Walter and Natalie Ch. 03

"We aren't, but we can find someone who knows how I want the work done and understands the law and our ethics."

"You sound like you already have someone in mind."

"Yeah. You guessed it. I think Mel Kiniski would be perfect for us."

"Who's he? I don't remember hearing his name before."

"He's a she. Melanie Kiniski. She's a very bright young lady who's been laboring in obscurity at my old office. I'm just hoping I can get to her before she quits in frustration with Peter's chickenshit antics."

"Do you think she'll come? I mean, what will we pay her?"

"Yeah. I think she will. She and I got along very well, and I think she looked at me as a mentor. She was pretty upset when I told her I was leaving, but off the record I told her not to go too far and to keep in touch. She knew what I meant.

"As for paying her, we can easily afford her current salary if my income projections are anywhere close. On top of that, we can give her a piece of the business or maybe profit sharing. That's something we'll have to figure out. If I know Mel, she'll want a piece of the business. She has a lot of faith in me."

"Do I have to worry about this young lady?" Natalie asked, poking me in the shoulder.

"Nah. She doesn't go for old goats like me. I think her boyfriend is a pro hockey player. Anyway, I'm not going to mess with her when I've got you," I grinned, grabbing and pulling her in tight.

"Isn't it time for our weekly roll in the hay?" Natalie giggled.

"I thought that was last night. This must be our third supplemental weekly roll in the hay."

"I'll race you to the bedroom," she taunted.

"Save your energy, babe. You're going to need it."

That's the way it had been going. We were working hard but having fun. Things were going our way and I could see that whatever our past had been, it was much brighter in the future. The smartest thing I did was to involve her in the business up to her neck. It gave her an understanding of just how much work I did when I went to my old office every day. But the rewards were now beginning to accumulate and with that came confidence in ourselves and our future.

We made love frequently and enthusiastically. We quit worrying whether the children heard us or not. It was much more important that we connected so well now and with genuine love and affection. I could see that Natalie was getting tired with having to keep house, cook, and work with me at the business. I never heard a word of complaint from her but it would wear her out if I let it continue. I had no intention of letting that happen.

We hired Mel in early May when the furor had died down and the smoke had cleared. When we tallied the billings, we were no longer a start-up business. We were moving quickly along as an established firm. Mel was pumped to be invited to join the firm as an employee with ownership options.

We tried to continue to work out of the house, but it was quickly becoming evident that we needed a proper office. We contacted a commercial realty firm and they found us a small office in a nice area with a reasonable lease. The downturn in the economy had made several units available and we chose the one we liked the best.

The children would be on their own until we arrived home, but since the office closed at five and we were only a few minutes from there to home, dinner would be on the table shortly after six with a group effort. The kids were growing up and we were confident that they would be responsible with the new freedom they were given.

We had added three more corporate clients and our tax-avoidance strategies was now a big segment of our business. We needed more staff and I set about looking for an additional person I could be confident would do a good job. I shouldn't have bothered. Mel knew someone who would be interested. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be hiring an ex-professional hockey player with a fully accredited accounting degree.

One look at the face of Carl "Rocky" Belland and you knew he had been either a prize fighter or a hockey player. The traces of scars and his mangled septum told the tale. But he was bright, knowledgeable, and willing. Mel would be his tutor in the ways of tax law and she assured me that Rocky would be a great addition to the team. She turned out to be correct on all counts.

Money was never going to be an issue with Rocky. He had been paid handsomely during his career, and wisely invested in real estate and other sound securities. Just the same, he was offered profit sharing and some ownership in McGuire Tax, just as Mel had been.

Looking back on it all, I shook my head at everything that had happened in the past five years. From the moment of the leaking faucet drama until now, everything I touched seemed to turn to gold. Good luck? I suppose some of it was, but in the end, when I knew I couldn't let my life go on as it had, that's when it turned.

There are five franchised McGuire Tax Services outlets now in three cities. Mel runs one, Rocky runs another, I look after "Head Office," while two bright young people are operating the newest shopping center kiosks. Natalie works only part-time these days. She's still the overseer of all operations when it comes to public profile. Despite the fact that she isn't an accountant, she watches the bottom line like a hawk.

I'm telling you this story from the deck of a cruise ship somewhere between Crete and Rhodes. It's our special vacation celebrating five wildly successful years. Yes, Karen and Rob are with us. Rob just finished his first year of college, while Karen will be starting her senior year of high school. Both of them are enjoying the spoils of our success, but it hasn't changed them.

Oh sure, we bought Rob a car, and Karen knows her tuition at art school is already looked after but they've kept a level head on their shoulders. Maybe that's because their mother made sure of it. We still live in the same house and Natalie still makes the family meals, often with Karen's help.

It's far too early to think of retirement, besides the fact that I'm truly enjoying the business, even in March and April. Yes, it can be hectic, but I'm used to it and we made a pact early on when we first rented that small office. If we had to work late we took it home with us. Being with our family was more important than staying at the office.

I'm not the guy I used to be. Circumstances forced me to change and that change was for the better. It took a near tragedy to shake me up enough to realize I was responsible for my own happiness. The tragedy? Losing the love of my wife and my self respect. That's all in the past now. I don't have to act like I'm some kind of hard-ass, but if I feel strongly about something, I'll speak my mind. And Natalie isn't so cowed that she's afraid to speak up when she doesn't agree. Hell, that's what makes our marriage work.

END

Editing by ErikThread and DaveT with my thanks for their thoroughness and helpful suggestions. Any errors are mine.

As I said at the beginning of Chapter 1, I was of mixed opinion in which category to fit this story. You may rightfully argue that I chose poorly, but I hope that doesn't lessen the enjoyment of it.

Cheers,

Coaster2