Page 13 of This is Where I Leave You

“Now honey child, we have some work to do. You ready to flash that anger of yours?”

***

Cady walked into the offices of Everett and Stokes with a heady mix of nostalgia, discomfort and fear fizzing through her body, capped off with a nice dose of morning sickness. Since finding out she was pregnant, it was like a switch had been flicked within her, now she had raging morning sickness, breasts that jostled each other angrily for space in her bustier and a neat little baby bump. Luckily she could conceal it under her suit jacket, and having safety pinned her skirt that morning, she could just about get away with it. For now. She really needed to go maternity shopping. She would have to ask the midwife this afternoon where the best places were. With Georgina being her only real friend outside of work, she had not gleaned much baby info lately.

Walking up to the reception desk she smiled and nodded at Helen, the glamorous but dense receptionist and headed for the lift. Deliberately avoiding her own desk, she headed straight for the office of Richard Senior. Karen smiled broadly at her when she entered the area outside his office, where Karen’s desk was situated. She remembered how Richard used to joke that he had her set up so close outside so that she could act like a guard dog against the other partners. Dick was not the sort of person who ever wanted to be disturbed.

“Hi there Cady, how are you doing?” Karen asked, head cocked into the pity pose.

Cady thought for a moment. ‘Great thanks, widowed and knocked up’ wasn’t quite polite so she simply said, “I am doing ok thanks, day at a time, you know? Is Dick in?”

Karen’s face betrayed a flicker of unease. Dick was shouting at someone inside his office, shouting quite loudly actually. And a woman was shouting back at him. Cady shuffled foot to foot uneasily, and pointing to the comfortable regency chair opposite the desk, she sat down and pretended to look for someone in her bag. Damn, if she had her mobile with her, this would be easier. Suddenly the door to Dick’s office flew open, at the same time Priscilla, once again dressed like an sample from DFS, shouted, “I swear it Dick, if you touch her again I will fucking well chop it off!”

Dick strode out after her, mouth poised, one hand reaching for Priscilla’s arm in a placating move, when they both noticed Cady sitting there. Cady felt like a child out of bed when she shouldn’t be and stood up quickly, grinning like an idiot.

“Hi, I am so sorry to come unannounced; I just wanted a quick word?”

Priscilla turned to Karen and staring right through her barked, “Three coffees please, Karen, if you don’t mind scrabbling about after my husband that is.” Priscilla then followed this by a hollow laugh, and turning to Dick, murmuring in a low voice like a growling terrier, “Get your mitts off me, Dick. Now.”

Cady was horrified by what she just saw. Was Dick having an affair with Karen? Surely not? She suddenly felt a connection to Priscilla, and realised how she must be feeling. She touched her arm lightly. Priscilla flinched and then looking at Cady, fixed her mask of pleasant stiff upper lip in front of her eyes.

“Come in dear, so nice to see you, I assume I can hear this can I?” She put an arm around her and guided her into the office, her look positively steaming when she glared at Dick to move aside. He jumped back quickly, and then hurried to shut the office door. “You do look pale dear, have you been eating?”

Once they were inside, Dick sat at his desk sheepishly and Priscilla sat in one of the two sofas in the huge office, with Cady selecting the one opposite. They all considered each other for what seemed like forever, till there was a knock at the door. Karen almost broke into a run as she crossed the office floor, head down, and put the elaborately laid tray on the table, complete with Danish pastries, coffee, brown sugar, cream and chocolate mints. As Cady scrutinized her and Dick’s behaviour, she realised with a start that it WAS true. They were having an affair. Gazing at Dick now, Cady viewed a totally different person. No wonder Priscilla was so uptight, no wonder she idolised Richard so much, she lived for her son, and since her husband was obviously a cheating arsehole, who could blame her for trying to keep her son close?

Cady realised that Priscilla could have been her future; the only difference was Richard had left her for another woman instead of having his cake and shagging it. Well, she promised herself, that would not be her. This child would be brought up to respect women, and it is was a girl, taught to take no bullshit from the male gender.

Karen continued titivating the tray until Priscilla barked, “I can do that Karen, leave it and piss off, won’t you dear?” smiling a perfect toothy smile as Karen scuttled from the room, closing the door behind her. Karen’s face was a picture! Cady had the urge to laugh and air punch at Priscilla’s retort, but she sat on her hands to kerb the urge.

Dick cleared his throat and spoke, obviously to clear the knives slashing about him from the air. “So Cady dear, how are you? You wanted a word?”

Cady took a deep breath and looked at her in-laws in turn. “I really just wanted to ask, my financial situation now, er, what is it? Do I need to return to work? Richard dealt with everything, I just paid for the food really, so I don’t really have the first idea about what I owe.”

Cady shook her head mentally at herself. She sounded pathetic, ‘please Sir, can I have some more housekeeping?’ Before she met Richard, she had her own house, mortgage, and commuted everywhere, paid her own bills and wiped her own arse. How the mighty had fallen.

Dick was looking confused. “Did the letter from Richard not explain everything?”

Cady grimaced, sucking the air in through her clenched teeth. “I haven’t opened it, I..can’t, not yet.”

Dick nodded. “Well basically Cady darling, Richard was very careful with the planning, the house is paid for, all the utilities are up to date and paid, and all his debts have been paid for, not that he had any other than the car and credit cards. So the money in his account has been transferred to yours, and you have the entirety of the joint account, you will get his pension, and the life insurance left you with a sizeable chunk too. Basically my dear, if you are careful you will never have to work again. Have you been using the car? It really does need a run out, a car like that. You really do need to read that letter though, darling, that explains all the figures.”

Cady let his words sink in. She was financially secure. Wow, that was a relief. She smiled and rubbed her tummy. We will be ok, bubs.

Dick brought her back to the room. “Cady, dear, the car? Have you driven it recently?”

Cady thought of Richard’s black Mercedes C250 Coupe. His pride and joy. He had always ribbed her car, joshing that she was not fit to park next to his car on the drive, and should park on the street round the corner. Her Astra was a bit battered, but it was paid for in full, all by herself and she was proud of that fact.

“I haven’t no, it’s not at home, it’s here.”

Dick shook his head. “It isn’t dear, security would have told me, and I haven’t seen it either. I assumed he had left it at home.”

Cady remembered he had had a drink that night, hence the cab. Ironically, it wasn’t even the same cab that knocked him down.

“No Dick, it’s not at home. I have his keys here, they were on him when….”

Priscilla nodded, speaking suddenly, “Give us the keys dear, I will contact the police, they will find the car. Let us deal with it, you have enough on.”

Cady nodded. “I don’t want the car, so if you want it..”

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