Taking Back Control

Chapter 11 Crossing Paths

Chapter 11 Crossing Paths

Just before lunch, Francine was transferred out of ICU to a private room in the wing called Bliss Critical Care. While they moved her, Rory and Christopher went to the deli to have some lunch. As Rory and her father got off the elevator, they saw a nurse's aide carry a large bouquet of flowers into Francine's room. The aide placed the flowers on the bedside table next to her grandmother's bed. Chris and Rory walked into the room as the nurse's aide left.

"Wow, Mom! Do you have a secret admirer that I don't know about?" Christopher teased her.

"No, what are you talking about?"

"This, grandma," Rory responded pointing to the flowers on the bedside table. "The aide just brought in a large bouquet of white lilies."

Rory moved the bouquet of white lilies in a glass urn shaped container so that Francine could see them. Francine turned her head and looked over at the flowers making a face.

"Now who would have sent me white lilies. Everyone who knows me knows how I detest that flower. Rory, do you know who they are from?

Rory looked at the flowers and moved them around until she found the card, she read the card to herself first then looked at her father. "Oh, how?"

"What's wrong, dear? Would you read it for me, I don't know where my glasses are."

"Yes, I can do that." Smiling at her grandmother, she sat beside her and began to read the message on the card.

"It says wishing you a speedy recovery. We hope you will be home soon. Mitchum and Shira Huntzberger."

Francine glared at the flowers. "Hmph! It figures they would send me white lilies. You know, Christopher I don't like those people. Never have. Mitchum has always been so deceiving. You know he put his father in a nursing home and doesn't even go and see him? He has a beautiful daughter and grandchildren that he doesn't pay any attention too.

Just look at that flower arrangement. It looks like something that you would send to a funeral parlor. I am not ready to meet my maker yet. I bet that Mitchum is hoping that I drop dead. He and his son will swoop in and try to purchase my company."

"Grandma, please don't get so excited." Rory put her hand gently on top of her grandmothers. "We will take care of the flowers."

Rory looked at her father and was surprised to hear her grandmother's remarks about the Huntzbergers. She always assumed that they were friends and that she liked them as much as her Grandmother Emily did.

Looking at her son she said, "Chris, how would they know I was here?"

"Sorry mom, I was in a meeting with Logan Huntzberger when I got the call about you. I told him I had to leave because you were being rushed to the hospital."

"Hmm, well, I guess you had to say something when you left the meeting. Why were you meeting with his son instead of Mitchum?"

"Mitchum asked me if it would be okay if Logan met with me since he was here visiting friends after returning from a trip in the Caribbean. This way Mitchum wouldn't have to postpone his meeting since he was back in England. Logan was returning to London this weekend, so we scheduled the meeting for yesterday morning."

Rory looked at her father and then her grandmother.

"Dad, why were you meeting with the Huntzbergers anyway? Does HPG use your law offices?" she asked her father. She was worried that her father had said something to him about her.