next ten resumes, working quickly through the rest of the pile. I have to stop intermittently to take a call. I can’t trust reception to know what’s important and what’s not. For now, I field every call. It’s a pain in the ass. I need someone to start yesterday.
I whittle the pile down to eleven candidates. I will tell them to meet with me tomorrow afternoon. If they can drop everything to be here, on time and with guns blazing – so to speak – I might give them a chance. I can only hope that there is one amongst them who will be able to handle my shit. I pick up the phone and call the first candidate. Out of the eleven I call, seven can make it. I toss the rest in the trash. I need someone with grit and determination, but they also need heart. Plenty of heart. An almost impossible combination to find. I lean back in my chair and spot the paper on my desk, it’s folded open on the picture of that underage girl. I groan and crumple it into a ball, tossing it into the trash as well. The damage has been done.
4
The next morning…
Bolt
I’ve been sitting here for fifteen minutes. Alone. I can hear my mother pottering around in the kitchen. What is she doing? I know that this is her version of the silent treatment. I stand and go into the kitchen, even though I know she doesn’t want me there.
She’s washing dishes. Fucking dishes. “Mom,” I say, trying to keep my voice even.
“Go and sit,” she says. “I’ll be out in a second. The coffee is nearly ready.” She keeps on washing.
I fold my arms across my chest. “I’m here to see you, Mom.” I try to keep my voice even. “I’m sure the coffee has been ready for a while. Surely the dishes can wait?”
She gives me the stink-eye, drying her hands on a nearby dishcloth. “Don’t tell me the state of affairs in my own kitchen, young man. I’m not one of your staff members, or one of those girls you like to run around with.”
There it is. Out. “I’m not running around with anyone, Mom, and of course I don’t see you as a staff member of mine.”
“Different woman every week, Bolt. It makes me so sad to see you throwing your life away.”
I take a deep breath and look at my shoes for a moment. I’m one of the richest, most powerful men in the world, and my mother thinks I’m throwing my life away. Her words sting, even though I know she’s proud of me. “You shouldn’t believe everything you read.”
“Pictures don’t lie.” She opens the refrigerator and takes out some milk. Bottles rattle when the door closes.
“You’d be surprised, Mom. They can be completely misconstrued. I haven’t dated anyone in a while.” Months and months.
“You’ve never brought anyone home to meet me.” She shakes her head, looking sad. “Forge, Lyre, and Night have settled down. Sophia and Vera have grand-babies.” Her eyes begin to fill with tears, but she blinks them away. I hate to see my mom upset. Fucking hate it. “I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before more of the dragon demigods settle as well.”
My brothers.
Settled down.
I want to choke out a laugh and correct her on that note. I’m not sure how Stephanus or Jarrod would get that right. Imagine being able to see into your girlfriend’s past or future whenever you touched them. It would never work. Rage? Please…he isn’t marriage or father material. No fucking way! Never going to happen. Trident is too much of a manwhore. Samuel, AKA Mr. Sandman himself, is too busy putting the world to sleep – okay maybe not the world, but close enough – to ever fit in with ‘normal’ society. Then there’s Death. He’s Death for fuck’s sake. The end! No ‘ever afters’ in his future. Death is Night’s half-brother and has hung out with us enough over the last few months for me to include him in this deduction. “I’m not sure the rest of us are…that way inclined.” I try to put it delicately.
“You want a string of women. Young girls.” She shakes her head. “Everything has become about money with you, Bolt. Beautiful cars, expensive clothing, and fancy restaurants. All that stuff is not important.”
“I know that, and I don’t want a string of women. I certainly don’t want young girls.”
“What about that picture in the paper,