Free Humbled by Patricia Haley Page A

arrangement surrounding her marriage to Joel. He was her husband. She had pledged her heart and her virginity to him and would be committed to him for her whole life. There was no other man, marriage, or relationship for her. Joel Mitchell was the only one. She had to get him home.
    â€œIt kills me to see you so caught up in a man who doesn’t value you. How long are you going to play this game with him? When are you going to take over your father’s business and forget about Joel?”
    Zarah was grateful for Tamara’s friendship. At least she wasn’t in this big country completely alone, but she didn’t think Tamara would ever support her desire to be reconciled with Joel. Discussing her marriage further was not good. “I don’t want to fight with you. I’m too exhausted.” Grief swallowed the room, along with her heart.
    â€œI’m not trying to upset you, but chasing after an uninterested man is the fastest way to run him off. I keep telling you to take charge. Run Harmonious Energy. Let Joel see you’re in charge and not paying attention to him. You can do this.”
    The words stung. Zarah had heard her sister-in-law’s appeal repeatedly but hadn’t intended to follow her advice. This evening Tamara’s words took on new meaning. She’d tried getting Joel to come home by expressing her commitment to him. It hadn’t worked. The pregnancy hadn’t, either. Zarah knew there weren’t many ways left to win Joel’s affection. She had to listen to Tamara. Maybe she would give some consideration to running her father’s business, at least some portion of it. According to Tamara, this would save her marriage. She had to try.
    â€œI’ll look into getting the company, but I won’t stop going for my husband. I hope you will honor my wishes.”
    â€œWhat can I do?” Tamara asked in a gentle voice.
    Zarah was pleased her sister-in-law wasn’t shouting. “I don’t believe you can do anything for me.”
    â€œHow about I come over? We can chat or watch TV, or we can sit and cry over Joel if you’d like.”
    â€œI would very much like for you to come here. I feel very alone.”
    â€œSay no more. I’m on my way. Give me about forty-five minutes and I’ll be there.”
    Zarah was relieved. The memories of her depression faded. Tamara wasn’t Joel, but she was a Mitchell. Staying connected with his family pleased her.

Chapter 14
    The weekend had sailed by, and the Monday morning sun ushered in a new week, but Joel didn’t feel refreshed. He’d drifted in and out of sleep most of the night. He wanted to jump up and run toward something. Yet he was frozen as he lay across the bed, allowing his anxiety to mount. Finally, after an hour of doing nothing, Joel got dressed and got out of the hotel. His personal existence was in flux. At least if he had a reason to crawl out of bed and get motivated each morning, Joel was confident the other chaos would settle down. He had to get a job or make one. Either way, he had to try every possibility. He smacked down his pride and headed toward the only quasi-refuge he had in Detroit, DMI.
    Joel pulled into the parking lot and stopped along the executive row. For nearly three years, he’d parked in the CEO stall. Don was the one parking in the CEO spot now, next to Madeline’s convertible Bentley. Intently cruising along the executive row, Joel saw that there wasn’t a spot for him. He eased the car into gear and crept to the next row. He found an empty space next to the one reserved for his mother. Joel headed toward the building and a flood of sentiment met him at the door. Positive and negative memories were mixed together, though they were mostly positive. He basked in a sense of comfort as he walked through the lobby. He couldn’t resist reflecting on his tenure at DMI and concluded that those years were, undoubtedly, the most