Possessive Baby Daddy

“What do you need?” I ask.

“I just wanted to talk to my son,” she says.

I laugh. “You never just want to talk.”

She sighs but she doesn’t disagree. “I spoke with the family lawyers today,” she says. “They told me something interesting.”

I sit up and shake my head. I know what this call is about and I’ve been expecting it. I thought she’d call two days ago, but clearly she wanted me to sweat it out.

Now though, it’s finally time. I get out of bed and pace around my bedroom. “What did those old lizards say?” I ask.

“You’ve been making some interesting investments out there,” she says. “Investments that haven’t paid off. And likely won’t.”

“Perhaps,” I admit.

“But this most recent term sheet is… well, Shauny, what are you thinking?”

I wince at the childhood nickname. I know why she’s using it now. She wants to infantilize me, make me less able to stand up to her. My mother is a cunning and intelligent woman, and if I let her push me, she’ll get her way.

“Of everything I’ve done out here, this is the best,” I tell her. “If the sale goes through, this company is poised to make millions. We don’t have to touch our other assets if this pans out the way I think it will.”

She sighs. “But son, what do you know about business?”

“Mother,” I say, stopping my pacing. “This is a smart move. I think the owner will sell at this price.”

“But a reality television production company?” she asks and I can hear the disapproval dripping from her voice. “Shaun, it’s so… unbecoming.”

“I won’t run it,” I say. “I have someone else in mind.”

“Who?”

“The owner’s daughter, a woman named Klara. She has a head for business and if she can get her father out of the way, I think she can turn this studio into something huge.”

Mother clucks her tongue. “Even still. I don’t want our name associated with it.”

“It won’t be,” I say. “I set it up with the lawyers. An affiliate company owned by a holding company owned by a corporation will hold it. We can add more shells if that would make you more comfortable, but we’ll be plenty distanced from the whole operation.” I hesitate. “I know how you value the Lofthouse name.”

“Shauny, the Lofthouse name is all we have in the end. When our money dries up, and it will one day, it’s our name that’ll keep the family going.”

I can picture her right now, standing in her little tower surrounded by all her paintings, a disapproving frown on her face. I know that look very well. I’ve been subject to it many times over the years.

“This is a solid asset, mother,” I say. “And if you’re going to block me, then I’ll use my own trust to make the purchase.”

She laughs. “That would nearly deplete it for… years.”

“It would,” I agree. “I’m willing to take that risk. But I should warn you, I won’t use a shell company. This will be my project under my own name.”

She’s quiet for a long moment. This is a gamble and I know it, but I’m not bluffing.

Each Lofthouse child has their own trust. It’s a set amount of money per year. There are certain stipulations that allow us to take out more than a single year’s worth of money, but the conditions have to be right. Purchasing a valuable asset, such as a company, is one such condition. However, I won’t be able to touch any of my other money for years to come until I’ve caught up.

I did the math. If I buy this company from my own trust, it’ll cost me five years before the money starts to flow again.

“Interesting play,” she says. “I have to admit, I applaud you.”

“Thanks,” I say.

“You think my desire to protect the family name will outweigh my desire to protect the family’s money. But what you don’t know is that there’s a difference between your reputation and the family’s.”

I tense. “I am the family.”

“You’re a part of the family, dear. I can easily disown you if I so choose.”

“Not legally, you can’t.”

She snorts. “As if it matters.”

“What’s your decision, mother?”

She’s quiet for a long moment. I feel my heart beating hard. Either way, whatever she says, I’m moving forward with this plan. But her decision now will affect me for years to come.

“I’ll split the difference,” she says.

“How will that work?”

“Half the money from your trust. Half the money from the family. We still use a shell company, as you’ve set it up now.”

I frown. “Half the profits go directly into my pocket, then.”

“Fine. Work it out with the lawyers.”

“I’ll call them soon.”

“Good. And Shauny? Good luck. I really do mean it.”

The line goes dead.

I toss the phone onto my bed and walk into the bathroom. I stare at myself in the mirror for a long moment.