(n.) a twenty-nine-year-old man who works for the Calloways. Shy. Timid. A loner. Thinks Mrs. Calloway is the devil and Lee Calloway is an angel.

(n.) the oldest Calloway. Kind. Warm. A family guy. Thinks helping others is the most important thing in the world and that Henry needs to eat more.

Henry met Lee was in late October.

It was down pouring and Henry had forgotten an umbrella. He looked down at the pile of papers in his arms dejectedly. They were certain to get wet even if he sprinted to his car. He could only imagine what Mrs. Calloway would say if he sullied them. No, he didn't want to imagine it. It would give him nightmares. He'd barely known the woman for a week and he already flinched whenever she opened her thin mouth.

Just as Henry was debating whether to leave the papers on the bench outside the hotel and pull up the car, an umbrella opened up over him. He turned and came face-to-face with the eldest son of the Calloway family. Lee had a warm smile on his face, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "Afraid of a little rain, Henry?"

Henry was surprised Lee knew his name. He'd only met Lee once before when Mrs. Calloway had called Lee into her office to scold him about a contract he'd signed without her permission. Even though Lee was the same age as him, he appeared much older— much older than any twenty-four-year-old should. His face was worn, with heavy bags under his eyes. His posture was perfect, but he looked like he held up the world. And yet he still smiled, kindly and widely.

Lee held the umbrella closer to Henry. "You can have this. Bennett never brings one so I always keep a spare. He has the strangest issue about his car being in perfect condition. He won't sit in it if he's wet, but he never remembers to bring his own umbrella."

Henry didn't know much about the younger Calloway, but somehow he could picture that.

"Seeing as how Ben didn't show up today, it's free for you to use," Lee added, pushing the handle toward Henry again.

"Sorry," Henry said as he took the umbrella from him.

"Why are you apologizing?"

It was just always the first word on the tip of Henry's tongue. Around Mrs. Calloway, it seemed like the safest thing to say. "Sorry," he repeated.

Lee chuckled. "I can see you're getting used to my mother already. Has she threatened to fire you yet?"

"No? Is she supposed to?"

"Hmm, it usually happens by the third day. She must like you."

"If this is how she treats people she likes, I don't want to know how she treats people she loves," Henry muttered.

Lee stared out at the rain for a moment, lip pressed. "Not much different, I'd say." Plastering another smile on his face, he turned to Henry again. "Anyway, I have to head back in. The work Bennett didn't do today won't do itself."

"You're not leaving?" It was already seven o'clock at night. Most of the employees had left at four. Henry had stayed to triple check his work so Mrs. Calloway wouldn't criticize him the following day.

"No, I just happened to witness you loitering in front of the building on my way to the lobby and thought I could lend a hand. Go take a good rest, Henry."

Henry nodded gratefully.

.

Henry met Lee, it wasn't pleasant.

"How could you have messed this up!?" Mrs. Calloway screeched at the eldest Calloway, slamming her hands down upon his walnut desk. The force caused the coffee Henry had just brought Lee to slosh over the edge of the cup.

She was mad. Henry had never seen her this mad before.

"What were you thinking? Are you really this foolish? Do you really want to be the company head? Do you think I'd think you were suitable after this?" she continued, growing more and more hysterical.

Henry watched, wide-eyed and terrified. He felt like he should call the cops.

Lee remained perfectly calm. Or he seemed calm, at least. He reached for a napkin to wipe up the spilled coffee, avoiding his mother's angry gaze.

"Do you have no words for yourself?" she snapped.

"I'm sorry," he replied simply.

"Sorry? That's all you have to say for yourself? Maybe I should start teaching your brother more. He obviously has more common sense than you. Do you not realize how great a merge this could've been? Do you know how much money you lost us?"

Henry felt like covering his ears. Her voice reminded him of nails on a chalkboard.

Lee inclined his head. "I sincerely apologize, mother. It won't happen again."

Letting out an irritated puff of hair, she placed her manicured hands on her waist. "You're lucky I have somewhere to be. This better not happen again. Otherwise you can say goodbye to the resort in Hawaii. Why should I back you when you won't back the company? Are you listening to me?

"Yes, mother."

"After you've finished your work for the day, go finish Bennett's. Your punishment for making a mockery of our company. You better think about what you've done."

There was no response from Lee and Mrs. Calloway turned on her heel, clacking loudly out of the room. Henry stood rooted to the spot, too afraid to follow after her.

A deep sigh came from Lee.

"Why do you let her speak to you like that?" Henry asked.

"She's my mother."

"But..."

"Can I tell you something?" Lee asked.

"Yes," Henry answered.

"The company my mother wanted to strike a deal with is headed by a man named Gary Larson. According to another company head, he embezzles. On average, they pay their female employees almost fifty percent less than they pay their male employees. On average, thirty percent of female employees have said they've felt sexually harassed verbally by him. They've been audited multiple times and I have no doubt they falsify their taxes. If our companies ever merged, we would go under when they were finally caught and I have no doubt a criminal like him will be caught eventually."

Henry tried to comprehend it. How much digging had Lee done? How did he know so much about the other company? "Why don't you tell your mother that?"

Lee smiled bitterly. "Gary Larson also happens to be someone my mother has always relied on and trusted. Our family friend. I don't want her to know what kind of man he actually is. She's cruel, but she's honest and hardworking. She would be hurt if she found out."

"Won't she try to resolve the relations?"

His expression hardened. "I ended it," he said firmly. "There are no more relations. Gary will step down quietly."

Henry decided Lee could be as intimidating as Mrs. Calloway. Fortunately, Lee seemed to only use his wicked power for righteous deeds. "What about the extra work you have to do?"

"I owe it to Bennett, anyway. She'll probably take some of her anger out on him."

"You're a good son," Henry said. "And brother."

"I try," he responded, strained. "I really try."

.

Henry met Lee was a few days after the incident with the merger. Mrs. Calloway was away on business and Henry had been at the main hotel all day, doing some much needed organizing. He felt a lot more comfortable when she wasn't around. It was nice to not have to walk on needles around her.

There was a knock on the office door and Lee entered, holding up a hand in greeting. "Am I interrupting?"

Henry shook his head. He was just about done for the day, anyway. "Do you need help with something?"

The corners of Lee's mouth twitched. "Hmm, I guess you could call it help. I'd like to just call it going out for a drink with a friend."

"Me?"

"Can't we be friends?"

In most cases, employees and employers couldn't be friends. But Lee wasn't exactly like any other employer Henry had known. "Sure. Let me lock up the office."

On their way out of the building, Henry noticed just how beat Lee looked. The oldest Calloway always looked much more haggard than his brother or mother, but today Henry could almost feel the fatigue rolling off him.

Their driver brought them to a pub called McKellan's. Lee's face brightened a little as they entered the tavern, the jolly atmosphere inside immediately affecting him.

Henry felt a little out of place. He was more the stay at home, be on the Internet type of guy.

"I've had a rough day," Lee told him. "So get drunk with me."

"You didn't pin me as the drinking type."

Lee shrugged his shoulders and a waitress came up, asking if they'd rather be seated in a booth or at the bar. They ended up in a booth, menus placed in front of them. Henry stared at the menu. He didn't have much money left after paying his bills and rent. A couple drinks were pushing it, but he hadn't wanted to turn Lee down.

"Order what you want," Lee told him. "I'm putting it on the company card."

"It's okay. I'm not very hungry," Henry said.

"So the peanut butter and jelly you ate for lunch was more than enough?" Lee asked, leaning across the table at him, expression skeptical.

Henry could feel heat creep up the back of his neck. How did Lee know what he ate for lunch? Besides, there was nothing wrong with PB&J. It was cost-efficient and somewhat tasty.

Lee smiled his trademark smile—kind, warm, knowing— and tapped the menu. "Eat something."

Feeling slightly humiliated, Henry scanned the menu and ordered a hamburger when the waiter returned. And, after being called a child for trying to order a Coke, he and Lee both ordered beers.

"This is just what I needed," Lee sighed as he took his first swig of liquor. "I've been dealing with hotel complaints today. There have been some pretty angry patrons lately. So on top of all my usual paperwork and duties, I've had people screaming in my ear all day. I probably should've just left it to the customer service managers, but they seemed to be swamped at the front desk."

"But you seemed busy too."

"Yeah, but I'm going to be the owner one day. I want my employees to actually like me, unlike my mother. If I can get on their good side by helping them out when I can, I will."

"That's respectable."

"Isn't it?" Lee responded, eyes twinkling. "I know it doesn't sound like much, but this kind of stuff just wears away at you. Like being in a dark room for too long with no light."

Henry wanted to say he understood, but did he really? Lee's life was completely the opposite of Henry's. The only thing Henry was responsible for was an apartment, a car, and Mrs. Calloway's mundane tasks. Lee was responsible for thousands of employees and even more customers.

As the night grew on and Lee grew drunker, Henry learned more and more about the heir to Calloway Hotels. He was smart. Benevolent. Unselfish.

And he cared about his younger brother more than anything else in the world.

"I love Bennett," Lee said. "My little brother. He's cute, isn't he? He's a bit of a brat though."

"Yeah, he is," Henry agreed, alcohol allowing him to say things he'd never dream of saying while sober. He hadn't met Bennett too many times, but usually, the younger Calloway was complaining about something.

"That's why I work so hard," Lee continued, chugging the rest of his Samuel Adams. "Even days like today— where I'd rather just not exist— I have to keep going. You know?"

Henry didn't know.

"Bennett can never have my position."

Henry didn't think he heard Lee right. He'd never expected Lee to be like this. Was he purposely doing all the work so Bennett wouldn't have a chance? "You want to keep it all to yourself?"

Lee shook his head, wrinkling up his face. "I don't want this. I don't know what my life looks like to you, Henry, but it's Hell to me. All I do is work. I'm never alone. My mother is everywhere. I can't even decide what to eat for breakfast. She's been trying to set me up with her friend's daughters since age fourteen."

"Why don't you step down then?"

"I can't do that to Bennett."

"Why? What if he wants to be the CEO?"

"Even if he did, I couldn't do that to him. He doesn't understand it now. This isn't something anyone should want. If one of us can be free, I want it to be him."

Lee's words hung heavy in the air and at first Henry didn't know what to say. Then he frowned. "Why don't you ask for more free time?"

"The less I do, the more work falls to my mother," Lee told him.

"Good. I'd see less of her." After realizing what he said, Henry's eyes widened. "I didn't mean that. Sorry."

Lee's hand shot over his mouth as he began to snicker. "It's okay, I think that sometimes too. But she works a lot. Probably more than me. Travelling takes its toll on one's body, you know? She's my mother. I have to help her. We lost our father a couple years ago so she's been taking on both workloads. The least I can do is help with what I can."

"I think you're too much of a nice guy."

"I could say the same thing about you, Shy Guy," Lee countered. "You should stick up for yourself sometimes."

Henry sipped at his beer. Yeah, right. If he stood up for himself, Mrs. Calloway would throw him out on the streets. "If you're feeling overwhelmed, ask me for help. I'll do what I'm able to if I have free time."

"I feel bad that you have to work for my mother. It must be rough."

"It is."

Lee's eyes lit up. "Instead of just helping me in your free time, why don't you become my assistant?"

"Huh?"

"I'd treat you nicer than my mother," he offered, a grin spreading across his face. "How about it?"

"Would your mother allow it?"

"I'm sure I could convince her."

Henry didn't even have to consider it. "It's not like I would protest."

"Well, I'll see what I can do then," Lee said, nodding to himself.

One week later, Henry was working for Lee, leaving smelly old Mrs. Calloway by her lonesome. (Just kidding. She hired another secretary immediately. She'd already had one lined up because she was getting sick of Henry's timidness. Poor Henry. But I guess it worked out for both of them).

.

the times he met up with Lee. Now that he was working for him, he saw Lee every day. Gone were the days of being reluctant to go to work; in were the days where Henry actually woke up early to go in, only to be greeted by Lee and a cup of coffee.

Lee hadn't been exaggerating about the workload he had. Henry almost couldn't keep up with everything. But Lee never yelled at Henry for being too slow or threatened to fire him for bringing Lee the wrong contract. Instead, they worked together on everything and then Lee would treat Henry to lunch on their break. Then sometimes after work, they'd head out to McKellan's for an after work drink.

Sometimes Henry wasn't sure if Lee was his boss or his best friend.

Lee also made Henry help out Bennett sometimes. The younger Calloway had no tact. He said whatever came to mind, no matter how insulting. In fact, one of the first few things Bennett ever said to Henry was, "You work for a multi-million dollar company and you're wearing a fifty dollar suit?"

Henry was horribly embarrassed, but Lee assured him that Bennett hadn't meant to insult him; he just didn't know how to talk to people properly. "A side effect of growing up with people who bow at your feet for a chance at wheedling their way into your success," Lee said.

Still, the next day Lee took Henry to one of the fanciest suit shops he'd ever been to and put a couple outfits on the company's credit card.

"Good thing we're the same size," Lee commented, sending Henry a wink.

Henry didn't feel quite as bad knowing that it wasn't Lee's money he was spending, but more likely Mrs. Calloway's.

.

Henry saw Lee was inside the main office at the main hotel, in the middle of the night. Henry had forgotten his laptop charger and had run back into the building to snag it, coming across Lee in the process. He'd been sitting in the dimly lit room, head in his hands. When Henry had turned on the light, Lee jumped, eyes growing wide.

It was the first and only time that Henry had caught him off guard. "Sorry," Henry apologized sheepishly.

"It's okay," Lee responded, his voice scratchy and low.

Upon closer look, Henry could tell that something wasn't quite right with Lee. Lee's eyes were bloodshot, like he'd gone a week without any sleep. His cheeks were sunken, giving him a gaunt appearance.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked.

Lee nodded. "I'm fine."

Somehow Henry doubted Lee would tell him even if he wasn't feeling fine. "You should head home. It's almost midnight."

"You know I trust you a lot, right Henry?" Lee said abruptly.

Henry paused.

"In this world, you're probably the closest person to me besides Bennett. If anything ever happened to me, you would help him, right? You'd help Bennett?"

Looking back, Henry should've known right then and there that something was wrong. He'd had a weird feeling in his gut, but he'd brushed it off.

"Of course I'd help Bennett," Henry told Lee. "I really think you should get some sleep. When you don't it worries me. You need a full eight hours."

Lee chuckled a little bit. "You're funny, Henry. Thank you."

Henry didn't know why Lee was thanking him.

.

Henry met Lee was in late October, nearly six years after the day they'd first met. It was raining.

Henry hated the rain now.

The day had finished up and Henry was filing away the last few papers on his desk when Lee appeared, poking his head through the office door like usual. "Hey, Henry." Unlike usual, his voice sounded flat instead of happy.

"Hi, Mr. Calloway."

"Work's over, you can call me Lee."

Henry hesitated. He always felt unprofessional when he called Lee by his first name. Like he didn't even have the right to.

"Henry, please call me Lee," Lee said again.

"Okay, Lee."

Lee's eyes brightened, but not to the usual amount. Something was off about him. Henry couldn't quite place what though. Lee's hair was a little messier than usual, but he had just worked ten hours.

"Want to get drinks tonight?" Lee asked. "Bennett and I are going to McKellan's."

Henry thought about the work he had to do at his apartment. There was no way he could leave that mess any longer. He'd promised himself he'd clean it up after work. "Sorry, Lee. I've got a lot of stuff to do today."

Lee's face fell. "You can't do it tomorrow?"

"No. I've been putting it off for a while."

"That's okay. It's just been a while since we'd last gone out. I wanted to treat you to a beer one more time."

Henry smiled a little. "Next time."

Lee didn't return his smile.

Another sign Henry should've realized. Lee always smiled. He always had that dumb, kind, warm, everything-is-okay smile. But he didn't. For Lee, nothing must've been okay.

"Thank you Henry," Lee spoke up again as Henry locked the filing cabinet. "For all your help."

"You don't need to thank me. It's my job."

"Well, I appreciate it."

"Thank you."

"Remember what I said about helping Bennett?"

Henry nodded.

"Does that still hold true? Will you help him? No matter what?"

"Yes... why are you asking me?"