The Presentation

"Are you nervous?" Jo bit at her jaw as she stared at Lacey.

"Yes." Lacey smiled slightly. "I can tell you are too. I'm not only nervous about this presentation but Thomas is ready to go back to Green Grove. I'm glad Dad came to help us out. Poor little Marie is ready to send Thomas back to Green Grove too."

Jo chuckled as she rubbed her hands together nervously. "He could feel your frustration. I can't believe you saw Danny yesterday."

"I know. Right." Lacey sighed out. "I refuse to think about that right now. I can't believe I didn't get his number or address of where he was staying." Lacey pulled at her briefcase strap.

"Are you really going to tell him about Thomas?" Jo sat down on the chairs in the waiting area. "After all this time?"

Lacey sat down adjacent her. "Yes. I guess seeing him made me realize Danny had a right to know." Lacey swallowed nervously. "Danny will be very angry. I know that. I'm worried about it. However, I don't know how to find him. Trevor said he would try to research one of Danny's companies to see if he has an address in New York."

"Trevor is a good man." Jo looked up at the clock. "We are so early."

"I know. What were we thinking?" Lacey felt her fun buzz. "It's Phoebe. She promised that she would facetime with Thomas before I went in." Lacey stood up as she nodded towards a small alcove. "I'm going to talk to him over there. I'll be back before things get under way."

Jo nodded as she watched her friend walk away. She blew out air nervously as she waited for the presentation to start. Bruce walked up to Jo to go over a few things that was expected.

"First, Ms. Penasco..." Bruce started to speak.

"Mrs..." Jo twirled her finger nervously through her short choppy hair. "I'm Mrs. Penasco."

"I'm sorry." Bruce smiled genuinely. "Mrs. Penasco, the owner has no idea about this idea to make your little company responsible for marketing Love Laced products. He is an eccentric person."

Jo noted that she found out one thing. The owner was male.

"He is also very young to be such an accomplished entrepreneur. He is only twenty-four. Therefore, he is younger than all the men on our board of executives." Bruce took in a deep breath. He felt it better to leave out Danny's name. For one thing, everyone that was anyone knew Danny Desai if you were into big business. Bruce also knew Danny was from Green Grove. He didn't know much about Danny's life there but he was infatuated with Lacey Porter. In order to not make Jo more nervous, he'd keep Danny's name hush, hush. "He is tough but fair. So what I'm going to do is explain to the executives that I have asked your company to tell us why Love Laced can sell? How it can sell? You get the gist. Then the lights will go off and the video presentation you put together will start. I don't want anyone to see you but hear your voice just as you felt it should be."

"Actually, it will be my friend's voice. She really is the brain child behind it." Jo once again exhaled nervously. "But same thing."

"Will she be joining you in the room?" Bruce glanced at his watch.

"Yes. She is taking an important phone call." Jo quirked her mouth sideways as she too glanced at her watch.

Bruce rubbed his hands together. "It is about that time. Good luck. The secretary will show you in once I make the introduction."

"Thanks." Jo watched Bruce walk away. Lacey walked up shortly after.

Lacey had a hold of Thomas's hand. "It was Phoebe. She was in the lobby waiting. I told her to bring him on up. Thomas was upset. I can take him in with us. It is dark anyway. We can act like we wanted to make the family point. Is that okay?"

"Of course, Thomas will be fine. It is better to have him here than you worry yourself sick that he is crying for you." Jo winked at Thomas then addressed Lacey again. "Thank God, you're here. I'm so nervous. One of the head honchos just spoke to me. I know the owner is male and our age. I'm so glad you came with me."

"Helps with the nerves." Lacey straightened her skirt. Then leaned to talk to Thomas. "Be like an ant, Thomas."

She took his hand as she breathed out nervously.

"Heck no. You're hot and he's a young male." Jo teased as she knocked her shoulder against Lacey's shoulder.

The executive secretary approached Lacey and Jo. "They're ready for you, ladies."

"Let's do this." Lacey stated reassuring Jo as she pulled Thomas along with them.

When Lacey, Thomas, and Jo walked into the room, it was dark only the light from the video screen was showing. Jo nodded to Bruce, who was the in the shadows. Everyone was pretty much silhouetted from everyone else. The video began as Lacey's voice spoke in a voice over.

Love Laced because sometimes you need reminders of life's simple things.

( The video showed Rico loosening his tie in a hotel room as he placed his briefcase on the bed. Then he pulled out a bag of Love Laced coffee. Goes to next shot...Marie blowing bubbles. She twirled around giggling as Rico walked out of the house handing Jo a cup of coffee. The coffee mug had the new campaign label which consisted of a silhouette of a family on a quilted pattern. That is why Jo wanted the room with the lighting so everyone was silhouetted like Lacey's label)

Love Laced because it is always nice to remember how is it is to be a child again.

(The video shows Lacey drawing while Thomas is beside her drawing. His head is down and so is Lacey's. Both their faces are hard to make out but the idea is of a mom and son sharing a special time together. A Love Laced candle burns in front of them.)

Love Laced because you always feel like family.

(The last part of the video shows Marie and Thomas sitting next to each other at a kitchen table. Lacey and Jo walk up and place two hot chocolates in front of them. Beside the hot chocolates is a canister of Love Laced hot chocolate. Marie picks up a marshmallow and puts it into Thomas's mouth. Thomas and Marie smile up at their mothers then the camera pans into their faces as they children lean into each other. That part was filmed naturally as the kids played together. However, it looked scripted.)

Danny sat on the edge of his seat breathing erratically. Charlie tried to touch his shoulder but he jerked away. He didn't want to be touched. The lights came on as Lacey and Jo stood with small smiles on their faces due to the board of directors clapping at the video. Bruce's eyes grew large when he noticed Lacey. Danny stared up at them both. His anger evident on his face. Lacey and Jo didn't notice Danny at first. When they did, both felt like the air had been let out of their lungs.

Lacey's mouth closed as Danny stared at her. His heart was thudding hard against his chest. No one could calm the storm that was brewing in his heart . Not even her. He felt betrayed by all of them. Strangely, he even felt betrayed by the small raven haired child staring at the ceiling rather than his own father.

Bruce didn't realize that Lacey was the colleague that Jo was talking about. Not to mention, the little boy standing next to her looked too familiar. It didn't take long to put two and two together considering he knew of Lacey and Danny having a relationship. As well as knowing that Danny had lost Lacey approximately four years ago. The boy looked about the age of three. It wasn't only Bruce putting things together. Danny and Charlie were obvious connecting the dots.

"I think we should meet up later." Bruce spoke up nervously.

"I don't give a D*#n what you think." Danny glared at Lacey as he answered Bruce. "I don't care about this whole show at the moment." He meant every word.

Charlie was the one to stand up and speak quickly trying to save the meeting. "Men, why don't we let Mr. Desai and these lovely people speak about the campaign."

The men were very eager to get out of whatever the situation was. Danny Desai was angry. It was never good to be in the room when Danny was angry. Usually, it meant one or more employees would be losing their jobs. The door closed leaving only Danny, Lacey, Jo, Thomas and Charlie in the room.

"Danny, I can explain..." Jo spoke first as Lacey stood gripping to Thomas's hand.

"Lacey is the one that needs to explain!" Danny yelled causing Thomas to jump. Danny breathed out trying to calm. "Please take the kid out of here, Jo. I need to speak to Lacey." He glanced at Charlie and Jo. "Alone!"

Jo took Thomas's hand as Charlie opened the door to lead the way out. Lacey nodded for Jo to do as Danny said.

"That's not fair." Lacey screamed. "You're not being fair at all. Not to any of us. Not me, Jo, or Thomas." She wanted a chance to explain.

Danny stood up. "Fair!" He shook his head. "You have the nerve to call for fairness. I didn't see him born. I didn't see his first steps." Danny slammed his fist into the wall causing a gaping hole. He jerked back his hand as pain seared through it.

"Happy." Lacey crossed her arms over her chest. "Did hitting the wall solve anything other than break an already hurt hand?"

"Don't even, Lacey." Danny grimaced as he held tightly to his throbbing hand.

"Danny." Lacey spoke softly trying to calm Danny's rage.

"Don't." Danny glared at her angrily. "Don't even say my name."

"YOU have no right to judge me. You don't know how hard it has been without you. The way Thomas is." Lacey stated defiantly as she tried to explain. Danny wasn't giving her the chance.

"NO. I sure don't. What is wrong with him?" Danny could tell there was something different about his son.

"NOTHING!" Lacey screamed. "You weren't there to help any way. Why do you care?"

"I wasn't given much of choice in the matter. Now was I?" Danny slammed his fist against the table. He yelped slightly as pain shot up his arm.

"Stop it." Lacey walked up to him. "You're hurting yourself."

"Really?" Danny jeered. "Because from where I stand, you're the one hurting me."

NOTE: Sorry but I don't have time to finish up this one chapter. I'll post half of it now and try to get the other half to readers as soon as possible.