Chapter Sixteen
They returned home and the rest of the day Max and Carol spent checking his mom's stuff. He got to know so much about his mom.
Looking closely, Carol thought that his mom looked oddly familiar. "Your mom looks familiar. Her family too. I've seen them somewhere but I can't remember where," she told Max and he stared at her.
"Let's check her address in that photocopy of her passport. Maybe you will remember something," he suggested excitedly.
The address belonged to one of the backward, dirty streets of Las Vegas. It didn't seem to remind Carol anything. They gave up hope and ordered a simple dinner.
After dinner Carol received a call from River. They had reached Huntsville safely yesterday. She informed Carol that today, in the morning, apparently Stanley had visited Carol's dorm to see her. When he didn't see her, he visited River's house and created an ugly scene there. He took the first flight that was available and would reach Las Vegas tonight. Tomorrow he will be visiting Carol.
After she disconnected the call, a worried Max looked at her, "What happened?" He asked with concern.
She informed him what River told her. "Stanley's coming here tomorrow. He's already arrived in Vegas, " she said.
"Let him. We'll deal with him, don't worry," he comforted.
They went to sleep early as they were mentally, physically and emotionally drained.
The next morning after breakfast, Carol showed him on the laptop that Max gave her, details of the college where she took admission. Max approved of her choice and promised to take her to see the college one day. Her classes would begin from Monday and she was yet to buy her books. Max called his PA and forwarded him the booklist on his mobile phone.
"He'll have your books delivered by today in the evening, " smiled Max and Carol hugged him. He kissed her mouth hungrily when the doorbell rang.
He went to get the door while Carol sat on her laptop to check her emails. She looked up when she heard Stanley's voice talking to Max, disrespectfully. Getting up, she went towards the main door.
"Who the hell are you? I've come here to get my girlfriend," yelled Stanley, in frustration.
"I'm her husband. You can come inside and have a talk, " said Max, calmly.
"Who's husband, huh? I'm Carol's boyfriend, Stanley Goldsmith," he said, spelling his name out in case there were any mistakes about the woman in question.
"Yeah, I know who you are. I'm Carol's husband, Maxwell Stephens," said Max, his patience thinning out. "Are you coming inside?"
Stanley stared at him with his mouth hanging open when Carol appeared at the door too beside Max. "Carol, there you are. What's this man saying? Who's he?" He asked in confusion.
"He's my husband, Stanley. I'm married now. Look, why don't you come inside and talk," she insisted leading the way inside.
Stanley went inside in a daze. He couldn't believe that she was married. How could she just marry some stranger in an unknown place when all his life he had known her. He had taken care of her since she was sixteen. He was the one who should have married her and not some man whom she met on a pleasure trip.
His insides boiled with anger. Max and Carol sat together on a sofa and he stood in the middle of the room. He was too agitated to even sit. "Carol, stop this charade right now. I've seen through you. You're just putting up an act with him just to throw me off guard. Well, it isn't working. Come with me this instant," he ordered, ignoring Max completely.
"I'm not going anywhere Stanley. I'm not putting up a show, believe me. I'm very much married to Max and I'm staying with him forever. I'm going to pursue my studies here in Vegas. There's nothing in Huntsville for me now," she said, calmly. She didn't want to create a scene. It's best that Stanley understood her clearly and left her in peace but she knew how stubborn and irritating Stanley really was.
"I can show you our marriage certificate if that helps," said Max, in a calm voice.
"But she doesn't know you. How could she marry you? She's known me all my life. I have taken care of her since she was sixteen. Where were you then? If anyone gets to marry her, I do. Carol has he married you by force? I'm your legal guardian, shouldn't you have informed me?" He said in an agitated tone.
"She's twenty God dammit. Why would she need you as her legal guardian? She's an adult herself," said Max, looking at Stanley with an understated anger.
"Stanley, Max is right. I'm twenty and an adult already. I've told you before also many times. You are no longer legally my guardian," said Carol and Stanley fumed with anger. "And there's no force. Our marriage is based only on love and understanding."
"What have you done for her since she was sixteen?" Asked Max in a calm voice.
"I I've enrolled her in a good school. I've looked after her needs. I've monitored her education. Enrolled her in a good college. Visited her every week," said Stanley, eyes blazing with anger. "Have you done that much for her?" He challenged Max.
Max smiled. "Why did you move her to Huntsville to live a lonely life in a boarding school when she could have stayed with her aunt Cecilia and lived happily in her own home?" Asked Max and Stanley stood with his mouth hanging open. He had no answer to that. He sat down on the sofa nearest to him as he tried to compose himself and think of an appropriate answer.
Max was relentless. He had just started his interrogation. "So, you've been looking after the company solely, right?" He asked and Stanley shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Yes, and it's doing better than it was before," he said with a smug expression.
"Right, all credit goes to you for that. So you've been depositing the monthly profit into Carol's account regularly?" Asked Max and Stanley simply stared at him, dumbfounded.
"Why? Do you want a share? Have you married Carol for money?" Asked Stanley, going red with anger.
Carol laughed. "He's loaded Stanley. He doesn't need any more than he already has. So just answer his question please," she said.
"I couldn't since I've spent her share on her education and needs," said Stanley, trying to evade the question.
"Is it? Then let's make a visit to your office. I want to see the accounts, the amount of profit you've been making and exactly the amount you've been spending on my wife since she was sixteen," said Max and Stanley's face fell.
"Oh, you can't. My office isn't here. It's in Montgomery, Alabama," said Stanley standing up in panic.
"Oh don't worry, tomorrow we'll fly down to Alabama in my helicopter," said Max and Stanley looked at him in disbelief. "We'll give you a lift, if you want."
"Right. You'll be visiting the office tomorrow itself?" Asked a fidgety Stanley.
"Yeah, we will. I have been managing all my businesses since the age of sixteen Mr Goldsmith. You can't do magic overnight and change the accounts. I can catch any change in a matter of seconds," threatened Max and Stanley's eyes widened.
"I've got to go. I'll return today itself," he said. "See you tomorrow, Carol." He said and walked hurriedly out of their house.
"Pack for a 5 day trip Carol. We'll leave for Alabama in an hour," Max said, going out of the room to call his pilot to get his helicopter ready.
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Featured picture: Jay Ryan as Stanley Goldsmith
