Chapter 9

Luke put his jacket back on and got out of the van. The driver waited for James, Portia and Luna to get out so he could drive the van to the garage.

James was carrying Portia, who was asleep, and Luna was carrying her coat. It wasn't very late, it was almost six o'clock and the little girl was taking a short nap.

As they entered, James laid his daughter down on the large living room couch and took off his coat.

Luna looked at him seriously.

-Do you want me to take her to her room? -She asked, looking at him intently. James snorted.

-It's pretty much the same thing, she'll be fine.

-No. It's not. Upstairs she has a comfortable bed, here.... It's fine.

-This couch is extremely comfortable.

- And your bed? - she asked.

-Of course it is. It's one of the best. Portia needs a place to sleep peacefully. Because of her health condition, she's had to rest and be comfortable on more than one occasion.

-Then she won't want to go to her room? -Luna said.

James slowly turned around.

-I'm sensing a certain attitude here. - He raised his hand and touched her chin - Let's not get confused, we don't want an argument on your first day.

Then he slowly took Portia in his arms and went straight to the stairs. He walked slowly up the stairs, afraid of falling, and when he got there, he opened the door with his foot. James looked at the thrown pillow.

He left his daughter on the bed and hurried downstairs.

Luna looked at the pictures on the walls and realized that in that house they loved Portia more than anything. They had pictures of her at every age, and James, always there, with a happy sour face.

-Luna, Luna, Rose... ROSE - he called in desperation.

-What's wrong? - Luna asked, looking at the desperate man's face. Rose quickly appeared through the door leading to the dining room. She looked agitated.

-Portia had a nosebleed? -he asked in alarm.

-I don't know... I... I just got here today.

He looked up, nodded slightly and turned away. Rose spoke.

- What happened? Is she all right?

-I don't know, I...I should call the doctor.

Rose covered her mouth, trying to look calm. She walked over to James and stroked his shoulders softly.

- We don't have to despair, honey. Everything will be fine, she's better.

-But, it's just like last time, Rose. Tell me...tell me, what will I do? How will she face something like that again? Will I be able to? You? What if we are not so lucky? - He asked without stopping or taking a breath.

Rose hugged him worriedly.

- Come, have some water.

He took her hand and they walked towards the kitchen. Luna was right behind them.

-James, maybe it's just ordinary bleeding. Kids get nosebleeds from time to time. Maybe she spent too much time in the sun yesterday? -she said trying to calm him down.

James just smiled. Rose knew the despair hadn't gone away, though.

She quickly went upstairs to Portia's room. James watched her from the stool.

-Good. It's going to be all right. -He said to himself. Luna watched as he walked outside. She followed him with concern. James was still oblivious to her presence.

He picked up a soccer ball, and started playing with it.

-What? - he asked angrily. Luna got a little bit scared of his tone.

-I'm sorry. -She said quickly.

-Why are you sorry? You're just standing there without saying anything. -he said staring at the ball.

-Well, can I ask you something?

-Sure. -He said, sitting down on a bench. Luna sat down next to him.

She was trying to distract him.

-Why did you need me to come so fast? -She asked, looking at him.

-Do I have to have a reason?

-Of course. Usually a date is planned over a longer period of time.

-Well. You've seemed like a nice person, your age is fine, you don't have any diseases, you're nice, you're a little questioning, which I think you should get rid of while you're with me. And well, a lot of things, you know. I need help with Portia.

Luna snorts.

- I don't think Rose would want me to steal Portia's attention. She adores her. -She said, looking at him.

He turned around.

-Why did you ask me where I went to school? -he asked suddenly. Luna blanched.

-I just wanted to know.

-No, I don't think so. Any particular interest? - He looked at her seriously. It was hard to talk to someone who seemed to be judging you all the time.

- It was just a question. You can ask me things too, I just wanted to know. After all, communication is key between parents and nannies.

-True... but why that question? It's weird that you ask that instead of my age, you didn't ask that. How old do you think I am? -I asked looking at her. Luna was getting paler and paler and redder at the same time.

-I don't know.

-Guess, I know you can.

-One .... Thirty-one?

James laughed.

-Don't play dumb, for fuck's sake. -He said, stifling a laugh.

-What did you say? Um, thirty?- she asked, looking at him incredulously.

-I'm thirty - he suddenly became serious - and you already knew that.

-No, of course not!

-Well, I'll pretend I believe you.

-Oh, sure. And where did you get me from? - she asked quickly.

-I have enough contacts to know everything about a person in less time than you think.

-That's not true. I mean, you clearly have contacts, I'd be surprised if you don't. I just thought I had you from somewhere- she asked, blushing.

-No, I don't. Money buys information. I might know what you did in high school.

Luna started to go into tachycardia.

If James said that, he probably already knew that she had studied at the same place he did. He'd know everything, because, not that she was invisible at the time, but she wasn't popular and James's friends-a few, if that's putting it mildly-had been teasing her for a whole year. Even considering they were older.

Although, there was no way James knew about that. She had always been nonexistent to his group.

James laughed.

-I froze you out. -He said with a laugh - Well, I'll go see Portia. - He got up and started to walk away.

Luna watched him go and thought.

He was a serious, rich, evil and intelligent man now. Well, he was smart before too, also rich. A lot of things hadn't changed.

The next day James woke up quite early. He had to check some things at the company. There was a lot of work he had left for later that he hadn't done. Odd behavior for him since he hated not working.

He was on his last legs, he didn't show it, but he was very tired. He didn't want to go from hospital to hospital with his daughter. He knew she suffered enough from that. Her childhood had been like that.

Portia was small, but not so small that she didn't notice her problems. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't understand much about it.

That day James had arranged to go to the doctor for tests. He would work until four in the afternoon, then go home and take Portia. He didn't know whether to involve Luna.

He knew too many things about her. Some of it not necessary, though.

He'd gone to the trouble of researching down to the tender girl's blood type. Which wasn't a bad thing, since that information might come in handy sometime.

He was just observing her. He had a very strong character, which at any moment would explode.

He entered his office quite calm, he had not had a good night but he had promised himself to go to work and clear his head of so many problems.

- Lisa, bring me all the papers I have to sign, then bring me the Waldorf's contract - He said into the phone and quickly hung up the call.

In less than a minute, a slim, tall, black-haired young woman entered the big office.

She placed the papers on the desk, along with a starbucks.

-Anything else, sir?

-I said I hate cappuccino. Take it back and tell Pia to go get a coffee. -He said coldly.

The young woman gave a nervous sigh, took the cappuccino and hurried out of the place.

He took the papers in her hands, it would take him a long time to sign more than 120 papers. He had to read them, make agreements, everything. He had to do everything.

After a while, he had finished signing the big pile of papers.

He took one of them and put it on top of his folder.

He picked up his phone and quickly dialed Luna's number.

-Hello - she answered after a few seconds.

-Hello, Luna. How is Portia?

-She's fine, she's been playing. Rose and I want to fix her something to eat, something healthy, but Portia insists on eating hamburgers.

-Okay, give her her hamburger. She hasn't had one of those in a while. Be ready before four o'clock, I have to take her to the doctor.

-Okay.

-Okay, bye.

-Bye.

He hung up the call. He put his phone back on the desk and picked up the list.

Well, nine employees had been laid off in the last two months. He needed three assistants, an accountant, and others.... He didn't trust some people. He had decided that he would personally interview the staff from now on.

He picked up the phone again.

-Pia, send in Miss Morberg. -He said, Rose responded with an "Okay."

Quickly the door opened and in walked Rose accompanied by a short, blonde, black-eyed young woman. James looked at her, serious. She smiled.

- Have a seat. - he ordered. - Do you have any experience other than that noted?

- Quite a bit. - She said with a mischievous tone. Noticing her tone, James chuckled under his breath.

-Well, who have you worked for?

- In Washington, for Robert Clarkson, three years. I've done internships at Brent Enterprises Inc. and spent a couple of years in London with Hunter Holdings Inc,.

-Well, that's good. You have .... - He read the paper - twenty-five. Good. I've got your resume, I've read it and...I'll let you know as soon as possible if we have room.

- Perfect. It's been a pleasure.

- Okay, Miss Morberg. -He said and looked at the blonde. She smiled- You can leave now.

The blonde stood up quickly and grabbed her coat. She walked out with a slight sway of her hips that he quickly noticed. He hadn't liked her. Too much flirting, not enough seriousness. Next up, was a young man in his early twenties. His name was Daniel Gallagher.

He walked into the office and slowly sat down in the chair. James looked at him and observed him politely.