Maggie, well-versed in the art of hosting, gathered the parents around the dining table, ensuring everyone had their desired drinks and were content with the array of finger foods and entrees she had prepared. Diligently, she made her way around the table, attending to each guest's needs.

Ted marveled at the exceptional assortment of food arranged before him, eventually settling for a caviar blini served with cream cheese. He picked it up delicately, examining it with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. Maggie observed Ted with amusement, unsure if he was satisfied with her culinary creation.

"Is everything okay, Ted?" Maggie asked, a playful smile on her face. "I assure you, it's not poisoned."

Ted laughed, his apprehension subsiding. He took a bite of the caviar blini, savoring the flavors that exploded in his mouth. He turned to Maggie with a look of pleasant surprise.

"I've never had something like this before," Ted admitted, his tone filled with appreciation. "It tastes exquisite. What is it?"

Maggie beamed with satisfaction and pride. "It's something special I had Dan pick up from the deli where he works. It's caviar from Italy that was custom ordered for me."

Ted nodded appreciatively, thoroughly enjoying the culinary experience Maggie had provided. He reached for another blini, savoring each bite. Maggie's happiness was evident as she witnessed her guests relishing the food she had lovingly prepared.

Turning to Sally, Ted couldn't help but make a lighthearted suggestion.

"We should add this to our weekly repertoire," he said with a chuckle.

Sally laughed, her eyes crinkling with mirth. "Sure, Ted, I'd be happy to add it if you can provide ten times the income we currently get from our store."

Maggie and Harry joined in the laughter, appreciating Sally's response. Paul observed the exchange, his gaze fixed on Sally for a moment before speaking up.

"Ted, have you thought about expanding the store? To increase your revenue." Paul inquired, his tone serious and deliberate.

Ted, caught off guard by Paul's suggestion, paused momentarily. He had picked up another one of Maggie's delicacies and was about to hungrily devour it.

"You mean creating more work for myself?" Ted asked with a hint of jest, unsure if Paul was genuinely proposing such a notion.

Paul's response was deadpan, devoid of humor.

"No, I mean expanding as in moving to a bigger location or opening a second store in a neighboring town."

Ted realized that Paul was dead serious.

"No. Sally and I already have our hands full running one store." Ted replied, his voice laced with a sense of practicality.

Harry chimed in, his words filled with support.

"The store is always well stocked, and the quality is top notch. Beats any chain store they have in the bigger towns."

Ted nodded at Harry, grateful for the encouraging comment.

Paul persisted, undeterred by their responses.

"That's the thing," he said, his tone insistent. "You have a knack for knowing exactly what the community wants to buy. There's so little waste and misalignment on what you stock. You could do the same for the next town, and the one after that. Sally, what do you think?"

Sally looked at Paul, her surprise evident. She considered his words for a moment before firmly expressing her standpoint.

"We can consider it, but we'll need hired help before we could ever dream of pulling it off."

"Exactly, Sally knows exactly what I mean." Paul nodded, seemingly satisfied with Sally's response.

Ted's disappointment deepened, his confusion growing as to why Sally was entertaining Paul's suggestions that seemed to intrude upon their personal plans.

Sally continued her views, speaking up firmly.

"Having said that, I have no desire to become some sort of back-office franchiser. I'm only happy when I am hands on." she asserted. "Apart from making a living, the daily interaction with the community is what gives me enjoyment."

Harry nodded, his agreement with Sally was absolute.

"I couldn't agree more." he chimed in. "The store is the agora of the community. It's where everyone gets together for a friendly chat, exchanging news, and engaging in the occasional banter and gossip. And what's the point of running a successful business if you derive no enjoyment from it? At some point, enough money is enough money."

Sally smiled at Harry, appreciating his words of support and common understanding. Paul, on the other hand, appeared visibly unimpressed by their unambitious outlook. Maggie, sensing the tension, decided to divert the conversation towards a more lighthearted topic.

"With that settled," Maggie interjected, "Harry." She turned to him with a focus that almost frightened him, "How do you feel about meeting a new friend?"

Harry immediately knew where this was going, such was the life of a single father with a steady income and few hours of free time every week. Ted turned to Sally and smiled with mischief, she imperceptibly held out her hand, staying whatever smartass comment he was about to make.

Harry turned to Maggie with a pleasant smile, attempting to maintain his composure despite feeling a little overwhelmed by her eagerness to introduce him to someone.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Who's the lady you'd like to introduce to me?" Harry asked, curious about Maggie's matchmaking endeavors.

Maggie tilted her head quizzically in response. "How do you know it's a lady?" she playfully retorted, drawing a chuckle from Ted.

"It's hardly the first time, heck, it's hardly the fifth time Maggie's played matchmaker for Harry," Ted couldn't help but interject.

"I just feel responsible for making sure that the good people I know get a chance at knowing other similarly good people first." Maggie defended her matchmaking efforts.

Harry smiled gratefully at Maggie's intentions, but he knew he needed to be honest about his current state of mind.

"I appreciate your good intentions Maggie, but I'm not really looking for a relationship right now."

Understanding his position, Maggie nodded.

"You can let me know whenever you feel ready or if you just want to test the waters a bit," she assured him.

Meanwhile, Paul took a long sip from his wine glass, watching the exchange between Harry and Maggie. He couldn't resist adding his thoughts, bringing up Mike's situation.

"Mike could do with a mother figure to fix him back up," Paul stated matter-of-factly.

Harry turned to Paul with a confused expression, not entirely sure where Paul was going with his comment.

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.

Paul took another sip of his wine, considering his words carefully.

"I understand you're juggling work and managing the household all on your own," he started. "Having a woman's touch around could make a difference. Handling everything solo can take its toll, and Mike might not be receiving the attention and guidance he requires."

Harry was flooded with a wave of intense disagreement at Paul's evaluation of his parenting, yet he made a conscious effort to retain his composure.

"I know what my son needs and Mike has turned out quite all right," Harry asserted firmly.

Paul chuckled dismissively.

"I'm sorry if you are offended," he said. "I just think you could get better results with a bit more help. A woman who can take care of the hundred little things needed to run a household, so you can be freed up to enforce a bit of discipline, to show Mike the ropes of being a man."

Harry took a deep breath, trying to remain civil despite feeling the weight of Paul's criticism. He glanced at Sally and Ted, who were both wearing stern expressions.

"I concede that there is always a bit more I can do for Mike," Harry admitted. "I wish he paid more attention in school and maybe had a chance at college. But it's not my place to force him to do something against his nature. Mike has found his own way, and he's doing something meaningful that makes him happy, something that teaches him about the world and how to relate to the community."

Paul was insistent, setting his wine glass down with some force, causing some of the wine to spill onto the table.

"As fathers, we are responsible to lead by example and be forceful sometimes," Paul argued. "I wasn't always on the path I'm on now. When I was in highschool, I was content with just being a seasonal farmhand over at the Berenson farm."

Paul's gaze briefly shifted to Sally, then returned to Harry.

"I didn't inherit any business or money from my father. I wished to God that I did," Paul confessed. "Having nothing made me hungry. Giving Mike everything and too much space to go astray is doing him a disservice."

Harry's frustration simmered beneath the surface, but he chose to respond with measured words. "I believe in letting Mike find his own path," he said firmly. "And I'll always support him in pursuing what brings him true joy and fulfillment."

As the conversation around the dining table grew more intense, Ted attempted to lighten the mood with a touch of humor.

"I never went to college, and I think I turned out ok. Anyone else agree?" he asked, turning his head to look at everyone around the table.

Sally smiled weakly at her husband's lighthearted remark as Maggie chimed in.

"Ted, I think you turned out quite well. I'd vote for you as mayor if you were running."

Ted chuckled, turning to Maggie with mock seriousness.

"Maggie, your check is in the mail," he joked, earning a few awkward laughs from Sally and Harry.

However, the atmosphere swiftly soured as Paul interjected with a forceful assertion.

"But your fortune came from your father," Paul stated firmly. "That's the sole reason why you've turned out fine. It's not difficult to create a good family environment when you have that kind of advantage."

Ted felt his annoyance rising at Paul's implications. He shook his head in disagreement. Sally, noticing Ted's frustration, placed her hands on his lap, trying to placate him.

"I didn't even want to take over my father's store," Ted explained, trying to remain calm. "When my old man died, I had the chance to sell it all and move on with my life away from Sommerfield."

"What were you going to do? Play baseball in the Major League?" Paul asked with a dose of sarcasm.

"Paul!" Both Maggie and Sally called out at the same time.

Ted shifted forward in his chair, his frustration turning into aggression.

"You're still bitter about that time in high school when I broke your ribs with a fastball," Ted said, his voice tinged with resentment as he pointed to his own ribs with his fingers.

Paul leaned forward to meet Ted's challenge, his eyes narrowing.

"You never played fair whenever we faced each other in baseball," Paul accused.

"I don't regret hitting you with that pitch, and I'd do it all over again if given the chance." Ted's jaw clenched as he retorted.

Sally glanced at her husband in surprise, unaccustomed to witnessing him in such a confrontational stance. Seated between Ted and Paul, Harry extended both hands in an effort to pacify both men.

"Okay. Everybody. Let's take five and everyone of us have a nice long drink to cool down," Harry suggested, as he took a nervous sip from his wine glass.

Ted looked at Harry and then back at Paul, his eyes still filled with anger.

"Who the hell serves wine at a barbecue?" he exclaimed, looking accusingly at Paul. "Sommerfield has been and always will be brewski country!"

The tension in the air remained palpable, and the group fell into an awkward silence. The once joyous gathering had taken a bitter turn, and everyone could sense the strain on their long-standing friendships.

Sally faced Ted with a distressed and disappointed expression. "Ted, control yourself." she chided. "If you've got an issue with Paul, settle it later, not here in front of our friends, and certainly not during Maggie's party, which you're spoiling."

Ted's expression turned meek as he looked at Sally, hating to see her so mad. Reluctantly, he turned to Maggie and Paul to apologize.

"I apologize, Maggie. I got carried away," Ted expressed sincerely, aiming to make amends. He then directed his attention to Paul, extending an apology to him too.

Maggie nodded, acknowledging Ted's apology, but Paul was not so forgiving.

"I don't accept insincere apologies," Paul retorted firmly.

Ted felt his anger flare up again, but Sally's disapproving gaze kept him from lashing out. Instead, he proposed a way to resolve their grievances.

"We'll settle this like gentlemen, like proper Sommerfield gentlemen," Ted declared. "A batting contest. If you can land one base hit off my pitching, I'll give you whatever apology you want."

Paul shook his head.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ted. We aren't teenagers anymore," he replied dismissively.

But Ted couldn't resist provoking Paul further.

"Afraid of getting your ribs broken again?" he taunted.

Harry, sensing that he couldn't intervene any longer, moved to an empty chair next to Sally with an anxious expression on his face. He took another nervous sip of wine, silently hoping that their family's longstanding friendship wouldn't be irreparably damaged by this confrontation.

Paul stretched his neck, his jaw set with determination.

"I haven't swung a bat in years, but I bet I can still make you eat humble pie," he said defiantly.

"Bet you can't." Ted challenged with a childish tone.

Paul stood up, pushing back on his chair as he rose.

"I've just about had enough of your immature provocation. Let's do this, Edward Jones Junior."

Ted stood up meeting Paul's challenge, relishing the chance to relive a part of their youth.

The rest of the party guests watched with a mix of curiosity and concern as the two made their way, shoulder to shoulder to the grand French doors leading to the back yard.