Consequences

corridor. Tony was at the head of the table drinking coffee, his plate empty and his laptop open. When Claire entered the room he looked up. “Good morning, dear. You look beautiful this morning.”
    She made a face, “I think you need an eye exam,” and gave him a kiss. “I just wanted to catch you before you left.” Claire sat down at the table and Catherine poured her coffee. “I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate talking to Emily. This is a really difficult time for them.” She added some cream, watching the ivory liquid swirl into the black abyss. Then she looked up into his eyes, wondering if they were the color of the coffee with or without the cream, and added, “And I wanted to let you know I will miss you.” She smiled at the cream filled eyes as she spoke.
    “Good news, I am working from home today.” Claire’s heart sank, she really wanted alone time to contemplate the John thing . However, her smile never faltered. “So you will not need to miss me.”
    “That’s great! Do you have a lot of work?”
    “A few web conferences and phone calls, but don’t worry, I know your schedule is free. I have some ideas for us too.” That smile and the way his eyes shone made Claire question his ideas. She would be glad when Brent returned. This Tony made her uneasy, detesting the dual personalities.
    Sipping her coffee, “All right, I need to work out and clean up. I came down here in a hurry to see you.”
    “When you’re dressed come to my office,” he said as he stood to leave. He paused to touch her shoulder.
    Obediently she replied, “I will be there as soon as I can.”
    He kissed her cheek. “Or you could visit before you dress?” His tone suddenly playful.
    She touched his hand. “If I do that, you may not get your work done.” He reluctantly agreed and went to his office. She smiled at his attire: shirt, tie, NYU sweatpants, socks, and slippers. That comment to Vanity Fair had been truthful.
    Claire’s thoughts wandered as she sipped her coffee, ate her breakfast, and looked out the tall windows. For January the sky was an amazingly clear sapphire blue. Suddenly, she longed to be outside and in the sunshine. The John situation had her heartsick. Maybe some fresh air would give her a new perspective and some ideas to help her family. The beautiful scene outside the window beckoned her to walk, roam, get away, if only for a few hours. The snow of the last few weeks was melted, yet today it was cold enough to keep the ground solid. Perhaps she would have time for a hike before Tony’s ideas. Maybe she could entice him to walk too. He might have some ideas to help John.
    Thinking about her walk, Claire finished her shower and left her bathroom considering the appropriate clothes: jeans, a sweater, hiking boots. Her plans didn’t matter. She saw that her clothes were laid out. She hated that. This attire assistance occurred without predictability since her accident . There were jeans, dressier than she would have chosen, and a blue snug-fitting V-neck sweater—not exactly perfect for hiking, but with the addition of a coat and scarf it could work.
    Then she noticed her jewelry on the dressing table. Her internal monologue: Seriously, it is morning, who needs diamonds in the morning? Avoiding an unnecessary confrontation, she did as she had been bid, dressed in the clothes, and put on the diamond journey necklace, diamond stud earrings, and diamond watch. Her new watch from Switzerland was beautiful, but it sat on her wrist as a constant reminder of punctuality. She’d been late twice. She didn’t need a watch to remind her of Tony’s appreciation. The first time taught her a lesson she would never forget.
    Luckily, there were no shoes set out. She could put on the hiking boots and hope for the best. She was pretty sure Tony’s ideas didn’t include shoes, but hers did. Maybe he could find his hiking boots too.
    It was almost ten by the time she reached his office. She knocked and waited for his permission to enter. She didn’t hear him but the door opened and she entered, seeing him seated behind his desk with a shirt and tie, looking so professional. She smiled and quietly sat on the leather sofa away from the webcams and waited for the web conference to finish.
    It had something to do with a company in Michigan that was losing money. The local government wasn’t willing to give more tax breaks. Were they going to close it or keep it open? The discussion revolved around