Chapter 2

All things considered like could have been worse; it could have been better though too. I’m not one to complain; Sam did that enough for both of us. Sandy was the usual subject of ‘our’ conversations.

Now normally having two Valkyrie lounging about half-dressed should be a welcomed event; not so guys! Maybe it was what they wore or didn’t wear around the house that was the issue.

Then again it might just be a sister thing. Why the bedroom to either side of mine now had mirror images as occupants can only be attributed to my good fortune.

This was proven one night when Sam was a bit under the weather and ‘we’ had a charity ball to kick-off. Sandy was my ‘date’ that night while Sam stayed home in bed. There were some downsides to this arrangements though.

Guards had to be doubled and the score was Mona 3 and me 1. For reason’s I did not fully understand Sam had little problem with the guest in the other bedroom as long as Sandy was not in my room alone with me.

When ‘we’ three were seen ‘in-public’ I heard some comment that I was a ‘lucky man’; they should only know how expensive they were to keep.

Imagine, if you would, the need for double everything. At first it was only cars, clothes(not quite the same size though) food and gifts. Yeah, Sandy was not kidding when she said she wanted what Sam had. I think she was only talking about that necklace thing, right?

That issue resolved itself when Sam(Sandy too) turned 16 and asked: “When?”

You heard of the phrase about a fire and a fry pan I guess, that would now apply. I had said things resolved themselves, sort of, maybe, kind of they did. Sandy was the Bride’s Maid, Sam the Mrs. now. She wore the rings, Sandy now had a similar collar also. Why? I had no choice, I tell you, none, Nada, no option. Mona’s score was now 4.

‘The Business’ had always been the bastion of males dominance. This would continue as long as I said whatever ‘My Girls’ told me to say. This was a ‘true marriage of equals’, if three people could be considered a marriage.

Life would have been simpler if, and I say ‘IF’ Sandy had stayed in her old school; but no ... she and Sam had reached some kind of a peace agreement or was that a ‘piece’ agreement, both sounded the same when they told me.

It, ‘The journey to Hell’ began at Saunders High. They both were seniors, at least one was married; to me, I was not sure which one after that first week back.

In the school uniform they both were indistinguishable, meaning one could not tell them apart, well, there was one way, I was distracted when I said that.

Both now wore collars around their neck, but only Sam wore my ring.

To say Sandy was ‘pissed’ is like saying ‘World Peace’ was just around the corner.

Now one of the obviously good things, beyond the two Valkyrie living with me was the help they were in the intake and control of the companies and parts of ‘The Business’ I inherited.

It seemed 9 out of 10 were of some interest to either Sam or Sandy. That left me mine to concentrate on while the girls and lawyers figured the others out.

I already mentioned some steps I took to put or rather keep my own house in order.

Violent yes, effective more so. The new breed of ‘Our Thing’ knew exactly what not to do or should they veer from that, the penalty which they faced.

More about that a bit later, but the event which had a great effect on me happened by chance.

Ralph had been approached by my Grandfather’s old friend on behalf of a Hospital, seeking funds for care for Orphans.

“Why even call me? You know if it was something Grandfather did, so will I.

“Yes, but this is different in that the person asking is an old friend of his, Lord, Sir James Winston Heath and it is for a large amount so I thought...”

“Mistake one, but calling negates that one. Do we have the budget setup for this kind of donations?

“Yes but...”

“So, do it or should I help you write out the big words, Vincent?”

One thing Vince worried about was when he was called Vincent. Carl may have made an error himself when he told Sam and Sandy about the call and donation.

“Can sis and I make one too?” asked Sam.

That resulted in a call to change the donation. “Vincent, about that donation. Would it too difficult for you to call that Sir whatever back and add similar donations in my wife’s and her sister’s names? You remember their names, don’t you or should I spell that out also?”

Now Vince did not need the thing fall on him a second time to ‘know’ Carl was pissed at him. Discretion being the better part of valour/valor he merely said: “Jawhol, Mein Herr!”

“You can send ‘ours’ along with one from you, you are donating too, are you not, Vincent?”

Vince would never call Carl again about such things. This was turning out to be an expensive call.

When informed the ‘checks were in the mail’ Sam and Sandy dragged him back to bed to show just how much they appreciated him.

Later that morning it was back to work for all three. Several of the new investments were, well, seemed like ‘bad’ ones while five others hit the mark every year. One that was not performing well was in Europe, another in the Middle East.

These needed to be investigated, perhaps by ‘another’ firm. Sandy had a visit planned locally to A J Caruthers to introduce some changes in reporting while Sam was seeing Peters Processing, a waste disposal operation in LA.

As I said one must be prepared to take the good with the bad. Today was mostly bad. I had problems, Sam had problems as did Sandy. My Dear sweet, wife, mistress, slaves, what ever you call them did not wish to appear inept. They knew ‘we’, meaning me was not well-liked by some, soooo. They did not bother me, it was theirs to run.