Found My Fate.

Chapter 19

LISA'S POV
A soft vibrating noise woke me up. It was still dark outside. The clock read two o'clock. Reaching to the bedside table, I grabbed my phone, looked at the screen and was instantly awake. I jumped up, swung my legs over the bed (which I regretted from the sudden pain) and pressed the on button.
"Daddy?" I questioned.
"Hi Sweetie." He answered.
"Is everything alright? Is mom okay?" I felt panicked.
"Everything is fine. I wanted to call you." He was casual.
"You has me worried. It's two in the morning."
"Oh. Sorry. I forgot the time change." He apologized. "I wanted to call and tell you that I'm coming out in a couple of days."
"That would be Monday?"
"You got it. It's your mother's birthday coming up and I need your help."
"Why didn't Rebekah help you?"
"It's busy at the office and the kids are crazy right now. Come on little girl. Help your old dad."
"Well yeah. Of course. It's just a long way to come for a birthday present."
"I have another motive as well."
"Which is?"
"Will you musician friend be there?"
"Uh...." I lost all my thoughts.
"Lisa? I would like to meet this man that you talk so much about."
"He is home. Okay but do t be 'that' father who interrogates."
"Never. I'll see you Monday."
"Alright. Love you. And give mom a hug for me."
"Will do. Love you."
I switched off the phone, sighed deeply and looked back at Shannon. His eyes were open.
"Did I wake you up?" I asked.
"Just jumping off the bed." He reached out to touch my arm.
"So you heard?"
"Should I run?"
"Only if you don't want t meet him. I'll understand if you don't."
"Why wouldn't I? Are you scared that he won't like me?"
I lay back down and set my head on is shoulder, reached over to wrap my fingers through his. "I've never need his approval. Nothing could make me not love you. I should tell you some things before you meet him though."
"Can it wait? I'm still tired."
"It can."
"Good." His arms held me close as we fell asleep once more.

JARED's POV
"Holy shit! She's an heiress!" I looked up from my blackberry.
"What are you talking about?" Tomo was making himself and Vicki breakfast.
"I was looking at some sites that did wildlife and forest conservation. The primo corporation is the Midwest Conservation Corporation. They mostly own land as wildlife reserves and produce environmentally friendly equipment for homes and businesses."
"So what does that have to do with us?"
"Not us. Lisa. Her father is the CEO."
"Cool."
"But if she's rich, why does she work in an art gallery?"
"Do you think Shannon knows?" Vicki asked as Tomo gave her a plate of French toast.
"Knows what?" Lisa came out of the bedroom.
"Hey. Morning." Tomo greeted.
"Morning. What's all the excitement about?" She walked to the cupboard.
"I found something that kind of surprised me." I explained. "I was just telling Tomo and Vicki."
"I find that hard to believe."
"Have a look." I handed her my phone.
The look on her face was uncertainty. "You just found this?"
"I was researching some ideas for a new video."
She gave the blackberry back. "I never kept that a secret. It's not who I am, it's my family."
It's great, what you family is involved with."
"Do you know what happens when people find out? They think that the company makes money off the environment. My father has be an activist forever. His second love only to us. I don't work for them because my sister is in charge and I have a different life, not defined by the company. If I was needed, I'd be gone in a shot. I worked for my education but that work involved a lot of cleaning environmental messes. I scrubbed shorelines and animals for my entire college career." Lisa rapidly explained.
"We're not condemning you for having money. We're all about conservation." I reasoned.
"For sure. Las tour our buses were converted to run on biofuel." Tomo added.
"Really? So you don't think Shannon will be upset that I haven't mentioned it before?"
"Are you crazy? He'll probably love you even more now." I laughed.
"If that's possible." Vicki added.
"What's possible?" Shannon came to join us.
He was told everything. As I said, he was excited about it. He couldn't wait to meet her father (which surprised me) and talk about the wildlife reserves.
"I knew that you were too good for LA." Shannon said when we were done.
"Just right if you ask me." Vicki nodded.
"I just wanted you to know me, not my family's company." Lisa searches for something for breakfast.
"It made you a person that cares about everything."
"Yeah but there are times I want to e selfish."
"You just let me know when and I'll let you be ass selfish as you want to be." Shannon was being suggestive.
Tomo laughed. "Now that kind of selfishness is fun."
Vicki blushed.

LISA'S POV
I was so happy that my family's money wouldn't change how these people thought of me. In the short week, I'd come to enjoy all of their company. They asked and I told them of the trips to clean up oil spills, stop parts of the rainforests from being torn down and watching a panda cub take it's first steps.
"You had a wonderful childhood. Being able to do all that." Vicki was amazed.
"I felt privileged to go to those places. I had to help somehow. The only thing I couldn't do was go after whaling boats. My parents didn't want me in that kind of danger. And my mother didn't want me on a ship with all those men." I smiled.
"It could get lonely out there." Tom shrugged.
"I was sixteen." I told them.
"Oh. So you were a little sex kitten back then." Shannon wrapped his arms around me.
"That came in college." I replied.
He playfully bit my neck. Tomo, Vicki and I laughed.
"Hey guys!" Jared ran in from the back yard. "Wanna do something fun?"
"Can I throw that blackberry into traffic?" Shannon asked.
"Never. Listen. My publicist just sent me an invitation to an art showing tonight. I can bring whoever I want."
"Kind of last minute isn't it." Tomo shrugged.
"Wait a minute. Tonight? That wouldn't be a costume party would it?" I stood up and walked over.
"It is." Jared smiled.
"Asshole used my idea and went ahead with it."
"Can we go?" He was like a little kid.
"Your boss is having a costume party art show?" Shannon was puzzled.
"And guess who's art is being showed?"
We all exchanged glances. I was more than angry.
"Can you get costumes for tonight this late?" Tomo wondered.
"I know just where." Jared's face lit up.
"Fuck yeah we're going." Shannon exclaimed. "Little prick. I've got some words for him."
"Get behind me." I told him.