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Home > Marianne G > Weeping Willow > Weeping Willow. Book 5, Chapter 1 of 22 > Weeping Willow. Book 5, Chapter 13 of 22

Weeping Willow. Book 5, Chapter 13 of 22

Author: 

  • Marianne G

Audience Rating: 

  • General Audience (pg)

Publication: 

  • Novel Chapter

Genre: 

  • Transgender

Character Age: 

  • Teenage or High School

TG Themes: 

  • Voluntary

Permission: 

  • Posted by author(s)

Chapter 13

The following week was a busy one. On Tuesday afternoon, the Junior Orchestra were set up at the back of the stage, with a rostrum between them and the piano and microphones for Willow and Vivienne. They worked through the full show, with Mister Jamieson conducting, and some other teachers watching.

Afterwards, Willow gave out new outfits for the girls, in a shiny material with the school blue. There were shirts in a similar material for the boys. The label had sent boxes of the last two albums for sale at the show, and Vivienne had organised new pendants in stainless steel with a raised image of the two of them, taken from a show picture, and ‘VivWillow Rocks’ on the back. One was given to each of the orchestra.

On Wednesday, there was the last statement for the year. The back catalogue was holding steady, and the new CD had sold two hundred and eighty thousand, while the DVD had sold three hundred and twenty thousand, giving here a payment, after costs and commission, of two point five-five million. She asked Peter to transfer two and a half million to the business.

Thursday and Friday were good. School until lunch and then home to be ready for the show that evening. There were so many faces she knew in the crowd on both nights, and they were a great success. The Vines family were in the audience both nights, to see their girls in performance. Hugh was with them on Friday, along with some who looked like the group who had come to the house, so many months ago.

On Saturday morning, the family were up, showered and dressed, and waiting to find out what Hugh had in mind. He arrived and said that he preferred to talk business in the kitchen, so they sat at the kitchen table with Willow providing cups of tea.

“Thank you for seeing me. Firstly, Ashley, do you know of a firm called Robinson and Rice?”

“Yes. They’re a company that takes concepts through to finished drawings and can even supply CNC programs that allow you to make the product. We’ve used them, and I’ve been there several times.”

“What’s your take on them, having been there?”

“A good, solid company to deal with. Probably a bit behind with their hardware and software. I have a better program on my own computer for the work I do, but they can’t be certain what they’ll be getting to work on next. I know they do a fair bit of work with the furniture industry.”

“I’ve known Harry Rice since we were kids. He built the business up from almost nothing. There are twenty on computers, churning out the work, and they turn over about ten million a year. He owns the building that they’re in, and one of his tenants just moved out. Me.”

“Did you take them to Stella?”

“I did. Now, Harry wants to sell the business and has asked me if I knew of anyone bright enough to take it on and bring it into this century. There will be enough office space to double the staff now we moved our stuff out.”

“How can I help you?”

“By taking it over and using that brain of yours to get it into this century.”

“You’re not kidding me, are you?”

“Not one bit, Ashley. I’ve spoken to your supervisors at Gaydon, and they tell me that you’re one of the best around. I’ve spoken to the guys in the electorate office, and they tell me that you’re a hard worker and get on well with everyone. You’ve impressed me and many of my friends, some who are customers of the company.”

“How much would it cost, and when does he want to leave?”

“The cost is easy to work out, One year’s turnover, plus the building, plus a bonus for him for the good will. And I can tell you that there is a lot of good will out there.”

“So, ten for the business, another three for the building and the same again for the good will, about sixteen million all up?”

“Close. He will take seventeen million and walk away at the beginning of February. The building is worth four and there are two other sitting tenants.”

“That’s it?”

“No. I’m on that board, which you will be chairman of. If you’re the owner of Robinson and Rice, then you have his seats on other boards, some in my companies, and some in others. The industrial base in Birmingham looks out for its own, and very little happens without consultation, even this, today.”

“I don’t have that kind of money, Hugh.”

Willow thought it was time to ask questions.

“Hugh, how much does this company have on hand, and what are the forward orders for next year like?”

“There’s cash assets of about quarter of a million, with around two million in work for next year, Harry will clear the decks with the tax office and top up employee entitlements from his payment. The other tenants are locked in for another five years.”

“Dad, if you want to become your own man, there’s enough in our business account to pay for this and add a few million to fund the bigger workforce and upgrade the systems. It will also help you look successful when the election comes around.”

Ashley looked at her, and then to his wife, who smiled and nodded. He looked back at Hugh.

“What happens if I get elected?”

“Harry was hardly in the office. There’s a very good management group who run the show, just waiting for their white knight on his charger. You’ll be able to talk to them as one of their own. In a few years getting it upgraded, you’ll have Willow to manage it when she finishes university, if she wanted to. Look, come with me, now, and we’ll go and talk to Harry, show you around, and you can talk to the ones working today. If you agree, you can give three weeks’ notice and walk out in time for Christmas.”

“Can you give me a moment with my daughter, Hugh?”

He beckoned to Willow, and they went to the lounge.

“Can we afford it, love?”

“As of this week, Dad, WH Holdings has a cash reserve of nearly thirty-two million. We can afford it and have enough to ensure its success. When you’re elected, the management can keep in touch, and there will be regular board meetings. It’s all doable if you resign from Aston Martin. It would pay to talk quietly to any good designers there to see if they want a job in Birmingham.”

“If Hugh had walked in, six months ago, and asked this, I would have laughed. Now, I know he’s serious, and I’m seriously thinking of saying yes. I’ll be home in time to take you to the school tonight.”

He went off with Hugh, and Wendy sat with Willow at the table.

“This could be a big change in our lives, love.”

“It could, mum. Hugh isn’t a man who would play games. If we buy the business, it will be different for all of us. You may well end up working with Dad in his office while he gets the business into the shape he wants it. Don’t worry, we have plenty behind us now, and we’re not going to fail.”

“My worry is that it’s all your money.”

“We set up a company, Mum. You and Dad are the listed directors. So, it’s family money. I just managed to write and perform to create that income. Every time I put an album onto the market, it happens to earn us two million and then some. I haven’t done anything with that income for a year or more and have been wondering what we may be able to do with it. I’ve been too busy to give it a lot of thought. This comes at a good time, and we have enough to totally upgrade the office.”

“So, a new life for all of us. Will you give up performing?”

“I doubt it, Mum. I should have enough knowledge to be on the board, and act as a consultant. Who knows, I have enough appreciation from Hugh last year for his friends to want me to consult. I don’t think that I would stop writing songs or wanting to perform. Maybe smaller shows, like corporate events. I really can’t answer that at the moment. I’m going to get ready for tonight. I need some quiet time to process all of this.”

When she was in her room, she packaged her latest disc and one of the ‘VivWillow Rocks’ pendants for Evelyn and added a Christmas card with a message. She sealed and addressed it and took it down to her mother.

“Can you put this in the post for me, Mum. I think of Evelyn and hope that she’s still doing well.”

When Ashley was brought home, he embraced his wife.

“I met Harry Rice and several that I’ve worked with in the past. They were all very welcoming and honest in the explanations as I was shown around. Hugh’s old office is next door, and it would be a simple matter to create a door between the offices on both floors. I was asked how I would bring them up to date, so I said that I would create the doorways, then equip the empty side with state-of-the-art systems, and have them trained in small batches, so keeping the workflow.”

“That sounds logical. I guess that you’ve agreed to jump ship.”

“I did. We shook on it while I was there. I never thought that I would be my own boss. It’s taken some time, and being thrown into the election process, to realise that I can be that person.”

When Willow joined them, she was told of the decision, and they all went to the Punchbowl for an early dinner before going to the Saturday performance, her next to last school show of a very interesting year.

The show went very well, and they all bowed to great applause. This one had been filmed, and recorded, by the new batch of technical students, under tutelage of Sarah and the others. The result would be post-produced at the school, and then added to at the studio, before being sent to the normal production company for the saleable stock.

The after-show get-together in the lunchroom went to after midnight, with both Willow and Vivienne being posed for selfies, along with Abbie and other members of the orchestra. Sam Vines had been to every show and was proud of the way his daughters had fitted in. Ivy was now the orchestra pianist, while Petunia had taken up viola.

Quite often, Willow could see her parents in conversation with important people. The show had attracted many supporters of the school, including several civic dignitaries and business leaders. When they finally left, she was very tired, and it was quiet in her father’s Range Rover on the way back to Rising Lane.

When they went into the house, both her parents embraced her and told her that she was fantastic, and then allowed her to head for bed. It took her a while to actually sleep, her plush friends beside her, as she thought about all the side-issues that had occurred during the evening. She was sure that the news of the business purchase had gone around at warp-speed, and that the ones speaking to her father had known all about it.

The following week was, for her, just revision for the end-of-term exams, but her father had a very different week. When he submitted his resignation, he found that he was allowed to use the week he had earned for a holiday as part of his three-week notice. In the week, as his colleagues in the office found out that he was leaving, and where he was going, three of them asked him if they could join him, as they lived closer to Birmingham. He told them to contact him in January, and that they would be welcomed, as they were all using the latest programs and would be able to underpin the upgrading.

That Saturday, they organised the Junior Orchestra to be taken to the studio, along with the extra equipment, and they laid down a proper recording of the show, with video. This was for national issue, if the label thought it worthwhile. Sarah promised to supply enough CDs for everyone, as well as some extras for Willow to send to the label.

The last week of school was full-on exams, much harder than previous years, and Willow needed all her wits about her. On the Friday afternoon, when she arrived home, she gave Sebastian a Christmas card and a gift voucher for a resort holiday for his family. He gave her a pair of earrings with the BMW logo, ‘for next year’.

She had a week before Christmas, and then another before the New Year party at Stoneleigh. For that, Vivienne would join her on the stage, and Malcolm had advertised the evening as ‘Seeing in the New Year with VivWillow.’

The first Saturday saw the Rose ladies and the Armstrong ladies in Birmingham for the full works in the salon, and, on Sunday, the Rose family went to Cambridge to see her Gramma. That wasn’t as pleasant as it should have been, as her Gramma had become quite scatty and petulant. They did manage to have some time with her, leaving her gifts, but the visit wasn’t as long as they had planned. They stayed at the hotel they had booked for the few days and spent the time visiting nearby sites.

Their Christmas party was in The Henley Room in Stratford-upon-Avon, with the core group from the party office, as a thank you for the work they had put in during the quiet times and for the expectation of a heavier workload in the next year. The Government was into one of those times when there were lesser members who thought that they knew how to run things better, and in-fighting had broken out.

The New Year’s Eve party was in the club at Stoneleigh, packed to the rafters, with Willow on her old Yamaha keyboard and Vivienne singing. They recreated a lot of their nightclub show and added in a couple of the good songs from the operetta, which some in the crowd had seen. The big screen was set up to see the fireworks on the Thames. Willow was given a midnight kiss, or two, from Garry, who had come along for the evening and be with some of his old friends from the days when he played there with G-Force. Well, that’s what he told others.

The new year brought new things to all the family. Ashley was now going into Birmingham to work with Harry in taking over his business, with the first five million transferred to the Rice account and all the papers signed. Wendy wasn’t due back at work for three weeks, with her office quiet until the year got going. Willow went to school, as usual.

The assembly was interesting in a couple of ways. For one, it was Ivy Vines on the organ to play the hymn. Willow found out, a few days later, that Jim had left to go to another school. For the second, the Head praised the Junior Orchestra, and got them to stand, with Willow and Vivienne, to get applause from the school. She said that the school DVD of the show would be available soon.

With the Junior Orchestra on Tuesday, the girls started working with them on songs for Vivienne’s album. On the Thursday, they worked with the Seniors on songs for Willow’s album. They would also use the scores written by the Juniors for the big shows.

On Friday, Willow got a text message that her car was ready for pick-up, so, on Saturday morning, Ashley drove her and Wendy into Leicester to pay the balance and drive it home. Ashley left them to head for his office and they put the magnetic ‘L’ plates on for Willow to take the first drive in her first car.

The first place they went was the studio, where Sarah was working on recording an advert with a couple in beachwear standing in front of the blue screen and waxing lyrical about a realistic plastic hamburger. In a break between takes, Sarah and the team thanked Willow for the Christmas bonus, as well as the raise that had turned up with their latest pay slip. Sydney had now moved in with Josh, and her flat was now occupied by Sarah’s cousin, several years older and ex-traffic police, pensioned off after a chased car rammed his pursuit vehicle. He was their new driver, cleaner, and general handy man. Sarah admitted that it had got to the point when the three of them couldn’t cope.

Leaving there, they went into Coventry and Willow was careful in finding a parking spot. The locked the car and went shopping. After lunch, they went home, with Wendy driving. When they arrived, she declared that it was lovely to drive, and that she would help Willow by taking the car out from time to time, to ‘run it in.’ Willow spent Sunday working on songs.

When Willow got home from school on Monday afternoon, she found her mother looking serious, with a cup of tea and an email on the table. Willow sat down and Wendy pushed it towards her. It was from her employer, telling her that business had gone so quiet with the brochure work, a decision had been made to close the graphics department. The office would be open on Wednesday afternoon for the staff to collect their personal items and their wage sheets for tax.

“That solves one thing, Mum.”

“How can it solve something! I enjoyed working there.”

“It does free you to work with Dad. You’re good with that latest program, you could do instruction sheets for his customers, with the drawings. In fact, it also solves another thing. If Dad is looking for more equipment to enlarge the office, there are four systems sitting at your old office. They may be interested in an offer to take them away. Come to think of it, your colleagues may have the sort of knowledge that Dad’s looking for.”

“You really think so? Those guys will be devastated by this.”

“Talk to Dad, tonight. The system you use here is the same as the one you used at work, so it might be a good pick-up. They have to be written down by now. If I remember rightly, a couple of them had double screen set-ups. There’s also the big printers and laminators that may be up for grabs.”

“You know, love, that you have a very unique mind. There was I, all ready to blub, and now you’ve given me reasons to go into that place and see what I can come away with.”

Tuesday, Willow and Vivienne worked with the Junior Orchestra on more album songs, getting close to having enough for one. They had decided that both albums would be ‘VivWillow’ ones, with Vivienne’s being more ‘classical’, while Willow’s being more ‘big-band nightclub’. They were working on getting the first one recorded on the last Saturday of January, so that the orchestra could go back to the normal things.

On Wednesday evening, Wendy reported that she had negotiated a price to clear the office, with Ashley’s blessing, once he’d seen what was available. It would fast-track the upgrade. The other workers had been given his new business card and told to get their resume in order and give him a call.

Thursday, they worked with the Senior Orchestra. Willow had been thinking about the big show and had phoned Jill to ask her if there were any of the other stars who would like to donate their time. She was waiting to see what that would bring.

Friday brought the next email from Peter. The back catalogue had done well, along with her CD and DVD, no doubt being bought for Christmas. She had earned just over three point one and asked him to transfer three million. They had now transferred all the money for the new business.

The family now all had new business cards. Ashley was the Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Robinson and Rice. Wendy was Company Secretary and Director, while Willow was Business Consultant and Director. They were all spending some of their Saturdays in the office, setting up the new desks and equipment. The ones from Wendy’s work were set up, along with the printers and other things, and the other three operators from that office were set up by the end of the month, starting to bring the others up to speed with the newer software. The new additions would be arriving in February, along with three operators from Gaydon. The doorways between the two parts of the building hadn’t taken very long. With the original staff still working, the output hadn’t decreased.

On the last Saturday in the month, the school provided a coach for the Junior Orchestra, and the truck for the usual larger instruments. Having set up in the studio before, it didn’t take long for the orchestra to be seated and tuned up. Willow was on the Steinway, Vivienne had a microphone, and Jim Jamieson was on the rostrum. This session was purely a CD production for the first album, as the big show was going to be televised and that would have songs from both albums.

They had a break for lunch, in the function room of the hotel, Willow’s treat, and finished the recording late that afternoon. The team produced enough CDs for everyone, with extras for the school and the label. On the way, Willow rang her mother to tell her that she was on the way to the school, as did most of the others, so there was fleet of cars waiting for them when they arrived.

That evening, they played the CD while they had dinner.

“That’s very beautiful, love, what do you call it?”

“It’s a VivWillow album, Mum. We called it ‘Viv-a La ’More’. You would have recognised the first track as the opening aria from the operetta, which we’ve called ‘Cossetted’. The last was the other one that Vivienne sang as she was in the park, which we’ve called ‘Benchmark’. As it’s mainly Viv, with me on duets, it’s going to be her album. Mine will be with the Senior Orchestra, and we plan to record it later in the year, well before the big show.”

“Have you made any differences to the show? It sounds unlike any big stadium show I’ve ever heard of, with just smooth songs.”

“I’ve asked Jill to ask around in their stable. I’d like it to be ‘VivWillow and Friends with the Blue Coat Orchestra’. I plan to go to London in the half-year break to see what she’s managed to come up with. We’ve saved them enough money by letting them record at the studio for them to give a little back. They sent a lot of their singers and groups there last year. I saw that Zara is on the wall with a Gold and Platinum award, along with others.”

“Now, that would be a show! It will cut down your parts in it, though.”

“If we have both albums in the charts, then all we need are the songs from them, plus a couple of the older hits.”

“Let’s hope that Jill has some answers for you, then.”

The following week she received another statement from Peter. With back catalogue sales added, and costs and commission subtracted, she was one point nine million better off. She asked Peter to transfer two million, leaving just over a half a million with him. There was also an email from her accountant. The studio had done well, earning around one point six. With wages and costs taken out, it was one point three in the black, with the Alliance business taking care of the council charges and utilities.

The next week was the end of the half-term, and Willow used her limo service to take her into London on Sunday. She had made an appointment to see Jill on the Monday, so settled into the apartment and checked that everything was good with both of them. She ate at the restaurant and also had breakfast there on Monday morning. When the taxi dropped her at the label office, Jill was waiting in reception for her.

“How are you, Willow? Vivienne sent me that album you recorded at the end of January. It’s really beautiful. When are we likely to see yours with the other orchestra?”

“We were planning for the middle of April, after the holidays. That will give you time to put it on the market in time to make an impact before the big show.”

“Yes, that big show. Come on up to the office and we can discuss that.”

Marianne Gregory © 2025


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