Chapter 3 - The Family Council
At 7:00 a.m. the following morning, before the courthouse even opened, my phone began ringing incessantly.
First came my mother. When I didn't answer, she called Elias. When Elias blocked her number, she called Brooke.
By 9:30 a.m., while Arthur Vance was standing before a Cook County judge submitting my ER medical records and email evidence for an emergency ex-parte temporary restraining order, an unexpected delegation arrived at my kitchen loading dock.
My uncle Ray, my aunt Susan, and two of my older cousins stepped out of a black SUV and walked into the prep area.
Brooke immediately stepped in front of them, holding a heavy metal mixing paddle. "This is a private commercial facility. You need to leave."
"We just want to talk to Maya," Uncle Ray said, looking genuinely distressed. He wore his thick winter coat, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. "Please. It’s an emergency."
I stepped out of my office, holding a folder of financial documents. "Uncle Ray. What are you doing here?"
Ray walked toward me, but stopped short when he got a clear look at my face under the bright industrial LED lights. He winced, horror flashing across his features. "Jesus, Maya... your face."
"It's broken in two places," I said coldly. "What do you want, Ray?"
"Your mother called an emergency family gathering at her house two hours ago," Aunt Susan chimed in, her voice trembling. "Vanessa is hysterics. She received a formal legal demand letter from your attorney an hour ago threatening a lawsuit for half a million dollars. Maya, she doesn't have half a million dollars! She doesn't even have fifty thousand!"
"That sounds like a problem for her financial advisor," I said.
"She’s your sister!" Aunt Susan snapped, her traditional instincts flaring up. "Family doesn't sue family! You don't put your own blood in court over a business disagreement!"
"She didn't sue me, Aunt Susan," I said, stepping closer to her, forcing her to look directly at the purple and blue flesh surrounding my eyes. "She hit me. She fractured my face. And then she tried to bankrupt nineteen people who work for me. Where was this family outrage yesterday at 3:14 p.m. when she sent that email?"
Uncle Ray looked down at the concrete floor, rubbing his neck in shame. "Maya... I was there last night. I saw what happened. It was awful. But your mother is threatening to cut everyone off if we don't fix this. She’s saying you’re trying to put Vanessa in prison."
"My mother has protected Vanessa's cruelty for thirty years," I said, my voice ringing with absolute authority through the high-ceilinged kitchen. "When Vanessa stole my high school savings, Mom called it a loan. When Vanessa ruined my college graduation dinner, Mom told me to be more understanding. Last night, Vanessa broke my face and tried to destroy my company, and Mom asked me if I could avoid making a scene."
I pointed toward the exit doors.
May you like
"The time for family council is over," I declared. "If any of you stand between me and my business, Arthur Vance will add you as co-defendants to the civil suit. Get out of my kitchen."
Uncle Ray stared at me for five long seconds. Then he slowly nodded, turned around, and dragged Aunt Susan back out toward the loading dock.
