by Hailey Smoke
“I know, right! I would have been in elementary school when he took off. Of all the rotten luck, though. I’m going to be stuck working with under him for the next three months. And he has already started being a royal pain in the ass. He knows I’m a Hudson. You should have seen the stink face I got when he heard my name.”
“Well, if he’s anything like his little sister, you are in for slavery. Ever since Pamela got that promotion, she has become nothing but a thorn in my side. So welcome to the torture club.”
I huffed angrily. “If only I hadn’t worked so hard to get this practicum spot, I would defer or ask for a last-minute re-assignment in a heartbeat. Already he is asking me to bend over backward, rooting up things I have already done and making unrealistic demands on my time and work. And he looked as if he took great pleasure in doing it. I feel so disrespected!”
“That’s their trademark: disrespect. I almost argued with Pam this morning. And in front of the entire office. We had to go to her office.”
“Be careful that you maintain your professional distance, bro. We know how these Arleigh bastards can be.”
“That we do. Anyway, sis. I’ve got to run before my mistress cracks the whip again and tells me my coffee break to which I am entitled is over.”
“Don’t forget it’s Tuesday, so see you at dinner tonight.”
“How could I forget, Julz? I’m the one who insisted on having family dinner one night a week and chose Tuesdays. See you in a few.”
With a click, he hung up the phone, and I sighed. It was good to get the immediate anger off my chest. Though he was five years older than I was, Christopher had always been a great older brother. I could not count the number of times over the years that he had been the ear I turned to in pouring out my woes and the shoulder I leaned on for support. Even after he had moved out a year ago, our long conversations had continued. And then a few months ago he had mandated a once a week family dinner where he came over, and we had dinner as a family. My parents made it their point of duty to be home on Tuesdays. Very often, I had the huge house to myself as they enjoyed their retirement and allowed the hotels to turn over the necessary profit to keep them retired.
I started the car and headed to the supermarket to pick up something special for dinner. As I shopped, I thought about the morning and wondered how I was going to make it through three months without losing my cool with Arleigh.
That night as we sat around the table, the whole morning was rehashed as I told my parents that I would be working in close quarters with Henry Arleigh for three months as he was my practicum supervisor. This led to a rehashing of Christopher’s work situation and him working under Pamela Arleigh. We pondered the odds of both Hudsons working under the Arleigh bastards and even wondered what kind of magic they had worked to get us under their control.
“I always knew that Pamela was a little witch. Do you remember in junior high when she put glue in my hair and then chopped out a huge patch of her hair and said I cut her hair, which is why she put glue in mine.”
“I switched hairdressers because of Patricia Arleigh. She had the nerve to steal my stylist and copy my hairdo. Well! Strands lost my business that day.” My mother was not usually one to bad mouth persons, but when dealing with a Arleigh, it was inevitable.
As I looked around the table, I remembered the number of stories that had been told about various crossings with the Arleigh bastards. At that moment, I realized that I was the only one who had not had a Arleigh story until today. I giggled.
“What’s so funny, Juliet?” my father asked.
“I just realized that I’m now really a part of this family feud. Until today, I never had a Arleigh story to share! I’m finally a part of the family!”
“Awwwwww!” The chorus went up around the table, and we all burst out laughing.
“But seriously, Juliet. Be very careful working with Arleigh. Cover every angle. Be sure to copyright all your work. They are thieves every last one of them. Bruce Arleigh stole the capital from right under dad’s nose. If our accountant, Edgar, hadn’t noticed, dad would never have caught on to his embezzlement. That hotel would have been the first in the chain to have the Arleigh restaurant chain as its premier food service provider. But it was good that he had shown up his thieving ways on that first project. It would not have boded well for the chain if he had waited until a few hotels were up and then wiped them out from under us. To this day, dad has no idea what Bruce did with the money.”
Christopher and I nodded along as dad told the story. It was something we knew inside out and could recite in our sleep if anyone woke us up in the middle of the night and asked us how the Hudson-Arleigh feud had started.
Later after dinner, Christopher and I took the basketball court for a little one on one. That had been one of the good things about my height as I was not that much shorter than Christopher. We took a few shots at the net and bounced the ball back and forth. When at last, we were worn out, we just sat on the court catching our breath.
“Julz?”
“Hmmm?”
“Are you happy with what you’ve chosen to do in college? Teaching?”
“I’m deliriously happy. Why do you ask?”
He shrugged. “I’m just wondering if you’ve ever thought of reconsidering the decision not to join the family business.”
“It’s not something I’ve ever given any thought. You know me already, Chris. Once I decide on a path, and especially if it will make me happy, that’s the path I will stay on. It’s not that I can’t join the family business. If I set my mind to finance and hotel management or whatever courses would be needed to get into the field, I’m sure I could ace it. But would I be happy in the family business? Nope.”
“Didn’t you feel awkward or feel as if you would be disappointing the family if you didn’t get into the business?”
“At one point, I did. But then I had to be true to myself as well. The hotel business would not have made me happy. Being a teacher does.”
“Well, what if it wasn’t your career. Suppose it was maybe where you chose to live or who you chose to marry that would disappoint the family? How would you feel then?”
I tilted my head and looked at him. He studiously had his face turned away, so I saw only his profile.
“Well, if living somewhere or marrying someone was going to disappoint the family but make me happy, I would still choose my happiness. I’ve got only one life to live. It makes no sense to live that one life, according to someone else’s standards. I would still have to choose my happiness. Regret is not something I want ever to experience when my life comes to an end. I don’t ever want to wonder what it would have been like if I had pursued what made me happy and not give up my happiness in order not to disappoint someone. It’s a bit of a hard line to draw in the sand, but that’s just my take on it.” I looked at him as he remained silent.
“That’s a pretty hard line to draw.”
“Is everything okay, Chris? Making some decisions that will disappoint the family?”
“No, no, no. Nothing like that. It’s just a random thought. I just wondered what your position would be. You know I like to pick your brain. Anyway. I’ve got work in the morning, and we both have our slave-driving supervisors to contend with bright and early. I’ve got to go. Tell mom and dad I left, will you?”
We got up off the court, and I escorted him to his car.
“Thanks for the talk earlier, Chris. I appreciate it.”
“Thanks for your insight as well. And you be careful around Arleigh for the next three months.”
“I will. Drive safely. I watched his taillights disappear before walking back into the house.
4
Henry
I took the last dish to the table and took a seat. Pamela had arrived just a few minutes before and went to wash her hands. She soon joined us, and dinner began. Though I had been back for only a few days, I had slipped into the family routine. The first thing was this Tuesday evening dinner, w
hich Pamela had started when she moved out a few months ago. She had declared that weekends were not always ideal and that a day in the week could be used to reconnect as a family. To date, it had only been the three, but now the family was complete. I had also done the cooking, giving the family chef the night off.
“So, big brother, how does it feel to be back home after so long?”
“I was here just a few weeks ago, Pam.”
She rolled her eyes dramatically. “You know what I mean.”
“Children, no fighting. Especially at the dinner table.” Mum chided gently.
“Besides, you have other common enemies to fight, so don’t waste the energy on each other.” Dad chimed in.
“Speaking of which, I met my TA today. Guess who it is.”
“Just tell us already.” Pamela shoved a forkful of food into her mouth.
“Not so fast, dear. You won’t digest properly.” Mum took a dainty forkful from her plate.
“It’s Juliet Hudson.”
The entire table went silent as they all looked at me.
My father was the first to speak and looked at me carefully. “You’re working with a Hudson?”
“I’m not exactly working with her. It’s more along the lines of she will be working for me.”
“That’s what I’m talking about now. That is how it should have been from day one. Otherwise, Dad wouldn’t have lost all the money he did when he made a deal with that crook, Horace Hudson. It was a good thing the other restaurants were doing well, or the family would have been ruined. Edgar was a godsend in uncovering Horace’s plot and telling dad what was going on behind his back. Of course, Horace denied everything and had the unmitigated gall to make it seem as if dad was the one doing the stealing. Well, we sued for breach of contract, and those horrible Hudsons did the same. They tried to take us to the cleaners, and we took them right back.”
“Well, there will be no chance of that with Juliet. I have the upper hand as her supervisor. It’s a bit strange, though. I would never have taken her for a Hudson. She seemed okay until I heard her name. I was taken aback. She was a bit shocked when she heard my name as well, so I guess we are well aware of our families’ history.”
“Christopher is a beast to work with.” Pamela wiped her mouth with a napkin as she spoke. “The minute he realized I had gotten the promotion and not him, the rumors started. I know he’s the one spreading them about the things I’ve done to get to where I am. Just like that time in junior high when he cut my hair off and then poured a bottle of glue in his and made it seem as if he cut my hair because I poured glue in his.”
Mum looked at Pamela. “But, my dear, you did pour the glue in his hair.”
“But mother, it was because he had cut a chunk out of my hair. If Sally hadn’t shown me, I would have been the laughing stock of the eighth grade. He got what was coming to him.”
“Well, it can’t have been as horrible as the rumors Emily Hudson started spreading about me at Strands. She claimed I stole her stylist. As if anyone would want to look remotely like her.” My mother huffed.
I looked at Pamela over the brim of my glass. “It’s the first I’m being told of these hair incidents.”
“Oh. You were already away at college. But I’ve had to deal with Christopher Hudson for a kong time. He’s only a few months older than I am, so we’ve been in the same school for almost all our lives. Would you believe that we went to the same college, took the same courses, and ended up being recruited by the same firm after graduation? I’m a living breathing replica of the Arleigh-Hudson feud. So suck it up and deal with the few weeks Juliet will be in your space. If she’s anything like Christopher, you have your work cut out for you. Man, do you have your work cut out for you! But welcome to the feuding club, my brother. You are now officially a Arleigh.” Pamela gave me a mock salute, and I saluted back.
It was not long before we moved on to other conversation topics, and dinner drew to a close. Our parents retired to their room, and Pamela and I attacked the dishes, rather than wait for one of the maids to do it later that night. We fell into our usual routine of me washing, and she rinsing. I rolled up my sleeves and attacked the task with gusto. We worked silently until Pamela spoke.
“Henry?”
“Hmmm?”
“It’s good to have you home for longer than a few days.”
“It’s good to be home for longer than a few days.”
“It was easy for you to come, though. You are free, single and unattached and can pretty much do as you please.” She took a soapy plate from my hand.
“Pretty much.”
“But Henry, have you ever considered getting married?”
I paused and thought long and hard before answering. “There was one time about five years ago where I came pretty close to settling down. I had started looking at engagement rings and everything. Then one day, I woke up and realized I liked her, but I didn’t love her. It would not have been fair to ask her. She was a nice girl and would have maybe said yes just not to hurt my feelings. But in the long run, we would have both realized it was a mistake. We had a zing, but we didn’t have the zing if you know what I mean.”
Pamela nodded as she continued to rinse and put the dishes on the rack to drain.
“So, with that near experience, is it that you would never consider marriage again?”
“It hasn’t turned me off the idea of getting married if that is what you’re asking. But the next time I even think of contemplating that direction, I would have had to do quite a bit of groundwork before arriving at that point. Maybe spend a year or two getting to know her, then another length of time dating and seeing how we connect. Then if there is a connection and we both feel the same way, we can take it a step further and start looking to settle down with each other.”
“Sounds like a plan. Can I ask another question?”
“Sure, Pam.”
“What if you have gone that route of getting to know and getting serious and deciding to move forward, and then, you hit a roadblock.”
“A roadblock like?”
“When you go public with your relationship, there is disapproval, especially from family?”
I narrowed my eyes and looked at my sister. She studiously kept her face averted as she focused on her task of rinsing.
“Are you sleeping with the enemy or something, Pam?”
Her head shot up, and she rounded on me, her mouth dropping open. Then she threw her head back and laughed.
“No! No! No! I’m not asking for myself, Henry. It’s just that I’ve been asked for some advice in a rather delicate matter, and I honestly don’t know what to tell the person. I have never been in such a situation where I might face disapproval from the family in my choice of a partner. But you’re older and wiser, so I just thought I’d pick your brain on the matter a bit. That’s all.”
I looked at her keenly. I wanted to press her further but thought better of it.
She took the last item from me and rinsed it then dried her hands. “But what would you say to someone in a situation like that, Henry?”
“Are they happy with the persons they have chosen as a life partner?”
“I’ve seen them together. They are deliriously happy.”
“Then, there is no cause for concern.”
“But they know their families would not approve of their choice of a mate.”
“Do they intend to live with their families for the rest of their lives?”
“Heck, no!”
“Then screw the family. My vote always has been, and always will be for happiness. You have only one life to live. It should be lived by being happy. Regret is a hard thing to swallow. I have always believed that I must never wonder what would have happened if I did something. I must be able to say what happened when I did something.”
She turned and gave me a strange look. Then she smiled and nodded.
“Good advice. Now let’s talk about something a little closer to home. Have you ever th
ought about changing careers?”
I looked at her as if she had grown a second head. “You’re joking, right? Me? Change careers? You’ve got to be kidding. Pam, you know I live, eat, and breathe teaching. It’s what I was made to do. It’s my life. It’s my passion. Of course, I would never change careers! The very thought is absurd!”
“You can say that because you’re passionate about what you do. But what if you had gotten into it just because at the time it was the thing to do, and you realized that you’re not bad at it. You hacked it for a few years only to find that it’s not what you want to be doing, then what would you do?”
“I would have to quickly figure out what it is I’m passionate about and change lanes as quickly as possible.”
“I wish I could be as forceful and forthright as you are, Henry. You do know it broke Mum and Dad’s heart when you decided to not only move halfway across the world for college but also to study education in English Literature no less. They had high hopes of you taking over the business.”
“First of all, I moved halfway across the country, not the world. Secondly, I knew they were hurt, but I had to be true to myself. I would have ruined the business and not because I would not know how to run it. Remember, we grew up in that restaurant, Pam. We know how to manage the empire with our eyes closed. But I would have ruined it simply because it would not have been my passion.”
She nodded and held down her head, examining her toes. I looked at her keenly.
“Why all the questions, Pam? You don’t usually get so intense unless something is going on. And you said this one was closer to home. Are you thinking of changing careers?”
She sighed and shrugged. “Honestly, Henry, when you took off the attention turned to preparing me to take over the chain when the time comes. I’m just marking time in the corporate world right now until I sit on the throne of the Arleigh empire. It’s not my passion. That’s for sure.”
“What is your passion, Pam?”
“The hotel and hospitality industry. But unlike you, I will not ruin the family business. I know it’s important to the family, so I’ll keep it going.”
