The Miracle of You

Michael couldn’t help but feel a twinge of amusement. Straight to the point as always.

His sister wasn’t one for small talk, anyway.

“Kenny’s birthday is coming up next week, right?” he said. “I can’t be present on that day since I have an important business trip, but I’d like to come by two days early and bring him a present. That is, if it’s all right with you.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Michael could almost hear the internal debate that was probably going on right now inside of his sister’s head.

Finally, Joanna sighed.

“All right. Come by around noon. I’ll have lunch prepared for you.”

She then hung up the phone.

Michael shook his head as he put his phone inside his pocket.

This was going to be difficult.

But if he was going to reevaluate his life and try to find his true goal again, he had to patch up things from his past, one by one.

And that included family matters, especially his strained relationship with Joanna.

He was now in his thirties. Soon they would be in their forties, their fifties, their sixties…

Their parents wouldn’t be there for them forever, and later in life, the siblings would only have each other to lean on besides their significant others. If he didn’t fix this now, he might never get the chance again.

Especially considering that day when Joanna had suddenly burst into his office without warning, which made Michael think that maybe she felt the same way.

It was always hard to patch things up when things went on for too long. When he’d gotten used to it, and when he didn’t really see the point in fixing things.

But then he began to remember the time when Joanna – however reluctantly – taught him about the business every day, including weekends, and even took the time to teach him what he was confused about. She was a big part of the reason why his grades in school improved, and also why he became more interested in rising to the top.

Even though their relationship was not very good at the time.

It made Michael sigh.

Maybe, deep down, they had wanted to reconcile their differences for years.

And maybe now was the time to finally take action.

***

On the appointed day, Michael drove alone to Joanna’s home in an exclusive gated community.

It was a large house of modern architecture, just the way she liked it. Elegant and decorated in cool colors, surrounded by a large garden and a driveway lined with trees.

Michael parked his car and walked to the front door with a wrapped gift in his hand.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Within a minute of ringing the doorbell, Joanna opened the door. She had a neutral expression on her face, and he couldn’t figure out what she was thinking at that moment.

“Come in,” she said formally, stepping aside.

The interior of the house was just as impressive. High ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and luxurious furnishings.

Almost immediately, a butler came to take his coat, and Michael let him.

He had been to Joanna’s house once or twice before, but only because of his nephews. In spite of everything, he liked being with the children because they were a stark contrast to their mother’s personality. They were happy and very active, and they wanted Michael to come and play with them all the time.

He walked through the foyer and looked at the paintings hanging on the walls. He stared at each one, marveling at the artistry he saw. Joanna had good taste, that was for sure.

He heard the sound of laughter from another room. Without a word, Joanna left and he followed her into a spacious living room. There, Charlie and Kenny were playing with their toys and chasing each other.

As their footsteps rang across the room, Kenny looked up, his eyes sparkling with a childlike joy.

“Uncle Michael!” he shouted, running over to hug him.

Michael knelt down and ruffled Kenny’s hair affectionately. “Hey, buddy. Happy early birthday. I’m sorry I won’t be able to be there on your special day, but I brought you something special in advance.”

Kenny’s eyes widened with excitement as Michael handed him the gift. He quickly tore open the wrapping paper to reveal an expensive-looking drone.

Kenny jumped up and down. “I really wanted to have this! Wow! Thanks, Uncle Michael! This is awesome!” he said happily.

Joanna watched from a distance, a small, fond smile tugging at her lips. “Why don’t you go and play with it outside, Ken?” she suggested.

Kenny didn’t need to be told twice. He eagerly ran out into the backyard, with Charlie following close behind, looking curiously at the drone.

Once the boys were occupied, an awkward silence hung in the air.

“Take a seat,” Joanna said.

Michael nodded and sat on the nearby plush couch.

“So,” she began as she sat down across from him, crossing her arms, “what brings you here, really?”

Straight to the point as always.

“I came here for Kenny, and that’s the truth,” he said. “But I also… wanted to talk to you.”

Joanna’s expression didn’t soften. “About what? Perhaps about that woman?”

Michael blinked. “You mean Camille?”

A steely look crossed her features. “You know, don’t you?” she said in a serious tone. “That the Callahans are bad news.”

He frowned. The way she said it made it seem like they were a part of something illegal.

“In what way?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I cannot tell you for sure. But Father does not like the patriarch the most. However, he is often forced to put his personal feelings aside for the sake of the business. Otherwise people will talk, and we both know that’s the last thing Father wants.”

Michael sighed. Of course. John McGregor and his insistence on keeping the McGregor family on a high pedestal in the business world.

“Anyway, that’s not what I’m here to talk to you about,” he finally said. “Things have been tense between us for a long time, and I want to clear that up once and for all.”