Chapter 70

The next day our set pieces had arrived. I went to the auditorium with my name on it, to check them out. Everything was just as had been told ... sized for our kids to move around. I let the parents make the outfits for their kids based on the standard look from the comics. This coming Thursday afternoon we were having a set rehearsal.

I put Sami in charge of that afternoons Charlie Brown rehearsal at the GSS. Her previous theatrical experience gives her a nice perspective on what I am wanting to accomplish.

Stuart and I were ready for meeting Kevin at the DI build site. On our ride, I told Stu to let me do the explaining. He agreed quickly.

Kevin drove up in a dirty GMC truck. For a split second I wondered if there was any kind of new idea in car and truck washes.

He looked younger than he sounded over the phone, making me wonder if he was married or not. He could make a nice future hubbie to Sami.

‘Hey, Kevin, this is my executive assistant on all projects and my tech guy for stage productions, Stuart Holland.”

They shook hands and exchanged ‘Hellos.’

“So, you own the property all the way up to the highway, Michael?”

“That’s right, I have some plans for up at the top end, but today I am about to explain a Billion Dollar idea, if handled right.”

“Ken told me that this was a classified project. Who knows about it, exactly?”

“The two of us, and our girls, my dad and Ken. Stuart here is so eager on this project, he is funding it.”

Stuart said, “Just turn in any receipts and I will reimburse within 24 hours. The two of us plus our girls worked late last night designing and tweaking what we want here.”

He put his slim suitcase on Kevin’s hood, opened it and handed each of us a 14X17 3D color picture with our design and dimensions. I looked over at him for a moment and said, “This is why I need him so much. I do the talking and he puts it on paper.”

After giving him our outer land dimensions, he got out some stakes, and a hammer, and within a 20 minutes, our land was marked off with yellow flags.

With our PDI dimensions, he did it again, this time with red flags. For our driveway, he used blue flags.

It really helped to see the dimensions this way.

Between the two of us, we explained the rest of it, giving him the idea of a hydraulic system underground for the tilt we needed. He agreed that was the best way to accomplish our goal. He also had an opinion that we shouldn’t allow in the over-sized vehicles. I took it under advisement. As soon as I said it, I remembered when the Mayor of Amity island, in JAWS, used the same expression, and you knew he was blowing smoke up somebody’s butt!

Once we had told Kevin our idea, he said, “Stuart, I need $50,000 to get this off the ground. I don’t have the money to front it, OK?”

He went back into his briefcase, got a checkbook, and wrote a check, giving it to Kevin again saying, ‘I want receipts for everything, Mr. Young. We may decide to build 500 of these by ourselves, or simply sell the concept for a buttload of money. We need to know exactly what this revolutionary idea will cost so it can be duplicated in 48 states.”

Kevin finally looked at the check and it was for $250,000. I have under estimated my executive assistant. He is not Neville Longbottom, He is Harry Potter!

The following Friday will be the auditions for the Lincoln High Concert of WEST SIDE STORY. The following day is our single performance of ‘Charlie Brown.’

I was hoping for a large, possible full house at my namesake auditorium.

At home having dinner, with Stuart sitting by his girl, I asked, “Jennifer, after dinner, can you help me made an audition sheet for WEST SIDE STORY and RENT?”

“Michael,” Princess said, “They announced the auditions for DAMN YANKEES at Jackson Heights. Should I try out for Lola or Gloria?”

“Either of them do a lot of dancing, so it would depend on if you wanted to become a sex object or an all-around performer?”

“I think ... I wouldn’t mind being a sex object at least for a while,” she said seemingly understanding what she had just said.

“Who’s directing it?” Stuart asked.

“Mr. Planck, with Miss Stapleton being the rehearsal pianist,” she answered. “If I focus on Lola, which of her songs should I perform?”

“She has a few, “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets,” “A Little Brains, A Little Talent” and “Who’s Got the Pain,” which needs a nice dance routine with it.”

“Perform in a leotard,” Jennifer said, “to show off your figure.”

“With or without underwear?” she said with a straight face.

“I want to see that audition,” Stu said, but got a slap. HE must not have realized he said it out loud ... Oops!

“Wear a small bikini over it. That will still show off what Isabel Chapman brings to the party,” I said.

“Could we go over those numbers right now, Mikey?” my blonde sister asked.

After we cleaned up from dinner, I moved to my keyboard and handed her a collection of songs from the show...

ISABEL
Whatever Lola wants ... Lola gets
And little man, little Lola wants you
Make up your mind to have no regrets
Recline yourself, resign
yourself, you are through
I always get ... what I aim for
And your heart and soul
is what I came for

When the song was over, I applauded and said, “Very nice for a first time through. Do you know it now?”

“I think so. Why?”

“This time, turn on every bit of sexuality you can ... keeping your clothes on. Sing straight at Stuart, like there is no one else in the room. Dance as you want, bump and grind all you want, just ooze pure joy as you perform.”

“Go ahead Princess...”

This time was different. She did just as I said, moving her hips generously as she sang. It got me hard, so it must have affected Stuart.

When it was over, I turned off the keyboard and Stuart took her to their room. I heard her say to the other girls, “Goodbye Ladies,” adding a giggle. I was immediately jealous!

Their room was quite noisy.

My phone alarm woke us up, Jenn and I took a shower, then I knocked on her door, with Stuart getting it and I asked, “Did Lola get everything she wanted last night?”

“Oh, yeah” he said. “If she auditions like that in front of Paul and Cece, she should get Lola easy.”

“Rose Newman could give her a run for it,” Jennifer said.

“I am gonna arrange some private dance lessons for her,” I said.

“What about private dance lessons?” Princess said meeting us at the breakfast table.

“I have a present for you. The details are coming soon.”

“Oh, goodie,” she said looking very innocent in the outfit she had on.

After breakfast, we all headed off to school together. Once there we all went our separate ways. I looked for Jennie Robinson, finding her in Katherine’s ex-office. “Yes, Mr. Thomas, can I help you?”

“I want to give, as a surprise to my sister Isabel, some private dancing lessons. Who do you know who has the time to do that this week?”

“Why so soon, Michael?”

“She is trying out for Lola in DAMN YANKEES. I know she can perform it, but she needs some expertise to polish her dancing skills before the auditions.”

“It’s a Concert show, but she wants to dance ... is that what you are telling me?”

“We know that, but she wants to show off, if you know what I mean? Some fancy moves to back up her great voice and legs.”

“She has gotten quite tall and curvaceous; will I do?”

“Do you have time for that, Jennie?”

“I can make time for you and her. How is ‘Charlie Brown’ going?”

“Really well, we have regular rehearsals at Thomas Auditorium daily for those moments that need it.”

“Sounds like you are on top of things, Mr. Thomas. How soon do you want me to come over and begin the lessons?”

“As soon as you can schedule it, you will be paid for this. I know all about a teacher’s wages.”

“Would tomorrow work out OK?”

“Perfect, thank you ... Please stay for dinner?”

“All right,” she said. “See you then.”

Meeting up with Stu and my three ladies, I suggested we head off to a really nice place to eat for dinner. We quickly realized we needed to head to Evansville, so Sam pointed us south. I had my laptop and I looked for high-rated restaurants.

This found us at the Logan Roadhouse. The girls had wanted to change first, but after walking through the front door, it wouldn’t have mattered. None of us had ever been to a place with ‘Roadhouse’ in its name, so this was a little different. TripAdvisor gave it four out of five stars.

A nice young lady seated us and told us our servers name was Brigitte. Instead of my longhaired beauty, this was a redhead with pigtails. “Hello, welcome to the Logan Roadhouse. If you haven’t been here before, may I recommend you find an appetizer you like and then when I come back with that, you can order anything off the menu.”

Before I could say anything, Isabel said, “Thank you, Miss,” and she left. “Which appetizers should we get, Stu?”

They talked it out then asked my opinion.

“Go ahead and get what you’d like. I will eat just about anything.”

Brigitte came back and they picked Fried Mozzarella Sticks, Country Fried Chicken Tenders and Roadhouse ‘Shrooms.

After that, we all ordered something different. Sam had been joining us on this adventure trip so we can share and find out what we liked.

The moment she brought the food, my phone rang, “Where are you?” Janice asked exasperatingly and in tears, “Your house is on fire and I couldn’t tell if anyone was inside or not?”

“Our house is on fire? Everyone else is here in Evansville for dinner,” I said to the girls. “Has the Fire Department gotten there yet?”

“No, I was worried about you ... are you all together?”

“Yes, it’s me. Stu and the girls. We will get on our way as soon as we can, thanks. Brigitte, could you make all of these to go please. We need to leave?”

“Take a pill Michael. It might not be that bad,” Jennifer said handing me one of them. I washed it down with water, and our food was ready to go. I handed my card and she expedited us through checkout.

“Don’t drive so fast, Sam. We’re all safe. Everything there is just stuff.”

“I am sorry Michael,” she said all flummoxed, “I’m running through my mind if I turned something on before we left or not?”

We pulled up to two fire trucks that looked like they had the fire under control to just our house. But the house looked beyond repair. The girls ran to Janice and Ally who were there.

“We will all take off from school tomorrow to go shopping for some necessities Dad. I will take good care of all of them, don’t you worry. Did we have replacement insurance?”

“Yes, the structure, and the contents. I hope you made a list of what you had?” Brian said.

“I know what we had, Brian. I will get it to you ASAP.”

My phone rang.

“Hello,” I said.

“Michael, this is Ken Bell, I have heard through the grapevine that your house has ... burned. What about the GSSEC ... do you know yet?”

“No, I don’t. Quick question about rebuilding?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“You had to knock out some concrete foundation to connect things ... how thick was it, the standard four inches or possibly more?”

“You certainly have learned a lot watching your TV shows. At least six inches. That surprised me. That only usually gets poured for a two-story home. However, they might not have had the budget to do that after the fact,” my favorite contractor asked.

“I would like you to make some new plans, using the existing blueprints, but putting all the bedrooms upstairs making a great room downstairs. Design at least six bedrooms please, more, if possible?”

“I know you are probably very busy right now, but do what you can as quickly as possible.

“Did the house to the east burn at all?” I asked...

“No, why?”

“Ken, you know how there are no homes on the east side of the street, except for one the next door. Could we put a Steel building up to park our busses, and rehearse?”

“I don’t see why not?” he said.

“I would want it wide enough so we can start recording,” I said.

“Interesting idea Mr. Thomas. That way you can rehearse there year-round. Out of the depths of fire, a phoenix will grow. You’re thinking very clearly for a young man who just lost his home. The firemen are coming out from around back, to give us an alert.”

We arrived to find out directly from the Fire Chief, “There was a short in the back yard building, probably due to weather. It is completely destroyed. The house is completely destroyed. You cannot go in there before tomorrow at noon.”

I went up to him and said, “Thank you Chief. I am glad none of our neighbor’s homes were affected. It’s going to be rebuilt with many more smoke detectors.”

“Excellent idea Mr. Thomas. I was at your concert a while back. I am very sorry for your loss today,” he said.

We shook hands, then the girls all came up to me.

“Don’t worry, I have my phone and my credit card. We will shop until we drop tomorrow. My father will be contacting the school’s tomorrow for us.”

I walked over to the empty house, found the keys in my pocket, and we all went inside.

“This isn’t the reason I bought this place, but it is better than a crummy hotel room.”

“OK Ladies, we need a AT&T store to get new chargers for our phones, then we come home for the night

After we all got in, I found our local store on Kimmel Road. Sam knew where that was and I got out and got four chargers keeping my emotions barely in check.

“My pills!” I said.

“I have two,” Princess said, as did Jenn and Sam.

“I can’t play any music either,” I said wondering if either of my Keytars survived the fire, heat, or water. “Jennifer and I are going to our room. Don’t forget to charge up your phones everyone. Good night.”

We left together down the hall to our room. She took my hand and we entered the room together. When the door closed she got me up against the door and began a most remarkable kiss.

I kissed her as strongly as she was kissing me. She hiked up her legs around me and said in her little girl voice, “Fuck me please?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing, little girl,” I said picking her up and walking her into the bedroom.

“We don’t have any changes of clothes yet, so be careful Michael,” she asked.

“Oh, I will ... my fabulous fiancee.”

I lay her on the bed before us and began to undress myself. She did also, but was going especially slowly tantalizing me with every button and zipper being undone.

“Did you take your pill this morning ... your birth control pill?” I asked.

“Yes, I did. We need to get new batches of all of our prescriptions, don’t we lover?”

“That will have to wait until tomorrow. Right now I want to fill you to the brim with my Michael Milk. How does that sound to you?”

“Extraordinary,” she said spreading her legs apart waiting for my hardness to thrust inside her.

All during our fuck, she was completely quiet. She wanted to hear the sounds of our lovemaking, so I stayed silent as well, even when my first load filled her to overflowing.

Speechless, the got up and drained me into the toilet and came back finding me on my back. She secured herself on top with a slow filling of me inside her and starting rocking back and forth for over an hour. I licked and nibbled on her breasts as she stopped and I took over the thrusting from underneath.

We took turns doing the work, and it was with her fucking me that I finally came again, with only half the volume of my milk from the first time.

We were done, and I turned off my light, as did she. I put my phone on alarm so we could get up to have McDonalds for breakfast. This place might start to feel like home right around the time we’re ready to leave.

The alarm woke us up, we showered, changed and took everyone to Mickey D’s for breakfast.

“You’re Michael Thomas, of the Gold Standard Society, aren’t you?”

“Yes I am.”

Stuart wanted to help, but I insisted to pay for the bunch of them.

After getting about half of it eaten, I slowed down to go over what we needed to get. Clothing, both under and outerwear, refilled prescriptions, replacement hair coloring for both girls and a trip to see what was salvageable.

If both of my Keytars were ruined, we needed to replace them, as well. I only can hope that the older one may have survived?

I got a text from Mom, saying they were allowed to go back and look for salvageable stuff, but I told her that we would get there later. She politely said that she understood and we said, “Love you” to one another and finished up.

The moment we got off the phone, I got a call from Joan, “Is everybody all right, Michael?”

“Yes, we are ... thank you for calling. Pass that around so I don’t get a couple hundred phone calls please?”

“Sure thing, I am so sorry about what happened. Where are you staying?”

I told her, asking her to pass that information on to the two principals. She agreed with a “Take care of yourselves,” adding a “We all miss you here. Tell Isabel for us as well.”

I hung up and kissed Princess, saying it was from Joan. After we were done, it was off to Penney’s for some underwear, socks and shoes for me.

Easy decisions for me, but the ladies took a while. From there it was the medicine trip. Having to go over all the details to convince them we really needed our prescriptions took too long. With each trip, we opened the hatchback and put the stuff in there. I expect it to be full by the time we are done. Where the ladies got their performance dresses were next ... a very quick trip by the earlier standards of the day. I also went online and ordered a minimal keyboard with next day delivery for using in ‘Charlie Brown’ in three days.

We decided it was time to visit the remains of the house. All vehicles had been saved. That was really good to hear.

Mom and Ally were still there as we pulled up. We all said “Hi” to one another.

“I found an empty box and I am putting anything I find in it you guys,” Jan said.

Princess went over to it and said, “The new necklaces, you found the whole bag of new necklaces. Isn’t that great, Michael?” she said breaking into tears. Mom held her as she cried for a while. Apparently contagious, that got us all crying within a few moments. I had been trying to be strong for my family and my girls.

Next to the box Princess saw was the big box that the Moog Keytar would be in. I walked to it and opened the box... “Hot damn! It survived.” I said. “Thirty years old and survived a catastrophic house fire.” I saw the remains of the newer one practically melted into a puddle. Go figure?

“What about the food in the two refrigerators? Has it all spoiled, Mom?”

“No, most was intact. It’s already in our and Ally’s fridge and freezer.”

I took the moment to explain we were in the house next door. The smile on her face was all the response I needed.

“Ken Bell was here before us checking on dimensions. He said you want it rebuilt as a two-story home with seven or eight bedrooms, is that right?”

“Did he tell you about my idea for the property at the mouth of the street?”

“Yes, which I think is brilliant once we find out who owns it. I would love to not have that bus by the house all the time.”

“Mother, I own all the land around us that hasn’t been built already, and Clarice and I own the house we are living in while our place is rebuilt.

“What’s that about, Michael?” Jennifer asked walking over to me. I got my three ladies together and explained my vision, with a big inside and comfortable place to rehearse and record alongside a covered area for the buses and mobile stage.

I explained how I wasn’t sure how much of that plan can be done in a residential area. Ken would be able to tell me most of that.

Realizing there wasn’t much left to find, I called Ken to ask about how quickly the lot can be cleared without taking up the foundation? I told him why. Less than a week was what he told me. I passed that on, and we left.

“Where to, Michael honey?” Sam asked.

“Evansville, Victoria’s Secret to be specific,” I answered. “Our ladies need all new outer clothing, don’t they, Stuart?”

Sam gunned her car, as we got on the 41 and headed practically due south. We have taken this drive enough times; it’s becoming easier to deal with.

Coming to a stop woke us up as the girls all went all giggly as we walked into the store.

“Get yourself sized again, Isabel, I am sure you are even bigger these days,” her new primary companion explained.

My sister walked up to the first employee she saw and told her what she needed. Jennifer was looking at the bras on display. Sam was casually just looking around. Stu seemed a bit out of his element.

A big whoop came from the dressing room, Princess came out saying, “I am a D-cup ... a 32D. See how big they are?”

“Yes, and so is everybody else in the store,” Stuart said with a chuckle.

She ran back into the dressing room, causing Sam to say, “She is boundless with energy, isn’t she?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Boundless is the correct term for sure.”

“That is one of the many reasons I care so much for her,” Stuart responded.

By the time we were leaving, each of them had two literally overflowing bags, one with underwear, the other with bikinis and dress wear.

From there, we went to Dillard’s, a store for Stuart and I to shop at. Yay!

By myself, I picked out five-dozen boxers and crewneck T-shirts. A section over, I got some socks. Over at the shoes, I got five pair of the same exact shoes. After all of that, I found some casual and dress shirts and then some pants and belts. I was done! Shopping is kind of fun. Stuart had a bag of what he called ‘unmentionables.’ He isn’t as outlandish as Isabel, but he is trying.

I found the girls looking at dresses, with Sam sitting down. “Hey beautiful, what’s going on?”

“I was done rather quickly, but those young ladies keep looking and giggling with everything they are looking at. They have worn me out Michael...

“Me too. Ladies! Finish up please. We have to eat a meal sometime today.”

“Hold on, Michael,” Isabel said. “We’re just about done.”

“Yes dear,” I said. “We are all going back to school tomorrow, so hurry up.”

“We still need to get some personal bathroom products unless you got that at the pharmacy earlier.”

“Ooh, that’s right,” Sam said. “I didn’t think of that Michael.”

Ten minutes later, I paid for their stuff. The back of the Matrix was quite full after a day of shopping with everyone. Stuart offered to keep Isabel on his lap as we traveled on.

We went to Walgreens and got those items they all needed, and then we went to Arby’s for dinner. To not waste any more time, we drove through ordering enough food to take back with us. We had it finished before we pulled up our new home. It took a half hour to unload it all. The place was feeling more like home with everything we go off to do.

With five bedrooms, the girls made sure that my stuff and Jenn’s ended up in the same room, while Isabel, Sam’s. and Stuarts goodies went to the appropriate place.

Tomorrow we would go and get Jenn’s car from in front of Mom and Dad’s place after school.

I helped Jennifer hang up all of her wardrobe, so the wrinkles would be out by morning. She seemed as fascinated with my boxer choices as I was with her bra and panty choices.

Clarice came over to our room, saying, “Man, is that boy in love with that girl.

We all talked while the sounds of a very loud fuck were going on next door.

An hour later, the sounds stopped, and we heard a door open and close. We all went into the room, and Isabel was quiet, and getting dressed. She wasn’t crying, and she wasn’t talking. Sam stayed and we left to go back to our room.