On the Verge ~ (Seth Clearwater Imprinting Story)

Chapter 18: Part 1

“This is no time for lovey-dovey nonsense!” Jo snapped glaring at Seth and me, “Violet there is an immense fortune at stake here, and you don’t seem to care about it at all!”

“Is that a crime?” I asked.

“No, but it sure is one big problem,” Jo replied, "What are you going to do with it all?”

I thought for a moment.

“Well, we wouldn’t want to just give it all away, now do we? My father would be very upset if his whole life’s work was just gone…” I replied.

“So, what do you have in mind?” Jo asked, “I bet you have a lot of things in mind for the future,” she said as her eyes shifted down to my stomach.

My hands flew protectively to it.

She was right though. I hadn’t been thinking about the baby at all. I heard that a child cost a lot of money. I mean, I’ve already bled the Clearwater’s dry; I owed them my life and more.

“Ah-ha!” Jo said in triumph knowing she had hit a nerve.  

I thought for a moment, of raising my child in a healthy environment, with no money problems because of my father’s estate.

“So, are you going to maintain your father’s fortune?” Jo asked, a small smile beginning to stretch across her face.  

I looked at Seth.

He shrugged. “Whatever makes you happy.”

I smiled at Jo. “Yes.”

I had a lot of ideas in my mind; for one thing, I would pay back the Clearwater’s for everything. Sue wouldn’t accept any of it, being modest and all, but I managed to twist her arm.

A new idea popped in my head, after another meeting with Jo about the house. A few weeks later, I watched it being bulldozed to the ground. Seth was with me every step of the way.

Just as I was about to take my afternoon nap, Jo called another meeting.

“What is it now?” I yawned sleepily.

“Well, I completely forgot about your father’s business!” she exclaimed as she pulled a few papers out of her briefcase.

“What about it?” I asked, trying to keep awake.

“I want to know if you would like to carry on your father’s business or if you would like to sell it or if you would like to hire someone to take care of it…” Jo explained.

“Well,” I said, thinking carefully. I didn’t want to sell his company, because it would be like Bill Gates selling his company. I couldn’t take over it myself right now, even though it was a family business, I was having a family of my own. That left one solution.

“I want someone to take care of it,” I replied, “Just til I can get back on my own two feet.”

Jo smiled. “That’s great, if you would just sign these, I would be on my way…” she said as she set three pieces of paper out in front of me.

She gave me a pen, and I scanned through the fine print. One thing my father has taught me is to read the fine print before you sign anything. I was happy with the text, and signed it.

“That’s great, just a few more preparations and you’ll never see me again,” Jo said. She stood up to leave, and I heaved myself off the couch. I struggled a bit, and Jo helped me up.

“Thanks,” I replied.

She smiled in reply. “Don’t worry; I’ll take care of the company when you’re ready to get back on your feet.”