Arianna's Daughter

Chapter 5

It was Wednesday, the twenty-eighth of August, just one week and three days before Brianna's sixteenth birthday. Arianna was in her office at the women's shelter when her assistant, Tracy came in and said there was someone who wanted to see her.

Arianna looked at her watch. Ten till Noon. "Is it my twelve o'clock Tracy?" Arianna asked. She really hoped it was because she was supposed to meet her sister Theresa for lunch at 1:30 to go over the last finishing touches of Brie's birthday party a week from Saturday.

"No Arianna. This gentleman doesn't have an appointment. But he says he knows you. And he's awfully good-looking too. Bluest eyes I ever saw," Tracy breathed.

Blue eyes. It can't be. Not him. Not now. Arianna could feel the blood rushing through her ears. The room started to spin and she could hardly catch her breath. But she tried to remain calm. "Oh, Tracy did he give his name?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Williams. Mr. Jason Williams. Should I show him in?" Tracy asked.

Arianna was frantic. She had to remain calm as not to arouse Tracy's suspicion. "No Tracy. Please tell Mr. Williams that I have an appointment at 12:00 but if he calls and schedules an appointment for another time I would be more than happy to speak with him," Arianna replied. She didn't want Tracy to think there was a reason she didn't want to see Jason. Arianna loved Tracy but she was only nineteen and somewhat of a busybody. The last thing she needed was people finding out that a mysterious man was popping in the office to visit her.

Just then the door opened and Jason stepped inside. He was wearing a dark navy suit that was tailor made just to fit him. Like a second skin. They just stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, forgetting Tracy's presence in the room.

It was Jason who spoke first. "Why don't you tell him that yourself," he said with icy rage shooting at her from his eyes. Tracy didn't notice it but Arianna did. It chilled her to the very bone.

Arianna could hardly breathe. Jason looked wonderful. Like he had just stepped out of a GQ magazine. How is it possible that he is even more breathtakingly handsome than he was before? Arianna could not find her voice. All she could do was drink in the very sight of him. A sight her eyes and heart has thirsted for and longed after for sixteen years.

Damn she is beautiful, Jason thought. More beautiful than he could even remember. With her hair worn shorter than before, she was the most beautiful thing he has seen in the last sixteen years. Just seeing her sitting there looking so radiant and lovely was like a physical blow to the gut. Already he could feel the ice around his heart beginning to melt. But not yet. He had to know the truth and he would get it out of her one way or another. The pit of fire that was growing in his stomach just looking at her gave him wild thoughts of how he wanted to persuade her to tell him the truth.

At last, Arianna finally found the voice to say, "Hello, Mr. Williams. So nice to see you. It's been a very long time. Won't you please have a seat," Arianna replied coolly, and then to Tracy, "that will be all Tracy. When my next appointment arrives tell them to please wait patiently for me. Thank you."

Jason waited for Tracy to leave and close the door before responding. "Come now, Ms. Jones. It is still Ms. Jones isn't it?" he asked glancing at her left hand harshly. "We know each other much too well for such formalities. Or at least...we used to." There it was again. That coldness that reminded her of his father, Jackson Williams.

"Look Jason it is great to see you, really it is, but as you can see I'm very busy and I don't have time for catching up right now. What are you doing here anyway?" Arianna asked clearing flustered. The sooner he left the better off everyone would be. What are earth was he doing here she wondered? Had he somehow learned about the secret she had kept from him all these years and here to demand his rights to Brianna? "We said everything there was to say to each other sixteen years ago. Dredging up the past will only make things difficult for both of us," she pleaded.