CHAPTER 7
Conversation With Grandfather
"I didn't call to speak to you Julian."
"Who else would you want to speak to, Father?"
"Foxworth, I have business with my grandson."
"What is it Grandfather?"
"Julian get out of the library."
"But, Father."
"I said get out. Don't let the door hit you on your way out."
Julian looked at his son puzzled.
"Julian, what the Hell are you waiting for?"
"I'm leaving, Father."
"Put that bottle of brandy down. You already have a hard time thinking clearly when you're sober."
"Yes, Father."
He left the library. Alistair waited.
"Fox, I believe I asked you to go to Harmony for a reason."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Well."
"If I knew why you wanted me to sleep with her, it would be much easier."
"You don't have to ask yourselves questions, Fox. Just do as I say."
"I'm not some gigolo, you know."
Alistair started laughing.
"That was a good one, Fox."
"Seriously, Grandfather.Teresa isn't exactly the kind of person who throws herself at men."
"You mean the floozies you hang out with?"
Fox looked at the ceiling in exasperation, he sighed.
"Don't take that attitude with me, Foxworth."
"Grandfather, she is a nice girl."
"I already know that, Fox."
"Then why do you want me to sleep with her?"
"I will not justify myself to you. Just do as I said. You have been in Harmony for months."
"It doesn't matter. I like her Grandfather and I feel bad that I will hurt her."
"My, my, are you growing a conscience?"
"Maybe."
"It's not the time for that. Remember what's at stake for you, Fox."
"Grandfather, she is the only person who gives a damn about me."
"I don't care about that. I will disown you, Fox."
"You can disown me, but as it stands, I am the last Crane heir. I know for a fact that my sisters will not receive a penny and I also know that Teresa's son will not be coming into any money until he turns 21. You are not immortal Grandfather and Father, well having 3 wives is taking its toll on him."
"Not only are you growing a conscience, but you're also growing a spine. Drop the act and do as I say."
"What if I don't want to?" "Then disowning you won't be the worst thing to happen to you. That word also means no Crane privileges, no home, no money. You'll nothing short of a common homeless person. I would like to see how you deal with that one. So Foxworth, what is going to be?"
Fox didn't answer him back. He was contemplating his glass of scotch.
"I thought so. And stop with the alcohol, I don't want to have another mumbling idiot at Crane Industries. I built an empire, and I'll be damned if I let you and your father destroy it." He hung up the phone.
"You're already damned Grandfather. You will burn in Hell for all the horrible things that you've done."
He finished his drink and pored another one.
"What am I going to do about Teresa? She trusts and I'm about to break that trust. I don't think I'll ever be able to look her in the eye again."
He sipped his scotch slowly.
"The only true friend that I have, the only woman I've had these kind of feelings for and I'm about to do something that will make me lose her. Really Grandfather, damn you to Hell."
"I didn't call to speak to you Julian."
"Who else would you want to speak to, Father?"
"Foxworth, I have business with my grandson."
"What is it Grandfather?"
"Julian get out of the library."
"But, Father."
"I said get out. Don't let the door hit you on your way out."
Julian looked at his son puzzled.
"Julian, what the Hell are you waiting for?"
"I'm leaving, Father."
"Put that bottle of brandy down. You already have a hard time thinking clearly when you're sober."
"Yes, Father."
He left the library. Alistair waited.
"Fox, I believe I asked you to go to Harmony for a reason."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Well."
"If I knew why you wanted me to sleep with her, it would be much easier."
"You don't have to ask yourselves questions, Fox. Just do as I say."
"I'm not some gigolo, you know."
Alistair started laughing.
"That was a good one, Fox."
"Seriously, Grandfather.Teresa isn't exactly the kind of person who throws herself at men."
"You mean the floozies you hang out with?"
Fox looked at the ceiling in exasperation, he sighed.
"Don't take that attitude with me, Foxworth."
"Grandfather, she is a nice girl."
"I already know that, Fox."
"Then why do you want me to sleep with her?"
"I will not justify myself to you. Just do as I said. You have been in Harmony for months."
"It doesn't matter. I like her Grandfather and I feel bad that I will hurt her."
"My, my, are you growing a conscience?"
"Maybe."
"It's not the time for that. Remember what's at stake for you, Fox."
"Grandfather, she is the only person who gives a damn about me."
"I don't care about that. I will disown you, Fox."
"You can disown me, but as it stands, I am the last Crane heir. I know for a fact that my sisters will not receive a penny and I also know that Teresa's son will not be coming into any money until he turns 21. You are not immortal Grandfather and Father, well having 3 wives is taking its toll on him."
"Not only are you growing a conscience, but you're also growing a spine. Drop the act and do as I say."
"What if I don't want to?" "Then disowning you won't be the worst thing to happen to you. That word also means no Crane privileges, no home, no money. You'll nothing short of a common homeless person. I would like to see how you deal with that one. So Foxworth, what is going to be?"
Fox didn't answer him back. He was contemplating his glass of scotch.
"I thought so. And stop with the alcohol, I don't want to have another mumbling idiot at Crane Industries. I built an empire, and I'll be damned if I let you and your father destroy it." He hung up the phone.
"You're already damned Grandfather. You will burn in Hell for all the horrible things that you've done."
He finished his drink and pored another one.
"What am I going to do about Teresa? She trusts and I'm about to break that trust. I don't think I'll ever be able to look her in the eye again."
He sipped his scotch slowly.
"The only true friend that I have, the only woman I've had these kind of feelings for and I'm about to do something that will make me lose her. Really Grandfather, damn you to Hell."