Back at Pryce Industries


Things have been relatively quiet around Pryce Industries the last few weeks. When Theo is not at the office doing the 9-5 thing he has been spending time with Lila. The relationship is going on 7 weeks now and things have been going really well. Lila is poised to graduate in 6 weeks at which time she will enter the word of full time adult employment. Oh to be back in college.

As for things in the XWF, with Eli James and his team defeated the XWF should now be in a better place. But it’s not. While Theo’s plan for victory at the Pay Per View proved to be foolproof his lack of a plan for after the Pay Per View proved to be devastating. The New World Order came out of nowhere and not only seized control of the XWF but handed Theo Pryce not one but two beatings for his trouble. And now Theo finds himself days away from a match against his friend John Samuels. Although friend might be overstating it a bit since the two were just arrested for getting into a bar fight, with each other following this past week’s edition of Monday Night Madness.

The papers in Texas have had a field day; one would think that a state that voted a known drunk like George W. Bush into the Governor’s mansion not once, but twice, would have a sense of humor about a Senator being arrested because he had a little too much to drink and decided to engage in some harmless fisticuffs. However that would not be the case. The whole thing about getting one phone call from jail, it’s true and Theo used it to call the only person he could think of to bail him out, his sister, Erica. And so like the loyal sister that she is, she came to Los Angeles and bailed Theo out. Of course, Theo being the asshole that he is, he left Samuels in jail to think about what he had done.

Erica called an early morning meeting with her brother to go over some of the expense reports that had been coming out of their consulting branch lately. As Erica saw it, they were spending far more than they were generation. An assessment Theo did not agree with after taking the time to look over the paper work that Erica had prepared for him. Bullet point format, just the way Theo likes it. A man as busy as him can’t be bothered to read through narrative, just the important facts he would tell her time and time again. It’s good to see he finally got his point across.


“Theo.”


Theo looks up to see his sister entering his office, a smile on her face and a stack of paper work in her hand.


“Yes Erica.”

“Did you get a chance to look over those figures I sent you?”

“I did.”

“And?”

“And you are absolutely right, the consultants are spending way more than they are generating.”

“And what is your plan to address it?”

“That I have not come up with. Would you like to chat it out or would you prefer to handle it on your own?”

“I would prefer not to handle it at all, that’s why I brought it to your attention.”

“That and I am still the boss around here.”

“Are you…still the boss?”

“As long as my name is on the building yes I am.”

“Oh ok, I wasn’t sure, seeing as how you aren’t around much and when you are it doesn’t appear that you are actually doing a whole lot.”

“Erica I am going to assume that because your only professional experience is with this company that you don’t know this, but one of the beauties of being a CEO at any company is that you have worked your way up to the point where the only real work you have to do is attending board meetings on a monthly basis and signing a few big checks.”

“And you seem to take that to heart.”

“Of course I do. You will too when you become the CEO.”

“What makes you think I ever want your job?”

“Well for two reasons. First, I have no desire to do this forever, and secondly, because you need to support your new family.”

“Family? What are you talking about?”

“Your family. You moved in with…him, which can lead me to only one possible conclusion.”

“And that is?”

“That you are carrying the spawn of Hitler’s Shadow.”


While Erica was fully aware of her current situation her brother was not, or so Erica had believed. But how? How could he have known? The only two people knew were her and Nathaniel. She didn’t spill it and she knows that her brother and Nathaniel don’t speak, so again, how did he know?”


“So you know?”

“Obviously.”

“How did you find out?”

“Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?”

“Fuck you.”

“Do you remember the meeting with the French 5 weeks ago?”

“The one at La Confit?”

“That’s right.”

“What about it?”

“You had water.”

“What?”

“You had water. You and I have been to that restaurant for meetings with clients dozens of times, and every single time you order wine, the exact same wine in fact. Last time you did not. Coupled with you moving in with Nathaniel and it’s obvious that you are pregnant.”

“Wow.”

“I know what you are thinking, how can a guy who is so self-absorbed be so observant, right?”

“Something like that.”

“Well Erica, now you know my secret. People are much more honest and in your case, sloppy when they think that those around them are not paying attention, but me…I’m always paying attention. Always.”

“So is this where you lecture me about poor choices?”

“What? Me? You’ve seen some of the stuff I’ve done. Clearly I am on no morale high ground here…that being said…”

“Here it comes…”

“Here what comes?”

“The lecture.”

“No lecture. Just an observation; and that is this. In case you hadn’t noticed we come from a family of dark eyed and dark haired individuals. Your mother is also a brunette with dark eyes. Your future husband, yeah, I assume you are getting married as well. He plans on being this generations Hitler. And do you know what Hitler died? He tried to create a race of blonde haired and blue eyed robots. So you better hope that your child is both a male and has blonde hair and blue eyes or he is going JonBenet that kid, guaranteed.”

“How could you say that? Nathaniel could never harm a child, especially his own.”

“And you really believe that, that’s so unfortunate. I truly hope for your sake that you are right.”

“I am.”

“I’m truly touched that you think so.”

“You are an asshole.”

“True. However, that changes nothing. I am not going to lecture you on your choices, what’s done is done. I just hope that this little fairy tale life that you have undoubtedly built up in your brain is what you get and not the nightmare scenario I expect to play out.”

“Why did you not express any of these opinions when Nathaniel and I first started dating? Was it because you and he were friends?”

“While that might seem like the obvious reason it’s really not. You two are both adults, if the two of you want to spend the rest of your lives together that is on you. I never took you for the motherly type, and I don’t mean that in a negative way, you just never gave off the impression that you wanted kids. But now, now a child will be involved and that changes things.”

“I honestly don’t know what to say to that. It’s not something I expected you to say.”

“We are all full of surprises now aren’t we? So tell me, when is the wedding and will I be walking you down the aisle?”

“We don’t have a date. As for your second question that is not something I had thought of yet. Is that something you would do?”

“Of course I would. I’m sure your future husband would love that.”

“He will get over it.”

“I’m sure he will. I assume this wedding is going to have to happen before you start showing?”

“Probably but we truly haven’t picked a date yet.”

“Well when you do feel free to send me a bill. Consider it my wedding gift to you.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t. But it is tradition for the bride’s family to pay, I am your family and I doubt your mother can afford it with the way she pisses away money.”

“Sad but true. Thank you Theo, that means a lot.”

“Think nothing of it. So tell me Erica, how far along are you?”

“A few months.”

“A few as in two or a few as in 5?”

“Two and a half.”

“Wow. Two months in and you hadn’t told me yet. Were you ever going to?”

“Of course I was. I just needed to figure out the right time. This is very awkward for me as I am sure it is for you. And it is for Nathaniel as well.”

“I can promise you that Nathaniel’s feelings are about the last thing I am concerned with. I can understand the awkwardness you are feeling, I get it. But I am for all intents and purposes your only real family. As much as I don’t love the idea of you birthing the child of a NAZI there is not much I can really do about it now is there?”

“I suppose not. Let’s talk about something else, how’s Lila?”

“She’s great thanks for asking. I think we are going to go check out the Napa Valley Wine Tour this weekend.”

“Back to California? I never see you guys, it’s a shame. I like Lila.”

“Well Erica, it seems as though a double date would be out of the question so that makes things a bit difficult. It’s not like we can all get together for a nice home cooked meal and wine.”

“I don’t know about that, Nathaniel would do it if I asked him to.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“I am.”

“Well then ask him about a double date next weekend, see what he says.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am.”

“Well ok then. I guess I should get back to my office.”

“I’m sure I will see you around.”


As Erica gets up and walks out of the office Theo gets up and walks over to his small circular conference table and picks up a file, leafing through it quickly and then looking up, a big smile across his face.