Asheville, North Carolina:
Olie ‘Ray’ Lister sat staring at the fire. He tapped his fingers on the arm of the elegant leather chair, his mind lost in thought. He ignored the quiet sound of the door to his office closing when his wife of twenty years walked by it. A moment later, he could hear their youngest son, Edison, complaining to her that the internet was slow.
Of course it was slow! More than half of the country was stuck inside for the storm of the century, but his son thought the universe revolved around his need for access to the internet. Ray was glad that he left the domestic responsibilities – especially those dealing with a disgruntled teenager – to Mabel.
His energies were better focused on the things he was good at, like making money. They had moved here from California b
