Long Time, No See

III: II

Denver

"We're glad to be taking you on son, I know your uncle was adamant on your continuing here as acting CO of the company but I admire your wanting to experience the company in its entirety before taking the helm," Theodore, a friend of my uncle and the current acting CEO says to me with an approving smile.

I give him a genuine smile back before answering him.

"I'd prefer that I worked for my position and felt comfortable in myself before I take on this huge responsibility. It would also be a huge honor to work alongside you, sir."

His chest expands with pride and he guffaws at this, before standing up from behind his desk to come around to me clapping my back rather harshly. Theodore Manson is a big man in all sense of the word. His grand stature matching his portly size. A man to be feared if you didn't know what a big teddy bear he really was. With slicked onyx hair, a giant greying beard, and mustache he looked and weirdly even sometimes sounded like the legendary pirates told in children's stories.

"I like you, son, I really do, I just knew Mike wouldn't leave the fate of the company down to no cowardly knave and when he told me 'bout his strapping young godson I just knew he was gonna choose you." He states with a proud smile on his face.
He waddles off to the corner of the room where his self-designated liquor cabinet is stood before reaching in and grabbing a bottle of port and two glasses for him and me.

"You drink?" He asks approaching the desk again and dropping a round-rimmed glass in front of me before I can even answer.
I wince as I don't usually drink anything other than a light beer during the week, but felt unable to decline Manson's offer as it didn't feel like he offered just anyone a drink from his personal store.

"Sure", I shrug nonchalantly and he claps my back again heavily with a hearty chuckle making me lurch forward. "That's the spirit, a man who can hold his liquor can certainly hold his own!" He proclaims pouring a substantial amount of port into the glass. He pours his own and then waits for me to pick my glass up and clink it with his.

"To new leadership and old friends." His cheer rings out loud around the spacious office room and I silently agree to his toast taking a sip of the drink. It has a rich blend of sweetness with a hint of tang, but on the whole, goes down extremely smoothly.
"Good, ain't it?!" He exclaims when he watches me appreciate the drink in the glass. "You like that then you'll love the rum!" He then smirks bringing a bottle of rum from behind his back.

Wha- When did he get that?

"But before that-" he starts with a serious look on his slightly intimidating face.
"-I just want you to know that godson of Mike regardless, I have expectations regarding your time here." He finishes pulling his chair closer to mine from around the desk and sitting on it.

I place my glass down, sensing the shift in the air and give him all of my attention, letting him continue with a wave of my hand.

"You've asked to shadow me and I have no qualms with that lad, but this still includes you taking on huge projects for me-", he pauses to take a sip of his port finishing off the glass before replacing it with a glass full of rum, "-after all, this will all be yours in a little while. I'm going to be bringing you to meeting with suppliers and other business partners, these meetings may even involve me taking a backseat and having you take charge of the ongoings. Can I trust that you can handle making decisions for the business and conduct yourself amongst people of high caliber properly?" He asks me staring intently and directly into my eyes, unblinking and unwaveringly. Without breaking eye contact I swig the rest of my drink, slightly slamming the glass back down onto the desk in front of me, and reply with a firm nod in his direction.