Page 63 of Corporate Escapades

“Thanks. I’ll keep you posted on anything I find,” said Molly.

Mya walked Paris and Molly out, and then turning away, she locked the door behind both women. She felt the knot in her stomach again. Her conversation with Cristo was eating at the back of her mind. It was all the things they didn’t say that were the problem.

Chapter twelve

The weekend came and went. Vic had played tennis with his family and ran each day with Chase, who was becoming one of his closest friends. He spent the afternoons at the office trying to avoid Paris while putting in extra effort at his job. In the evenings, he watched movies and drank a few beers. So that he wasn’t drinking alone, he called Chase over to hang out in silence. Paris disappeared over to Mya’s every night, which made things feel a little less hectic.

“Good morning,” said Chase as Vic opened the door to his apartment. “I brought you an orange juice and a croissant. I thought you might want some food before your appointment. Today’s meeting will be quick because the board has other things going on, so most likely they won’t roll out the treats,” he noted. Chase looked Vic up and down. “You aren’t dressed. What have you been doing?”

Chase worried the previous night's drinks may have been a bad idea, and that he should have redirected Vic's actions tosomething more constructive. He was feeling invested in their budding friendship and Vic's future, which were unexpected feelings for him. He was a friendly person who kept to himself outside of work. Most of his friends were women, though he rarely allowed anyone to get too close. He had endured much discrimination in high school and college, which had led him to hours upon hours of therapy. He was stronger and more confident because of it.

“Sorry,” he replied. “I woke up late.” In reality, Vic had fallen asleep on the couch and never made it to his bed, so he was still wearing the shorts he’d worn the previous day and no shirt.

“Well, kudos on the abs,” said Chase. “I can’t seem to get myself to work on my core as much as I should.” He followed Vic inside and took a seat while Vic located his clothes.

“It takes discipline,” replied Vic from the hallway. He was wrestling his way into a polo shirt as he spoke. “What do you think will happen at the meeting today?” he asked.

“Nothing concerning. I don’t think the board has any reason to be displeased.” He was leafing through Paris’s mail while Vic slid his feet into his shoes. “That girl gets a lot of junk mail,” he commented.

“Put that down,” barked Vic. “That’s not yours. I don’t need another reason for Paris to bite my head off,” he added.

Chase released the envelopes and got to his feet. “Ready?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Chase dropped Vic at the main entrance to the clinic. “I’ll be in one of the parking spots to the left of the door when you’re done.”

“Okay, see you in a bit.” He pulled himself out of the car and trudged up to the doors. He hoped the board saw this as a genuine effort on his part.

Ninety minutes later, Vic returned to Chase’s car, feeling slightly lighter than when he’d arrived.

“So, how’d it go?” asked Chase.

“We didn’t get far, but I’m relieved to find that this guy is pretty easy to talk to. I spent a good chunk of time filling out paperwork, but of the conversation we had, I think this might prove helpful.”

“That’s great news,” replied Chase. “See, not all counselors are quacks.” He laughed.

“Yeah. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was fairly painless for a first session. I told him about Brody’s death, the demotions, and how I’m trying to rectify my situation. He found it all quite amusing. I thought for sure he’d give me a load of shrink mumbo jumbo, but he had well thought out responses.”

Chase felt as though a weight had lifted from his shoulders. “I’m glad to hear you’re making progress. This is something positive that I can let your father know about. Your parents will be pleased. Anyway, let’s get a move on. We need to make that meeting, and we’re definitely cutting it close, though I doubt they’ll fault us on our reason for being tardy.”

In the boardroom, Paris was seated long before anyone else arrived. She enjoyed the quiet of the empty space and reveled in the idea that she could simply sit and be present in the solitude. Standing, she wandered to the window and opened the blinds to look out over the complex.

In front of the main ADG building sat a beautiful park, which accommodated several of the company’s annual events. The park had a pond, several relaxation benches, and was home to hundreds of exotic-looking flowers, palm trees, colorful rocks, and strategically placed animal sculptures, which more than made up for the lack of grass in the vicinity. Around the perimeter of the park stood the rec center, a shopping center,and four sets of condos, each in different shades of blue and green.

The complex was home to many employees and their families. Paris had grown up in this place, and she felt a sense of pride as she surveyed her family’s empire.

“The view still gets me too,” said Nicola, walking over to stand next to her daughter. Reaching out, she brushed Paris’s hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. “What's your favorite part?”

“I love the entire view, but if I had to pick one thing, it’d be the flowers.”

“Ah, yes,” replied her mother. “I especially love their fragrance on a warm summer night’s breeze.”

“Yes! A party in the park wouldn’t be complete without that scent,” said Paris.

Nicola eyed her tentatively. “Sweetheart, how are you doing?”

“When this whole situation began, I wasn’t okay,” she admitted. “I didn’t think I’d ever be okay again, but somehow, amidst the craziness of the past few weeks, I feel as if I’m finding myself again. I think the biggest breakthrough for me was rekindling my relationship with Mya. I should have never taken my pain out on her. It felt like I was outside of my body, watching the destruction. I couldn't seem to stop. When I found out she’d been in the accident, it snapped me back to—” Paris couldn't continue.

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