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Donald and Shelly Sterling seen lounging at Balboa Bay Club

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The sun was shining as Donald Sterling reclined in a white beach chair. He sat on the members-only sand of the Balboa Bay Club, a signature blue-and-white striped club towel spread across the lounge beneath his bare back.

The 80-year-old billionaire looked through his sunglasses toward the calm harbor waters, where yachts often sail past and club members’ children love to slip down a water slide. He seemed relaxed at the Newport Beach locale, long known as a private refuge for wealthy locals, some 50 miles south of his Beverly Hills home.

The much-criticized businessman smiled.

It was a tranquil scene following a turbulent summer. A recording of Sterling making racist remarks had prompted a legal battle with his estranged wife, Shelly. He had declared their intent to divorce, while she had proceeded to complete the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers, the NBA team he had owned for decades.

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After weeks in the spotlight, Sterling seemed far from the conflict while relaxing at the timeless club. And yet, there was Shelly sitting next to him on her own lounge chair beneath a blue umbrella.

The woman whom Sterling had attacked with insults in open court and accused of selling the team from under him now seemed to be his sun-tanning companion. If they chose, the two could dine together without leaving the property, sip the club’s famous mai tais or rent an electric boat and cruise the harbor.

No matter that she had argued that he suffered from dementia. Who cares if he called her a pig in a courtroom?

On the weekend of Aug. 23, 10 days after their 59th wedding anniversary, the duo donned swimsuits, Sterling took a phone call on the beach and his wife held some reading material in her hand.

Balboa Bay Club member Ryan Cook, who began his sports career working in business development for the Clippers, saw the couple and went to say hello. They seemed to be happily enjoying a short vacation together, he said.

“It seemed like nothing had ever happened,” Cook added.

The topic of basketball didn’t come up.

Just a handful of days remained before Sterling could no longer appeal to the state Supreme Court for a reversal of the sale. The deadline would pass without action, and the news media would declare him out of options for getting the team back.

It would appear Sterling was the loser, receiving his punishment for his remarks. Still, at least that weekend, his supposed enemy and business partner remained by his side.

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