Landgraab Legacy - Tumblr Posts

Judge:  My finding is that Miss Slater's article was libelous and caused Mr. Landgraab considerable grief.  Therefore, I order The Bluewater Gazette to pay him a fine of $20,000.  Furthermore, Miss Slater must write a formal apology and a retraction of the article, which must be printed as soon as possible.  Case closed.

People were trickling out of the courtroom.  Malcolm’s lawyer, Lilly Gates, patted him on the arm and smiled broadly.  “I told you we’d win,” she said.

“Thanks,” Malcolm said. “I’m just glad it’s over.  I’m so ready to go home.”

Lilly nodded.  “You go ahead,” she said.  “I’ll take care of wrapping stuff up and then call you tomorrow.  Have a good night!”

“You too.”

He headed out into the corridor, searching his pockets for his car keys.  All he wanted to do was go home.   

He heard footsteps behind him, and then a voice. “Malcolm, wait!”

He turned to see Abby hurrying toward him.  He stopped, arms crossed.  "What do you want?" he snapped.

At his tone, Abby scowled.  "I just wanted to say that I hope we can put this all behind us now. I'm sorry for what happened, but I hope we can move on.  I'd like us to still be friends, at least."

Malcolm sneered. "Friends?  Friends?  What makes you think I want anything to do with you after what you did?"

"We settled that in there," Abby said, gesturing toward the courtroom.  "I'm going to write the apology and the retraction.  It's going to get printed.  The story will get buried.  It's over.  I know we can't go back to where we were before it all happened, but couldn't we have a fresh start?"

"That's what you did to me publicly, my reputation," Malcolm said.  "We didn't settle anything about what you did to me personally.  You ripped my heart out, Abby!  I loved you!  I was ready to marry you!  I was!  I thought you were what I wanted.  And then you stabbed me in the back!  And you never apologized for that!"  

“Malcolm--”

“No, don’t try it now!  Watcher!  You’re such a--”

“Malcolm, I’m pregnant.”

Malcolm felt like someone had stomped on his chest, knocking all the breath out of him. “What?”

“I’m pregnant,” Abby repeated, resting her hands on her stomach so he could see the slight bump beneath her shirt.  “It’s yours.  I can get a test if you really want me to, but I haven’t been with anyone but you.  I know it’s yours.”  She took a step toward him and, when he didn’t move away, laid a hand on his arm.  “This is why I wanted us to be friends again.”

He still couldn’t breathe.  He tried to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.  He had a momentary vision of what might have been if this had happened differently. The ghost of the joy he would have felt--should have felt --flashed through him, leaving him cold and confused.  

“This is why I wanted us to be friends again,” Abby said.  “I know saying I’m sorry won’t make up for what I did, but can’t you please forgive me?  I really am sorry, and I need you.”

He could forgive her.  He could put the past behind him for the sake of the child.  They could be friends.  For a moment, Malcolm teetered on the edge of the decision. If she was sincere, then maybe...

“You need me?” he repeated.

She nodded, a hand on her belly again.  “We both do,” she said.  “We can’t stay with my uncle for much longer. There’s no room.  And I don’t have much money or a job...We’re going to need someone like you to take care of both of us.”

“We’re both going to need you to take care of us.”

There it was.  The real reason she was telling him this. He shoved the feelings he had buried back into their grave.  She didn’t care about him.  She cared about his money and what he could do for her.  She was trying to manipulate him again.  It wasn’t going to work.

He pulled his arm out of her grasp, stepping back so she wouldn’t be able to touch him again. “Nice try,” he snapped.  “You’re not getting a simoleon from me. I am going to want that paternity test, and then if it is my child, I’m going to want full custody.  No child deserves to be raised by a manipulative bitch like you.”  He spat the last words like venom, hoping to hurt her.  He was glad to see her flinch.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” he said before she could say anything else.  “Right now, I don’t want to see you anymore.” He walked away, taking wicked pleasure in the sob he heard behind him.

Correction

The Bluewater Gazette would like to formally apologize to Mr. Malcolm Landgraab IV.  The article published about him several weeks ago was written in a way that portrayed Mr. Landgraab negatively and took several of his statements out of context. The Gazette regrets allowing this article to come to print.  We have dismissed the reporter responsible for the story, and have reprimanded the editors who allowed the article to go to print.  Again, we apologize to Mr. Landgraab, and to anyone whose opinion of him was incorrectly colored by what we printed.  Mr. Landgraab is a fine, upstanding citizen of Bluewater Village.  He and his family have done much good for this town and we hope that he will continue that tradition.

"I saw it.  I'm fine with it.  Yeah.  After what she did, I'm glad she got fired.  Yeah. No, not right now.  I'm ready for the next step.  Set up that appointment for me, okay?  Thanks, Lilly.  Call me back with the details.  Thanks again."

In an office.  Fleming is behind the desk.  Malcolm and Lilly Gate are sitting on the other side.  

Fleming looked over the top of his glasses, a mildly amused look on his face. "So, Miss Gate, would you or Mr. Landgraab care to explain why you asked to meet with me today? I was under the impression that we finished any business we had together in court."

"My client has something to tell you regarding his family legacy," Lilly said.  "Go ahead, Malcolm."

Malcolm cleared his throat and tried to remember the speech he'd prepared.  "I know the deadline for me getting married is coming up fast," he said, "and I think we both know I'm not going to make it."

Fleming raised an eyebrow but said nothing.  Malcolm continued.  "I've decided that instead of rushing into a marriage just to follow a tradition, I'm going to follow a different tradition.  Your firm can have the house and the businesses and the money.  I'm starting over."

Fleming actually looked surprised.  "What do you mean, you're starting over?"

Malcolm leaned forward, grinning.  "I'm starting the family legacy over,” he said,  “with no more stupid marriage rules and no more involvement with you or your firm.  I think my great-grandfather would be proud of me.  I'm following in his footsteps."

"I see.  And how will you pay for this fresh start?  All your money is in the family account, which means it will all belong to the firm once you 'start over'.  What will you live on, and where will you live?"

"I'll have plenty of money to invest in a new house," Malcolm said smugly.  "Remember?  The Gazette had to pay me for that story."

"But that money is in your bank account, Mr. Landgraab, which means it will be taken with the rest of the money in that account when my firm takes possession."

Malcolm laughed.  "Nope.  I had my lawyer," he gestured to Lily, who smirked, "open a new bank account for me and the Gazette money went in there.  Your firm only handles the original Landgraab account, not this one, so this money will still be mine.”

Fleming folded his hands on the desk, his face unreadable.  “It appears that you’ve thought this through, Mr. Landgraab.”

Malcolm nodded and stood up.  “I’ll leave Ms. Gate here to work out the details with you,” he said.  “I’ll make sure to inform the employees at the businesses about the changes, and I’ll be out of the mansion by the end of the season.” 

“Good luck, Mr. Landgraab,” Fleming said, his face once more unreadable.  “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Even if I don’t, I at least know that what I’m heading toward is better than what I’m leaving behind.”  Malcolm smiled to himself and walked out of the office.

At the end of the season, Malcolm moved out of Landgraab Manor and into a small house in downtown Sim City.  It wasn’t much, but it was his.  As he sat his tiny kitchen, he felt a wonderful sense of freedom.  He had left everything behind and it felt as though a terrible weight had been lifted from his shoulders. For the first time in over a season, Malcolm felt happy. 

Malcolm was still settling in when his cell phone rang. 

“Hello? This is Malcolm Landgraab.”

A woman’s voice on the other end said, “Hello, Malcolm.  It’s Charlotte Worthington.”

Malcolm blinked in surprise.  He and Charlotte had been good friends in elementary and middle school, but had ended up at separate private high schools and then separate colleges.  “Hi, Charlotte,” he said.  “How did you get my number?”

“It’s on your LinkedSim profile with your resume,” she said.  

“Oh. Well, it’s good to hear from you.  It’s been ages. How’ve you been?”

“I’m doing all right,” she said.  “I’m living in the city.  I work at one of Dad’s companies as an HR rep. In fact, that’s actually why I’m calling. We need someone new in one of our departments and I thought you would be a good fit.  Are you interested in a job in business?”

For a moment, Malcolm didn’t know what to say.  He had intended to start sending his resume out to different companies this week, but he had never expected someone to call him first.  “I’d love to come in for an interview, at least,” he said.  

“Okay.  Does Tuesday work for you?”

“Yeah.”

“Ten o’clock?”

“I’ll be there.  Just tell me the address.”

She gave him the address of a building a few blocks away.  They squared away a few other details and then hung up.  Malcolm couldn’t help smiling.  He might get a job sooner than he’d thought.  His new legacy was off to a great start!

The interview on Tuesday went very well.  Malcolm liked the look of the company and the job description they gave him.  They promised to call him by the end of the week to tell him yes or no. 

He was a bit surprised, a few days later, when Charlotte Worthington showed up on his porch and rang the doorbell.

“Hey Charlotte,” he said, stepping outside.

“Hi, Malcolm!  I know it’s  a bit odd for me to come over like this, but I wanted to tell you the good news in person.”

“What good news?”

“You got the job!”  She beamed at him.  “You’re officially a part of Worth Co., starting next week!”

Malcolm gaped. “What?  I got the job?”

“You got the job!”

“Thank you!”  He wanted to hug her.  “Thank you so much!  This is great news!”

Worth Co. sent a very nice car to pick Malcolm up for his first day of work, and Charlotte met him in the office.

“Welcome to Worth Co!” she said, beaming at him.  “Your cubicle will be over there.  You’ve got a computer and a phone.  There should be some files there for you to show you how to get onto the company internet and set up your voicemail and everything. There are espresso machines and a mini fridge for the whole floor to use over there.  My cubicle is right there, so if you need me, just come find me.”

“Thanks again, Charlotte,” Malcolm said, looking around.  “I really appreciate you thinking of me for this position.”

“Not a problem at all,” Charlotte smiled.  “I told you, I thought you’d be right for it, and It’s going to be nice to have a friend here now.”

Malcolm’s first day was long, but he felt like he’d been productive by the end of it.  He and Charlotte walked out of the building together at six, chatting about their days. On the front steps of the building, Charlotte stopped and turned to him. 

“I think your good first day deserves something special,” she said. “Do you want to go to dinner?”

Malcolm hesitated.  Charlotte was really nice and really easy to talk to.  It was almost as if they had picked up their childhood friendship where they’d left off. He wanted to spend more time with her, but the thought of going out with her ---- or with anyone-- made his stomach churn. After what had happened with Abby, he was not at all ready to start dating again.

Charlotte must have sensed his discomfort because she added quickly, “Just as friends, of course.  We don’t have to go anywhere fancy, either.  I just thought you might want to celebrate.”

Malcolm flushed, embarrassed that he had even thought she was asking him out.  Of course, she meant just as friends.  “I’d love to celebrate with you, as friends,” he said and gave her his best smile. 

“I’ll call a taxi then,” Charlotte said, smiling back. 

“And he said if it is his baby, then he wants full custody.” Abby wiped away a tear and looked across the desk at her uncle.  “What am I going to do?”

Her uncle wore his usual blank expression. “I’m afraid I don’t know,” he said.  “Or rather, I do know, but unless you have the money to pay for my legal advice, I am unwilling to give it.”

“You know I don’t have the money,” Abby snapped.  “I got fired, remember? But you’re my uncle.  You’re supposed to help me without me paying.  You did this last time!  You have to help me again!”

“This last time Mr. Landgraab still had something I wanted,” Fleming said.  “Now that he’s given over his family fortunes to my firm, I have no further reason to deal with him.  You’re welcome to continue living with me, of course, and so is your child, but I can’t give any more favors.”

Abby crossed her arms and pouted. “It’s not fair,” she muttered.

“Life rarely is,” her uncle responded.  “Now, I hate to usher you out of here, but I do have paying clients coming in soon and I’ll need the chair.”

Red’s Diner was the perfect place for a meal with a friend. Malcolm and Charlotte enjoyed their food and even goofed around a little bit.  Malcolm found himself laughing as they teased each other and remembered their elementary days. He didn’t want the night to end. 

“Do you need to get home?” Malcolm asked as he and Charlotte finished their meal and stood up.

Charlotte checked her watch.  “It’s only 7:30.  I have some time.  Did you want to go somewhere else?”

“What about the park?” Malcolm asked.  

“Sure!  I’d love to.  I haven’t been to a park for ages.” 

Sim Center North park was fairly empty at  that time of night.  Most of the people who were there were hanging around at the coffee stand.  Malcolm and Charlotte went to the other side of the river to relive more elementary memories on the swings. 

Out of breath and laughing, Malcolm and Charlotte left the swings for the nearby chess set.  They were in the middle of a game - and Malcolm was winning - when Charlotte inhaled sharply.

“Malcolm, we need to go,” she said softly. 

“What?”

“Just trust me.  We need to get out of here now. It’s getting late anyways.”

Confused, Malcolm got up and followed her back over the bridge to where the car was waiting for them. Charlotte directed the driver to take her home and they left the park.