Chapter 64

Sue's factories were receiving bids for military uniforms from the academies and the military. The first was the Air Force Academy, next the Merchant Marine, followed by the Coast Guard. Finally, we were able to bid on Army fatigues or what they call BDU's or Battle Dress Uniforms and won a very large contract.

Along with the fatigues was an order for the beige T-shirts and boxers worn under them. The production was going to require almost a full third of Quality Wear's production. To me this was great, to Sue this was a disaster, as she had plans for so much more. She said that if we were able to continue bidding and receiving contracts, she wanted to expand her manufacturing in the park by at least two more buildings of about the same size as the others.

While Sue, Mercy, Hannah, and Debbie, settled down into every day routines and making babies inside of them, I spent time planning and directing the new Dublin plant and expanding the Canadian locations.

Ryan had consented and had hired three men to do the heavy leg work while he followed up on key issues that arose around the country. Michelle surprised all of us by announcing one Friday evening that she was four months pregnant, and that Ryan was going to need a new secretary. Her due date would be only a month or so after Mercy's and Sue's, somewhere around when Kate should have her new one.

The couple considered having a house built in the back area where Abe lived, but later made a deal for a double space next to where Sue's place was. They wanted to be closer to the patio and all of the child care at our place.

One afternoon, after getting back from the gym and getting a little sun, we had all of the pregnant women there while all the kids were napping. Glenda began reminiscing about our start and the people who we had come in contact with. As soon as Glenda mentioned Kathy and her kids, Sue said, why don't we call her and have her come down while her kids are on spring break. Have her Mom and Dad come down too and they can have a week visiting and going to the amusement parks.

Glenda said, "I have her number, let me go get it. We'll make the call out here so she will know we all want them to come."

When Kathy answered, she was surprised that Glenda had called. I began talking and Kathy became very excited. I told her that Shawna was with us as well as Sue, Juanita whom she knew, and a new person, Mercy.

"I've heard all about your three ladies. What happened to the other one, did you kick her out?"

Sue answered for me, "Kate was able to get back with her husband, but she's still a part of our big group here. She's sitting with us right now."

I took over, "We're calling to ask you if you would like to come down to visit over your kids' spring vacation? We want you to bring your Mom and Dad too and stay with us. Our place is big enough for everyone and we would love to have you. I'm dying to see the kids. I'll bet they are really big."

"Do you really want us to come down there? Will your women put up with me because I was close with you before I moved away?"

Mercy got in on the call, "This is Mercy, and yes we want you to come down here. You need to see our kids too and you know you want to see Martin and Glenda, Juanita, Abe, and Alice. We all want you to come."

Kathy paused, then said, "If we come down you may be in for a surprise. I'm not sure about it, but I'll ask Mom and Dad. I'm not going to ask the kids because they will go nuts, but I would love to see all my old friends and meet some new ones. Can I call you back later? Sue, I'll talk to you okay so you'll know about how to handle my bunch. Let me call you later, okay?"

Sue said, "Call me, Kathy, everyone has nice things to say about you. I want to get to know you for sure."

Glenda and Juanita were very excited and immediately called Alice to tell her. Kidding me, Sue said, "Well, maybe you'll have that fourth lady around here for a little while to give us pregnant ones a break."

Juanita said, "I will take up any slack for you two, but I would share with Kathy. She is a good person."

Later, during supper, Kathy called back and spoke with Sue for a long time. When Sue got off the phone, she huddled up with Mercy and Juanita for an extended period of time. I guess having seven people come would be a bunch, but we had the room for easily that many plus more.

They were coming in just a week. I had not realized the spring breaks were coming so fast. Sue said that she would fly up to get them in the small two hundred, as she said she needed some more flight time. I was fine with that, because I had to make a quick trip to Dublin to okay the plans for the new manufacturing facility being built. Abe, Jed, Tiny, and Ryan were going with me so we were going to fly the Lear fitted with the special extended range tanks. John and DeeDee had something to do, so I had to talk an old airline pilot to come along. There was no way that I was going to make the flight by myself. There were too many chances of something happening.

Fred Taylor, the retired airline pilot, and I had a good time flying to Dublin. We did the refueling in Iceland then straight in to Dublin. Fred was experienced dealing with international flight plans and with customs, so we were able to land and immediately get to work.

Mac and Mike met us and took us to the building that was now fully remodeled to our specs. When we turned on all of the lights, the white dazzled the eyes. There were perfect signs everywhere, including the "Is it perfect?" signs over every door. We had hired the main working management personnel and they were in progress of hiring teams and sending them to the States for training. There were four teams in Florida and two teams in St. Louis being trained, so we only needed two to four additional teams to produce the quantity necessary for profitability.

The cart manufacturing area already had a line built, as well as a stock of parts that should last them a month. Abe's new motor was being built in a new shop opened out at the park this past winter and was not yet running to capacity. We were going to be able to use the new motor in all of our products, including the police utility vehicle.

I was satisfied that this place was going to work. All we needed now was for the teams to begin rebuilding the super lifts that were already being barged in for repair.

That night, we spent the evening at Mac's Irish castle and were able to visit with Mike, Chanda, Lucille, and Margaret. Lucille was wearing loose clothes and informed me that she was going to add to the family in the near future. I told her that Sue, Mercy, and Juanita would be happy to hear that she was expecting. She told me that I was the last to know, as the three Irish lasses called my ladies often.

The second day in Ireland, we looked at the state of the new building under construction for our lift manufacturing facility. It was expected to be complete within six weeks. The robotics were being set up, as was the rest of the lines. The plans looked right and Abe, Jed, Jeff, and Tiny all concurred that we were on track. On the third day, we had a meeting with many other business owners in the Dublin area. We used a large convention hall and had food and beverages brought in for a giant cocktail party. The idea was to get them to help us find qualified people. When I announced that I would be training people from the ground up, there was a general excitement since when this usually happened, a company often trained workers for all businesses. I cautioned the other owners, saying, "We take care of our employees on a scale much higher than usual, so we do not often lose desirable employees. We hope this would continue here."

I asked Mac to let it be known in the countryside that the company would train men and women to work on our lines. The main requirement was that they would give their best, everyday, to every product. He and Mike said they would get the word out.

The flight home was uneventful, but gave me the opportunity to realize I wouldn't wish to do it by myself. Too long, too tiring. Fred and I alternated and were able to nap a little during the trip.

As we landed, Sue was getting ready to go get Kathy. Sue had Mercy and Juanita with her and she would either scare poor Kathy to death, or make her very comfortable. I was able to get a hug and kiss from the ladies as they were getting ready to leave. Those of us returning were ready to go to bed as it was now morning and we had been up most of the night because of a holding layover in Iceland.

We all went home, checked in at the office, and crashed. I asked Glenda to wake me up about two so I could shower and be ready for the visitors. Glenda acted a little funny, but said she would get me up so I could greet them.

When I lay down, I tried to think of Kathy's kids. Back in '99, J.J. or Jake Junior was nine going on ten, Carl was nine, Ben was eight, and Barbara was seven. Four kids within a year of each other. Now three years later, J.J. would be a teen, Carl would be twelve, Ben eleven, and cute little Barb would be ten. They would all be a lot bigger. J.J. was going to be tall, but then all the kids were pretty tall and slim.

Kate gently woke me at two with a kiss on the lips. "I love you, Steve. I love that you gave me my baby. I love that you helped me get back with Jim. I love that you've given me new life friends in your wives. I'm sorry I can't be one of your wives, but I think you understand."

I gave Kate a hug before I was pounced on by Carson who had leaped onto the bed. Stevie, CJ, Rob, and Mia followed, until I cried uncle and told them to wait until after I took my shower. After cleaning up, I went out to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. The kids were immediately off doing something else, not needing me to entertain them. Lizzy and Mike toddled over to me to be picked up and loved. We chatted for a few minutes. I would say something like "What did you two do today." They would answer, "Jabber, jabber, da, ma, da, ne, ne, Jabber," then as clear as can be, Lizzy said, "Gamma Glenda."

Glenda was at the stove with Maggie and began laughing. She turned around and said, "Good girl, Lizzy, you know who has the cookies."

"Cookies! Cookies! Please, Grandma Glenda, we want cookies!" This was from the five crazed older kids. Susan, Maggie, Kate, and Glenda poured some milk and had them sit at the one of the big tables and gave them each a cookie and glass of milk. Amazingly, all five sat still and savored a fresh peanut butter cookie. When they were finished, they stayed at the table squirming but not complaining. Glenda hollered, "You may be excused after you bring your cup inside."

In a flash, five little ones were bringing the paper cups inside and running full tilt back out to the patio. During the day, it was hazardous to walk around out there, as the kids usually had the floor pretty well covered with toys. Before four or four-thirty, they brought all the toys to their toy box and kept only one out to play with in the living room. They usually piled up together and watched TV while the adults came in after work, so they were docile while waiting to see their parents.

Maggie, Susan, Kate, and Glenda had the kids begin picking up the toys as they said Sue would soon be here with Kathy and her family. In no time, the patio was straightened up and Kate quickly ran a mop over the floor to clean up from the heavy traffic the place received during the day.

I was sitting at the bar, out on the patio, when I heard a couple of cars pull up. There was enough commotion to tell that there were several people. Four kids came around the end of our trailer and came running into the patio. The first to reach me was Barb, now a lot taller and looking more like Kathy than before. I got a big hug from her and hugs from the three boys. When they pulled back, I got a good handshake from J.J. As he said, "Hi Steve," I could tell his voice was changing. He was growing up. Next in the door were Kathy's Mom and Dad, who immediately gave me a hug and handshake respectively, thanking me for coming to get them and how great the place looked.

Kathy came in with my three ladies. Kathy came right to me and put a lip lock on me that curled my toes, and I hoped it didn't piss off any of my three women. When she pulled back, she said, "You look really handsome without your beard. I liked your long hair, but it's still pretty long. I'm so glad you asked us to come."

She stood back from me as Sue came up, carrying a little boy a little older than Stevie, CJ, Rob, and Tia.

Kathy said, "Steve, I want you to meet Greg, a new addition to my brood."

Sue handed me the little boy who immediately touched my mustache, and laid his head on my chest, smiling. When I said, "Nice to meet you, Greg," he said to me, "Nice to meet you too."

Mercy said to Kathy, "Go ahead, tell him."

Kathy looked down, then up, then rolled her eyes. Kathy's Mom came over to stand next to her when she said, "Meet your son, Steve, his name is Gregory Stephen Sharp."

Well, knock me over with a feather or a baseball bat or something.

The little boy in my arms asked, "Are you my Daddy?"

Mercy grabbed the boy, and Sue grabbed me as I was about to pass out from shock.

"Wha, ah, how? Ah, Kathy, why didn't you tell me, call me, why?"

"I couldn't Steve, I couldn't tell you because I couldn't come back here. I was too afraid. We'll talk about it more, but I want you to spend time with Greg while we're here."

I looked at my three ladies, stunned. Mercy was holding the little boy who was enjoying the attention of the ladies. I invited them all to sit and offered all soda, water, coffee, beer, or any kind of drink we could make.

J.J., Ben, Carl, and Barb had watched the introduction of Greg, but now had taken over the pool table. Sue took Kathy inside to meet all of the other little ones.

Kathy's dad said, "Kind of a shock huh?"

"Why didn't you call me, tell me, I should have been helping Kathy, she needed help with the baby and I wasn't there."

Kathy's mom said, "She felt very guilty that she let herself get pregnant, and she felt even guiltier that she was denying you your son after he was born. I can't tell you how many times I begged her to call you or come to see you. We heard you were successful down here, but if this place is an example, you are very successful. The question would be, how come you still live out here in a trailer park?"

"This is where my friends are. This is now next door to part of our businesses. We do have some houses out back. Some of our people prefer houses, while the rest all want to live close in mobile homes."

"What kind of business do you have, Steve?" Kathy's dad asked.

I grimaced, as I didn't know how to describe it all. "Let's just say that it started with welding and rebuilding some Onan equipment and has grown exponentially since. You'll hear from everyone while you're here, but just keep in mind some of these guys blow a lot smoke around. Hey, how about a beer? We have ice cold beer on tap and all kinds of imports in bottles."