“You haven’t really given us a choice other than to listen to you, have you? Is this your way of saying you need some attention? You could have just scheduled a lunch date,” Lance said, trying to make a joke, but the anxiety in the room allowed no break in the tension.
“You always have a choice, Lance. It’s your decision whether to make the right one or not. I’m really sorry you feel that way, though. It honestly breaks my heart. We were once a tight-knit family, laughing together, speaking often, living our lives. I don’t know where I went wrong, but somewhere along the way, you got lost, and now I’m allowing you to find yourselves again. I hope you do.”
“OK, OK,” Brielle said with a roll to her eyes. “What is this journey you want us to take?”
“I’m glad you asked, Peaches,” he replied, reverting to the nickname he’d given her at birth because of the sun-kissed color of her hair, which was as stunning as the beginning rays of a sunset. Her deep-blue eyes widened at the use of the name he and her brothers had always called her. Somehow along the way they had stopped.
Brielle pulled herself together and looked back at her father with rage evident in her now-narrowed eyes. “I haven’t been Peaches in fifteen years, Dad, but if you want to reminisce about the ‘good’ old days, then I’ll go ahead and play your game.”
The sarcasm and scorn pierced Richard to the heart.
“I’ve sold the family business. I’ve decided it’s time for a fresh start, and I’ve chosen to do it on the West Coast. There is nothing in Maine to hold me any longer, and I’m tired of the tourist season. I’ve just finalized the paperwork on a failing computer tech firm, and I plan to turn it around. Doing that gave me an idea for the five of you.”
Richard waited for it to sink in that his shipping empire was now gone. He knew Lance would be the most upset, as he’d been the one who’d invested the most time in the corporate offices. Richard missed those days when Lance, still in high school, was eager to learn all he could by his father’s side.
Once the boy had left for college, then graduated, that interest had waned, and he acted as if he were just waiting to take over the business, but no longer eager to put in the effort. In the last several years, he’d become as spoiled as his siblings, but Richard, looking forward to a comfortable retirement, had still entertained a hope that the boy would one day take the reins. Now, that wasn’t going to happen for his youngest son.
“Can this be reversed?” Lance’s voice was strained with the amount of control he had to exert to keep his temper.
“No.” Richard didn’t elaborate.
“The business was supposed to be mine.”
“Then you should have taken pride in it. You should have proved to me that you deserved a stake in the family business. I had hoped to pass it to you one day, but as of right now, you are unworthy to take the reins of any business of mine.”
Another son broke in. “Don’t you think that’s a bit harsh, Father?”
“No, I don’t, Crew. And you are no different from your brother. None of you has worked for an honest dollar, and I would rather see my funds passed down to people who can appreciate them than leave them to you with the way you’ve been acting. You have time to figure this out — well, time for now, at least.”
“What is that supposed to mean — for now?” Tanner asked.
Richard took a calming breath. It wasn’t yet time to tell his children of his prostate cancer. The doctor said he’d done all he could do. Of course, they would keep trying, but his doctor was also a good friend, and he’d warned Richard to get his affairs in order with his grim prognosis. Three years.
“Nothing, Tanner. You just need to pay attention. I want you to prove yourselves, make something of your lives. You are more than these spoiled brats I see before me right now.”
“How are we supposed to do anything if we have no money? What do you want us to do to prove ourselves?” Tanner asked, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation.
“That’s the smartest question you’ve asked me so far,” Richard said with a smile before pausing to gaze at each one of his children. A glimmer of hope filled him at the fighting spirit he saw in each of them. “I have purchased five more failing businesses. You can fight amongst yourselves to choose which one you want to run. I have created a sufficient budget for you to do what needs to be done to bring the companies back into profitability. If you do this, and do it well, only then will I reinstate your inheritance. If you fail, you will be on your own.”
“Well, what if your idea of a successful business is different from what our idea would be?” Ashton asked.
“When you truly feel success for the first time in your life, you will know what it is. You’ve never earned that badge of honor before. You’ll learn now, one way or the other. I’m done explaining this. You may come see me when you’re ready.”
Setting down the folders of the five businesses he’d purchased, he noticed that none of the kids jumped up to see what the choices were. He knew they would, though. On the off chance they didn’t, it would break his heart, but he would stay true to his word and cut them off. They would either make it, or not. What their decision would be was now out of their hands.
Richard walked from the room, his children bolting after him, trying to chase him down. Though he hadn’t let them see the burden weighing on his shoulders, the conversation had hurt him in ways he couldn’t begin to describe. He knew he was taking a huge gamble, but what other option had there been?
If he didn’t kick his children out of their nest eggs, they’d never learn how to fly, never take pride in a true victory. He could end up losing them forever, but he already felt as if they were so incredibly self-absorbed that their only connection with their family was through blood. Richard had faith that his children would soon find their wings — they’d find their way back to him — and to each other. Only then would he be able to rest in peace.
Closing the door to his study in his children’s faces, he looked down at the framed picture of his parents sitting in its special place on his desk. His mother’s eyes were filled with joy as she cuddled him close to her heart. He was only six months old at the time, and it had taken his parents so long to have him that they’d doted on him his entire life.