Seven: Piper Powell
1336 Words
Seven:
Piper Powell
Mr. Tanager had only just been lowered into his grave, and we were already diving up assets. If it had been up to me, I wouldn’t have taken anything. I’d put myself through school using what was left of the small inheritance my parents left me. I’d been given a small allowance, allocated by Mr. Tanager, when I lived with them. Enough to pay my way through boarding school too. By the time I graduated college, I was flat broke. Which was good since it put the fire in me to find a good job and not have to rely on Mr. Tanager anymore.
But Mr. Tanager had always said that he would take care of me. I’d always insisted that I didn’t need anything. The only reason I was even entertaining accepting anything, was because I didn’t want the company my parents had helped built to be destroyed. My stalker ex couldn’t get hold of Tanager Inc. It would make me sick to my stomach. Someone who delighted in watching girls shouldn’t have had the kind of power that Tanager did.
As for the rest of it….it would be helpful to have that money. I could start my own magazine, or website. Write something other than celebrity gossip. Start a charity that did something to help people. While I’d spent years being angry about my parent’s death, all the money in the world wouldn’t make up for it. And I didn’t know how I felt taking money from the man who was kind of responsible for their death.
The car pulled up to the long drive, and Ransom opened the door for me. I followed him out. We went up to the study where the lawyer was waiting for us. Mr. Kane had been the Tanager family lawyer for as long as I could remember. He’d overseen my adoption, and the trust that my parent’s money had gone into for me.
He was a short, wirey, old man with dark hair and watery blue eyes that were behind wire, rimmed glasses. He smiled when he saw me. “Miss Powell,” he said, going around the desk to give me a hug, “it’s good to see you. Terrible circumstances----”
“Of course,” I said.
“But it is good to see you back home, with family.”
Ransom grunted, and I knew what he was thinking. His standard line. I wasn’t family.
“Right,” I said, “you know, so nice to reconnect with my brother.” Ransom looked sharply at me, and Mr. Kane laughed.
“Ah, you two,” said Mr. Kane, “your father would be pleased to see that you’re still looking out for each other. We’ll, let’s get started.” He took a seat behind Mr. Tanager’s desk, and we sat across from him. He put his briefcase on the table, then opened it and rummaged through, pulling out some documents.
“Now, of course, young Mr. Tanager is Mr. Tanagers biological son. He will be getting half of everything. Including the house.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Half of the house?”
He nodded. “The other half goes to you.”
“But….”
“It’s your home too, Powell,” said Ransom, “I know you like your freedom, but you might want to have a safe place to come home to. You never know what’s going to happen.”
I couldn’t help but be a little surprised. Ransom normally acted like I was the plague and should have been kept away from everything involving him at all costs.
“Mr. Tanager said much the same,” explained Mr. Kane, “I know that you aren’t one to take charity for anything. But he understands the sacrifices that your parents made are what built his company. So, he wants you to have something for all of the hard work that they put in.”
“I…. thank you,” I said, “I don’t deserve it.”
“Well, a will isn’t about what you think you deserve. A will is about what the deceased believes you deserve. You get from a person what you put into them; you know.”
“Right,” I said.
“Now, as far as the company goes…I’m certain that young Mr. Tanager might have given you some idea, since he discussed it with his father before he past. Ransom is going to be President of Tanager Inc., but you will be Vice President. If you stay for at least one year, you will get $118 million as your yearly salary. If you don’t, then he will forfeit the company entirely.”
“Entirely,” I repeated, “who does he forfeit the company to?”
“The Cardinal family,” Mr. Kane said, “there is of course, one way that Mr. Tanager keeps everything.”
Ransom sat up. “No.”
“Yes,” said Mr. Kane.
“No, Mr. Kane, I told him that wasn’t an option. He wasn’t supposed to put that in.”
“Well, he did, and it is your father’s will. He asked me to read his wishes, and the girl should know her options.”
“What options?” I asked.
“Piper, you don’t have to do this. It’s ridiculous,” said Ransom. “He shouldn’t have even put it in. I don’t know why he did this.”
“Let me make up my mind,” I said sharply, “Mr. Kane, what is the other way to help save the company?”
Mr. Kane looked from me to Ransom then back to me. “Marriage.”
“What?” the exclamation from me was so loud, it made both Mr. Kane and Ransom jump.
“Yes,” he said, “if the two of you get married to each other, you will both inherit the company since it would be staying with family.”
I stared at Ransom. “You asked him to do this.”
“I didn’t,” Ransom insisted, “I tried talking him out of it. That’s how I managed to get him to compromise, with the one-year thing.”
“Why…why would he want us to get married?” I asked.
“Well, your parents helped build the company. A union between him and you could, potentially, create an heir with a great mind that would change the future of this company.”
I crossed my legs and was suddenly very aware of my stomach. I didn’t like the idea of Mr. Tanager thinking about me as the mother of future grandchildren. “Um…I don’t…I mean….”
“That’s why I put the year thing in,” said Ransom, “to give you time to decide what you wanted to do.”
I tilted my head to the side. “What if I don’t marry him? Do the Cardinals still get everything?”
“Only if you don’t complete your year as Vice President,” said Mr. Kane.
“Excuse me,” I said, “I don’t…. I don’t know that I can hear anymore. I’ve got to go.” I ran from the room, from the house, and I went outside. Desperate to get away from the gilded cage the Tanagers were trying to keep me locked in.
- Writer
