“Hi.” I give Eleanor a distant shoulder hug, which is all she’ll tolerate. I simply smile at Holton since I know he wouldn’t tolerate any type of hug. “Welcome.”
They smile and nod. They both look very serious, even more so than normal. Maybe they were arguing on the way over.
“How is our grandson?” Eleanor asks Pearce, who’s holding Garret.
Pearce hands him to her. “You can ask him yourself. We’ve been working on his conversation skills.”
“Pearce has long conversations with Garret,” I explain. “He tells him all the business news.”
“Good,” Holton says. “He’ll be running the company someday so he needs to be educated in business at any early age.”
I bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t say what I want to say, which is that my son will pick whatever career he’d like. He’s not going to be forced to run Kensington Chemical. I’m so glad Pearce isn’t working there anymore. Even if his father wasn’t his boss, Pearce still wouldn’t like working there. He has no interest in chemical manufacturing.
“Would you like a tour of the house?” I ask Holton since he’s never been here.
“No. I don’t need one.” He coughs and then keeps coughing.
“Would you like some water?” I ask him.
“Scotch and water.”
“I’ll get it,” Pearce says. “Mother, would you like the same?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
I’m not used to this drinks-before-dinner ritual, but Pearce’s family does it every night. And then they always have wine with dinner. If I drank that much, I’d be drunk.
While they have their drinks in the living room, I put Garret to bed. We have dinner at seven-thirty. Both Holton and Eleanor are quiet during dinner and I’m worried they don’t like the food.
“How is everything?” I ask.
“It’s delicious,” Pearce answers, even though I wasn’t really asking him.
His parents say nothing, but they’re eating their meal so it can’t be that bad.
When they’re done, I say, “Would everyone like dessert? I made carrot cake.”
Eleanor dabs her napkin over her lips. “Before we have dessert, we have some news to share.”
Holton sits back and folds his arms over his chest. He’s sitting next to Eleanor and across from Pearce. His eyes are on Pearce.
I’m getting a bad feeling about this.
“What is it, Mother?” Pearce asks.
“Would you like to tell them?” she asks Holton. “Or should I?”
“I don’t want to tell them at all. You’re the one insisting on sharing our personal lives with them.”
“Pearce is our son. This is something he should know.”
Holton says nothing. He seems annoyed.
Eleanor continues. “Your father saw his physician earlier this week and some tests were run.”
“What kind of tests?” Pearce asks her.
“Tests on his lungs. He’s had issues with coughing recently and was coughing up blood.”
“Eleanor!” Holton says. “Not at the dinner table.”
“I am only trying to explain what led you to go to the doctor.”
“I have cancer,” he blurts out.
The room goes silent. Pearce and I are staring at Holton. He looks so healthy and fit on the outside. I can’t believe he has cancer.
Pearce sits up straighter. “Father, I’m very sorry to hear that. What kind of cancer?”
“Lung cancer. And that’s all you need to know.”
Eleanor looks at Pearce. “Your father will be starting treatments next week. He will be taking a leave of absence from work, which means that we need you to take over at the office while he’s gone.”
Pearce’s shoulders slump in disappointment. I feel the same way. But I know Pearce will agree to it. Holton is awful to him, but Pearce is a good son.
“Of course,” Pearce says. “I’ll tell Jack first thing tomorrow.”
“How long is the treatment?” I ask.
“Ten weeks,” Eleanor says. “After that, they’ll run more tests and go from there.”
“Stop giving them details,” Holton says. “It’s none of their business.”
“Well.” Eleanor smiles at me. “Perhaps it’s time for dessert.”
“Um, yes, okay.” I get up and start clearing the plates. I guess the discussion is over.
Pearce helps me clear the table, and as he follows me into the kitchen, I hear his father say, “She has him doing kitchen work? A Kensington should NOT be touching dirty dishes. Why don’t they have a maid?”
“Rachel, come on.” Pearce goes past me and I realize I stopped walking when I heard Holton’s remarks.
“I’m sorry about your father,” I tell Pearce as we set the dishes in the sink.
He nods. “Yes, that was very surprising.”
“I hope he’ll be okay.”
“He’ll be fine. He has excellent doctors.”
“How do you feel about going back to the company?” I whisper, so his parents won’t hear.
Pearce sighs. “It won’t be temporary. If I go back, I’ll be going back for good.”
“You can’t go back and work for Jack?”
“No, my father won’t allow it. I’ve worked for Jack long enough. It looks bad for a Kensington to be working for someone else instead of the family business.”
“So you knew you’d go back there someday? Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“I assumed you knew. I’m their only son. They have no one to take over when my father retires.” He picks up two of the dessert plates I have sitting on the counter. I plated the cake before dinner. “Let’s go or they’ll wonder what’s taking us so long.”
During dessert, Holton talks to Pearce about work, and it becomes just like last week’s dinner, where Eleanor and I just sit there and listen. Afterward, I invite them to stay and talk in the living room, but they decide to leave. Holton probably isn’t feeling well. Even though I don’t like him, I do feel bad for him.
I also feel bad for Pearce. Going back to Kensington Chemical. The stress. The long hours. The weekends. I was getting used to seeing him all the time. But I guess that’s over now.
CHAPTER NINE
9
PEARCE
My father has cancer. I was so shocked when my mother told us the news that I wasn’t sure how to respond. I kept imagining Shelby’s father; all bones and barely able to speak. Then I remembered that my father will be treated at the Clinic so will be getting the very best medical care. I wanted to ask my mother more about my father’s treatments, but I couldn’t with Rachel there. She can’t know about the Clinic.
So the next day, when Rachel’s upstairs with Garret, I call my mother.
“Pearce, I was just heading out. What do you need?”
“I wanted to know more about Father’s treatments. Which clinic is he going to?”
“His treatments will be done at the hospital, not the Clinic.”
“Why? The Clinic is far superior than any hospital.”
“Not when it comes to cancer. The Clinic’s treatments thus far have been unsuccessful, so your father will be going to the hospital, but his doctor from the Clinic will remain involved in his care.” I hear a door open. “I need to go. Goodbye, Pearce. Oh, and tell your wife that the dinner she prepared was very good. I don’t believe I told her that.”
“I’ll tell her. Goodbye, Mother.”
My mother is making a real effort to accept Rachel. I never thought she would. But when Garret was born, she realized she wouldn’t see her grandson if she continued to treat his mother poorly.
I’m at home, sitting in my office. I need to call Jack. I dread telling him the news. He knew eventually I’d have to quit, but both of us were hoping it wouldn’t be for a while.
“Jack, it’s Pearce,” I say when he answers.
“I already heard,” he says. “Holton has cancer and you’re going back to the company.”
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“Where did you hear that?”
“Through the Dunamis grapevine. Word travels fast.”
“He wants me to start back there on Monday.”
“I assumed he would. So back to a hundred-hour work week? Rachel’s not going to like that.”
“I’m not going back to that schedule. If my father disagrees, he can fire me again.”
“Pearce, it’s not just your father making you go back. This came from the top. The higher level members are concerned your father won’t make it, and they need you ready to step in and take his place.”
“Why would they think my father won’t make it?”
“Lung cancer has a low survival rate. Didn’t you discuss this with him?”
“He wouldn’t tell us anything. But my mother told me the Clinic couldn’t help.”
“They could, but their treatments are no better than what he’d get at a hospital. I’m sure your father will be fine. He’s a tough bastard.”
“I don’t know if he’s tough enough to beat cancer.” I hear someone yelling for Jack, probably his wife. “I’ll let you go. Tell Martha I said hello.”
“I will. And don’t worry about cleaning out your office. I’ll have everything packed up and sent to you.”
“Thank you, Jack. I’ll miss working with you.”
“Damn straight, you will.” He laughs. “Goodbye, Pearce.”
On Monday morning, I return to my old office at Kensington Chemical. It sat there empty while I was gone, waiting for my return. I didn’t want to get up this morning, knowing I had to come here. I’m trying to be positive, but it’s difficult because I have such bad memories of this place.
“Welcome back, Mr. Kensington!” a man says as he passes by my office door. I have no idea who he is. I’ve never seen him before.
“Good morning, Mr. Kensington.” A young blond woman walks into my office. “I’m Candace. Your new secretary.”
I didn’t have my own secretary before, but apparently I do now.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asks.
“Yes. Thank you.”
She takes off and another person comes into my office. A man who is probably in his forties. “Mr. Kensington. I’m Lou Armin. Your new head of marketing. I just wanted to introduce myself.”
I shake his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Everyone is being overly friendly today. But I won’t get any work done if they keep stopping by. I go to close my door and notice a nameplate on the wall next to it that reads, Pearce Kensington, Interim CEO.
So that’s why everyone’s being so nice. They’re sucking up to the boss. Last time I was here, I wasn’t even allowed to make a decision and now I’m the CEO.
People continue to come by my office all morning and I get nothing done. At eleven, I go to meet Logan for lunch. He’s already at the restaurant when I arrive.
We greet each other and give our order to the waiter. I don’t have much time and neither does Logan.
“So how’s the baby?” he asks.
“Getting bigger every day.” I take a sip of water. “How’s work going?”
“Good. I went to a conference last week. Some of the doctors I trained with in Europe were there.”
“What was the conference about?
“New innovations in cancer treatment. I won’t bore you with the science, but basically, the newest treatments are going to focus on turning off the genes that cause cancer so they won’t continue to multiply.”
“When will this treatment be available?”
“Probably in twenty years.” He shakes his head. “It’s ridiculous how long it takes for these treatments to be approved, at least here in the States. There are so many regulatory hoops to go through. Research. Clinical trials. But human trials are already being done in Europe, and so far, the results looks very promising.”
“I was asking because I just learned that my father has lung cancer.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“He begins treatment next week. He’s taking a leave of absence from work so I’m now the interim CEO at Kensington Chemical. I don’t know when he’ll be back at the office. It depends on how his treatment goes. I’ve heard lung cancer doesn’t have a high survival rate. Is that true?”
“It depends on when it’s detected. If you’d like, I could contact your father’s physician and look over his treatment plan, just as a second opinion. I could also suggest some clinical trials your father could be part of that would give him access to the latest treatments.”
“Are there any that offer this new treatment involving genetics?”
“Not here in the States. He’d have to go to Europe.”
“What if he was willing to try the treatment without being part of a clinical trial?”
“It’s not allowed. If the physician dispensing the treatment got caught, he or she could go to jail and would likely never practice medicine again.”
“That seems rather extreme. If the patient is willing to try it, he should be able to.”
Logan sighs. “Don’t get me started, Pearce. You know how I feel about the constraints on health care in this country. I could go on all day.”
I smile. “Yes. I know it frustrates you.”
“Well, anyway, if you need any assistance with your father’s care, just let me know. I wish I could’ve done more for Shelby’s father, but he was too far gone by the time I met him.” He pauses. “Has Rachel talked to Shelby recently?”
“Yes. Rachel had to pick her up last—” I stop because I didn’t mean to say that. Now he’ll ask me about it and I’ll have to make something up. Shelby said she was on date, but I know she wasn’t. I knew as soon as Rachel told me the address. That gas station is next to a very exclusive neighborhood where one of the members lives. I’m guessing his wife came home when he wasn’t expecting her and he had to kick Shelby out.
“Did Shelby’s car break down?” Logan looks concerned. He still cares about Shelby, even though she’s made it clear they can’t be together.
“No. She just…she had a date that didn’t end well.” I decide to tell him Shelby’s made-up story. If he thinks she’s dating again, maybe he’ll stop pursuing her.
“What do you mean it didn’t end well?” Now he sounds angry.
“I don’t know all the details. They argued and he left her on the sidewalk and took off.”
He sighs and looks down at the table. “She should have called me. She knows I would have picked her up.”
“I thought you two are no longer speaking.”
“That’s just Shelby being Shelby. She does this all the time. She talks to me and then she doesn’t. The woman drives me insane.”
“Logan, I think it’s time to let her go. She is obviously not ready for a serious relationship. Maybe you should start dating other people.”
“I would if I wasn’t still in love with her. I can’t go on a date with another woman while I’m still in love with Shelby. It wouldn’t be right. I’d be thinking about Shelby the entire time. So has she been dating much?”
“I’m not sure.” I should lie and say she is, just so he’ll move on.
“I still have the engagement ring,” he says, taking a piece of bread from the basket. “I keep hoping she’ll change her mind.”
Our lunch arrives and I steer the conversation back to his job to get his mind off Shelby. Logan has nothing else in his life right now except work, and it reminds me of how I used to be before meeting Rachel. I was miserable. At least Logan likes his job, but I know his life would be better if he were able to be with Shelby.
As we’re waiting for the check, an idea pops in my head. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. Probably because it wouldn’t work. But maybe it would, now that my father is sick and needs better medical treatment than the Clinic physicians or a hospital can currently offer. And this could benefit all the members, not just my father.
“Logan, if you could treat your patients using whatever met
hod you thought was best, even if those treatments were not yet approved, and not face jail time for doing so, would you do it?”
He laughs. “Well, obviously, yes. That would be my dream job. Unfortunately, this is real life. Why do you ask?”
“I was just wondering.” The check arrives and I set some cash out. “It’s on me today.”
“Thank you, Pearce.”
“Would you like to meet again next week?”
“I need to check my schedule, but let’s plan on it for now.”
“Very well. I need to get back to the office. I’ll see you next week.” I leave and drive to my parents’ house. I’m not sure if my father will be home. My mother didn’t specify what day his treatments start.
I’m greeted at the door by the maid.
“Is my father home?” I ask her.
“Yes. But he’s resting. He’s in his room.”
My father never rests. He barely even sleeps. So if he’s resting, it means he’s really not feeling well. I don’t like the way my father treats me, but I don’t want him to suffer, or die. He’s still my father and I do care about him.
“Father.” I enter his room. He’s lying in bed in his pajamas and robe, but he’s awake.
“Pearce.” He quickly sits up, then starts coughing. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“I told you to call before coming over,” he scolds.
“I didn’t have time. This can’t wait.”
I sit in the chair by his bed and tell him about the new cancer treatment Logan told me about.
“So what do you think?” I ask. “Is this something you’d like to try?”
“I need to see the research before I decide. And I would like to talk to Logan’s colleagues in Europe who have actually tried this treatment on their patients. I would hope his colleagues are older than him. I’m not taking medical advice from some 30-year-old kid.”
“Logan is young, but very intelligent. But yes, I’m sure he could put you in touch with the physicians involved in the research. But he’d be the one administering the treatments.”
“He could go to jail for that. And lose his medical license. Why would he take the risk?”
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