White lies

"I’ll have to go home," she said helplessly. "To New York, that is. I need more clothes, and I’ll have to quit my job." Suddenly she laughed. "If it’s possible to quit a job you’ve already been fired from."

"I’ll make the travel arrangements for you."

"How long do you think I’ll be here?" She was estimating a two- or three- week stay, but she wanted to be certain. She would have to do something about her mail and utilities.

Frank’s gaze was level. "A couple of months, at least. Maybe longer."

"Months!"

"He’ll have to have therapy."

"But he’ll be conscious then. I thought you only wanted me to stay until the worst was over!"

He cleared his throat. "We’d like you to stay until he’s dismissed from the hospital, at least." He had been trying to break the idea to her gradually, first by just getting her here, then convincing her that Steve needed her, then talking her into staying for the duration. He only hoped it would work.

"But why?"

"He’ll need you. He’ll be in pain. I haven’t told you before, but he needs more surgery on his eyes. It will probably be six to eight weeks before he’ll get the bandages off his eyes for good. He’s going to be confused, in pain, and they’ll put him through more pain in therapy. To top it all off, he won’t be able to see. Jay, you’re going to be his lifeline."

She sat there numbly, staring at him. It looked as if, after all this time and now that it was too late, Steve was going to need her more than either of them had ever thought.

Chapter Three

It felt strange to be back in New York. Jay had flown back on Sunday afternoon and had spent the hours packing her clothes and other personal possessions, but even her apartment had felt strange, as if she no longer belonged there. She packed automatically, her mind on the hospital room in Bethesda. How was he doing? She had spent the morning with him, constantly talking and stroking his arm, yet she felt frantic at spending such a long time away from him.

On Monday morning she dressed for work for the last time, and was conscious of a deep sense of relief. Until it had been lifted, she hadn’t been aware what a burden that job had been, how desperately she had been driving herself to compete. Competition was a fine thing, but not at the expense of her health, though part of it could be blamed on her own intensity. She had channeled all her temper, interests and energy into that job, leaving nothing as an escape valve. She was lucky she hadn’t developed an ulcer, rather than the less severe stress symptoms of a nervous stomach, constant headaches and disturbed sleep.

When she reached her office in the high-rise office building that housed many such firms, she scrounged around until she located a cardboard box, then swiftly cleaned out her desk, depositing all her personal items in the carton. There weren’t many: a tube of lipstick, an extra pair of panty hose, a small pack of tissues, an expensive gold ballpoint pen, two small prints from the wall. She had just finished and was reaching for the phone to call Farrell Wordlaw to request a meeting when the intercom buzzed.

"Mr. Clements with EchoSystems on line three, Ms. Granger. "

Jay depressed the button. "Please transfer all my calls to Duncan Wordlaw."

"Yes, Ms. Granger."

Taking a deep breath, Jay dialed Farrell on the interoffice line. Two minutes later she walked purposefully into his office.

He smiled benignly at her, as if he hadn’t cut4ier off at the knees three days before. "You’re looking well, Jay," he said smoothly. "Is something on your mind?"

"Not much," she replied. "I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be able to work out the two weeks’ notice you gave me. I came in this morning to clean out my desk, and I left instructions for all my calls to be transferred to Duncan."

It gave her a measure of satisfaction to see him blanch. "That’s very unprofessional!" he snapped, surging to his feet. "We were counting on you to tie up the loose ends–"

"And train Duncan how to do my job," she interrupted, her voice ironic.

His tone was threatening. "Under these circumstances, I don’t see how I can give you the positive recommendation I had planned. You won’t work again in investment banking, not without a favorable reference."

Her dark blue eyes were steady and cold as she stared at him. "I don’t plan to work in investment banking, thank you."

From that he decided she must already have another job, which took away the leverage he had been planning to use on her. Jay watched him, practically seeing the wheels turning as he considered his options. She was really leaving them in the lurch, and it was his fault, because he had fired her. "Well, perhaps I was too hasty," he said, forcing his voice to show warm paternalism. "It will certainly leave a black eye on this firm, and on you, if the matters on your desk aren’t handled properly. Perhaps if I add two weeks’ salary as severance pay, you’ll reconsider leaving us so precipitately?"

She was supposed to fall back in line when he waved the magic carrot of money in front of her nose. "Thank you, but no," she declined. "It isn’t possible. I won’t be in town."

Panic began to edge into his face. If the deals she had been handling fell through, it would cost the firm millions of dollars in fees. "But you can’t do that! Where will you be?"

Already Jay could imagine panicky phone calls from Duncan. She gave Farrell a cool smile. "Bethesda Naval Hospital, but I won’t be accepting any calls."

He looked absolutely stunned. "The…the naval hospital?" he croaked.

"It’s a family emergency," she explained as she walked out the door.