The Sins of the Mother Read Online Free PDF Page A

them to overextend themselves, and then as usual, he realized she was right. They launched it within six months, at a location on Long Island, and then a third store, in New Jersey, when Phillip was a year old. He had his first birthday at the inauguration of the new store. That night she told Joe she wanted to start a store in Chicago, and he knew there was no stopping her or slowing her down. She was on a roll, but he also knew she was right and this was their time. In each location she had found an old factory similar to the one they had near Boston, their flagship store.
    And by the time the plans for the Chicago store were well under way and they had found the right location, Olivia was pregnant again. She wasn’t as upset about it as she’d been before, since Maribelle said she’d be happy to take care of both children. It had worked out so well having her take care of Phillip, and Joe spent a great deal of time with him too, which was fortunate since Olivia was always running between the three stores they had. She had an instinctive sense for everything that went into the home, and a knack for finding reliable suppliers at rock-bottom prices, who were willing to follow her suggestions about design. They were growing by leaps and bounds, and so was she.
    She was nine months pregnant when they opened in Chicago, and Joe was terrified she’d give birth at the opening or on the train, but she insisted she had to be there. It was the biggest store they had so far, and an overnight success. Business was already booming when they left the next day to go back to Boston, while Joe insisted she lie down the entire way and not move. He didn’t want to have to deliver their baby on the train on their way home. He thought she was crazy to have come. But she was young and strong and excited about what they were doing. They had opened three new stores in two years, and they were making more money than Joe had ever dreamed they could. Olivia had made no mistakes so far, and he didn’t think she would.
    She went into labor the night they got home, and he got her to the hospital just in time. Liz was smaller than her brother had been, and was born two hours after they got to the hospital, and it was easier for Olivia than Phillip’s birth. She was beaming, holding their baby girl, when Joe walked into the room. They named her Elizabeth for his late mother, whom Olivia had never met. And, two weeks later, Olivia was back at work full time. And Maribelle loved having a granddaughter to look after too, and a new baby in the house. It was a happy moment in all their lives. And it was almost as though motherhood had made Olivia more creative than ever. Joe could only marvel at what she’d done and was planning to do.
    She began traveling more then, on buying trips for all four stores, or in search of new designs. Joe missed her when she was gone, but the result of what she was doing showed up steadily on their balance sheets. Olivia never got to spend as much time with him and their children as she would have liked, but she kept telling him and herself that things would slow down to a dull roar soon, and a more manageable pace, but they never did. She was busier than ever, although she enjoyed being at home with him and the children whenever she could. But she was making millions, and Joe was investing it as fast as he could. Thanks to Olivia, their future, and that of their children, was assured. It was important to him as well as to her. She was building a fortune that would benefit all of them for many years. The Factory had become a legend, and Olivia Grayson along with it. His name was famous now too.
    Olivia was never afraid to try something new or take risks, as long as Joe approved of what she did. She did nothing without his advice. And he even approved of her many trips. She never left town without consulting him, but he respected what she needed to do to maintain and improve on what they’d built. And if she wasn’t able