Twice Over

Chapter 105 - Epitome

epitome
noun
1. a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type.
2. a summary of a written work; an abstract.

Both Jac-Jac and Eyva were at Grandma and Grandpa Overmeyer's home when we went for a visit. Patricia presented a bag of Crystal Pear children's pyjama's in Jac-Jac's size for his use while at his grandparent's place. Eyva pulled me into a hug as she had also received a call from Wallace regarding my mother's whereabouts. She gave me quiet words of comfort then sat down on the other side of me at the dinner table.

Dinner was lovely with the grandparents and my new family. I spent much of that time feeding Jac-Jac and thinking about how different this experience was compared to my last timeline 'before'. This felt like a real family. I mean, it was till awkward being at the dinner table with Mr & Mrs Senior Overmeyer, as they had still insisted on me changing into the dress provided for the meal together. We spoke politely about our day, answered carefully any direct questions given, then bragged a little of each of our achievements.

Eyva's head wound was healing really well, but she still could not remembered anything of her past. She was preparing for a trip overseas to have a break from it all and clear her head. I fully supported her on this endeavour, but I denied her request to go without a bodyguard. She got in a huff at me about that until I quietly reminded her who her father was and she changed her attitude quickly.

There was no way Wallace would let her go overseas by herself. Wallace had made too many enemies and too much money. She would be a sitting duck on her own. She finished her meal quietly after that, probably thinking about things. I just hope that she didn't do anything stupid, like run away from her baby sitting team. Team, yes, as I am certain that Wallace would send her off on her travelling holiday with more than one bodyguard.

Jac-Jac was so lovely to be around and in may ways reminded me of the little Yorkie puppy we'd met this morning. I text Grant requesting him to send me the pics and video he'd recorded of the puppy and I. After dinner, Jac-Jac and I spent an hour lying on the couch viewing them together and laughing at the pics. He giggled every time the puppy 'ate my chin', then proceeded to demand a puppy of his own. I decided to let Grandma make the decisions on that topic before quietly slipping out of the room to go find Grandpa Overmeyer in his study upstairs.

"Grandpa, may I come in, please?" I asked after knocking on his door. An estate butler opened the door, looking very regal in his butler uniform, complete with black tie and white gloves.

"Ms Twice, a pleasure to see you again. Mr Overmeyer has invited you in." He opened the door and gave a little bow as I passed him on by.

"Thank you, Jules. You are looking very dandy today, as always." I replied with a smile. He laughed and followed me in to help me sit myself on the wing back chair opposite my Grandpa's. A light, after dinner tea was served after I seated myself.

"Lily, you are looking lovely today, My Dear. How is your knee healing?" Grandpa put down the book he was reading on his side table and gave me his full attention. Dark grey wavy hair, almond shaped eyes, black moustache, he was the epitome of regal gentleman. Dressed in a double breasted cream sweater over dark kharkis, the elder man seemed to be very laid back in his own domain.

He has always been a cheery sort of fellow, happy to joke and use humour to make people feel at ease. This part of his social took-kit makes you forget that he was the Overmeyer company Chairman before his son took over his job. Ruthless in business dealings, brilliant in money matters, and fearless when it comes to investments because he always does his homework.

"My knee is healing really well, thank you. I have another few months of physio therapy before it will be fully healed, but it is going well." I smiled then took a sip of the tea that Jules served me.

"And your university classes? Are your studies going well?" He continued to ask as I answered. It went that way for another ten minutes until finally moved onto asking me for the reason why I'd sought him out.

"A couple of things, really. Firstly, I was wondering if you knew of the investment portfolio that I've begun to build for myself. Could I please make an appointment with you in the next few weeks for you to take a look at it? I'd like to have your opinion on all of my investments." I leaned forward in my seat, letting him know non-verbally that I was very keen for this to happen.

Actually, I didn't need his opinion nor his help as I already know from my future 'before' that each of the companies that I'd invested in will thrive for the next eight years or more. There are two more companies that will begin their start-ups in the next three years that I have a mind to invest in and stake a claim, but those will have to wait.

What I want from Grandpa Overmeyer is not his business intelligence, although I know that I should learn as much as I can from the wealthy businessman. What I really want from Grandpa Overmeyer is to ingratiate myself to him. I just want his backing and support. So this is how I plan to get it.

"Yes, this can be arranged." He said after a paused moment. Then he waved for me to continue. "Any the second thing you'd like to ask?" He smiled, amused at my antics. I could tell that he saw through me so I just quit with all the games and just straight out asked him what I really had come to start with him tonight.

"I want you to ask your a peculiar question." I paused to gage how he would respond to this. Mr Overmeyer Senior is not your ordinary retired businessman and family patriarch. He has had many dealings, good and bad, behind the scenes that even his own son and wife new nothing about for a long time.

When I spend years dealing with the aftermath of Jac-Jac's death and my family betrayal in my first 'timeline', chased from city to city by vindictive people dead-set on destroying my life to hide their own sins, I could only focus on my own survival and nothing else. When I was finally caught and incarcerated in the mental hospital and piratically tortured for nearly two years, I spent a lot of time in solitary confinement, thinking about a lot of things, and a lot of different people. Grandpa Overmeyer was on my mind often.

Then, for good behaviour, I was released back into the general inmate populace and given regular access to print media for reading and entertainment. The common rooms always played the daily news on the television and many types of magazines were dumped for inmates to read after the staff members had finished with them.

About seven years from now, it will be discovered that Mr Overmeyer Senior is a major contributor to many humanitarian works in our country and around the world. He is so filthy rich that he gives eighty percent of his income to disaster relief, women's refuges, orphanages and clean water projects around the globe.

I have a feeling that this elder gentleman opposite me never meant for this part of his business dealings to be exposed publicly, as he is a very private person. Behind the facade of a caring, wealthy businessman and grand father, he is the epitome of a quality national leader. But he never asked for anything in return, never exposed his philanthropy dealings, never received any commendation rewards for his efforts, and never exposed himself until it was all exposed for him. And even then, he played it all down, minimising his role in it all.

But there is so much to be admired in what he does and who he is as a real person, not just a face on the screen or in print. Since learning that about this incredible new Grandpa of mine, I decided, even back then while being locked up with no future in sight, that if I could do it all over again, then I would get to know him, his caring ways and try emulate him a lot more. My second time around, I would aspire to follow in his very caring footsteps... if I can manage to get him to show me the way.

I took a deep breath and looked up from where I'd been focusing on my thumb nails and ask Mr Overmeyer Senior, my new Grandpa a very strange question.

"Grandpa Overmeyer, if you knew when and where the future events of national disasters would take place, how would you go about setting up disaster relief in those areas before the events take place to mitigate loss of human and animal life?"