Free Web NovelChapter 149: Christmas Gift Compromise
Annette sat nervously in an office in New York, watching a portly lawyer as he looked through her files.
The man finally looked up.
"Lady, let me break it to ya. There ain’t a lawyer on this entire planet, who will go anywhere near this case," he said, handing the file back to her as if it were radioactive.
"Why not? I just want to sue him for more alimony and punitive damages," asked Annette.
"Why not? Why not?! Lady. You’re lucky you’re still breathin’! This guy is the fuckin’ ruler of the Sirius Zone, and he has fuckin’ nukes! You wanna risk nukin’ the entire Eastern Seaboard over a few bucks?" snarled the lawyer.
"I think you’re mistaken. My ex-husband is Ivan Zakhrov. Not his son, Aaron Zakhrov," said Annette.
"It don’t make a difference! You remember back when Senator Goldberg first went after Sirius Software?
Plenty of broads just like you came outta the woodwork and started throwing out allegations that would make the sleazeballs in Hollywood look like fuckin’ saints!
We’re talkin’, blowin’ the interviewer to get hired, execs pimpin’ out their female subordinates to their buddies, orgies n’sex parties five times a week.
Schmucks like me stared to sniff blood in the water. Offered to represent those grifters pro bono, only for them to start cryin’ they were makin’ that shit up.
And while all that shit was goin’ down, you know what that psycho did? He sent half the damn state of Massachusetts back to the Stone Age! Power, water, gas, even cell service, all cut off. Nothin’, zip!
Then the President. The President of the United States of America! Accused him of treason! An’ he got Libya, Germany an’ fuckin’ Russia on his side an’ told Uncle Sam he’s independent! An’ that he’ll start World War Three if they so much as lay a finger on his turf!
When you reach that level of I don’t give a fuck what people think, then the question ain’t how can you take ’em to the cleaners, but how do you not end up in the river!
I’ve had nice girls come to me tryin’ to escape from all kinds of whack jobs. I’m talkin’ mobsters, junkies high on meth half the time, sleazy-ass politicians, an’ the odd tech-bro exec who seems like a nice guy until you find the fun-house in his basement.
All those guys? They at least care enough about their public image and reputation to settle in cash. Aaron Zakhrov? He blew up three hundred cops! With missiles! What do ya think he’ll do to you if he finds out you’re trying ta squeeze his old man?" asked the lawyer, waving his hands around in agitation.
"You’re supposed to be the best lawyer in the damn East Coast for this! Are you telling me that you’re too much of a coward to take on my ex-husband?" demanded Annette, tears of rage in her eyes.
"Yeah! I’m the best lawyer, but there ain’t enough money on the planet for me to stick my neck out an’ sue a guy whose kid runs a damn nuclear-armed rogue state!" snarled the lawyer.
"Then what do you suggest I do, councillor?" asked Annette, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Well, you got two options. Option one, leave things as they are. Right now, you’re gettin’ a hundred an’ fifty grand tax-free. Plus, all your bills and shit are taken care of. Hire a nanny for your kid, an’ go hit the clubs or whatever else you girls do after hittin’ payday. Option two, try an’ get back. The fact that he’s payin’ an’ hasn’t blown your brains out means the guy still has a soft spot for you, an’ then half his money will be yours anyway," said the lawyer.
"Get back? You’ve got to be kidding me! I’m not going to get back with that filthy chauvinist. And I should be now suing you for the way you just talked. Is this how you treat clients?" shouted Annette, springing to her feet.
"Hey! You’re the one who got into this mess in the first place by bein’ stupid enough to think you can change a bad boy just because he likes to bang you! Now how about you go to his office wearin’ nothin’ but whipped cream before some secretary with big tits gets her claws into him, an’ he cuts you off completely!" snapped the lawyer, pointing to the door.
---
"Well, well, well. Look who’s crawling back," said Ruth, as a worn out Annette entered her office.
"Not you too, Ruth. I’m exhausted," sighed Annette, flopping down into a chair, holding her head in her hands. frёewebnoѵēl.com
"I can’t believe you went to that sleazeball Donatello in New York!" said Ruth.
"Ugh! That filthy pig had the audacity to tell me to show up at Ivan’s wearing nothing but whipped cream! Why’d you have to remind me about him?" moaned Annette.
"He used the whipped cream tactic on you, did he? That’s his favorite way of getting rid of clients he doesn’t like, or thinks have a losing case," chuckled Ruth.
"Yeah well, it worked. I’m never going to him again!" said Annette. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"Well, I hope it has finally hit you. What you’ve got now, is the best you’ll ever get," said Ruth.
"It’s still pissing off," said Annette petulantly.
"Yes, well, you’re going to have to deal with it, and hey. It’s not as bad as you think. Ivan isn’t stealing Mikaela away, OK?" said Ruth.
"OK," groused Annette.
"OK. Now, while you were off trying to hire Mr. Sleazeball Donatello behind my back, I’ve been coordinating with Stefan about a Christmas visitation, and trying to get Ivan to ease up on stuff that triggers you. So here’s the deal: You get Christmas Day from 8 AM onwards all to yourself and Mikaela, but Ivan gets from 5 PM on Christmas Eve to 8 AM of Christmas Day. And neither of you have any say in what happens when Mikaela is with you on those days. The alternative, is a Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day breakfast with the same arrangement as Thanksgiving. And this time, no alcohol whatsoever," said Ruth.
"Which part of that is Ivan easing up?" asked Annette bitterly.
"The part where Ivan has asked for a list of acceptable Christmas gifts, and has agreed in writing to not expose Mikaela to exotic foods or game meats, not to take Mikaela for Midnight Mass, and where Mikaela spends the night at Edward’s house instead of his in Fenrir Township. As Stefan told me, and now I’m telling you, Ivan is under no obligation to make such concessions, especially if he is alone with Mikaela," said Ruth.
"I suppose I don’t have a choice, do I? Fine. We’ll go with the separate thing. I’ll have to just make do with trying to undo whatever damage Ivan does to Mikaela over the damn Christmas," sighed Annette, sinking back in her chair in resignation.
"OK, now how about that Christmas gift list?" asked Ruth.
"Let’s see... Plush toys, but they cannot be gendered, board games, art and craft supplies. I suppose a musical instrument will be fine too, just not something ostentatious like a Steinway grand piano or such nonsense," said Annette.
"A little too vague. You need to be more specific about what is considered ostentatious. A grand piano is an obvious no-no, but there are other instruments that pack a financial punch even if they’re not as big," said Ruth.
"I don’t know! What would you get a ten-year-old girl? One of those plastic toy instruments will do just fine! It’s not like she’s a music enthusiast," snapped Annette.
"Give me an upper limit on the price tag, Annette. Even if we take musical instruments off the list, Ivan can easily get Mikaela a thousand dollar painting or gilding kit and say it is just art and craft supplies. Or he could get her a million dollar vintage collector’s edition of Dungeons and Dragons and call it a board game," said Ruth.
"Fine, let’s keep that at a hundred bucks. He can’t get her anything more expensive than a hundred bucks," said Annette.
"OK, and here is Ivan’s list of pre-approved gifts for you to follow," said Ruth, handing Annette a list.
"Swarovski Crystal or Cubic Zirconia jewelry? Dresses and hosiery from Junior Elegance? A horse and equestrian dressage lessons? Fencing gear and lessons? Figure skating gear and lessons? Is he out of his mind?" screamed Annette.
"Stefan called it reciprocal consideration. If you get to dictate what Ivan can and cannot buy Mikaela, then so can he," said Ruth.
Annette ripped the paper to shreds and sprang to her feet.
"Tell him and that asshole lawyer of his, that Mikaela is mine for Christmas. He can have her over my dead body!" she screamed.
"Annette, calm down. You didn’t get through the entire list," said Ruth sharply.
"Don’t tell me to calm down! I am not letting that pig turn my daughter into some high-society debutante sugar-baby to hang on his arm!" shouted Annette.
"That list also includes books, Barbie dolls, a bicycle, roller skates, ice skates, a skateboard and a sled. All perfectly normal and age appropriate gifts! Stop being so damn hysterical! Ugh! I told him that putting the troll items was a bad idea," said Ruth, holding up another copy of the list.
"Those are still a far cry from what I’m comfortable getting Mikaela. Fine! I’ll get her a damn bicycle, but that’s the furthest I go," snarled Annette, snatching the new copy the list that Ruth gave her.
"You know, you could have easily been the high-society girl on Ivan’s arm instead of fighting him every damn step of the way," pointed out Ruth.
"Yeah, you and those floozies in Sirius Software might find it appealing to hang on a guy’s arm like a trophy. I don’t," snapped Annette, turning to leave.
