On the Edge

by Parker Hudson

  Janet reflected on her schedule and on the state of her house, which was not too bad. “Sure. Anything to help Betty, after all that she's been through. Say about 7:30?”

  “Kristen? Yes, that'll be fine. Is 7:30 tomorrow evening OK?…Good. We'll see you then. Yes, I look forward to seeing you too. Goodbye.”

  Richard put the phone down and realized that his palms were quite damp. “Thanks, Janet. From what I remember, Kristen is a nice person; and it will be good to meet some potential new neighbors.” But inside, he already dreaded the thought of Kristen in their home.

  Janet smiled. “I'm just glad she remembered where you live.”

  * * *

  THURSDAY, JULY 20 – Bruce McKinney worked out with Patrick Tomlinson that he and David Smith could meet with Patrick early Thursday afternoon, after Patrick and his wife Kate met with Amy Bryant, her parents, and Kathy Thomas in the morning. Even though that first meeting was scheduled next door at the Bryants’ home, Richard decided he would not attend, even briefly, so that Amy could always feel that she made her decision on her own, with only the help of her parents. Instead, he and Janet spent some extra prayer time that morning, asking God to give the Bryants a clear message on whom He had chosen to raise the baby Amy would have in six more months.

  This interview was the second of the three that Kathy Thomas had arranged for Amy. Each was with a couple from out of town, though the Tomlinsons were traveling the farthest.

  The Tomlinsons arrived at the Bryants’ home right on time, in an airport rental car. As the Bryants greeted them at the door, Kathy Thomas did her best to put everyone at ease. “I know this is in some ways an almost impossible situation,” she said, as they walked into the living room, where Nancy had coffee waiting. “Please just be yourselves, feel at home. Everyone should feel free to ask any questions he or she thinks are important. The Tomlinsons know they would be responsible to pay for all the costs of Amy's medical care while she is pregnant, including the birth of the baby; and Amy knows that she would be responsible to give the baby to the Tomlinsons within one week after the birth. Beyond that, let's talk and get to know each other.”

  Amy and her parents had read the information on the Tomlinsons, so they knew that the couple were in their early thirties, that they had both grown up in Cincinnati, and that Patrick was in line to inherit a large amount of money from his father's estate, with which he planned to continue his father's practice of investing in various companies.

  Likewise, the Tomlinsons had seen pictures of both Amy and Billy, and they had read brief histories on both of the natural parents-to-be.

  Patrick began, “Kate and I want to thank you for inviting us into your home. We've been trying for many years to have a child of our own, and the doctors finally told us over a year ago that it would simply never be possible for us. We now very much want to have several children by adoption, so hopefully, if this child comes to live with us, he or she will someday have several brothers or sisters.”

  “Patrick,” Tom Bryant said, “we've of course read about your financial capabilities, so that's not an issue. But tell Amy something about how you were raised—both of you—and about how you would plan to raise this child, if you become the adoptive parents.”

  Kate and Patrick smiled. “Well, I'll go first,” he said. “Obviously I did not go hungry when I was little. But my father and mother, who are now both dead, raised both of us—I'm three years older than my sister—to respect the value of all we had. I worked in the neighborhood to save money to buy a car when I was a teenager, finally earning enough after my senior year of high school, when I spent the summer on a survey crew for a local engineering firm, cutting trees and clearing paths. Talk about fun! Anyway, as you may have read, I won an ROTC scholarship when I was in college, because I had always loved sailing, and I wanted to go into the Navy. So I spent four years after school as a communications officer, defending the East Coast. Kate and I ‘re-met’ when I was home on leave during my last year—we had vaguely known each other in high school, though she was four years younger—and we were married right after I got out. That was almost eight years ago, and here we are. I began helping my father with several businesses when I returned home to Cincinnati, and hopefully I will do as much for my family and for our community as he did.” Patrick ended, and turned to Kate.

  “My story is much simpler,” she began, directing her smile to Amy. “My parents were both teachers; in fact, they still are. My father teaches political science at the university, and my mother is now the lower school principal at a local day school. I was raised with two sisters, one older, one younger, in a pretty simple environment. My Dad is sort of an anomaly for a university professor; he's conservative and raised us that way. We went to church most Sundays, and in high school we had fairly strict rules. When I went off to college I have to admit I had a pretty good time; I finally got serious in my last two years, expecting to be a teacher myself. But then I ran into Patrick at a party over Christmas vacation of my senior year, and we were married the next summer. I've been active in all sorts of civic groups, and in our church; but of course what I really want is the chance to raise some wonderful children.”

  “So you go to church?” Amy asked.

  “Yes. I guess I'm very lucky. I can't remember a time when I didn't know the Lord. From when I was a little girl, my parents raised me to trust in Him, and that's what I've done.” Placing her hand on her husband's knee next to her, she continued, “Patrick doesn't yet share as strong a faith as I feel, but he comes with me to church most Sundays, and I'm praying for him! How about you, Amy?”

  “Well, we haven't been big churchgoers,” Amy said, looking back and forth between her parents, “but lately I've felt God's presence so much in what has happened to me, even this pregnancy. Several of us go to a neat youth group here. And Mom and Dad don't even know this, but a month ago I gave all of this to God—the baby, my health, the mess I've made, the adoption, all of it—and asked Jesus to come into my life and to guide me. I mean, how can a seventeen-year-old girl handle all of this, without God and her parents?”

  Kate looked at Patrick and then said, “That's a really strong testimony, Amy; you've got a lot of strength. I know God will bless your prayers. And you should know I did the same thing, a year ago, when we found we could not have children. I prayed then and have continued to pray every day, giving our problem to Him and asking Him to lead us to the right mother and child.”

  A special moment passed between Amy and Kate as they looked at each other, but everyone in the room felt it. After a few seconds, Nancy broke the silence by asking if anyone wanted more coffee.

  An hour later, after the families really came to know each other, Patrick reminded Kate that they had to eat lunch and he had to be dropped at Richard's office, while she spent a few hours shopping.

  As the Tomlinsons rose to leave, everyone shook hands and said goodbye. “I'll be back in touch with you in a few days,” Kathy Thomas concluded, walking them to the door with the Bryants, “after our next interview.”

  Patrick and Kate smiled and waved a final goodbye.

  Richard had worked hard at concentrating on his contract documents that morning, trying to keep his mind off Kristen's visit to their home that evening. He knew his relationship with Janet was stronger and more secure than it had ever been, but he did not want any slip-up to hurt her, especially now that he loved her like never before. He prayed twice, sitting at his desk, that God would protect them all at their meeting that night. And then he called Bob Meredith and asked that he and Anne also pray.

  Kathy Thomas dropped by his office a little after noon to report that the meeting between the Bryants and the Tomlinsons had gone quite well. “One more interview tomorrow afternoon, and we should either have a first choice from Amy or a new list of candidates from me. I'm really enjoying working with their family, Richard, and I can certainly see why you want to help them,” she concluded, as she rushed to a luncheon meeting with another client
.

  “Thanks for your hard work, Kathy,” Richard replied.

  “Oh, and Patrick Tomlinson said he would meet you here at two.”

  “Thank you for setting us up with the Bryants, Richard,” Patrick said, as he shook Richard's hand in their conference room.

  “Well, I hope everything went well. Soon the decision will be up to Amy, with her parents’ help,” Richard responded, showing him to a chair.

  “She's one mature lady, that Amy,” Patrick continued. “And she really seems to have a relationship with God. It's amazing. She might even move me to pray that we can raise her baby.”

  “I hope you're serious, Patrick, because that's exactly how I feel.”

  “I am. You should have heard Amy and Kate. I've never said this before about any meeting, anywhere; but I think God…or some spirit…or something…was there. It was like at one point there was a seventh person in the room.”

  “I know, I know. I've felt His presence lately in several meetings when we've prayed. Isn't it incredible?” Richard asked.

  Bruce McKinney cleared his throat, obviously a bit displeased by the lack of attention.

  “I'm sorry, Bruce,” Patrick said, smiling and extending his hand across the table to him and to David Smith. “You've got four children yourself, so you can understand how emotional and wound up we get. So close, we hope, to adopting our first.”

  “I understand completely,” Bruce continued with a smile, “because our four have gotten in the nasty habit of wanting to eat several times a day; and to do that I have to make some money, which is tough right now.”

  “Please, tell me,” Patrick said, his attention turned fully now to the business before them. “And, by the way, Marty couldn't come today, but we have his blessing to discuss anything and everything; I've simply promised him that I'll consult with him on any tentative decisions we might reach before they become binding on our side. Is that OK?”

  “Fair enough,” David said, as they all nodded their approval.

  “So, Bruce and David, tell me why you've dragged me away from protecting your city's best stores from my wife,” Patrick said, leaning back in the comfortable chair and looking from man to man.

  “Patrick, we're in a significant cash bind. It's as simple as that. Believing that your cash investment is coming, we've made plans for our needed expansion; we haven't leased any additional space yet, of course, but just the planning part has cost us extra money. And the monthly interest on our debt, instead of equity, is horrendous. Our closing has dragged on and on, and the continuing cash cost has just hit us at a terrible time. Frankly, we tried to obtain a short-term loan at the bank, based on our contract, but without additional personal guarantees, which we could not obtain…” Bruce glanced momentarily at Richard, who returned his look without changing his expression. “We were unsuccessful.”

  “How bad is it?” Patrick asked.

  David answered, “Right now, we don't know how we're going to meet our payroll next Friday.”

  “What do you propose to do?” Patrick asked seriously.

  This time Bruce spoke. “No one else could help us as fast as you potentially can; you're already way up the learning curve on our company, and we believe you want to be part of what we're building here. David and I have talked, and we'd be willing to sell you, now, the controlling interest in our company, say 55 percent, for the same $1 million we've agreed on for the smaller share. We'll take back a management contract, and if you don't like what we're doing, you can fire us after a year. We think that's a hell of an offer.”

  Based on the numbers he had seen, Patrick also knew that it was an attractive offer. He thought for almost a minute in silence. Then he leaned forward and addressed the three men across the table from him.

  “Bruce, David, Richard, I'm painfully aware of your problem; I've run companies myself and know how precious cash is to them. And I also know that, based on what you've shared with me about your company and its future, you have in fact made me a very strong offer.

  “Now let me tell you my problem, which you may or may not understand. Before my father passed away, he made me promise that I would listen to the advice of Marty Tsongas for at least five years, and,” Patrick smiled, “to the advice of my wife for as long as we live. He told me that everyone thought he was such a brilliant investor, but that he had only invested in companies that both he and my mother felt were run by the right people.”

  Bruce and David leaned back in their chairs.

  Patrick continued, “In this case, I have promised both Marty and Kate that we won't go into debt before my father's estate is settled. Both of them asked me, independently, to do so, and I gave my word. As much as I want to help you and as much as I admire your company, I can't start my own business career by breaking my word to the two people who are closest to me and to my father. So if you need a lot of cash before the attorneys and accountants get completely finished with his estate, I'm afraid I just can't help you.”

  “But now the conditions have changed,” Bruce started to argue. “We've just made you an offer that none of those three people could have foreseen. Surely you can modify your commitment now that this new offer is on the table.”

  “But Bruce, the promise was to avoid debt, no matter how attractive the situation might be.”

  “Aw, come on, Patrick. Investors go into debt every day. This is a fantastic opportunity for you!”

  “Bruce, I've told you my reason and declined your offer, though I obviously appreciate it.” Starting to show just a hint of anger, Patrick continued, “If you can't understand the commitment I've made, then perhaps I should rethink who I want to invest with when the money does become available.”

  “OK, OK!” David spoke up, trying to save their position in Patrick's eyes. “We certainly understand. We make and execute trades every day based only on our word, and we completely understand the importance of a promise. It's just that these are tough times for us, when we can see the goal line is so close.”

  “Yes, I understand,” Patrick agreed, calming down himself. “I wish I could help you. I don't want anything to happen to you. But you'll have to find the short-term money somewhere else.”

  Ten more minutes of pleasant conversation followed, with David focusing Patrick back on the bright prospects for their firm, once his equity was invested, while Bruce said little more. He sat staring at Patrick and occasionally looked at Richard.

  Finally Patrick looked at his watch and realized that he had to meet his wife downstairs for the drive to the airport. He rose and extended his hand across the table. “Thanks so much to all three of you. I hope everything stays on track for our closing.”

  While Richard escorted him to the elevator, Patrick continued, “And Richard, we hope to hear good news from you or Kathy on the adoption in the next few days.”

  “We'll see, Patrick. We'll see. As you know, it's up to Amy.”

  When Richard returned from seeing Patrick to the elevator, he closed the door to the conference room and said to his clients, “I'm sorry Patrick can't help now. Will you guys be able to make it a couple of more months without his equity or the loan you had hoped for?”

  “What do you think, Richard?” Bruce almost leapt up, snapping angrily. “What exactly do you think I've been trying to get through to your thick lawyer brain for six weeks? We have no cash, and we can't get any! That means over—bankruptcy—close the doors! You got the picture now, Christian counsellor?”

  “Come on, Bruce,” David complained, rising to Richard's defense. “Richard and Patrick both have their reasons for not being able to help us. We just haven't found the right investor yet. But that's no reason to attack Richard, who has helped us so much over the years.”

  “Thanks, David,” Richard said. “If you guys would rather have another law firm help you, I'd be glad to turn over the files. Just say to whom and when.”

  “No…I'm sorry, Richard. I didn't mean that. You've been great, and we've been neighbors for year
s,” Bruce said, sitting back in his chair and appearing genuinely to regret his remarks. “It's just so frustrating. And unfortunately, it's not as simple as just finding the right investor.”

  Bruce and David exchanged glances. David nodded. Bruce asked, “Richard, what would be the consequences to us of hypothetically telling you something that may not be exactly right about our firm?”

  “What do you mean?” Richard asked. The two partners looked at each other again. Bruce continued.

  “Patrick really was our last chance. We have no idea where to get next Friday's payroll; but even worse, we need some significant cash to clear up some other discrepancies before next Wednesday. And we need to know what happens if we tell you some things that may not be exactly ‘cricket’ about that particular need.”

  “Well, it depends on how ‘un-cricket’ they are. While I'm your attorney, you can tell me and members of our firm your darkest secrets, and we cannot be forced to reveal them, even if they're somehow criminal in nature. But they could affect my ability to give a clean opinion on you in civil matters, like the Tomlinson deal, for example. So that could affect our ability to close the deal if they insist on a clean opinion from us.”

  “OK. Thanks, Richard,” Bruce said, looking at David and standing up. “We'll think about it. And while you're praying so much, pray that we find some quick investment money. And, again, I'm sorry I blew up a little while ago,” he concluded, extending his hand.

  A few minutes later they were gone, leaving Richard wondering what, in fact, was not exactly ‘cricket’ about McKinney and Smith.

  * * *

  Despite his prayers and his intellectual assurance, Richard still could not help his growing nervousness as their dinner ended that evening and they made last-minute preparations to receive Kristen and her clients at 7:30.