Chapter 7: A New Day Dawns, A New Life Begins

I awoke again at 7:30 and my nighttime visitors were gone. I got up and went to my en-suite bathroom and peed and showered again. I got dressed and headed out to the sitting room. I met Sam there and he had just ordered breakfast for us and it would be arriving shortly. I checked on the girls, but they were not in their room. I knocked on Sandy's room and I heard some giggling. I opened the door and all three girls were sitting on the bed talking. I said, "Breakfast will be served shortly, so let's get ready. Then it is shopping time, besides the TV is on too."

Suddenly three streaks of color went past me into the sitting room. I came back out and sat with Sam. The girls were on the couch switching channels, trying to find something to watch. I think they settled on the WB channel or something. Sam was at the kitchen table having a cup of coffee. I grabbed a cup from the cupboard and poured myself some java. "Sam, you had mentioned something about an opportunity for me coming up, can you give me a hint before breakfast, or do I have to wait some more?"

"Jeff, you've worked for the state what, ten or twelve years, right?"

"Yeah, it'll be twelve in October, why?"

"Well, I'm looking for a bright young CPA to run my own accounting and investment firm that I just found out I own. This company is growing and I need someone I can trust to run it for me. I immediately thought of you. I know you; hell, I have known you since we were in fifth grade together. You know me too; we already know we can work well together. But I don't want to be the accounting part; I just want to work on the investment side. This is the company that has been doing all of my investments and we have done real well with them. Last week, I found out that my great uncle owned the company. He passed away and left the company to me. Now it's mine and the guy running the company right now is ready to retire. So my question to you is, will you at least think about it?"

"Sam, I'll think about it. What are you thinking about as far as salary and benefits?"

"Well, the guy running the company now is drawing down 150K a year, plus bennies. A company car, 401K, full insurance, health, life, and dental, and that includes the family, all paid for by the company. There's a generous travel allowance, six weeks paid vacation a year, and bonuses if the company makes a profit. I think there is even some kind of housing allowance that goes with that too, but I don't understand all of that part. So you interested?"

"Let me think about it, OK?"

"Sure take as long as you want, but the guy retires in two months."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Sandy jumped up to answer the door. It was room service with breakfast. The other two girls came running. Sam signed the ticket and we dug in. As I was sipping the last of my fresh orange juice, I said, "Sam, I have decided, I'll take it, where do I sign?"

"Jeff, old buddy, you have no idea how that makes me feel. I was really dreading running both sides of the company, plus my dealership responsibilities too. I really didn't have any idea where to start looking for a replacement, either, at least one I trusted. Thanks, Jeff, you just made my whole week."

"Daddy what was that all about, I mean what you and Sam were talking about," asked my darling Cathy.

"Sweetheart, it looks like I will be working with Sam in our own business."

"Good, Daddy, then maybe you can call that nice lady on the airplane and invite her to our house so we can maybe have a new mommy now," spouted my oldest, Brie. Talk about out of the mouths of babes.

"Why on earth would you want that nice lady to come to our house and be your new mommy, Brie?"

"Because she is nice, Cathy and I like her, even Sandy likes her, and I know she really likes you. She told me she did when she helped me change my ... a ... tampon, yeah, that's what she said it was. Besides, she was so gentle and caring, and she was so mad at that other lady that hurt me. So can you please call her and invite her to our house so she can be our new mommy, then you won't be lonely and cry so much."