It's What Daddy Wanted Ch. 02 - Conclusion

This story does not stand on its own and the author suggests reading CH.1 first.

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I couldn't sleep. The walls in the hotel were too thin and kids running back and forth down the hall all night were making a ton of noise. Eventually I did doze off and without the use of the cell phone alarm feature I slept until the housekeeper knocked on my door just after eleven AM.

The realtor was expecting me today and I had overslept. I jumped to the shower and drove across town as fast as I could. Filling out the paper work in the office was straightforward enough and signed within ten minutes of me arriving. The young new sales girl April was so grateful for her first listing, especially one in an exclusive neighborhood, that she must have thanked me at least ten times.

My next stop was over to the phone carrier to replace the phone I had bounced into a hundred pieces the night before. I didn't care what model, I didn't care what color. I only cared that it had a different number. One that nobody knew.

It took a few calls to let my close friend and attorney Scott know what happened. I also called April back with new contact information. She excitedly told me someone had already called on the house.

The funny thing is that when I told Scott what happened he accused me of being short tempered. He also asked me to explain why I paid for a hotel ten minutes from my empty house? A few other questions that I couldn't answer came up before he told me to settle down, avoid coffee or alcohol and go find a park bench.

"Jim, I need you to really hold off making any decisions right now. You are hurt, you are mad, and you are still in love. Just stop until you process some things in your head. Call me if you need to decide on anything. I am here for you."

The park bench worked for a couple of hours, my laptop took up a couple of hours, and people-watching in the coffee shop eased my heart just a bit. By the end of the week April called and had found a buyer. They offered full price if I would close by the end of the year. She made it clear that the buyer wanted this house and this house only.

When the snow started falling again on the second of January I made a decision. I had run it by Scott a few days earlier. I packed everything I had into my car and started driving towards Atlanta.

Much debate was processed in my mind about the location of my next start-up company. It narrowed to Atlanta, Austin, and Denver. Austin seemed saturated with tech companies so I crossed that off early. Denver had all of the right demographics with many growing companies but would limit early morning flights to the east coast where I still expected a lot of my work to come from.

Three Years Later

Allison and Meghan had flown to New York the evening before. They were my top two client managers. We ran a security consulting firm where we were paid to analyze, perform penetration testing, consult, and implement hardened networks. We were meeting with a large international hotel holding company to agree on the scope of a pretty big project they offered us. I would go to the meeting only for the purpose of preventing scope creep where a client would keep asking for more and more to be added into a contract. Creeping requirements could kill a successful project.

When I arrived at the airport my ground transportation into Manhattan was waiting for me. We made it downtown in plenty of time for me to meet Allison and Meghan in the lobby. We had a brief chat before we headed up the elevator.

The receptionist brought us back to a conference room where our meeting was to take place. Shortly after we were seated some of the holding companies staff joined us along with Ron Cassell the COO.

"Our Vice President of Marketing is wrapping up a call with Dublin and will join us shortly." Ron said to us as he took his seat at the table.

Allison began with some formalities like introducing herself then Meghan and finally me. She went over the agenda and launched her web based presentation. We had been going over some of the general specifics of what we do and in what stages they are performed when the door to the conference room opened and a very attractive blonde woman in a professional business suit walked in.

To say I was stunned would have been an understatement. The woman was my ex-sister-in-law Shannon Morrow. Ron introduced her to everyone as she sat and readied herself for the presentation. She was unaware of me sitting there as she settled into her seat and looked at the screen trying to catch up. I am not sure my eyes left her. I would never have known I was staring until Meghan jammed her heel into my shin and gave me a nasty look to stop it.

The sudden stabbing pain of her two and half inch heel brought a slight yelp out of my breath which everyone heard. The last thing I saw was Shannon's eyes looking at me as I changed my focus to my notes. Ron motioned for Allison to continue.

Every time I looked up, Shannon was looking at me. The first hour was in a different zone, one which I was no longer in. Meghan reached over twice and turned my notes to a different page for me to follow along. She was writing on her pad for a few minutes before she elbowed me to read what she had written.

"WTF. Why are you staring at her? It is starting to freak people out. She is staring back at you and I think everyone has noticed."

"She is my ex's older sister. I haven't seen her in over three years. I sort of disappeared on them. Believe me, neither of us were expecting this. " I wrote back on her pad.

Fortunately we made it into the second hour and I avoided eye contact. When Allison was finished I stood and walked to the screen to give the corporate mumbo jumbo stuff to add to the puzzle. I then started in on some of the things we already knew that needed to be addressed starting with the Wi-Fi in the hotel rooms.

"You can't use the reservation system to verify the room occupant just to enable Wi-Fi. The data has to be on two separate networks. Allow me into one of your rooms for ten minutes and I will return with your guest list along with their room number. And from there it gets worse. That will be non-negotiable. The data has to be separated."

I went for another thirty minutes before my part was over. Allison and Meghan could handle everything beyond this point. All I needed was a couple of signatures on contracts and I would be rendered useless to my engineers.

"Now that everything is signed, I would like to offer to take everyone across the street for lunch and then we can come back and get started." Ron said.

I looked into Shannon's eyes and knew from the look on her face that we going to have to talk one way or another and over lunch would not be the best place.

"Sir if I may, is it possible that I stay behind here and talk to Ms. Morrow for a moment. I realize that some of you have detected that Shannon and I have met in the past. I want to make sure this does not impact our work here. Before you return I will write a full disclosure with her approval."

Ron looked at me and then Shannon before he nodded and left with the others. Meghan gave me a look and asked if I would be OK. I said yes and she followed them out.

With an empty room we sat across from each other looking for the right thing to say. I ended up going first.

"Congratulations. Vice President of Marketing. I remember the day we had coffee before your interview. I must say, I am very impressed, but I am not surprised. You are a very smart woman."

"Thank you, Jim. Sort of the same, only opposite. I am not impressed because you are capable of having anything you set your mind on. So I always knew you would succeed. I guess I am surprised at the fact you have now created two multimillion dollar companies and you are only thirty."

"Thank you Shannon. How are you? What is it like being a bigshot in Manhattan?"

"Everything I dreamed of but on somedays everything I dread. Lot of pressure, but a lot of pleasure. I don't know how to put it. What about you? How are you? You are in Atlanta now or are you at one of your other locations. I see you have an office in Denver."

"I started in Atlanta and then added the Woodlands in Texas before adding Denver. It was a case of having to be where the work and talent was."

We rambled back and forth about our careers for a few more minutes until Deja Vu struck. Shannon's cell rang just as it did years ago when we sat in the coffee shop.

"Are you going to get that?" I asked.

"I don't know. It is Julie!" She said in a concerned voice.

"Just answer it." I said.

It started out as the normal sister talk from what I could tell being able to only hear Shannon. She smiled and giggled a couple of times and then asked Julie to wait for a second while she put the phone on mute.

"Can I tell her you are here?" Shannon asked.

"You know I don't like secrets. You will tell her anyway so go ahead."

Shannon paused and looked at me trying to process what I just said.

"Julie, you are never going to guess who I am sitting with in the conference room." She asked her.

"Jim." She said with a smile into her phone. "Yes, your' Jim."

I didn't hear what Julie said. Shannon listened for a moment and then looked at her phone.

"I think she just hung up? She started crying and hung up."

Neither of us knew what to say next. I felt bad but what could I do or say. This isn't what I wanted either. Shannon twice looked like she was going to say something and then stopped.

"What Shannon. Just say it."

"Jim, why did you leave?"

"What do you mean, 'Why did I leave.' I had to. I couldn't go on being hurt like that."

"But you never even responded to her messages."

"What messages? I called her that day twice. She didn't respond. I sent you, your mother, and her, all an email and nobody responded. I waited ten minutes and then called her again. It went to voice mail. When I was done I threw my phone as far as I could in anger and never looked back. It was over. If she wanted to talk to me she would have answered her phone."

"Wait. You never read or listened to any of our messages? None of them? Mine or my mother's either?"

"I don't know what messages you are talking about. I left that day and never looked back."

"Then you don't even know what really happened that day do you?"

"Yes, Julie had a date with some guy, what was him name? Douglas or something. And she didn't tell me. She also refused to talk to me. That was all I needed to know."

"Oh my God. Jim. That is not what happened. That is not what happened at all that day."

"It doesn't really matter anymore."

"Oh God. Yes it does. You need to know the truth. We all tried to contact you to let you know what you heard that day at the club never happened."

"Shannon it is OK. I don't care if she cancelled it or not at that point. She told me she was having dinner with her family and that wasn't the truth."

"Jim, yes it was. You told her never to mention our father again. She respected that. We all did. He treated you like shit. Your success pissed him off even more. Julie didn't think she needed to tell you all about his company party and she never knew anything about Doug or any plans dad had made for her."

"Well it is unfortunate but there is nothing I can do about it now. All I know is..."

We were interrupted as people started coming back from lunch. Meghan looked at both of our faces and knew something was going on. She attempted to buffer the crowd coming back in but they had all returned together making it impossible with everyone at the door.

Once everyone was seated some new directions were given to the different parties. A lot of it was generic rules or starting points for the IT department and also some HR policy points. Looking at the clock and knowing what time my flight was I thanked Ron for the opportunity to work with them and asked to leave the meeting since he was in great hands with Allison and Meghan.

Shannon walked me out and as soon as we were alone in the hall she wrapped her arms around me and started crying. We held each other for a few minutes.

"Can I let Julie know how to contact you? I think you really need to hear her story. There is so much that happened that night that hopefully will bring some peace to you. If you don't want her to call, can I at least give her your email address? And will you promise me you will read whatever she sends you?"

"Ok, if that is what you want she can email me."

"And Jim. Since there are no secrets. We never stopped loving you. Julie hasn't dated a single person since you left that night. I just thought you should know."

I made it to the airport with enough time to grab a bite to eat and board my flight. I turned off the phone when the flight attendant asked and sat back for my flight with my eyes closed. In my head I contemplated ignoring whatever Julie sent but Shannon had convinced me not to. Was I really going to let the pain of heartbreak back into my life?

Rain forced some cancellations and delays flying into Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport that evening. We circled for thirty minutes before we were cleared in to land. My carry-on laptop case was all I had as I ran to my car to head home. The night lasted longer than I anticipated with me finally getting home at nine PM. I grabbed my phone which I had forgot to turn back and noticed I had an email from Julie. I got a coke and sat down to read it.

Dear Jim,

I am writing you because I owe you the biggest apology one could ever offer and I am not sure you would listen or even take my call at this point anymore. Shannon said you didn't know the truth or all of what had happened to our lives. There are so many occasions where I have failed as a wife, a friend, and as a person. In almost every case the person who ended up hurt was you. I understand if this becomes more than you can ever forgive but I want you to know what really happened on that fateful evening a few years ago. Please read this whole letter. Please!

I was so dedicated to doing everything I could do to become your wife again. I honestly felt the two of us were growing stronger than we ever were. I placed nothing above my love for you and you have to believe me. I was devastated when you told me I had never apologized. I am sorry I hurt you so bad. I am also sorry I neglected my vows as your wife. I was so engrossed in becoming the best person I could be for you that I never said the words that you so needed to hear. I was not the person you believed I was on the day you left.

On that day Shannon and I were upstairs getting ready for daddy's company party. I honored you as much as possible when you said you didn't want to talk about him ever. I wasn't keeping a secret as much as I was keeping his name out of conversation. I really was going to the party with them and no-one else. Shannon and I were going to attend alone that night, you have to believe me.

She was doing my hair when my mother came in the house screaming. Her anger was very obvious and when she threw something across the room shattering it Shannon and I both ran downstairs leaving our phones on the dressers. My father had done something that set my mother off and she was in front of him screaming her head off. She mentioned my name, your name, and someone named Doug that I promise I had never met before or anytime afterwards in my whole life.

Apparently dad had promised him I would accompany him, escort him, become his date, or whatever. My mother was as furious as I was when I started to realize what was going on. She was angrier than I had ever seen and wouldn't calm down. Shannon and I were stunned at what was happening and never realized you had called me a couple of times. My father continued to spew hatred for you, accused me of ruining my life, and even told Shannon if she wasn't such a stuck up bitch more men would find her attractive. He was a very ugly man. We watched my parent's marriage come to an end that night.

My father left to go to his party leaving us at home. For him it was still all about appearances. Shannon and I sat with my mother on the couch for hours crying and consoling each other. We all suffered at the hands of a very miserable man. None of us knew at the time that you had overheard conversations at the club that morning. It was you I was going to go to that night for warmth and comfort only it was too late for us.

Shannon and I went up later to get out of our dresses and that is when I saw your missed calls. I read your email and couldn't imagine anything worse ever happening to our love for each other. Your last missed call had been over an hour before then. You didn't answer when I tried to call you back. I cried and cried as I changed into clothes I could wear. Shannon and my mother both read your email and cried with me.

That night I went to your house and waited for you in the driveway. I was going to be there whenever you got home. Sometime after one in the morning I fell asleep. When I awoke to some noise the next morning it was two men putting up a for sale sign in front of our house. I felt the world collapsing around me.

I had written this many time in text messages and even left voice mails for a couple of days before your phone filled up and said your mailbox was full. Two days later it was turned off. I never knew if you had listened to or read any of my messages but never gave up hope that someday you would learn the truth and realize my endearing love for you.

It was Shannon and my mother who insisted I not let the house get away. We figured a way to access enough money and buy the house before someone else did. You probably aren't aware of it, but OUR house, yes it is OUR house was featured in a decorating magazine that sent my career flying. The dream house we built together saddens me every day I see it or read about it in a magazine. Unless you are in it, it is not complete. I need you here to finish it and make it a home again.

Shannon said you are still as handsome as ever and someday I hope you find it in your heart to see me again. At least I hope that we can talk on the phone. I would really love to hear your voice and hear about your successes that Shannon has told me about. You have become the man I always knew you would be and I only wish I had become the woman of your dreams.

With all of my Love, Julie

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"Holy crap, who is calling this early?" I asked myself when I saw it was only six AM. Grabbing my phone I saw that the call was from Meghan.

"Hey Meghan, is everything OK?" I asked.

"You tell me. I sat all afternoon with Shannon who was on the verge of tears every moment. I made her come out for a drink after work. Dude it is time to sell!" She almost sounded serious.

"What? Sell what?"

"Look. I am going to be a friend. Hear me out will you?" Meghan demanded.

"OK."

"Since I have known you, which has only been a couple of years, you have always been a standup kind of guy when it comes to how you treat other people. Allison and I would have never been given the opportunities you have anywhere else. You know that right?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"So inside of you there is a great person. Outside is a person who has been hurt. But I didn't put it together until now. You still love her and miss her. It all makes sense. That explains why you looked at Shannon the way you did yesterday. It was like a kid looking at the picture of a candy store. You want it badly but can't have it. For you Shannon was a reminder of what you craved. Only this time you can still have it. Following me?"

"No. What does this have to do with candy?"

"Nothing dammit. I love you like a brother. We all do, but you need to get back to Boston and find Julie. You don't need the money, so you don't need to work as hard as you do. I now realize you aren't as driven as I thought you were. You are hiding your life behind your work. And it is going to stop now. You need to sell your company. It is a bad vice driving you into a real sad life. I can't stand to know two people who love each other are hundreds of miles away from each other and content to do nothing about it."