“Take pictures so we can live vicariously through you,” Stan said.
I finished the meeting and then sent them off to their departments hoping they’d share the news of our continued growth and probable bonuses if the trend continued to the rest of the staff.
I checked my watch as I headed back into my office. I decided I’d head home and have dinner with my family for once. Terra deserved to hear the good news.
I powered off my laptop and pulled out my case.
“Bray, you got a minute?”
I looked up to see Kyle Doss, my right-hand man and confident.
“A minute. I was thinking I might actually have dinner with Terra and the kids.”
“Oh, well this can wait until Monday.”
I waved him into my office. “No, I’ve got a minute. What’s up?”
“I wanted to show you the update on the new security system the cloud tech team has been working on. It’s better than expected. I think it could make this a billion-dollar tech firm.”
“That’s the sort of news I’ll always take time to hear.”
He set a stack of papers on the worktable in my office. “We have some prototype work I can show you if you like,” he said putting his laptop on the table too. “You’ll want to file for intellectual property protection.”
Cha-ching, sounded in my ears.
I sat next to Kyle and listened as he walked through the new system. Excited about the development, I asked him to show me the prototype on his computer.
“Excellent work, Kyle. Tell the team that for me, would you?” I said when he finished.
“Already have.”
I stood up and grabbed my coat. “Do you have plans for this weekend?”
“Trolling for love, as usual.” He grinned. Another single man who didn’t have a care in the world, except getting laid.
I couldn’t remember the last time I got laid. My sexual release now came in the shower with the help of my hand.
I walked with Kyle to the open area outside my office. My secretary, Johanna was gone for the day.
I frowned and checked my watch. It was nearly seven. Fuck. I’d missed dinner. By the time I made it through Seattle traffic to my home, the kids would probably be in bed.
Ah well. Today would be like most other days. I drove from my office east towards Madison Park on the shores of Lake Washington. By the time I was forty, my goal was to make it across the lake to live in Medina, where the likes of Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates lived. I wasn’t there yet, but at thirty-four, I had a few years left to work on it.
The house was quiet as I entered. I went to the fridge to find a beer. A dinner plate covered in plastic wrap waited for me, as well. On it was a crayon written note from my six-year old daughter, Lanie. “I love you daddy,” it said. I sighed. At least someone loved me. I wasn’t so sure Terra did anymore.
I put the plate in the microwave and then headed up the hall to Lanie’s room. She was sound asleep in her bed. I watched her for a moment, marveling at the miracle of her. When she was born, Terra and I were still living and loving intensely. Somehow, over the last few years, all that had fizzled away. But the love for my kids was fierce. It was what had me striving to work to give them every opportunity.
I bent over Lanie and kissed her on the forehead. “Goodnight baby.”
I left her room and went across the hall to Noah, my four-year-old son’s room. Inside, he was sleeping too, with Terra laying next to him. She was asleep as well. It was rare to see her relaxed, and so I took a moment to look upon her.
When I’d met Terra, I fell hard and fast almost immediately. It wasn’t just her beauty or her sexy body that had me, but her intelligence, wit, and humor. She was a strong woman with a drive to achieve like me. And boy did we achieve. At least in business. The marriage was struggling, but I was at a loss as to what to do about it. I could see she was unhappy.
I wondered why I found her so often laying with Noah. Was he having trouble going to sleep? Did he have nightmares? The fact that I didn’t know suggested I wasn’t being a very good father. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was here because she didn’t want to be with me. It wasn’t just that s
he was unhappy, it was that she seemed to resent me. But what could I do about it?
I ate my dinner alone as usual, and then went to bed, also alone as usual. I lay with my arm under my head staring up at the ceiling. I’d achieved my dream. But I was finding it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. I didn’t understand how things had gone off track. Terra and I started the company together. It had been her dream too. So had marriage, the nice house, and the kids. We got what we wanted and were miserable.