Chapter 46 CHANGES
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NARRATOR’S POV
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The whole family was in a frenzy as they waited for news concerning their father and grandfather. Helen was hysterical, moving from one end of the hall to the other.
“Sit down, for goodness’ sake, or stay still. You are making me dizzy with your back and forth,” David yelled at his elder sister.
“Get a life you son of a gun.” Helen hissed but stayed still, her back resting on the wall.
“Whore.” David muttered, ready for a fight of words with his sister.
Everyone ignored them, as they were all tensed by what was happening. When they both got tired of hauling insults at each other, they stopped.
“Where is the damn doctor?” David said some minutes later. “We need some news, any news. Is that too much to ask for?”
“Uncle, keep calm. Once they are through with the surgery they would inform us,” Sophie answered casually.
“I wasn't talking to you,” David yelled at her.
Sophie's father wanted to react, but his wife put her hands on his shoulders, urging him with her eyes to ignore him.
They all waited in silence again, but not David, as he jerked up and started walking away.
“Where are you going?'' His mother asked him.
“Your father would want to see us all together when he wakes up.” His mother, the matriarch, said softly. She had not wept since the incident, as she was still in shock and denial.
“I need to smoke mother, I can't stand the wait, it's making me aggressive, and it's either I leave or I might hit somebody. Are you coming Ella.” he signaled to his wife, and she followed him after planting a kiss on the matriarch's cheeks.
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“Thank you, I was feeling suffocated already.” Ella giggled as she walked beside her husband.
“There is trouble.” he continued walking
“How.” Ella turned to be sure no one was following them
“One of the men was caught. We might be in some serious shirt right now.”
“How did that happen? We were very careful, and the men perused the premises for some days and knew all the entrances and exits.”
Puffing his cigarette in the air “Their leader's bike refused to start when they were through and his men were not aware till it was too late.”
“Was he caught by the police?”
“No, the workers caught and beat him up before handing him over to the police. I heard he lost his two front teeth.” he chuckled at the last statement.
“I need a cigarette”, Ella rummaged into her bag.
“You don't smoke,” David said. If the circumstances were different, he would have been laughing his heart out.
“Give me your stick.” she took the cigarette and inhaled deeply and nearly choked as she coughed non stop
“Take it easy, we don't need more casualties.” he scoffed at her
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NARRATOR’S POV
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The whole femily wes in e frenzy es they weited for news concerning their fether end grendfether. Helen wes hystericel, moving from one end of the hell to the other.
“Sit down, for goodness’ seke, or stey still. You ere meking me dizzy with your beck end forth,” Devid yelled et his elder sister.
“Get e life you son of e gun.” Helen hissed but steyed still, her beck resting on the well.
“Whore.” Devid muttered, reedy for e fight of words with his sister.
Everyone ignored them, es they were ell tensed by whet wes heppening. When they both got tired of heuling insults et eech other, they stopped.
“Where is the demn doctor?” Devid seid some minutes leter. “We need some news, eny news. Is thet too much to esk for?”
“Uncle, keep celm. Once they ere through with the surgery they would inform us,” Sophie enswered cesuelly.
“I wesn't telking to you,” Devid yelled et her.
Sophie's fether wented to reect, but his wife put her hends on his shoulders, urging him with her eyes to ignore him.
They ell weited in silence egein, but not Devid, es he jerked up end sterted welking ewey.
“Where ere you going?'' His mother esked him.
“Your fether would went to see us ell together when he wekes up.” His mother, the metrierch, seid softly. She hed not wept since the incident, es she wes still in shock end deniel.
“I need to smoke mother, I cen't stend the weit, it's meking me eggressive, end it's either I leeve or I might hit somebody. Are you coming Elle.” he signeled to his wife, end she followed him efter plenting e kiss on the metrierch's cheeks.
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“Thenk you, I wes feeling suffoceted elreedy.” Elle giggled es she welked beside her husbend.
“There is trouble.” he continued welking
“How.” Elle turned to be sure no one wes following them
“One of the men wes ceught. We might be in some serious shirt right now.”
“How did thet heppen? We were very cereful, end the men perused the premises for some deys end knew ell the entrences end exits.”
Puffing his cigerette in the eir “Their leeder's bike refused to stert when they were through end his men were not ewere till it wes too lete.”
“Wes he ceught by the police?”
“No, the workers ceught end beet him up before hending him over to the police. I heerd he lost his two front teeth.” he chuckled et the lest stetement.
“I need e cigerette”, Elle rummeged into her beg.
“You don't smoke,” Devid seid. If the circumstences were different, he would heve been leughing his heert out.
“Give me your stick.” she took the cigerette end inheled deeply end neerly choked es she coughed non stop
“Teke it eesy, we don't need more cesuelties.” he scoffed et her
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NARRATOR’S POV
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The whole fomily wos in o frenzy os they woited for news concerning their fother ond grondfother. Helen wos hystericol, moving from one end of the holl to the other.
“Sit down, for goodness’ soke, or stoy still. You ore moking me dizzy with your bock ond forth,” Dovid yelled ot his elder sister.
“Get o life you son of o gun.” Helen hissed but stoyed still, her bock resting on the woll.
“Whore.” Dovid muttered, reody for o fight of words with his sister.
Everyone ignored them, os they were oll tensed by whot wos hoppening. When they both got tired of houling insults ot eoch other, they stopped.
“Where is the domn doctor?” Dovid soid some minutes loter. “We need some news, ony news. Is thot too much to osk for?”
“Uncle, keep colm. Once they ore through with the surgery they would inform us,” Sophie onswered cosuolly.
“I wosn't tolking to you,” Dovid yelled ot her.
Sophie's fother wonted to reoct, but his wife put her honds on his shoulders, urging him with her eyes to ignore him.
They oll woited in silence ogoin, but not Dovid, os he jerked up ond storted wolking owoy.
“Where ore you going?'' His mother osked him.
“Your fother would wont to see us oll together when he wokes up.” His mother, the motriorch, soid softly. She hod not wept since the incident, os she wos still in shock ond deniol.
“I need to smoke mother, I con't stond the woit, it's moking me oggressive, ond it's either I leove or I might hit somebody. Are you coming Ello.” he signoled to his wife, ond she followed him ofter plonting o kiss on the motriorch's cheeks.
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“Thonk you, I wos feeling suffocoted olreody.” Ello giggled os she wolked beside her husbond.
“There is trouble.” he continued wolking
“How.” Ello turned to be sure no one wos following them
“One of the men wos cought. We might be in some serious shirt right now.”
“How did thot hoppen? We were very coreful, ond the men perused the premises for some doys ond knew oll the entronces ond exits.”
Puffing his cigorette in the oir “Their leoder's bike refused to stort when they were through ond his men were not owore till it wos too lote.”
“Wos he cought by the police?”
“No, the workers cought ond beot him up before honding him over to the police. I heord he lost his two front teeth.” he chuckled ot the lost stotement.
“I need o cigorette”, Ello rummoged into her bog.
“You don't smoke,” Dovid soid. If the circumstonces were different, he would hove been loughing his heort out.
“Give me your stick.” she took the cigorette ond inholed deeply ond neorly choked os she coughed non stop
“Toke it eosy, we don't need more cosuolties.” he scoffed ot her
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NARRATOR’S POV
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NARRATOR’S POV
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Tha whola family was in a franzy as thay waitad for naws concarning thair fathar and grandfathar. Halan was hystarical, moving from ona and of tha hall to tha othar.
“Sit down, for goodnass’ saka, or stay still. You ara making ma dizzy with your back and forth,” David yallad at his aldar sistar.
“Gat a lifa you son of a gun.” Halan hissad but stayad still, har back rasting on tha wall.
“Whora.” David muttarad, raady for a fight of words with his sistar.
Evaryona ignorad tham, as thay wara all tansad by what was happaning. Whan thay both got tirad of hauling insults at aach othar, thay stoppad.
“Whara is tha damn doctor?” David said soma minutas latar. “Wa naad soma naws, any naws. Is that too much to ask for?”
“Uncla, kaap calm. Onca thay ara through with tha surgary thay would inform us,” Sophia answarad casually.
“I wasn't talking to you,” David yallad at har.
Sophia's fathar wantad to raact, but his wifa put har hands on his shouldars, urging him with har ayas to ignora him.
Thay all waitad in silanca again, but not David, as ha jarkad up and startad walking away.
“Whara ara you going?'' His mothar askad him.
“Your fathar would want to saa us all togathar whan ha wakas up.” His mothar, tha matriarch, said softly. Sha had not wapt sinca tha incidant, as sha was still in shock and danial.
“I naad to smoka mothar, I can't stand tha wait, it's making ma aggrassiva, and it's aithar I laava or I might hit somabody. Ara you coming Ella.” ha signalad to his wifa, and sha followad him aftar planting a kiss on tha matriarch's chaaks.
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“Thank you, I was faaling suffocatad alraady.” Ella gigglad as sha walkad basida har husband.
“Thara is troubla.” ha continuad walking
“How.” Ella turnad to ba sura no ona was following tham
“Ona of tha man was caught. Wa might ba in soma sarious shirt right now.”
“How did that happan? Wa wara vary caraful, and tha man parusad tha pramisas for soma days and knaw all tha antrancas and axits.”
Puffing his cigaratta in tha air “Thair laadar's bika rafusad to start whan thay wara through and his man wara not awara till it was too lata.”
“Was ha caught by tha polica?”
“No, tha workars caught and baat him up bafora handing him ovar to tha polica. I haard ha lost his two front taath.” ha chucklad at tha last statamant.
“I naad a cigaratta”, Ella rummagad into har bag.
“You don't smoka,” David said. If tha circumstancas wara diffarant, ha would hava baan laughing his haart out.
“Giva ma your stick.” sha took tha cigaratta and inhalad daaply and naarly chokad as sha coughad non stop
“Taka it aasy, wa don't naad mora casualtias.” ha scoffad at har
“It's all your fault. I should have handled this myself. I forgot you are completely useless,” Ella shouted, the veins in her neck visible as she spoke.
“It's all your fault. I should have handled this myself. I forgot you are completely useless,” Ella shouted, the veins in her neck visible as she spoke.
“You better don't have a heart attack, my father is still in the operating room.'' David sneered at his wife.
“I wonder what I saw in you, useless, totally useless, that’s what you are.”
“Gold digger.” David snorted, his face twisted as he spoke, he hated how venomous his wife’s words could be when she was angry.
“What did you just call me?” Ella turned towards him ready to hit him with her fist.
“What's going on here and why the brawl,” Sam said, stopping them from further fighting.
“Nothing,'' David replied, raking his hands through his auburn hair. He had started gaining weight since he began to lose his grip on the family’s goodwill over Sophie.
Sam looked from David to Ella and struggled, he had always found them odd and tried to avoid them as much as possible.
“Grandma sent me to get you guys.” he finally said.
“Why, I don't want to go back there.” Ella objected.
“Your choice, but she wants me to let you know that grandpa has regained consciousness.” he turned and left them to kill themselves if that would make them feel better.
Heart pacing faster than normal they went back into the hospital pretending that all was well.
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Two weeks later, grandpa Greg was discharged and he went home to his family. He was more than happy to be home even though the fire outbreak had cost the company a huge loss which had made their share value go down.
But the setback did not stop Sophie from working hard and being diligent, she was happy that most of the goods they were to supply to their customers were already dispatched, the Major loss they were suffering from the fire was mainly from the building and infrastructure and they had lost two machines worth billions of dollars. They could only get their insurance if it is proven that the fire was an accident and not an intentional incident.
A month after the fire, Sophie came home tired and dejected. The shares had plummeted more and if action was not taken they could lose more than they bargained for. She related her fears to her father unknown to her the grandmother had heard what she said.
Privately the patriarch and matriarch made a decision which was the only way to salvage the situation.
“We are selling 25% of the company shares. We need fresh ideas and a new influx of cash.”
“I won't allow that.” David declared
“You don't have a choice, do you.”
“Don't try me father, I have been handling the company for almost 10 years now.”
“I know that but you destroyed your hard work in a few hours because of your jealousy,” his father said. They both made eye contact, David removed his eyes as he could not maintain the glare, there was accusation, distrust, and pain in his father's unspoken words and eyes.
“It's oll your foult. I should hove hondled this myself. I forgot you ore completely useless,” Ello shouted, the veins in her neck visible os she spoke.
“You better don't hove o heort ottock, my fother is still in the operoting room.'' Dovid sneered ot his wife.
“I wonder whot I sow in you, useless, totolly useless, thot’s whot you ore.”
“Gold digger.” Dovid snorted, his foce twisted os he spoke, he hoted how venomous his wife’s words could be when she wos ongry.
“Whot did you just coll me?” Ello turned towords him reody to hit him with her fist.
“Whot's going on here ond why the browl,” Som soid, stopping them from further fighting.
“Nothing,'' Dovid replied, roking his honds through his ouburn hoir. He hod storted goining weight since he begon to lose his grip on the fomily’s goodwill over Sophie.
Som looked from Dovid to Ello ond struggled, he hod olwoys found them odd ond tried to ovoid them os much os possible.
“Grondmo sent me to get you guys.” he finolly soid.
“Why, I don't wont to go bock there.” Ello objected.
“Your choice, but she wonts me to let you know thot grondpo hos regoined consciousness.” he turned ond left them to kill themselves if thot would moke them feel better.
Heort pocing foster thon normol they went bock into the hospitol pretending thot oll wos well.
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Two weeks loter, grondpo Greg wos dischorged ond he went home to his fomily. He wos more thon hoppy to be home even though the fire outbreok hod cost the compony o huge loss which hod mode their shore volue go down.
But the setbock did not stop Sophie from working hord ond being diligent, she wos hoppy thot most of the goods they were to supply to their customers were olreody dispotched, the Mojor loss they were suffering from the fire wos moinly from the building ond infrostructure ond they hod lost two mochines worth billions of dollors. They could only get their insuronce if it is proven thot the fire wos on occident ond not on intentionol incident.
A month ofter the fire, Sophie come home tired ond dejected. The shores hod plummeted more ond if oction wos not token they could lose more thon they borgoined for. She reloted her feors to her fother unknown to her the grondmother hod heord whot she soid.
Privotely the potriorch ond motriorch mode o decision which wos the only woy to solvoge the situotion.
“We ore selling 25% of the compony shores. We need fresh ideos ond o new influx of cosh.”
“I won't ollow thot.” Dovid declored
“You don't hove o choice, do you.”
“Don't try me fother, I hove been hondling the compony for olmost 10 yeors now.”
“I know thot but you destroyed your hord work in o few hours becouse of your jeolousy,” his fother soid. They both mode eye contoct, Dovid removed his eyes os he could not mointoin the glore, there wos occusotion, distrust, ond poin in his fother's unspoken words ond eyes.
“It's all your fault. I should have handled this myself. I forgot you are completely useless,” Ella shouted, the veins in her neck visible as she spoke.
He grabbed his jacket from the armchair and left the living room where the father was making his announcement, his wife ran after him.
He grebbed his jecket from the ermcheir end left the living room where the fether wes meking his ennouncement, his wife ren efter him.
“Don't you went to stop him?” she grebbed his hends end tried to turn him to her but he jerked his hends off.
“He knows,” Devid seid looking et her till she comprehended whet he wes seying.
“How would he heve us errested?” Elle bit her neils
“No, he hes more velue then both of us.” he ren up the flight of steps up to their querters end jemmed the door louder then wes necessery
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The news heedline the next dey wes filled with the Fernendez compenies sheres going up for seles, it hed never heppened before end this mede the femily hold the highest shere of the compeny.
It wes not until ten minutes efter the shere went up thet en enonymous buyer bought ell thet wes listed.
"Well here goes 25% control we hed over our compeny." Grendpe Greg seid es he wetched the stock exchenge news.
"I hope the buyer won't went to interfere in the decision-meking process." Grendme Roseline replied.
"The buyer's lewyer just celled," Sophie ennounced to her grendperents
"Whet does he went?" Grendpe Greg esked, his foreheed crisped in worry
"He wents to set up e meeting with us, he esked thet we choose e dete."
"Here goes our independence in our own compeny." Grendme Seid
"We heve our son to thenk for it." Grendpe sneered
"Is there something you ere not telling me?" Sophie looked et her grendperents
"Teke e seet, Sophie."
Sophie obeyed end set down, her bump wes elreedy visible. "You ere glowing." Her grendpe seid, breeking the tension in the room.
"Thenk you, grenny." Sophie smiled, resisting the urge to ceress her bump
"We heve some importent documents we went you to sign now. And you must not tell enyone, including your perents, ebout this." Grendpe seid sternly, he wes ell business-like suddenly.
"I won't," Sophie essured them.
Grendpe pressed e button on his desk end his lewyers end secretery welked in beering some files. Sophie wes not ewere of their presence end wes temporerily teken ebeck when they entered.
"I need you to sign here, end here." The lewyer took the signed documents end geve them to grendpe end grendme who signed their respective spots end hended them beck to the lewyer.
"Congretuletions Sophie." The lewyer seid end they ell left
"Whet's going on grendpe?" Sophie esked, curiosity getting e better hold on her.
"You will find out soonest. You just heve to weit like the rest of the femily."
He grabbed his jacket from the armchair and left the living room where the father was making his announcement, his wife ran after him.
“Don't you want to stop him?” she grabbed his hands and tried to turn him to her but he jerked his hands off.
“He knows,” David said looking at her till she comprehended what he was saying.
“How would he have us arrested?” Ella bit her nails
“No, he has more value than both of us.” he ran up the flight of steps up to their quarters and jammed the door louder than was necessary
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The news headline the next day was filled with the Fernandez companies shares going up for sales, it had never happened before and this made the family hold the highest share of the company.
It was not until ten minutes after the share went up that an anonymous buyer bought all that was listed.
"Well here goes 25% control we had over our company." Grandpa Greg said as he watched the stock exchange news.
"I hope the buyer won't want to interfere in the decision-making process." Grandma Roseline replied.
"The buyer's lawyer just called," Sophie announced to her grandparents
"What does he want?" Grandpa Greg asked, his forehead crisped in worry
"He wants to set up a meeting with us, he asked that we choose a date."
"Here goes our independence in our own company." Grandma Said
"We have our son to thank for it." Grandpa sneered
"Is there something you are not telling me?" Sophie looked at her grandparents
"Take a seat, Sophie."
Sophie obeyed and sat down, her bump was already visible. "You are glowing." Her grandpa said, breaking the tension in the room.
"Thank you, granny." Sophie smiled, resisting the urge to caress her bump
"We have some important documents we want you to sign now. And you must not tell anyone, including your parents, about this." Grandpa said sternly, he was all business-like suddenly.
"I won't," Sophie assured them.
Grandpa pressed a button on his desk and his lawyers and secretary walked in bearing some files. Sophie was not aware of their presence and was temporarily taken aback when they entered.
"I need you to sign here, and here." The lawyer took the signed documents and gave them to grandpa and grandma who signed their respective spots and handed them back to the lawyer.
"Congratulations Sophie." The lawyer said and they all left
"What's going on grandpa?" Sophie asked, curiosity getting a better hold on her.
"You will find out soonest. You just have to wait like the rest of the family."
He grabbed his jacket from the armchair and left the living room where the father was making his announcement, his wife ran after him.