“I will not be spoken to in that manner.”

“William, every word of that is true.”

He looked like he was about to take his cards and leave, but he had another ace to play, and he said, “Also, if you marry, I will remove Susan as a beneficiary of my and Charlotte’s wills.”

Now we’re talking real money. I mean, both of them dying and leaving Susan close to fifty million were key ingredients to a blissful marriage. Especially him dying. I let him know, “If you do that, I will tie up the estate in litigation for at least ten years.” I added, “Peter may find that inconvenient.”

He was really hot now, and his face reddened again. High blood pressure?

My future father-in-law said to me, “That is the most outrageous thing you have ever said.”

“No it’s not. Come on. Think.”

“You…” He stood, and I waited for him to topple over, but he didn’t, so I, too, stood and said, “You’ve insulted me with your offer to buy me. I am not for sale.” I informed him, “I don’t give a damn about your money, and neither does Susan. And you don’t give a damn about your daughter. This is about me and you, and not her happiness. You know damned well that we are happy to be together again, and our children are happy for us. You, William, are very unhappy that I’m back in your life, and you’d rather lose your daughter than gain a son-in-law who doesn’t put up with your bullshit. So, sir, you’ve made your decision, and Susan and I have made ours.”

He didn’t seem to react much to my harangue – he just stood there and looked off into space. But then he turned to me and said, “We will see what Susan’s decision is.”

“Indeed, we will. But you and your wife will leave this house now and make an appointment to speak to your daughter another time.” I went to the door, opened it, and said, “Good evening.” I added, “Happy Father’s Day.”

He stepped quickly out the door, then stopped, turned, and in a quiet voice said, “Think, too, of your children.”

That was his last ace, and he’d played it, so I had to reply, “Have your trust attorney call me on that.”

He went off to find Charlotte, who was definitely not in the kitchen scrubbing pots.

I closed the door, and a few minutes later I heard Susan, Charlotte, and William speaking softly in the foyer. Then the front door opened and closed.

A few seconds later, the office door opened and Susan stepped inside. She said, “Should I even ask how it went?”

I looked at her, and I really wanted to tell her that her father was everything I’d always said he was, and more, but that was not really the issue. I said to her, “Well, some good news and some bad news.”

“What is the good news?”

“The good news is that your father offered me one million two hundred thousand dollars to go back to London.”

“What? He did what?”

“I just told you.”

She stood there, stunned, I think. Then she looked at me and asked, “What did you tell-? Well, I don’t have to ask that.”

“Of course not. I told him no. I want two million. And that’s the bad news. He won’t budge from a million two hundred thousand.”

She realized I was being facetious, though she wasn’t sure if this was so funny.

She sat on the couch and stared into space, then finally said, “That is outrageous. That is… despicable.”

“I thought so, too. I mean, you’re worth a quarter million a year – oh, that’s the other bad news. If you marry me, you’re cut off.”

She looked at me, nodded, and said, “I don’t care.”

“It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t. You’ve been a bad girl, and your allowance is cut off. Or will be. Also your inheritance.”

Finally, she started to absorb all of this and said to me, “Couldn’t you reason with him?”

“No.” I asked her, “Do you want a drink?”

“No.”

“Well, I do.” I poured myself some brandy, and Susan changed her mind, so I made it two.

We didn’t have anything to toast, so we sipped.

Finally, she said to me, “My mother was… well, telling me why I shouldn’t marry you.”

“Anything good?”

She forced a smile and said, “She thinks you’re not in a position to keep me in the style to which I’ve become accustomed.”

“Did you tell her I was an animal in bed?”

She smiled for real and replied, “I did tell her we’ve always had a fulfilling sex life.”

“Is she jealous?”

“Maybe.” Susan also revealed, “She hinted that you drink too much.”

We both got a good laugh out of that. I observed, “I only wish I could go one-for-one with either of them.”

I sat next to Susan on the couch, and we held hands and didn’t speak for a while. Then she said, “My father seemed very angry.”

“I was very cordial to him, even after he insulted me with a bribe. I really was, Susan.”

“I believe you.”

“But at the end, I had to threaten him with litigation if he cut you out of their wills.” I added, “The allowance is gone, and even if I had a legal theory to proceed on that, I don’t feel I would be morally justified to pursue it. And I hope you agree.”

“I agree.” She reminded me, “I am now free.”

“Right.” I suggested, “You might want to cut back on your personal trainer.”

“Don’t make fun of me.”

“Sorry.” So now I had to decide if I should mention William’s parting shot – the children. But I’d let him do that; Susan needed to hear this from her father. I said to Susan, “I believe he wants to speak to you soon.”

She nodded. “We will speak tomorrow morning. Here. On their way to the airport.”

“Fine. I’ll make myself scarce.”

“Thank you.” She looked at me and asked, “Did he mention the children?”

“I believe he will mention that to you tomorrow.”

She nodded.

Susan did not look happy for someone who’d just gotten her freedom, and to be honest, I couldn’t blame her. Freedom is scary.

So, to wrap this up, I said, “Look, if it comes down to me or-”

“John, shut the fuck up.”

That took me completely by surprise. Where did she learn to swear like that? It sounded funny with her patrician accent. I asked, “Could you clarify that?”

“Sorry.” She laughed. Then she put her head in her hands and tears ran down her cheeks. She said, “Damn it.”

I put my arm around her and squeezed her tight. I said, “We will be fine, Susan.” I reminded her, “We knew where this was headed.”

She wiped her face with her hands and said, “You knew. I didn’t believe it.”

I gave her my handkerchief and suggested, “You have to be honest with yourself. You knew.”

She nodded. “Those… I just try so hard with them. How can they be so… heartless?”

I didn’t reply.

She continued, “It’s not the money. Really, it’s not. I just don’t understand how they can be so… can’t they see how happy we are together?”

I really didn’t want to interfere with this cathartic moment, but I had to say, “That is what they don’t like.” I reminded her, “Your father has never liked me, and, to be honest, the feeling is mutual. But unlike me, he’s more driven by hate than by love. And there is nothing we can do about that.”

She nodded, wiped her eyes with my handkerchief, took a deep breath, and said, “All right. I’ll speak to him tomorrow. And I won’t give in to him. There’s nothing more he can threaten me with… except the children’s money. So, we need to speak to the children.”

“Right.”

She asked me, “Do you think I should speak to Peter?”

“I would advise you not to. But that’s your decision.” I’m going to sue the bastard if I have to.

“All right…” She turned and put her head down on the arm of the sofa, and put her feet in my lap. I took off her shoes, and she wiggled her toes. She asked me, “Did you have a good Father’s Day, aside from blowing a million-dollar deal?”

“I did. I really did. I’m starting to like my mother.”

“Good. She loves you in her own way.”

“She certainly does.” I suggested, “Maybe we should rethink the yacht.”