Daddy's Boy

Not What I Expected

"Brendan? What the hell happened on vacation? Did you lose your mind?" My boss was glaring at me from across her large desk and I was confused. I came in this morning and everything had seemed pretty normal in fact. My email box was full, my inbox was waiting with fresh work for the week, and the ladies had been rather nice to me on the way in.

"What do you mean?" I watched her face as she scrutinized me carefully. She was looking for something. Waiting for something. I wasn't sure what. Finally, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Do you know someone named Janet Carlisle?" She asked me seriously. The name seemed familiar. Where had I heard that before? Janet... oh, Janet! I nodded hesitantly. She sighed and passed me a sheaf of papers. I looked down to see a rough draft for print in a magazine, and there we were. The note on the top was from the editor asking permission to run the story.

I blinked at the pictures. It was obviously taken from the side of the pool while we were having fun. There was more from the night we went to dinner. All of them were of me laughing, Edmund being funny and sweet to me. The thing that touched me the most was the headline she wanted to use: "The Truth About Brendan Riley: Just Another Love Story."

"At least she asked I guess...." I mumbled as I read through it quickly. It nearly brought me to tears. She had captured us at our best and I was never more flattered in my life. She called me a "cheerful and kind soul." She called Edmund a "gentle giant." She had painted a picture of us running away from the negativity to support each other.

"It isn't horrible. We didn't really want more press on this, but this might be good for the company. I want you to take that with you, call your boyfriend and run it by him. You will have to be prepared for some continued spotlight action if we run it though. Get back to me before four." She waved her hand at me and I left in a daze.

I sat in my seat heavily. I couldn't escape the reality as much as I might want to. I was a Riley. I would never be anything else to some people. I could run, but I couldn't hide. There would always be people who would use my name for their own ends, and not all of them would be as kind or generous as Janet had been. She gave me a choice.

I texted Edmund to ask him to come see me at lunch. It would give me time to think and get through some of the work on my desk. I sorted my emails into critical, soon and can wait folders. Then I sorted my inbox the same way. I got through a bunch of the critical stuff as my mind raced. It was good that I could multitask in my mind, or I would have made a ton of mistakes.

I was meticulous though, even when I was crazy busy. It helped to relax me when I double checked and sent on complete work to the next stage. It made me feel like the world kept going even when you felt like you were stuck. That was kind of hopeful in its own way. If you couldn't see past a problem, then maybe someone else could do what was needed to move it forward.

Edmund came in with a packed lunch and I smiled gratefully. I got up and closed my office door, signalling to my Daddy that I really needed a private moment. I came and sat on his lap while he held me tenderly. His scruffy face burrowed into my neck and I sighed in content as he kissed me just above my shirt collar. He arms wrapped around me with warmth and security.

"What's wrong baby?" He asked me gruffly. I pouted a little, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Nothing. Everything. Maybe it will work out better... just, I need your advice." I laid my head on his shoulder and he stroked my hair gently so it wouldn't muss. I babbled on about the article that Janet had written while he listened patiently. I felt him nod as I worked out all the possible outcomes from it. I felt him sigh and watched those thick brows furrow while he thought.