"Doesn't anybody work in this place anymore?" asked Kendall in a strident voice as she stalked into the main office of Fusion from the elevator.
Greenlee and Simone were huddled together at Greenlee's desk, but otherwise the office was empty and quiet… too quiet. At that time of the morning there should have been a significant amount of hustle and bustle from all the young movers and shakers that they had hired to run the successful young company.
Greenlee and Simone both turned to face Kendall, and Simone was the first to comment, "Hey… Kendall… I didn't expect… well… we figured you were still in mourning for your stepson. Although thinking of Ethan as your stepson is just too strange… but he was your husband's son, so I guess you should be… hey! Shouldn't you be wearing black?"
"Simone… Allow me," Greenlee said laying a hand on the other woman's arm. "Just turn your sorry self around and march right out of here the way you came in, you backstabbing witch!"
Kendall breathed a sigh and smiled sweetly, more grateful than the other woman would ever care to know that she was in the mood for sparring, "Hey! Wasn't that your broom I saw parked next to the elevator? It could use a little shine and polish if you ask me!"
"I can't believe you're showing your face here after the way you let JR Chandler get his hands on Fusion! I'm sure Ryan told you that you aren't welcome… so just climb back onto your broomstick and cackle off to your little casino," Greenlee said vehemently.
Kendall laughed, "Oh… are you referring to that pathetic little visit Ryan made to The Seasons yesterday? I'm so sorry that we couldn't offer him a line of credit… but he's just not a good risk. We don't really trust guys who live off their wife's trust fund."
"Ryan was not there to gamble… he wouldn't be caught dead playing at your casino," Greenlee answered indignantly.
"Well… Greenlee… I can remember a time when he almost was. I think it was some little murder game? Yeah… and you'll never guess who the killer was!" Kendall said more vindictively than usual. If she hadn't been so worried about her appointment at the hospital, she might have been a little less harsh in her comments. At that moment, though, she was out for blood and Greenlee was her favorite target.
"Whoa… hold it! Hold it right there!" Simone interrupted standing between them and holding her hands out as if to break up a physical fight between the two women. "I know things look pretty bleak right now… but you two… you're more friends than enemies, and besides… you're sisters now, too."
Kendall and Greenlee looked at Simone and said at the same time, "Sisters! Bah!" After a second, they looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Simone relaxed when it looked like the worst of the argument was waning, "There… that's better. If you two talk this out, you'll find that there's a much better way of dealing with JR and Ethan than in insulting each other."
She realized too late that it was an unfortunate choice to remind them of the reason they were arguing as their expressions became guarded and angry once again. Kendall, however, realized that her anger stemmed more from her fear of the unknown than anything Greenlee or Ryan had said or done. Instead of another vituperative statement, she said quietly, "Like I told Ryan yesterday… we're working on this and we'll fix it. JR's not going to get Fusion. Jack and Livia are working the legal angle, and Zach and I… well… we've got a few ideas, too."
Greenlee eyed Kendall suspiciously, "Like what? You know something, don't you? Well spill it right now… this is my company your in-laws are messing with. I have a right to know what you're up to."
"I'm sorry, Greenlee… I can't tell you. I promise that it's good, and if it works out it will fix everything… but it has to stay a secret for right now," Kendall said quietly.
"Not good enough. Whenever you keep secrets people get hurt. You can't be trusted, Kendall… we've learned that time and time again. Fusion is too important to me, and I won't let you lose it to JR. Now spill!" Greenlee said in rising agitation.
Kendall shook her head and answered, "No… if the choice is betraying you or Zach… then I choose you, Greenlee."
"You can't choose Zach over me… you don't have a marriage, you have a business deal… no matter what I've told your mother to the contrary. With you married to Zach and running his ridiculous casinos, you're out of my hair at Fusion. That's the only reason I've been behind your latest escapade," Greenlee told her. "No… you have to pick me over Zach because I'm family and I'll always be there for you… and one day Zach will disappear and you'll be all by yourself again – unless Ryan and I take pity on you."
If Zach had been in the room right at that moment, Kendall could have easily stood up to the other woman's taunts. She had known all along that Greenlee's defense of her marriage had as much to do with her basic self-involvement as any caring for Kendall. But in light of the blows they had been receiving steadily for the last two weeks… and a gnawing fear that she couldn't ignore… she found herself feeling that old insecurity rearing its ugly head. Despite the confidence she had felt the day before when facing down Ryan… she suddenly felt unable to fight with Greenlee or to defend her marriage. She sat down on the nearest chair, her face a mask of sadness and fear.
Greenlee had seen Kendall defeated before… she had been the person who made her feel that way on more than one occasion. But she had never seen her deflate like a leaky balloon right before her eyes. She said in disbelief, "No way… you are not going to make me feel sorry for you. This is just a trick… and it's not going to work. You get up out of that chair and call me a bitch right this minute!"
Kendall looked at Greenlee in shock at the last statement as Greenlee looked at her with the same dumbfound expression and they both burst out laughing. Simone laughed along side of them, but was careful not to say any actual words this time. After a moment, Kendall said while still gasping for air, "You… took… the words… right… out of … my… mouth!"
Greenlee pulled another chair close to Kendall and sat next to her, placing hand on the other woman's knee, "Hey… I'm so mad at you over Fusion that I don't know why I'm doing this… but are you feeling okay? You look kind of… I don't know… like somebody shook all the stuffing out of you. What happened?"
"It seems like everything is… just… too much. I'm tired, Greenlee… and a lot of what makes me tired is you and Ryan constantly looking for agendas and backstabbing from me and Zach. It would be really nice if you would remember that it was my husband who fixed it when Ethan went after Fusion the first time… and he'll fix it again. Besides, your father is one of our attorneys, so you've already got somebody on the inside," Kendall said quietly after a long sigh.
"Okay… I did talk to my father last night… and he said you have a good shot at breaking one or both of those wills. And I guess he did tell me that I shouldn't worry," Greenlee said grudgingly. "So I suppose you can stay… for now… but I really prefer you to stay very busy running those casinos… and out of my way."
Kendall laughed to belie the tears that had sprung to her eyes, "Okay… okay… I make more money at the casinos than I do selling cosmetics anyway. But I would like to see what you're working on… after all… this was my first business. I've got a soft spot for it."
Greenlee nodded her head and pulled the papers she and Simone had been looking over from the desk and showed them to Kendall. Simone pulled up another chair and the women worked together productively for the remaining time until Kendall needed to leave for her appointment.
Just before Kendall stepped onto the elevator Greenlee said, "Wait, Kendall…" She pulled her into an embrace and then pinched her arm before pulling back.
"Ow! What was that for?" Kendall said, rubbing her arm even though she knew it was Greenlee's warped means of showing affection.
"Just a reminder of what you'll get if you stay away so long again," Greenlee said caustically. "Now go take care of your important stuff, Mrs. Slater, while we get some real work done."
As she drove to the hospital, Kendall mused about Greenlee's words and wondered how much of them had been designed to hurt and how much had been the truth. Even though she knew that Greenlee cared about her in her own twisted, self-important way… it still bothered her that she couldn't see how Kendall and Zach had turned their marriage into much more than a convenient business arrangement. Was it possible that she had misjudged it, too… and was Zach merely amusing himself with her for the time being? No… he was entirely too attentive and considerate… and too concerned for her welfare. To listen to anything Greenlee said was foolish… and to believe Greenlee's words over Zach's actions was insane. But she had proven on more than one occasion that she could be foolish and insane.
Fortunately, the train of Kendall's musings had led her to the reception desk at Pine Valley Hospital and it was time to sign in for her appointment. She turned off her unruly thoughts for a moment to speak to the desk clerk, "Kendall Slater for Dr. Baldwin. I have a ten o'clock appointment."
The clerk looked up after a moment and said, "I'm sorry Mrs. Slater. Dr. Baldwin had an emergency and was called away. I'll need to reschedule you for next week."
"Next week! I can't wait a whole week to see the doctor. You have to have something today… or another doctor that can see me," Kendall said frantically.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Slater… there's nothing on the schedule. The only reason we were able to squeeze you in today was due to Dr. Grey's request," the clerk answered.
"Dr. Grey… Maria… is Dr. Grey in today? Perhaps I could see her for a few minutes… just to get my test results. I'll even schedule an appointment with Dr. Baldwin for next week," Kendall said urgently. "Please? Can you check to see if Dr. Grey can see me?"
Kendall seemed so agitated that the clerk took pity on her and paged Maria to the reception area. Kendall seated herself and waited several minutes until Maria showed up wearing scrubs under her lab coat. After speaking with the clerk for a moment, Maria turned to face Kendall and seated herself in a chair opposite the younger woman.
"Kendall… as I explained yesterday, I can't see you as a patient," Maria said quietly. "There are too many personal things between us. It's not a good idea."
"I know, Maria… but Dr. Baldwin… he was called away on an emergency," Kendall said anxiously. "I can't wait until next week to find out those test results… I can't think about anything else, and right now Zach needs me. Please, Maria… can't you just give me the results? I'll see Dr. Baldwin next week and we can discuss treatment options… for… whatever it is… but I have to know now."
Maria sat and thought for a moment, and Kendall allowed her to consider in silence. Finally Maria looked intently at Kendall and said, "Okay… I guess this is my fault for calling and scaring you yesterday. Let's go to my office and I'll tell you what you want to know."