The CEO'S syndrome

CHAPTER NINE: Mr CEO who works in the kitchen.

        

Fyodor disgruntled as the blaring sound of his bedside alarm filled his ears. He had set his alarm to wake him up in time to catch his flight at exactly 6am.

He had a meeting to attend at 9am and could not afford to be late.

Just like every other Friday, the trio had partied away and left for their respective homes in the wee hours.

He rolled to the other end of the bed and wore his slippers before noisily walking to the bathroom to get ready.

He looked back at his image in the mirror. He needed more sleep. He looked like a ghost, with red puffy eyes and dark circles underneath them.

He snorted as he lined the bristle of his toothbrush with toothpaste and raised his head up to fill his mouth with the brush.

"Jesus christ!"

His mother laughed at her son's shocked expression as she stood behind him and made more scary faces.

"Mother, you scared me!"

"Sorry scaredy baby", she laughed again.

Fyodor smiled and began to brush his teeth. He was whiling away time he didn't have. 

After washing his teeth, he began to unbutton his nightshirt and gave his mother the look.

He needed his privacy.

His mother unheeded his silent pleas to be alone but instead dramatically gestured for him to carry on.

"Mother I have a flight to catch", he made a displeased face.

"And how am I stopping you?"

"I need some time alone!"

She sniggered and said in one breath, "It's not like I haven't seen you unclad before"

"I am a full grown man now!"

She laughed and stated the reason why she was bickering with her last child around 5 in the morning.

"The flight is canceled, so is the meeting. So we have all day to tease each other", she batted her artificial eyelashes as she said the last part.

"Is this some kind of joke? Cause this one is going to be expensive".

"I'm not joking lad. Your father has sent someone to take care of it. So come downstairs and help Mummy fix breakfast". 

Fyodor opened his mouth to speak but his mother beat him to it.

"Your father wants you in his study, something about work, I think?"

She spanked his ass and muttered as she left, "He does not work at the office yet he spends all his days in his study. Talk to your father, I deserve to spend some quality time with him".

Fyodor jerked when he felt the slap and shook his head. His mother would never change, in this life or the next and he loves her for it.

                   …

"Come in", Mr Babanin's voice echoed from the inside.

Fyodor went into his father's study. As he took in the familiar room, he still asked himself the same question that always popped into his head.

Where does his  father get his ideas from?

Even though the older man had moved to a smaller study when his son became the CEO, the room still looked the same.

Russian antique furniture filled the room. The skull of a fierce tiger sat majestically on the table with a tiger fur atop its head, leaving the mandible and teeth of the tiger shown.

A corner of the room has two standing shelves filled with liquor, the old expensive kind.

Another corner shows a display of knives and blades in different sizes and shapes.

 He had designed the smaller study to look like the larger one he used to work in when he was still the CEO.

Mr Babanin is a strict boring man, his motto is 'all work and no play'. 

One would wonder how a free spirited woman like his wife managed to remain the love of his life.

He only has a soft spot for his first son and his wife. He treats Fyodor like a business partner, always so formal around him, even in his childhood days when he found the CEO potential in the young boy of five and ten years of age.

"Good morning sir, you sent for me", Fyodor spoke formally.

He liked the relationship he had with his father, they do not behave informally around one another but father and son loved each other so much.

His mother would tell him countless times that he was the only one his father truly enjoyed his company.

"Yes, Mr CEO. I hope Mrs Babanin has informed you of your impromptu holiday"

When his father read his son's response on his face, he continued,

"I see, she has not said a word", his father gulped and hid his sweaty palm underneath the table.

Fyodor schooled in his father's actions, his father seemed nervous.

'What has happened?', he wondered as he stood rooted to the floor.

"You see, Mr CEO", his father cleared his throat and continued, "Ah, where was I?"

Fyodor is still unaware of the issue but he knew that something distasteful had happened. 

Fyodor waited and waited but it seemed his father had truly forgotten what he said last. Or had a cat got his tongue?

"'You see, Mr CEO'. That's what you said last", Fyodor assisted.

Mr Babanin feigned a cough and wiped invisible sweat on his brows.

"Right, Mr CEO. The thing is… uhm uh. Perhaps you can have your mother tell you and we can discuss solutions afterwards?"

Mr Babanin tried to back out.

"I'd rather hear from you sir, what is the problem?"

Fyodor is not having it this time. Seeing as his father is beginning to slowly lose his composure, it must either be about his mother or his brother.

His father could never keep a straight face whenever it concerned those two.

His father wiped his face with his handkerchief and looked towards the door.

"Ah, that must be your mother, I think she is calling for me"

Fyodor stroked the subtle hair that was already sticking out of his chin. He barely had time for himself to even tidy up well. Except Friday nights when he partied, he does nothing else but to work and solve troubles his brother created.

"I beg your pardon sir, no one is leaving this room, until I am aware of this pressing issue."

Fyodor said authoritatively. He was beginning to lose it.

His father shifted uneasily in his seat and started again, "True sir, true. We must finish the matter at hand", a short funny laugh followed which was uncommon for his father to direct a laugh towards him.

"What unspeakable thing has Ivan brought upon us this time?", 

Fyodor was tired of his father's shilly shallying.

His father sighed and intoned, fearful of his son's reaction.

"Ivan has impregnated a woman", he added quickly before his son would react, "But he has promised to marry her". 

That did not make the situation any better. It was no business of Fyodor if his brother impregnated all the women in the world, his only problem was the fact that more funds would be extorted all in the name of a 'fiancee' or 'girlfriend'.

And Mr Babanin knew this, this was the main reason why he sent his wife to tell Fyodor first. But the brainy woman had said nothing. How cruel women can be sometimes.

"Father, you understand the company's finances just like I do, there's no money to spend on such frivolities". Fyodor stated calmly.

"I know son, but I actually think it's a good idea. He loves her. Maybe Ivan can get responsible when he is married…"

Father and son always managed to forget about formalities when Ivan was involved.

Fyodor paced the room as he listened to his father's plea to help his brother. Again.

Mr Babanin walked up to his son, when all his words did naught to calm Fyodor down.

He rested his hand on the younger man's shoulder and pleaded, "Please boy, give Ivan a chance just like you always do. Please. The lady will be stopping over this afternoon". 

"And if I say no?", Fyodor tested his waters.

"Then it's no", his father confirmed.

No. The word was mentally slipping off his tongue but he couldn't say it to his father. Not to his mother. Not to his foolish brother, who might have just found love.

Also, his father had said Ivan loves the lady, maybe he could invest in her. She could help him secure a leash around Ivan's neck.

"I deserve to slack sometimes too", he muttered as he rested his aching feet.

His father cleared his throat and returned to his seat at the head of the table.

"Sir, I would strongly not advise that. If the leader of the pigs should vanish, the other pigs would run wild. Besides, you party every Friday". 

Fyodor moved his eyes in a circle. His father is back to his formal boring self.

"Mr CEO, have you been making plans for the party? The Duncans. I recommend you tailor a new suit, as appearance means a lot", Mr Babanin spoke confidently like he did not just cower a few minutes ago.

"I have done that already, father", Fyodor teased his father.

Ignoring his son's words, he continued like he was reading a speech. "There's someone I would like you to meet at the Duncans. Hopefully, the meeting may be to our advantage depending on the manner our CEO comports himself"

"I shall take note of that. May I find my way to the kitchen? I am afraid to inform you that this CEO also works part time in a kitchen"

Right on time, his mother opened the door like she had been listening to their conversation all along and grabbed him by the collar of his nightshirt, "Boy, it's time to cut the vegetables".