CHAPTER 56 – DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?

MICHAEL

We watch incredulously as Nancy leaves and then stare at each other in silence for a good five minutes.

                “Well what are we going to do then?”  I demand.  “We’ve got 2 hours.”

                “We need to find a lawyer.”  She decides.  “Get these checked over to see if they are legal.”

                “I would hardly think that your dad is going to…”

                “True.  But we also thought that Brian would still be our friend and look where we are.  No...I think this is a big bluff by daddy.  He’ll come around, you’ll see.”

                “Lindz, I really don’t think we should try and call your dad’s bluff on this.”  She glares at me.  “But you’re right. We should take these to a lawyer. There must be one in town that could see us?”

Quickly we head to the office and start to call around. Luckily, we manage to find a firm that can see us in 20 minutes.

ROARK & DOWNER

LEONARD ROARK’S OFFICE

LEONARD

I look at the two anxious faces in front of me and frown.

                “Mr Novotny, Ms Peterson, what exactly am I looking for in these contracts?”

                “A loophole or something that makes them not legal,” she replies frostily.

                “Not legal?”  I echo.  “Ms Peterson these contracts were drawn up by Chase, Donaldson & Draper- one of the top law firms in Pittsburgh and…”

                “Who?”  She demands and when I repeat it, she looks smug.  “I knew it!  I’m surprised daddy fell for it.”

We both look at her in confusion.

                “It’s the firm that Mel used to work for so of course they would draw up such a ludicrous contract. I must speak…”

                “Ms Peterson, I can assure you that that firm does not do ludicrous, as you put it.  This is legal and watertight and if I were you I would sign it.  You come out with more in the end if you do.  And Mr Novotny, this is more than a…”

                “Well thank you for your time.”  She stands and pulls him up with her.  “We’ll see ourselves out.”

                “Fine but that will be $120 please. We take cash, check or card.”  I smile tightly at her.

She scowls but reaches for her purse and the bill is settled.

BUNGALOW

LINDZ

I keep looking between the clock, the phone and the contract.  Michael is doing the same. “Okay let’s sign them and send them back to daddy.”

Michael looks at me in surprise. “What changed your mind?”  He seems wary.  “You seemed very against it earlier.”

                “And I still am but like that lawyer said it is very generous of daddy, and that’s where he’s made his mistake.  I was raised at my mother’s knee; I’m not sure why she’s become a turncoat and I’m angry about it.  So let’s use their generosity to our advantage.  Let’s get these over to him and I’ll explain afterwards.”

PETERSON RESIDENCE

OFFICE

RONALD

My inbox pings and there they are the contracts signed by Lindsay and Michael.

                “Well there you go.”  I tell Nancy.  “They’ve signed them.”

                “So what now?

                “Well they start work effective tomorrow and…”

                “No I mean what now between us?  Are…are you going to go ahead with the divorce?”

                “I think we need to speak to someone, not a divorce lawyer, but a counsellor.  It’s time to drop the correct social etiquette and just try and be happy together, don’t you think?”

“I need to speak to a couple of people see if they can point me…”  She pauses and gathers herself.  “I mean us in the right direction.”

                “Good, I’ll leave you to it.”  I smile at her and leave the room.

NANCY

Steeling myself, I dial a number and wait for the condemnation or ridicule that will come.

                “He…hello Millicent, its Nancy Peterson.  I-I need your help.”

BUNGALOW

MICHAEL

I stare at Lindz in admiration, she shrugs and grins at me. “You are a genius!”  I almost hi-five her.

                “Like I said I was raised at my mother’s knee.  Daddy is going to be paying us a salary to work here but at no point did he say we couldn’t hire assistants whilst we act as supervisors…”

                “So we pay them part of our salary and just relax.”

                “Exactly.  Now let’s go hire us some staff shall we?”

ELEVEN RESTAURANT – THURSDAY LUNCHTIME

ZEE

I’m sipping a Rosalita, which is gorgeous, and waiting for Jennifer and her friends to arrive.  I’m not sure what this lunch is about and to be honest could do without it.  I’ve got enough on my mind what with the wedding and board meeting next week.  The only thing keeping me sane - though Emmy Lou wouldn’t agree - is the prep for the wedding and the party in New York.

I get up to hug Jennifer and then Millie and then just stare at Ronald and Nancy Peterson. “Okay what?”  I scowl at them.

                “Zee please sit down and hear them out…please?”  Millie squeezes my arm.

                “I suspect I will need another drink for this.  Anyone joining me?”

I signal the waiter, Jennifer orders a G&T, Millie, Ronald and Nancy have water. “So…” I prompt.

                “I-I know you most likely don’t believe me but I want to thank you…”

                “For what Mrs Peterson, not giving your daughter the bitch slap she deserves.  Trust me when I tell you, you shouldn’t be thanking me for that.”  Millie clears her throat and I take a deep breath.

                “What are you thanking me for?”

                “Showing me, albeit inadvertently, what being a parent is about.  And I want to apologise for Lindsay’s behaviour and…and mine.  I was dismissive and discourteous to you all because of what Lindsay said and I believed without actually getting to know you first.  And to you Jennifer, we must apologise for our treatment of you.  Now we’re not asking you to become our realtor again. Too much water has flowed under the bridge for that, but if, if we could be at least civil to each other that’s all we ask.”

Jennifer and I just stare at her.

                “I know that this is a complete change of persona for us.  Well let’s be honest for me and I will most likely slip up.   But I never saw Lindsay - truly saw her - until it almost cost me my marriage. She was willing to let me suffer in order to get what she wants; that hurt me more than I ever thought it was possible.  And we also want to apologise to the children and the rest of…”

                “No.”  Jennifer states firmly.  “Nancy... I-I mean we, appreciate the apology but I don’t want you near our family right now. It’s too soon.  Not sure if Zee…”

                “I agree with you Jen. It’s too soon…they’ve had a fucking time of it thanks to your daughter.”

Nancy and Ronald wince at my language but I don’t care.

                “Thank you for listening to us. It’s more than we deserved.”  Ronald gives a small smile.  “And again we’re very sorry for what’s happened.  Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got an appointment to go to.  Thanks for arranging this Millie; we really do appreciate it.  And lunch is on us, please we insist.”

                “Thank you and uh, apology accepted from you two but I’m still going to deal with Lindsay for the way she acted.”

                “You do what you need to do.”  Ronald nods and leads Nancy out.

                “Am I the only one who now needs a brandy?”  I mutter and signal the waiter again.

                “Well fuck me sideways.”  Millie breathes.  “When she said she wanted to speak…”

Jennifer and I gawp at Millie who knocks back her brandy.

                “Fuck me sideways? Where the hell did you hear that from?”  I giggle

                “Oh Debbie Horvath.  Bernie and Arnold introduced me to her and Kiki. You see we’re serious about Kiki coming to talk at the country club.  Oh and do you have any idea how that Novotny creature ended up looking like he fought with Mike Tyrone?”

                “Tyson and no, no idea at all.”  Jennifer smirks.

WILLIAMS & COULTER ATTORNEYS – LATE AFTERNOON

EPHIE

I’m pacing the room much to the amusement of my dad.

                “Ephie will you sit down. It will come when it comes. And from what you’ve said, it’s a done deal.”

I scowl at him and get the boy don’t you dare look for it.

                “Sorry dad but this is really important, this lady means a lot to my girl…oh my God it’s here dad! It’s here! God, I can’t look!”

Dad kisses his teeth and opens the email, muttering about some people needing to man up for fuck sake.

                “Ah now you see sometimes I am wrong…”

                “Fuck!”  I exclaim.

                “But most of the time, I’m damn right. Here it is signed, sealed, delivered, printed and done.  Go call them!”

I kiss him on his forehead and he swats me on my ass.  Taking a deep breath of relief I decide to drive to Squirrel Hill.  This needs to be told face to face.

SQUIRREL HILL – EARLY EVENING

MEL

Ephie has just left and I can’t believe we’ve done it.  I’m so happy.  Emmy Lou on the other hand is miserable.  He knows why she is the way she is right now but it’s making the atmosphere in their kitchens terrible and Faal is also anxious about next week’s board meeting.   He’s confided to Brian that her father is such a horrible person to her and delights in refusing to resign.

                “Hey hostess with the mostess.  Get the door!”  Leda nudges me out of my thoughts.

I answer the door whilst Butch and Sundance greet everyone very enthusiastically. Brian almost hides behind Justin.

                “Mom what’s everyone doing here? I thought we were going from the Treehouse?”

                “We are honey but because of you, again, we’re going to make Aunt Zee happy.”

She looks confused and the door knocks again heralding the arrival of Faal, Jennifer and Zee.

                “Let’s go the dining room and we need Daph too.”  Vince dials her in as we all settle down.

                “What’s going on, is this about the wedding?”  Zee queries taking out her notebook.

                “Yes and no.”  Carl tells her.  “In the short time we’ve known you, you’ve made such a difference to this family. You’ve brought us closer than we ever thought possible and we wanted to say thank you.”

                “Honestly that’s not necessary. I protect what’s mine…and like it or not, you’re mine.”

                “Well we don’t agree with you.”  Brian smiles, his eyes suspiciously shiny.  “So we’ve conspired with a couple of other members of your family and since you helped us get rid of two problems, we got together and got rid of one of yours.”

She looks at Faal who looks equally confused.

                “Can you just say what you’ve done please. I’ve had enough surprises for one day.”

                “Daphne bought your dad’s shares in the company.”  I pause for dramatic effect.  “He’s going to resign at the next board meeting because he thinks that Faal and Daphne are having an affair.  And he knows how much this will hurt you to find out that his lover has more of stockholding than you do.”

                “What?”  Faal gasps.  “You’ve done what?”

                “How, Daph wh-where did you get the money? We’re talking millions here!”  She sniffles.

                “From me.”  Brian smiles at her.  “Now if you sign this document, buying the shares from her, it will thereby give you 75% of the company and ass-kicking rights come next Friday.”

                “Well fuck me sideways.  I thought The Petersons apologising and giving me permission to mack-truck their daughter was a big enough shock.  But this... this means I’m free of him...no we’re free.”

Faal pulls her sobbing into his arms and he starts crying too. “Thank you, thank you so much! You have no idea…”  He kisses her softly.  “It’s over. You never have to see him again after next Friday. It’s finally over.”

                “You’re welcome.  Now, let’s give them some time alone.”  Nobody moves.  “Papa bear has spoken…now move!”