#simonainsworth

BEATRICE- “You want answers, then here they are. First of all, I believe that the sign outside my office says CEO, which last time I checked means, I AM THE BOSS here. I make the decisions. Secondly, I went to the board of directors, which by the way, you are member of. I had four meetings with them regarding the Founders Project, which you were not at attendance to any of those meetings. They approved this project unanimously, minus one missing vote...YOURS! I handpicked Elizabeth for the head of the real estate division because she is the most capable person I know to run it, and she comes to work EVERY DAY! She has already secured one buyer, at a gain of 10,000 and is meeting a second potential buyer tonight.!  I have not seen or heard from you since the reading of your father’s will. You have not returned any of my calls, or any from the Board President from my understanding. SO, you need to leave my office, and go to yours, and if I were you either contact the board of directors and give your reasons for your ineptness these last three months or start PACKING YOUR OFFICE!! Now get out Simon!”

SIMON- “You haven’t heard the last of this!  Either one of you!”

BEATRICE- “No I am sure we haven’t. and to be honest, it will be interesting to see what and where you have been the last three months, Simon. Make sure the door is closed on your way out, Please.”

SIMON- “This is crazy!!  Starting a complete new division to sell our own properties!!??  At a loss no less. On top of that, you went to the city and worked out tax abatements for these new owners!!?? I demand answers!!”

BEATRICE- “Simon, if I were you, I would change my tone about right now.”

SIMON- “First father, now you!!??  Do you want me to leave this company?  Is that what you are trying to do? If so you are doing a damn good job mother. You bring in Beth, who failed as a wife and a real estate agent, and you are letting her seventeen year old son dictate policy and make decisions around here like he is some business God!?”

BEATRICE- “Simon? I think you should leave this office right now.”

A FEW WEEKS LATER...

BEATRICE- “So the first transaction has went off without a problem, the buyer, you said his name was Oliver?”

BETH- “Yes, Jacob Oliver, he is a law school student and the house he is purchasing is actually the two family on the corner. He said his grandfather or maybe great-grandfather built it. He wants to keep it as a rental property so we are waiting on bids from contractors and builders to see what they can do.”

BEATRICE- “Oh, yes, I remember his father, Al Oliver, he died some time back of lung cancer I believe. His father built it and Al made it into the two family and was renting it out. So, they are aware they have a year to complete the project, right?”

BETH- “Yes, and if not it reverts back to Ainsworth Real Estate, Inc. and there is a two year tax abatement as long as the units are all rented.”

BEATRICE- “There are only two units, and they are rented now, I think the Oliver boy lives downstairs. So is he going to find new tenants?”

BETH- “No my understanding is he is adding another floor which would add two more rental units. That is if we can contract a builder that can do all that within the amount of his loan.”

BEATRICE- “Industrious young man, I like that. Let’s hope things go according to plan. So any more interested buyers?”

BETH- “Yes, actually, your grandmother’s place has an interested buyer. A gay couple, Daniel and Ian Hartmann, Daniel is the Police Chief----”

BEATRICE- “Yes, I have met him. Wonderful man, and they have a son about Deacon’s age I think.”

BETH- “Yes, I believe so. I am meeting the three of them this evening.”

Suddenly Beatrice’s office doors swing open and Simon comes in, in an apparent rage...

MR.GRAY -  My youngest Grandchild, Daisy Mahone, I leave a trust in her mother’s name until she reaches the age of twenty-one in the amount equal to $500,000 Simoleans, if her mother should pass before that time, the trust will be managed by her brother, Deacon Mahone.

As for my youngest Grandson, Deacon Mahone, at this writing he is only sixteen, soon to be seventeen years of age. Upon his 21st birthday he shall gain access to his trust in the amount of 250,000$. Upon completion of his education that he has shared with me he would like to receive a Master’s Degree of Business and minor in Music. Once he has completed this course of study, Deacon shall take over as the Chairman of the Board of Ainsworth Enterprises, Inc., and his grandmother Beatrice shall serve as his Chairman Pro Temp until her death. He shall have final say in the matters regarding all of the Ainsworth Enterprises and serve also as their CEO. This would come with a salary suitable for his title but not to be less than 300,000 annually.

If anyone pursues an appeal to this codicil in any form, they shall lose their part of inheritance including their position, and salary. Signed October 5, Emerson Jamison Ainsworth.”

No one said anything for what seemed like forever, when in reality it was only a few seconds. I was dumbfounded, and I actually barely recall the next few minutes and the events that followed. Of course it was Simon that first spoke.

SIMON- “This is ludacris!  How in the hell would you allow him to make this codicil naming a sixteen year old as the next chairman of the Board and CEO of a major corporation such as Ainsworth Enterprises!!??

MR.GRAY- “Well, he is seventeen now, and you know you father better than I, no one can make him do anything he doesn’t want. This was his decision, like I said made only a few months prior to his death and it has been notarized and is valid. If you or anyone else tries to repeal this or take this matter to court...

SIMON- “I fucking heard what the asshole said!!!  Even in death my father wants to destroy me and see me fail.

Simon stormed out of the library

BEATRICE- “Simon!!??”

As I said goodbye to Ben, I noticed that Brock was running out of the library, probably to catch his father and try and calm him down, or stir the fire, who knows...

BROCK- “Dad, why did you run out of there like that. And you pissed off Grans.”

SIMON- “I am over it, Brock, the entire fucking family. OVER IT! I have worked my ass off my entire adult life for my father and this is the thanks I get? He gives the parent company to his fucking 17 year old grandson!!?? That kid don’t know the first thing about----

BROCK- “Dad, that is to your advantage right now.”

SIMON- “What the hell are you talking about Brock?”

BROCK - “Like you said, Deacon knows nothing about business or how to run a company. You can teach him. Befriend him, get him to trust you and then you can control the company.”

SIMON- “You don’t think your grandmother knows that as well. He is living with her, she will pounce on him before the night is even over, trust me.”

BROCK- “I am sure that Ben has put doubts in his head regarding Grandmother. His conspiracy theories will undermine anything she tries to do.”

SIMON- “You think Ben has talked to him.”

BROCK- “I just saw and heard it myself. Trust me, Deacon is not going to believe anything Beatrice Ainsworth has to say.”

The next day was the reading of my Grandfather’s will. Mother said it was just a formality, but we needed to dress appropriately or Grandmother would be beside herself. So I pulled out my suit from Homecoming last year and headed downstairs in the library.

All the children and grandchildren were there, except for Daisy as mother said it wasn’t necessary for her to attend. Something about her being a minor and if she received anything it would go into a trust until she was eighteen. I tried to argue my case seeing how I wasn’t eighteen either, but mother wasn’t having that. Ben and Brock both sat behind me, I sat with Mother. Of course Grandmother was in the front row and my uncle Simon    , well...

He was over hob-knobbing with Grandfather’s attorney. Watcher only knows what he was trying to do.  Probably persuade him to say Grandfather was incompetent when he wrote the will.  Anyway, I sat there bored and ready to head back upstairs and get ready for my evening jog.

MR. GRAY- “Okay, let’s get started. For those of you that have not met me, I am Carl Gray. I was Emerson’s best friend and his personal attorney for over 40 years. And before I get started, I want everyone to know that this codicle was written by Emerson three months before his death and he was of a complete sound mind. “Okay, here we go.”