Page 64 of Sean
The words kept time with the thumps on Sean’s back.
“When I heard you were waiting to see me, I couldn’t believe it.”Matthew took a step back but kept his hands on Sean’s shoulders.“Let me look at you.”
When Sean received a final pat on the shoulder, he assumed he’d passed muster.At least his old friend hadn’t tossed him out.
Matthew spoke to his secretary.“Hold all my calls.Sean and I have a lot to catch up on.”He steered Sean ahead of him and closed the door behind him.“I cannot tell you what an unexpected pleasure this is.I’m glad you caught me in the office.”
Sean looked at his shoes.“I should have called to make sure where you’d be before I booked the flight.I wanted to catch you, but I didn’t want to bother you at home.”
Instead of rounding his desk, Matthew motioned to a seating area on the other side of the room.“Let’s have a seat.Can I get you something to drink?We had our office Christmas luncheon earlier.One of the women made a terrific hot apple cider.I can check to see if there’s any left.”
“Just water if that’s not too much trouble.”Sean could already feel his throat drying out, and he hadn’t even gotten to the point of his visit.
“No trouble at all.”Matthew opened the mini fridge next to the sofa and pulled out a couple of bottles of water.He handed one to Sean and pointed to one of the chairs arranged around a small table.“Shall we?”
Once they were seated, an uncomfortable silence hung over them like a brooding cloud.It was obvious that Matthew was waiting for him to take the lead.But try as he might, even with two hours on a plane to rehearse his request, Sean couldn’t gather his words.
Matthew twisted his unopened bottle in his hands, the crinkle of the plastic the only sound in the room.After a sip, he set the bottle on the table.“I heard about what happened to Brittany.I want you to know how very sorry I am.I never had the pleasure of meeting her, but I know from everything you said over the years what a wonderful woman she was.”
Sean nodded.“Thank you.”
“I would’ve come to the funeral if I’d known at the time.”
Sean lifted his bottle and placed the cold plastic against his cheek.It was sixty-eight degrees in Phoenix today.Matthew’s office was a climate controlled seventy degrees year round.Didn’t change the fact that Sean was suddenly very warm.
“I know.”Sean left it at that even though he could tell by Matthew’s bewildered expression that he’d love an explanation.It didn’t seem wise to come to Matthew’s office to ask for a favor and tell him about the blame he’d shoveled onto his shoulders since Brittany had died.And Sean had to admit that being in the same room with his old friend and mentor was proving to him how misguided that blame had been.
“Your son is a handsome little man.He just celebrated his birthday, didn’t he?”
“How do you...?”
“I check in on your social media occasionally.I also know you recently left Ohio and moved back home.”Matthew lifted his bottle, then set it back down.“I have to say, your move surprised me.”
Sean stared at the table.“Surprised me too.I never wanted to make my home in Garfield, but Mom and Dad are there.”He stopped to clear his throat.“They’ve been a big help with Jace.”His pause was longer this time as he watched a show only he could see.GARFIELD danced on the table between Sean and Matthew as if the letters were taunting him.Daring him to either spit it out or suck it up.Sean closed his eyes.Now or never.The worst that could happen would be for Matthew to tell him no.He’d be embarrassed he’d asked, but at least he’d be the only one who ever knew.
“Speaking of Garfield, I have a friend who has you scheduled for an event there after the first of the year.”
Matthew looked off into the distance for a moment before a smile spread across his face.“That’s right,” he said.“Hailey speaks very highly of her.”He tapped the table.“What is her name?”
“Monica Jenson.”
“Of course.I didn’t put the two together.Now that you’ve relocated, we’ll have to have dinner while I’m there.I’d love to meet Mr.Jace.”
Sean leaned forward.“It’s the event I’ve come to talk to you about.There’s been a snag and I hoped you could help.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
Sean took the time to detail all of the preparation that Monica had made for Matthew’s visit.The fundraising, the publicity, the anticipation.“She had one fundraiser left to go.It was scheduled for last Saturday but there was a mix up with the time and the whole thing fell through.”Sean took a deep breath.
Moment of truth.
“Your deadline is just over a week away, and they’re going to be about eight hundred dollars short of your fee.Monica didn’t send me to see you, and she has no idea I’m here.But I came to ask if you could give her a little extra time.”
Matthew sat back in his chair.“They don’t need more time.”
Sean’s stomach tightened.It looked as if he’d made the trip for nothing.
“If I’d known you were involved, I’d have done it for free.I still will.They can apply their funds to the next event.”
