Page 28 of Wishing Stone

Still, I knew I should cut them some slack. There was no way for Claire or the staff to know the real Alexander. He guarded his privacy so tightly that everyone who clamored to know the real him ended up learning next to nothing.

“I’m sorry, Krystina. Really, I am,” Claire continued. “But with the shelter already short-staffed, I can’t afford to lose a single person. They’re stressed, and I think this sent them over the edge. After almost two years of dealing with pandemic restrictions, people are tired. Nobody has patience for much of anything anymore. Do you know how hard it is to manage all the rules in a congregate setting? Seriously, why are we still being told to social distance? It’s dumb.”

I listened to Claire vent her frustrations, even though the restrictions had nothing to do with me. I didn’t write the rules and had no control over them. The problem was that many of them went against human nature. Although I hadn’t been to the shelter in quite some time, I imagined the limitations must feel amplified in a setting where women needed help above all else, yet comforting someone with a simple hug was forbidden. I used to be a regular guest speaker there but had been restricted to video conference appearances only. In a way, even I had abandoned them by hiding behind a cold, impersonal screen.

“I understand, Claire. But about the issue with the staff,” I reminded, needing her to get back to the reason she had called me in the first place. “If there were anything we could do to change things, we would. Unfortunately, due to the legalities and rules surrounding a non-profit, Alexander’s attorney has advised him against supplementing or donating any money right now. He has to wait until the investigation is complete.”

“Wednesday, Krystina,” she blurted out. “The Christmas party was supposed to be on Wednesday. The staff said that would be their last day if the party at the shelter isn’t back on. I believe them, too. After all, why stay when they can go pretty much anywhere else and make more money.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose and inhaled deeply. Claire was right to worry about the employees quitting. I knew the pay was only average at the shelter. Even if we paid more, there was no way we could replace the entire staff—not now when employers across the country were struggling to find help. I needed to do damage control, which would most likely mean going to the shelter myself. Perhaps if I talked to the employees personally and explained things, they would understand.

Of course, Alexander would be furious if I ventured out of the house now. In fact, furious may even be too mild of a word. If he were to find out I was pregnant and had left, he would not only lock me up in this gilded cage for the remainder of the pregnancy—he’d throw away the key. I knew this to be true, and I half wondered if I’d subconsciously made a choice to wait on telling him about the baby because of that. Perhaps keeping my secret was my way of trying to hang onto the little shred of independence I had left. I wasn’t sure. All I knew was that I had to figure out a way to leave the house without him knowing. Stone’s Hope needed me.

“Give me a few days to think on this,” I finally said to Claire. “I’ll have an answer for you by Monday.”

“Thanks, Krystina. I appreciate it.”

When I ended the call, I turned back to Vivian to see a concerned expression on her face. I’d nearly forgotten she was there.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Not really. We’re having an issue over at Stone’s Hope. I need to figure out how to fix it. If you’ll excuse me, Vivian. I need to get to my office and make a few calls.”

Vivian gave me a short nod, but there was no denying the worry lines on her face as I turned to make my way toward my home office. Once there, I sat behind the desk and moved the mouse to wake the computer.

I’d had an idea while I was on the phone explaining to Claire why Alexander couldn’t donate the money. Stephen had said Alexander couldn’t donate because both he and Stone Enterprise were too closely tied to the Stoneworks Foundation. He feared any money transfers would trigger a full-scale IRS audit, a headache neither he nor the accounting team wanted to deal with. However, he didn’t say anything about Turning Stone Advertising donating money. That company was solely in my name now, and it had nothing to do with Alexander or his businesses whatsoever.

Just as I was about to pull up my contact list for Stephen’s phone number, an email from Alexander caught my attention. Clicking on it, I quickly skimmed his message.

TO: Krystina Stone

FROM: Alexander Stone

SUBJECT: Later

My Beautiful Angel,

Plan on calling it quits early. I’ll be home in about an hour. You’ve been caged up in the house for too long, and I have a surprise for you. Dress warmly. A winter wonderland awaits.

Until later,

Alexander Stone

CEO, Stone Enterprise

Dress warmly? A winter wonderland?

I sat back in my chair, feeling perplexed over whatever Alexander was scheming. I looked at the time stamp of the email. He’d sent it thirty minutes ago. If he would be home that soon, that only gave me a half of an hour to work and wouldn’t give me enough time to finish what I needed to do for Beaumont Jewelers—especially when I had calls to make about Stone’s Hope. The ad campaign would have to wait until morning. The shelter was my number one priority right now. With any luck, I would have the approval to make a monetary donation to Stone’s Hope before the end of the day today.

My only problem would be figuring out a way to go to the shelter in person to announce it. I wanted to appeal to the staff personally to ensure they weren’t going to go anywhere now that Christmas was back on. However, pulling off a quick escape from the house would be difficult. I absently tapped my finger on the desk as I considered my options.

Perhaps tomorrow when Vivian is picking up the groceries. Hale will be gone on a supply run as well, and…

I let my thought go unfinished and sighed. I was bound to get caught. I knew it, but Alexander would just have to deal with it. The staff and the struggling women at Stone’s Hope needed and morale boost, and the risk was worth whatever punishment my husband would indeed have in store for me.

11

Alexander

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