in the head.”
***
Donnella sat at her desk inside The Stone & Co. Offices located in Lower Manhattan. The view it’s only saving grace. She’d spent the better part of three days trying to get around Donavan Kelly and the rest of his staff to get a meeting with Gerald M. Mcloughlin and been stonewalled every step of the way. Her proposal was solid. She knew the old man would go for it, if she could just get him to look at it. She growled tossing back her head. It was Christmas Eve, her least favorite of the holidays. All of her staff left early for the office party she let them throw in the lower levels, but never herself attended. All except Harold. He waited patiently for her to finish her little temper tantrum.
“You should just call him already.”
“I said I would give him the space he needed. Told him to call me. He hasn’t so obviously he’s still working things out.”
“Actually, from what Xavier told me, he took the train back to Connecticut to see his family and friends for the holiday.”
“That must be nice.”
“What’s that, the train? God no, it’s filthy and awful!”
“No, Harold, family for the holidays.”
“Oh, right. Your father sent another large check. With a snow globe from Aruba.”
“Back in the Islands. Good old dad.”
“Seems that way.”
She let out a deep sigh. “I’m done here, but do me a favor before you drink yourself into a merry little elf. Make a note to call Kelly on the twenty- sixth and tell him I want to meet. Anytime.”
“Yes, Miss Stone.”
***
“So now you’re home with your tail between your legs?” Mary, Matthew’s mother asked matter-of-factly as she took a sip of mulled cider. As soon as he walked through the door she could see the distress in his contact filled eyes. He had hugged her tightly and over a batch of her cider told her the whole story. Meeting Donnella, how they spent their time. He didn’t keep things from her, she knew about his other girlfriends. Not that that was what Donnella was. Not exactly. That was part of the rules too wasn’t it? He wasn’t even supposed to be telling her any of this. But this was mom . Mom wasn’t going to run to the tabloids. She didn’t run with the tales of his father, so why would she now?
“You’re in love with her?” She asked gently.
“I don’t know… Maybe .”
“Maybe?”
“I just don’t know. I mean it’s been what like a month since I met the woman? But she makes me feel things. I just don’t know.”
“What do you know?”
“That I want to see her again.”
“Then see her again.”
“You make that seem so simple.”
“It is. You pick up the phone. You call the girl, and invite her here for New Years. Either she say yes and comes or she doesn’t. Either way you have your answer. Now let’s go watch It’s a Wonderful Life. You can call her in the morning, and wish her a Merry Christmas.”
***
“Merry Christmas.” At 12:01 A.M. Mathew smiled into the phone. Hearing Donnella’s voice quietly answer on the other line, he knew he had woken her, but he wanted his voice to be the first one she heard that morning.
“Matthew?” She questioned more alert. He could hear her siting up and shuffling out of bed. “Where are you? You sound so far away?”
“Connecticut. I went to see my Mom for Christmas. We have a tradition of overpriced turkey and movies to watch.”
“Sounds nice.”
“I’d have invited you except you said you had work all the way through the week. I know how you are about that.”
“Yeah…” She leaned against her bathroom doorframe, the thought of him being so far off making her sad.
“You okay?” He asked hearing the change in her voice.
“I’m fine. I’m glad you called. I’ve, well to be honest, I’ve sort of missed you.”
Now it was his turn to lean. “Me too. What are you doing today?”
“Me?” She straightened up, as though he’d walked in the door. “Nothing, just some paperwork, probably order from
***
Donnella sat at her desk inside The Stone & Co. Offices located in Lower Manhattan. The view it’s only saving grace. She’d spent the better part of three days trying to get around Donavan Kelly and the rest of his staff to get a meeting with Gerald M. Mcloughlin and been stonewalled every step of the way. Her proposal was solid. She knew the old man would go for it, if she could just get him to look at it. She growled tossing back her head. It was Christmas Eve, her least favorite of the holidays. All of her staff left early for the office party she let them throw in the lower levels, but never herself attended. All except Harold. He waited patiently for her to finish her little temper tantrum.
“You should just call him already.”
“I said I would give him the space he needed. Told him to call me. He hasn’t so obviously he’s still working things out.”
“Actually, from what Xavier told me, he took the train back to Connecticut to see his family and friends for the holiday.”
“That must be nice.”
“What’s that, the train? God no, it’s filthy and awful!”
“No, Harold, family for the holidays.”
“Oh, right. Your father sent another large check. With a snow globe from Aruba.”
“Back in the Islands. Good old dad.”
“Seems that way.”
She let out a deep sigh. “I’m done here, but do me a favor before you drink yourself into a merry little elf. Make a note to call Kelly on the twenty- sixth and tell him I want to meet. Anytime.”
“Yes, Miss Stone.”
***
“So now you’re home with your tail between your legs?” Mary, Matthew’s mother asked matter-of-factly as she took a sip of mulled cider. As soon as he walked through the door she could see the distress in his contact filled eyes. He had hugged her tightly and over a batch of her cider told her the whole story. Meeting Donnella, how they spent their time. He didn’t keep things from her, she knew about his other girlfriends. Not that that was what Donnella was. Not exactly. That was part of the rules too wasn’t it? He wasn’t even supposed to be telling her any of this. But this was mom . Mom wasn’t going to run to the tabloids. She didn’t run with the tales of his father, so why would she now?
“You’re in love with her?” She asked gently.
“I don’t know… Maybe .”
“Maybe?”
“I just don’t know. I mean it’s been what like a month since I met the woman? But she makes me feel things. I just don’t know.”
“What do you know?”
“That I want to see her again.”
“Then see her again.”
“You make that seem so simple.”
“It is. You pick up the phone. You call the girl, and invite her here for New Years. Either she say yes and comes or she doesn’t. Either way you have your answer. Now let’s go watch It’s a Wonderful Life. You can call her in the morning, and wish her a Merry Christmas.”
***
“Merry Christmas.” At 12:01 A.M. Mathew smiled into the phone. Hearing Donnella’s voice quietly answer on the other line, he knew he had woken her, but he wanted his voice to be the first one she heard that morning.
“Matthew?” She questioned more alert. He could hear her siting up and shuffling out of bed. “Where are you? You sound so far away?”
“Connecticut. I went to see my Mom for Christmas. We have a tradition of overpriced turkey and movies to watch.”
“Sounds nice.”
“I’d have invited you except you said you had work all the way through the week. I know how you are about that.”
“Yeah…” She leaned against her bathroom doorframe, the thought of him being so far off making her sad.
“You okay?” He asked hearing the change in her voice.
“I’m fine. I’m glad you called. I’ve, well to be honest, I’ve sort of missed you.”
Now it was his turn to lean. “Me too. What are you doing today?”
“Me?” She straightened up, as though he’d walked in the door. “Nothing, just some paperwork, probably order from
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