Rare, Precious, and Flighty

MANY MONTHS TO GO

6:47 AM

It took longer than expected to reach the restaurant, and longer still, to be seated. She assumed the wait meant that the food was good, or certainly hoped as much. There must be some reason her father's employers had chosen this place, after all.

The building itself was a lovely one, but crowded, and smothered, by both people, and their smoke.

"Everyone's got a cigarette on 'em, nowadays. What happened to pipes?"

The image of her father, sat on their porch back home, a little cloud mingling in with his beard, flashed in her mind. Pipe in hand, he'd sit there with her, talking about anything and everything. They hadn't had a talk like that in a while, been too busy, here. To be quite honest, she felt this all was quite a bit of fuss, over hiring one man, even a man as hard working as her father.

"George!"

The voice, tore her from her thoughts.

"So glad to see you, and your beautiful family, could make it.", the man continued, strolling over to their table.

He was of average height, with a plain enough face, though clearly excited to see them, all. Plopping down into a seat beside her father, he grinned, widely.

"I'm very glad you had us, Mr. Lively.", her father replied, shaking his hand.

"Now, now, you all must call me, plain, Clifford. Won't have anything else."

He went to shake her mother's hand, his face lighting up.

"Well then, it's a pleasure, Clifford. I'm, Monica, and our girls are, Theresa and Ruby."

She gestured to each daughter, and his icy eyes followed respectively. As they settled on Ruby, she found she couldn't look into them. Mumbling a, "Pleased to meet you.", she took his hand, quickly. Clifford's smile never lessened however, as he promptly began the business talk, focused once again, on her father.

"So, you're George Eiguren, future manager at our fine steel company, eh?"

He butchered their last name, rather gorily, but his failed attempt seemed to affect no one.

"If you'll have me, that is.", George replied.

His deep voice, very southern, was in stark contrast to Clifford's.

"Oh, you're hired, my good man, it's just your position, that needs clarification.", he said

Monica suddenly interjected, folding her hands together, and leaning into the table.

"And, just what are his options?"

Clifford's face took on a new look, as he eyed Ruby's mother.

"Well, we'd like him to oversee all detailing, structural steel, and rebar. Make him a manager, really, as I said. However for that, we'd really like to have him here."

George shook his head.

"Just pack up my family, and move 'em over here? That why you paid for us all, to come out here? See if we like the land?"

The blonde man, smiled, nodding his head, in a cheery way.

"Yes, sir. We'd pay for the expenses, of the move, as well, you see."

Monica's eyes darted to her husband, but his were fixed on the table. His brow furrowed, and face strangely serious, she realized he was thinking hard on it. Perhaps, he was actually considering it. She'd need to talk to him, later. This would be a big step. Looking to her children, she nodded, before turning to Clifford.

"Well, that's very generous, of you."

The droll of practicality, continued all breakfast. Ruby only caught bits of it, here and there.

Your new position, George, would consist of managing both sides of detailing.

Now, we're not entirely sure about relocating, yet.

A man of your experience, is an invaluable asset to us.

You should try the scones.

She glanced away, holding in a sigh, with some difficulty. This was all her "exciting" trip to London had been. Stay at the hotel, and keep studying. Look your best, and meet up with the new bosses. What a drag. Every so often, Clifford would say something, hoping to engage the soft spoken girls, but all attempts were in vain. She couldn't have been happier when everyone was done eating, almost an hour later.

"Now, you'll consider it, won't you, George?"

Clifford clutched at her father's hand, his sophisticated British voice, taking on a higher tone.

"Oh, yes. Yes, sir.", her father replied.

He shook his hand with a firm grip, before swiftly pulling back.

"Then I'll see you all again, next week, if not sooner. Goodbye, all!"

With a flick of his hand, the man soon vanished into the crowd of his countrymen. Just like that, another meeting over with. It almost agitated the girl.