Consequences Pt. 12B

Nina had a good idea where this was going, David had already tried, and she also knew what she was "Got any suggestions for sex mad sluts?"

"I hate to think"

Nina raised an eyebrow.

"I think you 'hide your light under a bushel' as the saying goes. I don't blame you but do you think that there is something you might really enjoy doing?"

"Twisting men around my little finger!?" she tried 'tongue in cheek.'

"So meeting and greeting, showing these rich men around, keeping them happy, do you think that might be your cup of tea?"

"Do I get to bed the good looking ones?"

"If you're careful I guess yes, but they will be worried about disease and such like."

Jane could see her thinking about it; she understood that she was a creature of her desires who should have been married to a lusty man with endless needs or maybe a whole platoon! "I think you need to upgrade your image if you want to do that."

"Is he putting the pressure on?"

"No, I think he is disappointed that he hasn't found your place in life aside from sex. I suppose you could charge for what you do online or you could be a porno actress but I think he would be very disappointed if that happened to you."

"The trouble with me is that it's always been my way of getting what I want."

"I understand, but we all get older and you're not going to get away with it forever."

"Don't I know it, I am just not clever like all you others."

"Now you know that's not true, let me run this past you and think about it, it's just my idea, no one else has thought of it or mentioned it."

"Go on."

"There's going to be a need to centrally control all those rich men who want someone to organise their accommodation, their gym time, or their golf tee time, maybe a company jet or helicopter. Possibly, even arrange an escort to a function or something. Do you know what I mean? There would be a lot of learning to do, tracking down all these things and talking to our Retreat sites but it's early days at the moment and time to do the groundwork."

Jane wondered for a moment if she had captured Nina's interest, it was really a last chance for her although she wouldn't say so, she had to pull her weight somehow, everyone else did. "I'll leave you to think," she said.

A few hours later Jane was in her office in one of the outbuildings, in between times of looking after her baby and making sure that the Retreat had all it needed, she was helping the Function Business and the Developments going on around the country. Everyone knew she was irreplaceable and tried hard not to push their luck but inevitably did. From pots and pans to clothes and bedding, Jane was the go to for the Retreat occupants and the word was getting out to the other retreats that were coming online. Florida was very much up and running and Ohio was there all bar the staffing for which training and interviewing was underway, it was a steep learning curve for everyone.

Nina slipped in the door imperceptibly, almost frightened to disturb her. Eventually Jane looked up from what she was doing, "That idea you had, where would I start?"

"I reckon a good idea would be to sit down and make a list of all the things you can think of that these customers may want, you can use my list to start off if you want but leave space for all the off shoots. Like for example cars, they might need a jet or a helicopter but they'd need a car to get there, so you could start a list of all the high class car services you can find in the area of the sites we have coming on line, do you see what I mean?"

"So I could make a list of escort services and maybe the best restaurants"

"Yep and when you are quiet you could get the go ahead to check them out, you'll maybe need to get some training as a gourmet food tester but I'm sure you would get support for that. It's going to be a big list but if you need help, just ask."

"You?"

"Or David or Ruth or maybe Ciaron if she turns out to be any good for the golf side."

"Sounds like an enormous task."

"It might be, but very rewarding when people tell you how much they appreciate your help."

Nina nodded as if agreeing to something in her own mind. "You know, I think I could like this, are you sure I'd get support?"

"I think David would be delighted, Ruth too, she needs someone to take the calls away from the Hotel staff. Why don't you sit at that spare desk and start your list thinking."

"I will, can I use it for a while until I get myself sorted?"

"Of course, when you're ready we'll work out a set up just for your purposes but I would be glad to have some company. Would I be pushing my luck for you to take calls when I'm feeding the baby?"

Jane knew she was overstating it a bit as well as pushing her luck but she would be delighted if she could make Nina a success, as probably would everybody else. Later when Nina had gone off to do some research, Jane called David to update him on what she was trying to achieve. Her heart was gladdened when he said, "Jane you are a wonder, I would never have thought it possible, anything you need just let me know," and Ruth was even more effusive "Ohh Jane that would be such a useful service to have if we can make it work, I don't know how we can make it pay but anything that reduced demand on reception staff would be fantastic."

Jane decided she would garner the support of a few of the others too, to generate interest and excitement for Nina that would hopefully be long lasting. Little did they know how big this role could become.

Olivia wonders about Ciaron & Ana

On Thursday, Olivia thought that Ciaron looked a bit down, "What's up?" she asked.

"Nothing much, just wondering if I should go back home, apart from spending time with you it's been a waste of time, I've seen nothing of David."

Olivia tried to seem sympathetic and in truth, it was good to have company. It was just that having someone in her pocket could be a bit restricting if she was always around, she had a private life of her own but didn't want David to know everything. So she decided to be helpful for now and see if she couldn't work something out, although Greg was becoming impatient and so were one or two of her other lovers. But Greg was good that Saturday night, he made love to her and she liked that, made a change from most men she hooked up with, he might be just the man she needed if he fell in love with her, if only he could make her orgasm, she sighed wistfully.

Olivia was also worried about Ana, she is spending a lot of time with her talking design, as Olivia works to get the project finished for next week. Ana also seems to be going through all the files understanding how they worked. Olivia has a problem she knows, 'Having her cake and eat it,' now looks nigh on impossible. For now, she thought she would take each day as it comes but then she wondered, was he moving Ana in to replace her? If so she might have to move up her plan.

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Jane, Bree and Jo need more staff

Jane, Bree and Jo were in conference, it was becoming increasingly difficult to combine being a good Mum with holding up their position within the group. They were trying to decide who could step up to help or even take over some of the work they do. They had decided that Lauren could definitely do more short term if she was prepared to move from working with cars. Aside from that they didn't know, they supposed Ver was a possibility but Jo didn't know much about what she did, she promised to find out. They wondered if Tania and Christina might be prepared to help out but supposed that was unlikely. Bree wondered about her friend Marlene whom she had always thought was the well organised type, they marked her down as a possibility to follow up. They wondered if they could borrow Dee but that would leave the office short staffed. From among their friends who were there at the weekend, they knew Molly and Kim were looking for a good reason to spend more time with them so they decided to follow up to find out what they did. There was also the woman that David liked, Fay.

Who to do the following up? That was the question, they themselves were completely swamped. Perhaps Ana would help them out and then they thought of Zoe and wondered if that might be an issue. They decided to talk to David when he returned, hopefully by the weekend, meanwhile they decided to ask Arthur if he could find out more background workwise on the possible people within their circle. Jane wandered into Arthurs office leaving the other two with her call button just in case the babe got fractious, she found him surprisingly busy and noticed Ciaron's name on his desk and Greg's.

He caught her looking. "Something we should know about these two?" Jane asked.

"No, I didn't quite finish my checks on them and one or two others, nothing to worry about. Wouldn't like people to think otherwise, so 'mum's' the word."

"Why those two?"

"You know Jane that if you know I'm looking into somebody there's a chance something might come out by accident."

"I do, I just want to be sure that I shouldn't be more careful with Ciaron."

"Don't know for sure, David just wanted the highest level checks if she is going to be taking on a lot of responsibility"

"That makes sense I suppose. That other guy doesn't mean much to me though, was he at the party?"

"Yes, he was asked late so I only managed to do the basic search, he wasn't the only one, David just wanted me to make sure that we hadn't had a visitor that we would have to keep an eye on."

"How odd."

"I don't think so, if someone wanted to get inside our privacy he would be clever about it, I talked it over with David and we agreed that anyone who was added late should be checked thoroughly but not to start worrying everyone else over what is just procedural."

"I see" she said but the name Greg Porter struck a chord somewhere and she thought she should say so.

"It's possible," he said in answer, and if you think of anything, keep it to yourself and let me know here in this office face to face."

"That's a bit cloak and dagger."

"Of course it is, just imagine if something got out, it doesn't bear thinking about, you know how rumours fly. Do you even know who invited that man?"

She thought for a moment, "I think it was Olivia who gave me the name and email."

"There you are then, need we say more, do you want to start David off on one of his vendettas?"

"Definitely not."

Jane decided to focus on what she had come for and leave Arthur with his secret stuff, in a way it was comforting to think that he was looking after them so carefully. She still had a nagging feeling she knew that name from somewhere; maybe she was just catching David's paranoia.

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Texas

Ruth spent the night and following morning making up again for all the years she had gone without and both of them were feeling a little jaded when they received a request from the Mayor's office to visit as soon as possible. On arriving, the Major escorted them into a car without preamble and they were driven out of town just beyond the surrounding farmland until they reached a farm nestled at the base of low hills.

Finally, he said, "I have to ask you both to keep this completely confidential and he handed them both a document to sign. We've had various applications to do something with this land but because my family owns it I have always been opposed even if any of my fellow councillors were in favour. However your scheme might be one that I could be proud of, rather than being worried about being accused of abusing my position."

He continued, "The problem is going to be about marrying the social benefits with the quality of development you have in mind. In a nutshell, if this land would suit you, I am going to need help with putting something together that would find favour with everyone, given the secrecy necessary for your development. They walked the land and drove the area and there was no doubt it was promising. The problem was what to include in the development that could benefit the community; they would have to think about it.

Ciaron with Olivia

They were heading out to go shopping, the baby soundly asleep in his cot in the car. Ciaron asked, "Why do you think you became antagonistic to your husband?"

"I am not entirely sure, it just grew with time, and my frustration always became his fault."

"Was it activated by any event or series of events, did you think? Maybe after consulting with a therapist?"

"I admitted that I became angry when he prevented me from having satisfactory sex, there was that time for example when I thought my boyfriend was just bringing me to a lovely climax and David rang leaving a message on my phone telling me how much he loved me."

"You called him your boyfriend?"

"Yes he was someone who I knew from a long time back."

"Were you having trouble getting to that climax?"

"What sort of question is that, most men can't bring a girl to a climax?"

"What about David?"

"Ohh it's easy with him, sometimes he only has to look at me."

"I'm confused, I've read all the papers about your past and throughout you always maintain that you were monogamous right up until Ana reawakened your desires. Then you dropped your confession bombshell which is a bit open to interpretation in light of what you were hoping to achieve."

Olivia gave Ciaron a very quick smug look as if she had got away with something and she made a mental note.

"So now you mention the boyfriend and David interrupting the sex. When did he start becoming your boyfriend?"

Again she just looked at me with a smug work it out for yourself kind of look.

"I get the feeling you're playing games with me Olivia."

"I'm not; I am just choosing not to answer."

"Whether you choose to speak or not is still part of playing games. Are you afraid I would talk to David?"

"I am sure you would find some way to communicate with him if it was something you thought was important."

"I am an honest person Olivia and I suspect you would say that about anyone you spoke to."

Olivia didn't respond so Ciaron continued. "OK let's get back on track to when you started being unfaithful."

"If you were happy to have affairs despite knowing they could end your marriage, what would you say that your feelings were for your husband at the time?"

"I never felt any change but if I thought he might find out I became frightened of losing him."

"So it wasn't love in the conventional sense, would you agree?"

"I have always thought I loved him more than life, I miss him so much when he is not around."

"Would you agree that that doesn't make sense?"

"Yes you are right but my need seems to override my fear until it's too late."

"Do you accept that he couldn't stay with you once he found out that you were having sex with someone else?"

"I do until I get the need and then I can't." She sighed, "I accept that it's not logical."

"What would you say the 'need' is?"

"To have sex of course the naughtier the better."

"What makes you orgasm the easiest?"

"Nothing that you're thinking of, they are all enjoyable."

"So they are enjoyable but not satisfying?"

Frustratingly, Olivia did not respond again.

"I've done a kind of comparison chart of what you gain against what you lost up to now, would you like to hear it?"

"Not really but I suppose I ought to."

"Well you might think of things to add."

"OK I will try."

"On the positive side you have freedom to have sex with anyone else as long as it's outside a Retreat, aside for special occasions. You are free to work for anyone else. Your child is paid for without contention and there is always someone to keep an eye on him."

"On the negative side you no longer have a relationship with David, you don't have a share in anything of his life, you have half of what there was on the day you were adulterous, and whatever date that was."

"Finally what is there left to lose? Or gain?" getting no response again she continued. "On the other hand, I suppose you could find someone to love you and be less vigilant about your affairs."

"On the loose side I reckon your present job could easily be in jeopardy, your child, and your home at the Retreat. I don't think you care about living at the Retreat except that you have to stay there with the child, at least if you want to be with him."

"No, I'm not bothered about living there anymore."

"Were you disappointed that it was David's child?"

She stared at me and refused to answer and I wondered if that was an answer in itself.

"The problem comes down to what love is for you. In my Mums case, I believe she didn't have the overriding love for me and my Dad so she just left. Is it the same for you for David and his son?"

"At this very minute I would not leave my baby for anything. As far as David is concerned I just seem to keep burning my bridges."

"At what point are you expecting to give him up?"

"I'm not."

"That means you have to carry on your present way of life, do you think the other personality you talk about will allow that?"

"What makes you feel that I can't carry on at the Retreat?"

"Saturday night was a continuation of the past; I don't think you have changed."

"I think I have."

"So, do you still think you love David?"

"Of course."

"But you take every chance you can to treat him as if you hate him, how do you explain that?"

"I can't and I am not strong enough to stop myself."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm sick."

"But you're not, you just have strong sexual urges that you don't control, pretty much half the population of men have to deal with such urges I suspect. I don't know what the actual statistics are but in my personal experience, they are mostly like that at some time in their life, or perhaps it's just me personally. I hope you can get control because I don't want to see a repeat of my parents and I would like a chance to help you get better. The problem is I am not sure you really want to."

Olivia suspected that Ciaron knew something that made her think negatively and she was right, she didn't want to change her plans.

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Lots to do, Who can help, back West, finding Gregg

Jane sent David a message to arrange for a little conference on Saturday and then had a longish conversation to discuss the issues.

Separately Ciaron borrowed a phone to have a word with him privately. David rang his lawyer straight after to obtain advice.

The numbers at the conference were larger than expected, locals Ana, Lauren, Tania, Christine, Ver, and Marlene, all came, Molly, Kim, and Fay, travelled. Dee and even Monica were there too because they might be expected to be involved, as well as Jane, Bree, and Jo.

After the conference David and Ana headed out to the west coast, where they booked into a classy hotel and looked forward to a good opportunity to re-seal their bond. Ana has been uncertain of her feelings and is worried about how they will feel, just them alone with time to talk. Thus far, they had been tired on the plane and grabbed naps between hostess service.

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Ana

I went straight to freshen up while David explored the room and unpacked a few things. I felt almost shy when it was time to come out; I wrapped a towel around my body, wanting to let him know that I am his, but not confident of our relationship. David was waiting and didn't make any indication, simply swapping places to clean-up too.

It was warm and he slipped on shorts and a tee, and then knew it was time to talk to her. She was nowhere in sight at first but he found her on the balcony, looking spectacular. She had on a flimsy two piece bedroom set and as he went to slide back the door, he noticed she was being admired by occupants on the connected balcony. Ana was allowing it and pretending not to notice the appreciation, occasionally moved slightly so as to portray a different angle of view. She turned herself to admire a different view of the landscape and caught sight of David's eyes watching her with an indulgent smile. She leant back against the balcony barrier stretching her shorts and, intentionally or not, gave him, and her neighbours, a better view of her mound.