Don's Wet Dream Ch. 03

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There was the anticipated second field trip up the river, to several of the young male staff's ill disguised envy and resentment; Kim was sent as team leader, with Don as her assistant. They did deliver the productivity, and Libby was content with the results. But even more while camping than at home, they seemed unable to say no to each other -– ever. It became a hedonistic festival that left pussy chaffed and unusable by the forth day, and Don fatigued, his immune system was weakened and susceptible to a bad head cold that was around the time they returned to the real world.

Between a week with out love making, caring for an ill Don, it was a tired and moody Kim dealing with the tasteless jokes at work, and later a really bad time for Max to try and deal with the impending schism their romance was causing in his company. On Don's first day back at work there was an ominous summons to Max's office, hasty and angry words, overheard by all the upstairs staff and then a pale Don stopped at her desk just long enough to say, "Been sacked babe, or quit, not sure which, see ya' when ya' get home." Then in his first and only display of affection at the office, kissed her hair briefly and left. Kim was torn between chasing Don, and marching in to abuse Max. Libby stopped her doing either, and lead her into a meeting room.

"Sit down, Kim.

"I can get Don a job with a thirty second phone call. And, I think you need to have a good long think about the whole situation; Max made a mistake, everyone knows it, which is why we need to help. Remember? It was your idea I get more involved in managing the company? And you," Libby could be very sharp, almost cruel when the situation warranted, "how many men would accommodate your issues as Max has done, unheard of. Now, have the afternoon off, look after Don and be here tomorrow, ready to say " 'Yes Max, no Max, whatever you say Max', got it?"

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Don got some work helping Rod, one of the guys he knew from the rescue service, driving a rigid truck interstate for two long days a week, with an overnight stay while a factory night shift emptied then reloaded the truck for him. And one of Kim's neighbours was a landscaper whose workload varied enormously, he said that as long as Don didn't mind lean spells, there'd be about an average of about one day a weeks work for him. Don thought that wasn't really enough money, but Kim said it was fine, it suited his needs for now, so he decided to try it for six months and see where it left him. Besides, Kim's house needed some serious work.

Life was getting pretty good for Don again, he loved living in Kim's house. She was a really good girl. Seemed to know what he was thinking most times. And she said he was smart so he was starting to believe it. The lovemaking was great! But he had some problems too, one day he was at home, suppose to be busy fixing up the house or getting the garden tided, he spent a full day panicked when he thought about what Sarah had done, he trusted her, and she did that? Kim seemed trustworthy too, but he had thoughts about some younger guy, a suit type, I mean could he really believe that Kim wouldn't be tempted by a guy like that, younger, cleverer? It made him quiet, and he was trying to think of how to deal with it. It wasn't something that was easy to come out with and ask a girl. He was thinking so deeply about it that night that he kind of ignored Kim when they settled in bed.

"Very quiet tonight sweetheart, happy? Comfortable?"

A duplicitous plan was coming into his head.

"Thinking about Sarah…"

"Mmmmm?"

"… And what if I'm as bad a dad as I was a husband? What if I do something wrong with you? She knew how much it would hurt me if I knew, and she still went and did it. I must of done something wrong for her to go behind my back like that."

Kim pulled away, reachin' over to turn the light on, uhh ohh he thought, if the light was on she'd figure out his duplicitous plan straight away. He pulled her back and held her tight, "No light please Babe, okay?"

"Its fine sweetie, I know what you're asking and you're not in trouble… Okay, no light, but I want us to talk. If you do something wrong with me, I'll tell you, first chance we have, it's a rule remember, from your first morning here?... And I think you're a great dad, and I think you were a good husband too. Maybe you were trying to do too many things though, hang on honey, can I switch the light on and get some paper?" Watching Kim bounce across the room nude nearly made him forget what he was thinking about but then he thought, I can catch up on that anytime I want -- it was a nice feeling -- he was already feelin' better. A nude Kim, and she always came up with good ideas when she got out her pad and pencil. She slid back into bed, they lay on their tummies, hips and legs hard against each other and Kim wrote out Things that Don Does -- a bright girl, but she still stuck her tongue out sometimes when she wrote -- and she asked him to tell her what to write, cause she suspected it would be a long list.

"Christy, Mark, You, target shooting, work, hunting, fishing, rescue, get your garden right, fix your house, fix up the school... That's about all."

"See honey, that is a lot of things, and you forgot all the times you help Julie, and the others girls with their projects; you've never really told me about the rescue work? I know you give good boat and chainsaw lessens…"

Don had started to feel he'd cut more than his share of bloody screaming people out of car wrecks. Or silent ones. Even Sarah had said that it seemed to take him longer to get over the bad ones lately. Maybe he was "full". He hadn't realised he'd said that last bit out loud.

"Tell me what do you mean by full?"

"Take a long time to get to sleep sometimes, dreams, thinking about the kids, the dead ones… And every morning when I wave to you and you drive to work I wonder if you'll crash your car, that sort of stuff."

"Libby did tell me you were what, a crew leader?... Was that a big job, tell me about the things you do."

"Everything. First aid, cutting, jacks, talk to police and medics, hold people hands while we cut them out, help carry them to choppers, help carry them to hearses… and put my men back together afterwards… Plus we do cliff work with ropes, and flood work in boats -- I'm the unit captain."

Kim was studying his face as he spoke, and it must have been having her look at him so closely, but he felt himself blushing, wished the light wasn't on, and it was tight to breath, yeah that often happened for a week or two after a bad accident too, he'd forgot that. Kim asked gently "Does the rescue service have counselling?"

"Yep, they try and make us go."

"Are rescuer's partners allowed to ask you to try it? Would you for me?"

"Yes, but please don't. I've tried it and for me it's worse after... When I use to go away with Libby, she made me talk about it, felt better after a trip, sort of got side tracked last time!"

"You are still allowed to talk to Libby, you know that?"

"Yes, but she has gone a bit funny lately."

"I'm sure she's still your friend." Kim took Dons hand and kissed it. "Honey, I think we need to do two things, firstly I want you to talk to someone, I think there are bad things bottled up in here…" and tapped on his head "…you must, Ok? I don't mind who… Me?... Libby… Amy… or a counsellor?... Would you like to talk to me?… If we can't help each other it's a bit silly isn't it?… Will you tell me about something that gives you dreams?"

Okay, she wouldn't like it, but it was part of his life. He thought carefully, how to say this without being too gross. He told her about the all time worse car crash, Leon's crossing road -– Black Sunday. Nothing happened that hadn't happened at others, but they all happened together here. It had been a high speed multiple car and truck accident. Don explained he had been 'off roster' -– home restin' -- but after reports of the accident got mucked up and the professional crew who normally were sent first went to the wrong spot, and his volunteer unit sent to assist with a deputy in charge to, were sent to the wrong spot too. There were hasty calls for Don to take out the only other rescue unit available, the volunteer headquarters and training unit, with a crew of novices in case the accident was somewhere else. Everyone said it was the only thing the controllers did right that day.

As Don's new team responded, the radio reports from police and ambulance crews already on scene became increasingly frantic, there were multiple trapped patients and how long until some one gets here who can cut them out? Don felt the familiar tightness as he told Kim how hopeless and out of his depth he felt. Worst he'd felt since he got caught stealin' cars. He had nearly thrown up in the truck. As they speed down back roads he'd turned to check what his crew might be able to do, there was no comfort there. Not one bit. He could see two pale, wide eyed and very young women and one pale, wide eyed very young man. The driver was older, but still only in his mid twenties. Breakin' every rule, against the service's volunteer traditions, and all his crew welfare trainin', Don told them, "We won't have time to cry. And we don't have enough men for any one to quit now, finish this job. And worry about the rest later." We called our girls men when we was workin'.

Kim rolled away and pulled his head onto her chest.

He told her on top of the chaos with who was responded where, there was fuel everywhere, the firemen very nervous -- had us knee deep in foam, people calling for help everywhere, cars under trucks, ambos nearly in tears, they couldn't get to some of the patients to even hold their throats open, we had to get the police to drag a screaming guy away while we were trying to get his babies out of a car, dead patients when we arrived, more died while they were still trapped. He did his best, the professional unit finally arrived, followed by his own seasoned crew, he still felt the relief of that moment, how he had hid behind the truck to throw up, not because of the dead kids, but just cause there was someone to share the problems with. As first arriving crew leader he had to stay as the rescue boss, so he put guys who knew what they was doing at each problem. About three hours later, the last live patient long gone by 'chopper, and only one more dead one to get out, his deputy and the professional captain ganged up on him, and insisted, 'Don, go and look after your newbies, we'll finish this last guy'. He'd gathered his novices for a debrief, the now idle police and fire fighters kindly moved away to give them room, they had a group hug near the back of the truck. They were messy, with torn smudged overalls, foam, grease and vomit stained, and most of all stunned, silent -- and not crying. He'd said "You never quit… I shouldn't have asked that… But you done good, so good… I'm so proud of you… And you can cry now."

Don sniffed, wiped the tears away with his hand

"And they did cry!… And when we went back home the controllers said that if I ever sacrificed novices like that again, they'd kick me out of the service… they all left, the new ones, way too much, way too soon. And I knew it when I did it."

He lay, pillowed on Kim's breasts, the breasts he normally enjoyed so much. "This is my kind of counselling darlin', rescue counsellors never let us do this." He sucked in a nipple. And Kim, bless her, just lay there and let him do it. She arranged him between her legs and wrapped them tightly around his tummy keeping his face to her breasts.

"Is that any better sweetie, that there is, ohh, about, two double D's and about eighty four inches worth of counselling, any time you want it?" It felt good to hear the niceness in her voice.

"Mmmm."

"And if you like, we could do one of your special cuddles." He thought about that for a while, that was a good idea, Kim had such beautiful legs, to lie between them crying made no sense at all. Insulting for Kim too. He didn't need to think about too long, and he moved up and entered her. She smiled, not her normal sexy, 'fuck me Donnie' smile, or the, 'you got a word wrong again Donnie' smile, this was a warm loving, 'Tell me what can I do to make you not sad' smile. A half decent man would do anything for a girl that smiled at him like that -- Don would anyway -- providence sure had landed a good girl on his lap that week on the river. He'd have to buy her more flowers. He'd slipped lately, like he had with Sarah, he wasn't going to make that mistake again. He loved the smile Kim gave him when he picked her some flowers. The lay still, Don hilted inside his princess.

"What did Sarah do if you came home upset?"

"Not much really, but it was my problem not hers."

"Mmmm!… Anyway right now the other thing you need to do is to take some leave from rescue work. Am I allowed to insist? Think about it baby, divorce, Christy and Mark need your time, a demanding girlfriend, a lot on your mind. Tell the, what, supervisor?..."

"…Area Controller..."

"…tell the Area Controller that you're under a lot of stress and need a break. If they don't like the idea, tell him you have unresolved trauma issues to deal with. And if they still don't like that, then I'm going to tell them, only blunter. Okay?"

"Yep."

"You'll do that tomorrow."

"Yes darling."

"Is that okay? Do want me to come with you?"

"Yes and no."

"But don't quit, just take some leave, and if you feel better in a few months, you can go back, only if you talk to me first. And if you go back, for Christ sake you talk to me if you come home from a bad one. Promise? You'll have to resign for good unless you promise me that.

"And Don?"

"Yes babe."

"What fucking planet was Sarah born on anyway?"

"Sweetie, if you mention you know who again, Lord Donald's gonna let you down."

"Sorry darling, forgot the rule, didn't say a thing, honest... Now cuddle me harder."

After they'd finished cuddling, Don was thinking Kim probably wouldn't do what Sarah did. And also how Kim skipped over Don's target shooting and hunting, it was obvious Kim did not have anything to do with guns on her to do list. Other than ask how much time he spent on it she hadn't said a lot, which was rare. But the way she hadn't said much said a lot. It was a no brainer – never liked those words before -- simple, he'd have to sell his rifles, couldn't store them at Kim's house much longer, sell all of them, except the sweet little Winchester 1903 slide action 22, the one his great grandfather had bought new when he was a boy -- no way was that leaving the family. He'd find somewhere safe to store it. Leave it at John's maybe, and it would be Mark's in five years anyway. In the meantime they could still slip away and pop some bunnies together, just Mark and Don. And John. And then he would make Kim something nice, maybe some of his wild rabbit and bacon, with dumplings, in mustard sauce. Maybe she'd see why huntin' was okay then, come with them sometimes.

Maybe.

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Don and Sarah had their second meeting. Alternatives (aka divorce). Kim would have preferred to leave Don manage it alone, but he looked so distraught she obviously relented. She did insist he prepare and do more of the hard talking himself however. So Kim coached him a little to develop confidence, they talked through imaginary scenarios, and Kim would ask him to imagine the three things Sarah might say to for each scenario, and what would Don say back? Julie and Rod came over and acted as the 'bad guys' and asked the sort of questions that had made Rod's divorce pretty horrible. They only did that once and Julie was crying and holding Rod's hand tight when they left, so they obviously didn't ask that again.

At the meeting, Kim tried to stay in the background as much as possible. The irrationality of some of Sarah's arguments just simply could not go uncorrected however. Sarah had tried to delay the process with options and phantom problems. Don did well -- the preparation really paid off -- and Kim improvising at times, dismantled Sarah's smoke screen step by step, until they were down to real issue, and simple numbers.

As far as overnight sleeps for the kids were concerned, Kim suggested that a fair way of satisfying the moral concern was to allow Sarah's parents the right of veto on an overnight partner while the kids were in either house. Further as far as Kim and Don were concerned, Kim and Don were an involved couple, and would behave as such, with normal relations and normal privacy in place. And then went on the suggest that Sarah be allowed partners too, as long as her parents approved of them. Sarah gave Kim a withering glare. Hoping she disguised her tension Kim gave back her best 'try that on someone who scares easily Sarah,' look. That would rule out Ben, Sarah's parents had been openly scathing of their daughters 'fling' with Ben, knowing what it had cost, he would never be welcome in John and Amy's house. Never.

Sarah tried to revisit the thirty three percent of Don's wage that she thought she should be entitled too. Kim happened to be looking directly at Sarah and with one of those chest tightening moments of insight, realised that Sarah didn't want to get divorced! Thrown by the revelation, breathless and confused about her own feelings -- mainly guilt that the honourable thing to do now was to consult Don about this before it went too much further -- she responded a little rashly that Don should be entitled to half the value of the house, would Sarah like to move out and sell it, and that his job for the next two years was fixing Kim's house, and that this wasn't the appropriate venue to go into what his wages would be, suffice to say the pay would be plentiful, messy and freely given… but definitely not transferable.

Sarah looked funny, the counsellor coughed, Don looked at her amazed, but didn't speak (good boy) and Jodi quickly requested a break. Which Kim was grateful for too -- she shouldn't have said that. While Sarah stepped out to have a break, Jodi approached Don and Kim, with a cool smile for Kim, and a fond one for Don asked, "What's an old friend got to do to be offered a cup of tea around here Donnie?" He left cheerfully to arrange it.

She called familiarly to his retreating back, "Don't forget Sarah and Kim would probably like some too sweetie."

Here it comes thought Kim unkindly, a lecture from mother hen. And by the way his name is Don, unless your name is Kimberly, or Libby!

"Kim, you've got Sarah beaten, and that's fine by me, but where too from here?... Their friends are looking to Don to see how to treat her, and Don is taking his lead from you, I hope for the right reasons. So can I beg you to please show Sarah some compassion? Leave her some dignity. In the long term I think Don will thank you if you do. Probably trust you more too. I know I will… Kim! Please, I'll always forgive a mistake, that's what friends do, but I'd hate to lose Don 'cause his girlfriend was a bully."

They watched Don return and politely hand Sarah her coffee.

"Will you think about it Kim? Please?"

Kim restarted negotiations, ashamed of her words earlier. "Sarah, can we start again, perhaps a fair approach is to compare the support your seeking with the half the rental equivalent you should be paying Don, how does that sound?"

Sarah agreed, and after going through some rough numbers, Sarah would actually be paying a token amount to Don. Kim was aware from her chats with Amy that there had been a lot of discussion between Don and John about his tools, John in his odd way would one minute appear to be on Don's side, and for example confiscate a chain saw off Sarah for Don, and yet at another time insist that the 'court' needed to make a decision before he'd be part of taking anything off his daughter. It was causing Don a lot of confusion and he needed those tools to get serious work done on Kim's house, and they sure couldn't afford to be buying the quantum of tools Don was contemplating.