The Adopted Son Part 1

Raymond looked over his left shoulder and then down at his watch for the twenty ninth time since he sat down at the picnic table five minutes earlier.

‘Still no sign of this Victor fellow,’ he thought. ‘I really don’t have time for this. Should have ignored his call like I do all numbers I don’t recognize. I’ll give him a few more minutes.’

Raymond returned his gaze to the lake spreading across the horizon. He could see islands of trees in the distance and sail boats heading in opposite directions. The afternoon sun reflected like glistening diamonds to his left.

“Sorry I’m late, Raymond,” a tall heavy set red haired man said, as he sat on the opposite bench with his back to the lake. “I’m Victor, Victor Murray.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Raymond said as he shook his outstretched hand. He was a bit annoyed that Victor gave no reason for his tardiness since he was the one who set the place and time.

“I normally don’t just randomly meet with people I don’t know,” Raymond stated frankly. But you made it seem that whatever you had to tell me was really important.”

“It is important Raymond, Victor replied looking so intently into his eyes that Raymond felt a bit uneasy.

“Well, let’s get to it. What did you want to tell me?”

“Raymond,” Victor began. “There’s something you need to know. I represent a very wealthy man who has hired me to inform you that he wants to be your benefactor. He has taken a keen liking to you; so much so that he has taken on the required legal costs to adopt you so as to include you in his inheritance.”

“What?” Raymond pulled his head away from Victor in disbelief. “How does this man even know about me?”

“I’m not sure how he knows so much about you,” Victor replied, catching a glance over his shoulder at the same glimmering sheen across the lake that had been mesmerized Raymond earlier. “But I do know he is man with an extremely important mission and has assembled among others a innovative technology team dedicated to seeing his mission carried out.”

“What is this mission and what have I done to deserve such favor from this man?”

“Raymond, I never said you deserved his favor. All I know is that the process he went through to obtain the legal right to adopt you was very costly. He shared with me some of what he went through. As to the mission, he told me he would let you know it himself over time as he feels you are ready.”

“What does he want from me?”

“We’ll get to that, but let’s start with the adoption. This man, who will remain unnamed for now, wants to receive you into his legal family as his son. And in so doing grants to you all the legal rights of being his son and takes on the responsibility of your welfare going forward.”

“What do you mean he takes responsibility for my welfare?”

“He means that he is taking on the responsibility for securing your food, clothing, mortgage payments, insurance, retirement, the whole burden becomes his.”

“So, I can quit my job?”

“Absolutely not. Don’t underestimate my client. He is a man of tremendous wealth and

influence.  He wants you continue in your present job and other details of your life. He is able to insure you are cared for no matter what. Eventually, he would like you to actually move in with him and then his support for you will be obvious, but until then, he chooses to work behind the scenes. He will make sure you are cared for until he is ready for you to move.”

“So, this unnamed rich man wants to adopt me as his legal son and bring me into his inheritance. And he wants to start taking care of me right now, but doesn’t want me to change what I’m presently doing?”

“At least for now,” Victor replied, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling a device that looked like a cell phone and giving it to Raymond “He doesn’t want you to stop doing what your doing for now.”

“What is this?”

“It’s like a phone. It’s how he wants to communicate with you. You can connect with him anytime day or night and ask him whatever you want. And sometimes his response will be very obvious, but sometimes it won’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“You can freely talk to him anytime by pushing this button and talking. He wants you to ask him anything you’d like and to let him know at all times how you’re feeling. Matters of the heart are extremely important to him. Sometimes, he will answer directly with a text message, but other times his answer may be delayed. He told me to make sure you understand that the lack of a direct and timely response does not mean he is not interested or did not hear what you said.”

“Where do the text messages appear?”

“Open it up,” Victor directed, pointing to a lever in the middle. It opens up like a book and you can read what he has to say.”

“Can I text back?”

“Absolutely. The keyboard is a touch pad that appears below the screen. Just push this button and at appears. Continue your present course, but stay connected to Him. He will let you know when plans and directions change.”

“But what does he want from me?”

“My client is asking for a couple of key things from you and both require a bold decision on your part. He is asking you to trust him, though you have never seen him and to believe that what he will be asking you to do is good for you, for his mission and all involved.”

“That’s it?” Raymond exclaimed, expecting far more. “He is going to take care of all my needs and I just have to trust him.”

“You’d be surprised how hard that is for some,” Victor replied, standing up as if to leave. “And there is one more thing.”

“I knew there was a catch. What is it?”

“He wants you to join him in his mission and dedicate your time and possessions toward its success.”

“That’s crazy,” Raymond replied. “I don’t even know what his mission is.”

“He’ll let you know, Raymond. I’ve got to go,” Victor turned and began climbing the hill toward the steps.  I’ll meet you back here in one week. We can talk more.”

“But what if I don’t accept the terms?” Raymond called after Victor, who was already ascending the steps toward the parking lot. “What about this phone thing?”

“We’ll talk next week,” Victor called back. “The communicator is yours no matter what.”

Raymond looked down at the strange phone devise Victor called ‘the communicator’ and shoved it in his jacket pocket.