Foundation of Love by Scotty Cade

Author:Scotty Cade [Marshall, Scotty Cade & Z.B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Chapter Nine

ALICIA was excited about seeing Wes the following day at his office on Queen Street, as she proofed the document she planned to review with him one final time before sending it to her secretary for formatting and printing. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and replayed the kiss she and Wes had shared in her apartment. She intended to respect his wish not to become involved in a relationship right away, but, she reasoned, the more opportunities she had to see him and interact with him—even if it was “all business”—the greater the chance of moving their relationship to another level. She was in love with Wes, and when she was tempted to feel anxious about the distance he had put between them, she thought about the day they would exchange vows. It wasn’t a matter of “if” for Alicia; it was just a matter of “when.”

Venturing out into the hallway, she poked her head into her father’s corner office. It was clear he’d not yet arrived. She checked her watch—ten forty-five—as she walked into the reception area.

“Betty, has my father checked in this morning?”

“Yes, he called about an hour ago, said he would be in later today.”

“Did he say why?”

“No, but he was at home when he called. Perhaps you want to try him there?”

“I think I’ll just skip over. I’ll be back in an hour.”

It was a fairly short walk from the office to the Lawford home, and Alicia was feeling a bit melancholy as she made her way to her father’s front door. She had been concerned about his health for some time now, and she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t like him to stay at home on a workday.

Walking briskly down the familiar street of her childhood, she remembered how, as a schoolgirl, she used to walk to the office after school on the days she didn’t have piano lessons. She would study in one of the book-lined conference rooms or help her father’s receptionist, Regina—now long retired—sharpen pencils and organize office supplies. When she reached high school, Alicia had been entrusted with taking phone messages when Regina stepped away. She would always walk home with her father, leaving the office at five thirty, with a stop at the newsstand for the evening paper, and arriving home in time for dinner at six thirty. After dinner, she would practice her piano for an hour, while her father listened and read the paper, before she was eventually sent off to bed.

Alicia arrived at her father’s home and rang the bell. Their long-time maid, Delsey Rutherford, answered the door.

“Miss Alicia, oh, I’m glad you’re here. Your daddy’s not feeling himself today, and he wouldn’t allow me to call you. I asked him if I could call Doc Warner, and he just keep telling me no, no, no.”

“Where is he, Delsey?”

“Upstairs in his bedroom. I brought him some tea and toast, and he just says he can’t eat a bite.

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