Lies Truths or Perception Pt. 03

"Trey with your help we want to put a team of six professionals together who will work out the details of bringing the two corporations under the one. When I talked to your boss Gordon today about our idea going forward, he informed me you have a few experts in the field as clients. Each then will still be run as a standalone division under one board," Clarence said. "Once our combined ownership of share reaches a certain level, we will announce the buyback of remaining shares by the new corporation."

"That way we will be out of the day to day operation and will be free to enjoy life with our spouses," Emmerson added. "Once this is all settled there is a third corporation that would fit into our long term plans. We will be using Clarence's natural skills and applying them on a larger scale. We will buy that one by issuing an IPO"

"The reason we talked to your boss this afternoon Trey we wanted to be sure that what we are going to be putting together does not put your job in jeopardy before we made our move. Since it won't we are about to offer to you, Trey and Bridget," Clarence said. "The President and Vice President positions of the new corporation we are forming when it's up and running. Emmerson and I will be on the board as Chairman of the Board and Chief Operations Overseer respectively."

"May I suggest that because of the turmoil in the political situation in the USA that you both consider incorporating in Canada or Northern Ireland because the corporate tax rate is a flat fifth teen percent," I said. "Then dissolve both existing corporations at their yearend. All letterheads and legalities could say for example say Datastore a division of. This way it would cut out the two corporate tax returns at a higher rate and allow us to brand the new name with each division keeping its own identity."

Both Em and Clarence looked at each other when I said that is if I had turned on a light bulb in their head.

"The way it sits right now we don't know how stable the current rates are. The only thing we know right now that it's almost ten percent higher than those two countries, I explained. "So, it's best to take a proactive approach now in case what is talked about by one political party becomes law in the future. When you make your decision on what you're going to do don't consider that just because they say it, they won't. Consider the consequences if they do and the differences it will make for the corporation going forward. When I am making a decision that in part will be influenced by political agendas, I always ask myself, Can I say they won't do their agenda if they come into power."

"Does Trey always look at things from all sides like this with forward-thinking," Clarence asked? "Before making a decision."

"Yes, he does Dad," Bridget said in pride. "After he learned of Dinah treachery and asked me for a statement. He explained right down to the littlest detail to me what he was thinking and why. It surprised me that he was so frank and honest about it. No man has ever communicated in a completely open and honest way with me. It made him completely different from any man I had known."

I looked at her with a look of puzzlement because I had never seen myself as different.

"That night I saw that he was behaving, in the same manner, you would Dad. I didn't learn until later that he was raised out of state." Bridget went on to explain, "That's when I started to learn that he was not the man that Dinah was leading me to believe he was. It took me a while to realize that she had been manipulating all who came into her life for a long time including me about what kind of person he is and that we had to accept her reality of him as the truth.

"Trey has a thinker's mind and when he's dealing with an issue, he will openly discuss all things good and bad about it before making a decision and take into consideration your opinions." Bridget went on to say. "I learned that it is his way of mentally preparing himself for anything. We got into a discussion about the cost of living, and his view about it shocked me because I never saw it."

"I told her that I realized that every tax regardless of who brings it in ends up being covered for by the end-user in the long run because it's built into the price of everything," I explained. "Sadly, most of our society is too blind and stupid to realize it. From the first day of their school life, they are taught to conform to the wishes of the collective in order to get along."

"Was that one of the challenges you laid out against the professor I met," Bridget asked?

"Yes, one of the first actually. He taught Economics and made the mistake of saying that trickle-down economics didn't work," I said. "I showed him that it worked quite perfectly to blindly milk the consumer for billions yearly. We ended up agreeing by the time we were done debating that about ten percent of the cost of everything we buy is because of taxes by every level of our government."

I had to laugh because both Clarence and Emerson had never seen it. Both had to admit that if they looked at it closely, they would have to agree. It was a trickle-down effect.

With the big news over they got down to the family matter. Bridget's and my current living situation. All four of them thought that so far, we had been lucky.

As a result, for the next few months, there would be security on our house twenty-four hours a day until it was sold. Bridget and I learned that the first team was on sight already.

"Dinah is like my wife's sister in a lot of ways," Emerson explained. "She decided that the woman who was involved with her ex-husband had to hurt just as much as she did. So, she drove over her ex-husband's legs three times before she stopped the car."

"That's why we have been so concerned Trey," Dora said, "She was found to have a 'Mental Health' issue. The stress, the anger, and the emotions coming out caused to break. It took him three years and six operations to heal but to this day he requires the use of a cane to walk. With our family history, until Dinah gets professional help, we can't take the chance that she will be all right going through the divorce"

Bridget took my hand, "There will be no driving your car for a while. I don't want to give her the chance to be near you in any way."

Just then the servers started bringing in the food they had pre-ordered. It was quite the celebratory meal. As we ate, we discussed little things keeping it light.

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Dinah approached Bridget's house carrying an envelope. As started walking up the driveway a gentleman got out of a vehicle and stopped her.

"Ms. Richard I'm sorry to inform you that no one is allowed on the property," he said. "I'm now asking you to turn around and remove yourself."

"I was just going to leave this letter at the door," Dinah replied.

"I can't allow you to do that, we have strict orders," He replied. "I suggest that you either mail it or have a courier service deliver it. Can I escort you off the property?"

Dinah recognized the security firm. It was one that her father had used very often when needed in the past. She had been warned by her parents that they would be doing this if they did not see that she was seeing someone professionally. Dinah started crying because she knew that her parents didn't even trust her anymore.

Walking home she decided to have a courier pick it up and deliver it to Trey's office. Tonight, she would begin to pack what she could take out of the house when she had to leave. Tomorrow she had a real estate agent that was going to show her a few places that were up for sale that might suit her tastes. With what was going on in her life right now she was in no party mood.

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On the ride into work, Bridget and I both agreed after sleeping on it that we would accept her father's and my father's in-law offer. I would start contacting a few of the power players to see if they were available for a big project and if they were interested.

Just before kissing her goodbye I said, "Have your Father and Emerson decide when and where they wanted to start interviewing members for the team they wish to assemble. Make sure it is not in one of their corporate offices because we don't want rumors and gossip about what's going on."

I went into the building carrying my briefcase and brown bag containing my three roast beef sandwiches. I knew it was a day that was going to be filled with a lot of questions. As usual, the receptionist was there before me. After leaving my briefcase in my office I went to put my lunch in the luncheon room fridge.

"Good Morning Mr. Richards," The receptionist said. "After yesterday Gordon thinks you walk on water. It's not very often he gets called and asked advice from a man like Clarence Smith."

"That wasn't my idea," I said. "I only learned about the new plans late last night. So, you most likely know more than I do."

With that, she handed me my first cup of coffee made just the way I liked it and said, "Gordon, when he got off the phone, called me into the office and told me that you had managed to get us a whole new bunch of business coming down the road which includes an IPO."

"It's important what you know goes no further even to those you trust in the office," I said. "Because everything is just in the planning stages. We don't want the price of their corporate stock being jacked up by speculations."

"Gordon said the same thing last night to me behind closed doors" She replied. "So long do you figure it will be before you leave us."

"That's unknown even to me, sometimes these things can take years," I said. "Other times it's a matter of weeks because these things seem to take a life of their own."

"Be prepared Gordon will be calling you in first thing this morning for a friendly chat." She replied. "Because he wants your opinion for who in the organization should be assigned to handle the IPO from our end.

I gave her thanks for the tip and headed to my office. I had a few emails I needed to write and send out this morning after checking out the future's market and overseas markets to see if something could be gleamed out of what was going on. I sent a note regarding my trade orders asking him not to make the purchases until all my current shares were sold. It had been a few weeks since the idiots in China had done something stupid and I felt they were due again.

As soon as I walked into Gordon's office he spoke, "How did you do it?"

I laughed and said, "You give me too much credit. Sometimes the best outcome comes because the two come together for other reasons."

"Okay, I get it," Gordon said with a smile. "You're going to play it close to your vest just like you always do. I believe that's what attracted those two men to make the offer to you they did Mr. President."

For the next two hours, we went through all the upper management personnel to discuss the qualities and weaknesses of each person before coming to a decision on who would be brought in when the time was ready.

"Trey, I learned that with you that your always prepared," Gordon said. "Your insights this morning surprised me because you understood your fellow employees better than I did. It explains why your stats are better than anyone else in the office for client satisfaction and growth in their investments. One final thought; 'believe' in yourself and your decisions. You have the smarts to do things always right."

"Thank you for the compliment, but its time I get back to my regular job," I said. "After all no matter who and what we are we still have a paycheck to earn."

Leaving his office as I was headed to grab another coffee the receptionist stopped me and handed me an envelope that had been couriered in. It was from Dinah. My first reaction was to throw it in the trash. Instead, I put on the corner of my desk and got on with my day.

China's version of socialism decided to punish our current President so introduced tariff's on a bunch of American products. The stock market did not like it as values dropped across the board. A quick check verified my stocks and shares had all been sold the first thing in the morning before that had been announced. I had got a lucky break. I told the trader to buy as per my request a half hour before closing just before the last-minute rush came in. It's a good thing the president responded in kind by raising some current rates and suggested more were coming. Stock value's dropped all day.

Bridget called while I was at lunch as I was eating the roast beef sandwiches with a touch of horseradish sauce and pepper and salt. They were perfect and I told her so. She informed me that she had passed on my suggestion to her father. As a result, both Emerson and he were out looking for a small office to rent. They wanted to do the interviews starting next week. They still thought a team of six would work out great.

I told her that I had received a couriered envelope from Dinah delivered to the office. She asked what it said. I replied that I have not even opened it yet and wasn't sure that I would. Bridget got me to agree to bring it home with me so we could discuss together what we should do.

It was after dinner that I opened the letter. It read;

Trey, looking back after seeing Bridget and you together I realized too late that I had pushed you out of my life long before I had my tubes tied. I lost sight while chasing the dream of what was important in my life. Even my getting my tubes tied has to be tied into my chasing my dream because I really did not consider the consequences of what I was really doing. Bridget when I asked her if I knew her boyfriend said I didn't. I just now am beginning to see how true that is. In honesty you did not leave me I left you willingly because of what I did without discussing it with you.

Mom and Dad demanded that I seek professional help please tell them that I have set up my first appointment. I'm still not sure if I will go but I am considering it. I have a real estate lady looking for new digs for me and have begun packing to move.

When I saw the two of you together as you walked together towards the limo, I realized that we never looked like the two of you do together. It's got me questioning our relationship and wondering if we were ever in love. I may never know the answer to that.

I would like to have our divorce sealed so that everything is kept out of the New York Times and other media that I am beginning to hate. My lawyer said your lawyer had built such a detailed case that there are six or seven different reasons for granting the divorce. I won't be fighting it as long as you are reasonable about it. Dinah

Bridget looked at me before asking, "Do you think she's being sincere or not?"

"I'm not sure," I replied. "She just might be living proof that you can't fix stupid. My problem is that based on the long term lies how can I not believe this is just not more of her bull shit. I can see why she needs to keep it quiet. She does not want the real reason why she got her tubes tied to come out. That little piece of information we kept out of the divorce petition as a bargaining chip if things went really bad."

"What could she have done that's worse than what we already know. "Bridget asked?

"She aborted what would have been our firstborn eight weeks before at a hospital-owned clinic," I replied. "My lawyer and I kept that private because I did not want her parents to know. For some reason, her body would not accept any kind of birth control and she refused to use inserts because they always caused woman problems for her."

Bridget looked at me with tears in her eyes before saying. "I presume you found out when you sued for her records"

"Yes, I did. I decided to leave it out because I had promised to tell Emerson everything," I said. "I just couldn't devastate my in-laws with that truth, so I informed them just what they needed to know."

"Why do you feel they need protecting," Bridget asked while wondering why I would feel needed to act this way?

"Emmerson and Dora are old fashioned conservative Christians who live by their beliefs," I replied. "Knowing that I knew if I disclosed the whole truth it would destroy their world and change their reality for good. I was a man who wanted children of my own who had to ask myself would I want to know if I was them. The answer I came to was no."

Bridget looked at me while taking in the seriousness of what I said in knew that I felt overwhelmed.

I pulled Bridget into my arms holding her tight. For some reason, she felt the need to whisper in my ear, "Let it go, don't hold yourself accountable for something that was beyond your control."

It surprised me to learn that she knew I did.

Finally, when we parted, she said, "Did we ever know Dinah at all? What kind of woman would do that to her husband and parents?"

"One who has it all and is so jealous of anyone ever getting a part of what would belong to her by birthright, her father's millions," I replied. "Now you know why I am so confused as to what I should do."

"Then agree to keep it quiet," Bridget said. "We really don't want media attention with what Dinah's father and mine are attempting to do."

I looked at her and smiled, "That was not on my mind, but your thinking is right."

I picked up my cellphone and sent her a text message that said; I will instruct my lawyer to get it sealed."

"Bridget I'm going to send this to both your father and Emerson as an email in the morning from work. I feel they have a right to know," I said. "Then I will do the same to my lawyer to have it sealed."

And I did.

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The rest of the week went by very quietly. Reports in the New York Times showed all concerned that nothing had changed as per Dinah's conduct. She was still being reported on as being the social butterfly but was more subdued. The gossip reporter suggested that she was behaving herself because of the ongoing divorce which was now sealed. The New York Times gossip lady was questioning quite publicly why I had requested that since I had been the one dumped so publicly.

I had sent Clarence and Emerson a list of 10 names who were definitely interested in being interviewed along with what I knew about them.

Emerson called me late Friday afternoon to confirm that Dinah was indeed seeing a professional. A private investigator had been following her since he received a copy of her letter to me and confirmed that she had gone for her first appointment.

Saturday afternoon a for sale sign was placed on both Bridget's and my former residence. Dinah's lawyer had provided us with written approval to sell the house. Both Bridget and I were surprised that we saw no sign of Dinah at all.

Saturday night we were awoken from the sound of a loud explosion. Both Bridget and I threw some clothes on and ran outside to discover my old home was totally in flames. We could smell natural gas in the air. One of the security guards was holding a young man in cuffs.

"Fire department and police are on their way," The security guard said. "It looks like he hit the wrong house."

"Maybe but I wouldn't be so sure," I said. "Wasn't there a clinic burned down a couple of days ago?"

"Yes, there was," The security guard said. "It has been ruled as a case of arson. The only area totally destroyed was the record room and their computer system. It was run in a partnership with the hospital."

Bridget looked at me in shock as I said, "Please make sure that a police officer talks to me a soon as possible because if I am right there maybe another fire in the next few days."

Bridget looked at me with a questioned look, so I added, "My lawyer's office."

As we walked back into Bridget's home, she held my hand. Once inside she said, "You don't think Dinah is behind this do you?"