“Whatever you do,” he said to Alex in all seriousness, “DO NOT tell
your grandmother that these are better than hers. Got it?”
“Got it!” Alex nodded. “Bye!” he said, walking into the
store as Aldo was lowering the metal window bars to lock up for the night. “Hi
Grandpa,” Ben heard him say. “I can’t tell grandma that we had better meatballs
than hers.”
Ben chuckled. “He’s a good kid.”
Sophia smiled. “Yeah…he is.”
Then came the uncomfortable silence. They both knew it
wasn’t a date, but…
“Thank you for dinner,” Sophia said. “I guess I’ll see you
around.”
“Yep. I’m sure you will. Good night.”
As Sophia opened the door to the store, Ben swung the other
way and almost sprinted across the street and into his apartment building.
“Good evening, Mr. Lathem,” smiled the doorman, as Ben
entered.
“Evening,” he replied and hurried through the lobby. He
needed to get up to his apartment as quickly as possible and take a cold
shower.
*****
Standing at the baggage carousel, Maria watched for the
luggage to pass by and Luca stood, mouth open, taking in his surroundings. It had
been a long flight; first to Atlanta - Luca had curled up next to the window
with a pillow and slept most of the way, and then on to New York. Now they
stood hauling bags off the carousel, starting a new chapter in their lives in
New York.
MEL Holdings held several apartments in the city for the
purpose of housing visiting employees. Ben had made sure that one of them was
ready for Maria to use until she was settled enough, both in the city and in
her new job, to find a permanent home. While she had mixed feelings about
leaving her home and relocating, she was grateful for Ben’s concern for their
safety and was looking forward to her new position in the company, even though
she wasn’t sure exactly what it was.
Human Resources had given her a new title – Support Staff
Training Director – and eventually she hoped to learn exactly what the job
entailed, but Ben had told her she was tailor-made for it and seemed excited
enough for the both of them. She trusted him and had packed up her belongings
on a moment’s notice and now here she stood in New York City.
A car had been sent for them and the driver, obviously a
skilled Tetris player, managed to stuff all the luggage in the trunk and their
new adventure officially began.
*****
“Huh?” Ben said to his dad.
“Do. You. Want. Peas?” Peter Lathem repeated.
“Oh, thanks,” Ben mumbled and took the bowl from his
father’s hand.
“You okay?” Janie asked.
Ben nodded. “Didn’t get a whole lotta sleep the last few
nights and it’s catching up with me.”
“You gonna be good to go in the morning?” Mark asked.
“Of course!” Ben scoffed. “Four hundred employees hanging on
my every word,” he grinned.
“No work talk at the table,” Maureen frowned. “Sunday
dinners are family talk…nothing else.”
“Yes ma’am,” grinned Mark.
“Actually,” David said. “This is the perfect moment for
Lindsey and I to tell you all that in six months there will be another Lathem
around the dining table.”
Clapping and cheers abounded as congratulations and hugs
were offered. Maureen smiled at her daughter-in-law and said another silent
prayer to God asking all to go well with this pregnancy. Lindsey still had some
morning sickness, but had been to the doctor and had been told that all was
well. She caught Maureen’s eye and smiled.
Talk of babies and maternity clothes, and diapers and
midnight feedings continued through the meal and Ben watched as each of his
brothers was actively engaged in the conversation, including Mark, who didn’t,
and wouldn’t, have children of his own. Even Tim, his youngest brother, who’d
been married for only a few months, was interjecting and talking about “when
they had kids”. Ben picked at his plate, moving peas around his mashed potatoes
and building bridges with his carrots.
your grandmother that these are better than hers. Got it?”
“Got it!” Alex nodded. “Bye!” he said, walking into the
store as Aldo was lowering the metal window bars to lock up for the night. “Hi
Grandpa,” Ben heard him say. “I can’t tell grandma that we had better meatballs
than hers.”
Ben chuckled. “He’s a good kid.”
Sophia smiled. “Yeah…he is.”
Then came the uncomfortable silence. They both knew it
wasn’t a date, but…
“Thank you for dinner,” Sophia said. “I guess I’ll see you
around.”
“Yep. I’m sure you will. Good night.”
As Sophia opened the door to the store, Ben swung the other
way and almost sprinted across the street and into his apartment building.
“Good evening, Mr. Lathem,” smiled the doorman, as Ben
entered.
“Evening,” he replied and hurried through the lobby. He
needed to get up to his apartment as quickly as possible and take a cold
shower.
*****
Standing at the baggage carousel, Maria watched for the
luggage to pass by and Luca stood, mouth open, taking in his surroundings. It had
been a long flight; first to Atlanta - Luca had curled up next to the window
with a pillow and slept most of the way, and then on to New York. Now they
stood hauling bags off the carousel, starting a new chapter in their lives in
New York.
MEL Holdings held several apartments in the city for the
purpose of housing visiting employees. Ben had made sure that one of them was
ready for Maria to use until she was settled enough, both in the city and in
her new job, to find a permanent home. While she had mixed feelings about
leaving her home and relocating, she was grateful for Ben’s concern for their
safety and was looking forward to her new position in the company, even though
she wasn’t sure exactly what it was.
Human Resources had given her a new title – Support Staff
Training Director – and eventually she hoped to learn exactly what the job
entailed, but Ben had told her she was tailor-made for it and seemed excited
enough for the both of them. She trusted him and had packed up her belongings
on a moment’s notice and now here she stood in New York City.
A car had been sent for them and the driver, obviously a
skilled Tetris player, managed to stuff all the luggage in the trunk and their
new adventure officially began.
*****
“Huh?” Ben said to his dad.
“Do. You. Want. Peas?” Peter Lathem repeated.
“Oh, thanks,” Ben mumbled and took the bowl from his
father’s hand.
“You okay?” Janie asked.
Ben nodded. “Didn’t get a whole lotta sleep the last few
nights and it’s catching up with me.”
“You gonna be good to go in the morning?” Mark asked.
“Of course!” Ben scoffed. “Four hundred employees hanging on
my every word,” he grinned.
“No work talk at the table,” Maureen frowned. “Sunday
dinners are family talk…nothing else.”
“Yes ma’am,” grinned Mark.
“Actually,” David said. “This is the perfect moment for
Lindsey and I to tell you all that in six months there will be another Lathem
around the dining table.”
Clapping and cheers abounded as congratulations and hugs
were offered. Maureen smiled at her daughter-in-law and said another silent
prayer to God asking all to go well with this pregnancy. Lindsey still had some
morning sickness, but had been to the doctor and had been told that all was
well. She caught Maureen’s eye and smiled.
Talk of babies and maternity clothes, and diapers and
midnight feedings continued through the meal and Ben watched as each of his
brothers was actively engaged in the conversation, including Mark, who didn’t,
and wouldn’t, have children of his own. Even Tim, his youngest brother, who’d
been married for only a few months, was interjecting and talking about “when
they had kids”. Ben picked at his plate, moving peas around his mashed potatoes
and building bridges with his carrots.
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