CHAPTER 33

That same morning, Preston decided to visit his mother before work. With the BIT account ready for the taking, he had no idea when he would be able to get away from work. It would also give him a chance to tell her about the big account he had brought in for the bank. It was six in the morning, but his mother was an early riser. They could have breakfast, talk for a while and he would still have plenty of time to get back to the office for the nine am meeting with Myles.

Preston smiled, bobbing his head to the beat of the music coming through the speakers of his car. When this deal was signed he was going to use the bonus to buy his mother a new house, closer to Richmond. Something with a nice garden and a larger sunroom. He had an idea of purchasing the house, then taking her there one day as a surprise. Preston smiled thinking of the expression he expected to see on her face.

His mother’s car was parked in the driveway as Preston pulled in beside it. It was a beautiful spring morning. The flowers were bright and colorful in the front yard. He could tell she had been working in the flower bed. It was clear of grass and weeds. Walking up the steps on the porch, he pulled out his keys then let himself inside.

“Mom, it’s me,” he called out. “Where are you?”

“In the kitchen, come on back. I’m cooking breakfast.”

Preston smiled at her response. “I smell pancakes.” He walked up behind her then kissed her on the cheek.

“You’re up early.” She smiled up at him. “You should have called to let me know you were coming. Sit, this stack is right out of the pan. I cooked some bacon too. You want some?”

“Bacon?” His eyes brightened like a little boy. “You better know it.”

She laughed. “Here you go.” She placed the bacon on his plate. “Help yourself to some coffee.”

“Now what are you going to eat?”

“It will take me no time to whip up some more pancakes.” She waved him off then began mixing the batter. “What are you doing here so early in the morning?”

“I have an early meeting in the office, but wanted to tell you something.” He was sitting at the small island stuffing a slice of bacon in his mouth. “You know the account I’ve been working on?”

She nodded. “The BIT account? Yes, what about it?”

“They are ready to sign off on it.”

The look on her face was pure pride. “I knew you could do it, son. All you needed was a chance to show them what you were capable of.” She reached over, cupped his face in her hands then kissed him on both cheeks. “You have your father’s business sense inside of you. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Mom. It was a long haul” - he stuffed a forkful of pancakes into his mouth - “and you had faith in me all the way. You were right about Myles, too. He gave me the props for bringing the account in.”

“Well, of course he would.”

“I am so sure it’s going to lead to another promotion.” Preston smiled. “Things are really looking up, Mom.”

“Oh, Preston.” She beamed. “I am so very proud of you.”

“You know we have to mark it in the book, right? Where is it?”

“On the mantel over the fireplace next to your graduation pictures.”

“I’m going to grab it while you finish cooking your breakfast.” He walked out of the room.

“Bring the marker off the table when you come back,” she called after him.

Preston walked into the sunroom, saw the book on the mantel, just where she said it would be. He grabbed it, then walked over to the coffee table. He bent over to get the marker and saw old pictures spread out covering the table. He picked up one thinking it was a picture of his parents and him, but was confused to see another man that wasn’t his father with his arm around his mother’s waist with a baby in his other arm. Staring intently at the face in the picture, he staggered backwards.

“Did you find the book?” his mother asked as she walked into the sunroom wiping her hands on a dish towel.

“Mom, why is there a picture of you with Walker Dunning Jr.?”

The shocked expression on her face caused his heart to skip a beat.

“Mother, is this me in his arms? Why would Walker Dunning be holding me?”

It took a moment for her to reply. “Preston…” She hesitated. “I can explain.”

He turned the picture over. On the back it read, Your first born, Preston, 3 months.

He dropped the picture from his hand as if it had burned him, then glared up at her. “Did you have an affair with Walker?”

“Preston.” She shook her head as she reached out to him. She grabbed his shoulder. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Like what?”

“It wasn’t an affair….”

He pulled away, not sure what he was hearing. “The man who raised me for the first five years of my life. The one who lived in this house with us. The one we buried and cried for when he died…are you telling me, he wasn’t my father?”

“Preston, he was the man who raised you, yes, but he wasn’t your biological father.”

“And who is?” He looked around at more pictures of Walker and his mother on the table. He picked up one of the pictures. “Are you telling me….this man….right here” - he angrily pointed at the picture - “is my biological father?”

“Preston…..”

He saw tears begin to form in her eyes. But his heart was breaking too and he needed her to tell him the truth. “Don’t lie to me, Mother. I know who this is!” Preston shouted. “That is not my father. This is Walker Dunning. I’ve seen his pictures hundreds of times in the office. If you are about to tell me that he is my father, you have lied to me all my life!”

“It wasn’t a lie, Preston. I was married. Walker didn’t want to breakup our family…we left well enough alone. Franco raised you as his own. He never knew…he never knew he wasn’t your father. We just thought it was best to leave it that way.”

“We? We who? You and Walker Dunning. Or was it that he didn’t live up to his responsibility of being a father?” He hesitated. “Do the Dunnings know? Do they know I am Walker Jr’s bastard child?”

“No, Preston, no. No one knew but Walker and me.”

Preston began shaking his head in disbelief. “Of all the Dunnings, you had to sleep with the most dishonest, self-centered one of the lot.”

“Don’t say that,” she snapped.

“Why not? It’s the truth, Mom.” He stopped then stared at her, outraged. “Is this why you have been talking him up to me? Trying to convince me that he was somehow misunderstood. And the fact that everyone deserves a chance to redeem himself. And Myles should be open to allowing Walker to come back into the fold of the bank? Is that what all the little subtle conversations have been about?” He laughed but joy was the last thing he was feeling. “You have been trying to sway me and my voting power in Walker’s direction. And here I thought you were being a supportive mother. Taking a real interest in my work.” His expression changed. “Advising me to believe in the integrity of the family unit.” He dropped the brag book on the table. “Well, I’ll tell you what. I have a meeting with Myles this morning. If the Dunnings don’t know, they will by noon.” He stomped out of the room.

She followed behind him. “You can’t do that… Preston.” She grabbed his arm. “Please, Preston, don’t do that today… I beg you, don’t. You are hurt and angry.”

He jerked his arm away, then turned on her. “Angry? Yes, I am angry. But it’s not Walker Dunning that I’m angry with. It’s you.” He walked out slamming the door behind him. Starting the car, he watched as she ran out the door to catch him. He kept driving, willing himself not to look back. He needed space from her. Space and time to think.

###

Gina wanted to get an early start on her day. Sydney had given her the instructions for entering the process from the binders to the computer. There were at least twenty manuals to dig into. It was going to take months, to get all of those big black binders transferred.

“Those binders are heavier than you, LilWayne.” She kissed her son on the top of his head. It wasn’t quite seven yet, so the nursery wasn’t open. Gina didn’t think anyone would have an issue with her bringing LilWayne into the office until the nursery opened at seven-thirty.

Today she wore black slacks, with a black and white, off the shoulder sweater, and of course her signature strapped heels. She had turned the corner to go into Jonathan’s suite of offices when she saw someone sitting on the floor outside Myles’ office leaning against the door. Gina slowed her pace. As she got closer, she realized the man was Preston. She walked over, looked down and realized he was wrinkled. Well not him per say, but his shirt sleeves were rolled up his arm with brown stains on the front, and hanging out of his pants. She looked around, but didn’t see his blazer.

“Preston?” She bent over when he did not move. There was something wrong here, she thought. “Okay, LilWayne, you sit here and be still,” she said as she sat him down on the floor. She looked around to be sure no one was in yet. She cupped her hand on Preston’s face to bring it forward so she could see it clearly. “Preston,” she called out again.

“Hun…”

“Whoa.” She turned her face, fanning the stale breath away. “Oh baby, who gets ripped this early in the morning?” She grabbed under his arms. “Okay, let’s get you up.” She tried pulling him up. He was a bit heavy. She stopped. “We can’t let the boss see you like this. Think… I know,” she said looking around. “Okay.” She brightened, glanced at LilWayne. She smiled. “Don’t look at your mommy like I’m crazy. You stay.” She ran over and pulled one of the rolling chairs from Annatasha’s desk, brought it back and parked it next to Preston. She bent over. This time smacking him a little harder on the cheek. “Preston, Preston, I need you to help me. I need you to stand, can you do that?” She pulled him up. “Come on, man, I’m trying to save your job. Preston,” she yelled.

“What?” he slurred out.

“Wake up,” she said. “Sit in the chair.” She pulled him half way, pulled the chair over then dropped him in. It started rolling and she had to catch it to keep him from falling off. She started laughing. LilWayne joined in.

“Wait, this shit ain’t funny, LilWayne,” she continued laughing. After making sure Preston was firmly in the chair, she picked up her son.

“She lied. I have to tell Myles,” Preston slurred out.

“Okay,” Gina said, “I don’t know who she is but, okay.” She picked up LilWayne and her purse. “All right, I need you to hold my baby while I push you. Can you do that, Preston?”

“Baby, she had a baby too,” he cried out.

“Okay, most of us do,” Gina said as she put LilWayne in Preston’s lap. “Hold my baby, Preston. Don’t you let him fall.”

She wrapped Preston’s arms around her son, “Hold him. Don’t you hurt my baby.”

Preston shook his head. “I was a baby.”

“We all were.” She started pushing the chair. “Hold your legs up, Preston,” she ordered. He brought his legs up holding them in midair.

“We going for a ride,” he said.

“Yes, we are.” She pushed him to the entrance of the executive offices, stopped, peeked out to make sure no one was around, then pushed him as fast as she could across the hall. She stopped when she reached his office door. She was breathing hard from pushing the chair with him in it across the carpet.

She leaned against the door breathing hard. “Okay.” She looked at her son who was clapping his hands, and Preston was going “wheeeee” like he was really on a ride. She turned the knob. “Damn.” The door was locked. “Preston where is the key to your office.

Preston was now swinging around in the chair. He had LilWayne singing “wheeeee.”

“Wheeee, my ass.” She stopped the chair by catching his leg. “Preston, stop.” She took LilWayne from his lap, then asked, “Where is the key to your office?”

“Keys.” He tried to stand, but fell back into the chair. It started rolling backwards.

“Dammit.” Gina reached out with her son on one hip and pulling Preston to the other.

“Key, Preston, key.”

He patted his pockets, stood, then pulled them out. He grinned. “Keys.” He tilted forward. “Damn you are pretty.” He leaned against the wall.

Gina backed up to the door. “I know. I can’t help that,” she said as she took his keys and put them in the lock. She heard the elevator ding. “Oh shit.” She turned the key, opened the door, then pushed him inside. She turned to grab the chair as she heard Preston hit the floor. She turned back to see if he was okay. “Holy shit.” She ran out grabbed the chair, swung it into the office then quietly closed the door. She leaned her back against the door breathing hard, until she heard the door to the next office open then close. She looked at LilWayne who was staring up at her. “Wheee.” He threw his hands up in the air.

Gina started laughing, “Shhh…” She put her finger to her lips. Looking around the office, it was easy to see why Preston was two sheets to the wind. There was an empty quart bottle of Mount Gay XO Rum on the desk. “Whoa, at least you got the good stuff.”

Preston rolled over. She looked down at him. “Whoever she is screwed you up good.” She sat her son on the floor, then walked over to help Preston onto the sofa in his office. “Come, Preston. We are in your office now. Let’s get you on the sofa.” She pulled him up, this time with a little help from him.

“She lied to me,” he said as he put his arm over her shoulder then slowly walked to the sofa. She dropped him down.

He huffed like he had done all the work. “I got to tell Myles.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Gina said as she put his feet up on the sofa. She didn’t see a pillow so she took the blazer that was hanging on the back of his office door, folded it up, and placed it under his head. “Women lie sometimes. Whoever she is must have really done a number on you.”

He stretched out and closed his eyes.

Gina pulled his shoes off and set them on the floor. “I don’t know what happened, but you will be okay.” She looked down at him, then shook her head.

“Okay.” She turned to her son with her hands on her hips. “Let’s get you down to the nursery.” She put Preston’s keys on the desk then picked up LilWayne. She slowly opened the door peeking out to see if anyone was around. The hallway was empty. As quietly as she could, she pulled the chair out of the room then closed the door. She quickly pushed the chair back across the hallway and had almost made it to the executive offices when a young woman walked around the corner.

“Hello, may I help you with something?”

Gina quickly turned around. Her purse fell from her shoulder as she tried to balance LilWayne and the chair. She had seen the woman before but couldn’t remember her name. “Hi. Umm. …”

“Pam…Pam Greene. We met yesterday. You’re Gina, right?

“Yes, I am.” Gina smiled. “I was on my way to the nursery when I got distracted,” she explained as the woman continued to watch her. “I bet you are wondering why I have this chair?”

“Not really.” Pam smiled as she walked over. “I’d be happy to help you with it. Where do you need it to go?”

Gina smiled. “It’s Annatasha’s chair.”

“I will take it back for you. The nursery is open. I just dropped my children off.”

“You have children?” Gina asked.

“Two, a little boy and a girl.”

“Two girls and my son.”

Pamela smiled. “He is adorable.”

“Thank you.” Gina smiled.

“Is Preston okay?”

Gina’s smile disappeared. “Preston?”

“Yes. I saw you coming from his office.”

“Oh, that?” Gina cleared her throat as she nodded. “Yeah,” she waved the question off. “He’s chillin…” she exhaled. “Well, I’m going to get him downstairs and start my day.”

“Have a great one,” the woman said then rolled the chair around the corner.

Gina exhaled as she turned towards the elevator. “Man, who knew working in a corporate office could have this much drama going on.” She pushed the button, glanced at Preston’s door, a little concerned for him. The elevator door slid open. She stepped inside, adjusted LilWayne on her hip, then pushed the down button. The morning sure had gotten off to a crazy start, she thought as the doors closed.