I groan inwardly. The only time I see my mother these days is when she is trying to set me up with women.
I take a seat next to her and I notice Bianca out of the corner of my eye. She rolls her eyes as she closes the door that my mother slammed open.
"We are having the Warburtons over for dinner this evening and we want you to come." I start to disagree, but she holds her hand up. "Alexander, you work too hard. You need a good woman to entice you to go home instead of working all the hours that god sends."
"Mother, I work hard to build my company and reputation. My work is the reason you and my father have a nice house and can go to the Country Club with your neighbors. That's all because I work hard, so don't try and tell me I need the love of a good woman to tear me away from my work. If I slow down then so does the comfy life that you and my father have built for yourselves."
She stares at me not quite knowing what to say. "But, Linley is coming with them tonight and I thought that the two of you could get to know each other. it would be great business to join the two families together."
I laugh. "Do you really think I need you to choose the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with? I haven't found her yet, but I know she's out there and I am not going to settle for second or third best. I've worked too hard to live the rest of my life with someone I don't love."
"Alexander, this is what happens these days. You will grow to love whoever you marry. You don't have to be in love with someone to get married." She reaches out and touches my knee.
I stand. "Mother, I think it's time for you to leave. I know what I want in a woman, and I won't rest until I get it. With or without your approval. Now, I have work to do. I won't be over tonight for dinner, you can explain that away any way you like." I move over to my desk and look at the computer screen, ending the conversation.
Mother stands up. "You're going to have to marry someone soon, Alexander, we need grandkids before we die."
"Oh my god, I'm 43, I don't want kids. I don't want a wife either, so maybe stop harping on about it." I look back at the screen even though there is nothing on there.
"We'll talk about this again, Alexander." She opens the door forcefully, slamming it into the wall. Again.
I watch as the door shuts behind her and I pick up the phone and buzz Bianca. "Get someone from maintenance to fix a door stop on that wall. There's going to be a hole in it the next time she comes in." I hang up. Bianca knows that my mother always puts me in a bad mood. I need something to calm me down.
Picking up my cell I don't hesitate in sending Emily a message. I need her to make me smile again.
ALEXANDER: Can't wait for this evening, this is the address.
It takes a couple of minutes before I see that she is typing a message
EMILY: Great, I'll see you then
ALEXANDER: What are you doing for the rest of the day?
I can't help myself I need to know what she's doing. Is she meeting friends? Will she tell them about me? Is there even anything to tell? I feel like I am a teenager arranging a date with his big crush. This is not like me at all.
EMILY: I have an idea for a piece of art, so I am going to be holed up in my painting cave. But I have set an alarm so I'm not late coming to you.
ALEXANDER: Make sure you take a photo and show me, I'm interested in what's going on inside your mind when you're painting.
EMILY: Will do.
Smiling, I turn back to my computer, calmed down by her response. The rest of the day is busy, but I'm restless. I keep watching the time to see if it's closer to Emily's arrival. I remember feeling this way on Christmas Eve when I was wondering if Santa would come with presents for me. Bianca knocks on my door. "I'm going, do you need anything else before I leave?"
"No, just leave the door open, and I'll see you tomorrow. We have the board meeting, right?"
"Yes, that's correct. I have the paperwork ready and have organized lunch to be brought in."
"Thanks, Bianca. I don't know what I'd do without you." I smile at her.
"You'd survive, but you'd probably make someone else's life hell." She laughs and then walks out of the door. It's quarter tosix. Every time the elevator bell rings, I hold my breath, waiting for Emily to arrive.
"Hello, Alexander." I hear my name shouted from her lips. I stand and walk out of my office toward the lift. Everyone else has gone home, and of course, she didn't know where to go. How stupid was I?
"Hey, Emily." I walk closer to her and then guide her back to my office.
"Your office building is spectacular, Alexander." She looks around, taking in everything in the office. When we are in my office, I watch as she walks over to the large window and leans against it.
"Wow, this is amazing. No wonder you wanted me to see it. I see the resemblance in the canvas you bought and this view. It's like I had a dream of this view." She hands me the canvas, and I stare at it again. The view is not much different from the one I can see outside my window. There's just something that draws me to her work. Putting the canvas down, I walk over to where she is standing. "I never go home early; I love watching the sunset. It's beautiful, and I feel lucky that I get to see it from this angle."
