Page 21 of Phoenix Fire

The door opened to Jason's office: “Are you okay, Jason?” Nora wore a worried expression on her face.

Jason looked at Nora for a second before replying, feeling awkward and silly. “Yes, yes, I'm fine, Nora. Just a little accident. No harm done.”

They stood, staring at each other, until each felt the discomfort of the moment. Nora was like family, having been with Jason for so long, and she felt that something was bothering her boss. She knew him well enough that she should not be nosy so she smiled weakly, softly retreated and closed the door. She returned to her own desk in the empty reception area.

Nora sat, mildly perplexed by the behavior of her boss. He had seemed embarrassed and confused, totally out of character. “With a shrug she went back to work. Jason would let her know if he felt it was information she should have.

The telephone rang.

“Good afternoon, Prince, Limited,” Nora cheerfully announced.

“Hi, Nora, this is Myrena. Is my grandson busy at the moment?”

“I'm sure he has time for you, Mrs. Wimsley. Please hold for just a moment.” Nora tapped a couple of buttons on her phone, spoke to Jason, and made the connection.

“Hi, Grandma, what's up?” Jason tried to sound more pleasant than he was actually feeling. As an afterthought, he quickly added, “And you're not interrupting any meetings. I'm all yours.”

“You anticipate my question before I ask it. Am I all that predictable, Jay-boy?” She used the pet name for him that she had coined more than twenty years ago.

“You? Predictable? Grandma, you are surely the most delightfully unpredictable woman I've ever known. I just wanted to put you at ease. You at times act as though my time is so precious.”

“So, then, I am predictable, after all.?” She chuckled.

“No, just sweetly cautious. Are you okay?” He tried for nonchalance.

“Oh, sure, I'm fine. I just wanted to see if you could stop by after work one day soon and visit with me. There are some things I would like to discuss with you in private. Nothing terribly important, really, just some things you might help me with.”

“Is today too soon?”

“Why, no, of course not, but I don't want you altering any plans on my behalf.”

“I'm not, Grandma. There are no plans on my social calendar for this evening. I'll be by in roughly an hour. Is that too soon?”

“No, it's good. I'll have Wardley set another place for dinner.”

When the call from Grandma Wimsley ended Jason started to dial Jenny. Before he touched the last digit of her number, he decided against it.

He felt unsettled, a result of the telephone byplay with Carlton. His brother had gotten to him again.

*****

Carlton was at his desk, feeling not as good as he had expected to feel.

Normally, Carlton's gibes at Jason's expense gave him some sort of idiotic pleasure, a nebulous feeling of victory. Today, however, after they had disconnected, Carlton felt more uneasy than he felt victorious. He must be getting old, mellowing to some degree, for he was feeling something akin to sympathy for Jason. This was not in keeping with his character. He liked Jason on the defensive, liked to see him squirm and become angry. After all, what were brothers for? That was Carlton's way for so many years now. He couldn't change his modus operandi at this stage in his life. Hell, it was too much fun to get Jason's goat.

Still, there was an alien moodiness within him. It must have been something Jason had said, something that did not punch into his consciousness until their phone call ended. It was Jason's comment about getting 'closer.' That comment had brought back some memories which saddened Carlton. He was reminded of the fun times, the 'close' times, they would have up at the Bartlett Dam area; playing their cowboy kid games; just hiding and discovering all the different kinds of rocks and snakes; talking under the stars at night in their tents, all snug and comfy in their sleeping bags.

So? So, maybe he should knock off all the crap he was giving Jason. Maybe he should make an attempt at getting closer. Maybe.

Oh, come on Carlton, get off this maudlin stuff, he thought, it's too much fun the way it is. Don't change now. That syrupy crapola you're thinking is for little Dick and Jane and the happy moms and pops. You have spent your life up to now developing your sharp tongue and immoral attitude. You can't change. Who would know you? Besides, you like playing the bad guy role. You've been playing it since mom and dad left without saying goodbye. You got the attention, too, for a while. Then you just stayed where you were with it. You didn't want to go back to where you were. No, you did it the only way that was open to you. Jason had set his course as the good grandson. There could not be two kids going in the same direction, That would be too 'Beaver' and 'Wally' Cleaver. Right? Right.

The main thing: it was too much fun, the 'bad guy' way. Carlton needed to stay in the role he was playing. It fitted him. And, Jenny, well, he couldn't forget Jenny. Yeah, the pretty lady. He had to compete for Jenny. Jason needed the competition.

Still, with all the thoughts, there was a gray cloud hovering over Carlton Prince's day. He tried calling Sheila but there was no answer. He started to dial his grandmother's number, thought better of it, and put the phone back in its cradle. He sat for a long time staring out his large office window at the drab industrial buildings all around him.

“Christ!” he said aloud, “I've got to get out of here.”

Chapter Fourteen

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