Chapter 69

I was resting - alone - when the phone rang. It was one of those rare moments when someone wasn't 'babysitting' me. It took just a second to wake up enough to answer the phone, but I made it before the call went to voice mail.

It was Sherrie asking if I was flying with them or meeting them in Sweden. Instead of answering, I put her off and promised to call later with an answer. Her call got me thinking. I felt good enough to do just about anything I wanted to do, so why not?

"Rebecca, Colleen, can we talk for a minute?" They were curled up with their books under a couple of quilts, enjoying an early afternoon siesta on the sofa.

I slid between them, pulled the cover up over my legs, and softly ran my fingers over their faces. I could feel them respond to my touch, and it gave me a thrill to know I could affect them that way.

"I'm flying to Sweden to be with Jennifer when she sees Doctor Abrams," I said. "If either of you still want to go, I'll order a jet, and we'll leave from here. Otherwise, I'm going to hop a flight to Florida and ride with them."

Rebecca gave me a look. "Are you sure you're up for that kind of stress?"

Coleen was more direct. "What if you get bad over there? What do you think will happen to you?"

"If I die, then I'll die. That's what will happen. Either way, if it's my time, then I'd rather be doing something good than sitting around waiting for it.

"I've started this thing with Jennifer and want to see it through. The other thing is - I want to keep moving until I can't. Being busy is the best way to get through the day. I'm not staying a long time. As soon as we get some answers from Doctor Abrams, I'll be back. I just need to do this, so what're your thoughts?" They gave me 'the look, ' excused themselves, and went to confer.

They weren't gone long.

Conferring is apparently quite easy when two women want to be with their man AND wonder just how friendly he might get with Sherrie if they're absent.

"Ok," Rebecca said, as they emerged from the bedroom. "We're up for a trip to Sweden. When do you want to go?" Her smile said some other things to, and I briefly wondered about getting us our membership in the mile high club.

"I'll call and see if I can get us a G-5 to fly us over. I've always wanted a ride in one, and a transatlantic flight is a good excuse." Jet Services just happened to be able to accommodate us, and I called Sherrie and told her we'd see her January third on the other side of the big pond. As soon as I got off the phone with Sherrie, I called my travel agent and had them reconfirm our dates for the Sweden trip, and had our suite upgraded to their largest. The woman also promised to confirm our car service for the entire stay.

Rebecca called Mr. Bell at his office to share our plans and invite them along. Mr. Bell came on the phone and said to put him on speaker, so I could hear. "Hello Brian. Hello Rebecca. Please tell Millie that we are all going to be having some special visitors tonight at the hotel. I'd expect them about seven. Could you call and order dinner for the five of us, plus five more?

"Thanks."

That was the first time Mr. Bell kept me in the dark since our first luncheon. I was suddenly looking forward to dinner. With all the travel details arranged, I asked the girls if they wanted to go shopping. If I was going to Sweden to see Jennifer, I was bringing her something special to remember me by.

The jeweler in the hotel knew just who to call to get a rush custom jewelry order done. My little angel needed a diamond and ruby necklace and matching bracelet made, with 'Princess Jennifer, ' engraved and highlighted in gold.

We added a set for Sherrie and a Rolex for Jerry to the order and had them guarantee delivery to me at the hotel in Sweden in five days. For an extra forty nine thousand dollars, I had sets made for Millie, Rebecca, and Colleen. The extra six thousand was for a smaller set for Maggie.

The girls were giddy by the time we were back upstairs, and Rebecca called Maggie to see if she could come by the next evening around seven-thirty PM, for a visit to have 'girl talk.' I could hear them happily whispering from the other room. Apparently Maggie was as anxious as Colleen and Rebecca.