Mirrors

Back at the hospital Jacob spotted Cheri sitting outside of Katies room, tears streaming down her face. Jacob had not only decimated Katies psyche he had torn the heart out of one of the sweetest women he had ever known. Jacob had liked Cheri the moment they met. Cheri was open, honest, and wasn't the least bit impressed with his wealth, very much like Katie. But unlike Katie she was an extravert, and she dragged Katie to every party, camping trip, and festival she could manage. Katie loved going to these events with her, but Jacob knew she would never initiate them herself.

"What are you doing out here" Jacob asked as he placed the box on the floor and took hard plastic the seat next to her.

"The Internist and OB are in the room with Tracy, and since I'm not immediate family they asked me to leave while they completed the exam."

The two sat in heavy silence for a few minutes. The air around them felt thick and smelled like sticky bleach mixed with vomit. A smell Jacob could only describe as death.

"While I was at Katie's I collected all the bigger pieces of that damned mirror. I know how much it meant to her and I'd like to find someone who can use them to create... umm... I don't know a smaller mirror or something for Katie. When she realizes what she's done she's gonna be so pissed at herself."

"That thing was shattered to bits! There is no way it can be fixed."

"I didn't say fix it, I said create something from it so that Katie still has something to remember. That hideous monstrosity belonged to her grandmother and Katie is a very emotional and sentimental person."

"You're right about that, and there were a couple of large pieces left intact." Cheri sat in silence for a few minutes as she pondered the options. "I think I may know someone. Mark D'Cantor, he works mostly with glass but has created some beautiful pieces from mirror and wood. I think his studio is in Sharron Hill."

"Okay," Jacob pulled out his phone and searched the web. "Is this him?" he asked showing the site he found to Cheri. A quick nod from Cheri confirmed this would be his site. "I'll go see him tomorrow."

Jacob let out a heavy sigh and looked at his watch. It was almost four in the morning, but he had one more call to make before he could settle down and wait. Cheri looked at him after hearing his sigh looked at him.

"What?" she snapped. She was obviously tired and easily irritated.

"Nothing, I just have a phone call to make. Two phone calls." Jacob stood up to walk pit of the waiting room.

"Brandon, sorry to call so early but I need you to do something quickly." The phone had rung six times before the groggy voice on the other end answered. Jacob knew he had woken up his longtime friend and business manager.

"Hey bud, what's up?"

"This is gonna be complicated so take notes."

"Ok, hit me with it."

"Make a list of all businesses jointly owned by my mother and me. Anything she owned before I turned 18 take me off the ownership, the others divided 50 50. Make sure Benson Enterprises is in my list. Also do the same with the property holdings. I want the flat in New York and the villa in France. The stocks shouldn't be an issue since they are pretty much separate already. Find a lawyer outside the firm to help you draw up the paperwork and work as much as you can work from home. Do not enlist the help or tell anyone in the office, I do not want my mother getting wind of this before I'm ready."

"Wow! She's not going to like this. What happened?"

"She's gonna have a shit fit, which is why she can't find out until I'm ready. The what will have to wait I don't have enough time for that story. Hey, I know I've never asked you to work overtime or take time away from your family but for this I'm asking you to put everything 24/7 into getting this done as fast as possible. I'll make it up to you when this is over."

"How fast do you need it done?"

"I want it yesterday, just as fast as you can. But don't file anything, just get the paperwork ready. Oh, the final thing is the bank accounts, credit cards, and the cars. I don't know which ones are hers, mind or ours but they need to be fairly split. Whatever lawyer you get make sure to vet them and sign an iron clad NDA. I don't want my mother getting to them."

"I got your back; I'll check in with you tonight."

The second call he made was to his secretary to reschedule his next three days. He would not be going into the office, nor did he want to be bothered by any of it.

As Jacob hung up the phone, he spotted the sweet nurse who had helped him earlier that morning. It was obvious she was cleaning up and getting ready to go home but he needed something and would be as quick as he could.

"Excuse me...Sarah," Jacob read the name on her badge. "Can you help me for a minute? Please."

Sarah looked up from her charting. "What can I do for you Mr. Mantles?"

"I need the name and number of a reliable nursing agency. I don't want Miss. Summers left alone for a minute, and I know how busy and overworked the staff here is."

"Oh, that one is easy." Sharah jotted down a name and number on a piece of yellow lined paper and handed it to him. "Ask for Susan, she'll take care of you."

A few minutes later Tracy and the doctors emerged from the room. Tracy's complexion, usually a soft ivory, had turned pale white and her eyes were swollen and red. It was obvious that she felt broken and had been crying.

"I thought she was stronger than her mother. If I had known I would not have moved so far away." Tracy's voice was shaky and only broke Jacob's heart even more. He had hurt so many people with one stupid phone call.

"It's not your fault, it's mine." Jacob took a deep breath and told Tracy of his morning's cowardice. Jacob didn't hold anything back. The tears, the fear, the fight with his mother, and his vow to fix what he had broken left him nearly sobbing to the point of pain in his back and shoulders.

Pain was evident in Tracy's eyes, but she hugged him with all the strength she could muster.

"We'll fix this together."

"May I go in and see her?"

Tracy only nodded and Jacob picked up his box and slipped into Katies room.

The rest of the night was a blur of commotion. Doctors coming in and out of the room. Labs and ultrasounds. There was not one medical reason that Katie should be catatonic, but there she was. The OB confirmed that Katie was six weeks pregnant, and it looked like a healthy viable pregnancy. All they could do now was wait and see. See if Katie came out of it on her own. Any medication they could recommend might have unwanted affects to the fetus.