Chapter 19
GILLY
Since I brought so much stuff over to Daddy Nate’s, I started spending more and more time there.
It was amazing to get up early and use my Daddy-binky first thing.
With two feedings on top of my regular diet on most days, I actually put on some weight.
Maybe I was getting bonus calories. There was no better way to start the day, though, than right here in Daddy’s arms. I shifted to the other side and squirmed.
It would be nice to get some rubbie time in, but I had to go to work, and sleeping over at Daddy Nate’s meant I had to leave earlier.
So, we skipped that, and I got dressed. At least I had a job where I could wear jeans and T-shirts.
Sometimes golf shirts, if I had to meet with clients.
I was hoping Uncle Clay would be in since he was supposed to be back so we could finally talk.
I needed the situation resolved one way or another.
I kissed Daddy Nate goodbye. “I’ll see you tonight. Can we have Chinese?”
“Sure. I’ll get it. I know what you like.”
Nummy-nummy. I loved the sweet sauces and everything I could eat with my fingers, especially the crab rangoons. “Get extra rangoons, Daddy.”
He ruffled my hair. “You got it.” I stole another kiss before darting out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and out the door.
The drive over wasn’t all that long, but it took about ten minutes more than it would have from my apartment.
When I got there, a few of the crew members were busy loading up the van, and Uncle Clay was in the office area.
“Hey, Uncle Clay, how was your trip?” I was happy to see he hadn’t forgotten his return date this time, since I needed to ask him about selling the company, even if I wasn’t sure how to bring it up.
“Great. I’m already planning the next one.” He gave me a quick hug. “Things have been going pretty smoothly here it seems.”
That meant he wanted me to tell him what was going on, and that might be the way to lead into what I had to talk to him about.
“Mostly. Payroll was hard a couple of times, but I managed to get it out. I ran a couple of solo jobs and picked up a bit of new business. We can probably get more in a few of those neighborhoods with a little canvasing.”
“Eh. I don’t know. It’s always a tough balance between having enough people to do the work versus how much work you have.”
“True. But do you even want to keep doing this? Do you want to try and expand or cut things back?”
“Retire?”
“Yeah. What if I bought the business from you? Then you could travel all you wanted and never have to worry about any of this.” I waved my hands around.
He put his thinky-face on, the one he always got before making a tough decision.
“Well, honestly, it’s probably past time I retired, but I don’t know.
I’m concerned you won’t be able to afford it.
Buying me out, I mean, and your dad would kick my ass if I saddled you with a burden.
” I knew my dad loved me and cared about me but probably wouldn’t have a lot to say about this.
Dad knew I’d been working at this for a long time, and it was one of the reasons he let me move out at such a young age.
Granted, I moved in with Grandpa rather than on my own, but still, working with Uncle Clay was one of the biggest reasons that happened.
“It would not be a burden, and it’s not Dad’s decision.
I’m an adult now. If it makes you feel better, I have someone who can help me put an offer together so we could see if I’m able to pull it off.
” For some reason, I was getting excited at the prospect.
Like all the doubts I had while talking to Daddy just vanished.
“That makes sense. You’re a smart cookie, Gilly. Get me that offer, and I’ll think about it.”
“Great, that’s more than fair. Now, are you going over to the Baker job with me? Those walls aren’t going to paint themselves.”
“Smartass. Come on.”
We loaded the back of my car, and I felt a little easier about the whole thing.
At lunch I called Nate. “Guess what, Daddy. Uncle Clay said he’ll think about it once we give him the proposal.
Now we need to get it together.” I was actually more eager than I initially thought I would be.
Maybe it wasn’t so much that I didn’t want the company as it was that I hadn’t let myself hope for it.
Sure, I could start over, but that would be harder, and I would feel like I was competing with Uncle Clay.
I didn’t want to do that, which made this way so much better.
“I’m happy for you, Gilly. Come over when you get off work, and we’ll get started on it.”