Relentless Hope (Resilient Hearts) (7 page)

As I sit across from David tonight, I sense his uneasi
ness.
Something is bothering him. He seems distracted, his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.

“Is something wrong? You seem distracted,” I finally ask.

He takes a deep breath, nodding his head slowly. “My younger son, Chris called today. We actually had a pretty good conversation until I asked him when he plans to do something useful with his life, and it went quickly downhill from there. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut around my kids, but I just can’t help it.
Every single one
of them has a screwed up life, and I used to not care, but now that I know I don’t have much time left, I simply can’t watch them waste their lives the way they are without saying anything,” he breathes, his voice laden with pain.

“I have a lot of regrets in my life, but my biggest regret is the way I treated my kids. I always put my work first. Didn’t pay much attention to them when I needed to. I gave them plenty of money and convinced myself that I was being a good father by providing for them, but I know now that I was just being selfish, and I see how it’s affected
every one
of them. My oldest son, Tom, is very much like me, ambitious, driven and hungry for money. He started working for me at the company right out of college and he was good at what he did. He was really good actually, but he wanted to take charge and change things around. I let him do some of that, but the more leeway I gave him, the bolder he got. He slowly started to undermine my authority and was telling people to do things that were direct opposites of what I had told them. We got into a really big fight. At the end, I fired him. He promised I would regret the decision. That he would pave his own way up and would become a big competitor of ours. He lives in New York now, managing a big fund. He’s done well for himself, but was never able to replicate my success, and he’s always been resentful because of that… We never recovered from that argument.”

Now I understand why I never see his oldest son, but this still doesn’t explain why neither of his other kids ever shows up.

“What about your younger son? Does he ever visit?”

“No, I don’t have a good relationship with him either, but for completely different reasons. He’s the opposite of Tom in every possible way. Chris has no ambition and no desire to do anything with his life other than to have fun. He spends his days lounging around doing nothing and his nights man-whoring his way through the town. I think he saw what work did to my life and Tom’s and decided to take the exact opposite route…and my daughter, Karen…she’s a completely different shade of messed up. Karen is a materialistic narcissist who doesn’t care about anything but her looks, the latest fashions and her Hollywood friends. Needless to say, I don’t have a good relationship with her either. She blames me for the fall of her first marriage, even though her bastard ex-husband is the one who cheated on her. She thinks because the guy worked for me, I had something to do with the way he treated her.”

This makes sense. I understand now why he speaks of his family with such longing, repeatedly saying that he failed them. It is such a shame that he waited this long to connect with his children, to show them he cares more about them than his company and his billions. I get that his strain relationship with his kids is mostly his fault, but as I look into his remorseful blue eyes and his pale face, I feel nothing but compassion for him.

“I’m
really, really
sorry to hear that. I can’t imagine how tough it must be to be in your shoes, not having a good relationship with any of your children. Have you tried to talk them? Try to reconnect with them?”

“I tried to talk to them after I was diagnosed, but it didn’t go very well,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “They think I’m only reaching out now, because I’m dying, which is true in a way, and having that knowledge is not conducive to forming any real relationship. Plus, as much as I hate to accept it, I think it’s too late to try to change my kids. They’re too set in their ways to change. The only real chance I have is with my grandkids.”

He gets a faraway look in his eyes at the mention of his grandchildren, as if remembering better days.

“My oldest grandson is my greatest hope. He’s an extraordinarily bright kid. He got accepted to Harvard business school without even trying that hard and finished a couple of years ago. He’s brilliant and has a great business mind much the same as me and Tom, but he also has something different in him that neither one of us had. It’s a spark, a light I see in him that I never had. I can tell he cares about more than just money. He has great potential, but he is letting it go to waste. As far as I can tell, he’s not doing anything with his life either, and…I blame myself for that. That kid went through a rough time in his childhood. I knew what was happening and I knew how much he looked up to me and cared for me. I told him I would help, but I never really stepped up the way I should have. That’s the
biggest
regret I have in my life.” His voice catches on the last words, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

The look I see in his eyes is heartbreaking. I try to think of something quick to change the subject and lighten the mood.

“Do you have any pictures of your grandkids?”

His face lights up. “Of course. I have a ton of pictures in those albums. He jumps up from his chair excitedly, a little too quickly, and loses his footing. Before I know what is happening, I see him jerking forward towards the coffee table. I jump up and catch him right before he hits the table. We struggle for a minute to find our balance and he holds on tight to me. I hold his hand and wrap my arms around his shoulder to steady him, and that is when I hear a man’s voice.

“Well. Well. Look what we have here old man. I thought you’re sick and bedridden. Didn’t think I would be walking in on you having a hot little number like her wrapped around you. Guess some things never change.”

David’s eyebrows furrow at the accusatory tone, but the frown is quickly replaced by a broad smile as he recognizes the voice.

“Aiden, what a nice surprise. I’m so glad you are here. Come on in.”

Hearing that name makes my heart skip a beat. I whirl around quickly to confirm my suspicions. Aiden is standing at the doorway in all his gorgeousness, about to take a step in, when he sees me. As soon as his eyes fall on me, he freezes. His mouth hangs open, his eyes moving between David and me for a few seconds.

He finally locks his piercing eyes on me, before shaking his head repeatedly in disgust.

“Really, Grandpa? So now you’ve moved up to giving a woman as young as her a job at the company in exchange for being your plaything? I thought being on your deathbed would at least make you a little less of a prick. Apparently, it’s had the opposite effect,” he hisses, his voice filled with anger.

Before either one of us has a chance to respond to the burgeoning accusation, Aiden turns his back to us as he storms out. “I’m out of here. Don’t need to see this,” he says, as he walks out.

I stay rooted to the floor staring at the spot Aiden just vacated, as I try to wrap my head around what just happened. He
remembers
me is all I can think about for a few seconds. Why does that make me so giddy? Wait, did he just say I was David’s plaything?

A pull on my arm brings me out of my haze. I turn to see David trying to push himself back into his recliner, and my eyes fall on his devastated face. He looks heartbroken; harboring such a look of despair that one look at him is enough to clear my head. I can’t let Aiden leave like this.

I run after Aiden as fast as my legs allow me to, and catch up to him right as he is about to turn the doorknob.

“Wait. Please don’t leave.”

He hesitates for a moment before slowly turning around. “Why the hell not?” he demands, “I think I’ve seen enough for one day,” his voice dripping with anger.

“Because,” I stumble, “I don’t know what you think you saw in there, but there’s nothing sinister about my relationship with your grandfather. We’re just friends.”

A sarcastic laugh escapes his lips. “I’m not stupid. I know my grandpa
very well
and I can put two and two together.”

His insinuation irritates me and I remember what he said about me taking the job in return for being David’s plaything, and suddenly a surge of anger overtakes my body. How dare he suggest such a thing?

“You don’t know me. You’ve seen me twice in your life. How dare you suggest I would do such a thing?” I hiss, my voice louder than I intended.

He takes a step back, surprised by my reaction, holding his hands up.

“I wasn’t trying to offend you. I’m just stating the obvious, based on what I saw.”

I take a deep breath trying to calm myself and remember David’s face. I need to put my pride aside for David’s sake.

“Look, I understand how things may have looked when you walked in, but your assumptions are wrong. Your grandpa was about to fall into the table. I had just caught him and we were trying to get our footing when you walked in. Your grandpa and I are just
friends,
” I emphasize the last word.

He narrows his eyes at me, making me get defensive.

“I know that may sound strange because of our age difference and everything, but it’s the truth. If you don’t believe me, that’s fine. Frankly I couldn’t care less what you think of me,” the lie dripping from my mouth before I get a chance to think about it, “but please don’t leave because of me. He’s very lonely and he needs his family. You know that he doesn’t have much time left. He needs you guys. You don’t know the look of longing in his eyes when he talks about all of you, particularly
you
. I understand that he hasn’t had the best relationship with his family, but he really wants to fix that and he is running out of time.
Please
, now that you’re here, at least go in and visit with him. It would break his heart knowing that you came by and left in anger before he got a chance to talk to you. Please just go in for at least a few minutes.”

He stands still, fixating his piercing green eyes on me. Studying me. Making me feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny. I tilt my head to the side, pointing to the hallway, “I’m going to go get my purse. I was about to leave anyway.” Another lie.

Before I walk too far, his voice stops me in my tracks. “You’re either a very good actress with an agenda or you really care about him. I’m not sure which one of those two scenarios is more disturbing to me.”

I feel my phone vibrate in my purse for the fourth
time
in the last half hour. I usually don’t check my phone during work hours, as my boss passes by my desk quite often and I don’t want to be caught looking at it, but as I hear this last notification, I suddenly get a bad feeling. What if something bad has happened to someone? I grab my phone quickly, noticing that I have two missed calls and two text messages from Nick. I open the text massage application first.

Nick:
David had an accident. We took him to the hospital. Thought you might want to know.

Nick:
They just took him in for surgery. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.

My heart drops, my head going in a million directions. Accident? What kind of accident would he have? And what would he be in surgery for? It must have been serious, if he’s in surgery. I dial Nick’s number with trembling hands. He picks up on the first ring.

“What happened Nick? How is he doing?” I gush out.

“He’s still in surgery. Messed up his shoulder pretty bad. He also had a few big cuts on his hands and arms that he had to get stitches for,” Nick says, sounding very tired.

I breathe a small sigh of relief. At least this has nothing to do with his cancer. When I first read the text message, I worried it might be related to his chemotherapy, as the treatments have been pretty rough on him lately, but injuring his shoulder sounds like a big deal too.

“How did this happen? What kind of accident did he have?”

“The stupid lazy ass nurse left him in his library without his walker or even a cane around. She was gone for God knows how long. David had to go to the bathroom and tried calling the nurse or Maria for help, but neither one heard him. So, he got up and tried to walk to the door by himself, and you know how weak he’s been recently in his legs. He didn’t get too far. Lost his balance. He tried to grab his desk, but ended up hitting his shoulder to it instead. Somehow, on his way down, he knocked down a vase and his hands got caught in the broken pieces as he was trying to get up. Maria found him after God knows how long. She said there was blood everywhere, and the nurse was still nowhere to be seen.”

“Oh, my God! Poor David. Which hospital is he at? I’ll leave work right away.”

“You don’t have to come. I just wanted to let you know because I figured you would want to know.”

“I
want
to come. Which hospital?”

“Kaiser,” he responds.

“I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

I drive to the hospital with my stomach in knots and my heart
aching. I can’t imagine what David must have felt being trapped in his chair for however long the nurse was gone and then lying injured and helpless on the floor of his library. He’s a proud man, and I know fully well, how much the mere knowledge that he’s become so dependent hurts him, let alone the actual pain. I can’t stop picturing him lying there helpless on the floor with blood gushing out all over, and the image makes me feel sick. The poor man deserves better.

As soon as I see the hospital, I pull into the parking lot and park in the first spot I come across. I called Nick on my way here and he told me which part of the hospital they are at, so I find the elevators quickly and press the button for the fourth floor. Once out of the elevator, I follow the signs for the surgery waiting area. As the waiting area comes into view, I notice Nick leaning against a wall, in a serious conversation with a man I once saw at David’s house. His name is Lou and David introduced him to me as his old friend and personal lawyer. He said Lou was one of the only people in his life he wholeheartedly trusted.

Lou is a short and bulky guy, probably in his mid-forties, with short salt and pepper hair. He has an easy relaxed demeanor about him, but as soon as he starts speaking, you can tell he is a successful attorney. He speaks with confidence and passion, and as I start getting closer to the waiting area, I hear his deep voice speaking animatedly with Nick. They both have their backs turned to me, seemingly in a deep conversation. I stop walking, not wanting to interrupt them. I hear their voices as they speak.

“I can’t believe this incompetent nurse left him there on his own for over thirty minutes without at least making sure he had access to his walker. She should be fired immediately.”

“She
will
be fired, but the issue is not that she is incompetent. It’s that she doesn’t care. She has an impressive resume, lots of experience and several certifications, so she knows what she’s supposed to do, but she is just too self-centered to care. That’s the problem with all of these people. They see a super-rich old guy and think
if the guy has no family or anyone to care about him, why should I
? Maria found the nurse sitting outside by the pool talking on her phone. She said she went to the bathroom and then had to make a quick phone call for an emergency at home, but you know that’s bullshit. She was just chilling outside enjoying the beautiful view.”

“Of course she was. The problem is it’s hard to find someone that cares
and
is good. It would have been ok, if David were his old self. He used to be a strict, rather harsh employer, but these days he’s gotten way too soft. Plus, that man has
so
much pride. I had to twist his arm to convince him he needs a nurse at home. He’s not going to speak up to say the nurse is not paying enough attention to him,” Lou points out, as he runs his hands through his hair, his body language revealing his frustration.

“The more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion that we need to hire someone to watch over the nurses. To make sure they are doing their job,” he continues.

“Yes, and then we need to find someone to watch over the someone who watches over the nurses,” Nick responds, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s so hard to find a caring employee these days. How are we going to find someone good that is responsible
and
will care enough to actually pay attention?”

“I can do that,” the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

They both turn their heads instantly, shock registering on their faces.

“Are you serious?” Lou asks, and I realize too late that I spoke aloud before giving any thoughts to what I was suggesting. But it’s too late. I can’t back out now.

“Sure, if that’s what you think David needs,” I whisper, my voice filled with trepidation. Nick’s face lights up.

“I think that’s a great idea. I don’t know of anyone that cares about him more than Aleah, and David loves having her around,” Nick says to Lou.

“What about your job at Pierson? You won’t be able to hold your job and do this? This would be a full time job, maybe even twenty-four-seven. You realize that, right?” Lou asks.

I think it over for a few seconds, and realize quickly that I won’t miss my job.

“My job at Pierson was never meant to be a career path for me. It’s just a job that pays the bills. I plan on going back to school in the fall, and was just saving up money for that. If I can get a small salary for looking after David, I wouldn’t think twice about quitting my job.”

“Of course David will pay you. As a matter of fact, I suspect he will give you a handsome salary, probably more than what you’re making now, but the work will require you to be there all the time. In fact, you should probably move into the house, to be able to make sure both the early morning and the late night shift nurses get there on time and do their job properly,” Lou points out.

“That would work out well actually. I’ve been looking for an apartment to move into, since I have to leave the corporate apartment in less than two weeks, and was planning on signing a lease this weekend.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to him after he’s awake and lucent enough to understand, but I doubt he would refuse such a generous offer,” Lou says.

I nod my head in acknowledgment and walk to a chair in the waiting area, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. I collapse on the brown chair, trying desperately to hide my sudden nervousness and let my brain process what I just got myself into.