While I knew he wanted to believe this, I had my doubts. We didn’t often discuss the circumstances that led to my father having to sell a majority share of the company he built; however, one of the consequences was that I no longer had a guarantee that I’d inherit it one day. I had accepted that a long time ago, but he hadn’t, which I understood. Even now, I didn’t share the same certainty my father did, but I honestly didn’t care about all that. The one thing I wanted to gain from working with him, whether I realized and admitted it in the beginning or not, was this—rebuilding our relationship. I understood that this company was his legacy, but having him around, being able to trust him in the presence of my wife and son, was all I ever really wanted from him. Nothing more.
“I’m not only proud of your accomplishments here,” he went on. “I’m most proud of the man you’ve become—a good husband, dedicated father.” The corners of his mouth lifted again. “I admire you.”
That meant a lot coming from him. After all the years we spent going at each other’s throats, I never imagined we’d be here. I thought back to Sam’s teasing the night before. There’d been some truth to what she said; there may have been some heavy ‘convincing’ on my part when it came to getting my parents here, but… I hated them being so far away when my dad and I had just gotten to be so close. In my mind, there was a lot of lost time to make up for. He didn’t owe me anything. It wasn’t like that. I just wanted him around. Both of them.
A firm knock at the door interrupted our conversation. My father’s posture straightened, shifting from casual to professional very quickly.
“Come in,” I called out. Kai stepped in and my father stood to leave, granting us privacy to discuss whatever matter prompted this visit. They exchanged a cordial smile and nod in passing, and then my father excused himself.
Kai took the seat that had just been occupied.
“What’s up?” I asked, detecting the slightest hint of distress in his expression.
“It’s Carla,” he breathed. The face of his twenty-something, pregnant assistant popped into my head at the mention of her name. “She had a checkup and ultrasound this morning, and apparently her physician put her on bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy. I didn’t get the details, but… you know how much I depend on her, especially seeing as how my schedule is so erratic.”
He wasn’t lying about that. Carla was like an extension of him, of his mind here in the office or here in the states when he was away, anticipating what he’d need before he even realized he’d need it. We were already planning to start interviewing temps to replace her while she was out, but none of us anticipated her having to leave so quickly. She was only six months along.
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”
I glanced down at the paperwork on my desk, aimlessly scanning the header while I thought. “There has to be someone.”
“Someone qualified?” he asked, not believing we’d find a replacement of Carla’s caliber quickly enough. “I don’t know about that.”
“Don’t sweat it. I’ll have Reese deal with it while you’re gone. She can start the interview process as early as Tuesday. Might even have someone for you before you get back.”
As he stood to return to his office, the look on his face made it clear that he had little faith it’d work out so smoothly. He glanced back over his shoulder before exiting, still seeming heavily troubled when he spoke. “I’m heading out around two tomorrow afternoon. I’ll check in as soon as I touch down.”
He parted after that and I was left with the mountain of paperwork I had to tackle within the next two hours, but Kai’s problem was now a priority, too. Seeing as how I wanted him to continue to feel like coming onboard here was the right move, the sooner this issue was resolved, the better. I sat back and laced my fingers behind my head.
There had to be someone.
*****
Sam
“That’s it; you have to move in now,” I said to Terrell as he placed my son on top of my comforter. I placed the freshly folded towels in the laundry basket and then set it on the floor. Anthony was near the top of the bed, knocked out with his pacifier hanging on his lip as he snored. “He never goes down for his nap that easily for me.”
Terrell laughed quietly, his weight causing the foot of my bed to sink as he sat. “What can I say? Kids love me,” he said back, prompting me to roll my eyes at him.