Sutherland’s Pride by Kathryn Brocato

put the two little boys down, Pride wondered if he’d try to adopt both of them from Gloria. It lifted her spirits immeasurably to see Flynn so obviously enchanted by her son and by Gloria’s children.
    “You’d better come to the office a few minutes, at least, Pride,” Flynn said, at last. “There is one thing in particular I need to give you.”
    Whatever it was, Pride thought, scowling, she didn’t want it if it came from her father. Why spoil a perfectly good day?
    Flynn watched her. “What on earth do you think it is?”
    “I really haven’t the faintest idea.”
    “All right, men, I’ll be back out in fifteen minutes. If there are any signs of mutiny in my crew, I’ll keelhaul the lot of you. Got that?”
    Johnny thought keelhauling sounded like fun. He grabbed Flynn’s leg and looked up at him, laughing.
    “Especially you,” Flynn promised.
    Jealous, Eric dealt Johnny a surreptitious poke in the ribs. Johnny let out a howl and swung wildly at his tormentor. The two little boys clinched and rolled across the floor, yelling imprecations at each other.
    Pride started across the room then glanced at Gloria, who was also starting forward. They exchanged grins and halted.
    Flynn grasped each little boy by his collar and hauled them apart.
    “If you want to sail on my boat,” he said, with stern emphasis, “you have to fight the sails, not each other. Crewing a sailboat requires teamwork. Is that clearly understood?”
    Eric said meekly, “Yes, sir.”
    Johnny sniffed and pouted, hanging his head.
    “I don’t want to come out here in fifteen minutes and find the two of you fighting again. Understood?”
    The boys indicated their understanding.
    “Pride, will you step into my office, please?”
    Flynn kept a stern eye on the children as he ushered Pride into his office until he shut the door behind him. The moment the door closed behind him, he grinned at Pride.
    “Well? Do you think I rate as a strict disciplinarian?”
    “That was fantastic,” Pride said, pleased. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
    “I have lots of hidden talents. You’d be amazed.”
    “I’m sure I would.” Pride covered her smile. “What is it you want to show me, Flynn?”
    Flynn went to his desk, where a folder awaited his attention. He opened it and pulled out a long, white, sealed envelope with her name on it and handed it to her.
    “It was in with your father’s legal documents.” He reached into the folder and began laying out several legal documents in a row along the desk. “These are ready for your signature. If you like, I’ll explain each one to you. Killeen is a notary. When you’re ready to sign, we’ll have her in.”
    Pride stared at the documents. “Am I signing away my birthright or something?”
    “This is your birthright,” Flynn said. “This one is the deed to the house in Anahuac. This one transfers several blocks of stock to you. This one is the deed to five beach cabins in Crystal Beach that your father kept as rent property.”
    Pride swallowed. She had no idea her father owned beach front property.
    “Do I have to sign these?”
    “Yes, if you wish to inherit the property. However, you can, if you so desire, refuse to inherit.”
    “What would happen then?”
    “Your father’s next-of-kin would inherit. I’d have to scrape around in your genealogical tree and find out who that would be.”
    Pride sighed. She could have told him the person he wanted was, at the moment, getting into trouble of some sort in his outer office.
    “Never mind. I’ll sign.”
    The property would be Johnny’s inheritance in the end. Her son would be assured of a good education and property of his own when he reached adulthood.
    Flynn smiled at her and used his intercom to request Killeen Ross’s presence. She came in, bearing her notary book and seal and laughing.
    “Johnny has discovered the pleasures of my computer keyboard,” Killeen said. “He’s banging away on it.”
    Pride