***Chapter 2***
***Willow Pond***
"You what?"
"Jennifer- you can't go".
"Jonathan-"
"I can't explain any more right now. I'm sorry. You are just going to have to trust me".
"Are you sick?"
"No".
"Do we have a surprise trip that I don't know about?"
"No".
"A business obligation that I'm forgetting?"
"No."
"Well, then, that settles it. I'm going and if you think otherwise, you are crazy".
She pulled out of his embrace and headed for the bathroom.
He followed her.
"Jennifer, you can't go."
"Why not?"
"Because I said so".
"Oh really? Well, eat your heart out buster, I'm going".
She disappeared into her closet and reemerged wearing a different nightgown.
He knew what she was doing, she was mad at him so she put on something unappealing.
She went and climbed into bed, and started reading.
He sat down on the bed to try and talk to her. Just as he did, the phone rang.
He picked it up.
"Hello, Stanley".
She got up and took her book and her pillow to the guest room.
By the time he got off the phone, she was fast asleep.
***The next morning***
Things were chilly between them that morning. She was so hurt that he was trying to forbid her from going on her tour. It had been years since they had been mad enough with each other to not share the same bed.
He was upset that she wasn't trusting him. All he was trying to do was to protect her, protect them. Why couldn't she see that?
She barely kissed him goodbye when he left.
He pulled her close to him.
"I love you, Red. No matter what".
She nodded, and then he left.
She went to the study and printed off her documents. She left him a copy of her itinerary on his desk.
She thought about writing him a letter, but instead she decided to just write "I love you". She put that on top of it.
She decided to focus on packing and hoped that maybe they could talk tonight when he got home.
Just as she got to the bedroom, the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey Jennifer, it's Marcia. Listen, we got an additional interview for you tomorrow, in New York, but it's going to require that you fly in tonight. So, now your flight will be at 5, Delta, and you will land at LaGuardia at 9:45. I got you an extra night at the Plaza, as well."
"Ok, thank you Marcia. Jonathan will hopefully be joining me at some point on the trip, but I am not sure when".
"Well, figure it out and I will be happy to make the arrangements".
"Thank you".
She hung up the phone and packed quickly.
She went to the grocery store, and stocked the house with all of his favorite foods and beverages. She made a few of his favorite meals and put them in the freezer and left the instructions on top for him.
Around 2, she arrived at his office to say goodbye.
***Hart Industries***
Jennifer walked to his office door and went inside. He was sitting at his desk, working.
"Hi".
"HI. Listen, Marcia called and I have to leave tonight instead of tomorrow. So, I came to say goodbye and I wanted to tell you I stocked the fridge and pantry for you, and I made you some freezer meals that you can reheat. Instructions are on top. I will be in New York through Sunday, do you think you could come out for a few days? I have to work each day, but not the whole day".
"Jennifer, I thought we settled this. You aren't going".
"Jonathan, don't be like this. I am going, and you cannot stop me from going".
"Jennifer, there is no point in discussing this".
"I should say not, since I am definitely going on this trip. You take work trips all the time. My work is important too".
"It's not about that".
"You can drive me to the airport if you'd like".
"No, I am busy".
"Do you want to come out and join me?" She touched his shoulder, hoping he wouldn't turn away.
"I can't."
"Well, then I guess there's nothing left to say". She headed towards the door.
"Jennifer-"
She turned back and looked at him.
"I love you. I am just trying to keep you safe".
"Safe? Or under your thumb? I love you too, but I won't be kept a prisoner".
She left his office without the goodbye hug or kiss that she had come for. She swung by and visited with Max before she got to the airport.
They had a nice visit, and she gave him a warm hug when she left.
"I love you Max. I will come see you as soon as I get home."
"I love you too, Mrs. H. Take care of my son for me, and I'll take care of the rest".
She kissed his cheek and then headed to the airport.
***New York***
Jennifer landed in New York at 9:45, and got her luggage. She took a cab to her hotel, and checked in.
She was starving, so she ran to a deli across the street from her hotel and got something to eat and brought it back to her room.
As soon as she settled into her room, she called Jonathan. He was just coming in from the office.
"Hi".
"Hi. Have a nice flight?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"How's your room?"
"Lonely, without you".
"House is lonely too".
"I'm sorry we fought".
"I'm sorry we fought too. And I'm sorry you don't see that I am trying to protect you."
"Jonathan, I do see that. But I have to do this for my job, just like you have to take trips for yours".
"Babe, I got a threat against your life yesterday. It's all tied into a business deal that I'm involved in. That's why I didn't want you to go".
"Why didn't you say something?"
"Because I was waiting to find out if it was legit. I had Stanley investigate it. That's why he kept calling".
"I see. And you couldn't tell me all this last night?"
"Jennifer-"
"Jonathan, I don't want to argue, but you had no right to keep this from me.
"I don't want to argue either, and I wanted to be sure it was a real threat before I told you".
"Are you sure you don't want to come join me?"
"I tell you what. What if I meet you in Boston Sunday night, and go with you to the other cities?"
"Sounds great".
"I love you, Red".
"I love you, too, Jonathan Charles".
"I miss you".
"I left you a love note on the desk in the study. And I miss you too".
"What's your day like tomorrow?"
"Today show in the morning, a few local station interviews midday, and then a book signing at night".
"I'll be sure to watch".
"Great. Well, I better get to bed if I am going to be up at 3 to head to the studio".
"Sleep well darling, I love you".
"I love you too. More than words".
She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.
After she ate, she changed into her pajamas and then fell asleep.
***The next day***
Jennifer was at the studio at 3:30 for her interview for the Today Show.
Savannah Guthrie was so kind and patient with her. She gave her a list of the questions she was going to ask before the interview started, so that Jennifer would be comfortable.
It was your basic questions, like what is your book about, and how long did it take you to write it, and what was your inspiration, etc.
Jennifer was excited to be interviewed. This book had been a labor of love, and she was excited to see it published.
Her book was a women's empowerment book, designed to encourage and inspire women everywhere to lift each other up, instead of breaking each other down. It was called "7 Secrets of Your Inner Vessel".
The interview started right on time, and Savannah was great at putting Jennifer at ease.
"So, tell me Mrs. Hart- how were you inspired to write this book about women?"
"Well, in today's society, and especially in the media, it seems as though all we hear are the horror stories. And there was one story out of the local news in California that really resonated with me, about girls at a high school who bullied and tortured this poor girl to the point where she hung herself during a live video on Social Media. That stuck with me for several days, and got me to thinking, what if someone had called this poor girl during the moments just before she did this, would it have made a difference? What if instead of 50 negative things being said to her each day, one day it had only been 49? And then the next day 48? We as adults can say whatever to our children, but they really don't pay attention to us unless we are saying the same things their friends are saying. And then it just expanded from there and took on a life of its own, and now it's a book about women for women. I feel like we, as adults, sometimes have the same reaction as high school girls do-we don't believe it unless our friends are saying it. Sometimes, your female friend is the most influential person in your life in regards to a certain topic".
"That's very smart. What types of things are mentioned in your book?"
"Well, for starters, we need to encourage each other. If a friend comes to you with a problem, you want to encourage her that she has the skills and abilities to solve the problem, and boost her confidence. Men find confidence extremely sexy in women, so you don't want to portray yourself as a weakling."
"That's true."
They continued the interview for several more minutes. Just before the end, they asked her one more question, this time about her and Jonathan.
"Finally, you have been married for several years now to Jonathan Hart. Is he supportive of your theories and your book?"
"Oh yes, very much so. Hi honey, I love you".
"How sweet. Thank you for joining us today, Mrs. Hart. And we would like to remind our viewers that you will be signing copies of your book at the Barnes and Noble on west 24th tonight from 5-8."
"Thank you for having me".
They signed off, and she had a few minutes in her dressing room before she was interviewed by Kathie Lee and Hoda. She called Jonathan.
He picked up on the second ring.
"Hi honey".
"Hi, did you see the interview?"
"You did marvelous".
"Thank you".
"One down, 20 to go?"
"Something like that. I wish you were with me".
"Me too, but I will be soon, I promise".
"I can't wait".
"Listen honey, I have to go, I have to get to the office. Call me tonight before you go to sleep?"
"You got it. I love you".
"I love you too".
She blew him a kiss, and hung up.
She had a full day of interviews and then had a couple hours to decompress before the book signing.
She missed Jonathan, but she was glad to stay busy, it made the trip without him easier.
Her interview with Kathie Lee and Hoda went flawlessly, and as soon as it was over, she left Rockefeller center and went to grab lunch. She had a few interviews lined up in her hotel room with the local media, and then she would have a few hours to herself before she had to be at the book signing.
She made it through the day somehow, and then got to the book signing. She was pleased to see teenage girls and college girls and women of all ages lined up to buy her book.
She signed each copy, discussed a few points from the book and then called it a night.
She got back to her hotel and ordered room service, and then took a bubble bath. After her bubble bath, she called Jonathan.
He picked up their private line on the second ring.
"I love you".
"I love you too. Have a good day?"
"I suppose, could have been better".
"How so?"
"You could have been waiting on me when I got home and I would know you were safe".
"Jonathan…not now. I'm fine".
"Jennifer, I can't help it but be worried about you".
"I appreciate your worrying about me, but I don't appreciate being controlled or told what to do. Do you honestly think I would have come on this book tour if I thought I was in danger?"
"That's a good point, but darling, you didn't get the threat. I did".
"Jonathan, I am not going to do this with you. I am tired, I had a very long day. I gave 5 interviews, plus had a book signing".
"I had a long day too, worrying about my wife".
She sighed.
"That wasn't fair Jonathan, and you know it".
"Jennifer-"
"I'm going to bed now. I will talk to you tomorrow". She hung up the phone.