Stanford Powell was giving his sister Deanna Maxwell a penetrating stare. She was good looking, honey blond and blue eyed. She was also the black sheep of the family. And now she was here to ask for a favor. Stanford was younger and the whole opposite of Deanna. She was attracted to bad boys and had married one. Stanford thought about the scandal this had caused and shuddered. Deanna's husband was serving a twenty year prison sentence for numerous robberies. To the Powell family's dismay Deanna stood behind Donald and refused to divorce him. Stanford considered to reject Deanna's request. Weighing up the consequences he gave her a disgusted look and said: "I'll take him, but if Philip makes one misstep, he's fired." Deanna squealed in delight, ran around the big mahogany writing desk and gave her brother a big hug and kiss. Stanford sighed. What had he done? Invited a future criminal into his company? Stanford feared his nephew Philip was going the same way as Donald.
It had been a hard time for Philip. Everyone treated him and his mother like personas non grata. Before his father's trial Philip had been very much involved at his school's theatre group and other after school activities. Since Philip's classmates, most of his friends and relatives believed Philip was worthless, he began to withdraw and hang out with the wrong crowd. It was a knee jerk reaction. Philip appreciated his mother and his paternal grandfather Bobby were concerned about him.
Bobby woke Philip's interest in fishing. They went off together every other weekend and sometimes during summer vacation.
Philip enjoyed the peace and quiet and being in close contact with nature. It always released his stress levels.
Philip was encouraged by his mother to work for his Uncle Stanford during vacations. Philip was wary, because the Powell's looked down at Deanna and him.
Of course Stanford treated Philip with disdain, but to Philip's surprise he realized he was good at his job and he liked it too. The rest of his co-workers were nice. It seemed Stanford had only told management about Philip's father's conviction and the others didn't know. Bobby's and Deanna's positive influence and his warehouse job kept Philip out of trouble.
When Philip held his high school degree in hand he was disappointed. His mother told him there wasn't any money to go to college. Philip had expected as much, but it still made him sad. He had hoped he could go to an acting school. Deanna promised Philip a job though, and he could guess where and what it was going to be.
Deanna went again to Stanford for help. This time around he wanted something in return and asked Deanna to clean his home for free the next three years twice a week. Another condition was Philip's good behavior. Deanna vouched for Philip and reminded her brother about how well Philip had done during his stints at Foreman Scandinavia Import. Stanford could only grumble and asked surly: "So, do you agree to the terms?" Deanna sometimes disliked Stanford very much. She already worked four part time jobs, including cleaning houses, babysitting and tutoring. Her family wasn't supportive, even so there would have been enough capital to help her, but she was being punished for marrying the wrong guy.
Deanna's father had told her in clear terms she had made her bed and now had to lie in it.
Bobby tried very hard to help: Be it spending time with his daughter in law and grandson, money, if he could spare it, dealing with house repairs, supporting Deanna and Philip morally or parting with his wisdom.
When Deanna didn't reply immediately Stanford said gruff: "You know beggars aren't choosers, so what is your answer?" Deanna hated begging and had a hot reply on her tongue, but swallowed it. She could rant about her stupid brother later, but Philip's future depended on her, so she replied meekly: "Of course I'll do it." "Great!" Stanford gave Deanna a smile. It didn't reach his eyes. "Anything else?" He asked. Deanna shook her head and answered: "No." "Off you go then. We can talk about when you start at my home later. Send Philip on Monday to the HR department, where he can sign his contract." Deanna bit hard on her tongue. She hated it how Stanford treated her.
Over the years Stanford kept an eagle eye on his nephew. He was torn between feeling proud and dismay, because Philip was excelling as warehouse worker and should have been promoted, but somehow Stanford couldn't bring himself to admit Philip wasn't like Donald. His official excuse when he was approached by Philip's superior about Philip and making him deputy of the warehouse Stanford replied he didn't want to be accused of cronyism and Philip was way too young to hold such a position.
When someone started stealing in the company and also a hole in the book keeping was found, Stanford suspected Philip. When the police couldn't solve the mystery Stanford thought outside the box and engaged a cat burglar Coldham Fintan Noose III, the best in fact, to get to the bottom of the problems. Stanford was more than surprised when his new head of security didn't confirm his suspicion. Mr. Noose told him he had come to other conclusions but needed more evidence to support them. Stanford was impressed on the one side what Mr. Noose had achieved within a three months period, but was getting impatient, because he wanted to know who had betrayed him. Forcing himself to not press for answers he waited for the results. When they came Stanford was very disappointed in the persons involved, since they were not only employed by him, but he had counted them as his friends too.
©2014
It had been a hard time for Philip. Everyone treated him and his mother like personas non grata. Before his father's trial Philip had been very much involved at his school's theatre group and other after school activities. Since Philip's classmates, most of his friends and relatives believed Philip was worthless, he began to withdraw and hang out with the wrong crowd. It was a knee jerk reaction. Philip appreciated his mother and his paternal grandfather Bobby were concerned about him.
Bobby woke Philip's interest in fishing. They went off together every other weekend and sometimes during summer vacation.
Philip enjoyed the peace and quiet and being in close contact with nature. It always released his stress levels.
Philip was encouraged by his mother to work for his Uncle Stanford during vacations. Philip was wary, because the Powell's looked down at Deanna and him.
Of course Stanford treated Philip with disdain, but to Philip's surprise he realized he was good at his job and he liked it too. The rest of his co-workers were nice. It seemed Stanford had only told management about Philip's father's conviction and the others didn't know. Bobby's and Deanna's positive influence and his warehouse job kept Philip out of trouble.
When Philip held his high school degree in hand he was disappointed. His mother told him there wasn't any money to go to college. Philip had expected as much, but it still made him sad. He had hoped he could go to an acting school. Deanna promised Philip a job though, and he could guess where and what it was going to be.
Deanna went again to Stanford for help. This time around he wanted something in return and asked Deanna to clean his home for free the next three years twice a week. Another condition was Philip's good behavior. Deanna vouched for Philip and reminded her brother about how well Philip had done during his stints at Foreman Scandinavia Import. Stanford could only grumble and asked surly: "So, do you agree to the terms?" Deanna sometimes disliked Stanford very much. She already worked four part time jobs, including cleaning houses, babysitting and tutoring. Her family wasn't supportive, even so there would have been enough capital to help her, but she was being punished for marrying the wrong guy.
Deanna's father had told her in clear terms she had made her bed and now had to lie in it.
Bobby tried very hard to help: Be it spending time with his daughter in law and grandson, money, if he could spare it, dealing with house repairs, supporting Deanna and Philip morally or parting with his wisdom.
When Deanna didn't reply immediately Stanford said gruff: "You know beggars aren't choosers, so what is your answer?" Deanna hated begging and had a hot reply on her tongue, but swallowed it. She could rant about her stupid brother later, but Philip's future depended on her, so she replied meekly: "Of course I'll do it." "Great!" Stanford gave Deanna a smile. It didn't reach his eyes. "Anything else?" He asked. Deanna shook her head and answered: "No." "Off you go then. We can talk about when you start at my home later. Send Philip on Monday to the HR department, where he can sign his contract." Deanna bit hard on her tongue. She hated it how Stanford treated her.
Over the years Stanford kept an eagle eye on his nephew. He was torn between feeling proud and dismay, because Philip was excelling as warehouse worker and should have been promoted, but somehow Stanford couldn't bring himself to admit Philip wasn't like Donald. His official excuse when he was approached by Philip's superior about Philip and making him deputy of the warehouse Stanford replied he didn't want to be accused of cronyism and Philip was way too young to hold such a position.
When someone started stealing in the company and also a hole in the book keeping was found, Stanford suspected Philip. When the police couldn't solve the mystery Stanford thought outside the box and engaged a cat burglar Coldham Fintan Noose III, the best in fact, to get to the bottom of the problems. Stanford was more than surprised when his new head of security didn't confirm his suspicion. Mr. Noose told him he had come to other conclusions but needed more evidence to support them. Stanford was impressed on the one side what Mr. Noose had achieved within a three months period, but was getting impatient, because he wanted to know who had betrayed him. Forcing himself to not press for answers he waited for the results. When they came Stanford was very disappointed in the persons involved, since they were not only employed by him, but he had counted them as his friends too.
©2014
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