"I'm sad, but I'll be fine," she replied. "Your father has never been an easy man to live with, but I've always loved him. I know that's probably hard for you to believe given all that you think you know about us, but it's true. Under all his brash egotism, he's essentially a good man, Adam."
"I find that hard to believe, but if you say so," I shrugged. My mother looked at me for a long time before she spoke again.
"Adam, your father loves you. I know he's been tough on you," she began.
"Tough? I don't know that I'd call him tough, more like abusive," I interrupted.
"Maybe that as well," she sighed. "He really does love you, but he just can't understand how you'd choose to follow a path that leads you so far away from what he's built."
"Maybe he just doesn't understand the need to create something greater than himself," I muttered.
"Oh, he understands all right," she said with a sad smile. "He just didn't choose to follow his dreams at the expense of his family."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your father went into the oil business because it supported us at a time when we had no money and were barely getting by," she said.
"It's incredibly hard to imagine the two of you broke," I said rolling my eyes at the image.
"You have no idea what we went through," my mother hissed fiercely. "You grew up wrapped in privilege and being afforded advantages that neither your father nor I could have ever imagined as children. Sometimes you are an ungrateful, little bastard, Adam."
"Nice, Mother, really nice," I said.
"But then if you are, I suppose it's our fault," she sighed. "Adam, listen to me, I'm all for you doing something worthwhile with your life, and I'm willing to back your project with the money I've put aside in my rainy day fund."
"What on earth?" I said surprised that my mother had any idea of what I was doing.
"I've read the business proposals and the projected plan for what you intend to do," she said. "I'll fund the initial manufacturing costs. My only stipulation is that you make peace with your father."
"What?" I said looking at her shocked by everything she was saying. "How did you get the business plan?"
"I have my ways," she smiled. "Do we have a deal?"
"No way," I said shaking my head. "I'm not making peace with that son of a bitch."
Like lightening, my mother slapped my face so hard I dropped the glass I was holding.
"Don't you ever speak of your father in such a crude way again," she warned. "I won't have it. He may be a difficult person, but he's still your father. Now, do we have a deal or not?"
"I have to get down to Corner Grove to make the sales pitch tomorrow morning," I said. "Can you get a car for me?"
"What about my stipulation?"
"If you can get me to Corner Grove by this evening, and I can make my pitch in the morning, then I'll come back and make peace with the old man," I said grudgingly.
"Consider it done," my mother smiled.
Chapter Forty-Three
Grace
When the car I'd hired pulled into the drive that evening, all the lights in the house were burning brightly, and as I stepped out on to the gravel, I could smell the scent of pot roast and pie wafting from the kitchen. I smiled as I grabbed my bag and walked up the front steps calling, "Hey, Danny, Honor, Verity, I'm home!"
No one answered, but I heard voices in the kitchen so I dropped my bags at the door and went to join them.
"Hey, you guys, what are you—" I stopped abruptly as I saw Adam sitting at the table showing Verity how to navigate an iPad and Honor laughed loudly and Danny signed advice.