"So that's why I have this 'ridiculous' cowboy hat, as you call it." He jammed the battered old hat onto his head and fell into a fighting stance, fists up and ready and pasted a snarl on his face.
"Cowboy Bob, huh?" Kennedy eyed Bob incredulously. "I never would have pegged you for a professional wrestler."
"Just goes to show you that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I was considered one of the most fearsome champs ever and nobody messed with me – unless they felt like getting an ass-whupping. My dad was in the business and now my boy is too." Pride gleamed in his eyes as he indicated a photo on the desk. "Randy's gonna go a long way, I can just feel it. He's working a program with Ric Flair and Triple H that's just fantastic."
Kennedy goggled. "Ric Flair is STILL wrestling?!? Even *I* know who Ric Flair is and I never was a fan. He must be ancient by now!"
"Hey girl, watch it – he and I are real close in age. Be careful who you're calling an old man." Bob grinned at her and dropped his hat back on top of the filing cabinet. When he took his seat and turned back to face Kennedy, his expression had become more serious.
"Now Kenny girl, tell me what's wrong. You've been distracted today, more than I've ever seen. Obviously training is not on your mind."
Kennedy wiped her hand over her face and sighed deeply. "It's my father," she said, but left it at that and didn't elaborate further.
"Is he sick? Lost his job, what? Is there something I can do to help?" Bob reached across the desk and took her hands into his own. The look on her face made his heart ache. His own son Randy was nearly her age, all grown up but in a parent's eye still a little boy begging daddy to swing him on his knee. "Come on honey, tell me what's the matter."
She hadn't intended to dump her problems on him, but the concern in his voice broke her resolve.
"No Bob, he isn't sick or unemployed…at least I guess he isn't. That's the problem. I don't know…I don't know anything about him…not even who he is. My mother refuses to talk about it and said he's long gone from our lives, but…he isn't. I found out somebody's been sending her money ever since I was born but she refuses to even acknowledge the subject." Kennedy slumped in her chair, eyes shining with tears she refused to let fall.
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." Bob came around the desk and pulled her up into a hug. She held herself stiffly in his embrace for a moment, but when she felt his hand stroke down her hair like her mother had done when she was a child, she buried her face into his shoulder and allowed herself to cry.
Bob pressed a small kiss to the top of her head and whispered soft nonsense designed to soothe and comfort. Kennedy wrapped her arms around his waist and clung tightly to him as all the pent-up emotion and frustration poured out of her through her tears.
At home, she had been taught that one always presented a serene face to the world, regardless of troubles at home. Her mother had insisted on dignity and respectability, if only the appearance of it, at all times. Her argument had been that just because they had little in the way of material possessions did not mean that they had to act like common trash and air their dirty laundry in public.
Kennedy had always thought her mother had carried things a little too far, and here was the proof. Blubbering away in the arms of practically a stranger! Just thinking about what her mother would say gave her the strength to take a few deep breaths and gently push herself out of Bob's arms.
"I…I don't know what to say Bob, I've never...broken down like that…I mean, it's always been just me and my mom and…I…" Kennedy's voice trailed off as she grabbed a few tissues from the box on his desk and wiped her eyes.
"I'm honored that you felt comfortable enough to lean on me. I know we've only known each other a few months Kennedy, but if there's anything I can do to help you, please come to me. Even if it's just to offer my shoulder again, I'll be glad to do it."
Kennedy nodded mutely, not looking up from her shoes. Bob lifted her chin with one finger and smiled.
"Why don't you let me take you out for some coffee and you can tell me how you're going to track down the deadbeat. That way I can beat the snot out of him for abandoning you and your mom." With that, he made another one of his ridiculous faces.
Kennedy grinned through the tears, she couldn't help it. "Ok, let's go."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Linda was still gazing out her windows when she heard the knock on her door. She glanced down at the Cartier watch Vince had given her for their last anniversary – exactly 55 minutes had passed. Grant Nichols was nothing if not punctual. She swung her chair around to face the desk and called out for him to enter.
"Linda, what on earth is going on? I had to rearrange a half dozen appointments to get here." Grant was a personal attorney with a thriving practice in estate law, specializing in trust funds. Linda had him on special retainer, separate from any corporate business.
"Sit down Grant." Linda indicated the chair in front of her desk. He sank into the butter-soft leather, concern on his face.
She
steepled her fingers, tapping them together in an idle gesture and took a deep
breath. "Looks like my
little secret is out. Shane found
out about Angela Johnson yesterday."
"Linda, I've always said that
secrets cause trouble. They're always found out eventually, always. I've never liked you keeping this from
Vince. He made a mistake. I know you were hurt, but you should have
given him the opportunity to make amends."
Her eyes narrowed and her lips thinned as she pressed them together. "Vince has had more chances than he ever deserved to make amends. I know about most of his other women, always have. We certainly didn't marry for love. All I ever asked of him was not to get anyone pregnant, and he couldn't even do that. My children, our children didn't need his attention diverted from them any further than it already was. I took care of Angela's brat in return for her getting out of Vince's life forever."
"So how did Shane find out? Did Angela try and contact him?"
She released a derisive snort. "No, unfortunately my new Accounts Payable manager was a bit too efficient. She found records for the monthly payments but couldn't trace the source so she went to Shane. He obviously knew nothing about it so he asked me about it." She sighed in resignation. "I promised to give Shane the whole story tonight when he calls me from Colorado."
Puzzled, Grant said, "I see. What exactly is it you need from me then?"
"I want you to make sure Angela and her brat leave the country and never come back. I don't want them to interfere in our lives in any way. Period. Whatever it takes, money is no object."