The meeting with Donovan's lawyers started at the appropriate time, maybe even earlier because they had shown up half an hour early. It seemed Keith wanted to get it done with quickly so he had arranged that the meeting started right away.
Ever since the incidence that happened in the morning, Keith had kept to himself. He didn't step out of the office, neither did he call for her. She knew she would have to talk to him but she could not bring herself to walk into his office, she could not bring herself to face him. Not right now.
She had reasoned to talk to him after the meeting, but it seemed like that had not been a wise choice because Keith chose to keep her at arm's length.
She had attended the meeting with him and the lawyers but she had not been allowed to say a word. At other meetings, Keith always made sure to ask of her opinion, no matter who it was that he was doing business with, he always asked her.
Today he had not even looked in her direction. Even when one of the lawyers had directed a question at her, Keith had answered the question before she could speak, cutting her off snd brushing her completely away. So she had just sat quietly and taken notes.
The rest of the day carried on pretty much like that, he didn't step out of the office, he had his lunch delivered to him and had no other visitors or meetings. He had sent her a mail just after the meeting that she cancel every other thing he had lined up for him for that day.
She couldn't ask him why, maybe it was because she knew why or maybe it was because couldn't talk to him. She only did as she was told.
She had come down first and gotten into the car after the end of business day, waiting for him. They had come to work in the same car, so they would have to return in the same car. She wondered if Keith would want to ride with her, what if he took a cab home instead?
As she thought about this, she saw him walk towards the car briskly. He had his attention on his phone and was scrolling rather aggressively through it. Donna braced herself to face him and she sat upright, she was obviously on edge.
Keith walked to the side of the car, pulled the door open, stepped in and shut the door, not for once paying attention to her. The driver glanced at them once through the rearview mirror, before he started the car and made his way away from the premises.
Donna kept her attention on her fingers which played with the hem of her skirt. She knew she had to talk to Keith but she didn't know how to start. I'm sorry? I didn't know? You weren't supposed to find out?
"Fuck!" She cursed herself in her head and tilted her head up as she felt the tears beginning to brim in her eyes.
Keith leaned to his side, closer to the window. He had a tight frown on his face and focused seriously on his phone. Donna occasionally stole glances at him but he didn't seem to mind her.
He didn't mind her at all.
"Keith, I'm sorry," she blurted out quickly with her head down and her eyes shut. But Keith didn't respond to her.
She opened her eyes and looked at him, he didn't show that he had heard her but she knew he had, the car was quiet and they were sitting close to each other. He was still giving her the cold shoulder and the silent treatment.
"Keith," she called again, "I'm really sorry about what happened earlier, I didn't..." She paused, what did she want to say? She didn't what? "... I'm sorry."
Again, Keith ignored her. He focused on his phone like he was playing a serious gamble with all the money he had in the world and that any slight disturbance could cause him to loose.
Donna swallowed and looked down at her fingers. She held her tears at bay, but she knew she could not hold them back for much longer. Keith's silence was killing her, stabbing at her heart repeatedly. Painfully.
"Please talk to me Keith, I'm sorry," she sniffed. A single year escaped her eye and she turned to face the window, looking outside.
She knew it would be like this, she knew he would be this stubborn about it and she cursed Jeremy, he just had to come in and scatter everything with his claim.
Now it was clear, the Xiu family was her retribution as every problem she had ever faced was in one way or another, related to them. Ebeneezer, Jeremy and Cheryl.
They were almost home, Donna didn't want her mother to know about the issue they had and she really wanted to settle with Keith before they got home, but he was being difficult.
She could understand him, she could understand why he would feel he way he was feeling now, but still...
Still...
The car pulled up to the driveway and before the driver turned off the engine, Keith had pushed opened the door. Donna was quick to place her hand on his wrist, stopping him from stepping out.
"Please Keith, will you just listen to me?" She was beginning to cry now.
Keith paused and looked at her hands on his wrist. His facial expression didn't show anger but she noticed his muscles flex and his jaw tightened, and slowly she let go of him.
Keith stepped out of the car and shut the door, he pocketed his phone and walked into the house.
Donna rushed out of the car and ran to him, she walked just behind him, sometimes running to keep up with his pace, calling out his name as they entered the house.
"Keith... Keith..." She got upset now and yelled at him, "Will you just listen!"
But Keith blatantly ignored her even as her mother came out to welcome them. He walked up the stairs to his room, leaving the two women in the living room.