by T. S. Hill
Sasha called Al, to check on his status, and luckily, our timing was perfect. His discharge had been processed, and the hospital staff would have Al downstairs awaiting our arrival. When we wheeled the huge motorhome into the patient pick up drive, I spotted Al, being pushed through the automatic doors in a wheel chair. He had spotted us, and was grinning from ear to ear. Despite his good humor, getting his huge frame up the steps of the motor coach, with his stiff and sore muscles, proved to be an almost unsurmountable task. It took me and two burly orderlies, pulling and tugging at Al, along with a pretty young nurse directing us, to finally get him on board. Then, it took two more, gigantic efforts, to move him to his bed.
“Tagg, just how in hell do you and your women plan on getting me back out of here when we get to Louisiana?”, Al asked me, as we all sighed after lowering him into his bed.
“We don’t Al.”, I answered back. “You’re going to stay in this motorhome, until you’re well enough to walk out on your own.”
“Yeah, I was afraid of that.”, he replied, with a gloomy look on his face.
“Look at it this way,”, I told him, looking over at the nurse that had guided us, in getting Al onboard, “at least you’ll have this pretty young nurse to look after you, and keep you encouraged, for the next few days.” The pretty nurse’s big, brown eyes got even bigger.
“Mr. Longworth, that’s enough kidding about that!”, she said. “Now, you’ve got your family thinking that I’m actually going along on this trip, to take care of you.”
“Oh, shit!”, I spoke up. “Al, I thought you were arranging a contract nurse to come along for the next few days!”
“That’s what I was trying to do, Tagg. But, Naomi here, obviously hasn’t taken me seriously.”, Al shot back at me, with a disappointed look on his face.
“Sash! Bring me the phone!”, I called out. “Naomi, is it?”
“Yes.”, the cute little petite nurse responded.
“Can you recommend a service where we can hire a nurse to accompany us for a few days, and look after Mr. Longworth?”
“You mean he was serious?”, she responded. “I thought that Mr. Longworth was just flirting and joking around.”
“I don’t know about the flirting, but the joking around, he didn’t mean.”, I shot back. It seems his communication skills go lacking at times. We have him signed up for classes. Meanwhile, I have to find a nurse to travel back to the New Orleans area with us, and make sure that he is cared for properly, medicated on schedule, and watched for any signs that something, that we might not recognize, from the crash he was in, doesn’t flare up in a life threatening way. Can you recommend a service where I can hire a nurse?”, I reiterated.
“Actually, when I thought that Mr. Longworth was joking about that,”, Naomi answered me. I told him that I was off for the next week and would go with him. I was only joking back, at what I took to be a joke, but I truly am off for the next week, and if this work offer is for real, then I could actually accept it.”
“Well, number one, make up your mind.”, I told her, with a little impatience, and a touch of irritability, coloring my voice “Do you want the work or not? And, number two, if you do want it, then what do we need to do to make it happen quickly? We need to be on the road ASAP!”
“I have an hour to go on my shift, then I will be available to leave the hospital. We’ll sign a standard agency agreement. I can pick up the form here at the hospital office, before I leave. Then, you’ll need to pick me up at my apartment. I have to pack some scrubs and overnight things.”
“So, how long before we’re on the road, and what’s our next move?”, I asked, being all business at this point.
“Take this bus thing around to our main parking lot and wait on me. When I get off, I’ll bring my car around and find you. We can sign the agency contract there, then you can follow me home, where I’ll pack. After that, I’ll be ready to hit the road. I’d say two hours max. You’re not going to get an agency, or a service, nurse that quick, and on this short of notice.” I stuck out my hand for her to shake.
“I’m Tagg Hill, Miss Naomi. Do we have a deal?”, I asked.
“We haven’t discussed my pay rate for this, Mr. Hill.”, she said eyeing my hand, and beginning to hesitantly move her hand to take it.
“Double whatever your normal rate is Naomi.”, I told her.
“Deal Mr. Hill!”, she snapped, grabbing my hand firmly, and pumping it vigorously.
“You have a nice grip, Naomi. Do you have a last name?”
“Thank you. It’s Davidson.”, she replied.
“Then get going, Nurse Davidson.”, I told her. “And we’ll meet you in the main parking lot in about an hour.
“Please! Call me Naomi, Mr. Hill.”
“And you can call me Tagg.”, I told her.
“Thank you, Tagg.”, she replied to me in a relaxed sort of way. “It was nice meeting you all. Mr. Longworth,”, she said turning to Al, “I’ll be back in about an hour, and I don’t want you to worry. I’m going to take really good care of you on this trip.”
“I know you will, Naomi.”, Al said drowsily. With you and Tagg watching over me, I know I’ll be alright.” She turned and walked back to the front of the motorhome, and I followed her to the door, where she turned and spoke again. “Don’t worry, Mr. Hill. Mr. Longworth is going to be just fine. He’s drowsy right now, because his pain medications have kicked in.”
“Thanks, Naomi.”, I responded. “And remember, call me Tagg.”
“I’ll see you in about an hour Tagg.”, she said, then winked at me, turned, and walked away. I wasn’t sure how to take that wink, but for now, I just let it go, and breathed a half sigh of relief, at having a nurse lined up to tend to Al. I thought that if she actually showed up in an hour, then I might let out the other half of that sigh.
After I pulled the motorhome around the hospital and into the main parking lot, I managed to find an open area on its outskirts, and stopped there. Annette pulled the Hummer up alongside of us, and she and Rosita came aboard. I filled in everyone who hadn’t been present during my conversation with Naomi Davidson, as to how we were proceeding. Then, I decided to dispatch Annette and Rosita, to buy an inflatable mattress to use back at the tree house, a pair of walkie-talkies to communicate between vehicles, and to pick up some food for everyone. But, before they left, Annette, Rosita, Sasha, and I transferred the evidence boxes to the motorhome.
“Babe, if Lori feels up to it, we can work on finishing the data sheets, while we travel.”, Sasha offered. “That way, when we get home, all I will need to do is scan them in. Our software will take the data conversion from there, and then I can begin my real work of cross matching everything in this mess.”
“Sounds like a real plan to me, Sash.”, I replied, cutting my eyes to Lori, who gave me a thumb up sign. Then, I went toward the back to check on Al. There, I found Mrs. Baker giving Al a drink of water. Surprised to find him still awake, I sat on the edge of the bed and engaged him, “So Al, what do you think?”, I asked him.
“Thank you, Tagg. You’re quite the hard negotiator, aren’t you?”, he groaned, adjusting himself in the bed.
“What do mean Al?”, I asked.
“I would have offered Naomi three times her regular rate to get her on board.”
“I would have too, Al.”, I replied softly. “If she had turned down the double rate offer.”
“At least you got her to come along.”, he sighed. “That’s more that I was able to accomplish.”
“Al, how the hell did you get to be so rich, while communicating so poorly?”, I asked him, while grinning.
“I make good decisions, boy.”, He replied, squinting his eyes at me. “I make damn, good decisions. Nothing else matters. Now let me ask you something. How the hell did you not get to be rich, while communicating so well?”
“I made a lot of bad decisions, Al.”, I replied, chuckling. “A whole helluva lota bad decisions.”
“You need to stop th
at, and grow up, Tagg.”, Al said to me, looking very serious. “You’ve got responsibilities now, and means to use, to completely cover those responsibilities. Just buckle down, and make some good decisions, and everything will work out.”
“I’ve been doing my best for a while Al. I promise you, I will keep doing my best.”
“I know that you will.”, He mumbled, closing his eyes. Leaving Mrs. Baker to watch over Al, and moving on back to the front of the motorhome, I found Sasha and Lori busy processing documents and data sheets. I flopped back down into the driver’s cockpit seat, and stared through the windshield. I really hoped that I was making the right move, to take us all back to the tree house, and not depend on the mercs to protect us at Al’s estate. This was a decision that none of us could afford me getting wrong.
My mind wandered back to Naomi Davidson’s wink at me. I wasn’t sure if she was flirting, or meant something else. I decided to just let it play out ever how she meant it. She was a pretty little thing. Her hair was the light mousy brown color of Sally’s hair before she went blonde. She wore it pulled straight back into a ponytail, with the tail end pinned up to the back of her head. She wasn’t seductively attractive, but cute.
Her face was pretty, with her big, deep, brown eyes being her dominant feature. Her lips, were nondescript, but naturally pretty. Her breasts in the tight fitting scrub top were adequate for her build, but not otherwise mentionable. Her sculpted scrub top accentuated her distinctively small waist, and the flare of her well rounded hips. Her scrub pants hugged tightly to the cupped bottoms of her well proportioned, ass cheeks, as well as her delicious tapered thighs. Below her knees, the scrub pants turned loose of her legs, and left her calves to the viewer’s imagination. I was betting with her petite size, that she had delicate and dainty feet, with sexy toes, hidden beneath her black Dansko shoes. Altogether, she was a fine package of a woman. There was nothing extraordinary about her, but nothing to complain about either. Along with her pleasant personality, she certainly was about all that most men would ever dream for. I already had three strikingly beautiful women though, with a forth one seemingly seeking a way to hook up with me, so I didn’t really care. Still, being a man, I couldn’t help but notice her pleasing appearance. And, as petite as she was, I wondered what her legs looked like.
It seemed like it had been no time, until Annette and Rosita were knocking on the motorhome door, and I let them in.
“We have the air mattress in the Hummer.”, Annette announced.
“And, everyone eats Chinese shrimp!”, Rosita added loudly.
“Bring it on! I’m starving!”, I answered them.
“Serve up Annette and Babe first!”, Sasha spoke up, “So that they can get driving, while the rest of us eat.”
“Great idea, Shug!”, Rosita spoke back to her. Soon, someone was shoving a bowl of rice at me, loaded with veggies and shrimp, and drowned in some delicious brown sauce. I took it and ate hungrily. Within a few minutes I saw Naomi Davidson pull up alongside of the Hummer and get out.
“Here comes the nurse.”, I called out. When she knocked on the glass door, I opened it.
“Do you want to leave your car here or at home?”, I asked her.
“Just to keep it simple, why don’t I leave it here?”, she responded.
“Climb on board, and let’s roll!”, I told her.
“First things first.”, she replied. “Here’s the contract for the next seven days, after which you agree to drop me back off here, or at my home, whichever I request.”
“Where do I sign?”, I asked, as she pulled a folded over stack of documents from her purse.
“The signature lines are flagged with the red arrow tape.”, she popped back at me, handing me the thin stack of documents, with a ball point pen clipped to the top page.
“I like your efficiency already.”, I told her. Then, looking up at her, she winked at me again. Once again, I’m wondering, just what the hell, that’s all about. But, never mind the winking. I signed the contract, and handed it back to her.
“Chinese?”, Sasha asked from over Naomi’s shoulder, offering her bowl.
“Damn! That smells, and looks good!”, Naomi spat out loudly. “Oops, Mr. Hill. I’m sorry!”
“No apology necessary Naomi.”, I said. But, call me Tagg, not Mr. Hill!”
“Yes, sir!”, she responded.
“And, not sir, either!”, I barked at her.
“Okay. Thanks, Tagg!”, she gushed exuberantly, with her face blushing.
“Do you want the fucking Chinese, or not?”, Sasha blurted to her, pushing the bowl forward.
“Oh, yes! Thank you so much!”, Naomi answered Sasha, looking her in the eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just a bit addled by all of these sudden events.
“Sokay, chick. Just have a seat and chill.”, Sasha told her.
“Thanks so much.”, Naomi responded to Sasha, taking the bowl in her left hand, and extending her right to Sasha. “I’m Naomi.”, she said. Then Sasha did something that I totally didn’t expect. She looked at Naomi’s hand, and then back into her big brown eyes. Then, leaning forward, she kissed Naomi on her right cheek.
“I’m Sasha.”, she said. “They call me Shug, which is short for Sugar, which is short for Sugar Tits.”
“What, should I call you?”, Naomi asked looking a little taken aback.
“Sasha, Sash, Shug, Sugar… Just pick one!”, Sasha answered. “You seem like good people, and I’m never wrong about people. It’s a thing I’ve got.”, she said. “Here. Sit in my seat, and enjoy your shrimp, while you give Babe directions to your place.”, she told Naomi, turning the co-pilot chair around to accommodate her.
“Wow! Thanks… Shug?”, Naomi replied, sitting in the swivel chair.
“No prob, sweetie!”, Sasha quipped back at her, turning her head and winking at me.
I still had no idea what all of the winking was about, but yelled back to Annette and Rosita, “Hummer crew! You ready to roll?”
“We’re on it!”, Annette shouted back bounding toward the door.
“These fucking walkie talkies’ batteries aren’t charged!”, Sasha barked out.
“Rosita!”, I called out. Take one with you and plug it in the Hummer, and keep an eye on it. We’ll do the same here, with the other one. Keep a close eye on it, and when it’s charged, fire it up! Meanwhile, use the throwaway cell phones. Let’s roll!” Rosita and Annette charged off of the motorhome and scrambled into the Hummer. As soon as they were cranked, Annette gave me a thumbs up, and we rolled out.
Following Naomi’s directions, we arrived at her apartment complex in about twenty minutes. Within about twenty minutes more, she was back in the motorhome, with her luggage stowed in the Hummer, and we were once again, on our way to Louisiana.
Naomi and Mrs. Baker were introduced, and they consigned themselves to the rear portion of the motorhome, and the care of Al. Sasha, Lori, and I shared relevant privacy in the front half of the vehicle. And, once we stretched out on I-10, I had second thoughts about hitting the back roads, and gave more weight to making time. I felt that the quicker that I could get everyone into a stable and safe place, the better it would be. A few miles out of Houston, the traffic flow evened out, and we settled in at a steady speed, five miles per hour above the posted limit.
Lori and Sasha worked on evidence and data sheets, while I put some music on, and watched the miles slide by, as we cruised smoothly toward New Orleans. Still, there was something digging at me, and making me uncomfortable. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I kept going over things in my mind, wondering if I had missed something, and could think of nothing. Still, something, was gnawing at me. If you’ve ever had a gut instinct that something was wrong, but you just couldn’t figure out what it was, then that’s the feeling I carried for a good hundred miles.
Finally, I asked Sasha to ring up the other throw away cell, and let Annette and Rosita know that we would be exiting the interstate, at the next exit, for fuel, and a general break.
Afterwards, she went into the back to let Mrs. Baker and Naomi know, and Al also if he was awake.
“Babe, Al wants to see Annette.”, Sasha told me when she returned from the rear area.
“Yeah, I think I know what that’s about.”, I replied. “Almost getting raped wasn’t part of the deal, was it Sash?”
“Babe, after having Lori cold cock me in Crockett, and watching you in action in Lafayette, I knew anything could happen, and I bought on with you two anyway, but I honestly doubt that Annette knew what kind of shit could hit our fan, when she came on board. Still, she knew you had hired mercs, and she was with us when that chopper full of goons came in. So, hey… Shit happens babe, you know?”
“Yeah, I guess. I told her. “You’re a real trooper, Shug. And, I really love you.”
“Yeah, and I’m pretty crazy about you too Babe.”, she replied. “I’d have to be, to share you with three other women.”
“Woah! What do you mean, three other women? Or, better put, who do you mean?”, I shot back to her. Lori perked up at that, and raising an eyebrow, she cocked her eyes directly on Sasha.
Sasha came around to the front side of my seat and looked me straight in the eyes. “Babe, I’m not sure if she’s your first woman or your second woman, but the work we are all doing, is definitely one of your top two women. The rest of us, just fall in wherever we can fit.”, she said.
“If you’re serious, Shug, then maybe I need to take a good hard look within myself.”, I replied meekly.
“No, Babe. Your work is how you look after the rest of us. It’s as necessary as breathing air, not just to you, but Lori, Rosita, and myself. Don’t worry about it. You know how we women all love each other?”
“Yeah.”, I answered.
“That’s how we love her too. The adventure is one of us, and we love her, just like you do.”
“So, Al wants to talk with Annette. I bet you, that he wants to apologize for putting her in harm’s way. But, you know what? I haven’t heard her complain the first time, even after that rag head merc tried to rape her. Have either of you?”
