Rewards of Virtue

Brandy tried to hand the money back to Alex and he stood from the table and jumped back. "NO," he said. "I won't keep it. You deserve that and more. All of you deserve a bonus for the way I have moped around here and taken advantage of you. I am going to try to do better but at least I can do this little thing for you to show I know what you have done and that I do appreciate it."

Throughout that day and the next Alex gave all his employees a bonus of varying amounts. The last one he had to talk to was Marian. He asked her to sit with him after they closed up that evening. They were both drinking a beer. Marian sat in the chair quietly and watched Alex. She was afraid she knew what he was going to do and she didn't want him to do it. She knew everyone he employed but her had gotten a bonus of one amount or another. The ones that had been with him the longest had gotten larger bonuses. She had been with him longer than anyone except Pablo so she was afraid he was going to give her even more money he could not afford to give out.

Alex leaned back in his chair and said, "Marian I expect by now you know what I want to talk to you about. You know I have been giving everyone bonuses and now it's your turn. I couldn't decide what to do about you. Without you I would have never been this successful and I would not have this fine establishment. For someone of your caliber and ability I don't think mere money would suffice to show how important you are to me."

Alex reached into his bank bag and took a document from it. He placed it on the table in front of Marian. "I have decided to give you a potentially unlimited amount of money. That paper in front of you is a contract signed by me already that increases your salary here. It gives you a 10% share in any profits either the café or restaurant generates for as long as you care to work here. It is in addition to your agreed upon salary and formalizes your position as manager of the establishment."

Alex continued to progress and slowly got back nearly to his former level of happiness. Everyone noticed though that when young children were in the business or playing outside he became very morose. He would stare at them with such longing everyone could feel his despair.

Fifteen months after his divorce Alex was opening the café when he heard sirens. An ambulance flashed past the building and turned left onto the next street. He walked down the block and turned toward the now stopped ambulance. When he saw where it had stopped he broke into a run. He got to the front door of Mrs. Fowler's home when it was thrown open. He stepped back as the attendants wheeled a gurney out with Hope laying on it. She was pale and breathing heavily. An IV was already dripping its life-giving potion into her vein.

When Hope saw Alex standing there she made the attendants stop and took his hand. He stood looking down on her while the attendants stood bouncing from foot to foot in a hurry go get moving again. Brandy walked up to the head of the gurney. She was dressed only in a very thin gown, her nipples tenting it out nicely. She was crying and trying to shush Hope.

Hope looked at Alex and pulled him closer to her. In a faint wavering voice she said, "Alex you were the grandson I never had. I'm so sorry for everything but now it's time you moved on. You and Brandy should..."

Hope's hand fell limply from his and her head turned slightly on the gurney. One of the attendants roughly pushed him aside and began working on Hope. They ripped open her gown and began CPR. They tried everything but it was no use. Finally they stopped and covered her face. They gently placed the gurney into the ambulance and drove away. By that time there was a small crowd gathered to see what was going on.

Alex had tears running down his cheeks as did Brandy. He noticed how she was dressed and reached for her. He gently guided her back into the house and to her room. She was crying so hard she could hardly stand. When Alex started to leave her she grabbed him and said, "NO, Alex. Please stay with me. What will I do now? I loved that woman like my own mother and now she's gone. How will we get by without her?"

Alex stayed with Brandy and gently held her until she stopped crying then he rose to leave. When he was leaving he turned to her and said, "Brandy you don't have to come in today if you don't want. We'll understand."

"NO," she said. "It's my job to be there and I won't desert you. Besides I promised... Don't worry; I'll be there soon. Now go while I clean up and get dressed."

Most of the town was sad when the news circulated about Mrs. Fowler. She had lived there all her life. There were very few people still living in Steelville that were older than she had been. Everyone missed her wit and cheerful greetings. All agreed though that if she had to go the heart attack was best for her. She went fast. She had been much too vital a person to sit and wither away with an illness like some people are forced to do.

The day of the funeral Alice and the children arrived in a small pick up truck. The bed was loaded and covered with a tarp. After the services she drove the truck to Mrs. Fowler's house and began unloading it. She was taking their belongings into the house. When Brandy walked into the house Alice turned to her and said, "What are you doing here in my house? Oh, yes, you're that little tramp grandma was letting stay with her. Well, get your things and get out. I don't need you here."

Brandy ran from the house crying. She found Alex in his room at the café. She pounded on the door until he opened it and fell into the room and his arms. After she had calmed down she told him what Alice had said then said, "Alex I wasn't supposed to say anything to you for a while but... Alex I need your help and we need to call Mr. Jensen right now. Would you please help me?"

It took them almost an hour to get Steve Jensen on the phone. Brandy took the phone when Alex handed it to her and looked over at Alex. She stared at him until he took the hint and left the room. He heard her and Steve talking for only a short time then heard the phone hang up. She walked out into the patio and sat with Alex at one of the tables from the restaurant. "Steve and a sheriff will be here shortly. Can I sit here with you until then please?"

In a few minutes they heard two cars drive up. Shortly Steve walked back onto the patio and saw Alex and Brandy sitting there. He had some papers in his hands. He looked at Brandy and said, "Brandy if you and Alex are ready let's get this over with."

All four of them walked down the block to the Fowler house. Brandy looked at the three men with her, took a deep breath and opened the door to walk in. She was no more than two steps into the room when Alice came out of the kitchen. When she saw Brandy she said, "What are you doing back here? I thought I told you to get your things out of your quarters and get out of my house?"

Steve Jensen and the Deputy Sheriff were inside then and Steve looked at the Sheriff. The Deputy walked up to Alice and said, "Ms. Fowler?"

Alice nodded her head and said, "Yes. What do you want?"

The Deputy handed her a piece of paper and said, "Ms. Fowler that is a restraining order. It orders you to keep at least three hundred feet away from this residence and the residence or businesses of Mr. Fielding and/or the person of Mr. Fielding or Ms. Brandy Hoover. I understand your Grandmother has just passed away but it was her wish that the only persons that enter these premises from the time of her death until after her estate is settled be Mr. Fielding or Ms. Hoover or any person that they choose to admit."

"What do you mean by that? This is my house. I am the only living relative of my grandmother and since she is dead this is my property. You cannot keep a person from their own property!"

Steve said, "Alice I'm afraid this is not your property. I am the executor of the estate and responsible for seeing the last will and testament of your grandmother is executed as she desired. The ownership of this property will not be decided until Ms. Fowler's will is probated. Until then it is her desire, upheld by the Probate Judge I had to get away from his daughter's birthday party today, that the only persons allowed on this property are as the deputy stated. You need to load your belongings back into your truck and go back wherever you came from."

The deputy and Steve stayed until Alice and her truck were only a small speck on the highway. Steve turned to Brandy and Alex and said, "Well, if she gives any more trouble let me know. I don't know when we will start probate but it is usually around a year before these things are settled. I will be in touch." He and the deputy left.

After that day life settled down for the citizens of Steelville. Finally one day both Brandy and Alex received a letter in the mail telling them they had to be present for the reading of the will of Mrs. Hope Fowler. On the appointed day and time they arrived at the Judges chambers. As they were being greeted Alex saw Alice's first husband walk into the office also. When the three of them entered the conference room they saw Alice and Jason already seated at the table. Alice shot to her feet and screeched, "What are they doing here. I thought we were here to award me my Grandmother's belongings?"

Steve had just started to answer her question when the Judge walked into the room. He said, "No Ms. Fowler. We are here to comply with the terms of your late Grandmother's will. We will distribute her property as per her desires."

The Judge took a seat at the head of the table and began speaking. He covered a lot of arcane minutia then said, "OK, the legalities are out of the way now. All of the known debts of Mrs. Fowler have been satisfied and it is now time to distribute the remainder of her estate to her heirs. First, Ms. Fowler I have a letter for you from your Grandmother. In her will she says it will explain her reasons for distributing her property as she has. I have been instructed, however, to paraphrase the contents of this letter for everyone now present."

"Mrs. Fowler feels that not only were you a-and these are the words I was instructed to use in this instance-Skank of the lowest sort but you were a despicable, dishonest and morally lacking person. She loved you as a grandchild but abhorred you as a person and human being. Your actions from puberty until this time were not those of a Christian or moral person. She is trying to make some of the things you have done to others in your life right with her bequests in this will."

"First, to Mr. Thomas Senseny, Alice's first husband she bequeathed $750000.00. This is to partially repay him for the damage done him in the divorce. Secondly to you Alice she bequeaths only those monies and belongings you have surreptitiously taken from her premises and bank accounts during your life. As you know she never complained or filed charges against you for writing checks on her accounts or taking jewelry and other valuables out of her home. All those possessions and funds are now legally yours."

When the Judge spoke Alice jumped angrily to her feet. She shouted, "WHAT? How dare you? I never stole anything in my life. I lived with that old woman and cared for her occasionally. I may have written some checks for necessary things but that is all. What..."

The Judge broke in on Alice's harangue and said, "Ms. Fowler if you do not comport yourself properly I will ask security to escort you from this room. I have more business to conduct that may or may not be of interest to you but as long as you are a party to these proceedings you WILL comport yourself properly."

"Now, to continue," the Judge said. "Ms. Brandy Hoover is awarded the sum of $100000 in cash and the right to continue living in the Maid's Quarters of Mrs. Fowler's prior residence until such time as she marries or chooses to leave. The only stipulation for this request is that she continues to provide the same services to the new owner of the property that she did to Mrs. Fowler. Those services are spelled out in this document." The Judge handed a legal paper to Brandy and to his surprise to Alex.

"There is one bequest that Mrs. Fowler has made that she demands be kept secret until certain future events occur. Other than that, the balance of her estate with an approximate value of $1.06 Million goes to Mr. Alex Fielding. Once again" With a screech of pure rage Alice launched herself at Alex. She was upon him and had hit him twice and scratched his face deeply before the bailiff could stop her.

The Judge looked at her and said, "Bailiff. Place this woman in custody and charge her with contempt of court, assault and battery with intent to do bodily harm upon the person of Mr. Alex Fielding. While you are at it escort this...gentleman that arrived with Ms. Fowler out also please."

After Brandy had cleaned Alex's face the Judge said, "Now, if we can continue once again, as I was saying, the balance of Mrs. Fowler's estate goes to Mr. Alex Fielding. Once again there were instructions to make it known her reasoning for this award. These reasons are as follows: Mr. Fielding, even as a child treated Ms. Fowler as one of his family. For the entire time he resided in Steelville he would voluntarily come to Mrs. Fowler's home and perform maintenance, repairs, mow her yard and run errands for her. He never asked for or accepted payment for doing this."

"Also, as with Mr. Senseny, Mr. Fielding was treated shabbily by his then wife Alice Fielding and was unjustly denied a fair division of assets when they divorced. She further stated that she felt like Mr. Fielding was the grandson she was never lucky enough to have and she wanted to let him know in a tangible way how much she loved him. The only encumbrance on the property she is willing Mr. Fielding is as previously stated. Ms. Brandy Hoover is to continue living in the Maid's quarters and provide the same services to Mr. Fielding that she provided to Mrs. Fowler."

Alex and Brandy sat in stunned silence when the Judge finished his talk. As he was putting his papers in the proper folders the Judge once again spoke. He said, "Mr. Senseny, Mr. Fielding, I know it is too late but I do want you to know Mrs. Fowler had hired a private investigator. Somehow she formed the opinion that the Judge in your divorce proceedings was not exactly unbiased. Unfortunately he died before she could make her information public. She did want me to let you know that what she had discovered was enough to get him disbarred and perhaps some jail time. It appears he had been a secret lover of your wife almost from the time she got into college. There was evidence she traded sexual favors for lenient judgments shall we say? I hope you all have a good day and that these bequests go a long way to righting the wrongs done you."

After the title to his new home had been properly recorded Alex moved his meager belongings from the small room he occupied in the back of the store to his new abode. The very next morning he hired a contractor to enlarge the apartment he had been living in. He added a small kitchenette and one living room and bedroom. Every one wondered what he was doing and why but he would not say.

Finally the additions were completed and he called all his staff into the café in mid afternoon. Jose was there in his threadbare but clean work clothes. He looked around and then said, "You all have been my very good friends for a long time as well as my very good employees. Jose has not worked for me long but he is a very good hard working man. When I was feeling sorry for myself after my divorce I hired him to give Pablo a hand. He is a hard working man and a good man. He and his wife have just had a new baby and I cannot in good conscience let them continue to live in that old trailer they are renting from George Jones. Jose I have enlarged the rooms I was living in and it would honor me if you and your family would move into them. As part of your salary I will furnish those quarters rent free just as I now furnish the apartment Pablo and his family occupy."

Jose stood staring at Alex while all the other employees smiled and patted him on the back. Finally he got his voice back and stammered, "Thank you Patron. You will not be sorry you have honored me and my family in this way. If ever there is anything we can do for you that we are not you just have to ask. If I may Patron I would like to go tell my Margarita of this generous thing you have done?"

Alex smiled and said, "By all means. Here are my truck keys. Why don't you and Pablo go and begin moving your things into your new home?"

"Oh, Senor, we could not. We are still working," Jose stammered.

"Yes, you are Jose and this is my order to you. Move your things into your new home and take all of tomorrow to enjoy it and help your wife arrange things to her satisfaction."

The next morning when Alex came into sight walking from his new home to his business he saw a smiling Margarita standing on the patio. He walked to her and said, "Good morning Margarita. You are up early. Is your new home satisfactory?"

Margarita handed Alex a cup of coffee in one of the café cups and said, "Oh yes Senor it is magnificent. We thank you so much. How can we repay you?"

"You cannot Margarita. Your husband has been a good and loyal employee and worked hard for me. That is repayment enough. That and knowing I have provided your little one a safer and more healthy place to grow up in."

Over the next two weeks Alex noticed Margarita working in the kitchen. Then one morning he came into the café and saw the menu had changed. Now there were Mexican entrées offered as well as the traditional American fare. He walked into the kitchen and saw Margarita once again there. She was happily cooking and bustling about while Marian watched. Margarita's daughter was happily chattering away in a small playpen just inside the door to Jose's quarters.

"Ok. Do you mind telling me what is going on here? I have seen you in the kitchen now for two weeks. This morning I find the menu has changed. What do you think you are doing here? I don't remember hiring you to do this."

Margarita looked nervous and hung her head. She said, "No Patron but you have provided such nice rooms for us. Jose and I decided we needed to do more for you than we were so I cook now. I was cook in Mexico before we got our green cards and moved here. I can cook now and help pay you for the fine place you gave us to live in."

Alex looked at Marian and said, "What did you have to do with this?"

"Well Alex the first week I let her cook a few meals to see how good a cook she was. I gave them free to some of our regulars. They started coming in and asking for the things Margarita had cooked. We decided to expand the menu and I told her if you did not want to pay her I would pay her out of my share of the profits. In case you didn't notice our breakfast and lunch traffic has picked up since she started cooking. We are now getting more of the local Mexican workers eating on their way to work or taking lunch with us. She has already increased our profits by almost what I had agreed to pay her. Besides it will be nice to have more help so we can slow down some."

Alex laughed and said, "OK, you all win. Now how about you bring me Special no 3 for my lunch. I want to see just how good this new cook of ours is."

Once again things returned to a smooth operation and Alex was enjoying his life. He and Brandy walked to work many mornings. In the evenings if she did not have a date they talked and watched TV or read together. Like many people sharing a house they became comfortable with each other. From time to time one or the other would inadvertently see the other partly dressed. On the occasions that occurred they would each think what a fine and good-looking person the other was.