“I think that Cooper Industries is going to be blown away with these designs, son.” Barron Daxton complimented Dax.

Though Barron was no longer CEO of Daxton Enterprises, he found time to consult on special projects if Dax requested it. Barron was Dax’s greatest resource, though he often told Dax that he was a much better architect and a more astute engineer than Barron ever was. When Barron told Dax that he was going to retire and hand operations over to him, Dax was surprised. His dad loved his work and loved the company, so he couldn’t imagine what how he would spend his days, his dad wasn’t the retied, gone fishing type. When Dax inquired about his retirement plans, Barron said he was simply going to enjoy the spoils of his labor, or maybe teach.

The Silver Fox, as Barron was aptly dubbed around Atlanta, on account of his excellent physical condition for a man his age, he still he ran marathons for sport and was known to shuck his shirt when working onsite at charity building events. His silver hair and, indigo eyes were a startling combination and those eyes seemed to pin you down where you stood. The slow sexy smile that could charm women half his age out their clothes, easy southern drawl, and charisma, often had women openly flirting with him; even while in the company of his wife, Alise.

With a sugar here and a darlin’ there, a kiss on the cheek and the stroke of an errant hair strand, he effortlessly had women eating out of his palm, except for one. He had the southern gentleman thing down to an art and the women ate it up. 

The men were often times just as awestruck as the ladies, clamoring to be in his presence, as if he were the cool high school quarterback everyone wanted to befriend. They would seek him out to pick his brain regarding a political issue or partner with him in business. He was an astute business leader, a very generous philanthropist, an engaging personality all the way around and people loved him. If they only knew the real Barron, Dax laughed to himself.

“Thanks dad, but this was all Harper, I’m riding shot-gun on this one; I’m just doing some clean-up work and putting some finishing touches on the overall concept.” Dax offered moving between the 3D image on his computer monitor, and the plans sprawled over his drafting table.

Though he was the CEO of the architectural & engineering design firm, that his grandfather founded, he still enjoyed doing actual work. The PR department and the chairman of the board, his father, easily handled all of the other fluff work.

“Harper has real talent Ethan, watch out for that one, he’ll have your job in no time.” Barron joked, “Take my advice; I know I wish I had listen to Dad, when he told me to watch out for you.”

Dax half smiled at that, he envisioned his grandfather pulling his dad aside to warn him that Dax was plotting to take over the company. Archer Daxton was a special breed.

“Well, if there is nothing else, I am going to head downstairs to my office to look over the rest of these contracts, and maybe sketch a little.” Barron said putting on his jacket and tossing the files that he needed to review in his briefcase. “So mom wants to know if we’ll see you tonight for family dinner, since you where out of town last week.”

“Not tonight dad, I’m having dinner with Zhay.” Dax replied briefly looking up from the model that he was working on.

Barron slowed his movement, pining his son with those indigo eyes, challenging him to recant what he just said, “Say that again, I don’t think that I heard you correctly.”

“I think that you heard me just fine dad, I’m having dinner with Zhay tonight.” Dax responded not breaking eye contact with his father, “Tell mom that my wife and I already have plans, but we’ll put dinner with the family on the calendar for next Thursday, if Zhay is available.”

“Ethan, you can’t be serious.” Barron screeched. “Your wife, that’s a joke right; when was the last time that you even spoke to her?”

“Granted, it has been awhile since we’ve spoken but that doesn’t change anything.”  Dax insisted, calmly. “We’ve agreed to meet for dinner…to talk about us.”

“Son, you’ve avoided seeing or speaking to her for the nearly a year, because you couldn’t face her. Let her move on, so you both can heal. What can you possibly gain from having dinner tonight?” Barron asked searching Dax’s face for an answer.

“I hope to get my life back, I hope to gain my wife back; I want a fresh start for us.” Dax replied calmly, going back to the drafting table.

“Really?” Barron questioned, “One dinner and you expect that all will be put to rights? She filed for divorce Ethan, let her go.” Barron walked over to face Dax.

“Come on dad, I’m not that naïve; please give me some credit. I know it won’t be easy. But I expect to tell my wife that I still love her, that I don’t want a damn divorce; beg her to forgive me for everything that I put her through this past year and for being the world’s biggest ass, and to please find it her heart to trust and believe in me again.” Dax answered back, without giving his father another glance.

Barron didn’t respond to Dax immediately, he looked at son, really looked at him. Dax had always been very headstrong and independent, from a very young age; hardly ever soliciting help from either him or Alise, coming to them only if he had to.  Even now as CEO of D.E., he hardly sought Barron’s input, yet he successfully expanded their business into South America, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, doubling profitability in a down economy and garnering much recognition and praise for his savvy business style. Barron couldn’t be anymore full of pride than he was of his son, who had excelled in the role as the new CEO in such a short time.  Yes, some called him conceited, egotistical, and arrogant but in the same breath they called him brilliant, forward thinking, genius. He had a right to be arrogant Barron always challenged the naysayers, telling them that Dax’s talent was unmatched. This was Barron’s legacy-a strong, self assured, talented, intelligent son, poised to take the company to the next level.

This year though, his son had changed into a malicious, spiteful, bitter individual.  To say that Dax had endured the year from hell was an understatement. It distressed Barron to no end that he could not ease the torment that hounded his son. He couldn’t call in a favor, blackmail or pay off anyone to repair all the damage that his son had endured and inflicted. He hated to admit it, but Dax would have to fix this himself.

Barron knew that Dax was serious about Zhay and a refusal from her was not an option. That worried him. Dax was rarely refused anything, professionally or personally. Even Barron found it difficult to say no to his son; the one time Barron refused Dax, he realized just how determined his son was.

Barron mused on the day that Dax announced he didn’t plan to attend the family’s alma mater Georgia Tech, for his undergraduate degree; but rather he had been accepted to Ryerson PolyTech in Canada and would start there in the fall instead. Barron warned him that he would not pay his tuition to any school other than G’Tech. Dax didn’t even balk, he simply advised that he had already cashed in all of the bearer bonds that Grandma Estelle had given him for his birthdays, and that it was more than enough money to pay for his schooling.  What a clever move, Barron laughed; his son always got his way.

However, this could prove to be the one time where he didn’t get what he wanted.

Barron realized that if Zhay rejected him and Dax couldn’t recover from this heartbreak, the Dax they knew and loved would be lost to them forever. Shaking off recent unpleasant memories of his son’s agony, Barron sighed and rubbed his chin.

“I have to tell you son, I am worried that you maybe setting yourself up for disappointment, you have been really callous towards Zhay. Do you think that she can easily forgive that? Do you really think that you can face her and keep your emotions buried for one evening? Are you sure that you are strong enough to face your problems and open up all those wounds now? You refused to face them and her all this time. Ethan, this past year I have watched you turn into someone that I do not recognize both physically and mentally. I mean look at you, you’re not even wearing a proper suite, khakis, and a polo shirt in office, on a day when you’re meeting clients? And that blazer you’re wearing needs to be pressed. You need a haircut and a shave, you have bags under your eyes, and you’ve lost what 30-40 pounds?” Barron inquired. Dax shrugged his shoulders indicating that he had no idea.

“I’ve watched my sharp, confident, handsome, sophisticated son become a withdrawn, antagonistic, unstable person. You refuse to seek any sort of treatment, and given what has happened….Ethan, maybe you should seek professional help before you and Zhay start talking about a life together.” Concerned and fear now etched over Barron’s face.

“Dad, I know…I know that you are concerned for my well being, and I love and appreciate you for it. To be honest, I am still trying to work through my feelings but I will, we will get counseling together, what ever it takes to work through the pain, together.” Dax moved to sit down behind his desk, he was tired he didn’t want to argue with his dad, not today, not about this. “All I know is I love Zhay, she is my air, and everyday I’m without her it feels like I’m suffocating. Without her I’m not living, I’m merely existing. My life is passing me by, I need her dad; you of all people should understand that.” Dax finished, looking at Barron for his support. “So could you just please be my dad today, and say son, it will all work out for the best.”

Barron sighed and ran his finger through his hair; he hated to be a witness to his son’s suffering when all he wanted to do was protect him from the pain. Barron knew too well exactly, what Dax was feeling. He was so unwavering in his desire of reconciliation, that the possibility of Zhay refusing him scared Barron, Dax sounded almost obsessive.

Barron failed to protect Dax from succumbing to the sadness before, but he’d be damned if he let it happen again.

“Ethan, I’ve always supported no matter what right?” Barron inquired.

Dax nodded yes and looked up at his father.

“But son, do you hear yourself? You can’t breathe without her. She’s your life. What happens if there is no happy ending? What if your relationship in beyond repair? What happens then? Do you finish what you attempted a few months ago?” Barron challenged.

Dax paled at his father’s reference to his accidental overdose, “For the last time dad, I told you, I got drunk, woke up with a headache, and took what I thought were pain killers; stupid yes attempted suicide no.” Dax gritted out of clenched teeth, now standing to face off with Barron.

His father gave him a knowing look, “Oh cut the bullshit Ethan, 12 sleeping pills in a drunken haze was no accident. You can’t even own that shit, how in the hell are you going to fix your marriage.” Barron screeched, taking a moment to reign in his emotions, he continued, “Watching you suffer through this is one of the most difficult things that I’ve ever had to do; it’s so painful, because I feel so helpless. Do you know what it was like to find your barely breathing son clammy and unresponsive? Your death….your death would have killed us. That girl nearly destroyed you, Ethan. You’ve both suffered enough already let it go, let her go.”

Dax looked at his father. It maybe the first time that his father had dropped his stoic shield and showed real emotion. He would have been impressed by the display, if it were not for the fact that Barron was trying his hardest to sway him from meeting with Zhay.

He knew that he had scared his family with his overdose, that wasn’t his intention. He just wanted to escape the aching that he constantly felt; just for a little while. That night he actually drove to the house to see her, but he didn’t even make it out of the car before his tears started falling. He wanted to see her, he needed to see her; but he couldn’t face her, not like that. So he went back home to drink his pain away, later passing out. The next thing he remembered was waking up in the hospital. When his mother and father told him what happened, he was confused. Did he get so drunk that he didn’t remember taking the pills? Did he actually try to kill himself? He agreed with his parents that it was best to take sometime off from work and get away for a while. However, the solitude only reminded him of what he lost and what he was missing. No, he couldn’t give up on Zhay, he wouldn’t give up on them.

“First, Zhay is not a girl, she is a woman and most importantly she is my wife and I love her. Second, don’t you dare tell me about how painful it is to find someone you love barely breathing, I live with that every damn day. You want me to let her go dad, I can’t. Ask me to do something else, cut off my fingers so that I can’t draw anymore; empty my bank account and give every dollar to charity, ask me to duel with the devil himself, anything dad, ask me to do anything, except give her up. I’ve tried for a year to go it alone without her and I’ve failed miserably. I know now that the only way that I can get better is if she is by my side. If you can’t support me on this, then we have nothing left to talk about.” Dax warned, walking to the windows to stare over the city.

This wasn’t what Barron wanted, he didn’t want to upset his son. He just wanted to shield Dax from any further hurt. Barron walked over to Dax standing next to him placing his arms around his shoulders.

“Ethan, I get it, you love her. You’ve spent a year apart with very little communication, because you pushed her away; Think about that, son.  All I want is for you to be prepared to face the fact that you may not get what you want, not this time. I want to believe that love can conquer all, but will it be enough to rebuild your shattered foundation?  Son, I hate to be the one to tell you this but, sometimes love just isn’t enough.”  He tried to make eye contact with Dax, but he didn’t acknowledge his father. Barron knew his son well enough to know, that the conversation was now over. With that, Barron picked up his brief case and headed for the door.

“Is that what you told, Rosie all those years ago?” Dax threw over his shoulders at his father, “Love just isn’t enough?”

Barron halted mid stride, completely caught off guard by Dax’s question. It took him a few seconds to process what Dax had just asked. How was he supposed to respond to that? What did Dax know about his relationship with Rosie? Not today, he couldn’t talk about that today. He turned to look over at his son, but Dax continued to stare out at the view.  

“I’ll see you at the Cooper Industries meeting at 1 o’clock.” Barron replied curtly and continued out of Dax’s office.