Page 133 of Just Like Starting Over
“Where is Dad this morning?” I ask Dierdre. “He usually stops by in the morning.”
“Early tee-off with Mr. Bradshaw, I believe. He mentioned it Friday.”
“I see. I’d better get to work then.”
“Full tour today?” Dierdre asks, as if she doesn’t know.
“These boots were made for walking.” I head for the door.
“But you have to show me, Mike!”
“No, I don’t, Ethan. I have to check tomatoes. Pruning and production. That would be my job.” I give him a wave, then find Dierdre right behind meon the way out.
“There was nothing I could do or say, Mike. You know how he is.”
“I do.”
“And I couldn’t see the point of ruining your weekend.” She shrugs. “I thought Mr. Cavendish might change his mind.”
I give her a look and she winces at the unlikelihood of that.
“Don’t you dare have it out with him when I’m not here,” she says and that makes me smile.
“You expect that much of a show?”
“I’ve been waiting for it. I bet he’ll come by this afternoon, near close of business.” She nods. “I think I might need to work late to finish a report.”
I glance back toward the office. I can hear Ethan slamming the doors of the filing cabinets.
Dierdre turns a glare on the door. “If he messes up my files…” she begins.
“Go defend them. I hear tomatoes calling my name.”
She’s right,of course. Dierdre knows Dad better than he knows himself. I come back just before seven, stinking of tomato vines, my hands sore from helping with the pruning. That new cultivar wants very badly to become bushy, but we need to keep the production high.
Dierdre is putting things in order on her desk so fastidiously that I wonder how many times she’s repositioned the stapler. Ethan is sitting on my desk, sulking as he pokes at my open laptop. I can see that he hasn’t yet guessed the password, which gives me joy. Dad is pacing the office like a caged tiger, his brow furrowed.
Here we go.
I step into the office and let the door swing shutbehind me. Ethan stands up. Dierdre settles into her chair, unnoticed by Ethan or Dad.
Dad rounds on me. “What is the meaning of this defiance, Michael? How dare you challenge me over any decision, let alone one you’ve been badgering me to make? You should have been here today, introducing Ethan to our systems, not frittering your time away elsewhere.”
“I was doing my job.”
“You said we needed an operations manager and I hired one.”
Ethan smiles.
“I did say that, because we do. But Cavendish Enterprises needs an operations manager with experience. Someone who understands a greenhouse operation of our size. Someone who has worked with an asset base of similar size. Ideally, someone with the finance experience that I lack.”
The curious thing is that I’m calm. The words come together because I’m not angry anymore. I’m not emotional about this betrayal of my father’s. I thought about it all day and I have a solution, and truth be told, I’m done with his whims. I’ve composed my arguments and am changing how we interact.
“And I’ve chosen Ethan,” he crows.
“Why? Does he have credentials I don’t know about? Because if he doesn’t, it looks like he’s just your favourite son and out of a job.”
I know I’m pushing the edge there, but I want him to say it.
