Twice Over

Chapter Forty Nine - Libel

libel
noun
1. a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation
2. (in admiralty and ecclesiastical law) a plaintiff's written declaration

"May I please be excused also, daddy? I have a homework assignment due soon I need to work on."

"No, you stay. I haven't heard from you what happened after school today, ah-ah-aah." Eyva started to speak when he cut her off.

"You need to know, before you start declaring that your step sister hates you and out to get you, Lily said you were as much a victim as she was in what happened outside the school gates. I've seen the video - yes, there is video evidence - and I can't see your involvement in the event either way. I only heard you saying you'll catch a taxi." He gave her a I'm not impressed with you as you never take taxi's vibe that caused her to freeze in her seat.

"Oh. OK, then." She nodded at her father.

"Eyva, you didn't help things with your play acting, and you didn't clear things up either. I'd like to see you helping your step sister a lot more than you do from here on out, understand?"

"Yes, daddy. I understand." She spoke in a small voice.

"From what I understand, your school mates learned you were left without a driver and vehicle and they approached Lily and started demanding she give her car and driver to you. There were a lot of derogatory names said and statements that could be taken as libel.

"There were some nasty statements declared alluding to Lily stealing from the estate; a few things said about her not helping her step sister which is a tarnish on her reputation, and she was threatened to have her own car and her employee stolen from her while she made her own way home on crutches."

"It got out of hand really fast, Daddy." Eyva looked sad at her father, but kept the tears locked in.

"It did get out of hand really fast. That is why I'm not going to punish you for not coming to your step sister's aid and stopping the whole thing from snow-balling. I will speak with the school tomorrow about how they are going to ensure this kind of prejudice action doesn't happen again to their new students and ask them to facilitate a meeting with the students involved and their parents.

"This will not happen again. And Eyva?" She looks up at him while he gives her a serious look. "If I hear this happening again to your step sister, or anything like it at the school, there will be sever consequences for you. This didn't happen in a vacuum. Somebody paved a way for this kind of abject prejudice against Lily, and I'd like you to find out who is was and make them stop. Can you do this for me, baby girl?"

"Yes, Daddy. I will look into it."

"Thank you. You may leave now. Enjoy your study and rest."

"Thanks. Love you daddy."

"Love you too, Eyva. Rest well." He stood up and kissed her on the head and let her leave the room. Patricia and I then followed him out to the patio out back where there was an airy outdoor seating by a wood fire and pizza oven.

"Oh, pizza oven. We should cook our own pizza's on the weekend. That would be enjoyable."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll let Chef Greene know."

We all sit down and I put my healing knee up on the long chair while Patricia lays a blanket over me before sitting down herself.

"OK. From what I've heard from your mother, you found Ms Palmer beside the lake last weekend and offered her a job. I'm concerned about how this is going to affect your company's reputation due to her... pretty diabolical reputation as it currently stands. I know you have a good head on your shoulders, so this isn't something you would do on a whim. You know something that I don't know. So I'd like to know what that is, before I will allow Ms Palmers free reign in my home and around my children."

"Oh, ah, yeah. I didn't really think about your kids and the potential splash over to your reputation, Wallace. I apologise to for this. Very much. I'm sorry for not thinking that through clearly. But that having been said, I will not let Ms Palmers go for any money in the world. And you're not allowed to poach her. At. All..." I get my gruff on.

"I wouldn't dream of it." I can hear the smile in his voice.

"You're saying that now, but when she takes over managing five different companies with a turnover of billions... Do. Not. Come. Crying!"

"OK, I hear you. You place great value in her knowledge and expertise. But you have to know that her previous partnerships have all fallen through, both professionally and personally. She is what we now call a worm-burner. Its a golfing term, but it fits her situation."

"She'll be slow getting off the ground. Yeah, I get that, but I don't think she will." I look at Patricia and see nothing of what she is thinking on her face. OK, how to say this all succulently.