Chapter 48

"If you will both sign right here, here, and here, I think we have the purchase and delivery docs complete. We'll just need signatures from both of you for the insurance policy." The delivery manager at the Toyota place, in Mobile, was finishing up our paperwork, so we could take the new Toyota Sienna and head for Florida.

I told Tammy that she needed to sign the insurance policy to be a covered driver. When I showed her where to sign, she looked puzzled. "Tammy," I said. "The van is registered and insured to you. It's yours. You and the girls need your own transportation, and I want to do this for you. So just shut up and enjoy it." I was smiling. Even if I was the interim love affair, she deserved some happiness, and a new start.

The truth was true. Rebecca had been quite clear with Colleen, when she said it was likely that I wouldn't live very long. If that was the case, then I didn't need to worry about spending money, because I'd never live long enough to run out, might as well share it when it felt right. Part of me wondered if I gave off some kind of vibe that sent Rebecca, Colleen, and now Tammy away from me, because I knew I was going to die and didn't want them hurt.

It was worth some thought.

Tammy signed in all the appropriate places, accepted the temporary registration, insurance cards, and finally, she held the keys to her brand new, fully loaded, top of the line, Toyota mini-van.

We'd left the boat with the transport company, and they promised to have it in Fort Lauderdale within thirty days - possibly as few as twenty. That gave us plenty of time to explore Disney, Universal, Sea World, and Busch Gardens, not to mention Islands of Adventure, Wet and Wild, and Aquatica. The last two are water parks, and actually look like they have a bunch of fun things to do.

I had a four bedroom suite booked at Disney's Dolphin Hotel, and Gold Annual Passes purchased for all five of us, to Disney, as well ten day passes to Universal, Islands of Adventure, and Sea World.

If you could buy a pass for it, I bought it.

The drive from Mobile, Alabama to Orlando was tedious. Because we were breaking in a brand new vehicle, we took it slow, enjoying stops wherever, and whenever we felt like it. Our menagerie pulled up to the Dolphin Hotel two days later. We were checked in, and in our suite within a half hour.

It was huge.

A four bedroom suite costs well over a thousand dollars a night, but it is enormous. We were on the twenty-seventh floor, facing the Magic Kingdom, which meant we could sit on our balcony and watch the nighttime fireworks.

The manager of the Dolphin took one look at my American Express Platinum Card started to salivate. Having a five-hundred thousand dollar credit limit will get a manager's attention, I suppose. He promised every possible amenity would be provided, as well as a hotel car to transport us, and if we wished, a chef would be dispatched to personally prepare and deliver our meals to the suite.

A bellman brought our bags and a maid arrived to help the girls unpack. We were tired from traveling, and I asked the bellman to arrange for a spa visit for the women. He picked the phone, and the spa was made available to the four ladies, whenever it was convenient for them. All they had to do was show up, downstairs. I guess American Express wasn't lying, when they said, "Membership has its Privileges."

After the girls freshened up and left for their pampering, I called Mr. Bell to check in. "Hey, Boy!" he said, "How are things at Disney?"

"Ok. How did you know?" I suspected but wanted to hear it for myself.

"We monitor your cards to make sure the number is not stolen, and Josephine just called and said you had used the Black card to check into the Dolphin Hotel. We're pretty thorough up here in red neck, Missouri." He chuckled.

"I guess you are. I'll be here for a couple weeks. Then back to the boat, and my great adventure trip. How're things at home? How are the ladies?"

"Well. Millie is presently standing over my shoulder, demanding I give you her love. Colleen will be thrilled to hear that we have news of you. Rebecca went off with her new boyfriend, but I'm not sure where they went. Millie and I are taking a month and going to the Italian Riviera. We leave next week.

"Remember to call Colleen if you have anything pressing. If you call me, the international phone thing might be a hassle. If you really need me, call. I'll get the message and call back.

"Son, I hope you are enjoying your trip, and finding the peace of mind you went looking for. Millie and I are thinking about you. Be safe and keep in touch." We said our goodbyes, and I hung up.

With the girls out of the suite I had time to look out the window and think.

Tammy and her girls were a wonderful interlude in an otherwise very lonely time in my life. We'd been having a great time together, and I was determined to see to it they all had a fabulous vacation.

That said there was no doubt that Tammy was looking at going on without me in their lives. After I thought about it, I knew it was the right thing. Once a woman decides that a guy is the first runner up, he will always be little more than a stop along the way to her.

Rebecca and Colleen discovered they didn't want me and went away. Judith went away when she discovered I wasn't what she thought she wanted. It stung to admit to being the reason for the pattern, but given my health challenges, it wasn't a bad thing, just painful.

I knew if I kept that up I would find myself depressed, so I hopped out of the easy chair and called the concierge, to make us reservations somewhere the girls would love. She assured me that she had the perfect place, and would have the hotel car waiting for us at eight o'clock. It was just coming up on four, so I decided to take a long, hot shower, and catch a nap.

It was dark when I felt someone crawling up the bed towards me. When my lips were thoroughly kissed, I opened my eyes and smiled at Carrie. She looked positively precocious. The evil thoughts that came into my head when she squeezed Mr. Johnson, would have given a priest a coronary. That girl was going to be hell-on-wheels before long. I hoped Tammy got her on birth control, and fully briefed on STD's, because her hormones were running full steam.

Dinner was a dinner show called, "Arabian Nights." It was a wonderful show. The horses were beautiful, and the riders entertained us for hours, while we ate and drank. Afterwards we all crowded together on the balcony of our suite to watch the Magic Kingdom erupt in a spectacular fireworks show. The girls were enthralled, and I loved every second of it.

Three of the four rooms had a king sized bed. Mine had a super king. I can tell you that all five of us fit quite comfortably in a super king bed, especially when Tammy collapsed on top of me, after stirring sex, and the other three joined us after we quieted down. We slept later than intended, and after a wonderful room service breakfast, the hotel took us to the Magic Kingdom to break in our new annual passes.

For ten days we trekked all over Disney. For ten nights, I slept like a log, too exhausted for much more than a little sex, and a lot of water.