"OH, S..T, NOT YOU!" Pt. 02

"Let's see, the Chinese have 7% of the outstanding stock of Wondra. You all", indicating the five board members, "have 44% of the stock. I have accumulated, through acquisitions and outright purchase, 48% of the outstanding stock. And thanks to the graciousness of one Mrs. Gloria Steiner, the original 'little old lady from Pasadena', we have 51% of your stock. So I really don't need you to do anything." It was very quiet on the other side of the table, and the two ladies on the board were 'smirking up their sleeves', as they say.

That was when Lasker laughed and said Cassandra obviously couldn't count.

"That totals up to 102%. You had better get your facts straight, Madam."

Cassandra almost couldn't contain herself.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lasker. Obviously, the ladies on your board didn't tell you. They have exchanged, one for one with me, their shares for shares in Dexter Industries. Their 22% of the stock, plus what we have been able to buy on the open Exchange, plus the 3% from Mrs. Steiner, equals....." and with that she turned to Lyle, who, with a shit-eating grin on his face said, "51% of the voting shares of common stock."

Cassandra smiled at the gob-struck jerks on the board. Professor Lauren Klein and Ms. Sofia Often, the two ladies on the board, grinned in amusement. Apparently, with a three to two majority, and them two being 'only women', they were frequently overlooked. Not anymore.

"Now, I really don't need you ass-hats any more, so pick up your toys and get out of my building. I'm going to see about my daughter."

The General hid his mouth behind his hand, but as Cassandra walked past, he rose and extended his hand.

"Sorry about Eugene, sweetheart."

She leaned in, kissed his cheek, and said, "I'm not, daddy. You were right. I should have dumped him a long time ago."

The ride to the hospital was quiet and peaceful. James was thinking all kinds of thoughts. Lyle was finalizing a few things on his laptop and his cell phone, while thinking, 'Yep, she should be running the company.' They pulled up and parked, followed by the blue Ford GT.

As the general and Robert got out, James noticed that his younger brother was driving.

'OH, MAN! He got to drive the beast before I did.'

He shook his head, grinning at the smile on his younger brother's face. They laughed as the five of them walked into the hospital lobby and went up to Carol's room.

Things had changed, for the better, since they were there last.

Carol had awakened and she and Stuart had talked. And talked. And talked. They were both ashamed, and embarrassed with what they had conspired to do. They had contacted a therapist and a psychologist and were going to start seeing them.

Their relatives were overjoyed with the determination they showed. Other than the stupidity of their actions, they really hadn't broken any laws. But they had exposed several bad characters in the process of their dumb actions.

The three managing directors were terminated. The three board members were suitably disgraced and removed, and replaced by a respected member the local aviation community and two additional female persons of note- an appellate court judge, and a professor of business ethics at the local university. The Wondra Industries company was reorganized as Dexter Industries Aviation LLC, and a new hierarchy was installed. HR cleaned house of several 'creeps' and the shake up was welcomed company-wide. No one was enamored of the former management and their 'style'.

And what of Marilyn Standish? Well, when Cassandra and her group showed up and she was made aware of the actual chain of command at Dexter, she put two and two together and bolted. Fortunately, she was prepared. She had a 'go' bag, ready and waiting for any eventuality. She grabbed it, and her passport, laptop, and 'personal' items, and split. She booked a flight to Mexico, and from Cancun she left for Costa Rica. She figured she was safe.

Actually, she was. No one was looking for her because she was irrelevant. No one cared a shit about her. The same attitude that had plagued her employment at Wondra, was in play in her personal life on the lamb. She was a woman and therefore was irrelevant. It had pissed her off at work and slightly colored her thinking when the 'plot' was hatched to romance Eugene. She soon realized she had 'backed the wrong horse' as they say and she decided to cut her losses and flee. She would not be missed.

The two young people, Carol and Stuart, were having a rocky time of it. She was kept in the ICU for another week and then discharged to go home. Stuart picked her up and they went home. She was on leave from her teaching position, and it transitioned to summer vacation, so she had plenty of time to recuperate. Cassandra stayed with her and went to work with Stuart occasionally to oversee the transition. Carol continued to meet with a counselor and the psychologist, along with Stuart attending many of the sessions. The incidence of sex with Marilyn plagued her and she was struggling with the repercussions from it. When Stuart was made aware of it, it caused a minor upheaval. But they kept talking. It would be a while, but the therapist thought they could over come it. Meanwhile, Stuart was received back at work at his 'old' position, at the same pay (no additional monetary inducements), and an interview with HR and the new COO of Dexter Industries Aviation LLC. He was a retired manager from Boeing Aviation. Also attending was his assistant, a retired Air Force Major, who had been a logistics manager with SAC (the Strategic Air Command). She was a no nonsense type, married with three children, whose husband was a labor lawyer it the Federal Government. All three of these individuals were friends of Cassandra and her first late husband and held her in high regard. They were happy to help in the transition.

Lyle, James, and Amy Adams returned to Sacramento, along with two of the Mergers people. Jack Knowlend and Horace Landis both stayed to finish up the details. Lyle was deeply attached to Cassandra but as a good friend. He was married, the father of four, and the grandfather of six. He still firmly believed that Cassandra should head the parent company, but he suspected that that would not happen. She was more at home and content with being a grandmother, than a CEO, or president of the company.

Cassandra and her father had a long talk before he left. Cassie's mother was in fragile health, but she innately knew her daughter and granddaughter needed his support. But the General was deeply in love with his wife of 60 years, and he missed her sorely. But this needed to be done. The tragic episode of Stuart and Carol's life was handled and behind them. The aftermath was just starting. Cassie agreed that she would like to remain involved in the company but not as the dominant player she was now. Her father agreed with her. So he promoted Lucius Kincaid to CEO and had the lawyers draw up paperwork to put the company in trust for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was long overdue.

'I should have handled this along time ago. The family trust is a better way of making it work for all concerned,' he mused.

Cassandra sat on Stuart's balcony that over looked the ocean and sipped a good bourbon. It was her first husband's favorite brand, "Wild Turkey", and she only drank it when she was down. She sniffed and looked at the setting sun. Was this her destiny? After all this time, was this what she had to look forward to?

A calm came over her as the temperature dropped a few degrees and the wind freshened. A deep voice whispered in her ear.

"Hey, funny-lookin. Why so glum?"

Cassandra shook and looked around.

"James?" Only her first husband, the love of her life, used that name for her. She started to hyperventilate.

"Easy, baby. Calm down. I'm right here. Why are you so unhappy? You have two strong, wonderful young men as sons, two fantastic, loving daughter in-in-laws, three beautiful grandchildren, and in spite of everything and being a little ditzy, a daughter that adores you. Your son-in-law is pretty decent, for a college boy, and I have a good feeling about him. I think you scared them enough to get them back on the right track. I had hoped you wouldn't fall for the snake's schmoozing you, but being 'over here', I could only pray."

"Where are you, love??", she breathed.

"Waiting for you, lover. But don't worry. You have a while yet. I'm keeping a spot warm fore you, though. And don't worry about being with Eugene. He's 'down in the tropics', as we say over here." A slight chuckle broke his speech and she thought she felt a warm kiss on her cheek. Her hand jumped up to touch the spot.

"That will have to hold you, love. It's the best I can do. Sleep tight, baby."

The breeze died away, replaced by a serene calm. Cassandra smiled and sniffled a little.

"Thank you, my love," she thought as she dropped off to sleep, the sun sinking below the horizon far, far out in the Pacific.

The tall, good looking man wiped a tear from his eye and turned to the stunning looking Oriental woman at his side, and gently kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you for that, Karma."

"My pleasure, Colonel. You both deserved it."

The End

I want to thank everyone who waited for this. If you are familiar with my stories and my history, you know I have a bad habit of not having the subsequent parts of story ready to go. My wife read this and told my the 'ending left a little to be desired.' (yeah, she was right, it sucked.) So I wound up re-writing it three times before she thought it was pretty good.

If you are new to my stories, disregard that statement.

This is a belated Happy Veterans Day to all members of the armed forces and veterans out there, male and female, white, black, Chicano, Asian, Muslim, Christian, Jewish or Atheist. Thank you for your service. To my fellow Viet Nam veterans, WELCOME HOME!! God knows we didn't get a lot of that. I came home and married my hippy fiancee, and tried to convert her. To quote my favorite T-Shirt, "I asked God to make me a better man. He sent me my Wife." I like to think he likes me.

Now lighten up-

Happy Thanksgiving, and Merry Christmas, to all. From the Bears. And America IS great, in spite of what some people say. We're just not perfect yet. So keep working on it.