Hitting the water Ron felt the water reach his insides and a few fast laps around the pool climbed out sober as a judge. He took a bow and left for a shower and a change of clothes. Two fresh brewed cups of coffee and Ron was a new man. He swore then that was the last time her would take a drink. Years later no one remembered he was an alcoholic and the past was forgotten.
Ron wanted to visit with Kimberly and learn more about the publishing business much to Sue’s delight as they sat around a table snacking. Ron asked Kimberly “Is my wife really that good of writer?” Sue was a little shocked he would ask that question, but let it go as she heard him continue, “Sorry honey, I know that sounded rather crass, but I like what I hear about this business and want to learn more. I want to know why readers like your writing. What I’m saying is I would like to be part of it so we can share what you do so well. I’ll be honest here as my father is expecting me to take over his business someday and I've a few years to concentrate on something else; like learning photography. If my dear, you are that good and people are standing in line for your articles and stories, then maybe we should publish a magazine of our own. Of course I don’t have any experience and Kimberly here probably has some ideas and we could put together a new fresh look on the book stands. Maybe a visit to Oprah would give it a good send off.”
Kimberly jumped in with excitement saying, “Sue is so popular I get requests all the time for public appearances, but in the past Sue has always turned them down. I understand her reasons and it’s up to her to decide when and if she wants to become a celebrity.” Sue was listening carefully and totally confused. Here her husband was talking about publishing and her maybe making the rounds of talk shows? I’m having a baby soon and he wants me to go to Europe and have an eye operations after its born, this is a bit much for me and she told them to put it all aside for the time being as she had too much on her mind. That pretty much ended the discussion and talk turned to the upcoming dinner which smelled good coming from the BBQ. By the time dinner was over and the guests left saying their best wishes, packed and ready to go boating they left for the harbor.
It was a fine evening, warm and only a slight breath of wind. Sue could feel the warm wind on her cheeks and sleeveless arms. So different than Seattle, she thought. Sue remembered the long cold rainy days of the Pacific North West and could see why Florida was a place for people to retire to amid the semi-tropical weather. I could live her in the winter time, she thought while climbing the gangway. Amy followed making whining sounds not liking where and what she was doing. She could feel the boat gently rocking and gang way moving. Sue with Lisa went directly to their cabin where she stripped down and went to sleep with Amy on the floor next to the small double bed.
Ron stayed up on deck with his parents talking until they had cleared the harbor and sailed north to the cove where they would anchor for the night. He told them Sue liked Florida and wanted to spend the winter here delighting his parents to no end. However come late spring they would go back and see what the house looked like and then make a plan for there. All went to bed happy and feeling good.
Sue woke up with a breeze blowing through the port holes. Salt air and her husband lying next to her insured her of a confident day coming. The boat was easy to navigate and the trip ashore she was told would be a small area intimate and private. Swimming in the ocean appealed to her very much and she looked forward to the day. But first she thought she would wake her husband up with a surprise attack on his member, as she moved down ridding the covers along the way.
A hot shower later they sat on the stern deck having a light breakfast. The sun was just coming up and its red glow sent rays of light through Sue’s blonde hair turning it golden yellow. Her dress was shorts and a sleeveless blouse. Matching colors of her favorite yellow, with the shorts a bright yellow and a blouse a pale off yellow; her ring sent sharp white light through the large diamond. Around her neck her pearls nestled against her white skin offering the person looking like they were part of her smooth skin.
Ron sat looking at her and she felt his gaze then asked, “What are you looking at my husband?”
“You my dear, with the sun shinning through your hair and back lighting you make me both want to take a picture and have you for breakfast.” Mabel scolded him and told Ron to behave. Ron then described the setting telling her, “Sue the ocean color is an aqua marine, white sand running up to the land where a dark mixed with light green tropical plants and trees gave off late afternoon shade. Right now a few tents are on the shore where we will sit and relax. He went on to tell her the boat was anchored in the cove and low rollers came ashore, making it nice to sit on the shore letting the low waves wash over you.
For Sue in her world of darkness, a picture formed making it come to life. After breakfast they went ashore. Before it got too warm they played with Ronny in the shallow surf. All wore sun block especially the baby and Sue. Somewhere Sue bought a two piece suit that when he stared at her a growing where he didn’t want anyone to see nagged at him most of the morning. The little guy loved the water, but salt got in his eyes making him cry. Sue wondered why he was crying and that sent a message to her that being sightless had its disadvantages. Now a baby coming and how could she be a proper mother not having sight. A gloom rose over the top of her and by now Ron was sensitive to her thoughts. It was one thing to take care of your self, but another to give birth to a child whereby feeding, clothing, washing and all things relative to raising a child must be done and couldn’t be ignored. Lately more and more she thought about the operation that might help her regain her sight. She heard more splashing and the waves where she sat raise her off the sand a little she grabbed a handful of sand thinking how many thousands of years it moved around at the whims of nature. Unlike people with sight who were grains of sand on a beach, blind people were one of nature’s anomalies. She shook her head a little casting back her long hair and said, “Ron I want to have the operation when the doctor says it is ok after the baby is born.”
“Honey that is the best news I’ve heard since we discovered you were pregnant. I will make the arrangements and try to learn more of what we can expect to happen.”
“Lisa,” who was with her always nowadays, “I want to lie in the shade and take a rest. Ron honey, I have some things to think about and will take a little nap as morning sickness is making me feel a little tired.” Lisa helped her up and from a large barrel of fresh water poured a bucket or two over Sue to remove the salt water and sand. Then she lay down on a blanket under a large tent that was open on all sides but the top gave off plenty of shade. Her first thoughts went to aunt Bee and with the recent news of her being in a mental institution receiving the best help possible. Sue wouldn’t let guilt overcome her emotions for her aunt. She made her bed and Sue forgave her. Someday she would visit her and maybe with God’s help, two eyes of sight might shock her aunt enough to bring her back. The last thing she thought of was her husband and their coming family as she drifted off for a nap.
Ron and his parents sat around a table talking about the idea of taking a ride down to Jamaica or somewhere like that. Ron appreciated the idea, but didn’t think Sue would like the long haul and with not being able to see would be a problem. Best stay at home and let her write. Meanwhile he told them he was going to enroll in a photography class at a community college or something like that. “I really like taking pictures and it's enlightening seeing what you saw and not seeing at first what you thought was there.”
Father said, “You know my life is the business I’ve been associated in all my life. At our foundation, we give millions away each year. I’m not asking you to run the foundation, but asking you to oversee where and how much goes out. What I’m saying is I feel something is not right and maybe we are being embezzled somehow. Yes, I know what you're going to say and that is why not call in an independent audit firm. Well, naturally that is the logical choice, but somehow they or he/she is cleverer than that. Someone really knows how to cook the boo
ks. Last time I was there I smelled something was wrong and you know when I smell something wrong I’m usually right.”
Ron sat thinking with a big frown, his mother noticed. A few seconds went by and he asked, “Who runs the foundation?”
“It’s run by a woman by the name of Alice Wiggins. She has been there since the beginning.”
“What can you tell me about her?” Ron’s father told one of his workers to bring him his attaché case. Ron wondered why the hell he would have his bag while relaxing on the beach. Doesn’t he ever take a rest from business, Ron thought.
Father found the file he was looking for and handed it to Ron. Five minutes later, after he scanned the file, he went back over more carefully. A picture of her paper clipped to the file, showed him a middle aged nice looking woman. Short dark hair and eyes that looked intelligent. He noticed she wasn’t married and her salary was a hundred thousand a year. A little low Ron thought. He went back to face and noticed she looked much younger than her age. Face make over was his guess. The address wasn’t familiar to him and that was his first question to his father, “Where does this address fit to her salary?”
Father fired right back to him. “There's nothing out of the ordinary there as she lives in a modest three bedroom house in a middle class neighbor hood. Never married, but has lover of the same sex. They have lived there for six years together and her roommate was married before and has two young girls about eighteen and twenty. Both are college students. That’s about all I know.”
Ron said, “Certainly sounds nothing is out of the ordinary, but let me think of a plan to check it out. By the way have you run a check on her bank accounts and so forth?”
“Yes, nothing came up that wasn’t usual. Maybe we are barking up the wrong tree and maybe the accountant is or might be our prime suspect,” as he dug another file out of his well stocked bag. Handing the file to Ron, drinks were served of fresh lemonade with shaved ice. Fruit chilled and small finger size sandwiches sat around the platter. Ron excused him and went to wake up his bride.
Sleepy and when Lisa dumped another bucket of water over her head, she yelped and toweled off. Lisa led her to the table where Mabel told Sue what was on the table for snacks. Sue told her she would have one of everything as she was starved. Mabel said, “No doubt you are with child, Sue and nothing on the tray will hurt anything and when you have finished off the first plate, do it again,” as she joked and everyone except Ron laughed with her. Ron was deep in thought as he read the file on one Jack Chambers, CPA. Sue asked about little Ronny and Lisa told her he was taking nap. Sue didn’t have on her watch so asked what time it was. Mabel told her it was only ten thirty and she too was thinking about a nap.
Ron looked up and said to his father, “This guy might be the root cause of funds disappearing. He looks like he lives beyond his salary and I think I recognized the address as next to the country club which if I’m not mistaken, is very exclusive.”
“I ran a check on him too and found out his wife is from some eastern money, but upon checking deeper, that money ran out a long time ago. Jack still touts her as being a rich woman whom he married for money. Maybe there is something a little rotten in Denmark, to use an old cliché.”
“Accounting is out of my league father, but I know a guy in New York that is tops in that area.” Face turning a little red, he said, “We used to down a few together on more than a few occasions.”
“Call him son and let’s see what he can do for us. Forgive me Sue, but after witnessing first hand your handicap, I feel we must make sure our foundation’s money is well spent keeping the overhead at a minimum.” Sue asked what was being said and Ron filled her in while he picked over the left fruit and finger sandwiches.
Sue said, “You know maybe it's a point in time for me to come out into the open a little bit and visit for example, a blind school telling the students they all have what it takes to make their mark in a sightless existence.” Ron was delighted and told her so and everyone around the table clapped their agreement.
For the rest of the afternoon, Ron and Sue snorkeled around the cove and when he took a breath he told her what he saw. Not much coral left as pollution and hurricanes laid waste to much of it, but a few tropical fish startling in color made a nice picture for Sue.
Dinner that night was fresh fish cooked on a BBQ with all the trimmings. Someone had gathered up some drift wood and a small fire was much enjoyed. Father entertained all of them including the staff with stories of long ago in the trucking industry. Sue sat with both ears open as she noted the picture he presented. He was a good story teller and his smooth voice was tender on her ears; like her husbands voice. Mabel kicked in a story or two about when first married he came home with a black eye or two from fights on the dock whether a long shore man was going to drive his truck or not. Nowadays of course, lines are drawn in the sand and each knows where they stand when it comes to unions and independents.
By ten pm with the stars out in force overlooking the beach like a million billion eyes, they took the shore boat back the yacht and a very tired group went to sleep.
Chapter XX
For the next few days they sailed up the coast of Florida and when they found a deserted cove anchored for the day. It was peaceful and tranquil these days relaxing on the seashore and sailing slowly along with the boat gently rocking up and down. Every morning Sue had a touch of morning sickness, but by midmorning she was back in good spirits. Days were long and family bonding took the place of Sue’s estrangement with her aunt. Slowly it was being replaced with new life inside her and with Ronny she discovered feelings unknown in the past. Ron told her that on Friday, tomorrow they would sail back to port and begin work: she to writing and he to photography with the foundation to look into.
After arriving in port, Sue felt the happiness of being on solid ground again. Boating was nice, but she preferred the stable surface of old Mother Earth. That night in bed they made soft and tender love enjoying the big bed and the closeness of the shower. Of course the pool was always beckoning its call and they continued to make good use of it. One night late, they stole out quietly and made love in the pool. They thought no one was watching or listening, but Lisa had heard them in the pool and snuck out to watch. She so envied them and found her heart racing a bit and her panties starting to get wet. The next thing she knew she had her hand down there and slowly rubbed the hard little nubbin for the first time in her life. When she saw Sue give off a muffled groan and Ron too, she fell to her knees with small spasms of an orgasm. Totally embarrassed she hurried back to her room next door to theirs and lay down with a big grin on her face. I want to have a man, she thought. But where do I find one here as all the staff here is either married or not attractive. At that, when she heard them back in their room, all fell asleep.
Monday saw Ron leave for the foundation and college to register for class in January and Sue to the computer room for her work. Sue had her headphones on and along about eleven Mabel stuck her head in to see what she was doing. Sue felt someone in the room and turned and said, “Is someone there?”
“It’s only me my dear. I thought you might want some tea or something; or take a little break and have a snack with tea.”
Sue thought that might be a good idea and told her she would be to the kitchen in a few minutes after she found a stopping place. Rather than the kitchen Lisa took her to the pool side and sat her down at a table where tea and fresh cookies sat with an irresistible aroma. Mabel poured some tea for each of them and said, “Sue now that you’re married, you have a great responsibility to your husband.” She let that hang in the air as Sue sat still with a cookie in her hand.
She continued when no reply was forth coming saying, “It’s been my experience that I had to cut back on my life to make sure I pleased my husband so he didn’t go wandering off looking for something lacking in the marriage. Ron as you know is a very active man and demands a lot of attention. I just thought we should have a little woman to woman tal
k as your mother is no longer available to guide you. I’m always here to help or advise you Sue. You are part of the family now and let’s keep it a happy one.”
Sue sat shocked, but didn’t show it. She’d learned a long time ago to maintain a stoic face and let the other person to do the talking. Her father told her this a long time ago and she found most people would continue if not interrupted. What she is trying to tell me, she thought. She could hear her slurp her tea and take a bite of cookie, but couldn’t see her eyes: the tell tale of what a person is conveying. Maybe she is saying for me to cut back on my career and help Ron? That makes no sense and why is she sticking her nose in our business? At last Sue commented, “I’m sure Mabel you do what is necessary to maintain a marriage with your husband, but Ron isn't like his father in many ways that I can tell. What are you really saying here Mabel,” she said with a gentle voice trying not to offend an elder.
“Sue, wives must please their husbands. I’m suggesting you cut back or quit altogether your writing until the baby is born and make sure your husband is happy with you supporting him in all things he does.”
Sue was clearly upset and said nothing while setting the cookie down and her cup of tea half drank, on the table. She told Mabel to excuse her as a need for the bathroom was upon her. Lisa came running over and led her to the bathroom where Sue immediately broke down crying. Moving to the bed she lay down and cried herself to sleep. Lisa woke her for lunch and she told her she wasn’t hungry and to leave her alone.
Ron came home about two and found his wife sleeping on the bed. He lay down beside her and woke her with kisses. Sue woke and hugged him hard and told him how much she missed him. This was the longest they’d been apart since their first meeting in the park. He asked how her day was going and she told him a white lie about needing a rest and now she felt fine with him home.
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