I turned around and he was right on my shoulders, literally.
DEACON- “Sure, of course.”
BEN- “It is a shame that this is how we must meet for the first time, and I do apologize. However, as you can see by the outburst, my father is not one of the most endearing of people. Even towards me unfortunately. He had the attorney call me to tell me Grandfather died, and about this reading. He refuses to speak to me, or my mother. It has been close to three years since he spoke to me, and even longer for my mother.
DEACON- “Yes, it is very unfortunate. But nevertheless, it is good to finally meet you.”
BEN- “I feel as though I already know you. Grandfather spoke very highly of you Deacon. He said you had what it takes to take this company where we can only dream, and I believe him.”
DEACON- “I had no idea that he felt that way about me.”
BEN- “He told me at our weekly dinners. Dinners my father had no idea about. He also told me that you called him at least three times a week, just to talk. He cherished that. I want you to know, that I will abide completely by Grandfather’s wishes and if there is anything you need from me, here is my number. Call me anytime.”
DEACON- “Thank you, Ben, that means a lot. If you were on better terms with your father and brother, I would ask you to talk to them.”
BEN- “Brock is harmless. And quite stupid. I know he is my brother, but he barely passed in school last year and his common sense is about as long as his penis, which probably isn’t that long.”
DEACON- (Laughing) “OMG That is hilarious!!”
BEN- “And it is the truth, I am afraid. As for father, he has no power, Grandfather made sure of that, but it is not them that you need to worry about, Deacon. It is our Grandmother. She is evil. She is the one that can and probably will cause you the problems. They don’t call her the Wicked Witch for nothing.”
DEACON- “People actually do call her that? I thought it was just a joke.”
BEN- “No, it is not a joke. She tried to control Grandfather that is why he wrote the codicil without her knowledge. Only myself and Mr. Gray knew about it. Please just watch your step with her. Just play to her narcissism and you should be okay, but still watch your back. Grandfather had to, and he still lost against her.”
DEACON- “What do you mean by that?”
BEN- “Nothing, just watch her. Please. Mr. Gray can and will be your right hand, listen to him. He has Grandfather’s best interest and he will have yours as well.
Ben walked away and I stood there for a moment contemplating what he had just told me. It actually frightened me. To think my own Grandmother would need to be watched and she would do anything to harm me or any of her family. For the first time since I was a child, I was really scared of her.