too, but you should go or I’m going to cry again,” Steph said with a laugh but was serious.
“Alright, darling, I’ll call you later. I love you, and give Jelly Bean a rub and a kiss from me.”
“Rub no problem, but I can’t reach my belly with my lips and your kisses are far more effective than mine on our baby.”
“Just a rub and I’ll catch up on kisses when I get home, yours and Jelly Bean’s.”
Steph had decided to take a trip downstairs to the coffee shop and after spending a while chatting with Sonia Hanson she returned to her office armed with a selection of cakes and biscuits for herself, Rosie and Andrea, especially Andrea. As she approached the open door of the reception area that housed her office, she could hear a variety of voices and entering she saw two suited men being told by Andrea that they could take a seat and wait for Mrs Brooker while Rosie appeared to be having an animated telephone conversation.
“Andrea?” Steph looked around as the two men got up to greet her.
“Mrs Brooker, these gentleman are police officers,” Andrea started before noticing Steph’s pallor fade. “Steph, sit down,” she added, worrying Steph further by using her first name.
“Is everything okay? Is it my husband? Oh God, has there been an accident?” Steph was panicking.
One police officer bent down in front of Steph who was rubbing her hands across her knees that were covered by a pair of grey pinstriped trousers and one of the many loose fitting maternity blouses she now possessed, this one being purple.
Smiling at her kindly, he explained, “Mrs Brooker, as far as we know your husband is absolutely fine, and no accidents.”
A loud gasp representing a breath she’d been holding left Steph’s body as Andrea asked, “Shall I call Mr Brooker?”
“No, no, it’s fine,” replied Steph gathering her thoughts and equilibrium. “Sorry,” added Steph getting to her feet. “Come through, please,” she said walking towards her own office. “Can somebody get us some tea and coffee please,” she asked opening her door.
Sitting behind her desk she offered the officers a seat opposite her as the older one introduced them, “I’m Detective Sergeant Adams and my colleague, Detective Sergeant Williams.
“When’s the baby due?” asked one, the slightly older one about thirty who had spoken to her outside. A tall, broad, sandy haired man with a kind smile and warm brown eyes.
“About another fourteen weeks,” Steph replied.
“Boy or girl?” Sergeant Adams asked.
“We opted for a surprise.” She smiled unsure why he was so interested in Jelly Bean, but she was happy to talk about him.
“Ah, my wife couldn’t wait, we’re expecting a boy in ten weeks,” he revealed which explained his interest.
“That’s lovely. How are you finding the hormones?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’m doing lots of overtime,” he replied making Steph laugh even more. “And Mr Brooker?”
“No escape for him I’m afraid, he works in the office through there. He is away in Rome for a couple of days and then Barcelona and although he assures me it’s business it could just be a ruse to escape me and my hormones,” joked Steph before the other officer spoke.
“Mrs Brooker, is there someone you’d like to sit in with us?”
“Why? Do I need someone to sit in with me?”
A knock on the door interrupted them briefly, but after getting up to open it Steph revealed Rosie carrying tea and coffee followed by Charlie.
“Charlie?”
“Hi Steph,” he said, giving her cheek a fleeting kiss before entering the office and pulling another chair towards Steph’s desk. “Gentlemen.” He turned to the officers and offered them his hand. “Charlie Smith, head of legal.”
Closing the door behind Rosie, Steph placed the tray on her desk and looked at Charlie confused. “Are you staying?”
“Yes, boss’ orders,” revealed Charlie to a confused Steph. “While he’s away he asked that I be kept abreast of anything unexpected and your visit is definitely unexpected,” he said turning back to the detectives who reciprocated with introductions.
“If we’re all here,” said Williams. “Mrs Brooker do you know a Simon Jackson?”
“Yes, he was my boyfriend, a couple of years ago.”
“And was your split amicable?” asked Adams.
“I don’t know what you’d call it really. Things had been pretty bad between us and I decided I would end the relationship and when I told Simon, he revealed that he had been having an affair with a colleague, he’s a PE teacher, well, he was, he told me he’d been suspended when I last saw him. Anyway he cheated on me, not for the first time I believe, so he had an affair and got the woman pregnant, she was the secretary at his school.”
“I see,” mused Williams. “And your baby, is it your husband’s?” he asked startling Steph while Charlie shook his head waiting for the fallout.
“Yes! Of course it is you cheeky bastard!” Steph spat at him rubbing her hand across her bump, maybe as an apology for swearing while Charlie now choked on his coffee.
Adams smiled across at her.
She continued, “What do you want? Or was your sole purpose here to insult me and question my baby’s parentage?” she asked still annoyed with Williams as Charlie intervened.
“Gentlemen, Mrs Brooker makes a good point because so far there seems no reason for your presence here and I am sure you will have checked your own records and know that there was a police report made about an attack by Mr Jackson on Mrs Brooker and subsequently an injunction was taken out preventing Mr Jackson contacting or approaching Mrs Brooker, so what’s going on?”
“Sorry, Mrs Brooker, it wasn’t my intention to offend, but we just needed to establish if there was any additional incentive in Mr Jackson contacting you.” Williams softened a little towards Steph. “Mr Jackson broke into Mrs Galway’s home that she shares with her husband and son.”
“Mrs Galway?” asked a confused Steph.
“The secretary, the mother of his son,” explained Adams.
“Shit!” Steph sagged back against her chair.
“He broke in and took the baby Mrs Brooker,” said Williams bluntly.
“What? You mean he has the baby? Where is he now?” asked Steph concerned.
“We don’t know. That’s why we’re here, to see if he has made contact with you.”
“He hasn’t, not since the day he attacked me at my father’s house, when the report was filed with the police. He was weirder than usual that day and talked about us getting back together. Simon hadn’t realised that Jon and I had got married or that I was pregnant so suggested that we, him and I should use my salary to gain custody of his son. I pointed out that I had no interest in that plan, that I was happy with my husband and that I was pregnant, not fat as he’d assumed. From past experience of Simon’s volatile temper I expected him to flip out slightly but he didn’t, he suggested that my husband would have to pay for my child, his mistake, and in turn would act as a cash cow for him to get his child.” Remembering Simon’s suggestion, she laughed, confusing the men present. “He actually said that he would try not to resent my baby too much. He never knew me, did he?” She looked across at Charlie who shook his head. “He really seemed to believe that his idea was an option I would consider, which in case you’re wondering, I didn’t. My husband is a hundred times the man Simon ever was and I love him and my baby.”
“Of course, Mrs Brooker, but what you’ve just told us makes our visit even more relevant because if Mr Jackson has some delusion that you hold the key to him getting legitimate access to his son, you and your husband’s wealth then potentially that puts you in danger of a visit from him . . . and he’s already snatched one person,” said Williams looking between Steph and Charlie.
“Phone Jon,” Charlie said sounding almost like Jon dishing out his orders as the police prepared to leave them alone with just a pause to give Steph their contact details.
Steph sat back in her chair looking between her desk phone and her mobile that sat next to a photograph of her and Jon together on their honeymoon. Staring at the image of them both bronzed and relaxed, totally in love and happy, she wondered how had she ever settled for the life she’d had with Simon for so long without knowing that this degree of happiness and contentment was available to her, that she deserved it?
“Steph!” said Charlie with a raised voice, “Your husband would like a word.” He held up his own phone.
“What? You’ve phoned him! I was going to do it. What the fuck has happened to you?” she asked a smirking Charlie as Jon’s raised voice could be heard, but not what he was saying until he put him on speaker.
“Jon, you’re on speaker,” said Charlie putting his phone down on Steph’s desk.
“Steph, darling, are you okay?”
“Yeah, it was just a bit of a shock when the police arrived. I can’t believe how far off the rails Simon is,” she admitted. “He won’t hurt the baby will he? It’s his son,” said Steph sounding and feeling emotional.
“I don’t know, but to be honest my main concern right now is you and our baby. I am looking at getting my meeting in Barcelona covered by someone else, but in the meantime I’m going to make some arrangements with Charlie to keep you safe, okay?”
“I’ll be fine.” Steph forced a smile.
“Not good enough, darling. I need you to promise me that you will stay in the office until you hear from me later.”
“What about lunch?” Steph wondered why her only query related to something as insignificant as her lunch.
“Send someone out for it, phone out and have it delivered, call down to the coffee shop, anything, but do not leave the office, promise me Steph,” said Jon seriously.
“And if I don’t?” she asked for no reason she could name beyond needing to have some power in this situation where her independence seemed to be being taken from her bit by bit.
“Stephanie this is not open for negotiation, but if you can’t promise me now I will be home before the close of business and you will be holed up in the spa.”
“This is a fucking nightmare!” Steph pouted and then scowled as both Charlie and Jon in stereo told her,
“Stop swearing!”
“Fine! I will stay in the building for the day, happy now?”
“Hardly. Now be a good girl until I speak to you later and any problems or concerns call me, immediately.”
“Fine,” she agreed before Jon turned his attention to Charlie.
“Charlie, thanks for this and I will call you back in about twenty minutes.”
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll make sure Steph is sorted here and that Andrea and Rosie are aware that they’ll be doing all the running today and then I’ll be downstairs.”
“Cool, thanks Charlie, and Steph,” said Jon, “I love you, bye, darling,” he added and hung up.