“Besides, your education is very important. I could never take that away from you.” I kissed her tenderly on her cheek. She hiccuped from crying so hard. “Besides, you are only attending school here in town.” I pulled her back into me and hugged her tighter. “We are very fortunate that this university also has a law school.”
“Besides, I will not throw you out because of your mother. You still, and always will, have a place here to live.” I kissed her forehead. “I can’t fathom losing you as well. Also, I will still continue to pay for your education.” I tried to put on a brave face.
We sat there consoling each other for a little while longer, not talking. Eventually, I could hear the contented sigh she use to do when I held her when she was a little girl. Then my stomach reminded me that I had not eaten all day.
“Hey, what’s for dinner?…I’m hungry.” I gently pushed her off of me. She didn’t weigh much, but I needed to end this crying session. I also needed to change the mood.
“Yes, master. I will have your royal dinner presently.” I attempted to swat her ass, but she was too quick. I will definitely miss her smart wit and our little bantering when she does finally move away. The thought came to me that the man she marries, will have been gifted a real prize.
As I sat there, my thoughts went back to when Carrie first came to live with us. When she turned 18, before graduating from high school, Carrie moved out of ‘Aunt Clare’s’ house and moved in here. She wanted to connect with her birth mother. A person she knew very little about. Also, she wanted to be closer to the college she will be attending in the fall.
What she found, was a profound disappointment in a mother. She found a drunk, cheating whore who did not care for a clean house. As her mother slept her drunk off, Carrie took to taking care of the house. This was on top of doing her school work.
I also thought back as to the reason why the soon-to-be ex-wife was not going to get anything.
**********
I started mowing lawns after school, and during the summer, when I was a 16 year old teenager. I did so well, that my parents, after I turned 18, and had graduated high school, put the money up for me to buy my first truck and start my own formal business.
When possible, while I was still in high school on Saturday’s, I took classes through the county agricultural department on everything to do with lawns and gardens. Then, after graduating high school, I attended the technical college and graduated with a degree in horticulture.
Within 2 years, I had 5 people working for me. Two years later, I was up to 8 people, with some 20 clients. By the time I was 27, I was needing to refuse inquiries to take on any new clients. I already had 15 employees and some 35 clients.
Then, at the age of 19, during my second year while I was in college, I married my high school sweet heart. But tragedy struck before our first anniversary. A drunk driver ran head on into Lisa, while she was going to the store. She was told earlier that day that she was pregnant with our first child. Then, some years later, I met Margaret.
I now own a lawn and landscaping service company, that employs 5 crews, of 6 men each, servicing over 100 high end clients. We mow their lawns, and take care of their gardens. These are properties that may encompass 2 or more acres. A few are the more formal gardens. My guys work 6 days a week during the peak season.
My clients also include several of the home builders in the area. We do all of the landscaping for their new homes. We can usually do a full tract of upwards of 50 to 75 of the mid cost homes in a few days. Weather permitting of course. For this, I have another crew of 5, that just does the new homes.
I have also just recently obtained the contracts to do landscaping for a few of the various malls in the area, as well. I will need to hire for that, then have that crew assist with the new homes when needed.
The majority of my lawn and garden crew, are seasonal. All of my foremen, and a few of the regular crew are full timers. Most of my employees are high school or college kids.
Also, I just recently purchased a company that does parking lots. From sweeping to repaving and relining. This will need to be a separate crew under a separate company. I will fold that into the mall business.� � � � � � � � � � � � � This rounded out my complete business plan to be a full service landscaping provider.
During the winter months, some of my full time people stay on and do snow removal for another 50 clients. That includes the majority of businesses in the city and the surrounding area. Each of my trucks can be equipped with snow plows, plus I have 2 additional pick up trucks that are equipped as well.� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
I was able to accomplish most of that before the age of 35. Which was mostly done during the time of her whoring. So there was going to be no way in hell that I would allow that bitch to have any part of this. That is why finding proof of her infidelity was so important. So that my soon to be ex, gets nothing.
**********
I spent most days totally engrossing myself in work. The busier I was, the less I dwelled on this situation. It took several months to have everything play out.
Then the day came to end this travesty of a marriage. The investigator for my lawyer did a fantastic job. It showed when we went to trial. The ex was contesting that it was my fault that she did what she did, due to emotional distress on my part.
She said, under oath that she did not have more children, because of the fear of being abused physically and emotionally again. Also, she sort additional bed partners due to being sick mentally.
Through Margaret’s own testimony, thanks to her dumb lawyer, she opened the door that allowed my attorney to present her medical history. We could not believe our luck. Her attorney objected. The judge denied the objection, sighting her own testimony.
The judge then accepted that, when my lawyer put that into evidence, without violating HIPPA, the ex’s medical report showing when the surgery, to have her tubes tied, was done. The judge rejected her contention of any mental illness.
She also insinuated that I had abused Carrie sexually during the time that she had lived with us. That was blown out of the water immediately. When Carrie quickly stood up and called her a fucking liar. The judge admonished her for language.
Then Carrie testified, against her mother, that she had told her once, that she had her tubes tied right after giving birth to her, because she did not want anymore bastards. Carrie let her mother have it with both barrels.
She said that her mother told her that she just craved the sex with anyone that she could hook up with. Margaret’s attorney tried in vain to get Carrie’s testimony struck down.
When it was over, I was granted a divorce, without having to make any alimony payments, or giving her any part of the business. Especially since it was well established before we were married.
Although it cost me a decent amount of money, by refusing that the loser pays, I had succeeded.
As we stood in the hallway, I observed Carrie speaking with her mother. At times it looked a little heated. When she rejoined my lawyer and me, I asked her about it. “I saw your mother speak to you. What did she say?” I was just curious to see what had transpired.
“She called me a bitch, a traitor and spit at me.” She looked back where her mother had been. “I told her to go to hell, and that she made one huge mistake.” She put her arm through mine. “Also, that I was going to take full advantage of it.”
We walked arm in arm out to the car as we left the courthouse. Carrie had her head on my shoulder. I was puzzled, somewhat, by the final point of what she had said.
Carrie and I celebrated that night. We went out to dinner, and took a long walk, on the beach, in the moon light. As we walked, she had her arm wrapped in mine. Just like two lovers. She had her head on my shoulder.
After standing back up from picking up a sea shell, she looked at me with that adorable little girl look she has, when she is about to ask a question. “Daddy, can I ask you a personal question?” her hesitancy was apparent.
“Sure, baby. You don’t need to be afraid.” That look always gets me. “You can ask me any question you like. I have always treated you like an adult.” Even during her childhood, I have always treated her like one. I always needed to make sure that she was prepared for the day when she will no longer would be living at home.
“Can I now call you by your first name?” She sounded hopeful. We had stopped walking and she had turned to face me.
“Quite frankly, I am surprised that you have not done that by now. But yes, you can do that.” I smiled with the thought of her fully engaging me on a first name basis. I never adopted Carrie. The bitch did not want it. She never said why. That would soon turn out to be a good thing.
“Then Don, why have you not tried to kiss me yet?” Her eyes were now reflecting a love other than one for a father. “You have had to have known that I have been in love with you for sometime now.”
I hesitated before I spoke. “Ever since the day that I found out that you were her daughter, it has been my responsibility to make sure that you were protected from harm. Just as if you were my very own biological daughter, I would have done the same.
“I have willingly accepted both of you into my heart and into my life as my family.” I gave Carrie a hug and kissed her forehead.