Mike and Maggie get caught; Mike meets his naked mother-in-law and learns Evie is willing to share. Mother's secretary comes to house for a visit. Hope you enjoy. Jb7
Chapter 4
Part XLIII
Mike woke in the morning to the sound of the shower. As he sleepily staggered toward the bathroom, the sound stopped. Maggie was just stepping out of the shower when he opened the door and stepped in. "Morning, love," she greeted him.
"Mmrng," he grunted as he plopped down on the toilet and released his bladder.
"My, aren't we chipper this morning," she laughed. "I'll go down and start breakfast as soon as I put some panties on."
"Panties? I thought..."
"Biology, sweetheart. I'm sorry, but my damaged uterus decided to be nasty this week. I'm afraid it's off limits for a few days."
"Grumble, grumble," muttered Mike, and laughed. "Somehow, that figures. Almost enough to make you wonder if God isn't trying to tell us something. I'll be right down. Let me catch a shower first."
After some cereal, toast and coffee, Mike went into his father's office to work on the proposal he would present to him. Before they had started for the cabin, he had called his parents' attorneys and asked them to provide appraisals for both the house and the apartment where his father was staying. Looking at them, he had to laugh. The appraisal for the house, provided by his father's attorney, and the one for the apartment, provided by his mother's, were only about two percent apart, with the apartment being worth more.
He looked at the family's stocks and bonds. Over the years, his father had invested wisely, purchasing a mix of mutual funds and individual companies. When he had invested in a particular company, he had bought in partial blocks, usually ten shares at a time, making division of them easy.
In the few instances where there were an odd number of stocks or mutual fund shares, he proposed disposing of the odd shares and the money added to the cash accounts the family held.
Satisfied, he booted up the computer, called up the spread sheet program and began typing. He was done about ten-thirty, and printed up the draft to show his mother. On his way to get dressed for his meeting with Evie, he left the document on the kitchen table.
In his bedroom he found that Maggie had been busy ironing his slacks and a shirt for his appointment. He was just buttoning his shirt when she came in with the draft, wearing a pair of dark blue boy shorts.
"This is a great idea, Mike; do you think he'll go for it?"
"I think so; hope so. It keeps everything in the family except for a few stocks and mutual fund shares no body really cares about. It pretty much divides everything else equally, giving him a little edge in property value. He gives up some stock in the company, but you give up more."
"And you kids get the cabin and a bigger share of the company, and he keeps his job as CEO."
"Unless the three of us go together and vote him out," Mike grinned.
"Mmm," Maggie said, with a devilish smile in her eyes. "Nah, I'll keep mine as vice president," she said with a laugh. "I don't have to travel, and I can leave the office when I want." She glanced at the sheet. "Good. I see you included support for Ellie while she's in school. When are you going to show it to him?"
"Not until after the fourth. I want him to think I had to work hard to earn his money. I'm not going to tell him you approved it, either, but present it as a possible settlement."
"What if he doesn't accept it? What if he wants all the company stock?"
"Then he'll have to give up the community property or its cash equivalent. That's all he has to bargain with. Based on current prices, he doesn't have enough to buy it all back. He might want you out, though, if he sees you as a negative influence in the company."
"I could do that, but my shares would go to you kids, not him, with the stipulation that you keep them for at least a year, and they must be purchased at their representative value, based on the total value of the physical company at the time of sale."
"I'll keep that back as a bargaining chip, but I was thinking of your job as VP. He might not want you around the office, even if you keep the stock."
"Then he'll have to pay me alimony, since I wouldn't have a job. His choice."
Mike nodded. "Okay, well I gotta run. Can't keep my new boss waiting."
Maggie smiled. "Tell her I'm looking forward to tonight, even with the rain."
Nodding, he replied, "I should be back around two. I have to stop and get some groceries."
"Okay. Since I'm supposed to become more socially active, I think I'll drop in at the Club and see who's there. Evelyn should be here about six-thirty?" Mike nodded. "Dinner at seven, seven-thirty?" He nodded again. "I should be home by five, then. I'll keep my eye open for suitable replacements," she finished, with a teasing smile.
"Love you, too, Meg," he answered. "Later," he said, waving, and was out the door.
Part XLIV