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“Mr. Jones, we’ve called every bank and insurance agent known to man since my father has passed and still, we have no help. I don’t know where my father’s money is, what state he left his business in or anything. I need some direction and guidance here and you’re the only person I can think of that’s left. Is there any way you can help me out?” I ask sweetly and he sighs, leaning back in his chair.
“I can, but surely you must know that I don’t just handle your father’s account with us,” he says quietly, and I am immediately confused.
“I’m not sure what you mean…” I say and he sighs once more before placing his elbows on the desk and moving closer to me.
“I handle every account your father has with his business. I also have paperwork that he instructed no lawyer to see in the event of his passing. I haven’t even opened the file, as he told me not to. I must warn you, I do not know what it details so please bear with me as we will be learning the information together,” he says calmly, but I feel nerves bundling into a knot inside of my stomach.
“That’s fine with me, I’ll take any information that you have,” I say and he nods before putting on a pair of glasses and typing into his computer.
It takes a while. I feel like I've been waiting for nearly a century. After nearly ten minutes of him typing and reading, he sits back with a sigh, his hands folded behind his head.
“What is it?” I ask and he looks at me with wide eyes.
“It seems your father left a will in this file, and it details every instruction of where his business and money may go in the time of his passing.”
“Meaning?” I ask and he leans forward once more, turning the monitor towards me so that I can see everything on the screen.
“Meaning that every account, dollar and the entire business has now been put in your name,” he says, and everything around me goes quiet, his voice echoing in the distance.
Everything. He left me absolutely everything, with no instruction of how to deal with all of this.
“That means…That I…I…” I stammer like a fool and Albert smiles kindly at me.
“That means that you, Ms. Bailey, are now the proud owner of one of the largest livestock producers in the country. You are now the proud owner of Bailey Ranch & Co.”
With that knowledge, I black out.
3
“Ms. Bailey?”I hear a distant voice call.
I can’t focus, I can’t think. I just see a large vast blackness behind my closed eyes, my head spinning.
“Ali?” the voice calls again.
How is this possible? I’m the owner of my dad’s ranch? I have no guidance, clue or any idea of what to do with this company. I went to school for books for Christ’s sake!
“Ms. Bailey!” The voice shouts and my eyes snap open at once, focusing on Mr. Jones’ concerned face.
“Thank God, you had me worried for a minute there. Don’t get up, I told my secretary to get you some water. Just sit tight,” he says calmly, but I am anything but calm.
I am confused. I’m sad and now, I’m downright angry.
Why would my father do this? He knew I had zero interest in his business, sure I love animals, but I don’t like selling them and I don’t know shit about owning a ranch. He knew I wanted to be an English professor. He knew this!
Albert’s secretary rushes into his office, a glass of water in hand and now placed in front of me. I grab it as she leaves, chugging and swallowing every drop before sitting back in my chair as I expel a large breath.
“Are you alright, Ms. Bailey?” Albert asks and I let out a short and harsh laugh.
“Not really, no. This can’t be right. My father knew that I had literally zero knowledge about his business. I can barely ride a horse! Why would he leave the entire ranch in my name? Surely this has got to be a mistake. He has numerous staff members, including a man who has been running those grounds since I was a kid. He’s more than qualified to-”
“I can assure you, Ali, there is no mistake. Everything is in your name. It’s even been signed by a notary and lawyer,” he says and my head spins even more.
“Why would he not tell me this? I went to school for fucking literature, not this!” I shout, panicking now.
Albert offers me a kind smile.
“Please try to stay calm, Ali. You do have some options,” he says, and I perk up.
