getting to keep a little over three quarters of the fee I'd gotten – about eighteen million dollars. I promptly had the accountant set up a trust that would deposit about thirty thousand a year into the Emergency Fund at the FBI office where Lucy and I had gone; when Clara heard about it, she actually called us, and cried as she told us over and over again how much they appreciated it.
The trial finally ended with the whole TechnoDynamics bunch going to prison for a long, long time; a few months later, Amy got married to Tom Gallery. When Muddy heard about the planned nuptials, he politely informed them that HE was doing the catering – for free, since they'd both helped protect me and the girls. They tried to argue it with him, but didn't do any better at it than I ever did.
When Lucy and I set the date, her ex-husband agreed that since their boys didn't care to visit Lucy, and Robyn didn't like to visit them, that it was best if the visits were allowed to stop.
Robyn was the ring bearer, and Sandra the flower girl. Muddy catered, and did double duty as my best man. Jules showed up, too – with Mark.
Jules told me how well Mark was doing: straight 'A' grades. He also told me that he'd found out that Mark had gone to thank the couple that sold me the car, and found the husband trying to build a deck – after hurting himself on the project the weekend before. Mark had talked the man into sitting in a lawn chair, and finished the job himself. When the couple tried to pay him, he'd simply refused, thanked them again for their help, and left. Mark told me that he was having supper a couple times a week with the older couple he was renting the apartment from; they seemed to enjoy the company, and it reassured them that he was there if they needed any help. With pride, he offered me his last bank statements – he'd opened checking and savings accounts, and both showed that he was being extremely responsible with his money.
Tom and Amy managed to make it to the wedding, too – bringing along a congratulatory card signed by every agent assigned to their office, and a gift that all the protective detail had chipped in for.
Even old Benny Falcone sent us a wedding present – hand delivered by Charlie, who told me he was getting out of the 'business'. I congratulated him, and he looked considerably relieved when I shook his hand.
Lucy and I honeymooned on a trip on the Caribbean; Robyn stayed with Sandra without complaint, telling us that she just wanted us to be happy, and have some
When we got back, we moved our things into the house we'd found while waiting for the trial. Four bedrooms on a large lot, it also had a separate guest house that I could turn into an office. It's also a *lot* closer to where Lucy used to live, so Sandra has been able to come over pretty much any time she wants – something that makes Robyn happy as can be. Robyn and Sandra both have steady boyfriends, but they still spend a pretty fair amount of time together, too.
Lucy wanted, and got, a cat that soon earned the name 'Wacko'. She (neutered) would be walking across the floor, and suddenly jump into the air and twist around, as though something had just attacked her.
The nearest thing to her might be some furniture, a good six feet away. She's an affectionate little beast, though, and considers any horizontal human anatomy to be a sleeping place.
We also got a dog – a neutered female black Labrador – that we named 'Sunshine' as a contrary to her coloring and a compliment to her personality. She and Wacko got along surprisingly well.
Amy and Tom have stayed with us a few times. Tom was pretty hesitant at first, even after Amy showed him the photos we'd taken that last morning; but when none of the rest of us displayed any concern about nudity or any of the rest of it, he gradually learned to relax.
Whenever the girls get into each other, he and I just sit out by the pool and drink beer.
Amy finally got her record back – after an additional seventeen tries. She's also informed me that if I get anywhere NEAR their range, she'll shoot me herself. I'm*pretty* sure she's only joking.
Tom says he wouldn't bet on it, either way.
Lucy's still working at the same company; she'd been promoted a couple more times, and her name is mentioned whenever brings up the subject of the next executive board opening.
I'm still free-lancing computer work, more to give myself something to do than anything else. Lucy bought me a nice camera system, telling me that the photos I took of them all in bed were really good. I've been messing around with it, and Lucy says she'd like to take some time off so the two of us could travel around the country while I took photos – she thinks they'd make a good coffee table book.
We'll see.
