Never does his father spend this much of the morning busy on the phone. This just wasn’t like him. Usually he makes some excuse, one or the other, to escape from any type of encounter. But today was different. He had been on his phone, locked in his office, for at least a half an hour (very unusual of him).
Gill sat at his desk in the front office of town hall with a novel in hand, it was a classic he’s read over and over yet still found pleasure in reading over once again. Though the whole strangity of the situation was pulling his attention away from the words on the page. Ice colored eyes casted off to the side, focusing in on trying to hear and bits of the conversation he could hear from the other room. Luckily his father had quite the loud and exuberant vocals.
Though despite his attempt, he could make out no actual sentences. With a deep exhale at the fact that he would simply have to let go of his curiosity for the moment, his gaze glanced at the clock. 4:49pm. Just eleven minutes left before town hall closed up for the day. Better start his end of the evening paperwork.
Although, as soon as he marked his page and closed his book, the door to his father’s office bursted open dramatically. Gill, more than used to his antics, was not jarred from the loud sound of the door slamming.
“Gill! There you are my good boy!” His plucky father moved out of his office to approach his son. “And you’re looking great today, Luna and Candace sure did a fine job on that suit of yours!”
The blond, with an exhausted sigh, replied. “Of course father, where else would I be? We’re still open, and with you chattering away in there it’s not like I had much choice to go anywhere.” His attention turned to the final paperwork for the day that needed the be filled out, with a click of his pen he began. “Why does it matter how I’m dressed?”
“Well you see, remember last week when I went to that pai gow competition at that teahouse in Konohana last week?” How could he forget, another one of his father’s endeavors to have some sort of hobby. The week before that it was bingo. Needless to say, he lost miserably. Gill scoffed in response, to which the mayor continued on nonetheless. “Well I met this fine older gentleman, who was quite good at the game, and Gill I really think he can help us with the little conundrum we’re in! He runs a vast vegetable farm in that little town and I think he can help us quite a bit!”
Ah, that conundrum. Recently, because of the size the Castanet has grown to in the past couple years, the local farmers simply can’t keep up with the demand for fruit and vegetables. It certainly didn’t help that two of the main farmers in their little city only worked with wine, and not so much consumer produce. So they’d been looking into outsourcing. Gill’s nose crinkled in dissatisfaction at the idea, his pen scribbling a bit faster through the documents. “Don’t you find it unwise to simply jump into business with someone that you met over a domino competition? How do you know if he can even supply the amount we’re looking for?”
A hearty laugh escaped Hamilton at his son’s scepticism. “Goodness boy! Business minded as always, he was the fellow I was actually talking with just now on the phone! He couldn’t use it too well, apparently his granddaughter had to set up the call for him, but we actually planned a meeting to discuss more details. For this evening actually!” The man paused, realizing a point, and perking up once again. “Speaking of which Gilbert, I’m going to need you to entertain his granddaughter while the two of us talk.”
Gill’s pen halted. He blinked. “I have to what?”
Another easy going laugh came from the older man. “Oh don’t be like that son! Gombe says she’s just lovely! I’m sure you’ll have a great time with her! They’re just coming over for dinner tonight and then the two of you can chat while we both chat!”
Gill gripped the pen in frustration while he tried every attempt to stay calm at the news. The image of some bouncing off the walls child came to his mind, and of course his father would set him up for babysitting. “Father,” the boy spoke through gritted teeth. “I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t want me there for the business discussions, I already wrote up the budget and did have the analysis on the level of produce we’re looking to outsource.”
“And you will be there for the discussion! Over dinner! But after dinner Gombe is going to show me a thing or two in pai gow, help me be able to hold my own the next time they have a meeting!” With a happy, almost proud of him look on his face, the man continued as he began walking out of the room. “Speaking of dinner, would you mind heading to the restaurant and chatting with Yolanda about putting something together? Great, thanks son!” And he was gone.
Gill was livid. This has happened before. Countless times. Where his father simply just doesn’t let him help, despite doing all the research for this project. He’s always just treated like a useless assistant. Time and time again.
He slammed his pen on the table in frustration, his mind calculating just how he was now going to get through the evening.
This was going to be a long night.
