part 6

The moon shone brightly through the window, lighting the floor next to the bed like a spotlight on a stage.  I lay there staring at it, unable to sleep.  Barely able to breathe.

I didn’t know what I would do without Trey.  This was so close and I really had to think about what if it had gone the other way.

Throughout the day I had held out hope, like I knew that he was still alive.  My logical side said, “think differently girl, he’s gone.”  But somehow I ‘Knew” he would be back.

His arm came across me and cupped by breast.

“You need to sleep Princess.” He whispered. “Everything is fine.  Even the plane will be when they get it back to be repaired.  No harm, no foul.”

“Screw the plane, Trey.” I started to cry, “I was so lost without you, I didn’t know what to do.  And then there was the dream….”

“The dream?  The one you had in Watkins?.” He asked suddenly awake.

“Yes, that one.” I said, “I, I couldn’t tell you about it because…”

“Wait,” he said.  “Before you start let me tell you my dream.  I don’t want you to think your dream is making me say things.”

I sat up in bed and looked at him.

“OK, you started all this.” I stated,  “so let’s hear your side.”

“I was born in Ireland, the eastern side.  My family had an estate and some land where we raised sheep and horses.  But things weren’t good.  I had three brothers and two sisters so none of the land would ever come to me.

“I was out walking the hill, looking for any sheep that may have strayed away.  The locals were not above stealing them on occasion to feed their families and although we didn’t pursue them, we didn’t like losing them either.

“As I crested a hill, I saw a woman, golden red hair flowing in the breeze, looking east toward the ocean and letting the breeze and the sun caress her face.  I stared for a long while, watching her.

“I walked toward her but she didn’t hear me coming and finally I called to her.”

“Which star did you fall from, do you need help getting back so that the sky won’t seem darker?”

“I’m…I’m sorry Sir, I was just walking and this spot called to me.  I’ll be moving on.”

“Wait, who are you and where are you going?” I asked.

“My name’s Kathleen.  Kathleen McLaughlin.  My family live down in Galway . We lost the farm to taxes.  So I am looking for work as a domestic.”

“You’re much too pretty to scrub floors.”

“You are kind sir, but I’ve done it afore.”

“Come follow me,” I said and led her over the hill to where my home was. 

“It isn’t mine, mind you, it’s me father’s, but Kathleen, if you’ll be me wife I will build you a mansion.  Far away from here.”

“How could she refuse a proposal like that?  And we left Ireland and sailed to America.  We had heard of free land where you could build your own world.  And that was how we came to the grasslands of the prairie.  We staked a homestead, near a small creek and I built her a home.  A home of dirt, mud and grass.  I promised her that someday I would build her a mansion worthy of her status and beauty.

We lived there four years.  I never got to the mansion, but we had a fine farm.  160 acres with the creek so we could irrigate and grow some crops.   Chickens, ducks and geese filled the yard and two milk cows in the barn.  The fowl adored her following her like the pied piper as she fed them. She cried every time she had to kill one.  The extra milk we sold to neighbors who would stop by and we made cheeses.  I would have enough money soon to really build her the house she needed.

“But then one day, as wont in that area of the world, there came a huge storm.  Thunder, lightning, hail…and rain.  Lots of rain.  Our farm was set back far enough that our creek didn’t flood us, but our neighbors…the Smits or Smiths…”

“Schmidt’s,” I whispered.

“OK… were in need of help.  So I rode over and helped them move their belongings and livestock up a hill.  But there was a wee calf, no more than a week old, stranded on a sand bar.  His mother crying to him and him was crying back.  I told mister….”

“Schmidt…” I filled him in,

“Schmidt to hold onto the end of a long rope and I would tie it to the calf bring it back.  The creek was usually no more than knee high but now it flowed to my chest and fast..  The rope would save me if I should slip somehow.

“All went well until my foot found a hole.  I went under, over my head and in my panic let go of the rope.  My head hit something solid then and I saw stars…then nothing…nothing save the image of a woman on a hillside calling me back”

I was suddenly very cold.  The dreams were the same.  Somehow we had the same dream. Could it be that we had been together before.

“Trey,” I said softly, “That was my dream too, except I saw you wave goodbye from the hill and I saw…”  I started to cry and tears soaked my face… “I saw your grave.”  Then I started to cry hard.  “Don’t ever do that to me Trey…please don’t leave me,”

He held me tightly.

“I was sure you had done that again.  I was sure I would be alone.” I sobbed.

“Princess, you will never be alone, I will make sure of that.”

Part V

30

Back at home now and things had settled into a pattern.  We were both busy with our jobs.  We spent the weekends together yet the weekdays apart.

The holidays were coming.  The leaves had fallen and the bleakness of the city had replaced the lushness of the summer and fall.  I often wondered about my friend the chipmunk and hoped I had supplied him enough for the winter.

Thanksgiving was a week away.  Mister Hughes Senior, though actually a junior because Trey’s grandfather was the first Thomas McHane Hughes, treated me like his daughter-in-law, well more like a daughter.  He had invited us to join him and Trey’s stepmother in Georgia for the week.

I arranged it with my boss.  He could hardly refuse since my district was top in the nation for “Laviserctial” the new treatment for Melanomas, mast cell and squamous cell tumors.  It would be fun being with the whole Hughes clan.

We had the corporate jet back. There was an abandoned airstrip they had found.  It was a minor fuse issue that shut down navigation and communication and often I thought how a $5 piece could have changed my life forever.  In truth it had as I still could not get the image of the pioneer grave from my mind.

Trey had not mentioned it again.  Men are like that, moving on, especially if it doesn’t affect the here and now. 

We would be staying in a restored antebellum mansion not far away from Atlanta.  I loved history, so this would be exciting.

The weather was perfect when we arrived in Atlanta and Tom Sr. rented us a car for the hour drive.  Here, fall was still in swing, the trees still had leaves and the grass was still green.  I watched from the passenger front seat as Trey drove.

“My this is lovely,” Mrs. Hughes, Sherrie, said.   “Maybe you boys should move the headquarters down here?

“Mon amie, “ Tom Sr. replied, “But then I would have to travel north to see you.”

“Silly, “ she nudged him, “we could both move down here.”

“Susan would have to quit her job.” Trey said, “Although I don’t see a downside to that.”

I thought for a moment.  My accounts were in Kentucky, Ohio, Southern Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia.  I could do this.

“I would have to visit corporate sometimes, but I think it’s doable.” I said to the window.

“Really?” Trey said.  “You would move here if we moved the office?”

“I would move to hell if you were there.” I stated.

“Things would be different here.  I’m not sure how they would feel about…” he stopped and I knew what he meant.

“Go ahead finish, I’m sure your mom and dad have figured it out.”

“I’m sorry, Princess but the thought of anyone treating you badly bothers me.” He said. “Attitudes down here are different.”

“My area is the south, I know attitudes.”

“But you don’t stay long. You come and go and you only contact the medical and hospitality people.  The people at the Publix and Piggly Wiggly are different.”

“OK your point is taken,” I said, angry now that this even came up. What about no past, only our lives now?  I stared out the window.

“Princess…” He started.  I turned away more.  “Princess, Susan, love of my life, if you want to move here, I will and damn the torpedoes.  It will be fine I’m sure.”

Tom Sr added, “And I hear taxes are lower too.”

“That’s the closer pop.” Trey laughed, “Living with my Princess and making more money.”  They both laughed, but I was still annoyed.  I love Trey with every bit of my being and when I had been with him the whole “You are trans” thing had disappeared from my mind.  But he still saw that, in whatever small bit it was, and I wondered if it bothered him.

The mansion was gorgeous; it had been used as a front for several movies about the Civil war.  Inside there were 10 suites and the main floor was just like it would have been in 1849.  Well except there was electricity, plumbing and WiFi.    The grounds were immaculate and after settling into our suite Trey and I took a walk.

I held his arm and leaned my head into his shoulder.

“It bothers you still doesn’t it?”  I asked.

“What? Princess.”

“That I was a man once.”

He stopped and turned me toward him.

“Stop that, stop that right now.” He said strongly.  “That isn’t important to me at all.  I thought we had settled this before.”

Tears were now flowing down my face.  I looked at him “’people will treat you differently here…’” I repeated

“I didn’t mean…  I mean I didn’t …damn, “he sat down on a bench and looked up at me. “I said that, didn’t I?”

“Yes you did.” I wiped a tear from my cheek.  “It bothers you doesn’t it?”

“No,” he said quietly, “it doesn’t ‘bother me’.  I worry about you.  I could never see you hurt in any manner.  Even now, inside I am so sorry that this is hurting you.  I want so much in my soul for you to be happy.  Not have to worry about anything.  But I see, sometimes, that people look at you.”

“I know, I’ve learned to ignore it.”

“I should too, then.” He said.  “Do you want to move here?”

“I want to be with you, it doesn’t matter where.”

“OK, then it’s settled except one thing.”

“What?”

“That when we do move down here, you live with me.”

“I can do that,” I said, “But I won’t be Scarlett O’Hara.  I won’t dote on you.”

“Sure you will darling.” He goes into his Clark Gable mode. “’ Here's a soldier of the South who loves you, Scarlett. Wants to feel your arms around him, wants to carry the memory of your kisses into battle with him. Never mind about loving me, you're a woman sending a soldier to his death with a beautiful memory. Scarlett! Kiss me! Kiss me... once...’”  he kissed me hard on the lips.  My tears stopped.

“There’s a part of that movie, where Scarlett is talking to mammy,” he continued, “and mammy says ‘Savannah would be better for ya. You'd just get in trouble in Atlanta.’ You won’t get into trouble in Atlanta will you?”

“Of course I will, you know me.”

Back into his Rhett Butler mode “I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'll never understand or forgive myself. And if a bullet gets me, so help me, I'll laugh at myself for being an idiot. There's one thing I do know... and that is that I love you, Scarlett. In spite of you and me and the whole silly world going to pieces around us, I love you. Because we're alike. Bad lots, both of us. Selfish and shrewd. But able to look things in the eyes as we call them by their right names. …you won't come to me as you did to the jail, so I see I shall have to marry you. Did you ever think of marrying just for fun?”

I stared at him “Are you asking or just quoting lines from a movie?”

“Asking.” He said

“Didn’t we discuss this?”

“We did, but that was then and this is now.  Call it selfish, call it male pride, call it whatever, but would you marry me?”

“For fun?”

“For life.” He corrected.

“Let me think about it…” I said.  He was always quoting movies, I think that is a male thing they do because they can’t think of words on their own, so I decided to turn it back on him.  I thought of Beetlejuice and when he was taking his vows…

“’Oh geez, I don't know. I mean, it's kind of a big decision isn't it? I mean, I always said if I ever did it, I was gonna do it once and that was it. Oh, well.’  Yes.”  I said

He grabbed me around the waist and spun me around, lifting me off the ground.

“’This can be the start of a beautiful friendship.’” He said.

31

We had one more Christmas with snow.  It was a “Wonderful Life” Christmas.  Trees and friends and pretty packages.  Family gathered in their robes on Christmas morning drinking coffee and opening gifts. 

I toned it down considering the night before I had gone to bed in a red teddy with white fur trim.  I slipped on a long red gown and a satin robe before going down to see Tom Sr. and Sherrie.

Trey did the honors of handing out gifts.  I couldn’t help but feel a little sad that this was the end of the genetic line for the Hughes family.  Trey was an only child and there was no way I could give them an heir.  Not that I was against practicing the act, but that was the one thing the surgeon couldn’t give me.

We sat back after opening the gifts and I could feel the love this family had for each other.  I had not had that before.  My life was a constant fight to either stay hidden or to stay alive.

I thought back.

I had joined the military to break the feeling I had inside that I was really a woman.  What better place than the military?   Wasn’t the ad “We make men”? 

The constant physical training did take my mind off it but it still hung there in the back like an old coat.  While the others were thinking of how and with whom to spend their leave, I stayed back.   I worked my way up in rank.  I worked to get every award I could.  This caused the others to make fun of me.  Spit and polish.  But it was self preservation.

I earned awards for bravery in a mission we could never discuss.   Bronze star and purple heart.  But the reasons stated on the paper were not what we had done.

With time though the old feelings returned.  I did start going out as a woman when I was on leave.  I would take extreme care to remove any vestiges when I returned.  And it almost worked.

I was at a bar one night.  Sitting at the bar like when I met Trey, alone not looking for anything, just enjoying the freedom to be who I was.  Then three men came in, all from my unit.  I tried to hide as best I could hoping to leave before they noticed.  It wasn’t to be.

“Wow, look here guys, isn’t she pretty?” Al, one of the guys below me in rank said, “Hey sweetie want to make a soldier happy?”

I tried to turn away but there was Ben another sergeant in my unit. “Aw now don’t be shy, we’re just looking for a little fun.”  I was stuck now and for the moment they didn’t know who I was.  I looked to the bartender who just shrugged his shoulders.

Al had his hand on my knee now and was moving toward my hem.  It was stupid to wear stockings but I had. 

“Nice, “he said, “Very nice.  You work out?”

A hand was now on my back sliding toward the bra strap;

“C’mon honey, just for a little while, come sit with us.” Ben whispered, “We can make you feel real nice.  I’ll show you my scar.”

The third member, Mike, we called him Mikey because he was so young, just stood there looking uncomfortable.  I tried to catch his eye.

Al grabbed Mikey’s hand and slid it under my skirt.

“What’s the matter kid, don’t know what to do with a girl?”

I grabbed his hand, pulled it out and pushed Mikey into Al, then I grabbed Al’s throat.

“Turn and walk out, now, or I will break you in half.” I hissed.

“Holy shit,” Al gasped, “It’s…”

“Yeah, it’s me, asshole.  And if you breathe a word I will make sure your nuts are in a pickle jar.  Now all three of you get out.”

They backed out the door, their eyes as big as they could get.  These were the same men who saved my life not 6 months earlier.  Now I had thrown them out.  I knew it would be the end.  They would talk to someone, not being mean but probably more thinking it was funny.  Somehow this would reach command.

Two weeks later it did.  I was called into the Major’s office.  I stood at attention in front of him.  I was blinking rapidly to not cry.

“Well?”

“Well what? sir.” I asked

“Is it true?”

“I’m going to say yes if you are talking about leave.”

“Yes, that’s what I’m talking about.” He said dejectedly, “I was hoping you would deny it..”

“I can’t, sir.” I said.

“Why?”

“Because it’s true.”

“No, why did you do it?  Was it just a one time thing?”

“No, sir, it’s an all the time thing.  It is who I am.”

“Can you put it away?  I can pretend it didn’t happen, transfer you to another unit, another MOS.”

“No, sir it will happen again I’m afraid..”

“I have no choice then.”

“I guess not, sir.”

“You are confined to the NCO quarters until the papers come through, less than honorable you know.”

I nodded, no longer able to keep my emotions in check.

“I wish I didn’t have to do this.” He said quietly.

“I understand sir. May I go now?”

“Yes you are dismissed.”

I did an about face and started out of the office.

“Wait,” he called.  I stopped and turned around.  “What’s your name, miss?”

“Susan, sir.” I replied.

“Your last name?” he asked

“I had not thought about it but since I am being drummed out, March seems to fit.”

“Miss March, I wish you the best.”

32

“There’s one more Trey.  Santa put it in the braches, see it?” Tom Sr. called out.

“OH,” Trey said, “I didn’t see it, it’s so small.  But let’s look at it..” he pulled the ring box out and read the tag.  “Why, it’s for Susan.” They were all such bad actors.  He handed it to me.  Inside was an engagement ring with a large stone.

“I…I don’t know what to say, other than Trey you shouldn’t have.  My other ring is just fine.”

“That’s a friendship ring, this is a ‘will you marry me’ ring.  Big difference.” He told me.

“I already said yes.” I whispered, “We didn’t need this.”

“I did,” he said, “It makes me feel better about taking you away from the world.”

I slipped the other ring off and moved it to my right hand, then slipped the diamond on my left.

“Perfect fit,” I said.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Miss Susan March, my Princess in life, will you marry me?”

“Really?  Didn’t we discuss this in the garden in Georgia?” I asked.  “OK for the last time, not only yes but hell yes.”

33

People fear a lot of things they don’t understand.  Snakes, thunder, transsexuals.  Georgia now had all three.   Where I used to live you could disappear.  The city didn’t notice or care.  You could go out to eat or shop and when you got home you went to your quiet little apartment and no one even knew you were there.  In the “burbs” that isn’t the case.

By February, the Eastern offices of Hughes Investments were relocated to Georgia,   For some odd reason I thought being outside of the downtown area would be fun.  So just a little outside Atlanta, we found offices and a house.

With the jet, getting to either of the other satellite offices, Denver or LA, was easy and Trey’s clientele were satisfied to do most the funding over the phone or on the internet.  Tom Sr. didn’t do a lot of traveling.  He handled the mundane.  Talking to people with money and golfing.  Trey did the major work of traveling to meet clients or set up new accounts.  Two or three times a month he would board the Hondajet and be away for a few days.  I never slept on those days until he called..

But, my job kept me busy and I tried to arrange to be out of town when he was.  The rest of the time I spent at home.  We chose an area where people our age and income level lived.  I know that sounds bad, but we thought we could make more friends that way.

The day we were moving in a few neighbors came to call.  This is a southern tradition from what I understand, but I think it was more reconnaissance.  I was in shorts and a sweatshirt with my hair tied back, but made it a point to have my makeup as perfect as possible.  I was putting things under the sink in the kitchen (the one room I had no idea what it was for) when the first people arrived.

Ron and “Tiff” came bearing a bottle of wine.  Trey opened the door for them.

After introductions, he brought them back where I was.

“Princess,” he said, “this is Ron and…”

“Tiff,” she finished for him.  “Delta Gamma.”

I looked over at Trey and he shrugged.

“Hi, I’m Susan…..um…boomchakalakka?”

“You  aren’t Greek are you?”

“No,” I said, “American”

She got a look of disgust on her face. 

“Did you go to college?” she said slowly like I didn’t know English.

“Yes I did,” I answered back just as slowly, “I have masters in business.”

“Must have been a northern school.”

“Is Ohio State north?”

“Why yes, yes it is, “ Tiff smiled.

“Then that wasn’t it.” I said and went back to putting glasses away.

“Tiff went to UGA “ Ron said.

I looked over my shoulder and winked at him.  He was staring at my ass so he didn’t see it.

“Really? What position?”” I asked.

“Susan!” Trey said sharply.  He rarely called me Susan except when he was annoyed.

“I’m sorry, that was rude.  Lack of manners up north I guess.” I said, turning to face the couple. “Let’s start again.  Hi, I’m Susan, Susan March.  This is my fiancée Thomas.”

“Trey,” he said,”we met at the door.”

“Say, Trey, honey,” I said, “why don’t you open that wine and pour half of it in my…I mean pour me a glass and one for Tiff too.  Then show Ron, whatever you boys show each other in the den,”

Trey shot me an evil look but poured me a glass of wine, then as he handed it to me he leaned in and whispered in my ear “Be good, these are people from the neighborhood.”

“Love you too dear,” I said as he moved away. “Tiff come with me, let’s have a seat in the dining room.”

We went and sat down across from each other at the table.

“I’m sorry, Tiff, I’m tired, forgive my insolence?

“Sure, sugar,” she said with a sneer, “may I ask, what’s your background?”

MY mind went to Beetlejuice again,  “Ah. Well... I attended Juilliard... I'm a graduate of the Harvard business school. I travel quite extensively. I lived through the Black Plague and had a pretty good time during that. I've seen the EXORCIST ABOUT A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES, AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT...” but I held that back.

“I’m not sure what you mean.” I said looking down at my glass.

“Well, it’s just that we don’t see many of you around here.”

“Tall blonde drug dealers?”

“No honey,” she said, “You know…”

“No but I have a guess.”

“I mean Trey doesn’t even look gay.”

“Good thing too since he isn’t” I said curtly.

“Oh then he doesn’t know?”

I was just about to throw the wine at her when the door bell rang again so I just smiled and said “Excuse me a moment.”  I quickly headed to the front door.  Another couple stood there with another bottle of wine and a bottle of whiskey.

“Hi!” the man said, “I’m Chuck Benneman and this is my wife, Jennifer.” He handed me the wine, ” We live across the street.”

I took the wine and motioned them to come in. “I’m Susan, my fiancée Trey is right through there,” I motioned to the den,” and I’m sure whiskey would be welcome.  I know it would be for me.  Jennifer, come with me, Tiff is in the other room.”

Jennifer stopped and touched my arm “Oh God, she hasn’t said anything has she?”

“About???” I asked.

“You,” she said quietly.

“It may have come up.” I said, “Why?”

“Well she isn’t as sophisticated as I am.”

“I see,” leading her.  “I kind of see that.” 

“Chuck and I are live and let live people.  You don’t bother us at all.”

“Glad to hear that.  I was concerned.  After all Tiff is UGA and all.”

“Yes, I know.” She giggled, “Cheerleader and everything.”

“I heard,” I said incredulously, “Shall we?”  I led her into the dining room where Tiff stood and hugged the new woman.

“I see you’ve met.” I said. “So I won’t introduce you.”  I went to the kitchen and got a cork screw, at least it was one appliance I knew how to run.  I grabbed a glass and went back to the women.

“You have lovely taste,” Tiff told me as I poured Jenn a glass of wine, “but we expected that.”

“I know!” I said, feigning excitement, “I adore antiquing don’t you…all the cute little things you can find.”

“Well, you may have to come over and help me with decorating.  I simply have no taste.”

It was too easy, I let it go.

“My house is eclectic” Jenn added, “Little things Chuck has picked up here and there.

Oh God please I thought, this is like fish in a barrel.  I wanted to ask if she had been tested for what Chuck picked up.  Instead I said “I would love to see it sometime.”  I suddenly missed the noise of the city.

The doorbell again and I rushed to get it.  Trey met me halfway.

“Tell me you haven’t killed anyone yet.” He said quietly.

“Not yet. “ I told him, “but soon…very soon.”

“Be good, they will grow on you.”

“Like lampreys on a shark.” I noted.  We opened the door, 

“Hi we’re….”

34

No one died that night but I was almost too drunk to stand.  I spent fifteen minutes puking and it wasn’t just the wine.  I brushed my teeth and gargled twice.

“Princess?”  Trey called from the bedroom, “You OK?”

I walked out in just the shorts.

“Do I look OK?” I smiled.

“You look marvelous, come here let me rub your shoulders.”  I sat on the bed and he massaged my shoulders and back.  “Sweetie, I’m sorry but I tried to tell you.”

“Don’t go there.” I said, “No past remember?”

“I know,” he kissed my cheek, “But we have a great future.” 

“If the future is those people, we are going to prison.” I said, “I can’t take any of them but Courtney…what was her husband’s name?”

“Sal,” he said, “They’re from Jersey.”

“Well that explains that.” I turned and pushed him back on the bed and slid my hand down between his legs. “I’m drunk, please take advantage of me.”

He looked up at me and said, “Please don’t barf on me.”

34

Beyond it all we got moved in.  The rumors about me and our relationship made the rounds.  A few of the men were intrigued but no one said or did anything about it.  Trey did get some new golfing buddies.

Courtney and I became friends and would go shopping together.  The other women never talked or waved at me.

A couple weeks after we moved in there was some excitement.  The semi-truck that was parked in front of our house brought speculation.  It was obvious it was a car transport by the logo on the side and the men all were guessing what kind of car Trey had.  Trey didn’t help matters by going out and telling them he had bought me a new Tesla for work.

They all were shocked when the driver opened the gate and rolled out our brand new… 1972 Pinto.  It wasn’t as bad as you would have thought though.  It had been fixed up and repainted.  However Trey did have the body man paint one door red.  He remembered I said I wanted to ride in a Pinto with a red door.

“Hughes,” Chuck Benneman said, “You are one for the books.  Jennifer would have me sleeping on the couch.”

“Why?” I asked, “This was “our” first car.  That’s how we saved enough to move into this neighborhood.”

“Susan,” Trey said, “don’t you have books to keep or guillotines to sharpen?”

“Yes, my love” I said and walked inside making sure to over swing my butt in the shorts I had on.

The next day the rumor circulated that Trey had rebuilt the car and I had wrecked it, thus the door.

But with time, everything settled down.  Once again, our jobs took the weekdays.  But the weekends were ours.  Well except when Trey went golfing.  I sort of got jealous of those days.  But, I knew he needed the break.

May rolled in and our wedding date was drawing close.  It wasn’t going to be huge and we decided to go back to the antebellum mansion and have it outside where he had proposed to me the first time. 

The owners were thrilled with having us there, remembering when we came the first time.  They offered us the room we had before.

But, we had made other plans for out honeymoon.  We discussed New York and the cabin in Colorado. I couldn’t go back to the cabin yet.  But I did send money to the caretaker to buy peanuts as a wedding gift to my friend the chipmunk.

We were going to Europe.  France and Italy mostly.  He had a passport but it took me a little work to get mine updated since the surgery.  It all worked out in the end and we rushed to Hartsfield airport as fast as we could get there.

I slept most of the way, Trey watched movies.  It was evening when we landed in Paris.

“The Princess is back.” He said, “ in the land of knights and dragons and romance.  Where to m’lady?”

“The hotel. Then shower, food and sex…in any order.”