A Precious Gift. Karen Smith Rose

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      As Carrie joined them and guided the O’Briens and the Hammonds into the living room where hors d’oeuvres were waiting, Derrick held back and grabbed Brian’s arm. After the maid had gone to the kitchen, he said, “Jackie couldn’t make it tonight.”

      Something in Derrick’s voice warned Brian it wasn’t a simple flu bug that had kept his wife away.

      Adjusting his striped silk tie, Derrick looked uncomfortable. “She moved out yesterday and it looks as if we’ll be getting a divorce. I had no idea this was coming. It came out of the blue.”

      The same age as Brian—in their midthirties—Derrick and Jackie had been married after their college graduation.

      “Out of the blue?”

      Derrick shook his head in exasperation. “You’d think I’d know a woman after living with her for twelve years. But then she said that was the problem. She maintains I haven’t really been living with her all these years. I’ve been spending too many nights in my office, too many weekends out of town drumming up more business so she could drive that fancy new Italian sports car. Now she tells me she’s met someone who makes her the center of his world. I don’t know how he can do that and work, too!”

      Abruptly Derrick shook his head. “I didn’t mean to go into all that. You’re the first person I’ve told.”

      “I’m sorry, Derrick. Is there anything I can do?”

      “Yes. Put together this deal in Alaska. It will give me something else to think about. The contracts to develop it would keep me busy for the next few months.”

      As an attorney, Derrick took care of much of the legal work that came up with the projects Brian coordinated. “I’ll see what I can do.”

      Carrie raised questioning eyes to Brian as he and Derrick entered the living room. Brian gave a slight shake of his head, and when neither he nor Derrick explained why Jackie wasn’t present, Carrie understood she should stay away from that topic.

      It wasn’t until Ted Hammond, Rob O’Brien and Derrick were engaged in business conversation and Ted and Rob’s wives had escaped to freshen up in the powder room, that Brian took Carrie aside out of earshot of everyone to explain, “Jackie left Derrick.”

      Carrie was shocked. “You’re not serious.”

      “He never saw it coming. She found someone else.” To Brian, that was what it boiled down to.

      Because Carrie looked pensive, Brian asked, “Did you know? Did she say anything to you?” The circle of women who ran the foundation boards Carrie served on included Jackie.

      “When I had lunch with her before Christmas, she’d been unusually quiet. In the past she’s mentioned that she’s been lonely and Derrick is never home.”

      “Well, he wasn’t seeing other women. He was working.”

      Brian knew his tone was defensive, but he was identifying with Derrick. He added, “She belonged to as many committees as you do. I don’t understand how she could be lonely.”

      “Committees and volunteer work are not the same thing as intimate time with a spouse.”

      Intimate time. Time in bed when a husband and wife coupled? Or was Carrie talking about conversations over dinner for two, an impromptu visit to the zoo, a walk in the rain? They hadn’t done any of those for a long time.

      Peggy O’Brien and Carla Hammond were laughing as they came into the foyer. Peggy patted Carrie’s shoulder. “My, my, my. You two look much too serious. Is there a problem?”

      Brian could see his wife consciously relax and find a smile for her guests. Once, she’d told him she’d had training in relaxation techniques. He supposed that had something to do with learning to pose for the camera.

      Now he could almost believe she wasn’t still thinking about their conversation as she said to Peggy, “Dinner will be ready any minute. You can have your choice of wines to go with the seafood Newburgh and prime rib. The server will explain the merits of each. Let’s gather everyone and go into the dining room.”

      Brian marveled at Carrie’s ease in turning the conversation to their guests. His wife definitely had tact. Maybe that came from having to referee three sisters vying for her parents’ attention.

      However, although Carrie had changed the subject smoothly, it hadn’t left Brian’s mind—neither Derrick’s situation nor his wife’s comments.

      Though Derrick was quieter than normal, conversation flowed smoothly over dinner. As usual the women spoke of charities, theater selections for the year, and new worthwhile causes. The men always turned to business. After German chocolate cake had been served, Rob focused his attention on Brian.

      “I think it’s time we talk about what’s really on our minds. How are the Alaskan negotiations going?” Rob was an investment banker who worked closely with Brian.

      “A bit touchy,” Brian admitted. “But I don’t see any major problems. I’m going to have to fly up there soon to do some reassuring in person.”

      “I expected that,” Ted said. “The environment is important to them.” Ted worked for Brian, chasing down leads on real estate.

      After Ted ate the last bite of his chocolate cake with gusto and took a sip of black coffee, he asked, “Are you interested in investing in more land in Hawaii? I’ve got wind of an entrepreneur who’s thinking about selling. You and Carrie could take a week, fly over there and see what it’s like. Danny Crosby was pleased with the deal you put together for him. Maybe he’d spread the word.”

      Danny Crosby, the son of one of the richest families in Portland, had bought his own island and Brian had been instrumental in that. Danny was a man who had suffered the tragedies of his family deeply, and Brian had become friends with him through the man’s search for the right reclusive property. “Danny Crosby keeps to himself on his island.”

      “But if he put the word out…” Ted prompted.

      “I’m not going to take advantage of him or his family’s reputation. I will ask him if I can use him as a reference, though.”

      “That in itself would be a plus,” Rob agreed. “The Crosby name has always carried weight, as much as the Logans’. By the way, I heard the Logans have donated even more money to Children’s Connection. Their coffers seem to be bottomless.”

      The Logans were as rich as the Crosbys. Their involvement with the Children’s Connection adoption agency and fertility clinic went back years. Danny Crosby and Robbie Logan had been best friends as kids. But when six-year-old Robbie had been kidnapped from the Crosbys’ yard and Sheila Crosby, Danny’s mother, had been blamed, a feud had developed between the two families. Recovery for the Logans over the loss of their son had been slow, but they poured their passion and time into the adoption agency and the fertility clinic and gone on as best they could. He wasn’t sure the Crosbys would ever recover.

      Addressing Carrie, Ted asked, “So how does a trip to Hawaii sound?”

      Carrie’s gaze met Brian’s. “This isn’t a good time for me to get away.”

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