Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 56376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Claire shook her head furiously and tried to find her voice, she could feel the tears building in her eyes. Henry frowned hard and got up from his desk. He stopped in front of her and grabbed her shoulders.
" What's wrong, Darlin'?", He asked softly.
Claire looked up at him. He was a tall guy, at least 6'4. She had no choice but to look up at him. She blinked and the tears fell, rolling slowly down her face. " My...Ethan...the daycare called, an ambulance had to take him to the hospital, they think he appendix ruptured, I have to go, I have to be with him", Claire choked out.
Henry's jaw clenched, " Dammit, of all days", he bit out.
" I'm sorry Henry", Claire whispered.
Henry shook his head and gave her shoulders a squeeze, " It'll be okay, just go"
Claire was so relieved that he'd taken it so well that she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Henry stiffened at first but then slipped his arms around her to give her the comfort she needed at the moment. Claire pulled back first and looked up at him with wide eyes, realizing what she had just done. And Henry's face was an unreadable mask, which did not help at all.
" I...I'm...", Claire stuttered, not sure of what to say. God, she felt like a fool.
" You're wasting time, get out of here", Henry said, no hint as to if he was pissed that she touched him or not.
Claire backed up a couple steps before turning and rushed for the door. Before she got out of his office, he called to her, " Call me later with an update!"
Claire glanced back and nodded, " I will", she said then left, practically running out of the office to catch the bus to St. Christopher's.
Henry paced in his living room later that night. He had changed out of his suit and into sweatpants and a t-shirt. He grabbed Chinese on his way home. He'd eaten then watched the news. That had been three hours ago. Claire had yet to call and Henry found himself worrying over a little boy he's never met. He was also worried about Claire. She had been frantic earlier. Obviously not having dealt with a seriously sick child before. He was worried that she was alone and trying to cope with this by herself. She was a single mother, but did that mean she had no family either? He hoped not. He hoped she had someone else there with her.
Henry had no problems with his meeting today, even if it would have been easier with Claire there, he was still able to take care of everything on his own. He didn't get to the top without doing the actual work. He wondered how long Claire would need to be out of the office for. Henry knew kids healed fast. But how fast?
This was the one thing he was worried about when he found out Claire was a single mother. If something happened to her kid, she HAD to be there. There was no other parent to do it. And she was the mother. Really, either way, she would be there. Mother's were like that. He knew his mother was. She could be a bit overbearing at times. God forbid he ever got sick, she'd come to stay with him and nurse him back to health.
Henry stared at his phone. Should he call Claire? He didn't want to disturb her, but he was dying to know what was happening. And he knew he shouldn't care, because she was only an employee. Ha! Yeah right. He needed to stop kidding himself. They had actually become somewhat of friends and he was starting to care about her. She had blown past his expectations and had become invaluable to him and the company.
Fuck it, he was going to call her. Henry hit the pound sign then the number 1 on his phone to call Claire. Yeah, she was number one on his speed dial. He called her a lot, what of it? It was always business related.
The phone rang three times before she picked up. Her voice was hushed as she said, " Hello?"
Henry cursed himself, she must have been sleeping or something, " Claire, it's Henry", he murmured.
" Henry, crap, hold on", she said, still hushed.
He heard some rustling around, then footsteps then the snick of a door closing.
" Hey Henry, sorry, I had to go out in the hall", Claire said, her voice sounding weary.
" How's Ethan?", Henry asked, raking a hand through his hair as he had been doing all night.
" He's okay, they did emergency surgery to take his appendix out, it hadn't ruptured yet, so that was a relief", Claire sighed.
Henry closed his eyes as his own relief washed over him. " That's great"