Chapter 5

After the grandkids were asleep that night, I asked my daughters to come out and sit on the porch with me.

“Okay girls. Truth time. What’s going on?”

They exchanged slightly guilty looks and then Rachael spoke. “Truth? Okay. Dad, this is really embarrassing, but we’re in a financial bind. Some of the investments we have are not doing as well as we want and the returns, along with our respective salaries, leaves us a little short each month.”

“So, with both of your husbands working, you as well, you can’t make ends meet.” I knew that Southern California was an expensive place to live, but I knew that my daughters had both married well and the husbands each averaged almost $200k a year at their jobs. Add their respective $100k pay and almost anyone else would be doing great. “What the hell is going on that you can’t live within your means?”

“Life is expensive, Dad,” Deborah replied. “With the mortgages, taxes, tuition for the kids’ school, and other things, it’s not easy.”

“Okay. So has anyone actually reviewed your budget and looked where it could be trimmed? Do you really need to go to Europe every year? And leasing new cars every two years? Hell, that truck out front has been paid off for a decade. Start there! And maybe even think of putting the kids in public school so they can be exposed to ‘normal’ people, not the ones who think that they can look down on everyone.”

The idea of the children being exposed to the general public, and not the snobby assholes of ‘upper crust’ society was met with protests. “We can’t do that! We want them to have the best education possible!”

“So teaching them to be arrogant elitists is important. Right. The girls are already well on the way to being just like that. So unless you already have marriage prospects from the ‘polo pony folks’ set up, they are in for a major wake up call in a few years. At least the boy is still normal, not yet corrupted. But I sure wonder for how long!”

“Dad! How can you even say that?”

“I’m just telling you what I see. I’m thinking that you wanted to get me to move down south with you to help make up the financial shortcomings. Right?” I fixed them both with a hard look.

“Well,” Rachael sputtered.

“But we really do want you there with us!” Deborah finished.

“How much?” I grunted. “I’m not moving, but I might be able to help you.”

At least they had the decency to look ashamed. “Between the two households, about $600 thousand,” Deborah answered in a small voice. “That will catch us up on things and allow a cushion for comfort.”

Six. Hundred. Thousand. Dollars. God damn!

“I’ll see what I can do. No promises.” I stood and called for Belle to follow me to my room as I left my daughters sitting on the front porch.

After locking my door, I stripped to my boxers and got into bed. Belle followed me but stayed in her canine image. I held her, muttering to myself about my idiot daughters and their financial mismanagement. I didn’t want them to be homeless or in major trouble, but they really needed a “Come To Jesus” moment on this situation.

After an hour or so, Belle hopped down and went to the door, to indicate she wanted to go out. She made a quick search of the house and came back in. Jumping onto the bed, she changed to her preferred hybrid form.

“Everyone is asleep,” she stated in a soft voice. “We can talk.”

Holding her close, I explained the concept of money and wealth and how basic finances worked. I told her that my daughters were not properly living within their means and wanted me to financially bail them out. It took a bit for her to understand some of the ideas.

“Can you help them? Will you help them?”

“I can, and I probably will. But it will pretty much take all the money I have saved, and then I will need to do another tower job soon, to build up the savings again.”

“I may have an idea,” she answered. “Maybe...”

There was a sudden knock on my door as it opened. “Grandpa? Are you awake? Who are you talking to?” SHIT! I had forgotten to relock the door! Curtis walked into the room and his eyes got wide when he saw Belle next to me in bed, with the sheet almost to her neck. “Who is that?” he gasped.

“Close the door, buddy. Quietly.” He did and then at my invitation, came to sit on the edge of my bed. “This may surprise you, but this Belle, how she really looks.”

“But, Belle’s a dog! That’s a dog-person!” He wasn’t frightened, just curious.

“I know,” I smiled. “She is magic!”

“Hello, Curtis,” Belle answered. “I hope I didn’t startle you. Your grandfather and I are dear friends.”

“You talk funny,” he giggled. “Can I still pet you?”

“Oh yes, please do!”

Curtis reached a hand out, and before he could touch her, Belle gave it a lick. More giggles. “You’re so pretty! I never met a dog-person before!”

“Thank you. There’s not many of us around. I was very lucky when your grandfather found me in the snow. I was almost frozen to death and he brought me home and took care of me until I got better. Now this is my home too!”

“If you have puppies, will they be dog-persons also?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never had puppies.”

“Mommy and Daddy would probably say no if I asked for one,” he stated with a sad face. “All we have are stupid fish and they just swim around the tank and don’t do anything fun.”

We sat and Belle had Curtis wrapped in a snuggle, for several minutes. “Buddy? I hate to say this, but I need you to keep this a secret. People wouldn’t understand about Belle and bad things might happen to her.”