by Mary Tribbey
Chapter 12
When John got home a little after lunchtime, he hugged Anne and said, “Well, it is over. I hope you won’t be angry, but I quit my job. Bob went back on his promise to get me out of this department. He wanted me to keep working on this and even develop other undercover plans. They wanted me to keep working on it forever! I turned in my badge and walked out. I didn’t want to be involved in it any longer. I don‘t know what I’ll do in the future. I do have some money saved up. We’ll get along OK. I know ‘we will get through this together,’ but we may have to move to a distant location and start over,” John said.
Anne kissed him and said, “I’ll go anywhere with you, John. I’m glad you quit. I don’t think you ever really wanted to do undercover work. You are too honest to have to live a lie. I can always go back to work as a nurse. We will be fine. I don’t know how long we can live on love alone, but I’ll love living my life with you, no matter where we are or what happens,” Anne assured him.
“We need to find a bigger place to live. We may have to be very careful and stay out of sight. The people Marco squealed on may be out to get us once the information is released. That’s another reason to move,” John warned. “Be careful about giving out information about us to anyone. Because of the vast amount of information, it will take weeks before the indictments are filed and arrests are made. Before that time, we need to find a safe place to live. I don’t want to take any chances with our safety. I love you, Anne,” he said pulling her into his arms and kissing her.
That evening, after the kids were asleep, they looked over their finances. They figured they had enough money to put down a deposit on another place to live. The next day, they began looking through the classified ads for places to rent where they could hide out. They decided they had enough money to live comfortably for about four months. After that, one of them would have to go back to work. They cut back on their expenses wherever possible. Even though it was crowded in the apartment, they spent the time together playing games and talking. As time went on, taking care of the twins seemed to become a little easier when they began sleeping longer during the night. It was a quiet time of loving and bonding together as a family. They decided to stay at the little apartment for as long as possible.
John still answered questions about the files by telephone, but he refused to go back into the office building to work. Anne supported his decision and encouraged him to do whatever he thought was best. One day he went out grocery shopping. When he walked into the living room, he heard Anne talking to someone in the bedroom. “You need to remember Marco loved us. You’ll hear bad things about him, and much of it is true, but that was Marco before we knew him. By the time you were born, he had changed completely. He loved you ,Marco and Angela, and you, too, Bryan. He fought the cancer so hard so he could stay alive just so he could see you and hold you. He held you both, and that made him so happy. He was so kind to me. He paid for my wedding when I married your dad. He was considerate and loving to me, and he would have been as kind and loving with you. He did many bad things before we met, but he changed and he loved all of us. Bryan, do you remember how you two worked on puzzles together? He told me that you were a very wonderful boy and that he loved you. You were so helpful and kind to him when he was sick. I was so proud of the way you helped take care of him. I miss him. He was a good friend to me, and I know he will always live in my memories. You have your daddy’s strength and goodness in you. I know you will all do great things in your life. We love all three of you,” she explained.
John walked in quietly, bent down and kissed her. “I know you miss Marco; so do I. I am so happy. I have three wonderful children and the most beautiful and kindest wife in the world. Thanks for making my life perfect,” John said.
John picked up Marco and gently kissed him. He walked over and hugged Bryan and kissed his forehead. He put Marco in his bed and lifted Angela up, smiled at her, and kissed her gently before putting her back in her bed.
Bryan went into the living room and climbed into his sofa bed. John went out and sat with him talking quietly until he was ready to sleep. He covered him with a blanket and walked into his bedroom. Anne walked over quietly and put her arms around John. Slowly she kissed him deeply, and he responded with an embrace and a kiss that said how much he loved and wanted her.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day. I’ve missed you making love to me. Please, let’s go to bed while the children are sleeping,” Anne urged. John felt his desire rising like a sleeping giant coming awake. He lifted Anne into his arms and carried her to their bed. They quickly undressed and climbed into bed. They came together with a breathless passion. Lying together they kissed and cuddled happily.
The next day, they began looking at the surrounding towns. Neither of them had begun looking for a job, and they knew their money wouldn’t last much longer. The District Attorney’s office was still looking over the mass of documents and evidence. No actions had been taken yet. About three weeks after Marco’s death, the telephone rang. When Anne picked up the phone, she heard Luigi’s voice on the line.
“Hello, Anne. This is Luigi. I hate bothering you, but I got a phone call from David Jackson, Mr. M’s attorney. He wants you, John, Lori and me to come to his office in Hollywood for the reading of Mr. M’s will. He’d like to meet with us this Thursday at 2 pm. I said we could be there if you can make it on Thursday. If not, he will set it for another time,” Luigi explained.
“I’m sure we can be there, but I’ll check with John when he comes in. Just tell me where to go and we’ll be there. If there is a problem, I’ll call you tomorrow. How are you doing?” she asked.
“So far, so good. Things seem to be going well here at the resort. We miss you and the kids. Lori has been a tremendous help. She is a wonderful person. I don’t know how I could get along without her help,” Luigi said .
“I’m happy to hear you say that. I know she thinks the world of you. I hope you two will fall in love. I am so happy being married to John. I want everyone to find that kind of joy and peace. I love Lori and miss her a lot. Tell her I said hello,” Anne added.
When Anne told John that Luigi had called about a meeting with Bob Jackson, Marco’s lawyer, he was a little suspicious. He called the attorney’s office about the date and time. The attorney’s secretary confirmed the information. He said he and Anne would be there on Thursday. He called Luigi and confirmed that the meeting was set for Thursday.
Anne, John, Bryan, and the babies arrived at Bob Watson’s office a few minutes early. When they entered the conference room, Luigi and Lori were already seated there. Lori rushed over and hugged Anne. Luigi shook hands with John and Bryan. He gave Anne a timid hug. Anne hugged him back and kissed his cheek. Anne noticed that Lori and Luigi were sitting side by side holding hands. She smiled at Lori.
A few minutes later, Bob Watson, Marco’s attorney, walked in followed by Tom Davis, Marco’s accountant. Mr. Watson shook hands with each of the adults. He introduced Mr. Davis to each of them.
“As you may already know, I’ve been Marco’s attorney for more than 20 years. He was my good friend as well as my client. I am sad because he has passed away, but I am also happy that he is no longer in pain. In the last year of his life, despite the pain, he was happier than in all the other years combined. He told me a lot about you, his Sweet Angel. He changed in so many ways during his last year, because of your good influence and your love. He loved you like his daughter. About three months ago, he called Mr. Davis and me to meet him at the resort. Because he knew he was dying of cancer, he asked us to make changes in his Will and in his business holdings. That is why you have been called here today to listen to the reading of his Last Will and Testament and review his financial statements. Let me begin by reading the special provisions to you.”
He turned to Luigi, and read, “First, Luigi, he wanted me to read this note
to you. ‘Dear Luigi, you have been my oldest and dearest friend. We go back to the old neighborhood in Chicago. You knew me during the years of my marriage. You stayed with me and helped me through the death of Sophia and Angela. You’ve been loyal, honest, and faithful all these years. I have given Mr. Jackson an envelope for you. It cannot begin to repay the years of service and friendship. There is a private letter inside for you. Please read it and do what I suggest. I have tried to protect you, but I don’t think it is enough. I don’t want any harm to come to you. It is time to get out and start life again. Thanks to you, my dearest friend,” Mr. Watson read. He handed a large manila envelope to Luigi. Luigi opened it and pulled out the letter. He read it slowly. His face went pale and he glanced nervously over at John, and then he looked back at the letter. He sat quietly, then handed it to Lori. She held his hand as she read the letter. She blushed and sat silently holding Luigi’s hand. They opened the larger envelope inside and gasped with surprise at its contents.
Mr. Watson turned to Anne and John. “The rest of the provisions are addressed to the five of you. He read, “My dearest Sweet Angel, since the night I first met you and you saved my life, I have become a new person. I love you, Anne, just as I loved my sweet daughter Angela. It felt like my heart opened up, and I could feel love again. I am ashamed of most of the things I have done in my adult life. The thing I value the most is the time I have come to know and love you, John, your beautiful babies Marco and Angela, and Bryan, your wonderful new son. You mean more to me than I can express in words. I have asked Mr. Davis, my accountant, and Mr. Jackson, my attorney, to liquidate as much of my property as they can, and to transfer all moneys, stocks, bonds, personal property, and real estate holdings to you, and to set up trust funds in the amount of $250,000 dollars each for Bryan, Marco Williamson, and Angela Sophia Williamson with Anne and John Williamson as joint trustees. I, being of sound mind, leave you all my earthly possessions with the exception of a few small bequests to my faithful employees which are outlined in the body of the will. Thank you for all the love and joy you gave me and for your loving help and service while I was sick and dying. I love you Anne and pray you and John, Bryan, Marco, and Angela will have lives filled with love, joy, health, and peace. As you told me (and what Bryan so clearly explained to me), I will not say goodbye. I’ll just say ‘I’ll see you later.’ My Sophia, my Angela, and I will be waiting for you. I love you, my Sweet Angel. Love, Marco.”
Anne listened in shock when Mr. Jackson read the letter to her. John held her close while she cried. “I didn’t expect this. I don’t want this or deserve this. I loved him like a father and a friend, and a confidante. I’m overwhelmed by it all,” Anne cried.
The lawyer then read a list of provisions to his faithful employees. Lori was shocked to hear Marco had left her a $250,000 dollar bequest. He named a few other employees and amounts. He said that each other employee should get a one-time special bequest of five thousand dollars per year of service completed. He also left several donations to charities he supported.
After the Will had been read and signed by the witnesses, Mr. Davis, Marco’s accountant, said he wanted to talk privately with Anne and John. Before Lori and Luigi left, Anne hugged them. Anne said, “I know how much you both loved him. I’d give all of this money back if he could be well and here with us. I loved him so much.”
Luigi hugged her, “I know you did, Anne. I saw how you treated him. You made him so happy. I am shocked to learn that John is a policeman and that he told John all about his business dealings. I never expected that from him, but it makes sense in a way. A few months ago, he told me I should think about leaving the country, and he gave me a bundle of money to start me out. I said I wanted to stay with him, but he told me to hang on to the money, in case I changed my mind. He also told me to stop being stupid and to marry Lori and take her with me. He knew I cared about her and loved her. He’s right, I have been stupid! Lori, will you marry me and go away to live with me? I love you and your daughter. How would you like to live in (he leaned over and whispered in her ear)?”
Lori’s eyes grew big. She blushed and said happily, “Yes, Luigi. You know I love you. Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ll go anywhere with you!” Luigi hugged her and kissed her happily.
After Luigi and Lori left, Mr. Davis, Marco’s accountant, sat down with Anne and John to present a review of the extent of their bequest. Many of his real estate holdings had already been sold, except for The Resort, a large apartment complex in San Francisco, a few commercial properties in Florida, Texas, Illinois, and New York. He had also cashed out most of his stocks and bonds. although nothing had been done with his personal property yet. The accountant presented them with a listing of his holdings. He reported, “The current cash holdings, not including, the trust funds and other listed bequests, is a little more than 75 million dollars. The unsold property value is appraised at about 107 million dollars. I would recommend investing the majority of the cash in secure investment programs. The next step would be deciding which of the remaining properties you want to keep and which ones to sell or lease out. I will give you a complete report and my private phone number so you can call me when you are ready to discuss it further.”
John, Anne, Bryan, and the twins left Mr. Jackson’s office with copies of all the papers they had signed and the first accounting of the assets they now owned. They drove back to John’s small apartment without speaking about the meeting. They stopped and bought some groceries and pizza. They were stunned by what the lawyer and accountant had told them. When they got home, they ate dinner, played with the kids, and settled them down for the night. After that, they sat at the dining room table and reviewed the papers they had been given.
“I guess I don’t have to frantically look for a new job. I can’t believe this, Anne. I knew he was wealthy, but I had no idea he was that rich,” John said.
Anne said quietly, “I don’t feel right having all this money, especially knowing how much of it was obtained. I didn’t want Marco’s money. I didn’t even want to accept my car. I kept trying to stop him from buying things for me. You know about finances and money more than me. What are we going to do?”
“I understand what you mean, Anne. Most of this was probably earned on drugs, prostitution, and gambling. Let’s not do anything hasty. Marco trusted you and me to make good decisions. Maybe we can use a lot of it to help others and turn the ‘bad’ money into good things. I really think that would please Marco,” John said quietly.
“I’m glad you feel the same as I do. Maybe we can help worthwhile charities or start one of our own. I had no idea he was worth that much either. No wonder he said he had more money than he could spend. I just thought he was exaggerating. This is going to completely change our lives, and that scares me,” Anne said.
“Marco knew your heart was good. I think he trusted you and me to do what we think is right. Once people hear about this, and they will as soon as the will is recorded, since probate papers become part of the public record, we will not be able to hide. I think we really need to hurry and find a place where we can blend in. It needs to be a safe place for us and the kids. The Resort is a possibility. I think most of his employees would be loyal to us, but it is one of the first places people might look for us, too,” John said. “I think we could change the resort into a place that caters to hard-working, honest people and make a profit, too. I enjoyed running it when Marco was alive. Someday we might want to go back there, but right now it is too closely connected to Marco. It may not be the best choice of a place for us to hide right now. There must be a place where we can get on with our lives without being hounded by the press or fear reprisals from the people he ratted on. Let’s keep praying and think about other possibilities.” John suggested.
“For now, what about travelling around instead of settling in one place. I’d love to see more of this country we live in. It would be g
ood for Bryan to see new places. We could get one of those motorhomes or even go camping. If we keep moving, it might be a wonderful experience for all of us. Let’s take some time and pray about it. I’ll go anywhere you go. I don’t want this money to affect our marriage or harm our kids. All I care about is you and our children.”
“That might be the best idea. Moving from place to place may keep us hidden better than finding one place to settle. Let’s sleep on it and pray about it. This morning we were worrying about looking for jobs. Now our problem is too much money. Either rich or poor, all I really want or need is you and your love. Let’s go to bed and get some rest before the babies wake up,” John suggested.
Over the next week, John and Anne used the internet to research camping and tourist areas and accumulate maps and information about weather and points of interest in the areas around the country’s scenic attractions. They discussed which ones might be most interesting for Bryan and would help keep him entertained and also help with his education. Since he had been tutored while in the hospital, Anne checked with the court to make arrangements to home school him. Besides being fun for him, it would also allow the family to travel freely as they sought to avoid newsmen out to get stories about them and their inheritance. She went to the local school district and filled out the necessary papers and submitted them to the adoption agency and the court for their approval. News had not leaked out yet about Marco’s will, and the state had not filed any cases from the information John had collected.
“Well,” Anne announced after dinner, “We finally got approval from the court, the adoption agency, and the local school superintendent’s office to home school Bryan. I also got the books and materials I thought we might need to do the homeschooling while we travel. Bryan, I hope we can keep you interested and have fun while we are on our trip. When we finally settle down somewhere, we can discuss whether you’d like to go back to a ‘real’ school or continue being home schooled. Does that sound OK to you?”
“I was tutored during the hospital stay. I think I am pretty much up to where I should be for my age. I think it might be fun to be home schooled. Who will be my teacher?” Bryan asked.
“Well, both of us will help out. I think your dad is better in math than I am, although I haven’t seen him doing math work. I know he studied at lot of math for his business administration and finance classes. Together, I think we can handle whatever comes up. Just be patient with us. We’ve never done this before either, but I know you are smart enough to learn whatever you are interested in. My challenge will be to get you interested in everything,” Anne explained with a giggle.
Anne and John went to the attorney’s office to discuss what they needed to do to set up a charitable corporation so they could begin giving gifts to hospitals, charities, and other worthy causes. They also made arrangements with the attorney and the accountant to have $300,000 cash set aside for them to use to purchase the motorhome and to cover any emergency expenses they might have during their time on the road. They had one million dollars transferred to the charitable corporation which they called MSA Charitable Fund, Inc. in honor of Marco, Sophia, and Angela.
The twins were both healthy and were growing bigger each week. They had settled into a feeding and sleeping routine. With Bryan’s continued help with the twins, the family spent most of their time together. John called his old job each day to see if there were any questions for him and to get information on the status of the cases.
After much prayer and planning, they decided to look for a large Motorhome for their travelling. Even though they had enough money to purchase a new Motorhome, they decided to get a gently used one to blend in better in public and private campgrounds. They began looking in the newspapers and dealerships for a good, reliable Motorhome that would work for their family to travel in for a long period of time. They decided they would stay in cabins, resorts, or hotels if they felt cramped or just wanted a change.
They purchased a supply of clothes for each of them for different temperature zones and activities. They shopped in discount houses and tried to find clothes that would blend in with other people on vacations. They did purchase a few electronic games, music players, DVD’s, and other things to help Bryan enjoy the travel time.
On Wednesday morning, John called Joe at the District Attorney’s office. “I’m just checking in to see if you needed me to explain anything about the files I brought in. I am still very interested in seeing this case being successful in arresting and convicting as many criminals as possible. I just don’t want to leave Anne and the kids alone. We are going to take off on an extended vacation in the near future. I’ll check in every day or two to see if I can help. We hope to be out of here before the arrests are made and the case goes public. I want to shield Anne from the scandal and publicity as much as I can. Do you have any idea how soon the cases will be filed and the arrests will be made?”
Joe answered, “I can’t say exactly. There was so much more data than we expected. Every available person is working on the files. They are checking on the data and analyzing the evidence to decide who and how many they can arrest and convict. I’m guessing it will be at least two weeks before they get it all together. I’m amazed at all Marco told you about his operation and his ties to others. This is the biggest case I’ve ever heard about. You did a great job of organizing and getting the records together and recording Marco’s testimony on video. The department should pay you a bonus,” Joe added.
“I don’t want a bonus! After getting to know Marco and all he did for Anne and me, I felt like a heel getting information from him. He really changed and hated what he had done in his past. He’s the one who encouraged me and led me to all of the others. I knew his past was awful, but he ended his life as a good guy. I know he really loved Anne, and he was so happy about the twins, Marco and Angela. Hearing all the sordid details about Marco’s past is going to be very hard on Anne and Bryan; and it may hurt the twins when they get older. Anne understands he was involved in criminal activities in very general terms. She doesn’t realize how terrible much of it was. We never discussed any of the information he gave me when she was around. He did not want her to be exposed to it. He didn’t want her to be pulled in and forced to testify. I don’t know if we can prevent that, but she can honestly say she never heard or discussed any of the material with Marco or me.”
“I hope she doesn’t get too upset or hurt by the cases. I’ll do what I can to keep her out of things, but there’s no telling what the defense attorneys will do to get their clients off. When are you planning on leaving and where are you going?” Joe asked.
“We’re getting things organized, and hope to leave within a week. We want to get out before the cases are filed. There are some other facts that will come out very soon that will cause a lot of publicity about us. Hopefully the news reporters and paparazzi won’t be able to find us. We aren’t sure where we are going, but we’ll try to stay out of sight. I still worry that the mob bosses will be out to get revenge on me and my family. I will keep in touch as much as I can after we leave. I’ll either keep my old cell phone or get another one, but I will let you know how to get in touch with me. I’m not going to tell you exactly where we are going, partly because I don’t know for sure how long we will stay in each location. Besides, it will be easier for you if you can truthfully say, ‘I don’t know where they are.’ Thanks for keeping me updated on what’s going on,” John added.
Realizing the cases could be filed within two weeks, John and Anne, with the three kids in tow, searched the area for a used motorhome. They located one being sold by a private individual that seemed like it would serve their purpose. It was a 2007 Fleetwood motorhome with less than 12,000 miles on it. The owner, Charles Ferguson, an older retired engineer, had all the service records and took time to show them the features.
“My wife and I really enjoyed travelling in this motorhome, but since she
died, I just don’t feel like travelling alone. I’m going to downsize and move closer to my children. It’s hard doing things alone for me. We were married 51 years, and all of them were happy years. I’d like to see a young family like yours using it. I wish we would have done it much sooner.” He explained.
Anne and John looked it over very carefully. They asked a lot of questions since neither of them had ever owned a motorhome before. It was 38 feet long and had good sleeping room for 6. There was a full bathroom with a shower, sink, and toilet near the master bedroom. There was a small half bath near the front where there were two large comfortable seats for the driver and passenger. There was also a swiveling captain’s chair about 3 feet behind the passenger seat. There was a 7 ft. couch on one side of the living area .that folded out to make a full size bed. There also was love seat that made a pullout bed in the living room that would be great for Bryan. Across from the couch and loveseat was the kitchen area complete with a 3 burner gas stove, an oven, a sink, a microwave, and a two door refrigerator with ice water through the door with a side freezer section. There was a dining room table that pulled out in front of the couch. There were three sliding pull out sections that expanded the living room area, the kitchen area, and the master bedroom. Anne shook her head in amazement when she saw there were two TV sets, a DVD player, GPS system, and two cameras that monitored the back and side areas to check for traffic and side clearance. There was even a crystal chandelier above the queen sized bed in the master bedroom. There was ample space to put two small travelling baby beds for the twins.
John said, “This place is almost as big as my apartment and is much better organized. They’ve found clever ways to combine uses in different areas. It really looks well designed. Even if we stopped and didn’t use the pull out slider section, it would be comfortable enough for all of us to sleep.”
“Look, I thought this was a closet, but behind the doors is a washer and dryer. I’ve never lived anywhere with a washer and dryer. I’ve always gone to a laundry room or a public Laundromat. This is pure luxury!” she enthused. “Well, Bryan, what do you think about this one? Can you imagine us living in this for a few months as we travel around the United States?”
“Gee, Mom, this looks great to me! I didn’t know they had vehicles like this. I could sit in the swivel chair and work at the dining room table for my schoolwork, and I can see out the front and side windows at the scenery. There’s even a place to plug in my game machine. I think this is great,” he answered.
“John, what’s your vote? You will probably be stuck doing most of the driving. Have you tried driving it? I remember you don’t need a special driver’s license for one this length. I could spell you on some of the driving, I think, but the decision is really up to you. With the generator to provide electricity if we stayed where there was no available power, we could camp almost anywhere. It’s self-contained, and the price seems very reasonable compared to the others we’ve checked out,” Anne said.
The owner gave John the keys and rode along with the family as they took it out on the city streets and into the outlying area. The motor seemed to have a lot of power and handled easier than John thought it would. After they returned from their drive, John went over and talked quietly with Anne and Bryan.
“I’m guessing that you both would vote to buy this one, right? Well, I agree. I don’t think we can go wrong with this one either. Let’s go talk money. I’m hoping he will show me how to use a lot of these extra pieces of equipment. If we have them, I want to know how to operate them safely and efficiently. I’ve heard the stoves, refrigerators, and water heaters are sometimes temperamental. He seems like a nice, reasonable older man. Let’s offer what he is asking. I don’t really want to barter. He can use the money more than us. I might even offer more money if he will agree to train me on the upkeep and running of the unit. What do you think?” John asked.
Bryan and Anne nodded in agreement. “I think that would be great. I wonder if he wants cash or if a check or a cashier’s check would be best for him. Let’s do it. I’m feeling the urge to travel with my family. There’s a lot of country to see,” Anne answered happily.
“Mr. Ferguson, we’d like to buy your motorhome on one condition. Would you consider spending some time with me over the next few days teaching me how to really operate the equipment? We are going on a long vacation driving all over the USA, and I want to do it safely and have the best time possible for my family. I will pay you well for your time,” John asked.
“I’d be glad to do that. I feel lost and have nothing special to do. I’d love to show it off and have some company,” he added cheerfully.
“How much were you asking for the motorhome?” John asked.
“I had it listed for $30,500, but I could knock off a little,” he said.
“No. I think your price is fair, even a little too low, and I don’t like bartering. I’d like to add at least $1000 dollars for you showing me how to use it. Is that amount alright, or do you want more?” John asked again.
“That’s more than enough. Are you sure you want to give me that much for teaching you the tricks of living in a motorhome?” Mr. Ferguson asked.
“That’s sounds like a bargain to me. Do you want us to bring cash, a cashier’s check or a combination of both? The banks are closed tonight, but we could bring either one back tomorrow. I can give you $500.00 as a deposit tonight. What kind of payment do you prefer?” he asked.
“Are you going to pay the whole thing in one payment?” Mr. Ferguson asked.
“That’s what we planned to do. We can give it all to you in cash tomorrow or in a cashier’s check or a combination of both. We have the cash available, but we don’t carry that much cash with us.”
“I guess a cashier’s check would be fine with me. I’d be afraid to have that much cash around me, too. I’m home most of the time. Call me when you want to come over tomorrow. We can talk about when we can do the training then,” Mr. Ferguson said reaching out and shaking John’s hand.
When they got home, Anne showed Bryan and John the list of possible places to visit that she had located through her internet searches. They found each place on the map and discussed which ones to go to first. Then they began listing things around the main attraction. Anne had gone down a few times to get AAA travel books and maps. When they decided on a major attraction, Anne looked through the AAA travel books for other things in the area that might be fun or interesting for Bryan. The twins were too young to care about the attractions. Bryan was given the task of Planner‘s Assistant to log them in and figure how far they were apart. Later they would decide a possible route.
“Bryan, do you know what we are doing right now?” Anne asked.
“Sure. We’re looking at maps and planning the first part of our vacation, aren’t we?” he asked.
“Yes, but we are also doing some ‘home schooling’. You are learning about reading maps, states and major cities, and math skills to figure out how far apart they are. Another thing we need to figure out is how long it may take to drive to each place and finally about how much fuel it will take. We should also keep going and figure out about how much that will cost us. Don’t look so worried. We aren’t going to do all of that tonight. I was just thinking how part of our trip will help us do the school work. I call that ‘painless education’. Besides it is all practical education, the kind people actually use,” Anne explained.
“I think this might be a better way to learn than just sitting at a desk doing endless worksheets. Do you think I might also be able to use a calculator to do some of the math? That’s another practical skill,” he said slyly.
Anne laughed, “That’s a good argument. After I know you can do the basic adding and subtraction, using a calculator is a great idea. I actually already bought one for you. I like the way you think ahead. You are such a smart boy; you will be fun to work with.”
Th
e next afternoon, they piled in the car and drove back over to Mr. Ferguson’s house. He was waiting patiently for them to arrive. John walked in and shook his hand. “How are you feeling tonight?” John asked.
“I feel good. I was afraid I would have a hard time selling the motorhome with so many people being laid off and having money problems. I need to pay this off, and hopefully, I will have enough money left to get ready to move. I’m so glad you are going to buy it. It just sat here and reminded me of Ethel, my wife, and that made me feel even lonelier.”
John handed him the cashier’s check for $35,500 and shook his hand again.
“That’s the wrong amount!. That’s more than we agreed on last night. We said $31,500, and that included $1000.00 for training. This is $4000.00 too much!” Mr. Ferguson pointed out.
“I looked in the computer and decided you were cheating yourself. That’s why we included the extra money. It is a pleasure meeting a man who’s honest. That’s what I’d like to give you for the motorhome.” John explained with a smile.
“Thanks, I really appreciate the compliment, and the extra money will come in handy,” he thanked him.
John asked, “Even though it is a certified cashier’s check, I didn’t plan on driving it home tonight. I want you to be sure it has cleared before we think about moving it off your property. Actually, I have a favor to ask. May I leave the motorhome parked at your house while I get my training? It makes more sense than driving it back and forth each day, besides there isn’t any place large enough at our apartment complex where I can park it. Is that OK? It would help us out in several ways. Maybe I can gradually bring our clothes and camping gear over here and get it set up and ready to travel. That way we can just leave from here? Would that cause you any problems?”
“No. You can leave it parked right where it is now. It isn’t in my way. That would be the easiest way for me. That way I can go out and show you things you want to learn when you are ready to begin to using them,” Mr. Ferguson suggested.
During the next week John spent much of his time at Mr. Ferguson’s place learning the tricks and idiosyncrasies of the motorhome. John learned how to safely and quickly open and close the sliding sections, how to start and work on the generator, how to empty the holding tanks, and how to light and adjust the stove, refrigerator and other appliances.
Each day John brought over clothes and other things they decided to take with them on their trip. Mr. Ferguson helped him organize the things into the storage areas to keep the weight balanced so the vehicle would steer better on winding mountain roads. He showed him the trailer hitch and explained that many people hauled a second vehicle with them so they could park the motorhome and then travel around in the car to the other attractions in the area. It was harder to drive towing another vehicle, but it saved time, gas, and energy by not having to keep parking an un-parking and leveling the motorhome to go to the grocery store or other nearby attractions.
“That sounds like a good idea, but I think we’ll start out with just the motorhome. We may rent or purchase a car later if we decide to stay for a long period of time. Right now, this is enough for us,” John added.
Mr. Ferguson said, “When Ethel and I went on trips, we pulled an old car with us. We would park in a nice campground or RV park and stay there for a week or two. The car would drive us around the area and then we’d come ‘home’ to the RV, and it would be all ready for us to enjoy the park and get a good night’s rest. That’s how we did it, especially after Ethel got sick. The driving was hard on her, but the longer stays in a beautiful location always brought fresh energy and a smile to her face. We tried to enjoy all the time she had left. I think we managed that very well. We kept that up until the last two months of her life.”
“If it isn’t too painful to talk about, what was wrong with her?” John asked.
“She had leukemia. After the first round of chemotherapy and radiation, she decided she didn’t want any further treatment like that. It made her so sick she really didn’t enjoy any of that time. Besides, it was so terribly expensive, she said she preferred to live a shorter amount of time than have more expensive treatments and feel so awful. I didn’t want to lose her, but I hated seeing her so sick during the chemotherapy. That’s when we really used the RV the most. I’m glad you young folks are going travelling now and not waiting until you are too old and sick to enjoy it.” Mr. Ferguson explained.
“Did you have medical insurance to cover her medical expenses?” John asked.
“We had Medicare and it paid fairly well on some things, but a lot of the later treatment expenses were only partially covered. The bills kept coming, and it seemed like each time they paid less. I decided to just keep living and not let her think or know about the accumulating debt from the medical bills. I just told her the insurance was taking care of everything. I’m not sure if she really believed me, but that was the only time I lied to her. I think that bothered me more than the mountain of unpaid bills,” he answered.
“How much did you end up owing on the medical care?” John asked.
“I’ve been trying to whittle it down, but it is still over $125,000. I hope I’ve received the last of the bills by now. I have to sell this house soon, or I’ll probably end up losing it to pay off the bills. That’s the real reason I’m moving in with my kids. I love them, but I like living here. Oh, well, that’s why I’m selling things off. Now I can pay off the motorhome and start working on some of the medical bills. Hopefully they will work with me on payments. They may have to work on payments, because you can’t get blood from a turnip. All I have is Social Security and a small pension,” Mr. Ferguson explained.
While John was getting the motorhome ready to leave, Anne was busy packing things to take and things to send to storage unit Marco had rented for them. John decided to pay rent on his apartment for three or four more months so people who might be looking for them would continue to watch his place. It might throw some people off or cause a delay in looking for them out of the area. Anne found two small travel playpen/bed combinations for them to use in the RV. Bryan helped her take boxes down to her car. A couple of times during the week, they drove over and took stuff to John at the motorhome. Bryan was getting excited and wanted to sleep overnight in the RV, but John and Anne reassured him they were almost ready to leave. They were all getting excited about the great adventure they were going to have.
Anne took the paperwork to the Department of Motor Vehicle and got the title transferred into their names. She contacted an insurance company and bought an insurance policy for the RV. The last thing she did to get ready was to go grocery shopping for some thinks they might need right away. She bought milk, eggs, bread, coffee, cereal, baby food, fresh fruit, snacks, and sandwich meats plus laundry supplies, soap, and a first aid kit. John turned on the refrigerator and let it run during the night. The next morning, he put everything in the refrigerator and pantry closet. Anne bought a set of Corelle dishes, silverware, a few pots and pans, and a small coffee pot for the RV. She added towels, sheets, pillows, and blankets, and a few kitchen tools.
When everything was loaded into the RV, they put the twins inside and made sure they were safely belted in. Bryan climbed into his seat, buckled up, and said, “Hurray! Now we’re off to see the world!”
John and Anne laughed. “We’re off to see our nation first. Unless this RV also flies or sails, we won’t make it around the world. Maybe later on we can go farther. There’s so much to see and do here in America. Let’s explore here first,” Anne added.