Page 20 of Harry

“Son of a bitch!” He flew off the sofa so quickly that it sent a frightened Shep racing for cover. And he only just managed to make it to the powder room off the kitchen. Wrapping his hands around his tangled hair, he held it back as he retched horribly inside the bowl.

Even after he had finished vomiting the linings of his stomach, he felt like shit. Moving carefully, he leaned back against the tiles, cold sweat was washing his entire body.

He had started drinking as soon as he returned from taking his walk and had ended up finishing two bottles of really excellent scotch. And had fallen asleep on the sofa with his clothes and shoes still on.

That was a new low even for him. And Christ Almighty! He had a meeting at the corporate office. Biting off a moan, he tested the water by trying to inch his way off the floor. He managed to get up, but it was a slow and arduous job.

By the time he felt his way out of the room and was turning towards the kitchen, Shep had recovered enough to slink back in and was standing there looking at him cautiously as if afraid he was going to be pounced on.

“Not now boy.” He could hardly recognize the scratchy voice as his own. “This has nothing to do with you, but I need a moment or two.

Taking out a clean glass, he filled it to the brim with the tap water and downed it thirstily. He was just filling it again when his phone rang. For one jumping and hopeful moment, he thought it was her calling. Digging the phone from his pocket, he sighed as he recognized the number.

“Mother, now is not a good time.”

“We’re waiting for you Harry and I don’t have to tell you that your tardiness is causing a lot of problems.”

“Just…” he braced a hand on the counter as he swayed. “Hold them off, will you? I am on my way.”

“Are you all right?”

“I’ve been better,” he muttered as he hung up. “Coffee, good black and strong and a bloody shower.” He decided.

*****

Madelyn could hardly wait for the meeting to be finished. Her son had stumbled in half an hour later, looking the worse for wear. Yes, he had been brilliant in his delivery as usual and had managed to appease the investors for his tardiness, but she noticed the fatigue, the bloodshot eyes. Which could only mean one thing. He had been drinking.

Damn him! She thought furiously. Whether he liked it or not, they were going to have words. The company belonged to him, because she was a woman and as much as she was the one running it, her share was a mere twenty percent.

Which gave her a seat on the board. Her name was McGibbon by marriage, but she only had what authority the board gave her, which was minimal. She was more or less sitting in for Harry and that was it.

Her son owned the lion share of the company, and he was going to have to step up to the plate. “That will be all, gentlemen.” She smiled at them and wanted to scream at their lack of vision and their outdated thinking.

They were all old men who should have been forced to retire some years ago. But she didn’t have the power. Her son did, and he was not exercising it.

She waited until they had filed out of the conference room, before pressing the intercom and informing her assistant to hold her calls.

“Well, you certainly look like hell.” Rising gracefully, she went to pour some coffee and brough him a cup. “Perhaps some of the pastries will manage to soak up the alcohol. I am assuming it’s alcohol and not whoring that has you looking green around the gills?”

He accepted the coffee and gulped it down, ignoring the heat that scorched his mouth.

“You assume correctly, and I don’t need a lecture.” I am here and I delivered. End of story!”

Holding onto her temper, she went to pour herself a cup and brought it back to the table. Sitting down, she eyed him for a moment, before taking a sip. “Is this how you intend to deal with your ‘problems’? Richard is dead, How much longer is he going to influence you from the grave?”

“It would seem like it.” His stomach was empty and the four painkillers he had swallowed along with his coffee while at his place had left him feeling nauseous and fatigued.

Or it might be the liquor still in his system. He could not quite tell. “Good old dad.” He laughed harshly. “I recalled the time when I told him I flunked history. Got an ‘f’. Remember what he did mother?”

“Please…!”

“He took me into the stable and tied me to one of the stalls. It was during the coldest days of winter, and I could feel the cold biting into my flesh. The stable hands had scurried out without him having to say a word. He took a thick leather belt and let me have it and told me to scream if I wanted it to stop. I did.

Even though I vowed that I wouldn’t, I did, because I wanted it to end. He left me tied to the damn stall and half an hour later, sent one of the men to untie me.” He toasted her with the cup. “You were at home and did nothing about it.”

Madelyn felt as if she was drowning in shame and remorse. “I wanted to…”

“Yeah. You were afraid. Who wasn’t terrified of that tyrant? So, you asked me if he is still using his influence from the grave and I have to say yes. The son of a bitch is dead and is still managing to ruin my life.” He rose unsteadily. “If you’d excuse me, I have to go take a leak and try and find my way to the housing complex.”

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