The Tie That Binds

Face turning red, he looked over at her. "That's all he did. Constant complaining. I'd tell him to stick to his budgets, to get it done but he kept sending in his little reports. The stubborn jackass wouldn't stop. Just like your college."

"My... What are you talking about? What about college?"

"We would have paid for your schooling. We WANTED to pay for your education, but that stubborn fool had to sell his flea-bitten hovel to pay for it."

Jessica grabbed the desk to steady herself. "No, no... that money came from Mommy's stocks. He... the house was too big. He wanted something smaller. It was... everything was in that house. My memories, Mom, everything and he sold it."

"Yes! And I damned well told him not to. Been in his family for five generations. He wanted to go back and reopen his little mutt business. Instead he sells it and refuses to let us pay for your college. Your mother never had any stocks. Just more lies from that man."

Jessica knew that the house meant everything to Martin, which is why she found it so callous and cold when he just up and sold it. That was where he lived with her mother until the end, where he had his business and where he lived with his daughter for the first few years of her life. She began hyperventilating and felt a panic attack building. She took deep breaths, calmed down and started reevaluating her father.

Finally, she stopped. She closed the folder in front of him, stood and looked at the man.

"Grandpa, why do you hate him so much?"

"Why do I... He... He took her from us. Am I supposed to be okay with that? He took my baby. Any real man, any decent man would have made sure she had regular check-ups. Gone to the doctor regularly. He was her HUSBAND! It was his damned responsibility! Early detection could have saved her. She could be here, now and for all these years we missed. I'm supposed to just ignore that?"

She pulled him from his chair, hugged him and whispered in his ear. "No, Grandpa. I know how much you loved her. I'm so sorry you lost her."

Wiping her eyes, she stepped back and pulled out the last piece of paper from her folder. She put it on his desk and slid it towards him.

"I'm tendering my resignation. I'll be leaving in two weeks. I love you to pieces, but I can't stay here."

Martin felt uncomfortable, but he trusted his daughter. She held his hand as they got out of the car.

She squeezed it before speaking. "Okay, blindfolds on tight, right? You can't see?"

"Not a thing."

She maneuvered him about half a block, positioned him and stopped. "Okay, take it off."

He did, saw the storefront and looked up at the sign for Pa's Paws Place.

"Jacie, what the heck is going on?"

"It's our place, Dad. You didn't think that wedding cost a hundred grand did you? And by the way, Grandpa pays his interns and people in his executive training program and I'm pretty sure that I was at the top of that pay scale."

"That's... honey, you can't be spending your money on me. I'm doing fine. I rent space out at a local kennel."

She put her hand on his arm. "I'm not spending money on you, I'm spending it on us. I'm your partner. You're brilliant with dogs. If I can't get us kicking butt as a business, what the heck is a Wharton MBA worth?"

Martin looked from the storefront to his daughter. "Luke is okay with this?"

"Yup. Totally onboard. He's researching a grant from the Dink Foundation. They give money to vets and animal care businesses that help low income families with their pets. You get two MBA's for the price of one."

Martin had a huge grin as he turned to look at the building and back to Jacie. "What about your grandfather's plans?"

"I'll probably go back to Vandelay in five years or so. Right now, I'm more concerned about my Dad's plans."

I'd like to thank Stev2244, GL and the other people that were kind enough to beta-read this for me. I'm also grateful for the editing of Randi and the support of the Left Foot, Right Foot society.

Have a great day.