of my bleak thoughts, “why don’t you take my cell phone today? I’m just planning to stay around here and do some research on the internet, so I can always use the land line if I need too. Plus, I’d feel better if you had a phone.” Alan poured another cup of coffee.
“Thanks, that’d be great. I really feel naked without my phone. Kim is getting me a loaner or something, so I can give yours back to you tonight.”
“No problem.” His expression shifted to worry and after a long pause he asked, “Will you call me if anything out of the ordinary happens?”
“Yes, Alan. It was just a dream, though, don’t worry,” I said, trying to reassure myself as much as him.
“How are you getting to the office if William is picking you up?”
“I guess I’ll have him drop me off there after the meeting with B.” Stretching to look out the front window, I could see that my car wasn’t outside. “I’ll bet Ottie had my car towed to the office so he could see if anything’s out of order. If I need a ride I’ll call you.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He stood up and took his dishes to the sink. “B sounded strange. I mean, after all this time, why do you have to meet her today? It’s odd.” He leaned against the counter, thinking.
“I was just thinking the same thing. The last few days have been bizarre, haven’t they? And now B wants to see me.” I met him at the sink with my dishes. “I’ll call you as soon as I know what’s got her in such a tizzy.” Then I leaned my head against his chest for moral support. “I love you.”
“Me too, hon. Take care of yourself today, and call that shrink from the hospital if anything strange happens. I think he should know about that dream, too.” I was saved from answering him by the sound of tires crunching over our gravel driveway. Alan wrapped me up in a hug and one fast kiss on the top of my head.
“I’ll see you later,” he said, and then made a hasty exit for his office upstairs. I watched his retreat and then grabbed his phone and headed out the door.
As I walked out to the black Mercedes limo, William got out and held the back door open for me.
“Hi, William,” I said. “You look great. What’s she feeding you?”
I was amazed—William really seemed not to have aged since I was a child. His slightly thinning hair and the few wrinkles in his brow somehow mixed and added to the air of strength about him. He couldn’t be over 5'9", but I doubt if even Ottie would fight him. His body was that of a man half his age, and he moved with the self-assured grace of an ex-Navy SEAL or a martial artist. Only as I caught his eye did I see the patience and wisdom that came with a long life.
He just nodded and bowed his head. “Thank you for noticing, Miss Alexandria.”
“Do I really have to sit in the back, William?”
“Whatever is your wish, Miss Alexandria.”
“I’ll sit up front with you.” I wanted to pick his brain, if possible, and I wouldn’t be able to see his reactions to my questions if I sat in the back of the limo.
“As you wish, Miss,” he said with a slight nod. Then he moved around the car faster than I could get to the door and opened it for me. The leather seat felt luxurious as I melted into it. B never skimps on her surroundings.
I watched William circle the front of the vehicle. I had about forty minutes to get William to open up. Not much time. William is a formally trained British butler, a tough nut to crack. I contemplated how to open the conversation as he got behind the wheel and drove down our long driveway.
“Do you miss the old place, William?” I asked, trying to break the ice.
“Miss Alexandria, I truly enjoyed my time here with your grandfather, watching your mother grow up,” he said, with a faraway look in his eye. He winked at me. “You remind me of her; you have her complexion. But I believe you have your grandmother’s tenacity.”
“What’s all this about, William? I know you know what’s
“Thanks, that’d be great. I really feel naked without my phone. Kim is getting me a loaner or something, so I can give yours back to you tonight.”
“No problem.” His expression shifted to worry and after a long pause he asked, “Will you call me if anything out of the ordinary happens?”
“Yes, Alan. It was just a dream, though, don’t worry,” I said, trying to reassure myself as much as him.
“How are you getting to the office if William is picking you up?”
“I guess I’ll have him drop me off there after the meeting with B.” Stretching to look out the front window, I could see that my car wasn’t outside. “I’ll bet Ottie had my car towed to the office so he could see if anything’s out of order. If I need a ride I’ll call you.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He stood up and took his dishes to the sink. “B sounded strange. I mean, after all this time, why do you have to meet her today? It’s odd.” He leaned against the counter, thinking.
“I was just thinking the same thing. The last few days have been bizarre, haven’t they? And now B wants to see me.” I met him at the sink with my dishes. “I’ll call you as soon as I know what’s got her in such a tizzy.” Then I leaned my head against his chest for moral support. “I love you.”
“Me too, hon. Take care of yourself today, and call that shrink from the hospital if anything strange happens. I think he should know about that dream, too.” I was saved from answering him by the sound of tires crunching over our gravel driveway. Alan wrapped me up in a hug and one fast kiss on the top of my head.
“I’ll see you later,” he said, and then made a hasty exit for his office upstairs. I watched his retreat and then grabbed his phone and headed out the door.
As I walked out to the black Mercedes limo, William got out and held the back door open for me.
“Hi, William,” I said. “You look great. What’s she feeding you?”
I was amazed—William really seemed not to have aged since I was a child. His slightly thinning hair and the few wrinkles in his brow somehow mixed and added to the air of strength about him. He couldn’t be over 5'9", but I doubt if even Ottie would fight him. His body was that of a man half his age, and he moved with the self-assured grace of an ex-Navy SEAL or a martial artist. Only as I caught his eye did I see the patience and wisdom that came with a long life.
He just nodded and bowed his head. “Thank you for noticing, Miss Alexandria.”
“Do I really have to sit in the back, William?”
“Whatever is your wish, Miss Alexandria.”
“I’ll sit up front with you.” I wanted to pick his brain, if possible, and I wouldn’t be able to see his reactions to my questions if I sat in the back of the limo.
“As you wish, Miss,” he said with a slight nod. Then he moved around the car faster than I could get to the door and opened it for me. The leather seat felt luxurious as I melted into it. B never skimps on her surroundings.
I watched William circle the front of the vehicle. I had about forty minutes to get William to open up. Not much time. William is a formally trained British butler, a tough nut to crack. I contemplated how to open the conversation as he got behind the wheel and drove down our long driveway.
“Do you miss the old place, William?” I asked, trying to break the ice.
“Miss Alexandria, I truly enjoyed my time here with your grandfather, watching your mother grow up,” he said, with a faraway look in his eye. He winked at me. “You remind me of her; you have her complexion. But I believe you have your grandmother’s tenacity.”
“What’s all this about, William? I know you know what’s
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