Chapter 3 #2
She opened the box and pulled out an invitation. A linen paper with a classic san serif font, accentuated with a pink satin raised paisley pattern with cursed gold embossed headings.
“These are great. Very classy.”
“Well, I’m glad you approve. I’m not very good at those kinds of things. My ex-wife was always in charge of that stuff.”
“Well, from a woman’s point of view, I think they’re very nice.”
“Would you like anything to drink? Coffee?”
“Just a water for me, please.”
He got her a glass of water with ice as she admired the invitations. He sat the glass on the table and took a seat opposite her.
“Take one for yourself,” he offered, leaning back in his chair.
“Well, I’m glad to get a woman’s opinion.
I was second guessing myself. I mean, what do I know?
” He was dressed in casual grey pants and a light collared beige shirt, slightly unshaven.
He looked better then ever. It seemed every time she saw him, he managed to look better then the time before.
Get a grip, Angela.
She held on to her invitation and set out to leave but she couldn’t help to take in the room before she got up from her seat; the tall windows looking out to the magnificent garden, the bookshelves lining the opposite wall.
“This is a nice office,” she offered, attempting to distract herself from her original unholy thoughts.
“Thanks,” he said, “I spend a lot of time here.”
“What do you do? You mostly work on the computer?”
“Actually, I’m mostly on the phone. I have consultants who work for me. I set them up with contracts for various companies all over the world.”
“And you take a cut?” She was catching on quick.
“Exactly.”
“So you basically have other people do the work and you take the money,” she teased.
“Well, the consultants get more than I do. I’m not a bad guy, you know,” he joked.
“I can see that.” She gave him another one of her sly smiles. She was flirting again.
“You just work from home?”
“I do. I sold my company a few years back. I should be retired but I can’t help myself.”
“A little of a workaholic?” she teased.
She looked amazing with her hair down. The light reflecting off her head, made the golden highlights shine through. She managed to look effortless and gorgeous at the same time. He could stare at her all day. He knew she was off-limits, but there was no harm in looking, he told himself.
“So what do you do Angela?” He sat across her in an antique leather studded chair; the kind of chair you sit back with your legs resting on an ottoman, smoking a cigar. He sat forward with his elbows leaning on his knees, a glass of scotch in his hand.
“I mean, other than read with little old ladies,” he teased.
She hesitated a bit. He approached the question a little more lightly, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. He was just curious. He knew nothing about her, and wanted to know everything.
“What I mean is...what gets you up in the morning. What rocks your boat?”
“Well...” she half smiled “I actually did take care of old little old ladies.” She leaned against the arm of the loveseat, twirling a strand of hair, a nervous habit she had tried to break for years.
“I worked as a Personal Support Worker in people’s homes. And of course, many of my clients were elderly.”
He listened intently. “So you obviously enjoy working with people; helping them.”
“I do. I really do. Does that sound weird to you?”
“Absolutely not,” he said, his gaze glued to her.
She felt a little ill at ease “Well, actually, that’s all in the past. I left my job about six months ago.”
“Why?” He was being a bit intrusive but endearingly so.
“Well, you know; Robert made a good point when... Robert, that’s my fiancé,” she explained, uneasy.
“He said with his salary, we really didn’t need mine... and I could take some time to plan the wedding and keep up the house.”
“Don’t you miss the little old ladies? You must get close to them.”
“I do, absolutely. Some of the patients have been like family,” she explained. “It’s hard when they pass away,” she added.
“I can imagine.”
“I’ve stayed in touch with most of them. I go by and visit quite often.”
He smiled at her
“What?” she asked, feeling a little uneasy.
“Nothing...” He smiled. “You’re like Mother Teresa.”
“Well... not exactly,” she whispered as she gave him another sly smile. Why did she keep doing that? Playing with him?
A silence fell between them.
“Anyway, right now I’m looking into a nursing program ... I’ve just been looking at some school catalogs.”
“That would great. You’d still be helping people.”
“Exactly. I have a Bachelor in Business with a specialty in Marketing. Robert always says I should be working in Business, but I did that and I was miserable because I wasn’t helping anyone. I want to make a difference. I guess it’s stupid—”
“No it’s not. I get it.” Michael was sympathetic.
“But I know, Robert was saying the nursing program would be a lot of studying and I already have a Bachelor... ” She looked away towards the window - she could see the lush garden “and with us getting married...”
He clunked his glass on the oak coffee table and shook his head. She was startled and stared at him as he got up, and sat next to her on the loveseat.
“Robert, Robert... What does he know?”
She just looked at him; completely taken aback.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to overstep here but it seems to me that you should listen to him a bit less and a bit more to yourself.”
She looked down, speechless.
He leaned his head down a bit, closer to hers. She could smell his aftershave and the scotch on his breath.
“I’m sorry; it’s probably none of my business—”
“You’re right. It isn’t any of your business.” She smiled, not wanting any animosity between them.
“I just think you should look into this nursing program or reconsider your job even. It seems to me like you left something you love.”
She sat straight, proper. “Well, thank you for your advice,” she told him as she slid away, not quite so elegantly. “I should get going.”
He got up and followed her. “Right...” he said, walking beside her on the way to the door.
“Again... sorry to butt my head in-”
“It’s ok. No offence taken. I’ll show myself out.”
Michael regretted every word he had said to her.
He paced up and down his office. Why had he even bothered to give his point of view?
She was probably not going to consider it.
Why did he even care? He got himself another drink.
Why was he drinking in the middle of the afternoon – this was quite unusual for him.
He barely knew her and she was turning him into an alcoholic.
He just couldn’t get her out of his mind.
Why had he reacted the way he did at the mention of Robert’s name.
He didn’t know this guy; had never met him, yet he didn’t like the guy at all.
He seemed like the type who always had a self-serving agenda.
Why couldn’t she see that? Why was she even with him?
What redeeming qualities did this guy have?
He desperately wanted to meet this Robert.
“I’m being an absolute idiot,” he told himself as he sat down his glass.
“I’d care to disagree,” Dot said as she slowly entered the room.
“My son is no idiot.”
He turned around, embarrassed.
“Now tell me...” she came closer, slowly.
“I just saw Angela leave. She was here for a while.”
He stared at her, speechless.
“What is going on with you two?” She was as nosy as her son.
“Nothing Mum. Don’t be ridiculous,” he said as he looked away.
“I saw something between you two. I felt it. I may be old but I’m not blind.”
“You’re insane is what you are.”
“Well, is she not good enough for you?” she teased. “Or, is that microscopic diamond on her finger holding you back?”
“Trust me mother… that’s not a microscopic diamond, I noticed it the first day I met her,” he said as he stared out the window at the same garden Angela had just admired.
“Well, Michael, you’ve achieved many things in your life. I’m surprised you would let a little setback like this hold you back.”
“It’s not just a little setback. It wouldn’t be right. I would never put her in that situation. And besides, I have no interest in a relationship right now.” He knew as he said the words that he had to follow them. He had to stay away from Angela Jenkins.
Robert’s alarm went off at 6:00 am like any other day.
He always drove Angela crazy by pressing on the snooze button every ten minutes for about an hour or so.
Finally he would get up for good. Thank God, she thought.
She would usually have an extra thirty minutes to sleep because she didn’t usually get up until 7:30.
But she wasn’t going to do any sleeping in today.
She was eagerly waiting for him to get on his way.
When she heard him turn off the shower, she walked over to the bathroom.
As she walked in, Robert jumped as he toweled himself dry.