The Undefeated Lawyer: Vince

To Meet The Deadbeat

“Can we move to my study?”

His grandmother questioned with a raised brow. She didn’t look like the grieving mother from a few minutes earlier. She had shed tears all the way from Kelvin’s café till they alighted at the mansion. But now she had retreated to her coldness.

Vince nodded his head in agreement and they left the room. He stared around in wonder at the luxurious interior of the house. There were giant doors leading to different rooms and the shimmering lights in the hallway made it all more beautiful.

They got to the study room and Vince marveled at the arrangement of the room. A library corner was set aside with neatly arranged law books. Excitement filled his mind, the color array in the room made it more comfortable and welcoming.

“I did a little digging about you, Vince, or maybe more than a little,” His grandmother said, smiling.

“And what did you find?” he asked sarcastically.

“You worked at Peak law firm before your arrest?”

“I did.”

Silence filled the air. His grandma sat on a leather chair and pointed for him to sit on the opposite chair which he did. She dropped hints of other aspects of his problematic life that she found out. Vince stared at her again, something didn’t feel right, his gut instinct assured him.

“Why did you look for me now and what about my dad’s marriage?”

"About your father’s marriage. His wife died and they had no children."

“Oh!” Was all he could say.

“And the other question…” she hesitated slightly before continuing. “Your father isn’t the only one dying Vince, I am also dying.

Vince stared at her in disbelief. She removed her headgear and her bald head shone.

“ Cancer, second stage. Rapid progression.”

“I am sorry.”

“Don’t be Vince, I do not deserve your kindness. I looked for you to seek forgiveness and also bring you back to where you belong.”

Vince’s phone rang loudly cutting through their conversation. He signaled to his grandmother, who allowed him to pick his call. He picked it up and Bernard’s snare came through, just as he had expected.

“Don’t you think you need to be grateful to me Vince? I convinced the management to reinstate you or do you think many law firms will queue up to employ an ex-convict?”

“You still believe you did me a favor after sleeping with my wife?”

“Ex-wife Vince, she divorced you already. Just put your signature on the damn paper and also…see you at work on Monday or would you rather prefer to starve to death.”

With that, the phone line went dead. Vince banged his hand on the table as frustration welled up in him. His grandmother stood up and patted his shoulder.

“Vince, there is something I need to tell you”

“Asides urging me to accept your apology?” He responded harshly. “Asides that, Vince, you aren’t just my grandson, you are the sole heir of our family’s company, Peak law firm.”

Vince’s jaw dropped, he batted his lashes in surprise. He couldn’t believe his ears, the company that deserted him in prison for a year turned out to be his inheritance.

“The current CEO that I see in the billboards!” he asked in disbelief.

“Yes son, that was your father and it is all yours now, the position and Peak law firm itself. Let’s go see your father.”

Vince hesitated for a few seconds. He let out a deep breath and followed his grandmother. The room was on the last end of the long hallway. The lanky wrinkled man on the bed looked nothing like the good-looking smiling man on the billboards.

He had numerous wires fitted to his face and body. His oxygen mask covered half of his face but his distinguished jawline could still be seen.

He stood by the doorway, too afraid to walk in. The older woman charged forward, rushing over to her bedridden son. Vince almost lost his balance in the process. His father opened his eyes slowly as his grandmother held her hand to his.

“I brought him Jack, your son. He is handsome but pigheaded just like you.” She said with a sardonic smile.

Vince watched on as the bedridden man strained his neck to look over at him. He moved forward and focused his attention on him. The bedridden man, the deadbeat man that abandoned him as a child to be with another woman according to his mother’s story.

“How did you find me?” Vince questioned suspiciously.

His mother was really tight-lipped about his father. Aside from her sob story about their abandonment and using his last name “Finn“ , everything else was a mystery.

“I tailed your mother’s name and I found you but when I did, you were already in prison and that was when I visited you.” The old woman said, still clutching her son’s hand.

“I took a few strands of your hair from my first visit, it helped in confirming my suspicion. You were really my grandson.”

Vince scoffed and sat down on the couch. His phone chimed and he checked the notification that popped up.

Another message from Amber. She demanded a fast response from him on signing the divorce papers. His day kept on getting longer by each passing minute.

Vince raised his head with a fresh determination, everyone that came to him had always needed him for a reason.

“Why did you seek me out now? Why now? Mother said my father absconded with another woman.” Vince said bitterly. He glanced at the pitiful figure barely holding on to life.

His father’s eye met his grandmother’s and she nodded in understanding.

“Vince listen, your dad didn’t abscond to have an affair, having you with your mother- was the affair.”

“What!”

Now that was news. Everything Vince had ever known about his life was turning out as a mere mirage.

“I am not justifying abandoning you, Vince, it was all my fault. I paid your mother off. Your father wasn’t even aware of your existence at that time."

Vince got up on his feet and tried to leave. He had heard enough. He was a rejected child, forsaken husband and now, everyone needed something from him. He took another look at his email. Once he walked out of there, he was going to sign it and let Amber go.

His hand was already on the doorknob when he heard a muffled sob and a barely audible voice “don’t go son.” He turned around, and his bedridden father struggled to get up. He stretched his hand forward trying to reach him.

Vince felt his harsh resolve melt completely. He rushed forward and held his father’s hand. The man smiled warmly at him, satisfaction written all over his face. He kept trying to apologize despite the incoherence of his words. Vince settled by his side at last and watched him drift back into sleep.

He felt his pulse weaken and Vince put his ear to his father’s chest. His eyes widened as realization hit him.

“Grandmother, I can’t feel his pulse anymore,” Vince said as his father's hand dropped. The attending doctor rushed up to them and placed a stethoscope on Jack’s heart. The doctor’s expression was bland, and he drew back gently.

“Is my son dead?”