"What!? Jonah resigned?" Susan's voice echoed through the kitchen. "But why? He had such a promising position. He was going to do so well especially with you as his boss."
Victor, ever the master of composure, smiled "It is alright, mama Susan. He has been going through a lot lately. As his former employer, I can tell you, he needed the break. It is perfectly understandable. Sometimes, life throws curveballs."
"What an ingrate he turned out to be, nothing like the boy I brought up." Susan muttered under her breath.
"I know he quit because of our good relationship." Mr. Hartfield said.
"He destroyed the one he had with us, yet he does not want us to have any." Susan added.
Victor cleared his throat, " I don't think that is what it is. He is just dealing with a lot. If it pleases you I wish to retain him as a contract staff at least." Victor told them. Susan placed a hand on her chest her face filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much my son for being so kind even when Jonah rejects a perfectly good opportunity. He is being so ungrateful, I barely know the son I raised." Susan said her eyes watering.
Victor offered her a napkin. "Mrs. Hartfield please do not cry. Jonah is a grown man and can make his own decisions. I will just try to support him as best I can as an older brother because of the relationship I have with you." Victor reassured.
"Thank you my son." Susan answered nodding. They were done eating to their fill. Victor helped clear the plate and arranged for some sweet iced tea and let the Hartfield's to their living room. They settled down, sipping on the sweet beverage as conversations continued.
"So, Gregory," Victor began, his voice smooth and conversational, "Now that you have been discharged, what do you intend to do?"
"I don't know yet, Susan suggests I rest before continuing any hobbies. The doctors say I am on the mend." He added.
"That's good. You know, speaking of doctors, I was just reading an article about these new medical advancements. It is quite something, isn't it, what they can do these days? Apparently they have operations to change a person's... Uh... Preferences now." Victor paused, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Imagine the possibilities, Gregory. The endless possibilities."
Susan, attempting to ease the palpable tension, chimed in, "Yes, it is amazing. It is quite hard to keep up with all the changes. It feels like every day they have a new label for someone." Victor chuckled, a low, knowing sound.
"Indeed. It is all rather confusing, isn't it? Back in my day, things were much simpler. A man was a man, a woman was a woman, and that was that. Now, you need a dictionary to keep track." Gregory offered a polite, strained chuckle. "Oh, Victor."
"Or, how about this?" Victor asked, a forced playfulness in his eyes. "What do you call a parade that's too loud?" "I don't know," Susan replied, attempting a smile, "what?"
"A pride parade!" Victor exclaimed, with a slightly too loud laugh. The laughter that followed was loud and tear jerking. It took a while before they could all calm down.
"Anyway," Victor said, his voice dropping slightly, "about those medical advancements, I have some contacts. I could look into it for you, Gregory. See if there is anything that might be of benefit. You know, a 'friends and family' kind of thing."
"That is very kind of you, Victor," Gregory said, his voice laced with gratitude, but his eyes still held a lingering unease. "But, I do not want to put you to any trouble."
"No trouble at all." Victor insisted, his smile widening. "It's the least I can do. We are family, after all."
Then, the doorbell rang, its sharp, insistent chime cutting through the air like a blade. Susan excused herself, her footsteps echoing on the polished tiles as she walked towards the door. When she opened it, Jonah stood there, his face forlorn. Elliot stood slightly behind him, his expression guarded, his eyes scanning the room with wary apprehension. Susan's eyes narrowed, a coldness settling in her gaze.
She sneered at Jonah, a silent accusation hanging in the air. Then, she turned her attention to Elliot, her eyes radiating a silent, lethal fury. If looks could kill Elliot would be sixteen feet under. Without a word, she pushed the door wider and walked away, leaving them standing on the threshold. Jonah stepped inside, his footsteps heavy.
The cheerful sounds of conversation and laughter from the living room reached his ears.
"Mom?" he called out, "Who is here?" Jonah said his face contorted in confusion. No one answered. He walked towards the living room, Elliot following close behind, his presence a silent support. "I did not know you would have guests around so..." Jonah's words hooked in the back of his throat as he laid his eyes on Victor who sat comfortably on his family couch in between his parents and a glass in his hand smiling.
"Soon." He completed his statement. His anger solidified. His parents ignored him as they continued to dote on Victor.
"Victor," Jonah said, his voice dripping with venom, each word a carefully measured insult. "What are you doing here?" His mother's face fell, the forced cheerfulness replaced with a hard, cold stare.
"He came to visit us and spend some time with us after the hospital." Her tone was final, dismissive. "You make it sound like I would not have been here with you. If you had told me when you were getting discharged." Jonah said to his mother. His mother ignored him, the silence filling the room.
"Focusing on you Victor." Jonah turned to face him pointing an accusatory finger at him. "I already quit my job, I am no longer your employee. There's no need for this stalking you mask as background checks."
"Well to be honest, I did these background checks before because you were my employee, but now I've grown to see your parents as family." Victor explained. "I can't just abandon them." He added.
"To hell with your explanation. All I want you to do is stay away from my family. Leave us alone!" Jonah exclaimed.