“Jordan, I messed up.” She sighed sitting down onto a bench and covered her face with her hands.
“Baby, what did you mess up? Did you forget an assignment or something?” he asked sitting down beside her and rubbing her back.
“No, I try to keep my mouth shut when the idiots in my ethics class start going on and on about what they perceive is wrong with companies.”
“Today you didn’t?”
“No, well I was but then Kevin started throwing out accusations and I couldn’t stand to listen to him talk about things he has no clue about.”
“What things Mel?” he asked not following her.
“About Turner Inc, Turner Media, and Dad. I lost it Jordan. He called Dad a hack and a crook and I…”
“Let your temper fly?” he stated with a smile. “Baby it’s fine.”
“No, it’s not because now they all know that I’m Ford Turner’s daughter-in-law and that you’re his son.”
“You think I’d be mad or upset about that? Mel, it honestly doesn’t matter anymore, the only reason I haven’t changed the name of the company is because of this project here on campus. Yeah, when I…we first started out I wanted to get where we are because of our work, not because I was a Turner but now, we’re there, we did it without relying on that name. I’m proud to be Jordan Turner, especially when you’re on my arm and even more than that when you’re in them,” he said lowering his lips to hers and kissing her deeply.
“You’re really not mad about it coming out?”
“Most people already know anyway Mel, and I know Dad will be thrilled that you stood up for him like that. What was this guy’s name anyway?”
“Kevin…Flaugher I think. He said his dad used to work for Turner,” she stated as he pulled out his cell.
“Hey Jake, it’s me. Look Mel had a bit of a run in with a Kevin Flaugher who called Dad a crook and made accusations against the company, said his dad worked there…alright just thought I’d give you the head’s up.”
“What’d Jake say?” she asked a few minutes later as he hung up.
“Well he searched the employee records and found a Joseph Flaugher. He was fired for a slew of reasons, the biggest being embezzlement of petty cash funds. He had a kid named Kevin.”
“Whoa, I wasn’t expecting that, but I guess it explains his attitude against the Turner name.”
“It does; Jake’s going to check up on Kevin and make sure he’s not going to be a problem. I just wish I could have seen you tear him down and I know Dad and Grant would have.”
“I do have my moments,” she grinned brightly at him as Dwight headed their way.
“You two are looking quite pleased, anything your dad should know about Mel?” he asked pointedly.
“Please don’t be another member of the when are we going to have a baby party,” Mel pleaded. “I’m twenty-three; I haveplentyof time for that.”
“You do and I don’t think I’m quite ready to be a grandfather yet. So what’s going on and why aren’t you in class Mel? The normal time allotment doesn’t end for another twenty.”
“Seems someone in Mel’s ethics class doesn’t like Turners, they went off on the company and Dad and Mel being Mel…”
“Went right back off on him?” Dwight stated.
“Yup, letting it out that I am a member of the Turner family,” she told him.
“There’s only this week before finals. Don’t worry Mel, it’ll be fine,” he said and both Jordan and even Tate agreed once she’d told him about the events of the day.
She wasn’t so sure, and it seemed she was right because the entire week long she had people coming up to her she’d never seen before all wanting to suddenly get to know her and she hated it. All she wanted to do was get through her finals and graduate, and mercifully, she did. Their ceremony for the architecture program was first, and she beamed with pride as her family filled the stands, her entire family including Lori and the boys.
“Each year the faculty chooses one student to speak and this year the decision was unanimous, myself abstaining from the vote because I could not remain impartial. This year’s speaker is a woman who has shown incredible strength and commitment to her schoolwork and her personal life, and I applaud her more than anyone, well maybe not her husband or best friend,” Dwight said with a laugh. “Melinda is graduating today with her masters in not only our architectural program but also with her MBA, completing both programs simultaneously and with top honors. She is also the mastermind behind our genius construction process that will have our new centers up and running in time for the fall semester. I’ve had the privilege to get to know Melinda, first through her husband, then as a student, but most recently, and for me most importantly, thanks to the very welcome surprise of being my daughter. I know she’s going to do great things because she already has, so please welcome Mrs. Melinda Turner.”
Mel grinned at the confused looks around her as she walked over to Dwight and hugged him tightly with a huge smile.
“Thank you, this year has certainly been full of surprises but then again most of my life has been also. I never imagined I’d be married at seventeen to a man who could completely understand my connection with my best friend, and I never imagined that I would find my father in the man who has been my biggest cheerleader as I went through my five years here at Whitmore. I think that’s why I was able to come up with some of the off the wall ideas I have and seeing the construction project come to life was the best inspiration for me. Many of you are looking confused because throughout the program you knew me as Melinda Holmes, that’s because we were using it as our last name to build up the company just as our father did with his. Building which is an essential part of architecture is what we’ve all been doing to prepare for our futures and architecture to me is breathing life into something, whether that’s a structure that’s already standing or one that’s of your own making, there’s a uniqueness to each one. It was never more evident than in the house that my husband Jordan and I are currently building. It’s a piece of me and a piece of him melded together to create something that’s all our own. That’s what I hope to strive for and as we all head out to the jobs we currently have, the offers we’ve received or the ones that we’re searching for I hope you all do too.”
