I drove the Mustang back to Chicago, arriving at London House just before midnight. The desk clerk checked me in and gave me several messages from my mother, including an envelope containing several thousand dollars in cash. Inside there was a note that simply said, "You'll need money. Love, Mother." I rolled my eyes as I stuffed the envelope in my pocket and followed the bellhop up to my room on the 20th floor. Once he'd shown me the amenities and asked if I needed anything from the kitchen, he disappeared, leaving me alone in a room that bore only the crudest resemblance to the one I'd spent almost two weeks in at the Miller's.
I missed Grace. I wanted to call her, but I knew better than to risk it when I didn't have my phone. I trusted that she'd understand I was busy on the farm when I didn't immediately respond to her calls tomorrow, and by Sunday afternoon, I'd be back in Corner Grove, hopefully with Grace not far behind. All I had to do was get through the reception tomorrow night and I'd be golden.
I checked the closet and found that my mother had had several tuxes and a variety of shoe styles sent up to the room. The dresser drawer was full of underwear and the bathroom was stocked with all the products I'd used when I still lived at home. Something about this offering softened my heart a little; maybe my mother was trying to say she was sorry for the way she'd treated me in the only way she knew how-through products and clothing. I'd have to have a talk with her about how my tastes had radically changed since I was eighteen, but I smiled at the thought of her calling her department store sales people and placing orders for everything.
I grabbed the phone by the bedside and walked to the window as I dialed Bugsy's number and waited for him to answer. When the call went to voicemail, I left a short message, "Hey, Bugs, I'm back in town for one night. My mother put me up at London House, stop by tomorrow and we'll talk business. Room 2050. See ya, jackass!" I hung up just as the room server tapped on the door.
She rolled a cart in and asked where I wanted it set up.
"Just leave it there," I said indicating the spot in front of the plush gray couch. "I'll take care of it."
She bowed and then left the room as silently as she'd entered. I sighed, grabbed a beer from the fridge under the desk, flipped on the television to ESPN, and sat down to eat. I'd thought I'd miss these little luxuries while I was down in Corner Grove, but I was surprised to find that I missed them less than I thought I would. Still, it was nice to be able to order a meal and have it delivered while kicking back on the couch with a beer.
For a moment, I considered using the money my mother had given me to buy a television and take it down to the house for Danny and Honor. I pictured the look that Verity would give me if I did that, and quickly nixed the idea. Maybe I'd buy them each a phone and pay the plans ahead for a year. I'd have to see what Grace would say about that first, though.
Not long after I finished dinner and a second beer, I stripped down to my boxers and crawled into bed. It had been a long day, and if I knew anything about my parents, tomorrow was going to be even longer.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Grace
I tried to call Adam the next morning, but after the third time my call was sent to voicemail, I gave up and went to the gym to work off the nervousness that had been building overnight. I had never been to an event as fancy or exclusive as this one was going to be, and I was terrified that I'd stick out like a sore thumb.
I swam off my nerves for an hour and then showered and headed home, where I spent the next several hours going over the fine print on all the paperwork for Riser merger with Mija-WalCo merger. If anyone asked me questions tonight, I wanted to have the answers ready and waiting. My goal was to look pretty and be as businesslike as possible, then get out of there as quickly as I could manage.
Around noon, a call from a blocked number came in and I answered it, wondering if it was Adam.
"Grace!" Honor yelled as I answered.
"Honor? What's going on?" I asked. "Why are you calling from a blocked line?"
"I don't know. Come home, Grace!" she said. "As soon as possible."
"Honor, I'm in the middle of a business deal," I said, wondering what was going on and whether Verity knew she was calling. "I'll be back Sunday night or Monday morning."
"Grace, I'm sick of living here!" Honor cried as the words came tumbling out. "I hate this place. I hate the clothes! I hate the food! I hate the way Verity treats me like I'm a baby!"
"Honor, I know you miss Mamm and Dat, and that it's been really hard for you since they died," I said.
"No, it was hard for me before they died, Grace!" Honor yelled into the phone. "Mamm knew I hated it here. She was going to help me get out as soon as I turned eighteen. I want to go to college like you did, Grace. I don't want to be stuck in this dinky, little town for the rest of my life! I want to leave now!"
"Okay, we'll talk about it when I get back," I said trying to calm her down. "I promise, we'll figure something out."
"I can't breathe here," Honor whispered. I could hear the anguish in her voice and it tore at my heart.
"Honor, promise me that you won't do anything foolish," I said, silently cursing the lack of technology that would keep me from calling Verity to tell her what was happening. "I'll be back in two days and we'll figure things out, okay? Promise me!"
"Hurry back, Grace," she said before the line went dead.
"Honor? Honor!" I shouted into the phone. Frantic, I called Adam, but after two rings, the call went to voicemail and a staccato voice unhelpfully said the mailbox was full and to try again later. I sunk to the floor as feelings of helplessness and rage washed over me.
I wracked my brain trying to find a way to get a message to Verity, but I knew that even if I did, she wouldn't understand what Honor was feeling. For Verity, Amish identity was who she was and even though she supported my decision to leave the community, she had no desire to step outside of it herself. If I could just get a hold of Adam! Briefly, I entertained the idea of packing up and heading home, but I knew that I couldn't let Mike down tonight.
My stomach churned as I grabbed my purse and headed to the salon. The stylist chatted amiably as she swept my hair up into an elegant French knot and then brought in the makeup artist to transform my face from plain to glamorous. When I smiled, but didn't say much, they chalked it up to nerves and offered me champagne to help calm them. I accepted a glass and sat quietly holding it without sipping as they put the finishing touches on my hair and then spun me around to see the results.
"Oh wow," I whispered as I turned my head from side to side wondering where the elegant, sophisticated woman in the mirror had come from. Awed by their handiwork, I said, "It's me, but better."
The girls laughed and wished me well as I gathered my things and paid the bill. Back home, I took a quick sponge bath and then slipped into the filmy, silver underpinnings that I'd bought to match the dress before pulling the dress off its padded hanger and stepping into it.