Chasing Vivi(55)

"Christ. I can't believe she did that."

"I can."

A couple drinks later, I tell Vivi the car will be waiting for her when  she gets off work. But I ask her to stay with me. "In fact, I'd love it  if you'd move in. Don't give me your answer, just think about it." I  kiss her cheek and leave.

I'm asleep when she wakes me up, crawling into bed. I pull her into the  curve of my body, feeling her softness against me. Before I know what  hit me, the room is lightening up from the rising sun.

Vivi sleeps soundly next to me and I don't want to disturb her. I have  no idea what time it was when she got in. I sneak out of bed and take a  shower. It's almost seven, so I leave her a note, telling her to call me  when she wakes up. Then I'm off to work.         

     



 

Lynn waits for me with coffee and breakfast, and notes that I look well rested. I am indeed.

"What's on the agenda today?"

"You have that meeting at nine with the investors on A Special Place,  and then you're meeting with the resort group on the possibility of  grabbing that property out in Tahoe."

"Excellent. What time?"

"That's at ten. Then afterward, you and Mr. Whitworth were going to look at that hotel in midtown."

"Right. Is the appointment set with their realtor?"

"It is. Mr. Whitworth has all the information."

"Thanks, Lynn. I'll get prepared then."

"Prescott, don't forget to go shopping for Christmas."

"I was doing that this afternoon. Wanna go with me?"

She checks her schedule and says she's able.

"I'll call you when Granddad and I are finished and we can meet some place."

The day runs smoother than expected. We end up making an offer on the  resort in Tahoe, but passing on the hotel deal in midtown. Their  financials are a disaster and the place is a shit hole. It would take  too much to turn it around or even tear it down, but they won't budge on  their price. So we walk.

Lynn is waiting for my call and I have her meet me at Saks. We arrive at  approximately the same time. The first stop is the coat department.

"What do you think?" I ask. When I explain Vivi's coat situation, she  agrees the two would be perfect. Then I ask for her help with Grand and  she picks out a decent sweater. I have no fucking clue what a seventy  something woman would wear, but this looks good, so I grab it.

"Shoes, boots, a handbag?" I ask.

"Eh, too personal. You need to know her taste. How about a fur coat? Does she have one?"

"Hell, I don't know. Probably."

"Get her another. Older people are always cold."

We go to the fur department and two sales people are more than eager to  help us. Lynn picks out the size and then holds up three for me to  choose from. I pick the sable one, which ends up being the most  expensive. Who gives a fuck? Grand will like this.

The salesman starts running his mouth about how to care for it and store it and I cut him off. Don't have time for this crap.

"Just box it up and wrap it, please. If she doesn't take care of it properly, I'll buy her a new one next year."

"Y-yes, sir."

I turn back to Lynn. "Granddad?"

"Burberry. They are classic and I've noticed his coat has seen better days."

"He probably has twenty he won't wear," I say.

"Yeah, but the shabby one is a Burberry. Get him a new one of the same style."

"Damn, you're good."

She preens, but deserves the praise.

"Before we head over to the men's, what do you want? Pick out anything,  Lynn, and I don't give a flying fuck about how much it costs. And don't  argue with me."

She stares for a second, then heads to where the handbags are. I tell  the fur guy I'll be back to pick up the box when we're done shopping  here.

I catch up with Lynn and she's holding up two handbags. "One of these," she says. They're Gucci.

"Get them both. I don't care."

"You sure?" Her face is almost distorted by her scrunched up brows.

I give her one of my you have got to be kidding looks. It's not quite an eye roll, but almost.

"Okay." Then she claps her hands and I think she's going to jump up and  click her heels in the air or something, but she doesn't. "Thank you.  This is really sweet of you."

"What can I say? I'm a sweet guy."

"You're a great boss, but only because you're not drinking. It's Vivi, isn't it?"

"Yeah." In a word. I don't elaborate. I don't have to. She's smart enough to know.

We hit the men's department and she picks out the coat for Granddad and  some other things, like a new sweater and some slippers. He loves  slippers. Now we're done here.

We lug all that shit, with some help from a Saks employee, to the car, and then I ask her to go to Tiffany's with me.

"Hmm. What are you getting her?"

"Jewelry, of course."

"Not an engagement ring?"

"No."

She helps me pick out a diamond bracelet. I plan to replace the one she  had to sell, but I'm trying to find the buyer first. I've been searching  for him without her knowledge. In the meantime, I want her to have  something really nice of her own.

While I'm there, I also pick up a necklace for her. I noticed the other  night at the party she didn't wear any jewelry. I imagine it's because  she doesn't own any. This is a timeless piece, something she can wear  with anything. It's a series of flowers covered in diamonds. Lynn loves  it, but I hope Vivi doesn't look up the price. She'll freak.         

     



 

Once we're in the car headed back to Whitworth, I thank Lynn for all her help. "I owe you."

She pats my arm. "You paid me in Gucci bags. They're worth a month's rent."

"Still, you helped a lot. Let me buy you and your husband dinner. Wherever you want."

"We don't go out during the week."

"You know the deal. I'll have it delivered. Just text me what you want and I'll take care of it."

Lynn nods, saying, "Sure. Sounds great to me."

We drop her off and when I get the text, I order her dinner. Then I look  around and am thankful the store wrapped all these gifts for me. I  don't know how to wrap a present to save my life. When we get to my  building, Kaz is on duty and helps me lug everything up to my apartment.  I tip him and close the door behind him.

I hide Vivi's gifts in my safe that's located in the closet. She doesn't  have the combination, so they'll be hidden from prying eyes, not that  she'd search anyway.

About fifteen minutes later, I hear the front door opening and Vivi rushes in, holding out her arm. "Look!"

"No splint?" I ask.

"Yes! Only a brace for the next couple of weeks and I'll be done. And I  have another surprise. I've been keeping it a secret, because I wanted  to tell you when we had time to sit and talk, but I'm too excited to  keep it to myself anymore."

She's smiling so broadly, I can't help but grin along with her. "What?"

"Let's sit. Do you have any wine chilled?"

"Always. Oh, and Gerard was here yesterday, so we have food for the week  if you want." I go to the wine cooler and pull out a bottle of  chardonnay. After I open it, I pour us both a glass.

"So?" I ask.

Her eyes sparkle as she tells me about the psychiatrist she's been  seeing. She hasn't told me about it, because at first she didn't have a  lot of faith that it would help. But now, after having several  appointments, she's so relieved to be going.

"Oh my God, Prescott, this woman is amazing. She puts everything into  perspective. My overeating when I was young. How it ballooned when my  dad died and how I masked those feelings with Mom. She's opening up so  much stuff, making me really think, you know? And how I thought by  staying at Crestview I was protecting Mom, but it was so stupid. I was  hurting us both. Mom didn't get the best of me and I really got screwed  out of my youth. But I don't resent it because it's all on me. And I own  it."

Vivi is so animated as she continues to talk about the sessions she's  had. She explains how the doctor tells her it's okay to be afraid, and  how her therapy will include group sessions with other patients who have  gone through similar experiences.

"I start those second week of the year. Apparently we share our  experiences and learn from each other how to handle stressful situations  that remind us of our attacks."

"Has anybody ever told you that you look like a ray of sunshine when you're happy?"

Her eyes widen at my question. "Wow, I wasn't aware of how poetic you could be."

"I wasn't either, actually."

We're suddenly kissing, like we can't get enough of each other, and  maybe we can't. Is this too good to be true? Will it end abruptly,  leaving me crippled and unable to function?

"What?"

She notices the change. "Nothing."

"Prescott, tell me."

"Is this real-you and me? It's so good, Vivi, it's scary."

"It's real. At least on my end it is."

"Mine, too. I just didn't know if you felt it, too."

Her throat bobs as she swallows. "I feel so much. Things I haven't felt  before, didn't think were possible, and didn't think I ever would."