Water Ch. 85 - Something To Believe In

She still didn't know what to do with all of the flowers and fruit baskets she came into work to find on her first day back. The flowers will dry up and die, no big deal but she didn't want the fruit to go to waste. Sitting at her desk, she called for Tammy. Tammy came in, right away.

"What's up?" Tammy asks as she walks in, smiling at her boss. "When did you get here, I didn't see you come in?"

Beth points to an empty chair across her desk. "Sit down, visit with me a minute."  A plush high back chair that ,Beth had made for her new office when she took the job at Deloitte. Covered in Italian leather, she thought it was one of the most comfortable chairs she's sat in.

Tammy takes a seat, "How ya feeling?"

Beth smiles and says, "Oh, I'm okay. How have you been? I feel like we've not caught up yet." Beth missed Tammy. Other than Amanda, she really didn't have many female friends. High finance isn't a place where you would find many women, and when you work as much as Beth, she didn't have the time to find friends any other way.

Tammy starts to tell Beth, "I'm doing good, I finally got that piece done that I was working on."  And then Beth's phone rings.  She looks at Tammy and realizes that she needs to answer it, because her assistant was sitting with her.

"Excuse me."  Beth lifts the receiver and says, "This is Beth."  There is a long silence on Beth's end and when she finally talks, she continues with, "Yes, sir.  I'll head out tonight."  And she hangs up.  She's quiet for a minute, running the conversation through her mind then she says to Tammy, "Go on, tell me more about your piece."

Tammy is dying to know who was on the phone, so she questions Beth, "Are you heading out tonight, or are we heading out tonight and where to?"

Beth chuckles and answers Tammy, "I have to go to Napa and meet with a new client, do you want to go?"  Beth thinks it would be nice to have Tammy along, but she's not sure if Tammy is a little freaked out, since last time they traveled together, Beth was injured pretty bad.

"How long will we be gone?"

Beth is looking at the piles of paperwork on her desk and says, "I'll be back tomorrow.  I have to be, look at all this mess.  So, just one night. Want to go?

"What the hell.  I can tell you all about my piece over dinner.  I'll go make reservations."  Tammy stands to go, and Beth stops her.

"Hey, Deloitte is paying for this.  So just call down to the travel department and have them make the arrangements.  That way we don't have to expense it or worry about receipts - I hate the auditors.  And can you set it up for this fruit to go to one of the community kitchens, please?"

Tammy smiles, says, "Sure thing boss, I'll let you know when we leave."  And she leaves Beth's office.  Beth looks at the mess on her desk again, picks a pile and starts at the top.  Financial analysis, financial statements, financial contracts, profits, loss, financial gains......ugh. 

She can't concentrate.  She wanted to talk to Jon.  She wanted to go to the roof of the Deloitte building  and scream from the top of the roof, that she's pregnant and it's Jon Bon Jovi's baby.  But instead, she decided to call Jon.  She wanted to hear his voice before she hits the road again, and they have to play phone tag.

She grabs her cell phone and calls him.  She thought it would go to voicemail, but he answered.  "Hey babe, what a nice surprise.  Were your ears ringing?" 

"What were you saying about me and to who?"  Beth has no idea where he's at, or what he's doing.

Jon tells her, "I'm sitting here with Richie having a few beers.  I was just telling him how much I love you and he was laughing at me.  So, I sprayed beer on him.  He's in the house now, trying to find a shirt to wear.  What are you doing?"

She can picture the little bit of playfulness that happens with Jon and Richie.  Those are two men that have a relationship that you can see, outward.  They are more than friends, they are more than brothers.  There relationship is mocked, but it's one that many wish they could duplicate.  "I just called to let you know that I have to go to Napa Valley tonight to meet with a client tomorrow.  I didn't want you to call when I was in the air, I hate phone tag."

"Napa Valley?  How nice, just for one day?" he questions.

"Yes, I have to meet with one of Buffet's people, and that's it.  Boss man called me 5 minutes ago."

Jon gets a little worried, "Are you going alone?" 

Beth knows where this is coming from, and she understands.  Her accident and follow up blood clot scared the hell out of him.  He did NOT want her going alone.  "Honey, relax.  Tammy is going up with me.  She looks like she could use a little break.  I've been working her butt off, and I've seen her so little."

"Dude, is that Beth on the phone?  You're visiting with me man, hang up the phone."  Beth can hear Richie in the background.  She laughs.

"Fuck you man, I'll get off he phone when I'm damn good and ready.  Go get us another beer.  And if you stain that shirt, I'll kick your ass."  Jon responds to Richie and his banter. 

Beth doesn't want to interrupt Jon and his down time, and he and Richie spend so little time together, she was going to let him go.  "Jon, how about I call you tomorrow when I'm done with my meeting.  I have some papers and reports I need to get together before I go.  Plus, you're having a good time with Richie.  Tell the Sambora I said hello, please."

Jon has a little hint of pout in his voice, "Do you have to go?  I haven't talked to you much today, babe."

"I do have so much to do.  I just wanted to let you know what I was doing, in case you called and didn't get me."  She tries to make him feel a little better, "Just know that you are always on my mind and I miss you so much.  When are we going to get together?"  She's feeling like pouting herself now.

Jon is quiet for a few seconds, running his schedule through his mind.  "I have the weekend free, what does your schedule look like?  He's crossing his fingers that she's free.

Beth looks over her desktop organizer, moving stacks of paper and says, "Hmm, look at that.  My weekend is free too.  Where do you want to meet?"  She wants to see him, be with him, touch him, kiss him and make love with him. 

Richie jumps back in, since he's putting the pieces to the conversation together and says, "Why don't you meet in Vegas."  And he laughs. 

"Shut up dude." Jon barks.

"Jonny, I'll call you tomorrow and we can figure it out."  Beth tries to get off the phone, so he can spend his evening with his friend and Beth can head home and get packed.

"I love you, baby.  Call me when you land please, so I know you got there okay." Jon pleads with her.

"Ok, I will.  I love you and miss you bunches.  Until next time." she says, as her voice fades.

"Until next time." he professes, and he line goes dead.

Beth sits there with her head in her hands and wants nothing more than to be with him.  Even if it meant she had to go to New Jersey.