Part D: Chapter 73

“Carmichael, have you done what I asked you to do?” The person asked as they made themselves comfortable on my couch. They had used the secret door to get in because apparently Shel had told Gerald I had had a woman in my room a few days ago and he had decided to tighten my security parameters, only they had access to me while I didn’t have access to the outside world.

“Yep, everything was sent to you earlier this morning which makes me wonder why you decided to show up anyway,” I replied as I poured us glasses of alcohol and passed him one as I sat down, propping my legs on the table in front of us. “Don’t you know that it’s dangerous to be seen here at this time?”

The person groaned as they gulped all the contents of the glass. “I know and that’s why I still showed up. We need to get everything in order before your ceremony or do you truly plan on going through with everything after how close we are to uncovering the truth about everything?" The person got up and walked over to the minibar where they grabbed three bottles, bourbon, tequila and vodka and came back to the couch.

“I don’t know, Shel is growing on me,” I replied as I swirled the alcohol in my glass. “Everyone thinks that I actually like her and the elders along with Gerald are pleased. However-” I sighed as I placed the glass back on the table.

“However, what? What the hell happened when I wasn’t around to keep you sane?”

I chuckled at that, “however Gerald wanted me to sign over 50 percent of what I own over to Shel and I basically threw them out thinking I would do something that stupid.”

“That was supposed to have been your time to shine, you should have told them you would look over it and think about it. That way, they aren’t suspicious of you because now I’m sure they are if they decided to tighten your security. They aren’t doing it for your safety but as a way to keep an eye on you and watch your every move.”

I sighed as I gulped the remaining alcohol in my glass and picked up the vodka, refilling my glass. “Don’t you think I know all that?” I asked, shooting them a glare. “Why do you think I was surprised to see you walk out of the secret door when you know we are supposed to keep our interaction to a minimum.” I gulped the vodka and felt the sting as it went down my throat. “You can’t just show up when you feel like it. You might end up exposing us and making them more suspicious of me than they already are.”

“If I hadn’t shown up, I wouldn’t have know how badly you had fucked this up on your side,” the person said with narrowed eyes. “You have to ask to see Gerald and have him bring over the papers once more and just tell him you made a mistake and would like to look over them and think about it.”

“You want me to call him back? Won’t that make him more suspicious?”

“Does this look like the face of someone who actually cares about that?” there was a bored expression on their face and I sighed. “Just make sure you send them over to me once you get your hands on them. I would like to review them and see just how much they want to screw you over.”

“Fine, I shall call him after you leave,” I dismissed it and we continued talking about other things.

“Anyway, how many days do you have left?”

“Seven.”

“Good, then we reduce all forms of contact until you only have two more days left. I’ll take care of things from my end and you do the same on your end. Are we clear?” They gulped the remaining contents of the glass and placed it on the table as they stood. “If you need me, don’t. I’ll be too busy with other things and I can’t always be helping you out.”

I rolled my eyes, “and yet here you are. Showed up unexpectedly at my house and you think I’m the one that needs your help. Funny.”

“Call him.” And then they disappeared through my office.

I finished the glass I had and picked up the glasses, rinsing them off so that when Gerald came over, he wouldn’t notice anything amiss. After I was done, I called one of the guards and asked him to call Gerald.

****

“Why did you want to see me?” Gerald asked as I opened the door for him.

“Did you come with the papers I asked for?” I asked as I stepped aside and let him enter. “Can’t a son have a change of heart?”

Gerald gave me a weird look as he walked over to the couch and sat down. “It’s not like you to change your mind in less than twenty-four hours,” he said as he laid out the papers in front of me. “Are you going to sign them then?”

I bit my bottom lip to keep my smile from showing as I picked up the papers and went through them again. “I have to think about it,” I said, placing the papers back on the table. “I have to admit that I dismissed it without truly giving it any consideration and now I would like to ask if you can give me some time to go over them and know exactly what I’m signing. That’s provided you have nothing to hide in them.”

Gerald narrowed his eyes at me and sat back straight, leaning against the couch and he folded his hands over his chest. “I have nothing to hide, I already made sure that my lawyers looked through it and made sure that everything was in order,” he said and then sighed. “But if you want to go through them, then be my guest. You won’t find anything in them.”

“Now that we are on the same page, would you like a drink? For old’s time sake?” I asked as I stood up and walked over to the minibar where I pulled two glasses and poured us each a glass of whiskey, hard, just how he liked it then made my way back and handed him one of the glasses.

Gerald took the glass and eyed me suspiciously. “It’s not poisoned if that’s what you think. I would never poison my own father,” I said with a sigh. “See, nothing.” I took a sip from my glass and faced him to show him that there was nothing suspicious in the glass. “Whiskey of the rocks, just how you like it.”

He was still eyeing me but finally, he moved the glass to his nose and smelled it before he finally took a tentative sip. “I’m happy you are becoming the son I was once proud to call mine,” he said.

I gave him a closed lip smile and picked up my glass again. “Cheers to new beginnings father,” I extended my glass for him to click against and he did.

“Cheers to new beginnings son, you and I are going to change history and forever be remembered as the greatest of our time,” he said and gulped down the whiskey.