Chapter 9

Bob and Mandy did just what Stan told them to do when they arrived at the the bank. After opening the the dual signature Guardianship account with the $20,000 trust fund check, they wrote a check from it for $5,000 to open the one for Custodial Expenses. From there they setup the personal account for Bob the with the $1,500 monthly stipend check. Lastly they opened the personal account for Bob with the stipend check and adding to it the $20,000 incentive check Stan had given him for being Mandy's Guardian.

Bob wanted Mandy to have access to money because she'd never had any. It was her money anyway. He made sure she got an ATM card for the Custodial Expense Account and his personal account. That way, for the first time in her life, Mandy would be able to buy things herself without anyone looking over her shoulder.

Bank cards were all new to Mandy so the bank manager explained how they were used. Then cautioning, "Be careful about Over Drafts."

After they opened the Safe Deposit Box and put in all of their important papers, Bob asked Mandy where she would like to eat. Sheepishly, she said, McDonald's.

"Please Bob. I've never eaten there and that would be such a treat. Please!"

"Look Mandy," Bob told her. "All this is your money. YOURS! You can spend it any way you want. Eat anywhere you want."

'No," Mandy laughingly corrected Bob, "It's OUR money!"

Shyly, looking with pleading eyes, she asked Bob again, "McDonalds ... Please."

"Sounds good to me!" he answered, "And I'd be happy to be your escort there."

With that, Mandy snuggled into Bob's right arm as they walked the two blocks to the McDonald's. Bob was silent most of the 5 minute walk. His thoughts were solely about Mandy.

She was such a paradox. A dual personality. Not in the mental sense but in the juxtaposition of the old and the young in one so very cute, extremely sexy, and immensely lovable body.

One moment she would be mature beyond her years and then in the next breath she could be skipping like a 7 year old. A sexual dynamo one second and the next a little girl again, vulnerable and needing to be loved.

Mandy looked up at Bob's pensive face and shook his arm just before they reached their destination. "Lost again?" she asked.

"Nope just trying to figure out if I've told you how much I love you, Mandy Girl!"

"Well, I'm not keeping count but I think that was about the Gazillionth time today. So 'yes' you have. I love you too!" she said as he held the door open for her to enter the mysterious culinary world of McDonald's.

Her little girl side showed up immediately. Like a youngster walking into a penny candy store she wanted one of everything listed on the menu board high on the wall behind the counter. Everything!

Bob calmed her down and they both settled for the Combo Dinner #1. A double Quarter-Pounder with cheese, fries and a Coke! When the clerk asked about Super-Size, Mandy looked over at Bob, not knowing how to answer.

Bob assured the clerk that was fine and said "Make that two number one's. S-u-p-e-r--S-i-z-e-d!" stretching out the word as he said it getting a squeal and a laugh from Mandy.

Bob told Mandy to swipe her card in the credit card machine and her eyes went wide. Even though anyone would expect a seventeen-year-old to know how to use a bank card it took a few tries. When the register beeped with approval, she smiled at the success. Then they were given their empty cups, a receipt, and were told they were number 142.

When Bob led Mandy away from the counter she looked at her empty cup asking, "Hey, don't we get anything to drink? When do we get our food? Do we have to wait for 142 other people to get their orders before we get ours? This is so confusing!"

"Look," Bob said pointing at the soda dispenser and handing her one of the cups, "We make our own drinks.

"Add as much or as little ice as you want and take any type of soda you like."

Using his cup he demonstrated, "Put your cup here and press this button and the ice automatically drops in the cup. Then put your cup under the flavor you want and push the button until it fills up."

"This is so cool! I love it!"

"Now let's choose a table and wait for our number to be called."

Before Mandy could ask how long before their number would be called, "142" came over the loud speaker and Mandy dashed up to the counter to claim their prize.

Mandy loved everything about her first meal out! She told Bob it was an event she would remember always. They chatted and chatted about everything that had happened and how both of their lives had changed.

Bob looked at his watch and said they had about a half-hour before they needed to be back at Stan's. Mandy told Bob how she'd love to have a watch and she'd never owned a watch before. Longingly looking at her exposed and empty wrists she sighed, "Boy it would be nice to have one!"

"There's a CVS Pharmacy on the next corner," he said with a grin, "I'm sure we could get one there."

"In a pharmacy?"

Bob chuckled to himself and told her "Sure. They sell all sorts of stuff there. Watches included."

They quickly made the purchase and were back to Stan's a little early. After they were ushered into his office Mandy held out her first treasure, shaking it and asking, "Can I open it?"

Laughing, Bob told her, "Sure." Excitedly Mandy opened the box and was soon adorned with a watch of her very own.

"This is so neat," she told him. Getting up into his lap again, Mandy planted a huge kiss on Bob's lips. Settling down onto his lap she asked, "Have I told you I love you yet today?"

"Hey, that's MY line!"

"Yeah, I know. And I love you for it!"

They laughed together a little and settled in waiting for the main event of the evening. After a few minutes they heard the intercom flip on and following Stan's instructions, they were quiet. Mandy's mom had arrived and the show was about to begin.

"Hi there Elaine," Mandy and Bob heard Stan say through the intercom.

"Please sit down. This is John my partner and Sally, my assistant. I believe you know them."

"Yes I do. What's up Stan. You said it was important," Elaine said.

"Well, there's a serious problem if Amanda is no longer living at home. The terms of the estate only continue to give you your monthly stipend of $5,000 if Amanda is living with you. But she ran away a week ago. Right?"

"Yes. We had a small tiff and she stormed out of the house. I haven't seen her since. As I told you on the phone before, I think she'll come to her senses and be back home soon."

"Well, until Amanda comes back I'm afraid I have to withhold the monthly check. Also, if Amanda does not return to your care, the remaining seven-hundred-fifty thousand still in escrow will be forfeited.

"Do you have enough money to maintain the house? If not, I'm sure you can find another place to live and the estate will maintain it until Amanda returns."

"Oh, I have plenty of money," Elaine explained. "So that won't be a problem."

"Really. How much would you estimate you have in the bank? I'll probably need proof you can maintain the house until Amanda returns."

"Well, I have about four-hundred-thousand in the bank. Is that going to be enough?"

Stan looked at her and frowned.

"Isn't that enough?"

"Actually, I've heard more than enough," Stan said as he picked up the phone and said, "You two come in here. OK?"

"Who two?" said Elaine, then she gasped as she saw her daughter and Bob enter the conference room.

"Elaine I'm sure you know your daughter and this is reporter, Bob Milton. I'm sure you know who he is too. To make a real bad story more palatable, Bob came to me after finding Amanda wandering the street, starving and in rags."

As she tried to rebut his remarks, Stan sharply cut her off. "Don't say a word!

"Remember Bob is a reporter and he will report this sordid incident as front page news. If you want that, then go ahead. Otherwise, stay quiet and listen to me.