My father died when I was a small child and my mother subsequently married a widower with a single daughter, one the same age as me. This meant that my sister is really my step-sister, and not a blood relation.
As we matured we developed in different ways. I was more the intellectual type, an introvert with a love of mathematics and logic and computers. Suzy, on the other hand, was your classic extrovert, very much into athletics and sport, totally unable to understand why I'd want to spend time on a computer rather than out playing sport.
Despite our differences we all got along quite well. I set up an online company while still at school, developing it while continuing my studies. The company took up a lot of my spare time but I was making some money out of it and I could see it had potential to get bigger.
Fast forward a couple of years and the economy took a bit of a downturn. My father's company also took a bit of a hit and he was struggling to make ends meet. I, being a typical teenager (nineteen now) and totally wrapped up in my own interests, failed to notice this. As far as I was concerned everything was the way it had always been.
This obliviousness landed me right in it one fine Saturday morning. I'd wandered into the kitchen in search of breakfast in time to hear Suzy complaining about the state of her wardrobe. My mother was consoling her but not offering to replenish the wardrobe which I found mildly surprising. I looked at Suzy and grunted.
"Susy's got a point," I blithely observed. "That stuff she's wearing right now looks like crap and it's way too tight across her boobs. No way should she be going out like that. Definitely time to upgrade."
My mother blushed and Suzy went up like a rocket.
"If some nitwit had been listening properly instead of just eavesdropping on a private conversation and then sticking his nose in where it's not wanted he might have heard that we can't afford to get new clothes right now. If said nitwit had a paying job he might contribute to the household budget like other members of the household, rather than sitting behind a computer and playing games all hours of the day."
"I'm not playing," I said mildly. "I'm working. I do run an online company, you know."
"I said a paying job," Suzy snapped.
"My company earns money. I'm quite happy to contribute to the household budget. If anyone had bothered to suggest it I'd already be doing so."
"Do you mean that your company actually makes money?" asked my mother, sounding highly surprised.
"Well, sure. What's the use of a company that doesn't? Anyway, my expenses aren't very high so I'm able to bank most of what I make. I have some savings and some investments."
"Then I'm sure you'll be delighted to start paying board," Suzy put in quickly. "How about half the earnings from your company?"
"Bit steep," I told her. I turned to face my mother. "How about a hundred a week? I'll back date it for a year and pay last year's board and the next year's board right now. You can remind me in another year that more board is due. Let me have your bank details and I'll do a transfer right now."
My mother just looked stunned. Even Suzy had nothing to say.
"Mum, your bank account details?" I prompted.
"Oh, I don't know. Why don't you go and ask your father. He'll know them."
So I went and explained things to my father. Apparently he was also surprised to find that I actually made money online. He gave me his account details and I went to my computer and did the transfer. I gave him the nod to go and check it out and returned to my interrupted breakfast.
"Transfer done," I said. I pulled out my wallet and extracted a credit card and passed it over to my mother.
"Why don't you take Suzy down to the mall and the pair of you can replenish your wardrobes. It's on me as long as you don't exceed five thousand. That's between you. Not each."
"Martin, I can't do that," my mother protested, trying to return the card.
"I can," said Suzy, grabbing the card. "If he's silly enough to offer I'm not so silly as to say no."
"Are you sure that you can afford it? I'd hate for you to leave yourself short."
"Mum, I have over a hundred thou in that account. Five thou for some dresses or whatever won't kill me."
"What do you mean, that account?" asked Suzy. "Do you have other accounts?"
"Several others," I admitted. "Company and investment accounts mainly."
Shortly after Suzy headed down to the mall, dragging mother with her. My father was watching them go, smiling.
