28. This Is Coming

28

THIS IS COMING

T he following Thursday, Jamie and Laken were driving to his parents’ house from the airport.

“I appreciate your brother letting us borrow his jet for this.”

Jamie shook his head over it. He was used to some fancy accommodations, but nothing he’d been in was even remotely close to West’s jet.

“It’s a business thing,” she said. “You know that.”

“It’s not,” he said. “I could have called my parents and told them over the phone.”

She laughed, not a funny sound either. “I thought you’ve tried that.”

He let out a sigh. “My mother never seems to have time. Or she says I call at the wrong time. I try to call when Penelope is napping or in bed. She’s usually making lunch or cleaning up for the night.”

“If you wanted to tell them you’d do it when your mother was available.”

He let out a sigh. “I’d ask when she could talk and she’d put it off. I’m not sure of the reason. Or maybe she knows this is coming. It’s not like they aren’t aware the company is going public next week.”

Everything was happening much faster than he thought. Though if he looked at it all, it was about four months since West and he signed the contract to when his product would be for sale in one of the biggest retail chains in the US.

Much faster than usual. Yep, that was West’s contacts for him.

The products would be in the stores a few days before their morning show appearance so people could go and start buying. Their website was up right now too but wasn’t getting a lot of action.

Paid ads would be set for that starting on Monday.

“Do they know you are going to talk about Penelope?” she asked.

“I never came right out and said it. I’d think it’d be obvious, but they’d always changed the subject on me. I thought my mother would be thrilled it was her formula that this came from.”

“Did you put any of the shares in their name?” she asked. “You can do that even without them knowing.”

“I know,” he said. “I might at some point. It’s not worth it right now. It’d only start another fight. My parents will retire at some point and that is when I’ll figure it out.”

It’s not that he hadn’t started a mutual fund for them. He just never told them. He deposited a large sum and had been watching it grow for years.

“It’s your family,” she said. “You know what is best. Are you telling them who I am other than through work?”

“I am,” he said. “I might not lead with it. They know I’m not coming alone. I gave your name and they know West’s name. They did ask if you were related.”

“I’m going to try not to say a word,” she said. “I’m sure with me there they won’t say what they want to.”

“Don’t be so sure,” he said.

They drove in silence the rest of the way and he pulled into the driveway of the house he grew up in.

It was big because they held a lot of gatherings inside and took kids in at times. But it was old and needed a lot of work.

He parked his rental and they climbed out and walked to the back door.

He knocked once and opened it. His mother was in the kitchen pulling cookies out.

His favorite and it surprised him. She didn’t often bake him things and she knew he didn’t eat a lot of sweets either.

“Jamie,” his mother said. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Mom,” he said, hugging her. “I’m glad you had time to see me.”

“I’m just baking cookies for our Thursday session tonight,” his mother said.

So much for him thinking they were for him.

“I won’t take up much of your time,” he said. “This is Laken Carlisle. I told you she was coming with me today.”

“Nice to meet you,” Laken said. “I’ve heard a lot about you and how you saved Jamie’s skin when he was younger.”

“In more than one way,” his mother said. “Please come in and have a seat. May I offer you tea or coffee?”

“Tea would be nice,” Laken said. He found that funny since she seemed to live on coffee but had been drinking tea more around him lately.

“I know Jamie drinks tea over coffee,” his mother said. “He gets that from me.”

He smiled. “My mother is a great tea maker. She’s used to having both ready for people to stop in at any point.”

“My door is always open,” his mother said.

Which was a reminder that he never got much time with her and they could be interrupted.

“Is Dad around?” he asked.

“He’ll be here in an hour or so. He’s got a few errands he had to run in town.”

His father knew he was coming and when and could have held off. “I can wait until he’s back to tell you a few things,” he said.

“Might as well tell me,” his mother said. “Your father is a busy man.”

He turned and saw the sympathy on Laken’s face.

“Always has time for everyone,” he said. “Listen, you know Penelope Plush Soap is going public next week.”

“I do,” his mother said. “I find it a wonderful thing you’re doing.”

He smiled. “Thanks. It’s a great product and I want my daughter to be set for life.”

“You should be already if you didn’t waste your money,” his mother said.

He wanted to grind his teeth. His parents had no clue what he did with his money. They only saw the bad and never wanted to listen to anything else.

“I’ve got more than I need. I was taught to help others in need, which I try to do with you, but you won’t take it.”

His mother turned from where she was pouring hot water into the cups. Mix matched cups even though he’d given her a nice matching set for Christmas. She probably gave them to someone else.

“Your father and I aren’t in need. You don’t seem to understand that. And if you say that to him it will only cause a fight. It’s been hard work keeping the two of you from going at each other’s throats.”

“So that is why Dad avoids me?” he asked. “And you encourage it, because it’s hard on you?”

He hadn’t realized that and wished he had. “I didn’t mean it that way,” his mother said, putting the tea down. “And we shouldn’t talk about this in front of company.”

He wanted to talk about it though. He was here and it should come out.

He didn’t even care if Laken witnessed it because he wanted her to understand this about him.

“Laken isn’t company,” he said. “She’s my girlfriend. We’ve been dating for months. Penelope has even met her and her family.”

“So you don’t work together?” his mother asked. “You gave me that impression. Actually, you said it. Did you lie?”

“No,” Laken said. “Jamie and I met through work. Part of my job is to set new businesses up. But you could say I fell for his charm and what a wonderful man and father he is. It’s easy enough to see when people open their eyes.”

He would let that subtle dig go. His mother didn’t catch it even if he did appreciate it being said.

“I see,” his mother said. “So you know that Jamie is a single father? Did he tell you that he didn’t even tell his parents he had a child until Penelope was six months old? He called me upset and told me about her and that she was broken out in a rash and he didn’t remember what I used on him.”

“Laken is aware of everything,” he said. More than his parents knew.

“Why he chose to tell you when he did isn’t anything I can control or would judge on,” Laken said. “We all have our reasons for doing things in life. But the fact that when he needed help he called his mother is wonderful. I lost my father when I was young. I’ve got a lot of siblings and my mother raised us on her own. We had to help each other out. We all still go to our mother when we need something. She loves it. She says she must have done something right then.”

His mother didn’t say a word and just sipped her tea, but he could see the thought process going on behind his mother’s eyes.

“Jamie always wanted more than he had,” his mother said.

“A lot of people do in the world,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with having goals and dreams. Don’t you and Dad preach that you have to help yourself before you can help others?”

“I didn’t know you listened to your father,” his mother said.

“Like I had much of a choice.” He’d had to sit through services enough, he might as well have listened to what was said.

“You made your choices,” his mother said. “You left and found another life.”

“I’d think you’d be proud of that,” he said.

“I was. We were. Until you got swayed by evil thoughts and forgot everything you were taught.”

“I don’t want to speak out of turn,” Laken said. “But my mother is the first to say that we all rebelled at some point in our life. That it showed our ability to think freely and not be a complete follower. It also allowed us to know our boundaries and learn right from wrong on our own.”

“That’s right,” Jamie said. “Always being told something isn’t the same as experiencing it. Dad used to say that too. You think I haven’t listened, but I have. I’m sorry nothing I do is good enough for you. That I’m a disappointment to the way you live your life.”

“We aren’t disappointed,” his mother said.

“Embarrassed,” he said. “That’s the same thing. You say no one likes to be judged, but you do it to me. You think you don’t, but you’ve done it my whole life.”

“Don’t talk to your mother that way,” his father said.

He turned his head and saw his father in the doorway. “I’m just stating facts. I didn’t think you’d show up so I have to tell her so she can decide on what to tell you.”

“We shouldn’t air dirty laundry out in front of company,” his father said.

He threw his hands up in the air. “Laken isn’t company. She’s my girlfriend. I love her and she loves me and she’s part of my and Penelope’s life. You’re so afraid of people thinking you’re not perfect that you take it out on me. I’m sorry I couldn’t be you and mirror everything you did in life. I’m sorry I can’t be the son you always wanted.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” his mother said.

“This isn’t being dramatic. This is me being honest.” He stood up. “I came here out of respect and courtesy, but I’m not sure why. You don’t do the same for me.”

“You should always respect your parents,” his father said. “I hope you’re teaching our granddaughter that.”

“Jamie is a wonderful role model for Penelope,” Laken said.

“You don’t need to defend me, Laken,” Jamie said. “It doesn’t matter. We should go. I came here to tell you on Tuesday I’ll be going public with the company. West and I will be doing an interview on national TV. It will be good for the company. It’s also going to be my chance to tell the world about my daughter. I thought you should know and prepare. I was going to offer to help you get through it, but you seem to have a handle on your life, so you should be good.”

He turned and walked out the back door with Laken on his heels.