Disclaimer:
I hereby incorporate all standard disclaimers as set forth in previous chapters to this story.
Chapter 10:
Sloan awoke the next morning still feeling sore.
As he climbed out of bed naked and headed to the bathroom, Erin leaned up onto her elbow admiring the remnants of her handiwork and smiled. There were still some nice shades of red and pink showing.
Sloan on the other hand made himself a promise. He would never bet with Erin again because this time his ass did pay for it.
He had come back upstairs the night before to his Master Suite. The lights had been dimmed very low and there were candles casting off a soft romantic light having been placed at different points around the sleeping area.
Erin was dressed solely in an absolutely gorgeous short black lamb nappa leather skirt with matching vest, laced thigh high boots and elbow length gloves. The heels on the boots brought her almost too Sloan's six foot five inch height.
Her beautiful hair had been pulled back into a pony tail and the right make up had been applied to give her chiseled cheekbones and intense eyes a strikingly authoritative look. Her sculpted thighs, neck and shoulders were on full display, but most of all, it was the look in her eyes that he noticed. Erin would have total control and like it or not, he was hers to do with as she pleased.
She placed a gloved hand against his cheek and gently caressed it as she leaned in, her lips mere inches from his.
"Do you remember our bet?" She asked.
"Unfortunately I do." He answered.
"Then you will do exactly what I tell you because for tonight you belong to me." She stated firmly.
When he returned to bed, Erin wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her. "Would you like me to rub some more aloe on your tender bottom?" She teased.
"No, you stay away from it. In fact, I want a prenup that my ass if off limits to you." He said.
"Awww poor baby, it was just a little birthday spanking." She cooed.
"Birthday spankings are usually limited to the number of years a person has attained plus one. That does not mean they receive the full measure each time with your gloved hand, your bare hand, a wooden hairbrush, a leather strap and a wooden school paddle. That's 270 whacks. I'm good for the next five years." He said.
"Actually, in five years I would owe you 15 additional whacks." She responded.
"I'm claiming spousal abuse." He said.
Erin bust up laughing. "Now that's a vision for a jury. A big man like you lying across my slender lap getting a spanking. You must be double my weight and are certainly a lot more muscular."
"I'll testify that it was a stupid bet and that I honor my debts." He said rolling away from her.
She slid over and wrapped her arms around him. "Come on let me rub some aloe in to cool your skin." She said.
When he didn't respond she put her lips against his ear. "If you're going to behave like a little brat, I have plenty of time before we leave to put you back over my knees and see if we can get the total count up to 500."
"Yes, please, thank you." He said.
She rubbed in the aloe and then held him on top of her.
"I'm sorry if I took it too far. I have sadistic tendencies and there's a part of me that really enjoys inflicting pain." She admitted.
He wasn't terribly surprised to hear that. "Gee, like I couldn't tell, especially afterwards when you were insatiable." He noted.
"For the past two months you have surprised me day after day with the many facets of your personality. Last night was my turn to let you see another side of mine." She said. "Does this affect our relationship?" She inquired, slightly afraid that she may have gone too far.
"No it does not. I am more in love with you than ever. I'm just trying to lay a Jewish guilt trip on you." He snorted.
Relieved, she nodded. "Okay, I'll admit that you did, however one night when you least expect it, your ass will pay for that." She warned. "Now speaking of insatiable" she said as she pushed his head down between her thighs. "Get to work and make me happy."
They were back in Brooklyn in time for dinner at Frank's. Nicky had noticed during the flight back that Sloan kept moving around as if the pilot's seat wasn't comfortable.
"Sloan, are you okay?" She had inquired.
"Yes sweetie, it's just my back." He answered causing Erin to sneeze into her hand. "Bullshit."
"Mom?" She asked.
"Sorry honey, must be my allergies." She said looking at Sloan while doing her best to keep a straight face.
Nicky held court at dinner telling everyone about their weekend, the services, and the beautiful song Sloan and his sisters had performed for her mom.
Erin looked at Sloan and smiled. "That meant more to me than everything else this weekend."
"I think there was something else that meant more to you." He caustically replied, causing her to laugh drawing looks and unanswered inquiries from the rest of the family.
After dinner, Linda came out with a butter cream colonial birthday cake.
"We may be a couple of days late, but we wanted you to know that we didn't forget." Linda said.
"Someone must have divulged my favorite type of cake." He smiled while nudging Erin.
Everyone sang happy birthday and Erin leaned and kissed him.
When the festivities ended Erin announced that Sloan had an idea he would like to share with everyone.
"I do?" He asked.
"Yes, November?" She reminded him.
"I thought it would be a nice idea if both of our families got together for Thanksgiving." He stated and then watched the reactions around the table.
"Where would this take place?" Frank asked.
"Our house in Michigan." He said pulling Erin to him. It can easily hold 23 people around the table. My thought is to fly everyone there and we have enough bedrooms for all, if Jack and Sean don't mind sharing a room with two double beds." He said.
"We do have the parade that day and as the PC, I'm obligated to attend." Frank noted.
"The parade is over by noon. We can depart the West 30th Street Heliport by 1:00 p.m. and be on our front lawn by 3:00 p.m." Sloan noted. "In fact, I was even thinking that we'd return to New York after dinner on Sunday. There is a beautiful Catholic Church less than two miles away and we can all go to services that morning."
Frank looked around at his family.
"I'd sure like to go." Jamie noted.
"I'm in Francis." Henry stated.
"I think it's a great idea." Linda noted.
Danny looked at Sloan and Erin and smiled. "I'm up for it."
"Us too." Jack said speaking for him and Sean.
"Ok then, it looks like the Reagans will be spending the Thanksgiving holiday with the Silvers." Frank smiled.
"Excellent. We look forward to it." Erin said.
Once they had returned home to Park Slope, Nicky had retreated to her bedroom while Erin and Sloan snuggled on the couch.
"Happy to be back?" She asked.
"Yes though it was harder to leave this time, but I'm excited at knowing we'll all be spending Thanksgiving together." He smiled.
"Our house?" She asked
"Yes darling. Ours." He said.
"So, I am now the woman of the house in Michigan?" She coyly asked.
"You're the woman of all our houses." He smiled.
"Exactly how many do 'we' have?" She asked.
"You'll see as we manage to get to them all." He grinned.
Erin started ground school the next evening and when she returned home later that night, she was bubbling over with excitement.
"The instructor asked if anyone had any flying experience and if so, what kind." She informed him. "Some students had been up in small planes and even had flown the right seat but when I started telling them about flying the left seat in the Cessna and my experience in the the JetStar and the helicopter, their mouths' dropped."
"Braggart." He teased.
"Not so. I accurately disclosed my experience. When he asked what type of helicopter and I told him, he said he was jealous and had always wanted to fly an AugustaWestland." She said.
"By the way, on another note. I have something for you to give to Jamie." He informed her.
"Whatever it is, you can give it to him yourself. You don't need me as an intermediary." She said.
"It won't mean the same thing coming from me. It's the study materials for the next Bar Exam. It's about time he obtained his license so that he has a backup plan in life. Our firm holds a review course each January for the February sitting. You should be the one to impress upon him the importance of doing this besides, he's already done the hard work getting the degree." Sloan said.
"In that case, I'd be happy to. I've told him for the past five years to take that exam." She noted.
"When he passes, I'll make a place for him as a part time associate. He can begin gaining experience and making a few extra bucks on his days off. If he ever decides or is required to leave the force, he'll be able to transition right in." Sloan noted.
Erin hugged him. "Thank you. I know that you're doing this for me and I love you for it."
"I like Jamie, but you're right, I don't want you worried about his future." He said as he hugged her. "Let's head upstairs I'm in the mood to snuggle."
Everything had been going so well, that when a major shoe dropped that Friday, Erin couldn't have been more unprepared for it.
Her phone rang shortly after 11 a.m. It was Carlo and he wasn't the harbinger of good news.
"Erin, there's been an incident." He said.
Erin immediately tensed up. "What happened?"
"Sloan collapsed in his office. His secretary heard a loud crash and went in to find him on the floor unconscious. Mike should be out in front of your office building in five minutes. He'll take you to the hospital. I'll go with him in the bus."
Erin's world started to close in on her. She grabbed her purse and coat and notified her secretary that she had a family emergency and was heading to the hospital.
She headed outside to find Mike waiting with the Lincoln. She got in and immediately started peppering him with questions.
"Right now, they have no idea. It was not a heart attack and it doesn't appear to have been a stroke. They'll know more by the time we get to the hospital." He informed her.
Erin called Lynne on her cellphone and informed her as to what happened.
"Paige holds his Living Will so she is empowered to make all of his medical decisions. Call me back when you find out what we can do. In the meantime, I'll put his air force on standby to bring us to New York." She responded.
Lynne was up on the 40th floor. She quickly locked up and went down to 33 and into her younger sister's office.
"Do you have a copy of Sloan's Living Will here?" She inquired.
"In my safe, why?" Paige asked.
"He collapsed and is unconscious. I'm waiting for an update from Erin but it looks like we are heading to New York." She proceeded to give Paige all the information she presently had. "In the meantime, you may need to fax a copy of his Medical Authorization to the hospital so that you can make any necessary decisions while we're enroute."
Erin arrived and was escorted to a private lounge located near the emergency room where she found Carlo waiting. The attending physician soon came out and met with her.
"Normally, I wouldn't be able to consult with you but we just received notification from his sister that we could provide you with updates as to his condition. Presently he is unconscious. We are running an EEG and an MRI to see if there is any incident or impairment. What we do know is that he's as strong as a horse and it is not his heart nor do we believe he suffered a stroke. He is running a fever and both of his ears are infected. Have you noticed him having any difficulty walking, talking, maintaining his equilibrium or has he been complaining of headaches, earaches, toothaches or pain in his eyes?" He asked.
"Nothing. He has been rubbing his eyes a lot but he said that they're just dry and tired."
"Right now I would venture to say that he has a major infection of some type, most likely his sinuses. Have you recently taken a trip or has he endured a major change in climate?"
"Yes, we just returned from Michigan." She went on to inform him as to the night time swim, the hot tub, and other outdoor activities.
"This is ragweed season in Michigan. He could be having a severe reaction." He opined.
Erin asked the doctor to wait as she called Lynne. "Does your brother have allergy or sinus problems?" She asked.
"Yes, chronic sinus problems and terrible allergies." She responded.
"I'll call you back." She relayed Lynne's comments.
"We'll look into it." He informed her and left.
The doctor returned two hours later. "Nothing on the MRI or EEG. As suspected, he has suffered a major sinus infection. His frontal and side sinus cavities are completely occluded. We'll go in and irrigate them out. He also has a large cyst on the left anterior wall which is blocking airflow. We'll remove that as well."
"Why did he collapse?" Erin asked.
"Pressure on the brain, diminished oxygen intake. He probably stood up, felt dizzy or felt a blood rush to his head and then he blacked out. Most likely he's physically overexerting himself which he would have to be doing in order to maintain his present physique, and is in need of a long rest. It simply may be that everything caught up with him at once. I'd like to schedule the surgery for later today but I'll need his sister to sign the necessary forms.
"I can have her here in two hours." Erin responded.
"We'll go prepare." He said and left.
Erin called Lynne. When she disconnected Lynne and Paige informed Nathan and Karen as to what had transpired and that they were on their way to New York.
They were waiting on their brother's front lawn when the helicopter swooped in and picked them up. Then it was a quick trip to the airport where they boarded one of his Citation X jets and flew to Teterboro. Mike picked them up at the west 30th Street heliport and took them straight to the hospital.
They both hugged Erin and Carlo who was also waiting on word of his boss's condition.
Paige signed the necessary forms and handed over a copy of her brother's Living Will and Medical Authorization.
Then the waiting began.
Erin called Jamie and informed him what happened and asked if he would stay with Nicky. An hour later Frank, Danny, Linda, Jamie and Nicky were all at the hospital where they met Lynne and Paige.
"He's in surgery now." Erin said as her father hugged her.
At 8:00 p.m. the surgeon who had performed the operation came out wearing a smile.
"He's doing fine. He'll probably sleep the entire night as we've loaded him up on Benadryl and antibiotics. You can visit him briefly as soon as he's in his room, but I'd plan on tomorrow morning before he'll be awake. We removed the cyst and irrigated his sinuses and nasal cavity. I've never seen someone that infected before. He will need at least a week's rest to recover."
Erin hugged Paige and Lynne. "After we see him, let's get you two settled in and then go for dinner." She said.
"I have more than enough room at my house." Frank offered.
"Thanks Dad but they can stay at the penthouse and Mike will drive them wherever they need to go." Erin responded.
Lynne called Nathan and Karen to advise them of Sloan's condition.
"Mike, in the morning I want to head over to the office and let everyone know that he'll be okay and to handle any matters requiring his immediate attention." She said.
"Just let me know when and I'll pick you up." He said.
"Always the COO." Paige teased her older sister.
"He'd expect no less." Erin commented.
Finally, everyone was permitted to make a short visit. Erin sat down and held his hand. He looked so peaceful. Lynne and Paige had never seen their older brother as anything but robust and healthy and it hit them hard to see him like this which combined with the emotions they had been holding back for the past few hours, set both of them off crying. Danny came over and hugged Lynne while Jamie held Paige.
Then to their surprise, he opened his eyes and looked at Erin.
"Shhhh. Don't talk. You had a nasty sinus infection and collapsed. We'll talk more about it when you get home but for tonight, I want you to just rest and heal, okay?" She asked.
He nodded. "I love you." He hoarsely stated. She leaned in and kissed him. "I love you too."
Lynne and Paige walked over and he looked up and smiled.
"No more fall swims for you." Lynne said.
"Karen, Mom and Dad send their best." Paige said as she leaned in and kissed him.
"Stay at the penthouse." He very softly said.
"We will. We're not leaving until they kick you out of here." Lynne informed him.
"Nicky." He softly said.
"I'm right here." She smiled as she came over.
"Take care of mom." He gently smiled.
"I will. You get better." And she leaned in and kissed him.
Everyone bid him their best wishes and began to leave however the nurse supervising his case asked to speak with Paige.
"When we were moving him, we noticed some minor bruising that looked to be a few days old. Is this anything we need to report?" She asked.
Paige smiled and said no and proceeded to explain what likely happened causing the nurse to giggle.
When Paige rejoined the group she took Erin aside and explained the nurse's concern. "From what she described I'd say it looks like someone gave him a pretty good birthday spanking." She grinned.
"I sure did." Erin laughed. When Paige later told Lynne what happened they knew this would go down in the annals of stories they would use to embarrass their brother for many years to come.
After dinner, Frank offered to take Nicky home with him. Erin would stay at the penthouse with Lynne and Paige. Carlo would take Mike to pick up her car downtown and park it in the garage below.
As the three women lounged in the living room overlooking New York City, Lynne and Paige began to regale Erin with stories of their brother. "The one who really has the dirt on him is Karen, being that they're only two years apart." Paige said.
"I'm in the same boat with Danny. I know all his dirty secrets, things that Jamie and our late brother Joe never knew about and I like to air them out from time to time, just to get a reaction." She giggled.
Paige got up and walked over to the window. "This is a really beautiful view." She said.
"He rarely stays here anymore. We use this place when we're in Manhattan for the night but he lives with us in Brooklyn." She informed them.
"I miss him, but I'm glad that he's found you Erin. You're good for him and he deserves it." Paige said.
"I promised you two that I would take good care of him and I will and you are all welcome to visit whenever you want. He won't give up the lease on this place so it's always here for you plus as my dad said, there's plenty of room at his house."
"And on a further note, my family will be spending Thanksgiving with all of you in Michigan." She said informing them of Sloan's offer.
"That's wonderful." Lynne responded and for one who usually held her emotions close very to the vest, she actually smiled.
Sloan spent the next three days in the hospital and found himself spending more time holding court entertaining visitors than he did sleeping. He'd finally had enough and discharged himself, which of course he didn't share with Erin who would discover his jail break when she returned home that night.
Lynne and Paige had returned to Detroit earlier that day, the New York staff more than relieved to be rid of the firm's pit bull who took a more personal hands on approach in managing the office than her brother who only cared about results, not how much time one spent attaining them. Sloan was going to have to perform some serious damage control upon his return in order to smooth some seriously ruffled feathers.
In the meantime, Erin had returned back home in order to make dinner for Nicky before returning to the hospital to visit Sloan. When she arrived home, Nicky came downstairs with a worried look on her face.
"What's wrong, did something happen at school?" She asked.
"No Mom, but something's about to happen and I don't want you to lose your cool or start yelling."
"You better tell me now so that we can deal with it young lady." Erin sternly voiced.
"I didn't do anything." Nicky protested.
"Then what are you worried about?" Erin asked.
"You going postal on Sloan." She said.
"Why would I do that?" Erin asked.
"Because he's upstairs in bed. He checked himself out and got home about two hours ago." Nicky informed her. "I put his discharge papers and medications on your desk."
Nicky immediately saw the look in her mother's eyes and the transformation that comes about when a matador waives a red cape in front of a bull.
"Mom, cool it. What he did wasn't smart but you aren't going to help it by going up there and yelling."
"I plan to do more than yell." Erin fumed.
"Go have a drink and settle down first. Please." Nicky begged.
Erin went into her den and poured herself a double. She drank it in two big gulps and then allowed it to work its magic. Then she headed up the stairs.
She entered their bedroom and saw him sound asleep, on his stomach and of course, on top of the covers. Her anger instantly vanished, replaced by her love and concern.
She noticed a small amount of blood on the pillow case and slightly turned him so she could see if there was a problem other than normal healing discharge. When she detected nothing, she retrieved a spare blanket and covered him up before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Then she returned downstairs to make dinner.
"Everything okay?" Nicky asked.
"Yes. I covered him up but other than that, he's fine." She said. "Thank you for calming me down. You definitely have your father's temperament."
"And you have Uncle Danny's" Nicky teased.
"Oh yeah? Come here and I'll show you." She teased back.
Erin and Nicky were eating dinner when Sloan came downstairs.
He noticed that the table was only set for two. "Don't you feed the prisoners around here?" He teased.
"Bread and water." Erin coolly responded.
"Ewww, me thinks I stepped in the kimchee." He responded.
"A big deep pile of it." Erin said. "What are you doing out of the hospital?" She sternly asked.
"I just got more sleep in the last three hours than I have in the last three days. Between nurses, doctors, candy stripers, autograph hounds, colleages and family, I needed to get out of there." He said, heading over to the oven to see what was left.
"Solid food is not on your list of what you can have for two more days. I'll heat you some broth soup." She said.
"And what's for breakfast tomorrow, Oatmeal?" He asked.
"Yep." She answered.
"Trust me. Not a good idea." He said, scrounging around in the refrigerator where he found a veal chop attempting to hide from him.
"Perfect." He said as he began getting ready to pan sear it. "Erin, I can feel you boring a hole in the back of my head. If you don't want to see my gray eyes again, please stop." He warned.
She calmed down and went over and put her arms around him. "I was so scared when Carlo called me. I thought I had lost you. I just want you to take care of yourself. You didn't even tell me you weren't feeling well."
"I don't burden you with those things. I'm used to taking care of myself and it's going to take me some time to learn how to open up and share my shortcomings and infirmities." He commented.
"Sit down, I'll make that for you." She softly said. "Nicky, please put out a place setting."
After dinner they cuddled on the couch. "I can see there are going to be times when the irresistible force meets the immovable object." She said.
"That's what love is all about. It's like flying. Anyone can sail a clear sky. It's the turbulence and storms that you train for and hope you successfully navigate, but that's also what makes flying exciting because it tests your nerve and ability." He replied while gently caressing her. "You'll just have to face that I'm hard headed and you're as stubborn as a backwoods mule."
She turned to face him. "A backwoods mule?" She asked.
"From Cork County no less." He nodded. "Irish mules are much more stubborn than their American cousins." He noted. "Especially the female ones."
Erin incredulously looked at him. "You're comparing me to a mule?" She asked.
"When it comes to your stubbornness, yes." He answered.
"You are lucky that you are still recovering or I would show you how hard this mule can kick." She said.
"See, I rest my case. Skinny mule legs that pack a wallop." He informed her.
"I'll wallop you, get upstairs it's your bedtime." She ordered.
"It's only nine o'clock." He noted.
"And you're confined to bed for another four days so get moving, I'll bring your medications up to you if these mule like legs of mine can manage the climb." She huffed.
"Ok Frances." He said as he ran like hell, Erin right behind him. "I'll talking mule you!" She yelled in hot pursuit.
He hopped into bed and she jumped right on top, digging her knees into his arms.
"Now you're going to get it." She threatened.
He put his hands around her waist and started tickling as he rolled over, forcing her onto her back followed by lots of kisses which had her laughing and begging him to stop.
"Give up?" He asked.
"No." She pouted.
He pulled her back on top of him. "I'm just a sickly man at your kind mercy lass." He said in his best Irish brogue, cracking her up.
She snuggled up to him, the frustration and helplessness she'd been feeling, melting away.
When Nicky headed up to bed an hour later, she looked in and smiled, finding her mother cuddled up in Sloan's arms, both of them fast asleep. She went in and covered them with the spare blanket and then took a photo with her cellphone and emailed it to Jamie, Linda, Frank, Lynne, Karen and Paige.
On Sunday, Erin and Sloan attended church with the family though Erin had to admit that her heart was no longer in it and she was there simply to put in an appearance. She was on the cusp of making her decision. With her wedding anywhere from six to nine months off, she had to decide as to which road her spiritual journey would take.
When they returned back to Frank's, she asked Jamie to come outside and hop in the Imperial with her.
She handed him the study materials Sloan had procured from his office.
"What's this for?" He asked.
"Your future." Erin responded. "I'm not asking you to give up being a cop but I am asking you to have a backup plan in case you're ever not able to remain one. Sloan's firm has a Bar Review course in January. I want you to prepare for it and plan on sitting for the Bar Exam in February." She said.
"Erin, I appreciate it, but I don't want to be a lawyer." He pleaded.
"I'm not asking you to be. I'm asking you to be prepared to be one if the need ever arises." She said. "I've looked out for you your entire life and I've asked very little of you in return. I'm asking you to do this for you and for me." She said, before conveying Sloan's offer.
"It's good experience for you Jamie and you should feel fortunate to have people who have your back. This was his idea and I agree with him." She stated.
"Okay, I'll do it. Seems like a waste of a degree not to take one last test." He smiled.
"Sloan and I will be happy to help you or I'm sure he can arrange a tutor." She said.
"Thanks Erin. I'll start on these tomorrow." He promised.
The rest of October went by quickly. Nicky and Troy's project was coming along both as to the model and the computer simulation. It would be ready by the middle of November for their science fair.
Karen had two additional MRI's performed and Dr. Rosen noticed a reduction in the affected area.
"I think your sister will be fine. We have a medication we can prescribe that will diminish the impulse control issues and over time, she should make a reasonable recovery but she'll never be able to go back to her former lifestyle of supplements and injections. She'll have to accept she's almost 51 and learn to live with it. Venial issues aside she should have a long and happy life."
Sloan and Erin both felt relieved and looked forward to seeing Karen in November.
Erin had continued ground school and was ready to begin flying with her instructor. Now it was all about getting in her hours and mastering her lessons.
Sloan still took her up on the weekends, weather and time permitting, so that she could practice. At the rate she was going, she'd have her license by her birthday in April and he would have the present of her life awaiting her.
He had taken her on a business trip with him overnight to Miami where he had to meet with a client, and had let her fly the JetStar, albeit with his hand and feet hovering over the controls, but she had a very gentle touch and flew it manually for about 20 minutes before they encountered turbulence and he gave the plane back to the autopilot. She flew it for another half hour on the way home. Needless to say, she was elated.
Halloween had finally arrived and Erin had bowls of Candy all lined up waiting for little goblins and zombies to appear. She was dressed as Alice from Wonderland complete with knee high white stockings and sparkly silver pumps. When Sloan came up the stairs from the basement, she could have mistaken him for Jason Voohees from the Friday the 13th movies. He even had the mask which he had stained with fake blood as well as prop machete he had located.
"You are going to scare the kids." She complained.
"That's half the fun of it." He sneered.
Nicky came down dressed as Glinda the good witch in a cute pinkish white costume with sparkles on her face. She was off to a chaperoned party and was being picked up by a friend. She looked at Sloan and began laughing.
"I have to say that is about the best Jason look I've ever seen pulled off."
"Be home by midnight or you'll turn into your mom." He teased.
Erin turned around. "Bad boy, no candy for you." She shook her finger.
Danny brought the boys by and they were smiling at Erin until Sloan stepped out from behind her and starting humming at them. Sean's eyes went wide as saucers while Jack froze.
Sloan removed his mask. "It's just me guys." He smiled.
"I was actually starting to reach for my gun." Danny said. "You look like the real thing."
"Yeah, what about me, don't I look sweet and innocent?" Erin asked.
"You may look it but I know better." Danny replied, which earned him a candy bar to the head.
After they had been cleaned out, Erin locked the door and turned off the porch light. Sloan came up behind her and picked her up over his shoulder. As he carried her up the stairs, he peeled up her skirt so that her white cotton panties were showing. He then took the wide side of his fake machete which was really made from hard plastic and began swatting her behind all the way to the bedroom while she yelled at him.
He dumped her on the bed and then tied her wrists to the bed posts. He then began to tickle, tease and torture her. Alice wouldn't remain innocent much longer.
After he finally untied her, Erin ran into the bathroom to look at her behind. "It's red!" She exclaimed.
"It does color up nicely. That makes us even." He laughed.
"You are so going to get it again." She threatened.
"Come let me spoon into you. It will be like having my own hot water bottle." He teased.
"You want it, fine, you can have it." She grinned as she headed over. She jumped on him and the wrestling began. By the time they fell asleep both were pleasurably exhausted.
The big day had arrived and Nicky and Troy had their science project set up and ready to go. There were 15 teams so the teacher had decided to spend the entire week with presentations. As class was just under an hour, each team would get 15 minutes to present their work. Three teams would present each day for the entire week.
Nicky and Troy were the final team of the third day.
The model they constructed was ingenious. The aircraft sat on a mechanical swivel that was housed inside its fuselage so that only a thin post holding the model in midair was visible. The control surfaces each had servos that were computer linked to the motorized swivel unit. Everything was contained inside of a sealed Plexiglas display case which had small holes in the end behind the plane to vent the vapor which was created with the same theatrical smoke unit used to create fog on dance floors. Blue neon lighting was used so that the vapor was easier to see. As the smoke traveled from one end of the display case to the other, unimpeded it would pass around and envelope the aircraft but if Nicky or Troy activated a control surface, one could see the vapor reacting as air current would in flight.
If they toggled the left aileron, the motorized swivel would lean the aircraft to the left while the servos in the ailerons would cause them to react as they would in flight. If they pitched up or down, the elevators responded and the plane pitched up or down. Rudder inputs made the model turn side to side.
Finally, their computer simulation showed what happened when lift was lost. They took the videos which Sloan sent them and constructed a short display of several well known air disasters such as American Airlines flight 191 which had an engine break free during takeoff in Chicago. As it flew backwards it clipped the leading edge of the left wing taking out the hydraulics. When the left slats retracted, the wing stalled and the airplane banked left ninety degrees and crashed. This was loss of the Y axis. Next was Alaska Air 261 which lost elevator control and control of pitch causing the aircraft to dive into the Pacific Ocean, hence the X axis. The final simulation was US Air 427 which had encountered a catastrophic hard over rudder jam, causing an uncontrolled rollover and fatal dive which the ailerons couldn't overcome. This was the failure of the Z axis.
Danny, Linda, Frank, Henry, Jamie, Erin and Sloan all beamed with pride as Nicky performed her part of the presentation, but it was the look of love that Erin had on her face as she gazed at Sloan that Frank found the most heartening. Sloan was smiling from ear to ear as everyone applauded, at least until Ron Stevenson came over.
"That went pretty well Dr. Silver. How much do I owe you?" And he started to take out his checkbook.
Sloan had finally reached his limit with this bozo. He walked him over to the side away from everyone else. "Mr. Stevenson, your son and my step-daughter just put on what has to be one of the finest presentations I've ever seen and all you have to say is how much do I owe you? I'll make you a deal. Don't write me a check, I can certainly afford to absorb the costs as a proud parent, but I want you to take the sum of $1,500 and use it to buy yourself a personality and we'll call it even." He smiled and then walked away.
Nicky came over and jumped in Sloan's arms. "Outstanding!" He said as he kissed her. "And I liked how you simulated a loss of each axis and how it affected the outcome."
"I knew that you'd like that because that's the heart of flight, the pivoting on the axes." She announced.
"Precisely." He responded.
Everyone congratulated her and then headed out. Nicky still had two more classes to go but they would all head out to dinner that night to celebrate.
"I'm so proud of you for helping her." Erin spoke.
"She did all the work, I just guided them." He acknowledged.
"Sloan, you did more than that, you gave her the gift of knowledge. So what did you say to Stevenson?" She asked.
"I told him to take his half of the costs and use it to buy himself a personality," causing Erin to break out in laughter.
Nicky came home on Friday grinning from ear to ear. She went over to Sloan and removed something from her backpack. It was her first place ribbon for the science fair. Needless to say, she received many hugs and kisses.
That weekend, Sloan took Erin up and let her put in some hours. After they returned to earth, he looked her in the eyes as he held her hands. "I want us to set a wedding date." He said.
"When?" She excitedly asked.
"As soon as we can. I don't want to live another day without you as my wife or Nicky as my daughter, even though it's just a formality, it's one everyone recognizes."
Erin smiled. "Spring or Summer?" She inquired while staring into his eyes.
"Neither. After the holiday season is over. I have an idea." He said and explained it to her. When he finished Erin was ecstatic.
The following week Sloan would be leaving Erin for the first time since the day they met. He had a business trip that would take him to California with a return stopover in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He'd be gone for three nights leaving on Sunday after dinner and returning Wednesday, the week before Thanksgiving.
In addition to Detroit and New York City, Silver & Silver had offices in Chicago, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Sloan Silver however had something special in the north hangar of the Albuquerque Sunport and this was the part of his trip that he looked forward to.
One of his many holdings was the majority interest in an enterprise that purchased, restored and chartered out classic aircraft which carried the liveries of now defunct airlines which had pioneered the skies of his youth. Included in the fleet were a vintage Republic DC-3, a Canadian Pacific Airlines DC-7, a TWA Lockheed Super Constellation, an Eastern Airlines Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, a Braniff Boeing 727 and a Northwest Orient Airlines Boeing 747 but the pride of his fleet was the most classic aircraft of them all, a Pan American Airways Boeing 707.
The first American built commercial jetliner, the 707 was an absolute joy to fly and he was planning on putting it to use after the New Year. He wanted to be sure all its safety checks were current and that she was capable of making the flight he had planned. He also booked his flight crew and along with two flight attendants. The entire crew would be dressed in 1960's period Pan Am uniforms.
The interior of the aircraft had been extensively modified and was now more of a very plush biz jet, but she could still accommodate 40 people in luxurious comfort and had a full galley capable of preparing fresh meals rather than reheating them as was done in the hay day of her revenue passenger carrying career.
This was another one of his ventures that Erin knew nothing about and he looked forward to springing it on her. One day he'd bring her out to Albuquerque so that she could gaze upon these lost treasures but for now, he thought it best to spoon feed her slowly so that she didn't choke on everything at once.
He headed back out to the Citation X jet awaiting him and hopped in the right seat. He'd let his pilot fly this leg and he'd handle the radio and navigation duties so as to stay sharp on these aspects of being an aviator.
Ten minutes later they were rolling down Runway 8 on their way back to Teterboro. He'd be back in time for dinner with Erin and Nicky.
While Sloan was 39,000 feet above Louisville, Kentucky, Erin was getting ready to call it a day. She packed a couple files she needed to review for the morning, but right now she just wanted to head home and get dinner ready as her love would be back home tonight.
She didn't realize how much she could really miss someone but the past three nights had been lonely and his side of the bed was cold, something that made her think back to the night before she met him. The only other times that he hadn't been with her since were the two nights he had stayed in the penthouse which was before he had met Nicky, and the three he had spent in the hospital. She expected him to be with her at the end of each day where she could both love and watch over him.
Admittedly she was also a little jealous that he was flying coast to coast and she wasn't sitting in the right seat as his co-pilot, but she understood that they each had to go about their daily routines, even if his entitled him to fly.
While he was gone it gave her time to ponder her future on many different levels.
First and foremost was whether or not she wanted to convert. Erin admitted to herself that she was finished with the Roman Catholic Church, but did she want to ascribe to another institutionalized religion or did she want to explore? Secondly, she had been thinking that maybe it was time to leave the DA's office. December first would be 17 years and she really wasn't worried about putting in 20 years to get her full pension, not with the financial security Sloan provided her with. Whether or not she wanted to practice civil law, criminal defense or try to secure a judgeship were all still up in the air. Finally, as much as Sloan said he wanted to remain in New York, she wondered whether she did. Maybe she needed a break from her family and a move to Detroit or another city was not out of the question though she would wait until after Nicky finished school in June before making that decision.
Indeed she had looked through the looking glass and wanted to experience life before she was too old to appreciate it. She had served her time. Nicky would be an adult in nine months and her family could take care of itself. As for her career, she could practice anywhere. It was time for her to be selfish and to think of what was best for her and Sloan.
Snapping out of her daydream, she headed down to her car. She was going to do her best to replicate his special veal scaloppini tonight as a surprise. She looked at her watch and realized that he'd be home in less than two hours.
In the time Erin had been pondering her future, the Citation had polished off Kentucky and was now over West Virginia. Sloan too was thinking about their future as he mentally planned their wedding. He loved surprising Erin and keeping her on her toes, but like most women who expected what he could do, she seemed fascinated by it and was more than appreciative in return. She accepted, sometimes grudgingly so, but never demanded and most of all she did her damnedest to carry her share of the load rather than sitting back like a queen expecting to be waited on hand and foot, which was what he loved most about her, that fiercely independent and stubborn streak. He also admired that she wouldn't take any shit from him, otherwise he'd have steamrolled over her by their third date and then he would have been bored.
No, she kept him on his toes and he toyed with her just enough to keep her ire on a slow burn, even if it cost him a few smacks on his ass now and then or a verbal bitching out. One thing Erin believed in and very much enjoyed was make up sex. At the end of the night, no matter what had happened to piss one of them off, once they were in the bedroom it was her rules and her bed, and that meant they fell asleep in one another's arms thoroughly satiated and spent, all anger and frustration transformed to love.
Sloan snapped out of his reverie as they crossed into Pennsylvania.
"November Three One Delta Tango, Washington Center, contact New York Center on 121.55."
"Contacting New York Center on One Two One point Five Five, Three One Delta Tango." He replied.
"New York Center, November Three One Delta Tango with you at Flight Level Three Niner Zero.
"November Three One Delta Tango, New York Center, Squawk Four Seven One Seven. Descend and maintain flight level Two Five Zero., reduce speed to Three Hundred." Came the directive.
"Three One Delta Tango squawking Four Seven One Seven. Descending to Two Five Zero. Reducing speed to Three Hundred." Sloan acknowledged as he put Erin back in her special compartment in his mind and began preparing for their arrival into Teterboro.
Ninety minutes later, Sloan was climbing out of the left seat of the AugustaWestland 139 and slipping into the back seat of the Imperial.
He called Erin. "Hi sweetheart I just got in the car. I'm on my way home."
-30-