LOST EMPIRE

         Merlyn was visibly shocked at Tamon’s unsavoury explanation. Her thoughts wandered may be for want of an appropriate response. She spluttered in an attempt to speak, amidst torrent of tears that rolled down her moneyed cheeks; sobbing silently in an emotional surge. Tamon watched helpless as she sobbed, a little perplexed at her emotional off bits.

“Please, you must take things easy” he said, trying to mollify her.

“I share your sentiments but as you can see, I don’t have any…”

“Indeed you don’t have any choice. Isn’t that what you wanted to say?” Merlyn cuts in.

“You want me to take things easy. Where do I start? Is it what you have just explained or my husband’s sudden death? she asked with obvious resentment in her voice.

“You better stay any of your intended actions till you hear from me” she warned and stormed out of Tamon’s office, picking a letter on his table.

 On her way home, she called Jaddi her family lawyer. They scheduled a meeting the following day. Her current emotional state would not make for any conscientious discussion though Jaddi was disposed to meet her immediately.  

“I must not let this happen”, she muttered as she reflected on Tamon’s explanations.  It seemed unbelievable, though replete with ineluctable facts. That really got her worried. She was convinced her late husband’s fortune has been skewed or there is an evil design to do so by Tamon and his finance consortium.

Getting closer home, she was quick to switch mood, not willing to let her children into her botheration. She put up her usual quiet demeanor which her two daughters could not look beyond when they welcomed her home. In her private living room, she cradled their heads in her arms uttering their shared endearment in cautious repetition as not to expose her pains.

 

          Her meeting with Jaddi couldn’t hold as scheduled. It was postponed twice. Jaddi was caught up by some job engagements. However Merlyn made good the postponement. She made mind boggling discovery on the happenstances in her late husband’s business empire. Their meeting became more expedient as she needed to make some confirmations.

.Merlyn walked into Jaddi’s office a little wild eyed, with a stare of disdain as she took a seat over his desk in a somewhat royal audacity. An unusual silence ensured – a poisoned silence of sort.

Jaddi forced a smile through his puzzled expression to dowse the engaging tension. He has handled tensed moments like this in time past, going by his profession - a legal experience which spans over three decades, mainstreaming in corporate law and investment consultancy, with an unrivaled professional integrity. He sat comfortably on his Italian made leather swivel chair thoughtfully looking at a written piece in his laptop as if counting the words.

“If you can put off your nonchalant and standoffish attitude my Lady – calling Merlyn by her tittle; it will help us to talk better” Jaddi finally said.

“You’re my late husband’s lawyer and investment adviser. You consulted for his businesses. What is going on? Merlyn asked, in a little high voice. She removed a letter from her hand bag and dropped it on Jaddi’s table.

“I got this letter from a finance consortium” she said. “I had an unpleasant meeting with the Director when I called you few days ago”.

Jaddi slowly picked up the letter, not quite eager to read its content.

He was not ignorant of whatever Merlyn seek to know. He told her that her late husband was head bent on an investment pursuit against his professional advice.

A little altercation ensued. Merlyn insisted Jaddi could have stopped her husband or at least let her into the situation, seeing the huge risk it portends.  Her coarse grief laden voice echoed as she expressed her disappointment: making it emphatic that Jaddi has failed her family abysmally by his passive stance. She wondered if there was no cynical motive.

Jaddi kept mute at her outburst, being quite aware of her frustrations.  But he was miffed at her distrust, considering the efforts he made to dissuade her late husband from the business deal.

“My lady, you should know I’m not a man without scruples” he stressed. “Bound as I am by profession, there is a limit I could pressure somebody out of a settled intention. We are not talking of a school boy here remember? It is Fred your late husband. You should know him better”.

“And what really went wrong” Merlyn drawled, now a little calm, her eyes though soaked with tears.

Jaddi hesitated. He brought out a sealed file from one of his drawers and placed it on his table. “The contents in here will answer many of your questions” he said, pointing at the file.

He was brief in his narratives and emphasized to Merlyn that it would be a waste of time for them to dwell on recriminations. “We must face the finance consortium and see what we can negotiate”

Merlyn sobbed bitter. It dawned on her that her late husband acted viscerally to an investment proposal. He didn’t allow time for proper vetting. She may not be privy to all her husband’s business transactions but she had much confidence in his business savvy that not even a manipulated dereliction could made him plunge his empire into a downswing. She was bothered. Their business empire was at the verge of a financial quagmire. Their once beautiful life was fast ‘circling the drain’.

 

          Few months gone, the finance consortium sent another letter – this time, a strong worded one with threat of litigation if obstructed. They were about to initiate a liquidation process. Merlyn was not prepared for another confrontational meeting with them. She sent for Jaddi.

It was noon. Jaddi drove into her late husband’s palatial mansion in a posh grey coloured range rover jeep. He alighted from his car way out of the visitor’s parking lot, walking briskly towards the east wing of the mansion in a neatly tailored black suit, white stripped shirt and a blue tie; a file jacket tucked at his side.

He walked as one who knew his way around, not mesmerized by the intimidating aura of the mansion which sprawls in grandiose splendor that could only be likened to a presidential villa in other climes. Time and circumstances have gotten rid of the retinue of domestic staffs and busy activities in the Mansion. It is now all serenity and quietness.

Jaddi was ushered into one of the exquisite living rooms in the mansion.  It is classy: imported leather sofas, glass marbled floor and an imposing picture portrait of Sir Fred – Merlyn’s late husband, at an eye catchy vantage position.

Merlyn came into the sitting room to meet him almost a quarter of an hour later. She was glowing in her casual home attire: an embroidered white fitting gown and white sandals.  It has been her choice of outfit since her husband’s demise. Her goodly fragrance invaded the sitting room as if announcing her presence. She forced a smile exchanging pleasantries with Jaddi but that lasted with an apology for letting him wait a little.

“I’m sorry we don’t have your brand of wine now. What else can you make up with”, Merlyn asked.

“A glass of orange juice is just fine” Jaddi said smiling.

“You want it cold? She asked again. “Yes, for the weather” Jaddi responded.

She reached out for the intercom just beside her and requested for a glass of orange juice and ice cubes. Juice was served after few minutes. Jaddi took a long sip; his gaze still on Merlyn who was seated adjacent to him within a gap of two sofas.

“I came as soon as I got back from my trip” Jaddi intimated in his smooth baritone voice.

Merlyn took a deep breath. “The consortium wrote again. They will be heading to the courts in eight weeks if we dare obstruct” she said.

“That’s not least expected” Jaddi retorted.

He told Merlyn that the consortium couldn’t have waited any longer; months after her late husband’s burial. The credit facility they gave him was staggering and at a time when his business empire was at a pernicious financial sleaze.

Jaddi cleared his throat after taking another sip of his orange drink. “I brokered the eight weeks timeline in the letter” he said.

“They accepted that on my esteemed recognition. But I didn’t know they would write so soon”

 

       Merlyn fumed at her husband’s high handedness venturing into a huge investment in this time and age. “Look at what Fred have done to us, to me, to the girls”, she lamented and brake down in tears, sobbing profusely. 

Jaddi reminded her that her husband may be blissfully unaware of the inappropriateness of his actions which has thrown up the issues at hand, but that shouldn’t blur his good intentions. He still remains a good man who wouldn’t want to hurt his own.

“If things had worked out as expected all of us could have now been displaying all forms of triumphalism” Jaddi added.

“Is this all his good intentions could bring? Merlyn asked.

I have always admired his business conquest, but this is one failure trailed by pain and shame”.

She expressed deep regret at the caustic remarks coming from even the ardent of her late husband’s admirers and beneficiaries of his good will. Most of his friends and proxies in government have stayed away as if avoiding a new epidemic - like a deliberate resolve not to entangle with the family’s mess.

Her in-laws were not also at ease with her. Fred has been their long time benefactor and they felt agitated with the turn of events. They had it rough with Merlyn for their imperious demands – a blatant show of ingratitude which didn’t go down well with her; not after she had let them into the reality of things, even with a firm promise to extend little assistance to them from to time to time.

Intimating her daughters of the goings on was nightmarish .She really hoped she could wish it away. But she faced it afterall. Her daughters accosted her about their seeming new austere living. She bulged at their insistence, being wary of their threat and soul searching questions.

“What else do you expect of your in-laws? They are like local bees – the tapper is no more, they are afraid the palm wine would dry up”, Jaddi remarked, with indignation in his voice. He chagrined at Merlyn letting her daughters into the situation.

“How did they take it” he asked.

She was mute, her gaze at the floor, shaking her head slowly as if following a rhythm.

“That faithful day we virtually wailed like chicks abandoned by mother hen in the midst of rain: as if my husband just died yesterday”, she said. “But they are over at it now. It is our new world and we must face it”

She was in no small way relieved by her daughter’s disposition in this entire financial saga – a huge anxiety taken off her. For this, she couldn’t bargain for further intrigues from the finance consortium. That would be a great torment. She wanted some quietness and also respite for her husband’s soul; one of the reasons she invited Jaddi anyways.

 

           Merlyn intimated Jaddi of her plans to relocate – a unanimous resolve with her daughters. Their country home is just as comfortable, not much to miss out. That would be her family’s new abode till the liquidation process of her late husband’s business empire is done.

“Come on Meri, it seems you’ve already resigned to despondency” Jaddi said, walking over to where she sat.

She looked at him with her eyes lit up in surprise; wondering why her pet name at this time: a name she has not been called for a long time, not even by her late husband.

“How did you know that name” she quietly asked.

“May be you’ve forgotten I consulted for your former employers, a long time during your traineeship. Why wouldn’t I know the first name I ever called in that office? You were sometimes assigned to work with me remember?

“Oh, that? Merlyn retorted. “Such memories should fritter away with time. We don’t need it now”.

“No Meri” Jaddi called again, now seated with Merlyn on the same sofa

“There is no better time than now. You need a shoulder to lean on at this time - a man of ‘means and move’ like me to keep this ever glowing beauty, to protect you and the children”.

“What glowing beauty is there in this mourning attire, with all this stress? Merlyn asked with a sneering smile. “Are you sure you have not been overwhelmed by lust and….?

“Don’t be ridiculous” Jaddi cuts in. “I am not infatuated Meri. You and Fred were of great comfort when I lost my wife three years ago.”

Merlyn stood up to leave, stunned at her visitors amorous sentiments. Jaddi recanted his line of discussion. He stretched out a big sealed envelope to her.

“I just stumbled on this couple of days ago – an insurance policy your late husband abandoned. It’s on full maturity at his death and from all indication the money is huge. We can process it as soon as you are ready”

“You know I will not yield to your cheap blandishment” Merlyn said, a little disconcerted. She reached out to the envelope anyways.

Jaddi smiled, with an air of rightness in what he wanted to say.

“When we have processed this policy, you will decide if you still want to relocate to your country home”.

“And I must tell you, the liquidation is not all dead and buried for you. There are possible takeaways, there are concessions the consortium must make” he said.

“Well, let’s wait and see how it goes, lover man” Merlyn teased. “But please, do pocket your amorous tendency till I have mourned my husband properly”.