Two days had passed since he had started to work at his dad�s shipping firm, and Alex found that it wasn�t all that bad. Most of his life he had spent time at the Museum, following in his mum�s foot steps, learning all he could about Egypt.
Now he sat next to his father, listening to Sam as he talked to a group of men from Spain, who were interested in having O�Connell Shipping build several luxury yachts. They were negotiating prices, and Alex listened as his father stepped in, talking about the quality of the yachts and other ships his firm built. It ended with the two men agreeing on a pretty hefty price for the yachts, and after hand shakes, and good-byes Sam left with the two men, to see them out.
Rick felt lucky that they had made a sale. Since the war had begun, they had not made many high priced deals, and even though they were one of the richest families in London, mostly due to making the right financial chooses at the right time with the left over treasure money, Rick still felt the need to keep this firm, for the future of all of them. He finished gathering his papers then turned to his son. �Well, what did you think about all of that?� he asked as they both headed to Rick�s office.
�That was pretty amazing,� Alex admitted as they walked down a long hallway, arriving at the main entrance of O�Connell Shipping where, his father�s secretary was gathering up her things to go home.
Ethel looked up as they entered, and smiled. �Sam has already gone for the day,� she informed him, then added. �Have a good night.�
Both of them said goodbye to her, then went to Rick�s office. Alex got his books from school gathered up, then the two of them headed out to Rick�s car. He was about to slip into the passenger seat, when Rick stopped him.
�Why don�t you drive?� he asked.
�Really?�
�Sure, I trust you,� Rick said as he gave Alex the keys then slipped in to the passenger seat. He had started teaching Alex to drive a few weeks ago, and was pleased with the progress they had made.
Once they were on the road, Alex told him about his day at school, and about their game with Saint Stevens Academy that Saturday. �I don�t want the season to end,� he admitted as they stopped at an intersection. �I mean, I�ve got the rest of this week and three more weeks before I get my life back, and playing Rugby gives me something to do,� he said as he turned left on a small side street.
�You do understand why we are doing this right?� asked Rick.
�Yeah, I let my anger get the best of me, so I deserve to be punished,� he said without any anger.
�There�s more to it than that Alex. One day you will be on your own. Your mum and I won�t always be around to give you what you want, and I want to make sure you have what it takes to take care of yourself,� Rick said.
�What was it like after your father threw you out of his house?� Alex asked.
�That was the worst time of my life. I had to work hard just to stay in that hotel, and to eat. My friends and I had this idea of saving up our money to catch a train to New York, and check out life in the big city, and they went on without me, leaving me without a penny. I did eventually make enough to get a train there, and spent several weeks living on the streets. Then one day I visited the harbor, picked a ship, and found myself in France, and joined the foreign Legion,� Rick said, leaving out the most painful details of life on his own.
�Are your parents still living?� Alex asked.
�I don�t know pal, and I really don�t care,� he said. They had arrived home, and as Alex pulled the car up to the house, they found Miah sitting on the front steps looking very upset.
Rick left the car, and walked over to the little girl sitting next to her. �Hi Miah, what are you doing out here all alone?� he asked.
�Heidi is mad at me because I got the dollhouse at Simon�s Toy Shop, and she said I�m not her friend anymore,� she said as she sniffed.
�Did you talk to Mrs. O�Connell?� he asked. She shook her head.
�No, Heidi locked me out and said if I knocked on the door that she would never ever speak to me again for as long as I live,� Miah said.
Alex arrived then, and stuck the key in the door, and tried the knob, feeling resistance. �Heidi open the door before I knock it and you down,� Alex yelled.
�I DON�T WANT TO,� came her response.
Rick stood up lifting Miah into his arms. �Heidi open the door,� he said, a little more calm than his son.
Alex tried the door again, and got it open, finding the foyer empty. While his dad put Miah down, and took her hand, Alex made his way to the parlor, finding his sister playing with her dolls, but not seeing his mum. He quickly decided to head upstairs to avoid the argument he knew was going to happen when his father arrived with Miah.
When he arrived in his room he found on his bed a letter and sat down holding it to his nose. It was from Megan, and quickly he tore into it, opening it up, and began to read.
~*~
Dear Alex,
I don�t remember when I have felt this lonely. Not being able to see you for an entire month has made me extremely sad, and I feel I am to blame for all of this. If I would have just told you why I was so afraid of letting our love continue, you would never have hurt Heidi, and we would still be able to see one another.
My father is on another one of his long trips, and Nanny Catherine is here with me, but I wish it was you. So, what are things like for you? What is it like going to work with you father? Please respond to this letter as soon as you can. I�ll be waiting as patiently as I can.
I love you.
Love Always,
Megan.
~*~
Alex sighed, and after settling at his desk, he put the letter away and began to write to her, assuring her that she was not to blame for his being grounded.
***********
While Alex composed a letter to his love, both Rick and Evelyn sat with two very unhappy girls trying to resolve their problem.
�I didn�t know you wanted it, and Mummy got it because she said she had one when she was a child,� Miah said, pleading with her best friend to forgive her.
Heidi sat next to her mum, not pleased that her dad was sitting with her ex friend. �I told you about it a few days ago, you knew I wanted it,� Heidi said as she looked at Miah.
�But I didn�t know my mum was going to get it for me.�
�I don�t care, I don�t ever want to see you again,� Heidi said, then pulled away from her mum and ran up the stairs to her room.
Evelyn got up and went after her, leaving Rick to handle things with Miah, who was now sobbing in his arms. When she reached her daughter�s room she found the door shut, and debated on knocking, but knew that when Heidi was upset, she was never in the mood to talk.
Inside the room she found her daughter laying on the bed, facing the wall. Evie walked over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it. When she reached over and rubbed Heidi�s back, her daughter moved away. �Heidi, you really hurt Miah�s feelings,� Evelyn said.
�Don�t care,� came her watery reply.
�I think you would miss her if you didn�t see her ever again,� Evelyn continued. Heidi and Miah had been friends since they had met in the Park when both girls were two years old, and they were always together, even when they attended school, according to their teachers.
�But she knew I wanted it,� Heidi said as she sat up to face her mum. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and this time when Evelyn tried to comfort her she allowed it.
�You have a doll house baby, the one that Grandfather Carnahan made for me,� Evelyn said as she stood up carrying Heidi to the huge house, which was a mini version of O�Connell Manor, and in Evie�s opinion better than the one in the toy store.
�But it�s broken,� Heidi said as she opened it up and showed Evelyn the few places where the wood was splintering.
�I bet if we talked to your father, he could take it to work with him and have some of the men there fix it up as good as new,� Evelyn said as she reached in and took out one of the dolls.
�Well I�m still mad at Miah, I don�t want to play with her anymore today,� Heidi said as she settled on her mother�s lap.
Alex knocked on the door then. �Dad says he�s going to take Miah home,� he informed.
�Noo, I want to say goodbye,� Heidi said, and ran from her room. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she ran to the front of the house where Rick was helping Miah with her coat. �Miah, I�m still mad but we can play tomorrow,� Heidi said.
�All right. Don�t forget to bring Katie, so we can play house with her when you come to my house,� Miah said, wiping the last of her tears away.
Both of the girls hugged, then Heidi walked into the parlor finding her big brother setting up the chess pieces. �Alex will you teach me how to play it?� she asked as she tried to climb into the other chair.
Alex looked up and grinned at her. �Sure.� He helped her sit down then started by naming all the pieces, ready to teach her how to beat everyone else at the game.
*********
With Heidi in bed, and Alex studying for a test he had tomorrow, Rick and Evelyn had retired to their room, and were now preparing for bed.
At her vanity, Evelyn had let her long hair down, and was brushing it, listening as Rick told her about his day with Alex. She was glad that the two of them were spending more time together, and was less worried about this being too much for Alex to handle.
She sighed when he walked to her, and took the brush out of her hands, putting it on the vanity, and felt her heart beat a little faster when he pulled her to her feet, and turned her so that she was facing him. For a moment he gazed into her eyes, then his lips were upon hers, and that in combination with his hands roaming over her body, quickly turned the topic onto them.
A little later, once reality had come back to them, as well as their breath, Rick lifted Evelyn into his arms and carried her over to their bed, laying her there, then moved next to her. �I wonder where that came from?� he asked, speaking of what had just taken place on the floor next to her vanity.
Evelyn smiled then rolled over to face him. �We�ve been too busy,� she said as she began to place kisses on his chest.
Rick closed his eyes and sighed. He had all he wanted right here in his arms, and was content with life as it was.
*********
A few days later, when Megan arrived home from school, she found the house was quiet. In the kitchen she found her nanny had made her a snack, and smiled. Megan had told her she didn�t need to keep making snacks, but she always did. Next to her plate of cookies she found a letter, and quickly took it to her room. Once she was settled on her bed, she opened the letter and began to read.
~*~
Hi baby,
I really miss you too. Now I want to clear up a few things, the first of which is, that you are not to blame for any of this.
Actually you did me a favor. I never really knew about my dad, as
far as his childhood was concerned, and since that time he�s told me
alot of things which happened to him, things I never knew.
Not being able to see you is torture, and I don�t know if I�m going to be able to stick to this grounding or not I have an idea about how to see you, if that is your willing. Just tell me what you want to do.
I love you Megs.
Love, Alex.
~*~
Quickly she got out a piece of paper and began to compose her letter. She was willing to do anything to see him, and didn�t really care if they got into trouble. She needed him with her, and to her that was all that mattered.