Like a Boss - Annabelle Costa Page 0,60
but he’s not doing very well himself. He holds onto the side of the sofa, and even just rising from his seat seems to have taken a lot out of him. His legs tremble beneath him.
“Tom,” Sophie says, “let me get your oxygen.”
“I don’t need the goddamn oxygen!” Mr. Thayer snaps.
“Dad, you don’t look very good,” Luke says.
“I’m fine!” The old man grits his teeth. “I don’t care what those quack doctors say. I don’t need that oxygen any more than you need that chair, Luke. I got better, and so could you, if you wanted. Mind over matter. Let this be a lesson to you.”
Mr. Thayer walks in the direction of the four steps to the dining area, holding onto the wall for support as he goes. Part of me is worried I’m going to have to run over and catch him to keep him from falling.
“I thought we were eating in the living room,” Luke says.
“You know my rule, Luke.” Mr. Thayer puts his right foot on the first step. Honestly, he doesn’t look like he could make it up the four steps. “You want to eat in this house, you have to climb the steps to the dining room.”
Luke’s neck has turned pink and the color is creeping into his ears. “Fine. Then we’ll leave. Come on, Ellie.”
“No!” Sophie jumps out of her seat. “Tom, we agreed we were eating in the living room tonight. You know Luke can’t climb up the steps.”
“Yes, I know.” Thomas Thayer’s eyes narrow at the two of us. “I’m well aware my son is now a cripple.” He shakes his head. “You are such a disappointment to me, Luke. You had so much potential. But now… you’ve decided to live your life in a wheelchair, dating some woman we would’ve paid to clean our bathrooms…”
I flinch and my cheeks redden. His last comment hit a little too close to home.
“That’s enough, Dad.” Luke has been taking his father’s abuse until now, but the sharp tone of his voice now matches his father’s. “I’m done letting you talk to me and the woman I love that way. We’re leaving. And we’re not coming back. Ever.”
Mr. Thayer doesn’t seem upset when Luke swivels around and starts wheeling towards the front door, but Sophie cries out in anguish. She races after him, her perfect yellow hair coming disheveled around her face
“Luke!” she cries. “Please don’t go. We can eat in the living room. I promise we’ll work it out.”
“No.” Luke pauses and looks up at her. “I’m not going to let him talk to Ellie that way. I’m done.”
“If you want to stay...” I murmur. I don’t want to stay, but I hate the thought of leaving on this note. There are a lot of unresolved issues between Luke and his father.
“No.” Luke shakes his head emphatically. “We’re leaving.”
“But Luke…” Sophie squeezes her hands together. “You see how he looks. He might not have much time left.”
“For all I care,” Luke says, “he can drop dead.”
Sophie clasps her hand over her mouth. “You don’t mean that.”
“I really do.”
Sophie reluctantly steps aside to let the two of us leave. Luke’s words are echoing in my ears the entire silent ride home. For all I care, he can drop dead. I know Mr. Thayer was harsh with him, but that was a shockingly cold thing to say about his own father. And the worst part is, I think he meant it.
Chapter 24
From Facebook:
When Thayer Industries purchased my company two years ago, everything changed. We used to be a laid back firm where employees enjoyed coming to work. Everything changed after Thayer took over. At age 58, I was forced to put in huge amounts of overtime and was working nearly every weekend. I was told if I was too old to keep up, I would lose my job. The result was that I ended up separated from my wife and had a heart attack. When I returned to work after my heart attack, I was told that since I was no longer able to do the work expected of me, I was being fired. I was replaced with a 22-year-old graduate from MIT who worked for a third of my salary. They finally got what they wanted. Lucas Thayer is a miserable, heartless man who is out to destroy anyone who keeps him from making an extra dollar.
On Thursday night, Luke has a late meeting, so Jenna and I go out for drinks. We go to