Nic's Devotion: An Endless Series: Book One (52 page)

     She did now though.

     I rocked and cradled her tightly. “It’s okay, baby. Shhhh,
it’s okay.”

     She shook her head on my shoulder unable to speak
through her crying. I kept up my soothing mantra and eventually she quieted.

     “I’m sorry for going behind your back after I yelled at
you for lying to me.” She whispered brokenly. “I’m such a hypocrite.”

     I almost chuckled at her definition of yelling. “Well,
we both did something stupid believing we were doing the right thing, and now
we’ve both learned lessons on what not to do. Let’s move on from this and
become smarter people, okay?” I stated with kiss to the side of her head.

     She sniffed and brought her hand up to wipe at her face
before leaning back to look at me. Her eyes and nose were red and she was
disheveled, and through it all she was still amazingly beautiful. “Really? You
forgive me?”

     “You forgave me, right?” I asked instead.

     She nodded and sniffed. “Yes.”

     “Then why wouldn’t I forgive you. I love you. You made
a mistake and I know you won’t do it again because you love me.” I tucked some
stray hairs behind her ear. “You do realize I was more hurt than angry, don’t
you Carrie?” 

     Her eyes pinched again and I could see she was holding
back more tears. “Yes, and I hate myself for causing you hurt. I knew as soon
as I sat down for that interview that I should have told you but by then it was
too late. I’ve been agonizing on it all day. I did the interview this morning
and it was torture not having you there, and I wish it had been you holding my
hand.”

     “If you would have stated your case like you had a
minute ago I would have been on that couch beside you no argument. What you did
took a lot of courage, and I meant what I said, ‘I’m damn proud of you.” I
declared, though I still felt slighted at not being able to be there.

     Her expression was pained. “I made the decision quickly
which is something I probably shouldn’t have done. I had so many thoughts going
through my mind that I don’t think I was rationalizing all too clearly. I know
I wanted to help you in some way like you’ve helped me so many times. It never
crossed my mind that I was lying, but I was consciously keeping it from you
which in like lying. I really am sorry, Nic.”

     I could just imagine the thoughts torturing her which
made forgiving her easy. “Carrie, our relationship isn’t about keeping score.
You loving me is more than enough. I’ve never had that in my life. You have to
understand that neither my mother nor my father has given me any kind of
affection, never mind love, so believe me when I tell you that your love is the
greatest gift you could ever give me. You’ve filled a hole in my soul that I
never even knew was there.” I needed her to value herself as enough for me. I
didn’t need anything else from her.

     Her eyes misted again and she pressed her forehead to
mine. “It’s so hard to believe that they couldn’t give that to you. You’re
perfect. You love perfectly. How could they not have smothered you with it?”

     I laughed. “Oh, baby, I’m so far from perfect, but I have
to say that you bring out the best in me. Nevertheless, how’s about we do each
other a favor and work on not protecting each other from bad news anymore,
because all that does is blow up in our faces.” I stated with a large helping
of self-derision.

     Carrie laughed and there was a slight sob affixed in
it. Wrapping her arms around me she whispered. “You are the best boyfriend
ev-er.”

     I chuckled as she repeated my words back to me from
Sunday.

∞                   
∞                    ∞

     I walked into the bank in one of my finest tailored
suits Wednesday at twelve-fifty. My lawyer was there waiting and I was pleased
to see that he was on time. We spent the ten minutes before our appointment
going over relevant issues before they called for us at exactly one o’clock. We
were led to an elevator that took us up to the third floor and then we walked
down a hallway to a conference room. The receptionist opened the door and led
us into a room filled with eight individuals already seated at a large oval
table. 

     My eyes skipped over every person looking for the one
who set this all up. I knew he would want to be here to gloat over his
successful manipulation of events. And there he was sitting next to the guy at
the head of the table wearing a self-satisfied smirk. My father.

     “Gentlemen, please take a seat.” The man at the head of
the table spoke. I assumed he was the president of the bank. He was as exactly
as I pictured him; weasely looking and overweight.

     My lawyer and I took our seats at the other end of the
table. My lawyer, Mr. Henry Andrews, pulled a recorder from his briefcase and
set it on the table. “I assume no one cares if I record today’s meeting since I
assume you are doing the same.”

     The bank president’s face tensed somewhat but he
nodded. “Of course. We are here to discuss the trust fund of a Mr. Nicholas
Stanford. His father has some concerns about the company that his son is
keeping and how he might be spending his money. Just recently Mr. Nicholas
Stanford took out five thousand dollars for reasons unknown.”

     I guess we weren’t wasting time then, but Henry
countered immediately prepared for this question. 

     “Nicholas withdrew that money because of a threat from
his father to cut him off financially as well as threatening his trust fund. We
have bank statements from a different bank…” Henry looked around the table so
everyone there knew he was making this point significantly, and by the looks on
their faces they caught his point. “…the statement shows that most of that five
thousand dollars is still there minus some living expenses, and we have the
receipts verifying those expenditures.”   

     Henry continued speaking. “I would like it on record
that while Nicholas’s father shows admirable concern for the welfare of his son
he really has no legal standing to make any claims on Nicholas’s trust fund. It
was given to him by his grandfather, George Stanford. I would also point out
that the bank has broken the law by putting a hold on Nicholas’s trust fund
without first getting a court order. However,
I have
obtained a judge’s
signature stating that if you don’t release Mr. Stanford’s trust immediately
the bank will be fined and we will be taking you to court for recompense. The
judge agreed to ten thousand a day.”

     My gaze switched back and forth between my father and
the bank president. My father maintained his arrogant smile, but the president
wasn’t so composed. His skin paled faintly and even from twenty feet away I
could see sweat forming on his upper lip. The other board members shifted
slightly in their seats giving away their nervousness.

     “We also have a court order…” The president began
speaking but Henry interrupted him.

     “When was your order dated?” Henry asked.

     The president’s face jiggled in indignation at being
interrupted. “March 15th.” He responded tightly. 

     The tension that had been weighing me down for weeks
finally dissipated and I smiled, that was two days after Carrie got out of the
hospital and came to my game. Henry also smiled. “Ours was obtained on February
9th.”

     My gaze was fixed on my father and at hearing the date
his smile disappeared. My order was dated three days after the talk we’d
shared. I hadn’t waited for him to make his move, I’d made sure to make mine
first. At least I’d hoped I’d made it first and thankfully it turned out I
had. 

     “But we hadn’t done anything at that time.” The
president declared looking even sweatier.

     “After a threat made by his father Nicholas became
concerned about what his father and this bank would do so he made arrangements
to move his money to a different bank. He hadn’t wanted to do it up until now
in expectation that the bank would conduct itself ethically and professionally,
but it seems that has become a lost cause.” Henry again looked around at the
board members who were now all looking extremely ill-at-ease.

     I only vaguely noticed their agitation because my sole
focus was on my father. I’d trumped him and he wasn’t happy if the tight fury
on his face was any indication. Once I got the money out of this bank there was
nothing he could do about it. Sure he could go to court and maybe get a hold
put on the trust, but he didn’t have a leg to stand on so he would just be
wasting money. He would also be putting more publicity on the Stanford name,
something I knew he didn’t want to do.

     “I have a copy here of the court order and the name of
the bank Nicholas will now be using. I would recommend that you get everything
settled today because one more day would cost the bank ten thousand dollars.”
Henry set the papers off to the side and the lady who escorted us in came
forward to retrieve them and walked over to hand them over to the president. He
did a quick scan and nodded his sweaty flushed face.

     The next half an hour was spent filling out the
transfer paperwork. My father had left the room without a glance my way during
the time it took for the paperwork to be brought in. I watched him go with a
feeling of jubilation at sticking it to him and anger that we were even here.

     “Thanks a lot, Henry. I appreciate everything.” I said
as we walked out of the conference room toward the elevator.

     Henry grinned. “Not wanting to downplay my
contribution, but you could have handled that yourself. You knew what you
wanted when you came into my office, I just did the leg work. I have to say I’m
glad I was there though. It felt great watching those fat cat’s squirm.”

     I chuckled. Henry was a bit of a hippie at heart, who
knew. 

     We stepped out of the elevator and headed for the exit doors
when someone called my name stopping me. I turned to see my father rising from
one of the lounge chairs in the lobby. I stared at him for a moment not moving
as a variety of emotions assailed me.

     “Do you want to talk to him or should I interfere as
your lawyer?” Henry asked.

     I gave an aggrieved sigh. “Thanks for the offer but
I’ll speak to him.”

     Henry walked out the doors as I marched toward my
father. He sat back down and when I reached him I took the chair opposite him.
We stared at each silently and expressionlessly as I waited for him to speak. I
could already see that this was going to be some sort of stand-off.

     After a minute he finally broke the silence. “That was
very ingenious of you, getting the court order just days after our discussion.”
His face remained bland as he commended me.  

     I hid my surprise at his praise. It wasn’t a general
practice of his. “I am getting a degree in business. I should hope I know how
to prepare for a take-over.”

     There seemed to be a battle going on in my father’s
eyes. I could see he was still angry at getting one-upped, but he was also
trying to work what I done to his favor. “Yes, I have no doubt when you finally
join the business you’ll be the one to take the presidents seat replacing me. I
know you’ve been doing well in your academics but today showed me that you have
the aggressive manner for leadership.” 

     My lip curled in irritation. “If you’d seen any of my
games you would see how aggressive I can be, and being captain to a team going
to another championship should tell you of my leadership qualities.”

     A flash of annoyance crossed my father’s face at being
reminded of my interest in lacrosse. “Be that as it may, a business is a great
deal different than a sport, but I have to say that I’m pleased by what I’ve
seen this afternoon. This summer I want you to internship at the company. I’ll
give you an office down the hall from mine…”

     Blah, blah, blah…That’s all I heard from his lips as he
continued talking. I couldn’t believe he was asking me to come work for him
this summer after everything he just did. Hell, he wasn’t even asking me, he
was telling me. He was completely disregarding all our other discussions.   

     “…and you will still have to sever your relationship
with that girl. However, I will compensate you this time as you showed such
fortitude and acumen in dealing with me. How does another half million added to
you trust sound?”

     My attention focused instantly at his words. What. In.
The. Hell! “Are you fucking serious?” I growled furiously.

     My father’s eyes flickered with anger at my attitude.
“Watch you language.”

     “You’re the one who wanted to have this discussion
here.” I retorted.

     His lips tightened. “Yes, and I expect you to conduct
yourself as a Stanford wherever you may be.”

     “Who’s to say I’m not. Just because I’m not conforming
to your criteria doesn’t mean I’m not conducting myself as a Stanford. Uncle Ryan
and even grandpa have been known to call people out when their being
jackasses.”

     My father’s eyes went cold. “I take it you don’t agree
with my proposal.”

     I leaned forward just as cold in my own fury. “A
proposal would require asking, not telling me what you want me to do. I’ve told
you countless times that I want to forge my own path, but maybe I haven’t
stated it clearly enough for you. I’ve had several offers to go pro in lacrosse
and I will be accepting one, and I also want to look into some business
interests of my own, so don’t expect me in the office any time soon. In fact, I
would have to say don’t expect me there ever.”

     My father went ramrod straight and his eyes narrowed in
fury at my words. I continued, not done with what I had to say to him. “If by
some chance I had wanted to go into the family business I wouldn’t after your
backhanded manipulation of me. You’ve constantly tried to micro-manage me and
when you can’t you attempt to direct the situation to your ends. I am not a
business deal, I’m your son, but you’ve never taken the time to get to know me
to comprehend that your scheming won’t work with me. That wasn’t smart on your
part if you really had big plans for me.”