Consequences - Bridget

One of the Consequences series. Bridget never thinks of what could happen until it's too late.

Edited by LadyCibelle

Tyson Sommers signed the last of the documents Jason gave him. They were necessary if Jason was to handle this particular portfolio. That portfolio was one of the biggest Ty was responsible for. It involved the holdings of Wilson Graves, a billionaire investor and entrepreneur. Wilson-Call me Willy-Graves loved nothing better than using his money to leverage other companies in a hostile takeover, buying up their stock and gaining control. Once he did, it was divest, divest, divest. In so doing, he would increase the value of his own investment and carry some other trusting souls along for the ride. Damn those who got hurt as long as Willy made his money. As his lawyer and legal advisor, Ty had managed to keep Wilson honest and out of trouble with the SEC and other federal regulators who kept an eye out for people like Graves, all the while allowing him to make even more money. And the more money Willy made, the more rolled into the coffers of Sommers, Reinhardt and Haines, Inc.

Jason also had made inroads into the portfolios of his other clients and within the two weeks that were left, he should have full control in his grasp. That would complete the three months that it had already taken to transfer all of Ty's clients. Other than his own special clients only Jason, Stacie Reinhardt and Clayton Haines knew that Ty was retiring. Ty told himself once again that it was time: time to let it all go and spend some time for himself. After all, he was one of the founding fathers of this firm and he, along with Stacie and Clay had built it from a small storefront law firm to one of the biggest and most influential in the city of Columbus, Ohio It had taken most of his time and, over the course of their twenty-year marriage, a toll on their personal lives; his and that of Bridget, his wife.

He and Bridget had been married twenty years last month and they had two children; nineteen year-old Jake and eighteen-year old Tessa, both now in college and doing well. During those years, Bridget was a good mother and wife and Ty had done all he could to make sure they had all he could give them. Their home was large and beautiful; the kids were in the most expensive schools and had all they needed to live accordingly; Bridget was still beautiful and stayed that way with the help of her spa and health club. She drove her Volvo convertible and loved the way her long blond hair streamed out in the wind and she played the radio as loud as any teenager.

Over the last year or two, the only thing Ty found wrong with their lives was that Bridget was no longer interested in making love. Ty's sex drive was low but still active and he was frustrated by Bridget's disinterest. He talked to her about it but all she said was that she was in that time when her libido was low and she would talk to her doctor about it when she had her next checkup. That had been almost a year ago and she had not mentioned it since. Their love life hadn't improved during that time and, if the truth were to be told, it had gone even more downhill. Ty had given up asking and now, let it go without further comment.

The other thing that bothered him were her trips back to her hometown of Mansfield, Ohio. She told him that it was because of her mother's declining health and that her sister, Bianca, needed help taking care of her. Both still lived in Mansfield and Bianca was divorced and alone. Bridget stayed with her when she went. She said that the least she could do was take over for Bianca from time to time and let her enjoy some free time. These trips had begun six months ago and now occurred every other week. Bridget would leave on Thursday morning and come home late Sunday night. She always called every evening at nine when she was gone and made sure her cell was on at all times but it meant three or four days every other week that Ty spent alone. He hated being alone now.

She left this morning on her latest trip which meant another evening alone. He was more disappointed in that then he let on after he had disclosed to Bridget that he was working on a big surprise for her and that it would be ready in just a couple of weeks. He even tried to rile her up when he told her that Stacey was helping him with it and she was almost done. Ty hoped that her curiosity, or even her jealousy over Stacey, would make her stay and try to find out what the secret was, but she didn't do more than a cursory question or two before she began packing for her trip. Ty wasn't surprised by her lack of curiosity now and let it go and just left her to her packing. They said their usual goodbyes and he left shortly after for work, knowing that she would be gone within the hour.

Much later that same day, Ty closed up his office, stopped to talk with Rachael, his secretary, and walked down the carpeted hall to Stacey's office to talk to her before heading home. He knocked once and pushed the door open, a habit he had with all the partners. They were used to his popping in at odd times unannounced.

"Hey, Stace! Ready to call it quits for the day? I'll buy if you want to grab a cold one. I'm in no hurry to get home to an empty house."

"Hi, Ty. I'd love to, but Roger's waiting for me tonight. We're going to a school play. Rog, Jr. is the lead in Pirates of Doom. Sounds terrible to me, but Rog says it's 'cool!'"

"OK, kid, it's your loss." But his smile belied the comment. "No, I don't blame you. I remember my kids and their plays. Bad as they were, they're still your kids and they can't be bad. We're prejudiced, but we're allowed. We don't know any better: we're parents!"

Stacey laughed and nodded. She was still a pretty woman at forty-six and she was happily married for the second time. This one had lasted for the past ten years. Ty knew her husband, Roger, and liked him.

"How are you coming on my project? Got everything you need? I can have Jason give you a hand if you need it."

She looked up and shook her head. "Everything's on track and on time. Should be no problem at all. Just give me the word and I'll take it from there. No need for Jason; he'll have his hands full with what you gave him, but as you promised, he's a real good worker and he's going to be an asset with you gone. You know, Ty, I really wish I could talk you out of this. Especially the retirement part.

"You know we're going to miss you around here. You were the main force behind our success. I just held onto your coattails in the early days and enjoyed the ride. I'm going to miss you the most. Are you sure you won't change your mind about retiring?"

"Not a chance, and don't sell yourself short, Stacey. You pulled your own weight then and still do. You and Clay will do just fine. And we have one hell of a crop of youngsters now. They really impress me with their willingness to dig in and work hard. Jason, and maybe that Alice Chambers could be offered a partnership within a year or two."

"Could be. I like both of them a lot and it's clear you completely trust Jason. Well, I'll see you tomorrow and I'll be at the party in two weeks. Rog wants to come as well."

"Bring him, by all means. OK, then, goodnight."

Ty drove to his estate home in the suburbs of Columbus. The house was on a five-acre lot and enclosed just over five thousand square feet. It boasted a hot tub that overflowed into a pool, a cabana, two tennis courts, and a large garden filled with flowers and flowering shrubs that had color all summer and into the fall. Bridget had let the cook and maid go when the kids left and now the place was empty most of the time. He had mentioned that it was really too big for the two of them and Bridget said that she agreed. She hadn't committed to it, but said she knew it was time to think about moving into something smaller. Maybe they should give the kids a couple of more years, she said.

Ty drove into the four-car garage and went inside to the kitchen where he popped a frozen dinner into the microwave while he went up to change into scruffs for the evening.

As he came back down the steps he heard the phone ring. It was the landline and hopefully that meant it was about one of his ads. It was way too early for Bridget to call. He answered it and was pleased to find that it was about his boat. A thirty-two foot powered sailboat that was moored at Lake Erie during the summer and fall. He stored it during the winter at a facility on the lake.

After a fruitful discussion with one of the people who had taken it out for a run with the marina owner who was covering it for Ty, the deal was struck and an agreement was made to send a cashier's check for the agreed upon price to a post office box number Ty provided. Once the check was received, the title to the boat would be available at the marina. The title had been reviewed by the purchaser when he took the boat out for a trial run. All was in place. Bridget would be pleased since she had never liked the thing. She hadn't been out with Ty in years.

Now that the boat was sold, and his Jaguar and Audi had been promised to the successful high bidders, there was little left to worry about. By this time two weeks from today, everything would be in place and his retirement could officially begin. The house may take some time to sell, but he and Bridget would be out of the house by then so the realtor could show it without worry. The new, smaller bungalow was now his and he had already moved some of the furniture into it. Whatever extra furniture was needed could be purchased at any time.

Ty ate the frozen dinner without tasting it and decided to just lay back and zone out on mindless TV and some snacks. He took a bottle of cold Miller Lite into the entertainment room and decided to watch a little porn. He had all the channels now that the kids were gone and he went to the adult channel and found some tale about a hotel where everyone there was only there to have sex with whomever they could find. For the women, that wasn't a problem. They all had DD tits and perfect asses. The guys were all six foot five, built like Arnold Schwarzenegger and hung like horses so they didn't have any trouble either. As the movie progressed, Ty began to wonder why they all did the same things in the same way, looking into the camera as they moved. No imagination, just titillation. He couldn't get worked up enough to take matters into his own hand.

At nine, Bridget called. Ty answered. "Hi, Bridget. Any problem getting there?"

"No trouble at all, honey. Easy trip. Mom's doing a little better but Bianca is stressed. I may stay an extra day if it's OK with you."

That comment did cause Ty's stomach to clinch, but he put the discomfort down and replied in a calm voice.

"Sure, whatever you think is best. I'll just stay at work a little longer since it's lonely here without you. But what about Monday? Do you need anything or do you have enough? Seems you don't take much with you."

"Oh, honey, that's because I have a lot of things here that I've left behind when I leave. I'll be just fine, so don't you worry. And by the way, how's that surprise coming? I can't wait to find out what it is."

"I didn't think you even cared. You weren't very interested this morning before I left for work. But since you asked, it's right on schedule. Stacey is almost done with her part and the rest is already in place. You'll really be surprised."

"I can't wait. OK, honey, I'll call you tomorrow night. Be good."

"You too. Just remember that I love you."

"Goodnight, honey."

Ty once again remarked to himself how anxious she seemed to be to get the calls over with and hang up. And she didn't return his 'I love you' with anything other than goodnight. Well, maybe she was busy with her mother. That thought made him smile: her mother was a real piece of work. She never cared for him and she didn't make a secret of it either. But then that was no problem since Ty didn't like her either. Her or her sister, Bianca; divorced by her husband for cheating. That whole family was dysfunctional at best.

So, the rest of my weekend alone continues,Ty thought to himself. To occupy himself, he called the kids, talked with them for an hour or more, reminding them of his summons for them to come down in two weeks, and then just let himself go. He fell asleep on the couch and woke during the middle of the night with a stiff neck. He went to bed and slept without dreams. That was unusual but Ty welcomed it. Lately his dreams had not been pleasant.

The next two weeks passed as normal, with Ty working to finish all his cases and make sure Jason was up to speed on all of them. He spent most of that second week calling his clients and letting them know of his pending retirement. They were for the most part happy for him and willing to work with Jason. A few wanted assurances from either Stacey or Clayton and he made sure they were contacted right away. Things were all in place by that final Thursday when Bridget left for Mansfield.

Ty had managed to keep his pending retirement secret from Bridget as planned. She rarely asked about his work anymore so it was not much of a problem. In addition, she had forgotten about the surprise and Ty didn't bring it up again before she left. He would mention it Sunday morning when she called to tell him she was about to leave, especially if she decided to stay an extra day again. Either way, Ty was prepared.

Friday was Ty's final day and it was a flurry of activity. He and Rachael worked together cleaning house and transferring the paper files to Jason. A few more phone calls and then he told Rachael to transfer all his new calls to Jason. As part of his plan, he had given Jason his own secretary and Rachael had worked with her.

The last thing he did that morning at work was to tell Stacey to put things into motion and she said she was ready. She left for the courthouse later that morning but promised to be back in time for the retirement party they were giving at the Radisson Hotel. Everyone knew that Bridget couldn't be there but that didn't postpone the proceedings. It promised to be a blast.

Ty left right after lunch to see about a number of things that had to happen and by three that afternoon, all was in place. The final papers had been signed on the house and the movers were already on their way. They promised to finish by late Saturday afternoon. As soon as the movers finished, the people he hired to clean the place top to bottom would be there and they had orders to be finished by that evening. They were promised a bonus if they finished on time. The realtors would have the For Sale sign planted in the front yard by late tomorrow and they told him that they already had a listing of people who wanted to see the property beginning the following Monday. To their delight, he had priced it to sell.

The last thing Ty needed to do was to make sure all of the financial arrangements were in place. Bridget and he had two separate accounts besides the joint ones and they each had their own credit card. It was at his insistence that they carried only one card each since Ty was not in favor of running a credit balance with anyone. She was very good about it and had never been frivolous with money. She managed their accounts with great skill, and other than Ty's private business accounts, managed by a firm hired by his company, she knew of all of their finances. She was not privy to Ty's accounts at the firm but she had never bothered to ask him about it and had forgotten it over the years.

Now that he was retiring, he closed all open accounts that carried both their names and rolled the retirement account over to a new brokerage. Ty intended on handling all of their joint affairs in cash for the near future, or at least until they had settled on everything. Since the new home would be located outside the states, the accounts would also be out of the US. There was no reason to maintain stateside bank accounts since he had no intention of coming back anytime soon. He had already opened an on-line account with an international bank that had outlets in Europe and South America. Ty was sure Bridget would have no trouble making the switch. She was very intelligent about money matters.

Finally, he made sure the tickets were in hand and the destination was confirmed. Ty thought about the two of them spending the next several months in a beautiful resort in Costa Rica. Sun, sand, swimming, sailing, horseback riding, you name it: they had it all. Ty had made one trip down to the resort by himself to convince him that the brochure was real and then told Rachael to book the trip and make the reservations. He wanted everything confirmed by the time he retired.

It might be worth noting that Tyson was very well-to-do and had amassed a great deal of money over the years. He took a lot of high-profile cases with rich clients and charged accordingly. Since he was very good at what he did, his clients recognized his value and retained him with sizable retainers. He had invested his earnings in high risk accounts and had done very well over the years. As a lawyer, Ty knew the law and had moved most of his money legally into offshore accounts with no agreements with the US. They were still intact. Again, Bridget knew nothing of those accounts and this was part of the surprise. If she had, she would be amazed at what they were worth. Of course, that money was outside the states and not subject to U.S. tax laws or the U.S. courts.

As the day ended, Ty drove to the Radisson and his retirement party. Bridget knew nothing of his retirement and thus this party since he had everyone in the firm promise to keep it quiet. She had been after him to consider retirement but had let it drop during that past year. His retirement should please her however, since she always complained about the time he spent at his job. He told all of them that it was to be a surprise to Bridget and that his plans were to announce everything to her Sunday night when she came home. Ty was sure she would be home Sunday because he intended to begin the surprise that morning when she called. This was his plan and so far, everything had gone perfectly.

The party was a lot of fun. Ty danced with all the women and talked to all the men and they shared war stories of their most interesting cases. Jason was there and he spent most of his time around Ty to be sure nothing of importance escaped his notice. Tyson really liked this kid. He was going to be a real asset to the firm. Stacey and Clay were there with their spouses and Ty talked with them for some time. Stacey and Jason were the only ones that knew all of his plans and they was sworn to secrecy as his attorneys of record. He knew she was secretly pleased at what he was doing but she didn't say it directly. He danced with her and they talked about the final steps.

"Are you sure everything is ready? She'll be home Sunday evening and I want to be sure she's surprised. Promise?"

"It's all ready to go, Ty. Just relax. I have the checks and the amounts clearly documented so she'll be surprised and you'll be satisfied, I'm sure. She's really going to love being surprised this way," she whispered sarcastically.

I laughed. "She sure will. I think it's going to be great. By the way, I got the tickets for the resort and we'll be leaving Sunday night for Costa Rica. It'll be a ball, with nothing to do but enjoy. And I fully intend to enjoy! I'll call you just as soon as I have a permanent number, but in the meantime, my new cell will be active. You and Roger should do something like it yourselves."

"Maybe some day. Right now, I enjoy what I'm doing too much to quit."

"Well, that's up to you. Be sure to tell Clay I'm sorry for not including him in all of our plans."