The Business Trip Read online

  “Syd, I never went looking for anyone. I had all I needed at home but this was something bigger than I could control and I don’t know if it is something I can live without. I want us to be able to talk through to a solution.”

  “What kind of solution? Solution about what?”

  I took a deep breath before I launched into the real reason for this meeting and that is to do what Alison is expecting of me.

  “Alison is expecting me to join her in New York. It is now or never because she has been waiting a long time for me to make up my mind. I don’t want to hurt Taila but I want us to explain to her just to make it a little easier and for her to know that I am just a phone call or a plane ride away whenever she needs me.”

  “You are leaving us?”

  “I don’t want to but I don’t know how to...I can’t...Sydney, please…”

  “Please for what, Logan? For me to allow you to walk out on us for some woman?”

  “She is not some woman. I am desperately in love with her. I am so sorry, Sydney, I didn’t want this to happen but I don’t know how to live without her in my life.”

  “And you know how to live without us?”

  “Us? I hope you have no plans to use Taila to punish me.”

  “Logan, I would like to tell you just how fucking mad I am and start ripping you apart and threaten to destroy you but that would only make you get mad and run to her so instead I am going to talk to you and tell you how this is going to go,” she said sitting back in her chair while I sat at the brink of a heart attack. “I am going to find Julie and I am going to end whatever has been going on with us because it was not a relationship and she knows that, then you are going to call Alison and tell her that I say you are not available. You have a wife, a child, your business, a life. We took a vow, Logan, for better or for worse. This is our worse and we are going to get through this. I am not undermining or being insensitive to the love you have developed for this woman but you have to make that sacrifice for us, Logan. I am not handing you over to her…”

  “Sydney, it is not as simple as that. I want first of all for us to discuss custody of our daughter. I would like if I could get her on holidays and I could fly down and get her some weekends. I think that is fair.”

  “Or you could stay at home and have her all the time.”

  “You don’t understand…”

  “I understand, Logan, but you don’t seem to be understanding me. I am not giving my wife to that fucking woman.”

  “This is not your choice, sweetie.”

  “Then be prepared to lose it all. If you go to her, I am taking the business, the house, everything you have so prepared to go to court and I am filing for sole custody of Taila. This is the life that we built and I will fight to the last breath to keep it intact so if you don’t want to go through all of that then go back to the life you had a year ago.”

  “You can have it all. I will leave and go to the airport with just the clothes on my back. Take it all. Just let me have access to my child. That’s all I want. Everything else is yours.”

  Reality set in. She was realizing that she did not have a fight because I was prepared to lose everything, except my daughter, to be with Alison. Sydney started to tremble and broke down in tears. I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want to face what I had done so I got up and went to my office and closed the door. I put my head in the pillows on the sofa and screamed into them. I cried so hard at the mess I have made and the untold pain I have caused my wife.

  I wished I had not taken that job in New York. There were two towers that were to be built on adjacent properties by two brothers, rivaling each other. One sought the services of Alison to design the plan and the other contracted me to do the other after I was recommended by his friend whose five star hotel I had designed.

  Alison and I were up against each other but I did not know who she was. She was just the other Architect. When the two brothers had a concern and asked us all to meet to removed a section of Alison’s tower that replicated my designed, we met and the moment we laid eyes on each other, we felt that intense connection so it wasn’t a surprise when we were having lunch together that day.

  By night we were having dinner at the restaurant at the hotel I stayed and each time we met, I was just mesmerized by her beauty and her aura. I got lost in her so quickly and by the time I came around to realizing that I had another life, it was too late. I had fallen head over heels in love with her.

  The first time we made love was my third trip to New York when I had to present my update to the plan for my tower and Alison invites me to her penthouse for dinner. It was magical and the rest of the world didn’t exist. It had been complete euphoria every single time after that. I deserved to experience the best life had to offer. I deserved that feeling and amazement that only Alison can bring me.

  I laid on the sofa thinking for a long time and I wondered about Sydney and if she was still crying. She had threatened to take me to court but she didn’t have to, she could have it all if it meant me getting Alison. As long as she didn’t use my daughter to hurt me then whatever she wanted she could get.

  I was not sure how long I was lying there but I got up to sit at my desk then changed the password on my phone. That was so wrong of Sydney to break into my phone to spy on me. I didn’t do that with her. I called Alison’s phone because she should be in New York by now.

  “Logan! Hi baby. I was just about to call you. I miss you so much! Did you know that a flight attendant had to wake me up because I didn’t even know that the plane landed. I was so tired,” she laughed.

  “Hi, my love. I am happy that you got some rest and I miss you bunches. What is your plan for today?”

  “Before we get to my plan, how is yours going?”

  “I just finished the conversation and I am now in my office bawling my eyes out. It did not go well.”

  “Oh no. I am sorry baby. I knew it would have been hard.”

  “Yea. She has known about you for the past seven months, found our messages by breaking into my phone.”

  “Stop lying! Are you serious? Why didn’t she say anything?”

  “She was pretending it was not real because if it came up then I would tell her I was leaving to come to you.”

  “Does she know that you are coming to me in two weeks?”

  “She doesn’t have the timeline but I am sure she thinks it is earlier than that. She has threatened to take me to court and strip me of everything but I warned her not to make my daughter a part of that threat.”

  “Give it all to her. We have more than we need and when we become business partners, two renowned architects, we will be cleaning up projects so you could get back all you have lost and more. Besides, your daughter will benefit from that...don’t worry about it...:”

  “I am not worried about it. I already told her to take it all. Anyway, babe, I have to run. I need to talk to my daughter and see if I could speed things up so we can be together.”

  “I can’t contain my excitement. I love you, Logan.”

  “I love you too, Ali. Talk to you later.”

  “OK. Later.”

  I walked out of my office and Sydney was not around. I looked in the garage and her car was still here then I heard the little chatter of Taila coming from upstairs so I went up and she was having a tea party with her mother, who got up and left the moment I walked in.

  “Mommy! Look at what Aunt Eri gave to me. It is a new tea set. Come sit here. I am going to make you some tea.”

  “Oh I would love some because you make the best tea ever,” I smiled and kissed her face. “Sometimes, when you are at school, Mama makes some tea for me and, I can tell you, it is not the same.”

  “That’s because she didn’t put the honey!” Taila laughed.

  “Oh! That’s what it is. The honey was missing.”

  I sat with her for a long time while Mr. Bear and I were overfed on imaginary ice-cream and chocolate. Finally, I had to break her away to get some real foo
d so I took her to the kitchen to make her a sandwich and I had a plate with fruits and nuts for myself.

  When she was having her water, I decided to speak to her about me leaving.

  “Tai, mommy may be going to New York to live and you can play in the snow at winter time.”

  “You are leaving? I want to go with you and Mama too. We can all play in the snow.”

  “Mama can’t come because she has work.”

  “Then who is going to tuck me in and read bedtime stories for me and Mr. Bear?”

  “Mama will do it and then when I see you I will read five stories and…”

  “No! Mama doesn’t know how to make the animal sounds so good and Mr. Bear likes the animal sounds. Please don’t go Mommy. Please.”

  “I have to, sweetie, but I will see you often. I will take the plane to see you so many times that you will not even know I am gone.”

  “No!” she cried. “No...I don’t want you to go to New York. I don’t want you to,” she screamed and I tried to hold her to calm her down and she went nuts. “Mama! Mama! I want my Mama!”

  “Sweetie, please calm down…”

  “Taila!” I heard Sydney calling and running down the stairs. “Taila, I’m here, honey.”

  Taila broke free and ran to Sydney who looked at me with such hatred. This is turning into a nightmare! I picked up the phone and dialled my mother. I needed to talk to her, I was not sure what I would say but I needed to hear her voice.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi. Mom?” Dial tone. She hung up on me! That means Sydney already broke the news.

  I called my best friend Erika to see what was going on there because Sydney received Taila from her that means she came here and never asked for me so she knew.

  “Logan, I will have to call you back,” she said and disconnected the call.

  The rejection had started. I was isolated and it hurt like hell. It just made me want to run away as far as possible from this place and go to Alison. She would make me feel better.

  I went upstairs to check on Taila but Sydney was just tiptoeing out of the room because Taila went down for a nap. I went into our bedroom and opened my suitcase on the floor. Sydney came in and stood in front of me, looking as if the world had fallen down on her. Her eyes were red and her lids swollen.

  “Logan,” her voice sounding hoarse. “I am your wife. I depend on you to love and protect me,” the air barely going past her throat as she fought to get the words out and the tears were streaming down her face. “I am your responsibility. I gave you my life that day when I married you. Your job is to take care of me, Logan. You are to put me above everyone else, including you, because that’s what I do for you. I put you above myself and that is why I suffered while you cheated. I put you above my pain. I am begging you, do not put her above me and your daughter. You are not in an unhappy home. We have given you no reason to abandon us. Please, Logan. Take care of us. We are yours, we belong to you. Don’t abandon us,” she cried and finally she ran out of air because she opened her mouth to continue to speak but nothing came out.

  I burst into tears and pulled her into my arms. She was my wife and it was my duty, bound by our vows and our love, to protect her. I could not stop crying onto her shoulder as I held her tight.

  “You are my responsibility. You are my wife,” I cried and she led me to the bed.

  We held each other close until we fell asleep, a welcome break from it all.

  CHAPTER 6

  I felt movement on the bed and opened my eyes to see Taila climbing on us. Sydney was still asleep in my arm so I put a finger to my lips for Taila to be quiet so she climbed into my other arm. Her honey blonde hair tickled my nose as she snuggled her face next to mine. I laid with my two girls in my arms and remember how gratefully happy I was for the life that I was given. I met Alison and now there was a chunk missing that will never be filled because two weeks will come and I will not be able to go to her. The pain I was feeling at that thought made me nervous and unbalanced but being here with these girls was my duty and they have done nothing to be left alone. They didn’t deserve that.

  Fresh tears sprung to my eyes and I blinked as fast as I could to get them to go back in because I did not want Taila to see me crying and start with the questions and worry that she did something wrong.

  “Mommy, can I get french fries?” Taila whispered in my ears.

  I nodded and she climbed off the bed, waiting for me to get my arm from her Sydney’s head. I grabbed my phone, held Taila’s hand and led her downstairs and into the kitchen. Maggie, our housekeeper was there so she offered to do the honors for us while Taila and I played cards on the sofa in the living room.

  My phone started to ring and I noticed that it was Erika so I answered.

  “Hey,” I greeted cautiously because I knew I was also in her bad book.

  “You had called earlier but I just couldn’t talk then.”

  “Or you didn’t want to talk to me.”

  “So when are you leaving for New York?” She demanded to know.

  “I am not moving to New York,” I replied.

  “Really? That’s great news. I am happy that you…”

  “Erika, I have to go. I’ll talk with you later,” I said and disconnected the call.

  She didn’t understand. Nobody understood just how painful and difficult this was and I just did not want to talk to any of them because they didn’t try to understand and instead cut me off as their first response.

  “Mommy, it’s your turn.”

  “Go find out from Maggie if your fries are ready. Just stand by the door and ask. Do not go to the stove.”

  “OK,” she said and skipped off to check on her fries.

  I checked my phone and there were two missed calls from Alison and voice message:

  Hi babe. I just got in took and shower and relaxing with a glass of wine, reminiscing on our time together when I got a call to sit in on a major project in Paris so I have to leave in the morning to go through the negotiations. I feel confident to take this assignment because I will have you to work with me on it so we can complete it faster. It is like a shopping village so it is major. Remember you can come as you are because I have got you covered. Love you, baby. Call when you can.

  The sound of her voice broke my heart and I could no longer hold back the tears. I ran into the powder room so that Taila did not come back and see me in pieces. I reached for some tissue paper and dried my eyes but the tears would not stop.

  “Mommy! Where are you?”

  “I’m in here, baby.”

  “I am not a baby, Mommy. I am five.”

  “I forgot. I’m sorry, honey. Can I say honey?”

  “Yes you can,” she laughed. “My fries are ready. Come sit with me, Mommy.”

  I walked with her into the kitchen and we sat at the table with the large bowl of fries that Maggie placed in the center.

  “Do you want to put the ketchup, sweetheart?”

  “Yes. I want it all over the fries.”

  “Or you could put it in a bowl and we dip the fries in. How about that?”

  “OK,” she said and ran for a paper bowl.

  I watched as she squeezed much more than we needed into the bowl but I left her to enjoy herself.

  We started eating her our fries while Taila started talking about everything they did at school. I always loved how she kept me up to date with everything and did it with such detail that I had a clear picture of what had been going on. She loved her school and was confident in her abilities, assuming a leading role in whatever activities she was involved in.

  “Mommy, I don’t want you to go to New York because our class is doing a play and Miss Catherine said my parents will be proud of me when they see how good I played my part. I know all my lines.”

  “I am not going to New York. You are my daughter and I love you more than all the stars in the skies so I am going to be here for whenever you need me.”

  “Yay! Mommy!” she shouted and ran
around the table and threw her arms around my neck.

  “Why the celebration?” I heard Sydney’s voice.

  “Mommy is not going to New York anymore because she loves me more than all the stars in the skies!” Taila said to her mother, jumping up and down. It put a smile on my face at how happy she was.

  “She does love you more than all the stars in the sky,” Sydney said to her then came over and kissed my lips. “What are we eating?”