The Tuesday morning sun shone through the front windows as Rickie made his way down the staircase to the dining room. Sethe, JoAnne, and his father were already there; Rickie greeted everyone in turn and sat down to a breakfast of waffles and scrambled eggs.
"So what are you scheduled for today, son?" the elder Ahmad asked. Rickie thought for a moment, going over the schedule in his head.
"I have a follow up meeting with Raine in the morning, and I need to check our waterfront warehouse today as well."
The elder Ahmad smiled. "Can you go check Compliant Tower # 3? Reports say the structure is almost complete and the drillbit and drillstring should be in place to Wednesday afternoon. I would like to have a pair of eyes visually inspect everything."
"That shouldn't be a problem, bapa," Rickie said, "I'll take lunch on the road, and be back late tomorrow night. Don't hold up dinner for me."
[A/N: "Father"]
His father nodded. "If you need to stay overnight, that would be fine, too." Sethe snorted; Rickie quickly looked at her, but she was busy wiping her mouth. JoAnne smoothly interjected into the sudden silence.
"So, Rickie, how is your harem going?"
He coughed, then glare at his father's unrepentant assistant.
"I don't like that name," he groused over his eggs.
JoAnne laughed, unperturbed.
"That's what you get for being the only male in the office. Is everybody working together well?"
"It's only been a week, but it's a good team. I think the BKN will find it useful. We already ruled out that the current levels of activity are from any other countries armed forces. We are now focusing on the corporate environment." Rickie turned to his father.
"About that employee in Thailand. What is happening?"
His father quietly replied, "We have contacted the grandmother, and have made arrangement for the body once it is released by the Thai authorities. She wants everything shipped to Cameroon, so we are arranging someone to collect her personal objects for shipping as well. I expect everything will be in place by next week."
Rickie nodded. After finishing breakfast and saying his goodbyes, he headed out to his vehicle.
"Well, I have to get ready for this evening, so I'll see you two soon." Sethe walked over to her father's wheelchair and bussed his cheek. He patted her arm, and she headed up the stairs.
JoAnne clucked as she watched her leave. "I hope you know what you're doing," she told the smiling man as she wheeled him down to his office.
"I want grandchildren while I'm still able to enjoy them," he said. "Sometimes you have to give a push in the right direction, in love and in business. He's just like me, you know."
JoAnne chuckled. "This is going to be interesting to watch."