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  Stork

  CHAPTER 1

  I reached across for her but she was not there. I had done that every morning for the past month, so every day started with disappointment that Rachel was not home. I hated when she traveled, and I especially hated this trip because she was away on business for three months. With two more months to go, I had no idea what I was going to do with myself. I had gotten especially close to her since my mother died, always seeking comfort. My mom was my best friend and we did everything together up to her final days. I tried not to think about her because the memory was still too painful.

  I had hardly been to my office because I could not take the pitiful look on the employees’ faces, nor their soft words as if they were talking to a baby. My assistant, Stewart, was the only one who had the sense to just let things flow normally. The others were just making me feel worse, so I tried to avoid the place as much as possible. Luckily, my mother had the good sense to employ a manager for the skin farm she had built from scratch. She was supposed to mold me to take over the business one day, but she realized early that I was too lazy to take that on. I did not have that kind of commitment. But Olga was there. She could not have found a better manager because since her arrival to the business eight years ago, she never missed a beat and when my mother died a year ago, she continued and things flowed as if my mother was still around.

  It was a massive complex to manage but Olga was never intimidated by it. She took challenges head on, not backing down, not matter how big the task or how difficult. My mother found her right hand for the business and no one was more grateful than I was because she took her attention off me and started focusing on Olga.

  I had assumed my mother’s office after she died and, at first, it was difficult to enter the room and not see her sitting behind her desk. But Olga had the room redone, leaving certain signature pieces so it reminded me of my mother, but with a little less impact.

  I have always had a personal assistant, since the day I left college and my mother offered me a paid position at the company. The first one I had was Mona. I fell in love with her and we had a wild secret affair...until my mother caught us kissing in my office. That was her last day on the job. Before that moment, she had no idea that I was gay and she later admitted to have overreacted, but it was really my fault for keeping my sexuality from her. The next assistant she hired for me, a man, Stewart. I fell in love with him...not in a romantic way. He was my partner in crime, my ride or die pal...one of the girls.

  I had tried to continue my relationship with Mona but she was so scared of my mother that it did not go very far after that. It took me a while to fall in love again and my mom blamed herself for that because she thought that if she had not gotten rid of Mona, I would have had someone in my life. Then, a few years later when I started to try to understand the business a little better and services we provided, I opted to give a full body massage to this business executive by the name of Rachel Campbell. She was gorgeous and her body flawless.

  Rachel was so intrigued by my lack of experience and when she found out that I was the owner’s daughter, that made her even more intrigued. She wasted no time inviting me out and I was more than happy to accept. My mother was excited to see me dating again, but when she met Rachel, she did not like her. She said that our love was not genuine; I thought I fell in love because I had not been with a woman for a long time and massaging Rachel was too much for me...or some shit like that. But I knew how I felt, and no matter how I tried to explained to her that it was the real deal, she didn’t buy it. Well, I proved her wrong because Rachel and I have been together for two years and we were still as in love as the day we met. But, my mother was convinced that I did not know what true love was.

  Rachel and I were engaged and it would be difficult to get married without my mom being a part of it. As a result, I opted for a small, private wedding, which Rachel was totally against, but she knew it was either my way or none at all. She was trying to be understanding because she knew how I felt about my mother not being there. She was now in China for three months on business and had already spent one. Two weeks after she left, she surprised me that weekend; she had flown back to spend a couple days with me because I missed her so much. I was ecstatic when I opened the front door and there she was. It was a magical two days but she had to head back to continue her work.

  She called often, especially to get updated on our wedding plans. Stewart and I were the planner. I told him what I wanted and he got it done. Poor Stewart, I had turned him into...less than a man. He was not yet a girl but he was getting there. He would be at the office waiting for me, but I had not been there in three days so what was the likelihood that I would be there on day four? I crawled out of bed, went to the bathroom and got myself sorted before heading down to the kitchen for my coffee. I thought about what to do today and the only thing that came to mind was to, once again, try some more dresses. I still had not found one that I liked, and as far as I knew, Rachel had not yet started looking although our wedding would be a month after she returned, which made our wedding day three months away.

  It seemed like we had a lot of time, but we didn’t, it would just fly by so quickly then we would realize that we had so many things left to be done. Maybe I should just get a real wedding planner and let them take on that headache. Yes, that’s what I was going to do. As I poured my coffee, I heard the doorbell and went to answer it. My friend, Jill, walked in.

  “I need a job,” she started without a greeting.

  “Good morning to you too. What about the one you now have?” I asked.

  “I quit. They are driving me completely insane. I know I have mortgage payments, but I prefer to sleep on the streets. Lea, I need a job...employ me at your company.”

  “In what position? You are a Chemist. We offer massage therapy and skin care…”

  “Maybe I could develop a new signature product for the company, how about that?”

  “That’s a good idea. Put together a proposal and I will have my assistant call you in for an interview.”

  “I should beg for my job back, right?”

  “Yea, I think you should,” I laughed and she joined in. “Come, sweetie, have some coffee.”

  “How is the wedding planning coming along?” Jill asked.

  “I have no idea. I am going to get a wedding planner. It is too much work for me.”

  “I have never met a lazier person. Your mother spoiled you. You have not lifted a finger in twenty-nine years. Then came Rachel, spoiling you even more.”

  “I have done plenty.”

  “Going to parties and servicing Rachel do not count.”

  “If you got a taste of my bedroom performance, you would have a different view about the work I do,” I said winking at her.

  “First of all...eeew. Second, self-praise is no praise at all. I am happily in love with Ray, thank you very much.”

  “Yea, he is great. You found a good one, J.”

  “I know. How lucky was that?” she beamed. “So you are going through with the wedding, huh?”

  “What the fuck? What kind of question is that?”

  “Your mother never liked her. I don’t like her.”

  “Jill, I caution you to be respectful of my relationship. I love Rachel, and if you can’t support that, then you are testing the strength of our friendship.”

  “I have supported you for two years, but now it’s married time, so I have to ask if you are sure about what you are doing. I don’t have to like her. If she makes you happy, then that’s good.”

  “She makes me happy,” I replied and Jill did not respond. “OK. So, since you quit your job and have nowhere else to go but up in my business, let’s get it all out right now. What don’t you like about Rachel.”

  “She jus
t seems fake. She is with you for profile because you are Mayra Davis’s daughter so she can brag to her little friends. I think she is after your money.”

  “Rachel is a very successful business executive. She has her own money.”

  “Yea, some people cannot be satisfied. How do you know she is even in China? She may be living a double life.”

  “She went sightseeing yesterday and sent me pictures...with her in it.”

  “Have you ever run a background check on her? She seems kind of shady.”

  “My mother did. Squeaky clean record. What else?”

  “Have you ever been to her office, hmm? Maybe she doesn’t even have a job and is living off you.”

  “Her boss invited us to a party at his house.”

  “Well, just make sure you have a prenup ready for her to sign so that when you find out the real Rachel and divorce her, she doesn’t get a dime!”

  “You need to leave,” I said standing up upset.

  “I’m sorry, Lea. You asked me to tell you how I feel.”

  “Yes, but it is not right to be disrespecting my fiancée in our home. Rachel has been nothing but nice to you, so I don’t understand why you all hate her so much. Clearly you and the others have been talking because they shared the same sentiments. I am starting to feel as if I don’t want any of you at my wedding.”

  “Please don’t say that. It is not that we don’t want you to marry her and be happy. We are just worried that she might hurt you.”

  “But on what basis did you all come to that conclusion?” I asked but she did not get to chance to answer before the doorbell sounded.

  I went to open it and Stewart was standing there. I invited him in.

  “Hey, Stew. What’s going on?”

  “Nothing. I am just checking on you to see if you are OK. It has been a few days since you came to the office.”

  “I know but everything is under control, right?”

  “Yes, everything is fine. Just checking in.”

  “Thanks...Stewart, please come and join this conversation,” I said holding on to his hand and dragging him into the kitchen. “Sit. I have a question for you.”

  He greeted Jill then turned his attention to me.

  “What’s the question?”

  “Do you like Rachel? And be honest with me.”

  “I like that she makes you happy,” he said and Jill burst into laughter.

  “What?” I asked.

  “He doesn’t like her either but because she makes you happy, he is OK with it.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t like her…”

  “You don’t have to,” Jill replied.

  “Stewart, if you were giving me advice, would you advise me to marry Rachel.”

  “She goes out of her way to make you happy, so yes, I would advise to marry here...but...yea...yes, I would,” he said and I noticed that he had more to say.

  “But?” Jill asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “But what, Stewart?”

  “I told you. I support your marriage because she makes you happy and that is what I want for you,” Stewart said.

  “Thank you, my love,” I said kissing his cheek. “And that is why you are my favorite friend.”

  “Friend? I am you assistant...cause I need to get paid,” he said and both Jill and I laughed.

  “So, Jill, take the news back to your backbiting friends and tell them a wedding will be happening. My Stewie approves and his opinion is all that matters.”

  “I will be sure to do that, and let me apologize for myself and on behalf of our friends for doubting that you know what you are doing,” she said and I knew there was more to come. “So, after marriage, when will you start having children?”

  “You know Rachel does not want to have children so why are you asking me this?”

  “No...I was just checking if that has changed. She is perfect for you. My apologies.”

  “Having a baby is not necessary for a relationship. We get to do all these amazing things that we could not do if we had children...so I am fine with it. It is not like I have ever had a yearning to be a mother, nor is it something I have thought about. She stated her position from the beginning and I agreed.”

  “I see,” Jill said and I was not happy with her sarcasm.

  “What? You are one to talk. I don’t see a baby in your future either.”

  “Mark and I have been talking about having children...because after marriage...that is the next step. But, not for everyone obviously.”

  “Good for you, but I don’t want any children and neither does Rachel, so you do your thing and let me do mine,” I said and walked out of the kitchen. “Let yourselves out.”

  I went to my bedroom to get ready for my morning exercise in the gym downstairs. It was a part of my daily routine but Rachel would just sit and watch while she ate something that I was not allowed to have while exercising; like my favorite, jelly-filled donuts. She ate anything and never gained an ounce. I was not blessed that way so I had to make sure I ate right and exercised to maintain my flat stomach and my toned legs and arms. We did an experiment once, based on her insistence that I was being paranoid about gaining weight, so for a week I ate what she ate and I did not exercise. By the end of the week, I gained half of a pound while she remained the same. It was then that she backed off.

  I was not as thin as she was and she loved having a little extra flesh to caress. Rachel said she hated when bones were sticking out everywhere which had happened with previous girlfriends. Rachel had plenty. I was her longest relationship and she said it was because she fell in love for the first time. She would never have entertained marriage with any of her previous women, and that made me feel extra special and be able to tune out all the negatives around me, which started with my mother.

  She never knew Rachel's position on having children because if she did, she would have personally kicked her out of my life. If my mother were alive and insisted on grandchildren, I would have to think seriously about that. I was not sure if Rachel would have come around, and that thought led me to the conversation I just had in the kitchen where Jill was suggesting that Rachel was not the right person for me. If my mother were alive then probably I would have to think twice about marrying her because I would not have robbed her of the chance to become a grandmother. But now that she is not here, that made Rachel perfect.

  I walked into my home gym just to listen to some music while I get moving on the treadmill, but when I entered Stewart was there. He knew my routine so well and I had no idea what I would do without him.

  “Hey, Stew. I thought you left.”

  “Well, I haven’t seen you in a few days so I wanted to see if you needed anything.”

  “Nothing that I can think of now. You could check in with Olga and see if she has anything urgent for me to sign or something to look over, then you can take those to me.”

  “OK. I will do that now.”

  “What about my credit cards and bills? Are those up to date?”

  “Yes. I did some this morning before I left the office.”

  “Great. So, speak to Olga and I will see you later.”

  “Do you need me to make any reservations for you? Surely, you don’t plan to stay indoors until Rachel gets back?”

  “No. I am sure the girls will be coming over to drag me out of the house, so I will keep you posted. If nobody turns up then you and I will have a date,” I smiled.

  “I hope they don’t. Just kidding. I’ll go to Olga now. See you later.”

  “OK,” I said as I started my walk.

  I loved Rachel so why was I suddenly so concerned about our engagement. She had given me no reason to doubt her intentions in my life, but I was wondering if I was not seeing her for who she really was because I was in love. Was it that others saw the real Rachel? I laughed out at how stupid I was being. No one can hide who they really are in a relationship for two years. Something would have slipped out and I could not recall and incident where I ques
tioned her love and commitment to me. But I noticed Stewart’s hesitation and he was the sweetest person on the planet who thought the best of everyone, so for him to take a pause, that was really concerning. What had he noticed...what had he seen?

  I spent an hour on the exercise equipment before heading into the shower. I had not yet had breakfast because Jill disrupted the hunger pangs and I no longer wanted to eat, but now I was feeling it. I got dressed and went downstairs to prepare my fruit smoothie that I had almost every morning. I also got a couple slices of toast and cream cheese. I sat at the table and out of nowhere the tears fell. I had these moments when my mind went to my mother and the horrible pain of losing her to a heart attack was so crippling. I did not get any time to say goodbye and let her know how much I loved her.