Chapter 18: October Surprise

By mid-October, life in the Victorian had reached a level of stability and serenity. Talia had completed her entire course of hormone treatments with good results (except for never breaching the five-foot ceiling of her overall height).

With careful research and a few lucky strikes, Paul’s investment portfolio showed large gains, thanks to Talia’s oversight. On top of that, T was managing her own portfolio, thanks to progress in her lawsuits.

Yosef Abboud had identified the private contractor who had been operating the facility where Talia had spent her high school years. When he filed against them, their insurance company wasted no time and settled with Talia for their liability limit of $1,000,000, leaving a net of $650 thousand for her—after Abboud took his share of the proceeds.

For the very first time, Talia Winters was a woman of means, financially independent. She reveled in the new feelings of financial stability. T did her best to spread her new wealth around her family. Barry got another new camera, this one even more lightweight and capable. And an ultimate-quality framed enlargement of the Pam at the beach image, for their bedroom.

She repaid every dime Barry and Paul had spent on her medical insurance costs, with interest. Sheila’s bedroom was repainted and redecorated. Ric’s minimal student loans were cleared.

Talia’s generosity was grounded in the premise that her case against the state and county governments was moving towards settlement as well.

“Paul, let’s take a long weekend and head up to Lake Tahoe. We can have dinner with Pam and Barry and then stay in one of the resort hotels. It will be fun!”

Friday afternoon they packed a couple of bags and then Paul piloted the Oldsmobile up through the mountains. It was their first visit to the Russell’s forest condo, and then they found a steakhouse for a satisfying meal.

“I can’t believe how much healthier you are compared to when we met at Thanksgiving,” noted Barry.

“None of it would have happened but for when you and Paul sat me down and gave me the facts of life. I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Later in the evening, Talia and Paul were relaxing in front of the picture window of their hotel suite. In their view, the incredible blue of the lake was darkening to a deep indigo, reflecting the twilight sky as stars began to appear.

“So beautiful,” breathed Talia.

“Yes, and the landscape’s pretty, too.”

“Oh, stop it, Paul. Kerri and Sheila are much prettier than I am.”

“T! I would never say that. You know I am attracted to them, to both of them. But that’s not the point.”

“Yeah? What is your point, Paul?”

“Kerri is gorgeous. Sheila is a knockout. But you are the most beautiful, above all.

“Because I love you.

“Talia—”

Just then Paul’s phone rang, and then her phone rang too. He thumbed “answer” and Sheila’s image displayed on the screen. He heard her coughing, desperate for air, worse, in the background he could hear the sounds of sirens.

Sheila managed one understandable word: “FIRE!”

Paul turned to Talia, who was gray-faced and stricken. “Kerri says Ric’s in the ambulance already, and Sheila’s getting loaded in with him. The fire was limited to his bedroom.”

Paul reached for Talia and gently took her phone. “Kerri, get to the hospital if you can. I’m going to get us back down to Marysville as soon as possible. I need to make some arrangements and I will be calling you back shortly.”

“Talia, please get us ready to go, pack up everything and make sure you can get us on the road in the next twenty minutes.

“Hello, Barry? It’s Paul. There’s been a fire back at my house. Kerri is OK, but Ric and Sheila are injured and in an ambulance. Talia and I are headed down the hill tonight. Maybe you two can come down tomorrow to help support Kerri. Good, thanks, I’ll get you the details as soon as I can.

“Oak Security? My name is Paul Takahashi. There’s been a fire at my home in Marysville and I need the property kept secure while I figure out what happened and to protect it from being looted. I need 24/7 protection starting immediately for at least the next five days. Yes, that’s correct. I’ll give you the address and my credit card number. Thank you.

“Front desk? My house just caught on fire and I need to check out immediately from #817 and return home. We’ll be out in twenty minutes, send the final invoice to my address.

“All right, sweetie, let’s get moving. I need to keep calm, be safe, and not drive like a maniac down these winding mountain roads in the dark. No matter how upset and anxious we might be feeling.”