Page 17 of After Midnight

I shook my head. “Not a single trip. She calls the cruises her getaway trips, meaning she gets away from us three brats. Not that I’m complaining. Our happiest times as a family are when Margarette is gone for weeks on end.”

“Well, that vixen,” he said. “That might be a problem for her. The courts don’t look kindly on someone who intentionally defrauds a minor’s trust. I will have to report this, as it’s a potential felony.”

“No, I don’t want anyone to go after her. As much as I loathe Margarette, I don’t believe her to be a criminal, not intentionally. I also don’t want to jeopardize my sisters’ wellbeing while they’re still under her guardianship,” I said. “But I do want to ensure she can’t take anything away from me, and that the girls are provided for through my trust in the event something happens to me.”

“Yes, that’s easy to do,” he said. “We can set it up to work the same for them as it did for you.”

“But, Mr. Langdon, it must be contingent that Margarette has no access to it. In fact, in the event something happens to me, I want Miss Rita to be trustee until the girls come of age. Only Miss Rita. Can you do that?”

He nodded. “It’s tricky, since Margarette is their legal guardian. But you can make the stipend contingent on Miss Rita continuing to work in the capacity of caregiver and that she controls where and how the money is spent.”

“That’s perfect,” I said, silently questioning if I was overlooking anything.

“You know, it’s unlikely these contingencies will ever be needed,” he said. “You’re a young man, Dominic, and a hell of a one at that, from everything I’ve heard today.”

“Thank you, sir. I appreciate that, and I know the likelihood seems slim,” I replied. “But my dads were young when they passed, as were the girls’ parents. Life is too unpredictable to leave this to chance. I need to do whatever I can to help my sisters after I’m gone, be it through financial security or by ensuring Miss Rita remains a positive influence in their lives.”

He nodded and said he’d send the new documentation over email for me to sign electronically.

Meanwhile, I signed an entire ream of paperwork that officially gave me sole control over my trust. I agreed the monthly stipend that’d gone to Margarette would start going into my checking account instead of hers.

“I do have another question. Now that I have control of the trust, is Miss Rita officiallymyemployee? And if I want to kick Margarette out, can I?”

He chuckled. “Not as easy as that. The house itself is legally yours to do with as you please, but Miss Rita is officially employed by Margarette. Yes, she works as a housekeeper of sorts, but her primary duties are as a caregiver. That said, since your stepmother will no longer receive stipends from your trust, she likely won’t be able to afford Miss Rita’s salary anyway. So, you could hire her as the girls’ nanny yourself, provided Margarette approves.”

He must’ve noticed my look of confusion because his tone grew more serious. “There’s a crucial factor you seem to be overlooking here. Although you are no longer under your stepmother’s thumb, Margarette remains the girls’ sole guardian. She has the same legal authority over them as a birth parent would. If you make her angry, or throw her out of the house, she could leave with the girls and prevent you from seeing them again until they reach adulthood. I’m not saying you can’t take her to court if she does, but custody battles are funny things. You never know which way they’ll go.”

I nodded, thinking about how to possibly manage that. “Margarette is greedy, that’s no secret. She hasn’t had to lift a finger for years because the trusts have kept her financially secure. What was her monthly stipend? The combined amount from both trusts she was given to care for us?”

The attorney smiled knowingly, then barked out a laugh upon reviewing the documentation. “She reported only using a hundred dollars per week for her personal expenses. You all seemed well provided for, so we never questioned it. Based on what you’ve said, though, I’m guessing the reality is about four times that amount.”

I nodded again. “If not more, but thank you. That’s all I needed to know. I’m sure that’ll be enough to keep Margarette at arm’s length. Besides, since she’s such an amazing stepmother to us brats, I’m thinking I’ll send her on that cruise this year after all.”

Mr. Langdon shook my hand escorted me out of the building, telling me he was here for me if I needed anything and assured we’d get the trust updates regarding the girls sorted out asap.

As I drove back to the university in my car that’d already been on its last legs when I bought it two years ago, an idea I’d never considered before hit me. When class ended, instead of rushing home, I made a detour to the car dealership where my buddy and classmate Wayne worked.

My hand shook a little upon being handed the keys to my brand new car just two short hours later. Aside from genuinely needing a reliable vehicle, the first new thing I’d ever bought for myself would also serve as a powerful message to my stepmother that I wasn’t her underling to be stomped on any longer.

Chapter six

Dillon

After a memorable first date, I spent that night dreaming about Dominic. Well, to be more precise, him and his meddling little sisters. We were on the set ofThe Princess Bride, and every time I tried to kiss the man, the giggling girls would pop up and drive us apart. Needless to say, I woke up frustrated and a little less fond of Olivia and Alli than when I’d closed my eyes. Although, even I had to admit, they still seemed like pretty sweet kids.

When I stumbled into the kitchen, Papa K was just about to scoop eggs onto a plate. I went over and gave him my typical good morning hug, then collapsed into a chair at the kitchen table. “I need lots and lots of coffee,” I said with a sigh.

He cocked an eyebrow at me and reached for the coffee pot. “Long night?”

I shrugged as he handed me a piping hot cup and I took a grateful sip. “Long, yes, but not in a good way. I met this handsome guy at the comedy club and managed to go home with him, only to have the evening completely controlled by two young girls.” It felt good to get my frustration out in the open.

Dad heard most of my wining as he entered the kitchen, and I got chuckles in stereo as both my fathers laughed at me.

“That wasn’t so bad, actually. Honestly, I was having a great time, right up until they cockblocked me and their brother from sharing a good night kiss. The worst part came after I got home, though. Those kids haunted my dreams all night long, popping up to giggle every time I tried to seal the deal him.”

“Sounds like you might actually like this one.”

“What?” I asked, offended that was their big takeaway from the story. “I’ve liked other guys, but there aren’t many of them with evil stepsisters lurking around every corner.”

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