“The daddy finer than all of them to me,” said the older clerk.
“He would be to you,” said the receptionist.
“What? Am I wrong?”
“Mr. Webster is fine for a fifty-something year old man,” said the receptionist. “You aren’t wrong about that. But Matty Webster and all his other sons got him beat. I’m sorry. They arefine!” She and the younger clerk high-fived.
“Besides,” said the receptionist, “you never believe anything anyway, MaryAnn. You didn’t believe Barack Obama had a white mother because he looked more black than white. You don’t believe Meghan Markle is the mother of Prince Harry’s two children because they look more white than black. That’s how genes work, MaryAnn.”
“I still don’t believe it.”
“Then you’re just ignorant,” said the younger clerk. “You don’t wanna believe it.”
“I know that’s right,” said the receptionist as she and the clerk continued to look at the fine father and his super-fine son.
But when William and Matty made it out of the lobby and began walking toward the waiting limousine, it was all about business for them.
“We’re on the clock. We’re still holding our own,” said Matty as they walked toward his father’s limousine.
“Where did we land this time?” William asked.
“Forth this time.”
William was displeased. He looked at his son, who was also his CEO. “We lost a spot?”
“Only for this quarter, Pop. We’ll come roaring back.”
“We’d better,” William said as his driver opened the back passenger door for him.“Or it’s going to be your ass.” Then William looked at Matty. “Going with me?”
Matty had a disapproving fixed frown on his always-serious face. “I don’t care to go at all.”
“Don’t start, Matthew. She’s my daughter. And she’s getting married. And every one of my children will attend that wedding, you hear me? Don’t start.”
Matty nodded. “I need to tie up a few loose ends. I’ll meet you at the house.”
Then William hesitated again before getting in his limo. “Heard from Hawthorne?”
Matty shook his head. “Nope. But he doesn’t exactly keep in touch. You?”
“I spoke with him a couple days ago.”
“And?”
“I told him he’d better be here for the rehearsal and especially for the dinner tonight.”
“What did he say?”
“What do you think he said?”
Yes sir, Matty thought. Like they all said.
Then William got into his limousine.
But as his driver was closing the door and walking around to the front driver side, one of Matty’s assistants ran out of the lobby and hurried up to him. Then he whispered in his ear.
Matty looked at his assistant as if he had to have heard it wrong. Even William pressed down his window when he saw the look on his son’s face. “What is it?” he asked him.
Matty was still shocked. “It’s Mom.”
