Changing Places with Yourself

Chapter 25

The r**e kits came back negative and the other guy who grabbed me was questioned.  Turns out not only was the guy gay, but he was Stewart’s boyfriend.  They had been given orders to sell Andrea’s baby when she gave birth and then kill her, but they were planning on just keeping the baby and lying about adopting it.  Even though the girls had just met me, they wanted me to stay with them at the hospital.  I called my OB/GYN and she came into exam the girls so they would know their babies were ok.  She ordered someone to bring in a 3D ultrasound machine, so she could get the best picture of each baby.  Turns out that they were alternating days with the prenatal vitamins, Andrea would take one on the even days and Allison on the odd, which was smart considering they couldn’t risk their captors knowing both were expecting.  Luckily, she didn’t have any morning sickness until after the guy left at night.  I gave them a run-down of what happened with Albert, while we waited for them to bring up the machine.  Mrs. Stovard, Amanda, told them that her boys searched everywhere for them and asked that she be allowed to call them, but neither girl was emotionally ready to face the boys yet.  Dr. Hackett had the technician link the machine to the big TV on the wall so it would be easier for the girls to see their babies.  Amanda and the girls were crying to see both were accepting little girls of their own.  Each baby was healthy, but just a bit on the small side.  So, Dr. Hackett suggested the dietitian go over a food plan with them in the morning before they were released.  She found out that the girls were only fed twice daily and it was all fast food or take out, which is why she wanted them to eat healthier for the rest of their pregnancies.  She said she would stop by in the morning to check on them again and told them both to get some rest after a nice shower to help relax their muscles. 

The next day, I took the girls to the Novell Estate when they were released from the hospital.  I gave our cook, Ms. Tina, their meal requirements, so they could follow the doctor’s orders, she was thrilled to have more people to feed.  The reason I didn’t take them back to my building is that the boys come and go from my penthouse and the roof like they own the place at times.  They expect me to feed them dinner every night and have coffee ready in the mornings for them before they leave to go to work.  I swear I made them dinner one night now I’m their chef, but I can’t be mad, it’s better than having them burn down my building from trying to cook for themselves.  As for the coffee, I have my guards make it for them since I hate the smell.  After a month of sharing a 4 bedroom, they all decided that they would prefer to have their own pads, so now they have moved into 3 bedroom units, but I still only charge them $500 a month.  I’ve been putting the money into accounts for each of them so they can use it later as needed, but they don’t know that yet.  Mom is way past thrilled to have Andrea and Allison staying there with them.  She loves to be able to dote on her soon-to-be step-daughters in-law, which is a mouth full for sure.  We explained to them about the parentage of Amanda’s youngest 3 sons and they were ecstatic that none of Albert’s genes would be passed down to their baby girls.  While they were held prisoners all they were given to wear was hospital gowns and extremely huge clothes.  So, I told Mom to get Amanda to go with her and the girls to Gillows on me to get them new wardrobes.  I gave her my black card and told her not to worry about the costs and let the girls have fun.  I got a text alert a few hours later advising $15,000 was charged to my card and did I want to accept the charges.  I hit yes and then pulled up security cameras in the store.  What I saw was 4 guards loaded down with at least 10 bags each along with a few of the ladies from the store holding as many boxes of shoes as they were able.  I told Steve to send a couple of SUVs to gather up the girls' new clothes and take them back to the Estate.  He sent Jerome over to help the guards load up the Escalade I sent, which left lots of room in the other SUVs for the ladies to go to a baby store to get the necessities for their soon to be born granddaughters.  I texted Bruce to let him know those guards needed hazard pay added to their next check for what they were being put through and he agreed.  I advised him to have a box truck ready to get big items Mom was sure to insist they needed ‘right now’ even though Andrea still had 2 months to go and Allison had 5.  He said that he was sending 4 more guards to help ‘contain the situation’ as he put it.  I told him to make sure to have pastors standing by in case we needed to notify those poor men’s families, “Death by shopping, it’s a terrible tragedy :(.  Especially given the fact they already were loaded like pack mules just from the Gillows shopping spree.  One can only imagine how little will be left in that store once Mom and Amanda are done.” “:) ok” was his response.  I didn’t know if they were going to use my black card again at the baby store, but it didn’t matter to me.  I had swung by Gillows earlier and let my manager there know they were coming.  She told me that she would make sure each lady left feeling amazing about the clothes they left with.  I told her they would be using my card, which she knew meant the costs would be nullified after it was wrung up, leaving a $0 balance due once I accepted the charges.  What would be the point of me paying myself for something I got at my own store?  The salespeople still got their commission from the total of what would have been owed, which on $15,000 was over $3,000 for them to split.  I know my workers are good so I sent a message to have an extra $800 added to each of their checks that week for going above and beyond for the girls.  I watched some of the footage, they had the girls smiling and laughing at times, which given what they had gone through was a small miracle.  I love my employees.  Mom had texted me asking how much they spent and I told her not to worry about it.  She said that she and Amanda wanted to pay me back for the clothes they picked out for themselves, which I refused to let them.  Amanda had gotten a beautiful dress with matching shoes and Mom had picked out a pretty pants suit, which they planned on wearing to the company Holiday party.  After lunch, I suggested that they give the guards a break and come introduce the girls to Grandpa since he was in his office today.  (Retired my ass.)  At about 4 pm they came to my office first to hug me for letting them get new clothes, which looked amazing on them and Mom gave me back my card.  I walked them to Grandpa’s office and his eyes filled as they were introduced.  He had been in the Kansas office when everything went down and just got back today.  “You both are so beautiful, I’d be honored if you called me ‘Grandpa’ since you are carrying my great-grandchildren in those adorable baby bumps of yours.” he blubbered.  They agreed and he gathered them both in his arms, holding them close and thanking them repeatedly for being so strong and brave.  Joyce came in with boxes of tissues for all of us to wipe our cheeks with.  When he released them he turned to me and caught me in a tight embrace all the while telling me how lucky his family is to have found someone like me.  Dad was there and he agreed as he joined the hug.  Suddenly, Dad yelled, “Group hug.” while he pulled Mom, Amanda, Joyce, the girls and everyone else in the room to us.  I was smashed in the middle laughing so hard I was crying.  Finally, everyone sat down and I used Grandpa’s hankie to wipe his tears away and he used his fingers to get the last few ones falling from my eyes.  “Looks like now you have plenty of heirs to choose from not just me or Evan.” I smiled at him.  We knew that Evan had sobered up and gotten clean in prison, but he wasn’t getting out anytime soon.  “Would it be ok if I have Claude file the divorce papers?  I’m sure Evan will be happy to be freed from having me as his wife.” I remark.  “Claude already has the papers drawn up all you have to do is sign them, Becky.  But don’t you think for one second that you will stop being my grand-daughter.” Grandpa informed me.  Judy nodded, “Married or not, you are our family.”  Andrea tried to joke, “Maybe you and Allen could make a go of it and get married.”  “You know, darn well I’m not Allen’s type, besides he is back with Andrew and quite happy.”  I blab to all.  Allison and Andrea are so happy for him, they knew who much he loved Andrew.  “Although, if I need a stylist both have offered their services.” I uttered, making everyone laugh since Allen is always fixing my hair or adjusting my clothes whenever he’s close by.  Last weekend he made me get 10 new outfits, which he said ‘would drive Adam insane.”  His goal is to use me to torture Adam as payback for the times Adam made fun of him as a kid, because he knows that I am “strictly off-limits” to Adam and he knows it.  Dad piped up and said that they needed to make sure that Allen brought his ‘main squeeze’ to Sunday family dinner.  “About Sunday, I think since you girls aren’t ready to see Asher and Tony yet, that you should come to my place for the day.  I’ll change the codes so none of them come waltzing in.  Dad, you can tell the guys I had to work on my family’s business this weekend as an excuse as to why I’m not there.  It’s true, I have to start planning the corporate Holiday party and maybe you girls could help me brainstorm some ideas.”  We all agree that I will have the girls picked up at 10 am.  I texted Andrea an hour later to let her know all diets are off and any/all cravings will be fulfilled.  Amanda may come over later in the day to help me party plan since she had done the Stovard parties until Albert declared them a waste of his money.