Friends and Family Series
Mac
By:
Ron Robbins
(© 2010 by the author)
Editor:
Frank Perry
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's
consent. Comments are appreciated at...
Chapter 11
The traffic was unusually heavy on the expressway for a Sunday afternoon as Noel Erickson was driving back to Manhattan after dropping off his two sons at JFK airport. The boys were returning home to Charleston, SC after spending two weeks of their summer vacation with their father. Noel's wife, Leanne, would meet their flight in Charleston.
Noel and Leanne had decided some years ago to live separately, yet remain married. The boys lived with Leanne in Charleston and Noel resided in New York. He would spend every other weekend and holidays with them in Charleston unless his business kept him away. Leanne preferred this arrangement and everything seemed to be working out for all concerned. They had no intention of divorcing and the boys enjoyed the best of both worlds. He missed his little family when they moved to Charleston to live, but he eventually adjusted to their absence. His heavy travel schedule kept him on the road so much of the time, and Noel enjoyed living and working in Manhattan, so he had no intention of changing. In the beginning, he felt guilty for not putting his family first, but it was Leanne's decision to make the move. She knew before they married that Noel would never leave New York.
Leanne was a genteel lady from an old southern family. Her ancestors had settled in Charleston long before the civil war and remained there for generations. Her family traditions and customs had been passed down for generations, and continued to remain a guiding influence in her family. Her siblings all returned to Charleston after college to marry and raise their families. She was the only one of three brothers and a sister, who didn't take an active part in the family-owned business empire.
Leanne, like her Mother, was more interested in her home and raising her boys than she was the family business. She often said that one member of the family should continue the old southern, genteel traditions. Her family was wealthy and an influential force in the business community in the United States and Canada.
Jason and Eric, were raised with their cousins, and lived a sheltered life. They only associated with children of the other prominent Charleston families. Their uncles made sure the boys were included in all the proper sports. Noel had built a large comfortable home on a parcel of land Leanne's father had given to them as a wedding gift. Her dad had saved the choice thirty-five acres of land for his little girl. The house sat majestically on a knoll surrounded by stately oaks and lush green turf. It was a truly lovely estate in the old southern tradition.
When they were first married, they lived in a spacious high-rise penthouse overlooking the East River. Leanne detested living year-round in Manhattan or for that matter anywhere other than Charleston, SC. Manhattan was a wonderful place to shop and to see a Broadway play, but that was its only redeeming feature, according to Leanne. After their first son, Jason, was born, Noel leased an estate on the North Shore of Long Island. Leanne didn't like Long Island any better than Manhattan. She was homesick for Charleston and her family. That's when they made a compromise on their living arrangements. Leanne would continue to make her permanent home on Long Island, if Noel let her spend the winters in Charleston. The arrangement worked out fine until their second son, Eric, was born. At that time, they made the present arrangement. He understood Leanne's desire to be close to her family and he thought it was a wholesome environment for the boys. So to keep peace in the family, and save his marriage, he agreed to build the house in Charleston.
Noel vacated the large estate on the Island and moved back into Manhattan. He wanted to move back into his penthouse, but unfortunately, his tenants would not vacate until their lease expired. In the interim Noel decided to indulge himself in a long cherished dream. He always wanted to own a sailboat big enough to live on, yet small enough to handle on his own. He searched until he found a great buy on an Alden-52 ketch for $500,000. The yacht was ideal for his needs. Noel lived on the boat in the summer and the boys loved staying on the boat every chance they could, weather permitting. It was rigged so one man could handle it alone. He was in luck again when he was able to purchase the mooring and a membership in the yacht club from the former owner. It happened to be one of the best-maintained yacht clubs on the Hudson River. The best part of this arrangement was the short 20-minute drive to his office.
His sons made the trip to New York four times a year, like clockwork, and loved the boat as much as Noel. This particular trip was referred to as 'back-to-school time'. Noel had their vacation trip planned from the time they arrived at the airport until he put them on the plane today. Leanne sent a list of the clothes the boys needed for their fall wardrobe. Of course, anything else he wanted to throw in was fine with Leanne. The boys would make another trip again in December for their Christmas stay. Noel would buy them their winter wardrobe, and also take them to see the shows in Manhattan that appealed to children their age. Naturally, the boys had their own Christmas shopping list to take care of as well.
He pulled off the expressway to shop at one of his favorite up-scale supermarkets on Long Island. The boys had depleted his pantry. The traffic moved much better once he was through the Midtown tunnel. He made it to the yacht basin before his frozen food started to thaw. It took several trips to unload the van, but the effort was worth it. Noel found everything he needed at one supermarket rather than shopping at several little specialty shops in Manhattan. It was fun to do that, but he would need a cab to get around.
He spent the rest of the afternoon getting the yacht back in shape. The kids were great, but they were used to having servants pick-up after them. Two hours later, everything on board was shipshape again. As a reward, he treated himself to a cold beer up on deck.
He stretched out on the cockpit lounge, propped up the pillows behind his back, and stared out over the water toward Manhattan. The sun was starting to set behind the buildings in downtown Manhattan. The golden sun light bathed the buildings. The glass skyscrapers reflected the red and orange color of the sun making it look like the city was made of gold. Sunrise and sunset showed New York off as the beautiful city it is.
Noel missed the boys already. About this time every evening, they would be up on deck with him, either fishing or just goofing around before dinner. They were a delight to have around. Their activity level ranged from quiet and reflective, to wild and rowdy, in a matter of seconds. They were full of raw energy that never stopped, from dawn to sunset. He was proud of them, but he enjoyed the peace and quiet, too. They were still young enough to give him a hug and a kiss before bedtime, which is one of the things Noel missed.
Jason was fourteen with Noel's athletic build, a chip off the old block, except he was going to end up taller than his old man. He acted older than his years and was very protective of Eric, his younger brother, who was twelve. Noel was concerned about Jason. He woke up every night his first week with nightmares. Noel would take him into his bed until he went back to sleep. Jason was the more sensitive of the two, and a responsible young man. Eric was just the opposite. He was small for his age, but made up for his size with his feisty nature. He was tough and not afraid to take on anyone or anything. Eric would take on kids twice his size and usually end up the winner. Most often, the bigger kid gave up first. He was going to be the one to end up protecting Jason. He was pleased that the two boys were close.
His neighbor, Joel Taylor, calling him from the fantail of his yacht, awakened him from his reverie. "Ahoy, Noel, I bet you're missing your boys right about now? Want to get cleaned up and join us? I'm having a small party tonight. It will take your mind off the kids."
"Thanks Joel, I'll take a rain check this time."
"Would you mind if I came over for a few minutes?" Joel asked.
"Not at all, come on over."
Joel sat on the lounge across from Noel, "The boat seems empty without the boys," Joel said. "They're great kids. I'm going to miss their morning visits. That Eric has a sharp mind, just like you, and Jason is a handsome boy and a real charmer. The girls are going to swarm over him like crazy, mark my words! I enjoy listening to their southern accent. They are always so polite. 'Yes sir, no sir', perfect gentlemen. They could teach my spoiled grandsons a thing or two."
"Leanne will appreciate the compliment, Joel. She has done a fine job raising the boys. You're right though, I do miss them. Of course they're much better off living with their Mother for now, but it looks like I'm going to have to step in when they get a few years older."
"I want to ask for a big favor," Joel said. "I want you to talk to my son-in-law, Dr. MacGregor about his taxes. He has been bugging me for months to arrange a meeting with you. He told me he had left messages with your secretary, but you never return his phone calls. Is that true Noel?"
"Yeah, it's true. I've met the golden couple at several charity parties and I don't like them," Noel said. "The 'beautiful people' turn me off. I even talked to Dr. MacGregor about a nose job once and decided to think about it some more. I guess I'm just jealous because they are so damned attractive."
"Would you please give him a few minutes of your time tonight, if I send him over a little later?" Joel asked.
"Only for you, Joel, I'll make an exception, but you're going to owe me big time. Payback is a bitch, Joel. Okay, send him over and I promise to be civil."
"Thanks. I'll send him over with two plates of everything for your dinner. See, I'm already starting to pay you back."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Noel was still sitting on deck when Scott MacGregor came on board.
He extended his hand. "Thank you for seeing me," Scott said. "Joel asked me to give you this care package. Would you like me to put it in the galley?"
"Thanks. I didn't expect you so soon, I haven't showered yet. Are you still earning a living making the ugly beautiful?"
"Do I detect a note of sarcasm to your voice?" Scott asked.
"I put doctors in the same class as plumbers; you're both a necessary evil and overcharge for your services."
"I hope you don't feel that way about me," Scott said. "I gave up twelve years of my life to become a specialist and I'm good at what I do. Don't you think I'm entitled to charge a decent fee for my services?"
"Yeah, you're entitled to your fee. Okay, I promised Joel I would be nice to you, sorry for the sarcasm. You see, I have a problem; I have this very low opinion of beautiful people. I must admit you've always come across as a snob to me. On the other hand, do you doctors learn that in Doctors 101? Now, before you have another attack of righteousness, let's start all over again. I promise to keep an open mind. C'mon, I'll take you below to the galley and let you stow the goodies Joel sent over for dinner. Would you like a glass of wine? Or would you prefer something stronger?"
"A glass of wine would be fine, thanks."
"Good, now I have an excuse to open a really good bottle of wine for the occasion." Noel poured the wine. "Look, I really feel grungy. Give me ten minutes to shower and change. We can have a glass of wine before we eat dinner, if that's alright with you."
"Take your time. I'll take care of these containers while you're gone and take a look around your yacht, if you don't mind. I love sailboats and this one is a beauty."
"Be my guest. Take off your jacket and make yourself at home."
Noel returned fifteen minutes later and found Scott up on deck. "I love this time of the evening when the sun is setting over Manhattan," Noel said. "Joel tells me that you would like to hire me to handle your taxes."
"That's true, but first let me correct a misconception you have about me," Scott said. "I have never considered myself as one of the beautiful people and I'm sorry you feel that I was being aloof, because that is just not true. Joel is always bragging about what a genius you are when it comes to taxes and I thought you might consider taking on my account. It is not necessary that you like me to do that, is it? It would be nice if you did, but not a prerequisite. Maybe you can help me to work on my attitude problem if you decide to take on my account."
"I guess I'm a little jealous of your good looks," Noel said. "You know you could give these male models a run for their money. Joel claims I've misjudged you. He thinks you're a great guy. I always like to get to know my clients before I take over their account. What time do you see your last patient?"
"Usually my last patient is out of the office by four-thirty. Why do you ask?"
If you're free tomorrow evening, I'll drop by your office at five and take a look at your last four financial statements. I'll even buy you dinner. Now how does that grab you?"
Scott smiled, "Wow! You don't waste any time. I'm sure I can make it for dinner."
"Good, it's settled. Maybe we can work out a deal. I'll put your finances in order, and you put my face in order."
"It's a deal." Scott said. "Tell you what; you come in at four-thirty tomorrow afternoon for an office visit. I'll take a look at your broken nose and let you know what it will cost to fix, if that's okay with you."
"You're on doctor; I'll see you at four-thirty tomorrow."
"I'm glad you changed your mind about me," Scott said. "I really am a decent person even though I'm Canadian."
They had an enjoyable evening. They talked for hours and discovered they had a lot in common ending up the evening as friends. Noel cleaned up the galley and sat in the lounge to catch up on the work he had neglected for the past two weeks. By one o'clock he was beat and called it quits for this session. He turned off all the lights and headed for his stateroom.
As he lay in bed wide awake, his thoughts drifted back to Scott. He decided that he had misjudged Scott MacGregor. Actually, he was not such a bad person after all.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
He was up at six the following morning, showered, dressed, and made breakfast. As he was driving to his office, he began thinking about the desk full of work that waited for him. He knew it would take him several days to catch up. Noel realized for some time now, that he was carrying too heavy a workload. It was time to make some serious changes in his life. He had made enough money to start cutting back his caseload. It was time to turn over some of his cases to his competent staff to let them struggle for a change. He dropped his van off at his garage and walked to his office building.
Noel was working at his desk for a couple of hours when Edith, his secretary, arrived. She handed him a pile of messages and gave him a brief rundown on what he had missed for the past two weeks.
Noel made a dinner reservation at his favorite restaurant for seven o'clock that evening. They reviewed his appointment schedule for the rest of the week and he asked Edith to arrange a staff meeting for eleven o'clock.
Edith buzzed Noel on the intercom and said, "Your wife is on line two. She said it's important."
Noel picked up the telephone and said, "What's up, Leanne?"
"I'm sorry to bother you, Noel, but this is important. I've just received a call from my gynecologist, Dr. Kern. He said they found some bad cells in my pap smear and he has me scheduled for another test next week. He also found a small lump on my breast. He is not too concerned about the lump, yet he wants me to examine it every week. If it gets any larger, he will do a biopsy. If that happens, I would like you to stay with the kids."
"Sure. Just let me know the time and I'll be there."
"Dr. Kern said this is normal procedure and not to worry. That's easy for him to say, but I'm concerned. If it's such a normal procedure why doesn't he do it in his office? You know how I hate hospitals."
"The doctor knows what he's doing, Leanne. Stop worrying about it. If it will make you feel better, I'll call the doctor myself and get back to you."
"Thanks, I feel much better now that I've talked to you."
Noel called Dr. Kern to hear his report first hand. Dr. Kern told him that the x-ray did not look good. He needed that second blood work-up and a biopsy on that lump in her breast. "If the tests come back positive, we may have to do a hysterectomy in addition to a mastectomy. I'm only giving you the worst case scenario, Noel, but we must be prepared for anything at this stage of the game."
"You're right, doctor. However, I think for now I'll play it low-key for Leanne. She is already starting to worry and we're a week away from the test."
Noel spent the rest of the day in a whirl of activities. The staff meeting went well. He told his staff of his decision to turn over more of his accounts to them to handle. Noel was glad to be busy; it stopped him from thinking about Leanne, and Scott.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Noel was on time for his appointment with Scott. The receptionist handed him a clipboard full of forms to be filled out. After completing the paperwork, he handed back the application forms and waited. A few minutes later, a nurse led him back to one of the examining rooms. After taking his blood pressure and weight and temperature, she handed him a hospital gown and instructed him to remove all his clothes and lay on the examining table. She parted with the standard statement that all nurses learn on their first day. "The doctor will be with you in a few minutes."
Noel lay down on the examining table and waited. The next thing he remembered was Scott shaking his shoulder. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting so long. I had a last minute emergency. At least you made good use of the time."
"Please sit up on the edge of the table and let me take a look at your face." Scott examined his face very carefully, he probed his nose and tapped the sinuses, checked the lymph glands, ears and throat. He listened to Noel's breathing and heart. Then he proceeded to take photographs of his face from several different angles. He asked him to stand up and to remove the gown. He had him rotate as he examined his body. "You have a nice tan; do you use a sun screen?"
"I never have up to this point," Noel answered. "I never get any darker than this no matter how long I stay in the sun."
"Would you get back on the examining table and lay on your back please?" He used a large magnifying glass with strong light attached and carefully examined Noel's underarms, chest and groin area. He asked Noel to spread open his legs so he could examine the genital area.
"How long have you had those dark moles under your arms and between your legs?"
"A little over a year now," Noel told him. "They've grown a little larger in the last four months though, but they don't bother me at all."
"They will become larger," Scott said. "I'll remove them at the same time I operate on your nose. From now on, I want you to start using a sun screen if you are out in the sun for more than twenty minutes."
"Your skin is starting to show signs of too much exposure to the sun. I also want you to make an appointment to see me every six months for a checkup. Your surgery will be straightforward procedure and I don't foresee any complications. The reconstruction surgery will make you handsome again. You'll look like hell for several weeks after the surgery, but that's to be expected. You may want to take some time off until the swelling goes down. The results should be well worth any minor inconvenience. I'm finished with my examination. You can get dressed. I'll wait for you in my office; it's the last door to the right at the end of the corridor."
Noel took a seat in the chair in front of Scott's desk.
"When would you like me to schedule your operation?" Scott asked.
"Something has cropped up at home that will prevent me from making any long range plans for the next two months. Now let me see those financial statements."
Scott handed him the files and said, "The big question, how much are you going to charge me to handle my account?"
"I can't answer that until I analyze these statements. I'll take them with me and have an answer for you next week. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Are you ready to leave?"
Scott laughed, "Let's get out of here before I have another emergency call."
"I hope you don't have anything against French cuisine? I'm taking you to this great French restaurant that you won't believe. They're so good they aren't listed in the telephone book under restaurants and you can only make a reservation if you're a member. Now I want you to be on your best behavior when we get there. You can't start passing out your business cards, even though they'll all look like they need plastic surgery."
"You're absolutely crazy," Scott said. "I hope I make it through the night without being thrown out. Have you ever thought about seeing a shrink?"
"I thought we were going to be friends, and the first thing you do is to push me into the arms of another member of your sordid profession. Alas, you're too late, doctor. You are looking at the results of seven years of therapy by the worst charlatans in your profession. Before I started, I was a normal well-adjusted man, now I'm a hopeless basket case." He hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of the restaurant on East 83rd Street. They were dropped off in front of a charming old brownstone. Noel rang the doorbell and an English butler named Ruggles met them.
"Good evening, Mr. Erickson, your regular table is available for this evening. Would you like to have a cocktail in the drawing room?"
"That would be delightful." Ruggles led them into the drawing room and over to two comfortable club chairs by the windows that overlooked 83rd. street. He took their drink order and left.
"I'm not on call tonight and my wife is having dinner with a friend. While we're waiting for the wine, why don't you tell me a little about yourself, Noel?"
"Stop me if I start to get boring," Noel said.
Noel told him about his present problem with Leanne. He went on to tell him things about himself, his family background, his company and of his decision to spend more time with his sons. "I don't know why, but I feel completely relaxed with you Scott. I've gone on too long about myself."
Scott smiled, "I don't think so, please continue. You're revealing the serious side of your life and I find this interesting.
"Ruggles will be back in a few minutes to take our order for dinner. They only have three entrées on the menu. Meat, foul or fish. Ruggles will give you the rundown on the appetizers, soup and salad. I usually only order a salad and an entrée, I must watch my weight; everything I eat turns to fat."
"Ruggles, we would like to order now," Noel said when the butler returned to their table. "Please select another bottle of wine for our dinner, and give us a rundown on the dinner menu for this evening." After hearing the choices, they both ordered the veal and salad.
"This situation with Leanne has me worried," Noel said. "It may force me to make some very tough decisions. I'll be candid with you, Scott; I could retire today and not have to work another day in my life. Fortunately, I'm financially solvent, and my boys are set for life. I love my sons very much and I have no intention of leaving them in Charleston. If anything happens to my wife, I plan to move them to New York to live with me. They are one of the main reasons I've been seeing a shrink for so many years. I'm very fond of Leanne, but I'm no longer in love with her. That bothered me a lot in the beginning, but that's the way it is. I don't know if you can understand this, but my sons are the only two human beings I ever loved. I had shared this information with some of my close friends and they were shocked. They thought I was a nut case. So now I only confide in my shrink."
"I'm not surprised at the reaction of your friends; anything out of the norm is suspect. I'm sure your shrink has told you that there are many people like you in the world. Some people never love anyone. You're one of the lucky ones. If your wife dies, your children should live with you. I, for one, would certainly never allow anyone else to raise them. If that unfortunate thing happens, the children will be devastated. They'll need you more than ever before. My God, they're your own flesh and blood. Why would you even think of handing them over to someone else? You'll need them as much as they'll need you. There is nothing wrong with raising them in New York. They have excellent private schools here. As you say, you have the money to see that they are safe and protected. I wouldn't hesitate one second if I were you."
"You're right; they are going to need me."
Ruggles announced that their dinner was almost ready and he directed them to the headwaiter. After they were seated, the waiter opened a bottle of white wine and started to serve their dinner.
"You were right about this club. The food is excellent and the service is top notch," Scott said. "Now the next meal is on me. Are you free for lunch on Wednesday?"
"Sounds like a winner. I may even have some news about your tax situation by then. Do you play tennis?"
"Yes, and a little golf when I can," Scott said.
"Great. I try to get in at least three games a week at the club. If your schedule permits, let's plan on getting together."
"I'd like that, Noel. Let's try to work out a schedule for Wednesday."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Over the next two months, they became good friends and got together several times a week, either for lunch, tennis, or a round of golf on the weekend. Noel flew to Charleston and spent the week with Leanne and the children. Fortunately, the biopsy proved that the lump was not cancer. However, they decided that Leanne should see another specialist before any final decision was made on a hysterectomy operation. After seeing the specialist and the surgeon, they scheduled the operation in May, a few weeks before school closed for the summer vacation. This worked out fine for Noel as tax season was upon him. That, combined with his heavy travel schedule, didn't leave him much free time.
Noel made his reservations for his flight to Charleston to be with Leanne and the boys the week of her operation. He had lunch with Scott the day before he was to leave.
"At long last, The Jason will be ready for sailing this summer. I stopped by the yacht club last night to make sure the boat yard did the work they were supposed to do."
"And?" Scott asked.
"They couldn't get everything this time around, but they promised me that the hull would be repaired and everything will be done by the time I get back next week."
"I'd like to ask you a favor," Scott said. "Would you take me sailing one day this summer? I wanted to ask you since the last time I was on your boat. My father taught me how to sail when I was a kid, but when I saw that ketch of yours, I wanted to sail again. It's been a while, but that's something you never forget."
"It will be my pleasure. How about a week from Friday? I should be back in town on Wednesday, so that should give me plenty of time to have The Jason ready to sail. We'll take off on Friday afternoon and return Sunday."
"Great. I'll get someone to cover for me. Linda will be delighted to visit her Mother. Is there anything I can bring?"
"Thanks anyway, actually The Jason is ready to go right now. I stocked the pantry yesterday."
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL -CHARLESTON, SC
Noel drove Leanne to the hospital early Monday morning and stayed with her until she was moved into the operating room. Dr. Kent had warned Noel that Leanne could be in the operating room for several hours. Noel stayed in her room and used the time to catch up on his correspondence.
Dr. Kent dropped by three hours later.
"They have wheeled Leanne into the recovery room. She should be back in her room in an hour," Dr. Kent said. "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, Noel. Leanne has cancer. She will have to undergo radiation and chemotherapy. We plan to begin the treatments as soon as she recovers from the surgery. She is going to feel very uncomfortable for the next several days. We'll keep her in the hospital for at least another week. I suggest you bring the kids by to visit her this afternoon. After today, she will not feel like seeing anyone and I want her to get all the rest she can. She is not to have any visitors, other than the immediate family. Leanne will be so heavily sedated she will not know what's going on anyway. I'm so sorry to be the bearer of such distressing news."
"Thanks, doctor, I'm going to make a few calls. I'll be back in a few hours."
"I'll be here to talk to her when they bring her back to the room," Dr. Kent said. "I would like you to be here at the same time."
"I'll be back, I need to take a walk and call the family," Noel said. He called Leanne's parents, gave them the bad news, and asked them to tell the rest of the family. He walked around the grounds to help him think. There were so many questions whirling around in his head. He needed this time to sort things out in his own mind. He walked around for over an hour, and then called Scott.
"I hope you don't mind my calling you, but you are the only one I felt like talking to right now," Noel said. He repeated what Dr. Kent told him. He told Scott he would be returning to New York as planned on Wednesday night.
"I'm sorry," Scott said. "You can call me any time you like, I don't mind at all. Look, you have a lot on your mind right now; maybe we better cancel the trip this weekend."
"No, sailing is my way of relaxing," Noel said. "Unless, of course, you've changed your mind."
"Are you crazy?" Scott said. "You can cry on my shoulder all you want. Call me when you get in on Wednesday."
Leanne was in her bed when Noel returned. She was still groggy, but awake. "Dr. Kent dropped by and told me I have cancer," Leanne said.
"I know, baby. Dr. Kent gave me the news while you were in the recovery room. He feels confident they removed it all, but you are going to have to take radiation and chemotherapy treatments just to play safe.
"The doctor suggested that I bring the boys around after school this afternoon for a visit. He said you're not going to feel like seeing anyone for the next several days and you'll be sleeping most of the time anyway. Do you feel up to seeing the boys this afternoon?"
"Absolutely! I think they need reassuring that I'm okay. Anyway, I don't want them around if I'm heavily sedated. It would be better to talk to them over the telephone until I go home."
"I plan to return to New York on Wednesday night and will be back here on Sunday night," Noel said. "My plan is to spend next week with you and the boys. I thought it would be better to be there than to sit around and watch you sleep. I called your folks and told them everything. They'll be dropping by to see you tomorrow."
"I won't need you around this week. It would be much better if you came back next week," Leanne said. "Have the boys invite their cousins over to stay with them while you're gone, the company will do them good."
"That's a good idea," Noel said. "I know Jason was upset last night because he came into my bedroom crying in the middle of the night. How often does he do that?"
"That's unusual for him. Maybe he just lets go when you are around. He tries to be the man of the house, but he's not quite ready for that yet. The boys need you, Noel. I know Jason misses you the most. Eric is very independent and too young to care at this stage of his life. If anything happens to me, I want you to promise me that you will take the boys to live with you, they need you."
"Nothing is going to happen to you," Noel said. "I know I've neglected you and the boys in the past, but I promise to be a better father, and husband in the future." He bent down and kissed Leanne on the forehead.
"I feel very sleepy, now; you bring the boys around later. I'm in good hands."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Noel took the boys over to the hospital directly from school. They spent twenty minutes with Leanne until she fell asleep. He took them to the local ice cream parlor afterwards and told them about their Mother's condition. They discussed what they would do for the next two weeks. Later that evening, after TV, Noel went to each of their rooms to tuck them in for the night. Eric was sound asleep but Jason could not sleep.
"Come with me, Jason. Get into my bed; you can sleep with me tonight." Noel undressed, brushed his teeth and climbed into bed. He pulled Jason close to him and put his arm around him. "I know you're worried about your Mom. I feel the same way. What I do not want you to do is hold it all in. It's not unmanly to cry, you know. It's good to get it off your chest sometimes. I love you, son, and if you ever feel like talking about anything I'll always listen." Noel reached over and turned the bedside light off and heard Jason crying. He held him until he fell asleep. There were tears in Noel's eyes as he kissed Jason on the head and fell asleep.
Noel awoke at six the next morning and Jason was still sound asleep lying next to him. He got up, showered, dressed, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. He woke the boys up and fixed them all breakfast. He drove them to school, and then drove to the hospital to see Leanne. He told the boys of his plan to leave the next evening — Wednesday — for New York. He told them he wanted them to call their Mother every day and he would call them every day to check on them.
NEW YORK CITY
Noel drove directly to his office and met individually with his VPs and told them his situation and that he would be out all of the next week. He had Edith research the best boys' school in New York. He would check them out himself the following week.
He thought his good friend, Drew Stevens, might be able to give him the name of a good security agency, so he called GW Stevens and asked for Drew.
"Mr. Erickson, this is Duncan MacDonald, Mr. Stevens' assistant. Can I be of help while he is out of town?"
"Maybe you can, Mr. MacDonald. I'm an old friend of Drew's and I wanted him to recommend a good security company."
"That's no problem, Mr. Erickson, I'll have RW Nelson, our VP of security get in touch with you. If anyone can help, RW can. I will need your telephone number and your weekend contact number. I'll be speaking with Drew later today. Is there any message you would like me to convey?"
"Ask him to call me when he gets back. Thanks for your help."
He called Scott and left a message with his service.
Scott returned his call later that afternoon. "Sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner," Scott said, "I had a heavy schedule today. I had to reshuffle my appointments. I'm also on call until Friday. I can't talk long now, I'll call you tonight."
Noel didn't have a minute to spare from the time he arrived back in town. Here it was Friday, and he still had not found time to have the gas tanks topped off on the boat. He really stretched himself thin this time. He had to pick Scott up in less than three hours and a staff meeting to get through before he could leave.
To be continued...
Posted: 03/02/12