Windsor Greetings - Chapter 3: The After-Dinner Conversation
Alex reveals the truth about the family business—and his plan to take it back.
Hey, Friends! Thanks for tuning into chapter 3 of the Windsor Family Saga. If you haven’t read chapters 1 or 2, start here.
If this isn’t your thing, I’ll see you again on Friday with my regularly scheduled roundup of creativity and innovation. See you then!
Previously On Windsor Greetings
The summer before college, Alex clashed with his brother Tyler over the family business’s outdated systems and leadership. When Tyler stole and claimed Alex’s improvement ideas, Alex knew he could never work under him.
Table of Contents
Chapter 3: The After Dinner Conversation
Chapter 3: The After-Dinner Conversation
The clanking of silverware rang against the china as Henry got up from the dining room table. All who remained were Alex and his mother, Jan. Looking up from his plate, Alex realized she had been watching him intently for who knows how long. She could sense that something was going on. She always had a way of knowing when Alex was up to something, sometimes even before he knew.
When Alex broke the news to his mother after graduation that he planned to move to the far end of the country and wouldn’t be joining the family business, she simply replied, “I know.”
She’d always supported him, but she would be lying if she said she hadn’t missed Alex these past ten or so years. Sure, she was proud of all his successes as a startup founder, and she wanted what was best for him, but it made her sad that they’d grown apart. Still, though, her motherly instincts were strong, and she knew something about Alex’s response to the big announcement was a little off.
“Alex,” she said.
“Yes, Mom?” He replied.
“What’s going on?”
Alex knew his mother would see right through him if he told her anything but the truth. Fortunately, he also knew that she could keep a secret. He took a deep breath, “Well, Mom,” he said, “I’m moving back home.”
Jan raised her eyebrows, unsure of how to process this news. “Tell me more,” she replied.
Alex, lowering his voice to a whisper, explained that his position on the family council, while mostly symbolic, afforded him the privilege of reading Windsor Greetings’ quarterly reports.
He shared that the company hadn’t turned a profit in three years, their customer base was shrinking, and with the economy the way it was, their expenses were only increasing. He explained that if things didn’t change drastically and fast, the company wouldn’t be able to make payroll by Easter.
“Surely things can’t be that bad,” Jan replied.
Alex assured her that they were, and probably even worse.
A look of worry came over Jan. For the first time, Alex noticed the age in his mother’s face. She wasn’t the youthful woman he’d left when he moved to California. She was a bit frail and showed signs of having carried the weight of the family on her shoulders for as long as he could remember.
“But don’t worry, Mom. I have a plan.”
For the month leading up to his trip home, Alex had convinced his cousins, each the recipient of their deceased father’s company shares, to cash out and sell to him. As a condition of the agreement, he’d sworn them to secrecy and forced them to sign NDAs that prohibited them from speaking even to each other about the deal.
A few years back, after selling his first business, Alex bought a sizable portion of his uncle Tom's stake in the company, allowing him to retire early. Now, just one meeting with his last cousin stood between him and securing a majority stake in Windsor Greetings, which would empower him to name himself CEO and set the company on the right course.
Alex knew that tomorrow at lunch, when he met with his cousin Kenny, he’d convince him to sell the final piece of the puzzle, and the company would be his.
What he didn’t know, however, is that Tyler had been standing just outside the doorway, and had heard every last word he’d spoken to his mother.
Stay Tuned
Want to see what happens next? Check back every Tuesday — and don’t miss my weekly creative roundup on Friday.
Until then,
-Mike
So good!