After I landed back in DC,I called Joan. I had felt awful on the way to Panama. Even though it was for Teo,I had abandoned her when she needed me more than ever.
"What do you want Arthur?" she asked.
"I wanted to check in,see how you were doing".
"I'm fine as is our child. Did you get to see your son?" she asked.
"No but he's still undercover. I don't know if Annie mentioned-".
"That Teo's going to be pushing for ALC to go global" she cut me off.
"I just got back,would you like to get something to eat together? It would be good for us to spend some time together".
"I can't I'm at work" she said.
"Joan it's nine pm what are you still doing at work?" I asked.
"Settling in my new office" she answered and I felt a rush of pride. I knew Joan would get the job,no matter what anyone said she was capable of forwarding her career without my help.
"Joan! That's great,we have to celebrate. When do you want to spend time together?" I asked. Joan is the most complex person I know,she wants me to make the effort without actually telling her what to do.
"Well Elise's ballet recital is on Friday and I promised your sister that I'd be there. And with Jared away it's even more important that I'm there. How about we go there and then you can take me out for food afterwards without the extra family? I love Elise but there is no way I am eating McDonald's for dinner".
"That sound perfect,as long as you can convince Rayanne to speak to me. And guarantee my mom won't hit me" I smiled glad at the chance to see my mom,and my sister and my nieces and nephews. Since the news about my non-existent affair my sister wasn't taking my calls and I had saw my mother once,for a half hour while she yelled at me for my "despicable behaviour".
"I'll speak to Caroline and Rayanne. Do you want me to tell them I forgave you or that the affair was fake? If I am telling them it was fake then you have to tell them about Teo,not me" she said firmly.
"No just tell them you forgave me,I can't risk telling anyone about Teo plus it could put them and him in serious danger. I will tell them but it will be when Teo and I are talking again,I need to make sure he's on board with this".
"I understand. Do I get to meet him?".
"Of course. I'm so glad you want to,I'll speak to him about you next time we actually communicate. He knows I'm married but nothing beyond that but I'll tell him all about you and your family" I said then realised I was being over enthusiastic about our situation. We weren't a normal family and I had no guarantee that Teo would be willing to even hear about Joan. The only time we ever spoke about Joan I was telling him I was getting married and that was eight years years ago. And then he had interrupted me and told me not to spoil the memory of his mother. He had been very close to Anna Sophia and didn't take well to the thought of me marrying another woman. He had blamed me for everything, saying that if I had married his mother in the beginning,then she might still be alive,things might have been different. I could only hope he would give Joan a chance.
"Okay that's great" I heard another woman's voice and then chatter back and forth, "listen I have to go,work stuff but pick me up on Friday at six" she hung up.
I closed the phone and felt like a huge weight had been lifted. She hadn't said I love you,but it was a start.