“He wasn’t an easy man to love,” my mom said. “My conversation with him about Felix, however, seemed to propel him to make some changes. Dave, his lawyer, laid out everything during our meeting. Bottom line? You and I are now co-owners of Lansford Development.”
“What?” I said, making a face. “I don’t want it. I’ve never wanted it.”
“Something else we have in common then,” my mother said. “I don’t want the godforsaken company either, but here we are.”
“Uh, what did he think we’d do with it?” I asked. “I have my own business now. Even if I was interested, which I can’t imagine being in this lifetime or the next, my responsibilities lie elsewhere.”
“Dave said the second-in-command automatically slid to an interim CEO position, and he’s got things handled for now. We’ve got time to figure it out. The lawyer’s suggestion is to sell it. He says it’s worth a fortune. For once in my life, I have no interest in or need for his money.”
I eyed my mother, gauging her sincerity.
She met my gaze. “That man represents greed, misogyny, and a power complex.”
“I agree completely. I sure don’t want his money.” I’d benefited from Lansford money for most of my life. Those were miserable years. What I’d learned was that I didn’t need all the material things. People were more important. Good people.
“What if you sold it and did something good with the money?” Luke suggested, reminding me of Nancy’s suggestion at the karma party. “To counteract all the bad crap. Money can do a lot of evil in the wrong hands, but you two seem aligned on this.”
“What would we do with it?” I asked.
He shrugged. “You could donate it to a cause that’s important to you or even start some kind of charitable foundation.”
My mother and I looked at each other and shrugged.
“I guess we could,” I said. “I’d have to think hard about what to support.”
My mother nodded. “If we can’t close down the company or give it away, that might be the best option. I went to dozens of benefits over the years and volunteered for a handful. It was more about having something to do with my time than feeling a burning passion inside about whatever they stood for.”
That and being seen and finding the perfect gown and being decked out in expensive jewelry, I knew. I wasn’t casting stones, because I’d valued the wrong things too.
“What about Grandfather’s estate?” I asked.
“He left everything else to me. I’m planning to sell his house.”
“And money?”
“Same story, Magnolia. I know it’s hard to believe, but I don’t want it. What I want for the rest of my life, which I hope is a lot of years yet, is health, happiness, and peace.”
“Did the lawyer tell you what the next steps would be if you decide to sell the company?” Luke asked her.
“He just said to call him, and he could guide us. He has a team he recommends to help us. People who specializes in that kind of thing.” She shrugged. “We didn’t go deep. I’m still shocked by all of it, his death included. I thought he’d be around forever, like a Twinkie.”
“Except Twinkies are sweet,” I said distractedly. “Do you have a favorite cause or ideas about what you’d want to do with the proceeds if we sell?”
She shook her head. “With the amount it would generate, that becomes a very big question. Would we want to spread the wealth and support multiple good causes? Would we want to each choose one and split it?”
“That calls for a lot of thought,” Luke said, “since neither of you have a particular organization in mind.”
“Right.” I leaned forward, ready to get back to my evening with Luke. My mind was swimming. I needed time to absorb this news, and I sure needed to consider all our options. “Is there anything else from the meeting with Dave I need to know?” I asked my mom.
“Those are the main points. I wanted to let you know as soon as I could. I didn’t figure you were too attached to your grandfather?—”
“You were correct,” I interrupted.
“There won’t be a funeral, per his wishes,” she continued. “Thank God for that.”
“I can’t imagine many would show up. Only the butt kissers who want a piece of what he had.” I stood. Luke and my mother followed suit.
“The vultures,” Luke said, and I nodded.
