Chapter Twenty-two
~ Max ~
When I hung up the phone with Joanie, I was relieved that she had agreed to go back to California with Wilson. Of all the things that happened over that week, the fact that I couldn’t go back home with my girlfriend was the fucking cherry that topped the bitter, messed-up sundae I had to swallow.
The reading of my father’s will was exasperating. Every little detail was covered, discussed in detail, eventually hashed out, and lamentably revisited until everyone in the room believed they knew what it meant. It was beyond ridiculous. I kept pulling out my phone, checking the time, and thinking about Wilson upstairs packing…alone.
Shitty as it was, I found myself just tuning out the voices in the room. Every moan, snivel, whimper, and demand was wasted on me. I didn’t mean to be inconsiderate or selfish, but I never signed up to run my father’s company. I didn’t need to know who holds what portion of GP, or how the shares in GP were going to be split between the living. All I wanted was to have my own life, doing something a hell of a lot different than running a company whose profits and losses fluctuated on the supply and demand of the weather or the planet’s seasons.
“How do you feel about that, Max?” Dan’s voice shattered every thought in my head.
“What?” I barked.
“Everyone was just discussing the options of liquidating GP. Camille asked you your thoughts about it.”
I looked at Dad’s lawyer, then Dan, then over at Calvin, Camille, and finally my mom. Everyone’s mouth hung gaping open, waiting to hear my thoughts. I was so disengaged they could have just sold everything I owned and I wouldn’t have known it.
“Let’s face it, there isn’t one person in here who’s unaware of how I feel about this situation. My fate has been chosen for me, so listening to what could or couldn’t happen is, quite frankly, a big waste of time. My girlfriend is upstairs packing to go back to California to handle what is left of her family and quite possibly the rest of her life, without me. So I tell you what, I’ve heard enough. If it’s my call, then I’ve made a decision. We are not liquidating GP. Gary, there has to be a way to work this out in the next three days,” I said, hoping he would find the words to agree with me.
“Yeah, there is, but three days is wishful thinking. There are major decisions that must be made, for the security of your family, and the system works on its own time…no matter who you are,” Gary stated in a matter-of-fact tone.
I felt my heart tumble down into my gut. Gary’s words were killing any hope for me to get to Wilson in three days. I took a huge breath, clearing the disappointment clustering in my mind.
“Okay, so are we done here? We all know what our choices are and the roles we must play to keep GP, right?” I looked across the room to Dan and Camille. They were holding tight, resentful smirks on their faces. I looked over a Gary, who was shaking his head.
“Yeah, Max, we are pretty much done with what we can do today. I will file the papers later this afternoon and get the ball rolling. I’ll call you tomorrow morning, 9:45,” Gary said as he popped open his briefcase and shuffled some papers in his hands.
“Good.” I looked over at my mom. Her eyes were puffy with the confirmation of every waking moment without my dad.
I walked over to her and said, “I promise you, I will not let this family down,” then leaned over and kissed the top of her head. With that she reached over and tapped her delicate, reassuring hand across my shoulder before I turned away and walked out.
My heart was thrashing in my chest and my lungs were burning with every breath I forced into them. My hands were drenched because of all the time I was missing with Wilson. My ears were filled with words drifting to catch up as I took the stairs two at a time. I wasn’t going to stop climbing for anyone. It was already midafternoon and I didn’t want to lose any more ‘anythings’ with her before she was leaving tomorrow morning.
I pushed open the door, expecting to see Wilson packing her bags; instead I noticed she was lying down on the bed, her suitcase emptied, her clothes folded under her body. I walked quietly toward her; she didn’t move. I got to the side of the bed. Still nothing. Her chest rose and lowered in a rhythm that indicated she was asleep. Her pulse danced in her neck, her eyes closed, her lips relaxed, like nothing needed to be said. I just stood there, taking her in.
I guess it was my presence that woke her. Or maybe it was when I nudged my legs between her knees, pushing against the bed so I could lean down and breathe in her scent. Either way, when she opened her eyes, I startled her.