Chapter 456: Stafford Townhouse
Tuesday, February 14th, Morning
Being true to herself, she got out of bed and changed quickly. After a quick workout in her in-home gym, was finished she returned to her bedroom, showered, and dressed for the day.
Fallon Stafford took up her place in her home office. Today, she'll work from home, not that she'll have to work. Most of her work was reviewing what went on in her various companies. Fallon sat behind her desk and looked up to the painting on the wall, called Shu Swamp in the Spring. Fallon sighed and looked through the office. Finally, she turned around and looked out the window to Waverly Place and the life of the Village.
Looking down at the laptop's screen, she noticed, in the corner of the screen. The date flashed at her, February Fourteenth, Valentine's Day. Oh well, flashed through Fallon's mind as she looked at the date and opened her corporate email, which as always, is full.
Fallon slowly and steadily started with the oldest of the emails and read carefully. Once finished, she moved to the next one. Like most days, she didn't need to comment on any of them, she had good people in the right places, and they handled it. On the few occasions when she had to respond, it was always a clear and well-thought-out response, usually directing the answer to who she thought had the best solution.
After a few hours, Fallon finished with the emails and started going over other things she needed to go over. Finally, she leaned back and looked up at the painting again. She looked at her watch with a heavy sigh, one of her dad's old Rolex watch, a relatively old-style and simple watch.
Shaking her head, it wasn't even close to lunch yet, and no new problems had surfaced. There was an email from Gena at the Foundation about some packages arriving for Fallon, and she put them in her office. Fallon replied, thank you, and she'll pick it up later today or tomorrow morning.
Fallon leaned back again and sighed. She spun around in her desk chair and looked out the window. There have been many years since she came here, and she always loved the vibrant life that the Village had. Occasionally, a car would drive down the lanes of Waverly Place. Looking down the street, she could see just the very tip of the Washington Arch. She remembered walking and jogging around or underneath the Roman Triumphal Arch that Commemorated the Centennial of George Washington's 1789 inauguration as president.
Fallon remembered the two statues of George Washington. Nodding, she remembered that one was Washington as Commander-in-Chief and the other as President. Each presents a very human man as an American Demi-God. A man who was defied in his own time, lies were even told of him to make him an example. Washington was an owner of other humans and a spymaster, a liar.
One of her email accounts went off. Fallon turned, picked up her smartphone, and looked at it. The email was from a Davis Enterprise's email dominion. Sabrina Cohen emailing her? Fallon opened it and looked at it.
Fallon Adams, seriously, Fallon, you could have been more imaginative. What are you doing? Why have I been dragged into this? You know you will eventually have to come clean, and you'll probably lose the relationship. How do I know this? My friend's son, who calls me Aunt Brina, sent me a request to send stuff to the Stafford Foundation, care of Fallon Adams. Don't bullshit me; he gave me your exact measurements we have on file. So, better straighten your act up, or I'll call in the big guns.
Fallon shook her head and closed the email. Her hand shook as she let go of the mouse. Turning her desk chair, she looked out upon The Village. Her breathing became heavy as thoughts started to race behind her brown eyes. Things had been going too well; she didn't know how things would get this bad. Fallon sighed; Grant was a child of money as her; maybe that was her mistake.
She didn't need this complication, not with the federal investigation with Elliott possibly being involved. Grant was something going well in her life. He saw her as Fallon, not Fallon Stafford. Maybe, she should've found someone like, no, Tree Hill knew her and her connections.
Fallon tried to stand up but found her knees weak, shaking her head. Fallon was able to catch herself on her desk. That's when her phone chimed, Grant's text tone.
Fallon crashed down into her desk chair. Her breath was still heavy as her shaking hand reached for her smartphone.
Grant: Can I call?
Fallon looked at the phone. Could she talk to Grant now? Is his texting right after Sabrina's email coincidence or planned? After a deep breath, Fallon, with shaking hands, replied to Grant.
Fallon: Sure.
A moment later, the smartphone jumped in her hands as it vibrated. Grant's ringtone followed. Fallon, shocked by the suddenness of the vibration, dropped her phone, and it rattled on her desk.
Shaking out of it, Fallon picked up her smartphone and answered it.
"Hello, Grant," Fallon said, her voice cracked and her breath heavy.
"Are you okay, Fallon?" Grant asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Fallon said.
"Why are you breathing so hard?" Grant asked.
"A loud noise startled me just before you called," Fallon said.
"Okay," Grant said.
"So, what's up, Grant?" Fallon asked.
"What? I can't call to see how you're doing?" Grant asked.
"Of course, you can. It's not quite lunchtime, and I do have work," Fallon said.
"As do I, but I have time to talk," Grant said.
Fallon smiled, "I'm doing well," she said.
"Can your workmates hear us?" Grant asked.
Fallon looked around her home office, which was empty, except for herself. She rolled her eyes and looked at her monitor. Fallon shook her head. "No one can hear us," Fallon said.
"What are you doing tonight?" Grant asked.
"Nothing," Fallon said.
"Not going to the Met or somewhere fancy?" Grant asked.
What was he getting at? Fallon shook her head and looked at the phone.
"No, I'd just be home," Fallon said.
"How would you like to head out for dinner and entertainment?" Grant asked.
"What type of entertainment?" Fallon asked.
"Not my mother's cocktail party entertainment," Grant said.
"That's right, that's tomorrow," Fallon said.
"Did my package arrive yet?" Grant asked.
"No, not yet," Fallon said.
"Hmm, they're usually good at deliveries," Grant said.
"Well, let's just say it's not been brought to me yet," Fallon said.
"Well, get dressed up nice, and I'm taking you out tonight," Grant said.
"Okay," Fallon said.
"I'll send you the details," Grant said.
"Sure," Fallon said.
"I'll see you later," Grant said and disconnected the call.
Fallon dropped her phone on the desk from her hands shaking. Nothing is going right his morning, and she's going to have to go to the Foundation, probably tomorrow.
Her mind was brought back to the real world with a text message. Fallon reached down, picked up the phone, and looked at the message. Fallon nodded and started to make a checklist of what she had to do today.
Fallon sighed, "Fuck!" she said.
