ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON EIGHT

Episode 66

( Texts )

Nigel: I did something earlier today that I didn't tell you.

Richard: What exactly was that?

Nigel: My mother, she needs help. She needs help with next month rent. I can't have her and my siblings getting evicted or something. Especially with how the police are treating homeless people these days.

Richard stared at the text message and from where he sat behind his desk promptly dialed up his husband. It rang once and Nigel answered, saying," You do understand? Right? "

Richard didn't really. Actually he did. His husband was the most generous man that he had ever met in his life. He would help anyone and everyone. He had personally witnessed the man giving a fifty to a homeless man in DC once as they were going into a restaurant for dinner. He loved Nigel for his generosity but he didn't want him being taken advantage of. Especially not by a woman who called herself his mother. " How much did you give Matilda? "

Nigel paused before speaking almost timidly," A thousand dollars. I took it from the business account. I figured that would be easier than the joint. I wasn't going to tell you but I.... felt a little bit.... guilty. "

Richard thinned his lips. As a tax lawyer he recognized how incredibly destructive this one action could be especially with a business that wasn't even officially open yet. He closed his eyes and reminded himself how much he loved his husband. " Nigel, please don't misuse funds in the restaurant account. That is not a good situation. "

Nigel protested ," I didn't misuse funds. "

Richard sighed. " Actually, my darling husband, you did. Does the word embezzling mean anything to you? I'm positive it does to the IRS. And I'm positive it does to my even more anal retentive than myself brother Spencer who you have doing the books. "

He reopened his eyes just as Nigel hesitantly asked," I screwed up, didn't I? I just gave it to her. I could ask it back. "

Richard smiled faintly, knowing how much Nigel would beat himself up if he asked for the check back. " No. Let her keep it. What I'm going to do now is roll another thousand dollars into the business account to cover what is missing. Please don't do anything like that again. "

" You're mad at me. Aren't you? "

Richard laughed dryly. " No. I could never be mad at you. You were just trying to help your family out. I love you even more. "

" I love you too, baby. I won't do it again. I promise. Not without informing you first. "

As they both hung up Richard realized that he was indeed not mad or upset with his husband.

It was his mother in law he was upset with. The woman had just appeared in Nigel's life and she was already asking him for money. That would not happen again. He would make damn sure of that.