Read Online All Roads Lead Home by Mary Wasowski - Free Book Online Page A

waiting to greet me. They liked to speak in unison, kind of creepy if you ask me, but they are perfectionists at their jobs. Like robots.
    Bot number one, I know as Cheryl. She is my go-to person when Roxy is occupied with the other thousand tasks I keep her busy with. Cheryl greets me with a Mocha Latte in hand, my messages in the other.
    “Good afternoon, Ms. Fairchild. May I take your briefcase and coat?” she asked.
    I simply nod and hand over my things and take my coffee and messages from her.
    “Ms. Fairchild, Mr. Steele would like to see you sometime today, and your calendar is cleared for the next hour before your meeting on the Kandinsky case.”
    “Okay, anything else?” I said as I made my way down to my office with Cheryl following closely behind.
    “Yes, one more thing. You have a visitor in your office.”
    I stopped and turned around, nearly colliding with Cheryl. My skin heated and my heart pounded. Please let it not be Tommy in there. I can’t face him right now. Of course, he’s a client and friend, and he wouldn’t be refused.
    “Who is it, Cheryl?” I bit my lip and got myself in check. I’m the tigress around here. Claws are always out. I can’t show this side to her, nor to anyone.
    “It’s a woman. A friend from home. She knew so much about you, I didn’t think it would be a problem having her wait in your office. Is there, Ms. Fairchild?”
    I do not answer her question and get right to the point. “Call up to Mr. Steele’s office. Give him my apologies for the short notice of cancelling our meeting. Explain that something unavoidable has come up, and I am needed elsewhere. I will call him at a more convenient time. Have Roxy hold my calls until further notice. Hang my coat before you wrinkle it, and do not disturb me. Are we clear?”
    “Yes, Ms. Fairchild,” Cheryl answered, and made a mad dash through reception.
    1, 2, 3, 4, 5… I took a deep breath before entering and stepping inside my office. My eyes scanned the room and saw no one. My chair was facing the window to my spectacular view of the city below. I said “Hello,” but heard no response back. I reached my desk and turned my chair to find it empty.
    “What the hell is going on?” I questioned, and then I questioned no more when the presence behind me scares me nearly to death.
    “Gotcha!”
    “What the fuck!” I screamed out, nearly spilling my coffee.
    “Watch your mouth, Tumbleweed. Is that anyway to welcome an old friend?” she asked with a devilish smile running along her face.
    “Wendy!!! You nearly gave me a heart attack. How are you here in my office? I only spoke to you yesterday, or was it last night?” My brain is still fuzzy from my over indulgence. “You actually got on a plane and came to New York. I don’t know what I find stranger? The shock of seeing you here in New York, or just the fact that you actually flew across the country.”
    “You want answers?”
    “That would be nice.”
    “Give me a proper hello, and then we will talk. We have a lot to discuss.”
    I put my coffee down and hugged the woman who was like a second mother to me. It was a warm embrace, the kind I cherished and took with me when I left home all those years ago.
    “Please, Wendy, have a seat. Can I get you anything to eat or drink?”
    “I’m fine, Tumbleweed. Let’s get down to it. Shall we?”
    “Wendy, why are you here? All the times I invited you for a visit, you always refused, and now I walk into my office and you’re here. Forgive me if I just take a moment to process all of this.”
    I sipped more of my coffee and tried to push down the raging headache that was pounding throughout my head right now.
    “To answer your question, I’m here because you are not where you are supposed to be.”
    “Which is where? Wyoming? I don’t live there anymore, and it is not where I am supposed to be.”
    I picked up my phone and summoned Cheryl to bring in my briefcase. She dutifully brings it and once again caters