Spoiled Fruit Read online

“I thought about that too, but I figure two things. I want to be there for Adeline…”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “…and if her kids can do that, think about what Adeline can do.”

  “I never think of her that way, but you do have a point.”

  The girls looked at each other for a moment, both shook their heads at the same time, chuckled, and it was Anna who said, “Okay, we just aren’t gonna think about that.”

  When they pulled up to the loading zone at Adeline’s loft, the driver asked if they would be more comfortable in the car or if they would prefer to go up to the loft. Anna gave Carolyn a look that said: Stay!

  “I think we will wait here, thank you.”

  “Very well.” The driver gently closed the door and walked toward the entrance of the building.

  “You ever notice that we have had the same driver more than once, but not every time?”

  “Actually, I hadn’t thought about it, but you’re right. Why does that bother you, Anna?”

  “I just wonder what the connection is. Does he work for Roland? Does she always use the same service? Does she ask for him for a reason?”

  “I have no idea. You could ask.”

  “I could. I will. Maybe.”

  The girls laughed. There were moments that it seemed as if the three of them had been friends for a lifetime, and moments when they realized their friendships were relatively new and there were any number of things they didn’t know about each other.

  “Do you know how many times Adeline has actually been married? Some days it sounds like half a dozen.”

  Carolyn laughed. “I’m only aware of the two. The fathers of the children, but it could be half a dozen. She has had a very interesting life, that’s for sure.”

  “I wonder what it would be like. To travel the world and never look at a price tag.”

  “They say that is a fallacy. That the rich are usually more careful with their money than the rest of us.”

  “Except some of those entertainers. Oh, and the kids playing sports. Did you see where Dr. Dre is now a billionaire? With a b. He sold his company for more than three billion dollars. Then there was that kid that hadn’t even signed his contract yet and went out and bought his mother an expensive car. I know it was a sentimental thing to do, but these kids need to be more careful of their money.”

  “I don’t think we need to worry about Dr. Dre.”

  The driver had opened the door in the middle of Carolyn’s comment. Once Adeline was settled, she asked, “Dr. Dre the mogul, or has one of you girls had a health crisis?” Her smile was infectious.

  “The mogul. You look pleased. What happened?”

  “I had an interesting talk with my grandson this very morning. We will talk on the flight, but suffice it to say that we have had a change in plan and that this week could end up being much more fun than I had initially thought.”

  What Anna wanted to say was, Why not talk now? What came out of her mouth was, “I can’t wait to hear all the details.”

  The girls chatted about the dance studio until they arrived at the airport. Anna fully expected the driver to pull to the departures area where people would stop and stare as the three women popped out. They would all wonder who they were, why they were important enough to ride in a limousine. She needn’t have worried. Instead of pulling into the departure area, the driver took a different route.

  Adeline caught the look on Anna’s face. “We won’t be traveling commercial today.”

  Carolyn spoke without thought. “A private plane? That really isn’t necessary, Adeline. It’s so expensive.”

  Adeline smiled. “Actually, I look at it quite differently. The plane and I were going to go to New York anyway. So you girls being on it is actually your plane ride for free.”

  Carolyn smiled. “That makes me feel a little better. I don’t know why I get so paranoid about things like this. Living my whole life on a budget, I guess.”

  “There will be no budget this trip. Everything has been taken care of. With the exception of a souvenir or two, you should incur no expense at all.”

  The driver had taken the girls’ bags out of the trunk and handed them off to a handler to put in the plane.

  The crew greeted Adeline by name and welcomed the girls aboard.

  Once they were settled, Anna leaned over and whispered to Adeline, “You didn’t rent this plane, did you?”

  “This is our company jet.”

  “Your company owns a jet?”

  “More than one, I’m afraid.”

  Carolyn and Anna shook their heads in disbelief. They were well aware that Adeline had resources they could not begin to imagine, but it would seem that for the next week, they were in Adeline’s world. Adeline’s world was fantastical at the very least.

  A smartly dressed young woman walked up to where they were seated. “Adeline, would you like your usual?”

  “Please, Alice.”

  “And for you ladies? What can I prepare for you?”

  Anna and Carolyn had no idea what to order, so they declined anything at all.

  “Alice, will you please prepare a few platters for us? We will just nibble as we go.”

  “Very well. Thank you, ma’am.” Alice retreated to the kitchen area of the jet.

  Carolyn shook her head. “I’m sorry, Adeline. I feel like I’m going to embarrass you. I have no idea what is appropriate in these circumstances.”

  Adeline’s eyes grew wide. “Please don’t ever feel that way. There is nothing you could possibly do that would embarrass me. You girls are more important in my life than jets and boardrooms. Do you not know that by now? These material trappings are a convenient way to get where I want to go, but they should never intimidate you. You are my friends. My closest friends. If I had known this would be uncomfortable for you, I would have made other arrangements.”

  “It’s not that. Your world, this world, is very different from what we are accustomed to. I must say, it is very exciting. I kind of like it.”

  The smile back on her face, Adeline laughed. “Well, hold on, girls. We are just getting started.”

  Right on cue the girls were given a short safety talk, and the plane took off for a week of wonder and hopefully to solve all of Adeline’s family problems.

  Alice poured their drinks and placed a beautifully plated platter of fresh fruits and another of meats and breads on a table that popped up between the girls. She asked if they required anything else, and when she was assured that they did not, she retired to the front of the plane, with a novel Carolyn recognized and had been meaning to read.

  “Alice is married to my pilot. She is a lovely young woman, very well educated, and does this type of hop so that she can enjoy New York with her husband. Like a mini vacation. One of the perks.”

  “What does she do when she isn’t on one of these hops?” Anna was naturally a curious person.

  “She is an adjunct professor at a university, and she is a freelance writer.”

  “She sounds quite accomplished.”

  “Actually, we chatted once all the way to…I can’t quite remember where, and she is a fascinating woman. She was on the fast track to become a CEO of a major corporation. She had the smarts and the schooling. She was picked for a special mentor program and moved up through that program with lightning speed. She was working hard and had her eye focused on the top rung of the corporate ladder.”

  “What happened?”

  “She became quite ill, deathly ill, as a matter of fact. The doctors gave her a single digit survival rate. Her family, of course, was devastated. It was her uncle who came to the hospital and had a chat with her. He asked her if she was happy before she became ill. Was the path she had chosen bringing her any joy in her life? Was she following her bliss, so to speak? She took a very long and difficult look in a virtual mirror and decided that she was actually quite miserable. She had made life choices that were expected of her, because of her superior intelligence and the advanta
ges that status would bring. Her health started to improve. The doctors were thrilled and amazed. Once she was out of the hospital, out of the rehab center, and out of her parents’ home again, she decided to take a year off and find her bliss.”

  Carolyn asked. “Her own personal ‘Eat, Love, Pray’?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  Carolyn chuckled. “It’s a book.”

  Anna corrected her. “Oh, I think you mean Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert.”

  Carolyn smiled good-naturedly. “Yep, that’s the one.”

  Adeline shook her head a bit. “I’m not familiar with it.”

  Carolyn’s eyebrows rose. “They even made it into a movie.”

  “We are going to have to watch that one.”

  Adeline took a deep breath. “I am afraid that I have seen very few movies over the years.”

  Anna laughed. “We will do a marathon one of these days. I use movies like other people use prescription drugs. If I need to cry, I break out Steel Magnolias. I can cry myself out on that one. If I need to feel good, I might pick a comedy or even a stand-up comedian like Gabriel Iglesias.”

  “He is funny. I love his voices. I saw in the paper that he was in Las Vegas, but not while we were there.”

  “We will make a point of it.” Adeline smiled.

  “Are you going to tell us what your grandson told you? I’ve been patient. I waited until we got on the plane and waited for Alice to get engrossed in her book, but I’m about ready to burst.” Anna tried for an evil eye, but looked more like a woman in need of an eye doctor than she looked like a pirate.

  The remainder of the flight was spent with Adeline outlining what her grandson had told her, what parts of it had been confirmed by Roland and his security group, the plans that she had for the week, and the fact that she fully intended to not only get to the bottom of her familial issues, but she wanted to have a little fun while she was at it.

  By the time Alice had come along and collected the platters and their glasses, and the pilot had announced that they were on final descent, the girls had a plan. Every detail was subject to change, dependent on what they found around each corner on their twisty path, but that is what makes an adventure an adventure, and the girls were more than up to the task.

  While the handlers took the girls’ bags out of the plane and put them in the trunk of another limousine, Adeline excused herself to make a phone call. She disappeared somewhere into the back of the plane, leaving Anna and Carolyn to chat.

  “I don’t care what that woman asks me to do. I’m doing it. Just look around you.” Anna motioned for Carolyn to look around the elegant interior of the plane. “And she volunteered to sleep on a skinny little air mattress in the bottom of a grungy tent so that my Jordan would have fun on one of our trips.”

  “I agree. I never said anything, but remember when we first came back from Vegas? We weren’t together all the time yet. My Suzi found Adeline in the waiting room of the hospital, sound asleep in a very uncomfortable chair. A nurse happened by and commented that they had told Adeline to go home, but she refused. She would not leave the hospital until all the necessary paperwork was in place for Roland and his security team to be in place inside the hospital to watch over Cara. Adeline stayed in case a little nudge was needed in the direction of the head administrator. Adeline had just gotten over her own health crisis, and here she was sitting in a hospital full of germs to make sure that Cara would be protected.”

  Anna nodded. “She found my nephew a job, you know.”

  “I remember.”

  “She insists that she just made the introductions, but when the woman who owns the company calls you up and asks you for an interview for someone, you know that they are gonna find a job for that someone. Then, you know what? He called me a couple weeks later. All excited. He said one of the benefits of his job was that once he passed probation, the clock started ticking. Every day on the job he earns points to pay off his student loans. Can you imagine what a huge load off his mind that is? He carried those loans like a hundred-pound weight. Wouldn’t even date for fear he’d find the right woman, and he didn’t want to get involved until he had all his debts paid off. I don’t know if that is a benefit for all the employees or just him. Remember that Adeline said she paid off the student loans of the people who do errands for her? She called them runners, I think.”

  “She is a good woman.”

  “She is.”

  Adeline walked back to where the girls were seated. “Who is a good woman?”

  “You are.”

  Adeline looked stunned. Never at a loss for words, she sputtered out, “Why, thank you.”

  Anna smiled warmly. “You’re welcome.”

  Before Adeline could ask what the focus of their conversation had been, a young man popped his head into the cabin and invited the ladies to deplane at their leisure. The girls took a deep breath, spontaneously and in perfect unison, which made them burst into laughter and head for the door.

  Alice reached out and touched Adeline’s arm. “May I just say you are looking very well, Adeline? I have never seen you look more radiant.”

  Adeline hugged the young woman, which seemed to catch her off guard. “Thank you, Alice. That means a lot to me.”

  “You are very welcome, ma’am.”

  The girls settled into the limo, declined the offer of a drink, and with renewed excitement Carolyn asked, “Now what?”

  “Now we go to the apartment, settle in, and find something to eat.”

  “The apartment?”

  “I have a place here in the city. We do quite a bit of work here. The apartment is used for some of my senior staff when they are in town. I purchased it many years ago. Although I do not consider it to be my home, it is nice to have a place in the city as home base. I think we will be quite comfortable there.”

  “Sounds good.” When Adeline turned to look out the limo window, Anna turned toward Carolyn and allowed her eyes to get as big and round as saucers.

  Carolyn nodded.

  Neither of the girls had to verbalize their thought. This is going to be a hell of an adventure.

  FOUR

  THE CAR PULLED up to the curb in front of a building that reminded Anna of the Sex in the City movie. It was all stone and looked rather aged, with interesting curves and an old-fashioned stoop. Maybe this wouldn’t be an over-the-top experience after all. The building was on one of those numbered streets in Manhattan, and Anna found it to be a bit overwhelming just stepping out of the car. There were cars parked everywhere, people moving quickly, and everything seemed to be happening at once.

  Adeline was greeted by a doorman with genuine warmth. “Johnny, how is JonJon? Is he still away at school?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Thanks again for your letter.”

  “It was my pleasure. These are my dearest friends, Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Harris.”

  “Ladies.” The doorman tipped his hat.

  The girls smiled but said nothing.

  Adeline continued, “We will be in residence for a week or more, Johnny. I look forward to catching up.”

  With the door held open, the girls walked into the foyer. It looked more like the registration area of a major hotel. There was ornately carved wood everywhere. Even on the ceiling. Beautiful lighting showcased magnificent art on the walls and textiles on the floor. There was a huge fireplace to the left, a desk with security personnel in front of them, and an exquisitely carved railing that separated a lounge area from where they stood. A huge round table showcased the largest fresh flower arrangement Carolyn had ever seen. Dark wooden chairs with what appeared to be white suede cushions and backrests were dotted around the area, presumably for people to have a seat while they waited.

  Carolyn and Anna followed Adeline toward the security personnel. “Reggie, how is Bindy?”

  “Couldn’t be better, ma’am. Is there anything we can get for you while you are in town?”

  “I think we will be fine, Reggie. Thank you. Please b
e aware that Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Cooper will be in residence as well.”

  “That has been taken care of, ma’am.”

  “Very well.” Adeline turned to the right and walked toward a wall.

  Confused but not willing to make a scene, Carolyn and Anna followed. The wall was covered by huge panels of wood that were not only substantial but also seemed to have stood sentry for decades. Adeline reached out and depressed a small area neither of the girls had noticed, and one of the huge panels opened. An elevator. Of course.

  There was a row of buttons on a copper strip to the left of the elevator door. Adeline pushed the top button. The door closed silently.

  “We are on the top floor. You will have no problems getting past those fellows at the desk.”

  “I doubt we will be going anywhere without you, Adeline. To be frank, I’m overwhelmed already, and I’ve only walked two hundred feet.”

  “New York is like that. I cannot imagine anything you cannot find in this wonderful city. The best in food, entertainment, the best in business and in every other thing that a human might want to indulge in.”

  “Then why don’t you live here?”

  “I did. Once. But I find that at my age I am no longer interested in the energy level required to thrive here. I like a slower pace.”

  The door opened to another foyer. There were two doors. One to the right. One to the left.

  “We’re on the right.”

  They walked up to the door, and Adeline placed her finger on a small black dot. The door opened automatically. “The door opens by fingerprint recognition.”

  “Remind me not to step out in my robe for the paper.” Anna laughed.

  “I am sure it is set with your fingerprints as well.”

  Anna seemed alarmed. “My fingerprints? Where on earth would anyone get my fingerprints?”

  “I had to give mine when I was teaching. In this day and age, a fingerprint record is not unusual.”

  “I don’t ever recall giving anybody my fingerprints.”

  Carolyn seemed unconcerned. “Roland is tricky. Maybe he took them off a glass of water or something.”

  Anna was not happy. “I’m not comfortable with that. Not at all.”