Chapter 10

Alexis stepped onto the front porch holding her mug in her hand. She took a deep breath as she sat down on the step. She looked out over the farm. It was so beautiful, so quiet. She could hear the birds chirping in the morning sun. She looked over the fields that turned from green to golden. The cows were grazing in the field just across the driveway. This was a completely different world to her. It was hard to get used to, but so easy to love.

"Mornin'…" she turned when she heard Matt's voice behind her.

She smiled and he sat down beside her, "Good morning."

"Sam still sleeping?"

She nodded and took a long deep breath. "This is absolutely gorgeous. You gave this up to live in Manhattan?" She gave him a look of disbelief.

"Yeah, well, I was the country boy who wanted something more. You know how the cliché goes…"

"Matty…" they heard from behind. They both turned to see Matt's father, Lee, standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, Dad…"

"Can you rake and bale the hay in the two lower fields for me today while I'm at work?"

"Sure, Sam and I will do it. She'll love it. Do you want me to stack it too?"

"Nah, just leave it there, I'll move it when I get home after dinner. Oh and if you get a chance, walk the fence line in the back woods. We had a pretty bad storm a couple of nights ago, I don't know if anything fell on the fence and knocked it down.

"Sure, Dad, I'll take care of it." He turned back to Alexis, "what?" he asked when he saw the look on her face.

"Sam and I will do it?" She asked wondering just what raking and baling entailed.

"Relax, Alexis, she'll enjoy driving the tractor." He said getting up and going in the house for breakfast.

"Oh…wait…Tractor?!?" she yelled following him.

"Lee," Matt's father was stopped by the guard at the entrance of the glass plant where he worked, "you're wanted in the General Manager's office. I was told to tell you to report straight there."

"Ah, just great," Lee did not work in pleasant work environment. As a matter of fact, he was counting the days until he was eligible to retire. Everybody seemed to be there just to get some one else in trouble for something. But Lee was a man that just wanted to go to work, get the job done, and go home. He wasn't interested in politics or anything else. His job was to make sure that everything ran smoothly and when something broke he fixed it. When he was at work, he gave it 100. He even invented machines to make production easier and more economical; machines that the company was able to patent and make millions of dollars on. Lee had gained the reputation throughout the company to be able to change necessary parts without stopping production. He was the best and they knew it. But that didn't make it any easier.

"Lee, you're wanted…" The secretary started when he walked into the office.

"Yeah, I heard…" he answered. He knocked on the door that was marked Greg Steiner, General Manager.

"Lee, good morning," Mr. Steiner greeted. "I would like you to meet Stefan Cassadine, owner of this…"

"I know who he is, Steiner. What does any of this have to do with me? I have a job to do," Lee interrupted.

"Mr. Steiner, would you please step outside, while I speak with Mr. Curry?" Steiner nodded and quickly exited the office.

"Now, Mr. Curry, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Please have a seat."

Lee shook Stefan's hand before taking a seat. "Look, Mr. Cassadine, I don't know what this is about, but I have to report to my men and get the morning routine started."

"Mr. Curry, you're reputation precedes you. You are a 'cut to the chase' kind of person and I admire that. So I am going to do just that. Mr. Curry, you have made a lot of money for this company, and you have never been recognized for that."

"I don't want any recognition."

"Modest too, I see. Mr. Curry, I am here to make a deal with you."

"I don't make deals, Mr. Cassadine. I do what I was hired to do."

"I see that Mr. Curry, but you have gone far beyond the call of duty. And for that, I am offering you 10 million dollars; your part of the profit for the machines that you have invented for us. You deserve it."

"Why now, Mr. Cassadine? What aren't you telling me?"

"You are smart man, Mr. Curry; no doubt the patriarch of your family."

"Mr. Cassadine, if you have something to say, then say it. Otherwise this meeting is over." Lee got up to leave.

"You son, Mr. Curry," Lee stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Stefan.

"What about my son?"

"Mr. Curry, your son is in love with my sister." Lee sat back down. Things just got a lot more complicated.

"Alexis is your sister?" Stefan nodded; "And the girl?"

"Her daughter, Samantha; Alexis knows no bounds when it comes to making sure that she is safe. You have worked for this company for many years, Mr. Curry. Now that my father and brother are dead, I'm in charge. And I have devoted my life to making sure that no harm comes to Alexis or Samantha."

"You are you threatening me, Mr. Cassadine?"

"Quite the contrary, Mr. Curry; I am asking for your help. Your son has brought my sister and niece her to protect them from my mother. And for that I am eternally grateful. She has found some one to love again who accepts her and Samantha. Financially, Alexis has the means to take care of herself and Samantha. But for years I have worried about her being alone. She is not alone anymore. So I am going to pull back my reigns a little. Hopefully throw my mother off track." Stefan handed Lee a check, "that is yours. You deserve it. But I am asking two things from you Mr. Curry, please give this company two more years of service; at top pay of course. And secondly, continue to be the patriarch of your family, especially to your new found Daughter-in-law and granddaughter."

Lee stood as he accepted the check and shook Stefan's hand. "Thank you, Mr. Cassadine."

"No Lee, thank you."