I learned from a very young age that if I perused the things that truly excited me that they would reward in more important ways, like happiness.―Brandon Boyd
Chapter 7 – Impatience
“Coffee,” I say as I hand Chandler her coffee and sit down beside her. We have approximately thirty minutes until they call my flight, and she decided to stay with me since her flight is not for another hour and a half. The terminal is busy, but most of the noise is drowned out as we concentrate on each other.
“Thank you.” Her eyes glow as they take in my features. I love the way she looks at me. It’s like her look mirrors my own.
“Are you ready…” she’s unable to finish because I interrupt her sentence. “To leave you? Never,” and I squeeze her hand with mine.
Her smile lights up her face. “No, are you ready to go back?” To Addy was the words hanging between us.
“Mentally, yes, but not physically. I don’t want to leave you. I like doing this,” I kiss her quickly but deeply. “way too much.”
Her smile comes easy, it always has, but now it feels like it belongs to me. With another quick kiss I sit back enjoying just being close to her. It feels different now, being with her, but still the same. The comfort of friendship is still there, but now with overwhelming desire for her is added to the mix.
“How is this going to work?” Her question pulls my thoughts back to her. The understood ‘us’ was what she is wondering about.
“We’ll see each other as much as possible.”
“Is that it?”
“No, I’d like for you to be closer to me. Move to South Carolina or I could quit. I’m sure I could find a job in Chicago.”
“You can’t quit.” She scoffs, but I know I could quit in a heartbeat. It’s not that I don’t love my job, but my job is not my life. To Grandfather’s chagrin, It does not dictate my decisions.
“Well, then. I guess we need to get you to South Carolina instead.” My hand caresses the side of her face. “I’m going to miss you a lot.”
“I know. I feel the same way.”
My flight is called. I stand and her arms wrap around my body. The look on her face takes my breath, not just that she is a very beautiful person, but that she’s smiling just for me. I catch her lips with mine and slowly explore her mouth, memorizing everything about her.
“I’ll text you when I land, and I’ll talk to you this evening?” My words come out as a question, hoping that she will be able to talk.
“I’ll talk to you tonight.” With one last kiss, I board the plane.
_________
The ride from the airport took twenty minutes longer than normal, because of construction. Now that I’m back to my life in Boston, I can digest everything that happened over this past week. As much as I don’t like it, missing Chandler is going to my new normal.
Anticipation floods me as the taxi makes it’s way to Naim’s house. “How did it go?” I greet my mom at the door of the apartment. Putting down my bags, she quickly pulls me into a hug.
“I could ask you the same question,” she says as she playfully raises her eyebrows at me.
“You first.”
“Everything here is fine here. Addy is doing great. For the first time since the…” she doesn’t finish the sentence. “She feels like she’s ahead in her classes, and is taking the weekend off from studying. Our biggest accomplishment, drum roll please, I was actually able to take her shopping once, and she has a few new outfits.”
“Getting her to wear them will be the challenge.” I chuckle at seeing my mom so happy.
“Oh, my little skeptic. She already has. Now sit. Tell me about your trip.” My mom hustles me over to the couch to get comfortable, letting me know that Addy and Cooper took a walk over to Harvard Square.
“Do you want to hear about the company?”
“I want to hear about whatever you want to tell me.” Like always her face shows complete sincerity, and I know she really does want to hear whatever I want to share.
“They accepted our offer, and as of June 30th Mid-South will be under new ownership. It will increase our media division by 5 TV stations, and 22 radio stations, but the other support media, that is held by the company, is where the real assets lie.” I begin to tell her about how the purchase increases P. Cahill into the third largest media holding company in the nation, and how Grandfather has given me this division to manage. She listens intently and asks a lot of questions about how this will impact the country.
“Now tell me about Chandler. How is she doing?” The little twinkle in Mom’s eye tells me she’s been patient long enough.
“She’s good. We’re good.” My smile stretches across my face thinking about her, and I catch a glimpse of my mom’s knowing smile. “I told her how I felt, and that I want to be with her. She wants the same.”
My mom didn’t say anything else; she just smiles at me as we sit in silence. I know she will not pry, and I want to keep the rest of this private for now.
After class on Friday, I was able to convince my parents to spend a few days at Cape Cod as a mini vacation. Getting Addy away from the memories of Boston for the weekend. With the security of family we were able to get her on the beach, to eat out a few times, and to shop. For the first time in weeks, Addy seems happy.
By Sunday evening we said our goodbyes to Mom and Cooper, and life was back to just the two of us, again.
____________
Monday Morning:
Sitting outside Addy’s classroom, “Tonya, connect me with Deena.” My secretary sends my call to my personal assistant.
“It’s Deena,” she answers.
“How’s the fort?” She gives me the scoop on how the office is managing in my absence, and let’s me know that my grandfather is a holy terror right now.
“It sounds like you need a few days away from there?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.” Dealing with my grandfather, I would believe almost anything.
“Good. I need you in Boston tomorrow afternoon. I have a few ideas to restructure our media division to make way for our new properties. So, I’m going to need you to bring the paperwork on Mid-South along with the STA portfolio.” I rattle off a few more things that she needs to bring. I give her the option to have Tonya come with her, since she will effectively be working alone during the day.
“Will that be all?” Deena’s voice, as always, seems unfazed by all of what I’m asking for.
“Actually, no. Contact Robert Martin at MEK and see if Chandler Foster is available to join by the end of the week. Thursday would be best.” We talk a few more minutes about arrangements and timelines, and we hang up just as students file through the door.
Chandler’s POV:
“You must have really impressed them at Cahill, because they have requested you, again.” Robert Martin says as he stands at the door of my office, holding a piece of paper in his hands. “I’ve cleared your schedule. You’re meeting with the COO in Boston on Thursday. I left Monday and Tuesday free as they suggest. You may need it if the project isn’t finished. Then, you’re wanted again the first week of June.”
He lays the paper on my desk. “I had Joyce email this to you, but I just wanted to see your face when I gave you the news. It looks like Cahill Industries is your biggest client for a while.”
“Thank you, Robert. I’ll contact them today.” I keep my expression neutral as my heart rate increases and begins to soar. It’s not like Mason to be so impatient that he couldn’t wait another week to see me. I’m usually the impatient one.
As soon as Robert closes my door, I burst into giggles, and then I see him look back toward my office. I wave and he shakes his head with a huge smile on his face. I just couldn’t keep my cool.
I pull out my phone. “Thursday, huh?” I ask when a rich warm voice answers the phone. I close my eyes and try to picture Mason’s handsome face as I listen to him. I want to run my hands through his black hair, stare into his emerald green eyes, and kiss his soft pouty lips. “I’ve talked to you everyday, and you couldn’t wait another week for me to come see you?”
“Yeah, Thursday. No, I couldn't wait another week. I’ll barely be able to wait until the end of this week; I was scared to bring you any sooner. If we finish early, I wouldn’t have an excuse to keep you over the weekend.” His voice is partially serious and partially playful, and I see his smile in my mind.
“I would have stayed anyway. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I couldn’t take the chance that you would leave. This way, I know I have you alone for two whole days.”
“You mean alone with Addy.”
“No, alone. Holden wanted to come for a visit. I’m flying him in to stay with her. I’m not even telling her you’re in town until Sunday that way you can visit with both of them, and I still get you all to my self for a little while first." My stomach is doing flips as Mason’s words register in my brain.
“Mason,” I warn, but my thrill that is going through my body at the thought of being alone with him is telling me to shut up.
“Chandler, that’s not what I’m asking. I just want to spend time with you. My pace is your pace. I’m just clearing some obstacles, like distance.” My smile stretches across my face thinking about how his pace is about to pick up.