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Subject: {Morgan} Repost: Susan Jennings, 3 of 7; M/F Rom
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Author's note: If you are looking for wall-to-wall sex, look elsewhere. 
This book is a romance with a military setting. Beyond that, the sex is 
comparable to - or less than - what one would find in almost any work of 
popular fiction.

Permission is granted to post on any free site, as long as the copyright 
statement is included. Please advise the author of any such postings.

This story - or novella - was posted earlier in the year. Subsequently 
I've learned more about posting in the interest of downloading and 
readability. This is Chapter 3 of 7.

Comments are welcome and encouraged. Please address me at 
morg105829@aol.com.

Susan Jennings

Copyright by Morgan 1992, 1998; All rights reserved.

Chapter 3

The next morning Rick initiated a pattern that he continued for the 
following week.  He just continued to heat more chicken soup and feed it 
to her.  Between times she slept, often with him in the bed beside her.  
Although it might have been his imagination, Rick felt that Susan slept 
much more soundly when he was lying next to her.  He came to love the 
feeling as Susan would almost awaken, rub her body against his, and then 
relax again back into a deep sleep when she found he was still beside 
her.

After nearly a week spent in bed Susan started to take an interest in 
her surroundings and Rick thought it was time to try to find out what 
had happened.  He had ordered some clothing for her from a mail-order 
house and she was now sitting opposite him at the breakfast table 
wearing a blue flannel bathrobe with her monogram on it that he had 
bought for her.  Rick was pleased to see that her color had improved 
significantly.  She seemed to adore her new robe.

"Sue, where have you been for the last four years?" he asked softly.

She tried a little smile and replied, "I really don't know.  I guess I 
started to figure out where I was a couple of years ago.  Between that 
point and the time we were together, there are just brief episodes I can 
dimly recall.  For example, I think I was court- martialed.  I must have 
been, because I was dismissed from the service and that can only happen 
in a general court-martial.  I can't remember anything about it.  I... 
I've been subsisting.  It seems there were a few antiwar groups that 
wanted to make me a heroine but they found I wasn't antiwar."  She 
smiled faintly and added, "As a matter of fact, I was pretty 
bloodthirsty."

She looked at him and changed the subject, speaking very softly.  Her 
words almost killed him: "Mr. Jackson, could... could I be your... maid?  
I realize I don't know very much about housekeeping and I certainly 
can't do very much yet, but if I could just stay here with you, as soon 
as I'm able, I'll take care of the apartment and cook and... and... 
perform any services you might want."  She looked at him with an 
intensity that almost made him cry as she repeated, "ANY SERVICES I AM 
CAPABLE OF PERFORMING.  Do you understand?"

Rick's heart turned over.  Being very careful with his choice of words 
and recognizing the sense of total defeat in the girl he changed the 
subject and asked, "How did you find me, Susan?"

"I saw your picture in the paper a few months ago.  I just hoped you 
might remember me.  How did you find me, Mr. Jackson?  The last few days 
have been just a vague blur."

Again his heart lurched.  "Susan, you found me.  But I think you just 
answered a question I had.  Do you remember talking to me on the 
telephone?"  She just shook her head, no.  "I didn't think you did," he 
continued.   "You did, though.  You sounded like you were just reciting 
lines and weren't hearing my replies.  I guess you weren't, were you?"

Again she shook her head.  Then she gave him a very small but very warm 
smile.   "Thank you, Mr. Jackson, for the beautiful bathrobe.  It feels 
so good against my skin.  It's the very first clothing of my very own 
I've had since I was kicked out of the Navy.  I'll pay you for it as 
soon as I can earn some money."  Again Rick's heart turned over when she 
continued, "Of course, it's so much nicer than anything I would have 
bought for myself.  It's much too nice for a maid to be wearing."

Rick excused himself and went to the telephone.  First he called his 
office and asked for his security chief.  "Brad, this is Jackson.  I 
know you have great connections in Washington.  I need a fast check run.  
There was a general court-martial in the Pacific - I'm guessing it was 
between three and four years ago, and probably in Subic Bay.  The 
defendant was Lieutenant Susan Jennings, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps.  She was 
convicted and dismissed from the service.  I want everything you can get 
on the trial and its outcome, and I want it fast.  Understand?  Call me 
at home as soon as you get anything at all."  The instructions were 
acknowledged and he hung up.

Then he placed another call.  A voice answered, "Cameron residence."  
Rick identified himself and asked to speak to Ginny.  Moments later she 
was on the phone.  Ginny Cameron was far better known to the movie-going 
public as Marcia Matthews.  Now rated the top female box-office star in 
Hollywood, she had just received an Academy Award nomination for her 
latest film, a motion picture that had been financially backed by Rick 
Jackson.  She had first contacted Rick nearly three years earlier as a 
result of a search she had been conducting.  She, too, had been 
desperately trying to find Susan Jennings.  Subsequently, Rick had made 
tens of millions of dollars backing two of her films.

"Hi Rick!  What's new?" she asked brightly.

"Ginny, are you still... friendly... with that overpriced meat cutter?"

He could actually hear her grin over the phone.  "If you are referring 
to Dr. Michael Chapman, Fellow of the American Academy of Plastic 
Surgery, the answer is yes.  Why?  Did you crack up one of your fancy 
sports cars?  Need a little repair work on your face, perhaps?"

Rick realized with a start that he had already relaxed.  He realized it 
was the effect Ginny always had on him.  Moreover, he realized that her 
incredible personal warmth which came across in her films was, along 
with her incredible beauty, substantially responsible for her motion 
picture successes.

"It's not for me," he replied.  "Do you remember a girl named Susan 
Jennings?  I think I heard you mention her name once or twice."

There was an immediate stillness on the line.  When Ginny spoke again it 
was in a hushed and near-reverent tone.  "Rick, did you find her?"

"Honey, believe it or not, she found me.  And Ginny, she's really in 
very bad shape.  She needs help... an awful lot of it."  He took a deep 
breath and continued, "Look, I've been teasing you about Mike for a long 
time but I know he's the very best there is at what he does.  I know 
he's booked for fifteen years in advance, but do you think you could get 
him to take a look at Susan and try to work her in?  Money *is not* an 
issue!"

Ginny remained silent for a few moments longer.  When she finally spoke 
it was almost as if she hadn't heard a word Rick had said other than 
Susan's name.  "How soon can I see her?" she asked in the same reverent 
tone.

"Could I bring her over to your place sometime today?  Would that be 
possible?" he asked.

"Could you bring her over right now?" she replied.  Again, there was the 
same strange voice tone.

"We'll be over in less than an hour, if that's convenient," he said.

"Any time would be convenient," she responded and then hung up.

Returning to the kitchen he found Susan still sitting patiently at the 
kitchen table.  "Susan," he said, "This apartment is really kind of 
small - there's only one bedroom.  But I know a big movie star named 
Marcia Matthews who might be able to use you as a maid if you're 
willing.  Are you?"

His heart sank as he saw the light in her eyes suddenly die.  Then she 
smiled very weakly and said, "Thank you, Mr. Jackson, for caring.  I'll 
try to do my very best for Miss Matthews.  When can I meet her and how 
do I get to her house?"

Suddenly Susan's face fell.  "Could I borrow some money?  Maybe five 
dollars?  I'll ask Miss Matthews to send it back to you from my very 
first paycheck.  It's... It's a little hard getting around in Hollywood 
using public transportation."

Suddenly she began to weep in a hopeless-sounding fashion.  He tried to 
take her into his arms, but she wouldn't let him.  She just sat upright 
on the kitchen chair with tears streaming from her eyes.  Looking 
straight ahead, she said, "Sir, that won't be enough.  I need a lot of 
money.  Maybe even fifty dollars.  I have no clothes.  I looked around, 
but I guess you threw out what I was wearing when you met me.  All I 
have is this beautiful bathrobe."  She immediately thought about 
returning it to the store and using the money to buy a blouse and skirt.  
But then she realized that it was monogrammed and was probably not 
returnable.  To her the problem was insoluble.  Fifty dollars was more 
money than she had had in the entire previous year.

Meanwhile Rick was close to tears again.  The pain and humiliation that 
this girl had suffered and was still experiencing was inhuman.  Leaving 
the room for a moment, he picked up some things and returned with three 
large boxes in his arms.  "I think you'll find something here, Susan.  
All of these things are yours."

Susan opened the first box and found brand-new women's clothing - mostly 
sporty things - in the smallest sizes available.  Dropping the robe to 
the floor, she put on a blouse and skirt.  Even though it was the 
smallest size the company made, the skirt almost fell off her body.  She 
was slim-hipped, but all that showed were her very sharp hip bones.  
After he located a couple of safety pins Susan was able to pin the sides 
enough for it to stay on.

Then she looked up at him with tears streaming from her eyes.  "There's 
no way I can thank you, sir.  No way at all!  These are very expensive, 
I know.  Far more expensive than anything I would ever think of buying.  
May I return some so I won't owe you quite so much money?  I won't ever 
be able to wear them all, anyway, and it will take me years to earn the 
money I owe you already."

Rick could scarcely see through the tears that suddenly clouded his 
eyes.  Instead he helped her pack a couple of small bags with the things 
she thought she might need and then carried them down to his car.  After 
helping her in - and getting a curious glance from Susan in the process 
- he got behind the wheel and headed over to Beverly Hills.  Soon they 
reached the gates of Ginny's estate.  Rolling up the driveway, he 
stopped at the gracious entry.

As he got out, the front door opened.  It was Ginny who stood waiting as 
he helped Sue out of his car.  Tears were rolling unchecked down her 
cheeks in twin streams as the girl was helped up the steps.  Susan 
extended her hand and said, "Good morning, Miss Matthews.  Mr. Jackson 
said you might consider hiring me as a maid."  Susan was dumfounded when 
the beautiful woman ignored her outstretched hand and instead took her 
into her arms and just held her close.  Sue looked into the woman's eyes 
and a light of recognition went on in her brain.  She was looking into 
such familiar brilliant emerald- green eyes and seeing hair that was a 
glorious shade of auburn.  "You aren't...  You can't be... Ginny?"

At the sound of her name, Ginny Cameron completely lost control and 
started to bawl like a baby.  Susan could feel her head nod as she just 
wept uncontrollably.  Susan wrapped her arms around the woman and tried 
to comfort her.

This caused Ginny to forcibly pull herself together.  "Susan Jennings, 
you haven't changed a bit!  You're still trying to protect me and 
comfort me, aren't you?"

Embarrassed, Susan just shook her head.  "No, ma'am, Miss Matthews."  
With her face falling she added, "I do apologize for the familiarity, 
though.  Maids certainly don't hug their employers."  Then, with a 
small, very shy little smile she added, "But, Miss Cameron, you look 
simply exquisite!  I'm so very happy for you!"

It was only through an enormous effort of will that Ginny did not 
dissolve into tears again.  Putting her arm under Susan's she escorted 
her through the house and out onto the pool terrace.  There a tall, very 
handsome man was standing waiting for them.

"Susan," Ginny said, "I would like you to meet Mike Chapman, a very dear 
friend of mine."  Looking at him tears started to flow as she said, 
"Mike, I don't know how to introduce Susan to you."  Her voice broke and 
she began to cry again.  "Darling, but for Susan I would have been dead 
four years ago.  What can I possibly call her?"

Susan extended her hand and said diffidently, "How do you do, Mr. 
Chapman.  I'm very pleased to meet you."

Mike knew something of Susan's background and so was watching her 
closely.  As a result, he was able quickly to grab her the instant he 
saw her knees start to buckle.  Helping her to a chair, he took a glass 
of water and held it for her while she sipped.  Looking up at him 
gratefully, she softly added, "Thank you, sir.  I guess I'm not as 
strong yet as I thought I was."  But then with a smile she continued, 
"But I'm sure to be ready to go to work as Miss Matthews maid in just a 
day or so."

Mike's heart twisted listening to this poor tortured girl.  As a plastic 
surgeon he was expert at judging bone structure and unchangeable 
physical characteristics.  Looking at her closely he instantly concluded 
that Susan should be a very beautiful woman.  He said, "Susan, I'm a 
plastic surgeon.  Ginny tells me you have some scars that should be 
tended to.  May I examine you now, please?"

Again his heart was wrenched by her reply: "Of course, sir, but it's 
really very premature.  I had them looked at in a city hospital once and 
it will take years and years for me to save that kind of money..."  
Suddenly her eyes widened and she asked, "Are you Dr. Michael Chapman?"  
He nodded and she just shook her head steadily.  "Thank you, sir, but 
no.  I've heard of you - I guess everyone has.  You are the very best in 
the profession.  I couldn't earn enough in my lifetime to pay your fee 
to remove even one of the scars.  I am... I was... a nurse.  The scars 
are really pretty bad."  Then she brightened and continued, "But they 
don't show at all, so there's really no need to bother."

Mike decided to try a different tack.  "Young lady, you are coming with 
me to a bedroom to be examined.  I cannot accept no for an answer.  
Ginny introduced me as a friend.  Actually, I am her live-in lover and 
am slowly breaking down her resistance to the idea of marrying me.  Your 
reappearance will certainly help.  However, if I don't at least get to 
look at you, I get kicked out on the street.  Since I can't live without 
being able to make love to Ginny's glorious body, I'm afraid it's either 
you or me.  And I'm bigger than you are.  Now let's go!"

He helped her to a spare bedroom and watched as she took off her 
clothes.  Rick and Ginny followed them into the room but stayed in the 
background while Mike took out a pair of magnifying eyeglasses and 
carefully examined Susan's scars.  Then he pulled down the bed covers, 
motioned for her to get in, and then gently tucked her into the bed.

When the three reached the terrace, Mike breathed a heavy sigh.  "That 
is as bad as anything I have ever seen in my life," he said.  "And that 
includes pictures in the medical books, as well.  What happened?"

Although she was quietly crying Ginny looked up at him and said, "That 
poor kid!  Mike, those scars should be mine!  We were both prisoners in 
a North Vietnamese POW camp.  We were ordered to assemble in the center 
of the compound for some reason.  I got up, but fell down again.  I was 
in pretty poor shape at the time.  A guard was going to give me ten 
lashes with his bullwhip.  Before he could swing it, though, Susan 
covered my body with her own.  First, the guard gave her five lashes 
across her back and then motioned for her to roll over."

She looked at him with her green eyes melting with tears and continued, 
"Mike, she turned over and bridged her body over mine.  Blood from the 
cuts on her back was dripping onto me, but she held herself above me 
with her arms and legs to keep from putting any weight on me.  Can you 
imagine?"  Tears were pouring from her eyes as she continued, "I could 
feel her shudder each time the whip cut into her body.  When he 
finished, the chief guard motioned towards a cross they had erected in 
the yard.  I suspect it was Black and his friends that set that one up.  
At any rate, Susan saw the cross, smiled, and then gave me her shirt 
saying she wouldn't be needing it anymore.

"They tied her to the cross in the morning.  That afternoon Rick and his 
men raided the camp.  The last thing I saw was the cross standing bare 
in the compound.  Rick had already taken her down.  It was the last time 
I saw Susan Jennings until this morning."

She looked up at him with hope in her eyes, but with tears streaming 
down her cheeks and said, "Mike, if you will help that girl, I will do 
absolutely anything you ever want.  Anything!  I will be completely 
available to you for any purpose whatsoever."  With her eyes gleaming 
she asked, "Am I making myself clear, Mike?  Absolutely anything!  
Forever!"

Turning to Jackson she said, "Rick, how can I sign over all of my rights 
to the films I've made to Susan?  If it weren't for her I wouldn't be 
here and there wouldn't be any.  Can you do that for me?"

Rick just shook his head doggedly and said, "I could, Ginny, but I 
won't.  Believe me when I say she doesn't need money.  She has all she 
could possibly use.  Mike, if you can make her whole...  If you can even 
make her a little better...  There is no price I will not pay.  I will 
give you absolutely anything!  Mike, for the love of God, please help 
her," he cried.

Chapman had been looking from one to the other.  Without responding 
directly to either of them he picked up the phone and called his 
hospital.  He spoke to the hospital administrator and asked for the 
surgery to be set up for a very special operation.  He ordered his full 
team to be ready for the first operation beginning the following 
morning.  Surgery could take as much as three successive days for the 
first phase alone.  After listening to the administrator's reply he 
said, "Incidentally, there will be no fee either to me or to the 
hospital.  I'll pay the rest of the surgical team myself."  The 
administrator was obviously objecting, but Mike cut him off.  "I have 
generated more revenue for your damned hospital than all of your other 
surgeons combined!  And if you ever want me to operate there again, this 
one is on you.  Is that understood?"

He hung up the phone and glared at the other two.  "As for you, young 
lady, you can start preparing that trim little ass for our wedding.  
Clear?  We will be married in eight or nine months.  Susan Jennings is 
going to be your maid of honor whether you like it or not.  And her 
beauty is going to put yours in the shadows!  When I get finished with 
that girl, she'll be ready to be chosen Miss Universe.  It could even me 
Miss Nude Universe if there is such a thing."

Wheeling on Rick he continued, "And as for you, Jackson, I don't want to 
hear one more fucking word about money.  With the matrimonial concession 
I just won from my friend here, I'm more than happy."

Looking back at Ginny who had brightened appreciably he added, "I'm 
disappointed in you.  My darling, I don't think you even knew it, but I 
did.  Susan Jennings has been the impediment to our getting married.  
There is one thing that bothers me, though, and it bothers me a lot.  
I'm almost certain there is still metal in her body.  We're setting up a 
CAT scan to find out for sure.  But why is it still there?  What 
happened?"

Rick had been watching and listening carefully.  Shaking his head in 
frustration he said, "I don't know.  I did learn this morning, though, 
that Susan was court-martialed and dismissed from the service.  How, 
why, and on what charges, I have no idea.  I'm still trying to find out.  
I do know that it had to have been one of the greatest miscarriages of 
justice in the entire military history of the United States.  I am going 
to get her case reopened as soon as possible."

After listening carefully to the two men Ginny reentered the 
conversation.  "I have an idea.  First, though, Rick, could you see if 
your guy has learned anything?"

Rick called his security chief again and asked, "Brad, what did you find 
out?"

"Chief, you stepped into something.  Is it important?" he asked.

"It is the most important thing in my entire life," he replied.  "Now 
what's the story?"

"The story is that there is no story," the man replied.  "I can't find 
out a single thing except that it apparently did happen about as you 
suspected.  Everything else is up for grabs.  I can't even find out for 
sure where it happened, although I'm pretty sure it was at Subic Bay.  
But, Boss, these things are all supposed to be a matter of public 
record."  He paused for a moment and then continued, "I do know one 
thing, though.  The name, Susan Jennings, is poison!  I started by 
playing dumb.  I said it was a standard prehiring check and was told not 
to hire her - for *any* position!  Christ, Chief, I never got that 
strong a reaction when I was checking on a convicted murderer.  
Something is very odd - and for my money, very wrong."

Rick told the other two what he had just learned.  Looking at Ginny he 
asked, "Okay, what's your idea?"

Looking at them very seriously she said, "I suspected something like 
this.  Let's face it, Rick.  You and I have been turning over every rock 
for years trying to find out anything.  We couldn't even find out if she 
was alive.  Now you learn that any employment check gets a flat no.  
Your security chief is right, too.  Hell, there are convicted child 
molesters driving school busses, so when an official government agency - 
the United States Navy, yet!  - says 'Hell, no!', who's going to argue?  
Mike, what is your professional opinion of Susan's health right now?  
Specifically, is she in shape to meet the press at a press conference?  
Could she take the physical strain?"

Chapman swallowed hard, shook his head and said slowly, "That is the 
toughest girl I have ever seen.  The short answer is that I believe she 
can.  But I don't know if she would be willing.  Why don't you ask her?"

Entering the house, Ginny went to the guest room where Susan was now 
sound asleep and opened the curtains slightly to admit a little light.  
When she sat on the edge of the bed, the slight additional weight was 
enough to awaken the girl.  As soon as Susan realized where she was, she 
tried to scramble out of the bed.  Cameron held her back and, as she 
did, was appalled at how emaciated the girl was.

"How do you feel, Sue?" she asked softly.  "And are you up to meeting a 
few people this afternoon?  And following my lead with them, 
regardless?"

Susan just smiled and stretched.  "Ginny, this bed is so utterly 
delicious!  And I feel so much better now.  Pretty soon - tomorrow, 
maybe - I'll be ready to go to work for you.  But what would you like me 
to do?  I think I could be a pretty good lady's maid.  I can bathe you 
and help you dress and... and... help get you prepared to receive Dr. 
Chapman."  Her eyes sparkled as she continued, "I'll bet he's just great 
with you in bed, isn't he?"  Suddenly Susan reddened as she realized 
what she had just said.  In a subdued voice she finished, "Would you 
like me to wear a uniform?"

Tears began to flow unchecked down Ginny's cheeks.  With a shake of her 
head she exclaimed, "I don't know what Rick Jackson told you or why!  
But that's about enough of this ridiculous nonsense.  You are my house 
guest."  She stopped, looked up at the ceiling and shook her head.  "No, 
that's not right, either.  Let me say it differently:  Susan, this place 
and everything in it are yours.  I will sign over my bank accounts to 
you and give you everything I own. *You* work for *me*?  The very idea 
is ludicrous.  What idiocy!" With green flame coming from her eyes Ginny 
concluded, "Now, once and for all, knock off this shit and answer my 
question.  Do you feel able to meet with some people a little later this 
afternoon?"

All the while Ginny had been speaking, Susan had just been steadily 
shaking her head from side to side.  When Ginny finished, she said, "You 
can't be serious.  The answer is that of course I will meet with your 
friends.  Ginny, I belong to you.  I will do absolutely anything and 
everything you ever ask of me.  So the answer is, of course!

"Beyond that, we'll talk.  But I will not accept charity.  If you will 
not allow me to work for you, I'll have to go back to the street."  
Ginny was still sitting on the edge of the bed.  Now the flow of tears 
gave way to hopeless-sounding weeping.  Susan, remembering the starving 
girl in the POW camp who only hours away from death by starvation could 
still joke, was shocked.  With her eyes wide she asked, "What did I say, 
Ginny?  I didn't mean to hurt you.  I've always tried as hard as I could 
to protect you from any hurt.  What did I do?"

Ginny just yanked the covers off Susan's emaciated body exposing the 
still-very- prominent scars from the bullwhip.  "You sure did, didn't 
you!?" she cried.  "Darling Susan, these scars should all have been 
mine.  Of course, it wouldn't have made much difference, because I would 
have been dead, right?  I could not have survived, could I?"  Susan 
started to shake her head when Ginny took her by the shoulders, shook 
her and screamed, "Could I!?"

Susan, totally bewildered, just shook her head as she looked at her 
dearest friend with tears streaming out of control down her cheeks.  
"But you won't let me do anything for you, will you?" Ginny demanded.  
"Nothing!  All I hear is this... this *insanity*... about being my maid.  
My maid, for God's sake!  Susan Jennings, you don't seem to understand 
that my life has value to me even if it has none for you.  You gave me 
my life, but you refuse to allow me the tiniest expression of my 
gratitude.  Jennings, you are just incredibly selfish!  I just want you 
to think about that."

With that Ginny stormed out of the bedroom slamming the door behind her.  
As the door closed, Susan was still sitting on the bed with a totally 
bewildered expression on her face as tears still flowed down her cheeks.

Ginny ran out on the terrace sobbing uncontrollably with tears running 
unchecked down her cheeks.  Mike Chapman took her in his arms and held 
her close as she cried like her heart was broken.  While he held her 
close he saw Susan, now dressed, padding barefoot out on the terrace 
after her.  "What's wrong, my darling?" Mike asked softly with his mouth 
almost in Ginny's ear.  "What happened?"

Ginny's voice, although muffled by his shoulder, was still clear.  
"Mike, I love that girl so damned much!  Every time I look at her I want 
to cry.  I want to do everything for her, because I love her so much, 
but she won't let me do anything!  Nothing at all!"  Then pulling away 
from Chapman's shoulder she glared at Rick Jackson and demanded, "And 
it's your fault, too, God damn it!  Jackson, what was this idiocy of 
Susan being my maid?  She got the idea from you, you idiot!  Now what am 
I going to do?" she asked with her fists on her hips and green fire 
streaming from her eyes in Rick's direction.

"Kick me in the ass, please?" Susan said softly from behind her.  
Hearing her, Ginny spun around and saw Susan with her eyes wide and a 
very sheepish little smile on her lips.  She continued softly, "That's 
something you could do.  But please be careful.  I'm so bony - there's 
no padding left at all - that you would probably hurt your foot."  With 
a plaintive little smile she concluded, "Ginny, can you ever forgive 
me?"

With an exasperated shake of her head Ginny gathered up the frail girl 
and sat down beside her on a love seat.  "There you go again!" she 
complained.  "Can *I* forgive *you*?  Sue, please just say that you'll 
stay here with me?  I'm not making a film right now, and I have all 
kinds of time.  I will visit you in the hospital after Mike operates.  
He has already scheduled two sets of operations."

Glaring at Susan she continued, "And right now he is so damned mad he 
might carve his initials in both of us.  I've never seen him as mad as 
you made him this morning.  You started it, too, when you said he 
couldn't operate because he was the best and you couldn't afford him.  I 
offered him anything if he would operate," she said and then with a 
little grin, "Even my no-longer-virginal body.  Then your friend, Rick 
Jackson, who, by the way, made Forbes top ten among the richest people 
in the United States, said he could have anything at all."

Glaring at Susan she asked, "What do you suppose Mike replied?"  Susan's 
eyes were wide with wonder.  She could only shake her head.  "I think 
his response was something like, 'Fuck you all!'" Ginny continued.  
"He's doing it for no fee.  Except one," she added with a little smile.  
"I am going to marry him, but I was hoping to do that anyway.  Now, 
Susan Jennings, do you have any problem with Dr. Michael Chapman, FAAPS, 
operating to remove those ugly scars?"

With a kaleidoscope of emotions racing across her face, Susan just 
slowly shook her head and finally said, "Do you mean to say he was mad - 
*at me*!"

Dr. Chapman spoke up.  "You're damned right I'm mad at you.  Of all the 
stinking nerve!  You save the life of the girl I love more than anyone 
in the world - a girl I love more than life itself.  A girl who wouldn't 
marry me - and I'm not sure she even knows this herself - because she 
was trying to find you.  If Ginny Cameron is more important to me than 
my life, you, Susan Jennings, are similarly more important to her.  She 
utterly adores you!  And then you have the nerve to refuse to let me 
operate because I'm too expensive.  The hell I'm too expensive."  
Wheeling around toward Rick he demanded, "Jackson, give me a dollar!"

Rick looked bewildered but gave Mike a dollar bill.  "Okay," he said, 
almost to himself.  "Now you're prepaid.  Jennings, you are a nurse.  Do 
you think ten cents a scar is too much?  If you do, I'll refund the 
difference."  Glaring at her he demanded, "Well?  What do you say?"

Susan could say nothing.  All she did was continue to slowly shake her 
head as if she were trying to clear it.  Finally she said softly, "I 
give up.  I seem to be insulting people left and right this morning by 
refusing help."  With a very bright smile she continued, "So thank you, 
Dr. Chapman.  It would make me very happy for you to operate on me and 
remove these scars."  Her smile was the first real smile they had seen.  
Now Susan's face just glowed with pleasure.

Returning the smile, Ginny picked up the phone.  Reaching a studio 
publicist, she announced a press conference at her estate for that 
afternoon.  Then she gave the woman a list of the media people she 
wanted to have invited.  When the publicist responded that there wasn't 
enough time and, besides, she was booked for the afternoon, Ginny acidly 
replied that it was fine because she wasn't invited, anyway.  She 
slammed down the phone and just glared at it.

Moments later it rang.  The woman had called the studio front office in 
a panic and the studio president was on the line for Marcia Matthews.  
Ginny just passed the receiver to Rick while Susan watched in 
bewilderment, not understanding anything that was going on.  Taking the 
phone Rick said, "Charley, this is Rick Jackson.  You know who I am, I 
hope.  Now what's the problem?"

"Well, yes, sir.  I certainly know the name," came the reply.  "But what 
do you have to do with Marcia Matthews?"

"I don't have very much to do with Marcia, Charley, but I have a great 
deal to do with you."  After a very slight but pregnant pause Rick 
continued, "Who owns the studio, Charley?"

"Why... Why a conglomerate of some kind," the president stammered.  "I 
see a vice president of the company nearly every month.  I think it's 
called Arjay Enterprises, or something like that..."

"It's easy enough for you to check, Charley," Rick interrupted.  "And 
frankly, I'm surprised you haven't done it long before now.  I would 
think you would be more than mildly curious about who it is who's 
signing your paychecks.  If you did check, though, you would find that 
Arjay is derived from initials...  Mine!  In other words, Charley, I 
*own* the joint.  Now what, exactly, did you want to speak to Marcia 
Matthews about?"

"Well, sir, it's this press conference thing.  I mean we try to humor 
our big stars, but..."

"Charley, you are humoring *me*!  If you don't, you're through, 
effective immediately.  In just a few minutes your replacement will be 
taking over your office and he or she will.  Am I making myself clear?" 
Jackson demanded.  After a momentary pause he continued, speaking almost 
to himself, "You know, one of the nice things about owning the joint is 
that I can make things happen once in a while.  Now Marcia gave that 
broad a list of people she wants to have out here this afternoon.  I 
certainly hope she took good and complete notes.  Because, Charley, if 
they are not all out here, you will *both* be looking for jobs."  After 
another pause he concluded, "You know, I think today would be a good day 
for you and your friend to call in your chits.  ALL OF THEM!  
Understood?"  With that he slammed down the receiver.

Susan's eyes were wide and she was shaking her head.  "Richard Jackson, 
you were terrible!  You terrified that poor man.  I have never seen you 
act mean to a living soul before, but you were awful!"

"He's not poor," Rick replied with a grin.  "I pay him half-a-mil a year 
plus bonuses.  On the other hand, your auburn-haired friend here has 
made almost $75 million for me in the last year alone.  Given a 
choice...  That's irrelevant, though.  Sue, you are more important to me 
than life itself.  No one - no one - is going to get in the way of you 
receiving all the help you need."

Then with a wry grin he continued, "Besides, you haven't taken the 
trouble to get to know me very well."  Looking at her with love in his 
eyes he said, "Do you realize you have only known me for about four 
weeks - total!  And that has been spread over more than four years."

The four sat on the pool terrace and discussed arrangements for the 
afternoon press conference.  Before they got started in their talk Rick 
was on the phone to his security chief who gave him the information he 
was looking for before the press conference opened.  While he was 
talking, Mike Chapman was studying Susan carefully and began to feel 
better.  She had reflected on the things both Rick and Ginny had said to 
her and already she was feeling better.  To Mike she seemed to blossom 
like a flower in the sunshine.

But then Chapman kicked Ginny in the foot and whispered, "Just because 
you've started to brag about now being big enough to start thinking 
about a diet, there are others here who need to eat... and eat often!"

Ginny Cameron was chagrined.  Going out to the kitchen she asked Maria, 
her Mexican cook, to prepare huevos rancheros - a spicy Mexican egg 
dish.  Susan tried it and liked it very much.  When Ginny asked her if 
it wasn't too spicy, perhaps, Susan's response was that she was used to 
eating anything edible and more than a few things that weren't.  Maria 
served Susan another small meal just before the press conference was due 
to begin.



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