Chapter 30

Kiara called Alex and told her about the conversation she had overheard. She said that the family information would arrive soon so she could collect the tax information on all of them.

Later that night Taylor arrived back home and after going inside, she was greeted by Alex, and they talked about other things for a bit. Alex sat waiting for Taylor to tell her about the trip and what had happened, even though she already knew everything. Taylor talked about anything other than her meeting. Alex decided to wait for the girl to bring it up. For the next two days Taylor was quiet and somewhat aloof.

That night when Taylor went to sleep, Alex looked over at the figurine that the girl had bought for her, and in so doing, she remembered a letter from Taylor's grandmother. The one that she had left for Alex in her will, that Alex had yet to read.

She jumped out of bed and went to the dresser. Pulling open the third drawer, she picked the envelope up and closed the drawer with her hip as she turned and headed back to the bed. Alex climbed back in the bed and opened the envelope to read the letter. Alex read the words that brought a smile to her lips. They read...

" Ms. Madison, Alex, I know that Taylor has been stressed over the loss of you in her life, and her worry about me. Although I can't do anything about The Lord calling me home, I figure I could leave a loving gift for my granddaughter. I was not excited about the fact that you and my little one were about to get involved in a relationship with each other. But because of my love for Taylor, and my great desire to always see her happy,
along with the conversations I've overheard between her and Ms. Sains, I see now how much you are a part of her life. I realize she could never be happy with anyone else but you, and because of all of these reasons, I am now willing to admit I may have been wrong. But wrong or right, you and Taylor belong together, and therefore the two of you have my blessing. I hope you will both be happy. Always TALK! It's the only way for a relationship to work or have any chance of working. Well, I'm a little tired, so I am going to end this and say I send my love to both Taylor and to you. Welcome to our family Alexandra Madison. God Bless."

Alex once again saw where Taylor got her sensitive heart. She also saw the potential for strength in the shy young woman, who had grown in confidence, but still had a ways to go.

The next morning, on the third day after Taylor had returned from seeing her family, Alex planned on confronting Taylor on her behavior if Taylor didn't tell her. Something must have been in the air that morning, because when they arrived at the office and were working on different things, Taylor happened to look up into Alex's distressed eyes. At that moment, Taylor saw what she was doing.

She stood up and walked over to the office door and closed it, then walked over to Alex's desk and hit the blind closure button. She then sat on the edge of the desk next to Alex's chair, Alex watched her, perplexed at what Taylor was doing.

"Alex, I have been holding something back from you because I didn't know how to handle it.

Just as I was sitting there, I looked up and even though you weren't looking at me, I saw the distress in your eyes. I knew it wasn't about these reports you were reading over, but about me. Alex, my LOVING family is trying to blackmail me, and I don't know what to do. Will you help me?"

"That's all I wanted to hear Taylor. I knew the first night you came back that something bad had happened, but I was sure you would tell me the next morning. When you didn't, I thought well, she just needs a day to figure out a way for her to handle it herself. When two days came and went and still you hadn't told me, I started to get worried. Then this morning came and you didn't tell me, so I had planned on confronting you. But...you didn't break your word, you didn't repeat the same mistake, and for that I am very thankful. Thank you sweetling. Sit here." Alex said offering Taylor a seat on her thighs.

Taylor sat down on Alex's lap and wrapped her arms around Alex's neck and they held each other for a few minutes. Then Alex held Taylor back to look her in the eyes. After handing her a kleenex, she picked up the letter from Taylor's grandmother and handed it to the girl to read.

"This is from your grandmother to me. It's the one you brought to me during my spring party. Read it."

Taylor took the letter and quickly read over it, Tears started running down her face for two reasons; one that she was able to read her grandmother's last words, and two because her grandmother left her with a gift that was going to make her happy for the rest of her life.

"Grammy..." Taylor sobbed, and Alex took her in her arms once again and held her, as Taylor let her heart open fully, with no reservations left.

"See, things always work out."

"I see, you're my lucky charm." Taylor said through the tears that were still rolling down her face, but now she had a smile on her face. The stress that she and Alex had was a thing of the past. They both just wiped the tears from each other's cheeks and then hugged once again.

"Okay, now I already have plans for your LOVING family." Alex picked up the phone and asked Taylor for her aunt's number. Taylor gave it to her and she she dialed it. She set up a meeting for the next day.

The next day came and she had the meeting set up in her conference room. She knew the aunt would bring the others. This time she had them come to her. Taylor was not there on purpose at Alex's request.

"Now, I understand from a reliable source that you all want five million dollars each of Taylor's money?"

"It's not Taylor's money."

"The law says it is, therefore, it is."

"Well whatever, the point is, it was our mother, and therefore it belongs to us anyway."

"I heard the whole argument, so let me tell you what the point is, this way, there will be no confusion. I know for a fact that the money that your mother left to Taylor was accummulated mostly from Taylor's direct advice to her grandmother about investments, and between the two of them her grandmother was able to accumulate the vast amount of her money, and if that's not enough to convince you to back off, then let me tell you this. I have financial information on all of you, and in looking over all of them, I see that all of you have lied numerous times on your 1040's, especially in the deductions column. I'm sure the IRS would love to see why you've received
refunds, when in fact according to your financial statements you should have been paying, and judging from the number of years that you all have been doing your taxes, you all owe at the minimum, 20 thousand, give or take a few thousand."

"So? I'm sure you padded your taxes as well, so as not to pay capital gains." Ray, one of the uncles stated.

"Actually there isn't enough padding in the world where I could get out of paying capital gains. I own too much! Anyway, this isn't about me, but about all of you."

"What do you want?"

"It's simple enough. You stay out of Taylor's life. You have no contact with her and you be satisfied with the fact that your mother had some feelings for such an ungrateful group of people. She still left you something in her will."

"And if we don't?"

Those words brought out "The Raider's" competitive nature, and her eyes narrowed and a predatory gaze was cast at all at the table. Alex then said, with obvious adrenalin coursing through her veins, "Then I will ruin EACH and EVERY ONE of your lives, and never get my hands dirty. So, what will it be, you have five seconds to decide?"

"Okay, you have a deal. We won't bother Taylor again, and you don't give the IRS that information?" Dorothy said with a wavering voice.

"Great, now get out. " Alex growled, and motioned for the guards who were standing outside the door to come in and escort the group out.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Show them out." Alex stood and headed for the door, but stopped when she got to it.

"Enjoy your stay for the day, and then I don't ever expect to see any of you again." She then turned to walk out of the room. Just before she walked out the door, she saw Taylor's uncle Ray looking at her. Alex could tell from the look on his face that he was already trying to think of a way to get even with her. She continued through the doorway while making a mental note to keep a watchful eye on him. If there was any trouble in the future, it was a good bet he would be behind it. She could hear the group cursing as they were escorted out into the elevator.

Later that night, Alex and Taylor were talking. Alex had just told her the highlights of her meeting with the family. Then Taylor said in a contented voice.

"You're just so....good."

That reminded Alex of something that Taylor had asked her once before, and so as she held Taylor she began listing some things.

"I'm not patient. I have no tolerance for a liar or a thief. I'm not good at showing my feelings to anyone other than you. I'm not good at letting others have their way. I'm not good at holding my tongue if I think something needs to be said. I'm not used to showing my emotions, but I am learning. I'm not used to all of the emotions you've elicited in me, and I'm very unsteady as a result. I'm not good at camping and have no interest in it. I'm no good at staying on my side of the bed when you're in it, and I am no good at controlling myself when it comes to my love for you."

"I knew there were things you weren't good at, there had to be." Taylor said, as she yawned and her eyes fluttered trying to stay open, but finally they just stayed closed. She drifted off right there on the carpet covered floor in Alex's arms.

"Yes, sweetling, there are. Sweet dreams kitten." Alex said, as she kissed Taylor's forehead, and then laid her head next to Taylor's. They let the warmth of the fireplace flow over them as it poured down rain outside.

The End

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