Chapter One Hundred and Fifty Six - Panic Again!

Amelia paused for a few moments, breathing heavily in the background.

"Okay," she finally responded, but by then I had already put the phone on speaker. "You and I need to talk" she started and I could see Gerard already shaking his head, while Mel lightly slapped my leg and shakes her head, when I made eye contact with her.

Looking down at my lap, "okay," I agreed, "but I can't today. I can try for, uh.. maybe this evening or tomorrow for lunch." I suggested, my mind already searching for an explanation to give Adian.

"Fine with me" she responded with the same aloof tone, "are you going to tell your husband?" she asks, in a softer tone.

"You mean your son?" I asked, meeting Gerard's concern look in the mirror. " I tell him everything." I retorted, my eyes still on Gerard as I felt my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

With a sinister laugh, Amelia continues, "oh but we both know you don't..." Amelia pauses for emphasis, "tell him everything." She says, as she continues laughing into my ear.

The phone fell from my hands and I clutched my chest in panic, now I'm the one breathing heavily.

That sound! That laughter!

That's the sound!

The sound when the paramedics took mom and dad went with them, leaving me alone, with her.

Amelia!

With my head now on my lap, I pulled my knees up as far as I could, and started counting backwards.

"20..19..18.."

"Panicking sweetheart?" I heard Amelia's voice in the distance and the same sinister laughter when mom died.

"17...16...15..."

"All that brave talk in front of my son, but what are you?" She continues laughing in the background while I continued counting.

"14...13...12...11.." I continued, with my breathing nowhere close to normalizing.

Again the sinister laughter, "just as your pathetic mother. My son may be dazzle by a beauty you don't possess, but I promise you, just as your father threw your mother away, just like that" she says before I heard a snapping sound, "my son will throw you away." Amelia laughed.

"10... 9... 8... 7..." thankfully the tightness in my chest started loosening up.

"6... 5... 4..." I continued, slowly lifting my head off my lap, removing my face from the palm of my hands.

With my breathing starting to regulate, I continued, "3... 2... 1.." I whispered, my blank dull eyes staring ahead, through the clear, clean windscreen.

"Amelia!" I whispered, now noticing the phone in Gerard's hand.

Lowering his gaze to Adian's phone in his hand, Gerard gave me sad smile, "I hung up on her and before you say anything else, I'm sorry for encouraging you to take the call." Gerard apologize and explained his reasons for doing so.

"I figured that you need to deal with Mrs. K and you need to start soon." Gerard paused looking thoughtful before handing the phone back to me, while Mel gently rubbed my back.

Sighing deeply, "Hailey, if you want to overcome your fears you have to face it head on" Gerard said softly as if he was speaking to a marine. "And remember you will not be alone during this journey." Gerard continued. "Should you decide to meet with Mrs. K, Adian and I or Bas and I will be with you." Gerard says encouragingly.

Adian's phone which I now held in my hand started vibrating and I jumped and when I checked the caller ID, it was Amelia, again.

"Hello?" I answered the phone, timidly.

With a loud chuckle, "hanging up on me won't make me go away." Amelia laughs.

Angry now, "I will call you tomorrow morning with a time and place for lunch, I'm at work now. I'll let Adian know you called." I retorted with a tinge of anger.

With and light chuckle, Amelia hangs up without uttering another word.

Looking around, still in a daze, I realized were already at the office compound.

Climbing out after slowly opening the door, with Mel following behind and Gerard securing the vehicle before joining us.

With an arm around my shoulder, Mel guided us to the lift and for once I'm grateful we're in the underground parking.

"Coffee" I muttered under my breath, hoping that Caleb didn't forget me or that Adian didn't get to him first.

"More like an entire bottle of wine." Mel giggled, hugging me tightly.

Gerard on the other hand stayed silent through the entire ride up until the forty third floor where my office is located.

Before the door could open, Gerard kept his hand on the button, keeping the door closed.

"Hailey, there's something we need to discuss before going out there," Gerard started. Mel and I looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

Straightening himself, he started down at me. "You need to tell Adian about his mother's call." He informed me and I nervously shook my head.

"No, no I can't, at least not yet." I pleaded, and looking up at Gerard, who was already shaking his head.

With a worried expression and a sad smile, "you know that I have to mention it to Adian, right?" Gerard asks again and I nod.

Smiling back at him with the best fake smile I could muster.

"Yeah, I know and I don't want to be the reason you loose you job." I responded, tilting my head towards the button that is keeping us trapped inside the lift.

Moving to open the lift door, Gerard turns back to me, "Hailey it's not the job," he started to say and I chuckle at the serious expression he wore.

"It's the brother code and I won't want to be the one responsible for breaking you guys." I said moving his hand and opening the door.

Looking around, the office atmosphere was solemn as we walked towards my office door. Does the staff know of Jerry's hospitilization? If they do, then Ameila also knows!