CHAPTER FIVE
That night, as I lay in bed with Vaughn, I told him about the phone call between Nell and Clint.
“It’s disturbing,” Vaughn said. “And not like Clint at all. I’m hoping to take him out sailing Friday morning and have a talk with him.”
“I’m trying to stay out of it, but it makes me angry to know he’s treating her this way,” I said. “In the meantime, working at the hotel will do her good. She’s very sweet and kind, and she loves helping people. We’ll need a lot of that this week.”
“She seems much happier than when she first arrived. Let’s keep that up,” said Vaughn. He pulled me closer. “You’re sweet and kind, too.”
“As Nell says, it was a lucky thing for everyone in the family when we met.”
As he kissed me, I thought how true that was.
###
The next morning, Nell and I left for the hotel together. I could sense her excitement and nerves. “No worries. You’ll do fine.”
“It’s silly, I know, but it’s been a while since I last worked, and I want to do an excellent job. To prove to myself that I can do it.”
“Just be yourself,” I said. “By the way, you look fabulous.”
“Thanks. I feel better,” Nell said.
Moments later, we entered the hotel, and after saying hello to Consuela and getting coffee, we parted ways.
I was working on the daily financial reports when Rhonda came in. “I just greeted Nell. She looks adorable. I’m delighted she’s able to help us.”
“I think it will do her a world of good. Especially after the phone call from Clint.” I told Rhonda about it. “What do you think? You know Clint and Nell. None of this seems like them.”
“They’re a married couple who need a break,” said Rhonda. “I know Will wants to talk to him privately. Maybe he’ll find out what’s really happening with Clint.”
“Why does Will want to talk to Clint?” I asked.
Rhonda covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t supposed to mention it.”
“Okay,” I said. “Another piece of the puzzle.”
###
Later, Rhonda and I made our way to the hospitality department. Even before we reached it, we heard laughter.
We entered the office and saw Lauren and Nell bent over laughing.
Delighted to see Nell like this, I couldn’t help grinning, “What’s funny?”
“It’s the phone call Nell got,” said Lauren.
“They wanted to know if we could plan a wedding for a bride who didn’t have a groom,” said Nell. “I was very polite about it, but said I’d have to get back to her.”
“I thought it was hilarious,” said Lauren. “It would be much easier to have a wedding with a groom and no bride.”
“True,” said Rhonda. “No Bridezilla”.
We talked about some of the activities they were doing and then left to go to the housekeeping department.
We confirmed that employees were lined up for a special early morning shift the day after Thanksgiving when the hotel would magically be transformed into a holiday scene.
Rhonda and I left to talk to Laura Bakeley, a designer who’d done work for us since the beginning and had opened a Christmas decorating service we used every year.
This year, the Christmas tree in the lobby was to have a silver and gold theme while the Christmas tree in the lanai and pool area would have a sea theme.
The rest of the hotel would be filled with accents of greens, candles, bows, and bulbs, most following the theme.
Before I left to go home, I called Nell. “Ready to go?”
“Yes,” she said. “I promised I’d come into the hotel with you tomorrow morning. I’m going to help confirm dinner reservations for Thanksgiving. We’re overbooked and want to make sure everyone is still planning to come.”
“Usually, there’s a certain small number of people who can’t make it for one reason or another. I’ll meet you out back.”
Nell was full of enthusiasm on our way home. “I’d forgotten how much I love to interact with people. It was an exciting day.”
“Wait until Thursday night. We’ll see how you feel then,” I teased.
“No matter how tired I get, it’ll be worth it,” Nell said.
“Now, let’s see how your kiddos did,” I said. “Liana is amazing with children. And Papa V was pleased to spend time with them.”
I called Vaughn to tell him we were on our way home.
###
When we drove into the driveway, Vaughn, Liana, Bailey and Ned were waiting for us with Cindy at their heels.
“Wow! What a homecoming!” I said, and then noticed a bandage on Ned’s forehead.
“Oh, no!” cried Nell. As soon as the car stopped moving, she got out of it and ran to Ned.
“I missed you, Mommy,” said Ned.
“Well, I’m here now,” Nell said.
“What happened?” I asked Vaughn, looking on as Nell swept Ned up into her arms.
“He fell on the dock and nicked his head against a bollard. It was deep enough that the cut required four stitches. He was great at the doctor’s office.”
‘Oh, my!” I turned to Ned. “I’m sorry you got hurt. I hear you were a very brave boy.”
Ned held out his arms to me, and I took him. “Let me give you an extra hug.”
He clung to me while I rocked him for a few minutes, and then he squirmed to get down.
I set him on the ground and turned to Bailey. “And what did you do today while Mommy was gone?”
Bailey’s eyes lit with excitement. “Liana took me to Aunt Angie’s house to play with Sally Kate. We had fun.”
“I get to be with the T’s tomorrow,” said Ned.
“It’s fun to be with family,” I said.
“Come on inside,” said Vaughn. “Liana has made dinner with enchiladas and burritos. We can eat anytime.”
“She’s such a help,” I said. “She’s going to make a wonderful nurse.”
“I agree. She and I had a chance to talk about it. I’ll fill you in later.”
###
After changing into something comfortable, I walked out to the lanai, where Vaughn was sitting and watching the kids. On the floor, Robbie was playing a board game with Bailey and Ned. He looked up at me.
“Thanks,” I said softly.
He grinned and continued playing the game.
Nell appeared and plopped down on the couch next to me. “Can we talk privately?”
“Sure. How about we take a glass of wine into my bedroom? We’ll have privacy there.”
“We’ll be right back,” I told Vaughn, though I wasn’t sure how long this talk would last. Nell looked miserable.
After pouring ourselves some wine, we carried our glasses to my bedroom and onto the private patio outside. It was a favorite spot of mine.
We sat in chairs facing one another. “Here’s to a successful day!” I said, lifting my glass and smiling at her.
She sighed and shrugged, then tapped her glass against mine. “Clint is going to be furious when he sees Ned. I should have been taking care of him.”
I frowned. “He surely doesn’t expect you to be with the children all the time, does he?”
“This is something new. All part of the family image thing,” Nell said. “He wants everyone to think that instead of hiring someone to help out, I’m the perfect stay-at-home mom. I think it’s because the partners in his firm all have nannies, and we can’t afford one.”
I set down my wine glass and stared out at the hibiscus bushes nearby, wondering what to say. The idea was preposterous. If a woman wanted that role, good for her. However, if a woman wants a career outside her home, she should be able to pursue it. It was all about having choices.
But I’d promised to be neutral and kept my mouth shut.
“You don’t have to say anything, Ann. I know it’s a very different attitude from what I’m used to. If I hadn’t had a good-paying job, we could never have afforded our first house, even with the financial help you and Dad gave us.”
“Why is Clint acting this way?” I asked her, puzzled by all the changes.
Nell emitted a long sigh and looked down at the floor. When she lifted her face, there were tears in her eyes. He’s invested all our money in this equity position opportunity. He’s afraid of stepping out of line. If he can make it work, we’ll be very successful. Financially.”
“What a mistake,” I muttered before I could stop myself.
“It really is,” Nell said. “I realize how important it is for me to make him see that all this pressure he’s putting on himself is ruining our lives together.”
“Can you persuade him to stay longer than Friday night?” I asked.
“We’ll see.” Nell gave me a weak smile. “I’m grateful you and Dad are willing to have the kids and me here.”
“Of course. We love you,” I said, reaching out and clasping her hand. “We’re here for you.”
“I’m not going back to D.C. until Clint and I have a clear understanding about our future together,” said Nell.
“You can stay here for as long as you need to,” I said.
“Thanks,” said Nell, standing. “Now, I need to be with my children.”
###
Later, at dinner, I was pleased to see how cheerful the kids were as we ate Liana’s delicious food. The kids’ chatter was very interesting. Though they spoke of friends and happenings at home, Clint’s name was never mentioned. I found that telling.
After dinner, Bailey and Ned were put to bed, and Vaughn, Nell, and I sat on the lanai. As if the dog knew she needed extra support, Cindy curled herself into Nell’s lap.
After discussing Clint’s situation, Vaughn offered to call and invite him for a weekend of sailing.
“You can try,” said Nell. “But I’d be surprised if he agrees to do it. Not when he’s working with Claudine on their special project. Claudine Everett’s family made a fortune in oil and real estate, and she’s not only rich but beautiful,” Nell explained.
“What is this project?” Vaughn asked.
“It has to do with an investment in a startup company that will be sold. Something like that,” Nell said.
“I wonder if Will or Reggie has heard any news about it,” I said. “Or maybe one of Arthur’s clients that Reggie will be handling from now on.”
“Let’s keep it as simple as possible,” Vaughn said. “To me, it sounds like a deal that could go terribly wrong.”
Nell’s cell phone rang. She looked at it and stood. “It’s Clint. I’ll go talk to him in private.”
After she left the room, Vaughn looked at me and shook his head. “I don’t like what I’m hearing.”
“Me, either,” I said. “But we have to let them figure it out for themselves.”
“Okay, but I still don’t like it,” he said.
A few minutes later, Nell came back into the room. “I asked Clint if he could extend his stay to include the entire weekend, but he said no. He’s hoping for a sail with you on Friday, Dad, before his evening flight.”
“Weather permitting, we’ll go,” Vaughn said. “Maybe I can get a better understanding of what’s going on.”