up.”
***
Hunter stared at his grandfather across the fine china plates and sterling silver cutlery as they sat at a large dining table in his grandfather’s estate near Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He could hear the wind rising up from the bay and the rain hitting the roof. He hadn’t had a choice in attending. The dinner invitation was—in fact—a summons. Orson Randolph, a hulky man of eighty with sharp eyes and a booming voice, expected everything he said to be obeyed. “Doran’s already made me a great-grandfather,” he stated once the main entree was served.
Hunter nodded.
“When are you planning to?”
“In due time.”
“I don’t plan on living forever.”
“That’s a surprise.”
“Hunter,” his grandmother warned. It was the first time she’d spoken since they’d been seated. A quiet woman with refined features and few opinions, Audrey Randolph liked to blend into the background.
“Oh, let the boy talk,” Orson said, his Georgia accent penetrating his words with more country crass than Southern charm. “He isn’t one to keep opinions to himself.” He pointed a fork at him. “It isn’t a close tie.”
Hunter frowned. “Tie?”
“Between you and Doran. Doran’s certainly ahead of you. It isn’t fair, but business isn’t about being fair. He projects the right image. And business is all about image, isn’t it Lewis?” he said to his butler, a solidly built black man of indeterminate years who stood quietly in the corner.
“Yes,” Lewis said.
Hunter glanced at the man he’d known most of his life and winked. Lewis ignored him. “I know, Grandfather.”
“Then why aren’t you married yet?” Orson demanded.
“Things haven’t gone quite as I’d planned.”
“Hmm. Yes, you make a lot of plans. I like that, but you don’t have time for that right now. Get yourself a woman. There are plenty of them out there. Good ones too. Get yourself a good, sturdy woman that will give you some babies. Don’t be too particular.” He leaned forward dropping his voice. “You’re not looking for love are you?”
“No.”
He sat back relieved. “Good. You couldn’t afford that.”
“I know.”
The remainder of the dinner conversation dipped into mundane chatter then soon ended. It usually did once Orson had said his peace. He didn’t like to sit around and chat. Fortunately, neither did Hunter. Orson walked him to the front entrance, his arm on Hunter’s shoulder. “You realize you can have a woman on the side as long as nobody knows.”
Hunter slipped into his jacket. It was against his nature to cheat, but he wanted to be in an agreeable mood. “Yes, sir.”
“The board wants to see you married.”
“I know.”
“You know, but you haven’t done anything about it. What are you going to do at the banquet?”
“I have a woman in mind.”
“Is that right?”
“That’s right.”
His grandfather’s face spread into a grin. He gave Hunter a hearty slap on the back. “Why didn’t you say so?”
“I hoped it would be a surprise.” Hunter opened the door.
“You’ve made an old man happy.”
Hunter shook his head. “Don’t try to fool me. We both know you plan to live to a hundred and thirty.”
Orson laughed. “Hundred and fifty.”
“You’ll outlive us all.” Hunter nodded farewell then raced to his car, huddled against the rain. Orson watched him drive away then suddenly turned and marched down the hall leaving Lewis to close the door and keep the rain from soaking the foyer. He joined his wife in the sitting room. He clasped his hands together with pride. “So he has himself a woman.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I am. I have to keep my eye on him.”
“You’ve kept an eye on him his entire life. Hasn’t he proven himself to you yet?”
“Don’t speak in code Audrey. If you want to say something say it straight out. The good Lord won’t strike you dead for being honest. “
“He’s a good man. Don’t be too hard on him
***
Hunter stared at his grandfather across the fine china plates and sterling silver cutlery as they sat at a large dining table in his grandfather’s estate near Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He could hear the wind rising up from the bay and the rain hitting the roof. He hadn’t had a choice in attending. The dinner invitation was—in fact—a summons. Orson Randolph, a hulky man of eighty with sharp eyes and a booming voice, expected everything he said to be obeyed. “Doran’s already made me a great-grandfather,” he stated once the main entree was served.
Hunter nodded.
“When are you planning to?”
“In due time.”
“I don’t plan on living forever.”
“That’s a surprise.”
“Hunter,” his grandmother warned. It was the first time she’d spoken since they’d been seated. A quiet woman with refined features and few opinions, Audrey Randolph liked to blend into the background.
“Oh, let the boy talk,” Orson said, his Georgia accent penetrating his words with more country crass than Southern charm. “He isn’t one to keep opinions to himself.” He pointed a fork at him. “It isn’t a close tie.”
Hunter frowned. “Tie?”
“Between you and Doran. Doran’s certainly ahead of you. It isn’t fair, but business isn’t about being fair. He projects the right image. And business is all about image, isn’t it Lewis?” he said to his butler, a solidly built black man of indeterminate years who stood quietly in the corner.
“Yes,” Lewis said.
Hunter glanced at the man he’d known most of his life and winked. Lewis ignored him. “I know, Grandfather.”
“Then why aren’t you married yet?” Orson demanded.
“Things haven’t gone quite as I’d planned.”
“Hmm. Yes, you make a lot of plans. I like that, but you don’t have time for that right now. Get yourself a woman. There are plenty of them out there. Good ones too. Get yourself a good, sturdy woman that will give you some babies. Don’t be too particular.” He leaned forward dropping his voice. “You’re not looking for love are you?”
“No.”
He sat back relieved. “Good. You couldn’t afford that.”
“I know.”
The remainder of the dinner conversation dipped into mundane chatter then soon ended. It usually did once Orson had said his peace. He didn’t like to sit around and chat. Fortunately, neither did Hunter. Orson walked him to the front entrance, his arm on Hunter’s shoulder. “You realize you can have a woman on the side as long as nobody knows.”
Hunter slipped into his jacket. It was against his nature to cheat, but he wanted to be in an agreeable mood. “Yes, sir.”
“The board wants to see you married.”
“I know.”
“You know, but you haven’t done anything about it. What are you going to do at the banquet?”
“I have a woman in mind.”
“Is that right?”
“That’s right.”
His grandfather’s face spread into a grin. He gave Hunter a hearty slap on the back. “Why didn’t you say so?”
“I hoped it would be a surprise.” Hunter opened the door.
“You’ve made an old man happy.”
Hunter shook his head. “Don’t try to fool me. We both know you plan to live to a hundred and thirty.”
Orson laughed. “Hundred and fifty.”
“You’ll outlive us all.” Hunter nodded farewell then raced to his car, huddled against the rain. Orson watched him drive away then suddenly turned and marched down the hall leaving Lewis to close the door and keep the rain from soaking the foyer. He joined his wife in the sitting room. He clasped his hands together with pride. “So he has himself a woman.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I am. I have to keep my eye on him.”
“You’ve kept an eye on him his entire life. Hasn’t he proven himself to you yet?”
“Don’t speak in code Audrey. If you want to say something say it straight out. The good Lord won’t strike you dead for being honest. “
“He’s a good man. Don’t be too hard on him
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