Chapter 3 - FRIDAY
Friday mattered because Eudora was getting married.
That was what I assumed.
She had been engaged for seven months to Conrad Hale, a private-equity executive whose family owned healthcare and hotel investments.
Wedding scheduled in six weeks.
Maybe Friday was a financial deadline tied to the wedding.
Wrong.
Naomi obtained the continuity packet the next morning.
Seven pages.
No signature from me.
Signed already:
Benedict Norwood.
Eudora Norwood.
Silas Norwood.
Title:
HOUSEHOLD DESCENDANT ADMINISTRATION ELECTION.
I read it twice.
“Descendant means Amos?”
“Possibly.”
“What does this do?”
Naomi pointed.
It appointed Norwood Family Administration as centralized representative for:
Beneficiary communications.
Educational distributions.
Household residence matters.
Certain trust notices.
Temporary consent routing.
One clause said:
Parent or guardian confirms independent descendant participation may remain family-administered until age eighteen.
“That sounds like I’m giving them control of Amos’s trust.”
“Maybe administrative control. We need the governing documents.”
“Does Amos have a trust?”
“I don’t know yet.”
I laughed once.
Angry.
“Everybody knows my son has paperwork except me.”
Then Friday appeared.
The election had to be executed before:
FAMILY CAPITAL REORGANIZATION DATE.
Friday.
“What happens Friday?”
Naomi searched the packet.
Not explained.
Benedict finally agreed to meet.
Neutral conference room.
He looked worse than the night before.
First question:
“How is Amos?”
“Bruised.”
His face tightened.
“I’m sorry.”
“Did you know she made him kneel before meals?”
He looked down.
“Yes.”
That answer ended something.
“How long?”
“A few months.”
“And leftovers?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He rubbed his face.
“Eudora said he was getting spoiled.”
“He is four.”
“I know.”
“No. You knew then.”
Silence.
“What happens Friday?”
He looked toward his lawyer.
His lawyer nodded once.
Benedict answered:
“My father is transferring voting authority.”
“In what?”
“Norwood Family Holdings.”
“What does that have to do with Amos?”
“I don’t understand everything.”
I almost stood.
He quickly continued:
“I know that Mom’s trust created separate descendant branches. Eudora says Amos’s branch changes how votes are counted.”
“How?”
“I don’t know percentage.”
“Who does?”
“Eudora.”
“Why is she controlling this?”
“Because Dad has been sick.”
Silas Norwood had advanced heart disease.
Not dying this week.
But weaker.
Eudora had taken over family administration.
“Does Eudora benefit Friday?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“A restructuring would make her executive trustee.”
“For Amos?”
“For the family structure.”
“Would my signature help?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“It keeps Amos’s branch under centralized administration.”
“And if I don’t sign?”
Benedict whispered:
“Independent review.”
There.
Again.
“What gets reviewed?”
“I don’t know.”
I stared until he finally said:
“Conrad’s acquisition.”
Her fiancé.
“What acquisition?”
“Hale Capital wants to buy part of Norwood Food Services.”
Amount:
$128 million.
Eudora would receive a transaction bonus.
Conrad’s firm would gain the division.
Benedict’s branch would receive a distribution.
Everybody had money riding on Friday.
“How much do you get?”
He closed his eyes.
“About three million.”
I nodded slowly.
“That’s why you let your sister humiliate Amos.”
“No.”
“You told him not to make her mad.”
“I was afraid she’d blow up the deal.”
“Same sentence.”
He started crying.
I did not comfort him.
Then Naomi asked:
“Does Amos personally control anything?”
“No,” Benedict said.
“Does Romilly?”
“I don’t know.”
“Does Eudora?”
“For now, yes.”
For now.
Those two words changed everything.
May you like
The family was racing toward Friday because Eudora’s authority was temporary.
And whatever happened when Amos’s branch became independent was apparently worth making a four-year-old kneel for dinner.
