Chapter 18

Suzie

C losing the door of the vehicle, I turn to look at Noah, who looks like he wants to jump out and throttle Brent. I place my hand on his arm, and as he looks at me I smile.

"Brent sounded broken, and I thought it would make me feel good to know that karma has kicked him in the ass, but you know what? It didn't feel good at all, it made me feel lesser."

Noah takes my hand and squeezes it, comfortingly. "Babycakes, what he did is on him. The consequences are on him, but if it helps him move on, that is good with me."

"He apologized and sounded genuine. He's leaving town, well, the state too, and going to reinvent himself. He actually felt like the man I fell in love with, and have to admit adored. I hope, given time, he can find himself and someone who will love him, regardless of what he's done." I know he'll be alone, as he has no family. For that I feel sorry because he was always a loving person until he met Meanie Mo. "Let's have something to eat, and I want to check out your apartment."

"Oh, you do, do you? Well, that can easily be arranged," Noah winks and blows me a kiss.

The rest of the day passes easily and my relationship with Noah has taken a marked step into personal rather than professional. We kiss easily, give small touches of the hand whenever the opportunity arises, and we make love well into the early hours of the morning, leaving us both exhausted and sleeping entwined. But waking like that is the most amazing feeling, especially as Noah has me wrapped in his arms and secured, even though he's sleeping.

Later in the week, I walk into the law office who my parents are employing to do their dirty work. I know what this is about, but they'll get an enormous surprise.

Noah is holding my hand as we stop at the reception area, "Meeting for…"

"Yes, sir," the woman quickly responds before Noah even said what or who we are. "Please follow me."

Oh, we follow her alright. I look over my shoulder, seeing Slade and Benjamin right behind me, both having smirks on their faces.

The woman opens a conference room door, and we walk inside to be greeted by my parents sitting next to two lawyers. I give no greeting or sign that they are in the room. Then take the seat Noah holds out for me, before he sits to my right, and Benjamin on my left, with Slade next to Benjamin.

What has everyone's eyes nearly out of their faces is the lawyers who are walking into the room behind us. Noah has two lawyers with us, Slade has three, and Benjamin has four, but Sin also sent along two, although he couldn't make the meeting himself.

Myself, Noah, Slade, Benjamin and eleven lawyers are waiting for my parents to start the meeting. What I'm seeing is shock, horror and fear in the two lawyers' eyes, which are flicking from one of our lawyers to another. My parents are looking at each other in shock too, but they never knew that I had enough of my grandfather's blood in me to stand up to them. But I'm happy to say I have more than enough.

One of Benjamin's four lawyers steps forward to the end of the table and looks at the four on the opposite side of the table from myself and Noah. "We have looked at the ridiculous claim you are making upon the Will of our client's grandparents. Your claim will never happen, it will never go through any court, you need to get that through your skull. The Will is ironclad and you see how many of us have looked into the Will! You had what you inherited, and I have the information about where most of it was spent."

Now, my mother's face is flaming red, and my father is looking at her with such a questioning look that it is obvious he is unaware of what she had done with the money. Well, shame on him for being so weak. He allowed her to do as she liked, when she liked.

Another of the lawyers steps next to the first one speaking. "Let's see, shall we…" throwing a stack of papers onto the table in front of the four of them. I don't look because I don't want or need to know more than I already do. The lawyer continues, "The claim for the property will be thrown out of any court in the land. Your claim for our client's inheritance allowance again would never happen. As a supposedly reputable firm, you have let yourselves down badly with this set of shambles, and you can be sure we all…" throwing his arm out to encompass all the lawyers, "will be enlightening our colleagues and clientele to boycott your firm."

"Suzie, we need you to help us…" my mother starts to speak, but I spin my face to give her the most disgusted look I can manage.

"Don't speak to me ever. I don't need to do anything for either of you. You lost me as a daughter through your own greed. Let's be honest here, Mother…" which I say with scorn, "you spent your inheritance on jewelry, gambling, and holidays, with as much verve as you could muster. Now you need to pay for said holidays. You can get a job and stop sucking dollars out of anyone that you can. Dad, you need to grow a dick and a pair of balls because she's put yours in her purse, and if you don't find new ones, you'll never be a man again."

Now, I've always adored my father, but he is weak because he truly loves my mother dearly. But, with that love, he's allowed himself to be a doormat, and if he doesn't man up now, he never will.

My father looks me in the eye for the first time, in one hell of a long time. I see the love he has for me, and as I watch his face, he takes a deep breath and turns to the two lawyers representing them. "Drop this now. We'll not be taking this further…" as my mother opens her mouth to speak, my father shocks me, "Shut your mouth. We are not chasing our daughter for money any longer. We will both get a job and I will manage the finances. You, my dear, will toe the line so we can get out of the shit you've dropped us in. If you don't agree to do this, then I'm done. I will seek a divorce."

My mother is staring at my father as though she's never seen him before, but I grin because, honestly, I'm watching a miracle happen.

"You know you said that out loud, don't you?" Slade chuckles.

Benjamin stands and looks around the room. "We're done here. Come on, Suzie, let's go. We have better things to do."

I stand, but instead of walking out of the room, I step over to my father and kiss his cheek. He has tears in his eyes when he murmurs, "I'm sorry about all this, Bubbles."

A tear slides down my face when he calls me that. It was the childhood name he gave me, after I had a disaster with a bottle of bubbles, I might add, after I raided under the sink. The kitchen was flooded with bubbles that day and I remember my father laughing loudly at the shrieks of disbelief my mother, of course, was giving. Walking out, I know it's the end of our relationship, but you never know, time will tell.

"You okay?" Benjamin asks, although Noah has an arm around my shoulders, pulling me tightly to his side.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's sad, but it is what it is, and I'm not even going to fix anything anymore. That's up to them at this point. Now anyone want to go to The Medusa for a drink?" I ask, and all three stop to look at me and see how serious I am.

It surprises me, but shouldn't I have to admit, at how quickly they dismiss the team of lawyers, and we arrive at the bar. Oh, we have such fun because our favorite server is on duty. Yeah, you guessed it, Meanie Mo. My three bosses have a hell of a time making her life miserable, and when Sin, Liv and Holly join us, we turn this into a huge celebration.

Life has taken a step for the better, and a gigantic step at that. I'm lucky to have Noah by my side and I can't help but think the day that Brent stuck his dick into Meanie Mo was the best day of my life!