A Baby of Convenience

Elena smiled. “What are your plans for the day?”

“I have to head into Hargrove Brothers for a little while this morning, but I’ll be back by one.”

“So,” Elena said uncertainly, “should I come back around that time?”

“Yes. Maybe it would be best if you moved in for a little while.”

Elena raised her eyebrows.

“Just until you’re pregnant,” Neal clarified quickly, “it’ll make things easier. We’ll need to have sex as much as possible in the next few days.”

Neal might have laughed if the situation had not been so very desperate. Elena considered his offer for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

“I’ll bring a bag over when I come back this evening.”

***

Cliff was already in the board room when Neal walked in. His expression was sanguine and calm and that made Neal’s blood boil. He couldn’t help noticing that Cliff sat in George’s chair.

“Wrong chair, Cliff,” Neal said bluntly.

“I was just trying it out,” he replied, trying to make light of the situation.

“A little premature though,” Neal said through gritted teeth.

“There’s no need to get upset, my boy,” Cliff said, rising from his seat. “I didn’t think about it before I sat down.”

“A little insensitive of you, don’t you think?” Neal countered, unwilling to let it go.

Cliff put up his hands in surrender and moved to his usual seat.

“This is a hard time for us all, I understand how you must be feeling.”

“You have no idea how I’m feeling.” Neal spat.

“We all loved George, Neal,” Cliff said with an infuriating calmness.

“Is that right?” Neal asked, “Then why is it that this whole damn board is so eager to declare my brother dead?”

“It’s procedure –"

“Screw procedure,” Neal said with venom. “This is his company. My father built it up from nothing and my brother helped it grow. How is it right that it passes to you and a bunch of strangers?”

“We’ve been here a long time Neal,” he said with exaggerated calm. “Some would argue that we've been here much longer than you.”

Neal recoiled as though he had been struck. “Meaning I have no right to the company?”

“You have no idea how to run this company,” Cliff said, his careful tone dropping. “It might as well pass to the board. We know how things are done, and I believe that George would have agreed with me.”

“Don’t you dare say that,” Neal said forcefully. “You have no idea what my brother would have wanted.”

“And you do?” Cliff challenged unfeelingly.

“Yes, I do,” Neal replied with confidence he did not feel. “he would have wanted this company in the hands of family. He wanted me to be looked after, but more than me, he wanted Elena to be looked after.”

Cliff’s eyebrows went up at the mention of Elena’s name.

“Ah, yes,” he said suspiciously, “the girlfriend you claim that George had.”