Offer To The CEO

Monday, continued …

"Well you know we love the children."

"I know. You spoiled them when we lived here, and you still try to."

"We love to do that. Now, are they going to have to do their usual school break requirement in working here for a couple of weeks?"

"They boys will be. Alecia has a pass this year."

"What is she doing?" came a worried response.

"Mama Papa, do not worry. You would know if you had come to the two things I had invited you on Friday and Saturday."

"We have a business, you know what that is like."

"I know you do not have to work here. You have a great staff, and there is no need for you to work the hours you do. Alecia got married on Friday …"

"What you let our little girl marry. She is only seventeen."

"You know she is exactly like me. She did a wonderful job in manipulating me into agreeing to her getting married. And before you ask she is not pregnant."

"Well how come we have not met him, and when will we?"

Yao Tan, looked to Anna knowing that he was going to need some help in answering that question. "Alecia married Anna's younger brother James. They are in Australia for a few months while he finishes his university degree, and she will study there as well. They then are coming back here to live."

Anna continued "James' course requires him to complete his practical placement requirements which should be done in late October or early November. Depending on when I finishes his formal graduation ceremony can be early December of sometime in February."

"What is he studying? Can he provide for our little girl? He better be good enough for her Tan, or we will…"

"Do not worry. Alecia inherited my business sense. You should remember the day I cam in complaining about the few million my parents gave the triplets. She has in less than twelve months tripled that, with my wife and I suspect Hou Yi helping her. That is much better than my investment results in the same time. I guess she will be in charge of their finances."

"Answer our question. What is he studying? Is he good enough for her?" came an agitated question.

"Alecia gave me two choices, agree to her marriage and have a relationship with her and any future children, or prevent it until she turns eighteen and she would have nothing to do with anyone. She decided James was good enough for her and as I want a relationship with her so I agreed to their marriage. James loves her and in the end that is what is important. He is studying ..."

Anna finished off by saying "Nursing."

"That is not good enough for our little girl. She should have married a doctor, businessman, someone worthy of her not a nothing nurse."

This angered Anna, having a sister, a sister-in-law and a brother who are all nurses. She had some idea what they put up with day on day in their chosen career path. Angrily she spoke "In Australia Nurses like my brother are highly qualified professionals who have at least a three-year University degree, work long hours, put up with a lot of abuse harassment and other stuff no one else will to provide medical care to people."

"My sister, a highly qualified Emergency Department Nurse and sister-in-law a midwife both have masters degrees. My sister-in-law also has additional post-graduate qualifications and has been invited to complete a doctoral degree in nursing and has previously been the nurse in charge of a hospital. Before heading to university my brother worked for two years to financially support himself through his degree. You want to dismiss their skills, yet will likely praise me for being a lawyer..."

Interrupting Yao Tan said, "Mama, Papa, Anna is right. Nurses put up with a lot. But it says he is a caring person doing something that inspires him."

"Well, we still do not think he is good enough for our little girl" responded Mama.

"Mama, all we will do is argue. In the end, what you and I think does not matter, it is what Alecia thinks. She believes James is good enough for her, and in the end that is the only opinion that matters."

"Hmmp. Well I want to meet him as soon as possible, then I will make my judgement."

"Mama, we will organise that when they return. Now, I am sorry to have to cut this short, but I need get back to work."

Yao Tan turned to Anna, and quietly indicated that they have card facilities. Anna pulled out a card from her purse and paid for the meal.