Dinah Richards was sitting across from her divorce lawyer who was reading aloud my lawyer's petition grounds for ending the marriage and why I was going for an annulment. Her lawyer needed Dinah to see how bad everything looked on paper. Dinah needed to comprehend how serious the situation was.

The lawyer realized that most just quickly glanced at the divorce petition and never read it. That was why she was reading it all aloud to Dinah. As she read it, she kept glancing at her client to see how she was responding. She could see what Trey’s lawyer was saying in his divorce petition was finally registering. The look on her client’s face said it all. It was a look that was telling her that her new client was seeing everything for the first time. Like most she knew that Dinah had never actually seen the consequences of her own conduct and what it was showing.

As she listened Dinah learned for the first time how bad it looked from a neutral point of view. What was being revealed to her as she listened intently for the first time was very damaging and detailed? After reading it all to her the lawyer set it down on the desk.

Looking right at Dinah she said, “tell me your side of the story from the time you met until now. I am going to record it for further reference.”

“Why should I do that?” Dinah asked. “let’s just stop the divorce.”

“We can’t stop the divorce; he has a dozen or so reasons for getting it granted. But if he wins an annulment against you, it will be much worse because he will be able to take everything from you if the judge agrees,” Janice Cooper stated. “Our best way to save anything is to negotiate it all before we go before the Judge.”

“His lawyer Candence Rosemary Barrow is a female lesbian liberal feminist who is one of the best in the field. She was brilliant in exposing your long term conduct as a pattern of behavior designed to defraud and avoid the truth. She uses it as a means to expose what your plan must have been all along. She paints a livid picture that you lied and manipulated your husband into the marriage. She will have no mercy in taking you down. For her, it's a personal case because in her eyes you represent everything she hates,” Janice stated with authority.

“Why do you say that? I don’t admit to anything except having my tubes tied,” Dinah said.

“She sees you as a user with no moral fiber to stand on who sells her sexuality for the almighty American dollar. To her, your just as low and despicable as those working on the mean streets because you are both doing only for the money you can make,” Janice stressed with a serious voice.

“The fact that the New York Time’s numerous news articles are used as references to validate their points makes their claims that much more credible. The reputation of the Times to most is unquestionable,” Dinah legal representative said. “It will hold a lot of weight if they are able to get a judge with a liberal point of view assigned to the case. There will be no argument because of the picture your own conduct paints.”

“Can Trey really use all the publicity I got against me to prove what he is implying?” Dinah asked.

“Dinah, they got all the background material from the New York Times using a court order,” Janice said. “Even the photographs to raunchy for them to print in the newspaper. They have all the New York Times gossip reporter’s personal notes that raise questions about your long term conduct. Any judge reading the petition will give heavyweight to the New York Times for the credibility of what they did or did not report.”

“When presented the way his lawyer did it makes it appear much worse than what Trey’s is implying,” Janice said. “Every piece of gossip caused by witnesses to your conduct or the statements that have been recorded about you and documented by the mass media are being used to strengthen Trey’s case. The Judge will automatically take their comments at face value because they are not biased.”

Janice took out ten eight by four prints of photos for Dinah to take a look at. Each one of them was a picture of her with her entourage. All were taken under night clubs dimmed lights while they were on the dance floor bumping and grinding their flesh.

Each one showed Dinah in some kind of physical entanglement where her exposed flesh was being fondled, sometimes by more than just one man. The looks in her eyes in the photograph left no doubt that she was apparently enjoying it. No one looking at the photos would deny that she was in a state of sensual or sexual enlightenment prepared and eager to go further. They were touching her in ways that there was no doubt that she was aroused.

“The way those pictures are taken it's quite reasonable to believe that an out and out orgy was only a room or two away,” Janice said. “And that your nothing but a cock loving slut when out of the eyes of the public. When its disclosed in court that they were taken by a New York Times staff photographer their credibility will not be questioned. The judge will accept it as the ‘unquestionable truth’ of your active lifestyle.”

Dinah’s face went white. She could not even remember who she was with at the time and who was touching her. It might have been just a momentary incident but that is not what the images implied. If they became public, her social reputation and image could be ruined. The New York unprinted photographs made her look like she was nothing but a living fuck doll being passed around.

Dinah was reminded by Trey’s own words “If the New York Times the most liberal paper in the country wrote about it or photographed it, it must be the truth because a newspaper with a history like theirs would have no reason to lie.”

“Your own father gave a notarized statement about you claiming to all three of them that it was medically impossible for you to get pregnant months before you had your operation. In in its own way is also verifying what Bridget Smith's statement says.” Janice pointed out. “They raised the question to the court if she could not get pregnant what was the need for having your tubes tied. That’s why they were able to get the medical reports. Which was used to prove you were capable of carrying full term at the time you had the medical procedure done.”

“The surgeon who tied your tubes verifies it was a last-minute request by you the day before your scheduled operation. Those facts cannot be argued because Trey has got too much proof,” Janice went on to explain.

“In discussing this case with Trey’s lawyer It’s been hinted that they're holding something back to be used when we are all in front of the judge because it’s even more devastating. When she presents things like this in court, she is going for a kill knowing that it will leave the defendant totally defenseless,” She disclosed. “By the look on your face, I must believe that you know what it is.”

Dinah was on the verge of crying, but she knew it would do no good. So, she said, “Try to get the divorce proceedings sealed so we can’t discuss it publicly and see if we can negotiate the rest. I won’t fight the divorce.”

“We can try, but you're soon to be ex is the Driver’s seat here,” Janice said. “You humiliated him, made him a public laughingstock, and your long term conduct as they laid it out makes it appear that it was deliberate. If I were Trey everything I would do going forward, would be done because of the need to get some revenge because of the bathroom jokes being told about him.”

“But he might be willing to talk to me after he has a few days to cool down after all were still married,” Dinah said.

“That’s not the question. Ask yourself when did you stop communicating with him as an equal,” Janice asked? “Because that’s the day your marriage ended whether or not you will admit it. From then on it was downhill all the way. He saw it happening before you did, that’s why you were served as soon as you got off the plane.”

That question hit Dinah hard. She had never thought that we were not communicating but her lawyer's statement forced her to think back. She stopped being interested in his life when she started the journey to becoming a social media star. Gradually from there, they started drifting apart.

Trey worked all day, and she partied a lot of nights at first to keep her name out there. He’d leave for work at five in the morning and she had crawled into bed about two hours earlier. She had started this whole journey with that knowledge in the back of her head and had promised herself it would only be two nights a week. The more she got into it the more she wanted it because to her it was a drug that she started needing.

Her lawyer was just stating the facts that everybody could see but she hadn’t. She had been too busy chasing the dream to realize she was walking out of the marriage in her own way. Now it had turned into this nightmare.

“Ok then, what about it's my body and it’s my right to do with it what I want?” Dinah said.

“That’s why Trey will be granted the annulment with no questions asked,” Janice said. “The judge will have to rule that Trey had the right to know that you were not going to reproduce and have children before you married him. Instead, you lied to him and came up with a plan to make sure it impossible for you to reproduce.”

Dinah left her lawyer's office devastated. The realization that the social media hype she created for herself was in part the very thing that her husband Trey was using to take her down. She had followed the New York Times editor friend’s advice on how to manipulate the masses to create an image and it worked so well.

It boiled down to a numbers game, he said. “That’s all! Three out of ten will not buy it the rest will. Those who don’t fall in line will be tagged as degenerates or haters. It forces their silence. History has proven time and time again that branding them that way works well. We use it all the time to increase our circulation which drives advertising revenue up. Another trick that we use quite well is by accusing nay ‘Sayers’ of what we have already done. Because it takes eyes away from one’s own conduct. Always remember that seventy percent of those who see you will buy your lies as truth.”

Now that same illusion she had created to build her career as a social butterfly was damming her to hell. The question on her mind was will it still be worth it by the time the divorce is done.

Trey was proving that he was not the dufus she had slowly convinced herself he was. By standing quietly not saying a word he allowed the sense of freedom she got with the lifestyle she had created to push her further than she had originally planned to go. She was now reaping the consequences of what she sewed.

It was the perception of what her conduct showed to the world that could not be argued. Whether it was the truth or not was longer important. The way it was all laid out everyone would assume her actions had been delibrate. It was the perception she had created that was being seen as the raw truth.

Her own conduct that created the illusions she wanted was now being used to take her down. The mass media and her followers had bought it and now it was believed like it was the truth of a god. She did not see the other side of the reputation she was developing. All she had really accomplished in all she had done was to hand Trey the tools he needed to take her down because he saw her conduct in a different way.

Dinah had not been defeated by Trey, but by her own actions and deeds done deliberately to market the concept to the social media which created the attention she craved. Though done in innocence it painted a perception that could not be argued against successfully. It made the ‘truth’ false and the ‘lies’ true.

In reality, her only real sin against her husband was when she had her tubes tied and the reason behind it. The New York Times' credibility with its readership made it impossible for her to be able to explain what she had done in a way that would be believable.

As she hailed down the taxi to take her were her soon to ex worked, she reviewed what her lawyer had read to her and realized that he hadn’t revealed the most serious thing she’d done. If Trey were really out for revenge he would have. So why had he kept it secret is what she wanted to know. Perhaps he hadn’t found out. That gave her time to convince herself that they had not discovered it. As she climbed into the cab, she began to formulate a plan to make sure he never did. The only question was which one of her followers would she be able to use.

It was about five o’clock at night when Dinah found herself standing across the busy street facing the office tower that Trey worked in. With the workday ending she knew that she was just another nameless face in the crowd. She was hoping that she would be able to catch him leaving the building.

She wanted to see if he would be willing to go through the divorce quietly and agree to keep it out of the news. If she were to keep anything, she had worked so hard to create she had to have him to agree to secrecy. If he had what she thought he might not have if the case was sealed by the court, he couldn’t reveal it. Although to her followers it would not mean anything if it was revealed it would destory her relationship with her parents for good.

It was about ten minutes after the hour when Dinah saw the limo pull up. She saw her former friend Bridget step out with her father and hers. Bridget was glowing, her face reflecting her enthusiasm as she walked in excitement into the building. Dinah wondered why the three of them were together. It was clear that Clarence and her father were now friends. She wondered what had brought those two very powerful men together.

It took about another twenty minutes for Dinah to find out. She had watched as Bridget went in while their fathers waited outside of the limo chatting while having a cigarette. Finally, Trey came out. The problem was he was not alone, he was holding Bridget’s hand and she was letting him. She studied them as they came through the entrance. Bridget’s face was glowing. The way the two looked at each other she instantly knew who the ‘Bitch’ was that had stolen her husband. It was easy to see by the way they looked at each other that they were a couple in love.

What really hurt was that it was her former best friend whom she had deliberately used in an attempt to keep control of the situation. She had pushed them together and life had thrown them all a curveball. Dinah had to admit to herself she had never expected this to happen.

As she watched them from across the street a smile came across her face for a moment as she thought of the days when her playful mood came out and they would get a bit wild. He had always called it a Trish moment because that was her middle name.

For Dinah, it was a bitter pill to swallow because it forced her to realize just how stupid she really was. Using the tools, she had been taught by the New York Times Editor she thought she would have it all.

As he said, “Lies and truths are only tools to be used when using perception to create a “collective thought.”

As a newbie, she had underestimated how powerful persuasion really was when creating a perception that would be accepted as the truth by most. Until now she had not really saw how stupid most humans really are.

Dinah had tears in her eyes as she watched her husband and Bridget climb into the limo. Until this moment she had never appreciated the uniqueness of Trey. All his days he had never followed the masses or went along with what the majority wanted or believed. He had always described himself as an outsider who walked alone.

Because of what was now happening in her life she saw for the first time how easy it was to manipulate the general population into believing what you wanted them to. All it took was repetitive actions and words until it was sucked up by the sponges who were unable to think with the intelligence needed to clear out the bull shit, they were being fed.

To appreciate that fact you hand to understand that most humans will spend more time on themselves and their families in trying to survive than to take the time to think about serious things. Most had not truly been taught when young how to think with an independent mind. Dinah's problem was that Trey always had. To believe something Trey had to prove it for himself.

Dinah watched them drive away together her mind went back to the time she asked Bridget if she knew her boyfriend. Bridget had responded based on what I have learned about him these last few weeks I would say definitely not.

To her, that said everything because she now had to admit that Bridget was right. She had completely lost track of who and what Trey was, a man who walked tall and carried a small stick. He would bend only to a degree but no further. When he drew a line, he kept it.

Dinah decided at that moment that if Trey knew about her secret, he would have disclosed it. So, it gave her time to make sure he never would. Medical records would show it as a birth control service, but the clinic would show what it was when she signed to have it done. Those types of forms were kept in the official records and not sent to billing.

Dinah’s body shook and trembled with the realization that Trey would always search for the truth because of who he was. He was independent and would be all his days. The rules of human behavior as taught by the New York Times Editor did not apply to him because he had not bought into the thought of the “collective.” He believed in independent thought.

********

The four of us, Clarence, Emerson, Bridget, and I were heading out for dinner. As soon as we got in the limo the champagne was poured. For some reason, the two of them wanted to celebrate. Both of their wives were already headed to where we were going.

What’s up dad,” Bridget asked as she accepted her glass?

“Emerson invited me to an early lunch because of his concern about what his daughter would do. When he explained fully, I understood why he felt concerned,” He replied. “I then told him what I had done because I had the same concerns.”

“As a result, we learned a lot about each other this afternoon,” Emerson went on to say. “And found that we both wanted to step back and take it a little easier in life and focus a bit more on our family life. Unfortunately, we saw no way of achieving that until we got to talking. Both of us were in organizations we had created that could do quite well as standalone companies with new presidents if we stepped up to the board.”

“It led us to find out that our attitude towards business matters complemented each other. We got into a general discussion which ended up with us producing a proposal that looks good to the both of us. Over dinner, we will be discussing it all with the important people in our families to get their thoughts and views on our ideas before putting it down on paper,” Clarence explained.

“And we owe it all to you two because you fell in love,” Emerson said. “We want you both to understand and keep in mind that the same problems arise in any business whether they are big or small. The key in all things is how there managed.”

I took out my cellphone and, on a hunch, I put in an order through it to sell all the stock I owned and buy stock in Emerson’s corporation at its current value. It would automatically be sent to our trader's to-do list for tomorrow. I would have to find a way to thank my boss because it looked like his insight might be right on.

We kept it lite until we arrived at our destination at seven pm where we were escorted to a private room where more champagne, glasses, and appetizers were waiting. Dora and Grace had arrived. Both of them hugged Bridget and I a bit too tight. I had to ask Grace why her husband called her Heidi at times.

She laughed and said, “That is the nickname he has for me. Mine for him is Hans. For both of us, it reminds of the weekend when Bridget was conceived when we were in the Swiss Alps. Our problem is that we use it so much that at times we slip out our nicknames at the wrong time.”

I smiled and said, “I think that’s the most romantic thing I have heard because it says and shows so much about your relationship. I have to admit I have caught myself using it myself a few times.”

Grace laughed, “In time my daughter and you will make your own special memories that you will cherish just as Clarence, and I do.”

Dora while holding me tight as a mother would she whispered in my ear, “Remember that both Em and I see you as the son we never had regardless. If It works out for Bridget and you my husband and I reserve the right to be grandparents.”

The four of us were waiting to find out what was going on. After we all got a drink in our hand, they began to reveal to the four of us their plans.

“Clarence and I have decided to form an umbrella corporation in which the current shares we own in our companies will go into,” Emmerson said. “Along with an influx of money so that we can buy some of the shares of both company’s on the market without drawing attention. That will require us to sell off a lot of our personal investments until after we have formed the new corporation to invest in the new venture. At the same time, each of our companies will be buying back shares without revealing it publicly. That way we can increase the overall ownership percentage in both companies without drawing attention.”

“Trey with your help we want to put a team of six professionals together who will work out the details of bringing the two corporations under the one. When I talked to your boss Gordon today about our idea going forward, he informed me you have a few experts in the field as clients. Each then will still be run as a standalone division under one board,” Clarence said. “Once our combined ownership of share reaches a certain level, we will announce the buyback of remaining shares by the new corporation.”

“That way we will be out of the day to day operation and will be free to enjoy life with our spouses,” Emmerson added. “Once this is all settled there is a third corporation that would fit into our long term plans. We will be using Clarence’s natural skills and applying them on a larger scale. We will buy that one by issuing an IPO.”

“The reason we talked to your boss this afternoon Trey we wanted to be sure that what we are going to be putting together does not put your job in jeopardy before we made our move. Since it won’t we are about to offer to you, Trey and Bridget,” Clarence said. “The President and Vice President positions of the new corporation we are forming when it’s up and running. Emmerson and I will be on the board as Chairman of the Board and Chief Operations Overseer respectively.”

“May I suggest that because of the turmoil in the political situation in the USA that you both consider incorporating in Canada or Northern Ireland because the corporate tax rate is a flat fifth teen percent,” I said. “Then dissolve both existing corporations at their yearend. All letterheads and legalities could say for example say Datastore a division of. This way it would cut out the two corporate tax returns at a higher rate and allow us to brand the new name with each division keeping its own identity.”

Both Em and Clarence looked at each other when I said that is if I had turned on a light bulb in their head.

“The way it sits right now we don’t know how stable the current rates are. The only thing we know right now that it’s almost ten percent higher than those two countries, I explained. “So, it’s best to take a proactive approach now in case what is talked about by one political party becomes law in the future. When you make your decision on what you’re going to do don’t consider that just because they say it, they won’t. Consider the consequences if they do and the differences it will make for the corporation going forward. When I am making a decision that in part will be influenced by political agendas, I always ask myself, Can I say they won’t do their agenda if they come into power.”

“Does Trey always look at things from all sides like this with forward-thinking,” Clarence asked? “Before making a decision.”

“Yes, he does Dad,” Bridget said in pride. “After he learned of Dinah treachery and asking me for a statement. He explained to me right down to the littlest detail to me what he was thinking and why. It surprised me that he was so frank and honest about it. No man has ever communicated in a completely open and uninhibited way. It made him completely different from any man I had known.”

I looked at her with a look of puzzlement because I had never seen myself as different.

“That night I saw that he was behaving, in the same manner, you would Dad. I didn’t learn until later that he like you was raised out of state.” Bridget went on to explain, “That’s when I started to learn that he was not the man that Dinah was leading me to believe he was. It took me a while to realize that she had been manipulating all who came into her life for a long time including me about what kind of person Trey is and that we had willingly accepted her reality of him as the truth.”

“Trey has a thinker's mind and when he’s dealing with an issue, he will openly discuss all things good and bad about it before making a decision. He listens and is willing to take into consideration your opinions.” Bridget went on to say. “I learned that it is his way of mentally preparing himself for anything. We got into a discussion about the cost of living, and his view about it shocked me because I never saw it.”

“I told her that I realized that every tax regardless of who brings it in ends up being covered for by the end-user in the long run because it's built into the price of everything,” I explained. “Sadly, most of our society is too blind and stupid to realize it. From the first day of their school life, they are taught to conform to the wishes of the collective in order to get along.”

“Was that one of the challenges you laid out against the professor I met,” Bridget asked?

“Yes, one of the first actually. He taught Economics and made the mistake of saying that trickle-down economics didn’t work,” I said. “I showed him that it worked quite perfectly to blindly milk the consumer for billions yearly. We ended up agreeing by the time we were done debating that up to ten percent of the cost of everything we buy is because of taxes by every level of our government.”

I had to laugh because both Clarence and Emerson had never seen it. Both had to admit that if they looked at it closely, they would have to agree. Even though both saw it as just the normal cost of doing business, the cost of everything they manufactured or created included the taxes they had to pay as a business. It was a trickle-down effect because that was taken into consideration as being part of the manufacturing costs.

With the big news over they got down to the family matter. Bridget’s and my current living situation. All four of them thought that so far, we had been lucky.

As a result, for the next few months, there would be security on our house twenty-four hours a day until it was sold. Bridget and I learned that the first team was on sight already.

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“Dinah is like my wife’s sister in a lot of ways,” Emerson explained. “She decided that the woman who was involved with her ex-husband had to hurt just as much as she did. So, she drove over her ex-husband's legs three times before she stopped the car.”

“That’s why we have been so concerned Trey,” Dora said, “She was found to have a ‘Mental Health’ issue. The stress, the anger, and the emotions coming out caused her to break. It took him three years and six operations to heal but to this day he requires the use of a cane to walk. With our family history, until Dinah gets professional help, we can’t take the chance that she will be all right going through the divorce.”

Bridget took my hand, “There will be no driving your car for a while. I don’t want to give her the chance to be near you in any way.”

Just then the servers started bringing in the food they had pre-ordered. It was quite the celebratory meal. As we ate, we discussed little things keeping it light.

********

Dinah approached Bridget’s house carrying an envelope. As started walking up the driveway a gentleman got out of a vehicle and stopped her.

“Ms. Richards I’m sorry to inform you that no one is allowed on the property,” he said. “I’m now asking you to turn around and remove yourself.”

“I was just going to leave this letter at the door,” Dinah replied.

“I can’t allow you to do that, we have strict orders,” He replied. “I suggest that you either mail it or have a courier service deliver it. Can I escort you off the property?”

Dinah recognized the security firm. It was one that her father had used very often when needed in the past. She had been warned by her parents that they would be doing this if they did not see that she was seeing someone professionally. Dinah started crying because she knew that her parents didn’t even trust her anymore.

Walking home she decided to have a courier pick it up and deliver it to Trey’s office. Tonight, she would begin to pack what she could take out of the house when she had to leave. Tomorrow she had a real estate agent that was going to show her a few high end furnished condos that were up for sale that might suit her tastes. With what was going on in her life right now she was in no party mood.

********

On the ride into work, Bridget, and I both agreed after sleeping on it that we would accept her father's and my father’s in-law offer. I would start contacting a few of the power players to see if they were available for a big project and if they were interested.

Just before kissing her goodbye, I said, “Have your father and Emerson decide when and where they wanted to start interviewing members for the team they wish to assemble. Make sure it is not in one of their corporate offices because we don’t want rumors and gossip about what's going on.”

I went into the building carrying my briefcase and brown bag containing my three roast beef sandwiches. I knew it was a day that was going to be filled with a lot of questions. As usual, the receptionist was there before me. After leaving my briefcase in my office I went to put my lunch in the luncheon room fridge.

“Good morning Mr. Richards,” The receptionist said. “After yesterday Gordon thinks you walk on water. It’s not very often he gets called and asked for advice from a man like Clarence Smith.”

“That wasn’t my idea,” I said. “I only learned about the new plans late last night. So, you most likely know more than I do.”

With that, she handed me my first cup of coffee made just the way I liked it and said, “Gordon, when he got off the phone, called me into the office and told me that you had managed to get us a whole new bunch of business coming down the road which includes an IPO.”

“It’s important what you know goes no further even to those you trust in the office,” I said. “Because everything is just in the planning stages. We don’t want the price of their corporate stock being jacked up by speculations.”

“Gordon said the same thing last night to me behind closed doors,” she replied. “So how long do you figure it will be before you leave us.”

“That’s unknown even to me, sometimes these things can take years,” I said. “Other times it’s a matter of weeks because these things seem to take a life of their own.”

“Be prepared Gordon will be calling you in first thing this morning for a friendly chat,” she replied. “Because he wants your opinion for who in the organization should be assigned to handle the IPO from our end.”

I gave her thanks for the tip and headed to my office. I had a few emails I needed to write and send out this morning after checking out the future’s market and overseas markets to see if something could be gleamed out of what was going on. I sent a note regarding my trade orders asking him not to make the purchases until all my current shares were sold. It had been a few weeks since the idiots in China had done something stupid and I felt they were due again.

As soon as I walked into Gordon’s office he spoke, “How did you do it?”

I laughed and said, “you give me too much credit. Sometimes the best outcome comes because the two come together for other reasons.”

“Okay, I get it,” Gordon said with a smile. “You’re going to play it close to your vest just like you always do. I believe that’s what attracted those two men to make the offer to you they did Mr. President.”

For the next two hours, we went through all the upper management personnel to discuss the qualities and weaknesses of each person before coming to a decision on who would be brought in when the time was ready.

“Trey, I learned over these last few weeks that your always prepared,” Gordon said. “Your insights this morning surprised me because you understood your fellow employees better than I did. It explains why your stats are better than anyone else in the office for client satisfaction and growth in their investments. One final thought; ‘believe’ in yourself and your decisions. You have the smarts to do things always right.”

“Thank you for the compliment, but its time I get back to my regular job,” I said. “After all no matter who and what we are we still have a paycheck to earn.”

Leaving his office as I was headed to grab another coffee the receptionist stopped me and handed me an envelope that had been couriered in. It was from Dinah. My first reaction was to throw it in the trash. Instead, I put on the corner of my desk and got on with my day.

China’s version of socialism decided to punish our current President so introduced higher import tarriffs on a bunch of American products. The stock market did not like it as values dropped across the board. A quick check verified my stocks and shares had all been sold the first thing in the morning before that had been announced. I had gotten a lucky break. I told the trader to buy as per my request a half hour before closing just before the last-minute rush came in. It’s a good thing I did because the president responded in kind by raising some current tariff rates and suggested more were coming. Stock value’s dropped all day.

Bridget called while I was at lunch as I was eating the roast beef sandwiches with a touch of horseradish sauce, pepper, and salt. They were perfect and I told her so. She informed me that she had passed on my suggestion to her father. As a result, both Emerson and he were out looking for a small office to rent. They wanted to do the interviews starting next week. They still thought a team of six would work out great.

I told her that I had received a couriered envelope from Dinah delivered to the office. She asked what it said. I replied that I have not even opened it yet and wasn’t sure that I would. Bridget got me to agree to bring it home with me so we could discuss together what we should do.

********

It was after dinner that I opened the letter. It read.

Trey, looking back after seeing Bridget and you together I realized too late that I had pushed you out of my life long before I had my tubes tied. I lost sight while chasing the dream of what was important in my life. Even my getting my tubes tied has to be tied into my chasing my dream because I really did not consider the consequences of what I was really doing. Bridget when I asked her if I knew her boyfriend said I didn’t. I just now am beginning to see how true that is. In honesty you did not leave me I left you willingly because of what I did without discussing it with you.

Mom and Dad demanded that I seek professional help please tell them that I have set up my first appointment. I’m still not sure if I will go but I am considering it. I have a real estate lady looking for new digs for me and have begun packing to move.

When I saw the two of you together as you walked together towards the limo, I realized that we never looked like the two of you do together. It’s got me questioning our relationship and wondering if we were ever in love. I may never know the answer to that.

I would like to have our divorce sealed so that everything is kept out of the New York Times and other media that I am beginning to hate. My lawyer said your lawyer had built such a detailed case that there are six or seven different reasons for granting the divorce. I won’t be fighting it as long as you are reasonable about it. Dinah

Bridget looked at me before asking, “Do you think she’s being sincere or not?”

“I’m not sure,” I replied. “She just might be living proof that you can’t fix stupid. My problem is that based on the long term lies how can I not believe this is just not more of her bull shit. I can see why she needs to keep it quiet. She does not want the real reason she got her tubes tied to come out. That little piece of information we kept out of the divorce petition as a bargaining chip if things went really bad.”

“What could she have done that’s worse than what we already know, “Bridget asked?

“She aborted what would have been our firstborn eight weeks before at a hospital-owned clinic,” I replied. “My lawyer and I kept that private because I did not want her parents to know. For some reason, her body would not accept any kind of birth control and she refused to use inserts because they always caused woman problems for her.”

Bridget looked at me with tears in her eyes before saying, “I presume you found out when you sued for her records.”

“Yes, I did. I decided to leave it out because I had promised to tell Emerson everything,” I said. “I just couldn’t devastate my in-laws with that truth, so I informed them just what they needed to know.”

“Why do you feel they need protecting,” Bridget asked while wondering why I would feel needed to act this way?

“Emmerson and Dora are old fashioned conservative Christians who live by their beliefs,” I replied. “Knowing that I knew if I disclosed the whole truth, it would destroy their world and change their reality for good. I was a man who wanted children of my own who had to ask myself would I want to know if I was them. The answer I came to was no.”

Bridget looked at me while taking in the seriousness of what I said. She now knew why I had felt overwhelmed.

I pulled Bridget into my arms holding her tight. For some reason, she felt the need to whisper in my ear, “Let it go, don’t hold yourself accountable for something that was beyond your control.”

It surprised me to learn that she knew I did.

Finally, when we parted, she said, “Did we ever know Dinah at all? What kind of woman would do that to her husband and parents?”

“One who has it all and is so jealous of anyone ever getting a part of what would belong to her by birthright, her father’s millions,” I replied. “Now you know why I am so confused as to what I should do.”

“Then agree to keep it quiet,” Bridget said. “We really don’t want media attention with what Dinah’s father and mine are attempting to do.”

I looked at her and smiled, “That was not on my mind, but your thinking is right.”

I picked up my cellphone and sent her a text message that said, I will instruct my lawyer to get it sealed.

“That night I said you seemed to be a bit off was the day that you found out,” Bridget commented before adding, “No wonder you were behaving the way you did. It must have been taring you emotionally apart.”

“Bridget I’m going to send this to both your father and Emerson as an email in the morning from work. I feel they have a right to know,” I said. “Then I will do the same to my lawyer to have it sealed.”

And I did.

********

The rest of the week went by very quietly. Reports in the New York Times showed all concerned that nothing had changed as per Dinah’s conduct. She was still being reported on as being the social butterfly but was more subdued. The gossip reporter suggested that she was behaving herself because of the ongoing divorce which was now sealed. The New York Times gossip lady was questioning quite publicly why I had requested that since I had been the one dumped so publicly.

I had sent Clarence and Emerson a list of 10 names who were definitely interested in being interviewed along with what I knew about them.

Emerson called me late Friday afternoon to confirm that Dinah was indeed seeing a professional. A private investigator had been following her since he received a copy of her letter to me and confirmed that she had gone for her first appointment.

Saturday afternoon a for sale sign was placed on both Bridget’s and my former residence. Dinah’s lawyer had provided us with written approval to sell the house. Bridget and I had decided that regardless of what happened that we needed to move because we wanted the past behind us. Both Bridget and I were surprised that we saw no sign of Dinah at all.

Saturday night we were awoken from the sound of a loud explosion. Both Bridget and I threw some clothes on and ran outside to discover my old home was totally in flames. We could smell natural gas in the air. One of the security guards was holding a young man in cuffs.

“Fire department and police are on their way,” The security guard said. “It looks like he may of hit the wrong house.”

“Maybe but I wouldn’t be so sure,” I said. “Wasn’t there a clinic burned down a couple of days ago?”

“Yes, there was,” The security guard said. “It has been ruled as a case of arson. The only area totally destroyed was the record room and their computer system. It was run in a partnership with the hospital.”

Bridget looked at me in shock as I said, “Please make sure that a police officer talks to me a soon as possible because if my thinking is right there maybe another fire in the next few days.”

Bridget looked at me with a questioned look, so I added, “My lawyer's office.”

As we walked back into Bridget's home, she held my hand. Once inside she said, “You don’t think Dinah is behind this do you?”

“For me, the question is that I can’t say she’s not,” I said. “So, I feel obligated to inform the police so that they can decide for themselves if they feel they need to check it out. With her big signing bonus, she could afford it.”

It took about an hour for the detective to knock on our door. I answered it and invited him in. He took notes as I explained why I was concerned that my ex-wife Dinah Richards was behind it.

“I recognize the name, but I can’t picture the face,” he said. “Do you have a photo?”

Bridget asked for his cellphone number and texted him one of the images she still had of Dinah on her phone. While she was doing that, I opened up my briefcase and pulled out the record of the abortion and handed it to him.

He could clearly see that the form she signed was from the clinic that had been torched was for an abortion. I told him that if my thinking was right that my lawyer's office would be the next target hit.

“She wanted to hide the record of the abortion for what reason?” He asked with extreme interest. As he took an image of the record with his cell phone.

“Dinah Richards my soon to be ex-wife is Emerson Stevens only child,” I explained. “If he found out what she had done because of his religious believes she would lose all rights to an inheritance. Emerson is a man who believes that life begins at conception and would be so hurt and angered that he would write his daughter out of his life.”

The detective got a very serious look on his face as he allowed everything to sink in. “I’m grateful for the information. Dinah Richards has definitely become a person of interest. It gives me a great starting point when I begin interrogating the man we are now holding. I thank you for waiting up for me. Now I have to go wake up the detective that’s investigating the clinic fire to see what he has found out so that we can compare our notes. We would never have been able to link the two together without the information you have provided.”

I escorted the Detective to the door and after we shook hands, I locked up behind him. It was already five Sunday Morning.

Bridget and I crawled back into bed to wide awake to sleep so we cuddled each other as we talked it all out. We would learn later that I was partly right and partly wrong.

We must have dozed off because we were both awakened by the sounds coming from our cellphones. I answered mine, Bridget answered her. I said put your speaker on dear and we will talk to both sides of the family at once.

Everyone was in a panic. It had been on the morning news. Clarence, Gracie, Dora, and Emerson wanted to first make sure that we were all right and then wanted to find out what we knew. I told them that the security team Em had hired had caught the guy, but they felt that he had hit the wrong house. Other than that, we were flying blind.

“Dinah moved out on Thursday; she bought a four thousand square foot furnished condo near the downtown core, and got a short closure,” Em said. “Her movers packed up what she wanted and moved it. They were done early Friday afternoon.”

“Bridget and Trey pack your clothing you’re moving in with us,” Grace said. “This getting scary. At least here we can close the gates and secure the property. Do you want Clarence and I to come and help you?”

“No mom,” Bridget responded, “Trey and I can handle it. We will just bring what we need to get through a couple of weeks If that’s okay with you. We had put this house up for sale yesterday anyway.”

Between the two of us we filled my full-size sedan up. Using both the trunk and the backseat. I had to laugh because I was feeling like a vagabond. Before we left, I called the detective to let him know what I learned and suggested that the security guards had been right in their thinking that the arsonist had gotten the wrong house. I gave him Clarences and Graces address and informed him we were moving there for our own self-protection until the house sold.

Bridget and I had discussed what our sleeping arrangement would be for the next few weeks on the way back to her parents. It was her feeling that they would give us separate bedrooms. We were pleased to learn that we were wrong. They already had accepted the fact that we were a couple.

When looking back at the time later it would be with happy memories because we both received a refresher course on how to make a marriage work. The little things we learned from observing Bridget’s parent's interactions we brought into our relationship made ours stronger each and every day. One of the first things we worked on together was making sure that we did not assume to know the other's thinking on anything that might become important.

Bridget’s parents had to laugh because they learned that we were already starting to finish each other’s sentences.

********

It had been a relatively quiet couple of weeks. The team had been hired to form the new company. On Thursday night after dinner, I told Clarence that I owned Data Corp stock and it was worth about three-quarters of a million dollars.

“The question is do Emerson and you want to buy it from me so I can go out and purchase some more,” I asked. “Before you ask, I have made sure that none of my clients beside Bridget and you are holding any. I had to tell one client who wanted to buy some that I had to transfer his account to another rep because I was personally involved with both of you, and it could put me in a conflict if it ever came out. He thought about it and decided for now not to go ahead.”

Clarence looked at me for a few and said, “You’re that careful about protecting yourself and your client's interest. Did he ask what your relationship was?”

“I just told him I was in the middle of divorcing Emerson Steven’s daughter and was afraid that if it came out that I was buying the stock he wanted I might be charged with insider trading. With emotions so raw I can’t afford to gamble.”

Clarence laughed and said, “Nothing like the truth to make somethings perfectly clear. I’ll tell Emerson that you're holding it. Once the new corporation is set up in Canada, we will mostly use it to buy the stock. The team suggested we buy the stock through numerous brokers, so it won’t be seen as out of the normal.”

“Fair enough I will then hold on to the cash until there’s another dip in the market and pick up some more of either of the corporations after comparing which one has the biggest drop,” I said. “The stuff I am now holding was bought on a down day thanks to the unending bullshit between China and the USA. We both know that the markets are affected by whims and whispers far too much. Even if there is one announced it doesn’t mean much because most believe that China won’t keep their word.

Just then Bridget came into her father’s den all excited and said, “You two better come into the family room to see for yourself what just came over the news.”

We followed her. She used the remote to rewind the program to start what she wanted to see. I was shocked to see it was Dinah’s boy toy that she went to Paris with being placed under the arrest. He was being charged with two counts of arson. He apparently had hired a man to torch the clinic and Bridget’s residence. The man who was also been charged had admitted he had gotten the wrong house.

“Why would he want to burn down Bridget’s house if it wasn’t to kill the two of you.” Gracie asked?” “And who is he?”

“There is something you need to see,” I said. “I’ll be right back.

As I left the room, I heard Bridget said, “Mom, Dad, what Trey is about to show you and explain can never go outside of this room because of the emotional pain it will cause for two of our friends. The man who got arrested today was the one that went to Paris with Dinah.”

I came back and handed it first to Clarence who after looking at it passed it over to his wife.

“My divorce lawyer discovered it when we got the medical records. We served the clinic with a court order for their records concerning my ex-wife. She had the abortion eight weeks before she had her tubes tied.”

“I’m going to go put this into the safe,” Clarence said. “I’m afraid if they can link the arsons to Dinah it is going to come out anyway. It’s sad that Dora and Em may never know how much you’re protecting them.”

With that said, he went back into his den.

Grace said, “So that’s why the divorce is sealed. Dinah wanted to make sure that her parents would never know what she had done. Does she know you have this?”

“Don’t know but she must be really concerned about the possibility that I do otherwise none of this would be happening,” I said.

“Mom the only question is does the boytoy realized how much he has been manipulated. Considering who he is, his monthly allowance would easily have covered the cost of this,” Bridget said. “Dinah may be sitting pretty in the knowledge that she can’t be connected to this.”

“That Bitch will no longer be a problem for you two I promise,” Grace said, “No one puts my family in danger. By the time I am done with her your divorce Trey will be a walk in the park.”

I looked over at Bridget. Her face showed some serious concern I went to speak but she shook her head warning me off.

Later as Bridget and I laid on the bed cuddling she explained. “There have been a very few times I have seen my mother with that look. Each time it happened there was a threat to her sense of peace and security. She is going to do something to resolve the issue permanently. Dinah won’t be touched but she will not be an ongoing problem. My mother used to be a character actress on the stage. I believe she is going to use those skills she developed back then to send a message to Dinah that she will never forget.

“Hopefully it will force Dinah to speed things up,” I said. “I’m ready for all of it to be put behind us.”

I was up early so I was downstairs making a pot of coffee before getting ready for the day when a strange woman came into the kitchen. I looked at her and said, “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

The lady laughed and said, “I was hoping to be out before anyone got up. So, promise me you will forget you ever saw me looking like this. It’s taken me three hours to do the makeover and get dressed.”

“Not a word will be mentioned about this, I promise Grace. Bridget explained to me that you used to be in the theatre back in the day,” I said. “Thanks for getting my adrenaline going this morning. I won’t even ask what you’re up to.”

“When I deliver the type of message like I am going to today. I make sure before I leave that they know what they see in front of them is an illusion. I will even change the sound of my voice two or three times to reinforce the seriousness of what I’m saying. That way they will be forced to take very seriously what I have to say to them,” Grace said. “Once I put the fear of God into them, I have never had a problem. In my whole married life, it’s not failed me once.”

“Well, I will never forget that you could be standing in the same room with me without me knowing,” I said. “It’s a good thing I don’t have a devious mind.”

“I was in a rush for my daughter to get married because I wanted grandbabies to hold,” Grace said. “Now I can honestly say I’m glad she didn’t. You two met when you both were not really looking and fell in love for the right reasons. That is a blessing that Clarence and I shared when we started out. You two remind both of us what we were like when we were younger.”

“In a couple of weeks, we will be flying back to attend a friend's anniversary,” I explained.” At that time Bridget will be meeting my parents. I’ve told them the whole story, so they are aware of everything. Keep it quiet for now because Bridget has not learned that part.”

With that Grace went out the door. I took two coffees’ up to the bedroom so we could start getting ready for the day.

It was around eleven in the morning Dinah having just gotten up in her new condominium when there was a knock at the door. It was an insurance representative here to inspect and photo the place because of the value she paid for the place. Dinah let her in, and the lady began taking photos of the place while she made her first coffee. Finally, the lady spoke again but with a different voice.

“Mrs. Richards who is soon to be divorced I am not an insurance representative I am an agent who has been given a policy that has been taken out on you,” she said.

“You have stepped on and used one too many people’s to get you to the point where you are,” the lady said. “I have not been hired to kill although I wish I had.”

“The person or persons who have hired me want to make it clear,” the lady said again using a different voice. “That they have had enough of your bull shit. They have decided that you have one last chance to change your ways.”

With that said the lady took out a vial out of her purse opened it and poured the contents over the wooden dining table. It started eating it. Dinah stood there in shock.

“Remember the next time you see me I will not look or sound like this,” The lady said. “You saw the damage I was able to do your expensive table. Just remember this day because the next time I am asked to confront you I will be throwing on your face.”

With that said the lady picked up the items she came in with and exited the place.

By the time I got back that night Grace had returned and looked her normal self. Bridget and I spent Saturday and Sunday house hunting,

On Monday I received word that the corporation had been formed. That afternoon my shares were bought at the current market value.

Bridget called me around four o’clock and said, “We're going out for dinner with Emerson and Dora. They said they need to talk to us both. I don’t know what it’s about, but I think something has happened.”

We arrived and were led to our private table by the hostess. Em and Dora were waiting for us. After greeting each other and ordering our drinks. Em started.

“Dinah has flown to California to look for a second residence,” he said. “She is feeling the heat and wants to get out of the city. We feel something has happened that has changed her views of always being a New York girl.”

“Maybe it’s the fact that her current Boy Toy is looking at doing some time has forced her to want to put as much distance is as possible,” I said. “I really have no clue as to what’s she up to.”

“She’s become quiet and distant as if something has shaken her reality to the bone,” Dora said. “When I asked her about it all she would say was I did it to myself.”

“We went over to talk to her on the weekend and to see her new place,” Emerson said. “It’s a beautiful condo but she is going to have to replace an expensive dining room set. It appears some kind of acid has destroyed the table. I asked her about it, and she refused to explain.”

I just thought Grace had delivered her message in such a way it had registered better than I imagined. Dinah was making changes in her life for her own protection.

Tuesday afternoon after the stock market closed my divorce lawyer called. Dinah’s lawyer had sent us a revised settlement offer. Both my lawyer and I were surprised by what I was being offered. Dinah was even willing to pay my lawyer's fees. As a result, I would come out of it better than I had thought. I told her to accept it before she changed her mind.

“You understand if the judge approves it, you will get your annulment will be done in less than two months,” she said. “Do you think it was her boy toy getting arrested that forced her to make you such a good settlement offer?”

“To be honest I was told that someone sent her a message in a personal way,” I said. “After he had been arrested. Perhaps it was from someone from his side of the family. I learned last night she is in California looking for a new residence because she wants to spend more time there.”

********

As I looked over at Bridget sitting beside me reading a book on the plane headed to St Louis that Thursday morning, I thought how blessed I was for what Dinah’s behavior had brought me. Both Bridget and I had left our former employers.

For the next two weeks, we would be vacationing in my old stomping grounds. By the time we got back, the divorce will have been completed. Our new home would have been repainted and ready for us to move in. Bridget’s parents had surprised us with it two days after I gave her the ring she was now wearing on her left hand. It was on two and a half acres of land less than two miles from their house. I told Grace the reason she wanted in the neighborhood because she wanted to babysit the grandkids. She had replied you got that right so when are you going to start working on them.

As we descended down into the St Louis airport I said. “We got about a forty-five-minute wait before we have to catch our connecter flight to the Cape. From there it will be about a forty-five-minute drive for us to get to Marble Hill where we will be staying.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing where you grew up,” She said.” And to seeing some of my dad’s side of the family while I am here. Do you have anything planned for us today after we get there?”

“You find out as soon as we get off at Cape,” I said with a chuckle.

We got off the twelve seat airplane in Cape and walked across the pavement to the small terminal. I could see my parents waiting for us. As soon as we came through the sliding doors Bridget caught on. I was a younger version of my dad.

They walked towards us, and he said in his deep voice, “This beautiful lady must be the Bridget, you told us all about.”

I introduced Bridget to Beth and Ben Richards, my parents.

Dad said, “You go pick up the luggage, I’ll go get the truck.”

When we got to the farm dad, and I brought the luggage in while mom gave Bridget a quick tour of the house. Bridget fell in love with the kitchen that had an old wood stove in it.

“Do you still use it,” Bridget asked?

“Every winter,” Mom said. “Twice a week I bake the bread and buns for the week using that stove. Cuts down the electrical and heats the house. The rest of the time I use it when doing roasts or other large cuts of meat.”

My mom was thrilled that Bridget loved to cook and got in and helped her when she started making lunch. The four of us after eating took Bridget on her first horse ride on a trail I had often rode on a kid. We cut it short not wanting to tire her out.

After we had removed the saddles, we showed her how to brush down the horses. It was fun seeing her excitement in doing what we considered normal things. Bridget had a lot of questions which we all answered.

Dad, as we were walking behind the ladies, said, “Looks like this time you got it right.”

It was after dinner that Bridget and I had to explain how we had met. My parents had lots of questions and we explained it as well as we could. I think their full approval came when they heard about the abortion.

“A woman who can abort their unborn for any reason,” my mom said. “Has shown that she could justify killing their own spouse. That’s the problem in society today there is no respect for life in any way.”

Bridget and I in the privacy of our bedroom discussed what our mother had said. We both came to the conclusion that my mother had been right. We both agreed that we would no longer discuss Dinah to anybody because the part was behind us forever.

********

It’s been six months since my annulment was granted. Bridget and I had a small ceremony. My parents flew out to witness the ceremony. My dad told everybody he had to see it to believe it. My mother in law is in her glory as Bridget has started to show. So now she’s running around town finding the pieces to set up the best two nurseries’ in town. One for our place the second for hers. To be ready for when Bridget returns to work.

The New York Times in all its glory has reported in its latest gossip column that Bridget is carrying two. It must be true because we all know the New York Times the most liberal paper in the country does not lie.