Chapter 55

"Mr. Crane, there is no chance I would hurt Jennifer, especially in her condition. If you, Sherrie, and Jennifer want me to hang around for a little while, I can as long as we all understand that the second I am a bother, or in the slightest way inconvenient for you all, I'll be on my way.

"Ok?" He smiled when he heard me agree to his request. I soldiered on. "Mr. Crane, What is Jennifer's medical problem? She seems so loving, an adorable that I hate to think of her being so sick."

"I'm no doctor, Brian. They tell us she has malignant infantile Albers-Schonberg disease, which is typically fatal very young, but almost always by the time they turn ten. Jennifer struggles with nerve pain, facial paralysis; trouble with her blood platelets, a bad liver, and a bunch of other stuff that makes her life difficult.

"I'm sure Sherrie would let you tag along when she takes Jennifer to the new specialist later this morning. We'll ask her if you wish." We talked about less emotional things until the girls returned from getting ready to go out.

Sherrie pushed Jennifer's chair into the solarium and I jumped up and kissed them both. Jennifer giggled, which broke my heart, and Sherrie smiled a secret smile, which jolted Mr. Johnson. Jerry spoke up, "Hey Jennifer, would you mind if your new boyfriend tags along with you to the doctor? He seems to want to keep you near him. Maybe you can teach him some manner's while you have him or something..."

"Grandpa, Mommy and I were just talking, and Brian is a perfect gentleman. How could you say he needs to learn manners? I just don't understand you men, at all," she said it just like a little adult. It made Jerry and me laugh like crazy. The girls looked at us like we were from Mars, but we all having a wonderful time.

It was soon time to go, and I helped Jerry get Jennifer situated in his Lexus sedan. That jogged my memory and I asked, "Hey Mr. Jerry, can you tell me where the Lexus dealer is? I need to go buy a new vehicle, if I'm going to be staying the winter down here."

Sherrie's head snapped up when I mentioned staying all winter, and she shot a look at her father, which he returned with a very satisfied smile. I could see that they had cooked this invite up together. 'Ok, ' I thought. That was fine. At least I knew Sherrie wanted me, at least for a time, and that made me feel good inside.

Jerry looked surprised but recovered quickly. "If you still want to go, we'll go see my guy at the Lexus place after you three get back from the doctor." That sounded like a plan to me.

The doctor was a stuffed shirt, who insisted on droning on like a bag of stale wind. I doubted he had any clue how to treat Jennifer successfully and excused myself to make a call. Honestly, I would have walked to the hospital in Orlando before I went to him.

"Hey girl," I said when Rebecca answered her mobile phone.

"Hey yourself, stranger, it is so good to hear your voice. What are you doing? Where are you? How's the boat trip? Are you coming home soon? Well? Aren't you going to tell me ANYTHING?" She was on a roll and I wasn't about to interrupt until I knew she was finished.

"Let's see if I can get these in order. I am fine. I feel great. I'm in Florida, kind of near Orlando. I've found a nice warm spot to tie up the boat for the cold months, and enjoy a warm weather break. I have no idea how long this trip will take, but I promise to visit, at the very least, before terribly long goes by – oh, and I miss you too.

"The reason I called is that I've met a ten year old heartbreaker. She's sick, and needs the best pediatrician in the world, that treats Albers-Schonberg disease. I don't care where he is, or how much it costs. I need to get this child to the best there is, as soon as possible, but I have no idea how to find out who that is, where they are, or how to get them to see her.

"Once I know where to start, I can figure how to proceed. I figured your new boyfriend might know who to call, to find out who to call, you know?" I was trading on our history, and we both knew it.

"Brian, you don't have to convince me. I don't know the name of the doctor you need, but I know who does, and I will reach out and start things rolling on my end, later today. I can tell you that this disease is said to be misdiagnosed a lot, so one thing we to have your friend do is look at it from the standpoint that it might not even be the right disease she's having treated.

"When I get the information, I'll call you back and you BETTER have time to chat, and not just about your mission. "Got it, buster?" We both started laughing at that.

"Rebecca, if I think about you very much, my pants start to fit too tightly. What I need is to think about everything BUT you, so I can get through this conversation without an embarrassing physical abnormality giving me away. Got it?" We could keep up with the teasing all day, but we both had other things that needed attention.

She said, "I'd love to talk right now, but I have so much to catch up on, since being away for a few weeks. I promise to call later and have that talk when you are somewhere that your physical reaction to me won't get you arrested as a sex pervert." She giggled and hung up. It was just a few more minutes before Sherrie was wheeling Jennifer to the car.

On the way back to Jerry's Sherrie glanced at Jennifer and saw her sleeping in her specially made car seat, then looked at me with some passion in her eyes, and said, "You look absolutely edible, today."

"Ohhh," I said laughing. "Don't let your mouth write a check your body can't cash. I happen to be very energetic the day after mind blowing sex. If you keep that up, I'll have to show how energetic I can be."

"Someone has a big ego," she said laughing.

Sherrie was getting into taunting me, but gave it up immediately when I said, "You look magnificent, right now. I could spend the next thirty days just staring at you. Between your smile, and beautiful hair, you light up this car like Time Square on New Year's Eve. I want to do everything we did last night, all over again, and then make up some new things and try all of them with you."

She could see the truth in my eyes, and smiled lovingly. I decided it was time to tell her what I had in mind. "Sherrie, you know nothing at all about me, other than we had mind blowing sex last night, and that I like your daughter. Here are some things you need to know.

"First, I'm rich. I won a huge lawsuit against the people that put me in the hospital for most of the summer, and killed my mother. I won't live long enough to spend all I have, and my lawyer says I probably can't even spend all the interest, so when I decide to spend some money, I just do.

"I have a very dear friend who is a doctor and right now she is making inquiries about Jennifer's condition, among the finest medical minds in the world. When she finds the number one doctor for treating Albers-Schonberg disease, I will charter a private jet, hire a doctor to fly with us, and you will take her to his clinic for the best care we can get her. If I need an interpreter I will hire one to make sure you understand everything they have to tell you.

"I am doing this because I want to and because I fell in love with that little girl one second after I heard her tell you she wished she could go on a boat ride, yesterday." I would have gone on but she interrupted me in tears.

"I can't pay for something like that. Daddy would. He wants to, but he can't either. The treatment is something over two-hundred thousand dollars. The doctors and insurance company all agree that it isn't covered, because it's experimental, and there's no way to make them change their minds."

"Is that all? I was expecting you to say a half million, or more. You need to listen closer. This is important for you and for Jerry to understand. It doesn't matter how much it costs. I am paying for it.

"There Are No Strings Attached.

"I want nothing in return. You owe me nothing. This isn't about us. It's about Jennifer, and getting her to the best doctors, with the best skills, and best medicines in the world. There's no point in having money in some bank if I can't do whatever I feel like doing with it. So, this is going to happen. I'm going to pay the bills, and we are going to find out what that child needs, and we'll get it for her.

"I LOVED making love to you last night, and wish for nothing more than to be able to do that often, but it has nothing to do with my intention to get Jennifer all the medical help available, in the world, no matter where it is, or how much it costs.

"Please let me do this for her. The money is insignificant to me, but might be the only thing that gets her to the people who can help her. I love her. After twenty-four hours, I am madly in love with that little angel and will move mountains to get her to the people that can help.

"Let me."

We rode in silence for a time, while Sherrie digested all I'd told her. She looked to be about half way between mad, and relived, so I thought we still had a chance to come out of this as friends, if not still lovers. Mr. Johnson was hoping for lovers. My heart was telling me that if all I got out of this was a good friend, I was still way ahead.

When Sherrie pulled Jerry's Lexus in under the carport, she said, "I need to get Jennifer settled, and then you and I need to talk to my father. Will you help me get my little sleepy head up and inside?"

Jennifer was almost dead weight as I lifted her out of the car seat, and carried her into the house. Her little body was so exhausted, even going to the doctor was an ordeal. I hoped Rebecca had some answers for me soon.

Sherrie gave me a look of genuine appreciation when I laid Jennifer on her bed, and went to leave Sherrie alone to get her comfortable in private. As I walked out Sherrie spoke, "Can you help me undress Jennifer? She has a dirty diaper, and I could use a little muscle getting her cleaned up."

Jennifer barely stirred as I lifted her to my chest, walked into the bathroom, beside her bedroom, and held her so Sherrie could remove her underthings, clean her up, and put a clean diaper on her. We chatted softly while Sherrie worked. "Her drugs are so strong, that she isn't awake enough to know she has to go," Sherrie said with a sigh. "Thanks for helping me with her. Her father certainly never helped. Daddy is always willing but I worry about his bad back, and old nerve damage from the service."

"Anytime you need my help, I'm perfectly good with it. I've spent considerable time in hospital beds, recently, and know all about needing help. So don't worry about it. When Jennifer needs me, I'll be willing, able, and present." I could feel her little heart beating, as she slept in my arms, while Sherrie cleaned her up, and put fresh underclothes on her.