Sunny's Love

chapter Twenty-Five



Things were actually going smoothly both at home and the office. There had been no further contact from the Thomlin family, although Chase wasn’t convinced that was a good thing.

Brenda James called Sunny at the office one morning. “How was your holiday?”

“It was great, how about yours?”

“Good, we stayed home this year so it was quiet. You went to Florida, didn’t you?”

“Yes, we took everybody, mothers, staff, it was great.”

“Chase has always treated his staff well. That was one thing he and Brittney agreed on. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t talk about her to you.”

“It’s all right, Brenda. Chase and I have no secrets from each other. I know all about his marriage to Brittney. After all, she’s the mother of his two children.”

“And she was a good mother, I’ll give her that. Anyway, the reason I’m calling is to ask if you’d like to meet me for lunch today. I thought we could go to Spaghetti Works. Have you been there?”

“No, I haven’t. We don’t go out to dinner often, we prefer to be with the kids, and if we do go out it’s usually to one of our restaurants. I’d love to meet you there. One o’clock all right or is that too late?”

“One is fine. I’ll see you then.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” She hung up and walked down the hallway to Chase’s office.

“Lisa, is he busy?” she asked the secretary.

“No, go on in. I believe he’s looking over the quarterly reports. He’ll probably welcome a distraction, Sunny.”

Sunny knocked and when she was told to enter, she was greeted with a smile. “Hi, I’m glad it’s you. Come on in.”

“I won’t keep you. I just wanted to let you know Brenda invited me to have lunch with her, so I’ll be leaving to meet her a little before one.”

“That’s great, baby. I’m so glad you’re making friends. I know with the move, the marriage, the kids, and this place, there hasn’t been much time for that.”

“It’ll be nice to have some girl time with someone nearer my age. Don’t get me wrong, Marty, Alma, and Alice are all wonderful, but it’ll be nice to have a friend like Brenda, too.”

“Have fun. Is George picking up the kids?”

“Yes, he’s on the schedule for today. We don’t have to worry about that.”

“Why don’t you take the whole afternoon off? You can go shopping, or whatever you feel like doing, after lunch.”

“If you’re sure you won’t need me here…”

“I always need you, baby. But there’s nothing major going on today, except going over these reports, and a meeting with our accountant later. I can fill you in on the details later. You can look at the figures tomorrow. I’ll see you later.” He got up and walked around the desk to give her a kiss.

“I’ll see you at home.”

Brenda was waiting for her when she arrived at the restaurant. They were seated and had ordered when Sunny told her, “I’m so glad you called today, Brenda.”

“I’ve been meaning to call you since the night we had dinner together, but with the holidays and all, I figured you were busy.”

“I have been busy, but I could’ve made time for you.”

The two women shared an enjoyable lunch and enlightening conversation. They found they shared a lot of the same interests.

“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” Brenda said as she sipped her Coke.

“So do I. And since I haven’t had much time to meet new friends since moving to Des Moines, I’m thrilled.”

“We’ll get together again soon, I promise. And the four of us will have to have dinner again.”

“I’d like that and I know Chase would, too. He mentioned to me, Brittney didn’t socialize with his friends much.”

“No, she had her own set of friends. It was just a different type of relationship.”

“Yes, I know and I can’t understand it at all.”

“That’s because you’re nothing like her. You’re warm and caring, Chase is lucky to have found you. He deserves a good relationship. He’s a gem in my book.”

“Yes, indeed, he’s a gem.”

“I can tell you love him deeply.”

“Does it show?” Sunny asked in surprise.

“Only with every breath you take and every word you say.”

“Oh my, I didn’t realize I was so obvious.”

“It’s okay to be in love with your husband, Sunny.”

“He’s also my best friend, Brenda. We share everything.”

“Then it’s a marriage made in heaven and I’m happy for the both of you. I hate to cut this short, but I have an appointment. I really need to get going.”

“I should go too. I’ll call you.”

“Do that. Give my love to Chase and the kids.”

“I will. Please tell Jay I said hello.”

Sunny and her newfound friend walked out of the restaurant, together, into the cold Iowa wind. Waving goodbye, Sunny walked to her car. Once inside, she decided to go home. She preferred a walk to her bench instead of shopping. She hadn’t walked since they’d returned from Florida. Even though it was a cold January day, she felt she could go for just a short while.

She parked the car in the driveway. Wrapping her scarf around her neck, she pulled the hood of her coat over her head, put on her gloves, and began the walk to the clearing in the woods. When she got to her bench, she sat and enjoyed the late January sunlight. Her thoughts went to her lunch with Brenda. Losing track of the time, she looked at her watch. Aloud she said, “I’d better get back to the house. No one knows I’m out here. A good hot cup of coffee, in front of the fire, sounds really good right now.” She pulled her coat tighter and began the walk back to the house.

****

When Chase arrived home he found Lindy Thomlin waiting for him.

“Lindy, hello, what are you doing in Des Moines?”

“I flew in to speak to you about the offer you declined. It could be put back on the table,” she said in a confident tone.

“Come into my office.” He led her into the home office and closed the door. “Have a seat,” he said, offering her a chair.

“So you’re interested.”

“I didn’t say that, Lindy. Did your father send you to soften me up?”

“No, Daddy doesn’t know I’m here. I believe he may be giving up on acquiring your restaurants. He’s moved on to other things. I, on the other hand, will never give up, Chase.”

“My wife and I discussed it, Lindy. Although it was a very generous offer, we’re determined to keep Li’l Taste of Heaven a family owned business. We plan to run it together.”

“I was sure the young little thing would like all those dollar signs. I heard she worked as a receptionist in a doctor’s office in Clinton, before she met you.”

“She did, that’s true, but Sunny isn’t like that. The money meant nothing to her.”

“Perfect little Sunny.”

“Yes…she is perfect. She’s perfect for me, for my kids, and for my business. The day she came into my life was certainly my lucky day.”

Lindy cringed at his words.

“As a matter of fact, she’ll probably want to say hello to you. She had lunch with Brenda James today, but I’ll see if she’s back yet.”

“Hobnobbing with Brenda James, she didn’t waste any time getting into the Des Moines social circle now did she?”

“Brenda and Jay are good friends of mine, so it makes sense Brenda and Sunny would become friends, Lindy.

He called Alma on the intercom. “Alma, is Sunny back from her afternoon with Brenda? Have her come into my office for a minute, please.”

“Chase, her car is here but she’s not. I’m beginning to worry about her. It’s awfully cold outside. Do you think she walked to the woods? Poor thing is probably frozen.”

Chase’s face went ghostly white as he told her, “Have George meet me at the back door. We’re going to look for her.”

“Is the little woman missing, Chase?” Lindy asked sarcastically, when he rose from his chair.

“Lindy, this meeting is over. I’ll talk with you later.”

“Sure, Chase, I hope you find your missing wife. Maybe she’s meeting a secret lover.”

“Lindy, that’s not funny…it’s downright ridiculous. Now go, please, so I can locate her.”

“Goodbye, Chase, happy hunting,” she said as she flounced out the door.

George was waiting for him when he reached the kitchen. He was holding a flashlight and a blanket. Alma handed a thermos of hot coffee to Chase. The two men headed for the woods.

“Sunny!” Chase cupped his hands and yelled her name but there was no answer.

“Oh my God, over here, Chase,” George yelled. He had found her crumpled on the ground, with what appeared to be a nasty bump on her head. Dried blood covered her forehead.

“Sunny, my sweet, precious Sunny.” Chase cradled her in his arms.

George immediately took out his cell and called 911. He asked them not to have the siren blaring. He didn’t want the children to hear it. “Don’t pick her up, Chase, wait for the paramedics to get here,” he barked, taking control of the situation.

George phoned Alma, telling her not to let the kids see the ambulance. He also asked her to call Marty, Laura, and Alice.

The paramedics arrived momentarily and began administering to Sunny. “How long has she been unconscious?”

“We don’t know. She had lunch with a friend. She must have gone for a walk when she returned. There’s a clearing farther back in the woods where she likes to sit. I can’t imagine as cold as it is she could have been out here for long, though,” Chase told them sadly.

“We became worried when we noticed her car in the driveway, but there was no sign of her,” George added.

They had given her oxygen, put a neck brace on her neck, and lifted her onto a gurney.

“Can’t I ride with her?” Chase asked.

“It would be better if you followed in your car.”

“I’ll drive you, Chase. I’ll stay with you until your mother arrives. Alma is calling her,” George said sadly.

“Thank you, George.” The two men hurriedly ran back to the house and got into the car. They followed the ambulance arriving at the hospital within minutes.

Sunny was taken to a cubicle in the ER. Chase was asked to wait until a doctor had examined her. He filled out the necessary paperwork and sat down in the waiting area. George handed him a cup of coffee. Marty flew into the room.

“Chase, my God, what happened?”

“She apparently tripped and fell in the woods when she was walking back to the house. She hit her head. Mom, she was bleeding and she’s not conscious.”

Marty sat down next to her son. “Alma called Laura. She’s catching the next flight out. George will pick her up and bring her straight here. Just stay calm, Chase, we’ll see what the doctor has to say.”

“The kids…”

“The kids are fine. Alma’s with them. She kept them away from the windows. They don’t know anything about this yet.”

“I can’t lose her, Mom.” Chase began to cry, sobbing as his mother comforted him.

“Chase, don’t talk like that…nobody has said anything about losing Sunny. She’s a fighter. She’s young and she’s strong.”

“Call Brenda,” he told her in a broken voice.

“Brenda James?” she asked.

“They’re friends, they had lunch earlier today. She might be able to give us an idea how long Sunny was in the woods. The paramedics wanted to know. I’m sure the doctor will, too.”

“I’ll call her. Do you have her number?”

“It’s in my phone.” He handed his cell phone to her and she dialed the number.

Chase listened to Marty explain what had happened.

“They’re on their way,” she told Chase as she handed his phone back to him.

“Good, I’m glad. Where is that damn doctor?” He got up and began to pace.

“Chase, let them do their job. As soon as they know something, they’ll come and get us.”

“Ma’am, if it’s all right, I believe I’ll go back to the house and help Alma with the little ones. I’m assuming you’d rather we not tell them what has happened,” George said sadly. He was quite fond of the young Mrs. Dupont.

“Go on, George,” Marty replied. “Make sure to be at the airport early, in case Laura’s flight gets in earlier than scheduled. Don’t tell the kids yet. Not until we know more about Sunny’s condition. When we know more, either Chase, or Laura and I will tell them. Thank you for everything, George.”

“Yes, Mrs. Dupont. I’ll bring Mrs. Drake as soon as she gets in.”

Several minutes later a nurse came out. She asked Chase to come back to Sunny’s cubicle with her. Marty asked if she could go too. “I’m Sunny’s mother-in-law.”

“Of course, come on back.” She led them into a small cubicle, where several people appeared to be attending to Sunny.

“Mr. Dupont, I’m Dr. Jessup. Your wife sustained a head wound, as you know, and we believe her left arm may be fractured. I’ve arranged for x-rays of the arm and a CT scan. After those results come in, we’ll have a clearer picture of what we’re dealing with. I’m going to admit her. The nurses will let you know her room number as soon as she’s settled.”

“What about the fact she hasn’t come to yet? Is that a reason for concern?” he asked as he glanced at Sunny lying still in the bed.

“That’s not uncommon with a head wound. We’ll watch her closely. It’s too soon to be alarmed yet. She may come around soon, but if after a few days she hasn’t, we might want to do further testing.”

“All right, thank you. We’ll wait for the nurse to tell us where to go next,” Marty told him, smiling.

“Can I see her for just a minute?” Chase asked.

“Sure, but only for a minute, we need to get her down to radiology.”

Chase walked over to the bed and lifted her lifeless hand. He held it to his lips and kissed it. “I love you, Sunny. You have to come back to me.” He gently laid her hand back on the bed and walked out of the room, followed by Marty.

Back in the waiting area, he sat down, and cried like a baby. “Mom, what am I going to do…I’ve wasted all this time.”

“What time did you waste, son? You and Sunny have had a wonderful marriage so far.”

“In that cubicle, just now, was the first time I ever told her I loved her.”

“What are you yammering about? Everyone knows you love Sunny.”

“Everyone but her.” He dropped his head.

“I’m not following, are you sure you didn’t bump your head, too?”

“Mom, Sunny and I are great together in every way…you know that. But because I rushed her into marriage, for the sake of the company, I didn’t take the time to properly court her. I never told her I was in love with her. I was waiting for her to say it first. Stupid, I realize now. But in my head, I thought she had to fall in love with me before I told her. I didn’t want to rush her…any more than I already had. When she agreed to a physical relationship from the start, even after I’d told her I would wait until she was ready, I thought the love would follow. But she’s never said it. And neither have I.”

“You silly, silly boy, that girl has been in love with you since the day you married her, and probably long before that. It’s evident in the way she looks at you and the way she speaks of you. Has everyone seen it but you? Why do you think she was so willing to accept a marriage-of- convenience? Why do you think she wanted a physical relationship immediately after the wedding? It wasn’t because she was lusting after you. It was because she loved you.”

“Sunny has morals. She told me she wanted me, but would never have slept with me, as long as I was her employer. But I never gave it a thought she might already be in love with me. The only thing I’ve needed all along is Sunny’s love. Now you’re telling me, I’ve had it all this time. And now, she may never know, how deeply in love with her I am. What have I done?”

“Sweetheart, don’t beat yourself up over this, you’ll get another chance to tell her.”

Brenda and Jay had arrived. Jay sat down with Chase. After looking at their friend, apparently in so much anguish, Brenda pulled Marty aside.

****

“What’s going on, Mrs. Dupont?”

“Call me Marty, dear. Apparently, Sunny was walking and fell. She hit her head. They think she may have a broken arm, as well. She’s still unconscious.”

“Oh my…what about Ali and Brice?” she asked.

“We haven’t told them anything yet. Laura, that’s Sunny’s mother, is on her way from Clinton.

“If there’s anything we can do to help, just let us know. We can take the kids for a few days, or just sit with all of you. We’re both very fond of Sunny.”

“Thank you. The nurses will come get us when they have a room ready for her. She’s in Radiology right now, having an x-ray and a CT scan.”

“I just had lunch with her this afternoon.”

“That’s what Chase said. I believe he wanted to ask you some questions about that.”

“Chase, what did you want to ask me?” Brenda had walked over to Chase and sat down beside him.

“Do you remember what time the two of you split up today? The paramedics wanted to know how long she’d been unconscious and I had no idea.”

“We left the restaurant around three. I had an appointment I needed to get to.”

“Did she say if she was going shopping or straight home?”

“No, I’m sorry, Chase, she didn’t. She promised to call me and we said our goodbyes.”

A nurse came to them and told them what floor Sunny was being taken to. She gave them the room number and wished them luck.

The four of them found the elevator and went to the fourth floor as directed.

“We’ll wait in the lounge, while you two go on in. I’m sure they have a limit on how many can be in the room at once,” Brenda told them as she squeezed Marty’s hand.

“Thank you,” Marty replied. She turned to follow her son down the hallway. They found the room number and went on in. Sunny was in the bed, lying as still as before. A nurse was attending to her.

“Has there been any news yet?” Chase asked the nurse.

“No, I’m sorry, not yet. Dr. Jessup will be in as soon as he knows anything. He knows how anxious you are.”

Chase pulled a chair close to the bed and picked up Sunny’s hand again. He placed it inside his own larger hand and said, “I’m here, baby, and I’m not leaving your side. I love you, Sunny Drake Dupont, and I’m not letting you go.”

Marty sat down and began to pray.

An hour later, Dr. Jessup entered the room. “I’m so sorry for the delay. I wanted to go over everything before I spoke with you.”

“What can you tell us about my wife’s condition?”

“We were correct in thinking her arm is fractured. I’ve arranged for it to be casted. I don’t believe she’ll need surgery, which is good, because of the head injury.”

“What about the head injury, Dr. Jessup?” Marty asked.

“Sunny has a concussion. There doesn’t appear to be any bleeding on the brain at this time. We’ve already cleaned up the cut and stitched it. That was done in the ER. As far as her being unconscious, we wait. We have IV fluids going into her body, as well as antibiotics, and an anti-inflammatory drug. She’ll be monitored closely for the next twenty-four hours. I’m assuming you plan to spend the night in that chair?”

“I’d like to stay with her.”

“Of course, but I’ll have the staff get a recliner in here for you. I’ll be on call. If there are any changes in her condition during the night, they’ll page me. Otherwise, I’ll be in to see you in the morning.”

“Thank you, Dr. Jessup.”

By the time Brenda and Jay returned with dinner, Laura had arrived.

“Oh, Laura, thank God you’re here.” Marty got up and hugged her. “I’ll go out and let you sit with them for a while. Chase will fill you in.”

Marty walked out to the lounge to eat her dinner. Brenda and Jay sat with her. She told them everything Dr. Jessup had told them.

George had joined them and said, “I’ll go back to the house. The children were asleep when I left for the airport.”

“Thank you, George. Chase, Laura, and I will be staying here overnight.”

“Alma and I will see to the children, ma’am.”

“Thank you so much.”

Chase looked at Laura. “I’m so sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault. From what I know, she was walking and fell. You weren’t even aware she wasn’t in the house.” Laura placed her hand on his shoulder. “Go ahead and eat your dinner, son. Then you can fill me in on the rest.”

She walked over to Sunny’s bedside. Leaning over, she spoke softly to her daughter. “Sunny Jo, Mommy’s here. You need to wake up now, baby girl. Your husband is here too and so is Marty. I think your friends are here, too. We all need you, especially little Ali and Brice.” She leaned over and kissed Sunny’s cheek, then sat down to listen to what the doctor had told Chase and Marty.

After he’d told her everything he knew, Laura said, “I’ll call Dr. Rose in the morning and ask him some questions about head injuries.”

“Someone needs to tell the kids. I wonder if Mom would go over there in the morning and do it.”

“I’m sure she will.”

“You knew that their mother, my first wife, died after suffering from a fall.”

“I knew she died. What happened, Chase?”

“She was at the office. She had stopped in to tell me something. When she got on the elevator, she must have fainted, hitting her head. They found her in the elevator, but it was too late. She was bleeding internally.”

“I’m so sorry, Chase.”

“Laura, I love Sunny more than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. I can’t lose her.”

“Don’t talk like that. Just because your first wife couldn’t be saved, doesn’t mean the same thing will happen to Sunny. You said they didn’t suspect any bleeding at this time.”

“You’re right.”

“Try and rest, Chase, I’ll be right here. I’ll wake you if anything happens.”

“All right, I’ll try to close my eyes. I’ll need to be alert when she wakes up.”