"Glad that you're back home?" Ali asked as the wheels hit the tarmac at the Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans; well, in Kenner actually, a western 'burb of the Big Easy.
"Oh yeah," I truthfully answered, "It's definitely good to be back home."
I had flown into the Twin Cities on a Wednesday, and it was as cold as a well-digger's ass in Siberia.
Not going to miss this shit, I thought to myself as I drove from the rental car lot at the airport.
I drove to my lawyer's office in St. Paul, on Snelling Street; Teri was waiting for me when I arrived. We hugged and kissed each other, both of us trying very hard to keep a smug smile from our faces.
The meeting was brief, the paperwork from the buyers all in order, and all the numbers as they were supposed to be. Agreeing to meet for breakfast the next morning with him, before we went to the signing, Teri and I left to go to our office.
I made the announcement to my crew, Teri having called them all to come in for a group meeting. After assurances that nobody was losing their part-time jobs and that they were guaranteed transition to the buying company, we were hugged and kissed and thanked by as good of a bunch of geeks as there ever was.
"Yes, I cried," I told Ali when we talked that evening over the phone, "You're damned right I cried; some of these kids have been with me since their freshman year at college."
"I would've expected nothing less, Lynn Marie," Ali's voice soothingly said in comfort to me.
Ali would be flying to the Cities for a board meeting on Monday, and she'd help me pack the few remaining personal items I had left at my condo for shipment to our home in New Orleans.
Teri asked to buy my condo, as an investment property, to use as a rental; she and Nat were still cohabitating and seemingly, still very much in love with each other. That bit of news made me happy as well. We agreed on a price that would include the remaining furniture as well, and shook on it; she called a real-estate agent friend of hers to start drawing up the papers for us to sign before I left the Cities next week.
I drove to my parent's farm on Friday morning, looking forward to spending a weekend with my family and my sibs. Yes, my sibs; Jan hadn't been a bitch to me in over a year and we were able to have normal, stress-free interaction now.
Daddy and Mom were as glad to see me again, as I was them. Mom did her best that weekend to make me gain a hundred pounds with all of the wonderful meals and desserts; she 'thought' that I looked a bit 'thin', but I was happy with the 120 lbs that I carried on my frame but I ate anyway, vowing to begin running again when I returned to New Orleans.
Ali arrived as scheduled, had her meeting and we spent Monday night and most of Tuesday packing up my crap for shipment. Teri would oversee the pickup of my goods after we returned to N'awlins.
We took Nat and Teri out to dinner on Tuesday evening, the table overflowing with good vibes and genuine happiness for both Teri and I. Hugging and kissing them goodbye before we left the restaurant was very bittersweet for me, my mind overflowing with 'snapshots' of my time with them over the past couple of years.
Yes, I cried that last night in my soon-to-be-sold condo, Ali's arm holding me tight to her body as I did so.
I spent a huge part of my life in the Cities; I discovered a side of me that I didn't know was in me and in the end, I had found my soul mate, here, in the Cities.
So, yes, I cried.
~
The Gallery was very busy these days; Mardi Gras season was in full swing, visitors were dropping in as they toured the art district, and Sami had been successful in getting our site designed and running. Her choice of a web designer was outstanding and all three of us were very pleased with the resulting 'hits' after just a few days.
For her part, Sami was working like a woman possessed; first to arrive and usually, the last to leave at night. She had set up a network of burgeoning unknown artists on a rotating schedule of showings, which resulted in a lot of sales; the artists were happy with their sales, and we were pleased with our commissions.
Win-Win; a good thing, no?
About a week after Ali and I had returned from the Cities, the three of us were at home, devouring a delicious Shrimp gumbo that Mama Jo had made for us and had one of her sons drop off.
"How's your mama?" Ali had asked Jerome when he dropped off the gumbo.
"She's really good, Ms. Alice; really enjoying spoiling her grandkids," he laughingly said.
"Good. I'm glad to hear that," Ali told him and giving him a message that Ali and I were going to take Mama Jo out to dinner in a few days, he left, waving as he pulled onto the boulevard in front of the manse.
"Damn, this is good!" Sami exclaimed between spoonfuls of the gumbo.
"Oh yeah, Mama Jo can cook!" I chimed in.
"So Sami, any luck with Sharon finding you a place?" Ali asked as we cleaned up our dishes.
Laughing, Sami said, "Why? Have I worn out my welcome already?"
"Hell no, babygirl, you're welcome to stay with us however long you want, I just figured that you'd like to get your own 'space' is all," Ali said, and my head nodding in agreement.
"Well, truthfully, Sharon does appear to be dragging her feet a bit; oh, she's showed me a few places but they weren't quite right, you know?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean; it took me a long time before I found my place in St. Paul," I chimed into the conversation.
"I think she's more interested to see if she can get me into bed, if you want to know the truth," Sami offered up, "She damned sure drops enough hints and innuendoes."
"The woman does like to fuck, that's for damned sure," I agreed.
"Well, there's no rush, baby; like I said, you're welcome to stay with us as long as you'd like," Ali said to her, giving her a quick kiss to her lips.
The three of us cohabitating was working very well, all of us enjoying the sorority atmosphere of the manse with Sami there. Yes, the three of us still had joyful romps as a triad and, a couple of times, Sami had even brought her new friend, Gina, to spend the night. The sounds from Sami's room on those evenings certainly indicated that they enjoyed each other's company in bed, that's for damn sure.
Gina had not told Janice, her boss, that she was fucking a client and we didn't feel the need to inform her either. Work was work, but after that, they were entitled to enjoy each other was Ali and I's view.
~
"It's a shame that Sami's not able to go with us," Ali mentioned as we got into our costumes.
