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.“Jim, I think we need another thermos of coffee and some of the scones from yesterday for Masato’s driver.”“His what…” Danny heard Brian whisper.“Come in, Masato.Welcome to the sub club.”“Hello Danny.” Masato came into the dining room and handed Jim the wrapped loaf of banana nut bread.“My housekeeper made this for us,” he said in a matter of fact voice.He sat down at the table and Brian stared at Masato.“Now I remember, I told you guys yesterday I would.Everybody meet Johnny Nguyen, software engineer and the owner of one of the most profitable software and Internet companies on the East Coast.”“You have me.I’m a member who has an alias.I’m out, but I know some Masters would have a problem with my money.I hoped they could get to know the real me before they knew about the company.”“Do you prefer Johnny or Masato?” Danny asked.“Masato is my first name after my maternal grandfather.I prefer Johnny, my middle name.I sign everything M.John Nguyen.” Johnny took off his coat and scarf and hung them on the coat rack.“Does my brother know about the money yet?” Danny asked.“No, the only people that know are you guys and Reed.Caden will find out whatever I do in three months.I only have that long to convince him we belong together despite my money.I want him to love me enough that he won’t want to leave me,” Johnny said, looking quite sincere.“He’ll be angry if you hide it.You have to tell him soon or you’ll throw your chance out the window.”Johnny’s eyes started to tear up.“What do I do?”Jim promptly took over.“That’s what we’re here for, hon, to help.You’ve been around the club long enough to know what it took to get all of us our Masters—even Brian and I didn’t have it easy.It’s something we’ll have to figure out.But you were honest with us right up front and that counts.”Danny said, “Honesty is important to Caden, too.”“This is going to be hard.You remember I got Gary terribly angry at me because I didn’t want to take things from him.He had to put me in silence.Caden’s going to be one hundred times worse.We have to figure out an angle.”The sub club began to plot.“We have to get him to see you, Greg, you’re the shrink.You can point out his pride is foolish,” Danny said while nibbling on a piece of banana bread.“I can’t steer him in any direction, even if he does come to see me.I can only talk about what he brings up.I’m not skirting ethics yet because he’s not my patient, but once he becomes my patient, I have to bow out of any discussion about Caden with you guys.” Greg sipped the new tea.“This is good, who brought it?”“I did.You won’t be able to come and have tea with us if Caden comes to see you?” Danny said, unhappy that his brother could break up the group.He poured himself a cup of tea and took a rock sugar stick.“I didn’t say that, I said I couldn’t give an opinion.There is nothing that says I can’t listen to what the rest of you say and right now, he’s not my patient so I can say what I like and I say this—Johnny, Caden is going to have a big problem with you being a billionaire.Cisco has that kind of money.I didn’t find out until I was already living with him.He didn’t even have a housekeeper, just a bi-monthly cleaning service.Now we have help five days a week, but I still do all the cooking.He likes my cooking.” Greg popped a piece of banana bread into his mouth.“Money wasn’t a problem for me.Cisco doesn’t flaunt it and I still get to work.The only downside is all the charity functions we have to attend for the hospital and other charities Cisco supports.I don’t like dressing up in a tuxedo.”Johnny gulped.“I can’t cook.The only thing I’m good at is writing software for applications on the phone or the internet.Greg, if I need to know how to cook, I’m going to have to ask my housekeeper to teach me.” Johnny looked away as if he were embarrassed.“Brian does all of Papa Bear’s investment portfolios outside of his real estate holdings.” Jim told Johnny.“I can’t do that either.I know nothing about investing.They could be robbing me blind and I wouldn’t know about it.” Johnny’s eyes began to tear up again.He wiped them surreptitiously.“Jamie does the accounting at Indiscreet and Danny is going to school for horticulture.” Jim got around to everyone at the table.“Everyone here has or is getting a college education.Greg is obviously a doctor, Jamie has a Masters in Accounting and Brian one in both Accounting and IT.We all found something we could do with and for our Masters.What we’ve got to figure out is what you can give Caden besides money.”“I’ve already decided to let go of my controlling shares of my company.The company doesn’t need me anymore and I have more than enough money to last several lifetimes.I want to give most of it away.I’ve made inquiries about starting LGBT youth shelters and community centers where kids can go if their parents abuse them because of their sexuality, or even just to go and be with other gay kids.I want to build them and make it real nice for the kids with a pool table and a basketball court and a free cafeteria, a swimming pool plus beds to use the center as a shelter if necessary [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]