CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning, Morgan dressed for the office and took Blue outside one last time before leaving for work.
Inside once more, she checked to make sure everything was set for the dog. She and Brad had discussed the easiest way to block him in the kitchen, leaving Blue with plenty to keep him comfortable during the day.
“Okay. I’ll be back,” she told the dog. “You guard the house, and I’ll bring home a ramp for you to climb into bed with me, you little bed hog.”
Blue wagged his tail and then howled when he realized she was leaving.
She ignored his yips of indignation, got into her car, and headed to work, wondering if there would be any awkwardness between her and Brad after spending so much time together.
###
Inside the office, Rosalie greeted her pleasantly. “Have a nice weekend, Morgan?”
“Yes, thanks. I got a dog. A little Dachshund named Blue.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” said Rosalie. “They make such good watchdogs. My cousin had a Dachshund named Dynamo when she was growing up.”
“I’ll show you pictures another time. I’m a little late for work.”
“All the partners are in a meeting, so you won’t be noticed,” said Rosalie as Morgan hurried away.
At her desk, checking the calendar, she realized Thanksgiving was just a few weeks away.
She wondered if she and Ashley would share the meal’s preparation as they usually did before eating dinner at Ashley’s house.
Though they each did their share of the cooking, the meal was usually held at Ashley’s house, where they had more room.
This year, she hoped to include Simon, if he didn’t have any place to go, and Brad.
Thinking of them brought a smile to her face. Her little family was growing.
Brad approached her desk and uttered a brisk, “Morning. I’m on my way to a meeting in the city. I’ll check in with you later.”
He went into his office and came back out, holding a briefcase. “I’ll send you a text with a list of things I need you to do for me. Okay?”
“Sure,” she said. “I have plenty to take care of, but send me what you need.”
He gave her a brief smile. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
He left, and Morgan sat back in her desk chair, unsure how she felt about the exchange. He’d acted as if they barely knew one another. Wasn’t that what they both wanted?
###
Morgan made a trip to the pet store, then hurried home to check on Blue. When she opened the door to her apartment, she couldn’t help laughing at the way Blue wiggled and turned in circles with excitement. It made her feel so special.
She put a leash on him, picked him up, and carried him down the stairs and over to a side lawn by the garage.
She didn’t want him to get used to going to the bathroom in the kids’ play yard.
Then, because most of her earlier pictures of Blue had Brad in them, she took a moment to take some new photos of Blue that she could show around the office.
###
On Saturday morning, she was looking forward to the day when she got a call from Simon.
“Hi, Morgan. I hate to disturb you so early, but I wanted you to know that I fell this week, and I’m wondering if you’d be interested in doing our reading together at my house.”
Morgan filled with alarm. “You fell? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I tripped over my own damn feet hurrying to the dining hall,” said Simon. “I’m furious with myself for being so careless. No broken bones, but I’d feel better staying in.”
“Okay, no problem,” she said. “We’ll read at your house. But I have a favor to ask. May I bring my new dog, Blue, to show you? He’s well-trained and friendly. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”
“That would be fine,” Simon said. “I’m fond of dogs, and I know how excited you were to get him.”
“Thanks,” said Morgan. “I look forward to seeing you.” She hung up the phone, relieved that nothing serious had happened to Simon. He was beginning to show his age.
She got dressed for a walk. Morgan was eager to see how Blue handled it if they went any distance. His short legs were a challenge.
She found Blue still snuggling under his blanket on top of her bed. “Hey, lazybones. Time to get up and go outside.”
His tail thumped on the bed, and then his face emerged.
She pulled him into her arms and hugged him before putting on his harness and attaching his leash.
Wiggling with excitement, he allowed her to pick him up so she could carry him down the stairs.
Outside, he did his business and then eagerly trotted beside her as she headed down the driveway and onto the sidewalk.
Morgan quickly discovered that having a dog was an easy way to meet people. Neighbors waved at her. Some came over to her to pat the dog.
By the time she returned to her apartment, she felt as if she was becoming a real part of the neighborhood. Blue had loved all the attention, but now lay down in his bed in the kitchen.
Morgan fixed herself a cup of coffee and then began her usual Saturday routine of cleaning the apartment and doing laundry.
Her cell rang. Brad. “Hi. Do you want to bring Blue out to the house to play with my dogs?”
“Thanks, but I’m meeting Simon for our reading session,” she said.
“I meant after that. We could have dinner here and, uh, watch the dogs,” Brad said, sounding a little unsure of himself.
“That sounds lovely,” said Morgan. “It’s been a busy week at work, and it’ll be nice to relax with you. I promise not to talk business.”
He laughed. “Me, too. I’ll grill steaks.”
“Okay. I’ll make a salad to go with it,” she said, feeling the heat of pleasure on her cheeks.
She was still beaming as they ended the call. At work, she’d been as formal as he when they’d conducted their business. But now she knew he’d missed her as much as she’d missed him.
###
Standing outside of Simon’s house, Morgan quietly talked to Blue. “I need you to be a good boy. Not a lot of barking. Okay?”
Blue looked up at her and wagged his tail.
Morgan rang the doorbell and was surprised when Simon’s grandson answered the door.
“Hello, Jake. Do you remember me? I’m Morgan Riley, your grandfather’s reading partner. And this is Blue, my new dog.”
“Come in. My mother has gone on an errand, but she’ll be back. She won’t like the dog being here.”
“Simon knows I was bringing him,” Morgan said, suddenly worried about what was going on.
She stepped inside and saw Simon stretched out in a reclining chair.
He lifted his hand. “Ah, here you are at last. I’ve had another fall, prompting Constance to arrive.
Will you please phone your boss and ask him to come here right away?
Constance is out of the house, doing some errands, and I want to be able to speak to him frankly.
And I want him here when Constance returns. ”
Morgan saw the worry on Simon’s face and heard the plea in his voice. “Okay, I’ll call him right now.” She handed the leash to Jake.
“Here, Blue,” said Simon, patting the chair beside him.
Morgan watched as the dog easily jumped up and sat beside Simon, wagging his tail.
“You can call your boss in the kitchen,” said Simon. “Jake knows I’m asking you to do this for me.”
Morgan went to the kitchen and phoned Brad, hoping he was home. He answered on the sixth ring.
“Hi, Morgan. Everything all right?” he asked.
“I’m at Simon’s house, and he’s wondering if you’ll come here right now. His daughter-in-law, Constance, is out doing errands, and he wants you to be present when she returns. He knows you handle family law issues. Something must have happened for him to be so upset.”
“It’s highly unusual, but I’ll do it for him and for you,” said Brad. “I have his address. You told me where he lives.”
“Pull right up to his house. It’s number 23. The last in the row of them. Thank you. See you soon,” she said.
When she returned to the living room, Blue was nestled against Simon, who was stroking his ears. “Brad’s on his way. Now, do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“Constance wants me to sign papers giving her authority over my income from my investments. She says I’m failing fast because I took those tumbles. It’s all part of her plan to try to seize my money.”
Morgan looked from him to Jake. After meeting Constance, she wasn’t a bit shocked.
Jake gazed down at his shoes and shuffled his feet against the carpet.
When he looked up, his face held a look of remorse.
“My mother is not the upstanding person she wants other people to believe. She and I have disagreed about almost everything for my entire life. I’m ashamed of what she’s trying to do to my grandfather. ”
“Jake’s told me he’s willing to defend my freedom,” said Simon. “I’m very proud of him.”
“That’s kind of you,” said Morgan, giving Jake a steady look, seeing his sincerity.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Jake said. “She’s lost all common sense and fairness.”
“Sit down and make yourself comfortable,” Simon said to Morgan. “I like your new dog. He’s a charmer.”
“He obviously likes you, too.” She leaned over to pick up Blue and said softly, “Tell me how you are, Simon. Why does Constance think you’re failing so quickly? Is something else going on?”
He shook his head. “I told you I was hurrying too fast on the first fall. The second one was simply in my bedroom when the rubber tip of my shoe caught on the soft carpet.”
“You don’t have any broken bones? Any other damage to your body?” she asked, studying him.
“A bruise or two, but nothing serious. Mostly, it’s my ego that is bruised. I realize I can’t move as fast anymore. But that’s not unusual at my age.”
“No, it’s not,” said Morgan, her mind racing as she sat on the couch. Would Brad be annoyed to be dragged into a family fight like this?
At the sound of the doorbell, Jake raced to answer it. He returned with Brad.
Morgan jumped up from the couch and went to meet him. “Thank you for coming. Hopefully, Simon can explain the situation before his daughter-in-law returns.” She led Brad to Simon. “This is my friend, Simon Weaver. And Simon, this is Brad Hamlin. An attorney who specializes in family law.”