Robert, however. Robert was all smiles. He practically held court with his wife in one corner of the room, when they weren’t swirling into spontaneous dance to the soft music that played in the background. His smile broadened when he saw Gregory looking his way, and raised his newly acquired glass of champagne in a silent toast.
Why do I get the idea this is his fault? All this gossip. All these men who clapped my arm at the funeral, who have spoken to me with respect on the phone and in person since then, now condescending to me like a little boy who can’t fill Daddy’s shoes. Shit. I don’t know how to stop this.
But he did know Gran couldn’t stay down here anymore. Not with this atmosphere, and with what he knew would follow. He moved her chair to a quiet place at the edge of the room and signaled one of the staff to wait with it. Then he moved to his grandmother’s side to touch her elbow.
Her smile had little life in it. “Hello, dear. How is your party?”
“I think we both know the answer to that,” he murmured, and glanced towards the edge of the room where the chair waited.
Stubbornness flared in her eyes. “I was–”
“Gran,” he interrupted gently. “You promised. Please. I can handle this better if I know you are resting.”
She took a deep breath. “Very well. Just remember what I said.”
“I do. Too well, right now.”Don’t make an enemy if you don’t have to. Too late for that. If I’d known Robert would act like this, I would have made those payments to buy myself more time.
She nodded, and he knew she understood. Defeat rode high in her posture, the too-straight stance of a person who clung to her last shreds of physical dignity while she feared what else she had lost. Yet she kept her head high as she waved, said goodnights to those they passed, and refused to surrender to that sense of hopelessness.
He helped her settle in her chair. “Don’t worry about me. You remember what worry gains us.”
“Nothing,” she said, and mustered a smile. “Only action gains us anything. I won’t worry about you, dear. You have this handled.”
I wish I thought the same.
Once the staff had escorted Gran toward the lift, Gregory returned to find Robert making his way to the center of the center of the parlor. “Is Vivian all right?”
“She’s fine, thank you for the concern. Just tired.”No thanks to you, Robert.
Robert nodded. “She’s earned her rest. But, I’d say the timing is good for the board to adjourn for a chat before the rest of the festivities. Where should we meet?”
Gregory knew a power play when he saw one. Taking charge of the flow of the evening’s events put Robert squarely in a position of apparent authority over the younger man he’d shepherded through his first years in business. It undermined Gregory’s leadership as much as the rampant gossip had.
“You’re very eager to do business at a celebration, Robert. I suppose it isn’t a bad idea to get it out of the way so we can resume enjoying ourselves.” Gregory gestured to a doorway tucked into a niche in the back of the room. “I already had a room prepared. This way, gentlemen.”
“A shame you haven’t a wife to entertain the rest of the ladies while we talk,” Robert said as he walked by Gregory, pitched just loud enough to carry.
“More a shame for you to think the ladies need entertaining,” Gregory replied with an icy smile. “Though, if you’re worried, perhaps we should invite them to do business with us. Their perspectives would be valuable, don’t you think?”
Robert said nothing as he entered the sitting room. Gregory didn’t think that trend would continue.
* * *
The silencebarely lasted through Gregory’s presentation.
“As you can see, profits have risen since the initial drop at the time of my grandfather’s death.” Gregory flipped to the next slide. “We have expanded our revenue streams, with more potential sources for increased profits to be rolled out in the next several months. Our stock prices have rebounded and remain stable. We are on course to chart a record year, and we are being hailed as leaders in several industries.”
The next slide, he’d chosen with care. A picture of the latest cover on a business magazine, released just days before, which both lauded the companyandGregory as an exciting new face in business. It sat next to a row of positive statistics about projected company growth and, he hoped, would provide a subtle association between him and booming business.
His board of directors looked impressed – until Robert spoke.
“‘An exciting new face in business.’ Very positive press,” he said, and stepped next to the screen upon which the presentation projected. He pretended to consider the slide, then turned to the room. “A very new face. And an unexpected one. It’s time to address the elephant in the room so we can shoo it out.”
Would that be the elephant you invited in?Gregory canted his head. “All right, Robert. Let’s do that. Yes. I am an unexpected presence here. No one was more surprised that my grandfather left this company to me than I was. Even though I successfully led our information and technology divisions, even though I’d worked with both you and him closely throughout the years, it was unexpected.”
“No one questions your qualifications, Gregory,” Robert said, even though he intended the statement to put Gregory’s qualifications in question. “Only your experience in both business and in life.”
“I’m thirty-three, Robert. I’m not a child. What I am is a member of a generation who took to business early in their lives, so we could carve places for ourselves.” Gregory nodded towards the slide. “My results speak for themselves.”