Chapter 25

Soon life starts to move forward. Anna and Derek see each other as much as possible and talk on the phone every night. Derek knows he is in trouble and falling fast. That’s not what really is bothering him, though. He is more concerned with how he can hurry up and give Anna three hundred flowers. Time to get creative!

July comes and goes and August is hot. Derek probably could get a job at a bigger firm anywhere in America, but he loves the climate of San Diego and living near the ocean. Now that he has met Anna, a tsunami couldn’t make him leave his home without the love of his life right beside him.

In the last couple of days of July, Derek managed to get Anna another two single flowers and a dozen red roses. The dozen red roses came with a note that read, “I want to surround you with the beauty of these roses as you have surrounded me with the beauty of your grandeur in this month of July, the best month of my life.”

Derek had his meeting with Craig, his boss, and Megan has been promoted to vice-president of three divisions, one being research, Al’s old job. Also in the same breath Craig said, “I have spoken with Edna Harris and Dan Winston and they support me in promoting you to executive vice-president of over-all operations.”

“Sir, it has been my honor to step up until you can come back and take the reins.”

“I know, and thank you, but the truth is the company appears to be on an upswing. Good job!”

“I’ve had some fantastic help, Craig, let’s not forget that. Also things come around naturally. I don’t want to be one of those who stays in power long enough that things come around naturally and yet they take credit for it, when in truth, in so many cases, it would have came around faster if they would have just stayed out of it.”

“Foresight like that is why I know I have made the right decision. Guess what?”

“What?”

“The doctor says that in a couple of weeks to a month I can come in a day or two a week to slowly work my way back up to the pace of high finance.”

“Wonderful!” Derek hears a feminine growl from behind him. He turns and sees Craig’s wife Carrie standing there with a frown on her face. “Not wonderful?” Derek says to her.

“I just think he should wait a bit longer before returning.”

“You’ve just enjoyed having your husband home.” Carrie’s eyes flood with tears and she leaves the room. “I’m sorry!” yells Derek, to her back. Derek turns around to Craig with raised eyebrows and says, “Oops.”

“It’s alright. I haven’t been that great of a husband. I sometimes worked seven days a week for decades now. She was terribly worried about me, and yet at the same time she has loved having me home. Derek?”

“Yes.”

“That’s why even when I do come back it’s never going to be like it was. I’m going to be counting on you to help me be able to make it home to my family. I mean remind me that I have a family to go home to.”

“As much as Sarah loves Carrie and Bobbie I would imagine you are going to hear it from her quite often, but I’ll do what I can.”

Craig laughs while smiling and then he says, “Derek?”

“Hmm.”

“I want you to take over the company until Bobbie is educated and experienced enough to do so.”

“I can do that, as long as you understand one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I have a girl I have fallen madly in love with and I will not be spending seven or even six days a week, every week, at the company.”

“Understood! What’s her name?”

“Anna.”

“You two should come over for dinner sometime.”

Carrie says, “Yeah, that would be great!” Derek and Craig turn to Carrie who is standing at the door again.

“Carrie, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...”

She holds up her hand and comes over and gives Derek a hug, “It’s okay. The truth of it just overwhelmed me is all.”

“Derek?”

“Yes, Craig.”

“I figure on retiring full-time in about a year or three. I figure it will take that long to get everything transferred over to you.”