Harry O'Hern was rather depressed. He couldn't back down as if they married which was an outside possibility, it would be disastrous if Sierra Bycroft noted any weakness in him over this impasse as Sierra being Sierra would exploit it.
He was sure Sierra had intended to give him a wrist slap, almost in jest, about his crudely written desire but somehow it just ran out of control - they were both to blame. Up to that point of her so cruelly calling him a creep, eyes blazing in contempt, he'd been willing to apologize and treat her contritely.
The next eight days went by painfully for Harry.
Every time he saw her he hoped she'd turn to him, smile, and say she was sorry for being such a bitch. That would have been enough to compel him to take her into his arms and apologize for saying he loved her. That would have given her opportunity to...um... whatever. How the hell could he have predicted how she'd react to his declaration?
The weekend crawled.
On Friday night he went out with Frank and they got beautifully drunk, which took care of Saturday until he awoke after midday, went out for late lunch, then to a movie and then home where he slept soundly.
Sunday was a complete wash-out and on Monday morning when jogging Jenni asked him had he and Sierra quarreled because for once she hadn't mentioned him when they chatted on the phone, like for two hours the previous day.
"No, we haven't quarreled," he said truthfully. "Let's clap on the pace a bit."
She responded and as he anticipated that shut her up for a while. Because Jenni got the message the name Sierra didn't come up over breakfast or during the cab ride back to his apartment.
On the sidewalk Jenni looked interested in being invited up, gazing pointedly at the doors, but no invitation was issued. But he did kiss her and said he'd see her the next morning.
On Tuesday, Harry drove the chairman in his new Mercedes to the Old Immigration Wharf Restaurant and Duncan was pleased with the response that drew. Over lunch he confined his drinking to two dry white wines while Duncan knocked off a half bottle of red.
After the main course the subject of Sierra's future was discussed.
Harry disclosed that he was optimistic Sierra would crack any time soon to open her mind completely and gratefully receive extensive tuition and discuss management issues.
It troubled him to learn of Sierra's continued reluctance to open up fully to Harry's strategic plan to groom her comprehensively for taking over the chairmanship from her father eventually.
As they were about to leave, Duncan sighed, and said he wanted Harry to stay on course with his mentoring of Sierra, a decision that would strain his relationship with his discontented daughter; he wanted Harry to instill leadership qualities in her and try to teach what seemed to come naturally to him - to achieve progress in business relationships by neutralizing conflict and aggression.
"I'll give her that decision together with some encouraging comments when I return to the office."
Harry, the faster mover, was already in the front seat when Duncan had still not opened the driver's door. Suddenly he saw Duncan reach the front passenger's door and disappear from view. He waited a few seconds before investigating.
Duncan must have slipped. He found Duncan flat on his back, his face in multi-shades between red and puce, bubbles coming from his lips.
Alarmed, Harry recalled something about Duncan having had a heart scare.
Harry saw a woman talking on a cell phone talking on her cell phone.
"Hurry call emergency - this man's in sudden cardiac arrest," he shouted to the woman, fortuitously a woman who'd had accident/emergency training. She waved, cutting her call and dialed 911.
Fortunately for Duncan, who would survive this crisis, Harry had long ago received CPR training. He undid Duncan's tie, spread open his jacket and ripped open his shirt, tilted back his chin and began CPR.
The woman arrived and knelt beside him. "How are you coping?"
"Fine now, I'm into my rhythm at last."
"There are defibrillators at the fire station, miraculously just opposite here. I hear the siren now. Would you like me to take over?"
"No just check my technique if you know CPR."
"You're doing fine. I've been watching you."
Two firemen, arriving in the chief fireman's vehicle, raced to Duncan's side with a defibrillator and took over.
"That response was marvelous," said the woman. "No more than three minutes."
She walked away, never to be identified despite attempts latter to locate her by Margo's appeal published in the newspaper.
An ambulance arrived and loaded Duncan. Harry was told where they were taking Duncan. He was preparing to follow the ambulance when he saw Duncan's phone behind the front wheel of the Mercedes. He punched in 'Marg' and the phone began dialing. She answered.
"Keep calm Margo, Harry speaking. Duncan's on his way to Northridge Accident and Emergency with a problem. Heart I think. I'll phone Sierra."
Margo shrieked, and then seemed to calm immediately.
"Go to Sierra if you can instead of calling her. Duncan's the only man in her life - she's temperamental and will go to pieces. Please bring her to us Harry."
Harry did as he was told and with great speed, realizing he'd called Mrs Bycroft by her first name without being invited to do that.
He went to Sierra and she did the girlie thing and fainted but recovered quickly and then went into awesome mode, barking out orders and then grabbing him by the hand towed him into an elevator.
In the cab she asked what had happened.
"He fell just as he was about to open the front passenger's door. I was already seated and knew he wasn't drunk as he'd only consumed a couple of wines. I just thought he'd slipped and when he didn't appear went and checked and by his color knew he was in trouble."
"Taking a wild guess I yelled to a woman using a cell phone this man was in cardiac arrest. I loosened his tie and did what I could for him. We're very lucky - help was only three minutes away and an emergency crew arrived with the special gear needed. He has a good chance of survival if my prognosis is correct as time was of the essence."
"What does that mean?"
"Fast action, defibrillation and into hospital - each minute is vital."
"Thank you for doing this for my father."
"It was nothing; anyone would have done it."
Sierra, white-faced but calm, kissed his cheek and he didn't flinch.
Harry put an arm round her and drew her to his chest. Only then did she begin to sob. He stroked her face and for one of the few times in his life felt he was really needed by someone. It was just like Betsy had needed him, with the name change, and years later for him to lead her into reconciliation.
They entered the critical care section and Sierra looked surprised when he mother rushed straight to Harry and hugged him.
"The surgeon came out to talk to me and they're operating now. She says you probably saved his life by applying CPR promptly and getting him attached to a defibrillator so quickly."
Margo then hugged and kissed Sierra saying, "The surgeon believes he'll survive. They've located the blockage and are going in after it. She reckons it's been a close thing for Duncan but the op is routine for her, baring complications, but she's very confident darling. One of us will have to phone Trent Rogers, the deputy chairman, as he'll have to take over for six weeks."
They sat and filled up on coffee. Only Margo would be allowed to go into post-op recovery to sit with Duncan.
Harry told Margo he'd take Sierra to the hospital restaurant and handed Duncan's phone to her.
As Sierra was picking over a piece of dry fish Harry urged her to eat, saying she needed food and fish was good for her.
"Fish, call this fish - it's horse shit."
