Chapter 6: Taking Responsibility

“THIS IS IT, isn’t it, Cora?” Marge asked Grandma when we gathered in the TBR conference room. Normally, this would be the room where one of the staff—usually Pearl—made the pitch to the rest of us regarding a manuscript she wanted to publish. We would determine from the pitch if we wanted to invest the time reading it at this stage or if she should work with the author on the changes she thought should be made before a contract was offered.

Pearl and Ruby were notably absent from this meeting. It wasn’t about what to publish, but rather about introducing the new partner.

“It’s time, don’t you think?” Grandma asked. “Sky is twenty-eight and you’ve been letting him shoulder more and more responsibility over the past five years. He should be recognized for it.”

“Oh, we happily agree to that,” Pat jumped in. “It’s excitement, not trepidation in our voices.”

“You guys have truly been almost all I’ve ever known as parents,” I said. “I’m just so grateful for all you’ve done.”

“Losing your parents was the greatest loss we’ve ever had,” Marge said. “They were not only our business partners, but our best friends. I’m just thankful we could keep you with us.”

“Well, he’d have had a much harder life if he’d tried to tag along with me for the past fifteen years,” Grandma said.

“Sky, we’re happy to have you step into your role as senior partner in TBR Books,” Pat said.

“Please, you are the senior partners. I’m still a relative noob. I don’t expect to take anything over,” I said.

“In this case, senior partner means the majority shareholder, not the older one,” Pat laughed. “Under your grandmother’s instruction, we’ve managed the publishing and bookstore ever since your parents passed. But it hasn’t always been smooth going. Twice, Cora stepped in to invest when we were in trouble. She did that in exchange for ten percent of the company’s shares, which were placed in your name. That makes us 55/45 partners in the business. You have the majority interest.”

“But I’m definitely not ready to take on managing the operation,” I protested. “I scarcely understand the publishing end of things. Keeping the bookstore going is as much as I can handle. You aren’t thinking of stepping away, are you?”

“Oh, no. We’ve got ink in our veins,” Marge said. “We’ll keep on as long as you need us, or until we can transfer the responsibilities to the twins.”

“You’ve kept me for all these years,” I said. “It seems I should at least return the ten percent to you to pay for my care. I’ve never wanted for anything.”

“Nor have the twins,” Grandma said. “I made the arrangements at the beginning. When I agreed to surrender custody, I also agreed to a degree of child support. All the rent from the house next door has been paid to the Larsons. If there were any extraordinary expenses, like having your tonsils removed, I covered what wasn’t paid by insurance.”

“Believe me, the amount we’ve received has been more than was necessary to cover the expenses of raising three children instead of two,” Pat said. “And even if it hadn’t been, we wouldn’t want another penny. Sky, you are as dear to us as Pearl and Ruby are. You have never been a burden to us. We love you, son.”