idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part eighty nine

Martin sat in the stiff chair. He stared at Rick for a long time. Not quite believing what he said.

"Father, I want you to turn your stock over to Carl."

"Carl? I thought you would want to have it for yourself."

Rick looked at him. How in the world could he ever make this man understand?

"You, know, the only thing I ever wanted from you was something that you would never be able to give me."

"What? A name?"

Rick arched an eyebrow.

"Dad, I have a name. I have a house. I have people who care about me. Can you guess what I wanted from you?"

"Love?" Martin scoffed and then saw a strange look in Rick's face. "What? Do you want me to say that I love you son? So you want me to say that I am proud of you?"

Rick gave a rueful smile. "I lived on that hope for the years I came to your house. It is nothing but a whimsical fancy now. I am proud of my name, Richardson. And, I have come to realize, that... in an odd way... you protected me by not acknowledging me. Carl should have ownership of the company. With your shares, there might be a chance of overthrowing Grandfather. What say you?"

Martin swallowed hard. Was he so transparent that this fool of a son could see his motivation all along?

"You really think with all of our shares, Carl will get the company?"

"Who else will Grandfather leave his pride and joy with, save his beloved Grandson?"

Martin nodded. That would be sweet revenge.... Especially if ...

"Here is the name of our lawyer. Have him contact me for the approval. It goes without saying that... your mother raised a very smart son."

"My mother taught me well."

"Indeed. Carl, he was destined to become like us, you know."

Rick nodded.

"But you saved him... you and that mother of his." Martin waved at the guard and got up leaving Rick to fill in the meanings in between, knowing that his son would indeed be able to do so.

---

Carl sat in front of his dad. A.J. fidgeted in his seat, looking down at the floor.

"Father? You know why I came here."

A.J. pulled back in the seat and made himself meet his child's eyes.

"I will turn my stocks over to your mother."

"Can you do that? What about the mandate?"

"Screw the mandate. It never was written anywhere. It was just a rule that the old man made up. What your mother chooses to do with those stocks, is up to her. Living with me all those years, losing one son, and almost losing another is too much to ask of any woman."

He almost sounds like he is trying to apologize.

"Your Mom. She filed for divorce?"

"Yes."

"Tell her to cancel that. She will get widow's benefits from my life insurance."

"Huh?"

"Carl, we had a good run. We always knew we would get caught.... it was only a matter of time. Little did we know it would be by you and that salesman. But such is life. You must get the company, Carl. Then Change your name and the Company's name. Only then will that bastard get what is coming to him."

"You mean Grandfather?"

A.J. nodded then stood up waving to the guard. He turned slightly and looked at his son.

"You have grown up to be a fine young man, and, I for one, am glad that you will break our curse. Marry that Blond. She won't let you get out of line, ever." And walked out with the guard.

Carl arched an eyebrow.

---

Rick looked at John. He seemed so small and insignificant in his Prison Orange.

Rick sat with his arms crossed staring at the man.

"What, Ricky? Cat got your tongue?"

He sighed heavily. "Uncle John. Carl told me how you got caught."

"So?"

"So nothing. You did not even give him a fight."

"And?"

Rick shook his head.

"You know what I want already."

"Done. My stocks were transferred to Carl's name before we left to go kidnap Millie and Oscar."

"So you knew you were heading into a trap?"

John looked at Rick.

"Let's just say, I never underestimate my opponent."

Rick raised both eyebrows.

"You. Ricky. You are one tenacious SOB. Carl is predictable. I knew he would tell someone of us visiting a cemetary."

"Really?"

John leaned back. "You take me as a fool?"

"Uncle John, the word Fool and you are exact opposites."

John swallowed. "Carl. He made it out. Somehow, you made that happen. And, you let him help us to fall. Should have happened sooner, but then, Carl was always slow at getting out of the gate."

Rick paused. "So I take it you are giving him your blessing?"

"My blessing?"

"Yeah. He is going to marry Jenny, if she will have him."

"Oh, she will have him. That day.... I recognized something. That girl said, "I love you." Not to me... but to herself. She forgave and saved herself from all that guilt. It is something I could never imagine... It is something that..." He stopped talking. Then looked at Rick in the eye...

"That mousy girl with her retarded brother. You gonna keep them?"

"If they will have me."

John considered and nodded.

"Guess that stupid science rule is true. Like attracts like." John got up.

"Rick, take care of them." And walked out with the guard.

---

Christopher looked very uncomfortable. The seat was too straight and it made him hurt. He squirmed as Carl stared at him.

"Uncle Chris?"

"Already done. All my stock is transferred in your name."

"Ah..er... What?"

"John told me that night before the arrest of what was going to happen. So it is done."

Chris waved to the Guard. He stopped and spoke almost like a robot.

"John told me to tell you that big things come in small packages. Make sure you check the mail." He stopped, as if to make sure he got the message correct.

"Uncle Chris, are you going to be alright in here?"

Chris did not respond. He simply went into his numbers mode, muttering under his breath,

"Two times two is four. four times four is sixteen... sixteen times sixteen is ..."

Carl squinted his eyes at that, and then remembered something.

"Charlie says hi, Uncle Chris."

Chris paused in his musings and turned to Carl, looking him in the eye for the first time.

"Tell him I said Hi." And walked off with the guard, mumbling his beloved times tables under his breath.

---

Carl and Rick left the prison together. They moved out of the way of a group of suits consisting ot four men, two state trooper uniform... and a women entering into the building.

to be continued...