White Space Season 1

Park, where the houses got larger, acres went to triple digits, and money poured like rain in Washington.
    Cedar Park had the largest estates on the island, but even the most massive, was dwarfed by Conway Gardens, which sat at the crest of the foothill, like an idol looking down from the peak of a mountain.
    While Jon had made it his mission to leave Cedar Park behind as soon as he could, his older brother, Warren Jr., was still sucking on the family tit, living with his wife, Melinda, and their daughter, Anastasia, at the Gardens.
    Warren had invited Jon to dinner, and of course Jon had to accept. Though he could avoid the family when he was home, he couldn’t do so when returning to the island without offending everyone. Their father, Blake Conway, had a way of bringing the Conway men together, whether they wanted a union or not. But he wasn’t responsible for this particular visit, nor would he be present. He was out of town. And Anastasia was in her freshman year at Columbia, so it would be just Jon, Warren, and Melinda, plus the usual staff.
    Jon swung a left and felt the Avalon struggle. Only slightly, but for the first time since he was handed the key, Jon missed his own car — a BMW Z8 which cornered like it was on rails. The Avalon was a golf cart by comparison.
    He idled by the gate and pushed the buzzer, but didn’t have to identify himself since he was looking into a closed circuit video camera.
    A crisp voice crackled through the speakers. “Welcome home, Mr. Conway.”
    “Thanks Carl,” Jon said, smiling. “It’s good to be back.”
    The gates opened, and Jon pulled the car around the long circular drive, parking behind what had to be his brother’s brand new Bentley. Warren was such a dick. Their smallest garage was big enough to house a family, Warren only left the Bentley out for him to see. Jon couldn’t fathom why his brother always felt such a need to compete. Well, he had a few ideas, but diving into Warren’s psyche wasn’t something Jon cared to do at the moment. Warren was a lost cause, not worth the time or effort. Once an asshole, always an asshole, was Jon’s belief in general and iron law when it came to his brother.
    Jon killed the engine and went to the front door, which swung open before he could knock. The Conway’s oldest living employee, Madge Rasmussen, smiled at Jon, asking him if he had a coat, even though it was a perfectly crisp 74 degrees outside.
    “Hi Madge,” Jon said, giving the woman who had first introduced him to her sister’s cookies 25 years earlier. “How are things?”
    Madge gave him a sly smile, then said, “The usual, Mr. Conway.”
    “I really hate it when you call me that. You can tell Carl the same thing.”
    Madge held his eyes, but said nothing.
    “Jon, or hell, even Jonny, if you like.”
    “As you wish, … ” She started to say “sir,” but mercifully didn’t.
    “So is the family circus waiting?”
    “Yes,” Madge said. “Mr. and Mrs. Conway are waiting for you in the dining hall.”
    “You mean Warren and Melinda?” He smiled. She smiled back, but he wanted to see it go wider, so he added, “Or Humpty and Dumpty as I like to call them.”
    Madge surrendered to a hearty laugh, “You’re so bad, … Jonny.”
    She then told Jon to follow her as if they’d moved the location of the dining hall.
    “Jon!” Warren exclaimed, setting his iPad on the end-table beside an overstuffed chair. He stood and crossed the carpet to greet Jon like he was some beloved hero returning from war. Melinda was reading on her own iPad several feet away. She set hers down as well, then followed Warren’s lead.
    “How are you?” Warren said, wrapping his arms around his brother. Melinda stood to the side, like her usual cold fish self, but Warren was uncharacteristically warm.
    Jon said, “Better than most, not as good as some, I suppose,” then surrendered into his brother’s embrace. Jon pulled away and asked, “How are you?”
    Warren smiled. “Good, not great. Same as you I guess. Dad’s driving me crazy, but nothing new there. You know how that goes.”
    “I try not to,” Jon said.
    Warren met his smile with a thinner version. “Hungry?”
    Jon realized he was starving. “Yes,” he said. “I guess I haven’t really eaten today, except for a couple of cookies, and a half-gallon of coffee. What’s on the menu?”
    Warren laughed. “Carmen figured you would want a steak. So we’re having Kobe and lobster. Ready when you