An Act of Persuasion(9)

“Well, you’re looking good. Even see your hair coming back. Not like mine, huh? Maybe I need some chemo to go the other way.” Stan rubbed his bald head and laughed while Ben smiled politely.

Yes, of course, let’s laugh about chemo together.

But Stan was right, there was hair on Ben’s head where there hadn’t been before, even if it was just a buzz of it. He’d lost most of his hair after the first round of treatment, but the second round had left him completely bald. Everywhere, including his chest and other areas of his body where he’d never really concerned himself with not having hair before.

It had pleased him to see all the hairy parts of his body returning to normal. He considered it a sign of regrowth. A return to normalcy.

“When do you plan to be back in the office full time?”

“Soon. After weeks of quarantine I’m a little stir crazy. I’m ready for something more challenging than a trip to the drugstore.”

“I bet. I mean a guy like you, former CIA agent turned into an invalid. You must have taken it especially hard.”

It didn’t surprise Ben to hear Stan mention his government background. In fact, he believed it was what made the Tyler Group attractive to potential clients. There was something badass about having been in the CIA that clients liked to think they shared simply by contracting with Ben for particular jobs. Their very own spymaster.

What kept bringing them back were the results they got. Ben was a man who solved problems. He’d done so for his country for fifteen years before moving into the private arena. He found talent in a wide range of areas and then hired that talent out to clients looking to utilize his team’s special skills. Currently the Tyler Group employed over twenty employees.

“I couldn’t say. I don’t know anyone else with leukemia,” Ben muttered. His eyes followed Anna as she made her way to Madeleine. The two women had always been pleasant to each other as colleagues but they seemed to have bonded over Ben’s illness. Madeleine was the one Anna had chosen to watch over Ben after she quit. Now the two women were smiling at each other. Laughing.

It bothered him that Anna should be so at ease while he was...not. Then he saw Madeleine lift her chin in the direction of the balcony and knew he was the topic of their conversation. It was time to be the bigger person. To go to her, like the adult he was, and confront her.

Instead his feet remained rooted where they were.

“Another drink?” Stan asked, raising his empty glass to indicate he was going in for another round.

“No, thank you. But don’t let me hold you up. Enjoy the party.”

Ben was drinking club soda, and while it had gone flat he couldn’t be bothered with a refill. Beyond that, he didn’t want to give Stan a reason to return. Alone now, he set the glass on one of the tables and waited.

The sticky heat of summer was starting to get to him. He could feel the perspiration gathering under his arms and soaking his shirt. But while it was cooler inside, it was also crowded with more people. Yes, his doctor deemed it safe for Ben to reenter society, however he still felt a lingering reluctance to be around crowds and their germs. There was no point in taking any chances.

“Hello, Ben.”

Anna stepped onto the balcony and smiled. No, this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to be the bigger person. He was supposed to go to her. It would have given him control over the moment.

Now he could feel his heart bracing and the sweat that had been only irritating before was now spreading down his arms. It was embarrassing.

But then this woman had seen him at his worst already. It seemed silly to be worried over sweat stains when she’d spent so much time holding his head up while he vomited.

She looked different to him. Softer maybe. Her red hair still shifted about her face, and her freckles were still scattered across her face, but there was a change. Or maybe he’d just missed seeing her.

“Hi.”

She nodded and took a deep breath. “How are you?”

“Better.” He couldn’t remember a time when he’d struggled to communicate his thoughts, but she was making him crazy. Partly because he thought he needed to apologize to her but mostly because he was waiting for her to apologize to him.

She’d quit. When he needed her the most, she’d quit and left him. How could she do that?

“I’m glad.”

“And you?”

She shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“Working?” It felt like he had to pull the word out of his mouth.