New CEO

CHAPTER 1

My name is Alice Banes. I have been working for Mr. Gregory Black for a number of years now. He is a well known real state investment developer. Founder, Chairman and CEO of Black Financial Group. He has been developing very well known buildings all over the city of San Diego for the last forty years.

I started off as an unpaid intern at Black Financial Group following around his then personal assistant, job shadowing her as part of an assignment for my highschool's senior portfolio. After I graduated, Mr. Black asked me to come back as a paid employee when Marjorie, his then assistant retired. I took her place and as of late I have become Mr. Black's care taker, it's been six years now.

Four years ago Mr. Black was diagnosed with advanced stage II Large Cell Carcinoma, otherwise known as Non-small-cell lung cancer . It started with a persistent cough that got worse over time, then the troubled breathing started. By the time he decided, or rather I made him go get checked out, he had developed severe pneumonia that just wouldn't go away.

We have been in an out of hospitals and spoken with a multitude of doctors and specialists. He has been poked and probed more times than I dare to count. We tried everything. Radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and hollistic alternatives. Nothing has worked. The treatments have been so aggressive and have left Mr. Black's body battered.

There once was a glimmer of hope as he went into remission for approximately a year but then the cancer started spreading and we are told he is now in the terminal phase of stage IV cancer. We don't know how long it will be. Perhaps weeks, maybe months or just merely days. This battle has been a long one, to say the least.

"What on earth are you doing?!" I snap at the old man.

"What's it look like?" He grunts back.

Raising my eyebrow and  shaking my head disapprovingly.

"Are you trying to make things worse? Seriously? You shouldn't be smoking. I shouldn't have to tell you this."

"Yes, mother." He says sarcastically as he places a cigar between his lips and takes a puff.

"Its not like I can get lung cancer again you know, I already have it. One cigar is not going to put me in the grave but five minutes earlier." The old man raises his brandy glass and cheers at me then takes a drink.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. I guess you want to end up in a coughing fit. Your lungs don't have the capacity to smoke that cigar. Its bad enough you're drinking that brandy. You take too many medications."

When will he learn?
He was taking at least five different medications at this time and undergoing chemo therapy, but the old man, as always, does as he wants. He had never denied himself the pleasures he could afford and he wasn't about to start now.

Mr. Black was born on the other side of the tracks, he was a self made multi millionaire. Born and raised in a working class family,  he worked his way up the corporate ladder. Putting himself through college and eventually getting into real state.

"I'm still dying right, So what difference does it make? Can't I enjoy the things I take pleasure in before I kick the bucket?" He says with an amused look on his face.

"The point Mr.Black, is to not, " kick the bucket. That is why we have been going to all those doctors and why you had surgery to remove as much of the tumors in your lungs as possible. What would I do with myself if you were gone? If you don't care...fine. Just don't expect me not to." I say firmly.

"I know, I know. Guilt me why don't you. I know what you could do with yourself. Find a nice man, get married and have lots of babies." He hides his face behind this morning's copy of the paper.