Chapter 8

Carolyn said, "Bobby, you've got to slow down. You're bouncing around like pinball."

Carolyn could tell me things no one else could. I took her hand.

"I know. It wasn't that long ago, that I was in a field in Vietnam getting shot at by automatic weapons. I think I'm just beginning to adjust. You've helped me more than anything. I don't think I've told you how much you mean to me."

She squeezed my hand and smiled.

I continued, "If I can get my leg and arm better, I'll be better off than when I got drafted. Dr. Angell has referred me to a Dr. Kournikova, Russian trained physician at Presbyterian, who is an exercise and rehabilitation physiologist. She did her residency fellowship at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco. I'm going to see her this afternoon."

Dr. Kournikova wasn't much on personality, but Dr. Angell said she knew her stuff in rehabilitation medicine. She took measurements and gave me an exercise routine, as well as a diet. Then she asked if I would be interested in being in participating in a research study on human growth hormones effect on serious muscle injury. She said she thought she could get me in the study and that it was the best chance I had to recover muscle. She stressed that the sooner I saw the San Francisco doctor the better.

I agreed to go ASAP and Dr. Kournikova called her friend, Dr. Sharapova. Dr. Sharapova agreed to see me before her normal hours, early the next morning.

Dr. Kournikova stressed that I needed to be seen by someone who had FDA authorization to prescribe the experimental growth hormones. I flew to San Francisco that evening and stayed overnight. I was examined at seven in the morning and agreed to the experimental therapy. I was impressed with Dr. Sharapova, another Russian trained physiologist, who explained the risks and the monitoring requirements. I signed several consent forms and was injected with a hormone. A cream was applied to my arm and leg. The doctor checked my vital signs and blood chemistry, then I was given a supply of the drugs and flew back to New York. I had to self administered the meds, but was able to get resupplied through the mail.

I didn't tell anyone about the hormones, but followed the regiment exactly. Grandfather purchased exercise machines and had them put in the basement of the apartment house. I went to a physical therapist twice a week for therapy and monitoring and had my blood checked by the Dr. Kournikova. I strictly followed the diet prescribed by the Dr. Kournikova and the drug regiment prescribed by Dr. Sharapova.

Carolyn got up with me and we exercised before I went to work with my grandfather. She and I also exercised again after I got home from work. The exercises were painful, but within two weeks, I started to gain strength in my arm and leg.

Carolyn and I talked about many things as we exercised, especially in the afternoon. She enforced her policy of only allowing us to have sex twice a week.

With the possible except of Dallas, I had never felt closer to anyone than I did to Carolyn. Carolyn had gotten me out of the whiner, feel sorry for myself mode. Mary's rejection still hurt, at times it really bothered me, but I made progress.

Friday, I took the early flight to Birmingham, rented a car, and drove to Tuscaloosa for the closing on the house. I wasn't in Thornton's wedding, so I decided to stay in a hotel in Tuscaloosa. I had an architectural drawing for the breezeway which included the dimensions for the custom designed whirlpool with extra pumps and jets for my arm and leg.

The closing in Tuscaloosa was very brief. We met at the courthouse. The seller got a check and I registered the deed. Dorothy and I went to the house where we met the plumbing contractor. I signed a contract for the contractor to put in the whirlpool and a restroom/dressing room in the breezeway. I gave my grandfather's architect's drawings and specifications to the contractor. The contractor thought the only delay would be the receipt of the whirlpool.

Alabama had state run liquor stores. When Alabama instituted a policy not to pay wholesalers, the stores lost all the good brands. I brought some good liquor and champagne with me from New York. Dorothy and I went back to the hotel room to celebrate her first closing and paycheck. I had put the bottle of champagne on ice before I met her at the closing.

When we got back to the hotel room, I opened the champagne and toasted. "To Dorothy and her first sale; may there be many more."

An excited Dorothy refilled the glasses. "To the best first client I could have had. Thank you."

We sat and drank the champagne. "I plan to buy property around here. Are you interested in working with me?"

Dorothy asked, "What do you want me to do?"

I said, "I want you to take classes to be an appraiser of commercial property. My family buys, but rarely sells property. I want you to be an expert in valuation of income property."

She said, "I'm very interested. Do you want me to leave the agency?"

I said, "No, I want you to stay at your agency. You need to know what's going on and for you to track what's happening. You can sell to other people, but I come first and I want you looking for things for me all the time."

She had another glass of champagne.

I asked, "How did you get into real estate?"

Dorothy said, "Fred, my husband, is an engineering instructor at the University. When he finishes his dissertation, he will get a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Missouri. Instructors don't get paid much. We needed some income until he finishes and gets promoted to assistant professor; so I looked around and real estate sales appeared the best option. I was an education major and school teachers don't get paid much of anything in Alabama; besides, I needed something to do. I took a class, passed the exam, and got a job with the largest local broker."

I asked, "Where are you from?"

She said, "Rocheport, a small town in Central Missouri near Columbia. I met Fred at the University of Missouri. We got married seven years ago, when we were sophomores. We don't have children. I was a late bloomer and didn't have much social life as a freshman in college. I haven't made any friends here. Instructors aren't really a part of the faculty and the engineering faculty families aren't that social anyway. That was another reason for me working."

She filled her glass again. "This is very good. It isn't like any champagne that I've had before."

"Well, this is a special occasion." Dorothy is getting a little drunk.

She said, "I saw the credit report on you. You're rich."

I said, "We call it comfortable. I think you should go light on the champagne. If you have much more, you're not going to be able to drive home."

She finished the glass and poured another. She took a sip. "Are you trying to take advantage of me?"

I said, "You are very beautiful. You need to be careful when you drink."

She said, "Do you want me to work for you or are you just trying to get in my pants? You're cuter than most of the guys who've tried to come on to me. I'm still not comfortable with men doing that."

She laughed. Her eyes flashed with a look of excitement. She was definitely less inhibited.

I said, "Maybe both. I'll pay you seven hundred a month and you keep your other commissions. I will reimburse you for your appraisal classes. I want you to find me good commercial property and know what it's really worth. I want you to be very good at what you do."

She said, "That's a very good salary for here."

She took another drink of the champagne.

I moved to her and took the glass. "I don't pay for sex. I want you to work hard and make us money."

I kissed her softly. She responded just a little.

I asked softly, "How many lovers have you had?"

"Two"

I waited.

She said, "On my high school prom night and Fred."

I kissed her again. She opened her mouth and responded. We kissed with some passion. I kissed her throat and whispered, "I want you to stop with three."

I stood and took her hand. She hesitated and then followed me into the bedroom.

We kissed and I helped her undress.

We got in bed. I kissed and explored her body. From her reaction, I didn't think Fred was much of a lover. I wasn't that experienced either, but Carolyn had taught me some things about what she liked in bed, and especially about how she liked me to go down on her, but I hadn't learned about seduction. I figured the first time would be the hardest and that I shouldn't take too long to take Dorothy.

I moved over her and she spread her legs to receive me. She wasn't as good as Mary or Carolyn. She was too passive.

I said, "Dorothy, I want all of you; give yourself to me."

She moved with me a little.

I demanded, "All of you. I want all of you."

She wasn't athletic like Mary; or warm and loving like Carolyn. I could tell that she was doing things that were new to her. She didn't orgasm when I did.

She was very surprised when I kissed down her body and then brought to orgasm with my mouth. When I moved back beside her, she gave me a look that told me that definitely no one had gone down on her before. Initially she had been reluctant, but then she really got into it.