Chapter 55

ARTHUR

I went back into Doris’s bedroom. She was sleeping fitfully. It was probably good that she didn't pay attention to all of the argument. On the other hand, it was worrisome that she could sleep through a loud discussion. It made me think she was even sicker than she let on.

I was sure she needed to sleep, but I wanted to talk to her for a minute.

I wiped a damp lock of hair off her forehead.

"Hey, baby," I said, and Doris woke immediately.

She turned and looked at me. "Hi, Arthur," she said weakly.

"He's gone."

"Oh, thank goodness. I still can't believe he said those things. You didn't believe him, did you?

"I did for a second. But I'm sure it was because I was tired from the flight. As soon as I had a minute to think about it, I knew he was full of crap."

"I'm glad. I would never cheat on you, not after I was cheated on, and not ever because I'm not that kind of person. Also, even if I weren't dating anybody, I wouldn't date him."

Doris waited for a second. "Also, you're better than a thousand other men, so it's not like I'd ever be tempted." She gave a little self-deprecating laugh.

"Thanks, Little Dove."

"Do you want me to hold you?" I said. I started unbuttoning the first button on my shirt.

"I'm not sure if you should. Do you think I'm still contagious?" she asked. "Wait. What day is it?"

"Tuesday," I said.

"I've been sick for a while. I'm not contagious anymore."

She took a deep breath. "Yeah, it would be wonderful if you held me. This cold flu, pneumonia, whatever it is, it's really taking a lot out of me."

"I bet it has, baby. I'm sorry you had to go through this." I unbuttoned the rest of my shirt and kicked off my shoes and socks. I got under the sheet with her, and I nestled her head against my chest.

"This feels wonderful," she said.

In a few seconds, she was asleep.

When she woke up, she seemed a little better and more alert.

"I feel like I've been sleeping forever," she said.

She looked up at me. "You look deep in thought," Doris said.

"I am," I said. "You know, I never should have let my mother push me to go into finance. I should've stayed with my dream of being a hockey player no matter what. And now I'm too old to go back to it."

"Are you really, though? Aren't there professional hockey players who are in their early 30s?"

"There are," I said. "But only if they have been playing since they were teenagers and never missed a week. I've been doing a desk job for the last decade. I'm too old now to get back into it."

I stroked Doris's hair. "But I was thinking maybe I could buy a hockey team. That way, I could be back around the sport that I still love."

"That's a great idea."

"I'm glad you think so. Or maybe I can start a team in a city that doesn't have one."

"That sounds harder. I think that would take a lot of time."

"It would. I was thinking about scaling back on my hours in AmeriCapital. I've been working sixteen-hour days, often five and a half, but sometimes six days a week, for thirteen or fourteen years." I sigh.

I stroked Doris's beautiful shiny hair as I continue. "It means I've built one of the most successful financial companies in the country, but at what cost?"

I was glad to see Doris was giving me her full attention.

"I was thinking it would take some serious rearranging of the business, but I could change things, so it didn't depend on me so much stead of doing a 60-hour work week, I could really restructure so I only had to do, say a ten-hour work week to check on things. I could change Nathan's job and make him president."

"But isn't he your administrative assistant?" Doris asked.

"He is," I said. "Although I changed his title to Director of Operations a few months ago. He's been with me since the get-go, and he knows what's going on. The company is huge. I could sell off some subsidiaries. That would make it easier."

I smiled at Doris. "And I could make you president of Heritage Properties."

"What? No," she said.

"Why not?" I asked. "You could do it. You've been in the business for years."

"But I don't have a lot of management experience. I also don't have the seniority at Heritage Properties. It wouldn't be fair. Kate could do it," Doris said. "She's a really great manager and mentor. She'd be perfect."

"You're right. I'll consider it."

"She could be co-president with Lisa Calder. Lisa is a top seller with a good personality."

"You're right." I gave Doris a soft kiss.

"On another topic," Doris said and paused.

"Yes?"

"Andrea...your mother," Doris said. "That day she was in your office, and we had that confrontation. Andrea said something that I've been thinking about ever since. She said she should've killed you when she had the chance. Did you hear that?"

I sighed loudly. "Yeah. I did."

"What did she mean? Do you know?"

"I'm not sure. I've been thinking about it," I answered her. "I wonder if it's possible that Andrea hired someone to kill my father, and the person he killed he was in self-defense. That's one of the only things I can think of. If that's the case, then my sending him to jail was a huge mistake. Maybe he didn't fight it because he didn't want to implicate Andrea."

I closed my eyes as pain filled my chest. "If that's what she referred to, maybe she meant she should have had the killer take us both out at the same time." I paused for a moment and took a calming breath. "That's all conjecture. I'm not sure. Nothing about what she said made sense."

I continued, putting a hand on Doris's lower back. "Andrea was so supportive when I was a kid. She was nice. She drove me to hockey. When my father shot that guy, and I sent him to jail, it set Andrea off. She became a totally different person."

I stop talking for a minute.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to,” Doris said, “I was just wondering."

"Me too," I said. "It was weird. I'm not sure if Andrea just said it in anger to be hurtful and she didn't mean it. I don't know, and I don't want to ask her. I'm going to chalk it up to crazy pregnancy, hormones."

"I'm done with her,” I said, reiterating it to myself as much as Doris. “Done. I think she's going to leave us alone now."

Then Doris told me about how she ran into Andrea on the street and how Andrea saw Bob with his new mistress.

"Whoa. That didn't take long. I always knew he was a sleazeball."

"Do you think Andrea will divorce him?" Doris asked. "I mean, after all, she cheated and was the other woman when he was with me. Maybe she should expect that he would do that to her."

"I doubt it," I said. She probably has enough ego that she thought it would never happen to her. I doubt she'll divorce him. She's pregnant. She'll probably just make his life miserable." I shook my head to rid my mind of this uncomfortable conversation. "Enough of this."

I rolled over so Doris was underneath me. "I'd love to make love to you, but you're still recovering."

"If sex is on the table, I feel fully recovered," she said in a cheeky voice.

"I like your attitude, but how about we wait. Consider it motivation for getting well."

"You're no fun."

"How about we move this party to my penthouse? I haven't seen Mia since I get back."

"You haven't?"

No, I haven't. I went home, but Mia was at Betty's house for a sleepover. I really miss her. Do you feel up for going to my place?"

"I do," Doris said.