Page 23 of Built to Last

Claire shoots me the nastiest look as she joins her brother. I do not feel bad in any way.

Unfortunately, my mother is still here, and I do feel bad about that. “You are going to break this family if you keep this up. Harper, I didn’t raise you to be unkind.”

“How is it unkind?” This isn’t an argument I can win since logic means nothing, but I feel compelled to try. “I know you don’t understand, but a lot of what Dad and Uncle Alan did was illegal.”

“How is it illegal to help family?” my mother asks, all self-righteousness.

“Because it’s company funds and there are rules about it.”

She shakes her head, obviously dismissing me. “We’re a privately held firm. That’s how your father explained it. As long as we made our payroll, the rest of the funds were ours to do what we wanted with. Your father never missed paying his people.”

“No, just the government.” I don’t understand how she can ignore this point.

My mother waves that away. “Like they deserve anything.”

I’m tired of arguing. “It doesn’t matter. We’re governed by laws, and if we don’t follow them, they can seize everything. The money is not there to keep up the lifestyle Claire has obviously become accustomed to. You love her so much, why aren’t you offering to pay for it yourself?”

My mother frowns. “That’s not my place. I can see you’re going to be unreasonable about this, so I’ll drop it. But you should understand you’re not making friends here. There’s talk about replacing you.”

“If you do that, Paul will have this place in federal hands within two years.” I need her to understand the ramifications of backing Paul. “If you get the aunts and cousins together and oust me, you might have a year of the old days, but then the company will go under.”

“Well, I suppose I don’t understand business the way you do, but this isn’t how your father did things.” She appears on the verge of tears. “I don’t understand why things have to change. This is not the life I wanted at all.”

I sigh and sit back, feeling sympathy for her. She hadn’t wanted my father to die and leave her a widow. In her mind, she’d done everything she could to have a comfortable life, including putting up with a philandering husband. “I’m sorry. I wish Dad hadn’t died, but we’re here and I’m doing the best I can.”

“Are you?” My mother’s anger seems to be bubbling up to the surface. She pretends like everything is fine. Always. It has to boil over at some point, and it looks like it’s headed my way. Naturally. “What I see is you prioritizing those friends of yours. You spent two weeks in Europe.”

“One of my best friends was getting married,” I point out, knowing it won’t do me any good.

“You didn’t have to be gone for two weeks. You missed so many family events. You made me go alone.”

“Mom, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not well-liked by these people. And I scarcely think my cousins care whether I show up to their kids T-ball games,” I explain.

My mother’s head shakes. “Well, I care. I care that you don’t seem to want to be a member of this family at all.”

I feel my eyes narrow in anger. “I’ve spent every day of the last two years trying to save this company. I used a good portion of my inheritance to do it. I put myself on the line. Don’t tell me I don’t care about this family because I don’t want to spend every second with a bunch of people who will do nothing but hold their hands out for cash. That’s your thing, Mom. You let them walk all over you.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do when I have a daughter who refuses to do the right thing?”

“Just so we’re clear, what is the right thing?” I’m pretty sure I know, but I like to give people enough rope.

“You should worry about finding a husband and giving me grandchildren. Have you even thought about what this is like for me? Everyone else has grandbabies. I have to go to every party and coo over their babies and know that I have none. What am I supposed to do with my life, Harper?”

Yup. Exactly what I thought she would say. “Personally, I think you should find a hobby. Or, I don’t know, get a job. Find some meaning that isn’t wrapped up in my vacant womb.”

She stands there for a moment, tears in her eyes. “You don’t care.”

I don’t even know what to say. I’m tired. “I’m not going to live your life, Mom. Serving a man to your own detriment was your thing, not mine.”

She turns and strides out, not bothering to look behind.

“Damn, that was a scene. Is that what it’s like to have a mom? Maybe it was best mine took off for Southern France when I was a baby,” a familiar voice says. Jeremiah turns, watching my mother walk away.

My day is getting better. “I suppose my admin is taking a break.”

He shrugs as he walks into the office. “Nah. I explained the situation to her and she told me to go on back. I’m charming. I make all the straight girls comfortable. Oddly, the lesbians tend to see through my bullshit.”

I know who I should hire next. “What can I do for you, Jeremiah? Also, what is the situation?”

---