Chapter 21 A Father's True Colors
Friday
Parent's Day
Senator McPhearson, Cassandra and their lawyer are sitting in the limo as it arrives to Mt. Horizon.
"I won't be long. I just have to sign some papers in front of the lawyer's and notary and then we'll be off to our new life in England without any baggage." He squeezes Cassandra's hand and then gives his attention to Bramwell. "Bramwell, keep the limo running."
"Yes Sir."
Alexander and the lawyer get out of the limo and find themselves standing in a crowd of parents greeting students. They begin to make their way through to Peter's office. All the time, trying to hide the fact that the Senator is there. They manage to get to Peter's office unnoticed. Alexander then knocks, Peter answers.
"We've been expecting you." Peter motions for them to enter.
Alexander enters finding Sophie and their lawyer sitting waiting.
"You remember my wife, Sophie and this is our lawyer, Arnold Benedict."
Everyone shakes hands again. Then they sit down. McPhearson's lawyer pulls out a stack of papers and hands a copy to each.
"Can we hurry this, I've got a flight to catch." Alexander looks at his watch.
"This is your daughter we are talking about." Peter defends, a bit annoyed.
Benedict hands everyone papers. Peter and Sophie look over these papers.
"You're signing over all your parental rights?"
"Let's get one thing straight. Only biology links the two of us. She has never been my daughter." He looks around at everyone's eyes. "I never wanted her from the beginning. The day that her mother came to me and told me she was pregnant with Alexandra, I wrote a check out for an abortion. Obviously we know how that ended."
"I'm advising my client to remain quiet now."
"Shut up you little weasel. Alexandra has been nothing but a pain in the ass and if it wasn't for my first ex-wife, she would've never come into my life." Alexander sits back.
"Senator McPhearson has set up a bank account to help with the expenses of taking care of Alexandra." He paces the financial papers to Peter, trying to change the subject. Sophie leans over Peter's shoulder to see. Their eyes get really big.
"I'm sure there's enough there." Alexander smiles with delight at the two's faces. "There's also a bonus for the school. Show them the papers Benedict." Benedict hands over another set of papers. They both take it and look over the papers. "It is my understanding that this school could use that money. My investors tell me that this school is in chapter 11 and expenses are far beyond capacity. The 2 million should help keep the school in the black and not the red. The 5 million should keep Alexandra in a comfortable life style."
"What is this? Hush money?" Sophie accuses angrily.
"Call it what you want. But from what I've seen, you don't have a choice."
"We don't need your money Senator." Peter passes the papers back to Benedict. Benedict takes it, but Alexander grabs them from his hands.
"How are you going to get enough money to get this school out of the red?"
"I have other investments. We DON'T need your money."
"Take this one for Alexandra, it is her inheritance." Alexander looks at both their faces. "Just because I've never wanted her, doesn't mean that I wouldn't take care of her." He claps his hands together. "Now if we can get these papers signed so I can get on my way."
The lawyers search through the papers and everyone begins to sign what is needed.
Meanwhile
Outside the administration building, Taylor can be seen walking. She recognizes the limo sitting out front and goes inside. Alexander is just about to leave, when he runs into Taylor.
"You now belong to them now. They didn't want you, but I offered them a great deal to take you off my hands. I hope your little male friend enjoys jail as well. As for your female friend at the hospital, she reminds me so much of your mother. What a slut."
Taylor's face is red with anger. She stands on her tippy toes to get into his face.
"If you do not drop the charges against Scott, I'll. . . .I'll."
"You'll what?"
"I'll talk."
"I have nothing to hide."
"Don't tell me you didn't know about Grant and. . ."
"Oh that. Just remember that if you told, the whole world would find out your little secret. They would look at you like a freak. Even the degenerates here would treat you worse. Peter and Sophie wouldn't want you and you'd loose all your friends. You'll never talk."
Peter and Sophie come out of the office. Taylor's eyes are filling up with tears. She glances over Peter and Sophie, and takes off running out of the building. Sophie darts out after her. Peter glares at Alexander as he paces him to go after Taylor.
"Benedict, it's time to go. She is no longer my problem."
Alexander and Benedict leave the building. They get into the limo. Bramwell drives the limo out of the school and out sight.
"Taylor stop."
Taylor turns her head to see how close Peter and Sophie are. She turns just in time to run into a male Ridge-runner. They fall to the ground allowing for Peter and Sophie to catch up. Taylor lies on the ground as the Ridge-runner gets up and dusts himself off.
"Thank you." Peter says to the boy, knowing he did it on purpose.
"No problem Peter."
Taylor just lies there staring up at the sky. Sophie stands over her.
"It's official, I never have to see him again?" Taylor asks looking up at her.
"Yes, it's official." Sophie smiles.
For the first time, Taylor gives a real smile.
"Hey Peter, we're having trouble with the sink in the kitchen." A female Trailblazer comes running over to them.
Peter glances at Sophie who motions for him to go on ahead. Peter leaves Taylor and Sophie sitting on the ground together.
"How do you feel about it?" Sophie asks looking over at Taylor.
"Nervous." Sophie gives her a quizzical look. "I've never had parents before, let alone a mother. How do you feel?"
"Nervous, I've never had a daughter before either."
The two just sit and watch everyone walk by. When Sophie sees the group of Cliffhangers, she stands.
"How about we go to dinner."
"Okay."
The two join the Cliffhangers and all head to the dining hall. As they enter the dining hall, Sophie joins Peter.
"I see you got her to come to dinner."
"Yep,"
"She still has a lot of demons." "Yep,"
"It's not going to be easy."
"Nope."
"Your just happy aren't you?"
"Yep."
"So am I."
Sophie and Peter get their trays and take their seats at the counselor's table. The happiness soon ends as an older Trailblazer comes running into the dining room. She is caring a message and quickly gives it to Peter. Peter reads over the message.
"What is it?"
"Shelby and Jess's mother was just in a car accident."
"We'll is she okay?" Peter didn't have to say anything. "Oh no Peter, not Shelby and Jess."
"I'll have to tell them. Where are the Grizzly-Bears at?"
"They should be in school, the younger groups have early lunch. I'll go get Jess, you get Shelby."
"Meet me at the office."
********
Senator McPhearson, Cassandra and their lawyer are sitting in the limo as it arrives to Mt. Horizon.
"I won't be long. I just have to sign some papers in front of the lawyer's and notary and then we'll be off to our new life in England without any baggage." He squeezes Cassandra's hand and then gives his attention to Bramwell. "Bramwell, keep the limo running."
"Yes Sir."
Alexander and the lawyer get out of the limo and find themselves standing in a crowd of parents greeting students. They begin to make their way through to Peter's office. All the time, trying to hide the fact that the Senator is there. They manage to get to Peter's office unnoticed. Alexander then knocks, Peter answers.
"We've been expecting you." Peter motions for them to enter.
Alexander enters finding Sophie and their lawyer sitting waiting.
"You remember my wife, Sophie and this is our lawyer, Arnold Benedict."
Everyone shakes hands again. Then they sit down. McPhearson's lawyer pulls out a stack of papers and hands a copy to each.
"Can we hurry this, I've got a flight to catch." Alexander looks at his watch.
"This is your daughter we are talking about." Peter defends, a bit annoyed.
Benedict hands everyone papers. Peter and Sophie look over these papers.
"You're signing over all your parental rights?"
"Let's get one thing straight. Only biology links the two of us. She has never been my daughter." He looks around at everyone's eyes. "I never wanted her from the beginning. The day that her mother came to me and told me she was pregnant with Alexandra, I wrote a check out for an abortion. Obviously we know how that ended."
"I'm advising my client to remain quiet now."
"Shut up you little weasel. Alexandra has been nothing but a pain in the ass and if it wasn't for my first ex-wife, she would've never come into my life." Alexander sits back.
"Senator McPhearson has set up a bank account to help with the expenses of taking care of Alexandra." He paces the financial papers to Peter, trying to change the subject. Sophie leans over Peter's shoulder to see. Their eyes get really big.
"I'm sure there's enough there." Alexander smiles with delight at the two's faces. "There's also a bonus for the school. Show them the papers Benedict." Benedict hands over another set of papers. They both take it and look over the papers. "It is my understanding that this school could use that money. My investors tell me that this school is in chapter 11 and expenses are far beyond capacity. The 2 million should help keep the school in the black and not the red. The 5 million should keep Alexandra in a comfortable life style."
"What is this? Hush money?" Sophie accuses angrily.
"Call it what you want. But from what I've seen, you don't have a choice."
"We don't need your money Senator." Peter passes the papers back to Benedict. Benedict takes it, but Alexander grabs them from his hands.
"How are you going to get enough money to get this school out of the red?"
"I have other investments. We DON'T need your money."
"Take this one for Alexandra, it is her inheritance." Alexander looks at both their faces. "Just because I've never wanted her, doesn't mean that I wouldn't take care of her." He claps his hands together. "Now if we can get these papers signed so I can get on my way."
The lawyers search through the papers and everyone begins to sign what is needed.
Meanwhile
Outside the administration building, Taylor can be seen walking. She recognizes the limo sitting out front and goes inside. Alexander is just about to leave, when he runs into Taylor.
"You now belong to them now. They didn't want you, but I offered them a great deal to take you off my hands. I hope your little male friend enjoys jail as well. As for your female friend at the hospital, she reminds me so much of your mother. What a slut."
Taylor's face is red with anger. She stands on her tippy toes to get into his face.
"If you do not drop the charges against Scott, I'll. . . .I'll."
"You'll what?"
"I'll talk."
"I have nothing to hide."
"Don't tell me you didn't know about Grant and. . ."
"Oh that. Just remember that if you told, the whole world would find out your little secret. They would look at you like a freak. Even the degenerates here would treat you worse. Peter and Sophie wouldn't want you and you'd loose all your friends. You'll never talk."
Peter and Sophie come out of the office. Taylor's eyes are filling up with tears. She glances over Peter and Sophie, and takes off running out of the building. Sophie darts out after her. Peter glares at Alexander as he paces him to go after Taylor.
"Benedict, it's time to go. She is no longer my problem."
Alexander and Benedict leave the building. They get into the limo. Bramwell drives the limo out of the school and out sight.
"Taylor stop."
Taylor turns her head to see how close Peter and Sophie are. She turns just in time to run into a male Ridge-runner. They fall to the ground allowing for Peter and Sophie to catch up. Taylor lies on the ground as the Ridge-runner gets up and dusts himself off.
"Thank you." Peter says to the boy, knowing he did it on purpose.
"No problem Peter."
Taylor just lies there staring up at the sky. Sophie stands over her.
"It's official, I never have to see him again?" Taylor asks looking up at her.
"Yes, it's official." Sophie smiles.
For the first time, Taylor gives a real smile.
"Hey Peter, we're having trouble with the sink in the kitchen." A female Trailblazer comes running over to them.
Peter glances at Sophie who motions for him to go on ahead. Peter leaves Taylor and Sophie sitting on the ground together.
"How do you feel about it?" Sophie asks looking over at Taylor.
"Nervous." Sophie gives her a quizzical look. "I've never had parents before, let alone a mother. How do you feel?"
"Nervous, I've never had a daughter before either."
The two just sit and watch everyone walk by. When Sophie sees the group of Cliffhangers, she stands.
"How about we go to dinner."
"Okay."
The two join the Cliffhangers and all head to the dining hall. As they enter the dining hall, Sophie joins Peter.
"I see you got her to come to dinner."
"Yep,"
"She still has a lot of demons." "Yep,"
"It's not going to be easy."
"Nope."
"Your just happy aren't you?"
"Yep."
"So am I."
Sophie and Peter get their trays and take their seats at the counselor's table. The happiness soon ends as an older Trailblazer comes running into the dining room. She is caring a message and quickly gives it to Peter. Peter reads over the message.
"What is it?"
"Shelby and Jess's mother was just in a car accident."
"We'll is she okay?" Peter didn't have to say anything. "Oh no Peter, not Shelby and Jess."
"I'll have to tell them. Where are the Grizzly-Bears at?"
"They should be in school, the younger groups have early lunch. I'll go get Jess, you get Shelby."
"Meet me at the office."
********