One Tuesday Morning & Beyond Tuesday Morning Compilation Read Online Free PDF Page A

he was late. The phone rang again, and Eric glanced around the room. All eyes were on him. He reached into the bag, grabbed his phone, stood and held up a single finger. “Be right back,” he mouthed the words.
    Then, with the phone still ringing in his hand, Eric moved quickly across the room and slipped into the hallway. In one motion he extended the antenna, flipped the phone open, and lifted it to his ear. “Hello?”
    “Eric?”
    “Laura?” The background sounds were so loud Eric could barely hear her. He braced himself for what was coming. “Are you at the restaurant?” There was a pause and Eric hesitated. Maybe she couldn't hear him. “Laura?”
    “I'm here,” she said, exhaling hard, disappointment in her tone. “Of course I'm at the restaurant. We've been here for two hours. The pizza's gone, the tokens are spent, and Clay's helping Josh cut his birthday cake.”
    “Clay?” Eric swallowed, desperate to buy some time. At least his brother had remembered, which meant Laura wasn't handling the party by herself. Still … Eric was the boy's father, and they had just one child, after all. He pressed his thumb and forefinger into his temples. How could he have forgotten? “Is Clay helping you?”
    “Yes.” She paused long enough to make him nervous. “He likes being a part of Josh's life.”
    Eric wiped a thin layer of perspiration off his forehead and cursed under his breath. “I can be there in fifteen minutes.”
    Laura said nothing.
    “Fifteen minutes, Laura. I mean it.”
    “What happened this time?” Sarcasm filled in the spaces between her words. “Did you forget?”
    “Of course not.” His answer was quick and sounded like a lie even to him. “We had a decision to make, an important meeting. I was in charge, Laura. I couldn't just walk out. New York needs our answer by tomorrow.”
    “Tell that to Josh.”
    “Look …” He felt trapped and his heart rate doubled. His associates were only a few yards away behind the closed office door, so he kept his voice quiet. “We're wasting time. I'll be there in fifteen, Laura. I swear.”
    “No, Eric. Forget it.”
    “Why?” He made a weak attempt at sounding indignant. “You'll be another half hour. I could get there for the end of it, at least.”
    “You wouldn't.”
    “Fifteen minutes, Laura. I promise. I'll be there in—”
    “Stop.” Laura raised her voice and just as quickly dropped it again. “We both know you won't be here in fifteen minutes.” Her voice broke and she hesitated. “I'll make something up for Josh, tell him it was out of your control.”
    “It is, Laura. That's not a lie.”
    “Spare me, please. Meetings can be rescheduled.” She dropped the sarcasm, and a tired sadness filled her voice instead. “It's Josh's birthday.”
    Eric swallowed hard. He could hardly tell her the truth, that until her phone call he hadn't given the boy's birthday a single thought. “You're right.” He steadied his tone. “I messed up. Tell Josh I'll make it up to him this weekend.”
    “With what?”
    “With …” His mind raced. “With a trip to the beach. Tell him I got him something special, something we can only use out on the water.”
    “The beach?” Laura sounded doubtful. “This weekend?”
    “Or next at the latest.”
    “You'll be in New York this weekend.”
    “Right, right.” He made a fist and pounded out a series of light staccatos against the doorframe. “Next weekend, then. Tell him it'll be next weekend for sure.”
    “Fine.” Laura's tone told him everything her words didn't say. She was tired of his excuses, his absence at home, the way his heavy work schedule left her a single parent so often. They were feelings that came up every now and then, feelings that sometimes sent them to a counselor for help. But no matter how crazy his work schedule became, no matter how often they made appointments with a counselor, the result was always the same.
    Laura would understand.
    She might not have been happy