Shane and Carmen: The Novelization Ch. 20

"How much money are we talking about?" Mattie asked.

"Somewhere around $50,000," Shane said.

"Your trust fund is about twice that," Mattie said. "This morning I pulled your file and reviewed everything. And you are eligible to receive it in full when you turn 30 years old, that's what it says. That'll just be in a couple of months, right?"

"Right," Shane said. "But it also says that I can appeal to my trust fund executor, who is Bernie, although I guess it might also be you, since you can act on his behalf, if I need some of the trust fund money for a special purpose."

"That's right, too," Mattie said. "So are you formally asking for $50,000 in order to go into business with Chase, and to do it now, rather than waiting a few months when you can do without anyone's permission?"

Shane turned and looked at Carmen.

"I guess that's what I'm doing, don't you think?" she asked Carmen.

"Are you asking me if I think it's a good idea?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess. We talked about it a lot, over the last couple of days. But I don't think I ever flat-out asked you. So what do you think?"

"I think it's your money and your trust fund, Shane, you know that. But yes, I think it's a pretty exciting opportunity for you, and yes, I think you'd be terrific at it. I think Shane for Wax could really be a hit. And I think it would be a good anchor for you, too. You have commitment issues and settle-down issues, but I think this is part of the solution for you. Give you something to live for and invest yourself in, emotionally. So if you're asking me what I think, I say yes, go for it. Do it."

"Sometimes I think you believe in me a helluva lot more than I believe in me," Shane said quietly. Mattie said nothing, watched.

Carmen smiled. "One of us has to. I got the short straw."

Shane grinned ruefully. "All right, then." She turned to Mattie. "Yes, I am formally asking you, or Bernie, or Bernie and you, however it works, to let me use $50,000 of my trust fund to buy into Chase's business, and to let him and me set up Shane for Wax and start working on that line of hair care stuff. Chase says he already has lots of ideas on that, how to private-label stuff, and everything. And he says he has ideas on how to market me, or rather to market 'Shane,' as some sort of advertising gimmick. So, yes, that's what I'm asking. I wanna do it."

Mattie nodded and sat forward at her desk.

"Okay, then, you are making a formal request. Of course, it'll need to be in writing, but don't worry about that part; I'll have one of my people draw it all up. And we'll draft a formal request to the trust fund, and handle all that. Now, the other part of it is, since Bernie's away I am legally authorized to make the decision myself. I don't know if you are aware, but attorneys usually have designated backups, someone authorized to act when they cannot. In Bernie's case, I'm his back-up. He's the executor of your trust fund, and I'm the number two on it, always have been since we executed Harvey's will. That being said, Bernie's gonna call in day after tomorrow just to check up on the office, and simply as a matter of courtesy and routine, I'll run all this by him, okay?"

"Yes, sure, whatever you say."

"Cool. I suppose he'll probably ask me what I think and what my recommendation is. And here's what I'm going to tell him. First, having talked to you after neither of us have seen you for a few years or more, I believe you to be of sound mind, clear-headed, not under the influence of any impairing substances, yadda yadda, you seem stable and capable, zoom zoom zoom. I'm going to say I want to do some background checking on Chase, what we lawyers call due diligence, just making sure everything's kosher, he doesn't have a criminal record, he isn't a serial killer, he isn't bilking little old ladies out of their Social Security, which I'm sure he's not. Mostly, it's just paperwork, understand?"

"Yes, sure, absolutely."

"Then I'll recommend we give you the 50 large out of your trust fund, and I'm virtually certain he'll have no problem with that. And after I get his input, only then will I also tell him you've got yourself an uh um who turns out to be none other than the famous DJ La Pica, who has a cuter booty than any Laker Girl."

Shane and Carmen laughed. "Why aren't you gonna tell him that up front?" Shane asked.

"You probably don't know this, but Bernie got divorced and then he got re-married. Not a young trophy wife, exactly, but you know the type. And Bernie's getting older, know what I mean? When I tell him about DJ La Pica, I know he's just gonna get such a boner."

***

That weekend, mainly at Carmen's urging, they had a sit-down with Jenny and Moira, and decided that things would be best if Carmen gave up her studio in the garage so Jenny and Moira could move out there on a semi-permanent basis. In exchange for giving up her studio, Carmen would go back to having her own room again. It would, they all agreed, give each couple some semblance of privacy, and since Jenny and Moira were unemployed at the moment, they were essentially living free, and so would have to put up with having to come into the house to use the bathroom and kitchen.