Cut And Dried

To Little To Late?

Brent

I couldn't believe that after all this time my parents had decided to visit out of the blue, no contact from them in what four, five years and now they just show up unannounced, this immediately put my guard up, if they were here now then they were up to no good that's for sure.

"Well" I asked moving to the side of the lounge where I deposited my bag and jacket, turning back to face them, my mother with her sickly innocent grin and my father with his hard edged no nonsense manner.

My father stood and paced back and forth across the room, head bowed slightly resting his forehead in the palm of his hand.

" Look Brent there is no easy way to tell you this, but I going to have to give up the business, my health is deteriorating and I have serious medical problems, I need someone to take the reins of the company and that someone is you"

I stared at my father, even if he was in ill health he was still demanding, sure I was a bit stunned at the news but with his past record I was not entirely convinced this wasn't another ruse.

Plus he still didn't ask me if that was what I wanted he just expected and that made my blood boil, after all their conniving and attempts to split me and Chrissie up and  trying to force me into a marriage I didn't want and now still trying to force me to take over the running of  the family business.

" God you two really are a piece work aren't you"

"Watch your tongue Brent, I'm still your father" he snapped.

I rounded on him anger apparent in my eye's, making him take a hesitant step back.

"Only in name you gave up your right to be a father figure to me, when you disowned me five years ago and when you tried to split Chrissie and me up, you never had any thoughts about what I wanted, only about what you wanted"

I was on a roll now all my pent up feelings that I had held in check all these years now came to the fore and I wasn't about to hold back anymore.

"You have tried to manipulated my life to your own ends, you never supported me in anything I wanted to do, no! it was all what you wanted, you drove Britney away, then me and now Claudia and Destiny, yet you still haven't learnt a thing still demanding, well let me tell you..."

And I did all about our banding together to fight against our parents how we stood up for each other and helped each of us to get what we wanted from life, and he should of listened to me five years ago ,when I told them straight, I wasn't interested after finding out about their involvement in breaking Chrissie and me up, I let it all out and at the end they had looks of horror on their faces.

That's outrageous" my mother cried out in anger. "How could you after all we did for you"

"No!" I bellowed. "Not what you did for us, what you did for yourselves, you never gave a damn about us, we were and still are accessories to your business, well let me tell you I am sick and tired of you, your attitude and your business and as for me taking over the reins not a chance in hell"

"But son...." pleaded my father.

"No!" I reiterated, I will do nothing for you, because you did nothing for me, your behaviour lost you your whole family though your selfishness and greed, prove to me you both can change and embrace your family, treat us as family and your children, not a commodity and I will consider doing something for you"

"Oh Brent, stop being silly and childish, you know you've got to take over the company, now don't let her tell you what to do, she's trying to wreak our family in getting you to move to England, put her in her place"

"Mother you're impossible, her has a name and is my wife and she is more my family than you have ever been, I have explained what you must do, now if you don't mind, Chrissie and I have plans for tonight and you have out stayed you're welcome so please leave"

Amid more arguing and protestations I herded my parents out the door not willing to give an inch as they continued to argue, accuse and threaten.

Finally watching them disappear down the driveway, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" Came that sweet melodic sound that could tame my anger and frustration, turning my head in the direction of the voice, I couldn't help the genuine smile that spread across my face as the two loves of my life stared back at me, Brandon arms clinging around Chrissie's neck as she held him on her hip.

Moving towards the pair, I pulled then into a hug.

"Yes I'm fine love, just tired, long day"

"Well, I will heat your dinner up for you if you like, while you change" her soft voice working miracles on my stress levels.

"That sound great, won't be long" giving each a swift kiss on their foreheads before grabbing my bag and jacket and heading upstairs.

With dinner dispensed with and the dishwasher filled, Brandon settled down for the night, Chrissie and I curled up on the sofa, the TV was on, but neither of us were watching it, just sitting lost in our own thought's.

"Do you think your parents will ever relent and recognise their mistakes?" Chrissie asked out the blue.

"I honesty don't know, all we can do is hope, we've all tried to tell them over the years and now you and I have reiterated the problem, so it's in their hands now.

                                    °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Mr Simons

"No!" I will do nothing for you, because you did nothing for me, your behaviour lost you your whole family though your selfishness and greed, prove to me you both can change and embrace your family, treat us as family and your children, not a commodity and I will consider doing something for you"

Those words played over and over in my head, had I been that negligent towards my kids, was I really that obsessed with my business, admittedly I wasn't at home much as I worked long hours but I did it for them, I just thought it's what they would want, a job to walk straight into, to have lots of money, no worries other than work related, was I wrong?

I could hear Elena still raging on about how he should respect his parents and bide by their decisions, as we knew what was best for them, but I had closed out her whining voice a long time ago.

However listening to my wife's rantings I was beginning to suspect my son was right and the more I thought back to my past behaviour the more I was convinced he maybe right.

But how do I go about repairing the damage caused, I had no idea, but I had to do something the doctor's gave me three years tops and less if I didn't give up work straight away.

God had I really been that blind and why the hell doesn't Elena shut the fuck up!