Transitions Parts I-III
 
Author:  S. Hughes
 
 
Email:  shughes002@yahoo.com 
 
 
Rating:  G
 
 
Summary:  A look at another episode in the life of young Nicholas Fallin.
 
 
 
Author's Disclaimer:  This is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance of a
character in this story to any person living or dead is purely
coincidental. Likewise, any resemblance between an organization depicted
in this story and any such actual organization is purely coincidental.
 
--+-- 
 
PART I
 
 
It was four o'clock on Tuesday and Nicholas was sitting outside his
father's office at Fallin & Associates.  He sat quietly watching
attorneys busily move throughout the halls, clearly on important
missions.  When his thoughts were not being occupied with curious
observations, he sat with his head down, looking at the floor with his
shoulders slightly hunched.  Tuesdays were notoriously bad days, as this
was the one afternoon each week that Mrs. Portis was off-duty. 
Consequently, Nicholas would have to wait after school at his father's
office until all pressing legal transactions were taken care of for the
day before he could go home. 
 
 
 
While clutching a sealed envelope in his hands, Nicholas knew that today
would probably be one of the absolute worst Tuesdays ever.  The letter
was given to him by his math teacher with explicit instructions to make
sure that his father received it.  Nicholas, who attended a prestigious
private school for boys, was an extremely brilliant student who never
turned assignments in late and consistently scored A's on his exams and
daily work.  However, things had recently changed significantly,
unbeknownst to his father, and he was worried about the contents of the
letter. He sat outside his father's office tracing his every step and
word throughout the course of the day, wondering what he did at school
to prompt such an unfortunate situation.  Meanwhile, inside his father's
office, he could hear his father's booming voice and he could tell by
the tone that his father was in a no-nonsense kind of a mood. 
 
 
 
Burton Fallin's secretary, Shiela, was sitting at her desk and she could
tell that Nicholas seemed more distant than usual. Nicholas looked tense
and disheveled, his tie was a bit crooked and his uniform no longer had
that crisp look it possessed at the start of the day.  "Nicholas, can I
get you something while you wait?  A soda, something to eat, or a
magazine to look at?"  Sheila said with a smile.
 
 
 
"No, thank you.  I'm fine, but thank you for asking."  Nicholas politely
responded, with a quick glance up to Sheila.
 
 
 
"Okay." Sheila said with a slightly concerned look on her face. "
Well, let me know if you change your mind. Your father should be through
with this meeting in a few minutes and it doesn't look like he has
anything else scheduled for the day."
 
 
 
Burton had warned Nicholas several times that on Tuesdays he was not to
bother any of the staff.  He was to sit quietly and start on his
homework.  Normally this was not a problem, but today Nicholas could not
concentrate on anything but the dreaded letter.  Nicholas began to think
about his mother and how he knew that she would understand, despite the
potentially awful contents of the note.  His mother, Anne, who had died
of cancer only a few months ago, would have spoken softly, caressed his
curly blonde locks, and told him that everything would be okay. 
Instead, he would have to deal with his father, a stern man who held
little patience for any sort of misbehavior or disobedience. 
 
 
 
Soon Nicholas heard footsteps approaching the door and his father's
voice could be heard loud and clear.  "Thanks for stopping by
gentlemen."  Burton said as he escorted three distinguished looking men
out of his office. " I will have the paperwork completed and we will
meet tomorrow at 11:00 to close the deal.  As always, it's a pleasure
doing business with you.  Have a good night."
 
 
 
"Thank you, Burton.  Excellent work.  We are looking forward to closing
this deal as well." Remarked one of the clients with a nod.
 
 
 
Nicholas sat looking up with slight admiration. He knew his father was a
very successful and powerful attorney, but he rarely had the opportunity
to see him interact with clients.  Occasionally, he would over-hear a
conversation on the phone, but nothing more. 
 
 
 
Burton was about to turn and head back into his office when he quickly
glanced down and saw Nicholas.  'Hey, Nicholas," Burton said, "I almost
didn't see you there!  How was your day at school?"
 
 
 
"Umm.  It was fine." Nicholas said tentatively. 
 
 
 
"Did you get your school work done?" Burton asked.
 
 
 
"I did some of it, but I still have a bit more to do." Nicholas said as
he looked down.
 
 
 
"Well, why don't you get started on that while I finish the paperwork on
this merger.  I should be done in about thirty minutes and then I will
get you out of here."  Burton stated while entering his office, not
truly desiring a response.
 
 
 
Nicholas sat there still clutching his letter.  He didn't know if he
should wait to show his father or ask Sheila's permission to knock on
his father's door to discuss it now.  The suspense was killing him and
he knew that his father would only be more upset if he withheld the
information, whatever it was, when an opportunity existed to disclose
its contents on an earlier occasion.  Then again, Nicholas thought about
the drive home and how he would have to listen to either silence or
sharp reprimands the entire time.  This vision encouraged Nicholas to
ponder the idea of not showing his father the letter, period.
 
 
 
Prior to Anne's death, Nicholas lived almost entirely with his mother. 
After the divorce, Burton moved out and bought another expensive home in
a nearby affluent neighborhood.  Nicholas rarely saw his father after
the divorce, as he frequently canceled weekend visits or would simply be
non-existent when Nicholas was over.  Burton Fallin was an extreme
workaholic, always placing work before his family.  Nicholas never felt
truly connected with his father, but he knew enough to feel intimidated
and nervous in his presence.  Nicholas recalled many situations in which
he accidentally made a mess, forgot to do a chore assigned to him at
home, or had a temporary lapse in his manners, all of which resulted in
trips to the study for firm reprimands and punishments when his father
was home to witness the scene.  Anne, however, was never one to yell or
lose control.  Best of all, she would never disclose mishaps to Burton
unless it was absolutely necessary.  Nicholas wished more than anything
that his mother was here to help smooth this fiasco out.
 
 
 
After a few minutes, Nicholas mustered up the courage to make a move. 
"Sheila?" Nicholas said assertively.  "May I go in and talk to my
father if he is not busy?"
 
 
 
"Hmmm...let me call in and see."  Sheila said with a smile, somewhat
surprised to hear the request.
 
 
 
The phone rings in Burton Fallin's office while Burton is deep in
thought.  "Yes."  Burton says abruptly into the phone. 
 
 
 
"Nicholas was wondering if he could speak with you for a moment.  May I
send him in?" Sheila asked while looking at Nicholas.
 
 
 
"Okay, sure...I can stop for a minute."  Burton said with annoyance as he
ran his hand through his thinning hair. 
 
 
 
"Nicholas.  You may go in if you would like?" Sheila said with smile.
 
 
 
"Thank you."  Nicholas said looking down at the floor.  He slowly stood
up, straightened his school uniform and even remembered to button his
sport coat, the way his father instructed him to do (something he always
forgot, as he despised the constriction it created).
 
 
 
With the letter clenched in his sweaty hands, Nicholas approached the
door and knocked.  He waited to hear his father grant him permission to
enter and he tentatively opened the door.  Before he could turn to close
the door, his father beckoned, "Nicholas, what do you need?  I am in the
middle of a very important deal and the more interruptions I have, the
longer we will be stuck here."
 
 
 
"I'm sorry."  Nicholas said looking down.  "It's not that important, I
can talk to you later." 
 
 
 
As Nicholas began to head back towards the door, he was stopped by his
father's stern, directive voice.  "Have a seat Nicholas.  What is it
that you want to discuss?"
 
 
 
Nicholas approached one of the two handsome leather chairs that sat
angled in front of his father's massive desk.  He sat in the chair that
was on his father's right-hand side, as this was the location that he
tended to take when he was ordered to "sit" in front of his father in
his study at home.  The chair, although comfortable, seemed to absorb
all of Nicholas's body.  He felt like a tiny child trying to see over
the desk to his father.
 
 
 
"Umm....umm..." Nicholas said as he fidgeted in the chair, unconsciously
crumpling the letter slightly. 
 
 
 
"Nicholas!  I don't have time for this!  What is it??"  Burton scolded.
 
 
 
Nicholas swallowed hard and tried to put himself together.  "Ummm...today
at school one of my teachers gave me a letter and asked me to make sure
that you received it.  So, ummm...here is the letter."  Nicholas tried to
stretch his arm out to hand the envelope to his father while avoiding
eye contact, but he was forced to stand since he was unable to reach. 
He felt light headed when he made the move and so he quickly sat back
down in the chair. 
 
 
 
Burton grabbed the letter with a look of impatience.  Nicholas couldn't
tell if the disdained expression was a result of the crinkled and damp
envelope or the shear fact that he was going to have to tend to a school
matter that he did not have time for.  Burton picked up his glasses off
his desk and proceeded to open the envelope.  Nicholas felt every muscle
in his body contract and his stomach was in knots.  Burton cleared his
throat and began to read the letter silently.  A few times during this
process, Burton paused from his reading to look at Nicholas with a
confused expression.  Each time, Nicholas was staring down with
shoulders rounded in a submissive position. 
 
 
 
"Well...this is interesting."  Burton said with a puzzled look on his
face.  "I'll call the school tomorrow and discuss the matter further
with the headmaster.  Well then...I am going to get these papers in order
and we will leave shortly.  Okay?"  Burton stated in a hastened matter. 
"If that is all, you are excused, Nicholas."
 
 
 
Nicholas responded quietly, "Yes, sir." 
 
 
 
He didn't know whether or not to feel relieved or concerned by the
course of events that had transpired as he walked out of the office.  He
wanted desperately to ask his father what the letter said, but he could
tell that it was best to consider the matter closed until further
notice.  The suspense was unbearable.  Perhaps his father was waiting to
address the issue with more seriousness when they arrived home?  This
was for sure going to be a long, stressful day.
 
 
 
Burton Fallin sat at his desk, now unable to concentrate on the critical
business deal that lay before him.  He slowly rubbed his mustache and
brow as he pondered the disturbing letter from Oxridge Academy. 
Apparently, the teaching and administrative staff had noticed extreme
changes in Nicholas over the last month.  The letter indicated that he
seemed withdrawn, lacked a desire to engage in social activities with
other students, and was not putting forth his usual academic effort. 
The last comment surprised Burton the most, as the recent progress
report he received indicated that Nicholas was still at the top of his
class and earning solid A's in his coursework.  How could things have
fallen apart so suddenly?  Burton felt a twinge of anger towards the
staff for compiling such a seemingly erroneous letter. Clearly they did
not know his son.  The letter indicated that Nicholas was not showing
any interest in group learning activities and preferred to stay in the
library during breaks when most students capitalized on the opportunity
to head outdoors and play a brief round of basketball.  Burton could not
comprehend why this should be perceived as a dilemma.  After all, isn't
that what school is about..obtaining scholastic success?  Since when was
dodge ball a core requirement for an Ivy League college education? 
Burton began to think about the need to find a new school that would
value and appreciate Nicholas for his studious endeavors and not view
him as a misplaced child. 
 
 
 
An hour later, Burton finally felt he was at a point where he could
leave the office for the evening, aside from a few loose ends he could
take care of from his study at home.  He grabbed his coat and hat from
the closet in his office and approached the office door.  Before he
opened the door, he let out a large sigh and promised himself that he
would keep his cool. 
 
 
 
"Nicholas.  Are you ready to go?" Burton asked as he was locking his
office door behind him.
 
 
 
"Yes, sir."  Nicholas proclaimed as he began to place the textbook he
had been reading back in his school bag.
 
 
 
"Sheila, here are the papers that I will need to have typed and
finalized for my meeting tomorrow morning at 11:00.  I should be in by
7:00 so, if you have any questions feel free to give me a call."  Burton
said as he dropped a thick folder onto Sheila's desk.
 
 
 
"Not a problem, Mr. Fallin.  I will have it ready for you first thing in
the morning."  Sheila said as she smiled and gave Burton a nod of
confidence.
 
 
 
"Bye, Nicholas.  It was good to see you again.  Have a good evening!"
Sheila cheerfully proclaimed.
 
 
 
"Thank you.  It was nice to see you as well." Nicholas said as he put on
his coat and threw his school bag over his shoulder.
 
 
 
Nicholas walked briskly in an attempt to keep up with his father as they
headed out of the office and to his car.  Once inside the car, Burton
turned on the radio and appeared to be deep in thought.  Nicholas hoped
that this would keep his father from starting a conversation about the
letter or worse yet, generating a stern lecture.  At approximately two
miles from home, Nicholas's hopes were shattered.
 
 
 
"Nicholas," Burton sharply stated, "how are things going at school? And
uh... I don't want to hear you say, 'I don't know' or 'I guess, okay'."
 
 
 
Nicholas pondered the question and knew that this was a lose-lose
situation.  "I like the school, but I don't have a lot of friends there."
 
 
 
Nicholas had been attending Oxridge for the last year and a half,
starting shortly after the divorce.  Burton felt that since Nicholas was
living with his mother, a structured and strict school environment was
essential.  Burton always felt that Anne was too lenient with Nicholas,
never enforcing the rules and protecting him too much.  The switch from
the public school system to Oxridge was not an easy one for Nicholas and
certainly did not transpire without significant protest.  Burton
naturally put a quick stop to the complaining and Nicholas unhappily
accepted the change.  Despite his unwillingness, Nicholas gravitated to
the competitive nature of the school and appeared to settle-in nicely
with the other bright children.  This letter was, therefore, the first
negative-sounding correspondence Burton was aware of. 
 
 
 
"How could you not have any friends, Nicholas? You have been attending
Oxridge for nearly two years now!" Burton bellowed with frustration.
 
 
 
Nicholas hung his head and did not respond.  Burton realized he had
probably shouted a bit too loudly.  "I'm sorry, Nicholas.  I didn't mean
to yell like that...I just don't understand why you don't make an effort
to fit in there."
 
 
 
"I never wanted to go there in the first place." Nicholas said gritting
his teeth, almost under his breath. 
 
 
 
"What did you say?" Burton asked, knowing full well what was just said.
 
 
 
"Nothing."  Nicholas said with a tone of submission.
 
 
 
Burton knew that he had no desire to go down that road again, so he let
Nicholas's snide comment pass without a reprimand.  "So, how are your
grades?  Do you still have all 'A's' or is there something else you
should tell me?"
 
 
 
Less than a mile from home and all Nicholas could think about was
running upstairs to his room and blocking everything out...pretending the
problem did not exist.  Instead, here he sat, trapped in a car with his
angry father.
 
 
 
"I have 'A's' in every class except math, science and social studies."
Nicholas sullenly replied.
 
 
 
"What do you mean every class except math, science and social studies?
What else is there?  Am I to assume that the only class you currently
have an 'A' in is English? Burton shouted.
 
 
 
"Well, I also have an 'A' in my foreign language class."  Nicholas said
somewhat defensively.
 
 
 
"Oh, I'm sorry."  Burton said sarcastically.  "So basically you are
demonstrating proficiency with reading and writing sentences in English
and Spanish.  That's wonderful news, assuming Harvard decreases their
admission requirements ten-fold by the time you are ready to attend
college!" 
 
 
 
With a deep sigh of frustration, Burton firmly asked, "So, Nicholas,
what exactly are your grades in science, math and social studies?" 
 
 
 
Nicholas was clutching his school bag that laid across his lap as they
pulled into the driveway.  "Don't even think about getting out of this
car until you answer me." Burton ordered, knowing that Nicholas was
avoiding the question.
 
 
 
With the car parked in the garage, Nicholas quietly said, "I have a C+
in science, a B- in math, and a B in social studies."
 
 
 
"When were you planning on telling me this, Nicholas?  Were you going to
wait until the next set of reports came home...before it is too late to
fix the problem?"  Burton sternly remarked.  Part of his frustration
stemmed from the fact that he was oblivious to what was happening in
Nicholas's life.  He didn't have time to stay on top of Nicholas's
schoolwork and his nanny, although a very sweet woman, was not one to
enforce Burton's homework and studying rules.
 
 
 
Realizing that the conversation had hit a brick wall, Burton stated,
"Nicholas, go to your room and start your homework.  I want to see every
piece of paper you plan on turning in tomorrow and I want to see graded
work that you have in your possession.  You are going to fix every
mistake on past work, even if it doesn't count towards your overall grade."
 
 
 
"Yes, sir."  Nicholas timidly replied.  As he started to open the car
door, Burton stopped him and said, "Things are going to change around
here, Nicholas.  I do not want to find out through your teachers that
you are regressing academically from this point on.  We will continue
this conversation later.  Now go to your room."
 
 
 
"Yes, sir."  Nicholas said as he quickly slid out of the front seat and
darted for the door to the house.  He hung his coat neatly in the foyer
closet and ran, leaping every other step, up the long winding stairs to
his room.  He wanted desperately to slam the door, throw himself on the
bed, and cry into his pillows.  He couldn't take the pressure of it all
anymore. 
 
 
 
He was missing his mother terribly, while his father's only worry
revolved around maintaining perfection in school.  Nicholas could barely
focus in class, as his thoughts would constantly wander.  He couldn't
help but think about his mother and how miserable he was without her,
especially living in a big strange house where everything was "off
limits" (as his father would often say).  He couldn't express these
feelings to his father, as crying or any discussion about emotions was
simply not welcomed or tolerated.  Ever since Anne's death, Nicholas
felt immobilized with grief.  He didn't want to talk to anyone and he
surely didn't want to socialize with the kids at school.  Nicholas was
hoping that he could resolve his sudden drop in grades before the next
progress report was sent out.  He had everything under control...or so he
thought.
 
 
 
He opened up his school bag and placed his books in an orderly fashion
on his desk.  Reluctantly he sat down and began the arduous task of
sorting through his late, poorly completed assignments.  Feeling
overwhelmed, but knowing that he would never be allowed to leave his
room until he had something constructive to show his father, he set to
work. 
 
 
 
It was nearly 7 o' clock and Burton faintly knocked on Nicholas's
bedroom door. Without waiting for a reply, he opened the door, only to
see Nicholas with his eyes closed and his head resting on a stack of
books on his desk.  "Nicholas!"  Burton shouted. 
 
 
 
Nicholas quickly snapped out of it and glanced up at his father. 
"Sorry...I was just resting a minute."
 
 
 
"So, what did you accomplish?" Burton tried to patiently ask as he sat
down on the edge of Nicholas's bed next to his desk.
 
 
 
"I finished my math work and I am half-way through writing my science
lab report."  Nicholas said with his head lowered.
 
 
 
"Let me see." Burton ordered as he reached out his hand to grab the
papers off Nicholas's desk.  "Hmmm..this looks pretty good....this looks
okay and.... oh, you need to add a comma here."  Burton said pointing to a
sentence Nicholas had written in the science report.  "So, what is the
problem, Nicholas?  Why are you allowing yourself to fall behind when
you clearly understand the material?  Hmm?"
 
 
 
"I don't know."  Nicholas reluctantly said, knowing that this was never
an acceptable answer in his father's eyes. 
 
 
 
"Well, you better figure it out, Nicholas."  Burton said calmly, but
sternly, "If I don't see some improvement, then you leave me no other
choice but to move you to another school, one that will provide constant
supervision and structure.  I thought I had found that in Oxridge, but
clearly not.  The next step here, Nicholas, will involve making a change
to a boarding school.  You need to understand that these are your
choices.  You either get it together and stay on track or I will send
you to Wellington."
 
 
 
Wellington was a highly prestigious boarding school for boys in
Connecticut, known for producing Ivy League caliber students and
providing a very disciplined learning and living environment.  It was
the type of institution that made parents drool and boys despise. 
Burton continued with a serious tone to his voice, "If that is what you
want, then continue on this path of self-destruction.  If you wish to
stay at Oxridge, then I want you to write up a detailed proposal as to
how you plan to improve your current situation.  Is that clear?"
 
 
 
Nicholas felt tears welling up in his eyes.  His father had warned him
on an earlier occasion that boarding school was a very real and serious
consequence when he had failed to check in with his nanny one day after
school. Apparently she panicked and called Burton at the office when
Nicholas did not come home at the normal scheduled time.  Burton,
forgetting that Nicholas had told him that morning that he was going to
Jacob's house after school to work on a project, left in the middle of a
meeting to search for him.  Despite efforts on Nicholas's part to
respectfully remind his father that he had told him about his plans
earlier, the whole scene ended on a bad note.  It was then that the
boarding school comment was interjected, among several other things, in
the hour-long session in his father's study. 
 
 
 
After a few seconds of silence, Burton prodded again, "Do you understand
me, Nicholas?"
 
 
 
Nicholas nodded with his eye averted towards the floor.  He couldn't
speak for fear that he would start crying.
 
 
 
"Okay, then.  That's settled."  Burton said as he stood up from
Nicholas's bed.  "Mary left her phenomenal beef stew and homemade bread
for dinner so, why don't you get cleaned up and let's get something to
eat, huh?"  Burton tried to smile, but Nicholas did not reciprocate the
expression.
 
 
 
Nicholas had no appetite and he much preferred to be alone, but he knew
that there was no point in arguing.  "Yes, sir.  I will be down in a
minute."  Nicholas said with little enthusiasm.
 
 
 
"Good.  Good."  Burton said walking out the room.
 
 
 
As Burton walked down the stairs towards the kitchen, he thought about
the letter and how so many things caught him off guard.  He couldn't
help but wonder why Nicholas wasn't working up to his potential and why
he was so reclusive.  Anne always took care of school matters and Burton
could not recall a time in Nicholas's education when he was ever at risk
of receiving an A-, let alone a C+!  Furthermore, Nicholas always kept
to himself, even at home.  So, was the lack of socializing really
anything new?  Burton remembered countless evenings where they would sit
down for dinner and within minutes Nicholas was asking to be excused
from the table to go read in his room.  Burton never liked how Anne
would dismiss him and never insist that they eat as a family for more
than ten minutes.  Nicholas spent most of his time on weekends reading
and hanging out in his room too.  Rarely did he do things with friends
or become engaged in an extra-curricular sports.
 
 
 
As Burton warmed the stew on the stove, he realized that perhaps
Nicholas needed something more steady in his life, even more than the
nanny he hired.  Despite his conversation with Nicholas moments earlier,
Burton made up his mind that, proposal or no proposal from Nicholas,
Wellington Academy was the best option.  He would solidify enrollment
and call Oxridge tomorrow to inform them of his decision. 
 
 
 
PART II
 
 
Burton Fallin was in the kitchen setting the table and keeping his eye
on the stew simmering on the stove.  Mary, Nicholas’s nanny, was a very
gracious woman, always preparing home-cooked meals for the Fallins on
Tuesdays when it was her day off.  Even though Burton had a regular
cleaning lady who did most of the cooking, Mary always made sure there
were healthy snacks and easy-to-prepare foods in the fridge to prevent
last minute fast-food runs.  There was very little that Burton wouldn’t
eat; however, Nicholas was a different story.  A picky eater from birth,
Nicholas was given leeway to eat things that were not part of the
prepared meal.  Funny how this always bothered Burton when Anne would
permit such behavior, yet here he was, falling into the same trap.
Burton acquired the attitude that some nutrition was better than none.
 
 
 
It had been approximately fifteen minutes since Burton had left
Nicholas’s room and he still had not decided how he was going to address
the issue of attending Wellington. Initially, Burton was willing to
offer Nicholas an opportunity to redeem himself academically at
Oxridge.  However, Burton’s logical thinking kicked in during his short
trip from Nicholas’s room to the kitchen.  Burton reminded himself that
he was the parent and that Nicholas could not possibly know what is best
for his future.  Leaving such a monumental decision about education up
to a 12 year old was absolutely absurd.  Burton felt in his heart that
Wellington would offer more structure and opportunity for Nicholas than
attending Oxridge and interacting with a nanny six days a week as a
primary caregiver.
 
 
 
As he moved about the kitchen deep in thought, Burton noticed Nicholas
walking into the room.  His son had changed out of his school uniform
and was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a light blue, Shetland Polo
sweater, which brought out his bright eyes.  His blonde hair was
tousled, but in a fashionable way.  Burton couldn’t help but notice how
handsome and striking his son was. Nicholas definitely had acquired
Anne’s attractive features and presence. 
 
 
 
“Hi, Nicholas.  You hungry?” Burton asked with a smile on his face.
 
 
 
Nicholas felt a sense of relief in having caught a glimpse of his
father’s expression.  Perhaps he could eat without enduring another
lecture.  “I am a little hungry.” Nicholas said with his eyes lowered.
 
 
 
“Good.  Dinner is almost ready.  Why don’t you grab something to
drink…preferably some milk.”  Burton said with a smirk as he saw
Nicholas reaching for a can of soda out of the refrigerator.
 
 
 
Nicholas did as he was told and grabbed a glass from the cupboard and
reached for the gallon of milk.  Burton replenished his scotch on the
rocks and then brought two large bowls of steaming beef stew and
homemade bread to the table.  Nicholas always sat to the right of
Burton, who occupied the head of the table.  The dining room table was
really too large for the two of them, as it comfortably sat eight
without the addition of any leaves. Since Burton rarely entertained now
that Anne was gone, Nicholas could not understand the need for such a
massive table. 
 
 
 
Nicholas was hungrier than he thought, nearly finishing his entire bowl
of stew.  This was a rare event, as normally Burton would deny him
permission to be excused from the table until he ate a few more bites of
this or that.  The meal took place in complete silence since Burton was
preoccupied with reading the newspaper.
 
 
 
“May I please be excused?”  Nicholas asked with a quick glance over to
his father.
 
 
 
Burton peered over his glasses that were on the tip of his nose to look
at Nicholas’s bowl.  “Is that the best you can do?”  Burton asked
despite knowing the answer.
 
 
 
“Yes, sir. I’m full.”  Nicholas said looking down at the table.
 
 
 
“Yes, you may put your dishes in the dishwasher, but you need to come
back and sit at the table.”  Burton directed.
 
 
 
Nicholas was not sure what to make of the order, but he did as he was
told.  Upon returning to the table, Burton folded up his newspaper and
slid his dishes off to the side. 
 
 
 
“Great,” Nicholas thought to himself, “here comes lecture number two.”
 
 
 
“Nicholas, I have given the letter you showed me from Oxridge a great
deal of thought and I have made some decisions about how we are going to
proceed.”  Burton said in a serious tone.  “I know I suggested earlier
that you write a proposal as to how you plan on improving this academic
mess you have made for yourself, but…”  Burton released a deep sigh, “I
have changed my mind.”
 
 
 
Nicholas’s eyes filled as he braced himself for the dreaded information.
 
 
 
“Look at me, Nicholas.”  Burton said quietly.  “This is just not
working.  With the horrific hours I put in at the office and your being
stuck here with Mary six days a week, there just isn’t enough structure
and stability here for you.”  Burton paused, staring at Nicholas for
some sort of reaction. 
 
 
 
Despite his father’s request, Nicholas could not maintain eye contact. 
He did not want his father to see him crying and he knew that he was on
the brink of a major catharsis.
 
 
 
“I have decided that after this marking period ends, you will begin
attending Wellington, which…according to my calculations, would be in
three weeks.”  Burton said in a definitive tone.
 
 
 
Nicholas sat there dumbfounded and upset.  Moments earlier his father
had sat on his bed informing him that he was willing to give him a
second chance.  What could he possibly have done wrong in that short
period of time to force his father to change his mind?
 
 
 
“Do you understand where I am coming from, Nicholas?”  Burton prodded
with a concerned look on his face.
 
 
 
At that point, Nicholas didn’t care if he got in trouble.  He was hurt
and he was not going to accept this decision without expressing his
frustration.  “No, I don’t understand and I don’t think this is fair!” 
Nicholas said with conviction as a tear began to roll down his cheek.
 
 
 
 “I am doing fine at Oxridge….you  - - you don’t understand….I just got
a little behind, but I have everything under control.  I can handle the
work and I promise I will have all of my grades back to solid ‘A’s’ by
the end of this week.  Why won’t you give me a chance?” 
 
 
 
By now, Nicholas was rubbing his eyes, trying desperately to keep more
tears from emerging.  He was sniffling and fidgeting in the chair, not
wanting to be in this predicament for another second.
 
 
 
“Nicholas, I know you are angry and I know this is not what you want
but…”  Burton paused, “You need things that I cannot provide for you
given the demands of my job.  We had this conversation a month ago and
we agreed that we would try a nanny.  I hired one and look where we are
now?  I see no improvements!” Burton said in frustration.
 
 
 
“But…it has only been a month.”  Nicholas said pleadingly while wiping
back tears.
 
 
 
“Nicholas, I cannot afford to wait another month.  Not when your
educational future is at stake.”
 
 
 
“All you care about are my grades and whether or not I follow your
rules!  You just don’t want me around….you never have!  I knew that
after Mom died you would find a creative way to get rid of me!” 
Nicholas shouted.
 
 
 
“Nicholas, that is not true.  You are missing the point.”  Burton said
trying desperately to ignore Nicholas’s disrespectful comment.
 
 
 
“Well, what is the point then?”  Nicholas asked defiantly, partly
shocked that he had the courage to talk like this to his father.
 
 
 
“Nicholas, I am not going to argue with you.  My decision is final and
since neither one of us is in the right frame-of-mind right now, we can
discuss the details of this transition later.”  Burton said while
standing up and walking his dirty dishes over to the sink.
 
 
 
Burton glanced over at Nicholas from across the counter-top and it was
clear that he was not taking this well.  The boy’s eyes and nose were
slightly red, and he sat in a submissive, defeated position in the tall
kitchen chair.  Burton couldn’t help but notice how young he looked at
that moment.  Nicholas always seemed so mature and independent,
exercising extensive vocabulary and analytical skills.  Burton often saw
him as a young adult and not the little boy that he actually was.
 
 
 
Watching Nicholas fidget at the kitchen table, Burton knew that Nicholas
was waiting anxiously to be dismissed.   “Nicholas, you are excused. 
Why don’t you go and finish your schoolwork before bedtime?  You only
have an hour left before it’s lights out.”  Burton said trying to
refocus the conversation on household routines.
 
 
 
“I know what time it is.  I may not be getting all ‘A’s’ in school, but
I still know how to tell time.” Nicholas stated defiantly while trying
to avoid eye contact.  “I’m told that is a pre-requisite at Harvard too.”
 
 
 
“Nicholas!  That will be enough!”  Burton scolded.  “Go to your room!”
 
 
 
Nicholas stood up out of his chair and gave his father a spiteful look
as he began to walk away from the table.  Burton cleared his throat
loudly, signaling to Nicholas that he expected some kind of a response
to his order.
 
 
 
 “Yes, sir.”  Nicholas said begrudgingly while looking at the floor. 
Despite his extreme anger, Nicholas knew he had to tone it down a bit or
else he would hear the command, ’Nicholas, my office, now!’ from his
father.  Although not used frequently, corporal punishment was certainly
a disciplinary tool that Burton was not afraid to implement and Nicholas
was quite aware of when he was close to crossing that line.
 
 
 
Nicholas slowly worked his way down the marble clad hallway to the main
stairwell. As he approached his room, he began to think about Wellington
and what it would be like to literally live at school.  The thought was
certainly not an appealing one.  Nicholas flopped down on his bed, after
closing his bedroom door, and looked at his desk piled with books,
overdue papers, and half-finished work.  Part of him didn’t care whether
he failed or not and then another part of him wanted desperately to
please his father by maintaining a stellar academic performance.
 
 
 
Meanwhile, Burton was in the kitchen loading the dishwasher and pouring
another scotch.  He had had a tremendously stressful day at the office
and the last thing he needed was to be told by Oxridge Academy that his
son was regressing socially and academically.  In addition, he was
worried about these outbursts of blatant disrespect that Nicholas was
showing towards authority.  As Burton took his drink into his study, he
thought about how little he understood the pre-teen years.  Perhaps
Nicholas’s behavior wasn’t so atypical after all?
 
 
 
 Burton loosened his tie, removed his suit coat, and sat back in his
leather chair at his desk.  He began to rub his brow and mustache while
staring at the pictures on his desk.  One photo was of Nicholas taken a
year before the divorce at Anne’s family’s beach house.  Nicholas shared
the same smile, eyes, and gorgeous hair as his mother.  He looked so
happy in the picture and it almost appeared as if Nicholas was laughing
when the photo was taken.  Burton couldn’t remember the last time he
heard Nicholas laugh.
 
 
 
Nicholas got up from his bed and situated himself once again at his
desk.  He stared at the wealth of algebraic equations before him and
decided that he couldn’t sit there and accept his father’s decision
without making a gallant effort to change his mind.  So, instead of
working on problems #4-25 on page 142, Nicholas pulled out a piece of
blank paper and began writing a detailed proposal which would state the
plan he would follow to ensure that he stayed on track at school.  He
methodically organized his statements and prepared himself to answer all
the questions and concerns that he anticipated his father would have. 
He glanced at the clock on his bedside table which read 8:46.  He still
had fourteen minutes before he had to be in bed.  He knew he couldn’t
wait to address this issue tomorrow, as once his father had an idea
embedded in his head he was quick to place things into action.  Nicholas
knew that by tomorrow at 8:00 am it would be too late. 
 
 
 
Burton sat at his desk looking over the documents for the closing
tomorrow on a business merger.  He had double-checked everything and he
was feeling quite confident that all would go well during the meeting. 
As he was organizing the papers back into their appropriate files, he
heard a knock on his study door, which he always kept closed when he was
working.
 
 
 
“Come in.”  Burton said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
 
 
 
“Dad?”  Nicholas politely asked as he peered in.  “May I talk to you for
a minute?”
 
 
 
“You are supposed to be in your room, Nicholas.”  Burton stated firmly. 
“I didn’t give you permission to come down and furthermore, it’s almost
your bedtime.”  Burton sternly remarked as he glanced at his expensive
wristwatch. 
 
 
 
“I know…I’m sorry.”  Nicholas said quietly with his head lowered.  “I
just wanted to show you my proposal, um, um… the proposal that you
suggested I write.” 
 
 
 
“Nicholas, I already told you what my plans are.  You need to accept my
decision and move on.  I am not willing to discuss this anymore.  Do you
understand me?”  Burton said with a look of complete frustration and
impatience.
 
 
 
“I heard what you said earlier, but I gave this proposal a lot of
thought and I am truly committed to making the changes necessary to get
my academic performance back on track.”  Nicholas stated with a bit of
personal satisfaction that he had successfully memorized his persuasion
plan.
 
 
 
Still standing in front of Burton’s desk, having not been given
permission to take a seat, Nicholas glanced at his father to assess the
damage.
 
 
 
“Nicholas, you need to go to bed.  Now go on upstairs and I will be up
in a minute.”  Burton said with sternness.  He never fathomed that this
discussion would still be going on.  Normally when he reprimanded
Nicholas, the problem was solved and there would be an immediate change
in his behavior.  Consequently, Burton could not understand why Nicholas
was still challenging him on a closed issue.
 
 
 
“I don’t want to go to boarding school and you can’t make me!”  Nicholas
angrily shouted.  “I want to stay at Oxridge and live here.  Mom would
never send me away!  I hate you just as much as she did!”  Nicholas
crumpled up his proposal and threw it on the beautiful Oriental rug that
lay in front of Burton’s impressive mahogany desk.  He quickly turned on
his heels and literally ran out of the study with tears streaming down
his face.
 
 
 
Burton stood up abruptly from his chair and briskly headed out into the
foyer, only to catch a glimpse of Nicholas bolting up the winding stairs
to his room.  He heard his bedroom door slam and then pure silence other
than the majestic grandfather clock ticking in his study.  Burton
scratched the top of his head and then wiped his mustache.  He truly had
no idea what to do.  The ability to parent would certainly never be a
skill that he would add to his professional resume.  Anne was always the
one to handle Nicholas during situations like this.  If Nicholas came
home from school upset about something, Anne would bake cookies with him
or engage him in some board game or household project.  It was during
these activities that Nicholas would soften and begin to disclose what
was bothering him.  Anne knew how to entice Nicholas to express his
emotions, while making him feel safe and loved in the process of sharing. 
 
 
 
Anne never meant to judge, but Burton could tell that it saddened her
that he was not more of a father to Nicholas.  He was primarily known
for being the disciplinarian and not the parent dispensing hugs and
kisses.  Anne would always tell Burton that he was too hard on Nicholas
and that he scared the boy.  Anne used to say, “Burton, why must you
always shout at him.  He is doing the best he can.  If you would
back-off a little, then maybe he wouldn’t be so uncomfortable around you.”
 
 
 
Burton was not as oblivious to the tension that existed between him and
Nicholas as Anne thought.  He saw the nervous glances Nicholas would
give him.  Conversations between them never progressed unless Burton
prodded him with a zillion questions. Despite the frustration, Burton
was certain he was fulfilling other fatherly duties by providing
financial stability and privileges that most children would never
experience.
 
 
 
While Burton pondered what to do, Nicholas was in his room crying as he
changed into  his pajamas.  Despite Nicholas’s deep feelings of anger
and betrayal, he was still following the rules, making sure he was in
bed by 9:00.  Nicholas climbed into bed, turned of the lights and pulled
the blankets and sheets over his head.  He curled into a ball and wept. 
He didn’t care that his schoolwork wasn’t completed or that his desk was
a mess (something that normally would have bothered him). 
 
 
 
Burton picked up the ball of paper that Nicholas had thrown on the floor
in his study and he began to carefully pry it open.  He was impressed
with the organization and clarity of its contents.  Clearly Nicholas had
put a great deal of time and consideration into drafting such a
proposal.  It had a table with actions and consequences and Burton could
not believe how hard Nicholas was on himself.  Nicholas had highlighted
several academic goals and had provided detailed protocols as to how to
obtain those goals.  Failure to do so resulted in various consequences,
all of which were clearly defined in his paper.  From a writing
standpoint, it was hard to believe that Nicholas was only 12, as he
showed maturity and wisdom beyond his years.
 
 
 
Feeling a bit guilty that he did not, at the very least, listen to
Nicholas’s plan, he felt he should go and tuck him in for the night. 
Upon reaching his room, however, he saw that the lights were out and he
could distinctly hear soft crying coming through the door.  Not feeling
comfortable addressing this scene, Burton quietly walked away from the
door and headed back down to the kitchen to make another drink.  Perhaps
it would be best to talk to Nicholas at a later time.  After all, Burton
knew that the whole ordeal would blow over in a couple of days any way.
 
 
 
PART III
 
 
 
It was 6:15 in the morning and Burton Fallin was buttoning his dress
shirt in the master bedroom.  He yawned widely than shook his head to
clear it.  He’d spent a restless night thinking about Nicholas and the
dispute that arose over attending Wellington.  He was hoping that a hot
cup of coffee would help wake him up, but he really just wanted to crawl
back into bed.
 
 
 
Mary was already in the kitchen starting the coffee pot and placing
napkins and silverware on the kitchen table where the Fallin men
typically sat for breakfast.  Not knowing what either Burton or Nicholas
would eat, Mary had begun to lay an assortment of breakfast items out on
the marble countertop.  As she began to pull out the large skillet from
beneath the stove, she realized that she had not put her hair up in its
usual bun.  She quickly went to the closet and rummaged through her
purse in pursuit of some hairpins.  She stepped into the bathroom off
the kitchen to bundle up her curly brunette locks. 
 
 
 
Mary loved the simple elegance of the household décor, including the
bathrooms.  Burton had hired an expensive interior design company to
decorate and furnish the entire home.  Not one corner was overlooked and
Burton was certainly not frugal in his purchases.  After washing her
hands, Mary glanced in the mirror and smiled at her ability to style her
hair.  Her pale skin was screaming for a sun-filled vacation, but she
knew that it would be awhile before she could request time off.
 
 
 
Mary promptly returned to the kitchen to finish placing cereal, bread,
and jam out on the counter.  She was used to letting herself in promptly
at 6:00 am to help with the morning rush, and she had become quite deft
at whipping up a batch of pancakes, eggs, and sausage at a moments
notice.  Later she would perform routine household chores until Nicholas
came home from school.  Even though she had only been with the Fallins
for one month, she was quite attached to both of the “boys”.
 
 
 
“Hey, good morning, Nick!”  Mary said cheerfully as Nicholas stepped
into the kitchen. 
 
 
 
“Good morning, Mrs. Portis.”  Nicholas said without much enthusiasm.
 
 
 
Nicholas had his school uniform on and he was fixing his tie as he
entered the room.  His navy blue blazer, crisp white shirt, red and navy
blue striped tie, and dress pants made him look like he was ready to hit
the fashion runway, modeling the latest and greatest in prep-school
attire.  Nicholas had a physique that enabled him to look stylish and
handsome in whatever he wore.  His school uniform was no exception. 
Mary was certain that if Nicholas were to attend a co-ed school, the
phone would be ringing nonstop with girls hoping to catch his attention.
 
 
 
Unaware of the events that had transpired the day before, Mary assumed
that Nicholas’s red eyes were caused by insufficient sleep.  The thought
never occurred to her that they were the result of hours of crying
throughout the night.  “You look pretty tired today!  My guess is that
your father broke down and let you stay up past your bedtime last night,
huh?”  Mary said teasingly, as she retrieved the freshly squeezed orange
juice that was chilling in the refrigerator.
 
 
 
Nicholas just shrugged his shoulders and made no effort to communicate.
 
 
 
“So, what sounds good to you for breakfast, Nicholas?”  Mary said
recognizing that Nicholas was not in a talkative mood.
 
 
 
“May I just have some orange juice?  I’m not very hungry.”  Nicholas
stated quietly.
 
 
 
“Hmm..how about you eat at least one piece of toast with peanut butter
on it, along with your juice, and I will call it good?”  Mary said with
a smile.  Bargaining with Nicholas over what he will and won’t eat was a
daily process and one that Mary had become quite skilled at.  
 
 
 
“Okay.  That’s fair.”  Nicholas said with a quick, tight smile.
 
 
 
“Morning, Mary.  Morning, Nicholas.”  Burton stated as he walked in the
room with his impeccably tailored suit and briefcase in hand.  “How’s
everyone doing today?” 
 
 
 
“Great!  How about you?”  Mary cheerfully asked while Nicholas sat silent. 
 
 
 
“Good, thanks,” Burton said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
 
 
 
“Mr. Fallin, may I fix you something for breakfast?”  Mary asked as she
handed Burton the paper.
 
 
 
“No, no.  I’m fine.  I have an important meeting early this morning and
I will grab something quick to eat at the office. Thank you though.” 
Burton said as he patted Mary’s shoulder and moved over to the kitchen
table.
 
 
 
“Wow.  You guys are making my job incredibly easy today!”  Mary said as
she brought Nicholas his one slice of toast with peanut butter and a
glass of orange juice.
 
 
 
“That’s all you’re eating?” Burton asked without directly addressing
Nicholas.
 
 
 
Nicholas just nodded and Mary chimed in, “Well, that was the best I
could finagle today.  Perhaps we will have better luck next time.”
 
 
 
Nicholas ate a few bites of his toast and then lost interest.  He was
still incredibly angry with his father and he had to bite his cheek to
keep from yelling.  He wished more than ever that his mother were at the
kitchen table with them.  Anne would for sure tell his father how awful
he was for even thinking about sending his son away.   Nick sat a few
minutes with his eyes fixated on his plate before his father interrupted
his concentration. 
 
 
 
“Nicholas, if you are not going to eat that, go on upstairs and get your
school bag ready.  I want to be on the road in 10 minutes.  Okay?” 
Burton said glancing at his watch.
 
 
 
“Yes, sir.”  Nicholas said with a sigh of relief as he got up from the
chair and took his plate over to the sink. 
 
 
 
Nicholas was beginning to walk out of the kitchen when Burton beckoned,
“Hey, Nicholas, come here.”
 
 
 
With slight apprehension, Nicholas turned around and began to approach
his father with his head lowered.  He really did not want to discuss the
scene from last night and he certainly did not want to hear another
lecture.
 
 
 
“Your tie is crooked.  Come here a sec and let me fix it for you.” 
Burton motioned Nicholas to come closer with his hand.  “Gee, this thing
doesn’t want to cooperate.”  Burton said, as he pulled and straightened
Nicholas’s tie.  “Okay….well, at least it looks a little better.  The
last thing I need today is to get a phone call from your school saying
you are not dressed properly on top of everything else.”
 
 
 
“May I go upstairs now?”  Nicholas asked still standing in front of his
father who remained seated at the table.
 
 
 
“Sure.”  Burton said with a quick smile, noticing how much his son’s
eyes looked like Anne’s.  From a genetics standpoint, it was clear to
Burton that the laws of probability worked in Nicholas’s favor, as he
acquired many of Anne’s stunning features.
 
 
 
As Nicholas left the room, Mary approached the table and said, “Mr.
Fallin, is everything all right with Nicholas?  He seems really tired
today, more so than usual.”
 
 
 
“Funny you should ask,.” Burton stated with a quick eye roll, as his
hand ran across his brow and down his face.  “As a matter of fact,
yesterday was not a good day!”  Burton gave a nervous chuckle.  “I
received a letter from Oxridge saying that he is falling behind in his
academic studies and is withdrawing socially.  To make a long story
short, I made the decision last night that Nicholas will begin attending
boarding school at the start of the new term.  Nicholas is less than
thrilled about my decision and it led to a rather tense evening here.”
 
 
 
“Oh, I see,” Mary said with a look of concern. 
 
 
 
“Don’t worry, Mary.”  Burton said as he looked at her with a sincere
expression.  “You will still be needed on a daily basis around here! 
God knows I need all the help I can get!  Plus, I need you around for
school breaks and vacations.”
 
 
 
“Oh, I wasn’t worried about me, Mr. Fallin.  I appreciate your looking
out for me though, really I do.  I was just thinking about Nicholas and
how hard this adjustment might be for him.  Is there something I can do
to help with this transition?”
 
 
 
“He’ll manage.”  Burton said as he stood up from the table and headed
toward his study to retrieve some paperwork.
 
 
 
Mary couldn’t help but think how such a move could slowly destroy
Nicholas.  He was so young and desperately in need of love and
attention, especially with the recent death of his mother.  Nicholas
presented a tough, independent image on the outside, but he really was
longing for someone to give him a hug and take care of him.  Mary
noticed on many occasions how he would claim that he was ‘fine’ whenever
she asked how he was doing, but after careful prodding, he would open up
and disclose issues that were upsetting him.  It wasn’t often that
Nicholas would share with her, but she cherished those situations in
which they connected.
 
 
 
After quickly tidying up the kitchen, Mary ran upstairs, hoping to get a
minute alone with Nicholas.  As she entered his room, Nicholas was in
the process of swinging his leather mission-style bag over his shoulder. 
 
 
 
“Hey, Nicholas.  I was hoping to catch you!”  Mary said with her usual
upbeat charm.  “Can you sit down for minute?”
 
 
 
Nicholas glanced at his watch and he said, “I only have a few seconds
before I have to be downstairs.  My dad will be really angry if I am late.”
 
 
 
“I know.  I know.  I’ll keep it short.” Mary said as both she and
Nicholas sat down on the edge of Nicholas’s meticulously made bed, a
chore that Nicholas was responsible for on a daily basis.    “I just
want to make sure you are doing okay…and I mean REALLY doing okay?  Your
father told me everything this morning and I am worried about you.”
 
 
 
“I’m fine.”  Nicholas stated in an abrupt, matter-of-fact manner.  “He
doesn’t care about what I want so it is pointless for me to tell him how
I feel.” 
 
 
 
“Did you try?”  Mary said with concern.
 
 
 
“Yes, I did.  Twice!  Both times I just got sent to my room.  I know he
doesn’t want me living here and with my grades slipping, he found the
perfect reason to send me away.  I guess it’s really my fault when you
look at it that way.”  Nicholas said with his head lowered while
fidgeting with his school bag on his lap.
 
 
 
“Nicholas, that’s not true.  I know your father wants what is best for
you and right now, I sense that he feels boarding school will help you
be successful.”  Mary stated with a note of optimism.
 
 
 
“Is that what you think, too?”  Nicholas asked in a slightly challenging
tone without making eye contact.
 
 
 
“I’m not sure I can answer that fairly, Nicholas.”  Mary said with a
caring gesture.
 
 
 
“Nicholas!”  Burton’s voice was echoing in the long, elegantly decorated
hallway outside Nicholas’s room.  “Nicholas!  We are going to be late. 
Get your stuff and let’s go!”  Burton shouted with annoyance from the
marble foyer below.
 
 
 
Both Mary and Nicholas got up and hurriedly left the room.  “Don’t
worry, Nicholas.  I will tell him that I detained you up here.  Okay?” 
Mary said as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a
quick squeeze.
 
 
 
“Sorry, Mr. Fallin.  Nicholas is running a bit late because of me.” 
Mary said as they reached the bottom of the stairs.  Burton was standing
there with his expensive cashmere coat on and sharp, leather briefcase
in hand.
 
 
 
Ignoring Mary’s comment, Burton asked sternly, “Nicholas, where is your
coat?”
 
 
 
“It’s in the closet.”  Nicholas said with his head lowered.
 
 
 
“Well, go and get it.  Come on, we should be in the car by now.”  Burton
said as he lightly tapped Nicholas on the backside with his briefcase as
Nicholas scurried past him to acquire his coat. 
 
 
 
Nicholas put on his coat and headed down the hall behind his father to
the door leading to the garage off the laundry room.  “Oh, Mary.  I
almost forgot.  I have some dry-cleaning that I need to have picked up. 
Could you take care of that for me?”  Burton said as he hit the garage
door opener.
 
 
 
“Sure thing.  Consider it done!”  Mary said trying to be cheerful. 
“Nicholas, I will see you at 4 o’clock today, right?”
 
 
 
“Yes, ma’am.”  Nicholas said quietly as he was getting into his father’s
brand new Cadillac.
 
 
 
“Good!  Have a great day gentlemen!”  Mary said as she waved and watched
the car back out of the long, circular drive.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TO BE CONTINUED