Sweet Love - Mia Kayla Page 0,30

Memories of them playing board games with us, going to the movies, taking us to football practice, and sitting in the front row to watch our games. But in those memories, my parents were not present.

“You’re lucky, you know that? Having my parents present is what I lacked in my childhood. We had a ton of toys and we got whatever we wanted, but they were never around.”

Our gazes locked, and there was no pity in her eyes, but I could read a deep curiosity on her face as she tilted her head.

So, I answered the unspoken questions, “See … my grandfather—my dad’s father—had a dream. I was never close to that side of the family, just my mother’s side. My grandfather started that dream, and my father, he’s the one who brought that dream to reality.” A tightness formed in my chest, as it did every time I thought of what they had sacrificed to get here. “My dad and my mother hustled and worked endless days and nights, selling their products to whoever would take them. Going from store to store to manufacturer to manufacturer to meeting and meeting after meeting, begging for a chance to be sold. Then, they were. And their success snowballed.” There was a sour taste in my mouth, the bitterness spreading to my gut.

Because behind every success story, there was a downfall and liabilities, and the outcome of my parents’ success was my bitterness toward them for just not being around when I had been younger. At times, I felt like I had been adopted by my nana because I hardly ever saw them.

“I think they only had Kyle because they felt sorry for me, that I didn’t have a playmate.” My voice was tinged with sarcasm as I shook my head. “I shouldn’t say that.”

I cleared my throat to get down to business. I pointed to the sketchpad and underlined the word family with my finger. “It’s all about perception, you see. Dad’s perceived to be the perfect businessman and perfect father even though he didn’t raise us himself.” I bit my tongue because at the end of the day, my childhood was what it was. It was what I accepted it to be. As an adult, I made my own path now.

Still, hearing Charlie’s story of her happy family had brought all this history back to the forefront.

“I think we should expand on this word. I do believe that my father loves his employees and cares about them deeply. I mean, some of the people on the management team helped him get to where he is today, so if anything, they are more family than I am.” I stood because I’d lost all self-control and just had a case of diarrhea of the mouth. “You know what? Excuse me. I’m just gonna use the restroom real quick.” I smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

Charlie

I turned Connor’s words over and over in my head, and I realized one thing: no one family was perfect. Everyone played their part, and people had their flaws. At the end, one thing remained: love. Connor had a deep bitterness toward his parents, but he wouldn’t be here, trying to save their company, if he didn’t love them.

It was hours later. Papers had been strewn everywhere, tossed on the floor, on the desk, and in a couple of chairs. So much time had passed that I had finished the rest of the Chinese food.

And still, it came down to one word: family. We were in agreement with that; otherwise, we had nothing. No slogan. No idea on packaging on the rebranded chocolate bar. Nothing.

“Why don’t we get the marketing people involved? Why aren’t they here in our brainstorming sessions?” Because obviously, I wasn’t any added help.

Connor was hunched over, hands threaded through his hair, elbows on the table, staring intently at the paper in front of him. I didn’t think he’d heard a word I’d said.

I wanted to tell him this was a bad idea, getting me involved.

“Connor? Anyone home?”

I knocked on the table twice, and his eyes shot up to mine.

His hair was a disheveled mess. It was probably because he had run his hands through his hair a million times. But man, oh man, did he look sexy. His hair kind of reminded me of one of those guys in those underwear commercials, jumping around with nothing on other than the boxers that they were advertising, with bedhead that screamed sexy.

“I think we need to include