"I'm sorry ma'am, but no one is allowed to see him" the guard said, extending an arm across the door, in an attempt to stop her from entering.
She took a step back, took off her shades and considered the daring guard for a couple of seconds, "I want to believe you're new to this job, hence your misconduct. I would forgive that, but if you stand in my way one more time son, you would be sorry. Now move!" Mrs Greyman ordered in a low but authoritative voice.
"I really do not mean to challenge you ma, but I'm only following orders" the guard said, with every composure he could muster, because he knew very well who he was up against; he knew who she was.
"Are you dense or incompetent?? Take your pick!" she asked rhetorically, her voice was beginning to heighten, threatening the decorum of the hospital.
The poor guard was at a loss for words, he knew what to say but he was only threading with caution. The other guard just stood motionless like a statue, it was best if he didn't get involved, because Mrs Greyman had a long history of making people's jobs disappear.
"Don't you know me??!! Cat got your tongue?? Answer me!!" she yelled, "I know b.. but I..." the guard stammered, but before he could complete his sentence, Mrs Greyman had pushed past him and gotten into the room.
"I'm sorry ma'am but you can't go in!" the guard protested after her, "It's fine, you can leave now, Marshall" a baritone but frail voice said, "Yes sir" Marshall replied with a slight bow then exited the room.
"You asked them not to let me in, didn't you??" Mrs Greyman queried gloomily.
"Good afternoon to you too Juliet" the man said sardonically, he had his head buried in the newspaper he appeared to be reading since the time she entered.
"What's wrong with you Anderson??" Mrs Greyman asked, something in the tone of her voice suggested that she was referring to something other than the feeble and debilitated condition of the old man.
"You mean?" he asked uninterestingly still not sparing her a glance.
"The next time you make a decision regarding the future and wellbeing of our family, I hope you let me in on it!" she sounded.
She seemed to have finally said something that caught his attention, because he folded the papers and put them aside and then looked at her intently, but with an expressionless face.
"I've made quite a number of decisions in the family of late, so you're going to need to be a little more specific" he said. "Anderson!" she yelled frustratedly.
"Why are you here Juliet? Are you here to constitute nuisance? Cos I heard your clatter outside from in here. I'm not surprised though, that's what you've been doing all these years" he said ever so calmly.
Mrs Greyman seemed like she was going to explode, but somehow managed to maintain composure.
"Anderson, what do you mean by making Alexandra your stand-in? What becomes of Kevin??"
"Who?" he asked feigning ignorance.
"Oh come off it Anderson! You cannot possibly choose Alexandra over Kevin, that is logically incomprehensible! Yes, Kevin has made some mistakes in the past, but he still remains your best bet! Alexandra?? Really?? She doesn't even have a knack for business, no experience whatsoever, she can't even man the receptionist desk! This decision is a joke! Don't you get it??" Mrs Greyman explained.
If she was going to convince this stubborn old man, she needed to be practical and get her facts right.
"Out of everything you've said, only one is true, Kevin is a mistake! A walking disaster! I give him control, and he would run my legacy to the ground in a week! I would rather play peek-a-boo with Alexandra than willingly hand over control to Kevin! I'd given him a chance once and he blew it, I would die first, before that would happen again."
"Really?? So you're just going to give up on him easily? You would just discard him like a used tissue paper at the first chance you get?? Andy, that boy gave up his passion for you! For this empire! Stood by you all these years! You used him! You're a user Anderson!" Mrs Greyman said brokenly.
"Stood by me?? Tell me, where's that son of yours right now? Any idea where he is?? Do you?? That's what I thought! Thank God I've got options! I have two other children, I will take my chances on them" Mr Greyman stated vehemently.
"Oh you would regret this Anderson, I just hope you haven't made the mistake of extending this ridiculous decision to your will, I want to believe that this is only temporary, else, I swear by god that, the last time this family experienced peace would be the last forever!" Mrs Greyman threatened.
"You wouldn't dar..." he began to choke on his words, his respiration became impaired as he clutched his heart gasping for breath; his heart was failing him again.
"Now look at you, look how pathetic and miserable you've become, you're nothing without me Anderson" Mrs Greyman said as she reluctantly pressed a red button, and as soon as the medics entered she left.
Outside the hospital, outside the whole drama, Mrs Greyman sucked in a deep breath like she needed a generous amount to live.
"And who's waiting for the will??" she said to herself. It was time to start pressing the big buttons.
She took out her phone from her clutch bag and dialed a number, after 3 unsuccessful dials, the receiver finally picked up.
"What do you want mum? Anything going on?" the receiver asked nonchalantly.
"You've got to be the most unserious person I know Kevin! You know that right??"
"Look mum, I'm not cut out for all of this right now, I've got a guest. So, if you called to scold me, then I would rather spend my time doing something a lot more gainful" he said.
Mrs Greyman felt very irritated, she could swear he was in bed with a cheap whore as they spoke.
"What is 'a lot more gainful' is you getting serious with your family's business for once!" she said irritably.
"I knew it! Jeez mum! What haven't I done for that family?? What do they want this time?? My blood?? I don't give an F about them anymore!"
"Your sister is about to take your birthright, moron!" she finally broke it to him in a pissed off tone.
"What??!" Kevin asked finally paying attention, "She's standing in for your father until... well, if he ever gets better! Sober up!" she yelled.
"That's impossible! What does she know?! Why would father make such decision?! What about me??!"
"Well, I don't know, ok? So, quit asking me some dumb questions and get your ass down here ASAP!