I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Francis Ray Page A

annoyed by Wes’s parents’ aloofness toward Zachary. They’d been the same way toward her when they’d first met. She hadn’t been in their same social circles and they had let her know immediately how they felt. Only their love for Wes had gotten them to bend a bit, but she had always known they didn’t think she was good enough for him.

    The nouveau riche were permissible, as long as someone else sweated and toiled to do the hard work that earned them the money. Wes’s father owned three car dealerships scattered around the Houston area. Madison knew for a fact that not one of his salespeople had even been to his magnificent home by the lake, fished from the pier, ridden in his speedboat. Vanessa, who had never worked, came from a family of bankers and referred to A.J.’s employees as “those people” and considered them “different.”
    Madison knew nothing of Zachary’s background, but his large hands were rough and callused, his speech was neither refined nor cultured, his clothes weren’t tailored or expensive. Considering all that, he was completely unacceptable in Wes’s parent’s snobbish way of thinking.
    Wes’s parents were who they were, however, and although Madison disapproved of their attitude and behavior, now wasn’t the time or place to bring it up. “I’m going to call my family, then I’m going to visit the little girl. Why don’t you go downstairs to the cafeteria and get something to eat?”
    â€œNot likely,” Vanessa said, her pert nose tilted. “The food here is probably horrid, if one is to judge by the coffee and the mediocre brand of tea. A.J. has already ordered for us from Crown’s Deli. We know the owner.”
    Madison’s eyes narrowed; it was all she could do not to mention what other patients’ families didn’t have or how the hospital had gone out of their way to make this easier for them, but all she said was, “All right,” before turning to the people who had come to show their support. Somehow she managed to smile. “Thank you all for coming. I’ll tell Wes when I visit him again. I’ll keep Gordon posted on Wes’s progress.”
    The room emptied quickly until the only visitor remaining was Louis Forbes, his teeth clamped around an unlit cigar. He strolled over to Madison. “You tell Wes not to worry about KGHA. I spoke with Steinberg. They still want him and will hold the job for as long as it takes him to get well. Doesn’t matter that the contract wasn’t signed.”
    The annoyance she had suppressed while speaking to Wes’s parents surged forward full force. “How can you think about business now?” she asked, her voice strained and shaky.
    He didn’t back down. “Because it’s my job and it’s what Wes wants. We both know that.”

    He was right. She shoved a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œYou have nothing to be sorry about—isn’t that right, Forbes?” Gordon asked, his hard stare pinning the smaller man.
    â€œNo, not at all.” He worked the cigar from one side of his narrow mouth to the other. “I better go. People will want to know how Wes is doing. Good-bye.”
    â€œThanks, Gordon, but you should be going, too,” Madison said to her producer. “We’ve been here since this morning. The station can’t run without you.”
    He studied her closely. “I’d like to think so, but we both know it can.”
    â€œGo on. There’s nothing to do now but wait.”
    â€œI don’t want you waiting alone.”
    â€œI’ll be here,” Zachary said.
    Madison flicked a glance in his direction. “You should go, too.”
    â€œWes and I go way back. I’m staying.” He stuck his hand out toward Gordon. “Wes admires you a lot. I know he’ll feel better knowing you were here with