The News

1

Warm early morning light streaked across sky as Josh Henderson drove his sleek Mercedes-Benz up the driveway and came to a stop outside the entrance to the Henderson Villa. He waited after killing the engine and looked out the window at the wide expanse of the massive house that his paternal grandmother, Helen, had called home for most of the seventy years of her life. It was the place she called home after marrying her husband Philip, where they had both raised their five kids during holidays and weekends away from the bustle of Seattle City that plagued their flat in the city center. She and her husband had later both retired to this place after handing most of the control of Henderson Group of Companies to uncle Ben. He was the third child and second son in the family, two years older than his father Dave, with only one son, Mark, that everybody agreed was the worst example of a play boy. As the only child of his parents and the only one with such a status among the grandchildren, Mark had literally had the world served to him on a platter of gold. For all his faults, Mark was a real charmer, sweetly aggressive with his he handled business and wildly creative and full of ideas for almost anything imaginable. His other cousins were just there except for the quietly ruthless and highly ambitious Amelia.

Sighing at the flood of memories that certainly he didn’t wish to entertain, Josh stepped out of the car and made his way to the entrance door. His father had asked him to come for a family meeting merely ignoring his protest of a already hectic schedule. The rest of the family and his father were going to be present so Josh had to be there his father had sternly reminded him last morning before steering the conversation to business. His father breathed and lived it, much to the frustration of his now estranged wife, Linda. The oak door was flung open by Berry, the family butler who had stayed in the family for more than twenty years. Previous butlers had also stayed for almost as long but the relationship Berry had with the family went deeper than most would have known.

“Everyone’s waiting in the study, sir,” Berry informed him.

Josh acknowledged the statement and strode quickly through the foyer and into his grandfather’s study. During his childhood years, he had spent sometime at the villa until his late teens when he was packed to Portland and a new home and high school following his parents’ divorce. He still remembered every detail of the house; the high ceilings, cream-coloured walls, unique pieces of furniture (some old and others modern) and the flowery scent that permeated the house. Helen had a collection of flower gardens and pots scattered all over the house that she used to busy herself with. Now it was some house staff that attended to them on a constant basis.

Josh spied his father standing in the foyer, his phone pressed to his ear as he engaged in rapid conversation with someone on the other side. He drew closer and waited for his old man to finish before he raised his questions about the arranged meeting. As always he was dressed impeccably and casual style in a grey suit with his hair recently trimmed. Dave was fond of leaving his hair to grow out before trimming, something Josh believed had to do with his string of lovers. Before his divorce, Dave was a stickler for short hair. His mother, had shared the same ideals, drilling that and others into him from a tender age. Where his parents weren’t around for a variety of reasons, the house staff picked up the slack. Dave soon came to his side, his hands tucked into his pockets.

“Dad, what is going on?”

His father only shrugged. “Nothing much. Nana wants to discuss somethings as it pertains to the family business.”

Josh didn’t have to wonder if it involved who would be the next successor of Nana as the president of Henderson Group, a position she held largely on paper. She was involved in some decision making but for the last twenty years, Uncle Ben had been in charge along with a recently constituted board of trustees none of the family lawyers nor Nana had cared to explain the need for.

Josh knew well that his father had assured him about succeeding Nana as the president of the Henderson Company among the grandchildren in the family once he proved himself. That was more than five years ago since he had last had that conversation with his father. And still Uncle Ben was in charge with Mark looking every inch the heir apparent which wasn’t surprising. Mark found pleasure in thinking himself an important personality in the family. Dave himself only held a nominal position in the company’s board of trustees along with Aunt Mary, the eldest of Helen’s children.

However, SkyView Corporation held Dave’s attention and his sister was more passionate about the arts than anything else, except of course her youngest child, Amelia who had secured a managerial spot fresh from college at twenty-four.

Together the men walked into the grand study that had once been Philip’s before his passing some twelve years ago from cancer. Nana had taken to using it after his death, abandoning hers which was just further down the hall. The room was packed with family members sitting in the various sofas inside and the additional chairs brought in.

Nana ambled into the room, with a walking stick at her side. At eighty she was as alert and aware of her surroundings as anyone else. Unfortunately, her battle with arthritis had confined her mostly to her room or the house for the last four years. She lowered herself gracefully into the her seat across the huge mahogany table and looked around her with sharp inquisitive eyes.

Ben and Philippa, Helen’s second daughter sat across from her. Josh expected his uncle to be apprehensive over the meeting but instead he face was calm. Philippa’s eyes on the other hand searched the room, probably trying to find her son, Maxwell who kept poorly to time.

Helen motioned for quiet. “I will be brief about my announcement, I need to get back tommy room to finish up on a book,” Helen’s voice cut through the silence of the room.

“I was supposed to announce who my next successor would be as President of the family business but I have changed my mind. I will make my appointment when I am satisfied that I have found someone worthy to step into my shoes.”

A murmur passed through room, and Helen narrowed her eyes in disapproval. She always did that when she wanted her word to be last, and almost everybody in the family had been subjected to that gaze at least once in their life.

“I will say that certainly it won’t be any of my children.”

A pause as she let her words sink in. Philippa glanced at Ben then drew her eyes to Dave. Their eyes met and he raised a brow before looking back at his mother.

“Why do you want that?” Mary asked, her eyes speaking the curiosity others shared.

“Because I want it to be that way.” Mary looked puzzled and was about to ask another question when her mother cut her. “And your father was in support of it before he passed away,” she explained.

“What I do want from everyone is an understanding that when I finally pick my successor, you all will be in support of my decision.” Helen looked around the room with a stern expression that commanded a murmur of agreement.

“When do you want to announce your successor, Nana?” Mark asked, his eyes expressionless. She only shrugged and declared it will be when she’s ready. There wasn’t much anyone could do or say to change her mind so no one said anything. If Helen had made a decision, she was almost certainly going ahead with that plan.

“That’s all I have to say. You may leave now,” she said rising from her seat.

As the room emptied, Josh rushed to his father’s side. “Is something going on?” Somewhere, Mary’s voice announced that she was going to take her breakfast.

Dave looked about him warily, then motioned him to follow him out. The duo walked down the hallway. A maid bristled by and Dave accosted her to bring refreshments. Ahead, Josh sighted Mark and his father disappearing into Nana’s old study. Josh led the way up the stairs and into a side room. It was one of those rooms in the Henderson Villa that his grandparents hadn’t properly designated. There were sofa chairs and tables in the anteroom complete with a and inside lay an inner room that held a single bed. It probably had been for visitors who couldn’t get the proper guest rooms that were definitely larger and more comfortable.

“You must understand that this is completely wrong what I’m about to do,” Dave began, “the information that I’m going to share but it’s important that you know just as anyone else.” Dave glanced at the door before walking up to the window and looked out at the back facing gardens. Josh knew them well enough since he had spent a great deal of his visits to the Villa hiding among the shrubs and alcoves of the garden to get away from pestering staff, notably Berry. Josh recollected Nana’s emotional distance from her grandchildren whenever they came around. And in all of his years of childhood, Josh had never seen or heard of Helen visiting her kids in their homes like the grandmothers of some of his friends and classmates. It was always the parents and children paying her visits.

His father’s figure loomed against the stream of sunlight that poured through the half drawn curtains. “There’s something you must know about Henderson group of companies.”

That wasn’t surprising. The family was renowned for having so many secrets that even the media would pay a fortune to get hold off. Theirs had been a socially reclusive family on the social scene, something that had only changed with the grandkids. Josh was sure that up till now, the public didn’t know about Mary and Bernard’s ties to the Henderson family. Only very close and senior staff at the company knew and it had been a unspoken company policy for them not to be mentioned unnecessarily at board meetings.

“It was founded by your great grandmother, Eunice, many years ago. Shortly after she got married,” Dave confessed.

“I thought Grandpa was the founder?” Josh asked. The family narrative was that Philip Henderson had built the company from scratch, that in a short while of its existence it became a force of reckoning in the business world.

There was knock on the door and a new maid entered in with a tray filled with refreshments. Surprisingly, there was no sign of any alcohol on it which Josh found strange. His father had a taste for alcohol at every given time of the day.

Dave shook his head. He poured himself some orange juice and took a long sip of before heading back to window. Josh reached out and took some home baked cookies. Whatever his father wanted to say, Josh knew that it would largely be unpleasant. The tension that rolled off his father was visible like a cloak and the long stretches of pauses told him that he was picking his words carefully.

“He managed it his entire life. But it was his mother who was largely behind it before he was even born. She’s the one who gave her husband, Edwin, the capital to start. There’s a long history about the family that you her great grandchildren don’t know about.”

Dave went on to inform him that Eunice Smith who came from a wealthy New York family had fallen in love with and gotten engaged to a certain Frederick Henderson.

“The family wasn’t in agreement because he came from a lower social class and they had already arranged for her to marry someone else. So naturally a disagreement ensued.”

“What happened?”

“Eunice was given hard options but she chose Frederick, and as a result was disinherited by the family because of the shame she brought upon them with her betrothed’s family. When she left them she didn’t have much on her except her personal savings which she gave to her husband to found a business.”

Because Edwin was bright and every enterprising he started off with a freight business he diversified into real estate endearing himself to the connections of his wife family and other wealthy clients. The business was a success. Before the third year of their marriage they had acquired the Henderson Villa, expanded to other business ventures and had staff reaching into hundreds on their payroll.

“So essentially the business was tied to her family not her husband?” Josh conjectured.

His father nodded in agreement. “She never changed her name after her marriage but Edwin was okay with it.”

“How does this affect the issue of a successor being chosen?” Josh inquired.

Dave stared long and hard at his son, desire and pride etched on his face. Josh thought he saw greying edges along his father’s hairline but he couldn’t be so sure. His father looked as ageless as ever “Not all of us are Smiths by blood, that I know of.” The revelation surprised and surprised Josh but before he could ask for clarification his father continued. “Helen like her mother-in-law doesn’t like the idea of someone thinking they are entitled to the family’s success without duly working for it. Essentially, she wants to vet her successor based on the type of spouse they have.”

Everything to do with the sagas and dramas in the family clicked in Josh’s mind. His mother, Mirabel, had never been on the good side of Nana for as long as he could remember, and even after his parents’ divorce Nana hadn’t expressed any regret. The same thing had happened with Phillipa who had ended up marrying a gold digger. The acrimony was messy and in the end the couple settled for separation rather than divorce. It was only Ben, Mary and Bernard who seems to be enjoying marital bliss and somehow a touch of their mother’s affections.

“The position can be yours but you have to work hard for it,” Dave said simply. He turned away from the window and took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs.

“Work for it?” Josh echoed.

Dave sighed, brushing his hand over his face. “I’m not supposed to tell you but I will give you the condition that Nana had in mind.”

“Which is?”

“See if you can marry an exceptionally reasonable and industrious lady within a week and you will get the rest of the information,” Dave answered.

“Marry within a week? How am I supposed to do that?”

“Isn’t Jane your lover?” Josh blinked. He couldn’t really say she was. Jane was more of a casual partner.

“She will do,” Dave declared, rising from his seat.

“Dad, we aren’t really lovers. You know that and I don’t think it will be proper for me to get her to say yes when I’m sure Nana knows about her.” Although his grandmother hardly expressed interest in her grandchildren she somehow kept a tab on them.

Dave turned and looked sharply at his son. “Do you want this position or not, Josh?” he demanded, his voice just below a shout.

“I do.”

“Then get to work.” And with that his father gulped down his drink.

“What about the issue of the Smith’s in the family?” he asked. Dave lifted a brow, and was quiet for many moments. “When you’re ready to know, I will tell you,” he dismissed and strode briskly out of the room. Minutes later, Josh saw his father’s Cadillac swing out of the gates of the Villa. Presumably, he was going for his one of his scheduled company meetings.

Get married within a week? Why else would his father make that demand from him? Sighing he left the room and went down the stairs, coming face to face with Mark, his cousin brother speaking on the phone. The two men exchanged cold looks.

“Yes, my love.” …..” I will pick you up at say, seven tonight.”

The call ended and Mark walked around to face Josh. Growing up they had been rivals more than friends at many things. School, games, even family meetings, there was an unspoken hostility between them. It even went as far as their fathers pushing them to do better but now Josh had a sickling feeling that there was more than met the eye. He hoped to get more information about the secret his father refused to divulge about the blood relations among Nana’s children.

“How’s your plan going with the Greenfield contract?” Mark asked, leaning against the stairs railing. Struggling to keep his ire under control, Josh gave a terse response. Things were going on well.

Platinum Investments was set to acquire another bank, increasing it’s portfolio and relevance in the finance sector. He hoped the plan would sail through as the competing company seemed to have deeper pockets than he had imagined. Fortunately, his friend and business partner, Alex McCord, was handling the deal and he was confident in his ability to secure a win.

“Good luck with that, and let’s hope the best man wins with regards to becoming Nana’s successor,” Mark smirked, before turning and disappearing down the corridor to the dining room.

Probably, Uncle Ben had also given Mark some insights about getting the position. The two had immediately disappeared into Nana’s old study barely after the meeting had ended. Josh glanced at his watch. It was a little after nine which meant he could have his breakfast before heading into the office as he didn’t particularly relish the fact of going to work with just a cup of coffee and nothing more. Especially when one considered today’s revelation. He smiled a little as he thought of Mrs. Hopkins, one of the first housekeepers his parents had employed. She’d always peached on the virtues of eating breakfast no matter what. He fished out his phone and dialled a number from memory. After three rings, a female answered.

“Jane, we need to talk,” Josh announced as he made his way to the dining.