No Good-bye

“But that’s absurd,” Mary said. “Who would expect such a thing?”

“He would,” said Gil.

“Well he can’t. I forbid it.”

“It isn’t up to you, dear. Or us.”

Mary and Gil looked at Charlie, their son. He remained silent.

He scanned the ceiling high shelves filled with books. ‘Like in the movies,’ he thought. ‘Does anyone actually read these? Or are they props every lawyer gets? Call ‘Office Décor Is Us’.’ He felt tempted to open one, to see if it were real.

After reading the will, the lawyer, Mr. Gaines, left them to consult and commiserate.

His mother shattered his reverie. “Talk to us Charlie.”

He blinked as if awakening. “My mind’s a blank, Mom. I didn’t know him. Why should I do his bidding…?” He looked at them, the conference table keeping them at bay. Were they adversaries? “…And turn you out of my life?”

Mary looked at her husband and smiled. “He’s decided. Let’s get out of here. I never want to hear that monster’s name again.”

“Wait Mary.”

“You’re kidding, Gil. Tell me you are.” She grabbed her purse. “Let’s go Charlie...”

“We should think it through. Once decided, there’s no turning back.”

“I don’t believe this. You’re advising our son to disown us?”

“And you think he wouldn’t resent our insisting he turn down this fortune?”

“It’s only money Gil.”

“Fifty million will buy a lot of chicken feed…”

“It’s not fifty.” Gil smiled. Mary nodded, “Okay, forty-nine and change.”

“Right. Rounding up from forty-nine million and twenty-seven cents, to be exact.”

Mary turned away. “You disgust me.”

Charlie cleared his throat. They looked at him in surprise.

“I’m still here.”

“Of course you are, dear. Talk to us.”

“Who is, or was this guy? Why haven’t I heard of him? Why me?”

Mary looked at Gil. “You field that.”

“He was my father, Charlie, your Grand-father. We weren’t close.”

“Understatement” she muttered, “A complete ass.”

“Mary…”

“Your words…”

“We all were.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I never...”

“Right. You were so devoted…”

Charlie broke in. “What happened?”

Gil shifted in his chair. “This isn’t the time… He made demands. Impossible… I wouldn’t follow orders. We attempted to reconcile…”

“He played you, Gil. His way or the highway. Should’ve had a needlepoint of it.”

“I finally gave up. Didn’t speak for... well, since you were born.”

“Wow… twenty-four…”

Mary said, “Complete control. Never respected your efforts. Or ideas. Or…”

“I broke it off. My fault.”

Mary touched his arm. “You were your own man.”

“Tell me you wouldn’t have liked some luxury…”

“At the cost of surrendering our independence? Quite a tradeoff, Gil.”

“Honestly, Mary, you think Charlie will be ‘his own man’ if he takes orders from us? How independent will that be?”

Charlie tried to rein them in. “But why me?”

Gil thought. “To get back at me. Appears to be that simple.”

“Is there a time limit? A way around...?”

“My guess? It’s air tight. He planned for years.”

Mary leaned in. Charlie remained out of reach. “You’re not considering this, are you, Char?”

“He needs to think it through. We can’t offer him anything like…”

“I’m his mother, damn it!”

“He needs to know his options.”

Charlie stood and moved to the window. The rooftops stretched out for miles. Gil joined him.

“And if I decline?”

“The money goes to charity.”

“Tell him which charity, Gil.”

He told him.

“Oh. Wow. Why not Murder Inc.?”

Mary said, “It’s not a charity but an abattoir.”

“So I should take the money to keep them from getting it?”

Gil glanced at Mary, who turned away.

Charlie clasped his hands. “Mom, Dad, help me here. I feel I’m choosing between you.”

Mary reached for him. “No, you’re not.”

“You want me to do this, Dad?”

“I’m not taking a side. I don’t want regrets…”

Mary said, “Like your Dad regrets…”

Gil turned sharply and Mary got smaller.

“Guys, this isn’t easy. How many people walk away from millions?”

Mary almost spat. “I knew that creep would pull something.”

“It could be worse.”

“Worse? How?”

“Charlie can choose his path. Most people don’t have options. At least he knows the stakes.”

“This isn’t an option, Gil. He’s controlling from the grave.”

“People make decisions with no idea what the repercussions will be…”

Charlie paced. “But this is terrible.”

“It doesn’t have to be, son. Take a moment. What can you do with it? Or without?”

Charlie paced. “I could go back to school. Become a lawyer. Buy a yacht. Travel. Enter politics. Or blow it in Vegas… Like winning the lottery…”

“Charlie, you’d never have to work again. Invest. Become a landlord. Or give it away. Be a philanthropist… Start your own charity.”

“Wait. You want me to do this?”

“No!” Mary shook her head and stared at the table.

“I don’t want... Charlie, I want what’s best for you. What you want… I’m a devil’s advocate.

“He was a devil. Don’t become one.”

“But how do I know?”

“You don’t. No one knows…”

“But, isn’t the money tainted? If he was so horrible…”

“You need to decide what’s important, Charlie. His actions don’t attach to the money. You aren’t tainted by where he spent it, if you walk away.”

“But I could direct it elsewhere. Redeem it.”

“At a price.” Mary muttered. They turned.

Charlie said, “What?”

Mary’s eyes were wet. “What’s in your heart?”

The door opened and Mr. Gaines strode through it. “How are we doing? Ready to sign some documents?” No one responded. He scanned their glum faces. “Would some coffee help?”

Charlie stepped up. “Coffee sounds great. But before that… if I agree to the terms of this will…”

Gaines smiled. “Yes?”

“I’m never to communicate with my parents again?” Gaines nodded. “How would you stop my gaming the system?”

Gaines sat and shuffled papers. “As the saying goes, we have our ways. You would have autonomy...” Everyone focused on him. “…invest as you please. Hire a financial advisor. Or buy a life time supply of tootsie rolls, if that suits you. But the communications or gifts your parents receive and via what sources… We’d monitor those.”

Mary said, “So not only would Charlie be out of our lives forever…”

“We’d watch to ensure the terms were kept.”

Mary scoffed. “Privacy is dead.”

Gaines slid the contract toward Charlie and offered him a pen. “Sign where the tags indicate.”

Charlie stared at the contract. “So if I sign, and your spies detect some text message or post card… And decide I sent it...”

Gaines nodded.

“What then?”

“The balance of the estate would sue you for all your holdings.” He flipped through the contract and pointed at the clause. “In short, you would be left penniless. What you are currently worth, no?”

“Without recourse?”

Gaines shrugged. “You can always hire a lawyer.”

“Even if I had done nothing. They could make it up.”

Gaines frowned. “No one would fabricate…”

“Excuse me, Mr. Gaines, you’re a smart guy. If I can imagine a reason to ‘fabricate’ a communication with my parents, especially with big bucks on the line, I’m sure almost anyone could.” Charlie stood. “About that coffee…”

Gaines stood. “I’m sorry. I was going to get you a…”

“No need, Mr. Gaines. This was entertaining.” Charlie turned to his parents. “We’re done here. May I buy you a coffee, Mom and Dad? I suddenly feel rich.”

Bursting into laughter and tears, Mary and Gil embraced their son.

They left without saying good-bye.