“So anyway, if I can get them to agree to use it that will open the door to other veterans and military hospitals using them.”
“You’re an amazing woman, Kay.”
“Thank you.” I blushed.
“I mean it. You took not just a bad situation, one of the worst possible situations and turned it into an opportunity to help others.” He shook his head.
“Well, it was out of desperation. I really didn’t want to lose my leg. At the time I had no idea if this would work and I wasn’t going down without a fight.” I stared down at my leg for a moment. “I didn’t want anyone else to have to face that.”
“I’m sorry you went through most of that alone.”
“What?” I asked.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t at the hospital when you were there.”
“You came to see me.” I defended him.
“Yeah, I wanted to be by your side. I didn’t want you to be alone.”
“Oh, that’s okay. It was probably better that way. I had time to think and plan this out.”
“Well, I’m grateful that it worked out in the end.” He stood up to pour himself a drink.
We were venturing into uncomfortable territory. He told me that when I was injured Eddie had applied for a passport to come and sit by my bedside but by the time, he got it, I was about to be shipped back home to Bethesda. I have no doubt Eddie would have sat staring at me for the duration. As it was, he was with me in Bethesda quite a bit. I had sent him away and told him that I didn’t need him staring at me twenty-four seven, so he came up and only stayed three days a week. He always brought me things I needed or wanted from home. I was still running the company as much as I could from my bed. Michael did a lot of that work for me too and I would be eternally grateful to them both. The trouble is that Eddie had not got past it. He still feels the need to be there in case I fall, and I love him for it. I needed him to let go a little. Between him and my grandfather it was worse than being a teenager with a new curfew.
“So, what about the rest of your life and what else are you doing besides working?”
I looked at him confused. “What do you mean?”
“Do you like camping? Do you sail on the bay, what are your passions?”
“Grandpa, I have a company with offices and manufacturing in three cities and I’m trying to start a new manufacturing branch. I don’t have time for anything else.”
“What do you do when you’re not at work?”
“Sleep.” I wasn’t sure what he was driving at.
“I hope you’re not serious.”
“I’m very serious. Dinner with you is the closest thing I’ve had to a non-work-related event in years.”
“Kay, that is not healthy. You have to take time for yourself.”
“You’re telling me to take time for myself. The man who invented the word workaholic?”
“That is not true, I do plenty of things for myself.”
“Such as?”
“I play poker with some friends once a week.”
“Are these friends from work and do you talk about work things?”
“Well yes.”
“Then it doesn’t count.”
“Sure, it does we blow off steam and say things we can’t say at work.”
“Do you play golf, sail, camp?” I asked pressing the issue.
“No.”
“I see.” I drank some wine that he had silently poured and set in front of me.
He eyed me suspiciously waiting for my next comment. I just let hang there. He got the point.
“Well, speaking of poker, some friends are stopping by later tonight for a game and I thought you might want to join us.”
“I smell a set up.” I eyed him suspiciously.
“What kind of set up? I just thought you might want to play a hand or two of poker, maybe help you relax.”
“And these friends, who are they?”
“Just some of the guys from work.” He laughed. “You do remember how to play poker don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” That seemed to decide the situation and he refocused on dinner.
An hour later. One of the security guards came in. “Sir, your guests are starting to arrive.”
“Excellent. Thank you,” he replied.
“I think I’ll go upstairs and freshen up.” I announced pushing away from the table.
“Okay, we’ll be in the den when you come back down.”
I nodded and escaped upstairs. I went to one of the bedrooms on the front of the house that gave me a view of the driveway. There were three cars with drivers so at least Eddie wouldn’t be bored. A man got out of the driver’s side of the fourth car and walked to the front door.
He intrigued me. I couldn’t see his face. He was tall and broad shouldered. I wondered who he was.
I went to the bathroom and put a cool cloth on my face and neck. If I was going to play poker with my grandfather and his friends, I needed to be awake and alert. I didn’t know these men, but I knew how my grandfather liked to play. If he wasn’t the Secretary of the Navy, he would probably be the best card shark in Vegas. He was a tricky one. I went down to the den to find four men and my grandfather with drinks in their hand.
“Ah, there you are. Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you.”
My grandfather nodded and set his drink down the table. “Gentlemen I’d like you to meet my granddaughter. Kay Dandridge.” All the men were smiling in my direction, except one. “She’ll be joining us tonight if that’s alright.”
“As long as she doesn’t mind losing a little money.” One of the men said. My grandfather gave me a small smile. “She’s a good sport. Kay, this is Paul Miller, Secretary of the Army.” I
