Brandy and the Hijack

Chapter 1: a forthcoming marriage

Tyron Watchman was sixty-four years of age. He was a very wealthy man with assets in excess of one billion dollars. He had three children - two from his first marriage and one from his second. Tyron's first wife had thrown him over after a mere seven years, grabbed what money she could from him and abandoned both him and the two children. No one knew where she was anymore.

His second marriage, although a bit rocky at times, had lasted eighteen years before his wife died from a brain tumour.

He had now been single for twelve years and was sitting opposite his three children telling them that he was to marry for the third time. The children were definitely not pleased, particularly the eldest son, Napier.

"Just who is she, Father?"

"Her name is Ruby and she is only twenty-two years of age, so you will naturally describe her as a gold-digger, and I fully appreciate that my money is the main attraction for her."

"Then why marry her?"

"Because I want to. She's fun and she excites me."

"But do you know much about her, I mean, her background and so on?"

"No, not really, and I don't particularly care. She has given me a brief history and I'm accepting that. I met her about three months ago and mostly we have been going out on the yacht for weekends."

Napier continued to look unhappy, "Perhaps I should do some background checks on her, Father?"

Tyron's eyes went hard, "You will not, Napier. If there is something unsavoury in her past, I don't want to know about it. So you leave her alone, understood?"

"It's okay, Dad," Mona stepped in. She was the youngest and usually the peacemaker. "Nape, back up. Let's all of us allow Dad to do what he wants to do. But Dad, please be careful."

There were a few moments of tight silence before Tyron spoke again, "Look, maybe the marriage will only last two or three years, then I'll pay her off and send her on her way. She is not going to make a serious dent in my wealth, I'll make sure of that."

"I'll have to change my Will, of course. I hope everybody will be happy if I make a provision of fifty million for Ruby and you, my dear children, can have equal shares of the rest."

"That's still an awful lot of money, Father. May I suggest that you start at a lower figure and if the marriage is a success, then increase it a bit later?"

Tyron gave his eldest child an amused grimace, "You act more like an accountant than a lawyer at times, Napier, but all right, I'll start at twenty million."

Sighs of reluctant acceptance, "Very well Father, I suppose that is not too unreasonable, but we are still concerned that she may be exploiting you."

"Dad, we do want to see you happy. Just don't let her hurt you, please."

"Thank you. Now, these are my plans: a small civil ceremony - I don't want any fuss or media attention - then a twelve-month honeymoon cruise on the yacht."

"Dad, the wedding ceremony could be a bit awkward, for her and for us."

"Yes, fair point."

"Why don't you elope instead? Then when you get back from your honeymoon we children will just have to accept it as a fait accompli."

Tyron smiled, "That appeals to me actually. You others all right with it?"

Nods all around, "Yes, that will probably be for the best."