It was a long flight back from New York with a layover in Paris and bad traffic on the way back from the airport. Once they put away most of the luggage, Gladys collapsed on the settee.
“Have you said that you love me today?”
“How can you ask that?” Edward queried. “After all I did in the car on the way back to show you.” He looked at her suggestively and waggled his eyebrows.
She giggled and threw a stuffed pillow at his head.
“Come over here.” He patted the seat next to him.
Gladys moved over and he lifted her into his lap and whispered something saucy in her ear.
She pushed him off, “Now that would be an idea,” she teased. As they fell over each other in laughter, the phone rang.
“Who knows we‘re back?” Gladys mused as Edward went to answer it. As the conversation continued, her mind began to wander. She had some calls to make too.
“What! You can‘t be serious!” As he listened further, his eyes narrowed into slits and the smile disappeared from his lips.
“Edward, what‘s it?” Gladys moved closer to him.
“Damn!” He swore. “Why wasn‘t I alerted earlier?”
“Darling, calm down.” Gladys said stroking his back.
Edward listened impatiently to the voice on the other end. In truth, he had received two official emails in his personal inbox in the last week of their travels. In spite of asking that there be no correspondence from his office, his PA and his personal lawyer sent two separate missives concerning some urgent business. He‘d ignored both.
“I‘ll be right over. No you don‘t tell me what to do. I said I‘d be right over so you all better wait for me.” Edward growled and banged the phone. Someone was messing with him, seriously. He stared into space till Gladys‘ voice jerked him out of his reverie.
“What is the problem Edward?”
“I can‘t talk now; I have to get to the office.”
“Can I come?” She placed a hand on his rigid forearm.
“I know you‘re tired and God knows when I‘ll be back...”
“I don‘t mind waiting; give me a call when you can, tell me what‘s happening. I love you.”
He turned back briefly. “Of course baby, I love you too.”