by Eben Le Roux
Chapter 26
‘Ray, Ray wake up! Are you not going to work?’ Kim shook him by the shoulders.
‘What time is it?’ Ray spoke with a tired tone, not even opening his eyes.
‘It is nearly eight o’clock, and you’re still lying here naked.’ Kim could not hold her laughter as she followed the trail of his clothes strewn around the room.
‘Damn, but you can be a real animal if you want to,’ she said, stroking his hair.
‘Who was the animal last night, woman? Can’t you see how you have drained me?’ he asked, turning to face her.
‘Well, you said you want a brother for Jason, and you are already complaining.’
‘Complaining . . . ? Maybe I just have to get used to that much exercise in one night. Can we try again?’ He tried pulling her towards him.
‘Oh no, Mr Johnson, you have a family to feed. Get out of this bed and go to work.’
‘What time is it?’
‘I told you, eight o’clock, now get up!’
‘Oh, good heavens, I have two catalogue shoots today. Where is my phone?’
‘Don’t you remember you switched it off and threw it into the washing basket?’
He looked at her with a slight smile, jumped from the bed, and quickly put on his trunks. After finding his phone and switching it on, he dialled his office.
‘Morning, Dave, are the models there?’
‘Yes, they are, and we are waiting for you.’
‘Listen, I’ve overslept.’ Something was wrong with my alarm this morning. We will have to start with the furniture shoots first. Schedule the clothing for the second shoot. Inform the models and let the guys unwrap the furniture. Set up the Westside studio. See you in an hour.’
‘What is this I heard about models in the studio?’ Kim shouted after him as he rushed into the shower.
‘Sweetheart, it is for a children’s clothing catalogue. Please, no more questions. I’m late already.’ He hurried into the shower and closed the door. Kim stared at the shower door and felt the remorse going through her. ‘How could I ever forget why I married you, Ray Johnson?’
Sweet recollections were coming to mind as she thought about the time they were still dating, the family they wanted to have, and all the other stuff they planned.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Peter’s shouting from the kitchen. ‘Jason!’
‘Yes, Grandpa.’
‘Somebody forgot about us. Come, let’s make our own breakfast.’
‘I’m coming, Grandpa,’ Jason shouted excitedly while rushing to the kitchen.
Kim, who did not like what she heard, shouted hastily, ‘If you two can wait for five minutes, I will come to serve you.’
‘Never mind, we are men enough. We can do it ourselves,’ Peter shouted back.
‘Yes, we are men enough,’ Jason added.
‘I warned you . . . there is a grandfather in the house. We lost our son, woman, he’s no longer ours,’ Ray remarked with some laughter as he walked out of the shower.
‘Yes, I noticed, but it is such a good feeling.’ To the two in the kitchen, she shouted, ‘You two do not dare mess up my kitchen!’
Jason was excitingly scouting the fridge for something he could have for breakfast. He never had opportunities like that, and his search was almost overeager.
‘Grandpa, can we have this?’ he asked as he came towards Peter with a glass bowl.
‘What is in there?’ Peter asked while already standing with a box of cereal.
‘Macaroni and cheese.’
‘Macaroni and cheese, but we had it last night?’ Peter said, not too happy with Jason’s choice.
‘But I love it, Grandpa. I always get eggs or cereal. Please, Grandpa.’ His pleading eyes would have been too much for any grandfather to handle.
‘Okay, macaroni and cheese, coming up.’
‘Yep.”
Much later, with Ray gone to work, Kim gets to enjoy a refreshing shower. It was after a very long time that she had a shower so late in the morning. Her mind went back to the restaurant. What took place really touched Lesley so much that he impulsively told her to take some time off from work.
He agreed that her husband was right to have children at close-enough ages so that they could grow up as friends as well as family. That same afternoon, she approached her husband when he came from work, hoping what she would tell him would be good news for him. ‘Ray, we need to talk,’ she said to him as he was drinking a cup of tea.
He looked at her in a curious manner as she would not normally consult him with her personal matters, and she sounded so disturbing that he thought she was going to ask for a divorce. With the last argument still on his mind, he felt uneasy. Even as he was expecting the worst to come, he knew he was not ready for it. He immediately started to think about Jason. He knew it did not matter how much pain it was going to cause him, Jason was going to suffer the most. The feeling was so depressing that he could not wait to know what was on her mind. With Jason watching television with his grandfather, he thought it wise for them to make use of the opportunity to talk immediately.
‘Want to do it now?’ he asked almost carefully.
‘I think it is best if we go to our room.’ There was a smile on her face, and it made him wonder more what could be so urgent.
‘Okay,’ he said casually as he rose from his chair. It was a scary moment for Ray as they walked into the room.
‘Kim, I don’t know if I will be able to . . .’
‘Ray, don’t talk. Listen to what I have to say first,’ she interfered with his words. ‘I will be at home from tomorrow.’ She said it so suddenly that it astounded him immediately.
‘What? Is there some trouble at work?’
‘No, no. I am doing it for you . . . for us.’ She was watching his reactions and could see he was too stunned to speak.
‘Are you saying you are giving up your work?’ he said frantically while moving to stand against the dressing table. ‘Is it because I came down too hard on you the other night?’
‘No Ray, Leonard gave me one week’s leave, starting immediately. He thought it was best as he thinks I would not be able to focus completely on my work with what is on my mind.’
‘Kim, what exactly are you trying to tell me? What is it that is on your mind?’ He placed the tea on the table as if no more interested in it.
‘What is on my mind is another child in this family.’ She held her breath, hoping he would be happy. He looked at her, too astonished to say a word. He finally walked towards her and said; ‘Kim, you know I would give anything for that, but what . . . why so suddenly?’ he said with a smile that was battling its way through the confusion.
‘If you could please sit down, then I could tell you,’ she said, hitting the bed space next to her with the palm of her left hand. His smile grew bigger as he came to sit next to her. Wasting no time, she started telling him about what had happened in that restaurant. When she was done telling him, he wrapped his arms around her and said, ‘You will not regret this, darling, and just remember, I have never stopped loving you.’
‘Never did I . . . and I am so sorry that I failed to show it to you,’ she said.
‘That does not matter anymore, sweetheart. Most important is that this house is becoming a home again.’
‘You sounding like your father, did you know that?’ This time she said it with laughter and appreciation.
The smile was still on her face as she walked out of the shower, preparing herself for a day as a housewife.
At first, she thought she was going to have her hands full with Jason, but with his grandfather around, it brought some comfort. Looking for something to wear, she felt a bit hungry herself. Slipping on tracksuit pants and one of her oversized T-shirts, she headed for the kitchen.
It was with some sort of teamwork that grandfather and grandson was building a swing from the tree. Their work came to a fearful halt when they heard Kim’s ear-piercing scream coming from inside the h
ouse. They both froze for a second captured by fear. Peter ran towards the house while scooping up the hammer and a piece of wood. He rushed with double the speed past Jason, who followed him with a frightened look on his face. Entering carefully through the door, he made sure he had a firm grip on the hammer. As he entered the living room, he saw Kim facing the kitchen. Something was not making sense as she was standing with both hands on her hips. Jason, who was too scared to enter, was watching from the door. Sure that there were no intruders in the house; Peter stepped further into the room with a cautious approach. He looked at her hoping to find the reason for her screaming. When she still said nothing, he shouted at her, ‘Kim, what is wrong?’
Kim casually turned towards them, while Jason slowly moved towards his grandfather. ‘My kitchen, what have you two done to my kitchen?’
Peter stood stunned, as he could not believe that the scream he had just heard could be over a kitchen. He stood looking at her dumbstruck, as if to ask, ‘How could you?’
The next thing Kim said made him lose all hope in giving her any answers. ‘That hammer, what is it for?’ she asked curiously with her eyes fixed on it.
Peter just shook his head in disbelief. ‘I hope you don’t expect me to answer that.’ He turned around and headed back for the door.
Jason stood staring at his mother with dirt on his cloths and even more on his face. She could not help the smile forming as she studied her son through the dirt.
‘Dad,’ she called after him.
He stopped to look at her and saw she was smiling. ‘Can I talk to you?’ she asked.
‘Of course, why?’
‘Alone, please.’
‘Okay . . . Jason, take this outside and fetch the rope from the garage. Do not use the tools until I am there, you hear?’
‘Yes, Grandpa.’ Jason took the hammer and the wood from him and ran outside.
Although Kim was smiling she looked a bit annoyed. Peter was not going to allow her to speak first.
‘What are you going to do now? Throw me out of your house?’
‘Well, I’m still keeping that option open, but first let me thank you for what you are doing for our son.’
He looked at her, surprised, for he had expected some explosive behaviour.
‘Wait a minute . . . you are not angry with us?’
‘Of course I am, Dad, but first listen to me. You brought out a side of my son that I have not seen. I knew him as a quiet boy watching TV or sitting in his room playing with his toys. To be honest, I have never even seen him with dirty hands, let alone a dirty face. For the last week, I have seen more dirt on my son than I have seen in his lifetime. You are making him live a real boy’s life. He is happy, and we notice it. Thank you, Dad.’
‘I have to thank you for giving me the chance to be a grandfather. I am the happy one here. Everything I prayed for seems to have been given to me.’
‘Well, just save some energy for another grandchild. Ray and I are planning on having another soon.’
‘It is a very wise decision, and I am happy for you. There is nothing in the world like family. I wish you good luck with it.’
‘Thank you, Dad.’
‘Well, I have plenty of work to do, and that young man is anxious about his swing from that tree.’
‘Talking about plenty of work, you have the opportunity to show your son how to clean a kitchen.’
‘What?’
‘You heard me, Dad. I have too much work on my hands, and since when do people have spaghetti and cheese for breakfast?’
‘Macaroni,’ he corrected her.
‘Whatever, Dad, just make sure it gets cleaned up.’ She walked away towards the kitchen, turned around again, and said to him, ‘It feels good to sound like you, Dad . . . real good.’
It was a long day and Peter really felt tired out by his grandson. Relaxing on the couch, he heard the doorbell. He saw Kim going towards the door and to his surprise, he heard her saying, ‘Hi, Bruce, what a surprise! What brings you here?’
‘Hi, Kim, are you thinking of giving up your job. Is Peter here?’
‘Yes, come in.’
Bruce stepped inside, and he saw Peter standing in the middle of the floor looking at him with surprise.
‘Hi, Peter, how are you doing?’
‘No trouble here, Bruce . . . but what brings you here. Is something wrong?’
‘We need to talk.’ Bruce sounded very bothered, and Kim thought it better to leave the two alone.
‘Okay, what’s on your mind?’
‘Can we go outside, please?’ Those words were confirmation to Peter that something could be wrong. They walked out by a glass door into the backyard. After closing the door behind them, Peter asked, ‘Trouble . . . ?’
This allowed Bruce to get straight to the point. ‘Yes, Peter, this thing about Shannon going with you to Bolton, is it true?’
‘Oh that, did she tell you?’
‘My lord, then it is true, and did she tell me about it! Hell, no, she was boasting to me about it!’
‘Calm down, Bruce. Maybe she was just a bit excited.’
‘Peter, you don’t understand. In corporate business, this is not how it works. We are in competition . . . in fact, Shannon considers me her biggest enemy. To her, this is an opportunity to get to me . . . to us. She is using this invitation as an opportunity to abuse you.’ Bruce’s anger was so much, it was impossible to hide.
‘Bruce, is this hatred I hear inside you, or are you just upset?’
‘Peter, you have to cancel that invitation. I know this programme is all about you, that it is you who the people are coming to hear, that it is you who makes people switch on their televisions for that hour, but the business decisions rest with us.’
‘Just hold it right there, Bruce. The Bolton story has absolutely nothing to do with the “Hour of Truth” show. Why do we need permission for news teams to broadcast something that good?’
‘Peter, do you know how long it took me to convince the Atkinsons to use their names and to show them live on Saturday? This is all part of business in this game.’
The word business was upsetting Peter he interrupted Bruce by holding up his finger. ‘You hold on, Bruce, I don’t want this to be business any more. We are not in business here. You tell that to your bosses that if Bolton has to go on air, Bolton goes on air for everybody.’
‘Peter, the shareholders are not going to like it.’ Again, Bruce was interrupted.
‘Oh yes, I can hear them say, “If God does not sell, then we don’t want to be a part of it”. Are you scared they would say that?’
‘Peter, now you are being unfair. You speak as if you are protecting Shannon. She is not worth it believe me. Whatever she did to you, I do not know. I worked with that woman far too long not to know her. Cancel your invitation with her today, or at least ask her not to bring a TV crew with her.’
‘You hate this woman, don’t you Bruce? You hate her so much that you don’t even want to share a good moment with her.’
‘There is no such thing as a good moment with that woman. Look what she is doing now after the good time she had at this house. If you allow her in there, she will act as if she is in charge. All she is after is a good story. As soon as she finds out that the Atkinsons are sponsoring the Bolton project, she will most definitely dig into their past and air their dirty laundry. Michael might be a changed man now, but he made many enemies lately, and their son, I do not even want to go there. That boy is a spoilt brat, and there are speculations that he is doing drugs. You really want Shannon to come and break down what you have risked so much for?’
Peter thought long and hard about what Bruce had just said. It had been twice that Shannon had him on camera, and on both occasions, it was for broadcasting destructive matters. Maybe Bruce was right, and by feeling sorry for her, he might make a decision for the wrong reasons.
‘Do you know this girl’s parents, by any chance?’ He put the question very carefully so as not to make
Bruce suspicious that he suspected something. Bruce’s eyes suddenly widened like a person who is confronted by a vicious dog. ‘Are you going to tell me you know this woman’s family?’
‘No, but I think I know where that hatred is coming from.’
No answer came from Bruce as he was anxiously waiting for Peter to continue.
‘That woman could have been abused as a child.’ Peter said warily.
‘Did she actually tell you that?’
Peter did not answer. He was thinking of the sad face Shannon had when he asked her about her family.
‘What did she tell you, Peter?’ It was a demanding question from Bruce.
‘She told me that she envied my children and that her father and uncles are monsters. What do you think the message was there?’ He said it hoping he was not breaking a secret invested in him by Shannon.
‘I know nothing about that, Peter, but I have a friend who was at the same school with her. Sit; let me tell you his story.’ They took up two chairs on the veranda and he started immediately. ‘Shannon was a real rebel for her parents. From age fifteen, she jumped through her bedroom window to join parties. She became pregnant at sixteen and had an abortion. Unable to control her, they placed her in a boarding school the following year. That did not stop her behaviour. She simply used her beauty on the teachers. Everybody knew it, but nobody was going to talk. Her father’s company was contributing hugely towards the funding of that school. The principal thought it wise not to inform him, fearing to lose that donation. You think morality is busy falling by itself. No, Mr Johnson, I work in the media, and I know what is going on. We promote sin, and Shannon was right . . . violence and sex are our number one profit makers in the world. If you do not believe me, do some research yourself. By knowing it now, you should know why ninety per cent of our movies come with a healthy dose of sex and excessive violence. Reality shows are blatantly organised to expose and profit from material that are bad for society. Have you listened to the best-selling music artists lately? Have you watched the videos advertising those songs? I am in the media, sir, and we are the people endorsing it. It is called precedence revenue . . . sure moneymakers. We rake in billions around the world selling sex and ungodly material.’
Bruce was talking in a manner that made Peter felt the man wanted to confess to him. ‘I am living in that world Bruce and I have known this for a long time, but why are you telling me all this?’
‘Please don’t stop me,’ he said strictly to Peter. ‘Some journalists would give anything to report on filth to make a living. I have been doing it for many years, and I still have plenty of years left to dig for dirt. You do not know how tired I was of reporting on murder, sex, and scandals and then making it sound juicy because of an audience that can never be satisfied. Now, finally, I have something to break away to, and you want somebody else to hijack it from me?’
‘Bruce, all I am trying to do is to show this woman the simpler ways of life. I thought the impact of such matters could give her a new look on life.’
‘No, Mr Johnson, you listen to me. You rescued me as much as I rescued you. I wanted to break away from this filth long ago, but I had no alternative. Ten minutes into your speech from that stage, it hit me like a rock. You came as a gift. You were my ticket out of there. I took that chance, and it paid off. Now, you are inviting the same person who told me that God would not sell. They will not be there for what God did to Bolton through you. They will only come along to feed from your story.’
‘What if we can change her insights about life with Bolton? You think it is possible?’
Bruce just shook his head at Peter. ‘Peter, learn from me today. Power-hungry people do not change just like that. These people’s strongest point is intimidation. For as long as they have power and money, they think they can bend anything and anybody to a shape to fit their world. You and I are just tools to their success, nothing more. Do yourself a favour, and leave Shannon to the Gods. There is nothing you can do for her.’
‘Just one question Bruce. Why do you so desperately not want Shannon at Saturday’s function? Only the truth please?’
‘That is why I am here. There is a meeting with James for tomorrow at ten. You will hear everything there.’
‘Oh, is that why you sneaked out with Sean to Bolton yesterday?’
‘What? You knew about it? Who told you?’
‘Nobody told me. It slipped over James’s lips by mistake.’
Bruce suddenly felt cornered and decided to tell Peter a little more. ‘This thing you did for Bolton is going to grow bigger than you thought. I am busy putting together a new idea for Channel 91. If it becomes a hit, people will love it, especially you.’
‘New idea . . .’ Confusion was written in bright colours on Peter’s face.
‘Yes, I had to think past the “Hour of Truth”. On Wednesday is your last speech. I had to think about what would happen to not only me, but also the future of the station. Channel 91 had more than doubled their viewers in the last two weeks, and I want to keep it that way.’
‘So this new idea, am I allowed to know?’
‘Yes, of course. You are the one who started it.’
Bruce could see that Peter was instead more confused than informed. He smiled at him saying, ‘Well, Teacher, if I were you, I would pick up the phone and tell Shannon the news, tell her that she is welcome only as a guest, but no cameras.’
‘You can’t make that call?’ Peter asked politely.
‘No, thank you, sir, I have no dealings with that woman any more. She is your hot potato, but knowing you, I know you are capable of dealing with her. See you at ten tomorrow.’
‘Hey, Bruce, what if she was telling the truth?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘What if she was really abused . . . ? Should somebody not at least listen to her?’
‘Peter, I don’t know how to say this without sounding mean and heartless. If she was, just be aware that she is filled with hatred. That hatred is her driving force. If you add to that the determination that woman has, then you have one of the most destructive forces in the world. That hatred is the core of her success. I am not going to try to take it from her.’
‘Is this why everybody fears this woman . . . including you?’
‘Peter, it is impossible to help that woman. Her hatred for society has formed a thick skin that you first have to crack. It could take any person years to do only that. On the other hand, she has the tenacity to be the best. If you try to help her, she will see you as an obstacle to her goals. She will reduce you to nothing but toilet paper. Shannon Buoys is determined, and her determination is a force designed to destroy any obstacle . . . obstacles like me and you.’
Still, Peter was not giving up. ‘So then, you think that she could have been abused?’
‘Maybe, but I am not discussing it. Sorry, Peter, but I have to go now.’
Peter stood watching as Bruce walked out of the house. In his mind, he could not help but praise this man for what he had done for him. His professionalism and intellect had him back to a normal life. It bothered him about the promise he had made to Shannon, and now he hated to go back on it. His thoughts were loudly interfered with as Jason came running into the house shouting, ‘Mommy, Mommy, my cousins are here!’
Peter noticed the concern on Kim’s face at hearing Jason’s excited shouts as she had forgotten about Sandra bringing the two boys to stay over for two days.
‘Oh my lord, I’ve completely forgotten, and their room is not fixed yet. Dad, can you help out, please?’
Peter quickly moved outside with Jason, saying to Kim, ‘Okay, you get started. I will see them in.’
‘Thank you, Dad,’ Kim said as she rushed past him.
Peter went outside to meet Sandra, who was already unpacking bags from the car. She placed the two bags on the steps, and then came forward to hug him. She had a smile on her face but Peter noticed that there was something lacking in the smile, as if a frown was coming
with it.
‘Are you okay, Daddy?’ she said while taking out the last bag.
‘I could not be better, my girl.’ Then he saw the two boys coming from behind the car as Jason was watching from the front door.
Peter said softly to Sandra, ‘Seems they are still a bit shy of each other. I take it nobody made an effort to bring them together?’
‘That is why I am so happy you are back, Daddy. Children always meet at their grandparents’ house. I only wish Mommy was here, too.’
‘Not now, please. I have grandchildren to attend to.’
Sandra could see some sadness creeping into her father’s eyes, and she felt for him. ‘We have to talk about it sometime, Dad. I can see you are hurting.’
‘Sandra, the children,’ he said loudly, grabbing one of the bags and turning to Jason.
‘Well, my boy, seeing that we have more hands to build that swing, let’s go finish it.’
‘Grandpa, you can leave the swing. I’m going to take out my cars.’
Peter was dazed at the sudden change of mind from Jason. ‘I thought you said you would love to have your own swing.’
There was no chance for Jason’s response as Sandra started again, ‘Daddy, I want to talk about it now.’
Peter turned from Jason to his daughter and could see tears on her cheeks. He started to feel uncomfortable as a knob was forming in his throat. He knew that if he did not act now, his own tears were going to come. He turned to the three boys again. ‘Okay, go get the cars, Jason, and only play in the backyard. No messing around in the house, understood?’
‘Okay, Grandpa.’
‘Thank you, Grandpa,’ the other two shouted nearly simultaneously, as they disappeared into the house following Jason.
The two stood facing each other. Peter slowly moved forward towards his daughter, who still had tears rolling down her cheeks. He held her against him.
Her throat was dry as she tried to speak. ‘I am so sorry, Daddy.’
‘Sorry for what, my girl?’ He knew he had to keep talking so he did not cry with her.
‘I destroyed your and Mommy’s life . . . I know I did.’
‘Girl, what are you talking about?’
He knew she and Collin were part of the family’s destruction, but he was not going to tell her that. She needed a father now, and he had to play his role.
‘Sandra, don’t do this to yourself. You know that . . .’
‘Daddy, please, let me speak. I cannot sleep at night since you have been back. I keep on thinking about what we did to you.’
‘That is all in the past now, my darling . . .’
‘No, it is not, Daddy. I know you’re not going to make up with Mommy again, but at least forgive her. At least be good friends with her. Please, Daddy, make it easier for us all.’
‘Have you spoken to your mother lately?’
‘Yes, we spoke this morning.’
‘How is she doing? Did she tell you?’
‘She’s doing okay, Dad, but she misses you. She said she thinks that she made the biggest mistake of her life by losing you.’
This made Peter to feel more uncomfortable, and he tried to move away from the topic. ‘Well, I don’t think I want to talk about it now. Let’s go inside and . . .’
‘Yes, that’s a good idea. I was wondering what happened to you two.’
Neither of them had seen Kim coming down the steps. When Sandra looked up, Kim looked shocked as she noticed that she had been crying.
‘Sandra, what is wrong?’ Kim’s voice expressed unease as she rushed towards her.
‘You grab that bag, Kim. Let us get inside,’ Peter told her as he took the bigger bag and moved towards the front door, but Kim was still looking in shock at her sister-in-law.
‘Sandra, you want to talk?’
‘Kim, yes, I have to . . . I just have to. It is getting too much for me.’
‘Okay, Sandra, let us start by getting inside.’ Kim put her arm around her, and they walked into the living room.
‘I’ll make us some tea,’ Kim offered once the other two were seated.
‘That would be most welcome, Kim, thank you,’ Peter said appreciatively.
As Kim walked into the kitchen, Peter turned to Sandra saying. ‘Seems you have a lot on your mind my girl.’
‘It’s Mommy. I wonder if she is as happy as us. The family are together again, and she is the only one missing.’
‘Your mother is not missing, my darling. She just started a new life somewhere else.’
‘I know she is not happy, Dad.’
‘I think you are mistaken, my girl. Your mother might be the happiest person of us all, and you would not know until you have asked her.’
‘I did. That is how I know. She was here with the family reunion.’
Peter was shockingly surprised at his daughter’s statement. ‘She was here inside Ray’s house? No, I would have seen her . . .’
When Sandra spoke again, she was almost stuttering, ‘She phoned me, and I met her at the front gate. She wanted to know how you were, and she gave me a message for you.’
Peter did not ask her for the message. He just looked at her, expecting her to tell him herself. When she did not say anything, he pushed her somewhat, saying, ‘Yes, I’m listening.’
‘Do you still love her, Dad?’
Peter could feel the discomfort the conversation caused him. ‘Why are you asking me this?’
‘She said to tell you she was so sorry. She said for you to please look after yourself, and one day she would like to see you, to talk to you again. I could see she still loves you, Daddy.’
If Peter had never had butterflies in his life, he was having them in that moment. He knew his daughter expected something to come from him, but still he stayed silent.
‘Damn it, Dad, why did you have to leave us?’
Kim came with a tray of tea for them. ‘Sorry if I’m interrupting, but the tea will get cold if I don’t serve it now.’
‘You are not interrupting. I want you to sit and listen to what I am going to say. It hurts me to talk about this, and I am going to say it only once. You two will make sure the others know what I am about to say.’
Kim, who saw the sadness in his eyes, objected.
‘Dad, are you sure you want to do this?’
‘I don’t think I will find a better time. This way, my daughter will understand.’
He leant forward to put sugar in his tea and took two sips before putting it down.
‘I was not a beggar from day one when I left that house. I went to stay with an old schoolteacher of mine, and his wife. They were already two old retired people, alone in an apartment, and were happy to have me around. His wife died that same year and he died the year after. I was out of money and could not afford to maintain the apartment. Although I never wanted to, I decided to come home, for that was the only place on Earth where I could die honourably. Not only did you take away a shelter for you and your children one day, but you also took away the only place I could come back to. That day, when the new owners told me that it was no longer the Johnson family house, I wanted to die right there. I had no desire for living any longer. It was from that day on that I became a beggar, for not one person could tell me where my family had moved. Please do not ever ask me again why I left you. I did not leave you. I left the circumstances under which I was living. I want all of us to forgive one another and make the best of what we have to offer each other. Do not bring up this subject again as it hurts too much to be reminded of those times. About your mother, I still love her, but in a very different way. I will always respect her as the mother of my children, but please do not expect more from me. I am going to ask you to excuse me as I need to rest a little.’
As he walked towards his room, Sandra called him, ‘Dad . . .’
Without responding, he turned to look at her. ‘I understand, Dad,’ she said. ‘I think I understand.’
Peter knew this was not the end of his emotional pain. Be
ing the father that he really wanted to be, will expect from him to discuss this issue with his children. This house belonged to his son, and he could not restrict his mother from visiting him. He also knew very well that the day would come for him to face his wife again. As deep as he tried to search himself, he was not sure if he could be prepared for such a day.
He went into his room with his mind in disarray, unable to get his wife out of his thoughts. So much did it hurt him that he had to pray for sleep.
It took him nearly an hour before he finally fell into a very deep sleep.
The next morning, Peter got up very early. He was eager to know what this new programme of Bruce was all about. As the day was extremely hot, he immediately felt the relief of the air conditioning as he walked into Channel 91’s offices. Evelyn was as friendly as ever when she saw him coming through the door. ‘Teacher, we are seeing too little of you now lately. Where is Sean? Is he not with you?’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Was he supposed to come with me?’
‘No, I was just asking . . . knowing you two are always arriving together . . .’ Peter could see her struggling with a response to his question and saw her blushing while doing so. He suddenly realised that Sean would always avoid eye contact with Evelyn whenever they were here. He smiled as he gave her a delicate look, almost as if to tell her that he knew her little secret. He already suspected the two had feelings for one another, but he knew that Sean was too shy to make the move she was waiting for. They needed a little help, and he thought it would do no harm if he played Cupid on their behalf.
‘Have you ever eaten at Tony’s Place?’ he asked almost carelessly.
‘Are you asking me out, Mr Johnson?’ she asked very surprised.
‘If I did, what would you say?’
‘That I have never been to Tony’s, and I would most definitely not say no!’
‘Good, I will send Sean to pick you up around seven. Please don’t . . . what is the word you guys are using now lately . . . stick me up?’
‘Is he going with us?’
‘Who?’
‘Sean . . . is he going with us?’
‘Oh, I see you don’t trust me alone with you. Of course, he has to come with us. I am not allowed to go anywhere without him . . . some company rule I am supposed to follow.’
She laughed loudly as she said, ‘Be prepared for a big bill. I am not shy to eat plenty when it comes to good food.’
‘You can eat as much as you like as long as you can be there. Do we have a date?’
‘Most definitely, Mr Johnson, as long as you don’t stick me up.’
‘I will have to go now,’ he said laughing. ‘I do not want to be late. What floor is the meeting with James and Bruce?’
‘Fourth floor, Sir,’ she said while still smiling very broadly.
Forgive me, Sean, but it is the least I can do for you, he said softly as the lift started moving.
He walked out of the lift and stepped out directly into a massive reception area. In the corner, four elderly men and one middle-aged man stood around the water dispenser. Another four were seated in the smoking area, each with either a cigar or a cigarette. All of them seemed to be in a very happy mood, and he could see they were all very rich. Peter walked over to Alice, the receptionist, but before he could say anything, she spoke into the microphone.
‘Gentlemen, Mr Johnson has arrived, and I request you to take up your seats in the boardroom, please.’
All the men looked in her direction, and seeing Peter, they could not get to their feet fast enough. The announcement somewhat surprised Peter, for he had no knowledge of who these people could be. He turned to Alice, asking, ‘Am I to be in the same meeting as these people?’
‘According to the register, yes, sir.’
‘Who are they?’
Alice just put a smile on her face, saying softly, ‘I know as much as you, sir. They are waiting for you, sir.’
When Peter looked towards the door, Bruce came walking up to him. ‘Hi, Peter. Please can you just stand by the door as these men enter? They have requested to meet you before we start. Please just shake hands with them as they introduce themselves.’
‘You have a lot of explanation to do when this is over, mister.’ It came as a stern warning from Peter.
‘No need for that. You will hear everything inside that boardroom within the next thirty minutes. Just tell me if you like it or not.’
Peter took up space in front of the door with a smiling Bruce next to him. After the introduction, and with all them seated, James started to address them almost immediately. ‘Gentlemen, I have never been in the presence of so many multimillionaires, and it is my pleasure to welcome all of you to Channel 91. When Bruce told me about his idea, I had my doubts about finding candidates for such a programme. I am also delighted that you could avail yourselves on such short notice. Let it be known that we had twenty-six millionaires who applied to be candidates for this programme. You are the fortunate ones, and I hope this will be one huge success for us all. However, the one man whose courage started this is in this room so, without any further delay, I will hand you over to Bruce Ashton to explain. Thank you once again.’
Bruce had a funny smile on his face as he looked at Peter who really seemed lost, and he knew it would be very unjust to keep him in the dark much longer. ‘Good morning, gentlemen. First, at the opposite end of the table you see three men, who I will introduce to you later. They are here to observe, and the reason for that you will know very soon. Gentlemen, I have never smelt so much money in my life, and I don’t think I ever will after this. If Forbes magazine’s facts are correct, then this room is now worth 6.7 billion dollars. The honour is truly mine to have so much money as my . . . I mean . . . you as my guests.’ A little laughter came from all of the men. ‘You are here because one man amongst us started something that he never knew was ever going to come to this. Peter Johnson, I will start with you.’
Peter still had the expression of questions on his face as the Bruce’s eyes came to meet his. ‘Mr Johnson, Sean told me about your courage to go to Bolton and promise a town that you would bring their factory back to life. Then you had even more courage to approach the Atkinsons to persuade them to make it their calling. I have no words to explain your vision for other people’s lives. I was so overwhelmed by that feeling that I wanted to extend the magic of your courage. Thank you, Mr Johnson, for bringing this idea to my mind. If a beggar, with not a single cent behind his name, could do so much, how much more are you guys in this room capable of doing?’
As a sign of respect, he nodded his head a good few times. ‘Well Peter, as James was saying he did not see that it was possible for us to pull this such a program off. As determined as I was, I drove straight to Larry Dixon. That is the gentleman sitting next to James. After telling him your story and my plan with it, he was more thrilled than I was and immediately phoned some of his friends . . . his rich friends, of course. The results of those calls are the people you see sitting here now. They are all going to take part in a reality series on Channel 91 called “The Godfathers”. Bruce then turned his attention back to the rest of the table. ‘Gentlemen, please let me tell you what this programme is going to be all about. In simple theory, you are all to adopt a very small town. The aim is to create work for as many people as you possibly could by creating a small business. Channel 91 will identify six towns that are in desperate need of such help. Each of you will be allocated a town, of which you will become the godfather. Your duty will be to create or come up with a business plan that will employ not less than fifty-five people directly or indirectly. Employment to these people must not be seasonal, but regular or permanent. What I mean by regular is that no period longer than six weeks is to pass without them earning an income. Your company must be a business with the potential to last for not less than five years, and it must comply with all municipal by-laws. Nobody is allowed to have a start-up budget of more than five million. From there, the business must be
self-sustainable. This show will run live at seven every Wednesday night, which will focus on all the progress being made. No profits or dividends, no matter how small, are to be paid to the godfathers and their families, friends, or businesses. Finally, the contestant who creates the most jobs in his area within eight months will be crowned “King of the Godfathers” live on 91, and in front of the people of his town. Remember, all employment created during construction or renovating buildings will also be counted towards your employee tally. Any questions?’
One of the older men slowly rose to his feet. ‘Yes, Mario.’ Bruce gave immediate attention to him.
‘As you can see, I am an old man already. I might not be available for all the progress during the project. If I need to appoint a person to supervise on my behalf, will his salary be included in my budget of five million? I mean, these guys would have an advantage over me by being able to have more money to spend.’
‘Gentlemen, that is a very good question which we never thought of. Therefore, I think we should agree that everyone must appoint himself a manager. To accommodate for those expenses, we will up the budget to six million. Remember, it is now compulsory for every one of you to have a manager. We need to know the name and details of that person within seven days from now. Is everybody happy with that?’
He waited a while to see if there were any objections but they were already making notes about everything that was said. He lifted a document and call for their attention. ‘The document I have here is the confirmation that all of you have already paid your entry fee of one hundred and fifty-thousand Rands. This money is being paid into an account from which we will pay the auditors. Yes, that is right you will be watched. After you have decided what type of business you want to start, the auditors will then submit to you a list with the names of companies from which you can buy. You can only buy from another company if you can negotiate a cheaper price, but the quality of the products must exceed the minimum standards laid down by the auditors, and you can only start buying from that company if they agree. These companies must submit a copy of all invoices to the auditors, and you need to file yours for inspection at any time they wish to see it. You also need to keep a record of all purchases you make towards the project, from a truck right down to a roll of toilet paper.’
‘Damn, and I thought I was strict on my budget,’ somebody said amidst some laughter.
Bruce saw this as an opportunity to lift the spirit in the room. ‘Good, I can see you’re enjoying it already, and there is more to come . . . If you cheat or even try to cheat the budget in any way, you will be taken off your land and your project will be handed over to someone on the waiting list. Should this happen, you cannot claim any money back from the project or its administrators.’
He paused just to see if anyone wanted to complain about what he just said. When they stayed silent, he continued, ‘Only people from your adopted town will be eligible for employment throughout the process. Only when the skills are not available for certain jobs can you employ from outside your area. You have to keep a record of the number of workers on site on a daily basis. Remember, this is going to help you with your results on the closing date.’
It was then that another question was raised. ‘What happens if I run out of budget before we can start running the business?’
For this, Bruce was very casual in answering, ‘Well, not much. You will be allowed to finish the project with additional money, but one, you will be out of the contest for “King of the Godfathers”, and two, you will not be allowed to participate in any type of celebration with your people at the completion of your project.’
‘I understand the part of being out of the race, but why no celebration?’
Larry caused laughter when he answered with hardly any sympathy. ‘Because you won’t have a budget left for that, my friend’
Peter had to join in the laughter that followed as Bruce addressed them showing his appreciation for the good spirit in the room.
‘I just love the sense of humour in this room. It gives me the confidence that I will not be working with a bunch of grumpy old men and . . .’
‘Was that a remark aimed at me?’
Everyone just had to laugh again, and Bruce, who really wanted to know, asked, ‘Who said that?’
Four voices shouted as one, ‘Me!’
The laughter went on, and Bruce could measure the success by the joy in the room. ‘I think we should do this more often. There is quite a lot of fun here.’ On a more serious note, he added, ‘About the towns we will be selecting, this is where the three gentlemen at that end enter the frame. Two of them are editors of the two largest newspapers in the country. They will run a front-page story starting tomorrow. The one on the right is Clinton Hudson, and the one on the left is Ryan Perry.’ He gave them time to acknowledge the introduction of the two. ‘We need the exposure, so they will share exclusive rights throughout this event. In the centre is someone who needs a much lesser introduction – Talk Radio host, John Gleeson.
Clinton and Ryan will run the story from tomorrow with the telephone numbers and email address of the Gleeson talk show. Listeners will have the opportunity to nominate the towns they think we should adopt. In the following days, the newspapers will run a daily report on all the towns nominated and discussed on the Gleeson show. Therefore, you had better tune in to the show and read your newspapers daily. That way, you will know your town before you have even been there. We will launch the programme live at the Bolton celebration, so do not make any appointments for that day. You are required to be there. Here is a ten-page document that we want all of you to have read, signed, and returned by Thursday before close of business. Last but not least . . .’ He waited until he had everyone’s attention, ‘Peter, this is being done to pay tribute to your courage.’
Through the loud applause that followed those words, Bruce handed each of them the documents. ‘Now that everything has been said, I will adjourn this meeting to allow time for Clinton and Ryan to work on a good article for the papers tomorrow. The room suddenly became jovial as they started shaking hands amidst a lot of cheerfulness. James was the only one that remained seated and was openly smiling. He knew his investment in Bruce had just proved its value.
While the millionaires were still embracing their joy of being part of the project, Bruce called Peter and led him down the passage. ‘Do you like it?’ he asked when they were far enough from the others.
‘That is fantastic, Bruce, but why did you keep it away from me’? Peter asked with an expression that confirmed his delight.
‘I had to make sure that I could get the right people on board first. Now that you are happy, I think I have it all wrapped up. Can you see why I do not want Shannon there with her team . . . and did you speak to her about this?’ Bruce sounded very serious, and it made Peter felt somewhat uncomfortable.
‘Well, not yet . . .’ he started to say. Bruce had noticed his discomfort and quickly intervened.
‘Come. I want to show you something,’ he said.
He took him further down the passage and opened the door of an office. As Peter stepped inside, he was amazed at the size of it. The office was so large it accommodated a six seating conference table inside. A big TV screen was fixed on the wall, and the place looked more like a massive living room.
‘This is my office, and by showing you this, I need to explain something to you,’ he said as he closed the door behind them.
‘I am now officially the Executive Producer for Channel 91, and I do not need to be doing any fieldwork. On my desk, you see a 46-inch screen that comes with a webcam. I can be in touch and in sight of any project wherever we have a shoot. I can give instructions from here and monitor all the set-ups from that chair. James has been fighting with me for being too involved with fieldwork. Problem is, when you take on a project and make it personally yours, there is nobody and nothing that can keep you away from it. Even at night when you are supposed to sleep, that project gets in under the bla
nkets with you. In other words, you become obsessed with its success. That is exactly what I am going through with the “Hour of Truth”, and I am going to do the same with the “Godfathers” . . . come let us make some coffee.’
They walked to the coffee machine in one corner of his office. After both of them had a cup, he continued: ‘Shannon is in the same position as I am. Only, she never did fieldwork for as long as I can remember. By covering the “Hour of Truth” herself, she tells me it is personal. The only success she is after is to see it destroyed because she was after me. Now that I have told you this, I hope you can see my reasons for warning you against her.’
There was a short silence before Peter answered him. ‘I think it is going to be much easier for me to inform her now.’
‘Why?’ Bruce asked as if he had expected some resistance from him.
‘Because I want to see the success of the Godfathers as much as you do.’
‘You know what, Peter?’ Bruce said with a smile that was halfway into laughter. It is so easy to talk to you about issues that are evident. You do not argue, you simply see the reality so easily. It is good you never became a lawyer because your colleagues would have hated you for your honesty.’
They laughed as they started drinking their coffee. After his first sip, Peter addresses Bruce in a very sociable manner, ‘I need a favour.’
Bruce let a moment pass before he responded, ‘How can I help?’
‘I want to run up a small bill at Tony’s. Can I charge it to Channel 91?’
‘What . . . I mean who would you be taking there?’
‘Do I really have to tell you that?’ Peter asked under some confusion.
‘No . . . you don’t, but I mean . . . when do you want to be there?’ Bruce had a snooping look on his face but restrained him from asking too much.
‘Bruce, I’m going tonight with Sean and he might be bringing along a partner. Therefore, it will be the three of us. Is that enough information to get permission?’
Bruce could not help but laugh at Peter’s sarcasm. ‘Okay, to show my appreciation, I will phone them now, and I will throw in an open cheque for you. How do you like that?’
‘An open cheque . . . I never knew I had so much value.’
‘Just don’t go and abuse it,’ Bruce added sternly.
They laughed cheerfully as they went to sit at the coffee table.