Chapter 5
One Month Later…
Dr. Greene checked Catherine’s blood pressure and weight, frowning the entire time.
“Catherine, your blood pressure still reads high. You’ve lost weight again since I saw you two weeks ago,” she said, concerned. “I know you’re grieving. If you want this baby born healthy, we need to increase your intake and find a way to lower your stress.”
“I’ll do better,” Catherine promised. “I don’t have any appetite with this one. It might help if Kassie allowed me to return to work.”
“Absolutely not,” Kassie said, shaking her head. “You barely sleep or eat. I’m not allowing you to work the floor in those conditions.”
“At least let me work in my office,” Catherine pleaded. “The more I sit at home, I see Leo everywhere. I can’t stop thinking about him. You think it’s helping me, but it’s only making things worse.”
Kassie rose and turned Catherine to face the mirror behind the door. “Do you see the bags under your eyes? What about the thinning jawline and gaunt appearance? How can you work under those circumstances?”
“Because it’ll stop me from thinking about him,” she confessed.
“Every time the baby moves, I want to call out for Leo to feel it kick. When Melody won the spelling bee, I took out my phone to text him. When I sit at home, Mom cleans and cares for the kids. She tells me to rest. I close my eyes, and I see him,” she whispered.
Dr. Greene placed a hand on her knee as Kassie held her tightly. The two women shed some tears as Dr. Greene handed them tissues and dabbed her own eyes.
“I wish I knew how to take the pain away,” Kassie said. “Maddie drove me nuts when Chase and I separated. It’s not the same thing, but I see your point.”
“Since nothing else has worked, I suggest we let Catherine return to work with stipulations. She can start at nine and work until five. She must stay off her feet as much as possible, and I want weekly weight checks,” Dr. Greene said sternly. “Someone will drive you to work and home.”
Catherine sighed. “I’ll do it.”
“Fine,” Kassie relented. “I don’t know what has kept Victoria, but if I have to make a call for her to return and make you eat, I will.”
“I recall not too long ago, you didn’t feel like eating,” Catherine reminded Kassie.
Sighing, Kassie took her best friend’s hand. “A long time ago, you begged me to trust you. You brought Leo into my life. The man irritated me with every fiber of my being. You sent him to care for Emma and me. He asked me to watch over you, and I’m doing a lousy job of it.”
“No. You and Samantha have kept me sane. The others have done everything in their power to help me. I have meals for days. My kids have fresh, clean clothes. The grans provide sitter service. My house sparkles. I need to keep busy. Yes, I’ll have some bad days, but I have to move forward.
As much as I wish Leo might walk through the door any minute, reality reminds me to think about the kids. It’s not good for them or this baby.”
“We’ll do it on a trial basis. You’ll eat small meals and follow Dr. Greene’s directions,” Kassie said firmly.
“Deal,” Catherine said, feeling relieved Kassie didn’t fight her harder.
Staring at her bedroom walls only reminded her of Leo.
How he liked to massage her feet and then slowly climb up her body, pressing heated kisses in his path.
When he reached her neck, he nibbled and dragged his scruff along the sensitive skin, making her body melt under him.
“Catherine?” Kassie said her name again, jolting her from the memory.
“Yeah?”
“We have the meeting with Mr. Harold. I’ve asked him to come to my office since you’re already here. Whiskey’s coming over, and Chase will meet us there.”
“What did this man want?” Catherine asked.
Shrugging, Kassie helped her off the exam table. “I don’t know. He called and asked for a meeting. I guess we’ll find out together.”
Catherine took her purse, and they walked down the hall. “Will we have time to talk with the team?”
“They’re calling us at my house. Michael and Lizzy will bring the kids over there. We’ll have a family dinner. All the team’s wives will come. I asked one of the new charge nurses to hold the fort down for an hour. Addyson misses Hollywood. I can’t leave her out.”
“No. I’m glad she’s coming,” Catherine said as they rounded the corner in time to see Whiskey and Chase entering Kassie’s office. Chase greeted them and held the door as they entered. The women sat on the couch as the men took the leather chairs.
“Do you have any idea what this Mr. Harold wants?” Kassie asked Whiskey. “Joe said he’s a lawyer, a good one.”
Whiskey shook his head. “I have no idea. After we speak with the team, may I have a few minutes? I have a few things to go over with you.”
“Of course,” Kassie said, glancing at Chase. “Do you mind, Catherine?”
“No,” she said as Randy knocked and entered, rolling a cart into the room. “I thought you might like a snack during your meeting. Catherine, I brought you a glass of milk and decaffeinated tea.”
“Oh, thank you, Randy,” she said, moved by his gesture. “I appreciate it.”
Randy sent her a sympathetic smile, the one she seemed to get from all the residents of Serenity Mountain. Leo’s presence left a hole in the town, and no one knew how to deal with it except for making kind gestures and giving her the same smile as Randy.
“Thank you,” Kassie said.
Randy left the room, and Kassie filled a plate with all of Catherine’s favorites and handed her the milk.
“Eat and drink,” she said firmly.
Catherine rolled her eyes. “You know, you resemble Victoria when you do that.”
Chuckling, Chase reached for a cookie and poured cups of tea while they waited for their guest to arrive.
“Don’t knock it until you try it. When Tori acts out, or the twins won’t go to sleep, Kassie mimics Victoria, and they stop the behavior.
It cuts the bargaining time and listening to screaming children down by half. ”
Catherine knew Chase told her the story to make her smile. She let him think he succeeded. A knock on the door alerted them to their guest’s arrival. Chase greeted the man and shook his hand, letting him enter and take the seat closest to the couch.
“Thank you for meeting with me today. I’m sorry for all the cloak and dagger. I’m afraid I’m not used to doing what my client requested of me.”
“May I ask who you represent?” Catherine asked him curiously.
Mr. Harold smiled. “I represent your husband, Mrs. Armstrong.”
“My husband?” she exclaimed, holding her stomach. “Sir, my husband died almost three months ago,” she said, her voice cracking.
“I suggest you clarify yourself, sir,” Kassie said, her voice holding an angry edge. “Our family has a lawyer, and Leo and Catherine use the same.”
“I didn’t mean to distress you,” Mr. Harold said to Catherine.
“Your husband visited me around five months ago. He seemed distressed and asked me to put some things in order,” he said, opening his briefcase.
He pulled out a folder and handed each of them a letter.
“I have communications for Saint, Taco, Ragu, Sparky, Stormy, Cole, Hollywood, Knight, and Patch, too. I delivered one to Michael earlier before coming here. I hope this explains why I have called this meeting. Mr. Armstrong urged me to wait three months after his demise to give you this. It’s my understanding they haven’t located his body.
I’m truly sorry for sounding crude. Unfortunately, your husband likes things done his way. ”
Catherine glanced down at the envelope with Kit Kat scrolled in Leo’s writing. Her fingers traced each letter as if imagining him writing it.
“These you may read in private. In the case of his absence for longer than three months, I’m instructed to put his plans in place,” Mr. Harold continued.
“He asked me to deliver this straight to you, and I have four letters for your children, Mrs. Armstrong. Depending on your medical condition at the time, he requested I give them to you or Mrs. Winters. He seemed positive she’d be here to support you. ”
“Did he say why he used you instead of our regular attorney?” Catherine asked, confused.
“It seems he worried about your condition and didn’t want to frighten you.
Since you see the attorney in question sometimes, he didn’t want him to mention anything to you.
” He handed her a manila envelope. “I’ll let you read over the contents, and if you have any questions, you may call me anytime. ”
“You say my husband gave this to you before he left?” she asked again, not understanding what prompted Leo to do it.
“He knew you might have questions. Mr. Armstrong told me to reassure you. He’s explained everything in his letters.”
He passed out business cards to each of them, then rose and walked out the door.
“I’ll be damned,” Chase said as he watched the man leave. “You didn’t know anything about this, Catherine?”
“I don’t know him at all,” she said, glancing at the envelope. “If I didn’t recognize Leo’s handwriting, I’d say he was lying.”
Chase glanced at the envelope and asked, “Shall we open them?”
Kassie peered at Catherine. “You don’t have to. If you want to open it privately, we understand.”
Catherine gave a shaky breath and swallowed back her emotions. “Why don’t you open yours? I’m not sure if I’m ready,” she confessed.
Chase nodded to Whiskey, who tore open the last letter from his friend.
Whiskey,
If you’re reading this, it appears we’ve traded places, my friend. We've gone through hell and back for one another. Besides my wife and kids, rescuing you remains one of the proudest, happiest moments of my life.
Now, I’m ready to call in my favor. You must ensure Serenity Securities’ future by running it.
Before you list all the reasons you can’t, I saved your starved and beaten, flea-ridden ass, and you owe me one.
It’s time, Whiskey, for you to remember the man before they took you.
If I didn’t think you capable, I’d give it to someone else.