Chapter 14

Missing My Family!

Another year had passed and my new job was taking me farther from Sue and the kids. Against all advice I had received from friends, I had accepted a job with a group of Japanese investors, the Yakima Investment Corporation. They were buying properties all over the United States, which kept me away from my family six days a week. They were paying me above average but after three months, I began wondering if it was worth it. However, I had a goal of owning my own plane one day and I new the sacrifices I made now would help me achieve it.

To insure that I would stay with them they offered to finance us a home outside of Memphis. A previous partner of theirs left and went into business on his own. The house he lived in was worth three hundred fifty thousand but owned by the group. They offered to sell it to us and move us in at two hundred fifty thousand and finance at Four percent. As an added bonus, they gave me two thousand a month expense account which was above the meals and hotel that the company paid. All the furnishings in the house were ours as long as I stayed with the company.

I was in Denver for a week and spent an hour a night on the phone for days convincing Sue that we should take their offer. I was telling her that in a year, when my contract was up I would find another job with less travel. We would have enough saved and we could sell the house at a profit and move anywhere she wanted to. She finally agreed but I know it was because it was what I wanted. The house was more than either of us had ever dreamed of. It was a two story brick with a full basement and a three-car garage on three acres with a pool.

Sue loved the house but mentioned to me that she was not sure it was a good trade off for me being away so much. The days I was home seemed as though I was living in someone else's home but I would never say that to her. Phyllis had graduated and moved in with us to help with the house and kids. Sue had someone come in twice a week to clean house. That allowed her more time to visit with mom and her friends because it was a forty-five minute drive to almost anywhere.

Lon Chang and I became good friends. He was a twenty eight year old with the group, a Harvard graduate who did most of the purchases and flew most often for the group. He was single and loved American women and to party. He spoke English as well as I do, but has only lived in the United States twelve years. He often would ride in the cockpit with me just to have someone to talk. Mostly we discussed women. He had met Sue and said she was the prettiest woman he had met and he could not believe I would leave her alone as much as I do. I would tell him that I think oriental women were more beautiful than American as a whole and he would always disagree. He had been reluctant to make advances at American women when he would visit nightclubs saying he was shy but I thought there were other reasons.

He asked me to go out with him on several occasions but I declined knowing I would screw up. I explained that to him. I told him what I had done in the past with other women. Whenever we were in a new city, he made a joke of it by asking if I had a girl in that city. I would not always answer to make him wonder if I did or not.

I made the mistake by telling him on a trip to Louisville I could get him a date. Carlie was on my mind and I would be taking a chance by calling her because it had been a year since that time we had spent together. I could ask Carlie if she knew a girl that might go out with him. Lon was a nice looking person and very distinguished. We were on his schedule so we could do whatever he wanted. We arrived at the airport at one thirty and I rode in the limo with him to the hotel.

I called the university after reaching my room and asked if Carlie Thompson was enrolled. I got two people by that name and called the first one and it was not she so I called the second.

"Hello!"

"Hi, is this Carlie Thompson from Denton?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"One of your long lost friends, Jay." I said.

"Jay, hi! Where are you?"

"I'm at the Crown Plaza downtown."

"What are you doing in town?"

"Business trip, would you like to meet for dinner?"

"I don't know. I am mad at you for not calling me sooner."

"Don't be, I have thought about you a lot in the last year. Do you have a boyfriend now."

"No, but I did get my divorce four months ago."

"I need to ask you for a favor. The person that I am flying for wants to go out but does not have a date. Do you know anyone that would want to go to dinner tonight? He is Japanese, twenty-eight and is a millionaire. He is nice looking too!"

"I don't have any close friends that are Japanese." She replied.

"I mean American girls."

"I know several who would go out with millionaires no matter who they were!" she said as we laughed.

"She has to be beautiful! That is the only requirement."

"Are you sure I am not getting her for you? I remember what you told me about you and beautiful women."

"Real funny! They don't come any prettier than you so I know I am with the prettiest." I said being funny.

"Wait until you see the one I am thinking about, Sharon. Can you call me back in thirty minutes?"

"Sure! I'll call you then." I said and we hung up.

I showered and dressed in suit and tie knowing Lon only went to the best restaurants. I called his room and told him I had talked to Carlie. He sounded a little nervous so I reassured him to relax and take it easy. He wanted to send the limo after them but I convinced him that we should be there to pick them up. Besides, I wanted to see Carlie. I called her back in thirty minutes and she said Sharon the one she spoke of said she would go out with him. I had not discussed it with Lon but I told Carlie we would pick them up at five thirty and find something to do until we went to dinner.

I went to Lon's room to tutor him about tonight. He was wearing a suit I know cost a thousand dollars minimum.

"I told Carlie we would pick them up at five thirty and we could do something until dinner." I explained.

"What do I say to her? What does she look like?" he said with a nervous voice.

"Relax Lon, Carlie said she was very beautiful and charming."

"Does she know I am Japanese?"

"Yes, I told her. That doesn't bother her at all." I said. I was thinking he must have had an experience concerning that. I wanted to ask him but I did not. I wanted him to have a good experience with Sharon. "By the way, her name is Sharon."

"Sharon! What is her last name?"

"What the hell does that matter?" I said without thinking. He looked at me and began laughing.

"You Americans are so informal."

"If you get along with her well enough to want to see her again, then ask for her last name." I explained.

"What about... do you think she will... ?" I broke into his question knowing what he was asking.

"I know Carlie will come back with me to the hotel. If Sharon comes with us then she is a sure thing. You won't have to play any games just do what you want."

"How do you know she will?"

"I just know, I will bet my life on it! Does that help?"

"I trust you."

"Good! Can I give you some other advice?"

"Yes!" he said looking with anticipation.

"You are a millionaire, you don't have to impress her in any way. Just relax and be yourself. You will never have the charm I have but you have something better." I said joking with a smile.

"What is that?" he asked with a puzzled look.

"Money!" I said holding my hand out rubbing my fingers together. We laughed. "I can't wait to see Carlie, she is a fox." I said taking a deep breath. "I need a beer. I am going down to the bar. Do you want to go with me?" He did not answer picking up the phone.

"What do you want to drink?" He said holding the phone to his ear.

"Bud!"

"Send up some Budweiser to my room." He said and hung up.

"That will work for me." I said smiling.

We drank a couple and left the room at five. Lon instructed the driver to go to the dorm where we were to pick them up. I was thinking that picking up any girl in a limo at a dorm would impress anyone. I did not have to impress Carlie but I knew she would be. The driver asked if he were to go up to the room and get them.

"Hell no! We are going up." I said flicking Lon on the shoulder trying to get him to relax. He just smiled as I noticed his nervousness. "Relax, take a deep breath." I said and he did.

We pulled up to the dorm and went in to room 177. I knocked and Carlie answered throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me.

"I am so glad you called!" she said and kissed me again.

"Me too! You have not changed a bit. Except you are more beautiful than I remembered.

"Thank you. Come in, we will be ready in a minute." She said turning to go in. I looked at Lon and smiled.

"As we entered I saw Sharon as she got up from the desk to greet us. I looked at Lon with envy. She was gorgeous.

"Jay, Lon, this is Sharon." She said introducing us. We greeted and I asked if they were ready to go. They picked up there purses and we walked outside to the limo.

"I didn't expect to go in this." Carlie stated being impressed, as I knew she would be. Sharon was talking to Lon as though she knew him. I noticed he was relaxed as I hoped he would be. We had no idea where we were going.

"Just drive around until we decide where we want to go." Lon instructed the driver.

"Do any of you have a special place you want to go until we go to dinner?" I asked the girls.

"You guys pick the place." Sharon replied.

"We want to go somewhere we can have a good time." I said to reassure them.

"Any place is fine." Lon replied.

"Let's go to Caiman's at the hotel. It is a nice place to sit and talk. I heard them playing some good music a while ago." I suggested.

"That's fine with us." They said agreeing.

Lon and Sharon were sitting across from us in the limousine and Sharon was wearing a very elegant black dress that was very short. She had her legs crossed and I had to make an effort not to look at her. I suspected Carlie knew I had to make an effort also. I turned looking at Carlie asking her what she had been doing the past year. She was in her second semester since returning.

"Sharon, did I tell you Jay could read minds." Carlie said.

"No, can you really?" she asked.

"No, I can't read minds. Don't tell her that Carlie." I said frowning at her. I did not want to say anything about the impression I had gotten from either of them.

"Come on Jay, Carlie wouldn't say that unless she had a reason." Sharon stated.

"Yes she would, she says things to draw attention to herself." I said not knowing how to get out if this.

"I was just teasing Jay, Sharon. It is an old joke. He told me a couple of things once that I love teasing him about." Carlie said realizing I did not want to say anything.

"What were they?" Sharon asked.

"Private things." She answered putting her face in my neck and kissing me to say she was sorry.

We entered the hotel and went into Caiman's Club. It was a nice restaurant with a large bar in one section. We planned on Sheffield' s to eat dinner but this was a nice place to get a drink and talk until then. We sat down, ordered drinks and talked a while.

As we talked, I began feeling a desire to be with Sharon because she was beautiful but I blocked that out because I knew it would never happen. Lon would be with her tonight and I would not want her after he had been with her. Not him personally, but anyone she chose to be with before me. I had this thing about being second. I was not going to be second choice. However, if I got a chance I would love the challenge of seeing if I could have her for the sake of turning her down. I knew that she knew she was beautiful and used her beauty to get her way in life. She could never love Lon but I believe she would marry him for his money or a limousine ride. She and I had similarities, such as being able to say the things people want to hear. That puts her in the category of being devious as I am, which would be a challenge to me.

I had developed the ability to focus all my physical attention to one source but able to think of something else entirely. I could look and talk to Carlie, with her thinking all my attention was to her but my mind being somewhere else entirely. I did this with her because she required my undivided attention.

After eating dinner at Sheffield' s, I asked Carlie to come back to the hotel with me and she agreed. As I expected Sharon would come with Lon. We separated and went to our own rooms. I normally did not dine and stay in the finest restaurants and hotels but Lon insisted this time because of the nature of the circumstances. It really did not matter to me. All of this impressed Carlie and Sharon but I explained to her that this was not my normal surroundings. I did not like any girl to expect more than I could give them because it would be a let down.

"I have thought of you often but this is my first opportunity coming to Louisville." I said putting my arms around her after closing the door behind us.

"I have thought of you often. You made life a little better during that time. I wished we could have had more time together back then." She replied.

"Me too!"

"So, are you still married?" she asked.

"Very much."

"How does she handle all of the traveling?"

"I guess I really don't know. I am not with her enough to know for sure." I said just making it up as I went along.

"Can't you use your telepathic mind to find out?" she asked smiling. I held her hand as we walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I only feel these things when I am with someone, not when I am away. Do you mind, I need to call her so she won't be worried." I said speaking of Sue.

"Go ahead, I am going to slip into one of your shirts."

I called Sue not knowing how long we would be on the phone. I had been straight forward with Carlie about Sue so she could expect that I might call her. I was my routine to call every night and anything different may cause suspicion. We talked for half an hour about missing each other among the usual things. I would rather she were here with me than Carlie.

After hanging up, I went into the bedroom removing my clothes and getting into the bed. I moved up close to her as we began kissing and then making love. It had been sometime since I had cheated on Sue. I felt bad because for some reason I could not block her out of my mind as I normally do. I was still able to maintain a cheerful attitude with Carlie and put up a front to block any of my negative thoughts. We lay in silence a while with our arm around each other. I gazed at her as I lay there thinking how beautiful she is.

"Do you think you will make more trips this way soon?" she asked.

"It is hard to say. If Lon likes Sharon, we might be back sooner than later. He may ask me, if we come back again to fix him up with someone else." I said thinking of Sharon' s personality.

"Why would he not like her? She is beautiful. What are you thinking in that devilish mind of yours? She asked looking into my eyes.

"She seems to be an adventuress."

"Now what does that mean?"

"It means she is in it for what she can get out of it, nothing else.

"What is it about her that you would think that?"

"I just know."

We made love a couple of hours and she fell asleep. I got up and took a shower. While I was getting my underclothes out of the suitcase to lay them out for the morning I pulled a letter out.

July 27, 1970, 11:30 pm.

My Dearest Love,

I hope you had a wonderful day, I did. All of my family is here except for Daddy. Mom got a letter from him yesterday. He said when things slowed down he would try to contact you while over there. It would be nice if you two could get together.

The family just adores Little Jay. He is so precious. Everyone says he looks exactly like you when you were his age. I showed them your baby picture. I talked to your mother the other day and she is worried about you because she has not received a letter from you. Please write her and let her know you are fine. That is all the local news.

I miss you. I want so bad to mail these letters but I hope one day you will read them. I want so much to receive one from you telling me how much you miss and love me. One day I believe you will say those words to me again. All I have at this moment are memories of the past. Thinking back I have tried counting the times you said, I Love You. I am up to sixty-six and trying to remember more. I counted at least sixty times you had that expression on your face with your mouth open, saying you are in awe of me. Eighteen times, you told me I was the most beautiful woman in the world. Eight times, you said, you still could not believe I loved you. That was in a good way. One hundred times, we made love and still counting. At least twelve times, we did not make love, but we lay there as you caressed my body saying that was all you wanted to do. The most of any are the millions of times you thought about me. I know because you told me many times I was all you thought about and the numbers add up. I could go on and on but you know where my heart is. These are the memories I have that help me to know that you love me. These are the same memories you have, that will lead you back to me. Just think, all the memories I have are from only knowing you those five months and there is almost a lifetime of them. They bring me so much joy throughout the days and nights.

I will give Jay a kiss for you each night when I put him to bed. I miss you so much. It is impossible to comprehend how much. Remember to kiss me in your dreams.

Always my love, Sue

The following morning I called them a cab. I knew somehow that I would never see Carlie again. I think she knew this too. We talked awhile about her future and what she wanted to do. I encouraged her to finish school no matter what. I walked them down to where the cab was waiting and paid the fare. We stood beside the cab and hugged.

"We will never see each other again will we?" she asked.

"No, but we will never forget one another. I'm sure of that."

"Jay, I know your heart is taken, but I want you to know that I love you."

"If my heart wasn't taken I could love you. I want you to have a good life and remember you are in the top ten." They got in he cab and left as I stood watching her.

Returning from a Long Week!

We arrived home late in the afternoon. Sue picked me up at the airport with a warm welcome. It was good to be home again after four cities in six days. Six days a week away from home was taking its toll on me but I was not going to complain. Normally she did not complain but on the ride to the house, I noticed she was crying as she looked out her window. I knew what was bothering her and was reluctant to say anything but I knew it was weighing heavy on her heart.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked.