Chapter Two

“Hey, Adam, how about grabbing a few drinks after work this evening,” Mr. Franklin, Adam’s supervisor requested.
“I wish I could, I really have to get home to the family.”
James Franklin was a middle aged man, who was mildly attractive, despite his widow’s peak that was made obvious by his shiny head. He wore stylish glasses that instead of covering up his pale blue eyes, framed them nicely. He kept his eyebrows groomed. His face was square jawed, which he kept shaved clean.
“Oh what’s an extra thirty minutes, son. You know, so we can get to know each other a little better. You know there is an opening coming up on the board, maybe I can put in a good word for you with the partners,” He bribed.
Great, how am I going to get out of this mess, Adam thought to himself, after a brief hesitance he decided it would be for the best just to go, a spot on the board would help the family, and like Franklin said what’s an extra half hour? “Sure, let me just call the Misses and let her know I will be late.”
“Great,” Mr. Franklin declared, elongating the word with a nasally way, “I’ll just meet you in the parking garage in a few,” he made a sound like a whip cracking and strolled out of the office.

Adam picked up the phone and dialed home, “Hey, X, is mom around?”
Xavier held his hand to the receiver and called for his mom, “She’ll be right here, dad are you going to be home soon?”
“Well, actually that’s what I’m calling about, see I have to work late,” he lied, but figured that it wasn’t a real lie because the only reason he was going out anyway was for the possibility of promotion. "I’ll be home around seven, did you want something?”



“Not really, I just miss you dad, you’ve been working late for months, we haven’t even had a chance to play ball with me,” the twelve year old handed the receiver to his mother who just walked in and ran up to his room.



“What was that about, I only heard the last bit of it, what did you say to hurt him, Adam?”
“I have to work late…”
“Again? This is becoming an everyday thing for you, Adam. Jussy is about to start preschool and your never home, she barely knows you Adam.”
“Yes I know, in fact that’s why I’ve been working so hard, I want to get promoted so I can spend more time at home with you and the kids. I love you, Sara, don’t you forget that.” His voice was full of guilt and remorse, he was dragging the lie out. Truth was, Adam just couldn’t stand seeing Sara like this. She used to be so full of energy and for the past few months she has been so tired, he just couldn’t bear it. So, he did all that he knew to do, he threw himself into work. “I’ll be home as soon as I can, babe. Kiss the kids for me and tell Justiça I love her when you put her into bed.”
“I will, I love you too. Be safe on your way home.” Sara hung up the phone.




The club was located next to the restaurant Adam and Sara favored, so he thought it would be a good place. Boy was he wrong. It was loud, and not somewhere Adam would have ever guessed his colleagues would ever patron. The whole room was dark, save for a light on the dance floor where several people were grinding together so closely you could not figure out who was partnered with whom, and a few black garden lights hung to the walls. It smelled of sweat and cheep beer and Adam had a feeling the liquor this place served was defiantly a far cry from top shelf stuff, not that he cared because he really didn’t drink. He came for one reason and one reason only, a chance at becoming a partner.
The group managed to find a few stools open at the bar around the stage, the bar was sticky from who knows what. Adam was itching to get this show on the road so he could get out of this hole in the wall as soon as possible. “You guys come here often,” he yelled to Bentley, one of the senior board members at the firm.
“Well, I don’t. I’m actually rather appalled that Morris would have suggested such a dive,” Bentley remarked about his son-in-law and newest junior board member.

Morris was drawn into the conversation by the mention of his name, “Hey! Just give it a chance guys, you’ll soon find out why I chose this place,” he motioned toward the stage just as the DJ was stepping out of the booth, a tall pale skinned beauty sauntered out of the crowed and up to the stage. Her lips were painted a brilliant red, that it seemed only she could pull off. Her long raven hair was left down where the ends waved slightly. She wore a green form fitting top and paired it with jeans which had a pattern sewn into the bottem that matched the shirt she wore. She screamed sex. The men were all impressed.
“She is magnificent,” Bentley and Franklin said in unison.
“I guess this place isn’t so bad after all, Morris,” Bentley retracted.
“Just wait until she starts to sing,”
As if she were reading his mind, she started to sing a low, jazzy ballot. As she sang her voice seemed to calm the entire crowd. The dance floor started clearing leaving only lovers embracing each other as they swayed to the siren’s song. The others flocked to seats and were enchanted by the melody of the song, or it could have just simply been her voice. She sang her whole set like this, and when she was through the club erupted in cheers as she left the stage.
“Impressive,” Adam muttered, he looked at his watch before he took a sip of the club soda he ordered during the show, “Boy, it’s past ten. I have to get home.”
The whipping sound came from all three of Adam’s comrades, “Well, drive safely, man, it was a pleasure to meet you,” Bentley said to Adam as he was patting his shoulder, “I think it’s time I depart myself, don’t you guys stay out too late we have a meeting first thing in the morning.”



When he arrived at the house, Adam noticed all of the lights were off except the porch, a rush of guilt flooded over him. He had no business staying out all night, not only did he have two children at home who needed his love and attention, he also had a wife who needed him now more than ever. He cursed himself as he drove into the garage .
When he reached the doorway separating the garage from the house he heard the click of the lock on his and Sara's bedroom door, he walked toward the locked door when he noticed a pillow and a blanket thrown on the sofa. He stripped down to his undershirt and boxers, folded his suit and sat down…he was officially in the dog house.



The next morning he woke to pans clanging in the kitchen, he meant to wake up before Sara, but he didn’t have an alarm. He stretched his aching body from a night on the couch and walked into the kitchen, his head held low.



“I’m ashamed of myself,” he declared.
“You should be, would you like to explain, I’m sure your fingers were temporarily severed so you could not use a telephone to call, I was worried sick!”
Adam cleared his throat. He really didn’t have an excuse for why he didn’t call, he simply lost track of time, what was that woman’s name-she was mighty bewitching, “I really have no other excuse other than I simply lost track of time, I should have called.” Adam had no idea why he was suddenly compelled to lie, two lies in less than twelve hours!
“Well, it’s hard to stay mad at you,” Sara pouted, “But I do wish you’d call,” she tilted her head and Adam leaned into a kiss.



“So, like that, you forgive me?’ he asked.
“Yeah, you are a good man, your great with your children and you’ve never been late before with out calling. Besides, I love you too much to stay mad at you,” she smiled at him and went back to the chore of making breakfast for the family.



Two weeks later Adam sat at his desk in his office and wondered if he would be able to make it home in time for dinner. He had been working his butt off for this promotion and he hoped that going out with the guys helped, but wasn’t too sure because it didn’t seem like things were any different at work for him. Not that it had ever been too difficult, but he was sure that would cinch the deal for him. He looked at the paper work on his desk and then back up at his computer, when Bentley walked in.
“Adam, my boy,” the man announced, “How about we get a drink at that place my dear old son-in-law brought us to a few weeks ago?”
“I don’t know, I really-”
“Oh come, chap. It would be really great. You made quite an impression on me,” he winked at Adam, “So did that lady, but I’m not the wondering type,” Bentley laughed a low boisterous laugh that echoed through the room, “’sides, how often do you get to go out with your boss?”
“Well,” Adam knew he was in a pinch, he really needed the face time if he expected that corner office, he knew what he had to do, “Yeah, let me just finish up, I’ll met you there in about a half an hour.”
“Great.”



Adam arrived after a call to Sara to let her know he’d be late, again, and that he didn’t know what time he’d be home. He knew the omission about the club was getting bad, but he didn’t want her fretting over him. She didn’t mind that he went out, in fact she’d often encouraged it. He had no idea what overcame him. He walked back into the loud, dark club. The only bright side of it was….her.
“Have a light, hon?” The raven haired vixen asked.
“Sorry, I don’t smoke.”
She chuckled and tossed her long hair back, “I don’t either, it’s just a good way to break the ice, I’m Kao,” she introduced herself.
“Adam,” he replied and cleared his throat. She made him so nervous, like a teen out on his first date. What was wrong with him? He loved Sara, he loved his family, Xavier and Justiça. Why was he getting butterflies and jittery being in close proximity to this woman?
“Nice to meet you,” she replied after a few moments of silence, relizing he wasn’t going to say more.
The club wasn’t as crowded this evening. It was even much quieter than last time, but the music was still pumping and the place still smelled awful, Adam observed. “So you sing here often?”
“I sing every third night, it doesn’t pay worth crap, but it’s a living,” she shrugged. She wore a small blue dress that hooked around her sholders, she had her hair down with curly tendrls that fell all around her. She still had the same siren red lipstick that seemed to Adam to be her signature color. She looked amazing. “So you want to dance?”
Adam started to think, but the thoughts suddenly disappeared from his mind, he forgot about everything in his life, work, Sara, Justiça, Xavier, Bently, who was still waiting for him at the bar, everything just vanished and he answered yes. They walked to the dance floor hand in hand and she pulled him close to her body, he seemed to be working automatically because they spent dancing and he, not once, thought of anything but Kao.
It was after midnight by the time she pulled away, “I have to go, I’ll be here tomorrow if you want to stop by.”
She caught him off guard, the room was empty but for the bar tender, the DJ and a few other hangers on. He looked back at the bar for Bentley, and he was gone, then he looked at his watch and back up at Kao, who seemed to have disappeared. “Oh man, I really did it this time.” he said to himself. He decided to walk to the office and finish up his work so he would be able to spend the day at home with Sara.



Sara awoke very early that morning feeling quite ill. She had been feeling very tired lately and pushed it off on stress, but today she felt achy all over an her stomach was tied in knots. She had to rush to the bathroom to vomit.
` After, she took a long bubble bath to try and soothe all of her muscles, after about twenty minutes of soaking she realized that Adam never made it home. She jumped out of the tub and immediately regretted it. Her legs gave out and she fell hitting her head on the rim of the tub.



Xavier found her on the floor unconscious when he woke up looking for breakfast. Even at twelve years old, Xavier knew that it wasn’t good for his mom to be sleeping in the bathroom with nothing but a towel on but didn’t immediately know what to do about it either. After trying to wake her he got no response he called nine one-one and then called his dad’s cell.



Hours later Adam was pacing outside his wife’s room waiting on her test results. She still hadn’t woke up. He decided to walk outside and call Jennifer Manning to check up on Justiça. Xavier walked behind his dad, his head held low, he had no idea what was going on but he refused to stay with Mrs. Manning at home, the doctors wouldn’t allow the youngster in the room so he stuck to his dad’s side like glue.



“Hello,” Jennifer answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Jen, it’s Adam. I am just calling to check up on my little lady.”
Jennifer Manning looked over on the floor where Justica was busily hammering on her xylophone, she smiled at the girl who didn’t even look up, “Oh, she’s great, Adam. She’s so content in her own little world. She’s really got some talent on that xylophone there, can’t believe she’s actually making music at just four,” Jennifer sighed, “Sara? How is she?”
“I honestly don’t know,” Adam ran his hand through his hair, and glanced at Xavier who was still standing next to him, “She still hasn’t woke up. The doctors did an MRI and took some blood and we are waiting on the test results. I don’t know what I’m going to do if she doesn’t wake up.”
Jennifer sighed again, “Oh it’s so sad. Do you have any idea what happened?”
“No, Xavier found her in our bathroom this morning passed out, I can only assume she slipped when she got out of the tub and hit her head pretty hard on it. She’s so graceful, though, I don’t see how she would have done that, but accidents do happen. I’m so scared, Jen. OK, well I just wanted to check up on Jussy. I’ll call you later when I find out some news.”
He hit end on the phone and shoved it back in his pocket.
“Come on Champ, lets get back inside,”



As they were walking to the room, Sara’s doctor was walking out.
“Any news doc?” Adam requested.
Dr. Halyard was a chubby man of average height. He had brown balding hair which he wore in a come over with the few strings of hair he had on top. His thick eyebrows accented his large brown light brown eyes. His nose was large and crocked in the center. He made up for lack of hair with a full beard and mustache which was neatly trimmed. He wore a shirt and tie under his long white lab coat. He was with the family since before Xavier came, he delivered both of their children and treated every illness the family ever had, this was very difficult news for him as well as the family, he shook his head a bit, his face set quite grim, “Yes, but it’s not good. Let’s go on down to the waiting room and chat. He turned toward the nurse’s station, “Jill, will you sit with X here and keep him happy. I have to go speak to his father.”



The red head looked up from her computer desk to the doctor and then to the child, “Sure thang,” she chided.



Adam and Dr. Halyard sat down in the private waiting area for this floor, Dr. Halyard’s face still grin he started to explain Sara’s condition, “She has cancer, Adam. It’s actually a good thing she hit her head and came in here. When we did the MRI we found a small tumor on the frontal lobe,” he stopped for a second, just to be sure Adam was getting this shocking news digested, “Now, there is the bad news. The good news, Adam, is that it is operable. We can’t guarantee success because as with any type of cancer there is a possibility of it coming back, but we will do everything in our power to keep her alive and healthy. There is a specilist here in the facility. Dr. Kumar is the best in his field. He has been a neurologist for several years and won many honors for his skilled hands. He has several successful operations under his belt. ”
Adam was staring at the doctor in disbelief. He couldn’t understand why this was happening, he suddenly felt he was to blame. He was so overwrought he just sat there. After several silent minutes passed he finally broke the silence, “So she should be ok, there is treatment?”
“Yes, but it isn’t guaranteed as I stated before,” the doctor confirmed.
Just then a nurse ran in, “Doctor, Mrs. Roberts just woke up. She’s asking for her husband.”
“Thank you,” The doctor replied, "I'll just have Dr. Kumar meet us in there," he told Adam.



After they discussed Sara’s condition with her, she, too, was as shocked as Adam. She acted the same….silent for quite some time then asked for reassurance. After the discussion was over, Sara was scheduled to meet the specilist at his office.



With in a month Sara was on the operating table, the surgery lasted eight strait hours, the whole time Adam waited outside pacing. By the time Dr. Kumar came out to give him word, Adam was disheveled. His shirt wrinkled, his hair standing on end from his pulling at it. He had a day’s worth of growth on his face, and his eyes were swollen from the tears that fell from them.
“Adam?” Dr. Kumar asked for his attention now, Adam came back to reality and took quick long steps over to the doctor.



“Is she ok,” he demanded.
“Quite fine, we had to shave her head, and she has a pretty small suture area on the back of it. We used laser and he is sure he got it all out. She will be wheeled down to recovery in a bit and will probably be out for another half hour or so. She will then have to stay in the hospital for a few more days but she should recover quite well. She may have headaches until the area where the laser went in heals completely, but she’ll be just fine. Your family doctor will have to see her monthly after she leaves the hospital, and I will want to do a follow up with her in a weeks time.”
Relief flooded Adam. He swore to himself that he would be with Sara all hours that he could. He forgot about Kao and that dirty club. While they were waiting for her surgery, Adam had been by her side constantly. He built an office upstairs where he could work from home and be with her and take care of Justiça during the day. Sara didn’t like his constant pestering but, she did enjoy the fact that he was always home with her after all of the late nights he’d been pulling over the years.



Six months after the surgery Sara insists Adam goes back to the office to work. She had enough of him being under toe and not allowing her to do a thing, “It’s my job to take care of the house, Adam. I’m fine now, I’ve been going to my appointments, the doctors haven’t found anything else. It’s gone, we’ll be ok with you at the office.”
“Are you sure? I mean I can stay at home, I’ve loved this.”
“You haven’t had any new cases in months. You’ve just been working on the same clients taking care of wills and paper work. Your doing your paralegals job! Don’t you want to get back to it, I thought you wanted to make partner?”
“I do, but they already gave that place on the board to Breland. You need me more than I need to be partner. I need you.”
“I know, sweetie, but I need you to get out from under me. We will be fine here, you go back to work. I promise, I’ll call if ANYTHING goes wrong.”
“Even if you stub your toe?”
Sara laughed, “Even if I stub my toe,” she kissed her husband’s cheek, “Now go to work!” she demanded.



After only a few short weeks everything was completely back to normal. Sara woke up each morning with the children and fed them breakfast, she saw Xavier off to school and then played with Justiça until time for the girl’s nap. When nap time came, Sara changed gears to get the house hold chores done and if she had errands to run she ran them after the preschooler woke from her nap and ate lunch.
This same normalcy came to Adam as well, who may have only been back in the office for a bit but was already overloaded with cases. It seemed he had been neglecting his duty to the firm and the partners were none too pleased with his recent sabbatical, even if it was a family emergency.



He had the strangest new clients, they were a couple who wanted the same law firm representing their divorce. Adam tried to explain to them that it was unethical for the firm to represent both of them, but they insisted. The couple both came from old money, very old money and were both disinherited when they married. Being from this old money made the couple savvy and they were able to raise their own fortune as well as keep their eccentrics that comes with money either old or new. They insisted and Adam brought in Morris to handle Mrs. Nashwell while he would represent Mr. Nashwell. The divorce was quite amicable. The couple seemed to have it all worked out even before coming to the office, they barley needed a lawyer at all so the repercussions Adam expected from this mess never transpired instead he was praised for handling the clients.



Bentley, Morris, Breland and Franklin took him out to celebrate. When they arrived at Le Chao’s Adam first thought they were going back to that club, and it made him quite nervous so he spoke up, “I really don’t know guys, I’m not in the mood for a club and I still have a ton of paper work to catch up on.”
“Relax Roberts,” Morris started, “we are going to Le Chao’s right there.” He pointed to the red stucco building with the two sets of double doors. “Haven’t you ever eaten here? This place is amazing, they bring the fancy food of the French and combine it with the filling and delicious food of the Chinese. It is superb.”
“Yes, I’ve eaten here. I bring my wife here for our anniversary each year,” he loosened his tie a bit and proceeded in with the group. They were sat at a large table in the back of the restaurant and were promptly served a bottle of Dom. Bentley glanced at the label before the waiter(ess) poured a bit in his glass to sample. He swirled it in his mouth to be sure it was only the best and of course, it was.
“To Adam Samuels. With a charismatic attitude and creative logic, he will conquer the board.”
The group raised their glasses, “Here, here.”

As Adam was celebrating with his colleagues, Sara was worried sick. He didn’t call and he was two hours late. She tried his cell and his office number neither got her through to him. She was pacing the living room desperately trying to get through again when Justiça awoke with a scream. Sara ran to the girl’s bedroom.



“Oh hush now, baby,” she cooed. She picked up the little girl and held her in her arms, “What is it? Did you have a nightmare, Jussy?”
“Bad. I saw something in my window,” the girl muttered.
Sara walked over to the window and looked around, they were on the second floor so she didn’t see how Justiça could have seen anything in her window, but as a good parent should she checked any ways. “There’s nothing there baby.”
Justiça glanced out the window as well, and when she didn’t see anything she hugged her mom, “Sleepy, mommy” she said.
Sara laid her baby girl back down in her pink panda bed and covered her up, “I love you, Justiça, I’ll see you in the morning. Sleep well and have no more nightmares.”
“It wasn’t a nightmare, mommy, there was someone there,” the child demanded, but rolled to her side and went to sleep anyways.



After checking the locks on the windows and looking out again, Sara went back downstairs to go to bed herself, the worry about Justiça had her forget about not knowing where Adam was.



After three bottles of Dom, a huge meal of lobster bisque and tiramisu for desert the guys were still looking for some action so they all sauntered over to the club. Adam’s guard about it was down, his head foggy with the alcohol, he rarely drank and never ever drank like this. They found seats by the stage and ordered whiskey from the bar. The stuff looked watered down and smelled like smoky urine; the men didn’t care their taste buds were already compromised from the good Dom they had been drinking.
A hush fell over the crowd as the spot lights came on to the center stage, up walked Kao. She looked over at her audience, sent a smile an a wink in Adam’s direction and just as it was before, he was hypnotized by her. She was dressed this night in a red top that was held up by small straps of silver. It cut low into her cleavage and high on her belly so it only covered the necessary parts on her front and her whole back. She paired it with a pair of dark khaki colored pants and red shoes to match the top. Adam was pleasantly surprised to see her navel was pierced, and her hair was down in that cranial cap with the red ruby again.
The music piped out of the speakers. A sax played in the foreground, the brass woodwind instrument filling up the room. Its notes chimed slowly and carefully. When the sax stopped she began to sing accompanied by a lonely piano.
“She was a black haired vixen, standing all alone
No one to help
No one to guide
Her lover in another’s arms, she knows not what to do…”

The audience was entranced as they always were by her songs, her voice, her being. She made eye contact with Adam and held on to his gaze. The words of her song may have made her sound weak, they may have made her sound lonely, but her aura proved she was strong and able. She was powerful and never lonely. She could command anyone with but a look, a crook of a her finger, a bat of her eye lash. She knew this. As her song came to a close she walked off the stage and strait to Adam. He took her offered hand as she led him outside the club.



Sara awoke to the door of the bedroom opening. She looked at Adam and noticed he was quite disheveled. She had not seen him this way since she woke up in the recovery room after her surgery. She jumped up out of bed as he was starting to get in on his side of the bed.



“Where have you been? Are you ok?”
“I….was with the guys at Le Chao’s. We celebrated that divorce case I had…The Nashwells. I’m sorry I didn’t call, I meant to but-”
“Adam! You look as if you’ve been in a brawl.”
“I know, I had a bit much to drink. I left my car at the office and took a cab. I’m sorry, Sara. Bentley insisted I go. You know how he can be.”
“Sorry just doesn’t cut it Adam. Clean yourself up. We’ll talk in the morning.”
As Adam did as he was told, Sara went back to bed. Just knowing Adam was alright was enough for her to go back into a sound sleep.