Chapter 2

They say, 'Waking Up Is Hard To Do', or perhaps it was 'making up or out' that was hard. In my case the soft hands gently stroking my forehead and another set massaging my, now bare feet; was divine and not very difficult to take.

I must have been tired or still asleep because I did not immediately respond to those stimuli.

In a few minutes, I did open my one eye, the right eye; and did so very slowly as not to awaken from such a pleasant dream. I thought I saw two Angels tending to me. "Rats', no Angels, I remembered, Carrie and, the other girl, Beth, right Beth.

"Mister Bob, time to go see about Sis!" This from the girl named Beth."

"Huh, Who, Where, What, am I still dreaming?"

"We need to see how Sis is? Carrie said she would go with us. I told her when we got back we could order food again."

My earlier estimate of the great level of service at this hotel was now confirmed by those words. I put my shoes and socks back on and we left to hopefully pick up 'Sis'.

At the ER, Mandy was like a new person, things went well with her recovery, Meds do wonders sometime. Getting out of the ER also entailed an 'offer' for me to go to work there and two propositions for, shall we say, 'Bedder' seeing what Richmond had to offer; why did this remind me so much of Sheila? I was almost going to say having Beth along, who 'did not share', was a blessing now. With Mandy being wheeled out to the car by Carrie and Beth, I heard the comment, 'Four maybe is too many for him'.

"Well ladies, time to go back home; Oh, I did promise you food, didn't I?"

"Yes" in stereo." Mandy just looked hungry. She probably just wanted food too.

"Mandy, we have a fine dinner selection at 'LEMAIRE's' in the Hotel. (You might care to know that the Hotel is not only the 'Best' in Richmond, it is considered one of the 'Best' Hotels in the USA. Places like The Brown Palace, The Fairmont, Hotel del Coronado, The Ritz, and a dozen others are not bad places either) We have an extra bedroom so you can here stay tonight and I can take you home tomorrow. Carrie, you are more than welcome to join us also. We can order room service or go to the restaurant. If we can get another bedroom, you can stay the night or two of you need to 'double up'; if we can't get a third bedroom."

"That should not be a problem, either way Doc. Can I invite my BFF, Judy to dinner also?"

"Why not, maybe Beth can model that dress she bought from her. If you are all agreed, before we get you home tomorrow, you and Mandy can also get a dress at her shop?"

If I only knew what I was saying, I would find out though. Hell, I was only a 'man' and these girls had already made their own plans. At the time I had no idea what a dress like that cost or that Beth's dress was 'gratis'. No way, no how could a piece of cloth cost $25,000 or more; could it?

The look Beth gave Carrie, the eyebrows raising, the head nods and smiles a cat gives when he was about to swallow a canary were all classic signs that I was missing.

Making dinner reservations this late apparenyly was not a problem. Carrie made them; they retired then to freshen up. By some sleight of hand no doubt, clothes for Mandy and Carrie just appeared at the door. I guess there were some benefits when working at a hotel. It was like 7:30 when they had a shower and were all dressed. The doorbell rang; I got the door and let Judy in, about the same time the other three visions came into view. I now had four true Angels staring at me. The first thought I had was that I was 'a lucky man', the next were thoughts that made my mouth stay open and I began to drool.

Maybe this was a dream after all. I was seeing not double but now four 'Designer' dressed models. White, Beige, Crème and Ivory, all sans bra and panties and two of them were already having some difficulty keeping their 'assets' inside those dress tops and they were only standing. I imagined them trying to walk in those dresses. Go figure, how was I supposed to know too that the Crème and Ivory dresses Carrie and Judy wore were like $65,000 each. The four of them were wearing cloth that cost more than my car did.

Judy and Carrie exchanged hugs and kisses like in Paris. Beth and Mandy had to follow that greeting, 'this was Richmond I asked myself', right. The four 'swished' towards me now, with those high 'side slits' opening up as they sauntered over and took my arms. I was correct in assuming that some 'interesting parts' of their female anatomy would be further popping out of those dress tops too.

As in answer to an un-asked question, Carrie spoke. "Judy provided the dresses for tonight. I hope we all 'surprised' you wearing these 'old' things?"

I thought to myself, 'Yes indeed you did, any man would be surprised; some women too'.

Entering 'LEMAIRE' I knew what a Peacock felt like. With four such lovelies attached; if there was such a thing as 'proud as one', that would best describe how I was feeling.

It was more crowded than I would have thought for a weekday. That Carrie had gotten us a reservation was itself no mean feat even so. I should have suspected then too that something was up. However, I recalled we were in a special suite so this might account for the treatment we got. My reasoning was close; it turned out, but no 'cigar'.

When a waiter came over and asked what we wanted this evening, no menu or even the pretense of one for me, the phrase, 'Something Is Rotten in Denmark' came to mind. Even in the top Hotel, dinner is not free. Then again, there are some like that in Vegas.

Carrie started our order with a bottle of Red and one of White, both unspecified as to what brand of wines. "Introductions, I think are in order now. Dr. Matthews I think you already know these two fine ladies, Mandy and Beth Saunders ". I nodded.

"You have also heard her name mentioned, so let me introduce my 'BFF', room mate and 'SO' (Significant Other), Judy Halston, not related to the designer but she loved the high fashion clothes 'Roy' used to design. I am Carrie Sue Ginter, this Hotel was founded by Major Lewis Ginter. The suite you are staying in bears our name. Dad owns this Hotel."

Okay, Okay, a ton of bricks do not have to fall on my head before I know I had been 'HAD'.

W. B. Saunders (Publisher), if I remembered correctly; had been purchased by CBS back in 1968. These two must have fallen on hard times if I found them in a place in the woods so run down that was more like a cabin.

It was Mandy's turn to speak I guess.

"I want to thank you for both of us, for rescuing me today. I still do not know what happened but we had been out there a couple of days cleaning out the fishing cabin. I must have gotten bite or cut myself cleaning up. Mom died a while back and Dad just stayed out there pinning away, I guess. When he passed away, we, we ... we."

Crying now.

What does one say when a girl starts to cry?

The waiter coming back with the wines brought things back into perspective.