Chapter 56: Family time
Sunday July 3rd 1988, Morning Williams Residents Brooklyn.
Oliver slowly opened his eyes to the early morning sun streaming through the curtains, casting a warm glow in the room. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, he realized it was already past ten o'clock. Last night had been truly unforgettable, especially the passionate lovemaking session that followed their date.
Feeling a sense of exhaustion he had never experienced before from a night of intimacy that lasted for hours, Oliver looked down at his wife, Martha, who was still sound asleep, her naked body nestled against his. Despite feeling a stir of desire for another round, Oliver managed to resist, not wanting to disturb her peaceful slumber. Carefully extricating himself from her embrace, he got out of bed and stretched, the covers falling away as he sat up.
Admiring his wife's serene form, a faint smile played on Oliver's lips as he reminisced about the events of the previous night. He rose from the bed, feeling the stiffness in his body dissipate as he stretched his arms wide. Making his way to the closet, Oliver reached for his green bathrobe and draped it over his shoulders before tying it securely around his waist. Casting one more glance at Martha, he couldn't help but smile tenderly.
Meanwhile, downstairs in the living room, Alex, Duke, Jennifer, Ashley, and Ji-woo were gathered, watching a movie together. Alex couldn't help but stifle a yawn, the events of the previous night still fresh in his mind. His parents had been unusually passionate, prompting all five of them to have an impromptu sleepover in the living room.
Typically, his parents were more discreet in such matters, but Alex found himself enjoying the unexpected slumber party with his sisters and Ji-woo. The night had been filled with deep conversations that had carried on until they all drifted off to sleep in the cozy living room.
As they sat together watching the movie "The Secret of My Success," starring the charismatic Michael J. Fox, Jennifer turned to Alex with a curious expression. "Hey, Alex, what's it like filming a movie?" she asked, her attention fully captured by the on-screen action.
Alex chuckled softly at Jennifer's question, shifting comfortably on the couch before responding, "Well, it's definitely a lot of hard work, but also incredibly rewarding. The whole process, from auditioning to filming on set, is quite exciting."
Duke, who had been quietly sipping his tea, interjected, "So, little brother, when can we expect to see one of the projects you're working on?"
Alex, rubbing his chin, decided to give an honest estimation. "Well, *Saw* is already well into production. We still have about four more weeks of footage to shoot, along with editing. So, maybe two months or so, not including any potential reshoots."
The filming conditions for this project were much better compared to the original work, which had faced multiple challenges, including scheduling issues with actors like Danny Glover and Michael Emerson, who were only available for limited days.
This time, the film has a bigger budget—around $900,000 USD compared to the original $700,000. And they have a four-month shooting schedule, including reshoots.
Ji-woo turned to Alex and posed a question, " So Alex are you involved in the film production?" She had been taken aback by Alex's decision to leave school at a young age, something that was not common in her culture unless it was due to family circumstances.
Despite his age, she couldn't help but recall how Alex excelled in his O-level exams, achieving eleven A-stars, which was expected considering the success of his siblings. Not only that, but Alex and his two friends also started a profitable business under their parents' names.
"I'm not a part of the actual filming process," Alex clarified. "I work as a screenwriter and advisor, providing suggestions to the director and producer. Plus, I'm occupied with managing the game studio and television series, so I don't have much time for the film industry."
Alex would prefer to focus his attention on gaming industry, which would become ten times bigger than the film industry. However, he didn't want to completely neglect the film industry and still played a part in writing the script.
"So, Alex, do you have any plans for your future education?" Ji-woo was curious about his ambitions.
"I don't see the need for further education," Alex replied. "I have no intention of becoming a lawyer or pursuing a similar profession. But, my parents may have different expectations for me."
Alex explained that his parents' agreement was for him to pass his O-level exams and ensure that their game studio remained profitable for the next two years. If he and his friends could achieve this, his parents would reconsider their stance on further education.
However, Alex acknowledged that his parents would prefer him to continue his education regardless. It was only through his and Mark's father's persuasion that they were given a chance to prove themselves, otherwise, all three of them would still be sitting in a classroom right now.
Alex concluded, " In any case we'd be juggling school while trying to run Blue Star Interactive with a hands-off approach, given how our focus would be split."
After considering all the factors, Alex had reached the conclusion that it would be impossible to juggling both school and running Blue Star Interactive. This would be a challenging task, as their focus would be split between two important responsibilities. Ji-woo found Alex's reasoning to be sound, but she couldn't help feeling that he should have prioritized finishing school before delving into business ventures. The same went for his older brother Duke and their two friends.
Ashley, who was sitting on the sofa with ther sister and Ji-woo in between them, looked over as Alex and Ji-woo discussed his current situation. From Ji-woo's expression, she could tell what her friend was thinking.
Although she also shared the same concerns, Ashley couldn't deny that she had witnessed Alex's success in making large sums of money. Weather it was his deals with Apple and Microsoft, his bestselling book, with the possibility of a movie adaptation - everything he had done so far had been a huge success. The only exception being Star Horizon, which Alex had explained was part of his business strategy.
Despite the success, Ashley still couldn't fully understand it. Even with all the sales they were making, the majority of the money was being reinvested into the business itself. If it weren't for Duke explaining the strategy to her and her sister, they would have thought that they were on the path to becoming millionaires within a year. She couldn't fathom how her parents had agreed to run a business like this at a loss.
In comparison, Blue Star Interactive was operating in a completely different manner. With their game sales already turning a profit, Ashley couldn't help but find it strange how much Alex had changed since his accident. It was almost scary.
"Hey, Ashley, what are you currently working on?" Alex called out to Ashley, interrupting her thoughts. Ashley looked down at her notebook, where she had been sketching out a detailed design for a long dress. Ashley flipped her notebook to reveal what she had been drawing.
" Nice...hmmmm you, Jennifer, and Ji-woo do plan on returning to Cambridge next year to finish your studies?" Alex asked.
Confused, Ashley dropped her notebook down and questioned, "Yes, why do you ask?" She gave Alex a suspicious look, knowing how he had a tendency to persuade others into his ideas. Duke and Jennifer also gave their younger brother questioning looks.
Alex explained that now his parents were able to financially support his sisters in their chosen fields, including Ashley in the fashion industry. He suggested that they take this opportunity to learn about running a business and come up with new ideas for the future.
Still wary of her brother's intentions, Ashley asked, "Is that all?" She knew he had something up his sleeve, and Duke and Jennifer shared her skepticism.
Feeling uncomfortable with the tense atmosphere, Alex clarified that he was simply making a suggestion for their future paths. He had no plans to interfere or control their decisions, especially since they were pursuing careers in the artistic field. He had only wanted to offer an honest suggestion to his siblings.
Ji-woo was a little confused at the looks Alex siblings were giving him. As she honestly thought that it was a good suggestion, to use this time to study how their parents ran their business as it help them in the future.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps caught everyone's attention, coming from upstairs. Oliver's pov having just gotten out of the bathroom to find Martha still asleep. And looking at the time, he decided to wake his wife; otherwise, she would struggle to fall asleep later in the night.
It was already close to eleven-thirty, and they had missed breakfast. The kids were likely already up and downstairs. Sunday was designated as family time, and since Alex—their youngest—was now staying with his brother's family while working on his projects for Blue Star Interactive, as well as multiple television shows.
Along with a movie as an advisor and screenwriter, Martha would be quite upset if she missed most of the day. Oliver knew that Martha would be very disappointed if she awoke to find that she had missed so much precious family time free from work.
Oliver gently shook Martha's shoulder. "Honey, it's almost eleven-thirty. If you sleep any longer, you'll have trouble falling asleep tonight," he whispered.
Martha groaned softly but opened her eyes, blinking away the remnants of sleep. "What time is it?" she asked groggily.
"It's almost eleven-thirty. We've missed breakfast, and the kids are probably already downstairs," Oliver replied.
"Oh really, it's already that late," Martha said, sitting up in bed. " I promised Alex I'd spend some time with him and learn about his new projects."
"Don't worry," Oliver reassured her. "We still have plenty of the day left. Let's get downstairs and join everyone."
Meanwhile, downstairs, Alex was still talking with Ji-woo and the rest of his siblings: Duke, Jennifer, and Ashley. The sound of footsteps descending the stairs made everyone look up as Oliver and Martha appeared.
"Good morning, Mom and Dad," Alex greeted them cheerfully. "You finally decided to join us."
"Morning, everyone," Martha replied, a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry for we, overslept."
"Don't worry about it, Mom," Jennifer said, smiling. "It's Sunday. You're allowed to relax a little."
"Yes, and besides, we haven't been up for that long ourselves," Ashley added. "We were just catching up with Alex on his projects."
Ji-woo, also greeted Martha and Oliver politely. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Williams. I hope you had a good rest."
"Good morning, Ji-woo," Oliver replied warmly. "Thank you, we did. How are you finding your stay with us so far?"
"It's been wonderful, thank you. Everyone has been so welcoming," she replied, returning the smile.
Martha shifted her focus back to Alex, her keen eyes searching for any hints of stress or exhaustion. "So, how's everything been going with your aunt and the baby? Are they both doing alright?"
Alex reassured her with a smile, "They're doing well. Benjamin spends most of his days sleeping." Martha and Oliver both breathed a sigh of relief at the news.
"And what about the game studio and your other projects?" Martha asked, beckoning Oliver to join her in the kitchen to grabbed something to eat.
Alex eagerly updated his parents on the progress of the game studio's ventures. He made sure to highlight the significant advancements they were making thanks to their full dedication to the projects.
He also mentioned the minor setbacks they had faced with one of their key projects, DOOM. "But overall, we wouldn't have been able to achieve this level of progress if we were still juggling school," Alex concluded gratefully. "Thank you both for supporting us."
Oliver nodded in satisfaction, proud of their decision to allow the boys to focus on their business and personal growth. As for the bumps in the road they encountered, he wasn't too concerned as their strategies had already been adapted.
"Keep up the good work, Alex. You've proven that you can handle this responsibility. And remember, education comes in many forms and what you're learning now can be invaluable in the real world," Oliver reminded him.
Martha also chimed in, adding her thoughts to the conversation. "But don't let your success make you complacent. Our agreement is still in place," she reminded him sternly.
Although she felt some hesitation deep within, she couldn't help but feel proud of her youngest son's success. Still, she couldn't shake off her worries about him getting too wrapped up in it all. That's why she firmly reminded him not to let it get to his head.
Oliver stepped in, sensing the tension in the air, and suggested that they all take a break from it.
"Let's grab a bite to eat and the rest of you can all get ready. We'll head out for the day," he proposed, looking at his five teenage children gathered around the TV. He wanted them all to have some quality time together and just enjoy themselves.
Alex immediately sprang into action upon hearing his father's words, rushing to the bathroom before his siblings could react. Duke, always quick-witted, followed close behind and playfully tackled Alex to the ground.
"Hey, it's ladies first!" Jennifer exclaimed, pushing away the blanket she was sharing with Ji-woo and Ashley. And chased after her two younger siblings, with Ashley joining in on the pursuit with her three siblings.
Ji-woo watched with a perplexed expression as all four siblings raced upstairs. "We really need a bigger house," Martha commented with a smile as she observed her four teenage kids all acting so childish, over the smallest things. "Hahaha, that's so true," Oliver chuckled in agreement.
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