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Henry sat through the entire meeting with barely contained rage. It had gotten to the point where he’d felt physically ill,
his body rejecting holding his frustration and outrage in.
Some of this anger was directed at Wainwright and the company, sure. But some, he had to admit, was at himself. He’d been
complicit. He’d suspected what was happening within these four walls; it was his job to know. After hearing some of the specifics
of how Wainwright’s behavior hurt people, people like Jia, he couldn’t justify his own actions and inactions any longer. Henry
couldn’t explain them away as doing his job.
He knew this was what would happen—that the company would try to minimize the experience of the women present. He wasn’t sure
that Wainwright would out himself as the prick that he was. But apparently he couldn’t help himself.
And Jia. Jia had been incredible. She’d spoken up for herself. She was brave and did what she’d come to do. He wasn’t sure how she felt about the decision to settle, but he hoped she was proud of herself. Because he was so fucking proud of her.
Henry collected the papers in front of him and opened the leather folio he’d brought them in. A postcard that he hadn’t seen
before was tucked in the inside pocket. He pulled it out. It read Greetings from Palm Springs on the front. Henry turned it over and froze. On the back were small messages written in various hands.
We’ll miss you —Mimi
Go get ’em Henry —Gordon
NY is so lucky —Betty
Come back soon —Eugene
Love you, Hank —Dennis
Gonna miss your morning runs ;) —Gladys
And many more. His eyes scanned them all. A message in beautifully loopy handwriting in the corner caught his eye:
I believe in you <3 —Jia
He swallowed back the emotion. Henry didn’t deserve this kindness. But it was delivered to him at just the right time.
He looked up to find Jia and her team quietly encouraging each other with pats and hand squeezes and smiles. As they walked
out, she looked back over her shoulder at Henry.
His heart fluttered at just that one look. He felt like a lovesick teenager. The corner of his mouth lifted in a small, reassuring smile that remained even as he watched her go.
He looked around the conference room. He’d dreamed of having a seat at tables just like this. He’d worked hard to be accepted
and respected among men like the ones currently in perfectly tailored suits standing in the corner, talking in hushed tones.
He prided himself on being the one knowledgeable and prepared enough to deliver the knockout blow in legal battles like he
had today.
But none of that felt satisfying anymore—not like seeing Jia walk out with her head held high, looking back at Henry like
he meant something to her.
He let his fingers run over the heavy card stock of the postcard. Something had changed in Henry. And the names on this card
had everything to do with it. Most especially Jia’s.
He couldn’t sit there any longer.
He needed to see her, to talk to her, before she left New York. He had to tell her how amazing she was. He wanted to apologize
that he’d never done anything to protect her from this, even though he hadn’t known her back then. He had been a good lawyer,
but he wished he could have been a better man. He wanted to confess to her his feelings and hopes that they could figure out
how to make this work.
He couldn’t let her leave without telling her everything.
Henry quickly stood, gathered his stuff, and hoped he could catch up to Jia before she got on the elevator.
“Good work, Shin. Pretty sure we buried this before it took life.” Steven Sword stepped between Henry and the door.
He patted him on the shoulder. He leaned in to add, “Look, I’ll make sure Wainwright steps in line and we don’t have to deal with this kind of nonsense anymore.
But good to know that precedence was set that, even if he does, the law is on our side. ” He stepped back and laughed.
The laugh felt like a punch to Henry’s solar plexus.
Sword and men like him, they believed Henry was on their side. They saw him as one of them. And as much as Henry had believed
it was what he’d wanted too, it made him sick to his stomach facing the truth now.
The revelation hit him: Henry did not want to be like them at all.
“If you’ll excuse me, sir. I have someone I need to talk to.” He stepped around his boss and made his way to the elevators.
Henry’s only thought was to find Jia.
He rode the elevator down to the ground floor, ran out the front door, and looked up and down the street. No sign of her.
She was gone.
Where would Jia be off to right now? If they were at The Sunset, she’d be at the community center laughing with the residents,
or in the office gabbing it up with Gladys, or by the pool watching Jared walk his laps. But Henry didn’t know the New York
version of Jia.
He looked down at his phone and opened up the text app. It rang just as he meant to type out his message. With a pounding
heart, he tapped to answer it and quickly lifted it to his ear.
“Hi, thanks for calling,” he let out, the relief clear in his voice to his own ear. There was so much he wanted to say to
Jia.
“Hank? Hank, you there?”
“Dennis? Sorry, I thought it was someone else calling. Hey, Granddad, can I call you back in a bit?” he asked.
He’d only been back in New York three days, and the old man already missed him.
And honestly, he missed him right back. So much.
But he was eager to get Jia on the line and wanted to do that right away.
“Hank, I’ve taken a bit of a tumble,” the strained voice said. Henry heard it this time, Dennis’s attempt to hold back the
pain and the sound of it.
“What do you mean? How? How bad is it?” Henry’s voice was panicked.
“Now, don’t you worry. One of the others in the Walking Club got her phone out, and she called the ambulance. We made sure
it was the one my insurance covers. But I’m in the hospital now, in case you get a call from a stranger. You’re listed as
my in-case-of-emergency contact.”
“The hospital?” Henry’s voice broke. “Jesus, how bad is it? Is the doctor there? What did they say? Can I talk to them?”
“Tripped over my own goddamn feet, if you can believe it. Gordon told me that today’s Walking Club would be all the slowpokes.
I figured I’d be okay. That damn curb just snuck up on me. Anyways, it was a fluke accident. I was careless. But it’s not
too bad. It’s just the wrist. Broken. I got a sweet cast on it now. Luckily it’s the left side, and I hardly even use that
one.” Dennis laughed at his joke, but it clearly came at a cost, and the laughter turned to wheezing and a groan. “The body
is a bit bruised but none the worse for wear.”
The thought of Dennis in pain broke his heart. Bones healed slower on older people. He needed to know the details. How serious
was the break? What were they going to do to help with the pain?
“Dennis, let me talk to the doctor,” Henry said.
“He’s not here right now, Hank. But I’ll call you back next time he checks in. I’m getting a little sleepy now, so gonna hang up. But just in case you’re worried, don’t be. I got all the neighbors who came by to visit, and I called your folks.”
“You did what?” Henry didn’t want to raise his voice at Dennis ever. But it was impossible not to be frustrated when it came
to his parents.
“Just gave them a heads-up. I figured I’d want to know if one of them got a little banged up. They said they were planning
on visiting sometime soon anyways, so they’re probably working their way out here. Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad. I’m just . . .” Henry couldn’t let his parents be there alone with Dennis. He didn’t want to even think of what
they’d try to talk him into. “I’m on my way. I’ll let you know as soon as I figure out how fast I can get out there.”
“Now, Hank, if you’re busy at work, don’t make a fuss. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Gonna catch some z’s now,” Dennis said.
He sounded weary, and Henry let him go.
Henry rushed back up to his office to get his stuff. He’d figure out flights on his way to the airport. If there was nothing
direct, he’d do LAX again. He grabbed his laptop, shoving it into his briefcase, and headed for the door.
“There you are,” Edison Wainwright said, blocking his way.
“Fine job you did there today, Shin.” He reached out a hand to shake.
Henry stared at it but didn’t offer his own in return.
“Well,” Wainwright said, pulling back his hand, “good, looks like you already got your stuff. Let’s head out.
We’re going for celebratory drinks and cigars.
Figure it’s time you come along with us, now that you’ve proven you can hang with the big guns.
” His smug voice and pompous attitude made Henry sick to his stomach.
“They probably won’t have the sake you people like, but there will likely at least be some Japanese whiskey.
” Racist prick. Henry had a right mind to sue the man himself.
If he wasn’t in a rush to get out of there, he could very well be pushed to throwing a punch.
That was how much disdain Henry had for the man.
“Not now, sir. I’ve got a family situation I have to take care of, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Now, Shin. Family can wait. Work is the priority,” he said, his voice laced with condescension. As if going for drinks and
cigars was work. “You know what I like about you? You’re like me. You put yourself and the job first. Everything else ranks
way below on the priority scale.”
“Well, considering you’ve been divorced three times and are cheating on your fourth wife, oh, and that you’re almost never
in the office or actually ever get any work done that I can see, I find this a very odd comparison.” Henry had never once
spoken this way to someone senior to him, to anyone at all, for that matter. And he’d never put himself at risk in the workplace
like this. But he couldn’t help himself. He felt lighter, relieved, free from holding in his disdain for a man he was meant
to respect.
“You better watch what you say to me, son,” Wainwright said.
Henry hated that word. He hated that his dad never referred to him as his own. And he hated how patronizing it sounded coming
out of Edison Wainwright’s mouth.
“I’ve got nothing more to say to you at all, Eddie boy,” Henry said, patting him on the arm. “And be careful how you address
me here in the workplace. Don’t want me filing my own case against you. They start asking me questions, I may have to share
how you’ve been padding expense reports and holding your assistants accountable when they’ve questioned you about it.”
Wainwright’s eyes widened, and his face turned beet red. “You . . .” Henry was surprised steam didn’t come out of his ears as pent-up as he looked.
Henry scooted past him and down the hallway to the elevators. He had no time for this man, or for this job, for that matter.
He had a plane to catch and family waiting for him to come home.
Henry had thrown a bunch of clothes haphazardly into his carry-on, trying not to think about how he’d regret the wrinkles
later, and got a cab to the airport. He guessed JFK. He recalled Jia mentioning she’d flown direct from JFK to Palm Springs.
Jia. Did she know about Dennis’s accident? Surely Mimi had called to tell her? Or one of the other residents? Should Henry?
He grabbed his phone to message her just in case.
Henry looked down at the text notifications waiting for him and couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Elliot: Yo. The old goat called us so we’re heading out his way. It’ll be good to see you kid.
Katie: Fuck yeah! The 4 of us together again just like old times. Shit, how long’s it been?
Elliot: Send cash to pay us back for the plane tickets, would ya?
Henry ignored them and swiped out to get to his Contacts list. He dialed the number of the company travel agency. “Hello? I need the quickest way from New York to Palm Springs leaving immediately.” He covered the mouthpiece and leaned toward the driver. “Can you get me to JFK as fast as possible?”
“Sure thing.”
The car jerked and picked up speed.
Henry closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths. The last thing he needed was to have a panic episode and not be able
to get on a plane. There was no room for any delays.
He hadn’t seen his parents in years. Hadn’t heard from them in months. And hadn’t counted on them his entire life.
When Dennis mentioned they might be coming, Henry had thought he’d have time to prepare. But seeing their texts saying they
were on their way caused Henry’s anxiety to rise. He had to get there first.
Dennis didn’t deserve this.
And Henry wasn’t sure he himself would be able to survive it.