Sister Golden Hair Delight Ch. 28

Chapter 28

A man can love three women, can't he?

Monday, August 29th

Kevin Sales' office, Crowell Corporation

Reading of the will...

Kevin....

I remember the last time I saw Jim alive. It had been a beautiful day and we were going to change his will to reflect the current situation at the Corporation.

By the time my family and I had moved in from San Francisco, he and Maria had already left for Hawaii.

I had flown down earlier in the day and by the time Alessa had gone to the dining room for some lunch, Jim was meeting with me.

There were a large number of papers scattered on every flat surface of Jim's office. We were sitting on the floor, matching papers and separating them into various piles according to some plan that only the two of us seemed to understand.

In the background, 'California Girls' was playing; he had a fixation when it came to 60s music and the Beach Boys in particular. After another hour, we finally finished the last set of papers and dropped them on the huge piles facing us.

"My back is killing me..." Jim pulled out his Blackberry and called Tybal, Alessa's secretary. "Mary, please get Louise and come to my office with your laptops. Have you had lunch yet? OK... then call some lunch and you can eat it here."

I looked at the different piles of colored papers. "As before, most of your individual bequests are to the people working for you, the charitable organizations that you have established with trust funding, of the remaining 39 billion dollars, about 66 percent going directly to Alessa, 20 percent to Maria Paras and the rest split evenly between Tyler and Tunturin with 7 percent each. Each stack is for each group.

Have you ever told any of them what has been in your will?"

"No, Kevin, you're the executor... that's always been your problem." He gave a faint smile, the back pain from some long forgotten battle still bothered him, but he was trying to stay off the prescribed painkillers that made his head 'fuzzy.'

**********

The four of us sat on the floor looking at the stacks of paper spread around the room. Jim and I were eating and sometimes pointing at different piles. The women sat against the wall, laptops on the floor, sandwiches in their hands as I indicated what Jim wanted done.

I looked over and Jim nodded his agreement.

"Ladies, Jim, in recognition of your tremendous loyalty and hard work, has set aside seven percent of the business for each of you in the event of his death. We wanted to get that out of the way. At some point, that amount will be transferred to you both, but we're not sure yet when. In case you're guessing, that amounts to about, at current valuation, 2.5 billion dollars each."

Mary spilled her drink onto her skirt and didn't even notice she was in such shock at the amount. The two women could only stammer their appreciation for his unbelievable gesture.

"A version of this will has been in effect since the second week Alessa came here and today is just a formality to tie up some loose ends. I had planned on giving each of you a copy at Christmas time but as you know, things have changed dramatically between all of us since then."

Once lunch was finished, we left the women to retype the will's sections and said we would be back when they were finished.

**********

"Jim, you are a most generous man. I've known Alessa for a long time and I knew that day you took her away was the best thing that could have happened. If you don't mind, why the change in plans?"

Jim looked around and satisfied no one was within easy listening, said, "We're going to be married at Christmas in Hawaii. But, I want things squared away just in case something happens to me again in the meantime."

"Fair enough. Congratulations."

We took the elevator up to the residential top floor.

"I've been thinking. How much of your time is taken up with my account?"

"Well, to be honest," I said, "you're my only responsibility with the firm. I've wanted to leave them for the way they treated Alessa but the economy has made that difficult."

"How would you like to go independent, so to speak, move down here, and be our in-house legal? You know how we've set up things here. Your living situation would be taken care of, there would be no cut for the firm for your work and I think your wife and children might like a warmer climate... or, is she enamored with the idea of living in San Francisco?"

"Actually, after that last earthquake, she's been hinting about moving from there."

"Uh, you know there are earthquakes down here, also, right?"

"Let me call her now, if I may? It will just be a moment or two, I hope." I hit my wife's speed dial number and in moments was connected with her 400 miles to the north. A very rapid conversation between us ensued.

"She wants to know how big the apartment here would be."

"Here, let me talk to her. Hello, Mrs. Sales, Jim Crowell here. How are you, ma'am? Yes, I know that San Francisco weather this time of year. What's that? Of course, I will have him send you the photos in just a moment. Excuse me. Kevin, this thing sends photos, right?"

"Yes." I was already anticipating moving south, I could just taste it.

"Good, let's show your wife what your new home would look like. Mrs. Sales? We'll call you right back on my phone, we're going upstairs to your new home. Yes, ma'am, I am pretty sure."

We kept up an animated conversation of Dodgers vs. Giants as we walked along the hallway. Halfway down the west corridor, we stopped. While I had called my wife back, Jim had made a call of his own and by the time we had reached the apartment, it had been opened and the lights turned on. Although there was no furniture, the rooms said 'home'.

"Hello, Mrs. Sales? Hi, it's me, again. Yes, your husband is going to start sending photos to your computer, is that right? Good. I'll answer any questions you might have with each room.

"What's the square footage? Well, it is a little small but you don't have to worry about cooking unless you want to with the kitchenette and you don't have to do any laundry. What's that? I've sold you already! You are pretty funny, ma'am.

"Call you Louise? Why, thank you, Louise. To answer your question, though, the square footage here is just a shade over 2000 square feet. It's twice what you have now? Well, that's San Francisco for you.

"Are the photos coming over? Great! What do you think?

"Schools? Well, ma'am, I mean, Louise, we do our schooling in house, here. We're a bit out of town and this way we don't worry about our children. How many? I think there are about a hundred children, spread over the 12 grades, as well as daycare for those that need it.

"We have our own staff for that and the high school age children have access to the finest programs available. And, as you can imagine, the teacher-student ratio is, if I remember correctly, about five or six to one and the field trips are pretty special.

"Yes, ma'am. The children move at their own rate, with a gentle push to keep them on track and on schedule. Given our programs, the children are their own best motivator, and we have the older students working with the younger ones an hour a day. Keeps them grounded.

"Special needs? Yes, Louise. We have several children and their parents have been quite happy with their success. Everyone works together here. Is that a concern for you? I see. On that matter, you will have nothing to worry about.

"Yes, I guess you could say it's almost like a family, but everyone can move on whenever they want. We've only lost three people since building here... Yes, it had to do with taking care of parents on the east coast, and the old folks just wouldn't leave to come here. We were very sorry to see them leave, but they know they can come back if they wish someday.

"They don't know it yet, but we've set up trust funds for any children they might have in the future. Your husband is the one who set it up. Yes, ma'am... I mean, Louise. Every child here... Yes, that's right. So, are you coming south?

"You wish to speak with him... Yes, I'll tell him. Just a minute, please. Here, she wants to speak with you."

He handed me the phone and left to give me some privacy.

"No, you're not dreaming. Yes, our own exclusive contract. From what I figure, about three times what we're doing now, plus no cost housing and food and schooling. You want me to ask? I don't know if that's a good idea. Look, you've got to see this place to believe it, I've been here about ten times and it still amazes me.

"I'll tell him. Do you want to sell the place or try and rent it out? How sure am I? In all the years I've known him, he's never, ever backed down from his word, or done anything that I know of that even hints... Yes, I'll tell him.

"What's that? A pony? Louise, you've got to be kidding me! All right, all right, I'll ask, but... this better not screw up the deal, Louise. Wait a minute."

I walked to the doorway and looked for Jim. Jim was a ways down the hallway, talking to the woman in charge of the floor. I approached them, waiting for their conversation to finish. Jim glanced over.

In deference to custom, I knew to call Jim 'Colonel' when not in private.

"Excuse me, Colonel... uh, well, sir... my daughter wants to know if she can have a pony."

Jim looked at me... I felt embarrassed. Jim leaned against the wall, laughing so hard his face turned red.

"All this and it depends on a pony? Oh, that's rich! You tell your daughter, what's her name? How old is she?"

"Susan... she's ten." I was sure the offer was being politely retracted.

"Well, you tell Susan that when she gets here, we'll find her the best pony there ever was. Kevin, we have our own stables as part of the children's education. A pony! That's rich.

"Well, it could have been worse; she might have wanted a Porsche... that would have been too bad, we only buy American here."

He slowly slid down the wall to sit on the floor, laughing. "Kevin?"

"Yes, Colonel?"

"We're good. Glad to have you and your family joining us. Make arrangements with Mrs. Lecky, here, about moving in. We'll have our own crew do the moving.

But, first we have to take care of why you came here to begin with."

When I finished talking to my wife, I gave the phone back and Jim speed-dialed Alessa.

"Alessa, dear, there's some business that can't wait... yes, I love you, too. Say, your office, in ten minutes? Is that good? Great. I'll see you then."

"C'mon, let's go make a woman feel special."

********

Before I could move to Jim's office, Maria had a security team come in and remove everything relating to the military side of the business. I now occupied the space that only weeks before belonged to one of the brightest minds in American intelligence.

I had called Alessa and told her that I was ready whenever it was convenient for Maria and her to come and hear the reading of the will. The two women shuffled into the room and sat together on the couch. On two other chairs were the two personal assistants, Mary Tybal and Louise Tunturin.

I passed out copies of the will to each woman and closed the door. "I never expected to be here with you ladies for an occasion such as this. On a personal note, I am devastated. Whatever his faults were, Jim was one of the finest men I've ever known.

"Before we start with the will, his instructions to me were quite specific. So, please close your eyes and please get as comfortable as you are able under the circumstances."

The room was filled with the opening chords of "California Girls" by the Beach Boys. As sad as the women were, they eventually were tapping their fingers and moving their heads back and forth with the music. When the song was over, I told them they could open their eyes again.

"I have a DVD that I am to play, now." I nodded to Louise and she turned on the player. Across the room the flatscreen came alive and each woman saw Jim looking at her, alive once more through the magic of technology.

"Well, ladies... if you are seeing this, I am sorry to say that I am no longer with you. I don't know how it happened but I can only hope that it was for something worthwhile and not some useless accident that has taken me from all of you.

"I hope that when you think of me it will be with a smile. I hope that you are a little sad that I'm gone but, please, remember whatever good times we had together.

"I would like to speak with Mary and Louise first. Ladies, you are the best. I could have done nothing without your knowledge and guidance and I want you to know that I have not forgotten that. To each of you, I am bequeathing seven percent of the corporation as we had discussed back when Kevin and I changed everything and you typed it up. At the time of this recording, that amounts to about two and one-third billion dollars each.

"I trust that Kevin will work his best to avoid every tax he can for both of you. Thank you for all you've done and I hope that you will continue with Alessa and Maria.

"Now, I'm going to ask you to leave so I can talk privately with Alessa and Maria."

I stopped the video and waited for the two women to leave and close the door behind them. Satisfied, I started it again.

"Alessa, Maria... as you know, I was once in love with a woman named Miriam Gyler and she was taken away from me. I carried that pain for a long while and it colored my outlook on life.

"I know that caused you, Maria, a good deal of emotional pain and I can only hope that you are able to see this video and can forgive me for what I've done to you.

"Maria... I do love you, more than you can ever imagine."

She inhaled sharply and began to cry. Alessa pulled her head onto her own shoulder and held her tightly.

"I am so sorry but I was a goddamned idiot and stupidly let the damned military regulations control my life and I was never able to tell you. Can a man love more than woman? I do... I fell in love with you that night in Iran when we were running for our lives to evac out. I was impressed by your courage and brilliant mind and excited by your beauty.

"I hope that Alessa is there with you... and Alessa, please don't take this the wrong way, I so love you, too, but I have shamed myself with the way I treated Maria.

I hope that you two will be friends for life.

"Maria... I wish I could have married you, just like I wish I could have married Miriam and I wish I could have married Alessa. I know that you loved me and that made my life all that much harder. I know I could have left the military but I was brought up believing in America... not the America that is, but the America that could be... one that your children could grow up to be the best they could be in safety and love. I wish they could have been our children. As strange as this sounds, I loved you too much not to do any less than that.

"Please forgive me. I always loved you, Maria and I always will."

I had to stop the video. The woman was crying too much to continue. Alessa motioned for the tissue box and indicated that I should leave the room. As I left the room I saw her holding the sobbing woman on the couch.

What seemed an eternity but only about fifteen minutes had passed by.

Alessa called for me to come back in. I questioned whether I should continue and Alessa told me to play the rest, no matter what.

"Maria, do you want to continue or wait until later, tomorrow, maybe?"

"No... I'm sorry. We need to finish and put this behind us... besides, he hasn't really talked to you yet and that wouldn't be fair."

When both women were a little calmer, the video played again.

"Maria, I know that money is a very impersonal gift but God knows that's all I can give you now. Maria... I am leaving you with twenty percent of the corporation. I figure that should work out to about eight billion. I hope that you will work together with Alessa to keep everything going. You are very good at what you do and I am proud that I had something to do with it and sad that I will not be with you to see what else you can do."

The poor woman sat there in shock. Eight billion dollars... I saw that she could not grasp that amount. Although she had worked with those types of numbers before, money like that for her was just too unbelievable. She held Alessa's hand so tightly that Alessa had to tap her arm to loosen her grip.

"Alessa... what can I say. I know we didn't get married or you would have been seeing a much different video play out. I fully intended to marry you when I got back from this mission that Maria and I are going on. Something must have happened. I only hope that Maria was not hurt and is sitting there next to you.

"Alessa, darling... As much as I loved Miriam and Maria, I loved you. From that luncheon date on the Wharf, I fell in love with you. You are the remaining piece of my life's great loves. I..."

On the video, Jim began to cry. "I so wanted to live and love you for the rest of our lives. Kevin has some personal things that I was going to give you. I was going to ask you to marry me and we were going to do it on Christmas Eve in Hawaii... I've always liked Hawaii."

Both women began to cry at that point... and it was Maria's turn to comfort her friend for the great loss they both suffered but Alessa most of all.

"I'm pregnant."

*

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