Ft. Worth, TX: April 2: Lancer Inc. corporation HQ: teddy-pov
The day starts fresh, it's raining and grey and miserable muggy. The Adults leave us to our own table. Fred as come with here with her dad. "Sam I missed you, girlfriend" hugging her hard and long
"Fred I been gone two days', get a grip" Sam says weepy
"I need my girlfriend, babe, I'm here to support you." Fred gushes on me. I'm very confused, Sam takes pity on me.
"Teddy, Fred doesn't have a one BFF, she has five and where all her girlfriend. So, stop having vision of a ménage trio." I blush several shades of red.
Fred laughs a hug me "I could use a boy toy"
"If I get bored he's yours Fred" Sam laughs and smiles at me.
"I see a whole week of you in a dress at school, poodle skirt maybe." I tease my girl and her BFF. The table erupts in laughter, the adult look over at the alien that have inhabited their kids.
We arrive at Lancer HQ, I am surprised that Ros, Andrea, and Tommy May, Dad's new M&A specialist, and a host of Grey People. Ros is bouncing with energy; she loves every minute of this take over. Turn out here college bully is a vice president about to be canned and spammed. Security is beef up with several locals. Max and Park and two of the locals are tasked with Sam, Fred, and Me. I have a word with Max and Park, their only priority is the girls. The local form first ring, they form second and I will handle anything that get pass them. A repeat of yesterday will not happen again.
Arriving at the Board room, The Lancer family is here. Samantha and three older women. All the lawyers look young, right out of law school. The girls stiffen, An Adonis walk in the door, young Dad level good looks, mad, angry distorts models face. He moves to the Lancer side down the table, putts the chair out and lean against the wall, clearly marking his place. Stares at dad like he what to kill him, Dad smile back, and calm, full aware of the challenge
Dad lead off "Let get started Graves, Halbard, Wilson, Lopez, and Davis your all fired leave. Mr. May is interim CEO, Mrs. Logan is now CFO, and Miss Cadis is operation. Any no votes?"
The Enemies raise their collective hands, then look at the angry man down the table. "You're not voting with the family? Your father is turning over in his grave. David."
He stares hard at her, "If my father was alive, I would have beaten him into a Hospital ICU, for going along with this shit."
"You're Griffin Lancer, I like to hear your vote" Dad calmly asks.
"Are you deaf, Grey, you only asked for dissent." He spits anger and hate, it fills the room.
"All right the matter is settled. Lancer Inc is under new management, any new business?" dad continues
Griffin Lancer says "I move the Ft. Worth Headquarters is dissolved and relocated back to San Antonio, after all that were the real work is done."
"David how could you, my grandfather and father build this company here, and their legacy is here." Samantha Lancer begs him
"All yes raise your hand on the motion. Motion passes, Mr. May see that it done before the end of the month."
"Now the motion to divest the company from Samantha Lancer's legal cases with Samantha Morgan. All yes raise your hand on the motion. Motion passes, by tomorrow have it separated. Also, a full accounting and audit will be carried out." dad deliver the death blow to the old bag of shit.
"I'm out of here Grey" Griffin storm towards the door. Suddenly he turns and approaches us. I raise stepping forward. One of the local steps in and Griffin throws him across the table "If I know you existed, you wouldn't have need Grey. You have your revenge. Live with it!"
He turns a walk out. Shit Sam is pass me, Fred right behind her. I chase them, Max and Park chase me. Sam slams Griffin into the elevator. He turns she in his face "I don't want revenge; I just want my life. A what do you mean if I existed?" She screams into his red, angry face.
"I did not know you or the legal shit existed till a week-ago. I've spent my life since MIT working 16-hours day to save this company, cost me my family, my friends, nearly killed my brother, and now find out my weak-will dad was fucking you over to please that bitch in there with her cousin bitches. So, I don't care what you do, the company yours, now fuck off bitch, leave us alone." He screams back into their faces.
Sam goes into burn, I grab her. Fred punches him hard; he staggers back, blood running down his nose. "Don't you ever talk to my girl like that again! She doesn't have a hateful bone in her body; your family fucked her over for years while you lived the good life. So, don't even try to make this about her"
"Who the fuck are you?" Eyes blazing, with rage.
"Me, Elizabeth Freda asshole, now leave!" Fred dismisses him, like a scum he is.
I reach and pull Fred back to me and Sam. Max finally mange's to get between us and Lancer backs up into the elevator never leaving eye contact with Fred. I turn a Mom and Freddy are staring and quickly engulfs us. We leave the building.
I take the Girls to a park we passed on the way, it's still rainy and grey outside. The air wet but fresh, clean, Fred pulled her ever-present guitar out and we sit in a picnic shelter while the girls play and sing. Security is away from us, as far as they can get and still be effective. Within minutes several dog walkers and kids float in an takes seats. God, just the two of them is good, really good. I pick up Sam and slow dance to a Spanish guitar piece that Fred is playing.
I notice a boy with a service dog, slowly approach. He seems afraid. He looks at Max and the other security, his hair covers half his face. He wants to come closer but he's afraid. I slowly move around to come up beside him. "Hey, good music, ha"
he turns and looks back, "yes"
"It's better closer, I'll introduce you to the girls?"
"No, I don't want pity." He says sadly, way too sad for a kid his age.
"Why would they pity you, they had a terrible morning and need to unwind and be happy."
"They look happy, but I always cause pity and fear." He states
"You you're just a little thing, I could carry you in my pocket here." He laughs
"come on we're getting wet and I want to dance with my girlfriend" I tease him
"Which one is yours?" he asks
"The prettiest one."
"The guitar player." He states
"No, I didn't realize the dog is for the blind."
"He isn't he a, wait what, you said the prettiest one, she playing guitar, hey that not funny, well yes, it is." He argues and laughs at the joke
"Pretty long minute to work that out. I'm Teddy"
"I'm Max and this is Pax, he's Alsatian and shepherd mix."
"So, is the singer really your girlfriend?" he asks
"Sure is, her names Sam and the ugly guitar player is Fred, and the scary guy with Boston red sox cap is Max too. So, let get closer and hear the songs, ok" we move in to the shelter, but stay near the edgy, Till Sam sing and dancing; floats up a takes my hand and Pax's leash and pulls us to Fred.
He sits staring at Fred, she sits next to him, bumping and coaxing him to sing. Several kids join in; I hold Sam and we stare lovingly at the Fred music show. All the kids are sing and dancing and playing. I've never seen Fred so happy and free. "She like this is real life when the world doesn't crash down on her. Her mother was a kindergarten teacher right up till she died. Fred use to spend all her free time with her and her classes, playing and teaching. Her major was primary education and special needs". Sam softly whispers in my ear.
I see Max and Park turn suddenly, and move. I kiss Sam tell her to stay here with Fred. I turn a walk towards two hulking military type guys walking towards the shelter. They don't look right. Max stops them as I walk up. "Gentlemen what can I do for you?" the Black haired one looks around and "We're with the kid and dog. Step aside or we'll move you."
"Gentlemen, there as children present and older folks as well; so anything you start. I will finish!"
"Kid, you don't have enough people to stop us." The older one say
"You're not taking the kid period. Understand me." I stand my ground
The other one raise his hand to his ear. "Back down Kent, major inbound"
"if you gentlemen would like out of rain, their coffee over there, while we wait for the Major." Pointing to the other picnic shelter were Parks was. We move there and wait. I see Sam looking at me I smile and wave arm down, like a football clipping sign. She's smile back and turns back to Fred and kids.
The Major arrives not what I expect from the two-hulking ex force recon marines Kent and Lon. She forty, fit, soft face scarred hands, fighter hands, and a voice like Ros, cigarettes and whiskey, no nonsense and followed by a Hispanic man about sixty with kind eyes and happy face dressed like Carrick, double breast suit, waistcoat, high shined wingtip shoes. "I'm Ruth McWard, in charge of security. This is Mr. Rodriquez-Patz in charge of Max."
Something goes off in her eyes she steps back, hand reaching "You're Theodore Grey"!; everyone drop whatever was in their hands and violence is about to erupt
"Freeze! Everyone freeze! Back down Major, Kent move back. Grey get your people under control now" Mr. Rodriquez-Patz commands in a loud and I will be obeyed voice. The girls and kids stop and stare, quickly parents grabbing kids moving away, and older people are leaving. Till just the girls and Max remain.
We all step back, leaving only Mr. Rodriquez-Patz in the middle. "Now Mr. Grey what are you going here?"
"We needed some fresh air after this morning."
"How did you pick this park?" he demands
"I saw it on the way out here, look quiet. Clean so we stopped, why?"
"You didn't plan this, did you?" he asks, taking a calmer tone.
"Plan what? We stopped to unwind and girls are doing what they always do."
"You don't know who Max is?" He asks, wary but honest
"No, but if you mean him harm. we will stop you." I demand, unsure what is going on.
"Mr. Grey, we are Max's protection from you, not the other way around" says the Major
"Mr. Rodriquez-Patz, you have us a disadvantage why would we harm Max? And why would you need this much firepower for us."
"Mr. Grey, I take it that one of the girls is Samantha Morgan." He asks
"Yes, my fiancés, the one minus the guitar."
"Max is the younger brother of David Griffin Lancer. You may have met him this morning." He says amused at the situation.
"Yes, we all met, had words and the guitar player broke his nose." I smugly say.
"Yes, He's pissed about that, lucky he's running it off, so we will take Max and be going." He says
"No, I will ask Max; if he wants to go with you. If yes so be it. If no, he goes with us, no matter the price." I state
From behind us I hear "you broke Griffin nose, so cool. Are you my new aunt Samantha? Why are you so young? Why do you like me? I don't think I can hate you like I'm suppose too. Griffin is really mad since you showed up."
The girls answer to sooth and calm Max.
I Look at Mr. Rodriquez-Patz "Is their somewhere close to get some food and talk."
"Yes, a steakhouse down the road, Max loves Beef and Mac there." He says really amuse as the Muscle look shocked and stunned. The Major is smiling like this is a good outcome.
"Good! Everyone where moving to the restaurant and you and the major please join us in our limo, we had a bigger crowd this morning so we have the room."
We buy the restaurant out, so only us and two couple before us are left. They quickly eat and leave on our tab.
Sam and Max are whispering in a booth while Fred and I snack with Major and Samuels Rodriquez-Patz. "Will this cause trouble with Griffin?"
"Not much, he's pissed, he sacrificed everything for Lancer family. A got the shaft and now this shit. He's a good kid, more like his maternal grandfather that raised him, than his father or bitch of mother or stepmothers. The Major says
"The General was solid, his daughter was not, liked the money, and social position rather than her son. She drank herself to death when Griffin was 7." Samuels Rodriquez-Patz speaks with sadness.
"Max's mother was Lucas Lancer VIII second wife, died in a fire when Max was three. The scars, the limp, Griffin has scars on his back from saving his brother while his father ran away. The fire was started by the bitch and his father drinking themselves to oblivion." The Major relates the history. I see Griffin is like dad, me, everything for family, except his family used, abused, and discarded him.
Sam mother is a worthless bitch, she not allowed with hundred feet of her." I look at Fred "Teddy rights this family has had way too many worthless bitch fucking up people's lives for fun and profit."
"Luck Lucas eight died four years-ago or he'd be in the hospital right now, if not Griffin, major, Kent or me would have put him in." Samuels Rodriquez-Patz say
"You guys seem to have a lot of loyalty to Griffin and Max and not the Lancers?"
"Well we came from the general side; I retired a sergeant major, started as his orderly and ended senior noncom. The major was his aided de camp twice, and Kent was his gunnery sergeant CPO. When he died we natural shift to Griffin and his brother and sister." Major says with pride.
"A sister, where's she?" Fred ask
"In school, she's a freshman in high school, one of Lucas eight mistresses; her mother OD'd when she was five. Griffin raised her since. Lucas refused."
"Close to Sam's age, She a junior with me. She going to start college as a junior as well. Fred here is closer to Griffin age he's what 22?" I ask
"He's 26-year old, Fred? you look like you're a senior in high school 18 or 19 not?" asks Rodriquez-Patz
"I'm 25-year-old, an Elizabeth Freda, my dad was always Freddy, so I became Fred, and my mother was named Elizabeth."
"She must have been especially pretty inside and out to have such a beautiful daughter." Rodriquez-Patz speaks insightful.
"Thank you." Fred say sadly
"Do you always carry the guitar around? Kent tells me you play and sing divinely, Samantha also" Major asks
"It Sam she doesn't like Samantha too much. Yes, I always carry my friend, and Sam is very talented." Fred answers
"From that bitch niece no doubt. I think once Griffin get over the angry. He will like this new family." Pointing over to Sam and Max. Max has his hair out showing Sam his scared face, she hugs him and kiss his face both side and waves me over.
I am summoned and I walk over and bow low and say "you summoned o great ones, how may this humble servant please you?" they giggle and Sam is her best fake British snob accent "Fetch us a waiter, Sir Max insist the best Beef and Mac is too be had in this quaint establishment And tell Lady Fred to Attend us at once, Sir Max is going to tell us tales of fishing on Gulf with a band of pirates." Shoo me away. I bow and turn, everyone but Fred is staring bug eyed at our scene. She laughs and says "Just wait to see they're parting scene, their hopelessly in love and closet comedian and goofs."
As I relay the order, I hear from the Griffin group, "I like these kids there funny and real, Griffin will fall in love with them."
My cell buzz, DAD, "Yes, where at a steakhouse near the park. Yes, ok no were not alone. I will explain at dinner. What ok I am bringing some quest plus their security?"
"Can Max sister join us in Dallas for dinner? Fred asks.
"No, she in San Antonio, Max is home schooled and freaks if he's too long away from Griffin. Why?"
"Griffin has invited us to dinner at the Ranchero this evening at 6."
"That his restaurant, His best friend runs it. It a 3star place. So, he is getting over the angry." Major speaks
"Or he's planning a Borgias dinner."
"That no funny Teddy, he is trying to make amends; you don't see any other Lancers doing that." Major says seriously
"Sorry, this day is getting to everyone."