Breathless Secrets by Elizabeth Lennox
Chapter 14
“Where’s James?” Nora asked, pausing by the table where Molly was filling out supply order forms.
Inwardly, Molly cringed. Ever since that gaggle of reporters had descended on the center, with James showing up in the middle, everyone assumed that Molly knew where he was all the time. Plus, she missed him! Ever since she’d accepted that she was in love with the man, there was a void in her life whenever he had to leave.
Sighing, she rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the headache creeping up the back of her neck. “He’s in Bristol today. More campaign stops.”
Nora set down the boxes she’d been holding. “How long will he be gone this time?”
Molly’s lips twisted into a grimace. “He’s been gone for ten days but should be back this afternoon.” Ten long, miserable days.
Nora nodded understandingly. “That’s a long time, dear. Why aren’t you with him?”
“Because I have work to do,” Molly replied, offering her usual response.
“And because you don’t trust him,” Nora continued, picking up the boxes again and heading for the kitchen.
Molly stared at Nora’s retreating back, not sure she’d heard her friend correctly. “I trust James,” Molly replied, startled.
Nora glanced over her shoulder in disbelief. “If you trusted James, then you’d trust his feelings. And you’d be with him on your days off. But you don’t trust him, do you, dear?”
“I do!” Molly replied, but her voice sounded weak even to her own ears. “I mean, I trust him not to hurt me.”
Nora shook her head and continued with her chore.
Molly sat there for a long moment, considering what Nora had said. Of course she trusted James. And yet, a small part of her…didn’t! Molly kept a small part of herself distant from James, needing to protect herself. He would move on. His campaign was gaining momentum, the polls showed a huge lead against the incumbent Senator Von Deuch. Lilly was thrilled and had also endorsed James. Businesses and religious leaders were coming out to endorse “change” and add their support behind James’ campaign.
Yes, James would move on. He would win this election in the fall, and then he would need someone by his side that could help him. Someone who knew how to be a senator’s wife. Molly remembered Lilly’s struggles with being the daughter to a powerful politician. It wasn’t an easy job.
Molly knew that she couldn’t be that wife, even though she’d sort of agreed to marry him several weeks ago. Every time he brought up the issue of marriage, Molly changed the subject. As much as she loved James, as much as Molly would love to spend the rest of her life with him, loving him and being his biggest champion, Molly knew that she couldn’t be what he needed.
Right now, Molly was a distraction. She was the woman he came home to when he needed a break from the intense and constant pressures of the campaign.
But soon, he would need more. And Molly needed to be prepared for that moment.
She walked into the kitchen after Nora, intending to explain the situation. But instead, she noticed Nora opening one of the boxes she’d been carrying. “You ordered a video game machine?” she asked, surprised as the elderly woman turned the box over in her hands. “I didn’t know that you played video games.”
Nora chuckled. “I was still trying to figure out what this was. And no, I don’t play video games.” She shook her head, bemused, as she toyed with the box. “Why would you order a video game? I thought you wanted the kids to stay active and away from screens?”
Molly blinked. “I didn’t order that,” she said, frowning at the abhorrent device. “You’re right. I wouldn’t order anything that has kids sitting down. I want them moving and thinking, playing outside and talking with each other.”
“Hey girl!” Maggie called out, lugging in several more boxes. “These came for you in the mail today. I thought I’d bring them to you instead of leaving them outside your apartment.”
She let out a breath of air as she set the seemingly heavy boxes down on the kitchen counter. Then Maggie frowned at the black box that Nora was still holding in her hands. “A video game? Why would you do that? I thought you were opposed to video games?”
Molly rubbed her forehead, the pain in her head moving behind her eyes. “I didn’t order that,” she said, almost sneering at the video game box. “First of all, we don’t have the funding for something like that. And secondly, you’re right. I hate television and video games.”
Nora glanced at the address on the shipping box. “But it’s addressed to you,” she pointed out.
Molly cringed. “Probably one of our new donors ordered it and sent it in.”
“And these?” Maggie asked, putting her hand on the boxes.
Again, Molly shook her head. “Nope. Not from me. I’m just now getting around to ordering supplies for next month, but I only ordered the usual supplies. Plus some extra school supplies to help the kids get ready for the school year. I wouldn’t order electronic devices.”
Maggie’s eyes lit up as she glanced down at the boxes. “Let’s find out what else your mystery donor ordered, shall we?” She picked a box at random and opened it. She let out a slow whistle. “Well, this is weird,” she said, lifting a delicate gold chain from a very expensive jewelry store out of the box. “Why would anyone send something like this?”
Molly had no clue.
“Hey, ladies. What’s going on?” Lilly called out as she waddled into the kitchen.
“Hey Lillers!” Molly replied, reaching over to hug her beautiful friend.
“You are positively glowing!” Maggie gushed, doing the same thing.
Nora laughed, clapping her hands from the other side of the table. “Dear, Maggie is right. You look absolutely beautiful!”
Lilly rolled her eyes. “You’re trying to distract me from finding out what’s in those other boxes, aren’t you?”
That brought Molly’s attention back to the video game and the gold chain. “We aren’t sure! These just showed up. I have no clue what’s going on here. No one here ordered them, and I can’t figure out why a donor would send something like this,” she said, admiring the sparkly bracelet draped over her fingers. The light danced off the gold links.
“Maybe they thought…?” Lilly started off, only to end with silence, then a shrug and a swift shake of her head. “I got nothing.”
Maggie laughed. “Okay, so…what’s in the other boxes?”
Quickly, Nora and Maggie opened the rest of the boxes while Molly went to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of lemonade, pouring glasses for everyone.
When Molly turned back, she stopped, shocked by the loot spread out across the table. “Not just video games, but televisions, gaming consoles, jewelry, and leather coats? This is so weird!”
Maggie nodded slowly. “Some donor has very expensive tastes,” she agreed. “What are you going to do with all of this stuff? Give it to the kids?”
Molly shook her head sharply. “No way. Stuff like this would only get the kids into trouble. Even if they actually managed to get this stuff back to their homes without getting mugged, there would eventually be problems. But I doubt the kids would make it home safely.” She frowned thoughtfully at the items, a thought coming to mind. “I know exactly what we can do!” She laughed, clapping her hands as she looked around. “What if we had a big auction? We could sell this stuff for cash, then use the proceeds to get everything the community center really needs!”
Lilly’s features morphed from confused to eager as she thought about it. “I think that’s a perfect idea!” she agreed. “We could even do it at Drako’s place. We have a huge backyard and I’ll invite every rich and famous person on his contact list.” She turned to Molly. “Will that work?”
Molly grinned. “I think it’s an awesome idea!” she said, laughing. “But–”
Lilly held up a hand, knowing exactly where Molly’s thoughts were heading. “We’ll sponsor the event ourselves. The food and drinks will be our donation to the center. It will be a business expense. Drako can do some networking. It will be good for James and Oliver too. James can make some additional connections and Oliver,” she grinned at Maggie, “can keep Drako from buying all of the auction items.”
The three laughed with understanding, then turned to Nora. “What do you think? Would you like to bake a big, extravagant cake for the event?”
Nora rubbed her hands together with a grin. “I thought you’d never ask.” She moved over to the printer and pulled out some blank paper so she could start designing the cake. “I have some thoughts on a design, but I’ll get together with Louise and we’ll give you some ideas.” Then she was gone, obviously eager to get started.
Maggie, Molly, and Lilly all went into high gear. Molly wanted several of the kids from the center to attend, all of the volunteers, as well as several of the kids who were doing really well in school. Maggie called her husband and got him on board, and Oliver sent over several names from his contacts list that would be high profile attendees, people who would draw in the big spenders. Also guests with deep pockets, that wouldn’t mind donating to a worthy cause.
“I think that the kids should demonstrate the things that they do here,” Lilly explained. “And I have the marketing people who can get the press to attend as well.”
Two hours later, they had made significant plans, including getting a caterer lined up for a fraction of the cost, due to the high profile of the attendees and the charity function aspect of the event. They’d scheduled it for this coming weekend, because Molly didn’t have any place to safely store the items in the center. There were locks on the doors, but otherwise, there weren’t any significant security measures.
