Page 38 of Scoring Chance
Fifteen
“My advice to you, Dean, is to have fun while you’re young,” Gavin advised to him. He took his sons out fishing while their mother had some alone time at home. “Don’t settle just because you think you like some girl. She might be great today and a few months later, you’ll wonder why you even bothered with her.”
17-year-old Dean listened intently as he waited for fish to take his bait. “How old you were you when you met Mom?”
“I was your age,” Gavin chuckled, “I saw her and knew, that was it. I had to have her.”
“But you dated for a while before she said yes?” Dean’s older brother, Chris, chimed in, “it wasn’t overnight.”
“Nah, it wasn’t and it worked out. We dated for five years before we got married. Had you, Chris, within the first two years, and Dean a short time later. But we had fun. We didn’t rush into anything. She supported my dreams and I supported hers. She wanted to teach and I paid for her schooling so she could. When she had you two, I took time off from work to help her out. There aren’t any gender roles with us.”
“Gender roles?” Dean asked. “What does that mean?”
“I didn’t have any expectation on what she should be doing because she’s a woman. She had no expectations on what I should be doing because I’m a man. We evened it out. Sometimes she covered for me in terms of finances and sometimes I covered for her. That’s what love is. It’s not about who’s going to pay for the date this time. It’s never 50-50, despite what everyone else loves to tell you. It’s about loving someone so much, you won’t mind helping them out because you honestly expect nothing in return.” Gavin replied. “If you love someone so much, you won’t keep track of what you did for them or what they’ve done for you. All of that is irrelevant.”
“That means it’s not important,” Chris advised to his younger brother.
“I know what irrelevant means, Chris,” Dean snapped back, “it means what you’ll be in a few years.”
“Anyway,” Gavin chuckled, “choose one, choose wisely. A woman will only allow you to mess up so many times before she gives up on you completely. Don’t ever give her a reason to.”
“Earth to Dean?” Dean’s lawyer, Samuel, snapped his fingers in front of his client. “Are you okay?”
Dean shook his head to relieve the memory and focused more on what was in front of him. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“Here are the terms of the prenuptial agreement,” Samuel slid the document over to Dean. “Look them over carefully and see if it’s favorable to you. Sydney’s lawyer had some suggestions of her own and I thought they were rather fair considering Sydney’s current income and any future earnings.”
Dean quickly skimmed over the prenup and nodded in agreement. “What about child-rearing?”
“She’ll be well-compensated. She’ll also receive a bonus for every year you’re married.” Samuel advised. “She’ll receive that bonus at the dissolution of marriage.”
Dean closely read the document. Should Sydney die, the bonus would be set up in a trust fund for any children they have, adopted or conceived. If no children were born, the money will be established in an art foundation for underprivileged and at-risk children and teens. Dean was a bit irritated at the wording of it all – it had Ian written all over it – but he couldn’t be mad. Ian actually had Dean’s best interest in mind.
In return, all the money and endorsements Dean made prior to their marriage would be his and the same would be for Sydney.
“If everything is okay, all you need to do is sign and I’ll fax this over to Sydney’s lawyer right now,” Samuel suggested.
“Before I sign, there’s something I need to talk to you about,” Dean slid the document to the side. “There are photographs of me that might be released soon.”
“Photographs of you doing what?” Samuel’s eyes narrowed and his voice was flat.
“Being intimate with someone else,” Dean responded, “I need to know my legal rights.”
“Intimate in what way?” Samuel asked. “Sexual acts?”
“Yes,” Dean replied, with a stain of regret.
“Does the other party have the photos?” Samuel asked and Dean nodded. “Have you seen the photos?”
“It’s clear it’s me,” Dean responded, “can she legally do that?”
“Without your permission, she can’t and she can get sued.” Samuel replied. “However, she can claim the pictures were stolen or someone else took them and unless we can prove she’s lying, I have to say you’re royally screwed, kid.”
Dean let out a heavy sigh. There was no doubt, those pictures would be the finally nail in the coffin with Sydney and Dean was holding the hammer. “Okay.”
Samuel read Dean’s face. He looked like a man who was in heavy remorse but more afraid of the future. “Sydney doesn’t know about the pictures?”
“No, she doesn’t.”
