25

Chad drove straight to Jack’s house after leaving Andrew and Jack at the office. He pulled his Range Rover to the edge of the driveway and stepped out. Mrs. Poole answered when he rang the bell.

“Hey, Mrs. Poole,” Chad said as he dropped a peck on her cheek. She had been a fixture at Jack’s for so long that both he and Jack had begun to treat her like an aunt more than an employee. “I’m here to see my Mom.”

“Hi, dear. I’m not sure where she is. Would you like me to find her for you?” Mrs. Poole responded.

“No, I’ll find her, thanks.”

He wandered through the rooms looking for his mom and found her sitting in Jack’s living room reading the paper and drinking tea by the window. She spotted him and silently put down her teacup. She set the paper aside before looking up at him.

Her expression was like that of an insolent little child who knew she was about to be scolded but she laid her hands in her lap and greeted her son, “Hello, Chad. What brings you here in the middle of the day?”

Chad