The Denver Cereal (15 page)

“
I hate to break up the
love here. But we have a lot of ground to cover,” Max Hargreaves
said. “Will you please return to your seats?”

“
I will do what I like
around my . . . employees,” the stepsister said with
a dismissive flip of her hand.

“
Actually, I am employed
by Jacob and Valerie,” Max said. “Please sit down.”

The couple plopped down
holding hands. When their stepsister noticed Jacob again, she
squinted her eyes. Her lip curled with disgust.

“
We’ll see how you act
when I run the company,” she spit at him.

“
Ah, that’s exactly why we
wanted to be here today,” Valerie said.

Max gave Valerie a stern
look. She shrugged her apology.

“
Before we start,” Max
said, “I will remind you that you signed a confidentiality
agreement. You are restricted from mentioning any detail from this
meeting, including who is present at this meeting. Is that
clear?”

The stepsister and Trevor
nodded their heads. Max laid a document in front of the
couple.

“
You’ll see from these
documents that Lipson Construction is owned in it’s entirety by
Jacob and Valerie Marlowe-Lipson,” Max said. “You’ll note the date
of purchase.”

Max pointed to a date on
the paper.

“
Four and a half years
ago, Jacob and Valerie Marlowe-Lipson purchased the remaining
shares of Lipson construction from their father for ten million
dollars.”

“
But . . .”
Their stepsister’s oft pouting lip began to vibrate.

“
Please let me continue,”
Max said. “At that time a seven year plan was set into motion
converting Lipson Construction from private owner to an employee
owned company. The initial transfer of ownership began at the
beginning of this year and should finish within the next three
years.”

After a moment of stunned
silence, their stepsister flipped her hair.

“
I’ll just inherit from
Daddy,” she said.

Valerie wanted to slap her
smug little face. This wicked woman had nearly destroyed Valerie’s
life by selling Valerie’s personal information, hacked from her
father’s accounts, to the press. From photos to lies, the press
paid thousands of dollars for Valerie’s tidbits. Every time Valerie
moved or changed her phone number, this little witch sold Valerie’s
private life to the highest bidder. When Jake put a stop to her
antics, she came after him. Of course, Jake could care
less.

Valerie was about to
scream at the step-whore when Jacob reached for her hand. They had
agreed to let the lawyers discuss the details then follow up with
options. Valerie held Jacob’s hand with both of her hands. She
could do this.

“
At the time of the Lipson
Construction purchase, six trusts were set up.” Max retrieved the
corporation sale documents and presented another document. “Each of
your mother’s children received a one million dollar trust payable
on their twenty-fifth birthday. In the event that Mr. Lipson does
not remain married to your mother, she will receive a two million
dollar trust. You will also notice that only Mr. Lipson’s children
will inherit wealth or possessions from Mr. Lipson. You’ll notice
your mother’s signature here . . . and
here.”

“
But . . .
but . . . that’s just them,” the stepsister said
pointing to Valerie and Jacob. “What about my little
sisters?”

“
That’s an interesting
point of discussion for another
time . . .”

Chickens come home?

Walking from the bright
day into the dark hospital lobby, Jill was unsure of where to go.
Jacob said Katy had been moved to a private room. Stepping toward
the reception area, Jill opened her mouth to ask for Katy when she
heard:

“
MOMMY!”

Trailing an attending
nurse, Katy ran down the hallway toward Jill. In a rush of emotion,
Jill lifted her precious daughter into her arms. For one moment,
for a lifetime, sensation and sound slipped away in a cloud of
joy.

The world stopped as a
mother held her small child.

~~~~~~~~

“
What does this mean in
reference to our . . .” Trevor corrected himself. “I
mean honey bunny’s financial support? It was her understanding that
her father was going to support her.”

Valerie took a breath to
remind the little malicious ‘honey bunny’ that her father was in
prison, but Jacob placed the toe of his boot over her shoe. Valerie
nodded. I can do this.

“
The trust attorneys will
discuss the nature of the trust. I am the Marlowe-Lipson’s contract
attorney,” Max Hargreaves said. “The final contractual issue is
that the trusts are payable at the age of twenty-five. I believe
you are . . .”

“
Twenty-one,” the
stepsister said with a flip of her hair.

“
According to this
contract, you are not able draw from your trust for four more
years. You will note here that your mother is the one who specified
the age. I believe she thought the trust would give you financial
support after you graduated from college.” Max pointed to a
handwritten addition made by the stepsister’s mother. “I don’t
think anyone could have foreseen . . .”

Max looked from the
stepsister to Trevor then stopped talking.

“
I’ll just talk to Mommy.
She’ll change this in an instant,” the tiny blonde said.

“
These contracts cannot be
modified without voiding the entire agreement. I’m fairly certain
the parties involved, including your mother, will not
renegotiate.”

“
We’ll see about that,”
their stepsister smirked at Max.

There was a tap at the
door and Jill’s lawyer, Diane Radman, stuck her head in the
conference room.

“
Excuse me for a minute,”
Max said.

Max and Diane whispered
back and forth near the door. Max nodded, then shook her hand and
she left the room.

“
Why is she here?” Trevor
asked.

“
Who is that, Trevy?” the
stepsister asked.

“
That’s Jill’s attorney,”
Trevor said.

“
This is an outrage. What
bullshit is that trailer trash pulling now?” The stepsister jumped
to her feet. “That bitch can’t take care of her own child! My God,
her negligence put our child in the hospital. And now she wants to
horn in on MY business.”

Valerie put the pointed
toe of her Jimmy Choo’s into Jacob’s calf to keep him from
exploding. He grimaced his thanks to her.

“
Now smoochums,” Trevor
said. He stood to wrap his arms around the tiny woman. “You have to
be patient. We’ll have custody soon enough.”

Max set a piece of paper
on the table.

“
This is an ex-parte
restraining order. Signed by the judge a half hour ago after the
testimony of a Homeland Security Agent, a hospital social worker,
as well as a neighbor from your old apartment building. This order
says that Trevor may not cause physical pain or injury or the
threat of pain or injury to Jillian or Katherine Roper. Further,
Trevor is not allowed any contact with Jillian or Katherine Roper.
You may wish to hire an attorney to explain the ramifications of
this agreement. There will be a permanent order hearing in fourteen
days.”

“
What?” Trevor’s face
flushed bright red with fury.

Unable to rip their eyes
away, Valerie and Jacob watched Trevor flash into full blown rage.
As his voice raised and his entire body went red, Max touched their
shoulders. The contract portion of the meeting was over. They stood
to follow Max out of the room. Trevor would need to calm down
before he learned about honey bunny’s trust.

~~~~~~~~

“
I waited for you for
about forty hours, Mommy,” Katy said.

Katy walked between Jill
and Mike toward her room. The nurse said Katy was well enough to go
home, but they needed the doctor to release her.

“
Forty hours?”

“
Maybe fifty. A long time
and I’m really little. That’s most of my life! I woke up and missed
you. Then that nice lady? The one I was walking with? She said I
was really, really, really sick but I don’t remember being even a
little sick. Was I really sick, Uncle Mike?”

Mike held Katy’s other
hand as they walked toward her hospital room.

“
You were very sick,
baby,” Mike said. “We were really scared for you.”

“
Mommy? Do you like that
guy who took us to the zoo? Do you think he would take us to the
zoo again?”

“
I don’t know, Katy-baby.
Probably.”

“
I really liked him. I
thought he was nice and cute too. Plus he likes ketchup on his
French Fries like I do and he got me a green balloon. I love green
AND I love balloons. A green balloon is the best balloon. Mommy,
what happened to my balloon?”

“
I don’t know, sweetie,”
Jill said.

She hoped Katy wouldn’t be
upset by the loss of her balloon. Sometimes, Katy could intensely
focus on a single object. She would cry uncontrollably until she
had that specific thing. But today, Katy shrugged.

“
I bet that
guy . . . Mommy, what was his name?”

“
Jacob,” Jill
said.

“
I bet Jacob can find me
another balloon. Don’t you think Jacob can find me one, Uncle
Mike?”

“
I’m sure he can, Katy,”
Mike said.

“
He’s going to be my
Daddy.”

Shocked, Jill’s head
jerked to look at her daughter.

“
And THEN he’s going to
make me a little sister!”

Jill burst out
laughing.

~~~~~~~~

“
A million dollars? I get
a million dollars?”

The stepsister squealed
with delight. She clutched Trevor and they kissed. Valerie snatched
Jacob’s hand in an effort to remain silent.

“
Yes and no,” the trust
attorney said. “You get the annuity on one million
dollars.”

“
What does that mean?”
Trevor asked. After his rampage, Trevor was eerily reserved and
calm.

“
You receive the interest
generated from the trust’s investments. The trust is currently
making around four percent.”

“
What does that mean in
dollars?” the stepsister said.

“
You will receive forty
thousand dollars,” the attorney said.

“
A month?” Trevor
asked.

“
A year.”

“
WHAT?” The step sister
launched to her feet. “I can’t live on forty thousand dollars a
year!”

Valerie had to take a few
deep cleansing breaths to keep from beating the crap out of the
stepsister. The paltry forty thousand came from her parent’s blood,
sweat and tears. Jacob put his arm around her to reassure her.
Valerie looked at him and nodded.

“
Why don’t I get the
million dollars?”

“
The principle of the
trust cannot be touched. In the event of your death, the trust will
becometheproperty of the primary owners.”

“
Who is that?” Trevor
asked.

“
Jacob and Valerie
Marlowe-Lipson.”

“
What do butt-boy and
sluttina have to do with MY money?” the stepsister
screeched.

“
Jacob and Valerie
Marlowe-Lipson are the only people who can negotiate any of the
details of the trust.”

“
What does that mean?”
Trevor asked.

“
The trust is set to begin
annuity when your fiancé is twenty-five. It is our understanding
you wish to begin payments now. Jacob and Valerie are the only ones
who can change that date.”

“
Oh,” the stepsister said.
She plopped back into her chair. “Can they change the
amount?”

“
No,” the attorney said.
“The only thing that will change your annuity is a significant
change in the stock market.”

“
Oh,” the step sister
said. “What about my wedding?”

“
Jacob Marlowe-Lipson
promised his father at the time of sale of Lipson Construction that
he would pay for your mother’s children’s weddings,” Max Hargreaves
said. “He has already paid for your engagement party and will make
the final payments on your wedding after Sunday.”

The stepsister was slow to
process the information. Nodding, she looked from Valerie to Jacob
as if to assess what to do next. When Valerie looked at Trevor, she
felt a chill run up her spine. He was working something else
out.

The stepsister’s face
shifted to a big, charming smile.

“
Ah,come on. Val? Jake?
You have lots of money. This little trust is just sitting there.
Everyone knows how generous the Lipson’s are. Why not show your
sister a little generosity and give me my money now?”

~~~~~~~~

“
Lots of water. Rest,”
Jill said to the doctor.

She held Katy in her arms
while Mike carried Katy’s car seat and her medications. After her
initial burst of conversation and activity, Katy was worn out. Katy
pressed her face against Jill’s neck.