Doing it For the Kids

Doing it For the Kids - Chapter 4

The school fight had really been a turning point for Ethan. Suddenly he was the boy she loved again, happy, pleasant, but with occasional sad episodes. They spent more time discussing their mother, and soon photos started to adorn the walls.

Violet had waited for some sort of comeback for the way she'd treated Hendrick Kaiser, but there had been no contact from him, and she was glad. Nathaniel Hodgson was negotiating the financial aspect on her behalf, which meant she had a more than healthy regular income. Life was great, all things considered and she felt for the first time since she'd abandoned her around the World trip that things were going the right way. Screw John and his lack of support, and screw Hendrick Kaiser and his desire to rip her off. She shrugged at the mental note that she had grouped him and her ex-lover together. It meant nothing. Just because Kaiser was good looking, tall, broad, dark......a hero from the cover of a romance novel; didn't mean that he could get away with being arrogant and trying to rip her and the kids out of what was theirs.

Over the next few days she started to investigate the paperwork Hendrick had brought her, he ran a tight and successful business. But she also acknowledged the role her father played in managing the mine, but the accounts dictated he received a salary on top of his income via his shares, another point in her defense against Hendrick.

She was looking into holidays as she'd promised the children they could go somewhere, when the doorbell rang a few days later. It was the middle of the day and she wasn't expecting anyone, she sighed when she saw the familiar figure of Hendrick at her door.

"Do you want something?" she asked abruptly, annoyed at the nonchalance he displayed leaning against the door frame.

He shrugged, "I'm pleased to see you too!"

She shook her head, "Mr Kaiser please don't expect me to uphold false civilities for you. I am no happier to see you than I'm sure you were to come here. So cut to the chase and I can go about my business, and I'll leave you to yours."

Inclining his head in a subtle nod he replied, "it's ironic that we are about to be business partners yet you can barely look at me! I have come here to discuss things. Can I come in for a few moments?"

She hesitated, he was too strong and made the small house too cramped, him being inside was threatening, but she had to allow him in.

She stepped back, and he passed her, heading to the lounge with a familiarity that grated on her nerves.

He was wearing a long thick woollen coat over yet another impeccably cut suit, and shiny black leather shoes that reflected the light. He stood in the room noting the laptop open to a holiday site and the array of holiday brochures scattered around the coffee table.

"Going somewhere?"

Violet glared at him, even more incensed at the fact that he constantly seemed to be laughing at her.

"Maybe. Now what do you want?"

He laughed, "Wow Miss Parker you definitely don't mince your words, do you?"

"Look I have things to do; it's blatantly obvious that we don't get along. So let's keep contact to a minimum. You tell me what you want, I reply, then you leave."

He was still smiling and it killed her, those dark eyes crinkled with humor as they watched her with the same intensity that they had in the club when she first saw him. He didn't miss anything.

"Well it's a shame you feel that way, because as business partners, we have to make decisions and agreements on the mine. I think you should come to South Africa. You need to see what you own. And the only way is to see it with your own eyes."