Solved!

Things are looking up! Once Ruth and I confronted my dad with what could happen if he doesn’t figure something out, he finally agreed to one of our ideas. He’s going to rent out his house.

            We own another house up north that I lived in while getting my law degree. It’s smaller, but we can play off the move as good for expanding the business even further. We decided to rent out the house here rather than up north because the property value is higher, and Dad already has a business contact that is expanding to our area and will be sending out someone to start up the branch, so they’ll need it for a year. If Dad can increase profits at the company while working up north, then we should be fine after the year is over.

            Eliza will be going with Dad, since the two of them apparently can’t separate themselves from each other. But the weirdest thing is that Eliza invited my dad’s secretary along with them. I mean, she did know about the financial situation before me, and Eliza likes to go get manicures with her and stuff, plus my dad claims he can’t get anything done without her, but it’s still weird that she’ll be living with them, right? Eliza says it’s because the house up north is big enough for all of them and the secretary won’t be able to live anywhere decent in that area on the salary she gets. But still.

            I suppose I’m worried because this secretary has been married and divorced twice already and she’s not even 30. Which alone shouldn’t mean much, but the way she’s found her way into Dad’s personal life with Eliza is plain unprofessional. Plus, Dad’s old enough to be her father, rich, and unattached to anyone. My suspicions are a bit justified, aren’t they?

            Ruth says not to worry, because he loves Eliza so much he wouldn’t want anyone replacing her by his side at social functions, and that his secretary isn’t pretty enough to snare him anyway, since she’s in desperate need of braces. As sad as the fact is, her crooked teeth are something my dad has commented on and would prevent him from dating the secretary, since his love is anything but blind. 

            And even if something did happen, so what? If they got married and had a kid or two my inheritance will be less, but I don’t need what I’ll be getting from Dad’s will. Eliza, who as my dad’s favorite will surely inherit the company even if she’s more concerned with her own career in the make-up industry, has the most to lose if Dad ever has a son, since he claims men are more suited for running businesses than women are. So it shouldn’t matter to me who he is or isn’t with, as long as he’s happy.

            I just hope he doesn’t find “happiness” with someone who will drive his indulgent ways even more than he already has since the death of my mom. That’s not too much to ask, is it?