My Favorite Son

Mavis was almost beside herself with joy. Positively undiluted joy. Her Brad was back and suddenly the entire world seemed much brighter than it had been the day before. "Now tell me," she insisted over breakfast the morning after Brad's unexpected arrival, "what is happening with you? I'm thrilled that you're back but where have you been for the past year?"

"Oh, I got around," Brad said evasively. "I was in New York for awhile and Chicago and then I went out to L.A."

"What did you do in all those places?"

"Not much," Brad admitted.

"So why did you decide to come back?" Mavis asked. "I'm glad you did, naturally, but what made you decide to come home again?

Brad ignored her question. "Who's taking care of the house now that Rosanne's quit?" Brad inquired.

Mavis frowned. "Why on earth would you care?"

"Well, if you need someone to run the house, I'd like to do it." Brad looked down at his toast, refusing to meet his mother's stare.

"What are you talking about? You're a Schuyler, not a housekeeper. If you're going to work anywhere, it's at Schuyler Industries, filling your father's shoes. That's what you should have been doing for the past year."

"I don't think I want to work at Schuyler Industries--"

"Darling," Mavis interrupted, "life is seldom about what one wants to do. Life is about what one must do. And it is your duty to take over Schuyler Industries. Tyler is too young and frankly, too scatterbrained. I've been trying to keep things going but my degree in art history isn't much help in running a business. You must take over!"

"I really think I'd rather run the house," Brad said faintly.

Mavis stared at him. Brad had never so much as made a bed while he was growing up. He'd make a terrible housekeeper. "Why? Why would you rather cook and clean instead of going to a nice, big office and doing a lot less for a whole lot more money?"

"I'm not so sure if I'm ready to be around people."

"What are you talking about, Brad? You love to be around people. You were always popular in school. Your people skills are excellent. Can you honestly tell me that you'd rather hide at home rather than run the oldest and most profitable business in town? What's the matter with you?"

Finally, Brad looked up and met his mother's gaze. To her shock and dismay, Mavis Schuyler's oldest and favorite son started to cry.