25. Freedom to Fly
25
FREEDOM TO FLY
REX
Despite the frosty, cold, and rainy conditions outside my window, inside this room at the chapel on the country club grounds, the heat was unbearable. I’d already stripped as much of my tux as I possibly could, sweating bullets.
My quiet wedding to Marlena would take place in less than an hour.
I pulled out a flask and gulped down the liquid courage while staring at photos on my phone of the lobby remodel plans, in an attempt to remind myself why I was doing this. But it suddenly meant nothing to me.
I brought up an old photo of Dad and me, in front of a castle in England that our ancestors long ago owned. Sadly, the thought of finally ridding myself of the eyesore the deli was, and all the past trauma that happened there…wasn’t such enticing reason to tear it down anymore.
The only thing seeing me through this suffering was the photo of Chelsea, dressed as a zombie, accidentally knocking over a lamp.
Why did I care so much about her? She turned down my proposal and hadn’t reached out since. Neither had I.
What if I didn’t go through with this wedding to Marlena and she goes through with the fake charges against Chelsea? Could I live with that?
So what if Chelsea gets arrested? I could hire her a lawyer and pay her bail and she’d be free in no time, while I’d avoid marrying Marlena altogether.
But the thought of putting Chelsea—such a ray of sunshine—behind bars, arrested for arson, no matter how temporary, didn’t sit well with me.
I switched my phone to messages, and scrolled to Chelsea’s name, hovering a thumb over the keypad, desperate to send an S.O.S. message, to explain everything, to see what she would have me do. Would she save me?
“Shit.” Even I wouldn’t save me.
At a quarter to my death sentence, the door opened, and I expected it to be Richard, telling me it was time, but to my surprise, Pearl walked in. I scowled.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to help you escape from this hell you’re about to enter. Here. Take my keys and run.” She stuffed the keys to her Mercedes SL in my hand. I stared in disbelief.
“Why do you care so much, Pearl? Can’t you just leave me alone? There’s a reason I’m here today.”
“No, I won’t let you do this, because I made a promise to your father to look after you two boys. Richard, he was easy to watch over. You, Rex, my God, are such a man-child. But I didn’t struggle for years earning my MBA for nothing. It came in handy so I could run this place while you dabbled in whatever suited your fancy.”
I scoffed a few feet away. “What do you want from me? To tell you thanks and pat you on the back? Give you a huge raise?”
“I want you to admit you’re not happy. Everyone knows it, and it’s high time you face it. You don’t enjoy being CEO and you definitely don’t want to marry Marlena. And I want you to get your head out of your ass and go after the best thing that ever happened to you—Chelsea.”
I had a mind to ream her out for getting into my business, but the door opened again before I could form the words. This time, Mom entered.
“I stopped the wedding,” she said.
“You did what?” My hands at my hips, I towered over both ladies.
“I ran into the photographer from the Zombie Ball who spilled the beans about Marlena and her threats to have Chelsea arrested. My boy, I’ve never known you to make such a sacrifice for someone. I’m so proud of you,” Mom said, reaching up and squishing my cheeks between thumb and forefinger. “Obviously, you have a heart and you care for Chelsea.”
“What about Marlena?”
“Gone.” Mom confirmed. “Once I explained to her father what she was trying to do, well, who cares how he handles it? They are out of our lives. Poof. No more wedding. Merry Christmas,”
I blinked several times, coming to terms with my pardon, my life sentence revoked.
“He’s still standing here,” Pearl whispered to Mom.
“Perhaps we need a deeper explanation?” She whispered back. “Rex, I offered Pearl the position of interim CEO until the board figures out who will be the next CEO of Buchanan.”
“Miriam and I talked about how things have been around the office and the company since you took over, and she was open to the idea,” Pearl said.
“Yes, I was. In fact, I’m rather enthused to see what a woman can do with this company for once.”
“Why thank you, Miriam. I won’t let you down.”
“What the fu—” Mom stopped me with her finger. “—am I supposed to do now?”
“Ugh. Rex, don’t worry about the company anymore. Worry about you. Take some time off and figure yourself out. Get back into real estate. Travel. In fact, I hear Holly Creek is lovely this time of year,” Mom said.
“Holly Creek? Why would I want to go?—”
“Oh my. He’s a little slow sometimes in the romance department, isn’t he?” Mom shook her head as an aside to Pearl, who crossed her arms and nodded.
I scoffed at them both. “What do you want me to do, go after Chelsea?”
“Now he’s getting it,” Pearl said, and Mom nodded.
“She won’t want to see me. I broke her heart. ”
“But you want her, don’t you?” Mom shook her head. “And when did Buchanans ever let anything stop us from getting what we want?”
Slowly, it all sunk in. Everything she and Pearl did for me, the opportunity they were giving me, to start over. To fly away. I just needed to take the chance and try, no matter if Chelsea would take me back or not. “Actually, Mom, she’s not only what I want, she’s what I need.” I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door.
“Stop, Rex. You can’t go empty-handed.” Mom hustled up to me, twisting a ring off her finger. “Take this ring. It’s the one your father gave to me the night he proposed. It’s a simple princess cut emerald ring surrounded by small diamonds. May it bring you luck and love.”
I gaped at not only the size and clarity of the gems, but the color, too. The green shining in the light reminded me of Chelsea’s eyes.
“It’s perfect. Thank you, Mom.” I hugged her for the first time in forever, and I grabbed Pearl, too. “I don’t know what I would do without you two.”
“You’re free to fly. Now get out of here and bring Chelsea to dinner soon.”
“You’re assuming she’ll take me back and try again?”
Mom cupped my cheek. “Rex, you have the Buchanan charm and looks and smarts. And now, maybe a little humility. She won’t be able to resist you.”
I ran out through the empty chapel and parking lot to Pearl’s car, grateful I didn’t have to face Marlena again.
Once I figured out how to get to Holly Creek, my mind raced there ahead of me in the car. What I would say to Chelsea when I arrived?
“How about I’m a dumbass, for starters?”
I ached to feel my arms around her. To kiss her…to make love with her.
Flooded with thoughts about what was ahead, the worries intensified as nightfall and snow started falling. The roads turned slick, and I hoped to hell the Mercedes would get me back to her arms safely.