Cool Mom

76: Another Visitor

I'm picking up Hazel from school when my phone starts to ring. It's Jeremy.

"Hey!" I answer the call, my heart skipping.

"Daniel is still the same." Jeremy reassures me, like he does every time he has called me the last two weeks.

I sigh and ask, "Why are you calling?"

"We need to talk in person. Can you meet me at the hospital?" He asks.

I look at the seat beside me to find Hazel looking out the window from her car seat. "Yes. I'll be there in an hour."

"See you." He says, ending the call.

I instruct the driver to take us home. When we get there, Hazel automatically heads for her room to change out of her uniform and I ask the chef to lay out lunch. I may have lost my appetite but I have to keep up the façade for Hazel's sake and the sake of the baby inside me.

Five minutes later Hazel returns and we take our seats at the table to have lunch.

"I have to go to the hospital right after lunch." I tell her.

At once she looks up, "Can I go too?"

"You have to finish your homework." I tell her.

I can see her eyes water as she looks down at her food and mumbles, "But I want to see daddy."

It breaks my heart to have to see her go through such pain. I didn't tell her of Daniel's condition for a day or two but she soon caught up that something was wrong when Daniel didn't come home at night. So I finally had to take her to see him and explain that daddy wasn't well.

Ever since she's gone quite, almost robot like which makes me hurt for her but at least she's found a coping mechanism, because who knows what the outcome will be.

When I don't say anything for a minute, she says, "I'll take my homework with me."

I sigh and set down my fork, "Okay. You can come with me."

I ask the butler to have the driver bring the car back to the front and then while Hazel heads off to fetch her schoolbag, I take a call from my mother who has called almost every day to check up on me. Something I'm extremely grateful for.

In half an hour we're at the hospital as I let Hazel lead the way to the private room where Daniel is.

I push the door open for her to find Jeremy sprawled across the sofa in the room. I can tell that he's exhausted from spending the nights here but every time I insist on staying he sends me home.

He sits up when he sees us walk in and lets Hazel take in Daniel before giving her a hug and helping her into an armchair.

"What did you want to talk about?" I ask, watching Daniel breath.

"Work. Actually all of Aaron Limited." He says, drawing my attention to him.

"Is something wrong?" I ask, frowning.

He nods solemnly, "Very."

We sit down in identical arm chairs as Hazel's and get talking.

"Ever since Alan and Co. released the statement about Daniel's health, employee morale has significantly dropped and it's affecting our work quality. Clients are starting to get shaky in their deals. Alan and Co. are leaching off this moment of weakness and from the forecasts that our Finance Department has drawn up, if clients start pulling out, we might be looking at bankruptcy within the next few months."

"This cannot be happening." I groan.

"But it is and we need to take action." Jeremy sighs.

"What is there to do? The man who can fix this is incapable and unaware of what's happening to the one thing that he's worked for his entire life." I rack my fingers through my hair, frustrated.

"We need someone that people can look at and think, 'Yes! That's Daniel's legacy! We can trust this person.'" Jeremy sighs and leans back in his seat.

I look at Hazel who is busy coloring her Panda. Hazel is Daniel's legacy.

"But who?" I finally ask, unable to ponder over it any longer.

"Me." A new voice says, making me jump.

I turn in my seat to find David at the door.

I stand up on shaky legs, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see my brother." David replies, his hands in his pockets.

"You're the last person Daniel would want to see right now." I tell him, grinding my teeth in anger that David overheard such an important discussion.

David ignores my words and strolls over to Daniel's bed. "Little brother's legacy should be someone with the Aaron name."

"That's not necessary." Jeremy counters.

"Why are you lying to yourself?" David drawls.

"Just leave David." I sigh unable to deal with his games.

"And what let my precious baby brother's company fall to the wolves?" He smiles.

This boils my anger, "He would rather let the wolves have it than you. Get out!"

"You're lying to yourself." He shrugs.

"Your brother is in a comma and all you care about his leeching off his work? Are you even human?" Jeremy looks exasperated.

I look at Jeremy, "David has always been in awe of Daniel. It's just jealousy."

"As you say little sister. It will be my pleasure to watch my brother's lifetime of work go up in flames." David smiles again. "Who else would Daniel trust with his company?"

"From what I just heard. Anyone but you." Jeremy scoffs.

David gives us one last look before turning around sauntering out of the room. I sigh and sit back down.

"Should we be worried that Daniel's brother knows?" Jeremy asks.

I nod, "Very much."

I don't want to explain David and Daniel's history as it feels too private to share but I'm guessing that Jeremy got the gist of it from the talk we just had.

"I'm lost now." Jeremy stands up.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I was going to propose considering Daniel's brother but I guess that's not an option." Jeremy looks down at his shoes.

Suddenly an idea hits me, "Jeremy." I say slowly.

"Hmm?" He asks.

"I may have found the answer." I say, awe struck at the same time.

"Who?" He asks.

"Me."