Chapter 61

Waking up alone is tough. I hadn't gotten up out of bed without a woman next to me in a long time. Since Ashlee moved in with me, she and I had been sleeping together every single night. We would make love, get cleaned up and then fall asleep snuggled up against each other and sometimes we would wake up in the morning and do it all over again. Yeah, we had it good and I really enjoyed it. She did too based upon her desire to do it with me.

Anyway, I managed to stumble to the bathroom, relieve myself and then arrive in the kitchen. No one was there. All was quiet. I let Caesar out into the backyard which was fenced off so I didn't worry very much about him.

I turned to the coffee pot and started looking for the grounds, the filter and mugs. I find them in the pantry cabinet and start putting them together so that my brain will wake up.

I lean against the counter while the coffee is dripping.

thumpbumpthumpbump

Here comes ol' hop-along-Brenda.

"Good morning honey." I say to her happily, but not too much ... still no coffee yet.

"Hi dad. Any coffee yet?"

"Almost." I look at the pot and it was half way done.

She thumps-bumps over to me and I open my arms to her. She comes in for a hug and I give her one and it goes from that to me holding her as emotions run through her. "You ok?"

"No. I think I lost my grandparents yesterday and I really loved them."

"No, not yet. They are still here on Earth so there is still time. You haven't lost them yet."

She looked up at me, "You really think so?"

"Yes honey. You haven't lost them yet. They still have time to turn from their lives and follow Jesus. If they die before then, then we have lost them. Until then, there is still time."

"Ok. Thanks dad." I continued to hold her and she seemed to take comfort from it.

"Hey, can I get some of that too?" Amber said coming into the kitchen.

Brenda and I looked at her then open an arm to her and she came to us and we made it a three way hugfest. If I could go back in time and tell my younger self that I would be standing in Amber Patterson's kitchen holding her against me, well, my younger self would not believe it to put it lightly.

"No fair. I want hugs too." Ashlee said when she came in seeing us standing in the kitchen with our arms around each other. I open my other arm to Ashlee and so did Brenda and Ashlee took her spot opposite of Amber. I kissed her when she came to me.

"Good morning honey. I missed you last night."

"Hi honey. I missed you too."

The four of us stood there holding each other. I had my fiancé pressed against me and her sister pressed against my other side. If it were possible to make this better ... well I had no idea how to do it.

"So, what are we going to do today? Mom? Dad? Aunt Amber?" Brenda said while holding her mom and aunt.

We exchanged looks and since no one was able to come up with anything, I volunteered my idea. "Why don't we head home, take Amber with us and spend the New Year in KC looking for a party location there?"

Well, it wasn't a total flop. They didn't immediately boo my idea, but they didn't immediately love it. Ashlee and Amber looked at each other and had a girl only talk. You know, "well", "maybe," " but", "No," "really?" "Yes" what about." " nope" "I don't" "Yes." All the while tilting their heads and changing their facial expressions yet just saying a few words. I didn't understand it; I just stood there while they had their talk.

When they stopped, I stood there waiting. Amber finally said "OK, I'll go with you. When are we leaving?"

Brenda exclaimed "Yeah! Party time in KC!"

I just smiled looking forward to the evening with my fiancé and her sister who I had the pleasure of getting to know. "Excellent. Let's get some breakfast into our guts then we can get packed and head out. How does that sound?" I asked the group.

We break up after giving each other one last squeeze and then breakfast begins.

After breakfast we all cycle through the bathroom getting ready and for the first time in a long time, I didn't know what Ashlee had on under her clothes. This is going to be a very long engagement for sure.

We pile into two cars and head north. Amber insisted in driving her car which left Brenda in the Rover with me.

Once we arrive in KC and pull into our parking garage Amber was the first to exit her car and Ashlee got out and started showing her around the garage showing off Brenda's car and my Jeep which were parked right next to each other with the Porsche on the other side. Amber couldn't get over the Koenigsegg and when Brenda got next to her, she pulled her keys out of her purse and opened it for her. Amber got in and got the engine started and revved the engine a couple of times and I have to tell you, in a concrete garage like that, the sound of her engine was rather loud and one of the other residence who happened to be in the garage at the same time came down to find out what the noise was about.

"Excuse me, what is that?"

I turned to him. "That is my daughter's Koenigsegg."

"Huh? What the hell is a Korsig? It makes a gawd-awful racket."

"It is Swedish and in a class of automobile called hyper-cars."

He man just looked at me. "OK, let me explain. You've heard of Lamborghini?" The man nodded his head understanding. "Well, this car is faster, lighter and more extreme than that. It has a top speed of about 240 while a Lambo will only get to 200 on a good day."

He whistled at the numbers I was throwing out. "Oh, I'm sorry, but I'm Frank. I live on the 12th floor."

"Paul, I'm on 16."

"Paul. Paul Johnson? The millionaire?"

"Well, that is not the title I was going for, but yes. That is who I am."

He got very excited and shook my hand vigorously. "It is so good to meet you. I had no idea that you lived here. I've wanted to meet you since I saw you on the TV during the lottery win show. Man, it is so good to meet you."

"Frank. It is good to meet you as well." I let go of his hand and tried to move away from him and it took a second or two for him to take the hint and let go of my hand. Ashlee came over and took my hand standing next to me as my rescuer. "Honey, are you going to introduce me?"

"Of course. Frank, my fiancé Ashlee. Ashlee, this is Frank, he lives on the 12th floor here in the building."

They exchanged handshakes and pleasantries. Ashlee kept her left hand in mine hiding her ring from view. We didn't know this guy so we weren't going to invite trouble.

"Ms. Ashlee, it is very good to meet you. What are you all doing down here making all of the noise?"

Brenda shut off the car and now the quiet was startling to us. I dramatically rubbed my ear as if I was trying to get my hearing back. Ashlee laughed and so did Amber. "We just got back from a trip to see family and this is the first time that Ashlee's sister has been here to see our place so little miss thing over there wanted to show off her toy." I said while pointing at Brenda.

They came over to us and I made the introductions. Frank asked Brenda what happened to her foot and she gave him the abridged story of falling down in her grandmother's house. Frank expressed his sympathy and then asked if he could see the car. Brenda took him over and he managed to get in behind the wheel and marveled at the doors and how they opened. Brenda gave him the full tour by opening the front and back to show off the engine. Ashlee and Amber both didn't wait around for the tour to end, they begged off and went upstairs. I did manage to give Ashlee a kiss before they left.

"What do you think?" I asked him while they were going over the engine.

"This is very cool. How much of this car is carbon fiber? I am sure that I see some of it there." Frank asked pointing to the wall beyond the engine.

"According to the salesman and company's web site, the whole thing is carbon fiber. Other than the obvious metal parts, the rest of the car is carbon fiber."

"Wow." He said then moved around to the side of it and eventually got down next to the front tire checking out the wheel and brake. "This is a most impressive car. What are you going to do with it?"

Brenda answered first. "I'm going to race it. I am going to be a race car driver after I get out of school."

I would have gone with a different answer, something less personal, but she is right. She does want to be a race car driver.

"Really? You, a race car driver? A girl?"