Kim sticks her head into my office about noon, “Lunch is here.”
I look at her, “I didn’t order lunch.”
Vickie looks at me, “I told her I would pay for our lunch today.”
That made me mad. She is trying to buy me and throw gifts at me. My veins are popping as I turn red.
Kim is scared.
Vickie looks at me, “Oh, grow up, you baby. I can’t buy you, and you’re worth too much God damn money. Take a pill and eat your Katz Pastrami.”
That deflates me.
Kim meekly places Vickie’s sandwich in front of her and then mine in front of me.
She stops at the door as she’s walking out; I look at her, she wants to say something, she smiles big, “I like her.”
Vickie spits out sauerkraut at her comments and laughs her ass off.
At 5:00, Vickie is ready to go home. She picks up her notepad, pen and thanks me for my time. She walks to the door, opens it, and Sophia, mom, and Jane are right by the door. The entire office is crowded behind them.
Sophia says with a straight face, “I wanted to see if I was taking home my daughter or having you arrested for murder.”
Vickie returns her comment with a straight face, “Sorry to disappoint you. However, I did get a lesson on how to screw today.”
Her mother’s jaw drops to the floor. The office is silenced. I laugh a hearty chuckle. Sophia and Vickie leave. Mom and Jane are furious with me. I explain to the entire office my lesson with screws and nails. Mom and Jane both hug me in the back of the limo on the way home.
Chapter 9 — Agent Mark Johnson — FBI
A month later, I am called to the front door, and Agent Mark Johnson from the FBI is here to see me.
The door is open. In my driveway are four blacked-out Suburbans. They’re sitting low on the tires; these are the armored versions. I know agent Johnson; he interviewed me and was somehow involved with Sophia.
I chuckle, “Dropping off or picking up?”
He sternly asks me, “May I come in?”
This isn’t a social visit.
Mom and Jane are by my side as I usher the agent in and close the door.
Agent Johnson starts, ‘Thirty minutes ago, six heavily armored gunmen breached the Simmons household. Sophia is in surgery now. They think she will make it. Vickie isn’t safe at home, and I have no place to put her. If you’re half the man I suspect you are, I can’t think of a safer place for her. Tomorrow morning, we can upgrade your security to the maximum there is. We will station agents around the property.
“They killed my men; if they find her, they may try again. They were both targeted; Vickie was upstairs, and we got them before they got her. I hate endangering you; I don’t know what else to do at this hour.”
I ask, “How long do you need us?”
He looks at me pleadingly, shrugging his shoulders, “I, I don’t know.”
Mom surprises me, “Bring her to me.”
A scared Vickie is brought in with two men holding her. She is nearly frightened to death. She jumps at me and holds me tight.
Agent Johnson tells me, “Your ENTIRE kit from your Seal days was locked up in a warehouse. It will be here within the hour. I will stay here until it arrives. Is there anything else you need?”
My jaw hangs open. Every weapon I am proficient with. Every special piece of equipment like night vision, knives, pistols, fully automatic assault rifles, and a sniper rifle, plus my camouflage, black out for my face, boots, and black hat.
I am serious when I ask, “I have no idea where they are, but any of my old team would be a welcome sight. I will pay whatever’s needed.”
He just nodded. Vickie is shaking like a leaf. Mom reaches for Vickie, but Jane is forceful. She takes Vickie’s hand and leads her upstairs, I would hope, to her room. Mom follows them up.
Agent Johnson says, “They’re motivated. They will find you. I’m going to lose more men.” He turns sad. “I will do what I can to get your whole team here. Get some sleep. They took a beating; it will take a few days to find you and plan another hit. Close all drapes and no going near an open window. Oh hell, why am I telling you? Good luck.”
He and his buddies leave. Ok, they drove off.
I head to mom’s office and call our 24×7 security company. I explain what I want, and that money is no object to make it happen tomorrow, and I want it all live by sunset.
I am tired, I go up to bed. Oh shit, my light is on. Fucking Vickie! Nope. Mom, Jane, and Vickie are all in my bed, worried and waiting for me.
I explain the rules, no leaving the house, no open drapes, and no standing in open windows. We work from home.
To cheer them up, I announce, “I have already called in the security changes I want; it will be done by sunset tomorrow. A squirrel won’t shit in our yard without me knowing it. They are trying to recruit my old unit, and they are getting my old Seal kit. That’s all my weapons and equipment I ever needed as a Seal. My bag showed up while I was on the phone. That was complements Agent Johnson. I’m officially a badass again.”
I look. All three of them are wearing teddies.
Jane giggles, “It’s all I have. Deal with it.”
Mom turns off the lights. Vickie is shivering behind me. Jane is behind her.
Jane whispers, “Vickie, relax. There is no safer place on the planet than with my brother. Get some sleep, and tomorrow we will have an update on your mother.”
+++++
I am up at 6:00 am. I quickly shower and make myself breakfast. I don’t expect anyone up for a while.
The security installers are at the front door at 7:00 am sharp. The FBI has checked all the installers, and they will add additional cameras, motion sensors, and night vision capabilities. The central controller is getting a significant upgrade. We now have two security guards monitoring the equipment as it comes online.
3:15 I get the first of several surprises today. Juan and Jose, they’re brothers, show up at my front door in their old uniforms and their Seal kits. We hug hard and catch up on their lives. Over the next four hours, four more guys show up. Only Big Mike isn’t here; he took his own life fighting PTSD.
Mom, Jane, and Vickie all like the guys and make them feel welcome. Vickie has her eyes on Jose already. He always was a ladies’ man. It also proves that Vickie and I are done. Somehow, that hurts me. It shouldn’t. I have no right. We aren’t dating. This is the final seal; we are done.
I go check on the installation while everyone else chats. They are discussing some of what we did, and I want no part of that. They aren’t dumb, no operational details, just the type of work we did, especially my part as their leader. That’s all behind me, I run many companies, and I am currently a consultant and an advertising executive. I am NOT that man anymore.
Two hours later and mom comes looking for me. Dinner is ready. Mom grabs my arm; she wants to talk. We move to the stairs, where she speaks softly.
Mom whispers into my ear, which tickles me, while holding me and saying, “They know about you and Vickie. I told them. Vickie is being friendly, but she isn’t giving any signs of wanting a guy. I would show thigh, unbutton a button, remove my bra, but I don’t even smell that she’s aroused. Relax, they’re here because they love you, and you saved their lives several times. They feel they owe you. Now come on, and let’s eat.”