He pulled the SUV closer to the front doors so he could load it easier. Putting several duffel bags and suitcases into the very back of the vehicle, he closed it with a satisfied slam. Done. Now, how to pull the rest off.
He was fairly certain he had gotten everything of worth. He packed all of his clothes, his jewelry (which wasn't much at all, he was not a jewelry guy), his papers, books, and the most important things he had collected over the last years. Then, he had gone into her closets and done the same, putting everything he knew she would want into bags. And it hadn't taken as long as he thought it would.
As for the kid, she was just turning eight and had a lot of toys, but he had decided that she should have some, and he would have them shipped. The rest he would buy her, brand new, and he knew she would get over any loss. Aside from that, all clothes and important things that she loved were in; stuffed animals that were on the bed, pearl necklace he bought her, diary, books, her laptop and her shoes. He included her paint set and easel.
He'd bring them all to the local shipping agent and get them mailed off before anyone noticed. He hoped. It wouldn't be long now.
The next step to the plan was to get them into the car for a short drive, perhaps to the phone store, a place they loved to be in and test out the newest gadgets, and then just keep driving. He wasn't sure what they would think at first, but it would be fine eventually. Then he rethought that. Should he tell her his plan? She might actually go along with it. Yep, she probably would. But what if she didn't. He couldn't take that chance, because at this point, he could never live without her and she was all that mattered, she and her little girl.
He still remembered when he first saw her. Most likely, every man that was ever in love with someone remembered that moment. But she consumed him. His every move and wish involved her. She was the center of his universe and her daughter was more his than his own child, at least in his heart. Hard to admit, but then again, not so hard. He grimaced with disgust at how Sam was conceived. Let Blair keep him, she's a good mother to him and he loves her. Yep. He had it all set up perfectly.
Driving to the Pack and Send was enjoyable. It was still early enough to see the moon in the daylight sky, and it was quiet, serene, tranquil. He turned into the lot, got out, and within moments, had the staff puttering around him, getting all of the bags and packages out and into the shipping room. That is what cash did. And of course, it did more than that, like secure secrecy and ensure safety for them all. No one here would ever say a word. He dropped enough green to make it that way. Aside from the fact that he had some juicy dirt on the owner, the money would cover a lot of ground.
Driving home an hour later, he had everything now arranged. Air tickets were ready and in his breast pocket. Things packed and gone. Now, he returned home to dress and go to breakfast, another part of his plan. He'd sent them off to their favorite diner for breakfast with the promise he would meet them. Then, to the phone store...or maybe just off. He still was not exactly sure. He knew the path would unfold however it was meant to unfold. He'd let it go in whatever direction fate took it, with a little nudge from him, of course.
He had siphoned as much money as he could from the accounts, careful to just take what they had both earned themselves. He didn't want Todd Manning's money, or his paper, or everything he had built or even his life anymore. He just wanted her and their daughter and peace. He wanted them to have a life together, without any interruption. He couldn't lose them. Not now. And that was how things had changed. But how would he make his father see this?
On the drive to the diner, he contemplated things with his father, who really wasn't his father, but in a lot of important ways, he was. He had taken him from nothing, given him a place to belong. He had even legally adopted him, at the unheard-of age of 25. He gave him everything he was today, but inside him, he knew he was really the boss. But, he still thought of him as the father he never had, and he would always see him that way. And, look what he had gained. He'd earned millions in the last few years, off Todd Manning's name and back, of course, but still, he was the one who earned it. That was all he took, only the money that he and his wife had earned and that which his wife had put in a trust for her daughter. Done. He was ready and they were gone.
At the Buenos Dias, they were at a booth, just getting the check when he ran in. "You're late," she said. He kissed them both and sat down.
"Can't you guys wait while I have my pancakes?"
"All right, I guess we can make the sacrifice." She teased, and she put her hand on his thigh under the table. Immediately, passion surged through him, and he could not wait to get her alone. But, that was how they were.
"I had waffles," his daughter said. She was toothless in one spot on the side, and it always made him smile. "That's great, were they good?"
"Yeah. I had strawberries on them. Are we going home next, Dad?"
Dad. It had never ceased to amaze him how she had taken to him. He never asked her to call him that, and never expected it. After all, she was Ross Rayburn's daughter, and he never dreamed she would come to love him enough to call him that. But she did. "I don't know. Maybe there will be a surprise."
"Oh, a surprise, eh?" Tea said, after sipping coffee. Then to Dani, "You know how his surprises go. You never know what he has up his sleeve." She returned to the coffee cup, smiling at him with her eyes over the brim. He loved her so much.
"Yeah, you never know what I've got in store for you two beautiful girls."
He was fairly certain he had gotten everything of worth. He packed all of his clothes, his jewelry (which wasn't much at all, he was not a jewelry guy), his papers, books, and the most important things he had collected over the last years. Then, he had gone into her closets and done the same, putting everything he knew she would want into bags. And it hadn't taken as long as he thought it would.
As for the kid, she was just turning eight and had a lot of toys, but he had decided that she should have some, and he would have them shipped. The rest he would buy her, brand new, and he knew she would get over any loss. Aside from that, all clothes and important things that she loved were in; stuffed animals that were on the bed, pearl necklace he bought her, diary, books, her laptop and her shoes. He included her paint set and easel.
He'd bring them all to the local shipping agent and get them mailed off before anyone noticed. He hoped. It wouldn't be long now.
The next step to the plan was to get them into the car for a short drive, perhaps to the phone store, a place they loved to be in and test out the newest gadgets, and then just keep driving. He wasn't sure what they would think at first, but it would be fine eventually. Then he rethought that. Should he tell her his plan? She might actually go along with it. Yep, she probably would. But what if she didn't. He couldn't take that chance, because at this point, he could never live without her and she was all that mattered, she and her little girl.
He still remembered when he first saw her. Most likely, every man that was ever in love with someone remembered that moment. But she consumed him. His every move and wish involved her. She was the center of his universe and her daughter was more his than his own child, at least in his heart. Hard to admit, but then again, not so hard. He grimaced with disgust at how Sam was conceived. Let Blair keep him, she's a good mother to him and he loves her. Yep. He had it all set up perfectly.
Driving to the Pack and Send was enjoyable. It was still early enough to see the moon in the daylight sky, and it was quiet, serene, tranquil. He turned into the lot, got out, and within moments, had the staff puttering around him, getting all of the bags and packages out and into the shipping room. That is what cash did. And of course, it did more than that, like secure secrecy and ensure safety for them all. No one here would ever say a word. He dropped enough green to make it that way. Aside from the fact that he had some juicy dirt on the owner, the money would cover a lot of ground.
Driving home an hour later, he had everything now arranged. Air tickets were ready and in his breast pocket. Things packed and gone. Now, he returned home to dress and go to breakfast, another part of his plan. He'd sent them off to their favorite diner for breakfast with the promise he would meet them. Then, to the phone store...or maybe just off. He still was not exactly sure. He knew the path would unfold however it was meant to unfold. He'd let it go in whatever direction fate took it, with a little nudge from him, of course.
He had siphoned as much money as he could from the accounts, careful to just take what they had both earned themselves. He didn't want Todd Manning's money, or his paper, or everything he had built or even his life anymore. He just wanted her and their daughter and peace. He wanted them to have a life together, without any interruption. He couldn't lose them. Not now. And that was how things had changed. But how would he make his father see this?
On the drive to the diner, he contemplated things with his father, who really wasn't his father, but in a lot of important ways, he was. He had taken him from nothing, given him a place to belong. He had even legally adopted him, at the unheard-of age of 25. He gave him everything he was today, but inside him, he knew he was really the boss. But, he still thought of him as the father he never had, and he would always see him that way. And, look what he had gained. He'd earned millions in the last few years, off Todd Manning's name and back, of course, but still, he was the one who earned it. That was all he took, only the money that he and his wife had earned and that which his wife had put in a trust for her daughter. Done. He was ready and they were gone.
At the Buenos Dias, they were at a booth, just getting the check when he ran in. "You're late," she said. He kissed them both and sat down.
"Can't you guys wait while I have my pancakes?"
"All right, I guess we can make the sacrifice." She teased, and she put her hand on his thigh under the table. Immediately, passion surged through him, and he could not wait to get her alone. But, that was how they were.
"I had waffles," his daughter said. She was toothless in one spot on the side, and it always made him smile. "That's great, were they good?"
"Yeah. I had strawberries on them. Are we going home next, Dad?"
Dad. It had never ceased to amaze him how she had taken to him. He never asked her to call him that, and never expected it. After all, she was Ross Rayburn's daughter, and he never dreamed she would come to love him enough to call him that. But she did. "I don't know. Maybe there will be a surprise."
"Oh, a surprise, eh?" Tea said, after sipping coffee. Then to Dani, "You know how his surprises go. You never know what he has up his sleeve." She returned to the coffee cup, smiling at him with her eyes over the brim. He loved her so much.
"Yeah, you never know what I've got in store for you two beautiful girls."
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Cloud, you'd better update this and soon, 'cause I sure don't like what this Imposter is pulling off in this chapter!
ReplyDeleteHi and thanks. Our Impostor is an interesting fellow this go round. Wait and see! Thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteHi i love reading this cant wait every day for the next installment! i just love it that dani is her actual age of 8 years old. the way you are writing all this is the way it should have been told originally. thank you very much
ReplyDeleteInteresting take on the Imposter and who he considers his family. And I am gratefull that she is 8 years old. Can't wait to read more
ReplyDeleteSame here, thank God she's the right age.
ReplyDelete