The Heart That's Meant to Love You [COMPLETED]

Chapter 23: Petty

Naomi fiddled with her skirt, her eyes downcast despite her straight posture. Class would be almost over by now. Naomi had an unfinished painting. It bothered her that it remained that way now because she had taken a forced leave of absence.

Her mother had cited an emergency at the company. She had cited another emergency as her reason for leaving Naomi alone in the office. It could have been true, but Naomi had the distinct impression that her mother had summoned her to the company for pettier purposes. Almost as if her mother had known it would keep Naomi away from the art class that she loved so dearly.

She couldn't possibly know that it would keep Naomi away from the first two real friends she had ever made.

Oh, hush, Naomi, she chided herself. Friends had never been part of the deal. Claire barely counted, and Naomi didn't want to consider Kieran a friend. He still seemed conspicuous to her. She just couldn't place her finger on why.

Nor did she want to, Naomi would admit only to herself. Since the beginning, Kieran had shined light into her dark life. Naomi wanted to see him as her angel, not as a devil in disguise. She would rather choose obliviousness than consider that he might have ulterior motives, though her suspicious nature wouldn't let her. Naomi had never felt so torn.

Kieran had been nice to her, honest and up-front with his intentions. So why should she keep pushing him away?

A knock on the door interrupted her inner turmoil.

Naomi corrected her posture in the seconds before her mother's secretary entered the room.

"Ms. Naomi," Agatha addressed her. The title had come about because it had been too confusing having two Ms. Rowe's in the company. "Ms. Rowe will end her meeting in a few minutes. Would you like tea or coffee? Refreshments?"

"No, thank you." Naomi had no intention of staying any longer than necessary. Her mother had gotten her revenge, now they could return to their normal, balanced state.

Agatha dipped her head in a nod of understanding. "Then please wait a few more moments."

"Thank you, Agatha."

Naomi didn't know why she said the words. They felt right. She and Agatha had never had a close relationship, but it would take a blind woman to overlook all that Agatha did for the company. For Ms. Rowe. Her job couldn't have been easy all these years, but she had managed it alongside running her own family. Naomi found she admired that.

Agatha smiled in that motherly way she had. "Don't mention it, Ms. Naomi. I'll make sure she stops stalling."

The door clicked closed again.

Naomi slouched back on the couch. It turned out that she had been grounded without notice. Sadly, she understood how Ms. Rowe thought.

Naomi's mother had always been out for Naomi's good. She wanted her daughter to soar higher than she ever could. To accomplish something great. Naomi understood that. What mother wouldn't want the best for her daughter?

If only their communication would improve. Between two educated women, why couldn't they make each other understand?

Naomi pondered the question until her mother sailed through the doors.

As usual, Ms. Rowe didn't stop her own pursuits to take note of her daughter, but that didn't mean that she didn't feel Naomi's presence. Naomi's mother settled in her desk chair and dropped a plastic file folder by the computer keyboard.

"I've brought you a few things," Ms. Rowe explained. "Come look."

Knowing she would get out of there quicker if she obeyed, Naomi rose to stride to the desk.

Ms. Rowe passed her the file folder.

Naomi flipped it open. "HR paperwork," Naomi deduced aloud. "You called me here to fill it out?"

Ms. Rowe gave a single nod.

Naomi rolled her lips together. "I haven't graduated yet."

"Fill out the paperwork now. You can take on some small roles in your free time." Ms. Rowe passed Naomi a pen. "Weren't you complaining about your allowance? I'll give you the company card once you sign. Plus a salary much better than that petty shoe store."

Money meant freedom, Naomi knew that much. It had always been the plan to enter her mother's company. Rushing The Plan a little wouldn't kill her. Without a word, Naomi accepted the pen and filled out the lines her mother hadn't.

Ms. Rowe received the paperwork with a nod of finality, then spun her chair to face Naomi. "Another thing. I've received a report. You should be aware of it."

Naomi's breath caught in her throat. Her mother couldn't possibly know about Kieran, but panic settled in Naomi's head nonetheless. Her mother had a way of finding out about everything. Why did Naomi think she could hide something from her?

Don't panic yet, Naomi soothed herself. First, she had to make sure.

"What kind of report?" Naomi's voice remained level, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Ms. Rowe reached for a piece of paper and handed it out to Naomi. "See for yourself."

Don't be about Kieran, don't be about Kieran... Naomi snagged the paper. Paused to breathe. Looked down. And relaxed.

The picture staring back at her had nothing to do with Kieran. The information below even less so.

An itinerary. A business profile. An arrival date and time.

Naomi set the paper on the desk as quietly as a snowflake whispering against the ground. "Was this the emergency?"

"You should greet him at the airport, don't you think?" Ms. Rowe's suggestion sounded more like a command.

Naomi held in her annoyance and instead folded her hands before her. "I have an exam at that time. I can't miss it."

"Ah, yes. I had forgotten."

Strange, that Ms. Rowe had forgotten Naomi's schedule when she so clearly knew every moment of it. From the time that Naomi woke to the time she returned home from school, Ms. Rowe knew every second. She texted, asking for updates, often enough that Naomi didn't dare veer from the chosen paths.

"I'll pick him up myself, then." Ms. Rowe perused the papers that Naomi had signed. "Be sure to put in your resignation at that shoe store."

"It's a flagship store. Very high end." Naomi bit her tongue before her explanation could continue. "But, yes ma'am. I'll do so next time I'm there for work."

She didn't dare ask if she could be excused. Ms. Rowe liked to be in control of things. Asking would make her come up with an excuse to keep Naomi standing there longer. Leaving it in her hands would produce the results that Naomi wanted.

As anticipated, Ms. Rowe flicked her fingers through the air. "You have other things to do at school. Good luck in class."

Naomi turned to leave without a goodbye, as rude as she dared to be to her own mother. A glance at the time revealed the truth, bare for all to see: Ms. Rowe had kept Naomi away from school just long enough for Naomi to miss her elective course. Crafty, that woman.

But Naomi had learned from the best, how to get her own way. She could play the game too. If she could find the guts.