Sins of the Father by Angela Benson Page A

Sixteen
    I saac saw the dapper Alan Weems, MEEG’s lead counsel, as soon as he stepped off the
     hospital elevator wearing his signature Cardin double-breasted suit. The older man,
     a longtime family friend, greeted his mother first. “I’m so sorry, Saralyn,” he said,
     pressing a kiss on her makeup-free cheek.
    “Thank you, Alan. We’re going to be counting on you a lot during the next few days
     and weeks of uncertainty.”
    “I won’t let you down. I promise you.”
    She nodded. “I know you won’t.” She stood slowly, seeming much older than her forty-eight
     years. She normally looked much younger than her age, but she had been at the hospital
     all night so she appeared far from her typically perfect self. “I’m going to go sit
     with Abraham and leave this meeting to the next generation of Martins.” She looked
     at Isaac. “It’s your time now, son. Don’t let me or your father down.”
    “I won’t, Mom,” he said, pressing a kiss against her cheek.
    She embraced Rebecca. “I’m counting on you, too,” she told her. “We’re going to need
     your PR expertise in the office, but Isaac is going to need you even more as his helpmeet.
     Stand strong with him, Rebecca. He’s going to need the safe haven that you provide.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” she said. “I’m behind Isaac one hundred percent. I always have been
     and I always will be. You don’t have to worry about that.”
    “I know,” she said, squeezing Rebecca’s hand. She added for the attorney, “Thanks
     again, Alan.”
    “You take care of yourself, Saralyn,” he said, “and give my best to Abraham.”
    She nodded and then turned toward her husband’s hospital room.
    “She’s holding up well,” Alan observed. “What are the doctors saying this morning?”
    “Not much,” Isaac said. “They induced the coma to deal with his pain, and they’ll
     keep him in it until they find out the cause. It’s an awful situation. Dad didn’t
     deserve this.”
    Alan placed a hand on Isaac’s shoulder. “Your father’s a strong man, Isaac. He’ll
     beat this, whatever it is.”
    “I certainly hope so.”
    Rebecca came and stood next to Isaac. Though he was still angry with her, he appreciated
     her presence. Until now he hadn’t considered how small his family really was—him,
     Rebecca, Mom, and Dad. Deborah and Michael were a distant afterthought.
    “There’s no good time for this, but we need to talk business,” Alan said. “With the
     change in Abraham’s status, I’ve postponed the companywide meeting. Our more immediate
     need is for a press conference.”
    “Can’t this wait a few days?” Rebecca asked, rubbing her hand across Isaac’s back.
     “We’re still in shock.”
    Alan shook his head. “I’m afraid not. MEEG is not going to standstill because Abraham is out of commission. We need to mobilize now so that the company
     doesn’t suffer a loss of momentum.” He turned to face Isaac. “Your father has several
     deals going, and his partners need to be reassured that MEEG can and will stand by
     those deals. You’re going to have to convince them of that, Isaac. They’re going to
     be looking for a voice from the family, and that’s you. It’s what your father wanted,
     what he ordered.”
    Isaac nodded. “I know and I’m ready. Just bring me up to date on the outstanding projects.”
    “We can start that tomorrow. I’ll be in your office first thing—say eight o’clock?”
    “That’s fine,” he said, reaching for Rebecca’s hand in a show of solidarity that she
     knew was simple play-acting. “We’ll be there.”
    “Good. There is one order of business that we need to take care of today, though.”
    “What’s that?” Rebecca asked.
    “The board of directors.”
    “Now that Dad’s out of commission, the board consists of you, Mom, and me,” Isaac
     said.
    “That used to be the composition,” Alan said. “Before his accident, your father added
     two members: Leah and Deborah