Sunday morning I could hardly move. I was so beat up from all the extra contact I couldn't get going. We had some coffee then got dressed to go to church. After church we all went back to the country club for their big brunch. By about two in afternoon, I was starting to feel human again. The girls reminded me that we had missed studying Friday and Saturday so we needed to catch up. We told the folks we would see them for supper and took off for the house to get our books for the library.
When we arrived at the library, several of my teammates and a bunch of the other people who studied with us became far too noisy congratulating me for yesterday's game. The library staff had to speak out loud to quiet them down and get them to concentrate on what they were there for. We studied till six then went to Delta's for the gourmet meal Carol had wanted to serve. We had veal Marsala served on a rice pilaf, asparagus and different wines beginning with the salad down to the desert.
After the great dinner, the girls and I sang a couple of the songs we had been practicing. Dad said we were good enough to record and should look for a studio to record some of our stuff. I said that as soon as I had some original music, we would do it. What were the odds I would have enough time to write music?
Mom and Dad said they were going to go back home tomorrow. They were happy to be able to see me play and were excited at how well I played. They also promised to try to come up for one more game. I reminded them that this was my senior year and I may not be here to play next year so they said they were going to try to bring my sisters to see me play. They had already been to a Florida game with Sally and would probably go to at least one more game with her.
Dad said he had something for me so we went out to his car where he gave me an envelope. He told me not to open it till later and to enjoy the gift. He also took out a couple of hundred dollar bills and folded them up before giving them to me. "Use these to take your girls out to eat or to buy them something special. Get some flowers and a gift for them. They will enjoy it.
"Son, you make me proud," my dad said shaking my hand and holding my arm. "You're doing well in school. You're playing sports at a very high level for your division. You've improved the property where you live by yourself and you're being a good mate for the two girls in there. I don't know how you'll do it, but I know you'll figure out a way to keep your little family unit together. When you need it, your mom and I will be there to help you. George and Dan will be there too. It's great to see you so successful."
The girls and I left after giving and getting lots of hugs. This night we went to bed and only played for a while before drifting off to sleep.
It became school, practice, study, and sleep then start over again with the only breaks being away games. The girls were no longer cheerleaders so couldn't go with me on the bus making away games pretty dull. I used the time to study as my classes were getting tougher. Or was it that I was taking tougher courses.
I had figured out that I should finish with the pre-med courses plus the extra courses I would need for a biology and chemistry major. If I could squeeze in a couple of more classes I could do a math major too. I would have enough hours to graduate in May but would need some extra classes for the triple major. Too bad I couldn't make up my mind.
The Thanksgiving break came up quickly. Mom called telling me they were all coming to see me play the football game the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Our three households were in a tizzy trying to plan every second for them. Mom and Dad were going to stay at Trish's while the three sisters were going to stay at Delta's.
The bunch arrived Thanksgiving evening after driving since the day before. They ate then crashed waking up Friday around noon. Friday night was a great party for all of us ending with lots of music at Trish's. We had carted all the instruments over to Trish's so everyone would have something to play. Saturday, game day, we did our usual late breakfast then I went to the stadium. We won, beating Miami of Ohio decisively. I scored a touch down on a reception, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. A pretty good game although playing every play is very wearing. Sally said I was good enough to play for the Gators but then they probably wouldn't want a one-year transfer. I was proud to show off my family to anyone who would stop to be introduced. My sisters are pretty good looking and draw attention on their own. Put them in a place like the country club where lots of young men are drinking and they along with Trish and Delta are guy magnets.
Sunday, the folks all loaded up and headed back home, as the girls had to go back to school. They were going to drop Sally off in Gainesville on the way home and figured she would get there in time for her first class at ten in the morning.
Football finally finished and basketball was well underway. Sandy was helping me with all my lab stuff. She was actually the one who kept pushing me into more biology and more chemistry along with the pre-med stuff which was pretty much the same. Her guy was the math genius and was my mentor when I struggled with a concept. Trish thought it was funny that a now seventeen-year-old math guru was tutoring a senior.
I was planning Christmas. This year two families were going to go to Florida for Christmas with my folks. Dad had a new house built on the farm that he was planning to have his new farm manager live in. Both boys had already built there own houses and were in search for that elusive life partner that I seemed so to have luckily stumbled into. Anyway Trish and Delta's folks were going to stay in the new house for the holiday. Our plans were to leave on Friday the twenty-second then come back the following Thursday or Friday. Dan decided to rent a luxury bus that would hold all of us, our luggage and a bunch of instruments. Since none of us wanted to drive something like that, we found a driver who wanted to go to Tampa for the holidays. We would have him drive to Tampa then we could drive the bus to the farm.
The trip down was nice. The bus was set up like a little house with a little kitchen, a booth type dinette and a bathroom complete with tiny shower, a big bedroom and a little bedroom. In the front, the big couch pulled out to a bed and the table folded down into a bed using the booth cushions. The whole thing was built on a Greyhound bus chassis giving a ton of room underneath for luggage. We were told a lot of the music people used these things to travel in while on tour.
The trip down was fast and pleasurable. The folks had drinks while the girls and I played and practiced some new songs that I had arranged for us. I had some ideas for some original stuff for us and constantly made notes on music pads while we were playing. I was trying to put together something that the three of us could play and sing. The final song would be a ballad or some type of love song that would include all of us.
Before the trip, I had done all my Christmas shopping. I had used a bunch of the money Dad had given me in that special envelope along with some cash I had made welding and building stuff in the neighborhood. As soon as the neighbors found out I could fix cars, there was a constant knock on the door for help. Most gave me a couple of bucks to get greasy and then there were some that needed the help for free. Anyway I had enough to get what I wanted from a jewelry store. The biggest problem was getting two exactly alike and that they be a little unusual for our unusual coupling or would that be tripling.
Mom and Dad always had the Christmas gift giving on Christmas Eve so we were all sitting in our big living room on the farm unwrapping lots of presents. The pile was big again that year with all the people there including my older sister, her husband and their new baby. Trish and Delta monopolized the infant the whole evening holding, feeding and changing it. Its Mom, my big Sis, was happy to have the help.
When we finished unwrapping everything, I left the two girls sitting on a couch and turned down all the lights till just the Christmas tree illuminated their beauty. I went over in front of them and knelt on both knees.
"Trish, Delta," looking at each of them then I repeated, "Delta, Trish." Again looking at them individually. "I know this may be too soon but," I brought my hands from behind my back with two open ring boxes. "Will you marry me? Will you be my wife?"
Trish and Delta gawked at me with their mouths open then looked at each other then turned back me. The both jumped forward, knocking me onto my back, landing on top of me. I banged my head and saw stars but kept hearing, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes."
When we finally recovered, they got back on the couch and I took the engagement ring from each box and put them on their fingers. I gave them each a tender kiss and whispered, "I love you."
The two stood and yelled, "whoopee. We're engaged."
Mom, Cecile and Carol were sitting together dabbing at their eyes. All my sisters were weeping and smiling at the same time. Sally came and gave he a very un-sisterly kiss saying how romantic I was. One by one the dads and my brothers and my brother-in-law shook my hand and congratulated me.
The girls kept pulling me back down on the couch to kiss me with smoldering eyes and smiling faces.
Delta surprised me by asking, "so when can we get married. Do you want to do it this spring or this summer?"
Darn, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I guess I figured we could be engaged for a couple of years then get married. Besides, I had not figured out how we were going to get this thing done with the three of us.
We had lots of cookies, eggnog and other snacks till it was time for bed. This time, the girls and I piled into a double bed and cuddled and slept together peacefully.
Christmas morning everyone was up for chores then a huge breakfast. Trish and Delta's folks were pretty quiet looking at the girls and I like we might have something no one wanted.
Later in the living room, Delta asked her folks, "okay guys, what's up? You two are acting like something bad happened."
Carol spoke up first, "your father and I realized how much trouble you kids are going to have getting married together. You and Trish have done everything together since pre-school. We know you are partners in everything and understand your mutual attraction to Chuck but Chuck needs a double so you both can have your own husband and family."
"That's okay Mom," Delta said. "Chuck's enough for both of us and as you saw, he knows how to deal with the two of us. Do you know we have never had any bad words with each other and we have been together for over a year and a half? If it comes down to it, one of us will marry him and the other will live with us. Or neither one of us will marry him but we will all live together. Trish and I have already talked about that and found out about legally changing our names so our names would all be Johnson."
Dan just shook his head. "Hope it all works out for you three. This is going to be a major step." He turned to me and asked, "Chuck, how do you figure on supporting these two?"
I looked at Dan then at the girls, "this past fall when Mom and Dad came to watch me play football for the first time, Dad gave me a big envelope that pretty much takes care of things right now. In there was a description of some property Dad put in my name. The place is big enough for us to build a farm on if I want. Also there was a bankbook and a stock portfolio with some nice stocks in it. The letter with the envelope said this was my share of the profits for helping Mom and Dad become financially well off for the first time in their lives. The income off the stocks should keep us going for a while since we don't have a lot of expenses. When all of our school money runs out, we'll have to review our finances then. Right now, you are still paying for Delta's cafeteria pass but she was able to pay her own way for tuition and books. The same goes for Trish. If necessary, we can pick up the cost of the cafeteria pass now too. So far, what we did with the house is paying you for it. You did give us a good deal on it and we all thank you for the help. Without it we would be in an apartment or still living in the dorms. Dan, I think we have it covered for right now. We'll just have to see if we can make it on our own."
Carol sat back, crossed her legs then crossed her arms under her breasts letting out a sigh, "guess you been told Dan. Delta seems to have it together."
"She does," Dan agreed. "I just remember how we sponged off our folks a bunch for several years after we got married. It took us a couple of years with both of us working to get everything together."
"Yeah but we didn't have it together like Chuck does," George said. "Celle spent half the night worrying about the kids and how they were going to make out. She worried and talked about stuff that had happened to us. I kept telling her that the three kids had already taken care of everything she kept bringing up. You know, I don't think we should worry until they holler for help. When they do, we can just dig in and give them some help."
"It's not me that has it together," I said directing my comment to George. "It's the three of us together that has made this work. We have had a common goal from our beginning. School was first for a while, we were committed to just being friends first. Then life became first with us as our commitment to each other grew making sure that we did well in school to support our present and future life. Trish and Delta are two of the most determined levelheaded girls you'll ever know. They think together about what we do almost as if they hear each other's thoughts. Like I said, it's not about me, it's about them and us."
Mom and Dad were bystanders, being the audience. They just listened and watched waiting to be asked for an opinion.
The girls and I went outside to wander in the fields looking at the stock then going to one of the strawberry fields to pick some ripe fruit and eat it fresh off the plant. Since it was Christmas day, there were no workers in the field. As we walked along a dusty path we began to discuss a plan.
Trish offered, "I think Delta and I could be good university teachers. We are both going to be qualified to teach undergraduate education courses and with very little effort we could get our doctorates making us valuable and probably could get tenure."
"I have been thinking along those same lines Trish. I want to teach but I really don't want to teach grade school or high school. The university would be perfect for us," Delta agreed then added, "but when Chuck starts bringing home the bacon, Trish and I are going to start having babies. We both want a big family."
I smiled at Delta's add on to her agreement with Trish then put in my comment. "I keep thinking of research," I announced to the other two. "I'd love to be a farmer, and I'd love to be a doctor or a vet but what I'd like to do is work in a field that I could study and help create a solution to a problem. Is that medicine, or chemistry? Whatever it is will require me to have more than an undergraduate or masters degree and probably at a school bigger than this one. Oh yeah, and I always thought I would be doing whatever it would be in Florida. I'm flexible though and don't care as long as we are together."
"Well we know what Delta and I want. You just have to keep working toward learning more. That is what will get you your answer of what you want to do," Trish said. Obviously the two girls were not upset that I couldn't figure out my future yet.
I estimated our future a little. "We have plenty of everything to keep going to school for a while. We have housing, enough money and a school to get lots more education for very little cost. I think we should continue, just like we are right now and you guys finish your masters while I work my way there too. We should keep working on how to do this for as little as possible. I can pick up more little jobs from town that would actually support us if necessary."
Both girls hugged my arms then asked simultaneously, "so when can we have babies."
They laughed, I groaned then we walked back to the house for evening chores and supper.
That evening we played every Christmas song known to man. Everyone had a favorite and sang, leading the rest of us. The parents were settled down about the pending trilogy their kids were planning.
Monday and Tuesday were trips to Orlando, Lakeland and Tampa for the ladies to shop. Dad took George and Dan bass fishing at a nearby lake showing them how to catch a stringer full quickly. Wednesday we packed up then drove to Tampa to pick up our driver and head back home.
I thought of our future the whole way back. The girls and I slept on the opened up couch while their folks used the rooms. We had to stop a couple of times for our driver to stretch his legs, rest and eat but we made it home early Thursday morning. We all unpacked then did some cleaning and laundry. I walked around the neighborhood telling everyone that I was looking for some odd jobs that could be done. They all said they would stay in touch and keep an eye open for me.
We got back into studying just in time for me to leave for a holiday basketball tournament. I was still playing really well. Kenny was a senior too and was being scouted by several big city professional basketball teams. A couple of scouts were inquiring about me to the coaches too but I really didn't think I was pro material. I was a great high school and college player but I don't think I would be that good as a pro. I was not mean or tough enough to play the other big physical pros. Those guys were too big, too good and too mean for a small time college player. Kenny was our star in almost every game. It was neat to have him post then to feed him back for a quick basket. We were invited to the March tournament again but were beaten in the early pairings. I felt that was my last college basketball game.
The team got home New Years Eve, just in time for me to dress and go to the club with the girls to meet up with their parents. Wow, it was 1963 already. The girls were flashing their engagement rings to all their friends and acquaintances. I think most of the people thought they were joking that they were marrying the same guy. It didn't matter, as we had a great time. So great, we had to let George and Dan take us home. We ended up in Trish's bed at her folks' house sleeping till almost noon the next day. Sure am glad we three had such understanding and supportive adults in our lives.
The golf coach was waiting at the locker room door when we had our closing practice for basketball. As soon as I walked out, he took me by the arm and we walked toward the athletic building where his office was. "I need to get you fitted for our slacks and shirts so you can play in our next match. How much time do you think you'll need to get up to speed playing? Have you played much this year? What do you think?"
"Wow Fred, you're running over with excitement this year. What's up?" I asked.
"How about you work real hard at golf this month and maybe the college could pay your entrance fees to a couple of pro/am tournaments. If you win there you could turn pro and play on one the PGA tours. You're good enough that Terry and I believe you could win on the big tour right away. We think you could really do it."
"Whoa, Fred. I think I'm going to get some more schooling for at least another year. I don't know whether I can still be in sports if I'm in grad school but I may still have a year's eligibility left. If you want and I'm allowed, I'll play on your team next year too. How about that instead of the tour."
"Don't give me a definite answer right now, Chuck," Fred begged. "Talk to Terry and George and Dan then think about it before you say yes or no, okay?"
"Okay Fred, I'll keep an open mind and talk to everyone before I say yeah or nay," I said this shaking my head.
I met the girls at the cafeteria for supper telling them of Fred's offer. They didn't even comment. They gave each other their "look" nodded then continued eating. When we were walking to the library for our study time, Trish commented, "why don't you talk to Terry. He'll be honest with you."
Delta then said, "hey how about tomorrow night we go home for supper and have Terry eat with us. That way you can talk to Terry and our dads at the same time. When we get to the library, I'll call to ask Mom about it."
Delta called then advised us that it was all set for tomorrow. I had to travel Thursday for a Friday, Saturday and Sunday golf tournament so tonight would be my only chance till next week to talk to all of them about it.
After we walked home from the library that night, I was determined to show the two loves of my life how much I loved both of them. We had a glass of wine in the living room while we watched the ten o'clock news on TV. As we finished our wine, I was cuddling and kissing both of them till they both grabbed an arm and pulled me toward the bedroom. There I used all my knowledge of how to please a lady and all my knowledge of the two of them to reduce them to quivering masses, exhausted from almost continuous orgasms. We slept like babies, dreaming about making babies.
The next evening when we got home to clean up for supper at Delta's, we got a call from Carol who told us to meet them at the country club as we were going to eat there. That was fine with me, as I was ready for a big thick steak.
As soon as we walked in George and Dan took me off to the bar while Carol and Cecile cornered the girls. Terry was in the bar waiting for us at a table in the corner.
"So Fred told you about the pro/am opportunity?" Terry asked.
"Yep, that and playing on the tour," I said.
George and Dan were obviously in on everything as they were nodding to what we were saying. George asked, "so what do you think of the idea?"
"Truthfully," I began "I think I need to get more education while I can get it for free. First, I think I may still have a year's eligibility on my scholarship that covers everything plus the stipend. Second, I've been narrowing down my future options to a medical school or some form of chemistry or biology Ph.D. in order to work within a research field. At this point, I could finish this year and with summer school and all of next year on my scholarship, just about finish my masters. The girls will have finished their masters then we could all three go to a large school where I could either get into med. school or become a part of a chemistry department while we all worked on our Phd's. The girls want to teach. I think I would like to work in research medicine."
Terry said, "that's the first time I've heard you state what you really wanted to do. Those are some pretty lofty goals."
George, the ever present negotiator began his presentation, "Chuck, so far Dan and I have sat back and watched you be a success with our daughters and have marveled at the way you three work together. Other than take care of our daughters the way we would have even if you had not been around, we have not been able to help them or you much. You think we did you guys a big favor with the house. Not true. The house was a bone of contention with all the relatives and you guys resolved it by buying it and paying for it. Dan and I sold the mortgage to the bank so the family was able to split up the proceeds making everyone happy. You see, you did us a favor by buying it. The fact that you spent your own money and labor to fix it up in order to get a rental income from it was perfect. You even took over some of the major costs of keeping the girls in school."
By this time we all had drink in front of us. They all had cocktails while I had a Seven-up. All of us were relaxed and seemed at ease. George continued, "your dad, Dan and I have a deal for you. Actually it's for all three of you. When you graduate this may. We want you to go to a couple of pro/am tournaments. If everything is as we think it is, you can start playing on the pro tour by the end of summer. Your dad, Dan and I will back you. We will front all the money necessary to do this. Fred says that he thinks the school will pay your fees into a couple of pro/am tournaments to see how you do. We will ship the three of you off to travel together so you will all be comfortable with traveling. We would like you to play the pro tour four years before you make a decision to stay or go but we understand how you feel about school. So play two years. See if you are making it pay. If you don't want to play on the tour any longer, then Dan and I will put all three of you through your doctorates or whatever it is that you're going to do. You may not think playing is very lucrative, but the top guy, Arnold Palmer won over eighty thousand dollars last year."
I was stunned. I'm sure my chin was bouncing off the table as Terry and Dan was grinning at me.
Dan said, "don't say anything. Let's go eat and let us explain to the girls what we offered and see what they think. Fred's going to meet us in there so don't be surprised.
We went into the dining room where Carol and Cecile were plying the two lovelies with cocktails while entertaining Fred. We all sat and began ordering. George didn't even wait till the orders were all taken but started right in.
"Dan and I, with the full participation of Chuck's dad just made Chuck an offer that could change your lives dramatically. We don't want him to make a decision without you two knowing about it and I'm sure he will want to talk to you about it. Terry and Fred are here to answer any questions as you find out more of our plan."
George repeated what he had offered me. Trish and Delta kept looking at each other then at me with wonder on their faces. You could see the wheels turning within their heads. You could almost see the sparks going between the two of them, as their minds thought so much alike.
Delta was first. She turned to Fred, "do you really think Chuck is good enough to play professionally? Do you think he could compete?"
"I know he can Delta. He's the best college kid I've ever seen and he doesn't even practice yet. If Terry were coaching him every day, he could be one of the best," Fred said.
"Isn't it a little risky to try to play pro sports?" Trish asked.
"You know Chuck got some offers during the professional football draft and the professional basketball draft will be coming. Either one of those will pay him a lot of money, probably over twenty-five thousand a year. According to the baseball coach, Chuck could probably still get an offer from a baseball team. All of the sports have money to offer Chuck but not all of them have your dad's waiting to back him while getting there."
The girls were looking at each other again. I think they were trying to read each other's mind. Both wanted more cocktails. I even asked for some wine to settle me down.
Delta stunned the group, "this is a great offer and you all are wonderful to want to do this but," Delta stopped to take a big breath. "This could hold us up having babies. We don't want to wait forever to give you guys Grandkids." Trish was nodding her head in agreement.
That was a showstopper. Four parents sat with their mouths open thinking of the impact that babies would make on the suggested scenario. I think they would have remained catatonic if Fred and Terry had not been laughing so hard.
"That's not funny Fred, you too Terry," Cecile huffed.
"Oh shit, Grandbabies," Carol mused with a big grin.
Trish lay her hand on top of mine and asked, "what do you think of this Chuck?"
"I've never thought of playing professional sports, because as soon as I start, I will probably be drafted into the Army. Then any sport will have to wait two plus years till I get out and try to become the athlete I used to be. I have always considered it near impossible to do."
"How do all those other athletes get out of the draft?" Trish asked. "There are not that many that have to go into the service. Most of them keep right on playing."
Terry answered that one, "some of the guys come from big cities where draft boards have others to choose from. They can even get a waiver because they are entertainers. Some get married. Some guys join the reserves and train for three to six months then they only have to go to two to four week summer camps. George and Dan were never drafted because they were married young and each had a kid. I didn't get drafted because I came from a big city and applied for a hardship waiver. At the time, I needed to help my folks out. Fred was in ROTC and was in the reserves as an officer. So you see, there are ways."
"I guess we'll just have to hurry and get married and have some babies. That way Chuck will be excused," Trish stated.
Delta looked at me then hard at Trish. "I have an idea. While Chuck does his thing at these pro/am tournaments to see if he can compete to be on the pro tour, Trish and I will finish our masters in Summer school. If Chuck doesn't qualify, then he can come back and use his scholarship for another couple of semesters working on his masters. If he is competitive and decides to turn pro, then Trish and I will travel with him for a while to see how we like the life of a professional golfer. If our dads feel like they would like to send us kids all around the world to play golf, why not. Let's enjoy some of this wild life while we can."
Carol asked the girls, "what about your wedding plans?"
"I'm sure the tour goes through Las Vegas," Delta said. "One of us will officially marry Chuck while the other is getting her name changed. He'll marry both of us there but only one can be registered. If you guys want to be a part of it, we'll give you plenty of notice. I think the three of us are already a committed unit that an official marriage could not make any stronger."
"So you two think we should try this?" I asked.
"Sure," Trish grinned. "You'll still be in school. It would just be Terry teaching you in amateur tournaments instead of here. There's only one way to find out if this is a good idea and that is to try it. You need to try it for all of our Dads, they really want it."
I sat back in my chair leaving some perfectly good steak still on my plate. My stomach was too nervous to eat any more. We had some coffee.
I finally addressed the group. "Okay, I'll try it. I'm really not convinced that playing a game is more important than chemical and medical research but it may be a means to support us. So big time sports guys all have agents, who's going to be mine."
"Oh no you don't," Fred jumped in. "You're still playing collegiate golf and cannot even talk about an agent. I'm sure one will show up after you have competed in some pro/am tournaments and then won a couple of amateur tournaments. Terry? Are you set to go with Chuck as his trainer?"
Terry was nodding his head and said, "I'm still an assistant coach on the university team now and have already made arrangements to be away for some of the pro-am tournaments. Fred and I are going to baby sit a couple of the guys through some majors. I think we can qualify for the U.S. Open by winning at least one of the lower level tournaments and if not we can get you qualified through a local playoff."