Corporate Family Dinner Ch. 03

In fact, I turned my phone off because I didn't want to be interrupted, period, during the time I was with my one good friend male or female. Well, maybe the only one until last night and the interesting Karen Bascome. And I no longer could think of Elaine as even a friend, now.

I pulled into Ross's large driveway and parked behind his Mercedes S convertible. It was a very nice car. Parked next to it already was a newer looking bright yellow Camaro. Maybe somebody was a "Transformers" fan, I grinned to myself.

I walked around to the back yard deck as Ross had mentioned grilling. Sure enough he and two girls were sitting on his deck enjoying the still really fine warm weather this mid September weekend. Ross was in cargo shorts and a tee shirt - brand named and stylish I was sure though I was really clueless as to which brands or why they were "stylish". The girls were mid 20-somethings and young and cute. As expected they were both above average beautiful and also extremely nice. I had never known Ross to date either just bimbos or bitches - just nice girls in demeanor and looks. At least at all times publicly and outwardly. I had suspicions most of his girls might have acted a tad differently privately and behind closed doors and "inwardly"...wink, wink.

"Oh, hi Bob," Ross greeted me. "This is Tammy, my girl - and her good friend Donna from Chicago. They were sorority sisters at Illinois a few years back." My immediate assumption was Univ. of Illinois - the Big 10 school.

"Talk to the girls while I fire up this grill and get the steaks out. The beer is already iced in that cooler and help yourself." It was a pretty large cooler and filled up with Beck's and Coronas and Michelobs in bottles. And quite a lot of beer for just 4 people. But that's Ross. I grabbed a beer and sat at the table with the girls. They had that fresh scrubbed every hair in place except the few deliberately allowed to escape just so look that a lot of former sorority girls had. They really looked and acted like sisters. Same way of speaking, same laugh at the same stuff they thought funny. Same length casual shorts on the same boring absolutely frickin spectacular legs and asses. Almost the same sized busts and breasts - as viewed from the outside, of course. But Tammy was a platinum blonde with short hair stylishly cut. And Donna was a dirty blonde with an actual ponytail today. Ah - I COULD tell them apart that way.

I am really not one for casual natural smalltalk with strangers. Just a little too naturally introverted I guess. I really empathized with those young Irish lads in "Gangs of New York" - the "don't say much but deep thinkers" line. "Yep, that's me!" I yelled out in the theatre. Elaine wasn't amused when I did that and missed the joke. Well, fuck her now, anyway. I was pretty sure somebody was fucking her. Tonight like last night and the night before. Not me, though. Fuck it.

Anyway Tammy started chatting me up as soon as I sat down. Donna chimed in naturally and easily and I didn't have to say much. They were good and smooth like Ross was and many other natural extroverts I've met. My wedding ring was quite visible and yet somehow the topic of discussion never got around to the marriage/wife/kids kinds of natural questions. Ross had primed them a tad, I was thinking. It was still just nice and pleasant. The beer and company was good. The steaks were soon sizzling and smelling good.

Donna tapped me on the arm and said, "come on you. Help me get the salad stuff together and out here."

"OK, sure. Glad to help," I replied - though I hadn't been in Ross's house enough to know where everything was without some searching. But Donna seemed to know quite comfortably. While she was digging the stuff out - filling a big bowl with salad greens from the fridge, getting some different salad dressings out, slicing some fresh tomatoes. We happened to glance out through the french doors and watched Tammy hanging on Ross and kissing him. Donna kind of sighed and half-smiled. "Poor kid. She really likes him and maybe even loves him as much as I did last year, at this time." I just looked at her a tad confused. "Yep. That's life around Ross. I'm sure he loves Tammy right back just as much as he did me back then. But Ross just isn't a one woman guy and probably never will be. But he is honest and forthright about it right up front to everyone and actually as much a gentleman about it as he can be. That's just his nature. And why I can still be friends with him and Tammy right now. Good friends."

Then she looked at me and said, "will you kiss me like that? Ross told us both you are a real good guy with maybe not such a good wife right now. And for us to try and help you anyway we could. But I think you might be a lot stronger than Ross knows or can ever know - and you might be able to help me more now than I can help you - with just a kiss. Will you?"

I didn't know what to think or say. This wasn't like that bitch Susan the other night. Donna was so sweet - or could at least play the role very well. What else could I do but kiss her the best I could? It was only a kiss after all. So I folded her in my arms and lowered my lips down to hers as she arched her neck up to meet them. Some timeless period later we stopped. It was a pretty good kiss I thought. It emptied my mind. She sighed and whispered "thanks" and we started transporting stuff back outside. Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh. Where did THAT thought come from?

The meal got even better from that point forward. Ross is just a great guy. He always knows some new jokes - or just when to pull out some old ones. He can tell some very funny stories from real life, his own or his relatives, especially. Tammy and Donna got along very well. Nobody touched any of the several elephants in the room - or even looked askance with questioning glances. Cooking and eating took a couple of very pleasant hours and then Ross gave some subtle signal I didn't even catch and the girls suddenly got up together and declared they were going to make some special dessert and went back inside.

Ross and I grinned at one another and all I could say was, "where do you find them?"

He grinned back almost sheepishly, "I can't really explain it. It's like they are all around and nobody else actually notices. I'll look up and a Tammy or Donna is just there, smiling at me. Very nice girls and women. Can you blame me for never getting married or 'settling down'?"

I had to grin back. Couldn't even be jealous. What he had was just some God's gift - or curse. Only time would ultimately tell. I was a different kind of guy and DID settle down and thought once I was equally as lucky as Ross in my own fashion. But that turned out not to be the case.

I replied, "not one bit." And then I sighed.

He read me like a book. No wonder he was such a great salesman. One could only marvel at his "people skills" talent.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

"Not much to say. She's still gone and I am pretty sure she will be tonight as well. Marriage isn't a jail and I can't lock her up and don't want to. It's just that I didn't see this coming. Friday night she dressed in Victoria's Secret underwear and a downright slutty looking dress - and I really thought it was all for me. Really. I just feel so stupid now, mostly."

"It may not be what you think. Or at least all that you think. The human heart is mysterious. It's a cliche, I know -but it's true. People sometimes do things they really don't want to do, but somehow end up doing them anyway. Don't totally write Elaine off now, unless you are absolutely sure that's what YOU really want to do. I've always liked her, and she never sent me the slightest signal that she really wanted to play with me. Honest. And you know my talents - how well I can read people."

"Listen Ross, have you ever slept with a married woman? I was thinking about that today. I've never heard a single rumor you've ever hit on any of your friend's wives. I just was thinking how incredible that was - given your other reputation as a babe magnet..."

"I'm not pure, he said. I am pretty sure I've bedded a few wives. Not that I really wanted too. It's just that many are out there, now. In clubs at night with their rings off and dressed to kill - and out-competing the wildest single ladies. Sometimes I've been fooled myself. It's not a nice dating world anymore, actually. Almost scary to me in many ways. People still sometimes kill other people over adultery and jealousy. And I just can't imagine Elaine out in that world acting like that. I think I would spot her as a "wife" immediately if she tried. Unless she has changed suddenly - and I mean a LOT."

"Yeah, I don't know anymore either. It's like she is a different woman. Screw it. That's not really what I want to dwell on now anyway. How about some mutual hatred or merely scorn for IMT&R?"

"Sounds good to me," he replied with an immediately infectious grin.

"Are you definitely going to resign tomorrow?"

"Not quite. I've been thinking about it. I need one more day to get some stuff together and out of my office. Then Tuesday morning I'll tinder my 2-week notification and hope they escort me out the door immediately as they generally do. Then I am all yours, lover." I laughed.

"But listen, how much am I worth to you, really?"

"You're worth a bundle and never doubt it. Unfortunately operating capital is going to be tight the first year, looks like. I hate to do this but what is the minimum annual salary that you think you can get by on, right now?"

I had thought it might play out this way and thought about it. Right now I was making only $64,000 a year after 11 years hard work - plus some excellent Medical and Dental benefits and 3 weeks annual vacation plus 10 holidays. Lower middle class type numbers now. I couldn't go much lower and still make the mortgage payments and every other fixed cost in my so called life.

"I've thought about it. $52k would hurt and Elaine would scream. Or would have in normal times. $50k and I would start screaming. $48k and I might end up homeless."

"Alright Buddy, thanks for your honesty. Our proposed budget isn't quite that tight. I can squeeze you in at $55k and you WILL have lots of stock options and a minor ownership percentage and profit sharing as soon as the money starts rolling in. But you are going to have to work your ass off setting up all the admin basics from scratch and take on Human Resources as well - as far as making sure we are in compliance with all the fucking Fed and State regulations including the Obamacare mess. I will also try to maintain an emergency fund for all first year employees who might get hit with major medical catastrophes, God forbid. So - what do you think?"

"Sign me the fuck up," I grinned right back.

"And listen, the reason I need to go in tomorrow is retrieve some dirt on a few managers and "top salesmen" who have broken quite a few rules and regulations over the years, and obviously in cahoots with somebody up the food chain. I've got most of that evidence at home already, but I want to double check I've got everything I can possibly have AND erase all telltales I even have the slightest clue about any of it. I gathered it for self-defense purposes at first - it's too easy to make a "dumb clerk" the fall guy and I could see that coming, once. But now we might need it if anyone at IMT&R decides to get nasty with us and RSS as their competitors."

"Oh, wow. Interesting. I've had some suspicions myself at times about certain deals. Let's go over all that stuff as soon as possible once we get this thing going. I am just about ready to lease our first office space in Earth City. Hopefully we'll be in our own offices in about a week. Meanwhile we will work out of here or your home office just as soon as IMT&R lets you go. Sounds great!" and he slapped me on my back.

Right then Tammy and Donna came back out with a fresh baked homemade cherry pie and ice cream. It was simple but great tasting and a perfect end to dinner. Ross asked me if I wanted to stick around and watch an old movie with them? He had a strange taste for older Golden Age hollywood romantic movies - often unremembered gems, actually. And he could somehow get almost HD quality remastered copies. I said "sure, I've got no other plans." And we all moved into his movie room. It had a huge flat screen TV and large sectional couch with state of the art sound system. Tonight's movie was "Gilda" a 1946 soap/mystery film noire with Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford, and I had never heard of it. It was pretty good and hit me especially hard since it was about jilted lovers, a married slut, and a poor man vs. rich men.

Tammy was snuggled next to Ross at one end of the sectional. I was at the other with Donna beside me, and as the tension of the movie rose for me especially - Donna got closer and settled down right next to me. Which, oddly enough calmed my own emotions back under the red line. I put my arm around her and she did that little twisting to get comfortable thing women do while otherwise ignoring me and watching the movie. This was all infinitely more comforting to me than the actual sex I had had with Susan Friday night. The movie ended and I found it was actually a bit cathartic for me. Not that I cried or anything.

Anyway, it was about 10PM and I really needed to get back to my empty home. As I said my goodbyes Donna said she would walk out with me. Outside, she looked at me a bit funny and said, "Thank you again, Bob. I really enjoyed tonight and you really are a nice guy. Listen, I don't mess around with married men. Why should I, the way I look "she modestly said" (making fun of herself and I grinned along with her) but if you don't really get back together with your wife right away, I think it would be nice if you gave me a call. OK? Don't screw around with me - I won't see you while you are still screwing your wife as well and I couldn't stand myself if I thought I messed up your marriage even the littlest bit. Give me your phone."

While she was putting her number in my phone I replied, "believe me, my marriage is so messed up right now with what Elaine has done - and maybe me as well - it couldn't BE any more messed up by anyone else. Of course I really like you too, you are beautiful and wonderful and nice and an OK kisser (grinning here as she punched me in the arm) OK far better than OK - but I just don't know what is really up with Elaine and my marriage right now. And I can't just turn my back on a 12 year relationship tonight - as much as I maybe now want to. And I may not love Elaine any more, but I know my 11 year old daughter does still love her mother. So - not thanks, anyway - but just thank you from the bottom of my heart the kindness you have shown me today and tonight. That's all I can say right now."

"I know ", she whispered. And she kissed me goodnight in a way I had never been kissed before - curling MY toes and making my hair stand on end as she rubbed her fingers through it. Then she turned and walked back inside without looking back.

Obviously my phone had to be turned back on for her to put her own number in - and now I saw the 5 or 6 missed calls from my wife and the voicemail waiting indicator.

I finally listened to her voicemails and was surprised to hear she was now back in town and at her Mom's house. So I decided I needed to go ahead and pick them back up and headed over there.

It was strange - weird and strained - when I showed up. There was no way her Mom couldn't notice how different Elaine and I acted to one another. More like casual acquaintances than an old but still loving married couple. No hugs and kisses between us. Jules ran right up to me and DID hug my neck hard - since I hadn't seen her since early Friday morning and I reciprocated with all my heart. Elaine looked very tired - her face was thin and pinched, somehow. I couldn't hardly see any of her natural beauty in that face anymore. It looked completely different from the excitement and joy and glow she had Friday as we headed to that fateful dinner.

We were both real quiet on the drive back to our shared house, but Julia's excited chatter masked that silence between us a tad.

Elaine struggled but took the lead in calming Jules down and getting her ready for bed and then school tomorrow, Monday.

Finally she came back downstairs and sat with me in the kitchen where I was nursing another large screwdriver. Her face was even more strained looking than before and almost so white it was trending to green.

"I, uh, noticed a lot of your clothes and stuff is gone from our bedroom...have you moved out?"

She said, trying to control her voice.

"Into the basement," I replied - trying to control MY voice as well.

"Oh, honey - I didn't want this. I DON'T want this."

"Well, what you want isn't at the top of my list, right now. For the very first time in 12 years."

"Can you just sleep with me tonight - just hold me in your arms all night? I'll just keep these stupid sweats on. Just tonight, please?"

"No," I said gently. "I really am sorry in so many ways. But I can't do that right now. I - might lose control - and neither of us would like that. We've probably got a lot of things to talk about, but not tonight. I really do have to be at work tomorrow very early. Good night, Elaine. Take care of yourself."

And I walked downstairs with my screwdriver and didn't look back.

Our new life as merely roommates had started.