Confabulation (23 page)

CHAPTER 62

Henry sat in the leather chair, alone in a small room. He’d been in that room before. Answering weird questions from a prospective employer. Given how that worked out, he wasn’t sure he’d ever take another interview again.

He knew Simon and Carolyn were in their own rooms. Making their own decisions. He still wasn’t sure which he would pick. It wasn’t the conversation he’d expected to have. More and less than he’d hoped.

Susan had introduced him to a man named Gates. A recruiter. A man who had worked for Jackson Gray. Not the best recommendation.

“Mr. Adamson. We have an offer for you.”

Henry didn’t respond. How could he?

“It seems you had more ability than we were led to believe. Now, it’s not up to the standards of our typical agents, but given the circumstances, we’d like to offer you a role in compliance. We feel your experience, and unique understanding of what can happen when our assets go rogue, would add to the department.”

Henry sat. Silent.

“Of course, this is a hard decision, but we will need an answer immediately. We can’t let you back out, as Danton, the man who found you after the confrontation, is still out there. He’ll employ resources to find you again.”

“Then what choice do I have?”

“You can be blocked. We’ll shut off any talent you may have. Any experiments they may try in the future would be useless. Your mind wouldn’t be able to process what they were doing. It’s the best defense we can give you. Unless you join us.”

Then he left.

Henry had been in the room for an hour. Wondering what he would say. Gates would be back soon. Expecting an answer.

A knock at the door.

Gates entered the room.

Henry looked into the man’s eyes. Believed he was earnest and wanted to help. Henry knew that they would be able to use his help. That he could help others who might be victimized. He was sure of it.

“I’ve thought about it. I just want my life back.”

“Very well.”

Henry fell asleep before he could say another word.

CHAPTER 63

Fingers flew over the financial calculator, and soon Simon was able to come up with a payment and rate combination that the client accepted. It had involved his own particular flair for massaging residuals and tax incentives. He wrote the numbers down for his customer, and ended his meeting with the handshake that he had missed for months.

He left with a smile on his face and a gait that approached skipping in a socially acceptable way. That meeting had been his third of the day, and his third sale of the day. He knew that soon he would regain his position as the company’s top salesman, and enjoy the obviously affected attitudes of management. He liked the trappings of his job, and the freedom it gave him.

He hopped into his car and drove away, thinking about his freedom. That had directed so many of his choices in life. He chose to be a salesman so he could set his own hours and determine his own pay. No other job offered that to him. Even though he disliked sales, he always felt that he was trying to convince others to do something they didn’t want, he needed his freedom.

His need for freedom had also kept him out of many relationships. He just couldn’t see himself being tied to one person. Though he hated ending relationships, and was sure that he had passed on happiness more than once, he couldn’t let go of his freedom. He had always felt that anything that kept him from being in control at all times was the enemy, and that he was better off being unencumbered. He felt he could keep his freedom by making the right choices.

Now, he knew how fleeting it all could be. His freedom had been taken from him, and he knew how much it meant to him. He also knew that what he thought was freedom was nothing but stupidity. He had taken a job he didn’t like so he could set his own hours. That wasn’t freedom, it was silly. He had left women who he was sure he loved so he could be free to see another if one came along. That wasn’t freedom, it was stupid.

Now, with his freedom, real freedom, returned, he saw things in a different life. He still thought his job was okay, but not great. He enjoyed the money, and the status, but he wondered if he could find those things elsewhere. Perhaps in an environment where he didn’t feel soiled after a tough negotiation. Though that criterion eliminated lawyer from his list of potential new occupations, he kept the door open for the others.

He intended to investigate graduate school when he returned home, and see if perhaps there was something he hadn’t considered which he would enjoy. It had been years since he considered anything, but he was determined to enjoy his life now that it had been returned to him. He also vowed that he would no longer be so stupid with women. Though he had no prospects at the moment, that condition seldom lasted long for Simon. He was sure to find a woman again who he enjoyed being with. This time he would avoid the urge to run, just so that he could make out with the next gorgeous woman he saw.

His life was back, but it had been changed forever. Things he had been sure of just three months ago, now seemed like puzzles. His future was before him, but he didn’t know what he would do. Things he had worried about or feared, now seemed trivial. He could hardly believe that he had been uncomfortable flying in the past. His life was his again. Not his old life, but a new life that he controlled. He rolled down the window and opened the sunroof to enjoy the bright warm air. From somewhere he couldn’t recall, a tune began playing in his head, and he whistled along. Enjoying the true freedom he had found.

CHAPTER 64

The boxes piled high against the wall, almost covering the window. The little space that did escape the monument to moving did allow in enough of sunlight to illuminate the room. Carolyn wiped the sweat from her forehead, and took a drink from her tall glass of water. As she drank, she stood and admired the room that would be the study.

"Excuse me, Cookie, but these are rather heavy."

Carolyn looked back and saw Douglas holding two large boxes, with a lamp balanced precariously atop. "Oh, sorry." She hopped out of the way, spilling a few drops of water in the carpet.

Douglas set the boxes down and looked at the floor beneath Carolyn’s feet. "It’s a good thing that’s water. If it was your normal drink of red wine, that carpet would need a thorough cleaning."

Carolyn looked down. "I think it does anyway, you slob."

"Oh, I see. Now that you move in, the nagging begins. Well, remember this, I’ll dig up dirt to blackmail you if I have to."

"Oh, yeah. You think you can scare me. Remember what I’ve been through." She scanned him from head to toe. "You’re nothing." She glared at him, but soon erupted in laughter. Carolyn had always amused herself at least as much as she amused others, and Douglas always amused her as well. The combination was too much for her, and she fell to the ground in laughter.

Douglas soon joined her on the ground, and they stared at the boxes and each other as the laughed. They had decided to give a go of living together soon after the story ran. She had always had a reason to stay friends with Douglas and not take the relationship further. Though she knew he always wanted more, she kept that topic at the edges of their relationship. Her recent experiences had torn down many of the walls that had been built up over the years.

Things she liked no longer seemed so wonderful, and others that she fled from now seemed appealing. On the whole, she was at that moment more confused than she had ever been, yet surer of what she would do than ever before. Faced with the prospect of losing control of her life, Carolyn’s spirit had been broken. Nothing she knew seemed real for weeks and now that it was over, many things still seemed surreal.

She couldn’t imagine what had kept her from Douglas. She always enjoyed his company, and felt at ease with him. They had been friends for years, and something told her that was all they would ever be. Now, with those structures torn away, she wanted only to do what made her happy. Douglas made her happy. Being in his house, their house, made her happy.

Whether or not it would last, she didn’t know. She wasn’t concerned about it either. They cared for each other, and wanted what was best for each other. If the day came that they felt being apart again was best, they would part. That much she was sure of. Her life was changing, and she liked the changes.

"Hey, lazy bones."

She looked up to see Douglas opening a box. "Yeah?"

"If I’m going to lose my game room for a study, someone is going to help me make it happen."

"Oh, okay, sorry." Carolyn stood up and walked out of the room.

"What are you doing," Douglas yelled from the study.

"Oh, just calling your cousin to say you need some help."

"Billy?"

"Yeah." She pressed a number on the phone, not caring which one. Before she could press another, Douglas had knocked the phone from her had. She started to act hurt, but Douglas lips seemed much more inviting than more teasing.

CHAPTER 65

Henry walked out of the office grinning. He had finally completed all of the paperwork needed to get back to work full-time. Dr. Davy had signed off on his return after two more sessions. She had seen the report, but wanted to make sure he was suffering any post-trauma problems. Once he had the medical clearance, he just needed to get the permission of Dennis. That came quickly, and then the waiting began. As usual, paperwork sent to human resources took a week longer than stated. He received a call that morning that everything had been processed and he just needed to sign one more form. He arrived early.

His life was almost back to normal. He would need a few days to work his way back into the office groove, and his status as a pseudo-celebrity didn’t help. They had all agreed to use their names in the report to help ensure their safety, but it had led to a few odd moments. He had kept in touch with Simon and Carolyn in the days after the article, and each of them had their own experience with the recognition.

Simon found it to be a mixed blessing. Though people often wanted to talk of little else, he actually found it easier to get appointments with some companies who had previously been unreachable. He knew what they wanted to talk about, but he did get a few new clients by accepting the meetings. Carolyn also found it helpful, as she could more easily tap into some fundraising sources. She was glad to see that certain people who held high government office now made regular donations. She knew it wouldn’t last forever, but the people it helped wouldn’t care.

Henry, though, experienced few positives from the notoriety. His job was behind the scenes, and the attention was more than expected and at times more than he could stand. He was always polite to people who wanted to talk to him, but he often wondered when he would regain the privacy that he had fought for. He hoped that in time they furor would die down, and he could return to a normal life.

He also knew that one thing would make it easier for him to handle the new problems. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to call Kelly. He felt he needed to have the rest of his life in order first so that he wouldn’t be a burden to her. He had caused her so much pain when he was haunted, that didn’t want to do so once he was emancipated. In addition, deep inside, he feared that he might have damaged her feelings too much. She would know what he did wasn’t his fault, but could she ever see his face without thinking of what he had done.

For days, even after he knew he would have his job back, he couldn’t call. He cluing to his memories and hopes, and couldn’t bear to have them dashed by a harsh reality. He thought about how a conversation might go, and didn’t know how he would react if she didn’t want him back. He couldn’t call, no matter how much he longed for her touch and voice again.

However, once his job was secure, and the other elements of his life were in order, he found that they meant nothing without Kelly. He needed her in his life. He couldn’t be truly happy unless she took him back. He picked up his phone and started to dial. After four digits, he hung up. He thought again of the rejection. What would he do if she said he couldn’t come back? He knew she would be happy he was okay. But would she want him back?

He stared at the phone, paralyzed. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He was tired of being afraid. So what if she wants to be alone, he thought. He would just have to convince her that they belonged together. If there was once thing he learned from the ordeal it was what really mattered to him. Whether he was crazed, angry, scared, or sensible, he only wanted what was beneficial for Kelly. He had tried to protect her, and left when he thought she was in danger. He risked his life to prove to her that he wasn’t insane. He had to have her back—well, he at least had to try. He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hello?"

Henry took a deep breath. Kelly's voice resonated through him. It felt like home.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Kelly. It's me, Henry."

"Henry, how are you? I've been worried sick about you. I heard that you had returned to work, but I didn’t know if I should call. I'm sorry about everything. Are you okay?"

Henry couldn’t help but laugh at the fevered set of questions from his wife. "I'm fine. I just wasn't sure if you wanted to hear from."

"Henry, just come home. We can figure everything else out later. Just come home."

Henry smiled, began shutting down his computer, and stared at the picture of their wedding day as he waited.