“I’ll be up soon to talk about February,” Samuel adds.
“See you then.”
Gabriel nods to Samuel, and we leave. Walking back to the offices upstairs, I can feel the tension between us.
“Sorry about Samuel. He’s just being...uh…”
“Protective of you,” Gabriel fills in. “I get it. I guess I’m not exactly welcome here. All these people are your friends or family.”
His voice sounds so sad, it almost makes me feel bad for the guy. Almost.
“We’re in an awkward situation,” he continues. “I didn’t mean to come in and fuck things up.” His face scrunches. “Sorry if that language offends you.”
“It doesn't. I live in Boston for fuck’s sake.”
He chuckles, and I smile. “Right.”
We finish our walk, and I realize how conflicted I feel right now. Gabriel seems like a nice guy who got put in a bad situation, but, then again, if he really doesn’t want to steal my job, he could just leave and go find something else, couldn't he? Maybe this nice-guy act is just a way to get under my skin and lower my defenses. Richard knows me well enough to give Gabriel tips on dealing with me. It’s a big family plot to overtake the planetarium. I shake my head. That sounds stupid even to me.
Gabriel
“Hey, Uncle Rick.” I nod, sitting across from his desk in one of three chairs.
“Can you call me Richard here? Everyone else does, and it downplays the relationship.”
I nod. “Right. Sorry.”
Jeremiah comes in next, followed by Samuel. Samuel looks tense as he shoots a cold look my way and Jeremiah avoids me all together. This is a great beginning.
“Let’s get started,” Uncle Rick…er…Richard says.
Jeremiah opens a black binder and starts rattling off categories and numbers, stopping politely every so often to offer me an explanation. I don’t know if that courtesy is on Richard’s behalf or mine, but I’ll take it.
“Any questions?” Richard asks me when Jeremiah finishes.
“Yeah, I guess I was wondering if the sales are seasonal here. More at a certain time of year?”
“Higher in the fall,” Jeremiah answers. “Lots of field trips. Less in the winter, more in early summer, dead in late summer when families take vacations and get ready for the start of school again. Spring is pretty even.”
“Which brings me to my idea,” Samuel jumps in, “to boost mid-winter tickets.”
Richard nods. “Okay, I read the outline, but pitch me.”
Samuel shifts so much to the side that he’s almost got his back facing me. Jeremiah clears his throat, shoots a look, and Samuel replies with an apologetic one, shifting to a more neutral position in his chair.
“After Christmas, things get pretty slow around here,” Samuel explains, making slight eye contact with me. “I was brainstorming unique ideas to draw people in other than ‘look at our cool planets.’”
“Go on,” Richard says.
“February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day. I thought every week in February, we could have a date or romantic theme. I’m also proposing a single’s night on Valentine’s Day.”
“Otherwise known as single awareness day,” Jeremiah adds in an oddly serious tone for such a flippant remark.
“Exactly. This is an awesome location for something like that. We can get a special permit to offer cocktails. We can have light finger food and set it up to attract the single crowd.”
“Very unusual,” Richard says. “I’m not sure it will land. Is that really our demographic?”
“Based on our social media stats, it’s fifty-five percent of everyone who’s visited in the last ten months.”
“Interesting. But does that just boost February? And then what?”
“I think we should offer a membership discount. Fourteen percent off for Valentine’s Day. It’s an annual membership.”
Richard looks unconvinced, so taking a chance, I dive in. “If I may, Richard, it’s an excellent idea.”
“Why do you say that?” he asks as both twins look at me.
“Okay, so as someone who never came here before, all I knew of planetariums were the ones I went to as a kid. This is really different from those. It’s really modern and cool inside. Everyone who works here is young and energetic. It’s LGBTQ friendly, which is huge. That angle should be played up too.”
Richard’s eyes widen. “You think so?”
“Of course.”
Richard chuckles. “It’s me who hasn’t allowed Samuel to market that angle. I wasn’t sure if it would exclude people.”
“It will exclude homophobic assholes,” Jeremiah says. “And they can keep their money.”
I smile at Jeremiah, but he just shifts his gaze away.
“Jeremiah,” Richard says. “You support this February plan?”
“I do. I’ve looked at the stats and agree with his assessment. I probably shouldn’t be here for it, but I can always stay in my office.”
“Why do you say that?” I ask as Samuel snickers.
“Jeremiah is allergic to fun,” Richard says, winking at Jeremiah, who actually chuckles.
“I’m not great at it,” he says, glancing briefly at me.
I smell a challenge.
“Okay,” Richard says. “I should just trust you guys with this. You’re twenty years younger and know better than me what’s cool. Do it.”
Samuel perks up. “Budget approved?”
“I’ll leave it up to Jeremiah. Oh, and, um, Gabriel. You can work together on it.”
Okay, that wasn’t awkward, and, yeah, Jeremiah puffs his chest just enough that I know he noticed.
The meeting breaks up, but as I start to walk out, Richard’s voice stops me.
“Shut the door.”
I comply, and return to stand in front of his desk.
“How are things with Jeremiah so far?”
“Tense, but professional. He’s been explaining a lot of things to me.”
“And Samuel?”
“Clearly hates my guts.”
Richard frowns. “I have to say this.”
“Sure.” I grip the back of the chair.
“The position really should go to Jeremiah.”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“But you’re family, and I told your father I would give you a fair shot. You have to prove it. I wouldn’t feel right if I influenced the board in your favor.”
“I don’t want you to, Uncle Rick. Richard.” I glance around the office for a second. “Do you want me here?”
Richard stands. “Of course. I’m happy you’re home again, and I hope we can spend more time together. I’d love to give you a shot at this, but Jeremiah has worked hard.”
“So why this position then? Why not just a random role doing grunt work or whatever?”
Richard frowns. “I don’t have any other positions budgeted.”
I tilt my head. “What does that mean? Only one of us can stay?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ll have to talk to the board.”