He started spending a lot of time with his brother’s family. Before our trip to Paris, he barely would see him once a year but now it seemed to be once a week. Tom would show me photos of him giving new toys to his brother’s children and how happy they were.
In those few months I had learned something else.
I was pregnant.
I had a strong feeling it was his and I didn’t want to burden him further with the responsibility of being a parent.
“Tom,” I said one day after a meeting, “I think it’s time I move on. I’ve been working towards a few projects of my own with the money you’ve helped me raise and I think I have some good prospects.”
He flashed me his smile again, and I was struck by how sad his eyes looked. He embraced me, and my feelings were swept away. I kept myself straight faced, which was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
“Don’t make me wait.” Was all he said.
I pushed myself away, knowing that, if I stayed any longer, I would become a mess.
“I’ll have my things packed and be out of the house before day’s end. Thank you again, Mr. Ellis.” I said.
I turned and left, leaving him standing there sullenly.
As I exited, I wondered if I’d gone too far, if there was something else I could’ve done to know if he wanted me for my business savvy or my looks. But, I couldn’t decipher anything at the moment.
At the mansion, I began to pack everything I had, which I realized was not much. Then I heard a knock on the door.
“Hey, Nia.” It was Brent. “I know we don’t talk much, but can we have a chat?”
I cracked the door and let him wander in.
“This place is way better than the shack I’m living in. You must be one smart cookie,” he said admiring my living space.
“Did you come here to talk or to admire the scenery?” I asked rudely.
“Whoa, calm down,” he said while stepping back toward the door. “I just have one thing to say so I’ll say it. You got Mr. Ellis twisted up good. I never seen him like this in the last ten years I been workin’ for him.”
“Are you referring to how he doesn’t seem to sleep around as much?” I asked.
“No, I’m referring to how he keeps askin’ me what you’re up to. He wants to know if you’re seein’ anybody or if you are feeling taken care of.”
“He asks about me when I’m not around?”
“He does. I never seen him like that for anyone.”
I finished packing my bag and zipped it closed. I took a moment to take in all the sights from this palatial bedroom and let out a deep sigh.
“Let’s go, Brent,” I said.
I made for the door, but Brent wouldn’t let me carry my own bags. Like a gentleman he took the bags and followed me down the front stairs.
I had him take me to a hotel downtown for the evening and scheduled time with a real estate agent while on the way. My excessive funds from working with Mr. Ellis had continued to grow over the past few months into a small fortune.
I said my final farewells to Brent and entered the lobby. It was completely empty save for the one attendant at the front desk waiting patiently for business.
He looked at me, smiled, and handed me a room key. I found it rather odd as I hadn’t called ahead.
“Is this for me?” I asked.
“Of course it is,” he replied. “Room 1506. The elevator is around the corner.” Another on hand attendant swooped in to relieve me of my luggage and led me to the elevator.
We zoomed up to the 15th floor, and my curiosity swelled. I inserted my keycard into the door and swung it open.
Mr. Ellis was sitting on the bed, waiting patiently.
“How did you-“
“I work downtown, it’s only three blocks from headquarters,” Tom said.
“Mr. Elli-“
“My name is Tom. I told you months ago, Nia.”
He sat me down on the bed and stood over me.
“I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen,” he began. “The last several months I’ve been meeting more with my brother and his family and you know what I learned? Don’t answer that, I still want you to listen. I learned what makes him tick; I learned why he wakes up every morning and goes to his dead-end job upstate; I learned that it’s not easy to be in love.”
He was pacing back and forth as he talked, and I smiled as he continued on.
“That’s right, Love. Love is what gets him out of the house in the morning so he can go work a dead-end job to provide for his family. I saw him get in fights with the person he loves; only to watch them kiss and forget it ever seemed to happen. It was like some kind of magic was happening in his household.