Chapter 2.9: Inheritance

     "Since we have you here at last Ochre, your mother and I want to talk to you," Dad said when everyone finished eating.

     "Alright Dad," Ochre said.

     "I'm going to check on the girls before we talk.  Emrys can you and the boys put the food away," Mom asked standing up.

     "Of course, Aunt Ray," Emrys said.

     "When you finish can you come out to the workshop too?" Dad asked her.

     Ochre glanced at Emrys.  She nodded, picking up plates and taking them into the kitchen.  She laughed at something Toya said and bumped him with her hip as she put the plates into the sink.  

     Ochre frowned at their exchange but followed his parents out of the room.

     "This place doesn't look anything like the lair of the big bad director of the Palette Agency," Ochre said.

     "That's not what you said when you were little.  Do you remember all the hours you used to play in here when you were younger.  Calling it the 'Den'." Dad asked.

     Ochre laughed. "That's right. So what did you want to talk about?" he asked his parents.

     "Sit down first," Mom said.

     "Your mom and I want to talk about the inheritance of the O'Malley estate," Dad started.

     "Why? Are you guys okay?" Ochre asked.

     "Your father and I are fine.  We're just getting older and we want to get the issue of inheritance settled before we're Elders," Mom reassured him.

     "Issue?  Saffron is your only daughter, she'll inherit when she's older." Ochre said.

     "That's the thing," Mom said, "after my mom died when I was a teenager I did a lot of research about the laws of inheritance.  While usually it is the eldest daughter that inherits it doesn't always happen.  I want my eldest to inherit as Head of the O'Malley family.  Or rather to act as proxy for his daughter who has yet to be born."

     Ochre snorted, "I don't think you're gonna have much luck there Mom.  Hunter and Toya might have trouble conceiving a daughter."

     "I don't mean Hunter," Mom said tapping him on the arm.  She turned to look directly at him, "you, silly, are my first born son."

     "Wha..Bu..Mom. I'm not an O'Malley." Ochre stammered.

     "Doesn't matter to me," Mom said.  "You've been my baby for over twenty-five years, blood tie or not."

     "Your mom and I just want to start preparing you for taking over," Dad said.  "Not today or tomorrow but some day."

     "I don't know if I'll ever have kids, though.  What would we do then," Ochre asked.

     "If you never have kids, then Saffron and her children can inherit, since River married into the Downey family," Mom answered.  "I don't want to pressure you into a marriage or to have kids but you are the first one I thought of when I considered the matter of inheritance."

     "What about Emrys and her daughter?" Ochre asked.

     "What," he asked when his mom stood and walked over to his dad.

     "We'll talk about it when Emrys gets here," his dad said.

     "Talk about what," Emrys asked coming through the door and stopping by the couch.

                                                                                    

Random Rambling

   Does anyone else ever get surprised by the things I come up with?  I did not really see this coming.  Not at all...well maybe some of it ^o^

   I've noticed my ramblings have gotten shorter but I just don't have as much to say.  And I don't want to put in any spoilers. (I had to delete an entire paragraph earlier because it was too spoilery.  No that's not a word but I'm using it.)