“Do you know how sexy you are when you’re thinking?” Yes, it was a rhetorical question.
Jill made me a plate of food, which I gobbled down with a purpose.
“Have any calls to make dear”
“Um, yes. I want to plan on using both limo companies separate, but together. Black Car Limo has a perfectly clean reputation, but not very much inventory. Happee, Happy Limo has inventory and customers/clients. I want to split the customers to one side and the clients to another. All of it under one big umbrella, much like “YUM Brand” …. you know, Taco Bell/Pizza Hut/KFC separate corporations but all under one umbrella brand. It also might give us the leverage to convert the stock to allow our employees to be the majority stockholders and thus protecting all the brands from a buyout by some corporate raider.”
“To use your words…. Spec-Fucking-Tacular!” Jill said.
“Keep an eye on time. The limos will be here soon. You still need to pack. Will you wear the nice blue jeans, the cobalt blue long-sleeve shirt and your cashmere black sports coat? I think you look so hot in that.” Jill said.
“Hun, I’ll wear whatever you want me to wear, you know that.”
“Is everything set up?”
“According to those involved with our little surprise it’s all Game On!”
My head went back to the limo business again. “Hun, we will be carrying some dignitaries, VIPs, and other people who need protection. I was thinking that maybe with Roger’s help we would have part of his security team be armed to offer a level of protection, for an additional price, of course.”
“Absolutely!” Jill replied.
I looked at the clock. Again, wondering how time got away from me. 12:48…what the hell?
I got up, put my plate in the sink.
I headed back down to the bedroom, passing Tina and Dakota on the way. Each one gave me a small quick hug and a smooch on the cheek. I noticed three bags by the front door. I was trying to guess which one belonged to whom.
Hmmm…. the pink backpack with ‘Hello Kitty’ Tina; the dark blue backpack, Jill; and the third backpack, the pink camouflage one, Dakota only by process of elimination. I smiled to myself, thinking I’m a fricken genius.
I get to the bedroom. I lay out my clothes for tonight. I grab my garment bag and put my best black suit inside. This made me check my phone for a text from Diane about the garment bags….no message. I put a couple pairs of Izod shorts, tee shirts, underwear, and sneakers, into my black backpack.
Heading to the shower, my mind was elsewhere. I began thinking about what to do with Sasha. Would she quit? I know she was arrested, but what if she bailed out? What do we do about her?….. too much thinking. Time to relax, from this moment on until Monday night, all play!
I didn’t even noticed Jill entering the bathroom. She again reminded me that time was of the essence. She reached into the shower and swatted my ass.
“Hey now, don’t lite a fire that you can’t quell….at least not now!” I said with a big cheesy grin on my face.
I finished getting ready and carried my own garment bag and backpack to the front door.
As I sat down in the living room, the door bell rang. It was Fred with two other drivers.
“Hey Fred, c’mon in. Who do you have with you?”
“Hello sir…. oh, sorry…. Mr. Greene.”
“It’s David. Mr. Greene is my Father.”
“Yes, sir. With me is Daniel. He’s been with the company about 6 months. Works hard. Friendly. Never missed a day of work yet. The other guy…. the slacker…just joking sir…um, David. He is James. Long time employee. He worked for another company, the one your wife used to work for: Happee Happy Limo. Worked there about a week before he got let go by some Polish woman. James has been with us for more than 3 years. Hard working. Army brat, did 6 years in the Navy, served on the Dwight D. Eisenhower. Not sure you wife will approve as she is a Marine.”
I laughed out loud. This guy is a hoot.
I explained that we are first going to the Staples center. I gave James and Daniel addresses of where they were to pick up their people. I changed my mind about whom was going to drive what group. I decided that the car of the ‘kids’ would be James. The car with Emilio, Dakota, Paula, and Captain Anderson would be Daniel. I still wanted Fred to drive our car.
My only wildcard was the brother that was added. He would be at Diane’s house, but I wanted him to ride with us and Dr. Ronda, Roger Johnson, and of course the beautiful Donna.
I texted Diane: Hey Diane, its David. I’m sending two cars to your home. One with my party in it. THAT will be the car your brother rides in. The other car is the one you and your friends and my wife’s assistant Tina will ride in. We’re leaving in 10 minutes.
Again, I just got a “k”.
I directed Fred to get our garment bags. The ladies would bring their own backpacks.
Oops, I was wrong. Jill had the pink ‘Hello Kitty’ backpack. Dakota the blue one. Tina had the pink cammo bag…. maybe I’m not quite the genius I think I am.
I stopped Dakota. “Do you have some envelopes for me?”
“Oh, yes sir. They’re right here in my backpack.” She removed 20 white legal sized envelopes. Each one sealed with the signature of the manager who filled them initialed in the upper right-hand corner.
I tucked them into my black cashmere coat. I yelled for Jill.
“I’m right behind you, no need to yell.”
I kissed her.
Tina was sad that her and Dakota were not riding with Jill and me.
We got into the limos and headed off.
It took a bit to pick everyone up. Our limo picked up Donna, then Roger, and finally Dr. Ronda. We headed to Diane’s to get her brother Marcus.
I knew the moment their limo arrived. The text from Diane: OMG!!! A Limo, really? You are the BEST! We all love you…. even my stupid brother. Shall we wait for you to arrive?”
I texted back: yes.
It took our limo nearly 20 minutes to get thru stop and go traffic. The limo picking up Emilio and Capt. Anderson and Paula already had Dakota in it. They were heading on to the Staples Center. I texted Dakota: Having Fun?
No reply.
As we pulled up to Diane’s house, the whole gang came out to greet Jill and me. I saw our guests in the limo just smiling. Jill got lots of handsy hugs from the college boys. I got just regular hugs from Diane and her friend. Tina was smiling. I believe that she enjoyed hanging out with people closer to her age.
Diane introduced Marcus to Jill. He sheepishly said “hello, Ma’am”
“Ma’am…. what the hell?”
“I’m sorry….um….”
“No worries Marcus, your little sister put me up to it. She said that you’re a bit shy around women. Just call me Jill. This is my husband, David.” Jill said.
“Him I know. Diane couldn’t stop talking about him. Good thing he’s married, or I would have to worry that he would have a much younger wife, my sister.”
“Nope! He’s all mine.” Jill said as she laughed out loud.
We all got into our respective limos and headed towards the Staples Center.
As we pulled up to the arena, Roger Johnson asked, “Really? All this pomp and circumstance for a Laker’s game?”
Jill looked at me. She smiled. Her friend Donna knew something was up. Even Dr. Ronda knew the sting was on.