Chapter 2: Linda

October 15, 2009, Thursday
9:18 PM
Greenwich, Connecticut

Linda was in the living room doing research while waiting for her husband to come home. She has resigned from the family company almost a month ago, with plans to run for Senate. Television and politics may be two different fields, but just the same, she needs to research to understand her audience. For tonight, this won't be long as Vince should be home soon. He sent her a message about half an hour ago saying that he was about to leave Headquarters. Last night, he mentioned something about having to meet their only son, Shane, who also works as an executive in the company, but that meeting would have to happen post-office hours as both had a full day. He didn't mention the agenda of the meeting and that was fine with her. She knew that when it comes to her kids, albeit both being adults with their own kids already, regardless of nature (whether it be professional or personal), she was going to be informed of matters whenever appropriate.

A few minutes later, she heard Vince's car pull into the driveway. He's home. A little while later, the door opened to reveal the 64-year-old owner-now-also-CEO, still clad in his 3-piece suit. "Hey!", he says with a nod to his wife of 43 years. Linda immediately noticed that he looks more tired than usual. His eyes gave it all away. That meeting likely didn't go well, which, if she were honest, was not a surprise given the amount of tension she can picture going on between father and son recently based on what Vince has been sharing with her lately. Not to mention the stories from the other side she's been getting from her only daughter-in-law, whom she spends time with on the phone at least 5 minutes a day, regardless of date, time, location, topic or degree of being busy. Updates from the past few weeks have been a bit sour though, as it seems like a conflict brewed every time Vince and Shane met at work. It didn't help matters that everyone has been so busy in their respective lives that the family as a whole hasn't really had the time to meet and just chill at someone's place in the past quarter. How bad did things go between owner and his EVP, Global Media after tonight's meeting is the real concern.

Getting up from the couch, Linda walked the few steps separating her from her husband, who was now taking off his coat after having loosened his tie. Retrieving the clothing item from the other while giving Vince a quick kiss, Linda was on wife-mode, first concerned if the man has been fed. "Are you hungry?"

"We ordered food.", he replied while taking his shoes off and putting them on the rack as Linda was particular about keeping things in order. At least she was sure the two most important men in her life took care of themselves physically.

"So how did it go?" She was back on the couch unconsciously trying to feel as comfortable as possible as she braced herself for this latest development.

Vince walked back, taking the couch across her and let out a bereaved sigh. That didn't give Linda comfort at all.

"He quit.", he said somberly as he rubbed his eyes.

It was silent for half a minute as Linda was trying to process what she was just told. Did she just hear her husband say that their only son quit from the family business he's been part of full-time for the last 16 years? Their son, who, growing up only had his eyes set on that business and nothing else? Their son, who, no matter how much he says otherwise, she knew was excited to have his own sons join the company as fifth generation. "He… what…?". The blonde had to shake her head a bit as she may just be hallucinating, right? She must be.

"He quit.", Vince repeated, this time, with conviction. It was real. It was real? How can it be real?

"What happened?" There must be a rational reason for all of this. She left the family business last month because she was running for public office. Shane left because of what? It couldn't just be because he and his father haven't been getting along more than usual.

"He said he was no longer happy. So I gave him what he wanted." He shrugged.

Linda wondered. How is Vince responding like this wasn't a big deal. Why does it seem like it wasn't their only son who has just resigned from the family business? "What exactly happened, Vince?"

"He came in, handed me a paper tendering his resignation, we talked, I accepted, he left, I left."

"You just accepted? Vince, how can you JUST accept? What did he say?" It's not that Linda was outraged. She was more like in disbelief. Vince, for whatever reason, was not telling her the complete story and of course, she wanted to know. It was her husband, their own son and their company involved in this fiasco after all.

"He said his piece—how he was no longer happy. What was I supposed to do?" The question was rhetoric though as he got up from the couch and declared that he was going down to the gym to workout.

"Does Steph know?" She rushed in asking. What could their daughter think about this?

Vince shook his head in the negative. "He's the one telling her. I don't know when he's planning to. Don't wait up." was the last she heard before he completely disappeared into the hallway.

Having been married to the man for 43 years, Linda knew to no longer push the envelope. She wasn't offended. She didn't feel like she was being dismissed or left out. Vince was in that mood and he was better off left alone. He needed gym time to let out whatever pent up emotion he currently has. He'd talk to her tomorrow when he's ready—when he's understood for himself how to deal with his own thoughts. For now, she had to let the other most important man in her life know she cared about him, too. Retrieving her phone underneath a stack of papers still scattered on the desk from this evening's work, she shot her only son a simple text message.

I'm here for anything, okay?

It was around three minutes later that the device beeped and lit.

Yes, Mom. I know. Love you.