Chapter 6
David's smile came wide and immediate when he looked up and saw who swept into the office. And sweep in she did.
Lisa-Ann Whitlock-Day was the spitting image of her brother and was stunning.
Her thick blonde hair was chicly cut and framed a heart-stopping beautiful, heart-shaped face.
Her smile was always ready, and even though she was petite, she carried herself with such efficiency and vibrancy that it made her appear taller than she was.
Springing to his feet, David rushed from behind his desk and into her open arms.
"The doctor is back." He hugged her tight before easing back to gaze at her. "When? You did not say a word. Your brother--"
"Does not know, and neither does dad." She went on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Is it my imagination, or are you looking even more handsome than ever?"
He beamed at the compliment. "It's not your imagination." He looked behind her. "Where's that handsome husband of yours?"
"He went to the hospital to see friends." Tucking her hand through his arm, she started toward the double doors. "Is my brother in?"
"Just." David placed a hand over hers. "He has a meeting in ten minutes. Want me to announce you?"
"And spoil the surprise?" She shook her head, green eyes twinkling. "Not a chance." Sliding her hand from his arm, she went toward the door. "I'll see you before I leave."
"If you don't, I'll never forgive you."
Laughing softly, she opened the double doors and simply stood there staring at him. He had his head bent over what looked like a weighty folder. His candy pink shirt was folded at the elbows, and his thick blonde hair was mussed as if he had dragged his fingers through the strands.
"David, I need--" He looked up and stared in stunned surprise.
Pushing back the chair, he sprang to his feet and rushed over. Lifting her clear off the carpeted floor, he wrapped his arms tight around her. She held onto him, closing her eyes as she inhaled his scent. Six months away was too much. The familiarity of home settled over her as she hugged him back.
Putting her down, he took her hand and slammed the doors shut before guiding her to the sofa tucked under the window overlooking the city.
"When?" he demanded.
"Just now. I should be home soaking in a long, fragrant bath, but I could not wait to see you." She grabbed his hand and placed it on her cheek. "We went straight from Madagascar to the Philippines and then to South Korea. Then Haiti."
"Does dad know you're here?"
"No." She gave a wry grimace. "After the phone call we had a few months ago when I told him we were on our way to South Korea, we haven't spoken. He accused Anthony of dragging me off to all those 'godforsaken places.'"
"As if anyone could drag you anywhere," Leon said dryly.
"Precisely." She grinned. "Darling, I'm sorry the correspondences between us have been so sketchy."
"I understand." He lifted her hand to his lips.
She was two years his senior, but they had always been very close.
They had grown closer when the scandal wracked the family and turned everything inside out.
Leon admired his sister for taking matters into her own hands and doing precisely what she wanted.
"How are you?" Her eyes searched his face.
"Busy."
"Talk to me, or I'm going to have to use my needles." The determined glint in eyes so much like his told him that she was not going to settle for half-truths.
"Dinner," he decided. "Unless you and Anthony have plans."
"My sweetheart is going to see his mother, and you know how much I get along with her."
He laughed at the pained look on her exquisite face. "She's his mother."
"And she thinks he walks on water. I love my husband, but I can do without her constant interference. The six months we've been away, I have no idea how she managed. 'My son needs a proper wife who can cook him a meal.'"
"Don't tell me you haven't learned the fine art of putting a meal together." His eyes glinted wickedly.
"Nope, and it's too late for me now. I did learn how to work an old-fashioned range while in the middle of nowhere." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "So tonight, you'll tell me what's going on with you."
"I promise."
"Now, let me get out of your hair." She rose and drew him up with her. Wrapping her arms around him, she held on for a spell before letting go. He watched her walk toward the door, smiling when she turned to give him a wave.
*****
"You always did have an overactive imagination. I'm surprised you're not a writer."
Kadian slid her a wry glance before pouring more wine into both glasses. It had been a long and exhausting day with her running the various programs and seeing to her father's wellbeing. Leon had called and told her that his sister was back, and they were having dinner tonight.
"Extending an invitation to you would not make any sense. I know you will not come."
She had made noises about it being too soon. The conversation had been stilted afterward, and he had hung up. Without saying he loved her.
"You should have heard the way he spoke to me. That cool, arrogant tone that sent shivers up and down my spine."
"Isn't his sister some kind of doctor?"
Grace accepted the wine and curled her legs beneath her. It had been very difficult not to tell her friend's father what she thought of him. He had been in bed when she arrived, with Kadian serving him tea.
"She and her husband. Doctors without borders."
Grace lifted a brow. "An heiress doing that sort of thing."
"Leon said his father and she have it out often, but she refused to back down from her career path. They go to all of these distressed areas to offer medical support. She sometimes uses her own money to provide supplies."
Grace lifted a brow. "Admirable. It's not often you hear that sort of thing. Is her husband loaded as well?"
"He comes from money. She surprised him with her visit. They have been away for more than six months."
Grace eyed her over the rim of her glass. "You've never met her."
"No." The wine was making her mellow, but there was still the ache inside her chest that would not go away. "She left before we got married."
"Think he'll tell her?"
Kadian nodded. "They're very close."
"I thought the weekend went very well."
She stirred herself to look at her friend. "It was magic." A wistful smile touched her lips. "We had the best time. But something tells me that is all over." She put down her glass abruptly. "I'm scared, Grace."
"Honey, you know what you have to do. And I don't think that husband of yours is going to call it quits just like that."
"Normally, I would agree with you. He loves me, there is no doubt about that. But he's getting increasingly impatient. God! Sometimes I feel as if I'm being torn in two. I want to be with him so badly, and then I start to resent dad."
"I don't need to remind you that your place is with your husband."
"He said the same thing." She picked up the wine again and just stared into the dark red contents. "I really don't know what to do."
*****
"The coq au vin was excellent." Lisa curled her legs under her and sighed as she sipped the excellent vintage.
"Your housekeeper is a whiz." She watched as her brother stoked the fire before putting away the poker.
"It's times like these that you appreciate how good life is and how much you have to give thanks for. "
He sent her an amused glance. "You're not going to get philosophical on me, are you?" He settled in an easy chair across from her and picked up his wineglass.
"Something like that." She flashed him a smile, contented and happy to be here with him.
"We've been to some rather forlorn and degrading areas, where people lack the usual necessities, ones that we take for granted, such as clean running water, indoor plumbing.
Food to eat." She took a sip of the wine.
"Drinking a glass of aged or even poor vintage would seem like drinking gold to them.
A mother unable to take care of her children.
Introducing contraceptives to them is like asking them to stop living.
Their mindset is so steeped in the old ways that bringing them around takes a great amount of effort. "
"Are you making strides?"
"Little by little." She murmured. "We have to educate the mind before we can do anything else." She shook herself and smiled at him. "We're not here to talk about my work. What about you, darling? What's new?"
"I'm married." He figured the best way was the most direct and had the pleasure of seeing her goggle.
"Excuse me? For a minute, I thought you said you were married."
He grinned at her stunned expression and lifted his right hand to show her the ring he was wearing.
"It's on the wrong finger," she pointed out dazedly.
"We're not telling anyone just yet." He sipped wine and eyed her over the glass. "Her name is Kadian Donaldson, now Whitlock." He waited for her to make the connection.
"Donaldson, where have I--" He saw when it connected. "Wow! Darling, isn't that--"
"The daughter of dad's sworn enemy. Hence the need to be discreet. We got married six months ago."
She continued to stare at him for several minutes, her mind trying to grasp the significance of the news.
"The scandal."
"Yes."
"How--"
"We met when she came back from New York where she had been living and working. Her dad was ill, and she had to come back home. We met at a gallery opening and--" He moved his shoulders restlessly.
Putting the glass down, he rose and wandered around the room. Moving to the window, he stared out at the encroaching darkness. It was almost winter, and one could tell by the bleakness of the trees.