Don't own a thing.

Don't know the american judicial system concerning the topic at the end of the chapter.

It's all pure fiction.

Enjoy!

HOME WORK - SEAL THE DEAL

I had called Lester on Tuesday morning to make an appointment to sign the papers on the bonds office. Imagine my surprise when he said Dickie wanted to attend. Personally I think he just wanted a few days of sun and sand. Trenton was not a nice place to be this time of year. I sure hope he wont bill his ticket and accommodation on RangeMan. Hell if I'm going to pay for it either. We agreed on meeting Thursday 1000 hours at RangeMan. No way was I letting the Dick know where I live.

Thursday morning I sat with Carlos at the little café from across their building when an airport taxi pulled up. Nothing unusual about that. I nearly choked on my mocha latte when I saw who exited the car. Dickie had brought the family. And I don't mean 'The Family'. The little girl pointed at anything and everything around her, clearly excited to be in Miami.

"Look mommy, you can see the ocean. And the beautiful flowers and the palm trees. And the sun is shining and it's warm and nice and I can wear a dress all the time. Can we stay here for ever and ever. Can we, please, can we!"

"You know Peaches, we're here just for a few days. Mommy needs to thank the nice lady who sold us the house. And I know you love the new house."

"I love the new house. I have my own room and next year I can walk to school all by my self, 'cause I'm a big girl."

"You are a big girl, but wouldn't you rather walk with Mary-Lou and Kenny? He's going there too."

By this time Dickie and the cab driver had lifted the bags out of the trunk and on to the sidewalk. Pretty big amount of luggage for a few days.

"So that's the Dick, huh? Somehow I pictured a skinny man with receding hairline and a bad posture."

"Dickie always looked good, he's put on some pounds though. I guess that's what you get for eating pasta for every meal. And do you honestly think that I would have married an ugly guy in my twenties?"

"Would you marry an ugly guy in your thirties?"

"You're far from ugly and you know it. Oh, hush, they've seen us and are coming over."

"Stephanie, wow! You've certainly changed since we've last seen each other."

"What? You'd thought I'd still be wearing torn jeans and skimpy tees?" I was wearing a white suit with orange pinstripes, orange patent leather 5 inch FMPs and matching handbag. A very summery and light business suit. We were conducting business after all.

"Mostly I meant the hair, you cut it so short. It suits you though, you look beautiful, very professional."

"Why thank you Dickie, you've seemed to put on some weight. Too many donuts at the cop shop waiting for your clients?"

"No need to get nasty. You still dabble in underwear?"

"Just my own. I'm a teacher, had my degree for a few years actually."

"What could you possibly teach? Not home economics hopefully. You couldn't boil an egg without sounding the fire alarm."

"Now who's nasty? As a matter of fact I do teach home economics at a senior high school."

"God help those kids."

"As a father of one of 'those kids' I can say without a doubt that Mickie here is one of the most popular teachers at Miami Senior High."

"And who might you be? Flavor of the month?"

"No Dickie, let me introduce you to Carlos Mañoso CEO of RangeMan and a very good friend of mine. He's also the buyer of the bonds office in Trenton."

"My apologies, pleased to meet you. This is Joyce Barnhardt and our daughter Laura."

"I'm surprised you're here Joyce. What did Terry say? Or doesn't she know?"

"She knows and she was not happy about it. She would have been here herself but couldn't get away. No actually I came to thank you for selling us the house. I do have a lot of fond memories from our childhood playing together. I hope this is a fresh start for Laura and me. Not having to worry about making the rent every month and actually eating something else than just mac and cheese."

"You called her Mickie, did you change your name? What was wrong with Stephanie Orr?"

"It's Stephanie Michelle Plum by the way. The reason it's not Orr sits beside you."

"My name is Laura Michelle Orr-Barnhardt and I'm this many. She holds up five fingers and a pinkie. The pinkie is a half."

"Well hello Laura Michelle five and a half. I like your dress, it's real pretty."

"Thank you, sunflowers are my favorites. Mommy said there used to be sunflowers in front of our house when she was little."

"Your mommy is right, there was always pretty flowers in our flowerbeds. You know I used to live in that house a long time ago."

"Mommy told me that a real nice lady sold it to us and we had to come and thank her in person. She gave me this envelope to give to you. I drawed the flowers and the butterflies. I hope you like it."

"Thank you Laura, they're beautiful."

- tune of Bad Boys-

"Yo Lester."

"Ranger you coming in, the meeting starts in a few. Haven't seen or heard from this Orr character yet but we're ready."

"We're actually sitting outside with him at the moment, we'll be there shortly. Can you fix some kid friendly snacks and maybe look up some cartoons on youtube, he brought the family."

"He brought the family to a business meeting?"

"Yeah well Mickie sold the house to the lady and she wanted to thank her in person."

"How thoughtful of her, considering."

"We'll be right up. Out."

"That was my lawyer, they're all set up inside so lets go."

We stepped in to a fairly large conference room on the first floor. The room had a table seating five on both sides and two at the ends. On the side there was a small round table with cozy armchairs and a basket of goodies. Those were clearly meant for Laura. There was also a laptop tuned in to Dora the explorer she would be entertained while business was conducted.

"If you would sign on the indicated pages, Stephanie first and then you Mr. Mañoso. Then also here and here. How do you intend to transfer the money?"

"I'll give it to her in cash."

"It's quite an amount of money to be carrying in cash. Wouldn't it be smarter to use a bank transfer."

"I'm quite capable of carrying a hundred bucks Dickie."

"What do you mean a hundred bucks? The contract says 90 thousand."

"No Dickie, it doesn't. Carlos bought the bonds office with an equal amount to me and Vinnie. Fifty bucks each."

"He can't do that!"

"Why the hell not?"

"For starters it's far more valuable than a hundred and the notarization fees is more than that."

"It's of no value what so ever to me and Vinnie accepted the fifty. Lester is a notary and he's doing it for free."

"This is highly unethical."

"It's not. It's completely legal and with these signatures the deal is sealed."

"We also have the contract for Ms. Barnhardt to sign. How do you wish to pay?"

"Oh, I'll pay in cash also."

"What do you think Carlos, what will I splurge this fifty one dollars on that I just came upon?"

"Remember you promised to split it with your family, so technically you only have eleven dollars to spend."

"You're right. Laura sweetie, would you like to go for ice cream with me?"

"I love ice cream. Can I go mommy, can I?"

"Only if I can come too. Can I Steph?"

"Yeah, I can't see why not. Carlos you coming?"

"No, I'll stay and finalize this with Lester. We've got a Skype call scheduled with Vinnie in fifteen. But I'll see you tonight, I'll come by sixish."

"Ok, see you later. Bye Lester, Dick."

As we walked out in the sunshine I couldn't help but to smile at Lauras enthusiasm about everything. Oh to be five again and not having a worry in the world.

"So why did you really come to Miami Joyce. You could have given Dickie the quid and been done with it. Or better yet, have him pay it."

"I did want to thank you in person. I know you hate me for what I did. We were best friends at one time. Contrary to what you might think I only slept with Dickie twice. Sure we saw each other but we mostly just talked. You know your mother put quite the pressure in him to succeed. And I was on the fast track to be a news anchor. I had no desire what so ever to have a kid. When you caught us was the first time. The second time was when he was served with the divorce papers. A week later I found out I was pregnant and went to his office to tell him. I found him doing Terry on his desk. What is it with that man and tables? Anyway I went to see Vito Grizolli, maybe to get him to tell Terry to back off. Oh, how wrong was I? He saw an opportunity to have a lawyer in the family. He couldn't give a shit about my baby."

"So Terry knew about the baby?"

"Yeah, and she made Dick promise to get a vasectomy so it wouldn't happen again."

"Auch, that's harsh."

"Tell me about it. In those days it was still believed that Dickie might go in to politics or make partner in the law firm. He couldn't have any other rugrats running around. Obviously Terry knew Dickie better than you and me together."

"You saying he still plays around?"

"That's what I've heard."

"So clearly you didn't pursue your career in TV."

"It was no use to even try after that. I enrolled in night classes and got my nursing certificate. I stayed home with Laura for the first six months but I was quickly running out of money. My nana tried to help out and I lived with her in a retirement community. But then she passed away and with her gone I had to move. I found a rattrap apartment on Franklin that I could afford. Laura stays with Mary-Lou when I work. She stays at home mom with four boys of her own. She loves that she can be a bit girly with Laura."

"Laura really is a darling. Does Dickie have anything to do with her?"

"God no. I hadn't personally heard from him in years before he called and said you wanted to sell me your house. He sends the alimony checks and Birthday cards, that's it. And frankly I don't miss him. I was never in love with him."

"Then why the hell did you have sex with him on my dining room table?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah, honestly. I thought that you were pretty tight with Carl Costanza back then. Didn't he even propose?"

"We were and he did. We were celebrating the engagement at Rossinis with our families. You and Dickie were in California visiting Val on your honeymoon so you weren't there. There was a lot of toasting and the champagne flowed. Well Carl excused him self to go to the mens room and when he was gone for a while I went looking for him. I found him fucking Cathy Morelli in the coat room. She was on duty that night."

"So were does Dickie come in?"

"You guys came home and I wanted to talk to you so bad. You weren't home but Dickie was. He saw that I'd been crying and tried to console me. It escalated from there. I've never said it, but Stephanie I am truly sorry for what I did."

"Wow. After hearing this maybe I should actually thank you for exposing Dickie for the dick he is."

"Well, you're welcome. And something good did come out of this, Laura. I wouldn't trade a day with her. She's my world. Maybe you even noticed I named her after you, even if it is on only a second name."

"I did notice that. I don't know if I'm feeling honored or what."

"Please do, this is my way of remembering my best friend for the rest of my life. And now when you've practically given us a home I'm all the more grateful. It's not just a house, it's a home that will be filled with laughter and love."

"Ok, your welcome. One question though. Laura introduced her self as Orr-Barnhardt, why?"

"I had to attach his name to get child support."

"Is that what Dickie told you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'm pretty sure it's enough to have his name on the birth certificate for child support."

"That weasel. I'll have to look in to that."

"It'll only take a phone call."

"Yo Lester, quick question."

"Yes Beautiful what can I do for you?"

"Does your child have to bare the name of the father to gain child support when the parents aren't married?"

"No, all he has to do is sign the birth certificate. Why? You pregnant?"

"Haha, you're funny. No, Dickie conned Joyce to give Laura his last name in order to pay alimony."

"What a dick!"

"Yeah, well this time Nomen really is the Omen. What does she have to do to get it detached?"

"Do they have joint custody?"

"No."

"Ok, she'll need to file a petition in family court and a judge decides if the argument for a name change is good and solid. If the Dick hasn't had much to do with the child the judge is more likely to grant the change. Especially if it's explained that he tricked her in to it in the first place."

"Thanks Lester, you are a gem. Love you, bye!"

"Anything for you Beautiful, you know that. And I love you too. Oooh, I don't think Ranger liked that last comment, based on the frown he's sporting. Talk later, bye."

"Ok, Joyce all you need to do is file a petition in family court and the judge does the rest."

"Thank you Stephanie, from the bottom of my heart. You don't know how happy you just made me."

"Well, what are best friends for?"

"Best friends, you mean that, really?"

"Yes Joyce, as I said, you helped me see the light and that's also what best friends do."