Page 18 of Colby
“He told her that once the child was born, he’d take care of everything.He thought, and I can understand why he’d think this, that if she had someone who was dependent on her, she’d be less selfish about her own needs.She only got worse.”It seemed to her that he was jumping all over the place when she simply wanted to understand what had happened.Asking him to start at the first part again, he nodded and handed her a file that had several sheets of paper in it.Taylor handed it off to Ivy so that she could get the man in gear to tell her what had happened.
“A man that she had seen in the grocery store told her to behave herself, that she was making a scene.She didn’t like to be told no, as you well know, and she picked up a can of something and beat him nearly to death with it.He died later at the hospital.That was the first time that your grandparents paid for something that she’d done.They had her put into an asylum then, but she didn’t last but a few days; they’d had enough of her and had them come and get her.The next time wasn’t as bad, but the child that she’d been wanting to play with had wanted to go home, and she didn’t want that.Gilda Jane killed him by pushing him into oncoming traffic, which resulted in the second time they had to pay.”She didn’t know what to think.Her mother was a murderer?This wasn’t right.She should have been in prison—
“That’s why she tells people that she’s going to kill them.She’d gotten away with it twice as a child, and she thought that someone would just pay off whatever she’d done, and that’s why she thought that I should just give her money.To shut people up.”Taylor leaned back in her chair.“She really is a monster.And they knew it when they got her to marry my dad.”
“Your father knew too.He was given a contract to sign telling him of all her misdeeds and horrific childhood.”He handed her another file, and she again handed it off to Ivy.“I don’t know the mind of your father, Mrs.Tucker, but I do know that he was well aware of things that had gone on before he’d married her.I don’t know if he thought that he could change her or what, but he had a complete understanding of what kind of person she was before he wed her.”
“Then I’m more confused than ever.It was said that she killed him off at a young age because of her demands on his life.That can’t be true if he had knowledge of her before they were wed.”He said that the only thing that came to mind was that he thought that he could change her somehow.“So he goes into their marriage with his eyes wide open and his heart thinking that he’s better at changing someone with a mental disability like she had and thought that he could change her when nothing else worked.I’m assuming that there had been doctors’ appointments with professionals, too.”
“More than a dozen.When it was obvious that nothing was going to work, they gave up, gave her what she wanted, and when your father came along to marry her, they made sure that he knew what he was getting into.After the wedding, your grandparents hid from your father more than they did their daughter simply because they thought that he’d divorce her after a time and they’d be stuck with her again.”Taylor didn’t know what to think, so she just sat there.Of course, he could tell her anything that he wanted, and there was no one to dispute his word, but the contract that her father had signed was proof that he knew something was going on with her mom.“Are you ready to hear what else they left you?I know that they knew that your father had died and that you were born.They kept close tabs on you, too.Knowing that you had your great-grandmother around soothed them in some ways.”
“Soothed them?Who was there to soothe me when she was demanding all my time?Who was there for me when she told me that she’d kill a child that I had simply because she wanted all the attention on herself?No one was there.”Ivy simply put her hand on her arm, and she calmed down a bit.“I don’t know that I want to know what they left me.The money to me was dirty enough.But this?This feels like they’re trying to buy me off with the will and whatever it says.”
“I would imagine that’s exactly what they’re doing.”She was startled by his saying that and stared at him.“They had no qualms about telling people what they’d done.In fact, they were shunned in most places they lived because they’d abandoned you in fear of their daughter.When they approached my firm with wanting to get their will taken care of, they were turned away at first.Then, of course, there was the money involved.The firm that I worked for was forever doing things because of the money involved in things.So your grandparents were no different in wanting things taken care of so that they could die without any fears of being guilty of any of their past deeds.I almost didn’t want to do it myself, but I was given a bonus just to do it.”
“I’m sorry.”She was, too.None of this was his fault.She was thinking that her best move would be to let him read the will and take what was given to her and move on.Just because it had been something they wanted her to have, she didn’t have to take it.She could do just what she’d done withthe money, give it away and not have to worry about it again.“If you’d not mind reading the will, I can leave you to the rest of your day and whatever you have planned.”
“Thank you.”He picked up the blue folder and began to read from it.There was nothing she could do about what was being said, so she zoned out.Thinking instead of the will of grandparents that she didn’t know to the things she had going on at work.Thinking that whatever was going on there was by far better than anything going on here.She also knew that if there was something that she needed to pay attention to, Ivy would poke her in the ribs or something so that she could focus on it.
She had been asked from another distribution center if she could handle a few more stores.They were having delivery issues and wanted her to deliver their products along with what she had already.It was something that she never considered when she’d opened her own distribution center.She was sure she could make it work, but did she want to?It would mean more work for her drivers and employees at the center, but would it be worth the trouble of printing up the labels for the stores and having trucks make an extra few stops on their already busy schedule?She’d only just gotten her drivers up to speed and had hired enough of them.Now she was thinking about hiring more.What to do, what to do.
Then there was the fact that she was going to see how she could get pregnant.She knew how to get that way, but she was waiting for the timing of it.She couldn’t wait to have a child with Jack.They were really busy now, and she was excited to see how busy they got with children around.
They were going to know that they were loved and she’d never treat them like her mother had treated her.Never.Also, she wouldn’t give them everything in the world just because she could.There wasn’t any way that she was going to spoil them so much that they thought they were better than anyone else.She wanted grounded children, ones that she could be proud of when she took them out in public.Taylor never wanted to take her mother out in public because of the way she acted.And she would cause a scene whenever they were out, especially when things didn’t go her way.
When the attorney stood up, she did as well.While she had no idea what was going on, he would never know that.Asking for a few minutes alone with Ivy, she sat down when the other woman did, and she smiled at her.Ivy seemed to understand that she’d not been paying attention.
“They left you four houses that they use as rentals that are all over the world.There are two more insurance policies that are worth about two million dollars.They also donated a great deal of money to their favorite charity.But you’re getting the bulk of it.”She asked her how much and if there were any stipulations on the money.“None that he mentioned, but there is a letter for you again.Basically, it says again how sorry they were for dropping this all on you and hoped that someday you could forgive them.I’m sure you’ll want to know after all these findings that you’ve been told about your father.I’m sorry to say, but he doesn’t strike me as a man who should have been complaining about his lot in life when he was very aware of what was going on in the beginning.”
“I don’t feel sorry for any of them if you want the truth.They all played a part in my mother’s behavior and should be punished for their parts in it.Including my dad.”Ivy nodded.“You don’t agree with me?”
“I do as a matter of fact.None of them was as innocent as they made themselves out to be.My question is, do you tell your grandma?She had been feeling guilty about her supposed part in this, too, I guess.”She said she’d tell her simply because of that.“Good for you.She needs to know simply because she played no part in his being with your mother, not the way she feels like she does.”
“I’ll sit her down and show her what I got from this when she returns.I won’t even hint about it while she’s on vacation.I think that it’s been waiting for me to find out after all this time, a few more days isn’t going to matter a great deal.”Ivy agreed with her and handed her the deeds to the house.“I’m assuming that I’m going to have to do something with this stuff, too, right?”
“I was thinking about the houses.You should keep them.If only for the reason that you can rent them out during the summer breaks, or even let it be a vacation spot for the family when they want to get away.One of them is in the south of France, and from what I read, it’s a very nice house too.Large with four bedrooms.That would be a great place to go to unwind.”She asked her if she wanted it.“Idon’t even own a passport, much less the time to go to someplace like that.It would be magical, but I can’t afford to go with a baby coming along.”
“I’m going to do as you said and make it a vacation home for the family.”Ivy nodded then laughed.“Now what’s funny?You want to go, too, don’t you?Well, you’re going to be the first person to use it.Before the baby comes along.It will be just what you and Hudson need.A vacation in France.”
Ivy didn’t say anything more about it, but Taylor was going to make it happen.She was the best attorney she’d ever had, and she was going to make sure that she knew how much she was appreciated.Even Ronin was singing her praises.
After gathering things up that she’d need, Taylor made her way home.Today, she was going to spend the day in the garden to reset and balance her life.If nothing else, they’d have fresh garden vegetables for dinner.And that alone would make it worthwhile for her to walk around the yard in her bare feet.She so loved summer and the things that they had on the estate.But she also couldn’t wait for her grandma to get home so she could hang out with her.She’d not had a good lunch date in a month.Taylor decided to invite the other women to go with her and have some fun.Then she’d not miss her grandma so much.
~*~
Colby was trying to think of a way to seduce his wife.Not that it would take all that much effort on his part, she’d been telling him for days that she wanted him, but things were getting in the way all the time, and he wanted to be with her.Being at home alone made him realize how much he’d been away from the house of late and was missing her a great deal.And the things going on around the home.
Yesterday, he’d noticed that they had a butler.His name was Chance, and he was about as stiff as a board when it came to joking around with him.He said that he’d think his jokes were funny when he was off duty.How was that to happen?But he stopped joking around with the man and went about his day.
Then there were the domestics.He hated calling them that, but it was the only name they had for what they did around the house.And since they didn’t wear name tags, something that he only just noticed, too, he didn’t have a name to call them either.This living in the fancy life wasn’t all that friendly feeling to him.Colby was in the living room when Emma finally came home.
“I’ve missed you.”She kissed him on the mouth, and he pulled her back in for another kiss.“I’ve really missed you.I’m off tomorrow as Douglas is going to take the boat out tomorrow on his own for the first time.”
“I don’t have to be to work until after two.I have a short run and then I’m off for the next two days.But I do have to work the weekend.”Their schedules were forever crossed.“I’m thinking about stopping driving so much and going down to one or two days a week.I miss too much about having you around.”
“With Douglas going on runs of his own, I might put off buying another boat until he feels comfortable with it.That way, when he takes out more and more, I’ll be home to be with you.”She told him she liked that idea, then asked him what he thought about her dropping her full-time status.“I think that’s the only way we’re going to be able to see each other, is if we both take a few days off together and get to know how the other half of my family lives.Did I tell you that Taylor is going to find someone to run her businesses for her?Jack is training someone to take some of the dinners off his hands, and he’ll work only on the weekend.I think they’re feeling the same as we are.Pressure from both halves working all the time.”
They sat on the couch until dinner and talked about what it would be like not working full-time.She said that she’d have to find something to do during the day so that she could feel productive.But he pointed out that she could work at the foundation that much and still be a part of the family business when they needed her.
