* * *
Elena was aware of Neal’s grim mood. She knew what had brought it on. In three weeks, the ninety-day period would be up and his brother would be declared officially deceased by the board. Neal’s doctored paternity test had been handed over to the board. At the ninety-day mark, George’s assets and stock would pass over to the child that Elena was now carrying.
They had succeeded in their mission and that had been followed by momentary celebration, but after the dust had settled, the bigger picture had come into closer focus. In this case, it was admitting that George was really dead. Neal’s mood was doubly soured by Cliff’s obvious suspicion and his constant passive aggressive behavior. Elena moved to where he sat and nudged him gently.
“Would you like to talk?” she offered.
“Not today,” he said, but then he added as though involuntarily, “I just… I can’t believe he’s really gone.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to do this, Elena.”
“The business,” she asked, “or life without George?”
“Both. I brought home a load of papers from George’s office yesterday. I was up most of the night and I still haven’t been able to make any sense out of them. I’m terrified that I'm going to sink this company.”
Elena stood up and walked behind Neal. She placed her hands on his shoulders and started massaging gently. Neal closed his eyes and relaxed into her arms.
“You’re going to do no such thing,” Elena said firmly, “you’ve just been preoccupied with… other things. You’re going to stay up tonight too, and by tomorrow morning you’re going to understand everything.”
“How is that going to happen?” Neal asked with his eyebrows arched.
“Because,” Elena said brightly, “I’m going to help you.”
“Really,” Neal asked, “you would?”
“I have my morning sickness in the night,” Elena told him, “so I’ll be up anyway.”
Neal smiled. “You’re an angel.”
He leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. It was the first time they had shared such an intimate moment since Elena had gotten pregnant. She felt herself respond to the kiss, but she forced herself to keep from initiating further intimacy. She pulled apart before either one of them was ready. She turned away from Neal quickly, so that she could prevent him from seeing the blush creeping up her cheeks.
“Are you hungry?” Neal asked, with forced calm.
Elena nodded with her back to him.
“If you like, I can make us sandwiches. How about that?”
Elena nodded again, and Neal set to work on the sandwiches. While he took the mayonnaise and the mustard out, Elena heard her cell phone ring. She rushed to retrieve the phone. It was Emily.
“Hello, Elena,” she said formally. “How are you?”
Elena smiled inwardly. “I’m alright, Emily, and you?”
“Good,” she replied shortly. “I called to see if you would be there for my wedding. I sent the invitation a week ago, but I never received the RSVP.”
“Oh, I haven’t… checked my mail in a while,” Elena said lamely.
She had not told her family anything and she intended to keep it that way. They would be appalled; she could just imagine their shock and their disapproval. It hadn't surprised her that she hadn't heard from them at all until just now, and of course Emily was contacting her not because she wanted anything to do with Elena, but because she was concerned with her own business.
“I’ve been busy,” Elena said offhandedly.
“New clients?”
“Yes,” Elena replied, deciding that was the best way to explain her sudden financial stability.
“That’s good,” Emily replied.