Chapter 24: One Year Later

Paul and I were back north in Sacramento, after I had completed my first year at UCLA. Paul had a good job with some flexibility that accommodated our being away from LA for a week.

On this trip we were enjoying our one-year “anniversary” at the Hyatt Regency. I had found a new swimsuit for him of course. It was navy blue but had an orange stripe for nostalgia’s sake.

We were meeting Mom, Dad, Tara, and Laura the following day to catch up.

Also, I wanted all of them to see my new face. Dr. Melendez (“Call me Tracey!”) had thoroughly lasered my nevus. It was now simply a pinkish shadow hardly worth thinking about. I had finally gotten around to telling Paul there was a treatment for my skin lesion. He said, “You have a skin lesion?”

You gotta love the guy.

And there were no worries about the treatment costs, or our living expenses in costly Los Angeles. Mom’s lawyer friend Marianne was on the attack for us right away. Smartly, she put forward a relatively reasonable settlement offer of $8 million, with a contingency. Every week that passed without a settlement cost our opponents an additional million. By the time the settlement was agreed, the amount had ballooned to $18 million.

Thirty percent of the settlement for the law firm left $12 million for us Vinkes. And, miraculously, the whole thing was exempt from income taxes. Mom and Dad bought a four bedroom house, with a hot-tub and pool. Also out in the secluded back area of the property was a detached cottage. The house and cottage were much closer to central Sacramento, where Mom continued working for the law firm.

Dad bought a boat and spent many happy hours fishing at the vast Folsom Lake reservoir.

Mom insisted that her new best buddy, Laura, move into the cottage, rent free.

Tara was celebrating the end of high school. Carson was history, but Ariel and Tara took out a lease on a small bungalow close to Sac State, where thïey were both students.

During our visit, after everyone was finished inspecting my face, and Paul and I finished inspecting the new property, Mom and Laura organized a big cookout.

Between the main house and the pool an “outdoor kitchen” had everything needed—even a refrigerator! Next to this was an eating area with cushioned benches and a stone dining table. The whole thing was sheltered by awnings and a framework of fine netting to keep the mosquitoes and flies excluded.

Tara and Ariel joined us for the evening. After a fine meal followed by fruit pie, the younger four of us collected the dishes and pans and cleaned up. When we returned outside, we found the three parents had left their clothing on the benches and were hanging out in the hot tub.

Hanging out, in its literal sense. They were evidently nude. Ariel and Tara were stripping now, too. After being away, it was highly stimulating to see Tara and Ariel naked. If I had been so equipped, I would be sporting a hard-on. Ariel still had her fantastic titties, of course, almost in arm’s reach. I think Paul picked up on my arousal; certainly my nips were at full attention.

I glanced at Paul and shrugged, an unspoken question. He just smiled, and pulled his shirt off over his head. Soon we were also naked, and smartly he followed us three girls to the water. So he was in the rear, watching our rears. Clever boy.