Page 62 of Lilly

"Would you mind if I skip dinner and just go to bed? I'm feeling very tired."

"Oh, yes, of course. Go ahead. I guess it'll just be Grace and me for dinner."

"William isn't eating?"

"He doesn't have much of an appetite."

"Would you mind if I go talk to him?"

"He's asleep right now but he'll probably be up later tonight."

"I'll just talk to him tomorrow. Goodnight, Meredith."

"Goodnight."

I go up to the room where I'm staying and call Rachel. It's only a little past seven but I'm exhausted so we keep our conversation short and then I go to bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm out for the night and don't wake up until six the next morning.

After I'm showered and dressed, I go down to the kitchen where Meredith is making coffee. "Would you like some?" she asks, holding up the pot.

"I'll have some at the office."

"You're leaving now?"

"I need to get there early to prepare for a meeting. Is William still asleep?"

"Yes. I can have him call you when he wakes up."

"Please do. Tell him I had a question about something in one of the files." I turn to leave.

"What about breakfast?"

"I'll pick up something on the way," I tell her.

I'm not hungry but I stop and get a bagel and a bottle of orange juice and take it to the office. I'm feeling off, almost a little lightheaded. I hope I'm not getting sick.

"Can I get you some coffee?" Sue asks, walking into the office.

"Yes. No cream or sugar. Just black."

She goes over to the coffee machine and makes a single cup.

"Thank you," I say as she hands it to me.

It's odd to be in an office setting again. I've been retired for so many years now that I'm not used to this. And I have to say, I don't miss it. I enjoyed the challenges of being a CEO but never liked the rigid schedule or the confines of being trapped in an office building all day. Now I'm free to work whenever and wherever I please. I couldn't go back to an office setting like this.

For the next two hours, I make notes for the meeting I have this morning. William called me at nine but we only talked long enough for him to answer my questions. I'm trying not to bother him too much this week. He needs to rest.

Sue appears at my door just before ten. "The meeting is in conference room 1A. Do you need me to show you where it is?"

"No. I was just down there."

"Okay." She smiles and walks off.

My head is pounding. I rub my temples, hoping that'll help but it doesn't. Sometimes I get headaches when I'm dehydrated so I get a glass of water and drink it down, along with a couple aspirin, then head to the meeting.

The meeting is almost two hours and my headache worsens, to the point that my vision is blurring. I fight through it, and when the meeting ends, I rush back to the office and lie down on the couch that sits on the side of the room.

"Mr. Kensington?" I hear Sue's voice and open my eyes.

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