Luckiest Man In The World - 9. Guess Who's Coming For Dinner!

We still needed to be downtown, so we went back to the hotel. We did connect again. The touching and love did relax him enough to drift off to sleep.

The next few weeks all about going to and from the hospital to the hotel. All of the whiles, I was planning our upcoming wedding. I asked Rain what he preferred, his reply was to simply marry me. That was all he wanted to be sure of. I just wanted to make sure nothing was planned Rain wasn’t aware of and if there was something he didn’t like or want, he would have a voice in that. It was OUR wedding.

Kyle was at the hotel often to just be Kyle, my friend. He would come by for lunch or dinner. Rain, often would be at the hospital, so we would eat at the restaurant or order in Rain’s and my suite. It was in the suite when Kyle asked. “How are you? You’re still the Luckiest Man on Earth, but...how are things with you and Rain?”

Looking at him, I didn’t see the joke or flippant manner he would sometimes get. He seemed genuinely sincere with his question, more accepting and not as protective. “Rain and I are fine. The situation with Lola is taking priority right now, but...as far as being the Luckiest Man...” I shrugged. “I’m glad most of that is done.” I reached over taking Kyle’s hand. “He’s what I was looking for, Kyle.”

“Not just sex,” Kyle said confirming. “I see that.”

“No.” I smiled. “With you, it would have just been sex. You might even have come to like it, but...when Rain touches me. It’s because he wants to. I want to touch him. It’s love. Understand?”

Kyle nodded, squeezing my hand. “I do.” He chuckled and went into his joking mode. “I don’t know, a new city almost every two weeks and the endless parties...I can’t imagine giving that up.”

“No, you can’t.” I agreed with a laugh at what he couldn’t understand. “Have you heard more about Susan?”

He shook his head. “Not yet. She’s in a country that doesn’t really have any extradition. They are looking, I’m told. For him, not her.” He changed the topic again. “The search of the names in Aunt Pearl’s family Bible is ongoing.” He sighed. “It takes time and manpower. We will find a lot of people. Depending on how good the records are...it will take time.”

I nodded. “Going back isn’t necessarily easier. Things like ancestry and genealogy will help.” I looked at Kyle carefully. “You understand why I feel I should do this, right?”

Kyle gave a slight nod. “I do, but...” he looked at me carefully. “Yes, what happened in the past was bad. However, it isn’t costing you anything to make this statement.” He saw my eyes and held up his hand. “Now, hold on...what I’m saying is...you are giving away money that you were given. There is no sacrifice for you. The ones that did enslave these people should pay. Why you?”

I shrugged digging into my shrimp lunch again. “Because I was given the money.” I reasoned. “Whether it is viewed as an empty gesture or out of guilt or some other reason.” I smiled. “I just think we all should apologize. If we are going to grow as a species...or even as an individual race...until we acknowledge errors in thinking or just ignorance. We need to try to right what was wrong...or we won’t grow. Personally, I don’t think we will grow for a while as a species. We see divisions, differences and put people in the...other,” I did finger quotes, “...category because they aren’t like us. Maybe one day we’ll see ourselves as the human race and not black, white or any other category that isn’t us. I celebrate those that are combinations of races. As complicated as the world gets, it gets smaller. Perhaps once all the different races merge and become one race, we’ll really start growing. Until then, acknowledgment of wrongs needs to be done.”

Rain and I finally came up with the idea of what to do for our wedding. A ship. Not a cruise ship. I didn’t want to buy that yacht, but I could rent one. With enough room for not just Rain and myself, but all the guests that were invited could stay comfortably. Our wedding wouldn’t have that many guests. We could marry within the local waters, marry within the waters of the United States and set sail anywhere we wanted. No city to visit, with no extra guests. The daily hospital visits by Rain and myself. She was recuperating. We asked the doctors if taking her out on a ship would be alright with her.

“Your wedding is in June.” The doctor said to confirm. “She should be back to a regular routine by then.” Then she smiled and held her finger up. “With a few changes.”

“Such as?” Rain asked.

“We have begun getting her up every day. She will need to exercise daily. Take a lot of walks.” The doctor began. “She’s doing well. We will prefer she be on a low sodium diet, which I’ll make sure you have ideas for.”

Rain grinned. “There are some things we might have to...motivate her to do, but...the diet thing.” He nodded. “I think she’ll just have to.” He shrugged.

The doctor nodded and looked at me. “You said you were hiring a home nurse.”

“I am.”

“She will be told what to look for, but...we were and will be concerned about bleeding.” She said. “We will watch for infections and fevers, but so far, it’s all good.”

“How delicately should we treat her?” Rain asked. “She doesn’t like being hovered over or babied.”

The doctor nodded. “She had a heart attack.” She said simply. “There was damage, but she needs to get up and move. She shouldn’t lift heavy things. Nothing over ten pounds, but she needs exercise. That needs to happen.”

“She will be hard to get to do anything she doesn’t want to do.” Rain grimaced. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her exercise.”

“She’ll do better if she does.” The doctor smiled.

Getting Lola to her new home with Rain and me. This was a bit much for her. In just a nice dress, which Rain picked out. We took her. We didn’t transport her in a limo or anything. A simple SUV. She was independent, not allowing me or Rain help her much as we got her in or out of the car. She looked at the house from the outside. Aunt Pearl, dressed simply to work in her garden, came around from the walled garden carrying some roses she had arranged in a vase.

“It’s a pleasure meet you, Ms. Stevens.” Aunt Pearl greeted coming over and shaking Lola’s hand. “Welcome to Bonnie Glenn.”

“Thank you.” Lola nodded and looked at the large home. “You live here,” Lola observed to Rain, me and Aunt Pearl, which was said as a statement, not a question.

“Lovingly restored, but yes.” Rain nodded offering his hand and wasn’t offended when she didn’t take it. Rain turned her around to face him. “It’s not a statement to refuse help, Lola. You had a heart attack. Help is warranted now. Accept it from someone that loves you?”

“I couldn’t disagree with you more, Rain.” Aunt Pearl said smiling at him. She looked at Lola compassionately. “I assume you’ve given to others because it is right.”

Lola nodded. “Of course.”

“Did they ever refuse to take it?” Lola asked. “Being a giver is wonderful. Being a good receiver is just as important.” She shook her head. “We are used to doing for ourselves so long. I couldn’t get Bonnie Glenn back,” she looked at the house behind her, “and improved without help.” She shook her head. “It is a statement not accepting help. You think you don’t deserve it?”

“I’m not used to getting this sort of...attention.” Lola said softly.

“Rain loves you. He worried day and night about you.” Aunt Pearl pointed out. “You did a great job raising him. He is a beautiful soul.”

Lola nodded with a smile. “He is.” She touched Rain’s face lovingly.

Aunt Pearl nodded. “Then, accept his love…accept their help graciously. If not now, when will you allow yourself to be helped? He and Eric think you are worthy. I say you are.”

Lola sighed and nodded, allowing Rain to help her up the stairs.

Stairs were going to happen in the South. The first floor was really on the second floor. In the foyer, we were greeted by a happy and excited bark as Lucky scrambled down the stairs to greet us. Our beloved dog, who was now about six or seven months old was becoming more of a dog than a puppy now.

Rain looked at his grandmother knowing how she felt about pets. “And before you say it. This is Lucky, a member of our family. He is not a slave as you saw them as.”

Lola nodded as Lucky was wagging his tail again so fast as he was petted by both Rain and myself. “Lucky?” She shook her head looking around the grand structure. “That’s an appropriate name for him. This is some doghouse.”

I nodded. “If anything, Rain and I are his slaves. It is his doghouse.” I chuckled picking Lucky up and received the happy licks. “He is very much loved.”

Getting her to the room she was to live in, we took the new elevator. She was to exercise, but she had been exercising since she left the hospital be out and about. Waiting for her was Kelly, her nurse, dressed as just a woman in clean and nice clothes, but no uniform needed. Aunt Pearl placed the vase of flowers on the dresser.

“Hello, Ms. Stevens.” The woman, a woman in her forties greeted extending her hand. “I’m Kelly Preston. I’ll be monitoring how you are doing.” She chuckled. “I will warn you, you are in charge of your own life, but I have been put in charge of what you need to do. I ask you to follow directions. No nonsense. Your grandson warned me.” She held her hand out. “One of those things is to keep track of your vital signs. If I may?” She waved to the large bed. “Please sit and I’ll take your pulse and temperature.”

Lola frowned. “My heart’s still beating.” She groused.

Rain growled. “Lola.”

“I know, I know,” Lola replied in a mutter but did as instructed.

I grinned. “Well, it won’t be dull around here!”

The only reply from Rain was a grunt.

I did arrange for the yacht I got from Florida. They heard who it was and said they’d send the best. It would be ours for two weeks. Rain and I had been together now over a year and wanted to marry, but a honeymoon would happen later when we flew to our new house in Sydney, Australia. Yes, I know it wasn’t fair. Taking all this kind of time off, but...take the need to make money out of the situation was new and...you know you would do it, too. You guess the right numbers next time and see for yourself!

I worked. I was at the hotel every day. I worked with Tom every day. There was always the employee that didn’t do what they were supposed to or did something they weren’t supposed to. There were expenses that needed attention and was done. The hotel had to support itself and make a profit. That needed to be monitored. I was still watched by security to prevent me from becoming a victim of someone or something so now I just didn’t think about it. They were there. Karen Walker was right, my life would never be the same. Rain did try to return to where he was with school and was taking other courses as he could.

I had begun my search for the descendants of who had been forced to work on Bonnie Glenn. It was a month after that had begun when Kyle came to the hotel. He hadn’t called first. He didn’t have to. He knew where I’d be.

The door to my office was open and I saw the familiar head appear. “Hi!”

I brightened at his smiling face. “Hi!” I said waving him in.

Kyle grinned approaching my desk. “Well, I have some answers to what you wanted to do.” He held up his shiny tablet. “I have names, but I thought you’d want to see this one.”

Curious, I looked at his tablet. I saw the name and I vaguely knew it. Isabel Watkins, now known as Isabel Washington, but I saw her husband’s name. “No way!”

Kyle nodded. “Yes way, he’s at the hotel’s front entrance.” He thumbed over his shoulder. “I just saw him.”

Isabel was Quinton’s wife! My friend Quinton! “How do I tell them?” I wondered aloud to no one really, getting up from my chair. “This needs to be handled right.” I sighed and looked at Kyle. “To get compensation for what her great-great whatever father did all those years ago!?”

Kyle nodded. “Well, I know you. Rip that bandaid right off.”

I sighed. “Yes, I do that, but...Quinton’s a friend.” I headed to the door of my office. “You’re getting more and more names?”

Kyle nodded. “I am. You agreed, a quarter of a million for each in the direct line. They distribute it from there.” He waved at the tablet. “She’s the only one in that direct line.”

“And her and Quinton’s children,” I said and headed through the bustling lobby toward the sunfilled front entrance. I came up next to my friend as he shut a door to a taxi that a guest was taking somewhere. “Quinton.”

Quinton turned and instantly put on his handsome smile. The thing about him was, he meant it. He was a happy man! “Hi.” He looked and...I guess my face showed something as the smile sort of faded on Quinton. He looked at Kyle, too, knowing something was up. “What?”

“There is...something we need to discuss.” I began hesitantly. “Only, I need Isabel with you to do it.”

Quinton now was puzzled. “Izzy? Is something wrong?”

I shook my head putting a hand on his arm. “No, neither of you did anything wrong, but...there is something we need to discuss.” I thought a moment how to say it right. “You’re off Monday night.” I then shrugged. “Hell, I own the damned hotel, you can take a night off...with pay! Pick a night that Isabel is off and you two...or all four come to Bonnie Glenn for dinner.”

Quinton was now really curious. “Can I know why?”

“If I say...” I huffed, “Quinton, it will be positive. I need to do it with both of you. It’s a correction for something in the past. Not by me personally, nor to either of you personally. It’s just something that needs to be done.” I smiled at him. “It is long overdue compensation. Are you busy Friday night?”

Quinton shook his head. “I was just working. Izzy’s off.”

“Well, I’ll send a car for you all,” I said. “Not dressy. Come as comfortable as you like. Please, come?”

Quinton nodded. “Okay, you’re the boss.” He grinned.

“I am the owner, so, yes, I am.” I shook his hand. “I’ll send the car around at...when?”

“We normally eat about seven o’clock,” Quinton said. “Anytime is fine.”

“I’ll have the car there by six!”

I sent the limousine to their apartment to be there at six. They arrived just before seven o’clock where Rain and I greeted them at the front door.

Isabel was a lovely woman in her late twenties. Her dark hair done and dressed in a simple, but elegant dress. Quinton in nice slacks and shirt. With them were two little boys, the oldest about seven. The younger about four. Both boys took after their father. A beautiful family.

Quinton motioned to his wife. “You know this is Isabel.” He touched each boy on the head as he introduced each. “The oldest is Tyler and this is Toby.”

I grinned at them shaking their hands.

“That was a big car!!” Toby told me amazement with all the excitement of a four-year-old.

I chuckled and nodded. “I know, it is!” I turned to Rain. “This is the man I’m marrying in June. Rain Stevens.”

Isabel chuckled. “I know the whole world know about you two and who you are.” She shook her head. “When Quinton said he knew you, Mr. Mitchel, I thought he was joking. Then you invite to the Christmas...” She looked at the foyer. “I can’t believe we’re here. I mean just us. So, it must be true. This is beautiful!”

“Thank you. My name’s Eric, please?” I said.

“I’m Rain.” Rain said.

“Quinton knows me.” I said waving them in further. “We’ll sit down for dinner, but I know you’re curious as to why I invited you.”

Quinton grinned. “Ya think?”

I chuckled as we went into the library/music room. “I said, I know you are, Quinton.” I waved at Kyle and Aunt Pearl who were there, too. “You know my good friend Kyle Walters.” I waved at Aunt Pearl. “This is Pearl O’Grady. This is her home.”

There were the greets again.

“I will be blunt,” I said as Kyle walked over and handed me his tablet. I hit the black screen and a file we had brought up came to life. Handing the tablet to Isabel. “Do you know this name?”

Isabel looked, but there was no connection. “Not really. Why?”

Kyle nodded. “Because he is your great-great-great...whatever grandfather. Twenty to thirty years each down in generations.” Kyle said calmly. “He worked here.”

Aunt Pearl walked forward. “Oh, Kyle, just say it. He was a slave. He was my great grandfather’s property.” She said bitterly. “I don’t pussyfoot around either. What was done to your grandfather and many here should never have happened.” She said now a little angry. “There is no excuse.”

Isabel wasn’t shocked, but like Quinton, curious as to why this grandparent she didn’t know and why they were there now.

I smiled at Aunt Pearl. “That’s right, Aunt Pearl.” I looked at Kyle, who handed me an envelope. “While this won’t undo what happened.” I handed her the envelope. “I wish to say, I am so sorry.”

Isabel took the envelope. “There were many slaves. I descended from one. Quinton, too.” She said and opened the envelope. She looked at it and almost lost her balance as her eyes grew.

Quinton’s eyes grew seeing his wife’s name written on it. He was looking over her shoulder and had to catch her to keep her upright. Taking the check he read to be sure. “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars!?”

“All of it,” Kyle stressed. “Any tax will be paid by Eric. You get the whole thing.”

I nodded sadly. “That’s right. I can’t undo what happened. This should be so much more...”

Aunt Pearl walked over. “I should be paying, not Eric. It was the thoughtlessness of my forefathers that did this...crime.”

I looked at her shaking my head. “Aunt Pearl...we are all guilty. Not just your family. I know without a doubt there were many murderers, rapists, thieves, and others...many who had slaves in my family line.” I looked at Quinton and Isabel. “I wondered why my numbers I had chosen came up. I didn’t know what to do with all that money. I just thought, if we don’t acknowledge what happened...take some responsibility, we will never get past it.”

Quinton shook his head. “But it’s not fair. You aren’t a bigot!”

“Oh, but I am,” I admitted sadly. “The first thing I recognize is a person is their race.” I shrugged. “I looked at you...the first thing I saw was you’re African-American. That needs to stop. I hope there will come a time when we see a person and our first thought is they are a person. Not their color or race.” I waved at the check. “What you do with this token apology is up to you: put if for your children’s future, buy a house...whatever you decide.” I grinned, having told Rain, he wasn’t surprised when I added. “Of course, I didn’t take too long to realize your charm, Quinton.” I waved at him. “I’m gay! I quickly noticed! Hell, I had a few fantasies about you!” Then I remembered his children and looked for them, they were wandering around looking at things at a distance, but in sight. I turned back to Isabel. “Sorry, but he is handsome and charming.” I shrugged hoping she would see I was helpless not to see it any other way.

Isabel was getting adjusted to the shock, but looked up hearing me, but understood me now. “What? Oh, yes...well, he can also be infuriating!” She grinned, not bothered at all.

I laughed. “Of course, he can be infuriating,” I said simply. “He’s male!” I said as if that explained it all.

Quinton’s grin grew. “You never said a thing!” Quinton shook his head.

“What should I have said!? Let's find a quiet and secluded spot and have sex!? We were both married!” I stated and then nodded. “Okay, I was getting a divorce, but...you were happy with her, so I wouldn’t have dared!” I cocked my head. “I hope I didn’t ruin our friendship. I like you, Quinton. I always have.” I looked at Isabel. “I would love to reward your grandfather, but since I can’t. I will try to make good what happened to his grand-daughter and her husband.”

Isabel was now crying as she held the check and the launched herself at me hugging me. “Thank you, Eric.” She then went to Rain and did the same thing.

Quinton came over and wrapped his arms around me. “No, we are still friends.” He said to me in the tight hug. “We are good friends.” He grinned as he let me go a little as he ran his hand over his body. “But I don’t think you could handle this.”

Rain let out a loud, “Ha! You couldn’t handle HIM!” He came up beside me and put his arms around me. “He’s insatiable! I can barely handle him!”

“And you aren’t!?” I chuckled and turned to them. “I’m sending one in the mail, but...you all need to come to our wedding.”

Isabel was being hugged by her husband. “Oh, we will be there!”