Chapter 56: Meetings and Greetings

The Crawfords sat and listened to Bosco describe the burning of their home. The killing of the animals and the treatment of Sara Crawford. The wave of relief when they were told Sara was safe, and would remain safe, was palpable.

“Douglas, would you please come with me for a few minutes?” Lynn asked.

Lynn led Douglas out the back door where it was quiet. This was the entrance the delivery trucks and the bands used to load in. She took out her phone and pressed the button for the number Bosco had given her for the Brothers in Tullahoma.

“Brother,” was the answer.

“Would you believe sister? This is Lynn O’Dell.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. O’Dell. This is Juniper Sloan,” the man said in a soft, slow, Southern drawl.

“Hello Mr. Sloan. I have Douglas Crawford with me. Would it be possible for him to speak with his wife?”

“Yes ma’am. We’ve been waiting for this call.”

“Mr. Sloan, is she OK?”

“She’s really shaken up, ma’am. The way they treated her was a shock, but then to be rescued by men who look like us just sort of inadvertently piled on. We’ve gotten her something to eat and lots of water. Mrs. O’Dell ... she was in sad shape. Something about sending all of their food with her family.”

“Shit. Well first of all, please call me Lynn.”

“Thank you, ma’am. You can call me Jun. I spell it with no ‘e’.”

“Thank you, Jun. I really appreciate what you’ve done for these folks. Any reprisals from the people you shot?”

“Well, no ma’am. They’re kinda dead.”

Lynn chuckled and said, “Of course they are. Let me rephrase that. Any reprisals from their people?”

“No. But we’re ready for it if they dare.”

“How about from the police?”

“The locals are kinda pissed off at the Crawfords. Seems like the Sheriff is a good old Christian boy with morals and all. Samuel Crawford tried to bribe him and a few of his men. He took offense and has not been treating those Crawfords well. If it comes to shooting, I could see the sheriff’s men joining us or at least standing off waiting for the battle to be over.”

“That’s good and unusual to hear. Can we get our Crawfords on the phone?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jun called out to Sara Crawford to come to the phone and Lynn handed the phone to Douglas. As soon as he heard his wife’s voice Douglas Crawford burst into tears. Lynn stepped back inside and returned to the rest of the Crawfords and her spouses.

“Douglas is talking to Sara. Clifford, why didn’t you tell me that your mother was home with no food?”

He looked at Lynn and lowered his head.

“I don’t know, pride I guess. Although Father would call it family business and it was not for anyone else to know. Lynn, things have been a lot harder than we let on. We were real low on crops this year and the garden had been salted so the crop there was dead. We were on the verge. Don’t tell Father I told you. His pride has already taken a beating because he can’t fight back against his brother.”

“I won’t say a word, but between you me and the wall, your money worries are over as of today. I’m told that the best revenge is a well lived life. As of today your family is going to live a life so much better than Samuel or Isaiah or any who’ve sided with them.”

“How is Mother?” Lilith asked.

“She’s shook up. The Brothers are taking good care of her. They said that she was damn near starving. They aren’t sure what shocked her more, what Samuel’s men did to her or the fact that some hairy, rough, bikers saved her. I’m sure it didn’t help when a guy named Juniper saved her.”

“Juniper Sloan?” Lola asked.

“Yes. You know him?”

“I went to school with his kids. He’s a rough looking man. I’m told he’s like Robin Hood to some of the mountain folks. I never met him but if he’s anything like his kids, he’s good people. A Marine too as I recall.”

“Good. Bosco spoke highly of him as well. Where’s Erin?”

“Well...,” Clifford said and paused. “She took off behind the bar talking about a White Erin or something. Whatever that is.”

“Clifford, there is a drink called a White Russian. It’s made with vodka, Kailua, and cream or milk. At one time or another Blossom, I, and especially Erin have made one for Paul with our own breast milk.”

Clifford. Lola, and Lilith all blushed and Lynn quietly informed them, “Look y’all, someday you’ll get married and the loving things you do for your spouse and they for you will be between you. Normally this is between us but I felt I should tell you in case Erin gets a little crazy and offers one to you three or to your father.”

“Would she?”

“Hell yes, if the mood hits her.”

Lynn looked around Clifford’s shoulder and saw that Erin was quickly sliding into her good old “Erin the bartender” persona. It was good to see. Blossom went off to talk to the karaoke guy and generally speaking the place was starting to come to life. Bosco and I ended our private conversation and came over to Lynn, both with big smiles.

“What’s making you boys so happy?”

“Well Lover,” I said happily. “I’m out with my wives and not having to perform or work. Blossom is already wanting to sing. Erin is making me a White Erin. And Bosco is getting to stare at Erin’s tits, and even look down her shirt, without reprisals from Terri.”

“As a matter of fact,” Bosco said. “I just might ask for a Margarita and see if Erin will make it the old fashioned way.”

“What’s the old fashioned way?” I asked.

“Before she got together with you, she’d hold the mixer between her tits and jump up and down,” Bosco answered. “That is unless you mind me staring at her tits. I mean, Paul, they are just so ... so ... Fucking huge!”

I burst out laughing and slapped Bosco on the back.

“Brother, ain’t that the ever-loving truth?”

“Well while you boys are thinking of your toys, I’m going to check on Douglas.”

Lynn patted me on the nuts and then gave them a squeeze before walking towards the back door. She opened it carefully and found Douglas sitting in a chair crying, the phone on the ground.

“Douglas! What’s wrong? Is Sara OK?”

He looked up at me and blinked his tear filled eyes and sobbed when he said, “They did things to her before the Brothers got there. They stuck things in her. They raped my wife with sticks and broom handles and their hands and fingers. They were about to have sex with her when the Brothers put a stop to it all. Sara’s so ashamed. She’s asked me to have the Brothers shoot her.”

Lynn bent down and picked up the phone and hit a speed dial number.

“Hello Lynn,” a man said. “How can we help you?”

“What’s the nearest airport to Tullahoma, Tennessee?”

“Just a second.”

There was the sound of typing and a few seconds later the man came back on.

“There is a regional airport that supports Arnold Air Force Base. We can use it with no problem.”

“File a flight plan ASAP and get over there as fast as you can. I have a couple of passengers for you to bring to Boise.”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll call you just before we take off.”

“What’s the flight time?”

“It shows as 1690 miles. So that would be about four hours each way depending on weather and routing.”

“Thanks.”

Lynn disconnected the call and looked at the emotionally crushed man.

“Douglas, Sara will be here in about ten hours. You and the family will be together again. Your place will be rebuilt and your family will be made safe and whole.”

“What?” he sniffled. “How?”

“Douglas, you were very correct when you said it seems that my family has unlimited money. So, I’m sending a charter plane to Tullahoma to pick up Sara and bring her to Boise. Dry your eyes and come inside with your family.”

Douglas Crawford jumped to his feet. He hadn’t felt that spry in a long time. He grabbed Lynn in his arms and hugged her tight. The force of it drove them back through the open back door and into the bar.

“Should I be worried about this?” I asked as I stood there watching the sight of Lynn in Douglas arms. He immediately dropped Lynn and ran to me taking me up in an equally intense embrace. That caused my loving, first wife to laugh out loud.

“MARCUS!!” I yelled as loud as I could.

Marcus came running and saw me and Douglas.

“Marcus, what do I do now?”

“Don’t ask me, Paul. I’ve got a husband and I don’t think you want to do what we do that starts off like this.”

“I’d help but Douglas doesn’t pay attention to my girls,” Erin said, grabbing her massive breasts in her hands and juggling them.

“Daddy!?” Lola screeched. “Let go of him!”

“I guess he has good news, huh?” Bosco asked with a big grin on his face.

I looked down at Douglas face as best as I could from this angle and asked, “Douglas, just why are you hugging me like we’re dating?”

Douglas loosened his grip and looked around, coming back into the real world. He looked around a few more times, slowly composing himself and releasing his grip more and more until he was standing with his arm at his side and looking at his children with another batch of tears running down his face.

“Daddy! What’s wrong. Is Mama alright?”

Douglas gathered his three children into his arms and said, “Everything is wonderful. Lynn will have your mother here with us tomorrow. Samuel’s men have done vile things to her and I don’t know what sort of shape she’ll be in but she’ll be here and safe with us.”

“Father, when are we going to get even with Samuel?”

“Excuse me,” Lynn said interrupting. “The O’Dells have believed in something for a long time. We don’t get mad. We don’t even. We get one up! And I intend to get way, way up.”

“Well, now that the good news has been shared, let’s relax and celebrate.”

I led Erin to the dance floor as a customer was singing a horrible rendition of “Come and Get Your Love” and I grabbed her ass with both hands and squeezed as hard as I could. We just rocked side to side. I was starting to get a bit emotional when I thought of the times I’d almost lost Blossom and Lynn and Erin. I knew how Douglas felt and I knew the relief he now felt. And I knew that soon he would feel the rage I’d felt.

When the song ended it was Blossom’s turn and she sang “Rocky Mountain High” and was wonderful, causing me to wonder why I’d never had her sing with the band. I made a mental note. Erin and I congratulated her and Blossom motorboated Erin before we went to the pool tables and sat around telling lies and making fun of the Brothers pool shooting abilities.

About an hour and a half later, Lynn’s phone vibrated her left breast. Walking out the front door into the quiet of the night, she pulled it out and answered, “This is Lynn.”

“Yes.”

“ETA?”

“Great. There is a Hilton hotel near the entrance to the airport. How many crew do you have?”

“OK. I’ll have a room for you and the copilot and a room for the flight attendant and a room for Mrs. Crawford.”

“Really? She’s still that shook up?”

“OK. I’ll have the flight attendant and Sara room together and put Jun in a separate room. Thank you so much for your help in this. Good night.”

She then looked at the internet and got the phone number for the Hilton and get two rooms rented. When she was done with her business, Lynn returned to the joy of the evening.

At 2AM, the Bar-Bar closed down. We packed everyone into the van, including a very drunk Douglas Crawford, and made our way to the Hampton Inn.

“We’ll come and get you around noon. Get a good shower and a good night’s sleep.”

“What about Sara? You said she’d be here?”

“She’s on her way. The pilot just called me to let me know they got to Tullahoma, they met the Brothers at the airport and Sara and her guard, Jun Sloan are on their way. They should land at about 3AM our time. I’ll put them up in a hotel and then Sara can clean up. She’ll have a female flight attendant giving her whatever help she’ll need.

“We’ll pick her and her bodyguard up and bring them to the Savannah for a family reunion and lunch. Then we’ll sit down and plan the decline of the Samuel Crawford faction of the Crawford family and the ascension of the Douglas Crawford branch.”

“Why can’t I see Sara when she lands?” Douglas questioned.

“Because you’re drunk and because Sara is still in shock a little. I didn’t know that she’d never been on an airplane before. Right now she needs you to be sober and stable before she drops all her feelings on you. Trust me, Douglas.”