Chapter 2: Settlement

Lynn was at the kitchen table going through the bills. Social Security was finally depositing a monthly disability payment in their joint account. That and Pam’s rent payments were keeping them going. Then her phone rang. It was her lawyer, with great news for her.

Limbaugh, the dipshit, was a spoiled and arrogant teenager with wealthy parents. His spree began when his exasperated parents had cut him off, turning off his debit card and taking away his car.

According to her lawyer, Lynn and Dale Loomis would receive a wired direct deposit to their joint account “by the close of business tomorrow” of $6,600,000. This was their share after the lawyer’s fee was deducted. Even better, this legal settlement was excluded from income tax.

Her next call was to her divorce lawyer.

“So, now we have the amount to plug in. So, once we serve him, he gets himself a lawyer, and then we start negotiations. In the meantime, I can take 50% and put in a personal account, correct?”

“Yes, be careful; you need to not take any more. I suggest you take $3,299,900, just to be sure.”

A year later, the Loomis family was on the road to full happiness, or at least, contentment. Pam and DC returned to her house, allowing her tenant to remain. More on that in a moment.

Paul Diggs obtained a full athletic scholarship to a Division I university program, with the potential to move on to the NFL if he was able to stay healthy and show enough promise while competing against other top collegiate programs.

Meanwhile, Bea had taken advantage of her new competence in advanced mathematics and qualified for admission at the same university, starting in the spring semester. It was an easy decision to rent an apartment together close to campus.

A few days after she talked with the lawyers, Lynn and Dan were lying side by side on Bea’s bed, sweaty and panting after having their way with each other.

“Hey, Dan.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve got lots of money now. Will you marry me?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Aren’t you already married to Mr. Wonderful over there in the master bedroom?”

“Not for long. Dipshit’s family settled with us for millions. I’ll take my half of it, and we’ll be divorced soon. Asshole Dale can keep this little house and hire somebody to help him. It won’t be me. I’m free at last of that abusive shit-for-brains.”

“And you want to go from freedom back into marriage?”

“With you, honey, absolutely. So, can I move in with you? I want to practice being your loving wife.”

“I don’t know if we can. There’s rules at work about relationships with supervisors. If we were living together and then we married, there would be trouble with HR down at the shop.”

“Dan, you’re not listening. Now that I have money, I’m quitting my job. HR can eat shit and die. Do I have to ask again?”

“No, you don’t. Please be my wife, Lynn. Come live in my house as soon as you can. I can’t wait!”

Dale had the house to himself now. In exchange for some money, Lynn took her name off the title. He had gone through several aides and housekeepers trying to hire someone (a) white and (b) willing to work enough hours to keep himself and his house clean and make food for him.

Finally, he ended up with a refugee from the Middle East whose first language was Arabic. He decided Rania was “white enough.” All the time he spent alone in bed and being ignored by Lynn caused his irascible nature to relax. He made an effort with Rania to be as calm as possible.

About five weeks after Raina started, he called her in and asked her to sit on the bed with him.

“Rania, I’ve been thinking. There’s something big—something I can do for you and something you can do for me. It doesn’t come easily to me, but I’m finding a way to be nicer and kinder.

“I’m grateful for everything you do for me. There’s something I can do for you, that nobody else can do. I can get you a green card, and then you will be officially a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States. You’ll have all the privileges that I do, except for voting and you can not be deported back to where you came from.