"Oh, I'm so glad to be home," Lucy sighed as she and Craig walked up the front steps. "Even if it meant cutting our honeymoon short . . . I'm sorry we didn't get to stay the extra day."
Craig smiled her, "Don't be sorry, babe. I understand."
Lucy unlocked the front door, but before she could step inside, Craig held her back.
"Just because we're home early doesn't mean the honeymoon has to be over," he said with a grin and took her in his arms.
"What are you doing?" Lucy laughed as Craig lifted her off her feet.
"Carrying my bride over the threshold." Once they were inside, Craig set Lucy down on her feet and kissed her. "You sit down and rest. I'll bring in the luggage."
Lucy smiled as she watched Craig go outside. Then she went into the living room and collapsed onto the sofa.
The honeymoon had been wonderful. They has spent their days lounging on the beach, evenings dining out at fine restaurants and seeing shows, and the rest of the time alone together in their hotel room. It would have been perfect except for the fact that Lucy was in her third trimester and even the most relaxing activities left her feeling exhausted. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come home early.
While they were away, the maid had brought in the newspapers and left them stacked on the coffee table. Lucy hadn't intended on reading them just then, but the headline on the front page caught her attention, "Townsend Drops Stuart"
Curious, she picked up the paper and began scanning the article.
"The Stuart-Townsend Corporation, which has been under investigation for misappropriation on funds, has changed its name to The Townsend Corporation to distance itself from its former Vice President, Clifford Stuart. Stuart, who died after sustaining a heart attack, was recently revealed to be the one responsible for the missing funds.
"CEO Arthur Townsend was available for comment only by telephone as he recovered in the hospital from a mild stroke.
"'I know it seems unethical to place blame on a dead man, but at this point it couldn't be helped. The truth had to come out and I take full responsibility for it not coming out sooner.'"
Lucy stared at the words in shock. This couldn't be happening.
Before she had a chance to let the news sink in, Craig entered the room. She quickly folded up the newspaper and shoved it under the couch. Luckily, Craig was too preoccupied to notice.
"I found the mail on your desk," he said, dropping a stack of envelopes angrily on the coffee table. "I got a letter from James' lawyer. He won't take the deal. We're going to take it to court. Damn!" He paced a few steps and then announced, "I've got to call my lawyer," before storming across the room to the telephone.
Lucy slowly released the breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. She had her own problems to worry about. She had to talk to Arthur and find out what had happened.
"Eileen, we're home!" Veronica called out as she pushed a wheelchair-bound Arthur into the house. Once they were in the living room she turned to her husband and asked, "Is there anything I can get you, darling?"
"No, I'm fine," Arthur replied gruffly.
"Then I'll get some blankets from upstairs and make up your bed in the living room."
"You don't need to do that. I'm not an invalid!"
"I know, but you're still recovering and I don't want you to overexert yourself by going up and down the stairs. I'll be right back."
As Veronica went upstairs, Art picked up the daily newspaper. He cast a quick glance at it, only noting the headline before casting it aside in disgust.
"Eileen?" Veronica called out again. She paused at her step-daughter's door and knocked. The door swung open at her touch to reveal a dark and empty room.
Veronica quickly glanced into the room to make sure it was empty. Then she quietly closed to door and continued down the hallway.
"She knew her father was coming home tonight," Veronica thought to herself as she retrieved the bedding from the linen closet. "I wonder where she could be."
"Hey, Eileen. You made it," Robi cheerfully greeted Eileen. He had to shout to be heard over the blaring stereo.
"Are you kidding? How could I pass up a bonfire toga party with a keg?" she asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.
"Oh yeah? So where's your toga?"
Where's yours?" she retorted.
"We ran out of bed sheets in the house. What's your excuse?"
"Me in a toga?" she laughed. "You must be crazy. Besides, it's freezing out here!"
"That's what the bonfire is for . . . You should have worn one, I would have loved to see you dressed in a bed sheet," he said suggestively.
"In your dreams," she teased back, but the words seemed to echo in her ears. Something suddenly struck her as so familiar that the chaos around her seemed to slip into the background. When her mind returned to the present she realized Robi was talking to her. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"If you're really cold, we could go inside for a few minutes," he said, his tone more serious than before.
Eileen nodded slowly. Suddenly she didn't feel like partying. "Yeah. Let's go."
Robi walked Eileen as far as the front steps of the frat house, then he stopped. Without a word, he put his hands on her waist and started to lean in closer.
Eileen pushed him away. "What do you think you're doing?"
Robi looked confused, "What's wrong? I thought we were getting along."
"We were."
"So, then what's the problem? Don't you want to get to know each other better?"
"Not like that!"
"Fine!" he huffed, his tone more sarcastic than sincere. "Sorry I misunderstood. I'm going back to the party. See you around."
Eileen rolled her eyes as he turned and walked away. As soon as he was back with the group he was immediately approached by the redhead who had been eyeing him all evening and Eileen was left standing alone in the dark.
After a moment, she started across the lawn, back to the party, but this time she watched it all with a sense of detachment. Everyone looked so ridiculous, dancing wildly to the music and drinking beer straight from the tap, while drunken frat boys tossed anything and everything that wasn't nailed down onto the bonfire to the cheers of their brothers.
"Why did I ever think this was fun?" she wondered. As she walked away from the party, she resolved to find better ways to spend her time.
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