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item. This gave him instant ownership of the car and another legal tax deduction in addition to his first mortgage on the house. He sat down to his bachelor breakfast of toast and coffee, thinking about Sara and the predicament she was in.
    The Porsche was in the garage waiting for him. He put the papers on the front seat and gunned the engine for the lasttime. Slowly he began the drive to the sports car dealership where he knew Hank Sanders would be waiting for him. This was a sad day for him and a doleful way to start the week. Pulling into the dealership, he saw Hank was waiting for him.
    â€œRight on time, Rick,” he said. “Got your papers ready?”
    â€œYes, they’re right here, and I still think the car is worth more than your offer,” he said climbing out of the driver’s seat.
    Hank ignored the remark and showed Rick to the office door.
    â€œGo on in. I’ll be with you in a minute. There’s fresh coffee brewing so help yourself.”
    â€˜How generous of you,’ Rick thought facetiously. ‘I’ve had enough coffee this morning to float a battleship.’
    Hank came in and sat opposite Rick and the deal was concluded. The check would be cut that afternoon, ready for Rick to pick up at his convenience. He called Stan and told him he would be a few minutes late and arranged for a ride back to his place to pick up his Lincoln.
    Clouds were gathering again and the rain started to fall lightly at first then it increased to a heavy torrent. ‘Just like a monsoon,’ Rick thought. He hated the rain but rejoiced at the thought of the snow in the Sierras and skiing in the Lake Tahoe area. Arriving at the office he went straight to his desk and sat down without saying a word.
    â€œAren’t we the cheerful one this morning?” Pat James said as Rick slumped into his chair. “I know the weather is not to your liking, but try to say
good morning
or something.”
    Rick looked up and stared at Pat. He mustn’t let a little thing like this get him down. After all, it was only a piece of high tech metal.
    â€œGood morning all,” he said addressing the office. “What’son the agenda today, Pat? Something good, I hope. I know about the two couples who are flying up from Los Angeles tonight. Better schedule them for a look around the general area tomorrow. Let Stan and me know who has which couple. What else do we have for today?”
    â€œThere’s your weekly status meeting with Stan and yours truly in about twenty minutes. Can’t wait for that piece of excitement. Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Pat said with a smile. “Who’s office, yours or Stan’s?”
    â€œBetter make it mine. It’s messy and makes me feel at home.”
    â€œIt’s about time you settled down and got married. You need a normal life and someone to look after you. Decent meals and regular hours wouldn’t do you any harm.”
    Rick smiled. She treated him like a child, but at least somebody cared for him.
    â€œDon’t worry, Mom, I’ll survive. What have you got on for today?”
    â€œSome paperwork for Stan and pay some of the office bills. It should keep me busy for a while. What about donuts for the meeting? I’ll just go out and get some,” she said and left without waiting for his answer.
    Rick wasn’t looking forward to the meeting. He was going to lay the cards on the table and discuss their financial position. The thought of it brought a lump to his throat. The poor economy had really hit hard on the business and the thought of breaking up the team disheartened him. He had to find a gentle way of approaching the subject. This was not the time of year that people wanted bad news. There were a few prospects. They had just completed a closing and Pat would complete two more today. Maybe they could last a little longer until the season picked up in the next fewmonths.
    â€œOkay, let’s get