New Girl in Town Pt. 23

"Uh oh," Jessica said as she rejoined them and noticed Jake's messed up hair. "What did you do this time, Jake?"

"He was being a smart butt, Jessica," Jake's mom said. "Can you do anything with him?"

Jessica acted as if she thought it over while she fixed Jake's hair.

"Oh, I think I can have him straightened out," she smiled more for Jake than his mom. "Probably by the end of this weekend at the latest."

****

Thursday

"This is patently unacceptable," Mrs. Sienna Bryant, the Golden's lawyer, said as she pushed the Greene's offer back to their lawyer.

She was there alone, at her request, in Mr. Moore's conference room at his office. She had told the Gibson's and Golden's that it would be for the best if she went by herself in case things turned emotional.

"This is perfectly within the realm of..." Mr. Moore, the Greene's lawyer started to protest but Mrs. Bryant cut him off.

"The realm is laughable and the provision that my clients cannot sue your clients over this would get thrown out by any judge worth their robes and you know it," she pointed out.

"Laughable my ass," Buck Greene slammed his hand on the table as he lost control of his anger. "Those kids should be..."

"Buck, sit down and shut the hell up!" his lawyer demanded as his eyes darted to the recorder on the table that Mrs. Bryant had set up as the meeting started.

"No, please continue, Mr. Greene," she smiled at him. "Tell us what my clients should be doing. Thanking you? Thanking your son who got a little slap on his wrist for nearly killing them? Please complete your thought. I'm sure that a judge or especially a jury in your upcoming civil trials would love to hear your thoughts."

Buck looked as though he wanted to let loose another outburst but his lawyer glared at him. Instead he glared at the Golden's lawyer but with his mouth shut.

"Can't we be civil here?" Mr. Moore asked.

"I am," Mrs. Bryant stated as she pushed some files across the table to Mr. Moore. "I would like you to take a look at these and..."

"Stop wasting time," Buck muttered which got him another glare from his lawyer.

"Mr. Greene, are you aware that my client, Miss Golden, is one of the top volleyball players in the country?" She asked him directly. "Not the county. Not the state. Not the region. The country. That means that she is, or rather she was, on track to be a top prospect for our national team and therefore one of our Olympic teams be it beach or court volleyball."

"I..." Mr. Greene started to answer but stopped and looked at Mr. Moore who nodded his approval. "I heard that she's good. A good player I mean."

"Page three there will show you some comments from the top recruiters across the country stating how they considered her to be one of the best players to come along in the past decade," she pointed out. "At the bottom of that page is also some comments from some former Olympic players and coaches that state much of the same. Her current recruiter was able to get these quotes for me on very short notice which will tell you all you need to know about how good Miss Golden is."

Mr. Moore glanced at the paper for a moment then passed it over to Buck who took it and started to read it over.

"Fine, she's an impressive player," Mr. Moore said. "What does that have to do with anything here today?"

"Your client's son may have, by his admission in court, destroyed her future," Mrs. Bryant told him. "I'm talking her college career, possible Olympic career, endorsement deals and much more. Her wrist was snapped like a dry twig and her head was bounced around the interior of that car thanks to your client's son. She has the best, most advanced care available and they can still only give her a fifty/fifty chance of competing at the level she was before the accident. Now let's look at my other client, Mr. Gibson, shall we?"

She passed over a few more pages to them and waited a moment so they could look them over.

"Mr. Gibson can no longer compete in any contact sport," she told them after a few moments. "Ever. That first page there details how the head injury he sustained in the crash coupled with the one from earlier this year has made it too dangerous for him. Mr. Greene, I have a witness that will testify that first head injury was sustained at the behest of your son. I even understand there is a video of the event as well. Not to mention how he nearly bled to death at the scene, needed emergency surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma to heal. Now you can't tell me that you gentlemen do not know how the extent of certain head injuries may have years of lasting effects that neither your insurance company nor your... financial offer can come close to assisting Mr. Gibson should he start having problems later in life. These injuries are nothing they did to themselves. These things were done to them by your client's son."

"You don't know that he or she will have any residual problems from this accident," Mr. Moore stated. "It's pure speculation."

"And you aren't even giving them the decency to speculate on if they have a future or not," she countered. "You are offering them a pittance to just go away with a promise to never bother you again."

"You're goddamn right," Buck snarled. "I don't give a crap about them and if they have a future or not. My dumbass son went out that night to get a little payback and I'm not going to sit here and pay for it!"

Mr. Moore's eyes went wide with the admission. He hurriedly reached for the recorder but Mrs. Bryant already had it in her hand and placed it in her briefcase.

"I believe that we are done here," she said and stood up. "Mr. Moore, we will see you and your clients in court."

"You can't threaten me," Buck growled. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Mr. Greene, I know exactly who you are," she stated. "You are a bully. A bully who raised his son to be just like him to the point to where he nearly killed a couple of kids. I suggest that you get him help before it happens again and he succeeds."

Buck started to say something else but was stopped by Mr. Moore who gestured toward the seat Mrs. Bryant had just vacated.

"Please," he implored her. "We can still work out a deal here. Just give me a second with my client and we'll come to an agreement."

"I highly doubt that but I will give you a few moments to see what you can come up with," she told them as she took a seat.

Mr. Moore ushered Buck out of the room and into his office. Buck again started to speak but was stopped.

"Stop," he ordered him. "You have already said more than enough already, Buck. Damn it, you heard her when she told you that she was going to record the meeting and you still couldn't keep your mouth shut."

"She goaded me into..." Buck grumbled but was stopped again.

"Yes and it didn't take much," he said. "Now we have to work out a deal with her holding all the cards because I will tell you right now, Buck, if she takes us to court with that recording you are done. Do you understand that?"

Buck nodded reluctantly.

"You can rest assured that she has a pretty good idea of your finances At least what you haven't hidden so don't try and low ball her this time around or she, the Golden's and the Gibson's will own everything you used to," he warned him.

****

"So is it set?" Staci asked Jessica as the group sat together at lunch.

"We are all set," Jessica answered as she popped a chip into her mouth. "Marybeth and I have talked at length so Jake and Bobby's punishment will be something they will never forget."

"Not about that," Staci shook her head. "I meant with the Greenes, Jess. Though I do now need to hear about what you two have cooked up for the boys."

"I'll have to text you that," Jessica told her. "We want to surprise them with what we have in store for them."

"Do I know why they are being punished?" Somer asked C.C.

"I'll tell you later," C.C. told her. "So the thing with the Greenes, Jess?"

"It's done," Jessica answered. "We signed what they wanted..."

"With a few provisions added thanks to Jessica's lawyer," Jake added as he took a bite of his apple. "Now we just have to plan, like, thirty trips to Disney World for Sarah."

"Disney Land," Jessica corrected him. "She wants to go to California with us."

"She's adorable," Shelly commented. "So no troubles with the Greenes? You didn't have to see Patrick did you?"

"No, we didn't," Jake answered. "We didn't even have to see the Greene's. Jess's lawyer got it all done and all we had to do was sign some papers, get the certified checks for both of us and that was that."

"Ooo certified checks," Staci grinned. "Which one of you is taking me shopping first?"

Jake and Jessica shared a look then Jessica explained how they had put the money in separate accounts to appease both sets of parents and how they had no plans to touch it until after college. Neither she nor Jake mentioned the new amount of those checks. She and Jake had talked about it and decided they would tell Staci and Ray as well as Bobby and Marybeth over the weekend at Staci's place.

"Aren't you going to use some of it to fix your car, Jake?" Somer asked.

"I'm not sure that she can be fixed," Jake answered. "I haven't seen her yet."

"We're going after Jake's appointment today," Jessica shared. "We think that it's time to see her and we want to make sure that Mr. Fishel is paid for all his work and for storing her by the Greene's insurance company."

"Are you ready for that, Jess?" Ray asked concerned.

"Are both of you ready for that?" Staci asked as she reached over and laid her hand on Jessica's good hand.

Jessica smiled and nodded at her friend then reached over and patted Jake's leg.

"We aren't sure but as long as we're there together we figure that we'll find a way to handle it," she answered them.

"We could meet you guys there," Staci suggested. "If you think we could be of help."

"Sweetie, you have been nothing but help since all of this happened," Jessica assured her as Shelly gave Jake a knowing look. "Jake and I think we can handle this one."

He nodded at Shelly and made a note that he should have that talk with Staci soon.

"But if we can't, we know who we can call, Staci," Jake told her. "As for now all I ask is that you and Ray make sure things are ready for this weekend when Jess and I stay over."

"I'll make sure that you have a chair really close to the hot tub so you can watch all the flesh on display, Jake," Staci winked at him. "It might be naked hot tub night or at least that's the rumor a little birdie told me."

"Naked?" Jake asked then looked at the wicked smile on Jessica's face. "We can wrap this thing in like a trash bag or something right? Jess, I need you to call or text Ashley and see what she thinks we can use to make this thing waterproof."

"That or what he can safely use to hack it off because from the look in his eyes that might be what happens," Ray laughed.

"Hell, he might gnaw it off with that look," Bobby joined in.

"Laugh it up, Bobby," Marybeth spoke up. "Jake is going to have company sitting right there with him."

"Ooo, poor Bobby! Wait until you see Marybeth in the suit that we're going to get her," Staci teased him. "We have a girls trip to the mall to pick it up on Friday before you boys come over. We might even pick up a few new little things for the rest of the weekend."

"Somer, would you like to come along with us to the mall?" Jessica asked. "I think that most of us girls are going, right?"

"I'm there," Roxie said. "I get to help pick out things that will make Jake's eyeballs sweat and I see that as an absolute win."

"You should totally come with us," C.C. told Somer. "It is so much fun to go out with these guys! They pick on each other and talk about the guys and it gets so funny!"

"Totally," Jessica smiled.

"Cali Girl," Shelly shook her head at Jessica who flipped her hair and smiled.

"Like, totally!" she said. "How about it, Somer?"

"C.C. made it sound like I would be missing out if I didn't come so count me in," she answered. "Thanks for inviting me, Jess!"

"Yeah," Staci said. "You can tell her all about why Jake and Bobby are being punished."

****

Jessica pulled to a stop at the closed gate on Mr. Fishel's gravel driveway. She looked over at Jake then shrugged.

"Should we call him or what?" she asked.

"I know where he keeps a key. We could just go take a look for ourselves," Jake suggested. "It might be better if it's just us, ya know?"

"Maybe," she nodded. "Do you think that Mr. Fishel wouldn't mind? Us letting ourselves in?"

"I used to do it all the time," Jake told her. "If he needed me to clean up one of the garages or if I wanted to poke around some of the cars he was working on. It was fine as long as I compensated him with a six pack of orange or grape Crush."

"That's the trick huh?" she smiled.

"Yep," Jake nodded as he reached for his door handle.

"No, you stay put," she told him. "I'll get that key. The last thing I need is you trying to hobble around on this gravel with your crutches, falling and me trying to catch you with my one good arm."

Before Jake could protest Jessica had opened her door and stepped into the cool afternoon air. She started for the gate then stopped and looked back at Jake through the windshield. He laughed and lowered his window.

"I wondered when you were going to get around to asking me where the key is, Jess," he called out.

"Ha ha, very funny," she retorted. "Just tell me where it is. I'm freezing my butt off here!"

"Remind me to warm it for you later," he grinned.

"Oh I'll remind you all right," she smiled back at him.

As he told her where the key was, a rollback truck pulled in behind Jessica's mustang.

"It's a little too cold out for you to be breaking and entering, Miss Jessica," Mr. Fishel called out from the cab of the truck.

"You caught me without a grape Crush, Mr. Fishel," Jessica called back to him.

"Ah, Jake should have prepared you better," he chuckled. "I take it that you two are here to look at Catherine. You hop back into your car, I'll get that gate open then I'll follow you in."

Jessica started to argue but he cut her off.

"No sense in arguing it, Miss Jessica," he said as he stepped from his truck. "Get in and tell Jake there that he owes me a six pack."

She nodded and smiled as she did as she was told. Soon they drove inside the gate and parked. Both she and Jake got out of her mustang and waited for Mr. Fishel to join them.

"Have you been out looking for some old junkers to bring back to life?" Jake asked as Mr. Fishel pulled up and exited his truck. "I thought you retired from that."

"You gotta have a hobby even if you're retired, Jake," Mr. Fishel told him. "I was just out looking for a few old friends anyway. No harm in that."

"No, sir," Jake agreed then looked over at Jessica. "Are you ready for this?"

"I'm not really sure," she answered honestly. "That's what we came here for though so there's no turning back now is there?"

"I'm pretty sure I can still manage to climb that gate," Jake joked as Mr. Fishel joined them.

"You kids having second thoughts?" he asked as he overheard their conversation. "We can just go up to the house for some hot chocolate instead if neither of you are ready for this."

"Some hot chocolate sounds really good," Jessica said but then nodded toward the garages, "but we came here for this and putting it off isn't going to make it any easier. Hot chocolate after though?"

"I think that we can manage that, Miss Jessica," Mr. Fishel said. "She's just over this way. Jake, you watch these rocks now. I'll be gol darned if I'll have you falling in here. No more knocks to that thick skull of yours. We can't have you heading off to California for college and ending up in Canada now can we?"

"Oh, I'll get him to California with me," Jessica said. "Neither of you should doubt that!"

"How are you both doing?" Mr. Fishel asked as they walked along.

"Jake got a good check up today," Jessica answered. "We just came from his doctor's appointment."

"Everything is healing up nicely they said," Jake added. "I can even start to do some light workouts with my upper body next week."

"That is great news, Jake," Mr. Fishel said. "And you, Miss Jessica?"

"I'm getting there," she answered. "My wrist exercises are kind of hard at times but we're managing them. Other than that, I'm pretty great."

"More great news," he stated as they reached the garage.

He paused at the door for a moment and looked over at the kids as he unlocked and opened it.

****

Jake and Jessica stood at the entrance and gazed in at the tarp covered wreck as the overhead lights flickered to life above it.

"It doesn't smell like I thought it would," Jessica commented. "I remember how it smelled that night. The stench of rubber and wires and metal all burning up."

"It still has a slight smell," Mr. Fishel told her. "I've sprayed her down, used some deodorizer on her and the tarp helps but... I'm afraid that she'll always have a bit of that smell."

"Always?" Jake asked. "I thought she was totaled."

"She is, son," Mr. Fishel said. "The frame got bent when it hit the trees. Between that and the fire... well, she gave her all. Are you two ready to see her? That hot chocolate offer is still on the table."

"Jake?" Jessica asked worried about his reaction.

"Let's just get this over with," Jake said as he moved toward the heap that used to be his mustang.

He reached for the tarp but Jessica reached out to stop him as did Mr. Fishel.

"You leave that to me, Jake," he told him. "You too, Jessica. One of you has one leg and the other only has one arm so just stand back a bit. I don't want you to slip and fall and I don't want you to pull something loose. Ain't neither of you gonna risk your futures around here, got me?"

Mr. Fishel waited until the teens had moved back before he tugged the tarp free and exposed what used to be Jake's mustang to them. Jake's eyes widened and Jessica audibly gasped at the sight.

"She looks a lot better than she did that night," Mr. Fishel said as he sat the tarp to the side. "I know that's not saying much looking at her like this."

"No," Jessica spoke. "I mean the last time I saw her, she was on fire so she looks a lot better to me."

"The fire did a lot of damage to her I'm afraid," Mr. Fishel said with his eyes on Jake. "Jake, are you all right?"

Jake managed a nod as he looked at his totaled mustang before him.

"I just; I can't imagine that we survived that," Jake said as he looked at the mangled drivers side of his car. "How? How was I not killed?"

"Call it luck," Mr. Fishel suggested. "Call it a miracle or you can call it fate. Doesn't much matter what you call it. What matters is; all that matters now isthat you survived it."

****

"Are you okay, Jake?" Staci asked as she and Ray sat across from them at Smitty's.

She then looked to Jessica.

"Is he all right?" she asked. "Are you all right? Are both of you all right? I mean I know that you texted me after Jake's appointment that he was okay but then you went to Mr. Fishel's place after that and that probably wasn't okay so are you okay?"

"Staci, give them a minute," Ray suggested. "Seeing Jake's ride was probably a lot to process."

"It was," Jessica said. "I mean I saw it in the woods that night, in the dark but to see it, you know, under lights, I guess? It's so much worse than I remember it. Like so much worse."

"I know what you mean, Jessica," Ray nodded. "I went over with Bobby and the guys a few days back and saw it. Jake, is there anyway that she can be fixed? I mean it didn't look it but I'm no car guy."

"No," Jake shook his head. "The frame was bent and with the fire damage, she's just too far gone. She saved us though and that's the main thing."