Chapter 2 Unexpected Early Visit

Harry's POV

When I was in the sitting room, I heard a doorbell, it meant that someone was on the door, i

"Who could it be this morning," I wondered.

As I moved toward the door, I saw uncle Martin, today he is a bit early, he never comes home this early.

"Uncle Martin, you are early today," I said after opening the door for him.

"Yeah, that's right," he said, "what's up?"

"Nothing is up, what's down?" I said.

"That isn't funny Harry," he said. "Your father."

"Upstairs."

"Call him down for me, please, I have been trying to call him for a long time now, but it looks like his phone was and is still napping too," Martin said.

"That is funny, Uncle, I loved it, I hope his phone had some really good dreams," I said as I went upstairs to call dad.

"And snoring," shouted Uncle Martin.

"Dad, Da....d," I shouted as I knocked on his door.

"Yes, Harry what's up."

"Uncle Martin is downstairs, I guess he wants to talk to you, he needs you, Dad," I said as I waited for him to show up.

"Alright, I'll be there in a second," he said.

After a few seconds, he came downstairs.

"Mr Banks I'm sorry for coming here this early, I came because we have a serious problem at the company," Martin said.

"What kind of problem?" dad asked as he was stunned.

"One of the Banks warehouses got burnt, unfortunately, we don't have any clues on what could have caused the fire," Martin said.

"What!," my father couldn't believe that something like this had taken place.

"Alexander, I was also shocked when I heard of it," Martin said.

"How much is the loss?" dad asked

"20 million euros," he said after going through some company reports.

"What a loss! We have to cover that up," he said as he brainstormed.

"Alexander, I know we have to cover it up, but from where should we get the funds?"

"From the company's accounts or the Bank," said my dad.

"Dad, I'm sorry for interfering in your discussion but how about you sell some of the Banks properties to cover up the losses, because there are some properties that are of no use to us right now, instead of having debts," he stared at me and I said, "it was just a suggestion."

"Yeah, you are 100 per cent right, Martin we will do just that, and when you think of it we have never made such a loss, just profits, so we will cover it up with our properties, and when you think of it some of these properties came from the company itself," he said.

"Alexander, I'm sorry for being nosey but I don't think that that is a good idea, isn't there any other way?" asked Lydia, my stepmother.

"Yup, Alexander, she is right, isn't there another way other than selling off your properties?"

"Like....," dad asked as he waited for their suggestions.

"Decrease all the employee's salaries, or.... Fire some of them for the meantime," suggested Lydia.

"I don't think that... that is a good idea because these employees have families to take care of and additionally, some of them have been working for us for a long time now, still others have already made plans for their paychecks," said my dad.

"I agree with you," Martin said.

"Lydia thanks for the idea anyway, ah....Martin, let's go through the properties that I think we should put on sale," said my dad, as he led Martin to his home office.

"Harry, this was your suggestion, so... won't you join us, since we may need more assistance," said my dad.

Seriously! I shouted with excitement.

"Of course, come on now," dad said as he unlocked the door.

The clock kept on moving clockwise and so was my watch, all I would hear was a tik to sound and finally, everything was done, I might have given my dad a suggestion to put some of our properties on sale, but I hadn't thought earlier about what these properties meant to my dad, he had many memories with my mom in those properties, but now he had to let go of them, I knew one thing for sure, that even though these physical properties are being sold, we had something that we could never sell and that was my mom's memories, we would always have them in our minds and hearts.

"Martin, thanks for the help, it means a lot," said my dad.

"You are welcome," said uncle Martin.

"Martin, I want to say thank you, for everything, throughout all the past years, you have proved to be not only a good friend but also a brother to me, even though we aren't related by blood, you have been there for me just like a brother," said my dad.

And that's why I call you uncle, Mr Martin, I said.

"Martin, I want you to promise me that you will always take care of Harry for me, I know that he is grown-up now but I am very sure that he still needs to be guided," said my dad.

"Copied that, Alexander, you know that you can always count on me, but..... why do you say such things right now?, I'm asking this because we are both still here alive and kicking," Martin said as he drank his water from his bottle.

"Nothing, I just said so," replied my dad," and....Harry, I have a proposal for you, it's good that Martin is also here or should I say, my brother."