The Divorce

15

"You want me to help him? I thought you didn't approve of the idea." 

Fern and I had gone out to a small coffee shop around lunch time. He was seriously jet lagged and his blonde hair needed more than just a trim. It probably needed a brush judging by the condition of those locks.

"I don't approve of the idea of using you. I never did. You're his staff not a paid actor. He was meant to find someone else but Gabriel wanted everything to happen in seconds, not days."

Fern sipped his long black while I added marshmallows to my hot chocolate. It was the perfect weather for it ass 

"But why should I help him?" I asked as I stirred in the marshmallows, "I don't feel comfortable doing that." 

The entire walk down to the coffee shop, Fern was trying to tell me that it wasn't a bad idea, and that it would be good for him to help Gabriel.

"That's fine. You don't need to do anything you don't feel comfortable doing." he said, but then following that he would always imply that I should. 

"I don't feel comfortable doing anything you said." I took a sip  of my hot chocolate, refusing to meet his eyes. 

"I know." Fern said sighing. "If that's your choice we'll respect it." he took a sip of his coffee, "I'll make Gabriel back off. There's just a lot of history to this Rory. I...well we wouldn't be asking you to do this if there wasn't a real reason for it. We can pay you more if you want."

"I don't need money. The entire thing is just...weird. No amount of money will make me want to do it." 

"Then if that's your answer, well...not much we can do about it." Fern said.

He almost look disappointed and I almost felt bad. There seemed to be a bigger story to this, a story I didn't know and I wondered what it was. I asked Fern but he told me that it was Gabriel's secret to tell.

What is so secretive about apparently an inheritance that would be immense. I wondered how much money was exactly involved. It didn't surprise me that money equalled power, no matter where you went you had people deny that, but it was true.

Sometimes money could buy everything.

It didn't buy me now, no, the desperation was about to buy me though. 

"I have so rules." I said

"Thank you Rory, Gabriel will honestly apparel-,"

"Uh no," I said holding a hand up to stop his speech, "I didn't say I accept. I'm going to list my rules and then I want Gabriel to add them to whatever contract, since he always makes me sign shit." I muttered. The man was obsessed with legal contract so maybe I could take something out of his book.

"I want to also negotiate the money."

"Sure."

"Good." I said, "My rules are quite simple. No intimacy, he can't force me to do things I don't want to do. If I say no, it's a no. I want to know more information about what I need to do before it happens. I can't just be sprung into action, I need a plan. It would be good if I can know more than 4 hours in advance." I stated.

Fern nodded, almost like he was noting them down mentally, but I was going to write them in an email anyway. One thing I learned from Gabriel was that I had to have everything in written proof. I guess working for him, did teach me a few things.

"If I feel uncomfortable at any instance, I want the option to back out without facing any consequences."

"That can be arranged." Fern nodded taking a sip of his drink, "You won't feel comfortable though. You know Gabriel, he has no interest in women. Sometimes I think he's gay with the way he ignore all the-,"

"I don't care." I muttered, "I also want Gabriel and you to explain to my boyfriend when we get back what happened because that assault, I had nothing to do with it and I don't want my name tarnished."

"I promise." Fern agreed.

"Don't make big promises Fern. I'll email you all of this, and Gabriel  needs to ask me formally. Why are you talking for him...actually why arroyo even on his side."

Fern sighed, "You know I have my reasons."

"Fine." I muttered, "I want more information." I stated, "If this is as big as you say and Gabriel needs to get it, okay sure I'll help, but I need to know what I am getting myself into. Hell...what if you guys get me killed."

"We won't."

"You don't know what the future holds so you can't make that promise...actually. Now that I think about it. If I get killed you'll just have to still pay me the money, it'll go to whoever I want as per my will."

Fern chuckled, "Okay...sure." he said as he ran his hands over his tired face. I chugged the rest of my hot chocolate, wanting to get back so the man could at least get a few hours of sleep. Who knew how much work I had pending for me when I get...wait.

"This isn't a work trip is it?" I asked.

"No."

"Then why is the jerk making me do work! Actually, don't tell him I said jerk." I winced.

Fern chuckled again, "Our secret. I'll see if you can get a slack on the reporting stuff."

"Maybe I'll add that to my list." I said pondering as Fern stood up.

"You said you want more money, for what?" he asked, "You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious."

"I don't want it. I don't need money." I said standing up, "Money turns people weird. I'm happy living cheque to cheque with savings. I'll donate the rest, you say its a lot of money so I'm sure we can spread it."

Fern smiled, "How about this, once we get the money, we'll tell you how much it is and you can do whatever you want with however much you want."

I raised my eyebrows as we walked out of the store, "What if I ask for it all?" I asked. 

Fern shrugged, "Gabriel doesn't want the money either, he just needs to get it so someone else doesn't. He couldn't give a rats ass where it ends up so you can call the shots."

I walked down the street next to Fern, wondering who was on the other side of this. If Gabriel was going to all this effort, I wondered how much effort they would be going to.

"I have a few more conditions." 

"Put them on paper, and lets get them signed." Fern nodded a we crossed the road back to the mansion that maybe wasn't a hotel after all. 

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