November, 2003
Lindsay stepped out of the elevator onto her parents' floor. She was stopping by their penthouse for a visit on the way back from a somewhat unsuccessful shopping trip. She opened the door and saw her mother.
"Couldn't find a thing," she said, walking in and setting her shopping bags down on the couch.
"Lindsay!"
She jumped when she heard Michael's voice.
"Michael!" she said with a forced smile, turning to see him.
"How was your flight?" he asked.
"Great, great," she said, walking towards him. "We just got in."
"He knows," Lucille said.
"A month ago," she added. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, feeling extremely embarrassed and guilty. "I've been meaning to call you, I really have."
"Really?" he said dryly.
"It's just…been very busy," she faltered, discouraged by his tone.
"Ugh, it's been crazy," Tobias chimed in.
"We just had an amazing fundraiser for HOOP," she said cheerfully in an attempt to change the subject.
"HOOP?" Michael repeated.
"My anti-circumcision movement," she said, a little annoyed that he'd forgotten.
"Hm," he said.
"Believe it or not, we brought in over forty thousand dollars."
"Unbelievable. Sounds like you saved enough skin to make ten new boys."
Lucille gave him a disapproving look of disgust.
"Well," Tobias laughed. "Most of that money was from the Bluth Company, I mean how—"
Lindsay quickly cleared her throat and gave him a warning glare. Michael looked at him in disbelief.
"—are you?" Tobias finished.
"Still good," Michael said sarcastically. "You know what? You guys have had your hands in the company coffer for years, but starting tomorrow, there is going to be a new boss in town, and you're all gonna have to start fending for yourselves. You're all gonna finally feel that sweet sting of sweat in your eyes as Buster!" He turned to Buster, who was playing the drum he'd gotten for his class on Native American tribal ceremonies. "You can't do that on the balcony, buddy?"
"Mom says it's too windy," Buster said.
