Chapter 14 - Eric Finally Stopped Calling What He Did a Favor
Eric requested a meeting six months after his termination.
Daniel almost refused.
Rebecca was no longer involved.
No legal dispute remained between the brothers.
This one was personal.
They met at a diner their father used to visit after early warehouse shifts.
Eric looked different without a Vantage logo somewhere on his clothes.
“I got a job.”
Daniel nodded.
“Mom told me.”
“Smaller distributor.”
“Doing sales?”
“Account support.”
That was a significant step down.
Eric seemed embarrassed.
Daniel did not enjoy it.
“How are the kids?”
“Confused why Uncle Daniel stopped coming over.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Don’t.”
“I’m not using them.”
Eric stopped.
“Okay. Maybe I was.”
Progress.
Coffee arrived.
Eric wrapped both hands around the mug.
“I used to think you had it easier.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Rachel died.”
“I know.”
“Very easy.”
“Before that.”
Eric had always been the son expected to succeed Thomas.
Sales.
Clients.
Golf outings.
Board dinners.
Daniel worked trucks, routes, warehouse systems.
Gail trusted Eric with the company.
She protected Daniel from it.
Eric resented both roles.
“When Rachel got sick, Mom told me to keep your work from becoming another burden.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“So that’s what you told yourself.”
“Yes.”
“For eighteen months?”
Eric shook his head.
“No.”
He finally said what Daniel had waited to hear.
“At first I used your queue because it was convenient.”
A pause.
“Then I kept using it because it separated me from the approvals.”
Daniel remained still.
Eric continued:
“I knew some Redstone claims were bad.”
“How many?”
“I didn’t know exactly.”
“But enough.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew using my profile made the trail harder.”
Eric stared at the coffee.
“Yes.”
No explanation softened it.
Daniel asked:
“When did you stop thinking you were helping me?”
Eric swallowed.
“Probably the first time I changed a claim under your login after you came back from leave.”
Daniel nodded.
That was the line.
Everything after it had been deliberate.
Eric said:
“I’m sorry.”
“I believe you.”
“That’s it?”
“What do you want?”
Eric looked toward the window.
“My brother back.”
Daniel felt the old impulse to relieve discomfort.
Rachel had always accused him of doing that.
Make the joke.
Say it’s fine.
Get everyone through dinner.
Daniel did something different.
“I don’t know if you get that.”
Eric’s eyes filled.
“Okay.”
He did not argue.
They finished coffee.
No hug.
No dramatic reconciliation.
Daniel paid his own half.
Before leaving, Eric said:
“I’m glad Lily’s okay.”
Daniel nodded.
“Me too.”
That was enough for the day.
The corporate problems had been resolved through controls, repayments, leadership changes, and contract restructuring.
May you like
The family consequences had no such schedule.
Daniel was learning not to manufacture one.
