Chapter 48: Dad and I Both Can Say that We Have Been Here Before

(FRIDAY, MORNING.)

Mr. West had called and asked to meet with the parents concerning our testing out of school. So we had my Dad come to represent the parents that were not present along with Mika also, Dad arrived just before the bell rang for first hour.

“While I understand that you have a family issue of some kind concerning Teddy, I was asked why Cathy, Sharon, Sasha, Snowdove, can’t please stay in town as they are vital to the softball teams success. They have all but locked up the Conference Championship, and who knows how they may go in the playoffs. While they are not going to have an undefeated season. They have had a chance to win every game that they have played in. Poor Miss Shawntz is just plain distraught that some of her better players are leaving for some unknown reason.” Mr. West said.

“Ed I can assure that Teddy is still going to test out of the ninth grade but, the girls are going to still be going to school and Teddy is going to be here doing some prep work for next year. We are no longer leaving as our plans have changed just a little bit. Teddy is not all that happy about some of these changes, but MY JOB is to make sure that the SECURITY around all of my family is my CHIEF concern!?” My Dad said. While Daddy was not hollering, he was stressing his point to Mr. West. He did enough hollering at me last night, after we sent all of the Mom’s, and Gramma’s, to the Reservation until we sent for them. Mama C. Did not want to leave as she was not pregnant, especially after the young girls were staying. It took my Gramma’s and her sisters to drag her on the bus as they told her as the leader of the womenfolks her maturity was needed to keep her brood calm, as they were worried about their menfolks.

“Ed you will see a few more of the MasonGroup men walking around the building, and so armed security paid by the MasonGroup 24 hrs. a day until he are sure we have our situation under control. This is how it has to be until further notice. I talked to the Michigan State Police, the Grand Rapids Police, and your boss the Superintendent concerning these changes. You will be getting a call later this morning from the Superintendent confirming that we talked. There will be extra Police patrols, also. I can’t go into the details of what is really going on yet, but it will soon be front page news, I would ask that you keep this as quit as possible. When asked you can truthfully say that the MasonGroup is just looking more closely after its Chairman.” My Dad said.

“I will let Miss Shawntz know that her girls will be playing tomorrow in the rain delayed tournament.”Mr. West said, with a great relief written all over his face.

“Teddy I have some calls to make, starting with the State Department, as well as the Sec. Of State, to set up our meeting in New York. You will find this will be better than facing these people on their on land and being trapped there or worse killed after we are all on the plane trying to leave the country. Some times you have to show your power in other ways. I promise you the cards that you intend to play will play just as strong here as they would there. Trust me son I have your back when everyone else is gone, or doing a job that I sent them to do.” My Dad said to me before he left the school.

I went to the library to study, and stay out of trouble. I was bored out of my mind about the time lunch time came, but I was retaining the information that I was studying. I went eat lunch in the cafeteria as it was lasagna day, and I got three orders filling up my tray. Sasha, Snowdove, and Sharon had A lunch and each girl got an extra order for me. “Did you study the math that we worked on last night?” Sharon asked me. “Yes Mommy it is easier this morning, thanks to all ladies for your patience, teaching me.” I said, as I handed the worksheet to Sharon. After lunch I am going to the office I will meet you ladies back home tonight.

“Hello Teddy this is Curtis Mason I am one of your family lawyers in Los Angeles. My team handles your interests in all of the Hollywood studios, that you have stock in. I also take care of all of the California properties, including all of Beverly Hills concerns. I came calling you because I heard through the grapevine last night, while was having dinner with friends that Jack Kent Cooke is selling both the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Los Angeles Kings, and the Great Western Forum the building both teams play in. Cooke is also throwing in his 13,000 acre ranch in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Dr. Jerry Buss is the most serious bidder at this time, but Cooke could accept at anytime as the bidding is stalled at $55 Million at this time. I have the paperwork ready to go I just need a figure you are willing to bid, if you to buy the Lakers. As I know that is the part of the deal that you want the most.” Curtis said.

“Are you serious?!” I shouted into the phone excitedly! “Yes I am very serious Teddy. You know that the MasonGroup will have to be the owners as you are too young to buy them yourself, strictly because of your age.” “Curtis do it and please call when and if the bid gets near $100 Million, and I’ll throw more money at the deal. Bid $80 Million to get the ‘I think I want to buy something folks out the way.’ And then we will see just how serious this bidding may go.” I said. “Man I heard you ain’t afraid to go after something, but damn! Seeing you make a move like this is something else. I will let you know as soon as I hear something back.” Curtis said. I picked up the phone to call Pam. “Hello there sweetness, how are you today?” I asked Pam. “What are you up to? Just because I am not there, don’t mean that you are free to act foolish!” Pam said, firmly.

“Curtis Mason called me this morning to tell me that the Los Angeles Lakers are for sale.” I said. “And you just have to have them of course?” Pam asked. “Yes Ma’am! You know because of my age the MasonGroup has to buy the teams, as the Los Angeles Kings that play in the same building and The Great Western Forum is also part of the deal.” I said, excitedly! “Just call Curtis, and he will give you all of the details.” I said to Pam. “Don’t think that I am not going to do just that.” Pam said. Twenty minutes later. “You are willing to spend up to a Hundred Million Dollars! And maybe just a little bit more, if you have too?” “Yes I am as I really want that team! Of all of the teams in the NBA, the Lakers are the team that I would want to buy the most. And who knows when the Lakers may be up for sale again.” I said to Pam. “Ok I just wanted to be sure you were serious and not just goofing around because you were all alone, when Curtis called you.” Pam said.

“I just wanted you to know that while the Cooke family loves the MasonGroup, Dr. Jerry Buss has a brand-new hatred for the MasonGroup, and you personally. He thought he had this deal just about closed, and then you stepped in. He is now is trying to scrap up the $80 Million plus, I called his lawyer and made it clear of what the number really is before a phone call is made and the fact that the figure will quickly grow even more, as needed. Dr. Buss is the only one left still in the bidding, besides you, now that the word is out that the MasonGroup is now bidding with the intention of owning the Los Angeles Lakers. With our reputation and known credit line, serious buyers know that if the MasonGroup is now involved in the bidding, and let it be known that we intend to own the Los Angeles Lakers when the bidding is all over. The bidding may become more than they are willing to pay, at this time. With the MasonGroup’s creditline combined with our history we have not lost too many companies that we set out to purchase.” Curtis said. “I want you to run point on this until it is done. Charter a jet to have Pam in Los Angeles to sign the deal for the MasonGroup as soon as possible, please.” I said to Curtis.

My Dad walked into my office and sat down. “Teddy we have to go to New York Tuesday to meet with most of the important players in the Oil Community in the Middle East, including Iran. Jerry Mason is coming to make sure what they say to us is what we hear. Jerry is an American but he has lived over there in Iran as his father moved there permanently, when we purchased the land that our oil fields are located on there. Jerry’s Mother is a native of Iran, as are many of our Mason family members, and employees, also married Iranian women, with their families blessings. We are married into every country that we have oil fields in that region. The thought was that if we were family we were less likely to to do wrong, by their laws and customs. And that worked for the most part. I am over simplifying the situation, but that is how we are well regarded in the region by most of the countries over there.” Dad said.

“After it was understood by a few of our people being killed, or maimed according to the laws of those countries, our people got REAL INTERESTED in the correct way to live over there, in those countries. Those workers, Mason family members or not, were paid a bonus, as well as the slightly above average wage at our fields. Those wages made those jobs highly sought after, and we paid the native workers the same wage and bonus without prejudice. That is why we are fighting for our assets, as well as our parts in the other fields we have a part in, that we don’t own outright. Everything will be ready by the time our plane lands, in New York. You have to be the face of this, as you know because these men will not deal with the widows, or any other woman, for that matter. They will try to treat you as though you are a child. Please show them that you are mature beyond your years. Remember you have the best hand not matter what they say, or how they say it. If you get emotional then they will own you. I have always told you that it is better to look a little bit weak in the beginning, to see what you up against, if you have to. As long as you know that you are walking away with the prize, at the end.” Dad said.

“I trust you Dad, but don’t I have to act as though I have some spine, also?” “Yes you do. You just have figure out when to show that spine. I would let them tell you whatever they are trying to say. And when they begin winding down, then tell them why their plan ain’t going to work, and then go in for the kill if you can, and close the show.” Dad said.

“Onto better news since a I saw you a few hours ago, I got a call and quickly agreed to a deal to buy the Los Angeles Lakers along with some other assets. I have bid $80 Million with the ok to go as high as $100 million, before I will through even more money at this deal. $50 million was the bid before before I just upped the price to get all of the wish I want crowd out the way. Or wish I could buy me a sports outfit.” I said. “You did what?” Dad asked me surprised at what I just said. I said I intend to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Kings and a 13,000 acre ranch for for at least $80 Million. “Son I will say it again when you intend to buy something you sure do go big, cause you damn sure ain’t going home, empty handed!” Daddy yelled out loud. You could tell that my Dad was excited as I was, being that watch the NBA on the weekends was serious business in our house. Just the stories that he would tell me, about seeing Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor was enough for him to be glad that I was buying the Lakers. He had told me that Jerry West was a late bloomer getting to his height and that Jerry certainly made the most of his skills, to become the legend that he is. The dream of playing for the Lakers was strong, but as the owner of the team, that dream would be that much closer, too being real for me.

I answer the phone when it buzzed. “Hello Teddy Mason speaking.” I said. “Hello I am calling you to thank you for not going to Iran and causing an international incident. The Sec. Of State Cyrus Vance will be in New York to help smooth over the meeting there if possible. I want you to personally understand it is your meeting so nobody from the U. S. Government is going to do anything to upset the meeting, Mr. Vance will just be there to help you in anyway that he can. Your Diplomatic Immunity status for you and your entire household, as well as your security detail, and is permanent, as long as I am President, and you do not abuse the privilege, young man.” President Jimmy Carter said to me.

“You will also have Secret Service protection when you get to New York Monday morning, until you get on your plane to returns home. Your plane will be guarded by a military detail the same as Air Force One would be until you leave to return to Grand Rapids. The Secret Service will be contacting your Dad later today about all the security, concerning your visit. Good bye and good luck, son.” President Jimmy Carter said to me. “Thank you Mr. President.” I said, before hanging up the phone. “Mr. Carter said that the Secret Service will be calling you as they will be an additional layer of security from the time we get there until we get on the plane to come home.” I said.

“A military detail will be guarding the planes that we fly in on I want to charter a 747 and leave our planes on the ground, for this trip, Dad. Mr. Carter said those of us with Diplomatic Immunity will have said Immunity as long as he is President. As long as we don’t abuse said privilege.” I said to Dad. “Wow you are becoming a mover, and a shaker. Always remember to move carefully, and you will not only hold on to your power. You most likely become even more powerful, Teddy.” Dad said.

The rest of the day went smoothly I was getting ready to go home early as the latest shipment of Root Beer was here and I wanted to hide a few cases in one of my cars before the vultures known as my girls arrived at the house.

There was a loud banging outside my office door before it opened force fully. “I need to talk to you Teddy it is very important, and it can’t wait!” Some strange woman shouted at me. My Dad had just left my office a few minutes ago. “Ma’am I don’t even know who you are?” I said questionably, calm. I waved off my secretary as she was still trying hard restrain the woman.

“I know that it has been nearly eighteen years since you last saw me. Have I aged that badly that you don’t remember a woman that you once had a lengthy relationship with? I can see that you don’t look like you have aged a day. In fact you look somehow much younger. And I ought to know what I am talking about as I can see a mirror image of your face each and every day at my own house.” She said to me. I was starting to get a real bad feeling here. I was starting to dread what she might say next.”Ma’am I really don’t mean to be rude as I have home training. But would you please tell me your name at least?” I asked her.

That feeling was now going from bad to worse. And I knew that my world was about to under go some very important major changes.”My name is now Larna Jones. But my last name used to be Anderson when we were going together.” Larna said.

“Now were are getting somewhere. Did you bring the mirror image with you to today? If so could you go and get him while I make a quick phone call about your situation in the meantime.” I said. Larna left to go to the lobby area while I called my Dad to inform him that his past would be back in my office with some heavy baggage like he had left down south 30 years ago.” I said. “You got jokes today! Boy don’t make me comeback in your office as I ain’t in the mood right now with this New York shit still to come!” Dad yelled in the phone. He still upset about not knowing about my three older sisters for so long.

“Does the name Larna Anderson sound familiar from about eighteen years ago? She went to the lobby to get a mirror image of the face that I got from you fifteen years ago. She thought that I was you and still thinks so. Though she wonders how I look younger now than I did when you two were a couple. I hasn’t occurred to her yet that you might has another son besides hers. She will shocked to see that you and I have nearly identical faces as well as our skin tones, just like we are copies of Granddaddy.” I said.

“Not again dammit!!” Was I heard dad yelled into the phone before he hung up the phone.

Dad made to my office just before Larna and her husband Wil walked through the open door with a man who was a inch or two taller than daddy but clearly wearing the face of a Mason, including his blue eyes, although he was much darker skinned, like his mother. While her husband Wil was not six feet tall, and was darker than Larna is. Though I am willing to admit that Larna is a damn fine looking woman! Considering I used to have an impure thoughts about my own mom, daddy show can pick damn fine looking women.

“Just to tell like it is, your wife visited me and made it clear that she was no longer going to share you Teddy. And after she kicked my ass I knew that she was serious about keeping you I quit my job, and moved in less than the two weeks that you were out on the road. I met Wil a few weeks after that and the rest is history. I did not know that I was pregnant when Wil and I got together. I hoped and prayed the baby was his, as you had not got me pregnant in the 7 months that we were together. I admit that I wasn’t doing anything to prevent a pregnancy. As we all can see now one of our last few times together the magic happened for you and me. Just to ease your mind I am a hard woman to get pregnant. I know this as I three other children to prove this fact.” Anyhow I told Wil a week after JR. was born. Wil was was highly upset, and almost left me.” Larna said.

“I had willingly signed JR’s Birth Certificate and was the father of record, so I wasn’t going just run away. But larna to agree that I would be JR’s Dad, and she was willing to do that as she had no interest in seeing your wife ever again.” Wil SR. said.

What brings us here today is both some very bad luck, and the fact that whether I like it, or not JR is a Mason, and he deserves to be recognized as such, plus we made need some help with college now that I am going to have to used a good portion of JR’s college fund to buy a new rig. The 350 Detroit in my GMC Astro 95 blew up last week and I show don’t $7,000.00 waiting in the bank and Good GMC wants $11,000.00 to do the same job. I found a guy with a shop that is willing to do the job, but he may take 2 months to do the job. Paper Cargo said to call them when get I something to drive again.” Wil said.

“Look I know this is a load of shit to drop on you Teddy but I am both a mother looking out for the best for her child, as well as a wife looking out for her family, too. We are about to be homeless and I have three more children at home to consider. I am begging you to put aside being mad, and hurt, and help your son, please, if you do nothing else for my family.”

“Pissed don’t even come close to what I am feeling. I have been here right were we are right now, before! But the person who do it before is long dead and gone, though neither of you two can say that.” Just for the sake of my stupidity, what are you looking for from me now that I know what you have known for what, the last seventeen or so years?” My dad calmly asked Mr. And Mrs. Jones.

I could see my Dad was on the verge of going straight off. A gift of luck happen when the Secret Service called at that moment. “Dad please take that call, as this situation is not going anywhere now that you know what you know.” I said.

By this time I had stood up and shocked the Jones family by standing next to my older brother, as I was at least three or four inches taller than he was. Though little he muscle wise was built more like our Dad than I was as his arms and chest were bigger than mine. Plus he looked as though he was growing out of his pants as he was nearly wearing floods, AKA High Water pants. (For those that don’t know what floods are. Floods are pant legs that don’t touch the top of your shoes and your socks can clearly be seen when you are standing up. Floods were the style in the late 1960’s and have never truly came back in style. Even though Michael Jackson used the style for a few years. But his socks were original, too.)

“Looking at this young man I bet you catch hell keeping him in clothes.” I said. “Well I am truly catching hell those pants are only 3 months old. I just bought those shoes last week. And keeping in that bottomless pit he calls a stomach fed has been so hard lately. I will beg if I have. J R is innocent in all of this but he is now the one person in this mess that is suffering the most.” Larna said.

“Well first things first. Where is the rest of your family? I asked. At the Travel Lodge Motel on 28th street. Why?” Larna asked me.

“Because I wanted to know if you had a place to stay tonight. For now you should know my is Theodore just like my Dad. I answer to Teddy, while dad now prefers Ted. I need to know what are your long range plans? I am not trying to jump into my fathers business, as you know for sure he is his own man, but you came to us as we are due to be somewhere else for a few days. I know you know that my Mom has to know you are here and that you are here with a tie to my Dad, and he is trying to stay focused on all of that and still appear to be my rock to face what I have to face in a few days.”

“Or would you rather just deal with my mom as she hasn’t changed, and she just delivered a baby boy at her age. She will be back in the city later this week we hope, so you dropping by couldn’t have happened at a worse time. When I get back I will got through my closet and give your son the clothes that I can no longer wear. I dress like my Dad most days I promise you the clothes that I will giving you son are like new and worth more than you have ever spent for him, as I wear suits most days to school.” I said.

“I need to go as I want get home to study and I would rather we breakup this meeting before this gets any more awkward, than it already is. Here is $500.00 to ease your mind about your immediate needs. Make no mistake what I am doing today is my doing, and my doing alone, as a stopgap measure. After my Mom gets back the four of you are on your own if it is just the four of you. Mr. Jones tomorrow go over to Michigan Kenworth and look for a new KW with either a Caterpillar, or a Cummins engine my Dad only drives KWs, my Dad and I will help you to help yourself after that I am done with you.” I said.

“I can’t take money from a minor. I don’t want you giving us all of your allowance money, young man.” Larna said quietly to me. “Ma’am look around this office please, though I can’t legally hold the title as I am too young I am considered the Chairman of the Board of the MasonGroup. And I have my own bank account. My Dad is on my staff. We will talk next week please make an appointment on your way out please. Have a goodnight.” I said to the Jones family.

I went to my Dad’s office to see how he was holding up. “How are you doing Daddy?” I asked. “I could kill that BITCH! How in the hell can she just decide that I had no right to know that I had a son all these years. Then when their world blows up, here she comes blind siding me like she is as innocent as fresh snow! She expects me to just suddenly pay her child support like I knowing walked off from her, and leaving her with a child. Yes I am mad as hell. Now I will have deal with your mother about this all over again, DAMN!!!! I need to calm down so that I can talk to your mother about this shit. Let’s go home we are not going to worth a plug nickel tonight. Keep this drama to yourself please until I can tell the women in Oklahoma.” Dad said. “I can deal with them so you don’t have to be involved at all. Do you want to know this son? I am sure that your parents will want to meet him. So keeping him out of the family is going to next to impossible. I could care less, as I am in no hurry to be friendly, myself.” I said.

I walked in on a ‘Hen Party’ all of my girls and the softball team including coach Shawntz. There wasn’t a swimsuit in the pool area. Mika was talking to the coach, as she looking more than a little bit nervous. I left and went to my parent’s house to let the girls have their fun. I told my dad what was going on at my house, before we plotted so more about our big meet next week. When I walked into the house I had some leftover burgers from Wendys. Since I last saw the ladies at the pool, so that is the first place, that I looked for the ladies. Nothing had changed since I was first there. They were all still just as nude as they were earlier, much to my delight. I walk into the pool area, after taking all my clothes off, like everyone else in the room. Nobody but Amy Shawntz reacted when I walked in the room, even though all of the women present had looked at me when I entered the room. The rest of the softball team had already left. Shawntz was looking around either for her suit, or a towel to cover herself. “You’re too late Miss Shawntz I already saw you two hours ago, when I was here earlier. You are very pretty by the way. And you really looked good kissing my girlfriend too.” I said. “I ... I ... I was just ahh, ahhh, ahhh. May I ask, what exactly you are doing here Mr. Mason?” Coach Shawntz asked me.

“I live here and all of the women in this room but you are my girlfriends. I am not upset that you have taking a liking to any of them. I have yet to share my ladies, without them sharing their friends with me, also.” I said. “But Mika is a teacher at school also!” Amy said. “She has been one of my live-in girlfriends for months now. I don’t kiss and tell, ever. We could spent the night together and wake up in the same bed, and I promise you that you will tell somebody that doesn’t live here before I will.” I said.

“I can see that you are comfortable here, but you must not have noticed the signs of the walls that said cameras are throughout this house. As we had some blackmail drama last fall. Being seen nude with girl students, can’t be too much better than being seen nude with male students.” Coach Shawntz was truly in a daze, looking like Bambi might look staring at the bright car headlights of the car rolling in her general direction. “I am not in the business of raping women, and that is the truth. But to be truthful to you if you really intent to play with Cathy, then sooner or later you are going to have to play with ALL of the rest of us. We are a share and share alike outfit, around here, it is your choice. I have enough playmates tonight, but you do have make your intentions clear, real Damn Quick!” I said to Coach Shawntz.

Fallon, Sharon, and Snowdove, and the rest of the girls ran a train on Coach Shawntz, and she was looking more than a little worse for wear, at breakfast. While I was kept busy by Mika, Sasha, and Meadow, tried to run me into the ground. I gave as good as I got until I had no more to give. As I was passing out I saw that those three hot-ass girls were going to keep on playing without me. I will just say that each of my playmates knew that they were playing with a dick that gave pleasure when it was used on them.

(SATURDAY, MORNING.)

The conversation around the breakfast table was quite lively, Coach Shawntz was sitting next to Cathy and Fallon looking like last night was too good to her. “Amy by the look on your face last night was highly entertaining.” I asked Coach Shawntz. After blusing a beautiful shade of red, she asked. “Am I in as much trouble as I think that I could be?” “Not from anyone in this house, as we don’t practice blackmail, for sex. I told you yesterday what happens here stays here. None of us kisses and tells. But there are plenty of other women that live here to play with that are out of the state right now.” I said.

“Your going to love a few of the players that are not here if you had fun last night. I am not saying that you have sleep with me because of last night.” What I can tell you right now is that there will be no other play nights happening that I am at least not in the same room, while you are playing with the ladies. And surely before any third night takes play you and I need to see how we interact with each other. Now you may or may not be allowed to remain a lover, of all the women in this house. But we will all have known each other in the Biblical sense a few times. When a decision about your final status is made, we will all know where we stand about you.” I said. Amy looked around the table, only to be greeted by the nodding heads of her brand-new lovers.

The phone began ringing and as I was the closest person to a phone I answered it. “Hello, Mason residence.” “Teddy, this Coach McCarter, do you by chance know a girl named Sue Ellen Blodgett?” Coach McCarter asked me. “No, Coach I don’t know of her, by name. So most likely I don’t know her. Why are you asking me about her?” I asked. “Well Miss Blodgett went home last night and told her father an interesting story about being raped. According to Miss Blodgett she was leaving the building near the small gym when she was forcibly dragged into the boys locker room and raped repeatedly by the boys playing basketball in the gym yesterday.” Coach McCarter said.

“I know that you have not been playing in the gym lately, but the Miss Blodgett has claimed that you were one of the guys that she had sex with yesterday against her will.” Coach McCarter said. To say that I was warm, was just plain understating just how mad that I suddenly was. Yesterday my Dad got his, ‘Here we go again moment,’ seems I am getting a taste of the same medicene today.