Fuck, I thought, heading into the building. The hits weren’t about to stop, were they? My parents had been my reminder, one of the only ones that I had had that there were good things and good people if you searched hard enough. They were gone now, and the darkness I lived in got that much blacker. The person who owned the car probably knew it would get that kind of response, and that was why they had gotten it. It was a car. What the hell kind of person were you if your best feature was the fucking car you drove? Relax, I tried to tell myself, heading into the elevator. It's none of your business that other people have to buy things to make themselves feel good. I knew that intellectually, but I also knew I’d be thinking about it all day.
"Mr. Porter?" I wasn’t alone. Another man was in the elevator with me. A man I had seen around but never gotten the name of.
"Good morning," I said.
"Sir, I didn't think... I heard what... it's a shame what happened to your father," he said haltingly. I just nodded and took it. He meant well, even though he wasn't good at showing it, and I didn't really care to hear it from him. That was the thing; it didn't matter whether anyone meant well. People gave their condolences to make themselves feel better, not to make me feel better. It was a long, awkward ride up to the top floor. People got on and off on two different stops before I finally did.
I made my way straight to Brett's office, knocking impatiently. He told me to come in from behind the door. He wasn't at his desk. He was at his round meeting table, sitting next to Natalie. Only she looked surprised to see me, which made sense because the feeling was mutual. If Brett had been anyone else, I would have jumped to conclusions, ugly ones about why he would have one of his much younger female coworkers from another department in his office first thing on a Wednesday morning.
I knew better though, and it wasn't Natalie's fault she looked like that. Her lipstick was red today. Fire engine red. I had gone from barely seeing that woman ever to spending more time with her the past couple weeks than we had together since she had joined the company. Her hair, which I knew now was all the way down her back, was arranged in a complicated bun at the back of her head. I guessed I knew better now than to jump to conclusions about what she would be doing in her much older male coworker's office early in the morning too, but thought it anyway. I was mad and frustrated; I had to dial it back.
"Cameron," he said, getting up.
"This won't take long," I said brusquely.
"We weren't even expecting to see you today."
"Cameron, we wouldn't begrudge you some more time off after the funeral."
"Go home, son," he said.
"I had to talk to you," I said to Brett. "I had to do it today because once I walk out of here, it's going to be the last time." His eyes went wide.
"No. You stop right there, Cameron."
"What are you talking about?" Natalie asked.
"Nobody was ready for this. I thought it would be harder when the time came, but it hasn't been," I started. "I told you, Brett, and I told Dad. This place is his, and I can't be the one to come in and undo all of his hard work. I knew what he wanted, but this is what I want. I'm out, Brett."
"Cameron—"
"I made a few purchases in some of the company's past developments. I'm getting rid of them."
"Cameron, please stop."
"I understand that the stakes my parents had in Porter Holdings go to me. I want to sell that too."
"Cameron?" It was Natalie that time, getting out of her seat. She looked as confused as Brett did. "Cameron, please think about this before you decide on anything."
"I've been thinking all my life, and I get to this same place no matter what, Brett. I don't want to run the company. I respect the work you and my dad did, but I'm not the person who's going to see it into the future."
"Cameron," Natalie said as she came up to me. "You can’t just quit. Your assets you can sell, but the company doesn't stop being yours just because you don't want it anymore. There are legal—"
"What? Legal concerns? Why don't you and Brett talk about that? You seem to have a lot to say to each other about me lately."
"Your parents’ funeral was yesterday. Take some time before you decide anything rash."
"Don't try to tell me I'm wrong for wanting something different, Brett," I said, looking between the two of them. "I want you to look after things until we can get everything sorted out."
"Me? What about you?"
"I already told you, Brett," I said, starting to walk out of the room. "I'm done." I heard the clack of high heels on the floor behind me. It was Natalie.
"Cameron? Cameron, please stop," she said. I shook my head, walking into the open elevator. She walked in behind me just before it closed. There were four
other people inside with us. Natalie sighed and looked impatient as we descended but kept her mouth shut. Finally, at the bottom floor, I walked out. She followed after me, needing to walk fast to keep up.
"Cameron, honestly, is this the way you plan to deal with this? By running away?" I stopped and turned to her. Her cheeks were pink, and I didn't know whether it was because of her makeup or her trying to keep up with me in those heels she had on.