THE TOWERS FAMILY SAGA
        EPISODE 11
The following morning, the
Towers estate was eerily
quiet. Robert sat in the
breakfast nook, staring at
the empty chair where
Barbara usually sat. Minnie
entered, her face set in
lines of weary determination.
"Barbara stayed at Dorothy's
last night," she said,
pouring a cup of coffee.
"She's not coming back
until we agree to meet Tyler
on his terms. No suits,
no country club, and no
business talk." Robert
let out a short, dry
laugh. "His terms? In
my house?" Minnie set the
pot down with a sharp
clack. "It's not a
negotiation, Robert. It's
a rescue mission. If we
don't show up, we lose
her." Meanwhile, at the
docks, Virginia was
meeting James. The salt
air was cold, biting
at her cheeks. "I sold
the car, James," she
said, handing him a
folder. "The sports car
Dad gave me for
graduation. The money
is in a new account, one
with only my name and
yours on it. It's not
much, but it's ours."
James looked at the
folder, then at the
horizon. "It's a start,"
he admitted, his voice
lacking the usual
resentment. "But your
father called me this
morning. He offered
me a position at
Turquoise Software.
An entry-level analyst
job. No favors, no
corner office." Virginia
searched his eyes. "And?"
"And I told him I'd
think about it," James
said. "Which is more
than I would have done
yesterday." Back at
Dorothy?s apartment,
Barbara was pacing.
"What if they hate
him, Dorothy, Or worse,
what if they're just
politely condescending?"
Dorothy looked up from
her book. "Then you
choose, Barb. That,s what
independence actually
is. It's not just
telling the truth, it's
living with the fallout
once the truth is
out." The stage was
set for the first
real family meeting
since the rules
changed, and for the
first time in his
life, Robert Towers
realized he wasn't
the one holding
the script.

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