Steve and Chuck Changes and Life AdjustmentsChapter 6
- 2 years ago
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Chuck
Oh my, I was really hurting this morning. I don't remember being hit that hard last night, but Jin must have gotten a couple blows through my defenses. I did use most of my body to counter his attack when I took Chin out of the spar. That's probably why I hurt. This isn't normal; this is the sign of old age or something. I was taught better than this and should be able to overcome simple bruises and minor sprains.
As I moved from the bed, Lisa looked at me and smiled. I heard her in my head, «You are my man. Go stretch and exercise, you will feel better.»
I slipped my peg on and went out to the grassy area next to the pool. It took almost a half hour before my body finally began responding to the stretches in order to control the pain. Back inside, I changed my leg to my sports model and used the treadmill in our private exercise room. After running hard for thirty minutes, I did some free weights with a gentle regimen, using lower weights to further stretch my muscles.
As I walked into the kitchen, Aunt Etta met me with a mug of coffee and said, "You're as bad as I am about getting up early. I saw you outside doing that strange dance you do. I can't believe how graceful you are with a peg leg. The exhibition you put on last night at Don's was scary. You could hurt someone, do you know that?"
I hugged Aunt Etta and said, "Don't worry, people who devote their bodies to the arts know the consequences. They know that while sparring, if more than one attacks, someone is almost always injured. I would doubt the brothers will ever attempt to double up on me again. Jin is an excellent student, and I am proud to spar with him. We can teach each other while we practice together."
I looked up at the clock and remarked, "It's already six thirty, how come no one is up yet? I'll bet the babies are ready for breakfast."
Etta smiled and advised me, "I think all of the babies were changed and fed while you were outside. Your new man, Ace, Don and Jan, Wanda, and John, along with Dennis and Marie are already at Steve's. Your ladies are waiting for you."
I walked into the big bedroom and found the women fooling with the babies while waiting for me so we could leave for breakfast. As I undressed I told them, "Give me five minutes for a shower and I'll be ready."
Frieda said, "I can help you with that shower."
"Better not," I declined regretfully, "it will take too long. Let me get going, since I do have things to do this morning."
It did only take me a couple of minutes for a quick shower and shave. I noticed my hair getting long and beginning to lie down. The sides were getting long as well. I would need a clip job soon.
As soon as we arrived at the patio, Giovanni asked if we could go to the hospital to see his girls. I told him we would leave about eight, as I was sure the hospital staff was busy with the new mothers early in the morning.
Lisa nudged me. "Shouldn't you call in to find out who was fooling with us yesterday? If those people were after Giovanni, there will be more to follow. If they are from one of the groups we have had trouble with, we need to know who they are so we can clean house."
I walked outside and called our contact. As soon as we had exchanged password information, he informed me, "The people you took into custody yesterday are from Detroit. They are part of the criminal group that was working with the terrorist cell up there. You killed their counterfeit printing project and cost them their money for transporting people. You should call Nightfox, as the Marshal Service and FBI are cleaning house up there this morning. The men you were able to keep alive have been a wealth of information. They don't have a clue as who Chuck Johnson is and what he looks like, but had information you lived in the trailer park. They were waiting for some information as to exactly where you were before they came into the park."
"Where is this information coming from? I know I don't keep a very low profile, but I don't have a flashing neon sign over my head telling people I capture bad guys."
The contact said, "You mean kill and capture, don't you?"
I groaned at his bad joke. "I only kill when it's necessary. If there are others that can be harmed, I am more prone to eliminate the threat."
"I'm sorry, Chuck, I didn't mean to tell you a bad joke about something you are trying hard not to do. Let me add something," the contact said. "Giovanni is still considered to be captured along with the men you have in Costa Rica. I think we can probably have some information planted that would make it appear he has been sentenced to life or something like that. We'll do that with his men too, if you think that would be the right thing to do."
I stated, "I'll have to talk to Giovanni and get his opinion. If he wants to change his name, I'll let you know so you can make those arrangements. What would you do about his citizenship?"
The contact replied, "You'll have to teach him some American history so he can take the written exam. When he and his men pass that, we will issue all of them passports and drivers' licenses. If the men in Costa Rica would rather be citizens down there, we can arrange that as well."
"I'll let you know as soon as I talk to all of them. Keep your ears open for me though so we don't have any more surprises. We were lucky yesterday. I am going to have to request the local security to be more aware now." I thought about it a little, then asked, "How long did you know those clowns from Seattle were out to get me, and how long have you known there was a threat from those men yesterday?"
The man said, "We only had about eighteen hours notice on the Seattle people, and this one was kept under wraps until you flushed them out. We don't have good ears in some of those groups, so you're going to have to keep your eyes open, as well."
"All right, give me a call if you hear anything at all that should make me nervous. I have too big a family to have to worry about people wanting to harm any of them."
Laughing, the contact replied, "Yes, you do have a big family that is getting bigger, as well as a rather large extended family. According to Wanda and your other observers, there must be near a hundred people that you associate with where you live."
I asked in a questioning voice, "Observers? Plural?"
"Ah, hmm, ah, yeah, we do have a couple, but you move around so much that we need someone to check on what you're up to even when you are asleep. Not that bad, but yes, we do have a couple of people that watch out for you as well as watch you. That's a good thing."
"You know I'm supposed to be laying low, right? Let me get below the radar, but keep me posted. Ace is even considering going to a declared war zone where it would be less stressful."
The man said, "He'll get used to you. This is good experience for him. Hopefully, more of your attitude will rub off on him. He's been kept in less threatening environments, so he needs the exposure. I would have said that about Lisa too, but she can be pretty vicious on her own. Between the two of you, you should be able to get Ace ready for some heavier duty. He's a good man and very thorough, but he doesn't have your intense military background. He was a good troop, but not in your category."
I told the contact, "Going back over what we've discussed. Send me what Giovanni and his men have to learn to take their citizenship exam. You should begin processing them, as I'm sure they'll want this. Pick a good name, but keep it with some Italian flavor. You should probably make them all cousins with the same last name. They are mentally close to each other. Giovanni may not want to leave here because of his kids and grandkids. I may have to teach him to be more watchful here at home. I know he knows how, since he's stayed alive for this long. The other thing you are going to let me know about any news from any sector that could be dangerous for me and mine."
"That's it," my contact confirmed. "We'll try to get some more ears out there. We have been a little remiss in undercover work lately. We'll get it done, though. Call me tomorrow to check in."
I had not been aware, but Lisa and Ace were standing near me. I almost laughed as I said, "We don't have anyone after us today. The bunch from yesterday was derelicts from Detroit who didn't appreciate that we closed their counterfeiting printing operation."
Ace exclaimed, "Oh yeah, that was you two. I was almost sent up there but I had to transport a prisoner to DC. By the time I was finished with that, you guys had everything cleaned up. Weren't you two hurt up there?"
Lisa was grinning. "Not bad. We made it so we could tell some tall stories about it, so we're fine."
Back inside the patio, it was agreed that we would go to the hospital first thing this morning to check on the mothers. I found Don and asked, "Can you call Chin and Jin to see if they want to go to the hospital with us? I want them to get used to coming here with the girls and their babies, as the sisters want to remain part of the family."
Don smiled, "You are a good guy, Chuck. Those two try to take you out and you're still trying to be friends with them."
"Sure, Don," I said, with sincerity. "Jin and I sparred. Chin jumped in to assist, and as usual, there is a bad result when the odds are like that. I waited for them to be aggressive and taunted them. I probably shouldn't have done that, but it was the way I was trained. It does make an aggressive student forget his defensive training. He only focuses on the attack, and as you know, you have to have a balanced offense and defense."
"So true," Don agreed, nodding. "I teach defense a lot more than the brothers and will encourage them to teach more in that line as well. You should come by more often to work with Chin and Jin. They need to be shown how others can control their attacks."
He smiled at me while saying, "Let me get the two of them over here to go with you to the hospital. Their rental apartment is nearby. If the four of them and the babies move in with each other, they will need a bigger place."
Jin and Chin showed up in less than five minutes. Chin was using crutches and had his arm in a cast and sling. His knee was sprained, but other than that, fine, although his arm had a clean break. They enjoyed a quick cup of coffee with everyone. The kids who were involved in martial arts all came to say hi to the brothers. That seemed to make the two feel welcome. Jin remarked, "I didn't understand why the girls were anxious about moving away from here, but I can see how the friendship you display is very addicting."
Steve, Sue, and Mercy were ready to go with Lisa, Tina, Mesa, and Giovanni. The four Italian kids were concerned for their mothers, but preferred to stay with their friends, as a hospital is a boring place for a kid.
We took two big Expeditions this time, along with another that Jin was driving, in case we could bring the girls home.
As was usual, Mesa and Giovanni immediately went to the room. I took Jin and Chin to the room to see Tai-Ying and Sing.
When we walked in, the stage was perfectly set. Both sets of sisters had their babies at their breast. The sight is so peaceful and inspiring, that the brothers beamed as they moved toward the girls. Sing wasn't abusive to Chin, but told him, "I told you not to double up on Chuck. You know that is how people get hurt. I am happy there is no permanent damage."
The little boys had coal black hair and eyes, with less exaggerated Chinese features than their mothers or their potential new fathers. Tai-Ying motioned to me and asked me to lean down to whisper something into my ear. She said so softly that only I could hear, "Can we name our babies Chung, the same as Jin and Chin? We can even put their name as fathers, which would make our men very happy and proud."
I smiled at the little beauty and kissed her on the forehead. Tai-Ying looked across at Sing and smiled to let her know that I was agreeable with what they wanted. The two girls looked as if they were ready for their new life.
Gina was smiling at me as I went to give her a gentle hug. She said, "Meet Carlo Giona Johnson, our son. Carlo is Italian for Charles, and I love you, my Carlo. We still honor my father with Giona. Ask Giovanna what she has named her son."
Giovanna had heard her sister and looked up at Steve. With a beautiful smile, she said, "This is our son, Stephano Gionata Sharp. Isn't he beautiful?"
I could see the pride in Steve's eyes, as well as Sue's and Mercy's. The two ladies had named their babies in the custom of their heritage to honor the patriarch of the family. Lisa was standing with Gina, and asked the sisters across the aisle, "What will you name your little boys?"
Jin proudly said, "Our baby is Kai Jin Chung. Kai means victorious. Kai will be a true warrior." Jin didn't see Sing grinning as she rolled her eyes at Jin's exuberance.
Chin held Tai-Ying's hand as the young mother held her baby to her breast. Tai-Ying softly spoke, "This is Ji Chin Chung. Ji means his life will be full of luck." Chin was smiling so broadly that he really couldn't speak.
I looked around at all of the smiling faces and at the mothers holding their infants. Wow! Four more little creatures, two with their Chinese fathers, to add to our huge and growing family. Contentment came over me as I felt as if there would be no problem having so many little ones along with their wonderful mothers.
So far, no nurse had come in to shoo some of us out of the room. Chin came to me and asked if his brother, the sisters, and he could have a private word with me. He motioned for me to come between the two beds. Jin pulled the curtain around the two beds and both of the men stood in front of me as Sing on one side and Tai-Ying on the other took one of my hands in theirs.
As he awkwardly stood in front of me on his crutches, Chin said, "Tai-Ying and Sing tell my brother and me you have one more apartment within your home that is similar to what Don is renting from you at this time. The sisters want to know if we may rent the apartment and become a member of your household. We will want to have our own home sometime in the future, but right now, Tai-Ying and Sing want to remain a part of your household. Jin and I want to be good men to these women, and we are able to support them properly. Please, let us conclude our bargaining with you so we may be joined with your family to become the men our women desire."
I looked down at the two girls, with their babies sleeping on their stomachs, and said, "I have already given my blessing for you four to become couples. That you would share my home and continue to remain part of my family will be an honor. Having two more men join our family will be a very pleasant addition. If you four want a formal wedding ceremony with family, let me offer our home, and possibly the patio, as a place to gather."
With a sad look on his face, Jin said, "Chin and I are much like Tai-Ying and Sing. Our parents were conscripted into the military when we were very young. Our grandparents raised and taught us, and we do not ever remember knowing our parents. We have no other family in the United States. We are both citizens and will proudly assist these women to become good citizens."
The girls dropped my hands and the two men clasped my arms in an emotional gesture. Chin said, "We both want to be brothers to you. We have been arrogant while you have been respectful of us. That you have bested both of us as a student of the arts has been appropriate. We will prove our loyalty to you in the future. Thank you for welcoming us into your home and family."
Both girls wanted a gentle hug and kiss. I had to be careful not to jostle the babies. When we pulled the curtains back from around the beds, a nurse was standing at the foot of the beds smiling. She said, "Let me help you young ladies get ready to go home. The doctors believe you and your babies are ready. Remember, be lazy for a few days and get used to your baby. I think you both will have plenty of help to take care of them."
Gina was sitting up on the side of her bed with a robe on. She smiled at me. "I am ready to go home Chuck. Take me and Carlo home."
Steve already had Giovanna in a wheelchair, holding Stephano. She was surrounded by Sue, Mercy, and Mesa, as Giovanni hovered over Gina.
Three Candy Stripers came in the room with more wheelchairs so we could get the mothers and babies to the cars. When we were downstairs at the curb, others had brought the cars to us. Chin and Jin wanted to carry their women and babies with them in their Ford Expedition, so that left Giovanni and Mesa to be torn between going with Giovanna or Gina. We ended up with Giovanni with Giovanna, and Mesa with Gina for the ride home. It was decided that we would all go home and not to the patio. The introduction at the patio could be later in the day if the mothers felt like it.
At home, we were able to get the three women comfortable in the living room. We had three more bassinettes for the babies and put them near the mothers, along with another changing table. Frieda joked, "When we get all of these out of diapers, it will probably be time to get some refills for these bassinettes. I don't know about my sisters, but I don't think my twins want to be without a brother or sister."
Tina came in the house and announced, "I have a caregiver, a helper for all of our babies. She is the one we spoke about. I brought her with me; let me bring her in so you can all meet her."
Tina brought in a tall light chocolate skinned girl, or rather, a full blown woman who could cause a riot wearing a snowsuit and parka. Holy smokes, she was good looking and really built.
As Tina introduced her as Karina Smith, Lisa elbowed me, "Shut your mouth, it's not polite to drool over a prospective employee."
I watched each of the women of the house check this woman out. To me, Gina was probably better looking, but if you had to choose who was the better looking of the two, most people would be in trouble. She did have a chest that almost rivaled Sue's now mature bosom. Her long legs and backside were to die for, and her smile lit up the room she was in. She was dressed in a simple unrevealing blouse with a colorful scarf and a navy straight skirt, complete with hose and low heels. She presented herself very professionally.
Steve I was laying on my back, with Gio on my left shoulder and Juanita on my right. I could see the clock on the other side of the room showing that it was right at six AM. We were up later than usual last night. Even after coming to bed, my ladies were more active than usual, but what is normal for these women? Poor Gio, I could tell she wanted to be loved, but all she received was a lot of kisses and hugs. Our baby is more important than sex. The other girls are being almost overly...
Steve I had just discussed the medical laboratory plant with Sue and we agreed that this was an important project. We both wanted to continue to assist Chuck in helping vets any way we could. It was past time to run into work, so I went to see how the company was functioning. A walkthrough of all the shops is always the best way to get a feel for what's going on. I saw Hank in the rear of the motor shop, painting one of Shawna's chopper creations. He was doing it from a chair with his...
Chuck Lisa and I were having fun doing what we liked to do when we were relaxing. We were both sitting on a little raised stage at the bottom of what was like a theater in the round. The platform had a baby grand with a bench and two chairs, with Lisa and me sitting on them. An interesting part of this is that there was absolutely no sound system. If you were looking for un-plugged, this was the ultimate. The acoustics in the theater had been designed so that what was played on the little...
Chuck Morning is always pleasant, but being between two women is even better. We had enjoyed a great evening at Merlin's and I know Mercy had enjoyed herself by working with her dad. Steve and Sue were going to have to convince Merlin to open another place like that in Tampa to get him closer to Missy and Mercy. Wanda, Lisa, and I were at the airport having breakfast by seven fifteen, in the air by seven forty-five, and parking at the private terminal in Reno at eight fifteen. While we...
Chuck A speaker in the room was broadcasting reveille. It had the desired effect, as I swung my foot and stump out of bed. Across from me, Lisa was sitting up, rubbing her eyes. She looked up at me and said, "Old habits are hard to break, aren't they?" Wanda was trying to pull a pillow over her head, but Lisa gave her a shake and said, "You better get up, or you won't get a shower and breakfast." Lisa looked up at me, "Since you're fast, go do your thing, and I'll go next after I...
Chuck I was on my way to Cut Bank, Montana. Way up in northern Montana. My Aunt Etta-Mae had called saying she was in trouble. Lisa had just asked me to tell her what was really happening. The cabin satellite phone was ringing. Julie went to answer it and looked up at me. I told her I could transfer the call to my headset. "Johnson." "Is this Charles Johnson?" I told the voice, "It is. Most call me Chuck." "Chuck, you have an aunt named Etta-Mae Johnson, right?" Being wary I...
Steve Mercy was shaking me, "Steve, Steve, wake up. Chuck may need you. I think Maria's in trouble." I sat straight up trying to think why Maria would be in trouble. Oh yeah, she's about to hatch. "What kind of trouble, Mercy, what is it?" Mercy just shook her head, "I don't know, but she just woke Chuck up. He may need us. Let's get over there to make sure they are alright." I began putting some clothes on. Sue, Kathy, Mickey, and Juanita woke, seeing Mercy and me dressing,...
Chuck Waking up in a strange bed, or in this case, on a strange couch is disconcerting. I had to look around to find my leg before going to the bathroom. As I traversed to the toilet, I thought I smelled coffee brewing. When I left the bathroom, I went straight to the kitchen and found Julie and Missy sitting at the big kitchen table with fresh cups in front of them. In a chair across from them was a steaming cup of coffee. Julie smiled, pointed to it, and said, "Good morning,...
Chuck The last baby had been fed her middle of the night feeding, and I was really deep asleep. Lisa was shaking me. When I came out of my fog, I heard her say, "Your cell phone is ringing. Hope that isn't a problem." I got up from bed and hopped into my closet/dressing area to retrieve my phone from the tray I put pocket junk in. "Johnson," "You son of a gun, we did just like you've been doing and let it ride, all of it, we kept letting it ride. Brother Chuck, Tiny and I have hit...
Steve Amazing, one night the little ones don't wake you up, and the next they wake up a couple of times. It wasn't bad either time, as Mickey and Giovanna were quickly up to take care of them. I can't imagine what Chuck is doing with ten of them in his big suite. Chuck has made some very nice plans for us, considering I thought the resort was sold out to other customers. Chuck is sneaky that way. He'll have had this planned for months now, and was able to coordinate holding the Costa...
Steve As soon as I stepped out on the patio, Tiny came in the back door, waving some papers while grinning his conspiratorial grin. I asked, "What are up to, Tiny? What's got you wound up so early?" "I've just heard from another Saudi sheik who is buying a new 737. The man heard we were buyers and called our office. The night customer service people transferred the call to me and we will get the new or rather new/used bird today. The Sheik's agent said we would like the price. I...
Chuck There was a noise in the room. I couldn’t place it right away, but I finally realized it was my cell phone that was still in my pants pocket. I moved over Tiani and Lena and hopped to my pants. I pulled the phone from the pocket, flipped it open, and said, “Johnson.” The voice was very dry, very curt, “We have a job for you. You need to be in DC in four hours.” I said, “Who are you?” The voice once again with a very curt response, “We have a job for you. Get in your plane and get...
Steve On Monday and Tuesday, Sue and I went through our local plants, visiting with the managers and workers, assuring them of what a great job they were doing. A highlight of the visits was my time spent in the recently expanded R&D building. The new guy, Sandy Flowers, had become an integral part of the team there. After setting up software to track testing and modifications, Sandy had begun helping Gerry on one of her quests to create a special polymer composite that would resist...
Chuck When we woke up the next morning, I went up to the galley and made coffee. Up in the main salon, I opened the sliding door to a cacophony of birds in the nearby trees. I watched a turtle run down a log into the water, and even saw a set of eyes back in the mangroves looking for something to eat. Lisa brought me a mug of coffee and we sat out on the deck, looking around at the peaceful setting. A boat would come down or go up the river, but we were fairly obscured and someone would...
Steve I was awake around three in the morning, thinking about Chuck and Lisa. I watched them go through some really deep emotions yesterday. Every person who has gone through combat has experienced it. You hold it in and hold it in, experiencing the flashbacks and reliving the fear and adrenaline boost all over again, time and time again, whether in dreams at night or when something triggers it. Anyone who has every experienced it would have recognized that Chuck and Lisa were sitting on...
Steve It was already six thirty when I looked at the clock. Today was Saturday, but I could hear noises and people moving around in the kitchen. I did my bathroom stuff and walked out to find what looked like most of Chuck's household in the kitchen. Chuck and Lisa were peeling potatoes, some pregnant women were working with dough for some kind of treat, and Gina and Mesa were making some paper thin pancakes and wrapping them around cream cheese and fruit. I wanted to try one right then....
Chuck When I woke up between Nancy and Judy, I was surprised they were still sleeping next to me. The noise that woke me was building in volume. Two of the babies were awake and fussing because they wanted to be fed. As I was preparing to get up, both of the mothers got out of bed, changed the babies, looked around, and found me sitting on the edge of the bed. Nancy said, "We have to use the potty. Can you hold your daughters so we can go?" I just smiled and held the two tiny people in...
Chuck I awoke when the clock clicked over to five thirty. My internal clock was working as always. As I moved from between Lisa and Tina, Tina raised her head, "Do you have to get up so early? I don't have to go in until nine this morning." Lisa also woke up and told her, "The man is flying to his islands this morning with all of the investors and architects. I'm sure he's strung pretty tight this morning." Tina grinned at me and patted the bed, "Lie down here, Lover, and let me...
Chuck When I woke, it took me a second to get my bearings. We had been moving around so much lately it was difficult to remember where I was. The clock said it was only five fifteen, but I was wide awake and needed the bathroom. After the bathroom, I put my peg on and went into the kitchen to heat up some of yesterday's coffee in the microwave. With cup in hand, I walked out to the patio and it seemed as if the studio was calling me. I reached inside the patio door, took the studio keys,...
Chuck The household went to the patio for breakfast. That morning, Lisa and I were taking off for the beginning of our tour of offices around the country. Our first stop was going to be in Seattle, an office that is both a regular U.S. Marshal's office, but also houses the Marshal for that area when he isn't in DC to fight for funding. After lots of hugs and kisses, and getting a big sack full of sandwiches from Julie, Lisa and I went home for our suitcases and weapons cases. We have...
Steve After thinking my aunt and cousin in Lakeland would enjoy watching Merlin at Sue's Blues, I went inside to get my cell phone to call the two. When my cousin answered, I happily greeted her, "Hey, Gail, how're you doing? This is Steve, your nearby cousin who never gets to see you." Gail was suspicious. "What did you call for? We don't talk but a couple of times a year. Do you need something?" I laughed. "Actually, I am calling to offer you something. A good friend of mine who...
Steve Breakfast had the usual menagerie of people. I did miss Tiny and Henry, along with Ruth and Nancy. There's something about having your family and close friends around in the morning to get your day started off good. When I spied Wanda and John, I went over to them, "Hey, Wanda, have you heard from Chuck?" Almost sadly, she said, "No, but I did hear that he had some kind of run in with some FBI guys but was instrumental in apprehending some homegrown U.S. terrorists and for...
Steve I went to check on Chuck and found him crashed back by the kids. Bonita had her head in his lap, snoozing too. Trixie and Dixie were sitting with him with their heads on his other thigh, so he was well taken care of for the time being. Back up front, Mercy and Lisa were trying to explain about the women at Chuck's condo and on the new boat down in Costa Rica. I had to ask, "Mercy, how do you know all this. Did Chuck tell you?" Lisa and Mercy looked at each other and said,...
Chuck As I came out of my fog this fine Monday morning, there was pressure on my hips and my ego was feeling pretty good. I lay there thinking Lisa, Julie, Taiying, Sing, or one of the boat or condo girls was getting some early morning pleasure from my now very firm, very excited pleasure injector. Lips touched mine, but I didn’t feel the hips shift forward for the horsey rider to be kissing me and I didn’t feel any breasts on my chest. As the kiss became more insistent I opened my eyes to...
Chuck Tuesday morning was the usual confusion, yet precision, of getting the little ones taken care of and ready to transport to the patio for breakfast. There, Lisa and I had coffee and spoke with everyone for a while. Steve and I gave Billy the go ahead on beginning our machine shop and school. Tiny said he would come up with an accountant to keep the new business on track. I thought my morning was going well until Mark came to me after breakfast and asked, "Can we get together for some...
Steve I was having coffee in my room at the resort. I had the patio doors open, looking out from the ninth floor toward the beautiful lagoon or small harbor in front of the hotel. It was still too early for beach people, but there were workers cleaning the beach. Two tractors were dragging the sand, smoothing it out to make it more appealing to the tourists. In the harbor and at the dock were several large yachts and sailboats. None, however, rivaled the Have Mercy, the Mercy Mercy, or...
Steve I had been told first by Mercy, then by Sue, that all of the women wanted to talk to me. That usually is almost instant death, or maybe it was going to be an execution, mine. At least they had waited for me to finish eating breakfast before the hanging. It was with great apprehension that I was following Sue, Kathy, and Mickey up the stairs, or more appropriately, the broad curved ladder that goes up to the salon. Mercy was at the helm, with Juanita sitting beside her . Juanita...
Steve I was up early, as usual, sitting in the parlor on one of the fixed stools at the bar in the suite. You know how it is; waiting for coffee to brew can seem like an eternity when you don't want to sit there and wait. There was no place else to go and nothing else to do. If I went out to the patio, I would just have to come back in. If I went back into the room, I would probably disturb someone. Wonder why I can never sleep late? Only on rare occasions can I sleep until seven or eight....
Chuck When Sue and Don relieved me at midnight, I went down to the office to check the rings I was going to hand out later that night. I separated eight of the rings, along with the special one I had made up for Lisa. The only difference between the special one and the others was that it had two brilliant blue diamonds on each side of the big diamond while the other rings had two bright red rubies on each side of a big diamond. The bands were wide, much wider than what a normal engagement or...
Chuck I woke up in a sweat. Remembering the night before didn't help with the PTS, with maybe a D on the end. That was close. I wonder why the bomb detonated, did it have a timer? Was there another person with a remote detonator? I doubt I'll ever know. I do know I was grateful to have carried Lisa out of the way. A heavy-breasted person was at my back and it wasn't Frieda as the belly wasn't bulging. That's when I remembered Gina. My, oh my, what do I do after hearing Giovanni's...
Steve Chuck had come out for breakfast this morning to talk to me about something. When we had our coffee and were sitting at the bar away from people, Chuck said, "There's a bunch of things coming together all at once. Magellan called to say the boat's ready to be picked up. I've transferred funds and paid them, so we can bring it up any time." He took a sip of coffee and said, "You want to go to Hawaii for a few days, which at a minimum is a day going and a day returning. I can get...
Chuck It seemed like just a few minutes ago I was totaled, dead tired, completely exhausted. So what the heck, what's the matter? I never have trouble sleeping. I can even sleep soundly on the hot sand snuggled up against a track, like an APC or an Abrams tank. The shade is always good unless it's too close to mid-day. What's in my head now that I'm having trouble sleeping? I looked at the clock to see it was only two o'clock, and I was wide awake, tired but definitely wide awake. Oh...
Steve We had eaten a great supper and were all relaxing on the patio when Wanda came to get me. She asked if we could go somewhere to talk. Not knowing what was up, I took her to Sue's offices in the other end of the trailer from the bedrooms. Wanda and I sat down and she said, "Steve, I don't know what to do. I talked to Chuck this morning and he's been shot. Lisa, Nightfox, and him, were all shot. He says they're not too serious, but I'm not sure about that. When I called our base...
Steve I had just kissed Sue goodbye when she left the airpark to go to work and Chuck was inside the hangar going over evidence. This was going to be a busy day. Turning back to the charter office, I found a new person at the desk. "Hi, Charlotte, I thought Star was working this morning." "No Sir, Star is right seat on the G5 out there leaving in a few minutes. If you need to talk to her, she's probably on the aircraft now." "That's okay, I'm sure she's fine. Do we have the other...
Steve, Sunday mornings are always fun around home. Chuck showed up with his crew, dressed to stimulate as much as my ladies did. As breakfast was eaten, Chuck said, "I want play with the new boat. What do you think, Steve, could we take it out for a while?" People heard Chuck's request and were speaking up, "Yeah, take us out on the new boat." "Let's see if Chuck can captain his new boat." "Come on Steve and Mercy; let's help Chuck check out his boat." Sue rolled her eyes and...
Steve Now that Chuck was back from hiding out in the Gulf, life around home seemed to be getting back to normal. He was busy with a bunch of federal people and his prisoners were all transported to DC where they would be held or given an option to be bailed out. I told Chuck that I didn't care what happened, as long as they left me and my company alone. Tiny told me that a major military supplier was negotiating to have us produce bodies for their equipment. That is what we wanted in the...
Steve Three weeks later Wes was sitting on an overturned bucket, staring at the right wing of the parts that Jeff's team had molded before he had been hired. He had been determined to have this bunch of parts flying within a week or two. No such luck. He kept finding flaws in how the pieces fit together. He kept checking the blueprints that were downloaded from the internet with the finished product, and found the pre-made parts to be exact to the print. The problem was they didn't fit,...
Chuck This party is an amazing testament to all of the girls' ability to organize, plan, and carry through to their objective. There were many people who showed up that I would not have expected. John, the Marshal, and their families came followed shortly by Dewey and his family. I was honored to have him here, as that man has some "cool." I had to ask John and the Marshal, "I thought you two were staying down in Costa Rica?" John answered, "I wanted to surprise you. You know we had...
Steve Last night had been strange. Chuck was in a fight, no that wasn't right. He really didn't have a fight. That monster guy attacked him, and Chuck just tossed him. He did whack the guy in the nose, but it could have been the heel of the hand into the nose, a killing blow. We all learned that one. That wrist thing Chuck did was so quick that it was just something that happened as the big guy went over the top of him. I was sitting drinking that first cup of coffee contemplating what...
As soon as we all made it back to Mac's after the kidnapping, Sue, Mercy, and Kathy cornered me. Sue said, "You shouldn't have been involved in that. You are the father to a bunch of kids with another on the way. What in the world were you thinking?" Before I could answer, Mercy said, "I know you felt you had to help Chuck, and we all love him, but you have to be careful, Steve. We need you, we don't need you hurt." Kathy actually defended me, "Steve is a man. He has to defend his...
Steve I woke up several times during the night, hearing things that were normal sounds. Sure wish Chuck had stayed, I would have felt a lot more secure. Funny how a guy like that can make you feel safe. He's just a guy, a one- legged guy with a crooked smile, who is as friendly as a kitten. He can be vicious when he's on the job though. Drinking coffee at 5:55 in the morning is a good way to enjoy the day. I called down to the gate guard to see how everything was going and he said that...
Steve (Tuesday) Mercy and I were in the restaurant early, having coffee, when a couple of salt and pepper guys came in. I stood and both came toward me with their hands stuck out to shake. They sat with us and were brought coffee. Bud Anderson, said, "I've been working on this case for a year and thought we had most of it put to bed. There must be more to it, as you've turned up a significant group here in Nevada." Jim said, "Chuck split me off as his backup a while back to work with...
Chuck Lisa and I landed in Key West for customs and immigration inspection on the way home. Julie asked about shopping the beach stores, but Lisa said we should pass on that and get home. Giovanni and Mesa didn't care one way or the other as they had never experienced the wild frenzy of Key West shops. Upon arriving in the airpark traffic pattern, I thought it was unusual for no one to be manning the radios. The ILS was up, but I was a little concerned that no one responded to my...
Chuck A few days later, we were passing Gibraltar. Everyone on board was out on deck to view the sight that was so familiar from the kids' geography books, the thick yellow National Geographic magazine pictorials, and advertising. The iconic view we all remember from the Prudential Insurance ads, though, is visible only from one angle, on the Mediterranean side of the Rock. Fortunately, our course kept that view in sight for quite a while. Gibraltar looks unrecognizably different from...
Steve As I passed through the galley, I was confronted by Glenda, still in her robe. I asked, "Are you going to stay in today?" Glenda said, "I think Martin and I have been overdoing it. The scooter thing we did yesterday helped, but we were both so tired last night that we thought we should stay home and rest a little. I can spend the day doing some dusting, and I need to wash some clothes for my man. The two of us could use the rest. I thought I might give home a call this afternoon to...
Chuck I woke being hugged between Julie and Brandy. The two were really hanging on, but I needed to offload pretty soon. Sliding from the grasp of the two women, I saw that Lisa was sleeping with her head on Gina's cushions. I was going to go back to bed after using the head, but saw it was five fifty already and we were going to shove off early this morning. Instead of going back to bed, I hopped back to the head, showered, shaved, and quickly dressed to go see if anyone else was up. The...
Chuck Life was settling down all around. I was just doing the usual office work with no flying everywhere on an almost daily basis for a change. John Scott seemed to have settled down in DC and was enjoying his job again. I had the flying lessons and was checked out in the new Citation X but had no reason to go anywhere. The charter company used it once for a quick trip to San Diego and back, but Lisa took that one. She said it was great to have an aircraft that could fly that far, that...
Steve Oh, what a night! My lovely ladies must have thought I needed the attention as they were absolutely on fire. I think they were trying to help me set a record as they all had some of my loving and started over again. The surprise among the players was a sneaky person, as all of a sudden, when Mercy fell to the side, two large bazooms were in my face and they did not belong to Sue. Sue's mother was sitting on my pride and joy, smiling down at me. She said, "Oh, Steve, this feels so...
Chuck How can that be? My cell phone is ringing. I don't remember leaving it on. Jesus, who could be calling at, I lifted my head to see it was six thirty? I was on the outside of the pile of female flesh, so I was able to get up and hop to the table where my pocket stuff and cell phone was. "Hello." A sort of familiar voice said, "Hey, Chuck, how're you and that sweet Lisa doing?" Trying to figure out who this was I said, "We're all fine, ah, who is this?" "Hey man, this is...
Chuck Sunday mornings are fun out at the park. The women wear near nothing, driving us men crazy. I anticipated a good time. When I woke and began my exercises, John joined me on a treadmill, followed by some weights. He said, "It sure would be nice to have you close by. We could workout together. It's a lot more fun to do this stuff when you have a buddy." About that time, Lisa, Brandy, and Tiani came in and began using the other treadmill and the stationary bikes. Little Tiani said,...
Chuck Sunday Waking up in a strange place is always weird, but this is too much. I'm hugging someone different, my hand is around a soft full breast, and if what I feel is real, I'm balls deep in a very juicy unfamiliar pussy that is sliding slowly back and forth. I can feel breath on my shoulder and hear Lisa breathing. She has a little catch to her breathing when she is sleeping and when she's excited. But her hand is holding and squeezing my balls so she is probably not...
Steve We picked up a nice wind the first day out. There was a low pressure area stalled to the northeast of us, providing us with an almost direct stiff wind from the south-southeast. If we can keep this up, we'll be home in four days easy. Chuck had the helm this morning and seemed to be contemplative about going home. I went up and handed him a fresh mug of coffee. "What's on your mind, Guy, anything to worry about?" Chuck smiled and said, "I love being out on the water, but I...
Steve It was after seven when I woke up to an empty bed. I was still sleepy, but got up to at least start the day with everyone. When I sat down and joined the regulars with a cup of coffee, Sue came over and kissed me good morning, "Morning, Sleepyhead. I know you didn't get back until after four, but it's unusual for you to sleep late." "If there was not so much to do today, I would just go back to sleep for a while," I said, looking around while hugging my wonderful wife. "I see...
Steve Perhaps things are getting back to normal, or for what may pass as normal lately, and that has been near chaos. Everyone at the shop that had some activity to report visited with me, until Ruth looked in on me and said, "Its lunch time, and Sue has called to make sure you come home. DeDe said you are scheduled for a flying lesson this afternoon too. What's that about? I thought you could fly already." "I can, Ruth, but I need to be checked out in the new aircraft, and I have to...
Steve I feel as if everything is going faster. Time was rushing by the closer it comes to the time for us to sail. When I woke up Monday morning, I felt a sense of urgency to get up, do something, prepare for something, to take care of last minute anything. Mercy hugged me and whispered, "Relax, everything is taken care of. You have wonderful people who will take care of everything while you're gone. They can call you anytime, and can even e-mail you with pictures or other information, if...
Steve I had slipped out of bed while the girls were all sleeping soundly. Sue raised her head, smiled at me, looked at the clock, and lay her head back down. While I was taking a quick shower, Kathy joined me and was very amorous this morning. It wasn't long before the shower degenerated into doing her while she leaned against the wall. When we both successfully and enjoyably completed our coupling, we clung to each other as the water rained on us. Kathy said, "This is nice. Sometimes I...
Steve Monday mornings are always fun. Everyone is getting started on a new week, with new energy, new ideas, and new motivation. My first task was to return a stack of non-urgent calls that had come in the previous Friday. The first was that the St. Louis cart plant was concerned their production was not keeping up with orders. The easy solution was to ship the extra production from Florida since the local plant was working at less than sixty percent capacity. I think the St. Louis plant...
Chuck For me to not sleep well means there is a crisis. I guess there were many crises going on. It was just after five, but I was wide awake, so I slipped from bed, used the bathroom, mounted my peg and went outside to relax by forming for a few minutes. I was concerned about getting the cash and gold down to Ben in Costa Rica. If I could get out of here with all of it, I could leave here and fly direct. I might have to pull some tricks in Costa Rica to get the stuff to a bank, but I...