We got back to Jake’s house and after we’d all showered and eaten, Eva went back to our room to facetime with James and show off her new rock. Connor and Rose went straight to bed. We’d all had a long and exciting day. I was tired too, but I stayed to help Mark and Jake clean up after dinner.
Afterwards, Jake asked us to join him for a drink. Being only sixteen, I had a hot chocolate. Mark had a local craft beer and Jake poured himself a bit of whiskey.
We sat down around the kitchen table and Jake began talking. “Abby, I know that everyone thanked you for saving Mark from the fire, but I want to add my own appreciation. You may not know it, but you saved the two most important things to me. My family and my company, in that order. At his point in my life, the only reason to have the company is for the benefit of the family. I’d have retired years ago if it was just a matter of money.”
“You’d go crazy in two weeks if you retired, Grandpa. Remember the family vacation a few years ago. No way you can retire. Besides, you love it so what’s the point of retiring?”, Mark asked.
“Stop interrupting me, boy.”, Jake grumbled good-naturedly. “I was trying to say thank you to this young lady. I love all my grandchildren, but so far, Mark is the only one that has my passion for the business. I’ve made no secret of my intention to pass the company on to him one day, when he’s ready for it.”
Jake paused to sip his drink and continued, “So by saving him you saved the company as well. I wanted to show my gratitude to you in more than just words though and I had decided that I was going to offer to pay for your college education. Hold on, Abby, I can see you want to say something, but I already know. You’re not going to college. I heard that today. What you don’t know is that before I knew that, I called old Kronin at the university and tried to set up a full scholarship for you. He and I go way back. Remind me to tell you about the time we fought off an alligator together. Anyways, Kronin interrupts me when I tell him what I want to do and says that there’s no need. As the daughter of a full-time professor at the university, your education there would be free. Also, if it weren’t, the university would have rewarded you with a full scholarship for saving one of their students. They’re also looking for a way show their appreciation of your heroism. If you didn’t know it, Kronin things the world of you. So, I’m back to square one. Actually, after today, I’m at square zero, as your find puts you in a whole new financial league and my backup idea of offering you a job at the company isn’t as attractive anymore.”
“Jake, you don’t need to do anything. I’m just glad that I was able to help. Really. And I already got paid back. In saving Mark, I’ve gotten to know him and your whole family and he invited me to join you guys today and I found the gemstones. Without those, I couldn’t start my foundation for years. Saving Mark ended up helping me make my dreams a reality.”
“That’s a really nice way to look at it. My Nancy would have loved you for it. She was like that too. Sunniest disposition you’ve ever seen. I’m not like that though. I was raised to square up my debts as best I could, and I am indebted to you. If you ever need help with anything, please let me know.”
I nodded solemnly and he asked me about my foundation and why I wanted it. I told him all about the public side of my planned Hannah foundation and I told him about mom and the kidnapping. Mark hadn’t heard any of this before, since I rarely tell the whole story to anyone. I usually just say that she’s gone and let it go at that. No one ever asks follow-up questions.
“That’s probably the finest tribute that you could make to your mother and it’s a worthy project in and of itself. I’m even more upset that my Nancy isn’t here to meet you. This is just the type of cause she would have loved to latch on to and help with. That was her thing. Once the kids were old enough, she worked with charities, while I concentrated on the mines. I was able to help her in one respect, and I think I can help you in the same way. The mining business requires a lot of accountants and lawyers, including tax specialists. If you’ll accept my help, I can have some of our lawyers set up your foundation and make sure that the government doesn’t step on your toes. I’ve done that for a few charities in the past, but never for a charity that will be run by a minor. I don’t know how that changes things, but we can find out.”
“That would be incredible. I was going to hire specialists once I had enough money, but before today I thought I had plenty of time to figure it out. Thank you. I guess it wasn’t that hard to find something that I needed help with after all.”
“Oh no, Abby, this has nothing to do with what I owe you. My help with your foundation is part of what I owe my Nancy. I’m also going to ask you to put me on your board of directors. Every reputable charity has a board that helps advise or guide the charity. They also help raise funds to some extent, even if it’s only by attaching their reputation to the charity. Since Nancy passed, I haven’t done any work with charities and she wouldn’t have wanted that. If it’s ok with you, I’m going to have Mark be my point man on this. I want him get some experience with this as well and the two of you can learn about it together.”
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“I was going to ask anyways. Grandma Nancy talked about her charities all the time and she always said that she’d get me more involved after college.”, Mark said to Jake. He turned to me and added, “I can pick up the slack when your ill health kicks in and you’re feeling frail.”, Mark said.
“I’d love to have you on the board, Jake, and I suppose Mark can tag along, if he behaves himself.” I stuck my tongue out at him and we both grinned.
Jake didn’t miss seeing this byplay and said, “It’s good to see that you two get along so well. Especially with what I’d like to suggest to you, Abby. This summer, a few weeks after school lets out, I’m sending Mark to visit three of our mines and give me a report on them. He’ll also be stopping at two potential mine sites to go over the data we have on them in person and then recommend which one we should be go ahead with. This trip is meant to get him some practical experience in evaluating existing and proposed mines and get him involved in the decision-making process. It’s a three-week trip and he’ll be spending between two and five days at each site. When he goes to visit the mines, he’ll stay in hotels, but he’ll be camping for the times that he’s at the potential sites. I’m mentioning all these details, because I’d like you to go with him.”
“Me? I don’t know anything about mining or the mining industry. Why would you want me there?”, I asked. This was so out of left field. I was really curious though. It did sound like fun.
“Normally, I’d tell you about the great pay and experience, with is true, but that’s not why. I watched you today at the gem mine. You surveyed the area before you started. You walked the clearing in a grid pattern. You didn’t just run off and stick your shovel in, like the rest of us did. I have no idea how you found the gems, but you had some sort of connection or sense of the land. I once knew a miner who had that sense, but nothing as strong as what you did today. I tried everything to get him to join me. Unfortunately, he struck it rich early, retired to an island somewhere and got killed in a hurricane a decade ago. My point is, I didn’t buy your line about the swami and I’m definitely not buying your ditzy ‘I was just looking for something shiny’ bullshit. That’s fine for the kids, but you’ll need a better story if you want to keep your brains and ability hidden. I want you to go with Mark because I want your opinion of the potential sites, even if it’s just a feeling. That’ll all. I might not go with what you recommend, but I’ll have my reasons if I don’t. It won’t be because I don’t have faith in you. A lot more than just the ore in the land goes into choosing a site.”
I looked over at Mark, who had been listening to all this intently, but hadn’t said anything. “How about you Mark? How do you feel about this? You’re the one that would have to put up with me for three weeks.”, I asked.
“I’m feeling like an idiot. I didn’t realize the significance of your survey of the area, much less notice your grid pattern. I could tell that you seemed to know where to dig, but I didn’t put it all together and realize how useful that could be for the trip. I would love to see what you’d make of the sites and after having spent a week with you, I think I can manage for three.”, Mark said.
“I guess I’m in then, if my dad’s ok with it. It sounds like fun.”
“Good. Now before I go off to bed, there is one last favor I need from you Abby.” Jake had my attention.
“Mark is hiding something important from me and I’d like your help in finding out what it is.”, Jake stated while looking directly at Mark.
“I’m not hiding it. I’m just not ready to discuss it yet.”, Mark countered, looking exasperated.
“You’d like me to spy on your grandson while we’re out looking at potential mine sites? You know Jake, even if I was a great liar, which you just told me I’m not, I think he’d see through my charade.” That elicited a big guffaw from Jake and a gentle smile from Mark.
“No Abby. I’m hoping he’ll tell you what he’s got in mind and then you’ll either tell him that he’s a fool and he’ll drop it or you’ll tell him he’s a genius and that he should quit being so cautious and just tell me about it. Either way, I’m happy.”
“Plus, it won’t hurt the boy none to be exposed to a strong woman. Too many girls these days are waifs with fake breasts, hanging on their boyfriends’ arms like ornaments. A man needs a partner in his life, not a trophy or a cleaning lady.” I think I full on blushed at that and I definitely did not look up to see how Mark was taking this blatant matchmaking.
“Mark and I are just friends, Jake.”, I managed to say.
“That’s fine. Being around you will let him see what he could have if he chooses well.”, Jake answered.
“What makes you think I’m good for him?”, I asked.
“Don’t play games with me, Abby. You ran into that fire! A fire no one else was going near. I may be old, but I can use a computer. I saw the videos. You didn’t hesitate. I wish to God that I could say that I’d have been right there beside you, but I don’t know. You ran towards danger, while others recorded it. You ran because you heard someone was in danger and you could do something about it. How can being around someone like that be bad for him?”
With those words, Jake bade us goodnight and left Mark and I sitting there in an awkward silence.
After fifteen seconds, I said, “Awkward silence.” We laughed at that and the tension that Jake had created between us broke. Shortly after, we both headed to our rooms to get some sleep.