Monday, March 12th

Anna rings the doorbell at Yvette and Chester's, Chester answers.

Chester: Anna, this is a surprise. I didn't think you'd be back for a couple of more weeks.

Anna: I figured I needed to come back quickly in light of what is happening with the company. It's good to see you, Chester.

Chester: You too. I'm guessing you want to speak with Yvette.

Anna: Yes, we do have some things to discuss.

Chester: She's out on the terrace.

Anna: Thank you.

Anna goes out to the terrace.

Yvette: Mom, you're back.

Anna: Of course, the company is falling apart and I had to find out on television.

Yvette: I apologize for that, I had no idea that Cassandra was going to do that. How did you even know about her show?

Anna: Someone from the board called me.

Yvette: Great.

Anna: While Cassandra is a very vengeful person, I would expect nothing less than cheap tactics from her. But from you,

I expected to hear from the truth right away. Why didn't you tell me that the company had a shortfall?

Yvette: I only found out a few days ago myself and I did not want to burden you with this problem

while you and Dad are trying to get back on track.

Anna: Your father and I are getting there, you telling me the truth wouldn't effect that. I had to come home, it's the wrong time to be away,

especially when we may have to put up some of our own savings.

Yvette: You put me in charge and I felt I had to fix the issue.

Anna: That's all well and good, but I need to be clued in when there is a crisis. This is our family legacy, I want it preserved

for the next generation.

Yvette: And you can rest assured that Joseph and I are handling it.

Anna: It's a pretty large shortfall, what measures have you taken to cover it?

Yvette: Well, we sold off the stores we opened in the Upper Peninsula, as well as various assets.

We are also considering selling the in house Men's clothing line.

Anna: That's a big cash generator for us.

Yvette: I realize that, but I've been shopping it around and I can get a good price for it. We can always start

a new Men's line from scratch.

Anna: Will it be enough?

Yvette: Barely.

Anna: Fortunately, I think I can sink some of my savings into it and borrow against the estate.

Yvette: Wait a minute, borrowing against the estate should be off limits. That's the family home.

Anna: It might be the only way to get some cash quick.

Yvette: I'm just afraid of losing.

Anna: Listen, you've got what it takes, you just hit a roadblock. You can handle challenges.

Yvette: I thought I could, but this one is really throwing me for a loop.

Anna: You got to hold it together, that's why I put you in charge, because you have the strength.

Yvette: Thanks, Mom. It means a lot that you believe in me, but I'm still scared.

Anna: Well, not much can be done to avoid that, it's a human reaction.

Yvette: If we lose this company-

Anna: Don't even think about that.

Yvette: You're right, that doesn't even sound like me to be so defeatist. Tomorrow, I'm going to wheel and deal to keep McGregor from going under.

Anna: That's better.

_____________________________________________________

At Number 37, Andrew finds Cassandra at the bar.

Cassandra: Well, look who is here.

Andrew: That show of yours, I have to give it to you. I never thought anyone would bring tabloid style to the business world.

Cassandra: Drew, you know I'm an innovator.

Andrew: I call it spiteful.

Cassandra: You've obviously never heard of not attacking the messenger. I just reported the news, if you wanted to keep it

private, you should make sure McGregor is airtight when it comes to public relations.

Andrew: You've got beef with me, I get it, but I built that company for my family's security. Don't take it out on them.

Cassandra: You are confused, this is not personal.

Andrew: No?

Cassandra: I started my station and I needed a good story to get started, I found one and grabbed it.

Andrew: And in the process, you can get back at me.

Cassandra: I didn't cause McGregor to have a shortfall, you should ask your children about that.

Andrew: But you knew the investors would be sent into a panic by the information you put out.

Cassandra: In reality, they deserved to know the truth.

Andrew: That's what gets me, how did you know about the shortfall?

Cassandra: I have my sources.

Andrew: You've found a leak in the company.

Cassandra: Nothing of the sort, I came by the information honestly.

Andrew: That's the thing, you couldn't have come by it honestly. I may have been out of the corporate game for awhile, but

I know the privacy hasn't changed.

Cassandra: Perhaps it has. You don't tend to get good results when a home maker runs a corporation for years.

Andrew: Anna's a sharp lady, she ran McGregor like a professional.

Cassandra: We all tell our lies for the people we're caught up with.

Andrew: You are so bitter. Have you really been this way for over 40 years?

Cassandra: Look, why don't you go home and see if you can manage to repair your marriage or should I say, what you thought was your marriage.

Andrew: Have you signed those papers yet?

Cassandra: They are in the mail, obviously I want our long deceased marriage to be nullified as much as you do.

Andrew: Good, then we can both get on with our lives.

Cassandra: Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to finish my drink in solitude.

Andrew leaves.

____________________________________________________________________

At Donahue, Carol is holding a meeting with Trish.

Carol: We have a surplus.

Trish: Yep, what do you want to do with it?

Carol: I was thinking of making a purchase, one that will yield big dividends.

Trish: Okay, I think that's feasible right now.

Carol: Yvette McGregor is putting out the word that McGregor's Men's Line is up for sale.

Trish: They must really be in trouble if they are going to let that go, it's made millions.

Carol: And it can do the same for us.

She hands Trish a folder.

Trish: You've got everything mapped out.

Carol: What we would do is give the brand a renewal of sorts.

Trish: And there is the added incentive of pulling off a coup against the McGregors.

Carol: That is not part of this, it's only a good opportunity.

Trish: But, you have to admit, it is a good one up in this rivalry.

Carol: It's barely even that anymore, McGregor is on the way down and Donahue is up.

Trish: Don't underestimate what they can do over there.

Carol: There's a difference between underestimating and simply know that we are more formidable.

Trish: I do feel bad about the troubles McGregor is having.

Carol: Of course you do, you've always been the compassionate one.

Trish: My son does work there and the company is his future.

Carol: He knows he has a place waiting for him here.

Trish: You always have a deeper motivation for everything, Mom.

Carol: None at all, but there is that added incentive of potentially having all my family running the company.

Trish: Do you think McGregor will sale to you?

Carol: They need the cash flow, they won't be turning down any offers.

Trish: Depends on where the offer comes from.

Carol: I think they are more shrewd than arrogant at this point. It takes a crisis to bring the high and mighty down a peg.

Trish: Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, there have got to be more than a few other interested parties.

Carol: I feel confident. Buying this line is the next step in being number one.

___________________________________________________________________________

At Number 37, George walks in. He sees Joseph at a table and goes over to him

Joseph: Come to gloat?

George: No, I want to clear a few things up about my mother's new show.

Joseph: It sent a real panic through our pool of investors.

George: I know and I want to be clear that I had nothing to do with that.

Joseph: And why is it that you needed to make that clear? Not long ago, you were ready to take control of the company.

George: That was then, this is now. I finally realized I have a family I know nothing about and fighting them was a waste of time.

Joseph: I'm not sure if you are serious, but I got to at least hear you out.

George: Now that I have a child, my perspective has changed.

Joseph: That does tend to happen. When JC was born, I looked at everything differently.

George: I was angry for years because I felt like our father didn't care anything about me, that wasn't true and

I'm finally past it.

Joseph: And you can believe that if Dad knew where you were at those years ago, he would have been right there for you.

George: Anyway, that's all in the past and thankfully I can finally move forward.

Joseph: Good for you.

George: Part of me was also sort of envious of how privileged the rest of you grew up.

Joseph: I thought your mother did decent financially when you were growing up.

George: I don't mean money, I'm talking about being part of a good family.

Joseph: We had our ups and downs.

George: Nothing like mine. I have an older brother, Vance, who my grandparents raised and when he did come to live with us, it was a mess. He ended up on drugs and just went away without a trace.

Joseph: That's rough, sorry to hear about that.

George: Yeah, I usually don't like to talk about it, but it's been such a long time and I'm just now dealing with it.

Joseph: I can understand.

George: And just to be fully honest, I also want to talk business.

Joseph: Really?

George: I heard that you are selling off some assets and I thought I would make some offers, just to keep some of them in the family.

Joseph: What is the catch?

George: None at all, I just have this need to help clean up my mother's messes.

Joseph: I think we'll be able to handle it, some good offers are already coming in.

George: I get there is probably not a lot of trust.

Joseph: It's a little shaky, but I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.

George: It takes a time, that's no problem for me.

Joseph: Took awhile to sink it, but it has really hit me that I have another brother.

George: The way I showed up was a shock.

Joseph: Like I said, I'll give you a chance.

They shake hands.

Joseph: Every other Friday, I play cards with Edmund and JC, we could use a fourth McGregor.

George: I think I'll take that invitation up, I'm not a bad card player.

Joseph: All right then, we'll see you.

George: Thanks.

George leaves.

Joseph: I guess time will tell if he's being sincere.

_____________________

Cassandra is at an office in somewhere undisclosed.

Cassandra: I really have to hand it to you, this work you did was amazing.

McGregor Board Member Leonard walks out of another room.

Leonard: I never half do anything.

Cassandra: Your reputation preceeds you. I just hope the McGregors don't find out you

are backstabbing them.

Leonard: When my uncle passed away, he left his board seat to me, they trust his judgment. They won't be any the wiser.

Cassandra: Getting me classified company information was not hard, but I how exactly did you cause the shortfall in the first place?

Leonard: I planted a bug in the accounting software, one that can't be traced and looks just like one that the manufacturer had problems with in the past.

Cassandra: Per our agreement, you get a certified check. There will be more if you keep up the good work.

She hands him the check.

Leonard: Pleasure doing business with you.

Cassandra: The same here.

Cassandra and Leonard fist bump over their deal. Fade out.