Chapter 1: A New Business

Cody---We spent another two weeks in the Cayman’s before we started the long trip home to Tarpon Springs. Lionel and Pat discussed their plans for their newfound wealth. At thirty years old Pat wanted to start a family now that they had money and she would not have to work. Lionel agreed and they decided to sell their house, which was located in a ‘bad’ part of town, and buy one in a more up-scale neighborhood. He would keep his dive business, but his days of scraping barnacles were over.

Ann said she was tired of school and had talked to her mom and dad about quitting. They were worried about her safety due to all the antisemitic protests on campus and had agreed with her. Her parents ‘expected’ her to work in one of her father’s jewelry stores in Tampa.

She had other ideas. She was not looking forward to being a salesclerk for the next 40 years. She wanted to have a little adventure in her life before she settled down and started a family.

By now it was pretty much decided that Miranda, Ann and I were going to be living as a three-some of some sort. I needed a plan.

Miranda and I had two and a half million dollars in the bank and another four million in gold coins between us. Even if we are frugal, that is not going to last us the next forty years or so, especially when the girls start having babies! Yes, they both want kids! Miranda wants 3 or 4 (Cuban catholic with big family in her DNA) while Ann wants only 2. That means I am going to be the father of maybe six kids! I need to keep working!

Lionel suggested that since I loved diving so much, I should look into starting a salvage operation. That sounded interesting to me, but I would need a boat. It was Mirana who came up with the idea of raising the Sally-Ann and using her. She was more of a pleasure yacht not a work boat, but if I could raise her, do some repairs, then I could trade her for a work boat. Ann said her dad had paid a little over a million dollars for her when she was new just a couple of years ago.

The more we talked, the more I liked the idea!

Back in Tarpon, Ann arranged a supper with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis to announce our plans to live as a threesome. To my surprise that idea was met with very little skepticism! They seemed happy, especially when Ann told them she would be having kids!

Later that night I talked to Mr. Lewis about the Sally-Ann. I learned that he had settled with the insurance company, and they owned it now. He gave me the contact information at the insurance company and the next morning I contacted the agent. He referred me to the VP who handled this sort of thing. I called and set up a meeting, taking Ann and Mirana with me. That might have been a mistake, only time will tell!

Two days later we were shown into the office of Ms. Sims, the VP who handled the case of the Sally-Ann. I was shocked! Walking out from behind a desk was an older woman. She was short and ‘chubby’! Her body is pear shaped! Even in her black stiletto heels, she is just over 5 feet tall! Her straight blond hair was cut short, like a man would wear it. She was dressed in a man’s business suit, complete with a coat and tie. She extended her hand and I shook it, noticing her pudgy fingers. This woman has never worked out in her life! I imagine she is in her mid-fifties. I started to introduce the girls as she let go of my hand and turned her attention towards them.