Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [42]
“Having my own business where I didn’t have to answer to anyone was always a dream of mine. I did the college thing because both Mom and Dad wanted Tom and me to have degrees since they didn’t have the opportunity to go to college. The business helped move Mom closer to me, and the facility is really great. I get to see her weekends. I told myself I was giving it three years, and if I didn’t make it by then, I would look for a nine-to-five job. Sitting behind a desk is not what I’m all about. Jane felt the same way. All she wants to do is paint. She’s looking forward to having kids. She was a foster-home child, so having her own family is very important to her. Do you have any idea how lucky you are, Parker?”
“Yes. Sometimes it seems a little hollow. Life should be shared.”
“How is it you aren’t married?”
Parker laughed. “I came close several times. It didn’t feel right, so each time I broke it off.”
“Do you run everything? Why do your sisters live on the mainland? Don’t you miss them?”
“Of course I miss them. I inherited because I’m the oldest male child. It’s tradition.”
Annie’s eyes snapped open and she sat up. “Wait right there. Are you saying all of this belongs to you and not your sisters? Do you share the profits with them?”
“Our traditions here are different from what you’re used to. It’s our way.”
“That’s incredible, and it certainly isn’t fair. You get everything, and they get nothing?” Something in Annie snapped. There was such outrage in her voice, Parker reared back. “Aren’t they bitter?”
“Bitter? I don’t think so. They’re all very well off. They moved by choice.”
“Well, hell, I’d move, too,” Annie exploded. “That’s exactly what happened to me through no fault of my parents. Tom got it all. I had to bust my ass. I don’t want to hear any crap about it building character, either. You can’t take character to the bank. I used to eat mayonnaise sandwiches and drink Kool-Aid. That sure as hell didn’t build my character. I was always hungry.”
“Wait just a damn minute. You’re making it sound like I cheated my sisters. I didn’t. It was all laid out. I told you, it’s our tradition.”
“Your tradition stinks. What that says to me is women don’t count. If they counted, you would have shared. You live like a king in this beautiful paradise. They grew up here, too. Another thing, Mr. Coffee, remember that it was a woman who gave birth to you. I’ve just decided I don’t think I like you. And I sure as hell don’t like all these traditions you’re steeped in. I made the mistake of letting this stray off the business path. I can’t respect you now. I’m sorry.”
Parker Grayson stared at his destiny with disbelieving eyes. “Just hold on here, Miss Clark. What you don’t seem to understand is no one is complaining. Furthermore, it’s none of your business.”
“You’re right, it is none of my business. Why would your sisters complain? What good would it do? They have to accept it since they have no other choice. What do you do for them?”
“Do?”
“When you inherited all of this, what did you do for them?”
“I didn’t do anything. They didn’t want me to do anything. They got married and had babies. That was what they wanted to do.”
“Scrooge! Don’t deny it. That’s exactly what you are. Would it hurt you to share your good fortune with them? You know. what, I hated my brother for a long time. Deep-down, gut hatred. It started to consume me. I had to let it go for my own survival.”
“My sisters aren’t like you. I don’t mean that the way it sounds,” Parker said, a helpless look on his face.
“How do you know? Did you ever ask? How many sisters do you have?”
“No, I never asked. I have six sisters. They all have well-to-do husbands.”
“One seventh of something is a lot less than the whole of something. And, they probably don’t have a dime in their own names.”
“Where is this coming from? We were having such a good time. Why do my sisters need to have money in their own names?”
“For the same reason I do. Parents have no right to do that to their children. You are no better than your parents. One of your sisters, given the chance, might