by Kaylee Lynn
"Take me straight to the hospital my dad is in.
...
George could not believe what he heard. "Paralyzed?"
"It appears so," the doctor said. "He has sustained an injury to his spinal cord and may never be able to walk again. Although we expect him to respond to treatments learn to sit up straight and maybe hold a little child on his lap but this will take years. We do not know when exactly but we have to keep him here till he's ready to go home with you. He'll be getting treatments."
George scammed the scene and realized one thing, there he was, a family member of his was in the intensive care unit, his mother, her friends, and his dad's old-time friends showed up for him but he, he didn't even have Quincy here to cheer him up. What did Quince care? All the baboon cared for was his own stupid self.
Quincy had advised him that it wasn't worth it to wait around for love and settle down to have a family. George had taken to his advice and worked his butt off making Quincy richer and richer. "Life only gets easier from here," Quincy once said to him. "Get a woman and some booze for your flesh." Sure, he also accumulated great wealth for himself too but that Tuesday evening, it was clear to George that his life had been built on selfishness. He had deceived himself that he was living the life he wanted but all he did was shift the person controlling him from his dad to his employer.
He had no friends, only business partners and a family he no felt he belonged to. The harsh reality was that even with all his money, if he died, only a few people would make it to his burial and if it rained, maybe only his mother. He glanced at her. The neighbor’s wife had her hands wrapped around Ethel's tiny frame and some other lady George did not know held his mum's knees on the hospital waiting room bench they three were perched on. Suddenly, George's knees began to weaken.
The lady holding Mrs. Price's knees looked up at him. "He'll be fine," she smiled a reassuring smile. George could not remember the last anyone smiled that way to him. He almost ran into her laps and sobbed into it but he feared that the press was not far. He looked away from her. Big men don't cry.
It would have been a little relieving if he had Sabrina to give him some calm-down sex at her place that evening but Sabrina was a long-gone fragment of his memory. It was his fault though while juggling work and school he had often forgotten to return her letters or give her a visit like he promised to do during vacations. He virtually never returned to his hometown after he left.
When things started looking up for him, he moved his parents out of their house without coming down there himself. He was sure that tore Sabrina inside but he didn't know why he never thought of this until now. All failed friendships and relationships had a way of creeping up on his memory at the worst times. Anger boiled in his eyes for Quincy. Greedy son of a bitch.
CHAPTER FIVE
George walked out of the hospital where his father had been admitted and put on lots of medications and got into his car. He shut the door and rested his head on the steering. He had to start up something for himself and his future family. He now saw Quincy as a setback to all his plans, he couldn’t continue like this. He lifted his head up and reached for the key to start up the car but felt dizzy. He closed his eyes for some time and let everything he felt rush through him; guilt and hurt.
‘’I’m really sorry father’’ he whispered calmly as he got the car started and zoomed off to his mansion. He drove in, parked his car and got out, he noiselessly shut the door and walked into his building, shoulders slightly slumped, and he really couldn’t lose his father now. He hadn’t done anything he’d asked of him. All he really cared about was enjoying the money he made, spending it recklessly and living it as what he had called ‘a life’ with Quincy. He walked into his office at home and slumped into his swivel chair. He had it with his reckless attitude towards life. He pulled out his phone and dialed Quincy’s number. He picked up almost immediately;
“George, what’s up man, how’s your old guy doing” Quincy asked.
“He’s alive though, little improvements but I’m really counting on the doctors to do their best”
“Well, that’s pretty much good news I guess. It’s good he’s getting better, because I can’t wait to have you back home dude, I’ll be spending the night out tonight at the Four Seasons Hotel down town, I heard they’ve got hot dark skinned strippers down there”
“About that Quincy…” he paused for a while, slightly tapping the exquisitely carved wooden table with his nails. “That won’t be happening anymore” he said, shutting his eyes tightly.
“What do you mean George? What are you saying dude.” his voice sounded sharper over the phone, and George could clearly hear him drop whatever glass he was holding noisily on to a table.
“I won’t be hanging out with you anymore, because I won’t have time for that. I really want to focus on building a law firm and starting a family, I have a…”
Quincy cut him short of what he was about to say, “What are you saying to me man, what’s this about? You’re calling quits now.”
George let him rant angrily; it wasn’t going to change his mind. Hanging out with Quincy was a major setback, he technically had no plans for his future, and all he really cared about was enjoying life to the fullest. “Look Quincy, I really don’t have time for this. I’ve made my decision on how I want things to work for me and my future. I believe you should think about yourself too, you should…”
“Enough of the advice dad” he said in tone of mockery. “You’ve clearly been drinking, you’re drunk and now you’re speaking gibberish”
“Look Quincy, nothing you say will change my mind on this, so I think it’ll be much better if you listen to what I have to say and come to accept the terms now”
Silence.
“Good” He continued. “I’ll be sending Mr. Picker to my office by 9a.m tomorrow to pick up my necessary files and documents and of course to clear out the office. I’ll be meeting with you later in the day to carry out the necessary formalities, so please try to clear out your schedule by 11a.m tomorrow”
“You fool! You bastard!” he spat out angrily, slamming his fists on a table.
“Language, Mr. Quincy” George remained very calm; he clearly expected this outburst from Quincy.
“You’re a big quitter! Have it your way then George. See you by 11a.m tomorrow” he said and then hung up.
George held the phone up to his ear for a few seconds after Quincy hung up on him. It wasn’t so easy for him too, having to lose someone he had a called a friend in his past. But he had to consider his future and the future of his unborn kids. He was George Price and he would do whatever he set his heart out to do. Nothing would stop him.
He got up from his chair and walked downstairs and straight into his master bedroom, he pulled off his clothes and walked into the shower. He turned on the tap and let the very hot water wash the dirt and sweat off his skin. The hot water stung his skin but he didn’t seem to notice so much and if he did, he had no intentions of turning it off. He was clearly lost in his thoughts. He spent so much time in the shower, when he finally walked out, he felt really sore and red. He pulled on his shorts and got onto his bed. Unlike most nights when he was always out partying with Quincy, he was on his bed, at home staring at the ceiling. He was sure he was taking the right step, he’d build an empire for his kids and nothing would stop him. With that thought, he smiled and drifted off to sleep.
*********
7:00a.m
His alarm went off.
He rolled restlessly in his bed and finally got up from it. He rubbed his eyes as he remembered how his conversation with Quincy had gone. He pulled out his phone; his P.A had just sent him a text. He replied in no time and walked into his bathroom. He walked into his bathroom and placed his hands on the sink then he stared at his reflection in the large mirror. He was a good replica of his father, he stroked his jaw and realized he hadn’t shaved in a few days and it was starting to show. He’d do that later before his meeting with
Quincy, his dad’s accident had really taken a lot out him, not even financially; he was able to buy the entire hospital if he wanted to. It had just drained a lot from him, emotionally and mentally. He couldn’t help but think that the only reason he finally realized why he should look into his father’s request concerning him was because of the turn up of events and how everything had affected him.
He turned on the faucet and grabbed his toothbrush and a paste. When he was done brushing, he splashed the cold sink water on his face and walked out of the bathroom. He’d run his bath later. He walked downstairs to his wine gallery and grabbed a bottle of Cheval Blanc 1947 and a wine glass. He didn’t feel like staying indoors. So he poured himself a glass and took a walk around the mansion.
The cold early morning breeze caressed his slightly wet face so softly. His father had said something to him about a getting a wife. He was never really into women; he never really tried spending nights in bed with them like Quincy did. He was just one who enjoyed having fun the way he liked it; drinking and clubbing, being the life of the party. Maybe he didn’t have to fall in love; he could just get a woman who’d give him children, he’d sign their birth certificates and train them as his kids, besides the firm he was building was for them, to keep the family legacy alive. He took a tour down to the lavish orchard down at his backyard. He sipped his wine slowly. His legs were starting to ache, though he hadn’t walked half the space his building covered. He turned around and walked back into the building. He dropped the empty wine glass on a glass table and stole a glance at the kitchen clock; it was a few minutes to 9a.m. He had to start preparing for the day.
It was not until 10:12am that he was done getting ready to leave the mansion. He got into backseat of his car; his driver had been waiting for him already.
“Good morning sir” he greeted
He smiled into the mirror and his driver started the car. He was already 12 minutes behind his time schedule that was given to the driver, he was to have breakfast at Tiffany’s’ before he left for the office. His P.A Mr. Picker had already called to tell him he had already cleared out the office before he had left the house. He plugged in his apple ear pods as the car zoomed off smoothly.
He got to the office in time for his meeting with Mr. Quincy. The legal papers were already printed and the necessary ones to be stamped were already stamped. The conversation was brief and straight to the point.
“I’d like to demand for my last paycheck from this firm” he said calmly as looked straight into Quincy’s eyes.
“Sign these papers then” he replied as he passed on some papers to him. The documents were signed in no time and George took his leave, he had to see his dad.
CHAPTER SIX
He was lost in his own thoughts as his driver drove the car smoothly to the hospital. He wasn’t his old care free self anymore. He’d get lost in his thoughts at the slightest chance. The driver pulled up in the hospitals’ parking lot, and he got down and walked straight into his father’s ward. His mother was sitting beside him as usual.
“George” she called out calmly as walked up towards her and hugged her. His father was awake now. He walked towards him to and wrapped his arms carefully around his body and blinked away the tears forming in his eyes. He couldn’t help but feel that part of what happened was kind of his fault. He had talked to his mother about it and she had advised him and told him it wasn’t his fault, but her soothing words only worked on him that evening. He even felt worse the next day.
“Dad, how do feel today? Any improvements from the medication?” he asked like it was going to take away the new fact he learned. That his father wasn’t ever going to walk again, the accident had caused a lot of damage to his spine, so walking would be a thing of the past now. His heart almost fell apart.
“I’m not going to lie” he replied looking up at George “I’m in a lot of pain”
George could barely breathe; he was trying so hard not to cry in front of everyone, the nurses at the corner of the room, and his parents. “What about the medications, aren’t they working? Do I need to take you to a different hospital?” he asked, his voice breaking at the last question, his mom noticed, because she looked at him with tears in her own eyes too.
“Oh no son, they’re trying their best, I’m strong enough to move around in a wheel chair” he said smiling lightly.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I am. We can even take a stroll out to the orchards down there” he pointed out, “not so far from the park, but it’s very quiet”
“Alright then dad, let’s go” he turned to his mother. “Would you love to…”
“Oh no my dear, you can go along with your father, I’ll be fine here. I need to rest”
“Alright mom”
He watched as the nurses pulled out a wheel chair and helped him on to it. He moved behind the wheel chair and pushed it slowly outside. A nurse tagged along with his medications, an IV tube, water and other things in a rolling cart.
*********
The orchard’s pathway was actually breezy and shady thanks to the tall trees. He gently pushed the wheelchair, being so careful not to bump into potholes and cracks in the ground. The nurse pushed her own cart behind them. Everyone was silent for a while before Mr. Pius broke the silence;
“So, how did it go with Quincy, you said you’d call off everything yesterday”
“Yes dad, I actually did that, he didn’t really take the news calmly”
“No one would my son. It’s not so easy”
“Yeah, I also demanded for my last paycheck from the firm, it’s a really good amount, so I’ll be putting it into the new firm I’ll be creating for my kids. I’ll call it “Price and Sons”. I really have good plans for it, I’ll employ only the best people to work with and I’ll build a name for my kids”
Pius smiled in his wheelchair. Finally, his son was starting to see things the way he did. “It’s really nice that you’ve started to reason this way, what took you so long”
George bit his lips and blinked so hard. He was fighting back a lot of emotions, he looked over to his father’s now paralyzed legs and he just couldn’t take it anymore. He cried silently behind his father. It took him some minutes to regain his composure and reply; “I was just being immature, I didn’t consider the future of anything or anyone”
“Well, I’m glad you see things the way I do now”
“Yes father, I’m really giving a lot of attention to building that law firm in the commercial hub of the state and I know it will be a huge success. I’m working with the best contractors in the state and I’m hoping it gets done as soon as possible”
“I’m really proud of you son. Thank you”
George wished he could stay strong as his father kept using words that made his tear glands swell. He was so ashamed of himself; he had spent time living what he called a life. He wouldn’t have even forgiven himself if his father had died. He’d hate himself forever. He knew the reason he was starting to see things the way his father did was because he had almost lost him. That was what actually dawned on him, the fact that he could have lost his father and that all his money wouldn’t have even saved his life, his money couldn’t even save his father from this pathetic sight of sitting helplessly at a place in a wheel chair unless he was pushed around by someone. He stopped for a moment and cleaned his eyes; they were getting close to the spot where his father wanted him to rest for a while.
They got to the wide green area Pius had talked about and stopped there. The nurse administered the drugs to him and they all sat on the freshly mown lawn, except for Mr. Pius who sat strapped to his environment.
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was time to start a law firm, George decided. He will employ only the best of the best; four grade-pointers, experienced and exemplary attorneys. He purchased a building at the commercial hub of the state. It was time to make his father proud.
He had visited him in the hospital a lot more times than Mr. Pius had imagine
d but this new George was a changed man. He spent weekends at his mum's house, he took her shopping and to the hairdresser's. He complimented her after she came out of the building in her fur coats and boots with her hair dyed dark brown. "You look twenty years younger,"
"Stop, don't flatter me, George," she smiled.
George opened the door for Ethel, looking at her like they were newly wedded couples. He had learned a lesson to teach his children. Your family should always be the priority, make it a habit to spend vacations together and learn to talk things out with each other. Yes, George had made a decision to have kids, ones that will run the firm he had just opened upstate, Price and Sons.
One evening over dinner George's mother broke down crying at her home where he now stayed, trying to keep his mother company and care for her all through the winter period. The winds were getting harsh and he knew his mother, she would worry herself to heart disease if George—the only family she had other than her husband who was in the hospital—wasn't with her when the news reporters announced blizzards and whatnot.
When he wasn't at home or some hearing in court, he was in his dad's hospital bed holding a bag of chips or new pillows that Mr. Pius didn't need. They spent the afternoons discussing little sports and what else if not law? His father continued to be a sucker for the law. It was really in his blood and George knew that one day, his son will say the same about him.
"Have you found a woman?"
"No dad, I'm still very busy in the offices I never even look up from my desk."
"Must be a boring life, I told you how your mum and I met, I was just like you, an enthusiastic lawyer."
"Yes and no, I am new in the legal business but not in business entirely. If I were really interested in finding a woman, how will I be able to tell if she's after my wealth or not?"