Chapter Eight

 

 

Filipe had been calling Celeste’s phone since Sunday morning without a reply.

On Saturday night, after Anita showed up with Lucas, Celeste had left with her son and hadn’t returned. Of course Lucas was more important, and he had needed the comfort of his mother in a strange environment. Filipe couldn’t fault either one of them for the interruption.

He hardly slept all night, wrung out with emotions in the wake of the revelations from the night before. As soon as he read 7:00 A.M. on his phone display, he sent her a message. Celeste didn’t reply. She didn’t reply to the next message or the phone call either. Was everything okay? Should he give them space or check on them?

When he knocked at the door across from his, it was only to discover she’d checked out early in the morning and had left in a taxi.

He was too late. For now, anyway.

He showered, dressed, met his family in the breakfast room, and spent some time with the rest of his extended family that hadn’t gone home yet. It would probably be a while before the Romanos got together, and he didn’t want to miss seeing anyone.

All the while he was thinking about the way Celeste had kissed him back. That, and how she didn’t blame him for her brother’s death. If that kiss was any indication, she had feelings for him too.

She finally answered the phone as he pulled into Peniche on Sunday evening.

“Hello?” Her voice sounded feeble and distant.

“I’ve been trying to reach you all day. Is everything okay with you and Lucas?”

“We’re sick. Can I talk to you tomorrow?”

“You’re both sick? What happened?” Worry rose inside him. “Can I come over to help?”

“Not now. I gotta go. Lucas is throwing up again.”

The line went dead. Filipe glanced at the screen on the console, making sure it wasn’t a connection issue.

Instead of retiring to his suite when he got to the hotel, he called ahead to the chef and asked for a container of soup, then found himself at Celeste’s building, ringing the bell to her apartment.

The intercom crackled. “Who is it?” Celeste asked, her voice not quite at its normal.

“It’s Filipe. Can you ring me up?”

Her lack of response almost had him ringing the bell a second time, but just then the release button sounded, and the door to the building opened. Filipe climbed the stairs to the second floor, balancing the bags in his hands and being careful not to spill. When he arrived at her door, he knocked softly.

The sound of shuffling steps gradually approached until the door opened a crack. Celeste peeked out, then closed the door again, and he heard the jangling of the chain being lifted. When Filipe entered, Celeste was already walking back down a hallway where Lucas cried quietly. Filipe closed the door behind him.

“What are you doing here, Filipe? I called Hugo hours ago. I thought it was him,” she said over her shoulder. “I’m too tired to talk with you, and I have to clean the mess Lucas made in his bedroom.”

A tabletop lamp illuminated the living room, and Filipe looked around, trying to adjust his eyes to the low ambient light. He placed the containers of soup and the bottles on the counter in the kitchen, then went looking for Celeste, whom he found kneeling on the floor, peeling off Lucas’s socks.

The boy looked miserable, with fat tears rolling down his cheeks and a mess down the front of his pajamas. He momentarily stopped crying when Filipe entered, visibly surprised to see him there. From the way her body bent as she struggled to undress her son, Celeste didn’t seem to be in much better condition than Lucas.

At the sight of both of them so sick, Filipe’s heart squeezed in his chest with empathy and affection. Maybe when she was feeling better Celeste would chide him for coming, but for now Filipe could only feel relief for being there to offer his help.

He stepped forward and addressed Lucas. “Hey, buddy. I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well. Do you mind if I help you get cleaned up while your mom goes to rest?”

Lucas wiped his pale face with a quick hand and shook his head.

Celeste sighed and eyed Filipe warily, leaning against the edge of the mattress.

Filipe helped her to her feet. “I brought rice broth and a bottle of electrolyte replacement. The soup is still warm. Go eat some, and then get in bed. I’ll take care of Lucas.”

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it and only nodded in reply.

Filipe set to work with Lucas, talking in low tones. He took the boy to the bathroom and ran the water to a warm bath, then helped Lucas out of his soiled clothes. After helping him wash, he wrapped him in a large towel and sat him on the chair in his bedroom while Filipe stripped the dirty sheets. He balled them up and dropped them on the floor.

“Lucas, where I can find clean pajamas for you?”

Lucas jutted his chin. “In the bottom drawer.”

Filipe helped him dry off and get dressed into the clean pajamas, then asked him where to find the sheets. After making the bed, he helped the boy into it.

“Is your tummy feeling better?”

“A little.” Lucas settled on his pillow.

Filipe knelt by the bed. “Would you like something to eat?”

Lucas shook his head. “I’m not hungry.”

“I’ll get you something to drink. I’ll be right back.”

When he returned, he helped Lucas take a few sips and then tucked him in.

“Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?” Lucas asked as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

“Of course.” Filipe sat on the bed, and a little hand sneaked from under the sheets to grab Filipe’s fingers.

A swell of emotion rose to Filipe’s throat as he held Lucas’s warm hand. He trusted so easily and completely. Filipe wanted to protect him and keep him safe.

Within a couple of minutes, Lucas slept soundly. Filipe waited a moment longer, then slipped his hand from Lucas’s fingers and rose from the bed. He located Celeste’s cleaning supplies and cleaned the floor in Lucas’s bedroom. The boy slept peacefully, and a healthy color had returned to his cheeks. Filipe cracked the window open to let in a breeze, pushed the door to his bedroom ajar, and returned the supplies to the kitchen.

On the counter, one of the bottles had been emptied, but the soup remained untouched. He found Celeste sleeping on a stuffed chair in the living room, her neck at an uncomfortable angle. As much as he hated to wake her up, she would be much better in her bed.

“Come on, Celeste, let’s put you to bed.” It was nearly midnight, and she needed to rest.

She opened her eyes and frowned slightly. “Lucas?”

“He’s fine. He’s sleeping.”

Her shoulders relaxed, and she didn’t resist him as helped her to her bedroom and under the sheets. As he tucked her in, Celeste gave his hand a squeeze. “Thank you for taking care of us when you didn’t have to,” she said in a raspy voice.

Filipe tucked her hair behind her ear with his free hand. “I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. And you’re welcome. I only wish you’d let me do more.” Then he bent and kissed her forehead. She didn’t reply to his comment, and he wondered if she’d heard his words at all. When he pulled away, the half smile on Celeste’s mouth tugged at his heart.

He already knew he’d fallen for Celeste again, but tonight had only confirmed it. This is what he wanted—to love her, to love them both, to take care of them and be a part of their lives. Celeste didn’t trust easily like Lucas did, and Filipe couldn’t blame her. Somehow, he had to find a way to make amends for his past actions and earn his right to belong with them. It felt true, and he was determined to make it right this time.

On the way back from getting Lucas’s sheets to toss in the washer, the doorbell rang and Filipe paused. Was Celeste expecting anyone?

When he peered through the peephole, a man stood on the other side. Filipe squared his shoulders and opened the door.

“Who are you?” the guy asked immediately.

“I’m Filipe. Who are you?”

“I’m Hugo. What are you doing here?” His tone was decidedly impolite as he looked Filipe up and down as if measuring some sort of competition.

“You’re Lucas’s father?” Filipe looked over the other man, much shorter than himself.

His clothes were rumpled and had several stains, and his overall appearance was that of a man who didn’t care too much for the way he looked. He smelled of stale tobacco, and his long hair was greasy. And this was the man who Lucas called father?

“Yeah. Or at least that’s what she told me,” Hugo snickered.

It took all of Filipe’s self-control to not punch him. “I’ve known Celeste a long time. She’s not that kind of woman.” Though how she’d become involved with the likes of this guy was beyond him.

The jealousy nearly blinded Filipe. If it weren’t for the mistakes he’d made in the past, for leaving after Eduardo’s death, for all the years he’d been away from Celeste without making any effort to contact her—he could have married her first. Instead, she’d married this guy, who obviously didn’t appreciate her or their son, and who only caused her worries.

The thought made Filipe mad, mostly at himself.

“I’m here to pick up our kid. Celeste said he’s sick.”

“He is.” Struck with sudden inspiration, Filipe thrust the barf-filled sheets at Hugo. “He’s been throwing up. When you’re finished washing these, his rug needs to be cleaned too.”

A look of revulsion crossed Hugo’s face. He tossed the sheets back at Filipe, taking a step back. “I’m not the maid.”

“No. Just a dad, and a lousy one at that,” Filipe said, not caring to hold back his opinion. “Celeste called you hours ago. She needed help. Lucas needs help, and you’re never around.”

“I’m busy. They know that.” He sniffled loudly. “I didn’t come here to clean up. Looks like you’re doing a fine job, whoever you are.” He flicked his hair and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Tell Celeste I came by.”

Before Filipe had time to respond, Hugo took the stairs and disappeared.

Filipe closed the door with a soft click and stood for a moment, thinking about the encounter. Was he going to tell Celeste? He’d have to ponder whether he could keep a neutral opinion when he told her instead of saying what he really thought of Hugo.

Filipe spent the next half hour cleaning up around the small space. The modest apartment had definitely seen better days, as he noticed the walls in need of a fresh coat of paint, the faucet in the bathroom with a slow leak, a burned spot on the Formica counter, and chipped tiles on the kitchen floor. He would feel more at ease if Celeste and Lucas lived in a better part of town and in a newer, nicer apartment. But what right did he have? Nothing more than that of a concerned friend when he longed to be so much more.

Before leaving, Filipe checked on Lucas and Celeste, who slept calmly and showed no signs of illness. His heart skipped a beat at the sight. He wanted them in his life—Celeste and Lucas. The conviction grew inside him. He wanted the right to help them, to live with them. The right to love them. And not just from afar, not only as a friend.

The thought stopped Filipe in his tracks. It came out of nowhere, but the more he rolled it around in his head, the more it made sense to him. There was nothing more he wanted. It was as simple as that. Only there was nothing simple about it, with so many things in the mix.

As much as he wished to stay tonight, he forced himself to turn around and go, locking the door before he left.

He could only hope Celeste would let him back in.

 

* * *

 

On Monday morning, Filipe sent a text to Celeste telling her to stay home and not worry about coming to work. She and Lucas needed the time to rest and recover.

As much as he wished to see them again, he could spend a day working on his list of tasks and focus on the business instead of his personal life.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel, Filipe walked the short distance to the aquarium. Despite the early hour, two cars sat in the front parking lot. He recognized one as belonging to Alice and was surprised she’d arrived so early on the first day of the week. Punctuality was not one of her qualities, as he’d come to learn. Maybe today he could take her aside and mention a few things that had been bothering him about her performance as the assistant director.

He found her on the east grounds, accompanying a man who carried a clipboard in his hands and a measuring tape clipped to his belt.

Was there something scheduled for today Filipe had forgotten about? His calendar was clear.

He approached them. “Good morning. I’m Filipe Romano, the owner. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Good morning, Filipe,” Alice said. Whatever her goal was, her placid, almost pleasing expression had the opposite effect on him.

The man glanced at Filipe as he kept taking notes. “I’m Dr. Manuel Macedo, architect and head building and license inspector for the region.”

Filipe frowned. “License and building inspector? What’s going on?” He kept his voice calm. “Why wasn’t I made aware of this visit?”

“No need to get defensive, Senhor Romano,” the man said in a condescending voice. “A surprise inspection is never scheduled beforehand. It would defeat the purpose.”

“Did you know about this?” Filipe asked Alice.

“Of course not,” she replied quickly, her tone bordering on offended.

Her reaction didn’t alleviate Filipe’s concerns. Why had she arrived so early then? She never came on time. Her behavior had been less than professional on several occasions, and besides being late, she also left early sometimes. He wanted to ask her more questions but held back until the inspector left. It wouldn’t look professional to have a discussion of this nature with one of his employees in front of someone who didn’t work there.

The man finished writing and put his pen away. “I would like to see your building plans and licenses, including records of everyone working on this project.”

“Certainly,” Filipe replied. “Please come this way.” He had nothing to hide. The faster he collaborated with this man’s requests, the quicker he could get him on his way.

Alice followed them. As the assistant director, her presence was part of her duties, but Filipe couldn’t ignore the feeling she had something to do with this surprise inspection. His instincts told him she was involved, and he planned to find out just how much she really was.

After retrieving all the pertinent paperwork, Filipe laid it out on the table in the workroom. “Building warrants for inside and outside, licenses and permits, and the plans for each zone of the project. And a list of workers from the contractor,” he added.

“Thank you,” Dr. Macedo said. He proceeded with his examination of each piece of paper and sheet, one by one, slowly and methodically, as if he had all the time in the world to carry this task to completion.

Filipe abhorred slowness in the workplace, unless warranted by safety, which was not the case. He pulled a chair and sat down at the other end of the table, then took his phone out and absently scrolled through Facebook, trying to keep his patience in check. There was nothing he could do to expedite the process, so he would sit and wait. He glanced at Alice, and she was also looking through her phone.

Exactly how long would this guy take to look through everything? Was there something specific he was looking for?

Forty minutes later, Dr. Macedo signed a form and detached it from his clipboard. He rose, and Filipe did as well, his legs protesting for the lack of activity.

“This is my preliminary report,” Dr. Macedo said, gesturing at the piece of paper. “You’ll receive the in-depth report within four business days, after which you may accept the fines or ask for an extension to correct the violations and a subsequent reevaluation.” He walked toward the door.

“Violations?” Filipe grabbed the paper and scanned it. “What violations?”

Dr. Macedo paused and turned to Filipe. “For starters, lack of proper licensing for the temporary workers and the permit for land-disturbing activity, which doesn’t include the grading near the pond.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Filipe said. “All the licensing is up to date and the permits all inclusive.” He had checked everything himself and with his contractor.

“As I said, my detailed report will have my findings itemized, and you will have a period to present evidence to corroborate your claims or accept the fines.”

“What do you propose I do until then?”

“Nothing. This renovation is on hold until further notice. Also, don’t forget to make sure your long-term employees are properly licensed and insured.”

The situation was turning more and more bizarre with each passing minute. “What does that mean?” Filipe asked.

“It means I’ll ask to see proof of licensing and insurance for all the employees associated with this premises, including the scientific specialists.”

“What brought your attention to this project?” Filipe asked, curious to discover how the man had found out about the renovations at the aquarium. Had word gone out that Filipe was getting ready to put it on the market?

“A concerned citizen alerted the inspection office to the irregularities in this project,” Dr. Macedo replied. “Good day.” He exited the building calmly, in total contrast to what had just happened. He’d done the proverbial dropping of the bomb and then walked away from it.

Filipe now had to deal with the aftermath, hoping he could get everything back in order as soon as possible. He’d be losing money daily for each day the crew didn’t work, not to mention the overall inconvenience. What a mess.

He sent a message to the contractor and the crew leader, asking to meet with them that morning. Then he asked Ross to call his lawyer and the architect. It was shaping up to be a long day.

Alice had followed Dr. Macedo to his car, and when she returned to the building, Filipe stopped her.

“Alice,” Filipe said. “A word, please.”

“Yes?”

“What do you know about this? The irregularities and violations mentioned.”

“Nothing. He literally arrived a minute after I did,” she replied. “He showed me his credentials, so I opened the gate for him.”

“And you didn’t think to call me?”

“I was going to when you showed up.”

Whether she’d planned to call him or not, he couldn’t know. “In the future, call me immediately if I’m not around. And today, stay until the end of your shift, please.”

At first she didn’t respond. “What about your head aquarist? Why isn’t she here yet?”

“Celeste and her son are sick. I gave her the day off.” Not that it was any of Alice’s business.

“Special treatment is frowned upon,” she said. “You should well know that.”

“It’s not special treatment. I’d do the same for any other employee.” Filipe focused on her. “Why the less-than-friendly attitude toward Celeste? Is there anything going on I don’t know about?”

“I don’t have bad feelings toward anyone,” Alice said, her voice contradicting her words. “I only wonder why Celeste holds a position of leadership when she fails to have a professional aquarist license.”

Filipe’s eyes flicked, despite his attempt to remain impassive. Was it true?

“You didn’t know, did you?” Alice asked with a look of triumph, confirming Filipe’s suspicions regarding the animosity she harbored against Celeste. “Senhor Xavier was in the process of firing Celeste for her lack of qualifications, but I couldn’t find the paperwork after his death. I wouldn’t be surprised if she found and got rid of it.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Filipe said. “I’ve been using Senhor Xavier’s office, and I haven’t seen any signs of forced entry.”

“As if getting access would be too hard for her,” she scoffed.

“Meaning?”

A cold glint passed in her eyes. “It’s common knowledge you and Celeste share a past acquaintance.” Her tone bordered on malicious.

Filipe squared his shoulders. “Watch out what you say, Alice. What you’re implying is a serious accusation.”

She leaned in a fraction. “If I were you, I’d be more concerned with my relationship with a fraud.”

As she turned and left, Filipe was too dumbfounded to say anything. The accusations toward Celeste were especially vicious. Was any of it true, and if it was, how did it have any bearing on Celeste’s performance as a professional? The former director hadn’t found it a problem, had he?

Filipe sighed in frustration. After such a great weekend, the new week was starting out decisively not great. And how was he going to deal with Alice? Even though he couldn’t prove it, he was convinced she’d been the one to call the building inspection office. Disentangling the aquarium’s renovation from this mess was going to take time he didn’t have.