Friends and Family Series
Sandy & Dan
By:
Ron Robbins
(© 2011 by the author)
Editor:
Frank Perry
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's
consent. Comments are appreciated at...
Chapter 2
The ambulance entered into the Peachtree-DeKalb Airport and drove up to at the General Aviation Terminal where a large helicopter was parked. The ambulance pulled up and parked next to the helicopter. The ambulance attendants wheeled Dan over to the aircraft and helped him aboard. The copilot loaded Dan's baggage in the storage compartment and closed the cabin door. Nelson carried Dan's laptop and brief case and placed them in the storage compartment and took the seat next to Dan. "Are you comfortable?" Nelson asked.
"I'm fine, thanks. This will be my first flight in a helicopter."
Nelson smiled, "I hope you like it, because there will be many more, that's for sure."
The aircraft lifted off smoothly and headed northwest. Twenty minutes later they were over Rome. "We're five minutes from touchdown," Nelson said. "Rome is directly below us now. If you look straight ahead, you'll see a landing strip. Just beyond that, sitting atop that hill, is Dunnlap Manor, your future home."
"Holy feces! That place makes the White House look small, by comparison," Dan said. "What are the two large one-story buildings to the rear of the Manor house?"
"The building to the left houses the indoor swimming pool and gym. The one to the right is a combination banquet hall and ballroom. They are both unique structures. Both buildings connect by underground tunnels from the basement of the manor house. The banquet hall will seat two hundred people. The banquet room itself can be changed over from a ballroom, to a meeting room, or to a dining room in a matter of hours. There are huge hydraulic lifts at either end of the room that carry the chairs and tables from storage areas on the lower level. The food is also delivered from there in special insulated warming carts in the same way. The carts are all motorized. Mr. Dunnlap prided himself on designing that building. He has two crews, recruited from the local area, who are trained and cross-trained, and are on call to handle any function. Everyone knows his job. That's why everything always runs smoothly. I've had the opportunity of watching the staff prepare for two dinner parties and one Sunday brunch. It was fascinating to watch. It was better than watching that documentary on Queen Elizabeth's Royal Yacht, 'Britannia'. If you get a chance to observe the show, don't miss it."
"Does Sandy keep a full staff on all the time?"
"Lord, no," Nelson said. "He does have his regular household staff and a kitchen staff headed by a gourmet chef, with two assistants. If he is having a large party, he hires culinary staff from Atlanta. For a smaller sit-down dinner for fifty or so people, he uses the local people to help out. Mr. Dunnlap has two separate dining rooms and a breakfast room in the Manor house. The large dining room will seat fifty people very comfortably. The other dining room is smaller and seats twelve people comfortably. That small dining room is where he eats his meals every day."
"Sandy Dunnlap is an extremely intelligent man and one of the most fascinating people I've ever known. We could talk for hours every day on so many different interesting subjects. He is a quite a story teller and I never tire of his talks. He can go on for hours about his experiences growing up, and of his remarkable family. I would sit enthralled with his stories of how he started in his own business and the obstacles that he had to overcome to sell his ideas. Sandy was one of the few patients in my career whom I really missed after my assignment ended. He has that effect on many people. It's no wonder that he's so successful." Nelson smiled. "Sandy is good people, and the nicest person I've ever had the privilege to know. He's the kind of man I know that I could turn to in time of need. He is just that kind of a person."
"I agree; he is a great man."
"We'll be touching down next to the hangers in a few seconds, and take the van up to the house."
"My God, the house and grounds are magnificent. The manor house looks huge from here," Dan said.
"You can say that again, the first few days I was working here I got lost twice." Nelson said. "You've heard of the expression, 'Your home is your castle.' Well, that's true of Sandy Dunnlap. He loves his castle and his town. His estate manager told me that Sandy spent months pouring over architectural blueprints, planning this town until it was the way he wanted it. He hired three architectural firms to design different parts of the project. Sandy is a perfectionist, and extremely creative. He hires the best people around and expects the best from them. But, don't screw-up, and then try to cover it up, because he'll skin you alive. I've had a chance to observe him over a period of time and I've found him to be fair and reasonable in all his dealings. I've also seen the other side of his personality. He can as tough as steel when he has to be. I guess you don't build an empire from scratch and not be a strong-willed individual."
"You're a lucky guy to be invited to be a guest in his home. Sandy is a very private person, even though, in public, he appears to be an outgoing person. Your host enjoys the finer things of life and lives better than the royalty of Europe."
"Interesting," Dan said. "In the short time I've known Sandy, I've found him to be a sincere, unassuming person. I had no idea he was so wealthy."
"Nice smooth landing, guys," Nelson said to the pilots. "The van will pull over as soon as the blades stop rotating."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Nelson and the driver helped Dan out of the van and into a wheelchair. "I can use the walker, Nelson," Dan said.
"I'm sure you can, but until I've had a chat with Doctor Woodruff, I want you to remain in the wheelchair. You had a busy morning and your leg needs a rest, so humor me for a while."
Dan smiled and nodded his head in agreement.
Nelson wheeled Dan up to the main entrance. The door was opened by a middle-aged butler, who appeared to be an Asian-American. He was dressed in black coat, bow tie, and crape sole shoes.
"Good afternoon, Nelson. It's good to see you again. And you, sir, must be Mr. Kelly. I'm Ludlow, the butler. Welcome to Dunnlap Manor."
"Thank you, Ludlow," Dan said.
"Mister Dunnlap is on a conference call at the moment. He said he will join you for lunch. If you would like to freshen up, there is a lavatory off the morning room," Ludlow said.
"I think that may be a good idea," Nelson said as he wheeled Dan down the long hall to the morning room. After they finished using the facilities, Nelson wheeled Dan back into the morning room to wait for Sandy.
Sandy walked in ten minutes later. "Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen, but that's life in the fast lane," Sandy said. He walked over and shook Nelson's hand. "It's good to see again, I'm pleased that you were free to accept this assignment. Now I know Danny will be in good hands. How are you feeling, Danny? Was the trip too much of a strain on you?"
"No, I'm fine, Sandy; thanks for asking. You have a beautiful home; I'm impressed. No, I take that back. I'm overwhelmed."
Sandy chuckled, "Good, that will give you something to talk about when your friends come to visit," Sandy said as he patted Dan on the shoulder. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starved. What say we head into the dining room for lunch?"
Sandy led the way into the dining room. "Nelson why don't you arrange Danny's chair to my right and you sit on my left," Sandy said. "Good, how about a glass of excellent German wine that Ludlow has selected for lunch?"
Both Dan and Nelson nodded in agreement. "You may begin serving now, Ludlow."
Ludlow served the wine. "Excellent choice, Ludlow," Sandy said, as Ludlow began serving lunch.
"This is a delightful room," Dan said.
"Thank you," Sandy said. "I really enjoy this dining room the most, as it has a lovely view overlooking the rose garden. The two sets of French doors open out to the terrace. On nice days I have lunch on the terrace; it's screened in so we don't have to worry about the bugs. This room has an interesting history. It was originally the dining room of the Earl of Nottinghamshire. I was fortunate to run across it on one of my buying trips in England. The present family was strapped for cash so I bought the room and furnishings. After the room was reassembled here the antique dealer found out that the original furnishings were sold many years ago. Once again, the family had been strapped for cash. They sold the original furniture and silver, all of which was designed by the Adams Brothers. The pieces I purchased with the room were also antiques, but not of the quality of the original furnishings. Naturally, I wanted the room to be as it was in the beginning, so I commissioned my antiques consultant to find the missing pieces. As of three months ago, I was able to purchase the original silver candelabras. Now, I'm happy to say that we are seated in the Earl of Nottinghamshire's dining room, with the original furniture, and silver service that the Adamses designed for this room."
"That is remarkable," Dan said. "How did your dealer ever find all these beautiful things?"
"Oddly enough, it was not as difficult as you might think. The family kept records of everything that went on in that house. They even had records dating back to the sixteenth century. Most of the time was spent laboriously reading every entry until they found the name of the buyer of items that were sold."
"My God, it must have cost you a small fortune," Nelson said.
"You don't want to know what it cost in the end," Sandy said. "The cost of the restoration alone was astronomical. After all, it's only money. It gives me so much enjoyment to live with such beauty and to know that this room and its contents have survived for hundreds of years, and to realize that there is not another room like this in existence in the entire world. This is a historical treasure and it's priceless. Think of that, this room was here before us, and will still be here long after we are dead. When I die this house and its contents will become a museum."
"Now, enough of my passion for antiques and history," Sandy said. "If everyone is finished, it's time to talk about the present and what I have planned for you, Danny. Nelson, Danny looks like he needs to lie down and rest. Why don't we take the elevator to the second floor and get him settled into his bedroom suite."
Once upstairs, Nelson wheeled Dan into the comfortably furnished sitting room.
"This is a fabulous home, Sandy, and this room is delightful," Dan said.
"I'm glad you like it," Sandy said. "This is the ideal room for you. There are hardwood floors throughout. I've had all the rugs removed until you're more stable on your feet. We don't want you to slip on the rugs, now do we? You'll also be able to maneuver your wheelchair better on the hardwood floors as well. You have a nice size bedroom; dressing room and bathroom complete with a whirlpool, a steam room and exercise area. You'll get used to the place in short order. Why don't you join me in the library after you've had a lie down?"
"As a matter of fact, I am a little tired," Dan said. "I'll join you later."
"I'll leave you in Nelson's capable hands."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Sandy was seated in the library reading as Dan slowly entered the room with the aid of his walker. "Mind if I join you," Dan asked
"Please do," Sandy said. He waited for Dan to be seated in his high backed wing chair across from Sandy. "How do you feel now?"
"Much better, thanks. That long nap and whirlpool session did me a world of good. It sure helps take some of the soreness out of my arms and legs. You have a beautiful home; in fact, everything I've seen so far is beyond belief. It's hard to believe that you have accomplished so much in so little time. Heck, you're only four years older than I am, and you're such a wealthy man. You give us ordinary guys an inferiority complex."
"Come now," Sandy said, "somehow you don't strike me as being ordinary. I've always thought of you as being above average. At least that's what my instincts tell me. You'll be happy to learn that I'm usually right about people."
"Has Nelson gone over your medical treatment plan for the next month?"
"Yes, he has. The physical therapist will start working with me tomorrow on a special therapy program that Doctor Woodruff, the therapist, and Doctor David Grant have agreed on."
"David Grant will be replacing Doctor Magnusson, your Atlanta internist. David is one of the best doctors around. He also happens to be Chief of Medicine at Dunnlap Hospital and a super person besides. I know you will like him. Three weeks from this coming Thursday, my family will arrive to spend a week with us. They will be here to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the SDS Corporation, which is the parent company of SDS Digital Systems. It should be quite an event; at least I hope it will be. My staff has been planning this for some time. This little town is going to be jumping. I would like you to join in the festivities as well. You're welcome to invite your friends and your mother for the big event. It's going to be a three-day event, starting on Friday afternoon and ending Sunday afternoon. Saturday is the day set aside for the award ceremony and the banquet dinner. If you don't feel up to it, I will understand."
"I'll be happy to attend your party. I would like to invite my three closest friends and their dates for Saturday. Friday is out for them. They have classes and they all have part time jobs. They can drive down Saturday and drive back after the party that same evening."
"Why don't you see if they can get away sooner on Saturday," Sandy said. "If they can make it, we can fly them down on Saturday and they can fly back to Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. Can they stay overnight?'
"That would be nice, but staying overnight is out, they all have to be at work Sunday."
"Your Mom told me that she was planning to be in town next week," Sandy said. "If she hasn't made tentative plans, I would like to invite her to spend the weekend here with us."
Dan smiled, "Mom met an old friend of my Dad's, Roger Brant, when she moved to New York. He lost his wife a year ago and they have been dating. From the way she's been talking about Roger, I think things are getting serious. I have the feeling that Mom wants my appraisal of the guy before they take the next step."
"That's really good news," Sandy said. "You should invite Roger as well, I'm sure we'll find something interesting to do, if they would like to stay for the weekend."
"I'll call Mom later tonight and invite her for the weekend."
"Now, how about a glass of wine before dinner?" Sandy asked.
"Thank you; that should hit the spot."
Sandy picked up the cell phone from the table and punched in Ludlow's number. "Ludlow, would you ask Nelson to join us in the library and bring in a bottle of Rothschild Champagne for our cocktails tonight."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Sandy was reading the Wall Street Journal as Dan entered the breakfast room, Friday morning. "Good morning, Danny. Did you have a comfortable night?"
"Yes, I was out like a light by 9 p.m., and slept straight through. I woke up at five this morning completely rested. I was able to catch up on my assignments before breakfast. That really makes me feel good."
"I have a surprise for you," Sandy said. "One of the bright lads in my technical support group came up with a miniature recording and relay device that will be installed in each of your classrooms and lecture halls. Now you will be able to see, and follow, your classes by watching your teachers on the big screen TV in your sitting room."
"That's great, Sandy, and Tech agreed to this?"
"They were very understanding and cooperative when I told them I would make the equipment available, free of charge to any disabled student who could not attend his, or her regular classes."
"Thanks again, Sandy. I really appreciate everything you've done for me."
"You're welcome. Are you excited about your mother's visit today?"
"I sure am, it will be good to see her again. I'm also curious about meeting Roger Brant, Mom's boyfriend. It would be great if he's the right guy for her. Dad passed away eight years ago, and Mom really needs to find someone. I'll be graduating from GT next year and will be off on my own. Of course I would like to find something in Atlanta, but that's going to depend on the company I go with. If I'm lucky, I'll find a position in the Sunbelt. My second choice would be the West Coast, maybe Silicon Valley, or in Seattle, with Microsoft. They have offered me a job after I graduate."
"Speaking of jobs," Sandy said, "Brad Stevens, my director of special projects, will be by to talk to you next week about that part-time position we spoke of. Brad has more of a handle on where the Design and Development group needs help. He'll be able to give you an assignment to work on. I'm so far removed from that end of the business; I wouldn't even know where to begin. But, if you do run into a problem, please feel free to run it by me."
"Thanks, again."
"Well, I'm off to the office. I won't be home for lunch today as I plan is to take off early this afternoon to welcome your mother and Roger. They should be landing around three thirty. After they get settled in, I thought I'd take you all on a quick tour of the estate, and take you into the small town of Dunnlap. So tell your therapist to go easy on the workout this afternoon."
Dan smiled, "Would you like me to fix you lunch?"
Sandy chuckled, "No, thanks; I got my allowance on Monday; I think I can splurge today and go out for lunch."
"See you later," Sandy said as he walked out the door."
Dan grinned, as he shook his head watching him leave. Sandy stopped, and turned to face Dan. "I'm glad you decided to stay here; it been like old times, I like having you here," Sandy said. Then he turned and walked out of the room.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Sandy was standing next to the large van as the helicopter touched down. One of the ground crew opened the aircraft door and lowered the stairs. Nora stepped out of the aircraft followed by three other men. Sandy greeted them all. He immediately recognized two, his staff Vice Presidents. Sandy said, "Hey, Jim, George, it's good to have you back, let's plan to get together tomorrow morning at the office. Nora, welcome to Dunnlap."
"Thank you, Sandy," Nora said with a sly smile on her face. "I would like you to meet Roger Brant. Roger, this is Sandy Dunnlap."
"Welcome to Dunnlap, Roger. It's nice you could join us. Why don't we get in the coach and head up to the house?" The driver loaded the bags in the back of the coach, closed the passenger door and got in the driver's seat.
"How is Danny feeling?" Nora asked.
"He's doing just fine. It's good to see you again, Nora. Congratulations on your promotion. Danny told me all about it."
Nora smiled, "You're a foxy one," Nora said. "I was flabbergasted when one of your VPs pointed out your estate from the air. They also told me how important you really are. Yes, you're the sly one, Mr. Dunnlap. You didn't exactly lie about yourself. But, you can imagine my shock when your VPs told me that you owned The SDS Corporation that in turn is the owner of SDS Digital Systems. Here I thought SDS was some storefront computer business. Of course, my darling son played right along with the charade. All he said when I asked him if your house was big enough to put us up for the weekend. He said it wouldn't be a problem. Like you, he left out the fact that your home was the size of Buckingham Palace. All kidding aside, Sandy, does this all belong to you?"
Sandy chuckled, "Yes, my dear, I confess, it's all mine. I guess you don't read the Wall Street Journal much; if you had, you would have seen my picture, or at least my name, in bold print," Sandy said. "I also own the town of Dunnlap, and quite a bit more. It's a long story and I'll be happy to tell you all about it one day. But, for now, I think we should go in the house."
Ludlow opened the front door to the Manor. Sandy made the introductions, "Ludlow runs things here, so if you need anything, talk to Ludlow," Sandy said. "Now I'm sure you're anxious to see Danny, so let me take you to him."
They took the elevator to the second floor and Sandy led them down the hall to the West wing. The doors to Sandy's suite were wide open. Nora stopped, "This suite is beautiful, and may I take a peek?"
"Go ahead," Sandy said. "This entire suite has an interesting history. It was removed from an eighteenth century English Country home. Of course, the furniture was completely restored and some newer lounge chairs added for comfort."
Sandy went on to describe the room and its contents. "The walls are paneled in mahogany; the gold framed oil paintings depict various hunting scenes. The window coverings are Scottish plaid draperies. The furniture is upholstered in a mixture of leather, and decorative fabrics." Warm colors complemented the rest of the room. One wall was covered with floor-to-ceiling bookcases. On the opposite wall, the fireplace and an entertainment center with a giant TV screen, sound system and built-in computer equipment.
The same design and elegant decor was carried through in the bed chamber as well. On one wall, was the king-size bed with built-in shelves in the backboard. A matched pair of hand carved bedside cabinets stood at either side of the bed. There was a small sitting area and a large screen TV on the opposite wall from the bed. The third wall contained the entertainment section with a large screen computer monitor and a desk top computer console with an all-in-one laser color printer. The whole area could be enclosed behind a hand carved paneled door.
"This hand-held control box operates the room lights, TV, stereo, room temperature controls, and the motors that open and close the draperies," Sandy said. "The cell phones throughout the house act as our intercom and pager system. The phone's back panel is hinged and has a label and a button for each person. The head board panels contain sections for a reading light and a thermos of fresh water and a glass. The other is for storage. The bathroom and dressing room are through the door on the left."
Nora shook her head, "Besides being beautiful, this suite is so functional. You've thought of everything, Sandy. It's really quite nice."
"Thank you," Sandy said. "Enough of my suite; Danny's suite is just down the hall. After you visit Danny, I'll have Ludlow show you to your suite."
Sandy led them down the hall to the next set of hand carved doors. He knocked, after a few seconds the door was opened by Nelson.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Dunnlap," Nelson said. "Dan is just finishing dressing he'll be out in a few minutes." Nelson opened the door to the sitting room. "Please come in."
"Nelson, I would like to introduce Mrs. Nora Kelly, Danny's mother, and Roger Brant, her companion." Sandy said. "Nelson is Danny's nurse. He can bring you up-to-date on Danny's progress. Don't let us take you away from your patient, Nelson. We'll sit here and wait until Danny can join us."
"We'll only be another ten minutes," Nelson said.
"Don't rush on our account; take all the time you need," Sandy said. "Why don't we make ourselves comfortable while we wait? May I offer you something to drink?"
"I'd love a diet Coke," Nora said.
Ludlow walked over to where they were seated. Mr. Brant, what would you like to drink?"
"Ice tea if you have it," Roger said.
"Master Sandy, would you like a glass of lemonade?" Ludlow asked.
"Yes, thanks, Ludlow."
Ludlow walked over to the wall that housed the entertainment center and opened two large doors to reveal a Pullman kitchen and bar. He began preparing the refreshments.
Roger said, "Now, this room is more to my taste. I always liked the simple clean lines of the Scandinavian design. I really like the brilliant colors and the dark woods. Don't misunderstand me; I enjoy the English antiques, but this style is more to my liking."
"I understand," Sandy said. "I've tried to embrace a variety of designs and periods in my decorating scheme. Your suite in the East Wing is in the Federal Period. Other suites in the same wing are of Louis XIV and one of the Victorian Period. Some of the suites on the third floor are a hoot, and a lot of fun. I have suites from the 1920's through the 70's." At present I'm concentrating on furniture of Colonial America. I've have a fairly good collection of museum quality pieces now spread around the house and my office building. I think I'm going to run out of display space before long. What I've been doing lately is weeding and upgrading the poorer quality pieces and replacing them with the museum quality pieces. It's something I enjoy doing and I love the thrill of finding a really exceptional piece of antique furniture. Heck, why not spend some of my money and enjoy it while I can?"
Ludlow served them their beverages. The bedroom door opened and Dan and Nelson came into the sitting room. Nora jumped up and ran over to Dan and hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "How's my baby?" she asked.
"I'm doing great, Mom, and I've never feel better. Nelson takes good care of me, and Sandy has been super. I've got it made."
"Honey, I would like you to meet Roger Brant," Nora said. "He is the man I've been telling you about. I know it's been a while, but he was a good friend of your Dad's and came to visit us many years ago, do you remember him at all?"
"Nice to see you again, Roger. I do remember you now. I seem to recall that you had two daughters around my age, didn't you?"
"You have a good memory," Roger said. "The older, Doreen, graduated from Cornell University, School of Medicine, and is interning at New York Hospital. My younger daughter, Barbara, is in her senior year at Columbia University, School of Engineering. She is a Computer Science major."
"That's wonderful," Dan said.
"Danny," Sandy said. "Do you still feel up to taking the grand tour, this afternoon?"
"You bet! I've been looking forward to it."
"Nora, Roger, I promised Danny that I'd take y'all on the grand tour of Dunnlap" Sandy said. "If everyone is agreeable, I'll make the arrangements."
"Sure, we'd love to go."
"Good," Sandy said. "Ludlow will show you your rooms, where you can freshen up. Danny and I will wait for you in the sitting room.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
"Ludlow, everything was perfect, as usual, please extend my compliments to Jacques for a magnificent dinner," Sandy said.
Ludlow smiled, "Thank you, Sir, I'm glad you were pleased. I will relay your compliments to the staff."
"If you all have finished your coffee, why don't we adjourn to the drawing room for after dinner drinks," Sandy said.
Shortly after they were seated, Ludlow wheeled in a small portable bar and took everyone's drink order. After everyone was served, he left. "Tomorrow evening, I'm having an informal dinner party. It's casual dress. I thought we'd spend a nice relaxing weekend together and plan our activities so that Danny could enjoy it with us. Roger, do you play golf?"
"My favorite pastime," Roger said.
"Great, why don't we play after my meeting tomorrow morning? How does 9 a.m. sound? That will give Nora and Danny a chance to visit while we're on the links. My brother has invited us to join them for lunch. So we can plan to leave after our game around noon. I wanted to fly you all to see the farm my brother and I own. It's our pride and joy. I've been traveling a lot in the past two months and haven't been by to see him and his brood. I thought you would like the opportunity to visit a working farm. It shouldn't take long, and we'll be back in plenty of time to rest up and change for dinner. Is that okay with everyone?"
"How many siblings are in your family, Sandy?" Nora asked.
"I have three older sisters and my twin brother, Pete. My Mom is an attorney and a partner in the law firm of Ashton, Cohen, Dunnlap, & Morgan in Atlanta. My Dad owns a successful engineering firm in Atlanta. My oldest sister, Mary Grayson, is a housewife, with three wonderful children. The middle sister, Anne Brown, is a lawyer, and has two children, and my younger sister, Gloria, is a Psychiatrist."
"By the way, if you and Roger are free in two weeks time, I would like you to be my guests at the Anniversary party my firm is hosting. My family will be here for the event, and you will have a chance to meet them all. It promises to be an interesting weekend. If you would like to come, you must let me know by Tuesday of next week. Most of the guests will be arriving Saturday morning. The festivities begin with a buffet lunch in the garden followed by a cocktail party at five. After the formal dinner at seven, there will be entertainment and dancing in the main ballroom. We have invited some very interesting people, including his honor, the Governor of Georgia, and the Federal, State, and local representatives. And let us not forget the ladies and gentlemen of the press. It should be an interesting event. Think about it and let me know next week."
"My Mom, Dad, and Gloria, the shrink, will be staying here; the rest will be staying at the farm with Pete, and the overflow overnight guests will be put up in my guest villas. I wanted all the children to stay here, but my sisters put their foot down. They said I would spend too much time with the kids and forget about my guests. I'm the baby of the family; Pete is the older brother by ten minutes. Anyway, my sisters still treat me like a kid brother. It doesn't matter to them that I'm a billionaire. They just don't get it. I guess I'll always be their baby brother; end of story."
Nora laughed, "Poor baby. I guess we all have our crosses to bear."
"Well, folks, I hate to be a party pooper," Sandy said. "But I have about two hours of work ahead before I can crawl into bed. If you need anything at all call Ludlow, and he will handle it. Breakfast is served from six o'clock on, in the small dining room, or if you prefer, you can have it served in your sitting room any time. Roger, I'll pick you up at 9 a.m.; we'll need to stop at the pro-shop to get you a set of clubs and shoes."
"I'll be ready," Roger said.
"Hold on, Sandy, I think I'll ride up with you," Dan said. "I'll need to rest up for the big day tomorrow."
"One last thing, folks," Sandy said, as he and Dan were leaving, "don't leave the house, or open a window between 11 p.m. and 6 in the morning. The alarm system is activated between those hours. If you need to leave, call security and they will assist. Well, goodnight again."
They got off at the second floor. Sandy walked Dan to his suite. "Good night, Danny, I'll see you at lunch tomorrow."
"Night, Sandy; thanks for the pleasant evening. I could see my Mom had a good time."
Sandy dialed Ludlow when he got to his sitting room. "Ludlow, how are we coming along with Dan's wardrobe?
"Everything was delivered this afternoon while you were entertaining your guests. Everything will be moved into Dan's dressing room before you return tomorrow, sir."
"Thank you, Ludlow; I really thought your floral arrangements were exceptional. I'm anxious to see what you will create for the banquet."
"Thank you, sir. I'm sure you'll like the arrangements I'm preparing for the Banquet. I'll also have boutonnières for the gentlemen and corsages for the ladies."
"Good thinking, Ludlow."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Dan was sitting on the patio the next morning having his orange juice when his mother joined him. She kissed him on the cheek, "Good morning, sweetheart," Nora said. "Did you sleep well?"
"Good morning, Mom. Yes, I sleep well every night. I love this place; it's like nowhere I've ever lived before. It's so peaceful and beautiful. I sit here in the morning and feast my eyes on the beauty of the grounds. It's just fantastic. Take a good look out there, Mom. Do you realize that this Manor and the entire estate were built to Sandy's specifications? I'm amazed at his creative talents. He has been wonderful to me, and I don't feel at all uncomfortable accepting his generosity," Dan chuckled.
Nora raised her eyebrows, "I had a feeling that Sandy might be gay," Nora said. She looked into her son's eyes. "You know I'm not one to beat around the bush; are you gay, Danny?"
Dan smiled, "No, Mom, I'm not. Sandy was honest with me from the beginning. He told me he was gay. He knows that I'm straight and I'm not his type. He told me he is getting over a very bad relationship, and has given up becoming involved again for a long time. Sandy said I'm welcome to stay as long as I wanted with no strings attached. I'm free to walk away any time I wish. We are strictly friends and nothing more. I really like Sandy, as a friend. I'll let you in on a little secret, if I were gay, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to catch him."
Nora laughed, "Yes, sir, that's my boy. There is no argument on my part that Sandy is a handsome, charming young man, and he would be a catch for either sex. I love you, sweetheart, and I always will, no matter what, gay or straight. I just don't want you to get hurt."
"Don't worry, I won't. Look, I'll be moving back to Atlanta as soon as my leg heals. I have another year to go at Tech. I'm going to continue to enjoy living the good life for as long as I can. After breakfast, I would like you to come to my suite so I can show you the wonderful gift Sandy surprised me with this morning."
"Don't keep me in suspense?" Nora said. "What did he give you?"
"When I arrived here a month ago, I only had the clothes from the nursing home plus some designer changes of clothing Sandy bought for me. Well, this morning I walked into the dressing room, and it was filled with a brand new wardrobe. He gave me a complete new wardrobe, tuxedos, suits, sportswear, casual wear, shirts, ties, underwear, shoes and a matching set luggage. Mom I still can't get over this. I spent almost an hour going through everything. You've got to see for yourself. Everything is color coordinated, it is just unbelievable, and it's mind boggling. That wardrobe must have cost close to fifty-thousand dollars."
"That's some very thoughtful friend, Dan. Why do I get the feeling that Sandy is not expecting you to move back to Atlanta any time soon?"
"You're wrong there; he knows that I must go back to GT."
"Time will tell," Nora said.
"Now, tell me, what's going on in your life?" Dan asked. "You must like Roger a lot, if you brought him down to meet me."
"You're right, Danny, it's more than like, we're in love. He wants me to marry him, but there are some serious issues that need to be decided before we make that commitment. We both have good jobs now, and will most likely settle down in New York. However, Roger wants us to move to the old family estate in Manassas, Virginia after we've married. He would also like to have children. That's one of the little issues I need to consider. I don't know if I want to start raising another family at this point in my life. I just don't know. Although, giving up my job to become a homemaker, sounds very tempting. The jury is still out on that. Roger is planning to take me home to see the old homestead. His daughter and his son-in-law are living there until the end of May. They will be relocating to California, to Silicon Valley. After they leave, the place will be empty again. You haven't said what you think of him."
"From the short time we've had together, he seems to be very nice. He acts like a gentlemen and seems intelligent. He's handsome, charming and it's obvious that he cares for you very much. Look, Mom, he must be a great guy, or you wouldn't be in love with him. He is really a lucky guy to have found you. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure it will work for both of you. It's only a two hour flight to Dulles Airport from Atlanta, you know."
"I love you, sweetheart," Nora said. "You're the best son a mother could want. You are a beautiful person, and you remind me of so much of your father. Only, you're gorgeous." Nora got up and gave Danny a hug and kissed him on the cheek.
Dan answered the ring on his cell phone. "I'm leaving right now, Nelson," Dan said. "If you'll excuse me, Mom, it's time for my physical therapy session. I'll see you later."
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To be continued...
Posted: 05/28/12