Chapter 8

"Of course you can come see Mary, Daddy," she answered, "Call us when you will be coming in and we will pick you up at the airport."

We went about our daily routines for the next month or so. Between Dawn, Sammy and Andie, Mary was the best taken care of baby in the state. I enjoyed holding her on my lap and listening to music, and singing to her. Mary was very healthy, Dawn gave her plenty of milk, and kept her very clean.

When Mary was about six months old Dawn came in to see us and said she was getting older by the day and needed to get pregnant again so Mary could have playmates. "I will play with her," I volunteered.

"You have to play with us," Andie said with a smile.

From then on until she got pregnant again, Dawn was first in line every night.

After about two months of that Sammy said, "If you don't get pregnant pretty soon you are going to have to start sharing better anyway. I don't like waiting my turn."

"Well, Miss Stingy, I am pregnant, so there," Dawn announced.

We all hugged and kissed her. I wanted to pick her up and dance with her, but I knew my leg wouldn't let me. I tried to look happy and put on a pretty good show, I thought.

"Alright, spill," Sammy said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You are the reason I take every breath, I know something is bothering you. Spill," she ordered.

"I am unhappy that I can't dance with you girls. Those times are some of my best memories. It is killing me not to be able to do it anymore," I confessed.

They were all hugging me and crying. I hugged them back and told them that I would get over it.

"I am calling Shands Hospital tomorrow morning," Sammy told me.

"I am not going to pauper this family, and keep my children from getting an education so I can dance again," I argued. "I know that most of the money that I got from my house and the bad guys has been spent on hospital bills and equipment, not to mentions repairing bullet holes."

"I have invested most of that money in long term investments for the children," Sammy said, "but I make enough to allow us to use the calf money this year for your surgery."

"You find out what it will cost us before I will agree," I said.

Sammy called the next day, and after a long conversation, came to see me.

"Mac, it will cost between $80,000 and $100,000 for your surgery. You will have to be in Gainesville at the hospital for about six weeks, so $10,000 more for us to stay with you. I figure that six round trips for Andie to come up here and take care of things will cost another $8,000. We will have around $40,000 left from this crop," she told me.

I asked all the girls to come and see me. When they got there I asked them about this surgery and what it would cost our family. I told them that our family and children were the most important people in this world to me and I meant for them to have a good life. Dawn said, "What about your life, our life. Andie and Sammy are crying every morning about your leg and..."

Sammy interrupted, "We think you should have the surgery. We have the resources, and the children will not suffer."

Dawn said, "I am so sorry, I was just so wrapped up in the discussion..."