Chapter 16

“I’m going to have to quit getting involved with new women, it will be the death of me if I don’t.”

“But Dad you enjoy it to much to give it up” said Sue.

“But I have the best women in the world right here with me, we get along, there is no fighting, no abuse, we agree on things and the best sex any man could ever want. I’m the luckiest man in the world because of you and not just sex, everything. I’m a fool for not respecting it. So much for my feeling guilty, now let’s get on with the authoring, we have a deadline to meet. Did everyone get a copy of the Draft I sent out. Are you studying it? Talk to me people. Are you listening people? Get busy, please.”

“If you’ll shut up someone will talk, now are you done?” Violet says. “I’m probably the only one that has had time to read any of it, I think it is wonderful and tells her story very accurately. It Should fall into the category of non-fiction. I’m only half way through it. Next, Hannah.”

“I have only read one chapter and I was really floored, I never would have thought to open a story up the way you did. About the thoughts and dreams of two kids in love and only being sixteen and fourteen. Escaping from foster care, to make their own way, similar to the pioneers of our country. They proved that they could make it on their own, through hard work and determination. From Chicago to Virginia and North Carolina. In just one chapter so far, I have never had a book grab my attention so fast, and it being the set-up to the main story. I can’t wait to read more and see how you entered all the different sequences. Sam talk to us.”

“I didn’t realize we were working with such a genius. I didn’t even read a whole chapter.

“My turn?” asked Georgia. “I couldn’t believe it was Jeff and I, you made us sound like some kind of hero’s, but everything was true that you wrote, just the way you wrote it amazed me. Too bad it is only four hours to Knoxville, I’ll be reading all the way.”

“According to my writing software it is an eight to twelve hour read. And there is a lot to write yet. Is anybody hungry for a sperm snack?”

Sam says, “I believe it is my turn, Dad.”

“Shall we retire to the bedroom or go to the couch?”

“Let’s go to the bedroom.”

Back in the bedroom, we disrobed, I marveled at how much she has filled out and matured in the almost four years I have known her, she was only barely fifteen with full B cup breasts. We laid down on the bed, “How about we just lay here, cuddle and reminisce for awhile.” I pulled her close, and we just laid there, looking into each others eyes. I spoke first, “Are you happy with our life, I mean don’t you miss being a kid and enjoying the teenage life of parties and no responsibilities,. You have jumped right into adulthood, now you are a successful and respected Author, worth close to a million dollars, even after being split four ways.

“Dad, I love our family so much, I can’t even express it in words, even being a successful and respected Author, I don’t have the words to to tell you how much I love you, either, it’s just three little words and that’s all I have to work with. I have tried to imagine how things would have worked out had you not disappeared. All I can come up with is a later disaster, you did the right thing for all of us, but it really broke my heart and the others, it almost destroyed Mom. Not by you but by herself and me, I took it all out on her, then tried to sneak off, to you and steal you away. I understand now why you need her more than the rest of us, I don’t mean love, I mean need her for guidance and another mature person near you.”

“See that’s what I mean, about you have matured into an adult way beyond your years. I love you all equally, but maybe your Mom a little more. I am scared you all will find some one your own age, fall in love and leave me someday. When I think about it I almost cry, that’s how bad it effects me. I also worry about your safety. That deal on the road last week, could have turned out differently. It’s about time you started driving the coach. See I don’t even know when all of your birthdays are, barely know all your ages. Georgia is the only one I am sure of, she will be sixteen in November. When will you be eighteen, dear. Have we been on the road one year or two, time is going to fast.”

“Not 100% sure, but I think it will be two in November. This is October and I think this is Saturday. My birthday is November 5, 2004, Sue’s birthday is January 1, 2005, Mom’s is December 25, 1982, Hannah is in May, 2002. That’s everyone but you.”

“I was Forty-one June 30th ... Have you put any thought on where you would like us to settle down someday.”

“You didn’t tell us it was your birthday. I would love to have a place like we did in Ohio, but I bet you would love to settle down in Marathon, close to the Rusty Anchor Bar and Grill, so you could hang out with your buddy Jesse, and go fishing with him. Why did you hide the fact you were in the Marine Corps. That Jesse guy recognized your name, and confronted you. Are you ashamed of your service?”

“Not entirely, mostly embarrassed and I am not proud of what I had to do then. If I knew he was there I would not have went there. But now I am glad I did. Jesse helped me deal with it. He had trained me in weapons school. See your questions are not what a seventeen year old would ask. Did I ever tell you have the loveliest seventeen year old breasts I have ever seen or sucked on.”

“Ha, Ha, funny boy, you never have. Speaking of sucking, isn’t that why we are in here?”

“Is that all you think about, is sex.”

“No I think about our family and money, are we going to settle down in Missouri where our money is?”

“That reminds me I have got to call our publisher. Did you enjoy our little talk?”

“Yes, but you got me in here under false pretenses. Are we done in here now?”

I didn’t bother to dress, just went out to the front, to talk to Georgia, about her bank account. Did she have her passbook with her among other things. No She didn’t have a passbook just a checkbook. I told her to get it and come to the bed room. I called our publisher, the secretary put me right through to him. I asked if he had enough to send an advance, just to Georgia cause she was broke.” He informed me that they released an advance snippet, and may have to increase the first printing, advance sells not reservations were four hundred and fifty thousand so far with two hundred thousand reservations. I asked should we up the price, he said that they all ready did. What about the advance then I asked, he asked why just Georgia, whatever I said, just don’t put us in the hole, ok he said, then the big question, when will it be done, he believed it was complete enough now, I told him we wanted enough for the officials to move on it, cause the politics here were bad. I told him when he had some numbers, I would give him Georgia’s.

“Georgia honey, who do you trust in Mt. Airy, with a lot of money.” She said “Joe and Mary.”

I called them right away, while she asked “Why?”

I said,”You are going to get a lot of money soon.”

Mary answered, I told her who it was, then asked about Georgia’s banking. She said it was at the same bank her and Joe used. I told her that a large deposit was on the way to her checking account cause that is the only account she said she has. I wished she had another type. She said Georgie has a joint account with her and Joe. To protect her finances. Get the book now I need the account numbers, cause a large deposit was on the way soon. She yelled at Joe to get in the safe and get the book. He said why, she said Mr. Marshall is on the phone and wants to deposit money into her account. Ten minutes later he hands it to Mary and she reads me off the account numbers. I thanked her and called the publisher right back. He asked for the bank routing number and the account number and the name of the bank just to make sure. He was sending it to accounting and informed me that an amount of two hundred thousand dollars is on the way to us all.

Next call was to Tim McIntyre, He said he was just going to call me, he already had dispatched the report to the Mt. Airy Prosecuting attorney. And wanted to know where to send my copy. “Someone get me the address and name of the campground in Knoxville.

“We did make a reservation, right. It’s Saturday and we already had accomplished a lot before twelve, but we are running out of time quickly.” I gave Tim the address and name of the campground. Told him to “See if he could get it to us today.” He said it would be done but not cheaply.

“Ok gang, I’m going to relax now. How far do we have to go, yet.”