by Jessica Marx
I smile at my mother. She’s so excited to become a grandmother. I already know she’s going to be such a big help. As I get closer to my due date, I’m becoming more concerned about my mothering skills. There is so much I need to learn. I’ve hardly spent any time with children - let alone a newborn.
“I admire your enthusiasm, Ginny. I wish you could share some of it with my father,” Mason says cynically. I knew Garrison’s name would come up. Mason still hasn’t had a chance to speak to him yet.
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll come around,” my mother assures him, “especially once he sees that sweet little face.”
“I don’t know. I’m beginning to wonder if he has any feelings at all. I thought we were getting somewhere when we last spoke, but apparently, I was wrong.”
Ugh. I feel so bad for him. Mason says he doesn’t need his father’s approval or blessing, but it’s obvious that he wants it. Maybe when Garrison comes back to have me sign his papers, I’ll make one of my conditions that he can’t treat his son like shit. I wonder how his legal team would handle that?
“Would you like me to talk to him?” my mother offers.
Mason laughs lightly, “Thanks, but he would eat you alive, Ginny. You’re much too nice for him.”
“You’ve never seen my mother’s mean side. It can be pretty intimidating.”
“I’ll have to remember to stay on her good side,” Mason winks, “would anyone like dessert? Today the baby was craving apple pie, so we picked some up on the way.”
“Are you sure it’s the baby?” my mother asks. She stands and begins clearing the table.
“No, but it doesn’t matter. Whatever my girls want, I will get.”
“Oh! It’s a girl?” my mother asks. She’s so surprised, she almost drops the pates.
“No. Well, we don’t know. Mason is sure it’s a girl. I think it’s a boy. Don’t even get me started,” I joke.
The three of us share some pie and even more laughs. My mother and Mason’s father couldn't be any more different if they tried. I can’t imagine there will ever be a day when we can all sit and talk like this together. It’s really too bad. He’s the only thing missing that could complete our family.
Monday comes and Garrison is still no where to be found. I would bet that Kim or one of the other girls knows exactly where he is and how to reach him. They’ve probably just been instructed not to share any information. Nice to know they can at least keep that a secret.
Just before lunch, I get an interoffice message from Kaitlyn. She invites me to come to her office to go over some things during lunch. We haven’t spent a whole lot of time together over the last few weeks - even on office related business.
I say hi to Alex and escort myself into Kait’s office. She’s noticeably pregnant now and looks somewhat uncomfortable.
“Hey, Sam,” she greets me. Kait gets up from behind her desk and walks over to hug me. She’s wearing slippers, “no more heels for me. I keep them here just in case, but my feet are so swollen. How are you feeling?”
“So far, so good.”
She looks down at my belly, and back up at me, “it’s going to be hard to keep that a secret around here much longer.”
“I know,” I grin, “not that it’s much of a secret anyway. I’m pretty sure everyone knows already.”
“They do. A couple of people have asked me if the rumor is true. That’s part of what we need to talk about.”
That’s never the beginning of any good news. She can’t fire me - that’s one perk of dating her superior. At least I know my job is safe.
We take a seat on the couch. The lunch delivery is already on the table.
“I hope Thai is okay. I don’t know how your cravings are, but mine are all over the place. Last week this would have made me gag, this week, it’s all I want to eat.”
“I know! It’s crazy. I went from getting sick all day to eating non stop.”
“Well, it doesn’t show on you, so enjoy it while you can,” Kait complements me, “anyway, I have to speak to you about something.”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“As you may have already guessed by your lack of involvement, I’m going to have Meg take your place in my absence.”
I’ve been so caught up in my own life, that I hadn’t noticed what was going on around me. Kait had asked me to take over the department with Jared, but then nothing happened. I didn’t even follow up with her about it once I found out I was pregnant.
“It’s nothing personal. It’s not because of your performance. It’s just, well, you having a baby is going to put you out of commission as well. I need to have someone in charge that I can count on - not that I can’t count on you,” she rambles.
“I understand, Kait. It’s fine. It wouldn’t be fair to put me in charge knowing I will be leaving shortly after you.”
Kaitlyn breathes a sigh of relief, “thanks. I’ve been dreading telling you. I know you would be a great leader, it’s just bad timing.”
“I know.”
She pauses, “when you say ‘leaving’, do you mean leaving for good or just temporarily?”
I stare at her blankly. I never thought of leaving and not coming back. Mason and I discussed it a couple of times, but in the beginning I wouldn’t dream of leaving my job. Now, I’m not as sure.
“I don’t plan on leaving for good. I love it here.”
“You and Mason could be like a power couple - leading Grant and Son together. Well, you, Mason, and Garrison,” she rolls her eyes. Does anyone like him?
“I don’t know about all that,” I begin, “but I enjoy what I do.”
“You have time to think about it - and options. I’m the breadwinner in our marriage. If I leave this position, our lives would change completely. Jack’s salary is just a fraction of mine. He’s actually thinking of becoming a stay at home dad.”
“That’s sweet. It will be nice for the baby to have a parent instead of day care or some nanny,” I reply. Then it hits me.
I can't come back. Mason has mentioned the downfalls about being raised by nannies many times. How could I do that to our child when I don’t have to? We clearly don’t need my salary to help support us - especially since it basically comes out of Mason’s pocket. If for some reason we break up and I need a job to support my child, I definitely wouldn’t want to work here with him anyway.
“This pad Thai is fucking amazeballs,” Kaitlyn comments with a mouth full of noodles. I was so deep in thought, I didn’t notice she was eating or if she was still talking to me.
I twirl some onto my fork and dig in. I look at my dish and think about learning to cook, packing lunches in the morning, making Christmas dinner. I’m going to have to talk to Mason. I’m suddenly aware that working after I have this baby is not what I want to do. I know this now.
I’m sure Garrison will find this fits perfectly into his image of me. Fuck him. Bring on the paperwork. My future is more clear than ever.
28
Mason
There is a strong possibility that I am going to murder my father when he shows his face. He’s been gone almost two weeks and I still don’t know where he is or when he’ll be back. He replied to one of my texts and told me to calm down - calm down! The nerve of that asshole.
It’s not like he he’s never taken off before, but not like this - not leaving me with my balls in my hand. He knows I must be seething right now. He’s likely patting himself on the back that he got the last word. If he thinks I’m going to be over everything he said and did when he gets back - he’s wrong - no matter how long it takes him to return.
At least it’s Friday. I can look forward to a weekend alone with both of my babies. Relaxing with Samantha has become my favorite thing to do. We don’t need to plan anything. Sometimes we go out, sometimes we stay in, it doesn’t matter - as long as we’re together.
I spent so many nights in clubs over the years, or taking women out on dates wherever the hot spot of the moment was - I thought I had i
t all. I thought I would never live any other way. Settling down wasn’t what I pictured for my future.
Now that I have Samantha though, I couldn’t see my life any other way.
“Hey, Mase,” she says, entering my office.
“I was just thinking about you.”
“Sure you were,” she smiles. Samantha walks over and kisses me softly, “are you almost ready to go?”
I look at the clock on one of my computer screens. I didn’t realize it was after five already, “I only have a few things to tie up before we leave. You can wait in here if you like.”
“I don’t want to disturb you,” she replies kindly.
“You won’t be. You can hang on the couch. I should be done soon.”
Samantha waddles over to the couch on the other side of my office and lowers herself down onto the seat. I love watching her. She doesn’t feel sexy with her growing belly, but I think she looks even more beautiful.
I get back to what I was doing, trying my best to keep my mind on my work. She’s quietly playing something on her phone, keeping to herself. Just before six, there’s a knock on the door. I know the girls out front left already so I’m not sure who it can be. Samantha gets up to open the door, but I gesture for her to stay seated.
“Who is it?”
“You decent?” my father’s asks from the other side.
Blood rushes to my face and every muscle in my body tightens. I stand up, ready for battle. I look over at Samantha. She looks worried about what’s going to happen when I open the door. She’s never witnessed my father and I in action. I nod at her. She stands, but keeps her position by the sitting area, unsure of what to do.
I yank the door open, “what the fuck are you doing here?”
“Is that how you greet your father?”
“I’m not sure, I never really had one.”
My father doesn’t reply, he looks down, “may I come in?”
“Do I have a choice?” I hold my arm out in a mocking gesture. He walks passed me. He’s holding a legal size manilla folder. For his sake, I hope those aren’t legal documents.
He places the envelope on my desk and leans back against it, “Samantha,” he greets her, “I’m glad you’re here. I’d like you to be here for this as well. You need to hear what I have to say.”
“She has enough stress, she doesn’t need any more - especially not from you.”
“I’d like you to hear me out, son.”
“Hear you out? How about you hear me out? You’ve been dodging me for weeks - I have a lot to say.”
“I’m sure you do, but I think you should let me speak first,” my father says quietly. He’s not acting like himself, I wonder what’s going on.
“Sure, why not?” I answer sarcastically. I throw my hands up and take a seat in one of the chairs in front of him. I glance over at Samantha who looks concerned. I’m guessing she doesn’t know if she should sit, stand, or leave. We make eye contact and she walks over to the desk. She takes a seat next to me. I smile at her show of solidarity.
“Well, let’s hear it.”
My father clears his throat and looks down. He’s not acting like his normal, cocky self. He actually looks a little nervous, although I don’t think many other people would pick up on that.
“Mason, Samantha,” he looks at each of us, “I’m sorry.”
My eyes open wide. I can count on one hand the number of times my father has apologized to me over the years - maybe even one finger.
“Sorry?” I ask.
“Yes. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for so many things, but right now, I want to apologize to you both. I have a lot of regrets in life, and I don’t want this to be one of them.”
I can’t respond because I have no idea what to say.
“You’re right,” he says, with no further explanation.
“Excuse me?” I ask. I heard him, but I want him to repeat it. My father has never once admitted that I was right - ever.
“You’re right, son.”
I’m speechless.
“So is your girlfriend.” He nods at Samantha, “you were right, Sam.”
“How so?” I’m curious how we could both be right about something in his eyes.
My father sighs, “you know, I was such a fuck up my whole life, until I started this company. It changed everything. I spent my life making this company what it is - what it was - before you came on board. I never thought it could be more. I was - I am - so callous that I thought it could never be better than what I built it to be.”
Wow.
“When you were born, that changed my life too. That’s when I changed the name of my company to ‘Grant and Son’. You were just a baby, but I knew you would want to be here - with me - be a part of this life. Be just like me,” he sighs, a look of remembrance on his face, “and you were like me - but a better version of me. You made changes I didn’t see were needed. Also like me, you dated many, many women, but there was something different. I always loved women. I never wanted to settle down with one - not after your mother - but you always seemed to be looking, searching for that one girl that could change everything.” He looks at Samantha purposefully.
I let him continue. This is the nicest, kindest, most honest praise, my father has ever bestowed upon me. I keep waiting for a ‘but’, but now I’m not sure there is one coming.
“Samantha is right. You are a better man than me.”
She said that?
“You’ve grown to be a powerful, forward thinking, amazing man. I admire you. The fact that you would be willing to give all of this up for her - for your child - that speaks volumes about the kind of man you really are.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you. Thank you for putting up with my shit. Thank you for what you’ve done for Grant and Son. Thank you for not poisoning my scotch.”
We both smile.
“Dad, this, what you said, everything,” I’m having trouble finding the right words.
“Mason. I’m happy for you. Do you think we can start over? I want to know my grandchild. I want to be a part of your life.”
“That means a lot to me. I don’t know if we can do it, but I’d like to try.”
“That’s all I want - a chance.”
“Samantha, I owe you an apology also. I doubted you. I doubted your love for my son and questioned your motives. I’m embarrassed to say it, but I treated you like a gold digging whore - which you clearly - are not. You stood up for yourself. You’re weren’t afraid of me. You were willing to do whatever I wanted to make my son happy and that…that’s admirable. Mason is lucky to have found you.”
“Thank you, Garrison. That means a lot,” she says politely.
“I’ve spent the last couple of weeks thinking long and hard about what transpired between us - thinking about my life, my past, my future,” he explains. My father looks like he’s thinking about it all again right now, reliving it all in his head.
“Your child - my grandchild - is a blessing. It will be my chance to try and get it right, to be a better person. I would be stupid to give up my right to spend time with him and spoil him… or her.”
“Wow, dad. This is not what I was expecting to hear.”
“I’m sure. Something changed. Maybe it’s knowing there’s a baby coming. Maybe it was this feisty woman putting me in my place,” he jokes, nodding at Samantha. “Speaking of which, I had legal draw up some paperwork.”
My smile fades. I look at Samantha and her eyes are open wide.
“In regard to what?” I ask suspiciously.
“As of the end of the year, I’m turning the company over to you, Mason. I’m retiring. You don’t need me here anymore, and quite honestly, I don’t want to be here. I want to travel. I want to live. I want to spend time with my grandchild.”
I’m speechless.
“I will, of course, still be collecting a monthly salary, but only enough to support what I need, nothing that will have any effect on your earnings. I figured I was
going to pay Sam to stay away, why not use that money to treat myself.” He chuckles at his own joke.
“Dad, that’s…thank you.” I stand and hug him. I don’t remember the last time we hugged. I don’t think there’s been an occasion in my adult life that called for one.
Samantha stands and hugs my father next, “thank you, Garrison. Thank you for everything.”
“Okay, enough of this emotional bullshit,” my father says. I can tell he’s on the verge of tears. He won’t let them fall, but that’s okay. He’s shown more emotion in the last few minutes than he has in years.
“How about the three of us go get some dinner - spend some time together?” I suggest, “we can sit down and you two can get to know each other a bit - this ‘you’” I look him up and down, “the new you.”
“I can do that.”
“Thank you, dad,” I say, sincerely.
“No need to thank me, just speaking the truth.”
“It’s about fucking time.”
We laugh together. I can’t remember if or when we ever shared a moment like this before. I was ready to tear him to pieces when he walked in the door. Now, I feel like I have a real father for the first time in my entire life. I hope it lasts.
29
Samantha
“That might have been the strangest evening I’ve ever had,” Mason comments.
We step out of the elevator and put our things down. I walk straight to the couch and have a seat. It’s been a long day, to say the least.
After our conversation with Garrison, or ‘Garry’ as I was instructed to call him tonight, the three of us went out for dinner. I got the chance to get to know him - and Mason did too. From what he’s told me before, tonight was the first time they spent any real time together - without arguing.
Garry told us stories of his past and his travels. We told him the newest updates about the baby and our plans for the future. It was almost like there had never been any animosity between them. We made plans to introduce him to my mother, you know, get the families together. I’m sure that will be interesting.
