Chapter 4

I slid into bed with Beth Ann's kisses still on my lips, her scent in my nostrils, and her smile in my eyes. Losing my family, fortune, and life – again – was painful, but having Beth Ann back in my arms was beyond belief. Whatever plan the universe had for my screwed up life seemed to be working out to my benefit. All of my loved ones were alive, they just had no idea they loved me ... yet.

Unable to sleep with so much going through my head, I fired up my laptop and typed in my list of important dates, places and events. On a whim I tried to access my 'emergency' account in the Swiss bank, but hit a stonewall. Since I hadn't lived any of those things, I had no account – emergency - or otherwise, in a bank in Switzerland.

My bank accounts in Colorado Springs were right where I left them, so I caught up on a little bookkeeping, paid some bills, and called it a night.

How I got there I had no idea. The place where I was going was little more than a speck of light in the distance. The distance was far. I trudged along, trying to stay on the faint path in front of me, but it was so dark even that was nearly impossible, and I found myself having to retrace my steps and find the path again.

The cold surprised me. It took me by surprise when I shivered and found I couldn't stop. As soon as I realized how cold it had become, the wind picked up and made it even more miserable. I crossed my arms trying to maintain as much body heat as possible.

The flickering light of my destination teased me, as I fought the wind and cold to get to it. When I thought about it, it seemed like I had been walking all night. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I realized that I had no idea where I was, where I was going, what I would do when I finally got there, or why any of that was important.

It just was...

Finally the cold and wind started to let up, and the tiny dot of light became an oasis of warmth and light, inviting me to lie down and rest. All around me people were dressed in swimming clothes and enjoying the warm water of a beautiful lake in the middle of the oasis.

Not content, I walked through the crowd of people searching for what it was that brought to this place of light and warmth. A pair of lovely ladies dressed in bikinis, bookended me as I walked, cheerfully telling about the oasis and the wonderful things to do there. The girls told me their names and said that they were twins, sent to make me 'happy' there.

The twin on my right took off her top and pressed her hard nipples into my side, rubbing them to get my full attention, while her sister tossed away her bottoms and pressed her wetness to my thing, making sure I could feel her arousal. Twin one kissed me, shoving her tongue deep into my mouth and sucking. Twin Two tried to mount me, even as we walked. She pulled my pants free, gasped at my tumescence, and leaped on me, trying to find a perch on Mr. Johnson.

They were lovely but not mine.

I tried to explain that I thought they were radiantly beautiful, but that my heart belonged elsewhere, and I had to find my One True Love, before it was too late.

My explanation fell flat, and the twins increased the tempo of their attempted seduction.

As Twin One knelt to take me fully into her mouth, dislodging twin two in the process, I thought I saw Beth Ann in the far distance, and gently put the two twins off me, so I could go to her.

That didn't please the twins, and their smiles turned to snarls, and their giggles changed into threats.

It was then that I saw them for what they really were...

... and I ran.

'Whoaaa, ' I thought, as I awakened. 'That was another weird dream. Wonder what it meant?'

The dream fled almost as fast as sleep deserted me, and I found myself remembering Beth Ann's kisses in the breaking dawn. She really was REAL. My One True Love was real in the flesh and blood, and I kissed her last night.

Thinking of it pleased me beyond measure, so I lay there and let my mind embrace the things wanted to do with my OTL. Mr. Johnson seemed to find that a tad bit overdone, and I had to beat him into submission, several times.

Two hours later, my phone broke up my fantasy. It was my boss. "Good morning, Carl," she said merrily. "HR sent me a bunch of things to fill out, and I need your help to get them done, so sit up and pay attention." We worked through all her reports on my accident, apparently to her satisfaction.

"HR says you are officially on Workers' Comp leave, at full pay and benefits for an indefinite period. They got your ER records sent over and the doctor's notes qualify you as 'seriously injured in the performance of your duties.' It looks like you are on medical leave for at least four to six months, so don't get anxious.

"HR said to tell you, if I got ahold of you, that the doctor specifically noted you are not to undertake a long drive home, so they are approving long term lodging of your choice. Call them and fax over the details when you find something less expensive than the Marriott, and they will handle paying the bills.

"I think that's all I know, so please get yourself back together and get back on the road. Miller is your temporary replacement, and we both know that he's an idiot. So hurry, but don't come back too soon. That's HR talking, by the way, not me."

I could hear the smile in her voice, but I knew she meant it when she said I was needed. If my plan came together, I would never return to work there, but that was maybe, and this is the real world, so I hung up and called Mr. Bell's office.

My memories from my other lives were good, and I heard Josephine answer the phone. Knowing I had to be careful about what I said to avoid suspicion, I said, "My name is Carl Fleming, and my car was hit yesterday by a truck owned by Hillman Trucking. It crossed the median on I-44 in Springfield. A man at the hospital suggested I contact your law office for representation against the trucking company.

"I was injured fairly badly. I will need about three months of physical therapy before I can even think about going back to work, and my car was completely destroyed.

"Another car was also hit and two people in it were injured. We talked and thought that if we hire the same firm, you can protect us both from the trucking company insurance carrier."

I stopped and waited to see what Josephine would do, and she rewarded me by asking for the exact spelling of my name, address and cell number. Then she asked me to wait while she connected me to an attorney.

Exactly two minutes later Colleen came on the phone, and said, "Hello, Mr. Fleming? I am Colleen Bell, and Josephine tells me you had a little mishap involving a tractor-trailer, yesterday, and are looking for representation. Is that correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. I am afraid of what a trucking company might do to avoid making me whole, and the other people who were hit feel the same way. We thought, well ... we hoped if you represented us both, it would give you an edge in protecting our interests. I hope that's Ok..."

"Absolutely. Mr. Fleming, we are very pleased that you called us. My father and I run the firm, and I wonder if we can schedule an appointment to get the basic details and signatures so we can order your hospital records and accident report, and get started gathering the other facts of the accident.

"Is it possible for you to come in later today, or are your injuries such that I need to drive up to Springfield?"

"Miss Bell, I hope to have a rental car delivered later this morning, and I need to retrieve my suitcase and change clothes. The other driver, Beth Morse, and her son Brian are in the same fix, but we all could come to you as soon as we have clothes changed and wheels under us, if that isn't too inconvenient.