Authors: Courtney King
The next day, Richard and Sherry lounged on a blanket on the beautifully manicured lawn and sat in the warm, afternoon sun, sharing bite-sized appetizers and fresh lemonade prepared by the staff.
“What are they doing?” Marlene asked the head chef as she stared out the kitchen window at their tiny figures in the distance.
“They’re having lunch.”
“Here?”
“Yes. Sherry enjoys staying in,” said the chef.
“Boring!” sang Marlene, as she walked away.
***
“Let’s take a private vacation,” Richard said, touching Sherry’s hand. “We can get away from here for a while.”
“Really?” Sherry asked. “I do like it here, but it would be nice to have some private time.” Away from Marlene, she finished silently.
“Absolutely. Pick a place and Marlene will schedule a flight.”
“Do you ever get sick of that?”
“Sick of what? Being able to fly anywhere in the world?”
“No. Having everyone handle everything for you. Having your people do all of your errands.”
“I don’t know any other way.”
“I would struggle with that, I think” she said, placing her empty glass on the tray beside them.
“You’ll get used to it. I’m sure.”
“Should I?”
“Should you what?”
“Should I get used to it?” she blushed, looking up at him and squinting one eye from the sun.
“Yes. Yes, you should. I want you to.” Richard leaned in and pushed her hair behind her ear.
Sherry’s eyes filled with tears, and she looked down.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just can’t believe this is who you are. I pictured you as a womanizer and heartless, and....”
“Yes. Most people do.”
“I’m glad I was wrong,” she said. “My only concern now is that you and I won’t have enough alone time before the baby arrives.”
“Nothing will change when the baby is here. We’ll still get alone time. You’ll have a night nurse and a day nanny.”
Sherry tilted her head at the sound of those words. “A night nurse?”
“Yes. Someone to get up and do the feedings and the changings, so you can sleep.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I really feel like that’s something I should be doing.”
“Sherry, all of your needs are met here. Trust me. I love that you’re independent, but you’ll never have to worry again.”
“But, I want to worry. I want to answer my baby’s cries in the middle of the night.”
“We’ll see,” he smiled, holding her hand.
That morning, Marlene delivered a typed itinerary, placed on top of Sherry’s breakfast place setting. Their two-day trip included a large suite at a private beach resort—one Sherry thought she may have seen on TV, when Beyoncé had visited there.
Sherry sipped her orange juice and poked her fork at the fresh pancakes on her plate. She was starting to get quite used to this luxurious life, where breakfast is served on delicate place settings. It was a far cry from her quiet mornings wrapped in her bathrobe, sipping tea, alone. Here, at Richard’s sprawling estate, her every wish was granted. Sometimes, she even allowed herself to enjoy it.
Richard entered and took a seat next to her. He smelled fresh and clean as he squeezed her knee with his hand.
“I’m just reading our itinerary,” Sherry said, holding up the paper.
“What itinerary. Where are you going?” Mrs. Black entered the breakfast room as she always did, with grace and grandeur and a half-filled coffee cup.
“We’re flying out for a beach retreat tomorrow,” Richard explained.
“Well, have a good time, and get some rest. You’ll need it. When you two return, we’ll have to begin planning the nursery. That little bun will be popping soon.”
Sherry looked down at her belly and smiled. She refrained from answering, and kept her thoughts in her head. She didn’t want to show any disrespect, but she also didn’t want someone else orchestrating her child’s life, including the nursery. She would be quite content with her baby’s bassinet right beside their bed. But, as previous conversations had revealed, she would not be the one caring for her child at night. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Later that day, she spent some time in her walk-in closet, transferring clothes from hangers into her suitcase. She was browsing through the drawers of shoes when Richard entered.
“Packing, I see,” he said.
“Yes. This time around is a lot different than the night before I arrived here,” she shared.
“Yes? What was that like?”
“I was given strict instructions on what to wear and what to bring. You didn’t know?” She had never talked to him about the night she was summoned. They both preferred to avoid the darker side of their meeting.
“Actually, I didn’t. Were you scared?”
“Petrified,” she admitted. “I didn’t know you, and what I knew of you was scary.”
“Scary?”
“Like intimidating-scary. Fear of the unknown.”
“And now, how do you feel?” He moved closer to her, scooping her up from behind and resting his hands on her belly, smelling her hair.
“I think … I think you’re growing on me!” she giggled as she looked up at him. She caught a glimpse in the mirror of the two of them in an embrace.
“Someone can do that packing for you, sweetheart. Why don’t you join me outside for some hot cider?”
“No, no I can do my own packing. I’m quite capable.”
“It’s not a matter of being capable. We have people who are paid to pamper us, that’s the life we live here. That’s the life you are going to live here.”
She pulled away from his embrace and turned to face him. “Please don’t tell me what I am going to do. I’d much rather be asked. I like to be a part of the decision making process and I’d like to feel like we are in this together.” Her voice was quivering now, the way it always did when she stood firm to her opinion and expressed her true feelings.
Richard leaned over her, gently grasping her shoulders. “I understand, and I’m sorry. I guess I’m just so used to calling all the shots. You’re right. We’ll do this together. Take all the time you need.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
She was thankful for his response. With each new day, she was starting to feel like she could really trust him. She was starting to believe that she could really fall in love with him.
For now, she would finish her own packing and prepare herself for their get-away beach vacation.
Sherry sat in the helicopter as their bags were loaded into the lower compartment. She still was still struggling to adjust to this jet-setting lifestyle and was starting to miss walking the streets of her old neighborhood and driving her own car. She wondered if anything in her life would be normal again.
Richard climbed in and clasped her hand in his.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
She offered him a yes smile and squeezed his hand. The ground below began to shrink and disappear as they lifted off. The sound of the propellers drowned out their voices and made it impossible for her to answer him. They made their way to the airport, where the private jet was waiting. The pilot and crew stood at attention outside the jet, greeting Sherry and Richard as they boarded. Once inside, they were greeted by a gourmet meal, champagne glasses (one filled with water), and a private movie ready for viewing. Their short flight had a long agenda.
Sherry smiled and clasped her chest at the sight of all the food. She was, once again, overwhelmed and humored by absurdity of it all.
“Is this even my life?” she laughed, smiling at Richard.
She sat next to Richard as the jet jockeyed into position on the tarmac. As the speed increased and they prepared for take-off, she squeezed Richard’s hand. She watched as, once again, the ground below disappeared and the jet leveled off for the short flight.
Once they were steady in the air, Richard unbuckled his seat belt and started to stand up.
“Are you ready to eat?” he asked. “I’ll get the—” His ready smile froze when he saw her face.
Sherry’s eyes were closed, and she had a hand on her belly. He looked up at the sound of his voice, and he saw her eyes were scared and filled with tears.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, fighting to keep the fear from his voice.
A tear fell from her face, “I’m not sure. I think it’s the baby.” She held her hands low on her abdomen and winced in pain. “My whole belly is tightening up and I feel like I have to push.”
“You’re only six months pregnant, Sherry, you can’t push. Stay calm, and we’ll get to a doctor right away.” Richard kissed her forehead gently as he buzzed for the attendant.
The flight attendant entered the cabin, “Is everything okay?”
“No. No, it’s not. Something’s happening with the baby, with Sherry. We have to land.”
The flight attendant hurried to the cockpit to relay the news.
Richard stroked Sherry’s hand and comforted her as best he could. She grew listless and seemed disoriented, one time asking him “But what about the beautiful lunch?” Richard couldn’t tell if she was serious or joking.
He clicked her seat belt and held her head against his chest. “It’s okay. Everything is okay.”
Sherry awoke to the sound of a fetal monitor and the beeping of the blood pressure machine. Richard was curled up in a chair beside her bed, sleeping.
She lay still, trying to feel the baby, then looked up at the fetal monitor. Still beating. Outside, in the hallway, she could see the nurses and the doctor talking to an older woman. The woman was waving her hands angrily, and finally the doctors relented and stepped away from the door.
Mrs. Black walked into the room, her eyes worried and her makeup perfect. A young doctor followed behind her.
“Is the baby okay?” Sherry asked.
“The baby’s fine, they said, just some pre-term labor and a little dehydration,” the doctor said, as Richard stirred awake.
“So, how long are they going to keep you?” Mrs. Black asked.
“Until her fluids are up and the baby’s heart rate is stable, maybe overnight,” Richard said. “You can go, mother. I’ll take care of things here.”
Mrs. Black gave Sherry one last long look, then left the room. The doctor made a few notes on a clipboard, and followed her out the door.
Richard turned back to Sherry, but she was fast asleep again, the monitors humming behind her. Richard leaned in and kissed her, lightly, on her forehead. He laid out the blanket and pillow on the chair in the corner of the room, and made himself as comfortable as he could.
***
The morning after Sherry returned home from the hospital, Marlene arrived at Sherry’s bedroom door with a breakfast tray. She set it next to her, then walked to the other side of the room and scrolled on her smartphone.
Sherry situated herself up in the bed, propping herself on the pillows. “How’s the weather out there?” she asked.
Marlene didn’t answer.
“Marlene,” Sherry said, a little bit louder this time.
“What?” Marlene asked, looking startled.
“I said, how is the weather outside?” Sherry repeated, adding a teaspoon of sugar to her tea.
“Oh, it’s a little chilly today. They say it might rain later.”
“Oh, I guess I’ll just stay here then,” Sherry said.
“Well, you don’t have a choice”, Marlene said, without looking up from her phone.
“I know. It was a joke.”
Marlene put down her phone, shook her head, and walked closer to Sherry’s bedside. “I’m sorry. I’m distracted.”
“It’s okay, I’m just trying to make the best of things.” Sherry smiled. “You don’t have to stay and watch me eat breakfast. I can call you if I need something.”
“I have strict orders from Richard to stay by your side”, Marlene explained.
“You really respect him don’t you?” Sherry asked.
“Of course, he’s my boss.”
“Can I ask you something personal?” Sherry asked.
Marlene shifted her stance a bit. “Uh, I guess.”
“Did you and Richard ever date each other?”
Marlene looked down at her feet and quickly answered, “No.”
Seeing how uneasy Marlene was with the conversation, she decided not to pry any more.
“Sherry, for a long time now, Richard has only had eyes for you. You should know that.” Marlene explained.
“Well, it hasn’t been that long”, Sherry answered.
“Yes, well even back when you were—” Marlene stopped short.
“Back when?” Sherry wanted her to continue.
Marlene started gathering Sherry’s plates. “Let me get these things out of your way,” she said as she hurried out of the room.
“Marlene, back when we were what?” Sherry pleaded.
“Nothing. Never mind.” Marlene rushed out of the room, nearly dropping the tray.
In the kitchen, Marlene slammed the tray down on the counter, spilling its contents.
“What’s the matter with you?” demanded Evelyn, looking up from her mid-afternoon wine.
“I can’t do this anymore. I can’t wait on her hand and foot, knowing what I know.” Marlene wiped her forehead with her arm.
“Relax. You don’t have to reveal anything. Just bring her meals and help her up to use the bathroom.”
“But I can’t keep it a secret any longer. When can I have my chance, the one you promised me?”
“Well, you’ll just have to, or we’ll find a replacement for you, too.” Evelyn walked away, leaving Marlene to clean up the dishes and the mess.