Baby Love (Baby #2)(103)

"Really?" I asked.

"Sweetheart you do know that you father is a millionaire several times over right?"

"Do federal judges make all that?" I asked surprised.

"They make a nice living baby but your father's wealth also comes from the estate of his deceased wife. She came from a very prominent family. She was an only child so when her parents died, she inherited big time."

Something bothered me about all this. I had believed that my father had fallen in love with my mother. I also felt that the fact he had told her that he could not get out of his impending marriage pointed toward something else. I recalled her diary entry where a month or so before I was born he was appointed as a federal judge. I needed to understand the politics of this.

"Trey, can I ask you something?"

"Baby you don't need to ask me if you can ask me something. We're husband and wife so there are no secrets. Ask away."

"Well this is nothing personal about us. I just need to know something about how things work with appointments to federal judgeships, Supreme Court appointments that sort of thing?"

"I'll tell you what I know; the rest will be strictly my opinion on the matter."

"Did the fact that my father was engaged to a woman who came from an extremely wealthy family as you just indicated have helped him attain that appointment to the federal bench?"

"Honey it's a little more complicated than that. Federal Judges are appointed by the President as openings occur. Unlike Supreme Court justices they don't require approval by both parties. They are appointed for life. I guess my short answer is that it is possible if your father's wife's family had a lot of political clout that might have served your father well in getting that appointment. It doesn't mean that there were any payoffs or bribes. I would doubt that very much. His district isn't one that would have key legislation crossing it."

"I am looking forward to this trip to Baton Rouge Trey."

I needed to see how my father rolled.

Trey got on the phone making arrangements for next week. Gina was due to move in this coming weekend and I needed to be here to help her get settled and referee any arguments that might ensue between her and Trey.

It was if Gina was psychic. My Blackberry chimed right then and the caller i.d. showed it was her.

"Hey Girlfriend," I said when I answered.

"Tylar, I am so pissed!" she yelled into the phone.

"What's wrong?" I asked wondering what the hell was up.

"Tristan and I just had our first fight and it was a f*cking doozy!"

"Is he down here?" I asked.

"Of course not," she snapped.

"We had a f*cking argument on the phone. He is not 'allowing' me - did you catch the operative word there 'allowing'?"

"Yes," I replied rolling my eyes, "Please finish."

"He is not permitting me to rename my club 'The Shady Lady' just like I had planned for months!"

"Well did he give you a reason Gina?"

"Yeah. He said it wasn't f*cking conducive to the type of atmosphere he was trying to portray with adding the dinner menu during the weeknights. I suppose he doesn't think it's classy enough."

"Well can't you two talk it out and come to some type of a compromise?"

"Compromise? Compromise? He is so freaking bull-headed Ty! He might have some of that Hot Nazi shit running through his bloodline as well!"

"Gina," I said with a hint of exasperation in my voice, "How did you leave it between you two?"

"He said that we would discuss it when he's back next week. Then - and listen to this girlfriend - he says 'end of conversation Gina'."

I got a smile on my face recognizing one of Trey's signature responses to me.

"I mean do you f*cking believe that Ty? Him telling me it's the end of the conversation? Oh hell no!"

"Gina I am sure that everything will work out fine and that you and Tristan will reach some sort of a compromise when he is back here and you two are - - "

"Are what Ty?"

"Having a f*ckfest," I said, barely getting the words out before I broke into laughter.

"Hmmph," she said haughtily.

"It will be a cold day in hell before he gets inside my knickers again!"

"Gina - take a bath and relax. It will be fine I promise you. Look I've got to go and get Preston ready for bed. I will talk to you tomorrow and let you know what’s been going on with me today. There have been all kinds of surprises."

"Ok - call me," she ordered before hanging up.



CHAPTER 40



I helped Gina get settled in to our apartment on Saturday. Tristan had ended up flying in to help her move though Gina said that nothing had changed between them. She was still in stand-off mode with him about changing the club's name.

Tristan had definitely extended the olive branch to Gina by offering to pay for professional movers.

Gina had pooh-poohed his offer by saying that she had too much pride to accept his "f*cking charity." She had rented a truck fully expecting that she and I could haul her stuff out of the condo and into the truck.

Trey had put his foot down on that idea.

(Thank God!).