Chapter 57

Friday, April 16, 2004

1030 EST

Pensacola, Florida

AJ finally arrived at the Pensacola Country Club. He had rented some clubs and a cart, now he was waiting for his caddy. What a beautiful day to be outside-clear and sunny, but the most important thing was, he was going to play real golf. Life couldn't get much better than this.

"Hello, AJ, were you waiting for me?" asked Webb, grinning.

"Webb, what are you doing here-and with that stupid "Fuddruckers" T-shirt on?" yelled AJ, then carefully looking around to see if anyone heard him.

"Didn't you know? I'm your caddy for today," smirked Webb.

"Caddy! There is no way I am having you for my caddy! Get out of here, and tell them I want a real one," growled AJ.

"Afraid I can't do that, AJ. I have information for you, and this is the only way we can talk today. So you're stuck with me!" frowned Webb.

"I don't want you to spoil the one day I have to play golf," AJ said, pulling a club from the bag.

"Why? Are you afraid I'll find out you can't play this kind of golf any better than you can the pee wee golf you played with Sarah?"

"Webb! I'll have you know I am a pretty good golfer!" AJ told him with a growl, squeezing the club in his hands, wishing it were Webb's scrawny neck.

Webb stood there, grinning, with his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth, waiting for AJ's temper to wind down. "Drag the clubs over and put them in the cart, Webb, no use wasting the day," grumbled AJ.

"I wouldn't be in too big of a hurry, pal. Look at those clouds coming in," grinned Webb, happy to spoil the day for AJ.

"So? They're not coming this way. However, if they don't change course, Sarah's new hairdo is going to get drenched," replied AJ, watching the storm clouds.

"How can you tell that from here?" asked Webb. The dark clouds were miles away.

"Webb, I'm a sailor for Pete's sake! You learn to gauge storms," AJ said with a disgusted look upon his face. "Now load the damn clubs."

Clay loaded the golf clubs into the cart and they headed for the green. Finally there, AJ jumped from the cart, and placed the ball on the tee. "Webb, hand me the driver," he said with hand outstretched.

"The driver! Uh, and that would be which one, AJ?" asked Webb, shuffling through the clubs.

AJ turned his head, and looked at Webb in surprise, "Tell me you've played golf before, please."

"Well, I've played croquet with mother, but riding is really my choice of outdoor sports," smiled Webb.

"Great! Absolutely wonderful. They send me a caddy that knows nothing about clubs-or golf, for that matter," complained AJ, stomping over to the bag of clubs and pulling out a driver. "This is called a driver. You use it to drive the ball as far as possible down the fairway to the main goal. The little hole in which the ball goes in," said AJ, shaking the club in Webb's face. Going back to the ball sitting on the tee, a furious AJ swung and missed.

"AJ, I don't think your driver is working," smirked Webb.

"Webb, the object of a caddy is to be seen and not heard. Practice that objective."

Webb frowned. He had the distinct feeling AJ wasn't going to be any fun today. AJ took another swing at the ball and it sailed down the fairway, making quite an impression on Webb. Relaxed now, AJ handed the club back to Webb. He climbed back into the cart, waiting for Webb to get in, and they headed for the direction his ball should have landed.

"I am here to impart information to you, you know!" Webb said as they looked for the ball. "We have been tracing the babies that have been adopted by the ring and we have located all forty-three of them. Unfortunately, although we have tried everything we can, we have not found ANY of the mothers! They are really well hidden. How can we return the babies to them if we can't find the mothers?"

To be continued….