I don't own Degrassi. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting in this cold basement on a Saturday night.
Chapter 15: Iris's Secret
Craig had been exiled to Jeremiah Motors, because Iris was grading tests, and it wasn't fair for him to be there while she graded. So she'd set up Angie with a coloring book, and they were "grading" together while he was over working with Joey. Which wasn't a bad thing-Joey had offered to pay him, and he needed the money with a baby on the way and Iris not technically working-student teachers don't get paid, he'd learned.
He was washing a car when the car pulled into the lot. It was one of the nicest car's Craig had ever seen, and an older man got out. Joey was standing near him and his jaw dropped when he saw the man.
"Craig, do you know who that is?" Craig shook his head and Joey continued. "That's Cole Ingram, as in Ingram Realty" Joey named one of the biggest real estate and development companies in Toronto.
Cole Ingram walked over to the duo. "Mr. Jeremiah, I assume. I'm Cole Ingram"
"Yes, I'm Joey Jeremiah, and this is my assistant, Craig Manning."
"Mr. Manning, I'm familiar." Joey looked at Craig, who shrugged. "I just came to check out the operation."
"Well, this reality is mine...and I wasn't planning on selling."
"That's not why I'm here...I was planning on making a sneak visit, but as Mr. Manning-Craig-is actually here I figured I'd say hello. Going to get me in trouble I'm sure."
Joey and Craig were lost. Craig decided to speak up. "Mr. Ingram, I have no idea what you are talking about, sir."
Ingram nodded. "Figured as much. I hate to be the one who tells you, shouldn't be my doing."
Just then two figures walked into the lot. Angie came running up to Joey "Daddy! I helped Iris really good and she's all done!"
Iris stood dead in her tracks. "How did you track me here?" She said to Mr. Ingram.
"Patricia" Craig recognized the name of Iris's mother "Mentioned Craig's last name was Manning, I looked into it, found out his guardian was Joey Jeremiah of Jeremiah Motors, figured I'd over over a visit. I was planning on call you, see about your decision."
"Grandfather.." Iris smiled at the man. She did love him. "I don't know yet, I've studied my ass off to teach and I don't know if I have the heart to run the company."
Grandfather? Running the company? What the hell was she talking about? "Iris?" Craig questioned her.
Iris smiled "now you know my horrible secret."
"Mr. Ingram, you're Iris's grandfather?"
"Yes, Craig, I am, and you can call me Cole. Why don't I take the three of us out for dinner, if its OK with Mr. Jeremiah, that is."
Joey nodded his agreement, and the three of them headed to a restaurant. Iris told her story to Craig then, with her grandfather adding on now and then.
"So, grandpa started Ingram Realty with his uncle, bought my uncle and his family out 30 some years ago. He had one kid-my mom, who decided to be a chemist. So I'm the only heir to the company. I love the company-worked summers for years, still do. But I also want to teach...Its all confusing."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"About three years ago I had a boyfriend who knew about Grandfather..turns out he wanted Ingram Realty, not Iris Masters. I didn't want that to happen again, so I don't really tell people. I wanted to tell you, but things have been so crazy here."
Craig nodded, he understood the insanity that had been happening lately. "Iris? I don't care about the company, I take photos. I play guitar. I don't know much about real estate."
Mr. Ingram-Cole-spoke up then. "If you want to learn, I can show you. I'd like the company to stay in the family,"
"I'm not family." Craig said.
"You're the father of my great-grandchild. You count. And Iris? If you don't find a teaching job, or if you decide you don't want one, there's a place for you at Ingram Realty."
"I'm thinking about it, Grandfather." He nodded at her.
That night Joey was waiting for the pair to get home. "Iris, why didn't you tell us?"
"I don't like being treated differently because of who my grandfather is, that's all. I'm sorry Joey."
"Don't be, I'm just surprised."
That night in bed, something occurred to Craig. "Its kind of Ironic. Ashley's been trying to derail your education career so you won't have a way to support the baby, and here you have a way."
"Its nice to have a backup. But I still haven't decided if I'm going to teach or not...I think it will depend on the job offers I get."
"Whatever you decide, I'm behind you 100 per sent, Iris. I love you."
"Love you too. Now go to sleep."
Chapter 15: Iris's Secret
Craig had been exiled to Jeremiah Motors, because Iris was grading tests, and it wasn't fair for him to be there while she graded. So she'd set up Angie with a coloring book, and they were "grading" together while he was over working with Joey. Which wasn't a bad thing-Joey had offered to pay him, and he needed the money with a baby on the way and Iris not technically working-student teachers don't get paid, he'd learned.
He was washing a car when the car pulled into the lot. It was one of the nicest car's Craig had ever seen, and an older man got out. Joey was standing near him and his jaw dropped when he saw the man.
"Craig, do you know who that is?" Craig shook his head and Joey continued. "That's Cole Ingram, as in Ingram Realty" Joey named one of the biggest real estate and development companies in Toronto.
Cole Ingram walked over to the duo. "Mr. Jeremiah, I assume. I'm Cole Ingram"
"Yes, I'm Joey Jeremiah, and this is my assistant, Craig Manning."
"Mr. Manning, I'm familiar." Joey looked at Craig, who shrugged. "I just came to check out the operation."
"Well, this reality is mine...and I wasn't planning on selling."
"That's not why I'm here...I was planning on making a sneak visit, but as Mr. Manning-Craig-is actually here I figured I'd say hello. Going to get me in trouble I'm sure."
Joey and Craig were lost. Craig decided to speak up. "Mr. Ingram, I have no idea what you are talking about, sir."
Ingram nodded. "Figured as much. I hate to be the one who tells you, shouldn't be my doing."
Just then two figures walked into the lot. Angie came running up to Joey "Daddy! I helped Iris really good and she's all done!"
Iris stood dead in her tracks. "How did you track me here?" She said to Mr. Ingram.
"Patricia" Craig recognized the name of Iris's mother "Mentioned Craig's last name was Manning, I looked into it, found out his guardian was Joey Jeremiah of Jeremiah Motors, figured I'd over over a visit. I was planning on call you, see about your decision."
"Grandfather.." Iris smiled at the man. She did love him. "I don't know yet, I've studied my ass off to teach and I don't know if I have the heart to run the company."
Grandfather? Running the company? What the hell was she talking about? "Iris?" Craig questioned her.
Iris smiled "now you know my horrible secret."
"Mr. Ingram, you're Iris's grandfather?"
"Yes, Craig, I am, and you can call me Cole. Why don't I take the three of us out for dinner, if its OK with Mr. Jeremiah, that is."
Joey nodded his agreement, and the three of them headed to a restaurant. Iris told her story to Craig then, with her grandfather adding on now and then.
"So, grandpa started Ingram Realty with his uncle, bought my uncle and his family out 30 some years ago. He had one kid-my mom, who decided to be a chemist. So I'm the only heir to the company. I love the company-worked summers for years, still do. But I also want to teach...Its all confusing."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"About three years ago I had a boyfriend who knew about Grandfather..turns out he wanted Ingram Realty, not Iris Masters. I didn't want that to happen again, so I don't really tell people. I wanted to tell you, but things have been so crazy here."
Craig nodded, he understood the insanity that had been happening lately. "Iris? I don't care about the company, I take photos. I play guitar. I don't know much about real estate."
Mr. Ingram-Cole-spoke up then. "If you want to learn, I can show you. I'd like the company to stay in the family,"
"I'm not family." Craig said.
"You're the father of my great-grandchild. You count. And Iris? If you don't find a teaching job, or if you decide you don't want one, there's a place for you at Ingram Realty."
"I'm thinking about it, Grandfather." He nodded at her.
That night Joey was waiting for the pair to get home. "Iris, why didn't you tell us?"
"I don't like being treated differently because of who my grandfather is, that's all. I'm sorry Joey."
"Don't be, I'm just surprised."
That night in bed, something occurred to Craig. "Its kind of Ironic. Ashley's been trying to derail your education career so you won't have a way to support the baby, and here you have a way."
"Its nice to have a backup. But I still haven't decided if I'm going to teach or not...I think it will depend on the job offers I get."
"Whatever you decide, I'm behind you 100 per sent, Iris. I love you."
"Love you too. Now go to sleep."