Chapter 17 - HE CAME TO HIS MOTHER FOR MONEYBlake came to Evelyn’s house on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Harrison was at the office.
Evelyn almost didn’t let him in.
Then motherhood won one more small battle.
She opened the door.
Blake looked tired.
Thinner.
“Can we talk?”
She stepped aside.
They sat in the kitchen.
The same kitchen where Blake once did homework while Evelyn cooked dinner.
He stared at the countertop.
“I miss this place.”
“You live twenty minutes away.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
Evelyn poured coffee.
Blake wrapped both hands around the mug.
“I’m sorry.”
“For?”
He sighed.
“You’re still doing that.”
“Yes.”
“Making me say every detail.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“I’m sorry I let Sloane confront you.”
Evelyn waited.
“I’m sorry I cared more about the wedding looking perfect than whether you were okay.”
She said nothing.
“I’m sorry I ordered you to apologize.”
His voice weakened.
“I’m sorry I grabbed you.”
A pause.
“And pushed you.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
Blake looked down.
“I hear myself saying it now.”
“Good.”
“That hurts.”
“It should.”
He nodded.
For several minutes, they sat quietly.
Then Blake said:
“Dad won’t reconsider anything.”
Evelyn’s heart sank.
There it was.
The second purpose.
“I see.”
“He listens to you.”
“Sometimes.”
“You could help.”
Evelyn almost laughed.
“Help with what?”
“The succession.”
“Blake.”
“I’m not asking him to give me everything tomorrow.”
“But you’re asking me to intervene.”
“I’ve spent eight years building my career.”
“And one evening revealing your judgment.”
“That isn’t fair.”
Evelyn stared at him.
Blake realized.
Closed his eyes.
“Sorry.”
“You came here because you wanted me to fix your relationship with your father.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I came because I wanted to see you.”
“And because?”
He looked away.
“And because I hoped you’d talk to him.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Thank you for finally telling the truth.”
“Mom, please.”
“No.”
Blake’s face changed.
He was not used to that word from her.
“You don’t have to forgive me today.”
“This has nothing to do with forgiveness.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
She leaned forward.
“Do you remember what you said to me against that wall?”
Blake’s face reddened.
“Yes.”
“Say it.”
“Mom.”
“Say it.”
He whispered:
“Stay out of my reception.”
“And?”
“Stop embarrassing me.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“Your father didn’t change his mind because I told him what happened.”
Blake looked up.
“He watched you do it.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Her voice remained calm.
“You know there was video. You still don’t understand what he saw.”
“What do you mean?”
“He saw the man he was preparing to trust with thousands of employees.”
Blake looked stricken.
“He wasn’t watching his son.”
She stood.
“He was watching a future leader under pressure.”
Blake stared at her.
“And you failed.”
The sentence landed harder than Harrison’s.
May you like
Because Blake had always believed his mother saw the best in him.
For the first time, she refused.
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