by Ali Vali
But it had been the dropped dead comment that had set Stella off like someone had shoved a hot coal up her ass. Jefferson was drafting something that would inform Ivy that she could keep working on her quest to kill herself with alcohol, only she could do it somewhere else.
“You need to fix this and everything else, Tucker. You’re the head of the family now.”
“Technically, Mom, I think that’s Dad’s job,” Tucker said around her toothbrush.
“Stop mumbling, and your father’s retired.” Her mom’s sigh meant she should’ve known that and plenty more on the subject. Bart was a wonderful husband, and an even better father, but he was in no way prepared to calm hysteria of any kind. “Even if he was still working, he’s nowhere near equipped to deal with Ivy. Hell, God himself is unfit to deal with Ivy even with Satan backing him up.”
Tucker’s spit her toothpaste out and rinsed. “Sorry, and I’ll take care of it. I’m meeting with Jefferson this morning before the rest of the family joins us, so hopefully he’ll be able to explain things in a way that she’ll understand.”
“Unless Jefferson can speak batshit crazy fluently, I seriously doubt he’ll get through to her or the greedy duo. All I want is to bury my son in peace. Is that too much to ask?”
“No, Mom, it’s not, and I understand. I promise I’ll handle it.” She slapped on a little cologne and headed to the closet. “All you need to do is be ready when I pick you up this afternoon. There’s no reason to subject you and Dad to the meeting, but you’re welcome to come if you want.”
“I’d rather run naked through poison oak than sit in a room with Ivy right now. Will you call me when you finish?”
“I’m coming by as soon as I’m done and treating you guys to lunch. The next two days will be hard enough, and we need to get some food in you.” She chose a dark suit with a white shirt since she had to go back to the funeral home to finalize the arrangements and bring the clothes Jim Bob would be buried in.
“Thank you for handling everything, my darling girl. We should’ve thought about the fairness of everything before your father retired and split things up.”
Tucker glanced at her phone as she sat to put her socks on. “What do you mean?”
“If the situation were reversed, Jim Bob would walk away with it all simply because you’re single and have no children. We’ve had that conversation before and you still won’t budge, will you? You need a good woman and a little Tucker who will hopefully turn out better than the two grandchildren I have now. I love them, but not even Job was blessed with the patience I’ve had to exhibit over the years.”
“Not the time for that long lecture, Mama.”
“At least give me credit for being so progressive, and I’ve never given you bad advice, have I?”
Stella Delacroix was much more than the sorority girl her father had first met at LSU, and after their marriage she’d proven to be a great businesswoman with equally great instincts. She and Jim Bob had been lucky to have their mom to bounce ideas off, and what she’d just said made Tucker wonder if her brother had listened to her one last time before he died. According to Jefferson they had plenty to talk about when it came to Jimbo’s last wishes and the company.
“I give you plenty of credit on plenty of subjects, but my love life—or should I say dating life—is fine the way it is. As for the company, you know Delacroix has always been a family business, Mama, and that’s what it’ll remain.” She grabbed her keys and wallet, ready to finish this conversation and get on with the day.
“Tara and Bubba are Delacroix, that’s technically true,” her mother said, “but we want it to be a family business that doesn’t resemble the Titanic in any way, shape, or form. Promise me you’ll take care of yourself, Tucker. If something happens to you, I might as well go ahead and get my begging cup out. That’s what’ll happen if your father and I have to count on Bubba, Tara, and Trixie to keep us comfortable until we die.”
“Constance already made an appointment for me to make sure there’s no heart problem I don’t know about. I promise there’s no poorhouse in your future.”
The trip to Jefferson’s made her remember the last time she’d been there with Jim Bob. Had he sensed something was wrong? Had he had a premonition of the limited time he had left? And would the provisions they’d signed hold up in court, considering how soon after he’d died? She still owned fifty percent of the company, but Jimbo had wanted her to run the show. All they had to do now was convince the other fifty percent that’s what was going to happen.
The receptionist led her to Jefferson’s office, and he hugged her before they sat down. Jefferson had known Jim Bob longer, but he’d been a good friend to both of them for years. She had a feeling they’d be spending a lot more time together too, since it was unlikely the legal stuff would go smoothly. She had a feeling the next few months would be a like a party where she’d be the designated driver. In New Orleans that was the kiss of death when it came to having fun.
“You doing okay?” Jefferson asked.
“It’s surreal, really. All his stuff is in my guest room, and I keep expecting him to show up and drag me out to fish or something. I don’t think I’ll ever recover completely—he was so much more than my big brother, and he was only fifty-five.” She was tired of crying, but the well never seemed to run dry.
“You already know this, but he loved you, Tucker. He loved you, and he was so proud of you. He probably never told you, but he credited you with the gains the company’s made in the last seven years.” Jefferson smiled as he sat at the table in the corner of his office. “He told me when you came to work with him that you were a wonder to watch once you hit your stride.”
“We did it together,” she said, truly moved by his words.
“He told me you’d say that. I’m going to give you something and leave you alone until you’re done. Take your time, and I’ll come back when you’re ready to review all this stuff.” He took an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to her.
The sight of Jim Bob’s handwriting made her inhale sharply. She hadn’t expected this, and she pinched the bridge of her nose as her grief roared out of its cage and strangled the emotion out of her.
“How?” She had to take a moment before she could ask.
“I don’t know, and I don’t think he believed he was sick or anything. That night that Ivy cut him he called me, and something in his thinking seemed to change. He started the process of unshackling himself from his past, but he didn’t want to pass up the chance to have the last word.” Jefferson tapped the note. “And this wasn’t his parting gift to you, but his chance to get that last word in.”
“That I do believe,” she said, laughing. “The man loved to get his point across.”
The quiet of the room and the feel of the heavy linen stationery Jim Bob used made her tip her head back and blink her eyes clear of the tears. She was too young for this to be the last tangible part she had left of her brother aside from the memories that had played in her head since he’d taken his last breath. “Damn you, Jimbo. You left me here all alone. That wasn’t the plan. We had plenty left to do on our bucket list, and I don’t want to do them by myself.”
Taking a series of deep breaths and releasing them slowly made her feel able to center herself, and she gathered the courage to open the envelope.
Augusta,
Don’t be mad and stop cursing me for leaving you behind. You can admit you have already, more than once, and I used the stuffy old Southern name because I’m dead and have to find some way to annoy you. Putting you in a headlock and making you scream mercy isn’t possible now.
Anyway, I’m dead, which totally sucks unless our religion has seventy-two beautiful and experienced women waiting on me since virgins are way too much trouble, or you were able to break into Jefferson’s office and crack his safe to get your hands on this. Hopefully you’re reading my great letter with awesome penmanship on your hundredth birthday while you gum some pudd
ing after the loss of all your teeth, but not your sense of humor.
Tucker glanced up at the date and saw he’d written it the week before. If he’d felt bad, why hadn’t he been going to the doctor? “You liked to take care of everything and everyone except yourself, you idiot.”
You can thank Jefferson for my words from beyond the grave (imagine dramatic music after reading that) since he figured you might need some backup to go along with all the new stuff in my will. You can tell my family I’m not crazy, and I did my best. I obviously fell short, but it wasn’t from lack of trying. My other hope is I didn’t die the bad guy and total bastard since that’s been my main role lately. Despite what they think, I’ve loved them from the day they were born. Being a father was the one thing I strived to be perfect at, and I’m proud of them even if they don’t like me very much.
That is also so very true of you, Tucker—I’ve loved you from the second I laid eyes on you. I was glad I got to watch you grow up. Mom and Dad are proud of you, but I’ve felt that way from your first step. It didn’t take you long to learn to run, and I’ve been amazed by you ever since. You are so much more than my business partner, and I couldn’t have had a better best friend and sister.
If you’re crying, stop and suck it up. No matter if I die tomorrow or fifty years from now, I’ve had an amazing life. Celebrate that and talk me up in my eulogy—that I want you to give. God only knows what anyone else would say about me. I might need a few kind words on my behalf when I reach the pearly gates. If I end up in the other place, I hope they have beer and fish in those fiery lakes the nuns used to tell us about. It’ll give me something to do while I wait around for my friends.
Tucker laughed at that as she went to the next page. Leave it to Jim Bob to make her laugh away the grief momentarily.
You’re the boss now, but I need you to do a few things for me before all this goes to your head and you start chasing Syd around the desk. Let me begin by congratulating you. The company is yours, free and clear, and I mean all of it.
I know we talked about just putting you in charge, but having to fight every little thing wouldn’t be fair to you, so I made one big change. My dream was always that my children would someday sit at the helm and guide the company to bigger and better things, but Bubba and Tara have other interests and I won’t stand in the way of that. I do have one last hope, and I pray you can forgive me being a coward for not telling you sooner. Hopefully when you read this Grady will already be a part of your life, but if not, make sure he’s taken care of aside from what I’ve already done.
Jefferson has already filed paperwork with the insurance company for the money you’ll need to buy my family out from the partner policy. Don’t complain and don’t you dare turn me down. As much as it hurts me to admit it, you know as well as anyone what my children would do with the company, and the employees deserve better.
I’m also making you the trustee of my will, which means you’re in for a lot of shit, so you’re welcome. I’m a giver even in death. Carry out my wishes to the letter, so I can rest easier knowing that none of them are homeless and begging on your doorstep in a year. Believe me, not one of them will like it, but none of them love Delacroix Oil as much as you do. I trust you with its future.
You’re my best friend, Tuck, so I hope wherever I end up, I have the ability to miss you, because I will. I’ll spend my time checking this place out until you get here, but take your time, and don’t forget a bottle of the good stuff when you come along. It’ll be a good day when I lift another glass with you and talk about whatever comes to mind. Those were always my favorite times with you, so let go of your sadness and find something to be happy about. Like you said, life’s too short to be miserable.
My last words of wisdom are to listen to Mama. Become a parent so that our family business stays in the family, even if none of my children want it. You may not think it’s your thing, but you’d be great at it, and the company deserves a little Tucker taking over one day. Only start them out like Mama and Dad did with us. Teach them to love the company and the people we’re responsible for, and that’ll be the best legacy you can leave behind.
Make sure you tell Mom I said this last part, and tell her and Dad not to be sad. I’m in a good place, and I’ll be looking out for all of you.
Your loving brother,
The Old Man
“What the hell?” She could hear his voice in her head as she reached the end, and she was about to reread it when she noticed there was one more page with a postscript. She leaned forward as she read it. “He’s got to be kidding.”
This part she reread two more times before she called Jefferson back in. “Tell me he’s kidding.”
“I wish. Because we’re going to be in big trouble if we get caught,” Jefferson said, shaking his head. “He told me you’d think of something and not to worry about it, and I didn’t, since I thought he’d be around forever.” Jefferson nodded and tugged on the corner of the page. “This is what he wanted, though, so you really do need to think of something.”
“I remember him mentioning this more than once, so I’ll do my best to make it happen. Now give me a brief rundown on the rest of this stuff because I thought I was getting control of the company, not full ownership. And who the hell is Grady? The family will be here soon, and I’m taking my parents to lunch, so I mean brief.”
“Jim Bob and I talked about Grady, but he’s not my story to tell, so I beg your patience on that one. The rest is that he purchased a partner policy last year, which was when he started planning to leave Ivy. It took me a while to get everything in order, but last month we had everything we needed to pull the trigger and to fast-track the divorce—and then he died. That’s the fucked-up thing about this. He was so ready to move on, and then the bastard dies.”
“Life is fucking unfair, buddy, but there isn’t a damn thing we can do about it. Trust me, I’d trade the company and all the money to get him back if that was an option, and remember I’m not all that patient.”
Jefferson nodded and kept going. “Ivy will luck out in that they’re still legally married, so she’ll inherit, but he wanted you to get the company free and clear. He was unbending about that, and we’ve already certified that with the court while he was alive. There’ll be no contesting it. The estate attorney I hired made sure this was as ironclad as we could make it, short of having a séance and having Jim Bob testify to his wishes from beyond the grave.” Jefferson handed over the documents.
“Why in the world did he change that?”
“It was a private conversation, but he told me to share it with you if you needed convincing. The gist of it was he wanted you to have the company because, like he said, you love it as much as he did. This was in no way to punish his children, but they didn’t have that passion for Delacroix that you and he did.”
“There’s no way Ivy and the kids aren’t going to contest this.”
“If anyone does, they’ll forfeit the trusts you’ll oversee. That part can’t be overturned by you or anyone.”
“Trusts? They’ll be on allowance?” Her first order of business was to change her telephone number. Once Ivy and the kids got this news, all hell was going to get unleashed. This was going to end with her either going insane or building a moat around her house and filling it with alligators.
“It’s more than they get now, and we’re talking a number with a lot of zeros in all three trusts. But the policy is for half the company, Tucker, and the company is worth a shitload of money. He really did mean this to be the best solution for everyone involved. You get to keep doing what you love, and unless they’re able to break the trusts, Ivy and the kids will have enough money for generations to come.” Jefferson stacked more paper on what he’d given her. “There were a few items he was working on but hadn’t finished, but I’m sure you’ll do the right thing.”
“What items? Let’s remember I’m not all that patient.” She pushed the stack back in his direction.
“That’
s not important right this minute. Now, concentrate on what he wanted because it’s going to take a few months to finalize.”
“Sure, but have a criminal attorney on standby. I’m charming when I have to be, but this is pushing it even for Jim Bob.”
* * *
“Honey, you have to eat something,” Willow said, holding a spoon of soup to Monique’s lips. “I know you’re sad, but you have to think of Grady. You don’t want to get sick, do you?”
“Leave me alone, I’m fine.”
Willow sighed and went back to the kitchen, knowing she couldn’t force the food down Monique’s throat. The sitter had come for Grady, which freed her to work from home and not have to leave Monique’s side, but Monique was totally despondent. Her plan had been to take some time off to take care of her sister, but Mann had other ideas.
She’d talked to him that morning, and he had been confident that with Jim Bob’s death they could start the Apache Delta project in the chaos of the situation. It wasn’t exactly the honorable way to do business, but he was sure once Big Earl started, Tucker and Jim Bob’s kids would go along. Willow wasn’t so sure about it, but she wasn’t the one taking that gamble.
“Is Monique holding up okay?” Jefferson asked when she answered her cell.
“She’s barely hanging on, but I guess it’s to be expected. Did you know about all this?” She’d never thought to ask Jefferson about Monique and Jim Bob, but Jefferson had probably been Jim Bob’s cover guy for more than his affair with Monique. “About Jim Bob and Monique, I mean.”
“Not at first, but Jim Bob started the process of separating from Ivy last year before Grady was born, and he finally admitted why,” Jefferson said. “Once I got a look at Grady, I knew exactly why Jim Bob wanted that divorce.”