I found her email address and have been sending her an email every day. The ones in the beginning were apologies, but after a month of that, I moved on to telling her about our future. The plans I want to make, the things I want to do with her, if only she’ll hear me out. She hasn’t responded to any of them, and I’m beginning to come to the end of my rope.
A form lands on my desk that needs my attention, and I see that there’s a note attached. It says that it needs to be taken care of before the end of the week because our corporate attorney will be out of town.
Bill is a hard worker, taking about as much time off as I do, which is basically zero. So seeing the note makes me wonder what’s going on. I walk out of my office and make my way over to his and knock on his open door.
“Bill, you have a second?” I try to ask casually, though my heart is beating a mile a minute.
“Sure, Calder. Everything okay?”
“I just saw that you wouldn’t be here next week. Going on a vacation?”
He smiles, and I know right away it’s to see Felicity. “I’m going to my daughter’s graduation. She hasn’t been home in a while, and I kind of got the impression she was avoiding me.” He looks away and shrugs his shoulders before smiling back at me again. “But I’m not missing her graduation for the world.”
“What a coincidence. I’ve got business I need to tend to in the UK next week as well.”
The words fall out of my mouth before I can think about what I’m saying. All I know is that I need to be there, too.
“Oh, really? That’s great. Maybe we can meet up for a drink.”
“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you,” I mumble as I exit his office.
Before my office door has fully shut behind me, I’m booking a flight. I’ve waited long enough to see her, and this is the opportunity I need. It will be perfect. She’ll have her graduation, and I will convince her to give me a chance. What could possibly go wrong?
Chapter Seven Felicity
I look down at my phone, my hands shaking, as I stand outside of the auditorium. The graduation ceremony has just ended, and crowds of people mingle and celebrate all around me. Everyone is happy to see their families. Me? Panic has now set in.
Dad: Surprise, sweetheart! You looked wonderful walking across that stage.
“What’s the matter?” Mark asks from beside me, taking off his graduation hat. We’d gone to graduation together. His parents couldn’t make it. Off on some trip or something. He didn't seem too torn up about it. He avoided them like I had been avoiding my father for the past few months. We just did it for different reasons. He couldn’t stand his family. I just wasn’t ready to face mine. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be ready to face my dad.
What is he doing here? I hadn’t even told him when the graduation was. Not that it would have been hard for him to find out. I look down at my gown, happy the thing is too big to show anything.
“My dad’s here,” I confess. I can hear the panic in my voice. I’m so not ready for this. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready for this.
“Shit.” He looks down at my gown like I did moments ago. “You can’t really tell,” he tries to reassure me. I told Mark what happened. Kind of. That I slept with someone over Christmas break and I had a little surprise from it. One that has been making itself known lately. My belly can’t seem to stop growing. I swear, one day there was nothing and now there’s a baby bump that is impossible to hide.
I just shake my head. “What am I going to do?” I moan. I’ve had months to try to come up with something, anything, and still nothing. Avoiding had been my game plan, but it looks like that plan is over.
“Sweetheart.” My dad’s voice makes me jump, and I turn to see him standing next to his administrative assistant, Becky. She gives me a beaming smile, looking elegant and classy in a pair of white slacks and a dark blue blouse. She always looks so put together, never a hair out of place, but warm and welcoming at the same time.
My dad eyes me suspiciously.
“Sorry, you scared me.” It’s only a half lie because he did indeed scare me.
Mark puts his arm around me and pulls me close. I glance up at him. He’s tall compared to me, almost as tall as Calder, but he’s leaner. I might even call him thin. He winks at me. I have no idea what he’s doing, but the comfort is nice, because I feel like I could pass out. I can actually hear my heart beating hard in my chest.
God, I don’t want to tell him. Even less so after hearing what my father said to Calder. Just like her mother. I don’t think I can bear the look he’ll give me. I’ve never once seen disappointment on my father’s face, and it’s something I never want to see.
“Ah, Dad, this is Mark. Mark this is my dad, Bill, and his assistant, Becky.” Mark holds his hand out, taking my Dad’s. Then he shakes Becky’s next.
“I’m so proud of you.” My dad reaches out, grabbing a hold of me and trying to bring me in for a hug. I do the awkward lean-in hug so most of my body doesn't touch him. When I pull back, he studies me again. He knows something’s up. I can see it all over his face. He just hasn't put it together yet. Well, I don’t think he has. You never know with him. My dad is normally three steps ahead of most people.
“Let’s go to dinner. Talk about your plans. Did you get those apartment listings I sent you? The ones in my building? You didn’t respond. Unless you were just thinking about coming home. In that case—”