THE Media Baron's Heiress (BOOK 2)

CHAPTER 18

It was Sunday.  The day after Lyndon had been rescued.  The Blakely family were enjoying a leisurely brunch with Tessa’s parents; Bertha, Keri and Bentley in the breakfast room.    Lyndon was comfortably perched on his daddy’s lap enjoying a scrumptious omlettee. At the table Keri and Charlotte were trying to convince Bertha what a beautiful city New York was in hope of enticing her to visit.  Charlotte was whispering in Brad’s ear that he should medicate Bertha so she could attempt the transatlantic flight.  

Brad noted that for the first time his wife was not too concerned about the state of readiness their home was in, to receive Joseph von Biljoen.  Lyndon’s ordeal had derailed her normal obsession to have their home in tip top shape for her father’s visit.  Not that his butler and cook and the household cleaning team, did not do an exemplary job, but his wife was obsessive and preferred to micro manage things where it concerned her father.  

It thrilled Brad to see his wife smiling and having an enjoyable conversation with her father.  Brad was most impressed to hear his wife debating of all things economics with her father.   Her father was having difficulty in convincing her on his proposal on how to rescue the USA and Europe from the ailing debt crises.  Having majored in economics in university and passing with a distinction, Brad folded his arms across his chest and listened to the heated debate between father and daughter.

 ‘The US and the EU needs to implement austerity measures,’ Joseph argued impassionedly.

‘That’s only a temporary measure,’ Tessa countered.  ‘It patches the hole in a leaking boat but it will not stop it eventually sinking.’

‘Governments must reduce their spending.   There’s no two ways about it,’ Joseph was adamant.

Tessa shook her head unconvinced.  ‘All austerity does is depress the economy.  It causes governments to lose more money in tax revenue and ultimately increases unemployment at a time when the economy needs to be boosted by aggressive spending.’

Brad was so impressed with his wife.  She was spot on as far as he was concerned and he voiced his approval.  ‘I agree with my wife, Joseph,’ Brad dipped his hand under the table and laced it through Tessa’s.  Pride lit up her eyes at her husband’s surprising support.  She had thought he would be of the same view as her father.

‘Oh you would agree with your wife,’ Joseph pointed an accusing finger at Brad.

‘On the contrary,’ Brad stated unfazed by Joseph’s accusation.  Reducing the government’s spending on infrastructure and necessary services is short sighted.’ 

Tessa held her breath.  She had been a little more tactful with her father.  Trust her amazing husband to shoot straight from the hip. 

‘The solution is to grow the economy,’ Brad indicated.  ‘Relax certain polices that will be investor friendly; review globalization strategies and the producer price index to stimulate manufacturing within our borders and accelerate job creation,’ Brad offered a smug grin.

‘And what governments fail to employ,’ Tessa added, ‘is the simulation of business models to assess readiness in crises situations.’  She returned an accusing finger back at her father.  ‘That discipline would have kept buffer zones protected and today we would not have to be concerned about debt crises or the EU abandoning the Euro and each country falling back on their individual currencies.  Do you know what the cost implications are for each country to now reprint their own individual currencies all over again?’ Tessa raised an enquiring eyebrow at her father.

Joseph smiled at his daughter proudly.  She never ceased to amaze him.  In her teen years she had been such a rebel, he thought she’d drop out of university.  Instead she had finished top of her class with flying colours, the youngest in her class to graduate.