Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
I mean, I understood having issues with a parent since Dad and I went through an extended period of not speaking, but Leonora was one of the nicest people I’d ever known. Seriously, my dad had lucked out when he’d met her. I’d considered her a close friend, and we’d spent a lot of time together cooking, watching TV, going on weekend outings. She was a lovely, kind-hearted person, so to think she had a son who chose not to be in her life was incredibly confusing to me.
“I’m sorry,” the receptionist went on. “But Mr Oaks isn’t going to be available to see you today.”
My gut sank. I hadn’t wanted to state outright my reasons for being there. Considering the strained nature of their relationship, I’d thought it better to inform Jonathan privately of his mother’s passing. It was too raw, too insensitive, to leave as a message for his assistant to relay, and yet he appeared to be leaving me no other choice.
Still, I couldn’t do it. I was dealing with my own grief, so I knew how painful this was. I knew the suffering that was ahead for Jonathan, especially if his reasons for not seeing his mother were as complicated as Leonora sometimes insinuated. The least I could do was bestow upon him the kindness of telling him discreetly.
“What about tomorrow?” I asked.
Her look was apologetic. Clearly, her boss was being a dick, and she was trying to be polite about it. When I’d arrived, I’d told her I was Conor Rose’s daughter there to speak with Mr Oaks. Jonathan had always had a problem with his mother marrying my dad. He’d thought he wasn’t good enough for her, which, once upon a time, was true. But Dad was a rare case. He’d rehabilitated, changed his ways. He wasn’t the same man he’d been when I was a child.
“My apologies, but Mr Oaks has stated he’s unavailable indefinitely.”
I exhaled heavily. I really didn’t need this stress when I was already drowning in funeral arrangements. Not to mention figuring out how on earth I was going to have two bodies repatriated all the way from Thailand.
“Okay, thank you for letting me know.”
I tried to wrangle my frustration because he could’ve at least done me a solid and told his receptionist he wasn’t prepared to speak with me when I’d arrived. Instead, he’d left me waiting for over an hour, and my leg was killing me. I didn’t normally need to use my cane so long as I got enough sleep and wasn’t on my feet a lot during the day. But I’d barely gotten any rest since I received the news of Dad and Leonora, and sitting for extended periods on hard, uncomfortable chairs could also cause some cramping.
I stood, wincing at the nerve pain in my leg, unsure of what to do. I briefly considered sneaking upstairs, but it appeared that the lift was broken. An auburn-haired woman stood talking to a repair man about how long it was going to take to fix. My gaze went to the door that led to a stairwell then to the board on the wall that listed the floors and where each office was located.
Jonathan Oaks’ office was five floors up, which meant climbing five flights of stairs. I wasn’t enthused about the exertion, but it needed to be done. He probably thought I’d come seeking to repair the relationship between him and his mother, hence why he was stonewalling me. I’d bet he was sitting in his office right now and could’ve easily spared me a few minutes. And sure, I was mad about his lack of consideration in making me wait, but I adored his mother. She’d welcomed me into her life and her home when I’d just come out of a long-term relationship and had nowhere else to go, helped me patch things up with my dad, and that was why I refused to treat Jonathan with the same level of disrespect he was showing me.
When the receptionist was distracted by a phone call, I slipped into the stairwell and started my climb. By the time I reached the floor where Jonathan’s office was located, my leg was throbbing, but I refused to take out the telescopic cane I kept in my handbag in case of emergencies. My stubborn side hated appearing weak, especially in front of a man whom I knew already thought I was scum due to his misinformed opinion of my father.
The floor required an employee swipe card to enter, but I managed to slip in behind two men who were deep in conversation about forecasts and market dips.
I held my head high as I walked determinedly towards Jonathan’s office, looking completely out of place in my scuffed Nikes, jeans that had seen better days and worn parka, my thick, unruly brown hair pulled back in a hastily styled French plait. I felt drab amid the stylish, designer clad finance workers who passed me by. Still, I wouldn’t be deterred.