I Love You, Goodbye. Prentiss Sr. Grant
paperwork. Several looks were passed between them as they headed out the door.
Harrison walked in the front door of his house and realized he did not know how he had gotten there. Did he run any red lights? Stop signs? He could not remember. It didn’t matter anyway. Nothing did at this moment. Laying his keys down on the front table in the hall, Harrison looked at the telephone answering machine. Forty-two messages. He would listen to them later. Now he needed a drink. From the front hall Harrison walked into the study. This was the one room in the house where Harrison was comfortable. He had allowed Mary to decorate the entire house the way she wanted. While their home was elegant he always thought it was too dainty, which of course would be the case since it was built to suit the ideals of a woman. Everything from the wrought iron staircase to the paintings on the walls was there to please Mary Michaels except for the study. The study was built for Harrison.
The room was large as was everything in it. An oak desk stood proudly in front of a set of bookshelves. The top of the desk was at least an inch thick and the base was solid. Harrison’s chair was oversized, as were the client chairs in front of the desk. Against one wall was a large leather couch which matched the rest of the furniture. Harrison walked immediately to the bar across the room from the couch, sat his brief case down and poured himself a drink. Clutching the drink in one hand he crossed the room and sat down. He closed his eyes for a long moment. Finally, he thought, I can rest.
The doorbell rang before Harrison could take the first sip from his drink. Slowly Harrison got up and headed back toward the front door. The bell rang again just as he was reaching for the knob. “I’m coming,” he said as he turned the knob and opened the door. The shock in his face was clear and he stood dumbfounded in the doorway not only unable to speak but even to utter a single syllable. This was a meeting destined to occur but which he failed to anticipate. Harrison could feel his heart began to race. He thought about closing the door and running back to his office but he couldn’t move. What was he to do? What?
“Oh Harrison,” she said as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “What are we going to do without our sweet Mary?” Her words turned to sobs and she buried her face in his shoulder. “Now Martha, you can’t do this all day,” Tucker Richards said as he took his wife’s shoulders and pulled her from Harrison. “Don’t make me call the doctor and get you a sedative.” Harrison stepped aside as the elderly couple entered the house. “How are you holding up, son?” Tucker was guiding his wife inside the house as he spoke. “I don’t really know,” Harrison replied as the couple passed him in the doorway. Mr. Richards patted him on the shoulder as he led Martha toward a nearby chair. “Why don’t we go to the living room,” Harrison said before Martha could sit down. While the three were heading to the living room Harrison worked to regain his composure. With everything going on today he had completely forgotten about Mary’s parents.
The Richards were good people. They had welcomed Harrison into their family from the beginning. Even when he and Mary were dating in college they always had gifts for him at Christmas and a place for him at the table next to Mary. They were not wealthy by any measure but they were happy. Tucker had owned a small hardware store in one of the surrounding suburbs and earned a modest living for Martha and him. Mary was their only child and as such they doted on her constantly. With their marriage Harrison was treated as the son the Richards never had. As his career advanced they enjoyed bragging on their only daughter and her successful husband. They were extremely proud of Mary’s charity organizations and attended every function they could. But today was different. The Richards were in pain, a pain they didn’t know how to handle. A parent is not supposed to outlive their child, especially not one as lovely and giving as Mary. So they did the only thing they knew. They came to Harrison. Harrison would have the answers. He always did. And because they were in such pain they failed to realize Harrison might be in pain also.
When they reached the living room Tucker sat Martha down while Harrison went to get her a drink of water. As he was filling the glass he began to feel nauseous. Steadying himself against the counter he wondered how he was going to make it through this. He rested his head against his arms and took several deep breaths. “You can do this, Harrison,” he said aloud to himself. Staring at his faint reflection in the window above the sink Harrison convinced himself he was strong enough to handle this situation. Then he suppressed his own feelings of loss, filled the glass and returned to the living room.
Once reunited with Tucker and Martha, Harrison asked if they had eaten. With his question Harrison realized he had not eaten all day. Elizabeth had brought him a sandwich from the little deli on the corner around lunch but he only picked at it. Even so he wasn’t particularly hungry but eating would require their leaving the house and moving to a public setting. Neither Tucker nor Martha would expect him to prepare a meal at a time like this and there was no one else to prepare a meal. Harrison and Mary did not have a household staff like others on their financial level. They did not see the need for a cook since it was just the two of them and each had hectic schedules. Besides, when they weren’t busy, Mary and Harrison ate out or cooked for themselves. Mary enjoyed cooking for Harrison. She had taken several courses in college and liked being in the kitchen. Harrison would assist her on these evening while the two usually shared a nice bottle of wine. It was their private time together and each worked their schedules to assure as many of these evenings as possible. The only person Harrison and Mary employed at the house was a maid who came in once a week and cleaned. But most importantly, this meeting would be easier in public. Martha would be less likely to question him about specifics. Also he needed a way to suggest the Richards stay at a motel and not at the house. Harrison was doing everything he could to hold himself together. He could not be strong for anyone else for an extended period of time. After they all had agreed they did need to eat, they headed out the door and towards their cars.
Harrison led the Richards to a small restaurant a few miles from the house. He and Mary had eaten there a couple of times before and he figured it would be safe. When he and Mary had been there the food was decent and the owners hadn’t recognized him, probably because when they had come it was on Sunday afternoons and they had not drawn much attention to themselves. It wasn’t as if Harrison was a movie star but around most towns wealthy people are considered local celebrities, especially in restaurants and shops where lives depended upon the spending of others. Just one high roller could turn a small mom-and-pop store or restaurant into the next “in” place. Business would increase overnight. The smaller “big-wigs” would frequent the establishment in an effort to hopefully make connections with higher-ups. Common people would also become regular customers to either see how the rich people lived or fantasize they were members of a higher society. An owner’s modest living would turn into small riches overnight.
Arriving at the restaurant Harrison parked his Mercedes on the side of the building toward the rear. The Richards failed to notice the parking lot was practically empty and parked next to Harrison’s car. When they entered, the hostess showed them to a table in the center of the room near the bar. As they walked to the table Harrison looked around at the other patrons but did not see anyone he recognized. A young couple was sitting a few tables away but were oblivious to the world around them. Their hands were interlocked and they were staring deeply into each other’s eyes. Harrison smiled momentarily visualizing himself and Mary at the same table. He knew the couple would be of no concern. Two men sat at the bar watching the television and talking to the bartender. The subject of their conversation was unknown to Harrison but he guessed sports given their mode of dress and the beers on the bar in front of them. He figured they rarely watched the news and probably never heard of Harrison and Mary Michaels. Other than that the place was empty.
At the table Tucker held Martha’s chair and then took the seat to her left. The waitress arrived at the table as Harrison sat down next to his father-in-law. He figured the better position would be across from Martha. Harrison ordered a bourbon and Tucker took this opportunity to order himself a scotch. When questioned for her order, Martha looked at the waitress and asked for a glass of water. As she left to get their orders Martha turned to Harrison. “Do you have any information about the accident?” Harrison was about to answer when the television over the bar broke for a special announcement. As the three stared, a picture of Mary flashed on the screen. It was from one of her charity events, which had been covered by the society