Chapter 7

Friday, November 16, 2029 (continued)...

“When I went in to the paper the next morning, I was no sooner at my desk, than my boss’s secretary called to tell me that my boss wanted to see me immediately.

“When I got to his office, he informed me that I was to go see the managing editor of the Political desk, so they could interview me. He then told me that when they finished with me, I should take the rest of the day off.

“I was deeply hurt the previous night when I learned my husband had been having an affair and angry about being harassed about his death when I arrived at work. Then my boss shows no empathy for how I must feel and tells me I have to go be interviewed by our reporters. He didn’t even ask me if I was coping with Harold’s death. When I walked out of his office, I went straight to my desk, picked up my purse and coat, and went to HR. I told them Harold had been killed last night, about the meeting with my boss, and I was in no condition to work. I told our HR representative that I would be taking at least a week off to recover.

“When I left, I went directly to the day care center to pick up Bart and Patty. When I got there, the owner was upset. It seems the reporters had returned to the daycare center and insisted that she and my children submit to interviews. She told them to leave or she would call the police. They left when they saw her starting to make the call.

I explained about Harold’s death and apologized to her for leading the reporters to her place of business. As soon as she learned the circumstances, her anger turned to sympathy. I remember her saying that reporters had no sense of boundaries when they were in the pursuit of a sensational story. She told me that if the reporters continued to hound me, I should go away and hide for a few days. I laughed at what she said and then explained to her that someone had once told me that going into hiding was the only way to keep the reporters who were after him from harassing him.

“I remembered all the advice you said I should give to my readers if they ever won the lottery, and I used it. I think your advice was the main thing that kept me from having a nervous breakdown. I thought about calling you to thank you for saving my sanity, but for some reason, I never did. So, thank you for saving me, Carl.

“The first thing I did when I left the daycare center was to go directly to my bank and make a large cash withdrawal to cover my coming expenses. Then I went home and packed enough clothes for a couple of days for us and loaded them into the car. When I pulled away from the curb, I had two reporters following me in their cars.

“I knew of a mall parking garage built on a hillside that had entrances and exits on two levels. There was a short line of cars in the left turn lane waiting to turn into the garage, and the reporters were two cars back when I turned into the garage. The oncoming traffic and two cars ahead of them kept them from pulling into the garage right behind me. By the time they were pulling into the garage, I had gone up one level and was exiting on the far side of the garage.

“I headed south to Fayetteville. There is an amusement park there called Fun Spot America Atlanta. I found us a room at a nearby Hampton Inn. Did you know it is almost impossible to rent a room without a credit card? I remembered you telling me to not use my credit card while trying to avoid the reporters. I used the credit card the newspaper had given me, since it didn’t have my name on it. We stayed for two nights, and spent the days at the amusement park.

“I was surprised that my paper didn’t track my whereabouts through my company credit card, but maybe the HR representative had told my boss to leave me alone.

“The kids were too young for most of the rides, but they had fun on the rides for children. While they were on the rides, I was thinking about what Harold’s infidelity had cost him and me. I spent several hours planning what I would do for the next few weeks.

“I had my laptop with me. So in the evenings, I was able to follow what was happening to the Congressman. His girlfriends had come forward to talk about their affairs with him. The media ate it up, especially the junkets he took them on at the tax payer’s expense. The Congressman was now the center of the media’s attention. I felt the firestorm had passed me by, so I checked us out of the Inn and went home.”

“How did things work out for you at work?”

“I didn’t go right back to work. I took care of matters with the funeral home and I buried Harold. His folks and mine came to the funeral. We had all been shocked by Harold’s affair for he never seemed like that type of man to us. I was asked if he had had other affairs in the past. I told everyone that I wasn’t aware of any additional affairs, but I wasn’t expecting that one. So I have to wonder if maybe there had been others or possibly a few one night stands. We commiserated with each other over his death the day before the funeral and had dinner together after the funeral. His parents went home the next day and mine stayed for another two days to help me pack up his belongings and dispose of them.

“Apparently, my boss called me at home as soon as he heard that I hadn’t shown up at the managing editor of the Political desk, and had walked out of the office. I had plugged the phones in just before we left for our trip. He left an angry message on my recorder for not doing the interview. I called him back after we returned and had words with him about the way he had treated me when I had just lost my husband. Since then I have gone on several interviews, but the articles I wrote just don’t have the same pizzazz that they did before Harold’s death. My boss wasn’t happy with my articles, and I honestly don’t blame him. He arranged for a lateral transfer and I now work for the Society editor, which, in a way, is a demotion for me.”

“I’m sorry to hear about all that, Tam. I remember what it was like for me after my Ruth passed away. I kept looking around for her in the house during the next year, and felt totally alone. How do you find life without Harold?”

“At times, I feel the way you felt about losing Ruth. I have mixed feeling about Harold. I am still very angry about him having an affair and what his death did to the kids and me. If he hadn’t been killed, I’m not sure what I would have done. His affair would have destroyed all of the trust in our marriage, and I’m not sure I could go on living with him if he hadn’t been killed. I suppose we would have ended up getting a divorce.”

“I didn’t keep track of what was happening with you, Carl, after I left California, so tell me what you have been doing over the past year.”

“After you left San Diego, I was very busy. I recall telling you that I planned to use some of my winnings to start a business and invest the remaining money. I spent the next few weeks planning several businesses, which I wanted to start when I collected my winnings. I hired an attorney and a business consultant to aid me in setting up my first business, Simmons Investment and Management Company, which we refer to as SIMC.

“I decided SIMC was to be a holding company, and collected my winnings in the middle of November. My friends and I decided to finalize our plans and wait until after the Christmas-New Year holiday ended before we implemented our plans.

“I went to Las Vegas over the holiday, and had a lot of trouble with people accosting me in public. I decided as soon as I returned I had to find a chauffeur and a bodyguard. My current home was not adequate for my new situation, so I found a very nice place just outside Rancho Santa Fe and bought it. I hired Jason shortly before I closed on the house.

“My partners and I then started looking for a large office building that was suitable for the businesses we planned to start and was near Rancho Santa Fe. We found one in Solana Beach. After I bought it, I hired Gary.

“I suppose you could say that since I last saw you, my friends, who are now my partners, and I started five businesses and there is a sixth business on the drawing board. I’m the sole owner of SIMC and SIMC owns the LLC I set up to manage my investments. My partners and I finished setting up the three General Partnerships, and each of the three partnerships now owns an LLC. I’m the majority partner in all of the partnerships and Steve, Karen, and Mary each became a minority partner in one of the three partnerships. My three partners run the three LLCs, and I meet with them regularly to guide the direction in which the businesses develop.”

“Wow!!! Getting five businesses started in one year is quite an accomplishment, Carl. What types of businesses did you start?”

“I set aside a pot of money to use for the three LLCs my partners and I were creating, and a separate pot of money for the LLC I created to invest most of my remaining money and to manage my investments. I only retained enough money to cover my living expenses for several years.

Currently, most of the investment LLC’s business is with outside investors. It has been growing at a phenomenal rate, which concerns my business consultant. He doesn’t see our growth as sustainable, so we sat down and analyzed the growth rate. We found that the circumstances behind our growth were unusual and that was why the growth rate was so high. We decided to keep an eye on the LLC’s growth to keep it at a manageable level.

“One of the partnerships I’m in is an LLC for a research and writing group. It sells its articles to the other two LLCs my partners and I own. Those LLCs are on-line newspapers. One of the newspapers just recently went on-line and currently we are working hard to get the second newspaper on-line.”

While we were talking our waiter had brought us our meals and we had finished eating. We had skipped dessert and we were almost finished with our after dinner cups of coffee.

“Tam, I’m really enjoying this evening, but I think we both need to get up early for work. Perhaps I should drop you off at your home, so your babysitter can get home at a reasonable hour.”

“I hate to say it, Carl, but you’re right. It’s time to end our evening.”

I signaled to our waiter and had him bring me the bills for our two tables. After paying the check, I signaled Jason and Gary that it was time to go. Jason headed to the front to get the car and Gary led us to the front of the restaurant. Once we were all in the car, Jason headed for Tamerlane’s home.

As we sat in the back seat, I reached out and took Tam’s hand, and said. “Tam, I would like to take you and the kids out for a family style meal tomorrow if you are available. Would you care to have dinner with me tomorrow?”

Tam glanced down at our hands and firmed up her hold on my hand. “I would love to have dinner with you tomorrow, Carl. Are you sure you are up to dealing with my two hellions?”

I chuckled and said, “My partners have grandchildren and I have learned how to survive the exuberance of children who are the same age as yours.”

We sat there in the backseat holding hands and enjoying the moment. When Jason pulled up to Tam’s house, I went around to help her out of the car. I walked her to the door and before she unlocked it, she turned to me and gave me a very friendly kiss on the mouth. I kissed back and the kiss turned into us hugging and giving each other several very sensual kisses.

“Carl, you make me feel like a school girl on her first date. I’ll be home by five-thirty tomorrow, so can you pick us up at six?”

“Six will be fine, Tam. Since you know the kids likes and dislikes, I’ll let you pick where we go to eat.”

After another goodnight kiss, Tam unlocked the door and went inside. I floated back to the car, and we headed to our hotel. I had intended to wait and walk Cora home, but I wasn’t thinking clearly after our goodnight kisses.

Saturday, November 17, 2029...

I have a dinner date with Tam and her children, but I have nothing to wear. Well that is not exactly accurate. I packed for a business trip and for a somewhat formal social date with Tam. If I wore any of the outfits I have with me, I would be overdressed; as much as I hate to say it, I need to go shopping.

A few moments with my laptop and a search on Target gave me the address of the nearest Target store. A short while later, Jason, Gary, and I arrived at the store. After inquiring where the men’s wear department was at, we headed to the rear of the store.

In the past, I had wondered why the men’s wear portion of a store is almost always at the rear of the store and the women’s wear is at the front with the children’s wear in between. It finally dawned on me that women do most of the clothes shopping, so the marketing strategy favors women. That is also the probable reason why the women’s wear section is typically at least four times as large as the men’s wear.

I found a comfortable flannel shirt with no problem and put it in my cart before heading to the area with the blue jeans. After Ruth’s death, I had let myself go a bit resulting in a larger waistline than was comfortable for me. After winning the lottery, I had something other than eating to focus on, so my waistline started to shrink.

I knew my seam length was still the same so all I had to worry about was waist size and style. Style was an easy decision, but I wasn’t sure of my waist size and I didn’t want to try the pants on. I used a simple size test that Ruth had told me about. With the button in front fastened, I wrapped the waist around my neck.

Gary asked, “What are you doing, Carl?”

“It’s a trick my wife Ruth taught me. If the material doesn’t meet at the back of my neck, the jeans are too small. If there is a large overlap, they are too large. What I need is a pair that gives me a one inch overlap; that is ideal for me.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“No. It actually works. Do you know your waist size? If so, find a pair in your size and try it.”

Gary and Jason both tried my trick and they were surprised when it worked for both of them.

Jason asked, “Why would I need to try this if I already know my size?”

I replied, “It irritated me when I would pick a pair of pants that were supposedly the size I wore, and when I tried them on at home, I found they were a size too small or large. Since then, I’ve found that there are waist size differences between different styles of pants and between different manufacturers of pants. If you are close to the division between sizes, the method is a quick way to find out if the pants will fit you. If you aren’t sure, you can always take them into the changing room to ensure they fit you.”

While I was there, I decided my winter coat was a bit too formal, so I also bought a leather bomber jacket that was on sale. While on the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a laundromat to wash my new shirt and jeans. I really hate wearing new, stiff jeans until they had been washed and dried to take the stiffness out of the material, and who knows who had tried my new clothes on before I purchased them.

I checked my email when I got back to the room. There was a message from Vic asking me to call him when I got a chance, but, it was nothing critical. Since I had nothing pressing to do I called him.

“Morning, Vic. What’s up?”

“Not much, Carl. As Steve told you, The Rattler was served with papers for a lawsuit. He didn’t notice it, but there was also a notice of a hearing concerning a cease and desist order. I didn’t want to get him too unsettled, so I didn’t mention the hearing to him yesterday. I’ll call and talk with him when we finish our call. The order scheduled the hearing for Monday morning.

“I called the judge’s clerk and explained to her that we were just served with the lawsuit papers and notification of the hearing on Monday morning for a cease and desist order. I told her I had meetings scheduled with clients and court hearings that I had to attend here in California. Thus, there was no way that I could appear in court on Monday. I asked that our hearing be rescheduled for early next month, so I could meet with my client and prepare for the hearing before I had to appear in court. The clerk was very accommodating and the hearing is now scheduled for the tenth of December.

“What I need to discuss with you and Steve is how we want to proceed in regard to the hearing?”

“Okay, Vic. I’ll wait until after work tomorrow to give you time to talk with Steve, and then I’ll call him to get his opinion of what to do. I expected to fly back on the twenty fifth, but I will have to leave earlier. I’ll change our reservations and let Steve know when I’ll be back in the office. Anything else to discuss?”

“No, that’s it for now, Carl. I knew that we would eventually be sued, so during the past months, I have been preparing a case to fight the lawsuit. I will be using the tactics we discussed last year. You and Steve are already aware of those tactics, but we do need to meet and discuss a few items. Other than that, we should be in good shape on the legal front.”

“That’s good. See you when I get back to the office. Bye for now.”

“Have a good trip back, Carl, and I’ll see you then. Bye.”

I called the airline and the next available opening they had to San Diego was Tuesday morning. I changed our reservations to that flight. I called Gary and Jason to arrange for us to meet in the hotel’s restaurant for lunch. During lunch, I informed them of the change in plans.

We arrived at Tam’s house at five minutes to six. Jason and Gary agreed to wait in the car, while I went to get Tam, Bart, and Patty. I rang the door chime, and there was Tam wearing a blouse and slacks; she was gorgeous. I also received a hug and a quick peck on the cheek in greeting, since the kids were watching. They were ready to go, so Tam got them into their coats and slipped into her coat. The coat hid the upper half of Tam’s figure, but her face and personality was still showing. I was happy.

As we walked to the car, I asked Tam, “Where are we going to eat?”

Bart said, “Chuck E. Cheese” and Patty just smiled.

Tam smiled and asked, “Do you mind pepperoni pizza and a salad?”

I said, “Pizza is one of my favorites, but I’ve never been to a Chuck E. Cheese.”

“It is one of the few kid friendly places to eat. Bart and Patty love to go there and the pizza is not that bad, but I’d never go there for fine dining. Prepare yourself for total bedlam.”

Tam was right on in her description of the restaurant. I wouldn’t go there for the food, however, the kid ate as quickly as they could so they could go play. Jason and Gary moved to a table about halfway between the play area and me. We were sitting side-by-side facing the play area, so we could keep an eye on the kids.

Tam said, “I hope the food wasn’t too bad.”

I smiled and said, “It wasn’t bad and I’ve eaten worse pizza. I don’t think Jason and Gary were impressed.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“I want to talk with you about something, Carl. I really enjoyed last night, and I really like being with you. However, you work in San Diego and I work here. I don’t want to get into relationship with you that will cause us problems due to it being a long-distance relationship.”

“That has crossed my mind also, Tam. My people will only be here for a short time, and I have no idea when, or if, they will be back in the area. I am willing to fly back here periodically to be with you, but somehow that doesn’t seem adequate for a relationship.

“I had very strong feelings for you back in San Diego, and those feelings are even stronger now. The hugs and kisses we shared last night were a pleasant surprise, and I would like to continue seeing you. However, I’m a good bit older than you, Tam. After Ruth’s death, I spent a number of months exploring the possibility of a relationship with another woman. I never found a lady who appealed to me. You appeal to me, but I’m worried about how our age difference might affect our relationship and about the typical problems with a long-distance relationship.”