Chapter 19

Time flies when you're older, but two or three weeks after the swim meet, Jennifer was in my bed cuddled like in the old days. I liked her there, but I already knew that she was not going to be around too long. In the middle of the night, I went in to pee and returned to bed. Just as she snuggled back against my cool belly, her cell phone rang with its awful tone. It was across the room in her jacket. I suppose she was used to these late calls and slipped out of the bed to take the phone to the bathroom.

Minutes later, she came to me and said, "My God, that was Olivia. She had a message from the State Department that Charles is still alive. She will call again in the morning. Apparently, some kind of big negotiation is still going on. I think she said that their government had the leader of the insurgents in custody and said they would cut off his penis if they didn't let Charles go." She cried.

I poked a sleeping pill in her mouth and cuddled her back. It mattered little if Charles were alive or dead, given her schedule for the next week. She had to rest. She could do absolutely nothing about Charles. Finally, sleep overtook me as well.

Olivia's call came about seven the next morning and Jennifer went to take it. When she finished, she went immediately to the computer and called up a website from some group in Annistan. She recognized the name, but it meant nothing to me. Shortly, she called up a picture of Charles, who was blindfolded, but dressed reasonably in his career work clothes, the company name standing out clearly. The message bar running below the picture said that he was the object of negotiations. We took my laptop to the TV room and watched as the proceedings were shown.

Our President was having a news conference being carried live on the network. When they cut to him, he said, "I will never negotiate with or give in to ransom demands for illegally taken hostages. We will of course, always discuss options with responsible parties and identify possibilities where agreements might be achieved. Americans are in Annistan trying to restore electric power to the rural and suburban areas that will stimulate their economy."

When I took Business 101, it seems to me that 'negotiate' meant trying to find areas in which agreements could be reached. Oh, well, the people elected him; now they can live with him. God bless the rest of us.

I held Jennifer to me and asked, "Is that Charles?"

"Yes. I also remember that shirt."

Olivia called and talked to Jennifer for several minutes. When they finished, Jennifer said, "Olivia had to go back into the emergency room. They had bad accident victims and she will be out of touch for several hours."

Jennifer called Sarah and awakened her to look at the TV. Within a half hour, Sarah came in, looking like she had lost the hair-blowing contest. I never saw her looking unkempt. She took charge and then said, "Jennifer, if they get him out, we can double our income from the book sales. Jordan can write Charles' book and we'll have two of them out there."

While we were watching all this, Brianna slipped into the kitchen and made coffee as she started other food for breakfast. No one told her that it was the right thing to do. Within minutes she brought coffee to Sarah, Jennifer, and me as we were glued to the TV.

Sarah began to get the picture. She sipped her coffee and then said, "God, Jennifer, you have to go to the place where he comes home. Kiss him and rub against him. Later, we'll get his side of the story in a book and both of you will be on tour. This is magnificent!"

Jennifer asked, "What should I do?"

"Stay on the phone with Olivia. She will know first what is going to happen. If Charles gets out alive, we have to move quickly on it." She went quickly into executive mode, "Jordan, we may need to have Charles come here to his loving girlfriend in front of the cameras. Later, we'll make the book deals."

My gut felt queasy. In my mind, I wanted Charles out of there safely and quickly. In my heart, I wanted Jennifer and Brianna to be with me. By her motions and concerns, I suspected that Jennifer wanted Charles again and would continue more so if he came home. My emotional conflict caused me serious pain as we watched the TV.

After commercials, the network cut to some domestic issues in which a woman shot her boyfriend. She said that he had been in bed with her daughter and she was going to call the police. All I needed then was a story like that to send me to prison. Jennifer sat closer and Brianna came around to the other side. She said out loud, "Mom loves you and I do, too. We aren't going to shoot you." She tickled my face, "We like it too much here to complain."

Olivia called during a break at the emergency room and told Jennifer to go to a specific web address. We opened the site and saw a running commentary of Charles standing between two masked gunmen. Shortly, a group appeared from the side. The boss of the hostage takers demanded to see the penis of the prisoner to be exchanged. He pulled it out and it seemed to meet his approval. Charles walked off stage with three armed guards. The other man went into the background and disappeared.

The announcer said, "It appears that Charles Wallace has just been freed from captivity in an exchange of prisoners with the insurgents. We will watch to see when he gets into the government vehicle, and later when he boards the aircraft waiting to take him out of the country."

Jennifer sobbed. Brianna came to hold her. I held her. Sarah came to hold her. Sarah whispered, "I think your man is out of there. Our State Department people wouldn't have been there if there was to be bad news. Now, we have to find out where he's coming home and go there. You have to greet him like a long lost lover." She laughed. "My God, this is so good!"

I said, "I think they will keep him in the military Landstuhl Regional Medical Center near Kaiserslautern, Germany for a few days before they return him. That's where they take the injured troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. You will be able to talk to him when he arrives there."

Sarah said gleefully, "Now, you can go back on the TV programs as a couple reunited and we can get a book from Charles, too. You can travel together to signings all over the country. Everyone will have to have a copy of each book. Later, it will go paperback."

Jennifer sniffled and said, "I thought he was dead. Now, I see him alive. I can't believe it."

We watched the happenings both on the laptop and on the TV for a couple of hours. Sarah said, "Jennifer, are you cool with all this publicity and activity?"

"Yeah! I love the attention. After the hurricane, I was a nothing for several months and now I feel that I have some control over my life. I can profit from my terrible experience."

"Do you think Charles will want to participate?"

"I will be able to talk to him when he is in the hospital. However, he is a caring person and if there is any good to come from the TV and book activities, I think he will want to be a part of it." She sighed. "He didn't go over there just to make money. He was on a life mission to help forgotten people."

As I guessed, they flew him to the hospital near Kaiserslautern. For the next two days, we watched the TV and checked the news on the laptop for later developments. Sarah, Jennifer, and I were in the kitchen planning the future when Jennifer's cell phone rang.

She answered it, and then looked shocked. "Charles! My God, how are you?" Then she went into the other room. We could hear her talk but not what she said. Five minutes later, she returned.

She actually laughed. "He's alive and well in the hospital. He told me that they inspected his colon with an x-ray or cat scan to be sure that the captors hadn't inserted a bomb while he was asleep. I'll get to talk to him more tomorrow." She beamed happiness.

Sarah grabbed her and they hugged for several minutes. Then, Sarah said, "Well, when you get over the 'I love you' stuff, get back to business. We're in the fish business here. If we don't use our advantage within three days, it will smell bad and we will have missed it."

My gut clenched when I heard the 'I love you' stuff. I didn't want her to leave, but life has funny ways of teasing you. Just when you think things are working out, Murphy knocks at the door. I felt guilty. I sure as hell didn't want Charles dead.

The next day, Jennifer talked to Charles for an hour before he had to do something at the hospital. When she was through, she said to Sarah, "Charles is enthusiastic about the publicity. He thinks it will support his cause. He's thrilled to have Jordan start a book. He thinks he's coming home in a couple of days. They want to make a big deal of it at the White House."

Sarah danced around the room. She said, "I think we've done it, girl. We turned disaster into lots of cash just when we needed it. What are you going to do with your money? You must have lots of checks."

Jennifer looked as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "Uhm, well, I haven't been to the bank. My bank is still marginal in Pensacola."

Sarah said, "Jordan, take care of this. I'm sure you have a broker or financial planner who can take her money. Go get your checks, Jennifer."

Like a schoolgirl who hadn't done her homework, Jennifer went guiltily to her room and brought back a stack of checks for expenses and fees. I downloaded a power of attorney form and filled it out. I could get these checks into the bank tomorrow.

Sarah went to work on her contacts at the State Department. Interesting that since she became famous on TV, it was much easier to get through to the right people to set up the homecoming. Olivia and Jennifer were to be admitted through security at Andrews Air Force Base. She then arranged for three nights in Washington at one of the prestigious hotels, compliments of the management. Everyone had loved Jennifer on the daytime TV shows and Sarah was working on getting Jennifer and Charles an interview on Larry King.

During our planning meeting, Sarah said, "I want to have a news conference at Andrews before Charles arrives. After he is here, I want him to come back to the briefing room and answer some questions. Here is a list of questions I want him to answer when they ask him. If they don't ask, I will prompt him to say more."

Jennifer looked over the questions and said, "I think he can handle most of these. I will go over them with him when we talk."

"I will limit the amount of time we have. I want to leave so many unanswered questions that they'll have to talk to him again. That will give us time to set up some national TV interviews. Tell him to look good and be as smooth as possible. As you well know, they like good looking people to be guests on their program."

Early on Wednesday, Charles called and said he would arrive at Andrews AFB Thursday afternoon about five. I could tell that Jennifer was about to pee in her pants from excitement. Sarah and Jennifer would arrive in Washington before noon, get their bags stored at the hotel, and get out to the air base in time to set up the news conference.

Thursday, I watched TV as the aircraft pulled up to the parking space, still making too much noise for the reporter to say anything. Important service members were also on board. They held Charles back until the families of the military people had greeted their returning troops. He came down the stairs looking fresh and walked across the tarmac. Olivia ran to him and he hugged her for a while. Jennifer then ran to him and hugged both of them. Charles kissed Jennifer like he was a movie star. My gut cringed.

I didn't see Brianna come in behind the couch. I heard her sob and she came around to my arms. She said, "I'm so glad he's out, but I don't know what's going to happen to me. I think Mom still loves him."

"She does. She's going with him on an extended book and speaking tour. I know Sarah will do well for them."

"You love her, too?"

"Brianna, I love you and Jennifer and Rachel. You all make my life rich. Charles was in her heart before I met her and I think he is still there."

They cut to the news conference. The anchor said, "XBS now has an exclusive interview with Charles Wallace and Jennifer Allen. You may remember when they first took Wallace hostage, we interviewed his daughter, Olivia, and his girl friend, Jennifer Allen. Both of them said they would never give up hope."

Actually, that's not quite what they said, but I'm not going to correct him.

A local reporter then took charge of the briefing. "Charles Wallace, what can you tell us about how you were taken and treated?"

Charles explained how he was just getting off work late in the evening. The rest of his crew had left the job site a few minutes earlier. He put his laptop in his car and started to drive away from the site. He didn't have an escort and no one expected him to need one since the area was fairly peaceful. He described the rumors of an upcoming wave of terror from the insurgents, but he felt safe, given the nature of his position.

"You were surprised to be taken? You didn't think it would happen?"

"Shocked would be more like it. It came out of nowhere. No warning. I thought we were safe."

Sarah sat on the front row with a placard that said, "No." It meant that he was supposed to dodge the question and answer it later.

Question. "What kinds of things did you think about when you were in captivity?"

"Staying alive. Wondering if the government would do anything about it. As you know, contractors take their chances in dangerous situations."

Question. "Did you think about escaping?"

"Constantly. I wasn't smart enough to make an effective plan. Even if I could get out of the house I was in, I still had no means of getting anywhere. I don't speak the language."

"Did you think about your daughter and girl friend?"

"Of course. All the time."

"Did you ever expect to see them again?"

Sarah held up the "no" placard."

Charles ignored the question and pointed to another in the rear. "Did you believe they were going to execute you?"

"Yes. I had no reason to believe anything else. I've seen Al Jazzera."

Just then, Sarah stepped up and said, "I think that's all for today. We'll get him to talk more at another time. Now, he's had a long day and a long flight. He needs rest."

Charles stepped quickly back from the podium and joined with Jennifer and Sarah as they made their way through the crowd. As they walked to the waiting car, they heard cheers and applause from the remaining crowd.

I said to Brianna, "Well, that went well. Sarah managed him well."

She asked, "Where's Rachel?"

"She's been working on exams and let Jennifer and Sarah take charge of things when she couldn't. For all that I know, she might even go on a date."

Brianna was quick, but she had learned to be subtle. "Will Sarah and Mom be gone for a few days?"

"I think so. Charles is going to be a celebrity."

"Will Rachel go home to her parents over the weekend?"

"She says she has to settle some issues..."

Brianna laughed. "So, unless I do something wrong, I might get to sleep with you!"

"What about Bobby?"

"You have Mom and Rachel. Maybe even Sarah. Why can't I have you and Bobby?" She snuggled her head under my arm.

I shrugged. "In for a penny, in for a pound."

"What does that mean?"

"As you said, Rachel, Jennifer and maybe Sarah."

"You did Sarah at the swim meet, didn't you?"

"Did you do Bobby?"

"Bobby wasn't very good. Maybe he'll get better. Was Sarah good?"

"Love, I'm in a corner. Proper men don't talk about their nights with other women."

She brightened. "Well, I'm glad. I know those women know much more than I do. So, you won't tell anyone how naïve I am?"

"You're perfect."

"Cathy knows that you and Sarah had a good time. She said Sarah was happy."

"Well, Let's make dinner before we talk too much. We had a nice time before, didn't we?" I took her hand. "Sarah and Jennifer are in Washington. Rachel is with her parents for the weekend. Where is Cathy?"

"Cathy is in the hot tub. What are you going to do with us?"

"Before dinner, you give Cathy a shower and rub her like I rubbed you with the oil. Make her feel good. Then, we'll make dinner. Later, she may stay in your room tonight and you may come to my room and we'll sleep."

"I hope we can do more than sleep."

"So do I. With men, you never know."

After their shower, both of them came down to help me with dinner. Or, maybe I helped them. Brianna now had about six sets of detailed instructions on what to make for dinner. They weren't complicated recipes, but they always tasted quite good. I loved watching them move around the kitchen in their tight jeans and wedge heels looking grown up. Some day, I have to get them to cook in their schoolgirl outfits being nice eye candy.

Brianna took my hand and drew me to the couch. She motioned for Cathy. Both sat close to me. Brianna asked, "Dad, why do boys only like girls with big boobs?"

"You and Cathy certainly don't have to worry about that problem."

"Boys stare at them all the time."

Cathy nodded, and said, "One of the girls on the swim team has small breasts, and she is jealous of Brianna and me." She looked at her chest. "They just grew. I didn't have anything to do with it."

Brianna asked, "Do you just like women with big ones?" She thought for a minute. "All of the women you hang with are large. Why?"

"I'm going to try to answer your first question, although it isn't easy. If you haven't already had some of this in school, you will soon. Human behavior is governed by two strong influences: genetics and culture. Genetics first. I have seen TV specials on sexual development and also I read a number of research studies on the question." I saw Brianna's eyes rotate back in her head. "Pay attention. These will be on the test."

She laughed. "Okay, I was just thinking."

"Anyway, these researchers went all over the world and showed photos of naked or barely clothed women to males in a number of different cultures-from primitive to highly civilized. They asked questions about which of the photos the men found most desirable. The photos had been enhanced to look like the women in their communities or region. Skin and hair color, facial shape, height, and other features."

Cathy laughed. "I'm learning to use PhotoShop. I can make myself look really big."

I laughed. "You're dangerous, Cathy. Anyway, men all over the world chose women who fit about the same ratio of breasts, waist, and hips. They preferred women with larger breasts, smaller waists, and wider hips. They established that these choices are more than learned preferences. The researchers speculated that the women were chosen because of their estimated childbearing potential."

Cathy piped up, "I read on the Internet that the French prefer smaller breasts. Is that right?"

"I don't know. I've heard that, too. However, play like it is true. So, why would French men have those preferences?"

Brianna said, "Maybe they don't want babies?"

"I don't know. I'm guessing that it is cultural. They have learned from their society what desirable women look like."

Cathy said, "Well, I know that boys in this culture don't have that preference."

"If you look at the magazines on my shelf upstairs, you'll see that American men do like full breasts and hips. That's what the magazines publish. Few of those women look like the skinny fashion models we see on the TV strutting down the runway."

Brianna said, "I don't think I could ever look like that. I'll never be a model."

"Maybe not a world class runway model, but many local stores have their own models and I think you and Cathy could do nicely if you went to modeling classes."

Both said loudly, "You do?"

"It's hard work, but I think both of you have the figures for it. You will only look better as you get older."

Cathy reflected. "Uhm, what you're saying is that boys don't have a lot of choice in what they prefer or like to look at."

I laughed. "No, they do have the choice of looking you in the eye before sizing up your breasts, though. Believe me, that requires practice and a lot of determination. We can't help it that we like to look at shapely women." I looked at them in the eye, "Now, just for fun, the next time a boy's eyes dwell on your boobs, poke him on the shoulder and say, 'Hey, after you enjoy the show, I'm up here, ' and point to your eyes."

Brianna giggled. "I will if you will, Cathy."

"Maybe. I'll think about it."

Brianna said, "Tell me more about modeling classes."

"Look in the phone book for models. Call the numbers to see if there are classes. Remember that you have to fit this in with school, swimming, and any social life you might want. You don't have a lot of spare time."

"Once you find them, I can talk to them about time and their prices. You won't know if you like it until you try it."

She had an evil grin. "That's what I keep telling Cathy."

Cathy quickly hopped up and pounced on Brianna, pinning her to the couch. "Shut up, you. I'll get to it when I'm ready." She tickled her until Brianna yelled for mercy.

After they made truce, we watched a movie on TV, all sitting on the couch snuggling. The movie had scary scenes in it and that made them come closer. Felt good to be the protector of the innocent from the bad guys on the TV. When the movie was over, I said it was bedtime and they both went up to get ready. I went to do email and check some market indices. Brianna came to my door and said, "Can we go to bed now?"