To have and to Hold

Keeping a promise

"Hello, Miss. Crosby, I am phoning up about further details of our meeting tomorrow night as I promised," Adam Maxwell crisply informed Rachel over her phone

"I see," Rachel replied feeling a mixture of emotions.

She had been irrationally hoping all day that she would not receive a phone call from Adam Maxwell. Then she could convince herself he had forgotten, or been lying and misleading her, and she could feel justified in classing him as the uncaring big business man she believed him to be.

But just when she was feeling sure he wouldn't call; the phone rang later that evening.

Knowing it might be him, she had hesitated before picking it up. But then she thought about Haven, and the women who would be depending on her, so she hurriedly answered it.

She couldn't let Jean and the others down just because she had taken a personal grudge against Adam Maxwell. If he was willing to listen to her, she decided she would happily agree to meet him in hell if she had to.

"Sorry I have left it so late to get back to you, but I got held up at the meeting, and I could only make the arrangements now for tomorrow night. So I have booked us a table at Gianni's Restaurant for eight o'clock. If that is alright with you?"

"That sounds fine," Rachel replied airily, as if she went out to dinner with wealthy property developers every night of the week

"Great, well I will pick you up between seven and seven thirty, so you had better give me you address," Adam then suggested

Rachel reluctantly gave it to him. Her imagination suddenly started to work overtime, realising that now he knew her address, he could pay a hit man to take her out if she threatened him any further with going to the newspaper.

She shook this thought out of her head, silently chiding herself for watching too many late night thrillers on TV, which had lead her mind to wander into the realms of fantasy.

But now she had other worries to occupy her mind, like what she should wear?

Gianni's sounded pretty up market, and was probably some expensive restaurant that was a far cry from 'McDonald's' or 'Burger King', where she would normally eat out. She imagined her usual jeans and a top wouldn't really be appropriate

"Is Gianni's the sort of place where you would usually eat?" she then queried warily, deciding to double check

"Yes," Adam replied, "Is there a problem with that?"

"No, I just making sure, so I know what to expect." Rachel hurriedly replied

"I have to say, I am almost looking forward to tomorrow night Miss. Crosby. I hope you appreciate my efforts in finding the time to give you this chance to state your case, I am a very busy man."

"I am very grateful to you Mr. Maxwell," she grudgingly managed to get out through gritted teeth, remembering Jean's advice to be nice to the man at all costs, "And I am sure, once I do state my case, you will realise why I have went to so much bother to try and get your attention"

"Well tomorrow night you will have my full attention Miss. Crosby, I can assure you of that,"

Adam's tone had softened, becoming less brisk and business like, making his statement sound a little too personal.

Rachel decided to put it down to her over active imagination again. But she never had the chance to find out, as he chose that moment to abruptly hang up without so much as a 'goodbye'

"What a rude man!" she muttered into herself, frowning at her receiver. He was making it clear she was no more than an inconvenience to him, just something he wanted dealt with as quick as possible.