Chapter 1

That’s how at 18, unemployed and ill prepared for life, I set out to live the rest of my life. We, the Trust manager and I agreed that 1/3 of that 20% would come from my allowance over the next 3 years, that plus 1/10 of the interest on the loan or until I paid it all off. All told, for 3 years I would be living in my old house and getting an estimated $68,000 to $89,000 for myself each of the next three years.

The house was appraised at $625,000; so the rents were pleased with their shares, less my cut, $125,000. I could have paid that 20% of the loan off, but Mr. Grimes advised I live on my reduced allowance and establish some self-control in managing the money until I was 21 and still have some cash as needed for other things. Mr. Grimes the Trust Manager, later informed me, that the trust would pay for my College costs in addition, as long as I maintained a 3.0 scholastic average each semester or trimester. Nice move Grandfather.

My grades in High School were good enough that The University of Central Florida(Orlando) accepted me. In-State tuition was very reasonable and Mr. Grimes commented that my decision to go to a State school met with his approval too since I’d be living at home. What I saw for my future was what my Grandfather did for most of his life. My study was to be in Business Administration; however, I asked Mr. Grimes if I might second-guess the fund’s investments to better prepare myself for investing when the trust monies would be mine. There must have been dust in the air because he started to tear up a bit when I asked him that.

“Ryan, I knew A J for many years and I can say if he was still around he would be mighty proud of you. Certainly, I will try to help you gain experience investing; sort of a favorite subject of mine you know?”

That gave me the summer off to do some repairs to the house and personalize it to my taste, not my parents. If you get the idea that we didn’t get along, that is not totally true. We did, up until the ‘Gravy Train’ they figured on(My TRUST) was not going the way they thought it would.

My shopping trip to make the house all-mine, ended up as many trips, plural. Some things I liked were on display at The Artisan’s Furniture store and I noted them but did not buy anything. I had another idea, I figured a pool was meant to enjoy, not slave over cleaning and keeping bugs and unwelcome guest out. I would be getting a enclosure installed from $12,000 to $20,000. This would temper me trying to do both the inside and outside modernization all at once.

Never, ever, ever, go on the Internet looking for things; they have ways to track you down. One more class on Computers I needed to take, maybe. I had a car, got it on my 18th birthday so it would be good for a few years. Same with clothes, sort of. Pots, pans, electronic gizmos and 39,000 other things I never knew a homeowner needed were paraded before me on a shopping trip to The Florida Mall off 528th.

I don’t remember what all they were but I will always remember the sad looking girl sitting alone sipping, almost, her watered down cola at the food court.

I took her a new, unmelted one plus my own, and sat down across from her. I pushed hers toward her and said: “I thought I had it bad but by the looks of you, either your dog ran away or...”

“I’m 17, finishing school, now Mom and Dad are going separate ways, selling the house and no one will hire me for wages I can afford to live on my own so I need to go with one of them.”

I nodded my head. “Know a little about that myself. Things would be a might slow if Epcot or Universal’s idea of ‘a living wage’ aren’t your cup of tea. Hi! I’m Ryan, Black and you are?”

“Not a happy camper, right now. Kathy Gould.”

“I’m not much older than you Kat, but I had a pretty smart Grandfather who liked me. I have an idea how we both can be served. Not sure if ‘WE’ can make it work but I think we can, for the next few years or so anyway. ‘Mi Casa, es Su Casa’. That is if you, ... me, us, ... can live in the same house and get along as friends without too many expectations.”

“Huh!”

“Like, I’m not rich, not right now at least, but there are a million things I don’t even attempt to say I know about keeping a house. I can pay you, say at least $1,000 a month, plus free room and board, Medical insurances, Soc Sec premiums and other expenses you might have, like clothes and personal stuff. In addition; if you want to take some classes; I’ll pay your tuition, books, fees and any expenses at Central Florida University, where I’m going too and even share my car with you. In about 4 years though I may be moving someplace else, so you will have some time to find a better job and to be on your own if you want. What do you say?”

“Pretty cheap sex slave I’d say. Does that come with any other ‘fringe’ benefits for you? I am not some slut or ‘that’ hard up’ YET. Then again, what’s that saying about ‘a beggar... ?”

“Yeah! Probably not saying it right, but hey, you would be my first live in slave; so cut me some slack, will you? I live in a nice house, I am not much older than you and don’t know a damn thing on keeping a house up or cooking food that isn’t delivered ready to eat. I can use your help in a lot of things too; you need a job and a place to live so I thought it would be ‘a win-win situation’ for us; not counting those fringe benefits! Just kidding, but you’re damn cute I think. I’ve got nothing planned beyond that!”

“Right!”

“There are some conditions. First we both speak with my Trust Manager to finalize what I am offering to you in writing. Second we speak to you parents to make certain ‘they’ agree to you working for me. Thirdly, I want you to consider all aspects of what this means and how other people will view you and me living together; I’ll do the same. On your 21st birthday, I’ll buy you a nice car and provide some money, say $22,000 as a gift so no taxes will be due. I’ll work out the car and gift in separate years to avoid taxes so if you want to move out you will have a good start. Basically I’ll pay for everything while living with me, you bank the $1,000 a month so in 4 years, you should save nearly $50,000 and you should not have to pay much in taxes except your portion of the Soc Sec tax.”

“So you are not kidding me?”

“Nope. As cute as you are I would not want to lie to you. I believe in the ‘Golden Rule’ and would not want anyone to lie to me. I like that phrase, ‘Trust but verify’. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don’t have many expectations of you but there are a few do’s and don’t and I would like you to see the house and your rooms before too long. This may not be a career for you but it will last until you are 21 and through College.”

Things could have gone wrong, but they got better instead. Kat graduated in May, took me as her Prom date and she got accepted to The Central Florida University. Her parents were too busy to care one way of another so with Mr. Grime’s blessing and my agreement in writing Kat changed her address on a thousand things and moved in. It would be a ‘significant event’ for us both; one where the consequences were never considered.

I always thought it was a nice house. Kathy went ballistic when she saw them installing the enclosure over the pool. ‘Our’ trip shopping had a greater impact on her though. A laptop, cell phone, new clothes and girl things she had to have and a 3 year lease on a Hyundai Accent for her to use now, complete with insurance and full maintenance covered, did it. She did not react much to my offer to buy her a collar and leash, just ‘that’ look she gave me was enough of a response.

“This girl may not ever wish to leave.” Then the waterfall started.

I got her listed as part of the household, a key card, remote, bank account opened with $5,000 in it, a debit and credit card attached and filled out the forms for auto deposits of her salary. “Close your mouth Kat, I said only what a minimum would be, your still under having to pay any Federal taxes plus no Florida State taxes.”

We never got around to those ‘Do’s and Dont’s’. Things pretty much worked themselves out, we automatically shared responsibilities. Suffice it to say, I liked having someone there. It started out more like a Brother and Sister living together, but I’m not complaining. Her first foray into the pool with a thong put a smile on my face. Her sunning on the patio, sans anything did more than that. Kathy had adapted well to a her new lifestyle now and was feeling comfortable I guess.

There was no longer any doubt she was cute, and a natural blond. WE went to school together quite often, usually that first semester. Some rude comments from the ‘peanut’ gallery ensued but both of us laughed them off. It took a dozen ‘NO’s’ from both of us before we were known as a ‘couple’, I guess.

The neighbors, well, into every life a ‘Gladys Kravitz’ had to appear. I said it was a nice house, I had it looking even better by the time Kat moved in; landscaping in Florida is not a rocket science when you hire a service. Fair to say we were the only ‘couple’ under 20 in the gated community, which irked some wealthy folks to no end.

Our first house guests were, Ah you called it, Mr. Grimes and Pamela(19 and built for endurance), she was a local ‘Weather Girl’ on WFTV, Channel 9(ABC). Kat and Pamela hit the pool in ‘almost’ there thongs after a tour of ‘OUR’ humble abode. That gave the snoops something else to look at and talk about; while Mr. Grimes and I made my special lunch. Hey, it’s a lot of work to keep Chinese Delivery warm for whenever ‘The Girls’ deemed that it’s time to eat. He and I shared the opinion that socializing was over-rated. He and Pamela like Kat and I did not conform to people’s expected profiles. WE agreed to keep up these visits up, since Pam and Kat seemed to hit it off well.

WE decided to keep in touch by playing FF14(A MMO Game) at least once a week. Pam and Kat used the pool and sunned several times a week, not that I was complainng with the view(Can’t have any tan lines you know), but it raised a question or three on the ‘Don’t’ things; specifically how would we handle dating? Like all things in that category; it was left to a later discussion.

I was a little older than Kat and her new, BFF, Pam was a little older than me. None of us had but a few other friends, if any, so we hung together a lot, probably more than normal people would. Bob Grimes per Pam, was probably not going to leave his wife anytime soon, at least not with any kids still around. She knew that and accepted things being as they were. Her discussion with Kat about our relationship got Pam an unexpected answer.

“We have none, at least not like you and Bob, but Ryan is my best friend. He came through to help me when I literally had nothing. He gave me a home, a job and soon we start at College; I think that’s all a 17 year-old can want from any ‘family’.”

“I just turned 19 and Bob(Mr. Grimes) helped get me this job from a friend of his. I sort of know going to work anywhere around here is not easy without stripping or lying down on your back.”

“Ryan made a similar statement. He even said ‘WE’ may have to move in a few years; something about him investing then, with proceeds from some trust thing.”

“Yeah, Bob does that trust thing too. He wants me to take some Math and Accounting at a College and learn more about it. The thing is, I’m not sure what I want to do and told him so.”

“I was going to ask you what kind or courses I should take to help Ryan out more. I did pretty good in High School and Ryan even commented that I consider a lot of things before buying anything, even if is HE is paying for everything we get.”

“Hey, no fair, ‘Sugar Daddies ‘ are supposed to be way older, not our age.”

“I don’t care. Ryan treats me ... treats me like ‘family’. I told him, if he moves, I go with him. I don’t think I ever want to leave him, even told him so.”

“Wait until you see the ‘Studs’ in College. You’ll either change your mind fast or, vow to always be joined at the hip with Ryan even more. That’s a special kind of relationship you two seem to have. Bob has pretty much ruled that future out for us. Things are only ‘casual’ between us. Ryan inviting us over here was the only time we did not have to ‘get a room’ at a motel so to speak. You and Ryan treat us like a normal couple, Bob even commented about that. He likes Ryan, says he knew his Dad for years.”