it.”
“Thanks.”
“Do you need anything else with your breakfast?”
For a moment, I almost told her to sit on my face and let me stick my tongue up her snatch, but thankfully I had some self-control. “No, I think I’m okay…”
“Alright, I’ll be back in about 30 minutes to collect your tray.”
The nurse turned, and I licked my lips as the sight of her smooth legs and the way her hips swayed when she walked out the door. A need was pounding through my body like nothing ever had before.
I really, really needed to get out of that hospital.
Chapter 8
I sat behind a large oval table at the top of an executive tower in downtown Los Angeles. It must have been at least 40 stories high. Sitting beside me was Mom and our family lawyer, Rico Johnson. On the other side of the table was a female attorney, a pretty Asian girl, and the drunk that had hit Mitch a little less than a week earlier.
It turns out that the offender who hit Mitch was the owner of several shopping mall chains all over Southern California and had even been nominated to run for mayor in that year’s election. It was unlikely that he would join the race now that he was going to have a felony charge on his record, but he was desperate to avoid smearing his name any further and avoid ruining his business relations.
We all sat in an uncomfortable silence for 10 minutes or so while we waited for Mitch, but eventually the door to the large conference room swung open, and Dad wheeled my brother in on a wheelchair.
I hadn’t been able to visit him for the last 3 days due to school, so I was amazed at how much better he was looking. Gone were the bandages on his face, but he still had a cast on both an arm and a leg. Across his head were some lacerations and bruising, along with a large red scab on his forehead, but otherwise he looked healthy and alert.
Everyone stood up as Dad pushed Mitch to the table, and I smiled at him when he passed by. He gave me a quick glance, but his face was set in a harsh frown as if he was clearly irritated about something. I don’t blame him; I’d be pissed off two if I had my life shut down by a drunk driver.
We all sat back down in our seats, and the opposing lawyer began to speak first. “Thanks for taking the time to come out today. I represent my client here, Mr. Lawson. Since Mr. Lawson is a pretty recognized figure here in LA, he doesn’t want to get his insurance company involved in the case or have any long, drawn out civil suits. So if you agree, we’d like to put a settlement offer on the table.”
Mom and Dad nodded, and Mitch sat in silence.
“What’s your offer?” Our attorney, Rico asked sternly. Rico had wild, grey hair and reminded me of the scientist from Back to the Future.
“I think it’d be easier if I just write a number down for you to see, and then you can decide if it’s a figure that you can agree to.” The woman pulled a small, square notepad out of her briefcase and quietly jotted a note on the top page before tearing it off and sliding the paper to Rico.
Rico lifted the paper, and a smile inched across his face as he nodded approvingly and then passed the paper to Mom and Dad. Mom took one look at the number and said “Wow,” and Dad’s eyes opened wide as he let out a sigh of relief.
When Dad moved to show the paper to Mitch, I caught a quick glance. $500,000. It was more money than I could imagine and certainly more money than Mom and Dad had ever seen in their lives. Dad made a slightly above average salary in the mines, and Mom worked part time helping to manage a daycare center near our home. It was enough money to take care of our family and pay the rent on our house, but not enough for savings or many extras.
Of course, Mitch didn’t have a job, and this was his legal case. He was the person who had been injured, so never having been employed, $500,000 was about $500,000 more than he had ever earned in his lifetime. There was the occasional lawn mowing gig or
Learning to Kill: Stories