Chapter 20

Jan was still sleeping soundly when the covers were unceremoniously yanked off her. She woke up with a start and huddled into a ball looking up at Ali with a hurt expression on her face. "Why did you do that? I was so snugly and warm!" Then she looked at Ali with her expression changing to one of love. "Ali, I dimly remember being held tight against a gorgeous body last night. My breasts were being crushed against another pair as firm as mine, and I felt the lightest touch stroking my hair. That wasn't a dream, was it?"

Ali blushed and said softly, "Jan, it was the very least I could do. You're a truly wonderful person. I hope you know that." She grinned and said, "Now get your tight little ass the hell out of my bed! We've got to get this show on the road."

When Ali came out to the kitchen, Jan was wearing her best business suit. She looked beautiful and Ali said so. She sat down to a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Then Jan went to the oven and took out fresh croissants she had just baked.

Ali looked up after taking a bite and there were tears in her eyes. "Jan, why did you do this? You're facing the most terrifying day of your life, but you took the time to make the finest, flakiest croissants in the world. Why?"

"Because I wanted to. Ali, you don't understand! I'm a dirty, filthy person! Yet you comforted me in a way I can't describe." Then she beamed. Ali realized it was a sunshine smile that lit up the apartment. "Even though you're younger than I am, you comforted me like my mother used to. It was so long ago I had forgotten, but now I remember! She even used to stroke my hair exactly like you did, except you have an even softer touch. Thank you." Her voice dropped to just above a whisper, "Ali, I love you!"

Ali took Jan in her arms and kissed her softly. "And I love you very much, too, Jan."

They went out to the car. Again Ali was wearing her Levi's and Jan teased her about it. "Don't you have anything else to wear?" Then she smiled and said, "I apologize! I forgot to compliment you on how beautiful you looked last night. You do, too, own a dress." The car pulled up at the office building and Jan got out. She was starting to feel tense and nervous. "Ali, I wish you were going to be there with me. Now I feel naked!"

Ali made a thumbs-up sign and said, "Jan, it will work out! I know it will. I'll pray for you."

Jan smiled gratefully and entered the building as Ali drove off. She remembered that Ali had said she was taking the car in for servicing. Finding the office door locked, she rang the bell. Moments later it was opened by a beautiful brown-haired girl. "You must be Janice Stewart. I'm Sandy Benson, one of Mrs. Clifford's partners. I also act as her personal attorney from time to time, and it's in that capacity that I wanted to meet with you this morning."

She ushered the girl into her office which was as beautifully furnished as Mrs. Clifford's, but slightly smaller. "Why don't you leave your things here, and we can go into the conference room?" She smiled warmly and added, "In this zoo, it sort of takes the place of the kitchen table at home. We can get some coffee and talk."

Carrying a stack of papers she led the way into the conference room. They poured coffee and Sandy took her to the end of the very large table. "Jan, we know that timing is critical. Argus is in New York, and it's ten o'clock there already. Accordingly, Mrs. Clifford wanted all the papers executed in advance of the meeting so no time is wasted later. Are you represented by counsel?" Jan shook her head, no. "You really should be, Mrs. Stewart. This is very important to you. I could get a lawyer to represent you, if you would like."

"Mrs. Benson, I'm prepared to sign away anything I own to save my husband. What do I need a lawyer for? He would probably try to talk me out of it and just waste time. I don't have any money to pay one, anyway." Jan thought she saw great warmth in the other woman's eyes, but Sandy just shook her head. She produced stacks of papers and Jan started signing wherever Sandy indicated. Finally, there was only a single paper left.

"Jan — may I call you Jan? — this is the one I cannot ask you to sign, let alone advise you to. It's drawn up as a personal service contract. But we both know what it means: Jan, signing this sells you into slavery. You're obligated to do anything Mrs. Clifford tells you to do. Ali told me about your buying a collection of whips. That's included, too. This is the document, Jan, but I'm begging you not to sign it!"

Jan just picked up her pen and scrawled her signature. Then she put her head on her arms and started to cry. Sandy Benson reached for the girl's hand and just held it and watched her body shake with sobs. As the tears slowed, she took the girl into her arms and just held her while she listened to the awful sounds.

Jan looked up and saw the sympathy in the other girl's eyes. "What is it about you people? You are all so ... caring. Why? Is it Mrs. Clifford?"

Sandy's smile was the warmest Jan had ever seen. "Yes, it is. You see, she virtually saved the life of everyone in the firm at one time or other in some way or other. The short answer is we worship the ground she walks on! Jan, I do care. I think of Jack Benson, my husband. There is nothing I won't do for that man, either. I adore him. I think of myself signing what you just signed, and I see a little bit of your love for your husband." She reached out her hand and squeezed Jan's. "I'm sure it will all work out!"

Jan forced herself to look more cheerful as Joan came in. Sandy greeted her sarcastically, "Delighted to see you, Joan! How did you manage to get your overworked ass out of bed this morning? Is Bill starting to wear out?"

Joan stuck out her tongue and said, "He was on duty last night, Smarty! I got lots of sleep. I didn't sleep well, but I got lots of sleep." Then she cocked her head and asked, "Sandy, do you feel something is missing if Jack isn't there to sleep on and hold your boob?"

"Me? Of course not! All I do is watch the Late Show, then the Late Late Show, then maybe a tape and finally fall asleep in my chair. I hardly miss him at all. I just don't bother to go to bed. I can toss and turn a lot easier in my chair, too. But why do you ask?" she said with a grin.

Jan watched the exchange and shook her head. These girls were so much like she was! They even slept the same way.

Joan set up the presentation. She showed Jan a projection-type television set that was to be used as the monitor for the presentation. "The only problem with the dumb thing is the room has to be completely dark. Any light at all and the screen appears to go blank. I hope you don't mind?" They then reviewed the sequence of visuals. It was eight-thirty and Jan's nervousness was mounting rapidly.

Ginger came in, saw Jan, and took her into her office. "Jan, while we're waiting, can I ask you something? Are there any tips you can give me to improve my love life?"

They talked and Jan found that Ginger ended up unconscious every time. "Ginger, the only thing you can possibly do is work with your husband to make it last longer. Pete keeps me in a sustained orgasm for fifteen minutes or longer before I pass out. He has the most fantastic control and feel for my body." She smiled and added, "Maybe that's why I'm in pretty good shape. Pete causes me to use muscles I never knew I had! I don't know how he does it, but maybe he could talk to your husband."

"Fifteen minutes! My God! I would be destroyed. How can you take it?"

"I honestly don't know, but Pete does. I'm just in convulsions. Pete is in control and doing all the work. All I can say is it's delicious. Of course when it's over, I'm unconscious and look like a soaking-wet rag doll with my arms and legs just sprawled all over the place. Pete threatens to take a picture of me and send it to Playboy as an illustration of the fact that women just can't take it!" By this time Jan had relaxed again.

Ginger checked her watch and winked. "Jan, I guess it's time. Good luck! I certainly hope it works out!" Jan saw great warmth in her eyes as she added, "My husband, Charley, told me to tell you we have over $500,000 saved. You're welcome to all of it. Unfortunately, it isn't enough, but maybe it might help. Jan, it's all yours if you want it."

Jan was startled. "Ginger, what are you saying!? Did I hear you offer me your life savings?"

The girl smiled warmly and said quietly, "Easy come, easy go. You need it, dear Janice, so it's yours if you want it."

Jan took the other girl in her arms and kissed her. "Ginger, all I can say is this is something I will never forget. I can't thank you and Charley enough for making the offer." They went towards the conference room. Ginger gave her a quick kiss as Jan entered a door at the front of the room. Ginger continued around to enter the room from the rear.

As Joan had said, the room was dark. Jan could just make out the chairs around the table and see they were all occupied. She thought she saw the top of the head of the person sitting at the far end of the table. From the size of the chair and its position, she assumed it must be was Mrs. Clifford. She began her presentation. First she gave a history of Illinois Technologies, then described the Peters Drive and demonstrated it on screen. After reviewing the exclusive license from the Gordons, she told about the special tooling required and the costs associated with it.

Finally she told how the bank had sold their note to Argus which had called it. "Payment is due today. Accordingly, Mrs. Clifford, I need twenty million dollars right now. I'm offering half the stock in our company along with other considerations discussed with your attorney, Mrs. Benson. All the papers have been signed."

Tears came to Jan's eyes. She had maintained her control and poise perfectly to that point. Then she made a final appeal: "Mrs. Clifford, Peter Stewart is a gentleman in all senses of the word. He is kind and loving and ... I adore him. This is not for me, it's for him. Without your help I'll be forced to do things that will hurt Pete terribly. My only alternative is to destroy his dream. I'm a slut. You know that. I just don't count. But please help Illinois Technologies! Peter deserves it, even if I don't."

Jan sat down in the empty chair at the head of the table. She could not look up as the lights came up in the room. She didn't dare look to the end of the table to see Mrs. Clifford's reaction. While still looking down at her hands, she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned around, she almost fainted. It was Ali! She was standing there looking at Jan with love in her eyes. Jan jumped up and Ali hugged her and kissed her warmly.

Then Jan almost fainted at what she heard next. "Good morning, daughter! Will you forgive me?" She just held Jan and looked in her eyes.

"What did you say?"

"I said, 'Good morning, daughter.' What's so complicated about that?" Jan could see Ali's eyes were dancing with glee. "Sandy warned you that you should have been represented by counsel! You see, one of those papers you signed agreed to your adoption as the daughter of William Harrison Clifford and Allison McGrath Clifford. Allison McGrath Clifford is me, so you're now my daughter."

Jan went into Ali's arms and started to cry. Ali held her and stroked her hair. Then Jan felt herself being taken into the arms of a man with broad shoulders who held her tightly while continuing to stroke her hair. She heard a soft whisper in her ear, "Holding crying daughters is the father's job. Honey, I've gotten to be pretty good at it."

She looked up and found herself in the arms of a man she had never seen before. He was six feet two with graying temples. There was love in his eyes as he continued to hold her. "Hi, daughter. I'm your new father, Bill Clifford. Come on. Let's go to your mother's office and get acquainted."

Jan allowed herself to be led to Ali's office. She sat down on the sofa with Ali beside her while Bill Clifford sat on a chair by her side. Ali swung around to face her and took Jan's hands in hers. "Darling, how can I apologize to you? What I did today was utterly unforgivable! Can you find it in your heart ever to forgive me?"

Jan looked into loving blue eyes and squeezed the woman's hands. She realized that Ali was the picture of a very wealthy woman this morning rather than looking like a beautiful urchin. She was wearing a silk suit that was obviously hand-tailored to show off her perfect figure. "I said it this morning, Mom: I love you very much! There is nothing to forgive." Then her expression changed to a frown although her eyes were sparkling. "I think I take it all back though. Some of the things you said about my new mother! 'Old lady' indeed! Ali, that's what I can't figure out. I would have sworn you're younger than I am, but you can't be."

Ali grinned and said, "I certainly am older, child! I would guess about ten years anyway. And yesterday in the pool I felt it was about thirty! I thought I was going to die. I felt every one of those years in every muscle in my body!" Her face sobered and she said, "Jan, I need to change the subject quickly. First, your financial problems are taken care of. The loan due at Argus has been paid in full. Now there are a few unpleasant surprises in store for Mr. Bingham!"

Then Bill spoke up. "Jan, there are a couple of things that have become traditional with our daughters. Incidentally, you join Jennifer, Joan, and Connie — mostly we seem to run to blondes. You're our second golden-haired daughter; Connie is the silver blonde." She stood up, and Bill asked her to put out an arm which she did. The next thing she knew she was being dressed in a full-length mink coat. She heard Bill whisper in her ear, "Take a look at yourself in the mirror, honey. See if you like it."

Ali had opened a closet door revealing a full-length mirror mounted on the back of it. Jan looked at herself and put her hand to her mouth. "Oh, Dad! It's absolutely gorgeous!" She turned so Ali could see. Bill went to her, lifted up the collar and pulled it around her face. She snuggled in the fur as Bill looked at Ali and asked, "What do you think, dear?"

"Oh, Bill, it's beautiful! It has golden lights in it that show off her hair. She's so beautiful!" Ali worked at her ears for an instant and then went up to Jan, "Darling, these are for you, too. You seemed to admire them when I wore them last night." She grinned and added, "I took a chance, but I thought you would think they were so large they had to be rhinestones. They're not."

Ali removed the earrings Jan was wearing and replaced them with the diamond studs. Then she took the girl in her arms and kissed her. Stepping back she said, "Jan, I would much rather hug you than hug the coat."

They sat down again with Jan looking totally bewildered. Bill said, "Being a Clifford isn't all roses, though. There are responsibilities ... and your mother keeps adding to them. Do you know how much money your mother made with our investments last year?" Jan just shook her head. "Over one billion dollars! Young lady, do you realize how hard it is to spend one billion dollars? Try as we might, we can't do it. We looked to Jennifer for help, but she's useless. (Incidentally, she told us how you laughed at her when she told about having to spend money. Now you'll be sorry!) Anyway, poor Jen gets it from us and the Chapmans, too. Connie is worse than useless! She married poor Chip Cartwright who is now pushing a net worth of about half a billion in his own right. So, I'm afraid it's all going to be on your head!"

Jan was grinning as she listened. Then Ali said, "There's one more thing. This is from me, too." She gave Jan a box. Opening it she found a woman's gold Rolex watch which she realized was a duplicate of the one now on Ali's wrist. She looked at it and turned it over. Engraved on the back were the words, "To my darling daughter, Jan, with all of the love I can give." It was signed Mother. Jan couldn't speak. She went into Ali's arms and started to bawl. Ali held her tight and stroked her hair softly. "Darling, everything is all right now! Please don't cry." Jan just snuggled closer.

Sensing the women wanted to talk, Bill left the office. Slowly Jan regained control and eased away to look at the woman who was now her mother. "Mom, is this all a joke? Say it is, please?"