The Boss Lady

The Photos

"I'm not ready to leave," James said while laying on my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair and stared up at the ceiling.

"I know, we can stay here," I said reassuring him.

I stopped running my fingers through his hair and was going move away but his hand stopped me. "Don't go, please," He said and I sighed.

"I'm just gonna go downstairs to make us some tea or get some water," I breathed it and sat back down.

"Where's Merideth?" I asked confused as to why he wasn't with her at a time like this. I mean even she had to understand that this was a huge deal. If for nothing else, it would great for the cameras.

"I don't know, probably with my mother," He said and I nodded. His mother must have been heartbroken, they'd been together for so long, and from what I understood this was something Edwardo was expecting.

"Is she doing alright?" I asked concerned.

"She's doing as well as she can," He replied sadly.

"I know what it's like James and it gets easier as the days go by," I said rubbing his shoulder. He turned his bloodshot eyes towards me and I gave him a soft smile.

"In the meantime, I don't think that you should spend so much time here. After the funeral, you are going to go back to focusing on the engagement," I said hitting him with a jolt of reality.

News flash, we weren't together.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I should go see my mom and Merideth," He said rubbing his face and putting his dress shirt on but leaving it unbuttoned, giving me a great view of his abs. He seemed to get his workouts in.

He grabbed his tie and put his underwear and dress pants on. I got on my knees on my bed and moved closer to him, near the edge of the bed. I buttoned his shirt up and felt his gaze on me the whole time, making me avoid looking up. When I was only the last button, I did look up, and he was still staring down at me intensely.

"There," I whispered scooting further back on my bed.

"Katherine Michealson, you are perfection," He said and I couldn't help but laugh. Way to ruin the moment.

"Out," I said giggling like a little girl.

"Thanks for everything," He said while heading towards the door and turning back to look at me.

"Anytime, I accept all payments in the form of flowers," I said smiling and tilting my head to the side. "I assume you know the way out of this grand estate?" I asked sarcastically and he laughed nodding and heading out the door of my bedroom.

I drowned in how happy he made me when he was simply himself. I'd never seen him so vulnerable and I honestly never thought I would. When I heard the front door open and shut, is when my reality hit me in the face. His having come a little earlier.

I usually didn't care about the mail, most of my bills I just paid online. But today when I went to get the mail, I saw a letter addressed to me in a beige envelope. I got into the house and immediately went to work opening it. There was a piece of paper inside and a couple of little pictures fell out.

I bent down to look at them properly. One was of a young Edwardo laughing and leaning against a counter next to him was a man grinning with dark eyes and long hair. His arm around Edwardo's shoulder. I hurried up and grabbed the rest of the pictures that had fallen out. One with just the man with the long hair and another one with him and my mother.

I felt the tears forming in my eyes as I sat on the floor spreading the pictures out to get a good look at each of them. I rubbed my finger over the picture of my young mother and started crying. I was so focused on the pictures that I hadn't even realized that there was a small half sheet of paper with a couple sentences on it.

Dear Katherine,

I've already told you the story sweetheart and I've offered you all I can for your future. Take care of yourself Katherine and tell my son to never mess with a woman's feelings.

Take care,

Edwardo King

Now that I read the piece of paper from Edwardo, I started to wonder if it was just guilt. Guilt for his role in never telling me the truth about my father. Guilt that made him decide to leave me as CEO when I wasn't sure I was qualified.

I laid there on the floor for what felt like forever. Analyzing the photos and comparing my features to the stranger I now knew was my father. I felt a sense of comfort knowing that these two humans had created me and I could look at them anytime I wanted. Even if it was just through a photo, I had something I could tell people if they ever asked.