All standard FF disclaimers apply.
Epilog
OoOoO
A new day was dawning at Fantastic Families, Inc. A brand new chapter filled with unlimited possibilities. Plans were made to make the formal announcement to the business world on the new change in ownership. It was a no-brainer for Albert to ask Lovey Thurston to spearhead the media campaign. There was much at stake and Lovey's past experiences qualified her for this endeavor. It was imperative that everything regarding this campaign ran smoothly. The media blitz announcing Albert Kloughn, Heir of Founder Derrick Kloughn, had taken over the reins of his father's company would likely send shock waves throughout the business world. Most business experts had never known that Derrick Kloughn even had a son, they had all been kept in the dark. When news of Derrick's illness had reached them, speculation had been that Peter Winston would assume control of the company upon Derrick's death. That this did not occur would be newsworthy.
To Lovey's credit, she did an incredible job.
Once news of the ascension of Albert Kloughn as the new owner of Fantastic Families, Inc. hit the news wires, the company was inundated with requests for interviews. Most requests were for one on one interviews with Albert, but there were also a few requests to interview other members of the corporate leadership team. These requests were viewed as attempts to stir up controversy, but Lovey Thurston would have none of it under her watch. Instead, all interview requests for the individual members of the board were denied and in their place interviews were arranged in mass, with every one of them meeting with the press together. This was a brilliant strategy. It demonstrated solidarity and that all the members of the board had unanimously approved of the decision. In total, more than 50 interview requests were requested and granted, and in the end there was no controversy and only praise.
Peter Winston spent countless hours preparing Albert for the onslaught that was about to come. No detail could be spared in preparing Albert for his one on one interviews with the press. And when Peter had finished with his sessions with Albert, Theo and Terry took charge of preparing Albert for his moment in the spotlight. And just when Albert felt that he was ready to meet the press, Terri came into the picture to add her own unique perspectives on how best to share the story of his father's life and what it means to take over the reins of the company. It was a collaborative effort, everyone involved wanted to make certain that Albert knew he had their full support. It was also a wonderful opportunity for him to talk with each of them individually. Albert had a great time getting to know all of them better. It was time well invested. The knowledge he gleaned during these discussions had instilled a new confidence in him. Albert had nothing to fear, he was ready for his first interview.
By all accounts the first interview was a huge success. Albert was poised and he was polished with all of his answers. He left the interviewer feeling that he was, indeed, the right choice to take over the company. The second interview was even more successful than the first one. The questions were different, but Albert handled them all with the same commanding presence. It was evident Albert knew what he was talking about and he again won over the interviewer. The third interview was crucial. The interviewer had been a past critic of the company. Albert knew this was the case and so he braced himself for the onslaught of negativity. It never happened. Instead the interviewer informed him that she had heard the past two interviews he had given and wanted to discuss other matters, emphasizing that her viewers wanted to know more about his personal life, starting with his family. Albert was spectacular, talking about his early days of overcoming challenges and how he had first met the love of his life, Valerie. Albert couldn't talk long enough about the love of his life, Valerie, without the interviewer recognizing the sincerity in his voice. It touched her heart and she invited him to come back again, and to please bring his wife with him.
Albert's emotional response, about how he felt about Valerie, was the talk of the business world. By the time the third interview ended, no one was questioning his right to take over the company. Instead it was a media frenzy to be the first news agency to have the exclusive interview, Albert and Valerie Kloughn, together for the very first time. It was surreal. At first Albert was hesitant. Albert didn't know if Valerie was interested in any of this. The last thing Albert wanted to do was place Valerie in an uncomfortable position. But the requests continued, soon they doubled and even tripled, such was the demand from everyone to hear about their story. Albert continued having enormous success with his own interviews, but now it seemed that the questions had now shifted to his own family. It was what everyone wanted to hear about. Before long, the media's desire to interview them together could not be ignored.
Lovey Thurston loved the new direction of the interviews. The initial goals of the media campaign had worked flawlessly. It was even better than she could have ever hoped for. No one questioned Albert as the new owner of the company. No one was asking the negative, penetrating questions they had expected. This was great news, but now there was a new dynamic, one that no one had ever imagined would occur. There was zero preparation for what was now being called the "Valerie" factor. It was huge, everyone wanted to meet her and invite her on their show. Lovey didn't know how to best address this phenomenon properly, but she did know there was one person who was the key, Valerie. So Lovey made the call without talking to anyone. She decided before any further discussions, she would speak to Valerie. This led to a one on one meeting with Valerie. Afterwards, Lovey knew there was something special here.
The success of Albert and Valerie's first interview together was spectacular! It was a ratings bonanza! The demand to interview Albert and Valerie together turned into the most successful marketing campaign in the history of Fantastic Families, Inc. Within 24 hours of the first interview more than 10,000 consumers called the company and signed up as new subscribers. It didn't end there. The calls and new subscribers continued for several days after each new interview. When all was said in done, more than 1,500,000 new subscribers had joined the Fantastic Families network after watching these interviews. All previous sales records had been shattered. No one at Fantastic Families could have ever imagined such an incredible membership increase would have occurred in such a short time. It was the greatest growth in the shortest time frame in the history of the company. And it came directly through Albert and Valerie's efforts.
It was only the beginning.
OoOoO
Pulling his truck out of the parking lot, Hector marveled at the circumstances that had brought him to the Juvenile Detention Hall. He was amazed that the same tear drop tattoo that he thought would have kept Tony from wanting to talk to him, was the one thing that bonded him with these kids here today. It was almost like a sign of respect and they automatically accepted him and trusted that he could help them. This was welcome news for Hector as he knew how important establishing trust with these kids would be in being able to accomplish his goal of helping them overcome adversity in their lives.
The smile that spread across his face clearly showed his elation that he now knew that he was going to be able to help them. Reflecting on his own days in Juvie, Hector had secretly wished that he could somehow keep the kind of pain and suffering he had experienced in his youth out of the lives of these teenagers who found themselves caught up in circumstances that they could neither understand, nor control. Hector had always wished he could someday make a difference, he just never dreamed that everything could work out so well. But here he was, watching it all unfold in ways he had never dreamed of. And this was only the beginning.
Just a week ago, his answers had come to him. Within hours of each other, Jake, Tony, and Albert had all approached him with their own ideas of finding a way to help these kids. Talk about 'great minds thinking alike', each of them had recognized that a need existed and each had brought a piece of the puzzle with them and now all of the pieces fit perfectly together. Hector's goal was to provide a place for kids to go where they would be in a safe, controlled environment. They needed a 'home' that they could feel comfortable in, with people who made them feel as if they were an important part of a 'family' group. Hector was impressed when both Tony and Jake had independently come to the exact same conclusions and even more impressive, had asked to speak with him to see if they could make it happen. Knowing they had placed their trust and confidence in him, Hector knew he couldn't let them down. There had to be a way to make this happen.
As simple as it sounds on the surface, it was much more complicated than he ever imagined it could be, to create such a place. Legalities and regulations were only the beginning, Hector had already explored every detail of what would be required, the main obstacle became one of acquiring the proper financing to start the program. Hector knew his modest savings would be insufficient for such an enormous undertaking. There were huge mountains of paperwork, applications for financial assistance and/or free government grants was challenging for these types of endeavors. From all accounts, the task of turning his dreams into a reality were slim, there were too many demands and very little resources. It had left Hector somewhat disheartened at the whole prospect, he wondered if there was any way it could be done.
Then came the miracle and it came from the least expected source. Never in Hector's wildest imagination had he ever thought his relationship with Albert would become the solution to his challenges. First, Albert sat down and talked with him about his desire to help the kids that were in trouble with the law. Next Albert expressed interest in creating a home that would shield these kids from outside influences. As Hector listened intently to Albert, he couldn't help but reflect on his conversations with Tony and Jake. Like minds think alike with one purpose in their hearts, Hector thought as he recognized that they all had one common goal; helping these kids. But still, as he listened, he couldn't help but think to himself that Albert had no clue how difficult it would be to make all of this a reality. And then it happened. The only way to describe it was a miracle took place and lives changed forever.
Albert told Hector that he was willing to get started immediately. Hector knew that Albert had a lot on his plate and it wouldn't be easy, but he decided he had nothing to lose, so they to work. One by one the challenges that Hector had been facing were solved. First, Albert used his skills as an attorney and was able to complete all the paperwork to satisfy the legal requirements for such an endeavor. Albert had done his research, and he brought out the papers that detailed all the regulations, city, state and federal, required to run any facility for teenage kids. Albert had to smile at the look on Hector's face. At first glance the stack of papers did look a bit intimidating, but when you understood that it took four times as many words to speak in legalese, the huge pile of papers was not nearly so daunting. In fact, some of the regulations were very well thought out, and actually provided guidelines that could help to prepare programs that would be most effective in achieving the goal in mind. As Albert studied them, he found some great ideas. And in the short one page outline he gave him, the program that Albert had designed was very similar to the one Hector had in mind.
Using his connections, Albert was able to get the courts to grant leniency for the kids involved in the sting operation. It was not easy and it required a significant investment of time and financial resources. None of this was lost on Hector, however, Albert had ensured him that he was willing to do all of the work at no cost to the kid's families. This explanation satisfied Hector, but he still knew there was a cost involved and he didn't want to place this burden on anyone, least of all his friend. But Albert had insisted, and one by one the charges were dropped against them and they were released to their families with specific provisions they had to adhere to or face criminal prosecution. Hector didn't understand all of the legalities that were involved, but he was impressed again by Albert's hard work and dedication.
What Albert did next just about blew Hector away. Meeting together to discuss the project further, Albert pulled out a map from his briefcase showing Trenton and the surrounding areas. Albert had circled four locations. Each of these spots was carefully chosen for availability of land or facilities, and their proximity to high schools and neighborhoods that were known to have high gang activity. As Hector looked over the map, Albert explained that he thought that they could start with one location and then open up others as the program is accepted. He turned to Hector and asked him to choose the first location.
At the thought of how much money it would cost to secure the properties and get this program going in each location, Hector knew that any discussions on this issue were premature, there was no way to move forward at this time with such lofty goals. Knowing that Albert had good intentions but recognizing he didn't understand the dynamics involving costs, Hector knew the time had come to discuss this in greater length with Albert, in the hopes of not discouraging him after all his hard work and efforts. As Hector began to voice his concerns, Albert lifted his arm up in a gesture for Hector to stop talking. Confused at the timing of Albert's gesture, Hector paused and waited for Albert to speak. It was then that Albert shyly admitted that he had just received an inheritance from his father and he wanted to start doing something significant with the money. His shy smile grew into a full blown grin when he explained that he had the funds to get all four locations going. His question to Hector now was simply, where do we begin?
Hector was stunned. The significance of Albert's words did not fully register in his mind. All his life Hector had faced adversity. All his life he had wanted nothing more than to make a difference in other people's lives in return for being able to overcome his own personal challenges. But despite his good intentions, he was unable to do so because of financial reasons. Now through his relationship with Albert, he was about to fulfill one of his life's ambitions. Hector was not a man who often showed his emotions. He was a man who never allowed himself to show any form of weakness in front of anyone. It was not his nature. And yet tears began to well up in his eyes. Now Hector understood. It finally dawned on him why Albert was able to do what he had done for the kids and their families. He could not believe that Albert was willing to give so much, even for such a noble cause. It was the combination of all of the things that Albert had done so unselfishly and with no thought of any financial reward that had touched Hector's heart in a way that no one had ever done before. He swallowed hard and whispered "Thank you." And without shame, Hector wept.
With the foundation laid, it was only a matter of time for the program to move forward and begin making a difference. It was icing on the cake when Jake brought Dina, Tony, and Nicki with him to RangeMan to show Hector the list of activities had been designed, with Dina's help, for the teenagers. The ideas that they had were perfect. They had detailed activities to keep the kids entertained, and at the same time intellectually challenged. Time spent at these 'youth centers' would not just be passing time or hiding from their problems, they would expand the possibilities and opportunities for the kids, letting them see and believe in a future for themselves. Tony and Nicki were there representing the teenage volunteers that they were recruiting to help at the center. They were excited about Hector's project and wanted to do everything they could to help out. Seeing Nicki for the first time since the day she had been physically beaten, Hector was happy that she looked so wonderful, she was laughing and in good spirits. And by the looks of how she clung to Tony as if her life depended on it, she did not appear to have any lingering effects of the ordeal she had went through. Hector knew she would probably never know how close she had been to losing her life.
The realization that his dreams were close to becoming reality, had Hector energized and ready to dedicate his entire life to his new found mission of empowering teenagers to make wise choices in their lives. The idea of having multiple locations was appealing to Hector because he could now help a significantly higher number of kids. Ranger agreed that RangeMan should participate as a sponsor, and many of the guys immediately volunteered their time to help out at the centers. It was only a matter of time before the news of the success of "Hector's Homes" reached the national news media. This touched off a rush of goodwill that resulted in additional funding for his program. More money than he could have ever imagined possible. Hector used this funding wisely and began making preparations to expand his project into neighboring states. Reflecting on how everything came to be, Hector knew that a miracle had taken place in his life. And He was proud to stand tall with Tony and Jake and Albert. They were his heroes.
OoOoO
Laverne was oblivious to the world around her. Deep in her own thoughts, she knew that she deserved to be alone. Nothing she had done for the past 20 years entitled her to live a life of significance. As she cried herself to sleep, she realized that she had no one to call, no friendships she could turn to, in the most difficult time of her life. The last shred of respect and dignity left her as she realized that in her desperation she had called a complete stranger, someone she barely knew and someone who had actually seen her at her worst. The thought that she had been so foolish made her ashamed of herself. With these thoughts in her mind, Laverne curled up in her bed, feeling sorry for herself and unwilling to face the world the next morning. Mercifully sleep finally overcame her.
The pounding on the door matched the pounding of her headache. At first she believed the noise was inside her head, monumental sound effects for this monstrous pain. She closed her eyes and tried to make it all go away. Just when she thought the pounding was subsiding, she heard the voice. Panic hit her immediately when she thought she recognized who it was.
"Laverne, are you there?" the voice asked. "Are you okay?" "Laverne, Laverne are you home?
The voice kept calling. And from somewhere in the back of her fuzzy mind, she now knew that she did, in fact, recognize it, but she didn't want to consciously admit it. And then at the same time, she told herself that it was a dream, it had to be just a bad dream, and she hoped she could wake up soon, without the headache. Just when she was about to let herself drift back into sleep, she heard the voice yet again.
"Please, Laverne, come to the door."
And then the pounding started again. Just to make it stop she made her way to the front door and pulled it open. The bright morning sun slanted down into her face causing her to squint, her mind was trying to catch up with her now, separating her dreams from the reality of waking. She was not immediately able to see who it was at the door, who was pounding and yelling at her. It proved to annoy her and did not improve her mood, and she was about to say something scathing when she realized who was standing in front of her. It was the most embarrassing moment of her life.
"Jax," she questioned. "Jax is that you? What are you doing here?"
Suddenly she was aware of how she must have looked. For some reason it all of a sudden it mattered to her that Jax was seeing her this way. It was not a pretty sight. Red, swollen eyes, probably a red nose too, her hair all messed up, and still in her tear stained dress from yesterday. It was horrible! If Laverne could have died a million deaths that very moment, she would have gladly done so to avoid the humiliation of having Jax see her the way she was now. It was a far cry from how she looked the first time that he had met her. Then, she had looked attractive. But what could she do now? It was too late, he was here and he had seen the mess that she was. Needless to state, Laverne was devastated. She had had her chance and now it was over.
Jax was shocked. Although he had feared the worst, nothing had prepared him for what he was seeing. This was not the person who had come into his office. This was not the person who had instilled such an immediate attraction from within him. This was someone else. Just looking at her confirmed what he had been worried about since hearing her message. His own life experiences had taught him when it was time for someone to intervene. His own personal demons had left him all too aware of the signs. He knew first-hand that she could not overcome her demons on her own. He also knew first-hand what it meant to be alone with no one to turn to. It was obvious that she needed help from someone. And with no one else to turn to, she had chosen him. And he was here this morning to give it to her.
"Please Laverne," he hesitated long enough for her to look at him. "Will you let me come in?"
He followed her inside as she slowly backed up. He turned and closed the door, when he faced Laverne again, he saw the look in her eyes, she was embarrassed, she was hurt, she was scared, and there was something there he could not read. But he knew that she needed him, and he was here for her. As if she was a child, he gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and led her to the couch. She kept her eyes lowered now. And he could feel how tense she was. He lifted her face with his hand.
"Laverne."
She didn't look up.
"Laverne," he repeated. "Talk to me, let me help you," he said.
Suddenly Laverne's eyes found his and the tears begin flowing once again. Laverne had never left herself this open, this vulnerable to anyone, and it scared her. But something about Jax made her trust him. She started to talk, hesitantly at first, then words started to pour out. When she finally stopped, Jax pulled her into a tight hug. To comfort, to reassure, to share her pain. She had opened her heart to him, and his own heart told him now that neither one of them would ever be the same. He kissed the top of her head as she rested it on his shoulder. Thanking the fates for bringing them together. It was up to them now to determine if they would stay together.
OoOoO
Although the surroundings were different the job was still the same. Joe Morelli looked out the window and glanced at the beautiful tree lined street adjacent to his new office. New York City was where he had always wanted to end his career. His hands behind his head, his feet up on the corner of his desk, Joe reminisced about the sting operation that brought him fame and fortune. The three awards that he had won were hanging on the wall behind him. The Valor award, the Meritorious, and the Distinguished Service Award had never been given to anyone all in the same year. This was a first and it was definitely earned, Joe told himself. So many things could have gone wrong and if they had, his life could have been in peril. Any way you looked at it, he deserved the recognition he had received. It couldn't have happened to a better person, Joe chuckled to himself.
Life in the "big apple" had its ups and downs but he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. When the offer was presented to him he couldn't turn it down. Not only was it lucrative financially, but it was also a prestigious one, one that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down. It was a once in a lifetime offer that he had to accept. But leaving Trenton behind did have its own set of challenges. First and foremost were the relationships he had to leave behind. There were some that he was glad to walk away from, but there were also some that he had a hard time leaving. One in particular had almost made him decide not to accept his new position, regardless of the ramifications. It was the one relationship in which he had always suffered wistful regret. His hand found the smooth glass orb that he kept in his pocket, he smoothed over it with his thumb, deep in thought.
It was over and he knew it was over.
But he also knew that he would always miss Stephanie.
OoOoO
The plane touched down and a thrill passed through Edna's stomach. She and Leo had extended their honeymoon for weeks, and she had sent post cards telling everyone at home that they were still enjoying their vacation. She looked over at Leo, and once again felt like the luckiest woman in the world. Spending this time with him had been the most wonderful experience of her life. They felt like kids, madly in love with each other. And the seductive Hawaiian backdrop made it even more irresistible. It had been hard to tear themselves away from their private world.
But they were rushing back now to attend the wedding. Edna wouldn't miss this for anything. Even though it was to be a small family only affair, it would be an event to remember forever. Leo looked at Edna now and saw the smile on her face. She had had this same smile from the moment they got the message from Helen. Leo had not been around when Valerie got married to Albert, but he had heard the stories. They were legend, mostly of the 'what not to do' variety. Leo allowed a smile too, his own nuptials had been pretty spectacular. It was right that Albert had planned this day for Valerie, every woman deserved a moment like that.
Mona and Mike were there waiting to pick them up from the airport and shuttle them all out to Princeton. There was such a level of excitement as the two couples shared stories of their own weddings, favorite moments, memories that will last forever. It was especially nice for Mona to hear the details of her brother's wedding, since she had not been there. Leo handed her a small photo album, filled with the few pictures that were taken that day. Tears came to her eyes, this had already been such a special year for them all. Four weddings in the family, and none of them had been typical or the least bit ordinary. To the family, it seemed like this wedding, or the 'renewal of vows' had been planned and thrown together at the last minute, it would have been one of the details that all these weddings had in common.
But Albert knew the moment that he saw their new home, that this is what he wanted for Valerie. The house provided the perfect setting for this occasion, and he felt it was the most appropriate way to begin their new life here in their new home. Albert grinned to himself at the thought of how his family and friends must have reacted upon seeing the beautiful invitations. Even more interesting would have been the confusion on seeing where the location of the ceremony would be taking place. Albert and Valerie's new home was located in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in all of Princeton. Up until then very few people knew about Albert's inheritance, so coming to the ceremony and discovering they were actually visiting Albert and Valerie's new home would be somewhat of a shock for many of them. Albert knew he would have some explaining to do. He looked forward to it.
The October weather was the biggest surprise. It could have been tricky to plan around, in fact plan 'B' to have the ceremony inside their new house had been discussed in detail, but the day was perfect. The sun was out, only momentarily hiding as puffy white clouds floated lazily in front of it. The temperature outside was exactly right. Cool enough to be pleasant, and perfect for the beautiful silk dresses with short jackets that Valerie and the girls were wearing, the girls in a vibrant crimson color, and hers in ivory. They were so glad that the ceremony could be outside. It's what they had envisioned from the moment Albert 'proposed' to Valerie.
Albert had kept himself busy introducing his family, which not only included the RangeMen, but now Mr. Jordan and Mr. Allen, and the Fantastic Family mastermind team, to Valerie's family. He was also proud to introduce his mother and her attorney friend. She had not yet filled him in on the details, but he knew that she had been through a tough time recently, and that Jax had helped her out. No one was more surprised than Albert to see that his mother was with a man, she was very evidently in love with this man. And he knew that when things settled down he would want to hear all about the changes she had made in herself and in her life. But now, today, his attention was on Valerie, he looked over at her now, she was so beautiful, he thought. And when she smiled at him, she took his breath away.
At the last minute, Stephanie and Ranger took their seats, Valerie smiled at her sister. A lot had happened since the day that Stephanie had secretly arranged her wedding ceremony. She had changed, Albert had changed, their lives had completely changed. Miracles in all of their lives, her gaze turned back to Albert and once again, she felt like the luckiest woman in the world.
Helen held Lisa on her lap and watched the ceremony unfold with tears glistening in her eyes. Valerie was glowing with happiness. She so deserved this special moment. Her beautiful daughter had seen some rough times. And although Albert took some getting used to, she could see now that he and Valerie complimented each other in every way. She also could not help but notice that the couple was looking very fit and trim. She had to keep herself from staring at Albert. His suit fit so well and accentuated his muscular chest and tight leg muscles. A far cry from the doughboy figure that he had had when they first met him.
Most of all, everyone there couldn't help but see the glow around the couple as they shared their beautiful vows. They radiated such happiness, such pure joy. All present would remember this day forever. Albert winked at Valerie, she smiled back , a smile full of love and contentment and happiness. He knew that he would always be proud to be standing next to her, no matter where their lives took them from here.
OoOoO
Hard to see Albert's story end. Thank you for taking a chance on this story, and joining me for this journey. I have appreciated all of the reviews and kind words, thank you so very much.
Dreamer