Forces of Nature

"I'm not...!" Cheryl protested in vain.

"You are! Listen to me for a minute, to make sure I got this right." Lynn put her hand up to stop the instant defense. "You best friend, boyfriend and parents were caught having sex on your birthday. They were not hiding what they were doing and did it in such a way to get caught. Did you ever think they wanted to get caught and everyone was okay with what was happening?"

"Ewe gross...!" She made a face, sticking out her tongue.

"I'm not commenting on that, but still. They hurt you, so you go out and hurt other people. That's what so sad." Lynn didn't sound sad, she sounded pissed.

"Hey, I'm honest about what I do." Cheryl fell back on the lie.

"And that makes it alright to hurt people? To break women's hearts like they don't matter. People who still hurt every time they see you. And you're trying to tell me you're justified, because you parents were having consensual sex with other people? From what I've heard, they were or are swingers. Right or wrong, it's their choice. Were the other people complaining? Did your father force himself on your friend? Did you mom force your boyfriend?" Lynn was pointing at Cheryl.

"I, I... don't know. I didn't stick around." She stammered, thinking about something she had refused to think about since it happened.

"And have you talked to any of them afterward to see?" Lynn lifted her eyebrow.

"Hell no... I didn't want to talk to any of those freaks." Cheryl pushed her plate away ready to fight.

"So you didn't even let them explain what happened... and that gives you the right to hurt other people?" She crossed her arm. "Don't you get it? What you are doing is ten times worse than what they did. You're doing it intentionally. You go out, find a woman who is just figuring things out. You seduce them into great sex and then you rip their heart out because you refuse to give them anything more than sex. How is that in any way better than what they did to you?"

"It's not like that...!" Cheryl was neck deep in denial.

"It is exactly that and worse! Quit lying to yourself." Lynn pressed the issue to the breaking point. "I've even seen the hurt looks that women that have loved you, give when you're around. I see it Judy's eyes every time she has to talk to you... and you don't even have the common decency to ask forgiveness. Sweetie, you sound like one class-A, cold hearted Bitch. If I didn't know any better, I'd hate you on principal. Tell me how in the hell can you expect a woman to trust you with her most intimate being, knowing that you're going to just throw it away in the morning?"

"If you hate me so much, why are you here?" Cheryl asked petulantly.

"I didn't say I hated you... as a matter of fact, I think I'm falling in love with you. My only problem is if I could ever really trust you to love me back." Lynn brushed a tear out of her eye.

"You what...?" Cheryl wheezed.

"Don't know if I can trust you." Lynn refused to back down.

"But almost all relationships turn out to be nothing but pain." Cheryl tried to defend the indefensible.

"Yes, and then there are relationships like my parents. They've been together for thirty five years and still act like love sick fools. They are always kissing and holding hands no matter where they are. They run around the house naked, having sex in whatever room they catch each other in. I have to call first or who knows what I'll walk into. That is my example of a loving couple."

"No way...!" Cheryl was shocked.

"Yes... way! I never had to guess about the bird and the bees. Not with them. But then again, Mom wore white to her wedding and my dad was just out of school. Everything they learned, they learned together. They taught me the more you love your partner, the better the sex is."

"And they never cheated? They never fought or had bad times?" Cheryl pushed, not believing that kind of relationship could exist.

"Oh... I could say they would have to get out of bed for that, but I'll be honest. My mother about freaked when they thought dad had testicular cancer. My dad cried when they had to do mom's hysterectomy. They've had their fights, and their makeup sex. They're human; they have their faults, just like everyone else. But no, that have never cheated on each other."

"What do they say about you? Do they know?" Cheryl was trying to find a weak link.

"They want me to be happy. My brother and sister have given them grandkids. It's not like the world isn't already over populated. I don't need to bring children to ensure the species or anything. I'm the youngest, and even the studies on straight kids, show they are the least likely to procreate. I want it all or have nothing until I can. I don't feel I should have to settle. I don't care if I love a man or a woman. I just want true unconditional love from my lover. Anything else would be living a lie."

"I don't know what to do with you." Cheryl sighed, tired of the fight.

"Be honest with me. If you want to try, let me know. I don't expect miracles... I mean I know your honest, if deluded; in your intimate relationships." She sliced open the wound so it could heal.

"I'm not..." She blurted, but was stopped by Lynn.

"You might want to think before you speak. We've already covered that." Lynn smiled, taking the harsh sting out of her words. "If you didn't matter, I wouldn't so be upset either... think about that too." She got up and softly kissed Cheryl. "I'll talk to you later. If you want me to post your ad on the community board, bring it by tomorrow." She left, feeling at peace with what she had said.

*****

A week later, at the Memorial, groups of the girls were giving Ida all the support they could. They knew it had to be hard for her. Every time they looked around, they could see the pain on her face. Ida had taken her sons aside.

"Look around and tell me what you want. If there are no conflicts, I'll make arraignment for you to get the things you want."

"What about you, mom?" the oldest asked.

"I won't need that much. I'll be moving in with a friend." Ida said and looked for Deloris.

"You mean the queer spic..?" Her youngest earned the slap.

"Don't you ever disrespect her again! At least she wasn't found... she has done nothing but help me. If you don't like my living arraignments, then don't come over and expect me to babysit!"

"But mom, everyone says." The oldest tried to defend his brother.

"I don't give a damn what everyone says. What do they say about your father, who died while stuck like a male dog in a bitch in heat! Deloris has never fucked around... like your father, and neither have I! Remember I'm your mother and I do not answer to you!" She poked both of them in the chest, making her point.

"Yes Ma'am." They said, never hearing their mother use that kind of language.

"If you want some of this stuff... let me know. If not, I'm giving it to the Samaritan Center." She took a deep breath. "If you want any type of inheritance when I pass, you better learn some manners and respect. I know more than enough deserving charities that could use the money."

"But mom... most of these are expensive antiques." Her oldest said.

"And mine to do what the hell I want to with!" Ida had enough. She didn't even want to look at the things that reminded her of the forty years of torment she lived through.

"Is everything alright Miss Ida?" Cheryl asked as she walked by.

"It's fine dear. I was just telling my sons if they wanted the furnishings, to make a list." Ida smiled as Cheryl put her arm around her, giving her support when she needed it most.

"What about the business?" The youngest asked, looking Cheryl up and down. "Who gets Dads business?"

"The business was never your fathers. It was and is mine from my father. Cheryl here, is running it for me until things get settled. She has everything under control and doesn't need your interference."

"What about the house?" They asked together.

"Don't get greedy... it's also mine." She was about to go off on her sons.

"Miss Ida, I think they need you in the sitting room." Cheryl interrupted and gave the stupid males an evil look. "Stella and Judy will be bringing refreshments in a little bit and we need to know where to set everything up." She walked Ida away from the nasty scene and to Deloris.

Cheryl wanted to kill the men when she heard them say. "Well, if we don't like the will, we can always contest it and put mom into a conservatorship and a home."

"We'll take everything and split it at auction. She doesn't need to know. This shit is ugly but expensive. Do we know how much the house is worth yet?"

"No... it's actually owned by the company. We'll have to take control of that first. I figure we're in for about a couple of million apiece once we sell everything off. That should leave enough for mom to be in a decent but affordable home until she dies. That way we don't have to take care of her."

Cheryl was ready to confront them, but Deloris stopped her. "Those two are in for a rude awakening. They take after their father's side. Don't you worry your pretty little head." She patted Cheryl's hand and pulled her into the room where all the women were surrounding Ida.

A few hours later, people were starting to drift out after they gave their condolences. Not wanting to be the first, but far from the last to leave, Ida sons walked up together and hugged their mother.

"Let us know when the reading of the will is and we'll be there." The oldest acted as spokesman.

"There isn't a will." Ida looked shocked. "There wasn't anything for your father to will out, he didn't own anything. It was all through me or the business. The heirlooms will go to your children after I pass."

"But... I thought...?" the youngest said stunned.

"I know what you thought, but you were wrong." Deloris said from behind her lover. "Since there is no will and this is a community property state.... Your mother out lived your father. Everything goes to her. If she gives you part of her estate early, it can't be sold until after she passes."

"MOM...?" The oldest looked at his mother. "What have you done?"

"What I needed and wanted to. Just to keep you from making asses of yourselves, I've sold fifty one percent of the business to Cheryl under a partnership agreement. So, even if you get partial ownership, it will not be enough to be in the majority. The house needs over its value in repairs to bring it up to code, and is going to be leased out once they are done. Most likely on a lease option to buy. So, you still cannot sell it, without giving them first bite or be held to their lease. You forget I've done this for longer than you've been alive. I had hopes for you, but I do know you." Ida looked at her sons with contempt.

"But mom...!" Her youngest gasped.

"But mom nothing...! You are my sons and I love you. But, you're also your father's sons and I put up with his bullshit for over forty years and took steps. If you really want some of this stuff, let me know. If not, that's fine too." She kissed them and then waved them off so she could go finish this chore and get on with her life.

*****

"You lied to them." Cheryl said after everyone left and the girls were cleaning up the mess.

"Not really." Ida sighed. "You said yourself, the house needs over seventy thousand in upgrades and electrical. I bought the house for twenty five thousand, and pulled a second for forty. That's it real value. Its market value as a historical house is something all together different."

"Yeah, but... the business?" Cheryl asked stunned.

"You haven't read that paperwork I gave you, have you?" Deloris asked as she hugged Ida from behind.

"I haven't had time."

"If you read it, you'd see that you had to be a partner to be able to sign off on the titles. If you look at your check stub, you're getting five hundred more in take home pay. But, your actual earnings have doubled. The difference is the payment for the partnership at fifty one percent of the last assessed value, taken out before taxes. Ida will be able to take part of that as a stipend plus the extra earnings once the house is listed. It will be more than enough for her to live on. She still owns her share and controlling interest of the business, until you have paid for your portion of the partnership. By then she will be completely retired and you can buy the rest or sell the whole damn thing." Deloris smiled at the shocked young woman.

"Um, what did you do for a living?" Lynn asked surprised at the business acumen as Judy and Stella looked on in shock.

"I was an auditor for the IRS." Deloris grinned. "That's how we met. I had to go over her books one year after Walter made a mess of things. He was trying to expense his trips to a whore house, from the business account. I helped her build the shelter to protect the business from anything he could do."

"I pay four hundred a month now... after the house is finished, you said I can rent it for over fifteen. I'll make over eight a month off that until it sells, plus the eighteen in stipend from the business. Then I can take fifty percent as a lump sum or put it in a holding account and take monthly payments. While still investing in the company, so I don't have to pay capital gains. The house will be worth over half a million after repairs, even in this repressed market. If the market rebounds, it will be worth more. Either way, my retirement is set and you can buy me out or sell the business, since I wouldn't trust either of my sons to do what is right."

"With me having my house paid for and not much overhead for us to share, that will be more than enough for her to survive on. She'll even have enough to do some traveling and still have money in the bank." Deloris added and smiled.

"If you sell the antiques in the house, you could bank that money too." Lynn offered helpfully.

"I don't care as long as I don't have to look at them anymore." Ida shuddered. "I hate this place and all the memories of it. Give it to some young family that needs the room and I'll be happy. I don't care if you sell it at under value. I don't want it to go to that stuffy preservation society no matter what they offer."

"We could do a custom flip." Cheryl offered.

"What's a custom flip?" Lynn asked.

"We find a buyer, knowing that it's a flipper. That way they can customize the renovation to their needs and make it all part of their loan. It would take the lease option out. But still, the new family could do the little things to make it their home before they move in."

"Do it... I'll clear the taxes and liens." Deloris told Ida.

"I don't care as long as I never have to step foot in here again. Take me home and make me forget about today." She hugged Deloris and softly wept.

"Go ahead and take her. I'll take the keys to the office and start the work up." Cheryl looked at Lynn and saw that she too was crying.

*****

"Friday night, come hell or high water; be at The Pink Rose at eight o'clock." Pat stuck her head into Cheryl's office a few days later.

"I don't know...." Cheryl was looking at her calendar.

"Bullshit... be there or I'll have Judy drag you." The tall butch added. "I'm celebrating!"

"What...?" She tilted her head.

"Be there and you'll find out." Pat smiled and ducked back out. Cheryl watched as she chatted up Jennifer and the new office clerk. "Oh, by the way, Lynn is going to be there." Pat ran back and announced before jogging out to her cruiser.

Cheryl sighed. They hadn't been able to do more than to wave and say hi, since the memorial. "Brownville Title." She answered automatically as the phone rang.

"Are you going to be at Pat's promotion party?" Lynn asked nervously.

"Pat got a promotion? That's what she's so amped about?" Cheryl rubbed her head and looked at the power bill.

"Yeah, and I was wondering if you were coming." Lynn asked in a soft voice.

"Wasn't planning on it, but yeah, I'll be there." Cheryl looked at the other bills she was now responsible for.

"Haven't got a handle on the office yet?" Lynn asked concerned.

"I'm getting there... I need one more part timer to get rid of overtime. I don't know how Ida could do all this and still have the lights off by four thirty." She leaned back in the big chair and looked at the ceiling.

"Years and years of practice." Lynn chuckled. "You heard her. She'd been doing it for over forty years. She had it down to a science and ingrained into her skull."

"Yeah and I always thought she was dead weight. I never knew what she did."

"Did you know Deloris took her on a cruise? I bet if she has her way, Ida will never have to step into that office again."

"I hope not. I have people who will only sign if she's here. I'm still the new girl on the block. I mean, they understand what happened. But, still I need her here in three weeks or I'm screwed."

"Better talk it over with Deloris. She has been waiting over twenty years to have Ida all to herself." Lynn warned. "Have you thought about what we talked about?" She changed the subject.

"Every second that I've not been thinking about work." Cheryl bit the inside of her cheek.

"So, that means not so much. I'd hoped that you have been able to forgive your parents for being who and what they are. I mean you're supposed to honor them, not like them or what they do." Lynn sighed. "Well anyway, I'll see you on Friday."

"Yeah, Friday..." She disconnected and jumped when the phone rang again. "Brownville Title."

"You are working too late in the evenings." Ida irate voice crackled over the line. "If you keep it up it will become a bad habit to break. You're wasting money on power and payroll."

"How did you...?"

"Because, I get a copy of all the bills." She snapped. "Let the girls go at four and you're to be out of there no later than thirty minutes later. We get charged extra for peak hours. There's always more work to be done. I know you know how to manage time better than that." Ida huffed. "Don't make me call again or I'll sic Deloris on you. Go out and have a life, don't make the company your life. Go fall in love with that cute librarian and kick up your heals." Ida ordered.

"Yes Ma'am." Cheryl answered, still used to responding to Ida as her boss.

"Don't let Lawrence talk you into too many Saturday signings either. Life can wait until Monday. Well I better get off here and let you get back to work. Good luck." Ida hung up before Cheryl could respond.

Cheryl bitched herself out for not telling Ida about the signings she needed to be at. She looked at the clock and shut the folder on her desk in frustration. "Alright girls, the big boss said to clock out no later than four." She announced as she came out of her office.

"But I only need ten more minutes." Jennifer said looking frightened. "You needed this on your desk in the morning."

"Then get it on my desk in the morning. But, it's time to clock out and go home. Save your computer work, shut everything down and go. We have to reduce the power bill by twenty percent or we can't hire the other part timer."

After a few token protests, the girls got their stuff and sighed as they went out of the building. "I'm glad I'm getting off on time. My husband was starting to get irritated. He doesn't want me working late and not eating dinner with our kids." The newest hire said as she walked to her battered clunker.

Cheryl sighed and started shutting everything off. "I need a drink." She told the empty room.

Half an hour later, she walked into the Rose. "Well hell, look what the cat dragged in!" Stella said, already setting up a first round. "I thought you got married to that job of yours."

"Like you have room to talk." Cheryl groused, sitting down. "I never expected to...."

"I know sweetie, and from what I hear, you're doing great. Why are you off so early today?" Stella reached over and put her hand over Cheryl's.