Cecil returned to classes when they resumed. It was obvious to any who saw him that something happened during the break to depress him. It was quickly noted Penelope was no longer ‘hanging around’ with him and the knowledge spread through both groups of friends–his and hers–that she broke the engagement. Rumors abounded about the reason but none of them even came close to the real reason.
Cecil struggled to keep his attention on his course work and, truthfully, his grades did slip somewhat in his final semester. Finally, the end of his last semester came and with it graduation. Cecil received a BA in English and a BS in Business Management. After a short ‘vacation’, he split his time between writing and helping his uncle in the salvage yard. Cecil had worked with Uncle Randy almost ever since he was strong enough to be useful and loved the cars and listening to customers and drivers talking. When he obtained his degree, Uncle Randy hired him as his assistant and began training him to take over the business.
Many of Cecil’s stories had situations in them he gleaned from the ‘man talk’ overheard in the junk yard. Of course, he didn’t use modern settings in his westerns but some of the situations did make it into the books, both western and romance. In addition to pulling parts, keeping inventory and helping with sales, Cecil did some repairs and work on vehicles. The classic 1967 Chevelle Super Sport he drove part time was rebuilt from one of the junk cars. He did the majority of the work on it himself.
This junk yard was somewhat unique. They not only salvaged vehicles but they had a garage to repair mechanical problems and a body shop for body work as well. Sometimes they rebuilt a wrecked vehicle using parts from other wrecks and sold it on the lot with a salvage title. These side businesses made the salvage yard highly profitable.
The next 18 months of Cecil’s life were, if not idyllic, close to it. He enjoyed shooting the breeze with the men, and occasional woman, who came to the business or who worked there and he especially enjoyed his interaction with Randy’s two step daughters, a set of twins named Jeri and Cari. They were 18 years old now, just out of high school and constant fixtures at the business, helping wherever they could. Their mother died when they were 16 and since they had no other relatives Randy kept them, never even considering sending them away.
Over the months after he graduated the girls began spending more and more time with Cecil, helping him do anything he was involved in with the exception of his writing which he did mostly in the evenings. He made enough he really didn’t need to write but he not only enjoyed it, he really liked receiving the royalties!
One day the girls were joking and talking with Cecil while they worked and Cecil said, “Girls, what are you going to do with your lives? Are you just going to hang around here doing scut work or are you going to go to college and get training to do more with your lives?”
Jeri said, “What more can we do? We didn’t do well enough in school to get a scholarship and Randy can’t afford to send us to school. We like working here and it helps Randy so why not?”
“Because you’re too smart to just be gofers or grease monkeys. If you don’t want to go to college, you at least need to go to trade school so you can do more with your lives than you are now.”
The girls looked at each other before Cari said, “All that sounds good but like Jeri said, we can’t pay for it. Besides, we want to do this.”
Cecil said, “Tell you what. You decide exactly what you want to do and I’ll help you do it. College, trade school or whatever.”
Jeri said, “You’d do that for us? Why?”
“Because I have the money. I like you and you’re family.”
Before he could blink, Cecil had both his arms full of crying girl. After the tears dried, they each hugged him and Jeri said, “You won’t be sorry CC (many friends and especially family called him CC). Thank you, and we like you too, a lot.”
After some discussion the girls decided they wanted to do vocational courses. Jeri wanted auto mechanics and Cari wanted body work. True to his word, CC paid the fees for the schooling. He never told the girls Randy had enough and then some to send them had they asked.
Just before the girls classes were to end, CC received a panic stricken phone call from them early in the morning. It was all he could do to make out what they were saying through the tears. He finally understood Randy had a heart attack and died during the night. They’d discovered him dead when Cari went into his bedroom to wake him because he didn’t come out for breakfast. Upon hearing the news, CC jumped from bed, dressed, and was out of the house in a flash heading for his uncle’s old house and the crying girls.
It fell to CC to make all the arrangements and support the girls while they grieved. His father could have done it and, indeed, he helped and gave advice but the girls seemed to turn to him for the help. Since he worked for Randy and was self employed as a writer he had more time to do those unpleasant tasks as well.
Several days after the services the family gathered in Randy’s attorney’s office for the reading of the will. CC’s father, Randy’s brother, received a substantial cash bequest but the shocker was the disposition of the remainder of the estate. The entire estate not bequeathed to CC’s father, was in a trust fund set up for the girls and Cecil. The girls received 20% each and Cecil received the remainder. Cecil was the supervising trustee. Each would receive their pro rata share at age 25.
During the proceedings, each girl and Cecil was given a letter from Randy. The letters were very similar. Randy did write, in a letter read to everyone, “I love each of you three kids (I know, at your age you really aren’t kids but that’s how I still think of you so sue me) as if you were my own children. You’ve been much better to me than many men’s own progeny. Girls, I know you love CC and I believe he loves you. It is my wish you girls continue to live in my old house, occupying your rooms until you see fit to move or you manage to catch CC and talked him into more than friendship. The house is to be under CC’s control and his primary residence, however, should he decide to move into it. I know he’s always liked the old place and, since he’s the manager of the business now, it’s only fitting he have primary residence there.
“Girls, CC and the Trust Company have control of your share of the trust until such time as you graduate college or turn 25 years of age. You may withdraw no more than the monthly income of your share of the trust each month, subject to approval of the trustees AND after your approved monthly expenses are met, including education expenses. Upon obtaining a Bachelors degree from an accredited 4 year institution or attaining age 25, you may continue receiving the pro rata share of the trust income and pay your own living expenses, or you may withdraw your entire remaining share of the trust, never to be due anything further from the fund.”
After reading the letter to everyone, he gave each of the parties a copy of it and their personal letter from Randy. He then leaned back in his chair and said, “I’m not sure any of you know the extent of Mr. Rodgers holdings. Cecil, since you are now primary trustee and manager of the business, you’ll become very familiar with them quickly. In brief, the trust owns the Salvage yard, house, interests in two small businesses nearby–Sonny’s Fuel Stop and Terry’s Auto Parts. Additionally, the largest holding is the Riverside Country Club.”
CC and the girls gasped at that revelation. Cari said, “You’re kidding! Daddy always made fun of them and complained about the waste of land, time and money that went into that place.”
“No, I’m not kidding. You’re right, Mr. Rodgers did dislike the club and had limited respect for many of the members. He always laughed at the amount ‘those idiots’ as he called them, paid him every month for the privilege of playing silly games and telling each other how much better than the peons they were. He always demanded everything he could every time the lease on the land came up for renewal and cackled when he saw the bank deposits.”
CC and the girls returned to the business after the meeting and sat in Randy’s (now CC’s) office. There were occasional tears and periods of silence while they discussed the future. CC did ask, at one point, “Well, you each probably have enough income to go to college now instead of work here in the businesses. I know its too soon to make a decision but think about what you want for your future. I need to spend a lot of time going through the books and records. I had no idea just how much property and how many businesses Randy owned. I thought the salvage yard was his only income and always wondered how he lived so well on it.
“I also want to do a major renovation of the old house it that’s ok with you two. That could be a beautiful house again even considering its proximity to the salvage yard here. I think there’s enough vegetation between them the yard won’t detract from what I would like to do to it.”
CC spent many hours going through the books, paperwork and meeting with various people involved in business ventures Randy (now the trust) was involved in. He took great delight in studying the documents on the country club. He found the lease on the club was a very substantial amount each year, installments payable monthly. Additionally, should the club default on the payments, the entire set up including the buildings paid for by the club would revert ownership back to the trust. Any beneficiary of the trust had a complimentary full membership to the club as well.