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“Where are Alec and Oliver?” Mom asks. “I want to see as many of my boys as I can.”
“They didn’t know you were coming, Mom. Who knows what their plans are.”
She rubs a hand along the tan suede of the cushion. “That’s one bad thing about surprising you, I guess.”
“Where’s Dad?” My blood pressure rises at the mention of him. I don’t know how Gabriel can stand working for him.
“Oh, he’s home,” Mom says. “I didn’t encourage him to come. I thought it would be less stressful that way.”
She’s right. I don’t need to see him right now. He has no idea about my plan to make the Deca Arete list, but I still don’t need him around, messing with my head.
I have Elianna for that.
Except, I’m minding it less and less, the wayshemesses with my head. With my dad, it’s torture. With Elianna, it’s tortuous in a completely different way.
I think back to her choice of outfit today, and it was like she was straight out of an episode ofFriends. Not that I would have known that if she hadn’t told me. “I got this off eBay the other day,” she’d said in our morning meeting when we were discussing ordering new uniforms for the hospitality desk staff. “It’s like the outfit that Rachel fromFriendswore. Remember?”
It would be impossible to remember something I’d never seen before, but then she launched into a discussion about if we want our front-end employees to look their best, we should consider a black and white color scheme.
So, I asked her to send over some photos of examples she was thinking about to our manager, Nikki, and we changed the subject. But that didn’t mean I could stop thinking about how she looked in those white platform sneakers, long, tight white skirt and black turtleneck.
I think she sort of knew what she was talking about with the whole black and white clothing idea, because I certainly couldn’t getherout of my head.
It’s not the clothes, though. It’s her.
I take a seat on the sofa next to Mom.
“Okay, Sebastian. Tell me what you’re thinking about.” Gabriel’s got his arm resting along the back of the sofa across from me. “What are your motivations?”
Motivations? It takes me a moment to realize, with relief, that he’s not accusing me of thinking about Elianna.
“Things are looking good for us,” I say. “We’ll be brokering a deal to acquire a couple of resorts in Maine in the next few weeks, which will help. But Elianna’s right, our portfolio needs to be more well-rounded.”
“Can’t the business talk wait until tomorrow?” Mom says. “I’ve texted Oliver and Alec and they’re on their way. Let’s have a nice evening together.” Her eyes plead with me.
It’s eight o’clock at night. I don’t normally turn my brain away from the business until at least ten. And if I’m honest with myself, it’s usually later than that. It’s even still at the front of my mind while I’m falling asleep.
“Good,” I say. “That will give me some time to figure out how to answer Gabriel’s question.”
Gabriel glances at Mom and then back at me. He sits forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “I’m just wondering why now? Why are you worrying about your charitable portfolio at this time? I tried to talk to you about this stuff when I graduated, and you didn’t want anything to do with it.”
“The company’s been donating to charity since its inception.”
Gabriel rolls his eyes. “Yeah. I know. And I’m sure those charities really appreciate your measly efforts. But giving has gotten sophisticated these days, brother. Get with the program. You need a lot more diversity for anyone to take you seriously.”
“What about the local arts community? I know the theater troop here doesn’t even have their own place to put on productions. And Elianna’s trying to raise funds for a playhouse that’s important to her in Dana Point.”
“Great. Have her send me info on that.”
“Guys, come on,” Mom says, placing a hand lightly on Gabriel’s arm. “Let’s save it for tomorrow. You haven’t even talked about your lives or anything. Sebastian, are you dating anyone right now? Gabriel is.” She tilts her head toward her middle son, her chin at an angle of pride.
“Mom,” Gabriel says and sits even more forward so her hand drops away from his arm. “We grew up talking business at home. It’s our default. We were taught by the best.” He gives a slight smirk. Even Gabriel, Dad’s favorite, if you can call him that, sees Dad’s faults and failings loud and clear. For some reason, though, he can see past it enough to actually work for him. None of the rest of us can.
“That’s exactly why I don’t want to discuss it now,” she says. “Think of all the time we wasted. If your dad and I weren’t traveling for business, we were talking about it at home, at dinner, even on the way to and from church. You know I have regrets.” Her eyes flash a cut of pain and she closes her lips tightly.
“I know,” I tell her. She’s right about the obsession with the business and growing their wealth. But that’s not on her. She was only trying to hold onto a marriage where the other partner was selfish, self-centered, and callous.
“I can own my part,” she says, fingering the gold and pearl necklace close to her throat. “I won’t own your father’s mistakes because they weren’t mine. But I can own mine and I made plenty. And I’ll keep apologizing until—”
