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Island Fever 5: Family
Written by: JeremyDCP@hotmail.com

M/F, F/F and a whole lot more
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Chapter 03: "Blessings"
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             -*-  Friday, March 4, 2016  -*-
                -*-  Sandvika, Norway  -*-


   I awoke on Friday morning to the sombering, tragic news
that Pamela's 84-year-old grandmother, Genevieve, died of
natural causes in her Maryland hometown on Thursday evening.
There was no pain or suffering for Pamela's grandmother,
thank God; she simply died, quite peacefully, in her sleep.
Pamela was really upset upon hearing the news, naturally,
already going through the grieving process with all of the
other ladies in our family offering her whatever love and
support they could to help her get through this tough time.
Of course, I was right there by Pamela's side, too.
   Genevieve was born in 1931 and married her husband,
Thomas, in 1953.  She worked as a school crossing guard for
37 years and even ran a snowball stand in the wintertime in
front of their home for 17 years.  Customers could stop at
the stand and buy a ten cent snowball from Genevieve with
homemade flavors added, such as chocolate or strawberry.
Genevieve sold Christmas wreaths every year to help raise
money for her family, whom she loved dearly, and also
delivered telephone books.  She even had her very own
wholesale live bait business for 50 years!  Genevieve also
prepared crab cakes, codfish cakes and salads in her basement
from her own recipes for a seafood restaurant owned by one of
her sons.  Clearly, Pamela's grandmother led an active life.
   Genevieve raised seven children - four boys and three
girls.  The oldest, Tom, was Pamela's father.  Her husband,
Thomas, passed away in 1980 from complications to cancer.
But now that Genevieve had passed on as well, she was
survived by 17 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
   Pamela explained that Genevieve was known to everyone in
her family as "Mom-Mom" and gave all of those who knew her
years of laughter, advice and sayings that would always be
cherished.  Most importantly, Genevieve taught everyone close
to her the true meaning of love and togetherness.
   The sad news stung me personally in more ways than one.  It
brought me back to the date of May 21, 2015, which was when
Trish's father, John, died in a horrific automobile accident
that was, in no way, his fault.  Trish was devastated and
still, to this day, had not gotten over her father's passing.
Our entire family dropped everything and literally rushed to
Canada so we could pay proper respect and attend his funeral,
and of course be there for Trish when she needed us most.
   But now, on March 4, 2016, things were a bit different.
   There were two newborn babies in the family - Jackson and
Kaylee, neither of whom had any business going on a long and
taxing transoceanic flight, such as from Oslo to Baltimore,
yet.  Their little, fragile bodies simply would not be able
to withstand it.  In addition, Kristanna and Scarlett were
both eight months pregnant.  It would not be wise to confine
them to a jetliner for eight or more hours, either.
   Everyone wanted to go to Maryland to attend the funeral,
but it was just not possible.  Trish and Lindsay were still
recovering from giving birth and needed to be with Jackson
and Kaylee, respectively.  Devon and Amy, we decided as a
family, needed to stay in Norway and keep an eye on Trish
and Lindsay, as well as Kristanna and Scarlett.  Amy also
had our daughter, Dani Grace, to look after.  As for Alison,
she was going to stay here with her sister, Lindsay.
   In the end, it was mutually agreed upon that the only
individuals who would actually go to the United States to
attend Genevieve's funeral was Pamela and yours truly, and
our 15-month old daughter, Piper.  It made the most sense.
We thought about leaving Piper behind, but Pamela really
wanted her to be there so the rest of her family could
actually meet and interact with her.
   On Friday morning, I got into contact with my private
flight crew (Captain Mike, his wife Carolyn and her sister
Barbara, and co-pilot Craig) and told them that yet again, I
needed another favor on incredibly short notice.  Mike sent
his condolences to Pamela and assured me that he and his crew
would be happy to escort us to Baltimore via our family
jetliner, an  _Airbus A319 ACJ_, on Saturday morning.  Mike
told me not to worry; he would take care of everything as it
pertained to the airport and the jetliner.  Pamela and I were
to simply meet him at the airport in Oslo Saturday by 7:00am.
   I was incredibly happy that Mike was the pilot and crew
lead for our family jetliner.  Really, there was no better
choice than him.  I considered him a close, personal friend.
A retired US Air Force pilot who fought in the Gulf War,
Mike had always been good to our family and, much more
importantly, respectful toward its unique structure.
   Fortunately, there was no additional snowfall overnight,
nor was there any predicted in the weather forecast until
next weekend.  Jackson had an appointment at the chiropractor
at 11:00am, but I could not leave Pamela in such an early,
painful stage of bereavement as she mourned the loss of her
grandmother.  Devon was quick to step up, though, saying that
she would escort Trish and Jackson to the chiropractor for his
therapy session.  Devon really was a wonderful person and a
key component of our family, forever putting others and their
needs well ahead of her own.  She was always there for anyone
who needed her.  Oftentimes, I privately wondered to myself
if Devon got the credit that she so richly deserved.
   The trip to the chiropractor turned out to be rather
uneventful, with no additional news to report.  It was simply
a therapy session for Jackson and his neck, although the
chiropractor did reiterate that Jackson would be perfectly
fine - and there was nothing for any of us to worry about.
Jackson, she said, was already showing marked improvement.
   Kristanna and I stayed with Pamela for the majority of the
day, both of us holding and consoling her, allowing her to
speak her mind and cycle through her grief and emotions.
Unfortunately, I never got the opportunity to meet Genevieve.
I had only been to Maryland once; that was when Kristanna and
I visited Pamela following her hospital scare in December 2013.
The following day, we convinced Pamela to come back to the
island and give our marriage and lifestyle one more try.  The
rest, as they say, is history.  Sweet, sweet history.
   But that was my lone experience of anything to do with
Baltimore.  Outside of that 28 hour time frame, I had never
been there.  I really knew nothing of the city or its history,
what it had to offer.  Yet, I was curious.
   Even as Pamela and I got married during August 2014 in the
Bahamas, Genevieve was ill at the time, and could not attend.
I had always heard what a wonderful and loving grandmother she
was - Pamela would simply rave about her whenever she was
discussed - and now felt deep regret that I would never have
the chance to meet her face-to-face, and introduce myself.
Plus, she never got to meet her great-granddaughter, Piper.
But my biggest regret of all was that Pamela, my beloved
wife, lost someone extremely close to her.  That hurt me.
   A lot.

                           * * *

   Piper was really fussy and upset on Saturday morning as we
rolled her out of bed at the unholy time of 4:30am and made
the final preparations before heading out to the airport.  I
said goodbye in private to Kristanna, Devon, Trish, Lindsay
and Amy, but spent a little extra time with Scarlett.  Pamela
and I would return from our trip to Maryland on Wednesday, I
told Scarlett, and then I promised her that we would make the
final arrangements for our wedding ceremony, which would take 
place here in Norway next weekend.
   Saying goodbye to my children - Kaden, Dani Grace, Jackson
and Kaylee - proved to be especially difficult.  I could not
bear the thought of being away from them until Wednesday!
But, this trip - and the time away from them - was necessary.
I had to go to Maryland and be with Pamela for the funeral.
   Pamela and I, along with Piper, met up with our flight crew
at Gardermoen Airport in Oslo at 6:35am.  Each of them gave
Pamela a friendly hug and expressed their deepest condolences.
Carolyn even went as far as to place a kiss on my wife's
cheek.  I helped Mike and Craig load our luggage onto the
airplane.  They were my employees and it was their job to do
so, but I thought of them as friends - especially Mike.  I
wanted to chip in and lend a helping hand wherever I could.
   Shortly after our flight was in the air and at its normal
cruising altitude, Pamela actually donned a pair of sunglasses
as she sat by and watched Piper and I play with her stuffed
animals.  There was absolutely no need for sunglasses on the
plane, though, so I asked Pamela why she had put them on.  "I
don't want Piper to see me crying," was her timid response.
   My heart sank in my chest, of course, and after some added
dialogue, Pamela insisted that I stay out here in the play
area with Piper.  She was going to the main bedroom to lay
down.  Our private jet, dubbed by Lindsay and a few others as
a _flying hotel_, was custom-built down to every square inch.
It provided luxury at its finest and had all of the amenities
that a five-star hotel did.  Not only could Pamela lay down
and enjoy a nap in the bedroom, but she could take a shower
in the adjacent washroom as well.  Or watch television.  Or
listen to music, even hop on the Internet, among other things.
   Carolyn wheeled in a hot, steaming cart full of breakfast
goodness for us to enjoy, but I told her not to disturb Pamela
in the bedroom; simply let her be, as she was probably asleep.
Piper literally tore into two pieces of french toast, while I
salivated over fluffy pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage
patties and four strips of bacon.  Not surprisingly, Piper
stole bits and pieces of my food as well.
   Once we were finished with our meal, I noticed that Piper
began to get really tired.  I was actually shocked that she had
lasted this long; her normal sleeping routine was from 9:00pm
to 8:00am overnight, with two additional naps in the daytime
totaling three hours.  But we had to wake her up at 4:30am
this morning to prepare for the airline flight, thus sending
her sleep schedule into total and complete disarray.
   Piper was suddenly yawning and rubbing her eyes.  When she
bumped into the wall twice and fell over both times, I knew
that it was time for an extended nap.  I took her to the
master bedroom and found Pamela lying down and relaxing,
still with her sunglasses on.  I was unsure if Pamela was
actually sleeping or not, but that question was suddenly
answered when she sat up slightly and extended both arms.
   "Bring my little Piper to me," she requested.
   When I made the exchange, Piper let out a timid "Momma"
and wrapped both arms around her mother's neck.  Pamela
immediately reclined back, kissing the crown of Piper's
head in the process.  "Oh hi there, sweet P.  Hiiiii!  You
want to nap with Mommy?"
   "Yeah," Piper simply responded (with one of the five words
in her vocabulary), before starting to curiously fiddle with
Pamela's sunglasses.  I made a motion to stop her but it was
too late; Pamela actually took the sunglasses off herself,
then sighed while embracing Piper close to her.
   "I love you, Piper," Pamela proclaimed.  "You have no idea
just how important you are to me, do you?"  I could tell that
Pamela was still quite upset.  She was sniffling, her face
was red and puffy, and her eyes actually seemed sort of
glassy.  She clearly had another hard cry in here after leaving
us earlier.  Yet Pamela seemed to hold Piper, cherish her, with
more conviction than usual, and soon new tears began to flow.
   I sat down next to them upon the bed and grasped Pamela's
hand.  "You want something to eat?  Piper and I just had
breakfast, but I figured you were sleeping so I told Carolyn
not to disturb you.  I'm sure she and Barbara would not mind
fixing you something else, so it's fresh."
   "I'm fine," Pamela frowned, before kissing Piper's head
once again.  "Go to sleep, honey.  Mommy is going to take a
nap with you!"  She then glanced up at me.  "Mommy would also
really like it if Daddy laid down and cuddled with us, too."
   Oh, dear.  How could I refuse that?
   Pamela continued to hold Piper close to her as I settled
down upon the bed and nuzzled myself beside them.  I grasped
Pamela's free hand with my right and kissed it, then checked
the time.  We were only 75 minutes into what would ultimately
be an eight hour flight.  Still holding Pamela's hand, I
decided that I was going to take a nap as well.  Why not?

   The next thing I remember was being jarred awake by the
sensation of something crawling on my lower legs and feet.
It was actually the little firecracker otherwise known as
Piper, who seemed refreshed and awake now, as she giggled
while trying to find refuge from her mother.  Pamela was up
and about, following Piper around with a funny, goofy
expression upon her face.  Oh, she was playing with her.  I
was curious as to exactly how long I had been sleeping...
   "Piper!" Pamela snapped with a massive, exaggerated grin.
She then let out an even more ridiculous sigh and added, "I
see CHOCOLATE on your face!  I see chocolate on your face!
Did you snatch MY cookie?"  Piper did not respond; she just
sat there in bed, wide-eyed, with a look that aptly screamed
_guilty as charged_.
   Laughing herself, Pamela placed both hands upon her hips
and focused on me.  "I went outside the bedroom for just a
minute, so I could find the channel chart for the television,
maybe pull up some cartoons for Piper.  But when I came back,
the cookie that Carolyn brought me was gone.  Piper SNATCHED
my cookie, even though she already had one of her own!"
   "Ohhhhh!" I chuckled at Piper.  "You stole Mommy's cookie?"
   Piper slid off of the bed and rumbled about the room, but
try as she might, she could not shake her mother's pursuit.
This allowed me the opportunity to check my wristwatch.  I 
had been sleeping, apparently, for four hours.  Wow.
   "I'm gonna get you!" Pamela chirped at our daughter, who
giggled while trying to find a hiding place.  "Gonna GET you!
You're the COOKIE MONSTER, aren't you?  Aren't you, Piper?
You STOLE my cookie, and ate it all!"
   It warmed my heart to watch my wife and daughter play like
this, but something here gave me even greater satisfaction.
Pamela seemed in much better and brighter spirits than she
was earlier this morning.  She was energized, keeping Piper 
alert and engaged as well.  We still had a long way to go 
before the jetliner touched down in Baltimore.
   "What did you do for Daddy, Piper, when you woke up a
little while ago?" Pamela asked, sweeping the toddler up
into her arms.  "What did you do for Daddy when you woke up
from your nap?"  Piper pointed toward something on the bed,
though I had no idea what.  "Want me to tell Daddy, Piper?"
   "Yeah."
   "Oh, it was so cute," Pamela began, now looking at me.
"You were lying there sleeping, Jeremy.  Piper looks over at
you, then takes her favorite blanket - the one with the pink
teddy bear on it - and flips it over your chest.  OHHHHH,
that was so awesome!  I wish I had my phone out, and that I
recorded her doing it.  It almost melted my heart!"  Pamela
splayed Piper's face with a barrage of kisses.  "You didn't
want Daddy to be cold, didn't you?  Such a good girl!"
   "You gave me your baby blanket?" I smiled at Piper, who
offered a shy nod of the head as an answer.  "Oh, honey... 
that was so sweet of you!  You know what?  I really needed 
it, too.  I was feeling SO COLD!  But when you put your 
blanket on me, I suddenly felt all warm, and cozy."
   "All warm!" Pamela chirped at her.  "And cozy!"
   I grinned at my wife.  "You're feeling better.  Good."
   "Trying to stay positive," she informed me.  "No need to
act all sad and depressed around our baby girl.  The absolute
last thing I want is to bring her down, too."  Pamela again
bombarded Piper with kisses.  "Oh, you're so pretty!"
   Piper managed to wiggle free of Pamela's embrace and then
scurry off toward the flat-panel television monitor that was
built into the wall.  She punched at its buttons, but could
not get it to turn on.  Sensing an opening, I promptly grabbed
Pamela's right arm and began kissing her wrist.  A mere second
later, my mouth trailed a path up to her neck, and soon I had
Pamela giggling and begging for mercy as I pinned her beneath
me upon the bed and literally assaulted her neck.
   "Jeremy!  AHHHHH!  AHHHHH!"  Pamela became even more
hysterical as I used both hands to tickle her stomach while
continuing to focus on her neck with my lips.  "JER... STOP
IT!  AHHHHH!  JEREMY!"
   "I'm going to slay you with my love!" I teased her.
   "JEREMY!"
   "Tickle fight!" I roared.  "Tickle fight!  Tickle fight!"
   But I let up, and allowed Pamela to squirm her way out from
underneath me upon the bed.  She quickly moved away and stood
up on the opposite side of the room.  "Don't do that!" Pamela
giggled wildly.  "That's something Krissy would do to me!  I
expect better out of you, Jeremy!  That WASN'T funny!"
   "But you were laughing, though..."
   "No, I wasn't!" she chuckled.
   Hmmmmm.  The funeral and everything surrounding it would
provide plenty of sorrowful moments and tears.  There was no
doubt about that.  But the whole trip certainly did not have
to be that way.  I had four days to spend with Pamela and
Piper, where I could devote every waking moment, all of my
energy, to them.  Secretly, I began to wonder if that was the
reason why Kristanna insisted that Devon and Amy stay home in
Norway instead of accompanying us to Maryland.  Kristanna had
been campaigning for Pamela and I to have a couple of days
alone together for the better part of the last three months.
Devon and Amy staying behind was more Kristanna's idea than
anyone else's, although we all mutually agreed upon it.
   Regardless, the trip did not have to be all doom and gloom.
The past couple of minutes were proof of that.  We would
attend the funeral and make all of the family visits, but I
also wanted to have fun with my wife and daughter over the
next four days.  I wanted Pamela to show me around Baltimore;
a city I knew very little about.  I wanted her to show me the
neighborhood where she grew up, the schools she went to.  I
wanted to look at old family photo albums with her and watch
embarrassing home movies from when she was a child.
   I wanted, very simply, to have fun.

                           * * *

   Our family jetliner touched down, safe and sound, at
Baltimore/Washington International Airport in Anne Arundel
County, Maryland, at 9:18am local time on Saturday morning.
Having gained six hours because of different time zones,
neither Pamela nor myself did not seem to have any symptoms
of jet-lag yet.  Piper seemed to be quite curious and happy.
I certainly hoped it stayed that way.  I had toughened up in
recent times, though, and was a much more seasoned traveler
than I used to be.  I rarely experienced jet-lag any more.
   One of the many perks of flying private was that less than
ten minutes after landing, Pamela, Piper and I were already in
the rental car and cruising northbound on Maryland Route 170
toward downtown Baltimore.  The rental car, a metallic silver
2016 _Lexus LS 460_ sedan, was waiting for us and our luggage
was already loaded into it even before we reached the FBO
(Fixed Base of Operation, a small facility at most airports
which was exclusive to private travelers).  As I have stated
numerous times in the past, Captain Mike and his crew were
top-notch.  They removed all the hassle and worry from travel,
and got us in and out of the airport in the blink of an eye.
   While preparing for our little excursion on Friday, I asked
Pamela to pick a hotel in Maryland for us to stay at.  It did
not have to be glitzy or glamorous, I told her, or overly
expensive... just a nice place where the three of us could
enjoy a couple of days away from the comforts of home.  And
without hesitation, Pamela chose _The Inn at Henderson's Wharf_,
saying everyone she had even known in the area raved about the
hotel, how wonderful it was, although she had never been
there herself.  I called the hotel on Friday afternoon and
was very fortunate that they had a room available for us.
   Located in the Fells Point district of downtown Baltimore,
_The Inn at Henderson's Wharf_ was at the end of a boardwalk
which overlooked the Patapsco River and a busy marina.  It
was within walking distance of shops, taverns, restaurants
and even a host of museums and historical landmarks.  The
friendly staff, knowing we had flown here from Norway and
had a toddler along for the trip, allowed us to check in
early at 10:10am and go straight to our room.
   Piper was suddenly tired yet again, so we put her down
for a nap fairly quickly while using the time to unpack our
suitcases and get situated.  I took a quick shower, then
Pamela did the same.  We would have preferred to take one
together, of course, but it was best that one of us stay out
and keep an eye on Piper even as she napped.
   While Pamela was busy in the shower, I set up the laptop
computer and established a video chat connection with the
family back in Norway.  All seven of the ladies there,
including Alison, sat on or around the sofa with Kaden, Dani
Grace, Jackson and Kaylee mixed in, and each of my wives (and
one fiancee) took turns saying how much they loved me, and
missed me.  The scene and its imagery, with everyone together
and expressing their feelings, had my heart fluttering.
   When Pamela emerged from the adjacent washroom, the focus
naturally shifted to her and it was equally touching.
   "Sipping my morning coffee just wasn't the same earlier
without you there to talk to and hold my hand," Amy informed
Pamela.  "I felt really lonely."
   "Kaden keeps looking for Aunt Pammy and Piper, so he can
play with them," Kristanna mused.
   "Pamela!" she shot back with a grin, sitting next to me.
   "Who is going to give me my foot massage tonight since
you're not here?" Scarlett frowned at Pamela.
   "Oh, I'll do it, honey," Devon told her.
   Scarlett was still frowning.  "It won't be the same
without Pamela.  Pamela gives the BEST foot massages!"
   Naturally, Lindsay was sitting in Trish's lap.  "Don't you
wear Jeremy out while you got him to yourself for four whole
days!" Lindsay chided Pamela.  "We're all going to want a
piece of him - and YOU - come Wednesday evening."
   "You'll still have awhile to wait before you can do
anything of the sort," Trish reminded Lindsay, referencing
doctor's orders that she abstain from any sexual relations
until a full six weeks had passed since she had given birth.
   "Ugggggh!" Lindsay growled, upset.  "Do you know how hard
it is for me, knowing I can't have sex for such a long time?"
   "You could barely go a whole hour without it in the past,"
Kristanna teased her.  "Gotta wait another month, sweets."
   "I don't think you have to worry about me wearing Jeremy
out," Pamela told Lindsay.  "This isn't that kind of trip.
With Piper here, I doubt there will be time for any of that.
Plus, I will be so focused on my family, and the funeral.
I... I still cannot believe that Mom-Mom is... dead."
   "We love you, Pamela," Kristanna swooned once our chat was
nearing its conclusion.  "We love you both!  Stay warm and be
careful.  Don't do anything crazy over there, now!"

   We arrived in [City Name], Pamela's former hometown, at
the house where her parents, Tom and Carol, lived promptly
on time at 3:00pm.  There were several cars in the driveway
and it was quite a happy reunion as Pamela was greeted by
her mother and father, followed by her two sisters, Paula
and Candice.  Piper, who had met her grandparents on three
separate occasions in the past while they visited us in
Norway, seemed to warm up to Carol rather quickly.
   I also shared a good, long embrace with Pamela's younger
sister, Candice.  Candice, of course, was the one who
informed me back in December 2013 that Pamela was sick and
in the hospital.  If not for Candice, I would have never
even known.  And without her help facilitating everything,
from talking me into flying here overnight (with Kristanna)
to be by Pamela's side, and then helping convince Pamela to
offer our way of life one more try, my situation would be
completely different and much less fulfilled today (Pamela,
quite simply, would not be a part of it).  I owed a lot to
Candice and was forever grateful toward her.
   Paula, the older sister at 37, had three daughters of her
own - Corrie (age 10), Kendall (6) and Mikhaela (3) - with
her husband of 14 years, Jeff.  Corrie was quick to take
Piper by the hand and volunteer to show her the room full of
toys that Grandma and Grandpa had in their home.  This allowed
us adults some time to kick back and reminisce about Genevieve
and discuss the upcoming funeral on Tuesday at noon.
   I had never met Genevieve, obviously, but I got the sense
that everyone simply adored her.  Indeed, they all referred
to her "Mom-Mom".  Candice and her fiance, Michael, shared a
story that just last week, Genevieve was saying how overjoyed
she was that _little Pamela_ had finally found happiness in
life, and how proud she was of her for being such a wonderful
parent while holding a picture of her and Piper together.
   Tom informed us that at 5:00pm, we were all going to his
brother's seafood restaurant for dinner.  Feeling quite hungry
by this point and being the seafood connoisseur that I am,
this was excellent news to me.  I always _tore_ into seafood.
   For an appetizer, I munched on authentic Maryland style
crab cakes (the best in the world), as well as macaroni and
cheese with baked crab and bread crumbs mixed in.  I also had
a seafood cobb salad consisting of jumbo lump crab meat and
shrimp mixed with iceberg spinach, smoked bacon, bleu cheese,
avocado and tomato, with vinaigrette dressing.
   My main course consisted of a 20 ounce grilled Caribbean
lobster tail with mashed red potatoes and fresh green beans
on the side.  It was absolutely delicious!  Pamela was poking
fun at me throughout the dinner, saying I actually wanted to
eat everything on the menu.  "His stomach is limitless when
it comes to seafood," she told the others, getting a laugh
out of them in the process.
   We stayed at the restaurant and continued to talk until
8:00pm.  Piper, whose sleep schedule was all out of whack (it
was 2:00am back home in Norway) was already out like a light in
her stroller as we said our goodbyes to everyone, but promised
to meet up again for dinner at Tom and Carol's house tomorrow
(Sunday) evening at 6:00pm.  Then, it was back to the hotel.
   Despite it being the middle of the night for them, Trish
and Lindsay were awake and we spoke with them over video chat
for a good 30 minutes.  Trish seemed really happy; she said
Jackson was doing so much better with his neck and shoulder
difficulties, and now truly believed that the chiropractor
would soon cure him completely.  That was music to my ears.
She also said that his next therapy session was put off until
Thursday, strictly so I could be there with him.
   After bidding a good night to Trish and Lindsay, Pamela
and I curled up in bed and must have shared loving hugs and
kisses for at least 15 minutes.  We made no sure not to go
beyond that, though, since Piper was sleeping in the portable
crib no further than two feet from the bed.
   When I realized a short time later that Pamela was out as
well, I planted a kiss on her forehead and sighed, then closed
my eyes.  We still had a funeral to attend, unfortunately, but
otherwise this was going to be a good trip.  I could feel it.

                            * * *

   Piper actually did not wake up on Sunday morning until
10:00am.  By that time, Pamela and i were all set to go,
having showered and changed.  We had dinner at her parents'
house later tonight, yes, but planned on taking a whirlwind
sightseeing tour of Baltimore beforehand.
   After getting Piper ready, we caught the tail end of the
complimentary breakfast just outside the lobby in the hotel.
Out first destination, located just a few minutes away, was
Oriole Park at Camden Yards.  Being early in March, the
baseball venue was deserted, but it was still neat to drive
by and see the famous, majestic structure.
   Pamela insisted that our next stop on the itinerary had to
be Fort McHenry National Monument, also within very close
proximity to the hotel.  Perhaps best known for its role in
the War of 1812, this was where, in Baltimore Harbor, the brave
soldiers of the United States military fended off an attack
by the British Navy.  The battle and ensuing victory prompted
Francis Scott Key to write _The Star-Spangled Banner_, which
eventually became the national anthem for the United States.
   From the opening movie that ended with the curtains opening
to the flag flying overhead while _The Star-Spangled Banner_
was playing, to the actual rooms and fields where battles were
fought, Fort McHenry was a truly moving, patriotic visit.  The
history lesson itself was astonishing; those brave soldiers,
our forefathers, engaged in a 25 hour battle with the British.
204 years later, the fort still stands proud and tall today.
   I gave Pamela free rein to pick and choose wherever we went
on our sightseeing adventure.  Not only did Pamela know this
area like the back of her hand, having lived here for over 30
years, but she was also the driver!
   First it was the baseball stadium because I was such a
sports fan, but later it was the George Peabody Library to
satiate Pamela's love of books and reading.  Dating back to
1857, the George Peabody Library was the research center for
Johns Hopkins University in the 19th century.  Today, it is
still a fully functional library, and widely considered one
of the most beautiful structures in the world.
   Architecturally, it looked like a cathedral.  Five floors
with wrought iron gates and ceilings encircled the entire
space.  There were books everywhere.  Pamela made the comment
that reading a book that was written in the 1800's in a place
that looked like it was magical library from a _Harry Potter_
film was as close as we would ever get to time travel.
   Next on the sightseeing tour was the _USS Constellation_,
a United States Navy vessel that held the distinction of
being the only intact ship which remained from the Civil War
era.  Commissioned in 1855, the _Constellation_ spent the
majority of the Civil War fending off confederate cruisers
and pirates at sea.  The ship also saw duty in World War I
and World War II, and was later decommissioned in 1955.
After a renovation project that ended in 1999, _Constellation_
is now a tourist attraction and historical landmark.
   Walking throughout the vessel was quite an experience.
The living quarters were quite cramped and the kitchen area
could be described as rudimentary at best; I certainly could
not have survived long as a sailor on this ship.  There were
several employees in period uniform, playing fife and drum
(naval) music and offering interactive demonstrations.  Piper
really seemed to enjoy the inspirational music.
   With the time quickly approaching 4:00pm, and dinner set
for 6:00pm, we agreed to make our way toward [City Name] to
meet up with Pamela's family.  But first, Pamela drove us to
the west side of Baltimore and surprised me by pulling into
the parking lot of _Gentleman's Gold Club_,  Dumbfounded, I
stared back at her.  Why were we at a strip club?
   "This is where I worked for 12 years," Pamela offered after
a very deep and taxing breath.  "You wanted to learn about my
past and where I grew up, where I lived, what I used to do on
this trip, Jeremy.  This club was nearly the death of me."
   "Let's get out of here," I simply stated, upset that Pamela
was willing to revisit this stage of her life - even for a few
seconds.  Pamela was certainly not an exotic dancer any longer,
nor would she ever be again.  Our entire family had worked so
hard over the past two-plus years to distance Pamela from the
life and career that she once had.  Why in the world did she
choose to come back to this horrific place?
   "I thought you may like seeing it, Jeremy!" Pamela snapped
at me once we were back on the road, angry at my reaction.  "I
told you all about that club in the past and how it shaped me,
affected me, as a person.  I thought you may like to see it!"
   "Well, I didn't."
   The subsequent drive to [City Name] consisted entirely of 
eerie, strained silence.  Piper was napping in the backseat
and, thanks to our little argument, Pamela and I did not say
another word to each other for 20 minutes.  I still could not
find any benefit of her showing me that damn strip club.
   "This is the house where I grew up," Pamela said, putting
forth a peace offering, as we stopped alongside a residence
in a neighborhood full of families and children.  The home,
three stories in size, had a huge, sprawling yard and a
beautiful garden.  "My parents lived here from 1980 to 2005.
Once Candice graduated from high school in 2004 and moved
into my condo with me, Mom and Dad decided to sell this house
and buy their current one, much smaller and less maintenance."
   "You see that tree there?" Pamela asked, motioning toward a
huge oakwood.  "I used to climb it when I was little, then get
onto the roof of the house.  I always felt wobbly and scared
up there, but I climbed anyway.  Not too smart, huh?  One day,
the next-door neighbor saw me and Paula up there when he drove
by.  He got out of his car and knocked on the front door, and
told Mom what Paula and I were up to.  We were in trouble...
especially once Dad got home from work!"
   "I remember the orange and gold diamond-patterned carpet
in the kitchen, and how I loved playing hopscotch on them.
I also remember, very vividly, Candice lying on that very
same carpet on Christmas Day when she was three years old,
throwing a temper tantrum because Dad would not allow her to
open any presents until she finished her oatmeal."  Pamela 
held back a laugh, but still smiled.  "Candice HATED oatmeal."
   As Pamela told those and other stories, I held and kissed
her hand and I... enjoyed listening to the memories.  Those
ten minutes, in front of her childhood home, were magical to
me.  It was a side of my wife that I had never seen before.
   We took a spin by her elementary, middle and high schools,
then the _McDonald's_ fast-food restaurant where Pamela worked
as a 17- and 18-year-old student as (in her own words) "the
french fry girl".  Thus, one of the many reasons why Pamela
claims that she will never eat another french fry in her life.
   We arrived at her parents' home at 5:40pm and again found
that the whole gang was there.  In addition to Tom and Carol,
Paula and her husband (Jeff) were present, plus their three
daughters (Corrie, Kendall and Mikhaela), as well as Candice
and her fiance, Michael.  Piper was in a mood, having just 
woken up, but her spirits seemed to brighten rather quickly 
once Corrie took her off to play elsewhere in the house.
   After enjoying a dinner consisting of Angus filet mignon
steak and a baked potato, Pamela and I stayed and chatted with
her family until 11:00pm.  Tomorrow, Tom had plans with his
brothers and sisters before the funeral took place in two
days, but Carol and the two sisters were free.  Pamela agreed
to go out and spend the bulk of day with them, while I would
stay here (in her parents' house) and keep an eye on Piper.
   When was the last time Pamela actually got to go and spend
the entire day out with her mother and two sisters?  I would
be perfectly content staying behind.  While not busy with 
Piper, I could hook up via _Skype_ with the ladies from Norway 
and have video chats with them.  Staying in touch with them by 
way of video chat was _so much_ better than a telephone.
   And that was exactly what happened.  Pamela ventured out
with Carol, Paula and Candice at noon on Monday, and I was
left behind with Piper.  While she entertained herself with
toy vacuums and lawn mowers, cell phones, plastic blocks and
doll houses, I sat in the middle of it all with my laptop in
front of me, and Kristanna on the other end of the video relay.
   While Piper interrupted our discussion several times and I
had to tend to her, at one point for nearly five minutes, I
told Kristanna all about our trip thus far.  Kristanna got
all teary-eyed, wishing she was here with us, when I told
her about the way Pamela spoke and acted when sharing her
memories while in front of her childhood home last night.
   "I bet you Pamela still wishes that house belonged to her
family," Kristanna said to me through a grainy point in the
connection.  "Stuff like that... that's why I was so happy,
Jeremy, when you agreed to live here on my parents' farm.  I
have SO MANY memories here from when I grew up, and all of
them are so incredibly special and precious to me.  And now,
we have the opportunity to create all new memories here."
   "I know, Krissy," I assured her.  "I know."
   "Doughnuts are here!" I heard Devon call out across the
laptop's headset.  "Doughnuts are here!  Oh, and I got you
your bagels too, Krissy."  When she came into view upon the
monitor, Devon froze and eyed me.  "Oh, hi Jeremy."
   "Hi sweetheart," I returned.  "You go out and get food?"
   Devon nodded.  "Doughnuts for everyone... except Krissy,
because she is barbaric and prefers bagels."
   Kristanna held up a finger.  "I love doughnuts too.
Always have, always will."
   "But you prefer bagels, which is insane."
   "I do favor the bagel in a full-on, baked-goods war."
   Devon held a hand out in the air in punctuation.  "Can
you believe her, Jeremy?"
   "Not really."
   "She is utterly outrageous."
   "Wedding plans are exhausting," came Scarlett's voice.
"Especially when you are eight months pregnant and big as a
water balloon, and almost ready to burst."  I heard Scarlett 
let out an agitated sigh before she added, "Did you bring 
home some orange juice from the store, Devon?"
   "I sure did," she responded.  "I bought pulp and no pulp.
I like to cover the bases and keep everyone happy."
   "Such a sweetheart!" Scarlett gushed.
   "Come over here, Scarlett," Kristanna instructed her.  "I
have Jeremy on web-cam.  Come say hello to him."
   "Hi, baby!" Scarlett swooned at me seconds later, her
angelic face and smile now gracing my computer monitor.
   "Hey there, wife-to-be," I nodded back at her.
   "How is Pamela holding up?  Piper doing okay?"
   "We're fine," I simply answered.
   Kristanna reached into the goodie bag and pulled out a
sourdough bagel.  She took a quick bite and shot up a hand
in victory, and in an adorable response, Devon stole a kiss.
I simply sat back and marvelled at their amazing chemistry.
   As Devon prepared plates and drinks, Scarlett regaled
Kristanna and yours truly with war stories from the last
minute wedding-planning trenches.  Scarlett told us about
her latest discussion with the photographer, wedding cake
tastings, a meeting with the videographer and colors for
flowers.  Amy was helping her out a lot this week.
   "I just don't know what I'm going to do if it snows,"
Scarlett fretted.  "I have all these images of a frosty,
chilly version of myself pouting in all of the photos, and
no one likes a pouty bride.  I don't."
   Kristanna took Scarlett's hand and kissed the back of it.
"If it snows," she said calmly, "you and Jeremy will have the
best possible time in that snow.  It will be the most fun any
two people have ever had at a snowy wedding, and you will tell
the story of that snowy, romantic wedding to your kids - OUR
KIDS - one day in the future, and they will love it."
   Devon pointed at Kristanna.  "Always the positive one."
   Scarlett took a moment to ponder and contemplate things.
"I'm suddenly not worried about snow anymore.  How do you
ALWAYS do that, Krissy?  And Amy and I have a ton of work to
do, so I better get going.  Now."
   "That's code for sex," Kristanna whispered at me, grinning,
as Scarlett grabbed her doughnuts and a glass of orange juice,
and promptly exited the kitchen.
   "Do you see her little face?" Lindsay's 19-year-old sister,
Alison, said as she strolled into the kitchen with her infant
niece, Kaylee, in her arms.  "I'd have no choice but to give
Kaylee anything she wants.  Five toys?  Fine.  Ten?  Okay."
Alison tore her gaze away from Kaylee long enough to notice
that Kristanna had me on the monitor.  "Hi Jeremy."
   The image of blonde, teen-aged perfection, Alison was the
ultimate forbidden fruit to me.  Just the sight of her 
carrying around and comforting a baby sent shivers straight
down my spine.  After all, Lindsay did promise Alison that one
day, I would get her pregnant.  Yet they were sisters!
   "Hi Alison," I returned, gulping my throat in the process.
I had some impure thoughts going through my mind right now...
   "Linny!" Piper chirped, about ten feet away from me,
pointing a tiny finger at the computer monitor and bouncing
about.  Piper got the biggest, healthiest smile upon her face 
and repeated several times in succession, "Linny!  Linny!"
   When I turned the web-cam toward Piper, Kristanna smiled
brightly at her.  "Honey!  That's not Aunt Lindsay; that is
Aunt Alison."  She offered the toddler a sympathetic look.
"Oh, I know they look a lot alike - almost identical.  But that
is Alison - Ali.  Can you say that for me?  Ali?  Say Ali."
   "Linny!" Piper squealed, still gesturing toward her.
   "You're a silly girl!" Kristanna giggled at her.  "But 
you are also so CUTE AND CUDDLY!"
   Indeed, Lindsay and Alison were nearly replicas of each
other.  This was not the first time Piper had confused them
in the past couple of weeks, nor would it be the last.
Kaden, in fact, had made the same mistake a time or two.
   Lindsay was, without question, the ultimate aphrodisiac to
me.  She always had been.  I never thought that I would meet
anyone else who could push the type of buttons within me quite
the way that Lindsay did.  Then, along came her younger
sister, Alison.  For God's sake, being with them together in a
three-some would be akin to having two Lindsays at once!  Even
my oldest daughter and son had difficulty telling them apart.
   How in the hell could I possibly resist that temptation?
Even further, _no one_ in the family wanted me to resist it!
Every single one of these ladies wanted Alison as an equal 
and loving partner in our lives.
   When Piper returned to her toys, Kristanna motioned for
Alison to come over to her.  "Alison volunteered to watch
Kaylee tonight so Lindsay could take a much-deserved nap,"
she told me.  When Alison walked over to her, Kristanna took
her hand and threaded their fingers together lovingly.  "Ali
is such a good sister."  Kristanna giggled and added, "I say
we keep her.  How about you, Jeremy?"
   I was still focused on their hands.  It was quite a sight.
I stared at them, basking in the warmth the image inspired.
Kristanna had such a huge heart and wanted what was best for
our family.  Would Alison really fit in with us?
   "Alison is so good with Kaylee!" Kristanna observed,
glancing at them both.  "And Kaylee seems to love her."
   Devon tilted her head from side to side in consideration
as she broke a doughnut in half and offered it to Alison.
They made an exchange - the doughnut for Kaylee.  Devon took
Kaylee into her arms and rocked her gently.
   "We also have bagels," Kristanna smirked, winking, as she
eyed Alison munching a healthy bite from her doughnut.
   But Devon took the other half of the doughnut and pressed
it upon Kristanna's face, then gently smashed and grinded it
all around.  Kristanna yelped and squealed in shock, then
stood up with a massive grin and seemed prime to retaliate.
But Devon had the ultimate _get out of jail free card_ at her
disposal, and she was not afraid to use it.
   "You're not touching me as long as I have Kaylee!" Devon
snickered at her, their playfulness now off the charts.  She
swiped Kristanna's mouth with a single fingertip and licked
at the powdered sugar from the doughnut with her tongue.
Devon giggled yet again, then held Kaylee out before her and
did a little dance and pirouette, taunting Kristanna.
   "Oh, you're going to get it," she warned Devon, smiling,
now clearing the excess from her face with a pile of tissues.
"You're going to get it big time!  No one smashes me in the
face with a doughnut and gets away with it!"
   Yet more than anything, I found myself staring at Alison.
   "You must learn to take responsibility - just like your
sister did - for what your beauty does to me," I envisioned
myself saying to Alison within my mind's eye, tucked away in
a lucid dream in some distant place.  "Mouth open now."
   In the mental reverie, in my fantasy, Alison complied and
I slipped my erection inside her velvety mouth with a little
groan at the exquisite pleasure only a pretty girl's mouth
could afford.  I took hold of the headboard and began to
thrust, not terribly hard but quite deep, looking down all
the while at the mesmerizing sight of my hard shaft moving
in-and-out of her sweet, rosy lips.  Hmmmmm, a second Lindsay.
   "Hold my balls, Alison," I instructed her, my mind now on
overdrive with the vivid fantasy.  "Gently, in your hands."
   With a whimper as she struggled to take my cock, little
Alison obeyed, stretching out her fingers to grasp my scrotum.
I let out a soft sound of utter contentment as the sensations
all but enveloped me; my cock, my balls, my eyes, all of my
working muscles as I thumped that indelible, tiny mouth.
   "You okay, Jeremy?" I heard Kristanna ask, which snapped
me out of my warped mental musings and back into reality.  I
shook my head quite vigorously, then offered her my most
generous and innocent smile.  "You seemed lost for a minute."
   "I'm fine, Krissy," I assured her.  "Just fine."

   But I was anything but.

   Hours later, Pamela arrived home and strolled in with four
full shopping bags on her arms.  "Looks like someone has been
a busy little gal," was my comment, as Pamela sneered at me.
   "She spent all your money, Jeremy," Candice joked,
laughing.  "You're broke now.  Deal with it."
   Shortly thereafter, Tom returned home as well, and then
Jeff and Michael showed up with the three kids.  It was off to
the funeral home for the two hour visitation; we got there an
hour early, and left an hour late.  Pamela and her inner
family spoke to and thanked everyone who stopped by to offer
words of condolences and pay their respects to Genevieve.
   I also stood by the casket and had a private moment with
"Mom-Mom" myself, telling her that I loved Pamela, and also
thanking her for helping to mold my wife into the wonderful
woman that she is today.  I promised Genevieve that no matter
what, I would always cherish her granddaughter, and protect
her.  Pamela meant everything to me, I assured Genevieve, and
it was both an honor and privilege to call her my wife.
   After the visitation, it was getting late, and our group
decided on dinner at _The Capital Grille_, which just so
happened to be within walking distance from the hotel in
downtown Baltimore that I was staying at with Pamela and
Piper.  Of course, I insisted on picking up the tab for
everyone.  It was the least I could do.
   Being the food connoisseur that I am, I ordered a jumbo
lump crab cocktail as an appetizer along with a hearty spinach
salad covered with warm bacon dressing.  But I went a vastly
different route with the main course, enjoying a wild mushroom
burger topped with havarti cheese and roasted in aged balsamic.
Pamela had a ribeye steak sandwich with caramelized onions and
havarti, served on a grilled French loaf.  It looked delicious!
   Everyone agreed to meet up outside the funeral home tomorrow
morning at 9:00am, although the service itself would not start
until noon.  Of course, 48 hours from now, Pamela, Piper and
yours truly would be back home in Norway.
   I watched a little bit of television back at the hotel,
including the local news, but was really tired.  Tomorrow, with
the funeral, was not going to be easy.  I was not looking
forward to it at all.  Pamela was nestled up close beside me,
cuddling with Piper, when I fell asleep around 11:20pm.

                           * * *

   I was lulled out of a peaceful slumber in the wee hours of
the morning, at 12:57am, on Tuesday.  It took me a moment or
two to collect my bearings, being in an unfamiliar bed in an
unfamiliar location (the hotel).  Soon, though, I came to
realize that the reason I was so unceremoniously awakened was
because there was some very strange and peculiar noises
emanating from the nearby washroom.  I glanced to my right
and noticed that Pamela was not in bed with me, where she
should be, but Piper was fast asleep in her portable crib.
A freight train could come right through the hotel, and the
noise would not wake this girl.  Piper was a heavy sleeper.
   I listened closer and heard little moans and yelps coming
from the washroom.  Pamela had to be in there, right?  The
noises sounded purely sexual in nature.  I then heard voices,
followed by some intense giggling.  Then, the unmistakable
sound of Kristanna's laugh.  What was going on in there?
Surely, Kristanna had not flown all the way here.  Had she?
   "Take that bra off, baby," came Devon's voice as I stood up
and inched closer toward the washroom door.  My eyes about to
burst now due to curiosity and utter intrigue, I flung open
the door and was actually quite surprised at what I saw.
   Pamela seemed startled, even a bit ashamed, as she looked
at me and took a step back.  She was wearing a turquoise bra
with black trim that had string ties behind both her neck and
back.  She also wore a sexy garter belt and G-string, their
colors turquoise as well, with dark, thigh-high stockings
attached.  A quintessential centerfold-type, Pamela was
blessed with striking good looks and smashing, yet all-natural
38d-24-37 measurements, and the lingerie two-piece set did a
magnificent job of showcasing her assets.  Her hair was a
tumble of star flame-gold, her eyes fulgent, and chestnut-brown.
   If I did not know any better, it seemed as if my darling
wife was prepared for a steamy, late-night secret rendezvous.
   "Oh, look," came Scarlett's voice from behind me.  "It's
Jeremy!  Hi, Jeremy!"
   Unsure what to make of all of this, I turned and noticed
that my computer laptop was perched upon the sink countertop
here in the washroom.  Its web-cam was pointed in Pamela's
general direction, and on the screen I saw Kristanna, Devon,
Amy and Scarlett all huddled together and apparently watching
us, each of them in various stages of undress.  Devon, in
fact, was already topless, and was getting her breasts
squeezed and caressed by Kristanna and Amy from either side.
   Pamela frowned and seemed even more embarrassed when I
turned to look at her.  "I'm sorry, Jeremy.  They made me.
I was talking with Krissy because I couldn't sleep.  One
thing led to another, and soon she wanted to have video sex
chat with me over _Skype_."  Did Pamela just say... video
sex chat?  Holy hell!  "That's when Devon, Amy and Scarlett 
showed up.  They had me put on lingerie for them."
   "Like you need to explain yourself to Jeremy!" Amy giggled.
   "I still think you should take that bra off, Pamela,"
Devon swooned.  "I took mine off.  Now it's your turn.
C'mon, I want to see those titties!  We all do!"
   Pamela shook her head and even tried to cover up with a
towel.  "I don't think this is such a good idea anymore..."
   "Those titties look plump and juicy enough for me to stick
my face between them for an entire week!" Devon proclaimed.
   "I'd love to have my hands all over your body right now,"
Scarlett offered.  "Oh God, Pamela... you look so incredibly
hot in that little bra and G-string.  Lift up a leg, so I can
see your stockings better.  Oh wow... beautiful, baby.  I 
definitely want you to model that for us when you get home!"
   "I have the urge to lick her pussy!" Kristanna squealed.
"Hmmmmm... I would make you cum so hard, Pamela, if I were
there with you right now.  I'd push you up against the wall 
and lick that little pussy until you exploded!"
   "I'd rock her fucking world," Devon deadpanned.
   "Take that towel away from your body!" Amy demanded.  "Take
off your bra, too, and show us those breasts.  I want you to
rub them for us.  Rub them, and pinch your nipples."
   "Get those nipples all nice and rigid!" Devon growled.
   Pamela still seemed flustered and embarrassed, but all
those negative emotions apparently faded away in an instant
once I gently cradled her face with my hand and smiled at
her in a reassuring manner.  Was Pamela embarrassed strictly 
because I had caught her in the act, so to speak, playing a 
sexy game over live Internet video with four of our lovers?
Was I not supposed to know about this?  Did Pamela not want
me to see this more... adventurous side of her?
   Strange as it may sound, but - and this certainly was not
the case in the early stages of our relationship - Pamela
was the most sexually active and over-charged of our entire
group.  She had sex - craved sex - more than any of us.
   And now it seemed that my sexy, little bookworm bombshell
could not contain herself until we returned home to Norway.
Kristanna had obviously lured her into having _video sex chat_
over the Internet, and the ladies back home were going to take
full advantage of the situation.  And, despite the fact Piper
was sleeping in the very next room, I was going to get in on
some of the fun, too.  Why not?  I could spare a few moments
in here; there was no way Piper would wake up.
   "Take your bra off, Pamela."
   The ladies clapped and laughed with glee at my words.  The
tone was not a request; it was a demand.  Pamela looked up at
me timidly, almost submissively, and nodded her head.  The bra
was on the tiled floor just seconds later.
   My wife no longer felt embarrassment or shame.  With my
blessing for the situation that she had gotten herself into,
Pamela was now a powder keg of desire waiting to explode.
All she needed, it seemed, was my approval.
   "Play with your nipples," I directed her next, and she did.
   "Look at those titties!" Devon exclaimed.  "Oh my God, I
want to suck on them so much!"
   "Like this?" Amy asked, as she tilted her head and began
feasting away upon one of Devon's lush nipples.
   "Oh, Amy!" Devon moaned.  "That feels so good, baby!"
   "Those titties of Pammy's seem to get bigger every single 
day!" Kristanna said.  "They look incredible!"
   "Where are Trish and Lindsay, even Alison?" I asked the
group as a whole.  "Why aren't they with you?"
   "Those three are tending to Jackson and Kaylee at the
moment," Kristanna informed me.  "Kaden and Dani Grace aren't
awake yet.  It's only seven o'clock in the morning here,
you know."  Kristanna then got a devilish look in her eyes.
"Turn around, Pamela, so I can see that ass.  Bend over, too."
   "Looks good enough to have for breakfast!" Scarlett said
as Pamela did a little pirouette and bent over slightly.
"Those legs are so damn perfect!  Good God, Pamela... you are
so sexy.  All of us have missed you so much!"
   Oh wow... Pamela was blushing.  "I missed you all, too."
And she was giggling like a flustered, little schoolgirl.
   "You know what I want?" Amy grinned.  "I want to see
Jeremy's cock."  The others nodded in unison and I gulped my
throat as Amy added, "Take out your cock, Jeremy, and show
it to us!  That's what we want to see!"
   "You girls are crazy!" I laughed at them.
   "I want to see Pamela suck that cock," Kristanna hissed.
"I want her to suck it and swallow a big mouthful of cum!"
   Pamela was _still_ blushing.  Of course, I probably was
too by this point in time.  "Do you think I should?" she
asked them in return, reaching out and casually rubbing the
hard, pulsing lump in my shorts.  "Over the Internet?"
   "No one will see it but us, baby," Kristanna insisted,
almost pleading with her at the same time.  "Trust me, this
connection is locked and 100 percent secure.  I promise you!"
   "We know how much you LOVE sucking cock," Scarlett chimed
in.  "C'mon, do it for us, honey.  Do it for us."
   "Swallow it whole!" Kristanna blurted out.
   "I'd already have that big cock of Jeremy's in my mouth if 
I was there," Devon offered, trying to urge Pamela on.  "Look
how hard he is!  I can see it poking beneath his shorts!"
   "How can she control herself?" Scarlett whined.
   "Pammy needs a mouthful of cum!" Kristanna taunted her.
   Amy licked her lips.  "I'd like to see Jeremy pull out of
her mouth at the last possible second and blow his load all
over that sweet, pretty face."
   "Oh, no," Devon countered.  "She BETTER swallow it all."
   There was a loud, boisterous roar of approval from the
laptop's speaker as Pamela dropped to her knees before me.
She grasped my bulging erection through the shorts I wore
and offered a long, generous squeeze, but then used her
opposite hand to pull the garment downward.  My shaft, at
full strength because of the way the ladies were taunting
Pamela and egging her on, popped out into view before those
dreamy brown eyes and Pamela smiled up at me.
   "Piper is still sleeping, I trust?"
   "Yes," I breathed at her.  "Out like a light."
   "I want that cock so much!" Amy mewed.  "It's been four
whole days since I had it in me last!"
   "Pamela's such a lucky girl!" Devon screeched.  "What I
wouldn't do to wrap my lips around that big cock right now!
Hmmmmm... I'm getting so fucking hungry!"
   Pamela turned and glanced over at the web-cam, her shining,
halo-white teeth breaking into a smile.  Then she manuevered a
bit, getting more comfortable on her knees, and offered me an
equally joyful look.  Using her hand right, Pamela grasped the
base of my shaft and then slipped its head into her mouth.
   That blonde head began to gently bob back-and-forth upon my
erection, those innocent, puppy dog eyes trained on my face.
Pamela was already letting out muffled sounds of erotic hunger
as she worked over the tip of my shaft, licking and slurping
it into a frenzy.  She kept her left hand on the floor, using
it to help balance herself, as the catcalls continued.
   "Take your G-string panties off, Pamela!" Devon encouraged.
"I want to watch you finger your pussy while you suck that 
cock!  C'mon, rub that little pussy while you suck him off!"
   "Jeremy really needs to fuck her mouth hard," Amy observed.
"I mean, REALLY HARD.  Fuck her face, even!"
   "Do you know how jealous we are of you right now?" Scarlett
moaned.  "Next time, _I_ get to go with Jeremy on a trip!"
   "Oh hush, Scarlett," Kristanna chided her.  "You and Jeremy
are getting married on Saturday.  He's going to fuck your brains
out that night - even with you being eight months pregnant -
like never before.  And you'll have him all to yourself."
   "I wish we could have a big orgy that night instead!" Amy
proclaimed.  "Wouldn't that be so much more fun?"
   "When I married Jeremy," Devon told them, "and we woke up
in the morning, my wedding dress was literally PLASTERED with
cum.  Jeremy wouldn't let me take it off at all the night
before!  And oh God, I think he must have came over every
square inch of my body.  I was absolutely caked in it!"
   "Jeremy is a really big cummer if you get him worked up
enough," Kristanna nodded.  "And no one has a bigger cum
fixation in this family than I do!"
   "You love the taste, don't you, baby?" Amy purred.
   "You know I do," Kristanna nodded.
   Pamela was now busily stroking the length of my shaft with
her right hand as her head continued to bob back-and-forth,
taking half of it into her mouth.  She retreated for a quick
moment, only to dab and swipe her tongue across my testicles,
but then snatched my length right back into her mouth.  More
sounds, most of them tiny groans, continued to come from deep
within her throat as her eyes still never left my face.
   "Such a good little cocksucker!" Kristanna rumbled.
   "Jeremy really needs to fuck that face!" Amy repeated.
   This sort of behavior from Kristanna, Devon, Amy and
Scarlett was, to put it mildly, a bit over the top.  They
were rarely this loud, and never quite so derogatory and
unruly with their words and treatment of each other.  But
this, quite obviously, was something new and exciting for
everyone involved.  They were over the top, indeed, but most
of all, they were having fun.  Pamela was too, right along
with them.  I certainly would have never thought of using
video chat over the Internet with the ladies in such a
manner.  My simple idea with it was to keep in touch with
everyone during our trip, and catch glimpses of the kids.
   I could tell that Kristanna, Devon, Amy and Scarlett were
getting a real kick out of the way they were treating and
talking to Pamela.  They were riding her _hard_.  But she
was taking it in stride.  The ringleader, of course, was
Kristanna.  No one loved to playfully pester and tease Pamela
more than she did.
   "Take your G-string off, Pamela!" Kristanna begged her,
echoing an earlier sentiment.  "I want to see your pussy.
Be a good girl, and take your G-string off!"
   A deafening cheer erupted once Pamela used her left hand
to work her turquoise-colored panties from her hips, and down
her thighs.  "Turn a bit toward the camera, baby," Devon
instructed her.  "That's it, that's it, baby.  There!  Now
finger your pussy while you suck that cock.  Finger it!"
   "I'd much rather that be my tongue than her fingers,"
Kristanna growled as Pamela complied, sliding a pair of
long, supple digits up and down the folds of her labia.
   "Open your legs a little further," Scarlett requested.
"Can we actually zoom in on her pussy with the camera?"
   "I want to watch her sucking cock, too," Amy countered.
"It's turning me the fuck on!"
   Pamela was taking her sweet time, leisurely working my
shaft over now, while also clearly paying attention to the
ongoing dialogue from the laptop.  At times, she would dart
her eyes toward the monitor and both giggle and sneer at
some of the comments that were being made about her.  Pamela
was definitely relaxed now, and in her element.
   "Do you know WHAT the only thing in the whole, wide world
is that would make having this cock in my mouth even better
right now?" Pamela finally spoke, looking at the web-cam.
   "What's that, baby?" Devon wondered.
   "What?" Amy added.
   Pamela smiled and batted her eyelashes shyly.  "If all of
you were here, and I could taste your pussies on it."
   Those words set off a chain reaction of moans and quick
one-liners, many of them spoken over top of each other.  It
also nearly made me blow my load prematurely.
   Pamela resumed her act of fellatio, continuing to stimulate
her labia with two fingers from her left hand while using her
right to squeeze and knead both of her breasts.  What this
meant was that Pamela was now sucking my cock without using
her hands, and thus swallowing its full, entire length deep
into the reaches of her throat with every forward head-stroke.
   Pamela took my testicles into her right hand and played with
them as she now deep-throated me all the way to my scrotum.  My
knees felt weak and wobbly as she pulled back and carried on
with her glorious act, her long-flowing blonde hair swishing
back-and-forth as her lips, mouth and tongue pushed me toward
the proverbial edge.  Those ripe, succulent lips of hers slid
up-and-down my shaft, her cheeks puckered, as she sucked hard.
   "Pamela is such a good girl!" I heard Kristanna comment.
   "She really belongs on her knees in front of Jeremy,
sucking his cock like that!" Amy mused.
   "No, _I_ am the one who needs to be sucking that cock!"
Devon told them, her tone greedy, yet playful.
   "I'd love to share it with you, baby," Scarlett told Devon.
"We could both suck on it at the same time."
   "Oh yeah!" Devon exclaimed.  "That sounds even better!"
   I put my hand on Pamela's forehead and held it in place as
I stepped back and withdrew my shaft from the sweet clutches
of her mouth.  Curious, not to mention disappointed, Pamela
glared up at me with unquenched lust as I stepped back even
further.  She could not believe that I pulled out of her!
   Pamela had put on a _show_, so to speak, for the girls back
home in Norway.  Now, it was my turn.  And in order to do so,
I needed to take complete control of the situation.
   The sole impetus for this was that I had noticed, on the
washroom sinktop beside us, a strange-looking device.  It was
a sort of leather-bound metal ring attached on either side to
short leather straps, one of them featuring a buckle at its
end and the other holes for the buckle to fasten into.
   I knew exactly what it was.  It was, in fact, one of Amy's
customized gags that she enjoyed using during bondage play.  It
was perfect for keeping a woman's mouth nice and wide open for
a cock to thump their face.  But why was it here now?  Did Amy
sneak it into Pamela's suitcase before we left?  And why was it
on the sinktop?  Did Pamela have plans on putting it on?  Did
Kristanna and the others talk her into perhaps trying it out?
   Indeed, it was time for me to take charge.
   "Put your hands on my hips," I instructed Pamela.  "I don't
want you to move them."  Again, my wife did as she was told,
but then gasped as I reached over and snatched the ring gag
from the sinktop.  "What is this doing here?  Were you going
to gag yourself for the others?  Well, that is my job now,
Pamela.  Open your mouth like a good girl.  Open wide."
   Pamela actually obeyed, and I began to fit the ring
between her teeth as a new round of cheers and catcalls
emanated from the laptop.  "Wider than that," I commanded
her.  "Much wider than that."
   Pamela struggled to comply, but was successful.
   "There," I said with satisfaction, as Pamela's mouth was
now gaped wider than it ever had been before.  Pamela had
definite submissive tendencies, but I had never really
explored them in-depth with her.  I was not really sure that
I wanted to; our sex life was perfectly fine the way it was.
Plus, Pamela had always been quite reluctant to the idea of
submitting to Kristanna.  Perhaps she was curious about the
idea, but did not want to go forward with it.
   But right now?  This was a first.  I had never seen Pamela
with a gag in her mouth before.  And she looked divine.
   I buckled the strap around the back of Pamela's head.  As
I did so, I held her head tightly up against my front, with
my throbbing cock pressed against her cheek and her nose.
Pamela inhaled sharply and seemed to sag afterward; perhaps
the scent of wanton masculinity was nearly too much for her
to handle as I prepared her mouth for use.
   "Fuck her face!" Amy pleaded as I stepped back.
   "You look... very pretty that way, Pamela," I told her.
   Pamela definitely blushed as I surveyed every square inch
of her body.  A beautiful, naked woman, Pamela's pussy was
bare and showing its private cleft, as she knelt and was ready
for service with her hands firmly entrenched on either side of
my hips.  Her mouth was held obscenely open by the ring into
which I would soon thrust my shaft to take the most delicious
sensations she could afford me.  My eyes traveled up and down
her body several more times in succession, simply appraising,
evaluating, enjoying the right I had to look at her unclothed.
Pamela was my wife and her body, quite simply, belonged to me.
   I grasped my cock with my right hand and guided it toward
Pamela's mouth.  Was she actually quivering a bit?
   "Oh God!" Amy moaned.  "I love it when Jeremy becomes all
forceful and domineering like this!  It's so fucking hot!"
   "Ravage Pammy's mouth!" Kristanna begged me.
   "He needs to give her a good spanking, too!" Amy exclaimed.
   With a little grunt, and letting Pamela know I truly meant
business, I pushed my cock all the way into her mouth, seizing
her blonde hair and gathering it into a makeshift pony-tail at
the same time.  Pamela's throat made the same wet, submissive
sound Amy did whenever I thrusted my cock through the leather
ring and into the depths of her mouth.  Pamela's eyes rolled
about as she glared up at me and struggled to keep her balance.
   Pamela had my cock in her mouth.  In my current, dominant 
mindset, I moved it about not to please her, but because it 
made _me_ feel good.  That was the key.  I knew my rights, 
arrogant as it may sound, when it came to dealing with an 
overly eager submissive female like this.
   I allowed her a brief moment to steady her breathing.
   "It's time to give the girls what they want, Pamela."
   After leaning over, finding a better position - and while
making sure the web-cam caught our every move - I kept one
hand on her head as the other cupped underneath her jaw,
and then I began to thrust.  Shallow but quick jabs at first,
Pamela actually choked for a moment, but soon adjusted to the
rhythm.  When she let out a long, drawn-out gasp, I thrusted
my cock into her deeper, harder, enjoying the sensations.
   "I want to choke on that cock, too!" Devon bellowed.
   "I'll get you a strap-on after this, baby, so you can suck
on it," Amy volunteered.  "Maybe even TWO strap-ons!"
   "I want them both in my mouth together!" Devon whined.
   I sheathed the base of my cock completely into Pamela's
mouth with every thrust while I held her face tight against
my lap.  The ring actually made Pamela drool.  I forced my
way in and out at a rapid-fire pace; I had both hands on her
head now, holding it perfectly still so I could come and go
through the ring and into her mouth just as I pleased.
   Soon, I was piercing Pamela's throat.  Her eyes watered
and she gagged, but I pulled out and rammed myself even
deeper inside her throat with the next stroke.  Much to her
credit, Pamela kept her hands locked tightly upon my hips.
I told her not to move them earlier.  She was not about to.
Indeed, she had submissive tendencies.
   Pamela loved this sort of treatment.  I had found, once
she became totally comfortable in the unique relationship
and life we led about about two years ago, Pamela actually
preferred sex to be very physical and demanding.  She was
not quite as demure and timid as I was once led to believe.
   And to think, at one point very early on - back in 2013 -
I was scared to even _look_ at Pamela, much less touch her,
let alone bear the thought of becoming intimate with her.  I
was too worried that I may actually offend her, or even turn
her away from me.  Ahh, those days of trying to convince the
former stripper that I really did love her; far too concerned
that she may take it the wrong way if I made even the slightest
of sexual advances toward her.  Oh, how times have changed.
   I glared down at Pamela and saw a lovely, yet pale face
wreathed in golden hair, her brown eyes turned submissively
toward my lap.  A little mouth, held open by a gag so that my
cock could come and go.  She was drooling everywhere by now.
Pamela's hands secure and on my hips.  I felt no worry or
anxiety that the 33-year-old could escape a single thrust
into her throat.  Of course, she did not want to.
   Soon, I withdrew and swiftly unbuckled the gag, letting it
fall to the floor.  Pamela closed her mouth for an instant,
mixing the fluid I had put there with her own saliva.  She
worked her jaw, trying to make the ache from the gag fade.
   "Get that mouth open!" I demanded.
   I thrusted into Pamela's mouth yet again, growling long and
hard, as her hands clutched and rubbed at my pumping hips.
"You will swallow every last drop," I instructed Pamela, even
warning her, as I felt my cock began to contract and spasm.
   Now looking up at me, Pamela steadied herself and inhaled
the full length of my shaft as the first, initial burst of
semen was deposited into her mouth and throat.  Undaunted, she
continued sucking and proceeded to coax several more eruptions
out of me, each of them filling and nearly flooding her mouth
with my warm, sticky essence.  Intense, unyielding pleasure
just ripped throughout my entire body; not only because of
Pamela and her expert oral skills, but also because of the
wicked _audience_ that we had watching us via the computer.
   Once the cascade of semen had reached its conclusion,
Pamela seemed happy and satisfied as she carefully withdrew
her head from my cock, her hands still locked on my hips.
She smiled up at me and opened her mouth wide, displaying
a thick pool of sperm resting comfortably atop her tongue
and in her mouth.  She then turned toward the web-cam, her
mouth still wide open, showcasing the fruits of her labor.
   "Oh my God!" Kristanna shrieked.  "Look at all that cum!"
   "It looks like a reservoir!" Amy gushed.
   "There's plenty enough there for her to share with us
through kisses!" Scarlett complained, clearly upset that she
was not here as well.  "This isn't fair!"
   Pamela smiled, obviously getting the last laugh from all
of the teasing that she took earlier, as she closed her mouth
and let the gooey mess slowly and gradually drain down the
back of the throat.  An instant later, she popped her mouth
open and giggled at the camera.  It was completely empty.
She made certain the other girls knew it, too.
   No one was making fun of her any longer.
   "Such a lucky girl!" Devon screeched yet again.
   I leaned down and kissed Pamela's forehead, then moved my
face toward the web-cam and grinned at the four hellcats who
clearly wanted to sexually destroy both of us right now.
Perhaps they would get their opportunity when we arrived home
on Wednesday evening?  "Pamela and I are going to sleep," I
told them.  "You girls have a good night... day, I suppose."
They were six hours ahead of us because of time zones.  "I
love you all."  And then I closed the laptop, effectively
shutting it down and terminating the video chat.
   "You are a very, VERY bad girl," I told Pamela in the
aftermath.  "And I love you for it."  I cupped her chin with
the palm of my hand and caressed it gently.  "Seeing you with
that ring in your mouth... was something different."
   "I kind of liked it," Pamela coyly admitted.
   "That's good, because I'm not done with you yet," I said,
pushing Pamela downward and pinning her shoulders to the
tiled floor of the hotel washroom.  Her brown eyes as big as
saucers now, Pamela gulped her throat and stared up at me.
Obviously, she thought that I did not have more in me.
   I moved between her widespread thighs and took a dominant
mindset again.  "Internet time is over.  Now it's MY time."
   Pamela grunted and, once she realized that I was somehow
sporting a new erection, pushed herself a bit closer to me.
"Oh God, Jeremy," she moaned.  "Please, please... fuck me."
   Needing no further coaxing, I used both hands and actually
flipped Pamela's entire body over, and onto her left side.
She landed with an audible thud upon the floor and I quickly
moved in behind her, ready for entrance.
   I popped my cock between the soft, pouty lips of her pussy,
watching them part and collapse back in as its head vanished
between those folds.  I wasted no time; Pamela cried out at
the absolute top of her lungs in sheer ecstasy as the pink
slit between her thighs parted as I thrusted into her deep,
powerfully, with great force.
   Drawing on every last ounce of strength and energy that I
had, I pounded Pamela's body over and over again.  Her entire
frame rocked and shook with each forward plunge of my cock.
Those big breasts bounced and flopped about wildly in place
as if to an unheard rythym.  I held her down upon the floor,
using more leverage, pressing those breasts to the surface.
Her body felt so very right beneath me; pink and little and all
my own, bared for me, ready for me to take whatever I wanted.

   That ass sure did look like it needed some attention.

   "Oh God," Pamela sobbed after I brought my hand down hard
upon that unsuspecting backside.  "Oh Jeremy, oh God... you
are... you're... you're SPANKING me!"
   "Were you going to charge those girls a per hour fee for
your sex show?" I teased Pamela, my hips still bucking and
churning like mad as I plowed myself in-and-out of her at a
blistering pace.  At the same time, I spanked her ass not
hard, but steadily, wanting to get my point across.  "Do you
think it was okay for you to sneak into the bathroom and put
on a sex show in your little bra and panties, without telling
me first?  What if I slept through the whole thing?"
   "But... but..." Pamela groaned.
   "You're going to cum, Pamela, but only after I give you a
long, hard spanking.  What do you say to that?"
   She reached behind her wildly, desperately, but I took
both of her wrists into one hand and secured them at the
small of her back.  I settled down onto my side and pressed
myself roughly against her from behind.  The change in angle
altered the pitch of her screams a few octaves higher.
Pamela's arms failed to break free.  She was mine.
   I raised my right hand and brought it down upon Pamela's
luscious backside.  The slap rang out like a gunshot, and
Pamela squirmed delightfully as she emitted a sharp cry of
discomfort.  The even mixture of shock and pure arousal
across her face gave me the green light, so to speak, to
continue and move forward.
   I spanked her again, my hand leaving a lasting impact,
and then she managed to break her own hands free of my grasp.
Pamela promptly reached back with both and tried to cover 
her hot, smoldering ass, rubbing it frantically.
   "Hands!" I roared at her.  "No hands!"
   "Oh God... oh, I'm sorry..."  She pulled her hands away.
   My palm flashed down yet again with force and Pamela yelped
loudly.  Her hands then formed tight balls in front of her on
the floor.  Now she could not resist kicking her legs but I,
undaunted, simply slipped my left arm around her waist to keep
her nice and stady while my right hand kept peppering the 
bottom that moved so exquisitely underneath my dominant care.  
Still, it did not stop the disobedient, desperate motions, as 
she kicked her feet like a petulant little girl.
   But, I did not want to go too far with this.  How often 
had I actually spanked Pamela in the past?  Three, perhaps 
four times?  I could not push her beyond her comfort zone.
If this was Amy, the sky would be the absolute limit, because 
Amy truly got off on being dominated and spanked.  For Pamela,
however, I needed to go in moderation.
   So I simply began my cock thrusting harder, faster, deeper
into Pamela.  Taking a fistful of hair, I jerked her head to 
the side and whispered into her ear, "You truly deserved that 
spanking.  You are a very bad girl and, truth be told, I doubt 
it will be your last spanking."
   "I... oh God..." she sobbed to the floor.
   "Tell me," I said, giving her the absolute hardest push I
could and then resting deep, "that you are a bad girl."
   I drove in again.  Pamela responded with a loud scream.  I
felt my own body on the verge of explosion.
   "I'm a bad girl!" she finally admitted.  "I'M A BAD GIRL!"
   The tip of my shaft swelled and the skin around it grew
tight.  I pulled on Pamela's hair even harder.  I felt the
soles of her stocking-clad feet upon the front of my leg,
her entire body shaking as she went into erotic convulsions.
She let out a loud, shreiking cry, but soon it transitioned
into a moan.  Then, I reached my own breaking point.
   I dug my chin into my wife's shoulder and shot my seed
into her womb again and again.  Pamela's breathing became a
ragged pant as she writhed in my grip, held fast, and came.
Just the raw energy of her body and mind giving way to my
more forceful and domineering side was such a powerful
feeling.  I did not want Pamela to be submissive like Amy,
however.  Rather, this had been a fun and free-spirited, yet
temporary, detour from normalcy for Pamela.  For us.
   Pulling out, I gave Pamela's ass one final, quick swat.
   Afterward, I carried Pamela out to the bed in the front
room and fetched a heavy comforter from the closet, which I
laid over her.  Piper, of course, was still fast asleep, so
I sat down on the edge of the mattress and stroked Pamela's
golden hair until she too, dozed off.  Neither of us said a
word during this particular time, but Pamela looked up at me
with bright, shining eyes until she ultimately closed them.

                           * * *

   The fun and erotic events which took place overnight were
quickly pushed to the wayside in the morning as Pamela and I
woke up and prepared for her grandmother's funeral.  I had
been through this scenario before - with Trish last year -
yet I still felt utterly powerless as I watched my wife
prepare to say goodbye to a loved one for the final time.
There was nothing I could do, not much I could say, that
would do anything to help ease her pain and remorse.
   When the service started shortly after noon, there was an
attitude of somberness and regret all throughout the funeral
home.  There were no smiles stemming from the memory of
Genevieve - Pamela's "Mom-Mom" - only sorrow over the tragic
loss of this sweet and loving soul.   The atmosphere, quite
melancholic with nearly everyone dressed in dark clothes and
tears freely flowing from members of the immediate family,
was difficult to deal with.  I hated sadness.  I felt horrible
for Pamela's father, Tom, who had lost his mother.
   Pamela was quite upset, naturally, unable to control her
emotions as she sat next to Tom and held his hand.  Piper,
who was with me on the opposite side of Pamela, seemed hurt
and confused at the sight of her mother crying, only then to
become loud and unruly, and scream at the top of her lungs
in response.  I tried to get Piper to calm down, but it only
made her worse.  Without thinking, and not knowing if it was
proper etiquette or not, I clutched Piper, who was kicking
and screaming, close to me and carried her out of the main
funeral room.  I did not want our 15 month old daughter to
disturb what was a sacred, blessed ceremony.
   I ducked into a side hall and sat down in a corner, still
holding Piper close, rocking her, trying to soothe and settle
her nerves.  Piper did not take well to seeing her mother cry,
obviously, but she became even more upset when I escorted her
from the service, separating her and Pamela in the process.
That really set Piper off, and she was letting me have it as
a result - simply acting unbearable - in the hallway.
   Somehow, I was able to get Piper to behave - or, at the
very least - guide her along on the path to doing so.  She
was still sniffling when I noticed, moments later, people were
starting to slowly disperse from the viewing room.  Figuring
that the memorial service was now over, I stood up and carried
Piper out to the lobby and waited for a glimpse of Pamela.
   In the meantime, I pulled out my cell phone and turned it
on.  It did not take long for it to boot up.  But when it did,
I found a deluge of text messages waiting for me.  All of
them, I quickly realized, were sent from Norway.
   "Are you guys doing okay?"  (Kristanna)
   "tell pamela i love her & am so sorry"  (Lindsay)
   "im thinking of you both"  (Amy)
   "How is Pamela holding up?"  (Kristanna)
   "My deepest condolences for you and Pamela."  (Alison)
   "funerals r so sad!  give Pamela a hug 4 me?"  (Scarlett)
   "i made a batch of pamela's favorite cookies for when you
all get back home.  let it be a surprise for her, ok?"  (Amy)
   "Tell Pamela I wish I could be there for her."  (Trish)
   "i love & miss both of you // send pam my sympathy"  (Devon)
   "I'm worried about Pamela.  Please call me when you have the
chance to talk.  Love you and her so much xoxo"  (Kristanna)
   Overcome - no, blown away - by the sudden outpouring of
caring and support from the various women in our family, my
eyes welled with tears and I actually placed the cell phone
upon my chest and held it next to my heart.  I groaned and
sighed in response; what a truly incredible feeling it was!
To know that these six angels were home waiting for us - no,
seven (I was going to include Alison) - with their undying
love, their dedication to our family... the idea was too
much.  It was too much for me to handle, to comprehend, right
now.  What did I ever do to deserve a life this wonderful?
   Lost in the moment, I did not even realize that Pamela
was beside me until she reached out and pulled Piper into
her own arms.  I snapped back to reality and felt my heart
flutter at the sight of Pamela, even in her vulnerable state.
   "Hi there, sweet P," my wife smiled through her own mass
of tears, embracing Piper and kissing her on the cheek.  "I
love you, baby.  Oh, you are so sweet!"  She began to rock
and bounce Piper about.  "Oh, it's okay, sweetie.  Mommy was
sad earlier, but now I am happy because I am here with you!
Mommy loves you so much!  So much!"
   I thought about showing my cell phone to Pamela with all
those touching text messages, but then remembered that Amy
wanted the batch of cookies she had prepared to be a surprise
and ultimately decided not to.  Besides, I figured Pamela had
three times that amount of text messages on her own telephone.
Surely, the ladies bombarded her with their love and sympathy.
   "You're not angry I pulled Piper from the funeral?" I asked
Pamela, again unsure about the proper etiquette concerning a
loud and unruly child during a memorial service.
   "No," she told me, shaking her head.  "No one got angry.
It had to be done."  And with that, Pamela extended her left
arm toward me and, a moment later, I found myself in the
midst of a three-way embrace involving my wife and daughter.
I savored the moment, cherished it, thankful to the Heavens
above for all of the many wonderful blessings I had in life.
   And tomorrow morning, we were going home.


                <<<- End of Chapter 03 ->>>


==---- -- -- -- - --- -- --  -  - --- -- -- --- - -- - - - - --- -- ----==
"Island Fever 5: Family"

(c) 2016  JeremyDCP

- JeremyDCP@hotmail.com

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