Part 3: Twenty Minutes and a Purple Reindeer
Adrian looked up sharply. “You went to Meridian?” “Yes. I was about seven months along.”
Camille described taking a bus to the company’s Seattle headquarters on a rainy afternoon. She waited in the lobby and asked to leave a private letter for Adrian. The receptionist said he was overseas. When Camille explained that the message was personal and important, she was given a visitor correspondence form, which she filled out before handing over the envelope.
“Did you tell them who you were?” Adrian asked. “I gave them my full name.” “And they accepted it?” “Yes.”
Adrian leaned back. Meridian had grown from a small startup into a corporation with thousands of employees, and as it expanded, he had added stricter and stricter procedures to protect his time. Assistants filtered his calls. Security screened visitors. Administrative teams separated urgent business correspondence from everything else. He had once told his executive office not to interrupt negotiations unless something involved the board, an immediate legal concern, or a serious family emergency.
At the time, the system had seemed efficient. Now he wondered whether it had kept the most important message of his life from reaching him.
“I didn’t know you came,” he said. Camille studied his face. “I believe you.” He looked surprised. “You do?” “Yes. I can see how shocked you are.”
He glanced at the children. “I would have wanted to know them.” Camille’s eyes softened, though her voice stayed cautious. “I hoped you would. But after everything that happened, I couldn’t spend my whole life trying to convince you to answer.”
Adrian had no argument. She had been raising two children while he kept building the business he believed needed every minute of his attention.
As the flight continued toward Chicago, Bennett grew curious about Adrian. He showed him a coloring book full of animals, trucks, and Christmas decorations. “Look, I made this reindeer purple because brown is boring.” Adrian laughed. “I think purple is an excellent choice.”
Phoebe leaned forward and pointed at the drawing. “Mine!” Bennett shook his head. “No, Phoebe. You have your own page.” Camille smiled. “They’re still learning how to share.”
For several minutes, the conversation became surprisingly ordinary. Adrian learned that Bennett loved toy trains and that Phoebe refused to sleep without her stuffed lamb. They liked blueberry pancakes, watched the same holiday cartoon over and over, and enjoyed visiting a small park near their home. Every detail felt precious.
Then Bennett looked straight at him. “Do you have any kids?” Adrian’s heart tightened. He glanced at Camille, who gave a gentle, almost invisible shake of her head. Not yet. The children had only just met him and needed time, and Camille needed to decide how to introduce such a big change. Adrian understood.
“That’s a question I need to think about,” he answered. Bennett accepted this without concern. “Well, I have a sister. She’s little, but she thinks she’s the boss.” Phoebe hugged her lamb. “I boss!”
Adrian laughed, and for the first time in years, his laughter came without a single thought of business. He had spent much of his adult life trying to become someone the world considered important. Yet in one afternoon, this little boy, who had no idea who he was, had made him feel more connected to life than many of his greatest achievements ever had.
When the captain announced their descent, Adrian returned to first class. As soon as they landed, his phone filled with messages. Tessa had sent updates on the acquisition. The other company’s directors were considering revised terms, the attorneys were preparing final documents, and Adrian was expected downtown before midnight.
He called Tessa. “We’re on the ground.” “Thank goodness. The car is waiting. We need you here as soon as possible.” Adrian looked toward the back of the plane, where Camille was helping Bennett into his winter coat. Phoebe had fallen asleep against her shoulder.
“Tessa, I need a little time before I leave the airport.” A pause. “How much time?” “Twenty minutes, perhaps a little longer.” “Adrian, is everything all right?” He watched Camille struggle to balance a carry-on bag while holding her sleeping daughter. “I just found out something important about my family.”
Tessa’s voice changed. “Is there anything you need me to handle?” “Keep the negotiations moving. I’ll call you shortly.”
He headed for baggage claim, where Camille waited near the carousel with both children. Adrian took Bennett’s small backpack from her hand. “Let me carry that.” She looked surprised but let him help. They walked through the busy terminal together, surrounded by families arriving for Christmas: parents holding children’s hands, grandparents greeting grandchildren, couples embracing near the exits. He had passed scenes like these hundreds of times without a thought. Tonight, everything looked different.
Near the terminal entrance, Camille stopped. “Adrian, you should go. I know you have an important meeting.” “I do.” “Then why are you still standing here?” He looked at Bennett, who was examining the wheels of a nearby suitcase. “Because I’ve spent years treating every business deadline like the most important thing in the world. And somehow I convinced myself that personal things could always wait until tomorrow.”
“You can’t make up for everything you’ve missed in one evening,” she said. “I know.” “The children have a routine. They have a home. They’re happy, Adrian. I won’t let their lives become confusing because you suddenly feel guilty.” He nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want to turn their world upside down.” “Then what do you want?”
Adrian thought carefully. “I want to get to know them. Slowly, in whatever way makes them comfortable. I want to be someone they can depend on.” Camille looked away. “That takes more than good intentions.” “Then I’ll have to prove it with time.” He hesitated, then added, “I know I can’t get those first years back, but I don’t want to miss everything that comes next.”
Camille’s expression softened. She wasn’t ready to trust him completely, and he could see that. But she was listening, and after nearly three years of silence, that was more than he had expected.
Camille’s older brother, Patrick, was coming to pick them up. While they waited, Adrian asked if he might see the children again. “Tomorrow, perhaps?” Camille raised an eyebrow. “Tomorrow is Christmas.” “I know.” “Patrick is making breakfast for everyone.” Adrian smiled faintly. “I remember Patrick.”
Patrick had never been impressed by Adrian’s success, and he had often questioned whether Adrian understood how much Camille was sacrificing for their relationship. “He probably still doesn’t like me,” Adrian admitted. Camille gave a small laugh. “He’s not exactly your biggest admirer.” “I suppose I’ve earned that.”
She studied him for another moment. “You could come by at ten. Just for breakfast. We can explain that you’re an old friend of mine.” Relief rushed through him. “Ten o’clock. I’ll be there.” “And Adrian? Please don’t make promises to them unless you’re prepared to keep them.” He met her eyes. “I won’t.”
She gave him Patrick’s address in a quiet Chicago suburb, and for the first time that day, Adrian felt he had somewhere he truly wanted to be. Patrick’s SUV arrived minutes later. He greeted Camille, helped Bennett into his car seat, and gave Adrian only a guarded nod. “Adrian.” “Patrick. It’s good to see you.” Patrick glanced at his sister. “Everything okay?” “We’ll talk at home,” Camille answered.
As Adrian prepared to leave, Camille suddenly reached into her handbag. “There’s something else I should give you.”
