Chapter 4 A Talk Over Brunch

• Emmett ate quickly after he was served. He hadn't seen this much food in years. He looked up at John after a while and froze.
• John stared at him with squinted eyes. “It's all here for you, Emmett. Take your time.” John said what he had been wanting to say ever since Emmett started eating.
• Emmett swallowed the food in his mouth and chuckled nervously. “Sorry, Mr. Campbell, I got a bit carried away. It's been quite a while since I sat behind a table this full. Please forgive my lack of table manners.” He said quietly.
• John sighed out softly and he began to eat. “This will be your daily table for a week.” He said softly.
• Emmett smiled with a nod and continued eating. “But it wouldn't be Cecilia's cooking. And her food tastes really good.”
• John chuckled. “That is why I'm taking her with me to the beach house. I need good food while I'm trying to recoup my energy.”
• Emmett chuckled with a nod.
• “You'll have Fey. Fey will be your personal assistant and housekeeper.”
• Emmett stopped on his food with a confused look on his face. “Why do I have one person playing both roles?” He thought out loud.
• John looked up at him. “I don't have a personal assistant. You would have worked with them.” He pointed out.
• Emmett nodded at the fact that John had pointed out, and he continued eating.
• “Fey is Cecilia's daughter. She's a college student and she interns with my company every time she's on vacation. So it's that time of the year anyway.” John explained.
• Emmett stared at him blankly.
• “She interns as an administrative assistant and she assists Cecilia around the house too. So she's capable of handling both roles for a week. And she's an equally good cook.”
• Emmett nodded. “Okay, Mr. Campbell. I don't mind working and living with Fey so long as she's knowledgeable and can help me around both at work and at home.” He said softly.
• John nodded and looked back into his food. “Fey is strictly here for business. Don't touch her.” He said sternly and continued eating.
• Emmett stopped eating and looked at John with a slight frown. “Um, yes Sir.” He said quietly. He didn't have any interest in getting romantically involved with any woman while he was living here, so he didn't see the need for that warning. He continued to eat his food.
• “She'll be here when you move in tomorrow …” John was saying.
• Emmett stopped eating again. “Come again?” He asked nervously.
• John looked up at him. “Which part of what I just said did you not hear?” He asked quietly.
• Emmett chuckled nervously. “I thought I heard you say that I'd be moving in tomorrow.”
• John nodded. “That is correct.” He said softly.
• Emmett stared at him blankly. “Tomorrow is Saturday.” He said quietly.
• “That is also correct.” John said firmly.
• Emmett dropped his cutlery. “Do I have to work tomorrow?” He asked anxiously.
• John chuckled with a slight frown when he understood why Emmett sounded confused. “No, you're not working tomorrow. However the one week countdown starts tomorrow and ends next Friday. So you'll start living here tomorrow.” He explained.
• Emmett swallowed. He nodded.
• “Then on Monday, work begins. I'll do well to send an email to management tonight, informing them that you'll be taking over in the coming week while I’m away, and that they should accord you the necessary assistance. There are a number of things pending my perusal and approval. See Peter Jones, the Chief Operating Officer. He'll walk you through them. Then you can approve them.” John said.
• Emmett frowned slightly. “A COO? That is someone who is next in command, am I wrong?” He asked softly.
• John ignored him as he ate.
• “Forgive my ignorance, but is the COO not supposed to take over in your absence? Peter Jones can take up this CEO role while you're away on a one week rest, Mr. Campbell.” Emmett continued carefully.
• John continued to ignore him while eating.
• Emmett nodded. It was clear that John was not interested in that conversation. John had earlier mentioned that he couldn't handover to the staff all these years, which was why he hadn't been able to go on vacation. Maybe there was something dark about Peter Jones. Note to self: we do not like Peter Jones so much. He thought to himself.
• Emmett cleared his throat. “Can I choose to not approve something if I don't agree to it?” He asked to change the topic.
• John chuckled with a nod. “That is why you're the CEO. The decision is yours to make. But you need to make them wisely. I don't want to spend months or maybe years cleaning up your mess upon my return.” He said sternly.
• Emmett swallowed. “I won't let you down, Mr. Campbell.” He said.
• John chuckled again and looked up at him. “I should say ‘I know’. But frankly speaking, I'm only hoping so. I'm crazy enough to leave everything I have to a twenty-five year old I met on a bridge. I'm hoping that this is not how things end up going south for me.” He said sternly and continued eating. He did believe that Emmett was going to handle everything well, and he didn't know why his intuition made him feel so. He however didn't want Emmett to be complacent, which was why he spoke like that. He wanted Emmett to be on his toes and work hard.
• Emmett swallowed again and let John’s words sink in. “Twenty-six.” He corrected John quietly after a while.
• John stared at him with squinted eyes. Was the one year he missed in the age going to make anything different? He continued to eat his food.
• Emmett continued to eat too.
• “Be here by 6:00 am. Fey will move in tonight so she can welcome you tomorrow.” John said softly.
• “Okay Sir,” Emmett said quietly. “Will I meet you here tomorrow?”
• John shook his head softly. “No.” He said briefly.
• “Can I have visitors over?” Emmett asked.
• John looked up at him gravely.
• Emmett stuttered. “My friends, just three of them …”
• John looked into his food. “That's fine,” he said softly.
• Emmett smiled broadly. “Thank you,” he said quietly.
• “They can stay, that is, if you need company. But do not get distracted.” John added sternly.
• Emmett shook his head hard. “I will not be distracted!” He exclaimed firmly.
• John looked up at him with a frown. He looked back into his food and continued eating.
• Emmett pursed his lips when he realized he had been loud. He looked at John for a while. “Can I call, text or email you if anything?” Emmett asked quietly.
• John looked up at him with squinted eyes. “You’ll figure things out, Emmett. Besides, what could possibly go wrong in seven days?”
• Emmett smiled shyly. “Thank you for believing in me, Mr. Campbell.”
• John smiled at him. There was a warm feeling in his heart. He'd had a tickle in his throat only three times in his entire life: first, on the day he had to choose which college to go to; second, on the night he met some prospective Japanese business partners; and third, this morning. The first two times had ended up working out in his favour, and he believed this third time would too.
• John looked back into his food. “I suggest that you go shopping over the weekend for some suits to help you fit into your new role. Fey can help you with that.” John said softly as he ate a little.
• Emmett nodded as he chewed on his food.
• “And again, Fey is strictly here for business. Don't touch her.” John said sternly as he looked at Emmett this time.
• Emmett frowned slightly at John again. He nodded. “Yes Sir.” He said quietly.