10 Silver Fox

"Silv— Sir, how can I help you?" asked Jade, after a slight slip of the tongue.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but have you decided to hire anyone yet? You see, my lad is currently at college, and I want him to become more independent. Therefore, I said he has to earn his living money, but he's having trouble finding anywhere that will take him and allow time for his studies. Then you mentioned hiring someone, and well…"

It seemed that Silver Fox had a whole pitch prepared, so Jade quickly cut in. "We haven't decided on anyone yet. To be honest, I haven't put up the notices. Hmm, send him in to speak to me. If I like his attitude, I'll take him on. But since it's your son, I'm sure he'll be great."

"Wonderful, thank you! I'll get him to come here later this evening."

"There's no need to rush him. The position won't open until next week, so as long as he comes in over the weekend, it'll be fine."

"I see, thank you again," said Silver Fox. "I'll pass on everything you've told me."

"Excellent! I look forward to meeting him."

With that settled, Jade could feel the tension in her shoulders loosening. 'That's one less problem to deal with. Silver Fox, it seems you're as great as I imagined, a true knight in shining armor. I wonder what Silver Fox Jr. looks like…'

However, the pleasant feeling did not last long, as another wave of customers swarmed into the shop.

'Here we go again.'

…

"I'm home!"

"Welcome home, dear." The moment Silver Fox returned home, he was greeted by his wife, who was as elegant and gorgeous as he was handsome, if not more so.

"Is Patrick in?"

"Yes, he's upstairs at the moment." Mrs Silver Fox paused for a moment. "Darling, have you reconsidered making Patty work during college? I—"

"We've been over this," Silver Fox interrupted her. "The boy needs to experience working life. Unlike us, he's had a privileged upbringing, he's going to one of the best colleges around, and if things go well, he'll never have to work in a position earning him less than six figures."

"Yes, that's due to our hard work as well as his own diligence."

"I know that, but I don't want him to turn out like one of those spoiled brats. If this job expands his outlook on life and makes him more sympathetic to the struggles of the working class, then I'll be happy. Balancing school, work, and relaxation is tough, and it is an essential life skill. This is something he needs to learn."

The frown on his wife's forehead was still there, but it had softened slightly.

"I know neither of you want this. He wants and easy life, and you want to pamper him. Ha, I want to pamper him, too. But this is for his own good."

Mrs Silver Fox sighed. "I know… but it's hard. My baby will be moving out, and we're barely going to support him."

"Well, that's not necessarily the case," Silver Fox said with a smile. "The local cafe that I frequent is hiring, and you know how customers sometimes give generous tips. If you visit occasionally, I'm sure you won't be stingy."

Hearing that, a bright smile appeared on Mrs Silver Fox's face.