I found out the next day what was going on. I was being accused of trying to destroy the country's energy companies and ruin the economy.
I had our law and ad agencies put together a presentation debunking the whole concept, and emphasizing the green part of our design as well as the plan to franchise the production. My intention to have as much of the production in the United States as possible while sales would be worldwide should give the economy a boost, not a hit. After that I got in touch with CNN to have them try to make the hearings public. Congress was going to try their best to cover up the whole thing, and that I would not allow. I would give them an AV show that would do my high school science teacher proud.
Two days after the subpoena was served the peace and tranquility of my household was shattered. Leaving Diane and Julie in charge in Vegas, Brenda, Sophia, and Janice arrived. In the helicopter with them was Crom's Cousin Muriel. Sophia and Muriel were both redheads, but there was obviously already some tension between them as they stepped off of the aircraft. Sophia was light-skinned with hair ranging more toward orange than red, while Muriel had dark red hair and a slightly dark Mediterranean complexion.
Inez ran forward, and soon she was hugging and kissing and gabbing away with her three friends. Crom and I went forward to greet his cousin.
The helicopter had landed in the yard near the same front entrance that I had taken Inez and her mother into on their arrival. I was looking forward to surprising the girls from Vegas the same way I had Inez and Norma. The only change from that occasion was that we now had wind turbines on all four corners of the building. These took care of almost all power needs for the house and surroundings; any other needs were taken care of by a small propane powered unit in the garage. All telephone and internet connections were wireless so that there were no wires going to the house from any direction. The helicopter could have landed in any clearing on the compound with no trouble, but I wanted them here.
"Ingmar, how nice to see you again. Uncle didn't tell me that you would be here. And you must be Mr. Andrews, I am happy to meet you sir." Muriel gave Crom a hug and looked around her at the building and surroundings. "Is this your factory Crom? From what Uncle said I expected something bigger."
I laughed, "No Miss Horne, they manufactured furniture here fifty years ago, but now it is my residence. It looks like my wife is ready to go in with her friends. Shall we join them?"
The oohs and aahs when we entered met my expectations. Brenda ran over and gave me a big hug. "This is fantastic Alex. When Inez described it to us I put it down to newlywed exaggeration, but she underplayed it if anything. I was jealous of Inez before, but now I'm positively green with envy."
I hugged Brenda back, "No need for envy dear girl, continue working like you have been and you and Diane can build a place like this in Vegas. It won't take many years before you can do it."
Brenda stepped back and got a musing expression on her face, "Yeah, you're right. It shouldn't take too long at that." She gave me a quick peck on the cheek, "Thanks for the idea Alex, and for the means to fulfill it." Brenda bounced back over to the other girls.
All this time Muriel had been looking around in wonder, and then staring at Brenda in consternation. "Ingmar, what the hell is going on here and who are these women? Uncle said that you and I would be working for Mr. Andrews and I could get out of that mess in New York. Now I find that he has a mansion and hot and cold running women. Where is the factory and what am I expected to do? I'm not going to be a part of some playboy's harem."
Crom looked amused. "Alex is hardly a playboy Muriel, these women run a club in Las Vegas for him. They are just here to visit with their friend Inez, Alex's wife. The factory is that very large building complex just outside of town you had to have seen as you flew in. As far as work goes," he paused and looked over at me, "I am Alex's partner, not his employee. You are going to help us expand our business to meet demands. Have you heard anything about the new wind turbines for houses?"
"Do you mean those big ugly propellers people put up to save power costs?"
By this time we had gotten across to the main floor family room area. Crom looked up and pointed through the skylights to one of the turbines on the corner of the building. I admit that they didn't look the way people expected them to. The light gray units were of a different design. They consisted of two 48" discs placed horizontally with five triangles standing 36" vertically around the edges. Sort of like a fat barrel. The trailing side of each triangle was open to catch the air and there was a dome on the top of the unit. Crom had tried the traditional propeller and tail, but found this method much less complex and more efficient because no matter which way the wind came from the unit would spin without adjustments. The generator itself was connected by a shaft in the support post and located near the ground for ease of maintenance, also making the system much easier to erect. "No, Dear Cousin, I mean those turbines up there. I designed those and we can't make enough to sell to everyone who wants one. Our initial stock of 500,000 is already gone at over $3,000 each and we have orders for millions more. We haven't even broached the world market yet and all the sales so far are domestic. The potential is almost limitless and you are getting in on the ground floor. Alex is not going to ask for more than you can do, so pay attention to what he wants. Uncle and I both recommended you for this, please don't let us down."
Muriel grew quiet as we entered the family room and everyone took a seat. I found myself sandwiched between Inez and Brenda on a love seat. I had prepared a video presentation of the house and grounds and played that on the flatscreen TV covering one wall of the room. The presentation included the people working and living here as well as the apartment complex, clinic, and school. The advertising agency had put together a similar presentation about the company, factory, and products.
At the end of the presentation I looked around at the expressions of astonishment on each face except for Crom and Inez. "Any questions Ladies?"
Sophia looked at the screen with the logo of A&C Genitech on it, a spider gear with the name around the center hole, and then over at me. "Was all this going on while you were in Vegas with us?"
"Well, yes. I got everything underway, and took off when there was a slack period. I had it all planned out ahead of time and I was in touch with Crom and the shop manager all the time."
"How much did buying Jewels set the plan back? I know that and the condo weren't in your plans."
"Actually, it didn't delay anything. I had to do some work on the nights we weren't dating, but I earned enough doing that pay for everything. I got the condo's for unpaid taxes and the redecorating wasn't very much."
"Alex, that club cost a lot of money for the controlling partnership and it must have been almost a million for the new look. That is not something you can drum up on 2 or three nights a week. Why did you do that Alex?"
"It was the only way to get rid of the asshole who was bothering Inez. I don't know what else I could have done. Don't you like your new job Sophia?"
"Oh, I like it just fine. I'm just finding it hard to adjust to the nice guy I met in Vegas running such a large corporation. You were trying to impress us with how rich you were, but you didn't even give out the full nature or your wealth. Why not?"
"I was keeping all of this undercover at the time. If it came out too soon I would become a target and none of us would be safe. I thought that when I went to Vegas I was going to hire a mother for my children. I expected a lot more difficulties than I encountered and I never hoped for what I got. Buying "Jewels" was a side affair to gain an advantage I thought I needed. Part of the reason for it was to keep you girls quiet about my business till I went public. I figured that you would be too busy to cause Inez or me any trouble. Another factor was that when I researched the women selected for me by the employment agency, I was appalled at the way life for all of you was in sin city. All or your employers and managers were taking horrendous advantage of you. I hoped that I could at least help some of you out of that situation."
Muriel had to be the most confused woman in the world at that point. I saw the expression on her face and continued to speak. "Two questions for you Sophia. How soon do you think that Brenda and Diane can do without you, and would you be willing to explain to Muriel there what we have been talking about? I think her curiosity bump is about to explode."
"I think you are right Alex, she is about to blow. Take it easy Red, I'll be glad to fill you in on our boss's scandalous past in a strip joint. And as for your first question, I have been getting the books ready for an independent accountant for the past month or so. At first I thought that I would be that accountant with my own company, but now I'm not so sure. Why do you ask, Alex?"
"I may have something else for you to do Sophia, but before we talk about it, I have seen Camille standing at the door trying to let us know that Marcela has dinner ready for us. Let's go to see what she has prepared for us, shall we?"
Camille led the way, and as the women all followed her I noticed that someone was missing. I turned back and saw Crom and Janice sitting on a couch looking into each other's eyes. I clapped my hands loudly and yelled, "Hey you two, dinner is served!"
They both gasped and jumped up, without letting go of each other's hands. Crom was the first to speak, "Shall we go in Janice? Marcella is a great cook, I've gained 10 pounds since I moved in here."
When we got to the dining room, Muriel tried to interpose herself between Crom and Janice. Inez saw what she was doing and spoke up.
"Muriel, what are you doing girl? If you can't control yourself better than that, you won't be welcome here."
"I'm trying to protect Ingmar from this little Chippy here, that's what I'm doing. He doesn't need girls like this bothering him."
"Why not Dear? Crom doesn't look as if he objects to Janice sitting beside him, why should you?"
"Yeah, Muriel. Why do you keep taking all the girls away from me? Aren't I allowed to have any fun? I always liked you and I thought that you liked me too."
Muriel got a confused look on her face. " ... but, but, I thought you were gay!"
Inez looked shocked at that, "What made you think he was gay, Muriel?"
Muriel was looking around at the lot of us now, "But, but, he was always so helpful to me when I came out and the family got mean with me. I figured that he was the same way or he wouldn't have been so kind."
"Aw hell. I just didn't think you deserved such a raft of shit for being yourself, Muriel. All you had to do was ask. I am not gay, I like girls."
"All right," came from Janice as she snuggled up to Crom.
Muriel sat down abruptly with a red face and we all dug in to the feast laid before us. The conversation at the table was boisterous and energetic. I found myself between Inez and Brenda again and wondered what that was about. Norma and Jessica were there so the bawdiness was under control as much as it could be. Everyone stuck in comments to Muriel about the events in Vegas and by the end of the meal she seemed to be up to speed.
"Inez Dear, would you take Brenda and Janice and show them around a bit, please? I need to talk to Muriel and Sophia in the den."
"Sure Alex, but I think Crom may have some things he wants to show Janice. Hey Crom, take her swimming, she loves the water."
Crom looked up from studying Janice's face, "Okay, thanks."
Inez looked to her side, "Want to show Aunt Brenda your room and play area Sweetie?"
"Yeah!" Jessica jumped down and ran around me to get to Brenda, "C'mon Aunt Brenda, wait till you see all the neat stuff Daddy got me." She grabbed Brenda's hand and led her off toward the stairs followed a little more slowly by Inez and Norma. I got a little shiver down my spine when she called me "Daddy".
I stood up, "Muriel, Sophia, would you two join me in the den please? I think I have something you would like to hear."
When we got to the den I sat them down on opposite ends of a couch and pulled a chair up before them. "Okay girls, here it is. My plant here is at full capacity and falling rapidly behind orders. Hell, we ran out of stock within the first couple of days. I need more places making generators and components of generators. What I need you two to do is to find me those plants. I want to give you each half of the country and set you loose. You can choose where to base yourselves and of course you will have to hire a staff to support you. I have files of all the people I have been in contact with over the last couple of years and which ones are worth working with. There are also some places that will get work from us only with a complete change of management. I don't deal well with assholes. What do you think?"
Sophia asked, "Just what kind of things are you looking for? Do you need only small plants, or assembly shops as well?"
"We need it all. I was always going to farm a lot of work out and had some feelers to possible companies, but the deluge of orders was a lot more than I expected. I couldn't get too specific before we went public. Right now it is all I can do on my own to keep supplies coming in for the increased production in this plant. Crom has designs for larger and smaller units too and we need to lease the rights to them as well."
"How about this then," Muriel spoke up, "instead of cutting up the country into halves, let me work on getting plants for the larger and smaller units? That way Sophia can concentrate on getting your wind units built."
"That sounds good to me. What do you think Sophia?"
"I like it, we can both base out of someplace like Shreveport or Texarkana then and be close by if we need you or Crom."
"Does this mean that you will do it?"
Both girls looked at each other for a moment, then at me, "I'm in," from Muriel.
"Me too," said Sophia.
"Welcome to A&C Genitech, girls. I hope you can help us, 'cause we sure need it. Let me see where your rooms are and I'll show you around the place a bit."
I ended up turning them over to Camille and went to find Inez to give her the good news.
I finally found her upstairs in the hot tub with Brenda.
"Alex, how did it go, Dear? Get undressed and join us in here, it feels so good."
"The girls are willing to join up, Dear. It may take them a week or so to get going good, but they'll take a lot off of my shoulders. That looks good, Honey. I'll just go in and change."
"Don't bother with a suit, Alex. We didn't."
"What!? Both of you?"
"Yes, Dear. I'm sure you saw Brenda when she was dancing, and I sure don't have any secrets from you, except maybe for one."
"No, I never saw any of you dance, or pictures of you doing so. The agency said that you were all beautiful and I agreed with them. I didn't want to be distracted from my mission. I'm not really comfortable with nudity yet, Inez. I'll wait awhile if you don't mind."
"Hurry up then, or I'll fall asleep and you'll miss my secret."
Brenda remained quiet during our discussion, but she giggled as I retreated to my bedroom to change.
Wearing a pair of trunks I usually used in the pool, I sat down beside Inez a few minutes later. I tried hard not to stare at Brenda's breasts just peeking at me above the water line.
"So what is this secret you have kept from me, Dear?"
"I saw Phyllis at the clinic this morning, and she confirmed that I am pregnant. You are going to be a father Alex."
I was so stunned that I didn't even see Brenda when she got up and came over to hug Inez, at least not until she came to me for a hug.
"Congratulations, Alex. Now you can do the same thing for me. Diane and I discussed this a lot and decided that we want you to be the father of our children. I know you said that you didn't want to father children that you wouldn't be responsible for, but you will be. We work for you, or at least for Inez. We hope that you will visit often and we will be sure the kids know who daddy is. We've talked it over with Inez, and the plan is for you to get me pregnant this week. Next year it will be Diane's turn, and so on until we both have two kids."
I looked over at Inez, "You went along with this insanity? Why would you do that?"
"Don't be upset, Alex. I came to care a lot for all the girls at Jewels, and it does make a kind of sense. They don't have anyone else they like as much as they do you, and you are responsible for them doing as good as they are. I don't feel threatened by them at all, and it's not like I'm going to leave you alone with either of them. I'm going to be there the whole time. They are really happy with each other and don't want a man who will come between them. Is it really that bad an idea?"
Brenda put her mouth near my ear and whispered, "Inez has told me a lot of things that I have trouble believing, Alex. I'm hoping that you'll prove that she isn't just bragging."
Inez stood up and pulled me up as well, "Come along husband, you have work to do."
I was still discovering new things about Inez and how to please her. I found out that night than Brenda had many things in common with my wife, and many differences. Having her in our bed seemed to inflame Inez as well, and I was totally exhausted when they finally let me sleep.
The next day I wanted to take Muriel and Sophia on a tour of the factory and introduce them to the manager, Grier Barringer. He had some people working for him that he wanted them to meet. These guys and girls would have to go out and inspect the new places the girls found to make sure that they would be able to handle the task. I didn't expect the girls to handle the technical details; they were to be my "people" people, taking care of all the personal interactions that I found so difficult. Crom and Grier had been selecting folks to send out on inspections, not only initial, but supplemental as well. I wanted to be sure that anything that went out with our name on it was as good as it could be. I didn't want anyone to be able to tell whether or not a product came from our plant or one of the subsidiaries, they should all have the same quality.
Grier met us at the gate and took over the tour. I walked around a bit, and then saw that Steve Grant was in his office and stopped in.
"Alex, I was just going to call you. I heard from my friend already, your mother didn't try to cover her tracks. I have his report here if you want to read it, or I can go over the highpoints for you."
I took a seat, "Just give me a synopsis, Steve. I'll read the report later."
"Okay boss. The first point is that your mother is indeed dead. She died of brain cancer three years ago in San Francisco. At the time she owned an organic food store and seemed to be doing okay. After she left you she lived in a commune in Nevada for a couple of years, then suddenly left and showed up in Frisco, pregnant. She went straight and worked in a restaurant while she had the child. She kept this one and worked hard to raise him. His name is Kellen Andrews, and he is 3 years younger than you. The investigator talked to him, and he has no knowledge of you and only rudimentary knowledge of your grandparents. He also has no idea who his father is. If you don't initiate contact, I doubt that he would ever connect the two of you. He is a computer programmer and is making a good living writing HTML for websites."
I sat there in shock. I had to think about this and consult with Inez. No matter what I did, it would affect her as well.
I took the report and had Paul drive me back to the estate. I was sitting in the den looking at a picture of my brother when Inez and Brenda found me.
"Here you are. What's wrong, Dear? Are you still worried about last night?"
"What? Oh, no Inez, I'm okay with that now. I have some news you need to hear though. I've been sitting here trying to decide what I want to do. I should have asked you right away, because I'm getting bound up in circles and your input will help."
"What is it, Alex? What has you so wound up?" Inez came around the desk and looked over my shoulder at the picture I had in my hand. Brenda came around the other side and looked at it as well.
I shook the picture, "This ladies, is my brother Kellen. Neither of us knew about each other until today. He still doesn't know and I'm trying to decide whether or not to tell him."
Brenda took the picture from my hand, "He looks a lot like you Alex. Do you have a picture of your mother?"
I shifted through the papers until I found one of her taken just before she died. "Yeah, you two take your looks from her. I'm assuming that there are different fathers?"
"He doesn't know who his is either. I guess they could be the same, but apparently my mother didn't say no very often and she was shitty about birth control." I tried to keep the disgust and pain out of my voice, but I was not totally successful.
Inez pulled my face into her chest, "It's alright, Dear. At least she gave you to someone who would protect you."
"But she kept him with her. Why didn't she want me?" All the pain of being abandoned came back to me then. "She never called or asked about me, she knew where I was."
"You don't know that, Dear. Your grandparents may have not told you if she did. From what you have told me about them, they probably cut themselves off from their daughter completely. It sounds like something they would do."
"You're right, Inez. I wouldn't put it past them at all. What do you think I should do? Do you think it would be a good idea to contact him?"
Brenda had been reading some of the report, "It says here that he is a pretty sharp kid and is doing alright for himself. He wouldn't be freeloading off of you, hell, he might even be able to help. I'd say to contact him and see what happens. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"
"That's true, at the worst he could not want anything to do with me. He's not married, but does it say anything in there about whether or not he has a girlfriend?"
Brenda shifted a couple of papers, "Not right now it says. He broke up with his girlfriend last month. It doesn't say why."
"What do you say, Sweetie, do you want to take a trip to the coast?"
"Sounds good to me, Alex. Is Brenda invited along? She still needs a few treatments."
I blushed at that. No matter what I had said earlier, I was not at ease about last night, or for that matter, tonight.
"Sure, she is welcome to come along. I don't know how long we'll be out there, but if need be she can fly back to Vegas when she needs to."
"Do you think Norma and Jessica would like to come along? We haven't done much with them since we moved here."
"Jess would love it, I'm not sure about mom, but I'll ask."
"Now that that is settled, let's go to dinner and give everyone our news. You can go first."
Dinner that night was fun. I was kissed and hugged by every woman there, and Crom let out a cheer when he heard about Inez. Everyone was happy and interested about my brother as well. Sophia and Muriel were enthusiastic about their new jobs and were already making plans.
Crom dropped a bombshell on me as well. He was taking a small vacation to Vegas with Janice. She had convinced him to meet her roommate, Julie, and to take them out on dates. I wished him luck, and agreed that for dating Vegas was the place to go. I told him to get with Steve and have some security while he was there. If the people I used were available, they would be the best.
After dinner we had a miniature golf competition and everyone had a lot of fun. Muriel was scary at how competitive she was. Janice ended up winning, and took her prize from Crom. I was amazed that no one commented when Brenda accompanied Inez and me to our room later. I asked Inez and she said that they had explained it to everyone who mattered, and no one had a problem with it, not even Norma.
The next day we started our preparations. I decided that since Inez and I had never had a proper honeymoon, this would be close to one. The fact that Brenda would be with us much of the time would not put a damper on it at all. Norma and Jessica were both happy at the idea of seeing San Francisco. I organized a sightseeing tour for the first three days of our visit before I confronted my brother.
On Thursday the helicopter took us to Marshall to the Harrison county airfield. We would fly to Frisco in style in a chartered Lear. I had no intention of flying commercial again if I could help it. The bogus hijacking precautions made flying more trouble than it was worth. When we flew down to Texas they made Jessica leave her favorite doll behind because the head had been repaired and they were afraid that it had a bomb in it. They frisked Inez and me but let the Muslim type ahead of me in without hassle. I'd gladly pay extra to avoid the baloney.
San Francisco was fun. Everyone had a good time walking and taking the trolley cars shopping for unusual stuff. We took a limo down to San Jose so Jessica could see Sea World. The weather didn't cooperate fully with us and it rained two days, but museums and shopping took care of those days. Finally it was time to meet my brother.
Kellen had a small third floor office on Brady Street. When Inez, Jessica, and I entered there was an older lady with definite hippy leanings at the reception desk. The tie-dyed T-shirt and peace symbol on a beaded necklace clued us in. Norma and Brenda had stayed behind to do some shopping while we were gone. They would meet him later if all went well, but if things went wrong, they didn't want to be there.
"Hello Madam, we would like to see Kellen Andrews please."
"May I say who is asking, and what your business is please?"
"Just tell him that it is about his mother."
"What about his Mother? I knew Judith well, and I don't think she ever knew you."
"No, she didn't. She left me with her parents to raise."
"Alex?? Oh God, I can see her in you now, you are Alex. Kellen doesn't know anything about you Alex. How did you find us?"
"I had some private investigators find out about him Ma'am. And you are?"
"Evening, Evening Song Billyrun, I left the commune with Judith and stayed with her till the end. Why do you want to see Kellen?"
"It's nothing bad, Ma'am, I just found out about him last week and I wanted to meet him, and maybe find out what my mother was like. I'm really hoping that he is nothing like my Grandparents."
"I don't know, I never met them, Judith didn't say much about them. She said that after she left they wouldn't answer her letters. Kellen is going to be very surprised."
She reached over to the phone and punched a couple of buttons, "Kellen, I think there is someone out here you should see." There was a pause as she listened, "Yes, I do. It's about Judith." She hung up the phone and looked back up at us, "He'll be right out, he has been busy with a new account and doesn't like to take time away when he has inspiration."
Inez stepped around the desk and held out her hand, "Please excuse my husband, he is a little unnerved by this meeting. I am Inez, and this is our daughter Jessica. We just got married a few months ago." Inez saw the knowing look on the woman's face, "It's a long story, but one I am sure you will like."
"I am glad to meet you all, and I hope Kellen is too. He is a very good boy and has taken care of me since Judith died."
That was a very interesting concept, but would have to wait for later. A young man who looked a lot like what I saw in the mirror stepped out of the hallway behind the reception desk.
"Yes, may I help you? I'm Kellen Andrews."
I stepped forward and grasped the offered hand, "Hello, Kellen. I am your brother Alex."
He got a shocked expression on his face and turned around to look at Evening Song.
She gave him a tentative smile and nodded. "Judith told me about him, but she didn't want you to know. She was afraid of what her parents would tell him about her."
"They told me nothing about her except that she was a spoiled child with no control. They were determined that I not be the same. I always hoped that one day my mother would come and rescue me from them."
Kellen straightened up then, "Please, come on back to the lounge and we'll get acquainted. Eve, do I have any more appointments today?"
"There is an A&C Genitech due in this afternoon."
"See if you can cancel that, and then join us in the back. I don't think I'm going to be worth a damn right now."
"Don't worry about it Kellen, I'm the A of A&C. We do need help with our website, but that can wait. This is my wife Inez and our daughter Jessica. They wouldn't let me come over without them."
"Very well, go ahead and close up, Eve, then join us. I am not pleased that you kept this a secret from me."
"I'm sorry, Kellen, but Judith made me promise. I'll be back in a minute."
We followed Kellen to what was obviously a lunchroom with a coffee service in the corner by a refrigerator and microwave. Inez and I each accepted a cup of coffee while Jessica got a container of milk and a couple cookies.
"Wow, this is going to take a little getting used to. I not only have a brother I never knew about, but at the same time I get a sister-in-law and a niece. I knew that Judith had some secrets in her past, but I never expected this."
"You keep calling your mother Judith", I observed, "did you always call her that?"
Eve had joined us and answered my question. "When Kellen was in first grade and saw that he had two mommies and no daddy, he decided to call us both by name and never changed. I was more the mother than Judith was. I was trained for it at the commune and she was never much inclined that way. If she hadn't liked men so much I would have called her butch."
I turned to Eve then. "You say that you were raised in the commune she went to after I was born. How did you happen to leave it with her?"
"The commune was in a need for money. Judith and I were sent out to gather dollars for them. I think they expected us to be prostitutes, but Judith said no. She said that if she sold her body it would not be to finance those old perverts. She knew she was pregnant and decided to get a job and raise this one herself. I stayed to help her and just never left. Living with her and Kellen was much more rewarding than anything I had ever done at the commune."
"What about your parents?"
"All children were raised in a crèche. Once the babies were weaned the mothers left them there. I had no idea who my parents were. Kellen could be my brother, cousin, or nephew. I would have no way to know without a DNA test. It was the Billyrun Commune, so that is where my last name came from."
"I always considered her to be my aunt." Kellen said. "Do you know who your father was?"
"If my mother ever told her parents, they never told me. I really don't think they, or she, knew. I am pretty sure that if they had known, they would have tried for some compensation. My grandparents were not happy to have me there and as soon as I could work they started charging me rent and board. That is when I made an apartment in the basement with a separate entrance. I had much less contact with them after that."
"That doesn't sound like a very happy childhood, Alex, but you seem to have grown beyond it." Eve had touched my hand when she said this. "You have a beautiful wife and child here, that says a lot about you."
Kellen spoke up then, "Why have you come here Alex, what possessed you to find me?"
"I told you that I am the A in A&C Genitech. I was recently on the news programs and will be again. It occurred to me that I knew nothing about my mother and I didn't need a bad surprise. For all I knew she would pop out of the woodwork and demand something from me. As I realized that, I also felt that it would be a good idea just to find out what had happened to her. I had my chief of security hire a detective agency to find out what they could. Last week they told me about you and I wanted to meet you. You aren't obligated to me in any way, but I would hope that we could stay in contact. Inez and I are about to have another child and hope for there to be many more. It would be nice if they knew their Uncle. I grew up in a house with no love and intend that they not do the same."
"I wish Judith could have been here Alex. She would have been so proud of you and so appalled at what her parents had done," Eve said. "She told me that she couldn't stay there because of their attitude, but she didn't think that it would continue on to you. She was sure that you were in good hands with them."
"They were shamed to think that their daughter had become a harlot and left them a bastard. They thought that they had catered to her whims too easily and were determined not to do the same to me. I was a burden and a responsibility to them, nothing more. When Grandfather died, Grandmother told me that it was my and my mother's fault. He should not have had to keep on working after their child left home. She should have come back with a husband and taken care of them, not leave me to be raised. I was at work two months later when she fell down the stairs and died. I was ashamed to realize that I felt nothing, no pain, no grief, nothing. As far as I was concerned, I had always been alone so there was no change.
"That's enough about that time, we would love to talk more and there are two more people for you to meet. Would you two have dinner with us tonight? The restaurant at our hotel is quiet and has decent food. We can go up to our suite later and talk a lot more. Will you please join us?"
"We would be delighted," Kellen said. "Which hotel are you in?"
We made the arrangements and left. Out in the taxi, Inez turned to me. "That went well. What do you think of him, Alex?"
"He seems to be a nice enough guy. I think that may be due more to Evening Song's influence than anything our mother did though. I hope that we can get them to come visit us in Texas."
Dinner was fun. Brenda liked Kellen well enough, but Eve and Norma hit it off big time. By the time we went upstairs to let Jessica go to bed you would have thought they were the long lost siblings, instead of Kellen and me.
We found out much more about her and Judith later that night. For one thing we discovered that Eve and Kellen were lovers. Eve acted as if it were just the most natural thing in the world; she was not embarrassed at all. As we talked more we found that Eve had been brought up in a free love commune where sharing with everyone was the norm. Eve was the true flower child. She did not know how to lie or prevaricate.
When they had arrived in Frisco, Eve had never used a telephone or seen a TV. She did not know how to use money and had never driven a car. She was not even legally a person. Her birth had not been recorded and she had no Social Security Number. Without Judith she would have not lasted long in the real world. Judith protected and cared for her, and Kellen continued to do so.
We talked till the early morning, and got their promise to visit us. I made another appointment to talk about the website for the next afternoon. We were all invited to have dinner at their apartment the next evening as well.
We ended up spending another five days in San Francisco getting acquainted. Brenda left the day before we did to return to Vegas. She promised to let us know the results of our experiment. Friday evening the Lear lifted from California and pointed to Texas.