Chapter Twenty-Four
Chessie
I pull up outside Mark and Nina’s house and turn off the engine. After undoing my seat belt, I turn and look at Thea. “Are you ready?”
Her brows draw together. “I don’t know.” She looks out at the house. “What if he does it again?” she whispers.
It’s a valid concern, and I think for a moment before I answer. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. Kingi said that when someone tries to take their own life, it’s often a cry for help. They’re hurting badly, and they need everyone around them to understand how bad they feel.”
“He could have just said.”
“That’s true. But I don’t think it was a conscious act. It’s not as if he thought, ‘I’m going to try to kill myself, that’ll show them.’ When you’re in pain, you just want it to stop.”
She nods. “I told Kingi that I hated Dad.”
I feel a swell of pity. “Oh, Thea… it’s okay…”
“He said he understood. But that hate is a negative emotion, and I need to focus on finding the light.”
“That’s very profound,” I say softly. “Deep,” I add at her puzzled look.
“I don’t want to hate Dad.” She swallows hard. “I want to help him.”
Tears fill my eyes, and I have to fight hard not to let them fall. “That’s a very mature attitude, Thea. He’s so lucky to have you.”
She rubs her nose. “Shall we go in?”
“Yeah, come on.”
We get out, walk up the path, and I open the door with the spare key Nina gave me. Thea holds my hand, and we walk into the living room together.
Nina’s in the kitchen, making coffee, while Mum puts some biscuits on a plate. Mark and Dad are sitting in the living room, but they both stand as Thea and I walk in.
Mark is pale, but he looks okay. He glances at me, then at his daughter as she walks toward him. “Baby.” He holds out his arms and when she runs into them, he gives her a big hug.
“Daddy.” She buries her face in his chest.
I turn away and smile at my father as he comes toward me. “How are you doing?” I ask. He has a little more color than he had the day before, and his eyes are brighter.
“I’m okay.” He gives me a hug too. “I’m so sorry for all the worry.”
“Aw, it’s not your fault.”
“I know. I’m still sorry I wasn’t there for you yesterday.”
“It’s okay, Dad. We went to Kingi’s house. We had a nice time, didn’t we?” I look at Thea, who nods as she moves back from Mark.
“His friend’s dog was there. His name was Bearcub. He slept on my bed.”
“Oh, that was kind of Kingi.” Mark strokes her hair. “I was thinking… maybe we could get a dog?”
Thea’s face lights up. “Really?”
“Yeah. While you’re at school and Mum’s at the supermarket, he could come to work with me. Then I could bring him when I pick you up at school.” She hugs him, and he kisses the top of her head. He looks at me. “I’m sorry.”
I blink away the tears that sting my eyes. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not. None of you deserved that.”
“Honey, you didn’t do it to hurt us, I know that.” I go over to him and hug him while he’s still got his arms around Thea.
We stand there like that for a moment, until Mum and Nina come in with the coffee and biscuits, and then we break apart with a laugh and sit with them.
“We’ve been talking, the four of us,” Mum says.
“Oh?”
Nina looks at Thea. “Why don’t you go and play in your room, love?”
“No,” Mark says. “I want her to stay. She deserves to know what’s happening.”
Nina frowns, but she doesn’t argue with him.
“I saw a therapist this morning,” Mark says.
“And I’m going back to see him once a week.
I’m also going to a place called Gamblers Anonymous.
I’ll be talking to other people who have the same problem as me.
And we’ll try to help each other to get better.
I do want to.” He looks earnest. “I’m going to try. ”
“That’s great,” I say with feeling. “I’m so proud of you.”
He swallows hard. “Chess… I didn’t say thank you for the money. I want to see Kingi and say thank you to him, too.”
“He knows. But yeah, you’ll have to come over to his house one day. It’s super, looking over the sea.”
He studies his feet. “You shouldn’t have faked an engagement for me.”
“It’s not fake,” Thea says. “They kissed.”
They all look at me in shock. It’s clear from their reaction that they suspected the engagement wasn’t real. And now they’re stunned that it might not be.
I shrug. “It was just a quick kiss.” I give them a mischievous smile.
“Really?” Mark’s smile spreads. “I always knew he liked you.”
He said ‘He liked you.’ Not ‘you liked him.’
“You knew he liked me?” I say, surprised. “How?”
He grins. “He never stopped talking about you. I know he kissed you when you were young. I was surprised you didn’t get together after that.”
“His father told him he could do better,” I say softly.
“Bloody cheek.” My father’s eyes flare. “You’re worth a hundred of Rangi Davis.”
I shrug. “Their world is very different from ours. Parties and balls and celebrities and big deals done every day. Our world must seem very small from such a dizzy height. But I think his chickens are coming home to roost.” I stop there, not wanting to tell them about Rangi and Huia’s divorce in case it doesn’t come to pass.
I change tack. “Kingi comes from that background, but he wants to expand his world. He’s going to be the CEO of a group called the Ngā Whetū Rangatahi Foundation, and he wants to help under-privileged youths get more opportunities and have a better start to life. He has a big heart.”
“And he loves you?” Mum asks, eyes wide.
“I think so. He said he’s in love with me.
” I smile, barely able to believe it myself.
“Look, we had a bargain—I said I’d help him look more respectable so he could get the job, and in return he said he’d give me some money to help us get back on our feet.
The money was nothing to him, but everything to me.
And it seemed like a small price to pay.
He’s a good man, with a heart of gold, and I wanted to help him. ”
“But now you’re engaged for real?” Dad asks.
“We fell in love,” I say simply. “I’m nervous that it’s just a crush for him, and I want us to take our time. We won’t be getting married anytime soon! But we were about to announce the engagement, and he said he still wants to do it, and… he wants me to move in with him.”
Nina presses her hand over her heart. “Oh, that’s so romantic.”
“I’m so pleased for you,” Mum says. “I know you’ve always liked him. Oh, it’s so nice to hear some good news.”
Dad and Mark exchange glances. Dad lifts his eyebrows, and Mark shrugs.
“What?” I ask.
Dad looks at me. “Well, we had something to tell you, but I’m not sure if this will change it.”
“Go on…” My stomach flips with nerves, but they don’t look worried.
“It’s about the business,” Dad says. “The doctors told me that stress was a contributory factor to the heart attack. I’m better, but it’s going to take me some time to get back to where I was… if I even can.”
“You will,” I insist, but he holds up a hand.
“They’ve given me a healthy eating plan, and I’m going to start walking regularly. But I need help with the business. It’s not easy for a man to say to his daughter, Chess. I should be the one looking after you, and you’ve had far too much on your plate these past few months.”
“You’ve done so much for us,” Mark says stiffly. “I’m so sorry you’ve been under such pressure. But you’re so capable. You’re much better at running the business than I would ever be.”
“So we’d like you to take over,” Dad says. “We’ll both try to help more than we have the last couple of months. But we’d like you to head the business.”
I stare at him. “It’s your company, Dad. You built it from nothing. You can still run it, even if we do a bit more of the leg work.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be around. But it’s as if you’ve breathed new life into it. You have new ideas, and boundless energy to implement them. You’re good with people, and the staff all adore you. You’ve handled the books magnificently, and we’re actually making a good profit again.”
“That was Kingi’s doing,” I hasten to add.
“Maybe, but don’t you see? Making that bargain with him was a genius move. It saved our lives.”
“Literally,” Mark says, his lips twisting.
I sit there on the edge of my chair, my spine stiff, breathing fast. “I didn’t want you to know,” I whisper. “I thought you might see it as me…” I glance at Thea, but she’s gone into the kitchen to get a drink, so she can’t hear me. “…prostituting myself.”
“You did what you had to do to save us,” Dad says. “You went to a friend and made a mutual bargain. You weren’t too proud to do whatever you needed to save us, and I’m so proud of you for that.”
My eyes fill with tears. “Don’t…”
“I don’t mean to make you cry,” he says earnestly, “but I want you to know how grateful we all are. And I don’t want to pile all the stress on you.
If you really don’t want to do it, we’ll get someone else in.
But the fact is that you have proven yourself great at running the company.
We’ll help you. But I’d like you to pick up the reins. ”
“Mark should do it,” I say, wiping my cheeks, “he’s the eldest.”
“I’m in no shape, Chess.” Mark gives me an open, honest look. “I’m going to have enough to think about with the therapy and meetings. And I’m no good at all the managerial stuff, anyway. I’ll still be working for the company. But I don’t want to run it.”
“Will you do it?” Dad asks me. “For me?”
“Of course.” I get up and go over to sit on the arm of his chair and put my arms around him. “I’d do anything for you.”
“Don’t do it just because I ask you to. Only if you want to, and you enjoy the work.”
I move back a little. “I do. It was hard initially, but I’m starting to find my feet.”
“I thought so. I’m so glad.” He hugs me back. “It makes me feel a whole lot better to know you’ll do it.”
“Then I’m thrilled to say yes.”