DRAGONJULS Storybook
Disclaimer and Acknowledgements: See Part One
Part 10
Chapter Sixteen
It had been a week of frenzied calls to so called experts to halt the decline of Xianthos's worth in the market place. Catherine had effectively agreed to remain in charge of the whole operation, until such time as she could replace Paul Strong with someone equal to his standing in the corporation. It had been a difficult interview when she'd announced that particular decision, primarily because it appeared she cared little that Strong was dead. Catherine had also not been in touch with home since her earlier call of the week. And most probably Jace would not be aware of her decision from her lips but perhaps via the tabloids; there just hadn't been time! Now pacing in her sparsely furnished office, she pondered her dilemma.
A tapping on her door pulled her out of her current revere, "Come in," she told whomever it was knocking. Rio looked up from his position at the front of Catherine's desk as the party entered.
"Ms Devonshire, there is a Detective Kelsey in the building who would like to have a few private words with you over the shooting incident." Rita informed her quietly, noticing the blind woman stiffen at the mention of the shooting.
"Well, we can't keep New York's finest waiting downstairs can we Rita, tell him I will see him. Oh, and Rita I'd love some tea, very strong please, if you can get someone to manage that, the other tasted like tap water!" Catherine muttered her disapproval at the beverage.
"No problem, I will let detective Kelsey in to see you and go and get your tea myself." Rita smiled at the taller woman. She hadn't seen anyone work so hard to protect the company as she had this woman in the past week; pity so few knew that fact. If it hadn't been for her tenacious attention to the requirements of the market Rita doubted that Xianthos would still be taking on employees, it would be more like shedding them in colossal numbers instead.
Catherine tipped her head in Rita's direction, "Thanks, but you don't have to go and supervise the tea yourself, I'm sure you have lots of other things to do?" Catherine voiced sincerely.
"No problem, as I said before, if making your life a little easier with some decent tea is the key, then I'm going to do just that! I'll make it myself. My own mother could never abide the way she was often given tea in this country." Rita offered as her explanation.
"Your mother wasn't American then?" Catherine asked interested in the comment, if only to give her a few minutes respite from her own problems.
"No, she was English, she married my father when he was stationed in England during the war and arrived over here as a war bride, kind of romantic. She hated the way people over here made tea, so she made all her children learn to make tea the English way. Guess it's a skill I thought I'd never use and low and behold I can finally put that talent to use." Rita chuckled at the thought of her late mother she had been so picky about such a simple thing as a cup of tea.
"Then I will look forward to sampling that particular talent Rita, lets get the detective in here and will you contact Danni for me, she should be at the hospital with Ms Waverly. I will meet her over there around five p.m., okay?" Catherine smiled and then sat down heavily in her chair.
"Yes, fine I'll bring the tea, and coffee for the detective." Rita left the room and closed the door behind her.
Catherine whistled softly for Rio to come to heal at her side and he did so immediately; she gently stroked his ears in absent concentration. 'Jace was going to kill her, it was now Saturday and although the building wasn't fully working, there were still staff in and out seven days a week. Rita had agreed to come in today because the work simply wouldn't go away. She would reward her a decent bonus if things worked out and even if they didn't she still deserved the bonus. I promised a call to home and it's Sunday there today, I'd better do that at least, or everyone will be mad at me, not just Jace.'
Catherine's mind wandered, had it really been a year since the accident in Rio? Funny how tragedy seemed to dog her footsteps and now with this new dream she was having to remind her more forcibly of all the reasons why she should never have become involved with Jace! Her thoughts drifted to the memory of the dream that had been plaguing her all week.
'Catherine could see Jace crying, sobbing uncontrollably. The room was dark and the other images inside didn't take the shape of anyone she recognised at all in her dream. Jace was dressed in black, except for the bright red carnation she held in her hands there was no other colour; it was definitely surreal. A hand she thought she recognised but couldn't quite see definitively placed itself on Jace's shoulder and guided her to an object in the middle of the room. It was a casket, in cherry oak with gold simple handles, nothing fancy, but the casket seemed to be large, clearly for an adult, not a child. Catherine had been relieved in her dreamscape that it wasn't any of the children. Jace slowly peered inside the casket and her face crumbled even more if that were possible, at the sight within. Could be anyone she loved, anyone! Kissing the carnation, Jace tenderly placed the blossom inside the casket and hesitating, she lowers her headinside the casket and places a gentle kiss on the body inside. Catherine tries to get closer and eventually as Jace is led away, she views the casket at close range and is shocked to see her own features gazing out at her, I'm dead! Catherine tries to shout to Jace that it's not possible, that it's a trick that she's not dead but Jace's image fade from view. Catherine has one final thought as the dream fades in her agitated wakefulness, Jace is so young looking, it must happen soon.'
Catherine tried to shake her head at the morbid thoughts, but the nightmare claimed her every night. She wasn't entirely sure if it hadn't started on 'Destiny' too, but Jace's body next to hers had dispersed the images as she woke. "Well Rio, looks like that trip I keep putting off to see the only person who can decipher this for me is obviously overdue, going to have to make that call sooner rather than later. Because sure as hell, I'm not giving her up or my life either if I can do anything about it!" Catherine whispered to the dog for his hearing alone. The intercom buzzed to announce her visitor.
"Let the detective in Rita." Catherine said as she straightened her posture in her seat at the desk.
* * * * *
Jace was disturbed by the reports she was hearing in the news about the ongoing developments at Xianthos. The newspaper in town was delighted to be running a story that had local appeal and Catherine Devonshire-Warriorson was local in a big way!
Now the speculation abounded about not only her business but also her personal life, Danni O'Neil's name had become prominent in the last twenty-four hours, god only knew why!
It should have been a simple family trip to the town, Jace had insisted on going with Grace and the children to get out of the house for a few hours. Grace hadn't been happy and now Jace knew why, it was abundantly clear that Grace had been run to ground by the local press when she went into town everyday. Jace had left Grace, Lisa and Jake at the local fast food restaurant, and went off on her own to shop for articles of clothing for Elena. Bad mistake!
"Ms Bardley? What do you have to say about the affair between your 'Friend' Catherine Devonshire-Warriorson and her therapist Danni O'Neil?" the reporter young, but eager for his first blood. The speculation about the relationship between Bardley and Warriorson had been buzzing for months, but hadn't been confirmed.
Jace astonished by the suddenness of the reporter's appearance but not only that, the actual implication behind his words. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, come on Ms Bardley everyone around here knows that you and your 'friend' Catherine Warriorson are having an affair, surely you're not defending her cheating on you?" The reporter saw her pale and knew he had hit a raw nerve; maybe this story would help him get to one of the city papers.
"I have nothing to defend, how can I? Your suggestion is both offensive and totally fabricated, Catherine and Danni are friends nothing more!" Jace angrily turned on him.
"Perhaps they might be more than 'Good Friends' now Ms Bardley. Will you leave New Zealand and go home to America if it's true?" The reporter had the bone between his teeth, now he wanted blood. He wasn't about to let go without a fight, but there again he hadn't expected the blonde to be quite so resistant, she was tougher than she looked.
Jace looked at him and gave him an icy look and walked back to the fast food restaurant and the relative security of her family. The reporter followed with more insinuations and suggestions all of which she ignored resolutely.
Grace had seen Jace's face as she entered the building; immediately she handed over some money to Jake and told the kids to go order a dessert and play on the video machines, as she needed to talk to Jace for a few minutes.
"Okay Grace, we like to play the machines don't we Jake?" Lisa answered for the boy as she skipped over to the counter to look at the desserts.
Jake was looking non-too pleased at Jace's expression either, Grace put a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled briefly at him as Jace got closer. "It's going to be okay Jake, just go beat Lisa gently at the game and we will get along home soon, okay?" The boy gave her a quiet look and then nodded his head and went after Lisa.
Jace sat down heavily on the chair recently vacated by one of the children and looked at Grace with a mixture of anger and desperation.
"What's up my friend?" Grace asked tentatively.
"I was just accosted by a reporter who insinuated a ridiculous situation between Catherine and Danni." Jace sighed heavily at the words.
"Situation?" Grace looked directly into the expressive green eyes before her.
Jace looked away from the direct brown gaze of her friend and flushed a little while retelling the contents of the conversation. "Do you believe any of it?" Grace asked her gently.
"No! No of course not! How could I believe that of Catherine, she loves me?" Jace responded indignantly.
"Yeah, she sure does, but the power of the tabloids has caused her damage before, don't let it come between you and her Jace. She's not the woman she was, you have seen to that!' Grace pointed out and then decided to elaborate on that. "You would kill her soul if you left over something as trivial as this, I just wanted to warn you, should you consider that path."
Jace looked aghast at her friend. "You think that I trust her so little that I could or would contemplate leaving?"
"Actually between you and me, no! But the rest of the world doesn't always see it that way; she has not been in touch either. So, that can sometimes make things more powerful in the eyes of the persuader, and things like that have a tendency to get out to the press. Catherine might even get wind of the speculation, and at the moment she has enough to cope with without worrying un-necessarily about what we are thinking over here." Grace said her tone informative rather than accusing.
Jace looked steadily at Grace and smiled wryly. "Well, I think that its time we all told her how wonderful she is. I know just what to do about that, come on Grace, let's get the kids and log onto a computer at that cyber café in the next street." Jace smiled, happy with her suggestion and its possibilities.
Grace starred at her upbeat mood and smiled along with her, what the hell, if she knew how to make Catherine feel wonderful, who was she to argue, could be interesting knowing these two together.
They collected the children and went to the next street and the cyber café, being doggedly followed by the young reporter, who thought better of accosting them all at once.
* * * * *
Danni looked over the small private room that Constance Waverly occupied; although Catherine had been back to the hospital several times, in each case the injured woman had been sleeping heavily, now she was wide awake and watching her. "You okay?" Danni asked her directly.
"As well as I would expect to be in the circumstances, when is Catherine due? I need to be awake to talk to her this time." Constance said her tone brooking no refusal.
"Hey, don't go chastising me! I'm on your side remember, I suggest you point it out to your little friend who keeps everyone away from you and gets you to sleep at the drop of a hat." Danni smirked at the woman who had turned a light shade of pink at the suggestion.
"Clare is only doing what she feels is best, I don't know what I would have done without her attention in the last week." Constance stated quietly. She had been amazed at the way Clare had responded to her request to stay and how she had literally camped herself in the room for days, until she'd been told politely by the doctors that she really needed to get some rest herself. Reluctantly Clare was home sleeping, but she doubted that the younger woman would stay away long, the very thought made her smile.
"I'm sure you don't, but she's going to make herself ill if she doesn't lighten up." Danni pointed out her own clinical observations regarding the other woman.
"I know, but she's hard to stop when she gets behind something." Constance softly replied her eyes anguished at the thought.
"Maybe I should take you both in hand then and make sure you both take care of yourselves, what do you say?" Danni said practically.
"What will Catherine say, aren't you here to help her?" Constance said, although the offer was tempting, Catherine wouldn't have someone around who didn't know his or her profession, and she was going to need someone like Danni when she got out of the hospital, hopefully next week.
"Catherine? Who's she?" Danni laughed derisively; Catherine hadn't talked to her for the past three days and before then, only grudgingly.
"I see!" Constance saw the sadness play around the therapists features, she was hurt about something. Knowing Catherine, being put out in the cold wasn't pleasant for anyone, but could be especially hurtful if the therapist had any feelings for Catherine.
"I doubt it! But let's ask her when she arrives if you're game?" Danni said quietly.
"I'll tell Clare too, she will accept it." Constance remembered the offer was for both of them.
"Does she do everything you say, I didn't think she came into the tame pet category; thought she had more spark than that?" Danni grinned wickedly.
"What do you mean?" Constance was affronted by the suggestion that she controlled Clare's life in any way.
"Forget it, just my Irish sense of humour." Danni went over to look out the window at the gathering dusk. Catherine would be here soon and then maybe she could do something constructive instead of lounging around all day. Anyway, the damned reporters were bloody nuisances and for the hell of it, she had actually agreed to one of their comments; unfortunately it had been about herself and Catherine. Oh well, it wasn't likely to blow up, and Catherine was too busy to notice a little slip like that.
"It had better be!" Constance finally said as she closed her eyes and drifted back into sleep, until her boss arrived.
Danni watched the woman sleep. She was very beautiful in an exotic sort of way; her dusky skin giving her a very sultry look, she probably wouldn't look to bad on the catwalk if her figure were anything like her features. Seems she was taken though, but who knew in this world, things change all the time and she knew a ploy or two in the seduction game. Clare Fallon didn't look a match for her, but hadn't she thought the same about Jace Bradley. Yeah, well this was different, who was going to go to the defence of the girl in this big city.
* * * * *
Catherine watched the detective out of hooded un-focusing ice blue eyes. Although, if it weren't for the cloudy expression in them, you would have been hard pressed to say she didn't look right through you! That's what detective Kelsey thought when he sat at the chair in front of her desk; he was also wary about the dog too, it seemed to have a predatory look about it, very much like the woman opposite him. Strange really you always kind of considered guide dogs as playful and good natured, he didn't think this one gave that impression at all!
"Detective, you wanted to advise me of some facts?" Catherine inclined her head in his direction, the shadowy imaginary from her right eye allowing her that small advantage over a totally blind person.
Kelsey swallowed and had a gulp of the coffee he had been given by the secretary when he'd arrived in her office. "I wanted to let you know how far we are with the investigation into the shooting in the building."
"I see! Well, I'm all ears detective, I was beginning to wonder if the case had been hidden away in someone's waste paper basket?" Catherine gave him a grim smile.
Clearing his throat Kelsey could understand her frustration. Every day since her arrival in the city she had asked his superiors questions about the case and they had continually fobbed her off. Until she had taken the matter further and talked to the Governor of the State, now he was here to try and placate her, he didn't think much of his chances. "We have identified the shooter as Bart Kingston, he was a member of the fraction that disagreed shall we say with 'Jackson's' views."
Catherine digested the words and nodded her head for him to continue; she hadn't used her influence with the State Governor for that trifle of information. "Ms Devonshire, we picked up two others who are known associates of Kingston and held similar views of Jackson's work, I pulled them in for questioning this morning."
"Have they been informative?" Catherine traced a pattern with her hand along her desktop.
"First impressions, 'Jackson' was the target and under normal circumstances that would have been end of story!" Kelsey drank another mouthful of coffee; he noticed the woman didn't have a drink.
"Under normal circumstances? Now what do you mean by that detective Kelsey?" Catherine was intrigued by the man's voice it held a mystery waiting to be solved.
"The guys looked around the room all the time and refused to meet anyone straight in the eye at any time, always a sure sign that someone is holding something back and they sure were." Kelsey was warming to his subject and the obvious interest of the beautiful woman in front of him. He'd read the newsheet tonight and the announcement that she was gay and having an affair with the therapist she had returned to New York with from her home in New Zealand; there was also speculation that she had a lover there too, but that had not been unconfirmed. Catherine Devonshire was sure stunning, and he wouldn't have minded a little piece of her action; he should be so lucky!
"Detective Kelsey have you lost your direction? You were discussing that the men held some piece of information back." Catherine asked politely, she had heard his increased breathing pattern and wondered what the reason for that could be?
"Whoa, I'm sorry Ms Devonshire, must be this superb coffee your secretary gave me," he laughed sheepishly and continued. "They admitted that although Jackson was the original intended victim, there was another agenda, they had been given money to do the 'hit' but it should have taken place in four weeks time, well that was prior to the shooting so in another three weeks. Bart Kingston was high on drugs and had taken the decision to play god earlier. They hadn't been told to shoot anyone else in particular but that it had to be messy and attention grabbing, news worthy, very news worthy were the guys words. It had to bring someone out of hiding was all the information they had been given." Kelsey looked at the impact the words had on the woman her face never changed it continued to stare at him with a stoic expression almost of boredom, although he knew that wasn't the case. He would bet his next paycheck on that!
A knock on her door, heralding Rita with her tea, she could smell the aroma immediately Rita entered the room, it would help soothe her nerves after being engrossed in the information the detective had given her. "Excuse me a moment Detective, I need to speak to Rita for a few moments alone, if you wouldn't mind going into the other office, I will be back with you directly?" Catherine politely asked the man, he immediately rose out of the chair and left the room, her gaze watching his shadowy form filter from the room.
"What can I do for you Ms Devonshire?" Rita queried quietly she had noticed the white tinge of tension around the eyes of her boss.
"Thanks for the tea, it's marvellous, your mother taught you well,' she could almost picture the smile that crossed Rita's face, although she had never seen her before and had no accurate mental picture to draw from, it had a tangible feel in the air. "I need you to contact my home in New Zealand and advise Mr Colin Montgomery that the security on the ranch must be enhanced immediately if he feels it necessary, he will understand that message perfectly. Would you also......." she didn't know if she should leave a message for Jace.
"Also?" Rita asked her softly, she could feel the tension emanating from the woman close to her.
"Nothing," Catherine finally sighed in frustration, she didn't know what to say in the circumstances, she would have time to consider her options, before she made the call later tonight.
"Okay, shall I show the detective back in now?" Rita moved towards the door and the outer corridor to her office.
"Yes, thanks. Oh, when you're finished with that final instruction Rita, please go home, it's getting late and I appreciate your help." Catherine turned back to the tea on her desk and the soothing aroma.
"I'll do that, see you Monday?" Rita shut the door behind her.
Walking back in the room, he was surprised at Ms Devonshire's stance, it was as if she had decided there was going to be a bloody battle and she needed to don her armour and weapons for the onslaught. 'Must have something in that tea,' he reflected and smiled wryly.
"Detective Kelsey, I want you to let me know if your interrogations finds out pertinent information and I want the information immediately; not twenty-four hours later, other lives may depend on the facts! Do I make myself clear detective?" Catherine said brusquely.
"Sure, but do you know something I don't?" he asked, fully expecting her to deny it if she did know, he wasn't going to argue with her, she had the Governor of the State on her side, it would be professional suicide.
Catherine rose from her chair and pulled her tall frame into a leaning position over the desk, her face peering directly at him, the lioness prowling. "Yes! Whoever it is wants me to come out of hiding. So be it, I am here. We possibly have two weeks detective to recover the situation, or we might have just run out of time, it is difficult to judge with so little information to go on."
Kelsey was eye to eye with a view of cleavage he would have gladly done more than ogle, his face becoming flushed at the thoughts going through his head. He wasn't sure that he was capable of controlling the part of his body that was responding the most, but he had too! At least she couldn't see his embarrassment and discomfort at her unconsciously blatant sexually inviting position over the desk. "I'll go back to the station house now and continue our questioning with the accomplices, I'll be in touch." Kelsey gave himself a mental kick at his choice of words, 'Touch, hell I have to get out of here before I do just that!'
"Good day Detective Kelsey." Catherine finished the conversation and sat down gracefully in her seat. Totally unaware of the arousal she had caused in the man leaving her office, her mind pre-occupied with more pressing matters.
Kelsey exited the room and she was left alone with her thoughts and Rio.
***********
Chapter Seventeen
Jace had the family around her as she composed a simple request on e-mail.
"Are you sure about this Jace?" Grace asked her tentatively, she had been watching Jace float from site to site until she had found what she was looking for.
"Yeah, she's going to love it trust me?" Jace smiled impishly at her friend's scepticism.
Various choices turned up screen after screen and all four of them had a choice of what they would send Catherine. It really was quite simple! Catherine wasn't the only one who could send her love over the thousands of miles in a tangible way!
Lisa and Jake were absorbed in the selection and after a little while even Grace had fun choosing what to send.
"What time is it there?" Jake asked wondering exactly what Catherine would be doing.
Grace glanced at one of the clocks on the walls in the café for the customer that indicated several time zones around the world. "Around lunchtime Saturday."
"Will she get them before she calls later today?" Lisa asked excited at the game.
Jace laughed merrily at the child, "Sure she will, I'm going to see to that; are we all done?"
"Yes," resonated in the room as they agreed Jace hit the send key and waited for confirmation. A few minutes later she received the answer she wanted, and they proceeded to leave the café and went towards the jeep and the ride home. The reporter now forgotten as they headed for the vehicle. Jace grinned at the thought of the task completed to show Catherine they all cared and were constantly thinking about her, even if she was thousands of miles away. 'I hope you like your surprise my love.'
* * * ** *
Catherine approached the corridor to Constance Waverly's private room having had to stomach the presence of one of the hospital assistant administrators, who had insisted that he show her the way.
"Ms Devonshire, it was a great shock when the shooting occurred." the nasally voiced man said perfunctory.
"Yes it was." Catherine gave him a minimal reply, hoping he would keep quiet.
"It must be difficult to carry on with many of your senior people dead or injured and to be frank, you are not exactly capable of taking on your old role with the obvious disability that has unfortunately befallen you." The man may have wanted to sound sympathetic but in fact sounded superior, simpering and totally ignorant to Catherine. Had it not been in a hospital she was pretty sure that a trip on the sidewalk into a gutter would have been a clear-cut option to her, but....
"Not really Mr..? Are you looking for another post, is that why you mentioned it?" Catherine could smell these weasels for miles; he wasn't good at insinuation that was for sure.
She was certain he was flushing from the question. "My name is Samuel's, and no I wasn't implying any such thing!" He spluttered out.
"Good." Catherine knew that her destination must be close at hand; Rio was slowing down as they neared the door.
"This is Ms Waverly's room! If I can be of any further assistance please have someone page me?" He turned away from her, not knowing what to make of the tall woman, but she was very wealthy and influential and that was all that mattered in his and the hospital boards minds.
"Thanks, have a nice evening Samuel's." She opened the door and entered without knocking.
The three women in the room turned at the intrusion and looked at their boss in sympathy, although in varying degree's. Catherine placed her back on the closed door and leaned into it for a few seconds then closed her eyes.
"Catherine, pleased you could make it?" Danni spoke eventually trying to hide the bitterness in her tone but failing marginally.
"Danni." Catherine replied in a derisory tone, her eyes scanning the room and the fuzzy shapes of three bodies. Having now tracked Danni when she spoke her name, she now knew that Clare was immediately in front of her close to the edge of the bed.
"Ms Devonshire, good to see you again, I'm sorry about your accident!" Constance surprised Catherine at her response.
"I would have thought that was my line Constance?" Catherine felt a smile slip onto her face.
"Yeah, maybe it is, but I thought I would say it first." Constance heard the bitterness in Danni's voice and she didn't want either woman fighting in her room, it wasn't the time or place.
"Then thank you, I'm doing rather well these days, I have reason to be, and I feel healthy and want to stay that way." Catherine obscurely answered.
Clare looked at Constance and they shared a smile, Danni looked out of the window bored with the conversation. "Has your friend had the baby yet? Paul.....Paul wasn't sure before....before......" Clare faltered and was relieved of saying more as Catherine's hand touched her shoulder in gentle comfort.
"Yes, we have a daughter, she's called Elena after my mother." Catherine decided that her relationship with Jace, while private was not or ever going to be a hole in the wall affair that she was ashamed to acknowledge in public, and that went for their daughter as well!
"Congratulations," both Clare and Constance replied they had seen the look of tenderness come over Catherine's face when she mentioned the baby.
"Thanks. So, what do we know people, if anything?" Catherine stood around for a moment not sure of the positioning of the chairs in the room.
Constance smiled at the un-certainty of her boss, "Danni, get Ms Devonshire a seat please."
Danni rapidly realised she wasn't taking care of Catherine as would be expected of her and immediately rectified that by placing a chair at her right hand side and swiftly placing her hand on the back to give Catherine the positional feel of the object.
"Thanks." Catherine said appreciatively.
Danni despondently went back to her place and her view overlooking the hospital grounds again, she was not a happy woman.
Clare rapidly and efficiently gave her all the details from their meeting with Paul and Celeste, closing on the name of Tito Yashimo as the possible candidate for the hacking of the information.
Catherine considered the information and then raised her eyebrows, her concentration in full flow. "It's not Tito."
Constance choked as Catherine dismissed all the information out of hand. "Why?"
"He hasn't got the balls for that kind of operation, unless his wife is behind it, then I might reconsider." Smirking at the last time she had seen the Japanese businessman, she had been sure he was on the point of tears at her decision that day. "Ladies, I know he wasn't happy with the last decision I made, but Paul made sure he retained his position and there would have to be a pretty good reason for him to do something this suicidal. I'll get him over here and we can all talk to him, what do you think?" Who could really argue as the two participating women in the conversation nodded their heads?
Catherine then related her own information from the detectives visit to them and it was becoming clear as the nose on anyone's face, that the real issue was Catherine herself, but in what context? And how did they plan to carry it out? Lots of question and not one viable answer, yet! To make matters even more difficult, time was running out and to Catherine her nightmares seemed to get closer and closer to reality.
* * * * *
Susan had been surprised at the medium sized box that arrived at the apartment around six in the evening. Catherine was due home anytime, and had mentioned a call to home she simply could not miss. Susan let the delivery boy place the package inside the hall and she tipped him as he left.
Picking up the envelope that had been handed with the package Susan read the sender's name Ms J Bardley, 'Destiny' Ranch, South Island, New Zealand. 'Wonder who that is?' Catherine hadn't had the time to speak to Susan about anything remotely personal since she'd arrived; it had been far too hectic.
The door to the apartment opened and in walked a flushed and miserable Danni and an irate Catherine being pulled forward by Rio.
"Have you ever managed to keep your mouth shut in your life Danni? You know what this is going to do now? Do you really expect me to believe that you didn't know the effect this would have?" Catherine icily spat at her therapist.
"I didn't hear the precise comment and I answered in the positive rather than the negative, what are you going to do, sue me?" Danni exploded back at Catherine. It had been difficult to explain herself to Catherine after she found out by accident that the story that they were lovers was all over the tabloids. In fact Clare Fallon had brought it to their attention on the way out of the hospital. She wasn't exactly on the top of her list of favourite people right now, stupid bitch!
"Yes! I might bloody well do that!" Catherine stalked into the kitchen area. "Susan I need tea!"
Susan wasn't sure what the altercation was about but she certainly wasn't going to be spoken to like that. "When you calm down and ask me properly, I might reconsider that declaration." Susan saw the temper rising in Catherine and then the fist raised and then plunged down hard on the table, even Rio jumped at the noise.
Finally Catherine controlled her temper and glanced in the direction she knew Susan would be standing. "I'm sorry Susan, would you mind making me some of your tea, and I am sorely in need of it."
Danni shrugged her shoulders and said she was going for a shower.
"You certainly look like you need the tea, has it been a bad day?" Susan saw Catherine flinch.
"Bad day? No! Whatever made you think that?" Catherine shook her head at the continuing problems plaguing her life.
"Well in that case, you have a parcel in the hallway do you want me to bring it in here for you?" Catherine looked anxiously around, what if it was a bomb? The way her luck was running at the moment that was entirely possible.
"It's from a Ms J. Bardley on the ranch." Susan had seen the agitation of her employer and decided the sender's name might help. She was impressed with herself, for the first time in all the years she had know Catherine, she had never seen such an expression of pure joy on her face, at the mention of a simple name. 'So this was the person who had replaced her tea in the sex stakes, marvellous.'
Taking apart the package, Susan retrieved a large heart shaped box, the material crushed deep red velvet. Placing the box in Catherine's hand, she watched fascinated as the younger woman beamed at the thoughts she had on receiving such a gift, her fingers trailing over the material, touch now the sense in control.
Opening the box, she could feel six objects, taking care she slipped the first one out of the box and her fingers curled around a replica coffee sized cup in what she assumed must be plastic, her nostrils flared slightly she could pick up the faint traces of coffee? Yes coffee, but it wasn't just any old coffee it was a good replica of cappuccino.
Then she gently pulled out each article in turn.
She felt the next object, a small oval shape with slightly spiky extrusions soft to the touch that fit into the palm of your hand. But it was the feeling of cold that emanated from the object and her mind associated it with a snowball and she laughed at the thought.
Next a miniature horse, with the tantalising smell of brass and leather, a longing look passed over her face briefly as her thoughts turned to Tralargon.
Her face fairly beamed, as she picked up a bottle, which had the distinct aroma of milk with the hint of citrus. It reminding her of lime and a special conversation that she had had with Jace that had the promise of lime milk; one promise that was never needed.
Then tears rolled gently as her eyes stung from the smell of ammonia, encapsulated in a triangle of material she wasn't sure of, maybe cotton? A smile of quirky anticipation apparent to the onlooker if they peered into Catherine's face.
Under all the tissue she closed her fingers around a long piece of wood, carved with distinctive letters. ' Home Sweet Home, We Love You.'
Susan had watched all the emotions pass over the features of her employer and was amazed that something this simple could and had evoked so much emotion. "Each object obviously has some significance?"
Catherine wiped a tear from her eyes, "Oh yes Susan, this is home! Grace is a good friend; she makes the best cappuccino in New Zealand. Lisa loves to throw snowballs and it's snowing at home, so she will be in her element. Jake has an affinity with horses, must take after me I think. Then there's Jace,' Catherine sighed softly at the image of her lover in her mind's eye. "She's reminding me of an offer and Elena is warning me of the pleasures to come, when I do get home again." Catherine spoke slowly and with such devotion, Susan was hard put not to cry herself.
"Well, you'd better tell me about them then and afterwards we will get to the fight with Danni. Come on Catherine, you need something to eat, before you waste away." Susan wanted to hear about this family who had the foresight to send a blind person things she could touch and smell, a tangible feel of home. Clearly someone had thought about the gift idea carefully.
Catherine's conversation during the meal, which fortunately didn't include Danni, was primarily about her new family on 'Destiny'. She had waited in quiet anticipation for any comment about her relationship with Jace, but none transpired.
"What's the problem with Danni?" Susan finally asked; she'd seen the scowl form on Catherine's face as she'd explained that Jace was going to be mad at her for not calling sooner. It reminded her of the angry look Catherine had when she'd entered the apartment originally that night.
"She's been indiscreet shall we say." Catherine pursed her lips in anger.
"Indiscreet, now how would that go? I thought you had covered just about every eventuality last year in the tabloids?" Susan chuckled softly as she saw the colour rise in Catherine's cheeks.
"Danni has implied to the newspapers that we are having an affair, she says by accident but I have my doubts." Catherine grimly replied.
"That of course isn't true?" Susan asked the question but she knew the answer anyway; the previous half-hour had convinced her if she'd had any doubts.
"Hell, Susan I'm in love! The party in question is someone so far removed from the likes of Danni or anyone else that I have ever known, I still find it incredible that she loves me!" Catherine spoke with passion.
"Jace Bardley isn't it? Lucky lady." Susan smiled at the dreamy expression on Catherine's face.
"No, she's not the lucky one, I am, and believe me I know it. I don't want this rumour to get out of hand and it could; we are so far away from each other." Catherine clasped her hands together in a nervous gesture.
Susan looked at the pensive stance of the tall woman and her heart went out to her. Life had never been easy for Catherine, but she had been a survivor and proved it on more than one occasion obviously, so this little episode wouldn't defeat her. "If she loves you as much as you apparently love her, I'd say you're on very safe ground. I would suggest that Danni leaves the apartment as soon as possible, in light of the 'mistake'." Susan got up from the table and glanced over to the clock on the kitchen wall.
"Yes, she wants to help Constance and Clare come to terms with their problems after the shooting, she can go and stay at either of their apartments, it will be more convenient for them all I suspect." Catherine smiled at that solution, she could tell Jace that to; it might help ease the tension if the story had gone over the wire to home.
"Sounds like a plan. Now it's time for you to settle down and dial up your family, they will be waiting." Susan watched as Catherine slowly ambled out of the kitchen towards her study, Rio close behind her.
"Take care on the way home Susan." Catherine commented as she opened the door to the study and waited for Rio to follow her in before she closed it firmly behind her.
Continued In Part 11
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