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So I stand in the hallway and wait for Karl to exit, about two minutes later. He greets me only briefly before leaving towards what I can only assume is his own office, ready to do whatever task Dad has given him.
Once I take the previously occupied seat, I relax. Dad seems to be in a decent mood–-happy, even, so maybe I won’t be here for all that long.
My father’s office reflects his taste well, with heavy, hand crafted furniture and the walls painted a deep green with wood accents. His bookshelves are full to overflowing, but some of the shelves are dusty. He doesn’t have much time to read these days.
“That kid, Karl….he’s going to go far,” Dad starts whispering. “I’m telling you right now, he’s the real deal. He’s bringing in more business than his entire department. Make sure to treat him well, alright?”
This again?I think, but repress the groan that tries to sneak out. “I’ve been doing that, Dad. Ever since you told me to last time.”
“Ah, that’s right.” Dad flips through some papers on his desk, and then leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “But Karl and I were just discussing something that I want to run by you, son. He has this great idea that we should take our best clients on a hunting trip in Hungary for red deer. Most of our clients are actually hunters, and those who don’t hunt will still have a great time getting fresh air and fishing.” He raises his eyebrows, and when I don’t respond, he asks, “What do you think?”
“In Hungary? Why Hungary?”
“Your Uncle Leopold has a big estate there surrounded by forest and lakes. It’s the perfect hunting ground, and by extension, the trip would be the perfect opportunity to discuss expansion with them.”
The idea sounds…fine, I guess. A little over the top, but not a horrible option all things considered. “And I suppose, since it was Karl’s idea, he will be coming, too?”
“Of course,” Dad huffs, before leaning forward, his elbows resting on the desk. “The man is the one who suggested it, after all.”
I frown. It’s very convenient for Karl to suggest this extravagant trip and then also get to go on it with all of us, even though the sales department has very little to do with the prospect of expansion. Dad seems to read my thoughts on my face, and exhales slowly.
“Seb, I know what you’re thinking, but the kid comes from nothing. He didn’t have a silver spoon in his mouth growing up like you and your siblings. He was raised by a single mother…it wasn’t an easy childhood for him by any means. I want you to treat him right.” I open my mouth to explain, yet again, that I’ve been doing just that, but Dad isn’t finished. “I already gave him a big bonus, and do you know what he did with it? He bought a home for his mom. Completely selfless…that’s the type of person you want to surround yourself with, trust me on this.”
“I do trust you, Dad. It’s just that we’ve never done anything like this, and all of a sudden it’s just happening? I’m just a bit thrown off…but fine. Who all is coming? Are Mom, Adelina, and Fred coming too? It’d be great to have them with us.”
His brow furrows and his lips flatten. “What, on a business trip? No. Plus,” He laughs sardonically, “Your mother will be more than happy to get rid of me for a few days.”
Reminded once more of the tension between my parents, I jump on the opportunity to ask Dad the same things I did Mom. “Speaking of that…are you and Mom doing okay? You guys seem so distant from each other. Maybe you should consider bringing her with you on the trip, business or not…”
“Ah, Seb, don’t worry about any of that. After thirty-six years together it’s more than normal that things aren’t as cute and romantic as they once were,” he says dismissively, but if I’m not mistaken, I sense a thread of vulnerability in his words.
Is that really normal?I think to myself.I hope that it’s never like that for me. I always want there to be romance.
“If you say so…but you know you can talk to me, Dad. I won’t tell Mom if you want to keep things between us.” He doesn’t answer, just fidgets with things on his desk, and I sigh. “Fine, though. When is the trip happening?”
“We leave in four days.”
I temper the quick hit of shock I’m feeling. “Damn, Dad, that’s no time. Surely we can take some more time to prepare and what not.”
“Four days is what works for Leopold, so that’s what we’re doing,” he tells me, a sense of finality in his words. “I’ll email you all the details so you can prepare.”
Reeling, I leave my Dad’s office.Four damn days! What the hell!I can’t believe that my Dad would not only be okay with leaving so quickly, but that he will actually tear himself away from the office long enough to go hunting. Maybe he justifies it in his mind because it’s technically a trip for work.
Mom is going to be devastated. I bet he didn’t even run it by her, which means I’ll have to be the one to break the news.
On the way back to my office I pass Karl’s and pause. On a whim, I knock on the open door frame, and Karl looks up quickly. “Can I come in?” I ask upon seeing him.
“Sebastian.” Karl rises at once from his chair and nods politely. “Of course. Sit anywhere you like.”
After closing the door behind me, I go and take the seat across from him, while looking quickly around the room to get a better idea about the man who is rocketing upwards in the family company at record speed. The office is sparse, but there are a few things that give me a hint about Karl’s personality–pictures of who I can only assume are his mother and maybe grandmother, books like ‘Think and Grow Rich’ and other business focused literature, and a few black and white paintings by an artist I don’t recognize.
“How did your meeting go?” he asks me, and I notice he’s jittery. It’s immediately apparent why, from what he says next. “I assume your father told you about the trip. I certainly didn’t expect us to leave so soon, and I hope I’m not inconveniencing you.”
“It’s…a surprise, to be sure, but I didn’t have anything on my calendar, so it’s fine. Next time, though, it’s fine to push back if my dad suggests such a wild schedule.” Karl nods, but something tells me that it’s highly unlikely he’d push back about anything with his boss. “Anyway, it’s a great idea, if a little different than anything we’ve ever done before. Good thinking.”
“Thanks,” he says, beaming. “I have a lot of ideas about how to make this trip really worthwhile for us. Would you like to hear them?”
I nod, and he launches into an explanation about how we can use this trip to not only get everyone onboard with expansion, but how to convince them to put more money in to make the expansion happen faster. I expect to find some flaw in his plans, but as he speaks, I’m surprised to realize that everything makes perfect sense. By the time he’s finished, I’m quite impressed.
