Chapter 62

Waking up knowing we would be leaving made me sad. Mike would be staying on and working on the film. Michelle would be moving in with Michael. I would be putting Marie on a plane the next day.

Tamara woke up and snuggled up to me. "Good morning, sweetheart," she said. "That was so beautiful last night."

"Yes, it was," I answered. "Are you ready to get back into our world?"

"Not really, but I guess it's inevitable. The boring, humdrum life in Albuquerque; which has been anything but, since I met you."

I crawled out of bed and did my morning bathroom visit. Tamara was still in bed when I went to the kitchen. I started the coffee; then scrounged up some bread and made cinnamon toast. The smell must have wafted upstairs because the whole group came meandering into the kitchen.

"It's only seven o'clock on a Saturday morning. What are all of you up for?" I asked.

"Couldn't sleep," Marie said. The rest said the same thing.

"We don't have to be at the airport until two."

Audrey spoke up, "I don't want to go. I want to stay here with Mike."

I didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure of her life commitments. Tamara had entered the kitchen just before Audrey said what she did.

"Audrey, you have to get back and finish your summer semester," she said.

"Mom, I'll make that up later."

"I don't think so. You can come out and visit after you take your finals."

Michael and Michelle made their appearance; they looked like they hadn't slept at all. I poured them some coffee.

"Audrey," Mike said, "why don't we go for a drive this morning?"

She said okay and went to change.

"Dad, can you come outside for a second?"

I followed him out to the pool.

"Dad, I like Audrey but I don't think it would be a good idea for her to stay out here with me. First, I'm a guest here at Michael's. Second, I need to concentrate on the film. Especially if I'm going to be doing a screen test for that other movie."

"I agree, but it's your call, not mine."

"I'll talk to her about it on our drive. I think being apart will probably bring her to her senses. I really like her but I'm not ready to settle down," he said and paused. "By the way, thanks for the car. I wasn't expecting something like that."

"I thought if you had a classy car it would help your self-confidence."

"Thanks again. I'm assuming you took care of insurance."

"Well, since you're a vice-president of Kegler Enterprises, you needed a company car. It is all being handled through the company. Steve Roberts will make sure you get all the documents.

"I expect you to finish your degree. Even if its through the University of Phoenix via correspondence or Internet. I'm going to be opening a California office that you will be in charge of while you're out here. There won't be much for you to do at first but I do want a presence in LA."

"Wow, Dad! That's a lot to throw at me this morning. I appreciate your confidence in me."

"You're my son and I want you to be a part of my business ventures. That is if you want to?"

"Of course I do." He hugged me and then Audrey came out the door.

Mike said they would be back later.

"Michael wants to take us to lunch before we leave," Tamara said as I walked back inside. "So we better pack now."

As the girls brought their bags down, I swear there was almost double from what we came with. Mike came back with Audrey and she looked like she had been crying. She went straight upstairs and Tamara followed her.

I looked at Mike. He just shrugged and said, "Women."

Michael and I both laughed at him. There was a knock at the door. Michael went to the door and returned with a deliveryman.

Michael told us he had called for a pickup of the luggage to take it to the airport. I told him to take all the bags that were there. I said we would take any remaining with us.

Lunch and the ride to the airport were quiet. I took the Escalade to the rental car return. Mike had driven Audrey in his Beemer. Michael and Michelle had come in his Beemer. We hugged and said our goodbyes.

We boarded the plane and had the same crew from the first leg of the trip. The flight attendant greeted us and said they had been busy the past week.

None of us were too talkative. Tamara sat with Audrey. Lena had snuggled up next to me and slept. Christina was sitting across from us and would flash me every now and then. Marie bugged the pilots and Stephanie just sat quietly and read her movie magazines.

The plane seemed empty.

The limo and van were waiting for us when we taxied up to the charter area. It was nearly nine o'clock by the time we got home. As much as I hated to say it, it was good to be home.

The bags were in the foyer and I asked each girl to claim her bags. I then carried them to the appropriate bedrooms. Tamara began unpacking immediately. She threw all the dirty laundry in a pile. I unpacked my bags as well. I swear even I came back with more than I took.

I went to my study and logged on to the Internet. I checked my e-mail. There were a few I needed to answer but most could wait. I pulled up my financial spreadsheets and noted I needed to revise them.

Of the $64 million I had put in low risk investments last year, I had earned about $2.5 million. Uncle Sam got his cut of that. I had depleted the total by the $15 million to Eagle Investments. I had spent a million or so in the past year over and above expected expenses. I was ready to invest another $6 million in the film with Michael. That left me with somewhere near $42 million in the low risk investments that were earning around 4%.

The figures I just reviewed didn't include the stock investments with Frank. After last week's conversation, I had around $6 million in that account.

I wasn't even counting on any revenues from the Scottsdale deal for another couple of years. The office building would pay for itself from the rent. I would have to front the remodeling but I would let Bob and George work out those details.

I looked at the time and it was nearing eleven. I left my study but no one was around. I went to the bedroom and Tamara wasn't there. I went upstairs and found Tamara in Mike's room with Audrey. She gave me a look that told me I needed to go somewhere else.

I walked to Marie's door and she was sitting in the middle of the room going through all her new clothes. She invited me in. I laid across the bed and we talked.

"How are you getting my truck back to Houston?"

"I asked Gary to come get your pickup and ship it to Sugar Land. It should already be there."

"When are you coming to see me? I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too. I'll probably be there this time next month. Tamara needs to go to her Texas salons and I'll meet her there. I'll come see you during that time. You know you can grab a plane here any weekend you want, as long as you check to make sure I'm here."

"Can I go see Mike in LA?"

"Not right now and not without your mother or me. I'll pay for you and her to go out and visit, maybe just before school starts. When will you have to start working out with your squad for cheerleading?"

"Probably the first week of August."

Stephanie was lying on the bed next to me reading. She was being too quiet. I turned to her and asked her what was bothering her.

She hesitated and then said, "I dread going back to my dull life. It has been so much fun with you guys this week."

"I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do about it."

"I know, Mom is great and since she has her new job, she has changed for the better." She paused and then said, "Why couldn't you have hooked up with her. Then I could have all this?"

I didn't answer right away and she realized what she had said. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just envious of all of this."

"It's okay. Your mother and I are very good friends but it just wasn't in the cards for us to be together."

I pulled her to me and hugged her. "You know you can visit whenever you want to."

She wiped her eyes and moved back to her pillow and pretended to read.

I got up and bent down to kiss Marie. "Your flight is tomorrow afternoon. I'll see you in the morning."

After that I felt like being alone. I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of wine and walked out to the pool area. It was a typical beautiful night in Albuquerque. I swear you could see every star in the sky.

I laid down on the double lounger, finished my wine, and dozed off.

I woke up around three in the morning. I was still on the lounger and the lights in the den were on. I struggled to get up and went inside.

I put the wine glass on the counter and went to the bedroom. I noticed the bed was still made and empty. I went upstairs to check on the girls. I opened Marie's door to see her and Stephanie sawing logs. Lena and Christina were also sound asleep.

I slowly opened Mike's door and Tamara was holding Audrey. She was awake. She looked up at me. Her eyes were red like she had been crying. She smiled at me and blew me a kiss. I blew one back at her and closed the door.

I turned off the rest of the lights and climbed into my bed. It was weird. I couldn't remember sleeping alone for an entire night since meeting Tamara.

I guess I only slept for a couple of hours. I was going to put Marie on a plane. I had gone for the past fourteen years putting her on a plane or dropping her off at her mom's. I missed some of the most important days of her life because her mother and I divorced.

I don't know why I got so melancholy that morning. I was going to miss her and soon she would be going off to college and getting married. The only consolation is that she knows I love her and will always be there for her.

I was still having these thoughts when there was a knock on the door. I said come in and Marie came bursting through the door.

"Good morning, Daddy. I don't want to go home today."

She was making it hard on me. "Your mother wouldn't be happy if you were did that."

"I know and I miss her too. We just have never been so close as we have this past week."

"I know. And I'll see you more often. You can fly out here on weekends if you want and I'll be visiting you more often as well."

"That sounds good. What do you want for breakfast? Lena and I are going to cook this morning."

"I want fried eggs, bacon and biscuits. And of course I want coffee and OJ."

"Okay. We'll get it started."

"Are Tamara or Audrey up yet?" I asked.

She said she hadn't seen them and she left the room. I got up and showered. I was drying off when Tamara staggered into the bathroom.

"Good morning," she said. "Sorry I didn't join you last night. Audrey needed me last night. We had a long talk about Mike and you."

"Is she better?"

"A little. I don't know if she and Mike are right for each other but time will tell. She asked some very direct questions about us. I answered the best I could."

"What did she want to know?"

"She wanted to know if we were really serious or was this just a middle-age fling?"

"Well?"

"I told her that it was as serious as it could be after such a short time. I told her that I was happier than I had ever been. Then she asked about Lena's involvement in our relationship."

"That should have been interesting."

"I told her how Lena had fallen for you because of your tenderness and sincerity. I told her the great sex didn't hurt."

She told me she had filled Audrey in on the past month. I told her that Lena and Marie were making breakfast and she probably should get ready. I left her and finished dressing in the bedroom.

The girls had done a great job with breakfast. Afterwards we lounged by the pool and talked about the California trip.

Trish came by about ten and picked up Stephanie. She didn't stay long. She did mention that she and Tamara needed to get together the next day.

Around noon Marie went upstairs to finish packing. Lena and Christina went along to help.

"Don't look so sad. You'll see her again soon," Tamara said.

"I know, but it is so hard to have to say good-bye so often."

I decided to take Marie to the airport alone. Tamara said she would see that Christina got home.

Marie said her good-byes to the girls and we left for the airport.

"When are you going to ask Tamara to marry you?"

"I don't know. I'm almost afraid it will mess things up if we get married."

"She is good for you. I love her already myself."

"I'll take your comments under advisement."

We talked about what she should fill her mother in on and what she shouldn't. I parked the Jag and we went inside. In the past, she was young enough for me to be able go to the gate and wait with her. Now I had to say good-bye at the security checkpoint.

I watched her until she was out of sight. I waited until I saw that her flight had departed. I was a little teary-eyed when I turned to walk out. I had a very quiet drive to the house. I called Pam to let her know Marie made her flight.

She wanted to know about Mike's situation in LA. I explained the deal to her. She was all excited that her son was in a movie. I told her I would pay for her and Marie to fly out there before Marie had to start school.

I called Tamara and she told me she and Lena would be back at the house later. I went home and chilled. Marie called to let me know she made it home okay. She told me she loved me and we hung up.

Tamara and Lena arrived about six. I heard them drive up and I walked out to greet them. They looked as beat as I felt.

"John, do you realize it will be just the three of us alone in the house tonight?" Tamara asked.

"Where's Audrey? Did she go back to school?" I asked.

"She thought it would be best."

I put my arm around her and walked her inside. Lena followed.

Tamara went to the kitchen and opened a bottle of wine. She took it to the den and asked us to join her. We put some country music on the stereo and snuggled on the couch with our wine.

Lena excused herself to go change into something a little more comfy. Tamara said that was a good idea and left also.

I was expecting them to return with exotic, erotic outfits. Instead they had their long t-shirts on. I think they were as exhausted as I was.

They returned to the sofa and we snuggled. I was very comfortable just lying there. Tamara suggested we alter our positions. She moved down to one end and had me lay my head in her lap. Lena moved to the other end and put my feet in her lap.

Tamara began to give me a very soothing scalp massage and Lena gave me a foot massage. Oh baby, I was in heaven, so much so that I fell asleep.

I was awakened by Tamara to come to bed. I crawled into the bed in between my two ladies and fell back asleep.

Monday morning came with me stretching and realizing I was between two beautiful and desirable women. I rolled over and kissed Tamara. She always seemed to be the first one I wanted to touch. She woke and said good morning. We held each other for a few minutes and then I felt nature telling me to find the WC.

I was washing my hands when Lena stumbled in and entered the WC and closed the door. From the sound I heard, she had drunk plenty of wine last night.

I headed to the kitchen to start our morning coffee. I headed for my study next. I needed to get my 'to do' list organized. The past week had been a great vacation but now I needed to get back to Kegler Enterprises and Eagle Investments.

I logged on and checked my e-mail. There was one from Dan. It outlined Jeff's activities in Mexico. Jeff had bugged McKenzie's hotel room and also had someone tailing McKenzie everywhere he went. He had sent Dan an e-mail indicating McKenzie would be trying to get back to Phoenix before the first. I responded to Dan with a simple question. Would the grand jury subpoena be waiting for him?

There was an e-mail from Steve asking for something to do. He was getting bored. I responded with a request that we get together later that day; anytime after ten would be fine.

Frank had sent one regarding what I wanted him to do with the liquid funds in my account. He wasn't ready to put them back into stocks yet. He said the account was only earning one percent interest. I wrote back and told him to use his own judgment.

My mom had sent one and said she would be back in Houston July 10^th. They were spending the last days of their trip in London. I replied that her grandson had some news for her when she got back.

Bob had sent an e-mail with a listing of the bills that would be paid on the first of July. He and I had made arrangements previously that all my credit cards were to maintain a zero balance. He also handled all the household bills as well. That month had some payroll issues. Christina and Steve were now on my payroll.

Tamara came in with a cup of coffee. I had gotten so engrossed in my e-mails that I had forgotten about it. She was wearing her sexy little robe that came just below her ass. I felt Mr. Happy twitching. I reached my hand up and caressed her bottom.

"Have you worked out all the details for SHB and your payroll issues concerning Trish?"

"Yes, I did that when she first came on board. Why do you ask?"

I explained the e-mail from Bob about payroll for Steve and Christina. I told her I was going to look into getting benefits for them. I said that we might be able to combine our companies' benefits.

"I sure wish we had our offices ready. These are the kind of things that need the team together," I said.

"When will they be ready?"

"George said it would probably be the first of August."