“Okay, Ronnie it is.” Andreas turned on his heel, and Nikko followed him back into the house clapping his hand on his big brother’s shoulder.
Just maybe, Andreas thought, his brother was maturing. He liked that thought. After moving here two years ago from New York, he had been partying a little too hard. But maybe things were changing now that he had settled down in his own place, and now that he was working more. Maybe the responsibility of the job was just what he needed. His brother was twenty-seven now, maybe he had been treating him like the kid brother for too long, he thought, as the door shut behind him and all eyes turned towards him.
“All is good,” he rumbled.
Ronnie let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. The man was a taller, stronger looking, older version of Nikko. Very handsome. But very intimidating too. In fact, these two brothers looked the most alike.
“But, we do have some things to discuss, that we didn’t get around to Louisa, when you called. So, if you don’t mind.” He indicated the sofa next to Ronnie.
Lou made her way towards it and sat at the edge closest to her daughter. She took Ronnie’s hand in hers. Jay, her husband, came around behind her. A former soldier, tatted up, he looked menacing, but everyone knew what a softy at heart he was.
“Yes, go on,” Lou stated, once she was comfortable. She gave Ronnie’s hand a reassuring squeeze for good measure. Perhaps to bolster her own confidence, Ronnie wasn’t sure.
Andreas didn’t sit, but when all was quiet he began. “Okay, so Ana and Monica came up with the twenty-five thousand for the bond. That, of course, is our fee for insuring the bond. We work with a few insurance companies to secure the bond. It was paid, and you will make arrangements, I assume, to pay your friends back because that is forfeited to us. Our fee for arranging the remainder.”
“Yes. I understand. I will do what I can to pay them back.” Lou’s face was grim. Having to borrow this much money from her friends terrified her. She and Jay, newly married, were just starting out, and with what they had going on, what no one else knew yet, not even Jay, well, it would complicate matters even further. But this was her daughter, and she would do whatever it took to get her out of this mess.
“No, Mom. I will,” Ronnie interjected. She witnessed the play of emotions across her mother’s face. She knew this expense could break her. It made her feel even guiltier for ending up in this situation.
“Honey . . .” Lou interrupted trying to assuage her daughter’s fears.
“Mom,” Ronnie started firmly.
Then Ana was speaking. “Monica and I were going to do something for your graduation. We talked about it, and we don’t want either of you to worry about this.” Monica was nodding her agreement.
“No, it’s too much,” Ronnie stated forcibly. Lou was nodding her agreement. “This is more than a graduation present. Hell, who knows if I’ll even be able to graduate now.”
“Hush now, Ronnie. We won’t hear of it. And of course you will graduate. You completed all the course work, passed the exams. The ceremony is only a formality. I didn’t go to mine,” she added when she saw Ronnie wince.
“But,” she started. She hoped that was true. Still, this much for a gift, she just couldn’t accept it. “I . . .”
Andreas interrupted. “Ladies. Why don’t you discuss this later? We don’t want to keep you, and we just have a few other things we would like to clear up.”
The women all stopped talking and looked to him. Ana’s eyes narrowed slightly. Something about this man rubbed her the wrong way, Monica’s new cousin or not.
“Yes, go ahead,” Monica prompted, effectively ending this conversation for now. When the women settled down he began again.
“Okay, so this is how it works. If you go to court, and show up for your case, and do what you are told by your lawyers, no harm no foul. You have your day in court, and hopefully get acquitted.”
“Yes, we understand.” Jay interjected.
“Good. But, there is more . . . If you don’t,” Andreas paused, and his blue eyes, so like his brother’s, and his cousin Victor’s, pierced hers, “your mother loses this house. Do you understand that?”
Ronnie gulped. Her eyes registered panic. Good, he thought. He watched her watching him.
The man held nothing back. His eyes were so much like Nikko’s, but icier, fiercer. She nodded. “Anything else?”
Andreas had to give the girl credit. She was tough. She didn’t waiver, or look away. Most women did. “Normally, we need collateral, in the amount of the remainder. But, since your mom didn’t have it, and Victor’s our cousin, we accepted what she had. With the house, and Jay’s motorcycle . . .”