PART 3: Preparing for Months
My attorney, Delores Simmons, went through our finances and found that Gary had been keeping a secret account, filled with money moved out of our joint funds.
She also uncovered a second mortgage I’d never known about, and an apartment lease with Gary’s name on it next to another woman’s.
Gary hadn’t suddenly decided to leave.
He’d been planning it for months.
The lottery win had only sped things up.
When the legal proceedings ended, the prize was awarded to me, and the divorce settlement resolved the remaining financial matters.
For the first time in my adult life, I had substantial savings under my own control.
The first thing I did was pay off June’s outstanding hospital bills.
Then I helped my children with their mortgages, student loans, and plans for the future.
I donated money to local healthcare programs and started a financial literacy class for older women at the public library.
We named it after my mother.
The Ruby Whitmire Class.
I also paid for a new roof on Mr. Mehta’s gas station.
He tried to turn it down.
“Mrs. Dunn, I only did what I thought was right.”
I smiled.
“For nineteen years, you made sure someone could confirm that my name was on those tickets. You helped me more than you know.”
