A Billionaire in Disguise #3 ： The Wrong Side of Midnight(34)

At twelve-thirty, Matthew spotted the guys taking a break for lunch. He'd just gotten off the phone with his father-in-law about starting the new job and was still reeling with excitement over some of the things they discussed. He began beeping the horn as soon as he got close to the worksite. The new truck he was driving was the same as his own, only in black. John looked up and smiled when he saw his buddy's red pickup park out front, but the black truck laying on the horn was making him worried. Out of concern, he walked across the lawn to the street. He watched as Chloe stepped out from the red truck, and Matthew got out of the black one.

"Holy! You bought a second one? Nice!" John walked over and patted Matthew on the back.

"Here, catch." John caught the keys in the air.

"Hey, I'd love to take it for a ride, but I don't want to get it all dirty."

"Climb in a second."

John brushed himself off and then climbed in the driver's seat while Matthew held the door open.

"Me and you don't beat around the bush, so I'm just going to ask you."

"Shoot. This is nice by the way."

"Have you been working in the business because you couldn't find another job, or was it just to help out me and my dad?"

"I can find work, Matt, that wasn't the truth what I said before. I saw you struggling to make ends meet, and I had to help you. I figured we'd make it or fall on our faces, but either way, we'd do it together."

"I'm dumping the business."

"I never said I could find a job that fast!"

"I've been given an opportunity to take over Burlington Enterprises. I never dreamed that something like this would ever happen to me, and because you stuck by me during all my struggles, I want you by my side in all my successes. Earl is going to teach me everything I need to know, and I'd love to have a second in command to learn with me. I talked to Earl and the job's yours if you want it. Let's get a better life and get the hell out of Detroit, bro."


 

 

 

"Are you serious?"

"Very. We'll start in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, we're prepared to offer the crew nice severance checks right now and cancel any of our other jobs. We'll be done with it."

"I don't know what I'm going to do for two weeks. The guys will be okay, but I only have about four hundred saved up, and rent's due soon. We probably won't get paid for a couple weeks after we start, so I might be knocking on your door for a bite to eat!" John burst out laughing but he couldn't have been more serious.

"Thanks, man." Matthew hugged him close and then he went to Chloe. She reached up and kissed him before handing him the small stack of checks. He whispered his news to her and watched as she smiled wide.

He tried to keep a serious face as he approached his best friend. "Thank you for your incredible devotion, your friendship, and for helping me keep this business above water for my pops." Matthew handed him a check for a hundred thousand dollars. "And that's your truck, John. You're the best." Matthew hugged the man again, who was standing there in total shock. Before he could speak, Matthew went to the rest of the crew and handed them checks based on the years they served. All of the amounts were quite nice. The only request was that they stay and finish the job, and they all happily agreed.

After talking with John for a few minutes, they headed back to the apartments. Matthew reached over and picked up his wife's hand and kissed it. He couldn't believe how free he felt without having the heavy burden of the roofing business on his shoulders. It was Chloe who helped him make the most difficult decision of his life; to let go of something he was doing out of honor. His guilt wouldn't allow him to admit that all his efforts were slowly draining the life out of him.

While they drove to the apartments, Chloe couldn't help but notice how relaxed Matthew seemed. Usually their conversations seemed to frequently include upcoming jobs, meeting the payroll, and how much equipment they needed but couldn't afford. He refused to allow Chloe to help.

As they approached the parking lot, Matthew laughed. "She's either going to slap us or hug us."

They sat down together, and Matthew did his best to convince her to leave Detroit and make a better life for herself. Chloe listed all the reasons why she should sell the building and move to a safer area where they'd all still be close. Sherry thanked them for their offer, but her job was running the apartments, and she loved the tenants like family.

"I can always come visit you, but my place is here. I was born and raised in Detroit, Matthew, and even though it gets rough at times, it's my home. There'll come a time when I want to retire these old bones, but I have lots of family in Virginia, and that's where I'd go." 

"I feel bad about moving out, Sherry, when you've done nothing but be kind to me."

"Chloe, I'll always love you and Matthew, but trust me when I say I'll be okay. I love it here."

After drinking a perfectly brewed cup of coffee with her, they headed upstairs to talk with Conner. When he heard all about letting the business end, the same relief that Matthew experienced was evident within his father.

"Thank God, son. You're doing the right thing, and I'm proud of you for being willing to walk in unknown territory. It can't be easy for you to take on a job like that at Burlington, but it's what's best for your family."

Convincing Conner to move out of a home he's been in for decades was a lot easier than what they thought it'd be. He was more than thrilled to have something new in his life. Before now, he didn't care what happened to him. He sat around waiting for his time on earth to come to an end, but now he had a new chapter in life to look forward to. Grandchildren.

Chloe, Sylvia, and Becky went shopping for land to build a house on while Earl, John, and Matthew were at work. Sylvia had really begun to bond with her daughter and continued to periodically apologize for all the years she ran away from someone who was so innocent and beautiful. She loved getting up in the mornings and having breakfast with Chloe before starting their day. At first it was difficult to be called 'Mom' by her daughter, because that was a title that should have been earned through years of celebration and heartache, neither of which Sylvia got close enough to experience.

When the subject of grandchildren came up, Chloe could easily watch her mother's body grow tense. She'd begin to slightly stutter and change the subject.

"You don't have to be afraid of being a grandmother. This is your opportunity to bond with a baby you'll have a lifelong relationship with."

"It's not so much that I'm afraid of the same things I used to be fearful of. I just have no idea how to care for an infant."

"I'll teach you, and if I'm out some place and you're babysitting, call Becky. She's great with kids."

"Perhaps you should just ask Becky-"

"No. No more running, Mom."

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

They found the land they'd like to live on, and plans to start building would begin in spring the following year. Before winter hit and the roads could get bad, they moved Conner to a nice condominium that'd be near their new home, and only seven miles away from the Burlington's. He loved the many windows and all the brightness, not to mention the yard to stroll around in. He had a neighbor named Bill, a sixty-two year old widower. Bill had four grandkids, which made Conner push the subject at Matthew and Chloe whenever he saw them. They were happy to see Conner get out of the house some with his neighbor, who happened to have a car.

Chloe scheduled regular appointments for her father-in-law with a respiratory specialist, and even though his original diagnosis was correct, he was responding very well to the new medications, and his healthy lifestyle was adding to his ability to breathe easier. He no longer needed oxygen or his wheelchair, and he only coughed a little in the mornings, but the episodes didn't leave him feeling breathless.

Matthew and Chloe cracked up the first time they stopped by unannounced to visit Conner and he wasn't there. They waited for a while, and finally he showed up getting out of Bill's car. He casually mentioned to Matthew how nice it was to get out, but he always had to wait until his neighbor was free. The following week they took him to a dealership to test drive some cars. Matthew sat in the front while Chloe rode in the back, and Conner drove nicely until he ran up a curb, taking out some woman's mailbox. They gave her a hundred dollar bill and returned the car with a damaged fender to the lot, along with their insurance information. The next day, not wanting him to feel discouraged, they went looking for cars again. Conner hit an SUV on the way out of the parking lot. Chloe made an appointment to have his vision checked and found out he was in desperate need of glasses. After that, he drove without problems in his new little Ford Focus he picked out himself.


 

 

 

John decided to rent a nice apartment near Burlington Enterprises until he could find a house he wanted to buy. He had no desire in going through all the headaches of building, and after watching Matthew and Chloe squabble over what room would go where, he was sure he made the right decision. He loved his new job and all the responsibility that came with it. The men and women who worked directly underneath him offered nothing less than respect. One thing he learned from watching Matthew run the roofing business was that you're treated by others how you treat them. His office was on the floor below his friend, and he never hesitated to take the elevator up just to rob his candy dish. As a joke, Matthew started leaving a dog bowl full of candy on the floor outside his office door. He threatened anyone who even thought about removing it. The playfulness and liveliness the staff was exposed to with their two new bosses really raised the office morale.