11 - Cookies

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Ted watched her leave and looked down at his plate. He spent too many meals alone and enjoyed the company. He often felt different when he was home as 'Ted' versus when he was presenting his public image she referred to as 'Edward'. He couldn't decide if she was teasing or serious. She had seen a side of him no one had seen in years, because he never left the house without his contacts.

He had started wearing the colored contacts for vain reasons when he was in high school. In very little time, his blue eyes became his signature feature. He felt trapped in the deception. During his marriage, Elaine wouldn't let him leave the house without them. His neighbor was the first person who had seen him with his natural eye color in a long time.

Oddly, he trusted her to keep his privacy. She could have told Celia where he lived, but she hadn't, so he respected her. Most of the women in his circle would betray him to move up a notch in their own social standing. Why one person needed to be knocked down for another to get ahead, he never understood. Somehow he suspected Elaine was shoring up her place by bad-mouthing him. He was probably known as the world's worst husband, he but couldn't care less. The only thing that would attract another wife his way was his net worth, and he wasn't delusional to think otherwise.

The pond was limited. Very few women would be worthy of the title of Mrs. Calhoun. He had been raised that image was everything. Being a Calhoun came with certain expectations, especially with the name Edward. He worked hard to stay out of the spotlight but knew if he googled his name hundreds of pictures would appear and not all flattering.

The one thing he was adamant about was sheltering his son. He attended the same private school Ted had gone to. All three families he grew up went to the same day school, his friend Trey included. Was it wrong they kept to their own kind until each went off to college? Each finished with at least four successful years. Sage had the most with her doctorate in history.

He was well aware people thought he was a snob, but he was private. His tenant could have exposed his privacy, but she protected his identity. He hated to question her motives. Aidan was an upstanding guy, so it made sense his sister would be too.

Because he wasn't blind, he could appreciate Mia Reilly, especially in her heels. Truthfully, he liked the frazzled babysitter and house cleaner look too. Not that it mattered because he limited his socializing to his own circles. Damn, he was a snob.

He would break that rule only for the woman he danced with in Bea's garden. If only, he had seen her face. It was so dark, he couldn't tell what color hair or eyes she had. Still she had to have a certain social standing to be invited to Bea's birthday masquerade.

Every time he went to one of Bea's parties he wondered if it would be the time he finally met her. Foolishly, he would walk out to the fountain and wait, but only couples appeared. Maybe she was one of the many who looked at him oddly for being there alone? His one wish was to meet her again, but unlike other foolish saps, he refused to throw a coin over and over. They met at the fountain and the magic of the fountain would bring them together, if it was meant to be.

Daydreaming would get him nowhere. He lost a day traveling, but he needed to inspect the old factory in Chicago before they bid on it. There were things he couldn't gleam from a report no matter how detailed. He needed to see the area around the building to determine if his project would be successful.

Instead of building more subdivisions, he had started renovating vacant mills and factories into luxury green condos. He wasn't so entitled he was blind to the effects of climate change. He wanted to do his part. His social conscience told him he should, but also as a father, he worried for his son's children even if he was only four.

His first reno wasn't completed, but pre-sales and interest were promising. He had similar ones underway in other cities around the country.

When he arrived at his office at ten the following morning, he had already worked three hours on site. The hands-on work was more important than ever with the constant supply of cookies. He had neither the time nor desire to have his wardrobe altered. The physical work would hopefully save him or he'd have to abstain from the baked goods.

"Good morning. Coffee?" Reed greeted him.

He waved off his offer of coffee. "I need to make up for yesterday."

"Mrs. Rodriguez left a message."

He glanced at his iPhone seeing she hadn't called him directly. It couldn't be an emergency. The champ was at preschool, so Mrs. R was off duty. "Get her on the line, please."

"Mr. Calhoun, you asked me to call you whenever she asked me to stay late. She has plans this evening."

"Thank you, Mrs. Rodriguez. I'll relieve you after work. Don't inform Mrs. Calhoun, if she leaves before I arrive."

The woman ended the call with a sigh of relief. Ted was certain the woman was afraid of his son's mother.

An evening with his son was a gift. He would rather be daddy than Ted, Teddy or Edward. When Ted sat by the tub as the boy played, Edward looked up at him with a sad face.

"Daddy, why can't I sleep in my new room?"

"Because you are staying here with mommy tonight."

"She's not home. She never plays with me."

"Daddy has to work." It was an excuse because Mrs. Rodriguez cared for him during the day while Elaine did God knows what.

"Mrs. R can come to my new house, the one with the cookies."

Ted laughed. "Is it me you miss or the cookies?"

"You daddy, but cookies too. Tori wants cookies."

"You told Tori about the cookies." The boy smiled and nodded. "Of course, she does." The little brat loved sweets. It occurred to him Mia would probably love Tori if she ever met her. It was just a matter of time before he would have to explain the cookies to Elaine.

Time was up, when Elaine appeared at ten to eleven. It surprised her to see him. He was working on his laptop much like he would have been if he still lived there. After the bath, he read a bedtime story and tucked his son in. Knowing she would be hours, he went straight to work.

"Why are you here?" Her voice was sharp.

"Because Mrs. Rodriguez doesn't work nights." He stayed calm, but the coolness in his own voice gave him a chill.

"You don't belong here. It's my house."

He could tell she had been drinking. Instantly, he had to assess if his son was safe with her in an emergency. He clicked on his laptop's voice recorder.

"It's my house until the divorce is final which won't happen until we agree on the custody issue. How much did you drink?"

"None of your goddamn business. I didn't drive."

"It is my business when you'll be responsible for my son all night."

"He's my son."

"I'm aware of that, but often wonder if you are. You only mother when it's convenient or it will annoy me."

"At least, I don't feed him cookies all day." And there it was. "I'm a little confused about the source of these cookies."

He looked her in the eye and told her the truth. "The woman who is renting the other apartment. She likes to bake cookies and we like to eat them. He has never spoiled his dinner, not that he hasn't wanted to. Last I knew even you agreed I am more than competent as a father."

"Father yes, husband no."

He shrugged, because he knew she was probably right. A husband should love his wife and he stopped a few years ago.


You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net