Chasing Vivi(43)

I run out to Lynn's desk. "Come in here, quick. I need you."

She runs in behind me. "What is it?"

"I need help impressing a certain woman. Like really impress but not make her think I'm trying to buy her or anything."

"Prescott, what did you do now?"

"No time to explain. Just come up with some things. You know, cute  things women love to get. I got her this giant stuffed wolf that she  loved. Just to get you started."         

     



 

She stares at me like I'm the devil. I am. "Can you ice skate?"

"Yeah, but she has that cast on her arm, so nothing like that."

Lynn huffs. "How much money?"

"No object."

She leaves and comes back in thirty minutes with a list. She slaps it on  my desk. "So help me God, if you've done anything to Vivi, I'll  personally kick your ass. This is why you've been pining and you're back  into that bourbon." Then she sails out like the biggest cruise ship  known to man.

When I look at the list, I know why Lynn works for me. The first thing I do is call Eric.

"I need your help."

"With what?"

First I tell him I wasn't with any woman. Then I tell him about my  plans. The first one will be implemented on Thursday-with Eric's help.



Eric is supposed to call Vivi and ask her to meet him somewhere. He's going to tell her he has a surprise for her.

"She's going to hate me forever."

"No, she won't. I'll make it up to her. I'll do everything possible for  that not to happen, but I need to see her and she won't talk to me."

"Okay."

Eric will get Vivi to meet him at a café and then we have arranged for a  car to drive them to another high-rise where the company helicopter  will be waiting. He's going to say he wants to show her a project he's  working on, but in fact I'll be waiting in the helicopter. Only at the  last minute, Eric will duck out, leaving her climbing in with me in the  back.

"Promise me one thing. If she sees you and doesn't want to go, don't force her."

I laugh. "I'm not going to kidnap the woman. I only want to talk to her."

"Yeah, okay."

The two days crawl by and when I get to the waiting helicopter, I'm  sweating like I just ran six miles. I hope I don't smell like it. The  last thing I need is for her to climb inside here and wonder what the  stank is all about. They should be here in twenty minutes, so I pour a  drink to loosen up. About five minutes before they're due, I tell the  pilot to start her up. Even if she refuses to go with me, the helicopter  still needs to return to the airport in White Plains.

I'm waiting there, almost holding my breath, when the door opens, and  the security guard escorts them out. Jesus, Eric has her blindfolded of  all things. What the hell is he thinking? Now she's really going to hate  me. He gingerly escorts her to the waiting helicopter and when the door  opens, he says, "Okay, Viv, big step up."

"I can't believe you're doing this," she says.

"Believe it," he says. "Now sit so I can buckle you in." This is my cue to take over. He shuts the door and runs like hell.

"We're a go," I tell the pilot. And we lift off. But as soon as she  hears my voice, she rips off the blindfold and her eyes are two orbs of  ice.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asks, acid dripping from her tongue.

"The blindfold wasn't my idea. In fact, I had no idea he'd do that. But I  wanted to show you the city from the sky." I give her my best smile,  while I sweat buckets. This woman is reducing me to a puddle of water.

"I don't want to see the city from the sky. Or at least I don't with you."

"It was the only way I could get you to talk to me." I hand her a headset and put one on myself. She flings it away.

"Okay, we can yell and let the pilot hear us."

She grimaces and picks it up.

After she plunks it on her head, I say, "I wasn't with a woman that  night. I spent the night alone because I found out earlier in the day  that the man I've known all my life as my father is not my biological  father. My mother had a fling with someone and I was the by-product."

Her face contorts into a multitude of expressions. But I don't wait for her to respond. I keep going before I lose my nerve.

"I don't expect your sympathy. That's not why I'm telling you. I just  wanted you to know that I didn't sleep around on you. The truth is I  haven't been with another woman since I saw you, Vivi Renard, sitting in  that damn coffee shop." I hope she believes what I'm about to share  with her because it's damn real and this part is killing me to tell her.  "I have a lot of issues that surround my parents. My dad, or the man I  thought was my dad, is a class A jerk. I don't have much of a  relationship with him. Let me amend that. Make that zero relationship  with him. Last Christmas his current wife pulled one hell of a stunt at  our family dinner." I tell her the story and how she'd hit on me before.  "Consequently, my relationship with him, which was awful to begin with,  deteriorated even further. Now I'm left with having to evict him from  the house I grew up in, the one he thinks is his. It's a fucked-up mess,  if you want the truth. And I haven't even gotten to my mother yet."         

     



 

Vivi's eyes no longer resemble a stormy sea. At least I've gotten  through to her on some level. But I also don't want this entire trip to  be about my problems.

"Would you care for a drink?" I ask her, lifting mine to show her.

"Is there wine?" she asks, her voice small.

"Yes, and, Vivi, I really do want you to enjoy Manhattan from the sky. Look out there. Isn't it something?"

I hand her the glass of wine and notice a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

She cranes her neck, not wanting to miss anything. "Look! The Statue of Liberty."

"Yeah. All lit up too. I love the view at night. The views from here are  …  well, you can see for yourself."

She's gawking all over the place and I want to laugh, but I press my  lips together. She's so fucking adorable. She licks her lips and I  groan.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"This is so amazing," she breathes. And she's quiet then as she enjoys  the sights. I point things out to her here and there, just so she  doesn't miss an important landmark.

Then, out of the blue, she asks, "Why didn't you share this with me before?"

I expected this. "Good question. It's a part of my life I don't share  with anyone. Only a half a dozen people know. And I've never told a  woman before. You're the first." I slide my hand down my face. "I don't  share things like this 'cause it opens me up to vulnerability and that  scares the shit out of me, Vivi."

The dim lighting of the interior casts a shadow over her face, causing  the creases in her brow to be more pronounced than they are. "But I told  you about my mother being sick and all my problems. I would've thought  that put us on even ground."

"To you. But telling you, strips me of my-and I know it sounds ridiculous-strips me of my strength. It weakens me."

"Yeah, must be a man thing. To me it makes you more human. Humility isn't a bad thing, Prescott."

One thing I am not is humble. I may exhibit some of those qualities at  work, such as complimenting my employees over a job well done, or doing  jobs no one else wants to. Under ordinary circumstances, I'd consider  myself arrogant. I could use a lesson from Vivi on this. She's  unpretentious and modest and doesn't like drawing attention to herself.

"You should teach me humility, Vivi. I need a good lesson in it."

"No, you don't. When I was hurt, you came in flying, ready to fight off anyone who could harm me."

"I'm pretty sure that was behavior more typical of a Doberman than someone with humility."

She lets out a warm laugh. "True. But there's humility inside of you.  The way you describe your grandparents, for one. It's written all over  your face, and in your voice. I've said this before. You're too hard on  yourself."

"I need to ask you something, not to change the subject, but have you seen that psychiatrist yet?"

She glances away quickly. "Uh, I went once but then cancelled my follow-up."

"Why?"

She chews her bottom lip for a second. "The truth is I can't afford it. The visits are way out of my price range."

"Goddammit, why didn't you call me?" I yell. My voice booms through the  headset and she jumps in her seat. "Shit, I'm sorry," I say, seeing her  reaction. "I prearranged with the doctor that your sessions would be  paid for. I knew you didn't have the money for them."

Our eyes connect. Proud gray ones challenge equally as proud gold ones.  But this is important and I won't back down. "Vivi, this is vital to  your mental health and well-being. I don't care if you and I never see  each other again. You must get help and you have to let me cover the  expenses. One day, when you have a job and are out of debt, pay me back.  I don't care. I have more money than I'll ever need or spend in my  life. Just let me do this for you," I plead.