Chapter 4

Over the next couple of months, the girls got bigger and prettier at the same time. Annie's sister Claudia moved in and provided me with immediate relief from the girls everyday needs.

To add to the hustle and bustle of everything else, I had only talked to Claudia ... and the day she came over, when I opened the door to let her in — she instantly reminded me of Annie. We embraced as old friends often do, although my hands felt strangely comfortable on her.

I helped her get her stuff to my room ... er — her room, and she fell into 'nanny mode' almost immediately.

"Dad, we're home!" Emma said as they walked into the house together. Claudia came out of my office, and they screamed and hugged for the longest time.

"Come on girls, tell me all about everything," Claudia said to them as they all went up the stairs together. Within a few moments — Silence!

I took the opportunity to go and in and work on the story that was needing to be finished first. In a matter of two solid hours, the treatise about a relatively unknown battle in the American Revolution called 'The Battle of Cowpens, ' was finally finished. All told, it took me 25 hours of research and almost 90 hours to write. Jim, my publisher, was originally taken aback by my take that Great Britain General Sir Banastre Tarleton was a more interesting character than the US Commander Colonel Daniel Morgan.

Jim should be happy with this being done, so I can devote all of my time to 'The Redheaded Tryst' By Phillip Roux!

As I was running a grammar and spelling check on 'Banastre versus Morgan', there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," I said to whomever. Claudia walked in and sat down.

"Yes?" I said with a single raised eyebrow.

"The girls told me everything, Michael — including your 'pickup move' they thought was so good. Did you use one on my sister?"

"Actually no, I saw her red hair, and I was drawn to her. It was in the college cafeteria. She was sitting down, listening to something on her headphones. I walked over with my food and got her attention to non-verbally ask if I could sit by her. She nodded in the affirmative and also told me that I would die very young, eating what I was eating."

"And what was it, you were eating?" she asked with a curious giggle.

"I had a hot dog, some nachos and a couple of bottled waters. She was quick to say that the only good choice I'd made, was the water."

"And you came back with..."

"I said, 'No, my best choice was deciding to sit down by the hot redhead, ' to which she laughed for a moment. She grabbed my hot dog and took a bite — she put it back on my tray, got up and waved good-bye. I didn't even get to ask her, her name."

"This's a story she never told me," Claudia said.

"The next day, I saw her at the same table — I had the same food as the day before — but I got her a water. She smiled and said 'Thanks, ' took a bite of my hotdog again and got up and left. This happened all week, until on Friday — I came over just with a bottle of water for each of us, took her ear bud and heard Mac Davis singing, 'Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me, ' to which I started to sing along."

She laughed and said, "It's about time; I was wondering if you were ever going to make a move. My name is Annie Mears, what's yours?"

"Michael — Annie, would you like to go out sometime? All week I've been going to my next class not able to concentrate at all. Your hair is such a beautiful shade of red. Our children will probably have red hair, too!"

"Michael, you actually said all that to her? What was her reaction to that?" my sister-in-law asked.

"She pulled my face to hers and gave me a really sloppy kiss — picked up her water and said, 'Follow me Michael!"

"Where did she take you?"

"I'm sorry. Any more would be breaking my promise to her that I'd never tell that story," I said.

"That's such a wonderful story Michael, include it in the book you're writing!" Claudia said. "I want to hear one of these 'pickup lines' of yours. Grace says she was impressed by it a lot."

"Claudia, I don't think that's a good idea ... it precipitated the girl's condition," I said trying to make a serious point.

"Michael, just do it — it would take more than a pickup line, to get me interested."

"OK, sit back and relax," I said coming around my desk and dropping to where we were face-to-face.

I took her hand and said, "When I'm looking back at the best memories of my life, I'll think of the day my children were born, the day I got married - and the day I met you?"

Her eyes got big, as I added, "I figured out why the sky was overcast today — all the blue's in your eyes!"

She leaned forward, as I looked right at her and said, "I wish I was one of your tears, so I could be born in your eyes — run down your cheek, and die on your lips."

She took both of her hands and pulled my lips to hers, jump starting a most wonderful and passionate kiss that I realized I was enjoying. We stood up, and I grabbed her around the waist and said, "See what you started, my god you're magnificent Claudia, but we can't let anything happen between us like this. You're here for the girls — not me!"

"Michael, how about after the girls babies are born? I've had feelings for you, since Annie brought you home to meet Mom and Dad, way back when."

"Possibly, but until then — your primary responsibility is to the girls. They have it in their heads to go to work part-time at Hooters. If they do that — you'll be responsible for the babies all day."

"But when the little ones are asleep, Claudia and Michael could play, couldn't we?"

I replied, "I totally forgot how good you were at flirting; I'm impressed and interested. Nothing until after the girls had their babies, OK?"

"I agree, but before I leave, could we seal this deal with another kiss?"

I walked into her open arms and really let go of my emotions. I felt her tongue this time, and I used mine as well. I felt her arm dropping to my butt, so I pulled away and said, "After!" poking her nose with my finger.

"Will you put this in your book?" she asked.

"Not until book three — Book One is all about Annie and me, ending with us both finding out that she was pregnant with twin girls. Book Two is about the birth and raising the girls, ending with the wife dying and finding out the girls want their Daddy's children. Book Three will include the wife's sister coming to take care of the little ones and starting an illicit romance with Phillip. I only have to put out a Book a year, so the events of Books Four and Five ... haven't occurred yet."

"An illicit romance you say? I'll do my best to play the part, Michael," she said putting her hands on the front of my pants and feeling my hardness. Jesus, what is that saying, 'whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?' — Yeah, right!

A regular routine started, with Claudia making breakfast for both the girls and me every day. I told her, I could get my own, but she insisted I ... keep my strength and endurance for writing and whatever else comes along. I wouldn't doubt that Emma and Grace picked up on the sexual tension between their aunt and I.

About a month later, Claudia came in while I was writing. "Yes dear — how can I help you?" I said typing away.

"Michael, I'd like to take the girls clothes shopping and maybe get a few things for the baby's room?" she asked.

"Sure thing," I said stopping long enough to get out my credit card. "Why don't you get a few things for yourself as well — I do like all of my girls to look their very best!"

"Am I one of your girls, Michael?" she said laying it on pretty thick.

"You know better than to ask me that, my dear — quick question? When I bring you into the story — you can be called either ... Wendy, Whitney or Willow?"

"What's with the 'W?'" she asked.

"Well, it's a thing of mine — the 'wh' sound is sensuous, and with Annie changed to Aubrey, I wanted the sister-in-law to have a glamorous name ... so?"