Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 

She pulled into the “driveway”, really more of a private road, to her parents’ house. Massive deciduous trees lined it on both sides’ branches intertwining overhead making mile long tunnel. Hedges carefully grown in between the trees provided a privacy wall for the rest of the estate. Everything was carefully manicured in such a way as to provide the most intimidation as was possible. Her father being one of the most prominent and powerful corporate raiders in the US was careful to make sure anyone coming here for a business meeting would be put off balance before even seeing the house, or coming inside.

The tunnel opened on a majestic view of a replica of Atlas, the statue of the Titan Atlas holding the world on his shoulders, which reinforced the intimidation of her father’s status in the world of corporate finance and seizure. The drive split two ways completely encircling the statue meeting in front of a long set of obsidian stairs lined by twenty foot white marble pillars signifying both his good nature, but there was a carefully restrained dark side for those who would not cooperate.

The top of the stairs led to a veranda that could have fit several upper class homes in its immensity. The twenty foot ceiling was of course made of the same white marble, while the floor was obsidian tile. To the right was her father’s personal garden filled with some of the largest roses in the world. The roses ran from the popular red through every shade and variety there was and some he had had created just for his garden. The common running theme within the roses was the thorns which were visible from the entrance to the veranda over thirty feet away. As with everything else it was cultivated for its intimidation factor as well to once again show the two sides to his nature.

The left side was dedicated to family. As any could guess this was to show he was a family man with a heart. He didn’t really have one in Liza’s opinion, but that’s what it was there for. To the outside were game tables built specifically for games that families of any age might enjoy, such as pool and snooker, monopoly and yahtzee, as well as several card games. In the center was a massive raised dance floor within a gazebo with lights, a disco ball, and club grade dj setup. Against the house was a bar that had not only alcohol, but soda and juices on tap.

Liza shook her head at how grandiose and pretentious it all was. She wasn’t sure how so many people fell into such an obvious intimidation tactic, but they did. Her father was fond of conducting all his business here for just that reason. He had closed more deals than she could count here, and most of them at a loss to the other person. They always left feeling as though they had come away with a win, or just felt lucky to have gotten what they had out of the deal, even though they got, if they were lucky, a third of what they should have. She knew one thing; she was never going to be like her father. His cruelty may have given her the entitled life she had had, but she had figured out early on that it was at the cost of many people’s livelihoods and she just couldn’t bear it.

She had had her small rebellions all her life, like giving her most expensive toys and clothes to the children of those who worked for them, or as a client walked out the door she would give them money she had told her parent’s was for clothes or school supplies, and tell them it was a small bonus for being so cooperative. It was usually two to three thousand, not a large amount but enough to help the people leave with a smile. Once she had given a man she thought was getting particularly shafted thirty grand that her father had given her to buy a car. He was so livid but couldn’t say anything in front of the man, once he left though he father had come to her room, face red, vein in his fore head throbbing, and screamed at her for an hour. He had never raised his hand to her before but that night she thought he was going to kill her. In the end he left and when he came home he had a black eye and his knuckles were bruised and bloody. She had never again tempted fate.

Walking up to the door she was greeted by George, the family butler. He had been with the family since before she was born and was her god father. The one person who worked for her father that he didn’t look down on. George was in his late sixties but still built like a block wall. His graying hair gave him a decidedly sophisticated look. The illusion was only heightened by the Armani suit he was never without. He spoke with a slight Bostonian accent, which is where he grew up in the slums of Boston, but he was eloquent and cultured as if he had grown up in her world.

“Ah, Liza Marie, your early”, George smiled, “or I would have met you at the car.”

“Come George, you know I don’t like to be coddled.”

“But that is my job, you know?”

“You might be on Daddies payroll but your my family and I refuse to have you treat any other way. Besides you’re getting too old to walk down all those steps, especially in the dark. You might fall and break a hip, with your frail bones and poor eyesight.”

“I see. So you think me an old man, huh?”

“You know I don’t but I have to give you a hard time. It keeps you on your toes,”

“Keep my on toes? If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have to be on my toes in the first place.”

“But you know you wouldn’t know what to do without me.”

“That is true, my dear, I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world.”

Liza went up on her tip toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “George, you are by far the best god father a girl could have. Guess I should get in and see the Dragons.” She smiled at the use of the nickname they had coined for her parents.

“Your father is still in with a client but your mother is in the salon reading. I’m sure she will be delighted that you came early.”

Liza rolled her eyes, “I’m sure she will, she will have longer to pester me about my social obligations. By obligations I mean whatever sop she had decided would be the best match for me this week.”

“I may be wrong, but I think she has given up on that after you completely embarrassed the last one.”

“Really? I hope so, that was a disaster. Did you know that even though we were meeting for the first time he brought a ring? He was going to propose! I panicked when he dropped it on the floor of my apartment.

“It took every ounce of control I had to not just punch him. I pretended not to see it and the first opportunity I got I threw my water at him and screamed about putting something in my drink. It was sheer luck that his parents where there, and were livid. When I saw his dad running over, I covered my face with my hands and ran.”

“That was not your shining moment, though it did seem to do the trick. Your mother has not said anything about any new suitors since then.”

“I hope so. Well I should get in there and get the torture started, thanks for the happy time before the torture.”

Liza waved back at George as she started down the hallway the led to the salon her mother spent most of her life in. Liza’s mother did not get out much. Not that she couldn’t, she just did not like to leave the comfort of her house. She was a shut by choice; a choice Liza had always felt was weird. Though she didn’t understand it; she always respected her mother’s choice.

The only time she didn’t like her mom was when she was lecturing her on etiquette or school or finding a suitable husband. Who was she kidding that was all her mom talked about, so she didn’t really like her mom ever. Though mom was better than dad. At least with mom there were no pretenses, it was straight forward honesty.

Her mom stood to greet her as she entered the salon, proper etiquette and all. “Hello, dear, it's so good to see you!”

“Hi, mom, how are you?”

“The same, not much changes for me. I’m a bit of a pariah these days, since your little prank on Chris. No one wants anything to do with me; I’m an outcast from the very society I created.”

“Mom, I told you I'm sorry. He was going to propose on our first date, I didn't know what to do.”

“Anything”, her mother glared, “besides accuse him of trying to drug you! Do you even know the consequences of such a thing? In the eyes of the law, it’s as good as rape!”

“I know I'm sorry! I went down and cleared everything up. No one got in any trouble.”

“I just wish you would think about how you actions affect others. Really I didn't know we raised such a selfish girl!”

“Listen, mom, I am sorry, but if this is how you want to be then I'm leaving. I can't and won't take this from you or anyone else. I made a mistake and done what I could to rectify it. If that's not good enough I'll just leave.”

“No, no, no stay, I'm sorry. I miss playing the hostess and I'm taking it out on you. I'm sorry stay, please.”

“You promise to leave it alone, mom? If it comes up again I'm gone!”

“Yes I'll leave it alone.”

“Thank you.”

“So how's the hunt for a major going? I hope you've taken some consideration on business. Like your father I think you would do well, you have the intelligence and the drive if you would just apply yourself like you do when you’re trying to get back at your father or myself.”

“Mom, I've told you a thousand times I'm not into business, and I definitely don’t want to do something I don’t agree with. I could never be like dad; I’m just not that cold-blooded.”

“That is a horrible thing to say about your father. He has worked hard all his life to make sure we never want for anything!”

“By putting other people out of work, putting them on the streets; I just can’t do that.”

“I am shocked that you feel so ashamed of your father.”

“This is nothing new, don’t act shocked. I have been saying this since I was old enough to understand why people always came here with fear in their eyes or left with that expression of someone who had just escaped death.”

“I guess I have just always believed that it was some rebellion; just something to use against us when you wanted revenge. I never realized just how little you respect the two of us.”

“Mom, don’t put words in my mouth. I never said that I don’t respect either one of you. I do, I just don’t happen to agree with dad’s profession, or how he seems to enjoy completely destroying the competition.

“As a father, I thoroughly respect him. He has always provided for the both of us. He may not be the most loving man in the world, but you know he cares for us; just in his own special way.

“I have never once said that I don’t love or respect you. Just because you feel that way because I refuse to get married to some rich fop, or base my career in the field you think I should doesn’t mean I don’t respect you. You have always been a wonderful mother, just a little too involved in my life. I’m an adult now and need to find my own way; I don’t need you to make my decisions for me anymore.

“So whatever you think, I love and respect both of you; I just don’t always agree with your actions, or the fact that you both still seem to think that I need to be told what to do and when.”

“Well, if that’s how you feel than I will never interfere in your life again.”
“Only you could take a speech where someone tells you that they love and respect you find the bad and latch on to that. You are the most negative woman in the world!”

“Humph,” her mother’s face was mottled in barely controlled rage, “Maybe you had better leave, before we both say things that we cannot take back.”

“I think I will!” Liza growled as she slammed the door to the salon. She took a deep breath as she leaned against the wall outside the door. That didn’t go well at all. She could not believe how her mother was acting. She was always a bit overbearing and negative, but never hostile. This was new. Liza guessed that it had everything to do with the Chris incident. Well she was done apologizing for it!