Chapter 4: CHAPTER FOUR

Savannah stood at the window near her desk, her arms crossed over her chest. She could always tell when it was Monday. The streets were crowded and looked noisy as people moved around, occasionally bumping into someone they didn’t see. Perhaps they were still half-sleep since Monday seems to come faster than any other day of the week. Cabs lined the streets in front of the building where she worked. Trying to drive and park downtown was pointless. It was easier to take a cab.

Savannah didn’t have to worry about that. She enjoyed a lot of perks from her job, including a parking spot inside the company garage. It had only taken her a few years to get a corner office. She had been working in some form of marketing ever since she was in middle school, when she would make over boyfriends she no longer wanted and lobbied for them until they found new girlfriends. It just came naturally for her when it came to matters of getting a name out there. She was hired on the spot after her first interview.

She started her workday reviewing the list of illnesses she had put together a few weeks ago. The pain had started as a dull sensation, barely there. Slowly it gained strength and she would find herself curled up in a fetal position, begging it to go away. She visited her GYN and complained of the type of pain. She was prescribed pain medications that were working but the way she was taking them it was only a matter of time before she would be used to them. The information she had found was only half-cheerful. While there were many illnesses that she was sure she did not have, there were other menacing ones that she could have. So, she had taken a break to let her weary mind rest and her nerves calm.

She was not looking forward to dealing with what would come from it all, but she had survived many things. This was just one more kick in the gut the universe was dishing out. She felt a presence and turned to see her boss standing in the doorway.

“Savannah, you are looking charming as ever,” he said, sliding into her office.

Dean Pratt was a medium height, lean man, with short blond hair. His eyes were a deep blue that was haunting. She didn’t look him in the eyes that often, wondering if when she did whether or not he would try to devour her. He had eased his way over to her desk and picked up a frame. “Your boys are getting so big.”

“Yes. Four and two.” She paused. “What can I do for you, Mr. Pratt?”

“I was just coming to see how you were doing with that new account.” He ran his long slender fingers along the back of her chair as he walked full circle around her. She caught his glare as his eyes roamed up and down her stockinged leg. Savannah cleared her throat, and he slowly caught her eyes.

“I plan to speak with Mr. Clarke before the close of business today. We have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow. Just the basic preliminary stuff. And then I have a follow up meeting for next week. He seems to be a pretty sturdy client.” Savannah stood up and walked to the other side of her office.

Dean Pratt was a lady’s man. There was talk about a multitude of affairs, but there was no actual proof. Everyone knew his wife. Or knew of her. Caroline Fargus Pratt was a force to reckon with. Tall and thin, she could command attention from anyone at any time. Her platinum blond hair was always shiny and full of body. She was an attractive woman even though their marriage was one of convenience and not love. Her father, Donnie Fargus, was a rich oil tycoon with more money than he could spend. And he had even more contacts.

Along with a monetary wedding gift, Dean had been given access to the family lawyers, which would explain a lot. Despite his wandering eye and his inappropriate propositions made to his female staff, there were never any sexual harassment cases filed. The women either kept their mouths shut or quit. Of course, his wife knew of his wild streak and she was rumored to have her fair share of lovers. They seemed a poisonous pair. Savannah was careful not to get too close to him as he moved around her office.

“That’s good. You’ve really been an asset to the company these past few years.” He drew his hand to his face and stroked his patch of chin hair. “I would like you to head up this department. I think you could make this department do great things. I’ve talked to human resources and the powers that be. They all agree that based on your track record, you’d be a good fit.”

It was quite an offer, and the possibilities were endless. She always saw herself in a position of power and this was just the stepping stone that she needed. Maybe eventually she could branch off and start her own PR firm. Nothing as large as Dean’s company, but at least she could set her own hours and be there for her kids when they needed her. She thought of all the things she would be able to do with the extra money. Taking the boys on vacation had been something on her to do lists for a while. Jake had wanted to go to Disneyland ever since he was old enough to understand what it was but because it was so expensive, she couldn’t afford it.

“I am flattered that you would consider me for that position. Could I have a few days to think about it?”

Dean walked from behind her desk and walked closer to her. The heat emanating from his body was unmistakable. He moved in closer. ‘Oh my God, he better not kiss me.’ she thought to herself. “You are a very appealing woman, Savannah.”

“Thank you.” she cleared her throat. “If there is nothing else, I really must be getting back to work.”

“Right. I do have plans for you. Big plans.” He touched her elbow. “Oh, and there is a mandatory meeting tonight.” He slid from her office. Savannah sucked her teeth and picked up her phone. Her secretary was making copies, so she had to make her own call.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Mitchell.”

“Mr. Clarke. I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”

“Not at all. Are we still on for our meeting tomorrow?”

“Yes. I’m working on some preliminary ideas that I think could tweak the image of your company and cast it in a fresher, more modern light. Your company is doing very well in most markets, but we want to see how many more demographic groups we can acquire. We want to take you across the board. But changes will be necessary. This is a new era and people are changing.”

“Hmph. I remember when gas was only a quarter. I can’t believe we pay so much more now.” He cleared his throat. “I have every mind to march to the White House and knock a few heads together.”

Duncan Clarke was a formidable man at 57. He stood well over 6 feet tall and was just as solid as he was tall. His gray-speckled hair was cut short, and his suits were always immaculate. He spoke with conviction and commanded attention. He walked with an air about him, and she could see why it would intimidate some.

She heard rumors that he’d fired over half of the PR firms who sent him mockups simply because he didn’t like the way they entered a room, or he felt a vibe. She had been beyond terrified when she showed up to his office and gave her presentation and handed over her portfolio. After she finished, she just knew that he was about to kick her out the door. Surprise could not begin to describe what she felt when he told her she got the account.

“Well, I know I miss the gas being a little cheaper. I’ll see you Tuesday.”

“Sure.” He wished her a pleasant day and hung up the phone.

*****

Savannah sat in the living room of her sister’s house. She sighed and leaned her head against the back of the couch, her foot propped up on the plastic kitchen set. Kim ran a daycare and watched Nicholas for her while Jake went to school. Kim was always her voice of reason. And with Dwight coming into the picture and Dean seeming to be on a new mission, she needed her sister more than anything.

Dean Pratt had given her an amazing amount of attention at the meeting, highlighting her achievements, her credentials, and her strengths. She was amused as she listened to the things he mentioned about her. He had never seemed to take any interest in her at all. She also noticed him smiling at her, peeking at her when he thought no one else was looking. She also noticed how her colleagues were staring at her. And then she finally accepted what was going on: she was next on his list. She sighed again.

“Girl, you are blowing my high. And you’re working too hard. When was the last time you went on a date?”

“I have a date in a few days. And my boss is flirting with me.”

“You know I’ll come up there and lay hands on him. I still have my switchblade from high school.” Kim smiled. “You remember when I chased that boy home because he touched your butt? Everybody feared us.” She laughed.

“No, they were scared of you. Thomas wanted me to let him claim the boys or give him some of the tax money.”

“Girl, if you let him do that or give him any money, I’ll use that blade on you.”

“I told him no. I’m just so tired and it’s so much going on right now. How did the boys do?”

“You know, boys will be boys. They got to fighting over some toys that Kenneth has for his nephew. But other than that, they were all right. Nicholas started asking for you for a while.”

Savannah smiled. She was grateful to Kenneth for picking up Jake. He was an awesome uncle and brother-in-law. He always called the boys to talk to them. She needed the peace and quiet that he brought with him when he was with the boys. She relished being a mother. But with things developing as they were, she wondered what kind of effect it would have on her kids. She had sworn to herself never to neglect her kids like her father neglected her and her sister when they were little. He had been chasing after wealth and in the end, it was the chase that had killed him.

“I know. He tends to get clingy after a certain time.”

“I think his asthma was trying to act up. He wasn’t running around or anything, but it sounded like he was wheezing a little bit.” Kim held up her hands. “Don’t worry, I gave him some puffs. He was fine.”

Savannah grabbed her sister’s hand. Kim supplied that support she needed. When their mother died, Kim decided to let Savannah live with her. Savannah stared at her sister’s curly dark hair, tucked under a wide headband. The sisters were almost identical in some respects. Same dark eyes, same heavy eyebrows, same lips. Their differences were in size. Kim was small, wearing only a size four. Savannah was blessed with more curves, balancing between an eight and a ten. Her sister was of a lighter complexion, but Savannah loved her own chestnut color.

“I should go.” Savannah finally said after a few more moments. She stood up and made her way up the steps to her sister’s spare bedroom. Jake was tucked under the blankets. But Nicholas had managed to crawl out from underneath and was lying on top of his brother’s head. Savannah gently grabbed her baby and held him to her chest. She smelled the baby oil in his skin and kissed him. She listened for wheezing and then gestured for Kim to wake Jake.

“Thank you, Kimmy,” She whispered and hugged her sister. Savannah loaded her boys in the car and waved as she drove off.

*****

“It can be pretty tough when you have to do most of it alone.”

Dwight had called not too long after she had finished taking a shower and was settling down for the night. It had been a few days since she last talked to him and it was a pleasant surprise. Despite the late hour, she was grateful to have someone else’s attention for the moment.

“I know. If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to Isabella’s mother?”

“Life, I guess. Bad decisions. I never really got an answer that I understood. Never really expected one. I suppose she didn’t fall in love with the idea of being a mother and a wife. It took me a while to accept the fact that we were both better off without her.” He sighed. “She still writes to Isabella and sends her gifts.”

“Oh. So, does she see Isabella at all?”

“Not as much as she should. She works for a modeling agency and has been traveling all over the world. Whenever she has a job close to here and some free time, she stops by. Isabella isn’t very close to her.”

His ex-wife is a model? How can I compete with that? “Oh. Well, Thomas had an affair. Well, a few of them. I didn’t leave right away because the boys were young. I was trying to get through school. I was just scared to do it all by myself. But when I finally left, I was so much happier.”

“Well, we all deserve to be happy.” He paused. “I have been thinking about you since the last time we talked.”

“That’s good to know. It’s nice to be thought of.”

“Yea. Ever since I crashed into you, you’ve been on my mind. And trust me, this doesn’t happen all the time. Between you, the boys and Isabella, I think of little else. Hope that’s not too forward.”

“Not at all.” Savannah grinned. “I’ve been think—”

“Mommy, I think something’s wrong with Nicky.”

Savannah turned and saw worry on her eldest son’s face. Her heart pounded relentlessly in her chest. “Nicky.” She screamed, dropping the phone. She hadn’t heard Dwight calling out to her. She leapt from the bed and ran to her son’s room. Nicholas was lying on his side, wheezing loudly. He coughed so hard that it shook his small body. She touched his face and noticed that he was warm, but that his lips were slightly cool. Grabbing his medicine from the dresser she gave him four puffs and grabbed him from the bed.

“Ok, Jake baby. I need you to put your pants and shoes on, ok? And remember the bag in the closet I showed you, can you grab that and then wait for me at the front door?”

Jake took off down the hall after he got dressed, and Savannah, with Nicholas in her arms, ran to her room. Tossing on a pair of yoga pants and tennis shoes, she grabbed her phone from the bed and ran for the door. She packed the kids in the car and covered them with a small blanket. Seconds later, she was speeding down Martin Luther King Boulevard. “It’s okay Jake. Nicky is going to be just fine baby.” She wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince more. Jake was sitting in the back running his small hand up and down his little brother’s back. Sending up a prayer, Savannah sped down the darkened streets towards University of Maryland Pediatric ER.

*****

Dwight pushed his feet into his tennis shoes and headed down the hall to Izzy’s room. All he had heard on the other end was Savannah’s frantic talk and it startled him. The last time he heard panic like that, Sandra was in labor. He was on autopilot, grabbing Izzy’s bag and tossing in a set of clothes and some toys. Grabbing one of her coats, he dressed her and headed next door. He knocked frantically on the door of his neighbor.

Mrs. Dipello pushed the curtain back and he was looking right into her face. “Dwight? Is everything okay?”

She wrapped her robe around her frame, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the sleeping Isabella. Mrs. Dipello was a widow of 54, with graying hair. She wore her hair in locs that hung down her back and across her shoulders. Despite the hour she didn’t look like she was sleeping. She offered to babysit for Dwight because she said it helped with her loneliness. Even before he could explain, she was reaching for his daughter.

“A friend of mine is having some trouble. I wanted to go check on her, but I didn’t want to take Izzy.”

“All right. I’ll take her.”

He kissed Izzy on the cheek and headed for the door. He sat in his truck for a few minutes, trying to figure out which hospital Savannah might have gone to. He checked his text messages to see if perhaps she mentioned it. A minutes later he was racing down the street.

His heart pounded against his chest. He wasn’t sure what was going on. Didn’t know if he would be welcome. But he was also the kind of man who took the initiative. His heart was already invested. As hard as he tried to deny what he was feeling, it was easier to admit that he wanted her. No matter if she had two boys by someone else. He was more than willing to step in. And yet his admittance of it scared him to death. He parked in the visitor lot and jogged through the front door. He scanned the walls for directions to the children’s ER and found his way there.

*****

It had been a little while since Savannah had arrived and they were taken in the back. She was sitting in a rocking chair that they had in the rooms to make the parents comfortable. She was holding Jake in her lap. The poor kid fought his sleep as long as he could before his eyes closed and he succumbed. She’d called her sister who offered to sit with her. Savannah wasn’t a newbie. In the beginning she did take Kim up on her offers to go to the hospital with her. It made it easier to deal with. But now, having to entertain someone else seemed like more work than she wanted to do.

She listened to the phones ring, heard the rubber soles of the nurses’ shoes as they walked by. Heard the whispers. It was amazing how she became hypersensitive to sights and sounds when something happened to her kids. She could hear every breath he took. She could hear the sheets rustling under his small body. She could smell everything in the room. She pressed her lips together to keep the nausea at bay. She just wanted it all to go away.

“I’m looking for Savannah Mitchell.”

She recognized the voice. When she looked up, she saw Dwight standing at the front desk outside of the room she was in. He was wearing sweatpants and a white tee shirt. He had on socks and Adidas flip flops. He was breathing heavily, his broad chest rising and falling with every breath. He tucked his hands in his pockets as a nurse placed a clipboard in front of him.

“Dwight?” Savannah headed towards him. “It’s okay. I know him.” When he turned to face her and she could see the concern in his eyes, she felt more tears well up in her own. She hid them behind the sleeve of her sweater. “What are you doing here?”

He moved closer to her. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“How did you find me? Where is Isabella?” She brought her voice to a whisper.

“I left her with a neighbor. I had no clue what was going on. So, I just guessed that maybe there was some type of emergency. I figured I’d check out a few hospitals. Then I remembered that this one is closer to where you guys live. What happened?”

“Nicholas had a bad asthma attack.”

Dwight pulled her closer to him. She resisted at first, her body rigid against his. But the longer he held her, his strong arms warm and inviting, the more the tension seemed to melt away and she tried her best to fill him in on the details. Someone cleared their throat and she looked up to see Thomas standing nearby. She hadn’t expected to see him.

“Is he ok?”

She watched as Thomas slyly gave Dwight the once over. Savannah could feel the tension between the two men and hoped that nothing would spark in the hospital. She didn’t know much about Dwight but felt that if there was going to be trouble, it would be from Thomas. Dwight rubbed her back. She felt protected.

“They already gave him his first treatment. He was wheezing pretty badly.”She noticed that he watched Dwight the entire time she was talking.

“You mind if I talk to you for a second?” Thomas asked.

Pulling from Dwight’s embrace, she followed Thomas over to a spot a few feet away. “Who the hell is that?”

“Are you kidding me right now? This is when you want to do this? Now?” Savannah rolled her eyes and turned to find Dwight standing nearby. Walking up to him, she smiled when he grabbed her hand and held her near him. It was then that she realized he was talking on the phone.

“They gave him a treatment. We’re waiting.” He paused and smiled softly at Savannah. “Is she still sleep?” He stopped. “Good. Thank you, Mrs. Dipello. I owe you a bunch.”

“Is Isabella okay? She whispered.

“Yea. My neighbor said she was still sleep. Izzy is a trooper. There have been plenty of nights when I had to whisk her off somewhere because of her mother. How are you?”

Savannah breathed deeply to keep the tears under control. “I just wish he didn’t have to deal with this.”

“Yeah, I know. But he’ll pull through.”

Savannah’s phone chirped. Kim was calling. Savannah ignored the no cell phone sign and answered. “They are going to give him his treatments and see how he responds to them.” After a few moments, she turned back around.

Dwight was sitting in one of the chairs looking at her. Thomas, who suddenly reappeared, approached her slowly. Dwight stood up but remained where he was. She gestured for him to sit back down.

“If you are coming over here to say something crazy, you might as well stop.” Savannah said restlessly.

“I was just seeing if you needed me to stay.”

“If you want to, you are more than welcome. But I should be fine.”

“Okay. I’ll be back in a little while.”

“I need you to take Jake. If you need to drop him to my sister, that’s fine. But I want him in a bed, not in a chair in the hospital.”

Thomas grabbed Jake and tossed him over his shoulder. He walked off, his cell phone to his ear. She was glad that he was not making a scene. She was also glad that he was leaving. Of course, she would be there by herself, but she could handle that. She would be able to deal without people asking her if she was okay. Or without people telling her it would be all right. It never amazed her how those two things were said at the most difficult times. Well, no need to dwell on that now. She cleared her throat before preparing to say goodnight to Dwight.

“You mind if I stay?” Dwight stood; his hands tucked down into his pockets.

“You don’t have to. It’s a bit much. I mean, we don’t even really know each other like that. Besides, you have your daughter to worry about.” She turned to walk away, and Dwight grabbed her wrist.

“I’m already here. I might as well stay. I could be quiet. Izzy will be fine until the morning. I’ll just keep her home from school. I’m working from home tomorrow anyway.”

“You sure you won’t mind?” She smiled at him.

“Ms. Mitchell?”

Savannah looked up. A petite black woman was standing a few feet away. She looked to be in her late forties and wore a short bob. Her lab coat hung from her slender shoulders and covered most of her. Her scrub pants and clogs peeked from underneath it.

“Yes?”

“I’m Dr. Parks. I know you normally see Dr. Martin, but she is on vacation. I am the on-call doctor for tonight.” She paused as she walked over to Nicholas and pressed her hand against his forehead. “We are going to proceed with his treatments. He experienced what some specialists call nocturnal asthma. While sleep does not cause the attack, our airways tend to narrow, and mucus tends to build up in the airways often triggering a bout of coughing which for an asthmatic can be quite troublesome.”

“Well, if sleep didn’t cause it, what did?” Savannah leaned forward with interest. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Dwight lean forward too.

“There are many causes. A drop in body temperature causes airway cooling and narrowing. Or there could have been an increase in drainage from his sinuses while he was lying down. But you actually counteracted what could have been a very serious attack.”

Savannah released the breath she had been holding. Dwight squeezed her hand slightly. “So, will he be okay?”

“I don’t see any reason for major concern. But we’d like to keep him here overnight. Just to monitor him. Make sure there is no inflammation. He hasn’t really been responding to the meds like we would like him to. Even though this is his first treatment.”

A respiratory therapist wheeled in a small cart with a nebulizer on it and a smaller respirator. Savannah looked quickly from Dwight to Dr. Parks. The doctor noticed.

“We have that just in case he needs it.” The doctor remarked after she checked the machines in the room. Savannah crept to the side of the bed and stroked his curly hair. He shifted slightly. Dwight stood at the foot of the bed. “I didn’t want you to meet him like this.” She whispered, offering a small smile.

“I’m just glad he’s okay. What’s his name?”

“Nicholas.”

“Cute.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I cannot imagine what you are feeling right now.”

“You ever feel like your body is constantly spinning yet you want to stand still and everything you touch starts spinning out of control too. That’s what it feels like. Like I want to save him from this, but I can’t.” She whispered.

Dwight eased closer to her and held her. “We’re only parents. Not superheroes. Good thing too because I don’t think I could pull off red tights.”

Savannah chuckled softly.