Re-birth - 8. Chapter 8

I changed out of my suit into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and then we headed over to Scott’s, where he put his suit away. I noticed that he announced we were there as he opened the front door and realized that, due to their lifestyle, it made sense. Then again, who other than family is going to walk in without knocking? As he was undressing, we discussed our plans and decided to find out if James and Donna wanted to finish our ‘Twilight’ marathon. When he started for the door, I stopped him.

“Should I take my clothes off?”

“That’s up to you,” he said with a smirk, “but I like seeing you without them.”

I rolled my eyes and said, “What I mean is, are there rules about when to be dressed or not?”

He shrugged and said, “Other than being dressed when there’s company, there aren’t any rules. I guess you could stay dressed until we decide if we’re staying here or not. Either way, we’ll have to come back up for me to get dressed if we’re going out.”

Agreeing with his logic, I didn’t hesitate to strip off my clothes. Scott made some comments that caused me to have to imagine my English teacher in a bikini before we could go downstairs. I’m not sure what he was imagining, but he had the same problem.

We found Donna in the kitchen, and when we walked in, she asked, “What do you boys want for dinner?”

Scott looked at me, but I just pointed at him, so he said, “We had a big lunch with Charlie, Mom. I’m not very hungry.”

When she looked my way, I said, “I’m not hungry either, Donna, sorry.”

With an overly dramatic look of shock, she said, “Two teenage boys that aren’t hungry? Just who are you, and what have you done with my boys?”

Scott rolled his eyes while I giggled at her antics. When we told her our idea, she thought it was a great plan and suggested we check with James. We found James in his office, on the phone. I started to step back to give him his privacy, but he waved us forward and pointed to the loveseat in the corner.

“No, Mary, I doubt we’ll be there before Labor Day. Scott has several new friends, and I’m sure he’ll get mad if we leave town.” He paused to listen, then said, “Well, no, I’m not saying you have to leave. I just didn’t want you staying for no reason. If nothing else, you could take Billy to visit Matt and Liz. I know they’d love to see him. Although, they might try to put you to work setting up their new house.”

There was another pause, and then he said, “Alright, just don’t work him too hard.” Pause. “Yes, we’ll call if our plans change. I’ll talk with you later, bye.”

When he hung up, James glanced at Scott, then looked at me and asked, “Are you still certain that you want to spend the rest of your life with my son?”

The way he emphasized ‘certain’ and ‘rest of your life’ made my stomach jump to the back of my throat. I felt like a deer in the headlights until Scott reached over and took my hand. His touch immediately calmed me and gave me my answer.

I nodded and firmly said, “Yes, Sir.”

James had kept his eyes on me the whole time and had watched as Scott grabbed my hand. He seemed to understand how it calmed me as he sat there considering us. After a moment, he nodded and said, “I thought that would be your answer. I expected nothing else, but I had to be sure.”

I relaxed and started to stand up when he said, “Relax, Greg. There is a lot we need to discuss.”

I felt Scott’s hand grip mine tighter, and when I looked at him, he was staring at his father with worry in his eyes. James noticed this and gave a slight smile, then a small shake of his head caused Scott to relax.

“Scott, would you go get the three of us something to drink? Get me some of that wine in the garage,” James said, handing Scott the travel mug from his desk.

Scott’s eyebrows raised just a bit until his father nodded, then he asked, “Is that ok for us too?”

James gave a nod, then looked at me as Scott left the room. “I doubt Scott has told you, but I have been very successful in business. Much more successful than the life you see would demonstrate. If you’re going to marry my son—”

“It’s not legal here,” I muttered.

“If you are his mate, I consider you married, regardless. And don’t limit yourself; it is legal in many states, including Maryland, which is only two miles away. And personally, with the cases headed through the courts, it will be legal by the time you boys are out of college.”

I sat up straighter, nodded, and said, “We can hope.”

James smiled and was about to speak when Scott came back. He handed James his mug, then handed me a dark blue plastic cup identical to the one he held. When I seemed surprised at the choice of cups, he explained that Donna had just started the dishwasher, and since these couldn’t go in it, he used them. I shrugged and took a sip and found it was a very sweet red wine.

James took a drink, then set his mug down and said, “As I was saying, if you are going to marry my son, you are going to have a role in my business. You can refuse, of course, but I would like you to think long and hard before you do that. Even if you do refuse, I’ll rely on you for your opinions.

“With this in mind,” James picked up several manila folders and handed them to me, “I want you to look at this.”

I sat back and opened the first folder to find a stack of papers and photos. As I went through them, I realized that each folder represented a property; there were houses, three apartment buildings, four office buildings, a strip mall, four storefronts, and several empty lots. I glanced at the papers attached to each of the photos and realized they were profit and loss statements, building inspections, tenant lists, and lease agreements, along with some other papers I had never seen.

“Looks like an investment portfolio for a real estate investor. The only thing missing is a management group, so I assume you do that yourself,” I said, looking up at James.

He handed me another folder. It contained a profit and loss statement for a real estate management office as well as a list of their clients. As I was looking over this last document, James asked, “I assume you know not to discuss the names of those clients with anyone?”

I was looking at one of the apartment buildings as I absently nodded and said, “Of course, client confidentiality is something Dad always talks about.” I frowned and asked, “James, why is this building losing money?”

He leaned forward to see which one, then said, “You tell me.”

“The debt is low enough, but it hasn’t been at full capacity for four years.” I looked closer at the photos, then the rents, and thought for a moment. “The owners need to renovate any empty apartments, pressure wash the brick, paint, and refurbish that green space.”

“And how will spending money make it profitable?”

“It’s already profitable. The current owner is marking up deductions that he’s not entitled to.” James waited, so I went on. “He claims remodeling that I don’t see evidence of. That aside, if he would actually do the remodeling, the higher rent from the fresher apartments would offset the other costs. Take those profits and remodel as people move out of the older ones. Maybe even offer them a newer apartment for the same rent for a period to get access to the others to remodel.”

James was nodding when Scott said, “He’s also using the wrong depreciation schedule and paying too much in taxes. And I’d bet that if he asked the county, he could get a break on the property taxes with a little sweet talking of the right politicians.”

James sat back and tented his fingers under his lip, thinking. His eyes flicked several times from Scott to me, then back, as he studied us. He then reached down, pulled out another file, and handed it to me. “And what do you make of this?”

I opened the file to see another profit and loss statement. This one was for a local car dealership that sold Volkswagen and Subaru. The bottom line showed they were losing money, but as I scanned the numbers, I really couldn’t tell why. I saw several different lines of credit but didn’t know what the names of some of them meant. There were several pages of customer satisfaction survey results that showed they were neither loved nor hated by their customers, and their service department had low scores in the areas of speed of repair, accuracy of repair, and cleanliness of the shop.

Expecting the question, I looked up and said, “All I know is they’re deep in debt for something called a floor plan, the service department needs training, and maybe a new sales staff?” I thought for a minute, then said, “Scott told me you were going to buy a dealership. If you wanted me to understand that type of business, I’d have to start low and work my way up.”

James shook his head as he said, “Floor plan is the line of credit a dealership uses to purchase the cars on the lot. The lenders usually allow a percentage of the debt to be in used cars. This dealership has had problems in the past and is now paying too high a rate on their floor plan; the other things you said are correct. They would benefit from a makeover. Fresh paint, new landscaping, and some other minor things will work wonders.”

“So you’re offering me a job at the car dealership?” I asked.

James leaned back and grinned, asking, “Why do you assume that I’ve already bought it?”

“You’re asking me how to fix things, but you might do that if you were just considering buying it. Your final phrase used the words ‘will work’. If you were still considering it, you would say what ‘would work’. You’ve bought it.” I replied confidently.

He just grunted and picked up his mug. While he took a drink of the wine, I remembered something, so I started looking at some of the other folders. I realized that most of them suffered from the same type of issues. I was looking at the management company when he asked, “What’s wrong with them?”

I didn’t hesitate. “They’re spending nickels to save pennies.”

“Explain.”

“They have enough properties to have their own landscaping and maintenance divisions, but they’re still paying contractors. They’re doing their own books and hire random housekeepers for the cleanouts.”

I turned to Scott, who smiled and added, “They could save thousands in taxes if they made their property managers 1099 contractors. And I disagree with Greg on the landscaping, maintenance, and housekeeping. Don’t make them divisions; make separate companies who are free to add outside clients.”

James was still sitting back in his chair in the same pose. He began to tap his fingers together, and his eyes were wandering. I assumed this was his ‘thoughtful pose’ and sat quietly, sipping my wine. After several minutes, he sat up and reached out, I handed him the files. He pulled out the one for the car dealership and set it to the side of his desk, then handed the rest back to me.

I looked at them, then back to him, confused. He smiled and said, “I would like to propose something that you may find, well, to be honest, you may think me insane. Many would, but I think I know you, and I know I trust you.” I felt my cheeks redden as I nodded. “You were correct that I have purchased the dealership. I assume that you have also deduced that I have bought those properties and the management company.”

I gave another slight nod. He continued, “Actually, I’ve only agreed to purchase all of this. The delay in the actual transfer of ownership involves you.”

I sat up, shocked. “Me? What do I have to do with what you do in your business?”

“As I said, Greg, if you’re my son’s mate, I want you to play a part in our business. That aside, you need to be able to provide for him. Now, don’t misunderstand me, Scott has been raised in an environment… I hesitate because I don’t want to sound snobbish, but—”

“He’s trying to say that I’ve been raised like an upper-middle-class kid. Not spoiled, but not wanting for anything. Is that about it, Dad?” Scott interrupted.

“Actually, Scott, what you have now is mid to upper-middle-class. What you had before was certainly higher. What I was trying to say is—”

“That you’re afraid that I won’t make enough money to keep him happy, is that it?” I asked a bit harshly.

For the first time since I met him, James got aggravated. Not angry, but he raised his voice a bit and said, “If the two of you are done being rude, I’ll say what I have to say, and you can judge me based on that. Until then, let me talk!”

I nodded and said, “Sorry, James.”

At the same time, Scott muttered, “Sorry, Father.”

After a firm nod, James exhaled and said, “Thank you. Now, what I was trying to say is that Scott has lived far below what we could afford and has never complained. Moving here, he gave up a lot and still hasn’t complained. Seeing him with you, I have no doubt he could live in a trailer park, and as long as you’re with him, he would be happy. That said, a father wants to provide for his children. As my son’s mate, you are now as much my son as he is. As such, it’s my place to provide for you.”

“I’m confused. What does this have to do with your business?”

James grinned and said, “You did ask me to explain, I’m getting there. I’ll jump to the point; I intend to put the real estate and the management company in your name, as well as provide you with money to invest in the things that you said they need—”

“James… I… you can’t do that. I mean, of course, you can do it; it’s your money, but that’s a lot of money. I saw the value listed on those papers, and it has to add up to almost five million, maybe a bit more.”

“Five point three million when you include the management company, and I’m putting one million in cash in your operating fund, or wherever you say to put it.”

My jaw dropped, and I stared at him open-mouthed. Finally, I felt Scott squeeze my hand, and I glanced at him. He nodded. I turned back to James and stuttered, “I… I… Um, I need some time to think about this, James. I need to talk it over with my dad, too.” I thought for a bit, then asked, “You mean I’ll own them, and you’ll manage it, right?”

James nodded, then said, “Yes, you can talk it over with your father, and no, I’m not going to manage it. You are, Greg.” I continued to stare as he continued, “Of course, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, but I’m not going to babysit you, nor will I second guess you. Well, let me qualify that by saying I will stop you from doing anything absolutely insane if I can.”

Scott squeezed my hand again, reminding me he was there for me, and calmed me. I asked, “Is this conditional on—”

“I wouldn’t insult you by making it conditional on your ultimately marrying my son. I have faith that your relationship will endure, but what I’m offering you now is yours regardless.” Picking up the phone, James waited until it was answered, then said, “Mike, Greg wants to talk to Charlie before he accepts my offer. I’d like you to call him first and explain the details to him. That way, he’s informed when he speaks with his son. You are to honestly answer anything he asks.” He paused, listening, then, “Well, if he asks specifically, then yes. Thank you, Mike.”

After hanging up the phone, James asked, “I think we should take a break for now, don’t you?” Scott and I nodded. “Do you two still want to watch that movie? Or would the two of you rather go discuss this?”

I turned to Scott. His expression said this was my decision, so I turned to James and said, “I think we’ll pass on the movie for right now, James, thanks.”

When James stood, we did as well. I turned for the door, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Scott grab the folders before he followed me to his room. I sat on the edge of his bed and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes, then slowly slid them to massage my temples and ended by squeezing my head between my hands.

“ARGH!!!” I groaned. Then I started rambling, “I’m not ready to do something like this, Scott. I don’t know enough, I’ll end up losing money. There are people’s jobs on the line if I do that. What if I blow it? I’ll be working with people twice my age; they won’t want to take orders from a kid. How am I going to find the time to balance school and wrestling and work and us and my friends and–”

“SHUT UP!” Scott snapped.

I stopped my tirade and looked up to see him glaring at me. Great! I’m going to screw up this business and lose Scott. I realized there were tears in my eyes as I looked at him, lost for words.

When he saw the tears, Scott dropped to his knees in front of me and took my hands in his. His face showed no anger, only concern. I held his gaze for a moment, then dropped my eyes, my shoulders sagging as all the stress left me. I took a few slow, deep breaths, then looked up to see nothing but love and support in those beautiful green eyes. I felt a small grin forming.

Scott grinned, too, then he nodded firmly and said, “Good. Now that my Greg is back, he’s going to sit there and listen, isn’t he.”

I smirked and replied, “Sir, yes, Sir.”

He rolled his eyes, but his face took on a serious expression as he said, “Do you really think that you’re the only one that has those same fears and insecurities?” I started to answer, but he shook his head and said, “I said listen.” I resisted the urge to do the ‘zip your lip’ motion and just nodded.

“Good. You are a leader, Greg. That doesn’t mean you always know the right answer; hell, sometimes there is no right answer. Sometimes, there are several right answers, and a leader needs to pick one and run with it. Sometimes, there are nothing but bad answers, and a leader picks the one he thinks won’t make a bad situation worse.

"I’ve watched you with our friends, so I know you know this, but a leader isn’t a dictator; he knows when to delegate. He gathers good advisors and goes to them, and more importantly, he listens to their advice.”

You’re worried that you’ll lose money, so what if you do? Mark it up as a lesson on what not to do, and move on. You’re worried that adults won’t follow you, yet you haven’t even talked to them; how can you know? You’re worried about school and wrestling, yet you’ve juggled those alongside student council and work and your friends for three years. You’re worried about how it will affect us, yet you failed to notice how my skills and yours complimented each other when we were talking to Dad. And you’re worried about your work. I’m not even going to say how stupid that one is. You won’t need that job; you’ll have another in its place.”

I sat there, staring into his eyes as he said this. When he stopped, I continued to stare as I contemplated everything he had said. Every word was right, and the worst part about it; he wasn’t telling me anything I hadn’t read in every book on leadership I’d ever read. Every great leader has internal fears, personal insecurities, and time management issues. I was no better or worse than anyone else in a similar situation, and I certainly didn’t need to wallow in self-pity over it.

After what felt like an hour of silence, Scott asked, “Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?”

I smirked and said, “I didn’t want you to yell at me to shut up again.”

He laughed as he slapped my knee, saying, “You can speak now, goofy.”

I reached out and held his head between my hands, leaned forward, and kissed him. Then I sat back and said, “You’re right. Everything you said is right, and I’m a fool to think that I would be doing this alone. You will be right there beside me, and our dads will be right there behind us.”

I paused and considered everything that had been said, beginning with sitting down with James in his office. When he started, James had asked if I was certain about my feelings for Scott. I now realize he wasn’t unsure about us; he was confirming that I wasn’t unsure about us. That same confidence in me was reflected in his swift decision about the properties. As I reflected on this, I realized that this was another trait of a good leader; James evaluated the situation, made an informed decision, and acted on it without looking back. It was time for me to do the same.

I stood and pulled Scott to his feet, taking the opportunity to give him a hug, saying, “Thank you for helping me clear my head, thank you for supporting me, for encouraging me, and just for being you.” I paused between items on the list and kissed him. I was just turning to go downstairs when my phone rang. It was Dad.

“Hey, Dad. I know what you’re calling about, and I’m here with Scott. I’m going to put it on speaker if that’s ok?” When he agreed, I hit the button.

“Hey Scott, I’m glad you’re there. Listen Greg, Mike gave me all the details and, well, I’ve said I have faith in you; I guess it’s time I show that faith, huh?”

I nodded like an idiot, then said, “I’ve made my decision, Dad. Before I tell James yes, I want to hear if you see any downside that I’ve missed.” I realized how arrogant that might have sounded, so I added, “If you agree, I mean. If you say no, I’ll honor your wishes.”

“That was understood, son, you’re fine. Mike went into every angle of this, and he said that, as my lawyer, he would recommend accepting the offer. Then he said that, as my friend of 20 years, he also would recommend accepting it. He did bring up two issues and then gave me the solutions. Before I go on, I need to ask, you want to do this?”

I didn’t hesitate, “Yes, Sir. The only downside I see is the risk that I lose money that I don’t currently have.”

“Well, Mike disagrees.”

I glanced at Scott to see the concern on his face that I’m sure reflected mine. “Why’s that, Dad? I thought you said he’s for this?”

“Oh, he’s for accepting the offer, but there is a risk to you that he wants to try to mitigate. I’ll get to that in a second; the first issue is the fact that you won’t be eighteen until January. That fact prevents you from legally signing any contracts or owning any property. The solution is simple, but you have to agree and understand why it’s being done.”

It only took me a second to understand where he was going. “Emancipated minor status,” I stated rather flatly.

“Exactly. When he suggested it, I worried that you would think I was looking for a way to throw you out, considering recent, um… revelations. I need you to know that nothing is farther from the truth—”

“I know that, Dad. I wouldn’t move out either unless you think I should?”

“I don’t, but we can discuss that when I get home. I need to make this fast; they’ll be calling my flight soon, so listen. I know James needs to act on this quickly, so I told Mike to type up the documents you’ll need to file and get this moving. He’s going to fax anything I need to sign to my hotel, and I’ll sign it and get it back as soon as possible. The other issue he talked about was creating an LLC or S-Corporation to protect your college fund and your other savings in case your business fails, or more likely, something happens and you get sued. Mike can explain all of that to you, but I’ll bet that James suggests the same thing.”

“I know about both, Dad, and it had already been on my mind. I wasn’t sure how to get around my age. Well, I did know, but I didn’t want you to feel like I was unhappy at home. I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

“This is business, Greg. You’ll have to learn to separate your personal life from your business life; it’s an issue that, if not addressed, will cause more problems than it will solve.” He paused, then said, “They just called my flight, so I’m going to go. Grab this and run with it, Greg, I’m sure you’ll do an incredible job. I love you, son. Love you too, Scott. Remember what I said!”

“I remember Charlie. I promise,” Scott said, smiling at me.

“Love you too, Dad. Text me when you land safely, please. We can talk on Monday.” A thought crossed my mind, and I quickly asked, “Before you go, do you know a good accountant I can hire?”