Geek to Farm

"Yes!" I said rather loudly. "I am bored and Grody needs to get out and I do not want to go alone and..."

"Oh I am sorry Johnathan," she interrupted me. "I am on leave and quite a distance from home."

"Damn!" I sighed and let a few seconds pass. "Ok, can we do it when you get back?" I sighed rather loudly. "Please?"

She let me wait a few seconds before speaking. "Let me think on it, ok?"

I shrugged. "Sure. When can I phone again?"

"Whenever you like Johnathan," she said and disconnected. I sat there looking at my phone as if it was something from some strange planet and wondered if I had just been given the ultimate snub when a text came through.

"Still bored?"

I frowned and typed; "Who said I was bored?"

"You did."

"I did?"

"Questioning me?"

I ran through my emoji's and put in a blushing face. "Apologies."

"Phone me."

I nearly rammed my finger through that touch screen. When she answered I laughed. "I do apologize for that."

"What?"

"Saying I was bored when I asked you out. I guess it sounded off."

"It did."

"May I try that again?"

She giggled. "You may."

I chuckled. "Melanie, I want to take you someplace. Maybe a walk through a park to start off with."

"Why?"

I dived head first. "Because I want to. I like you. I want to spend time with you."

"And Grody?"

"He can come along if it's ok with you."

"It is." She said softly. "Pick me up?"

It took me a couple of seconds to grasp what she had said. "When?"

I heard her laugh. "I just need to dress accordingly and I will be ready."

"You said..."

"I lied."

"Why?"

"I am not a boredom alleviator mister. I'll send you a location pin."

Chapter 7

Melanie walked out the door of that condo and I came to a faltering stop. Here was my girl with the honey-hazel eyes. In the sunlight they glittered with a lustre that took my breath away. She walked up to me and I simply folded her into a hug. Surprise showed on her face but she did not pull away.

"I've been looking for you," I said with my face inches from hers.

"Why?" she asked pulling her face just that little bit away from mine.

I smiled with something like a grimace as I scratched just above my ear. "I needed to find you." I stood there looking at her. I guess I had a broken tv screen expression on my face. That was as lame as it comes. "I mean..."

"Why?"

My brain switched off. "I saw you one day. My dog was killed. I needed something. I was sitting on my bike. My boss wants to fire me but he can't. You smiled at me. He needs me. No, the company needs me. No, that is wrong. I need the company. Justin connected me to my dad..."

Stupidly I stopped talking as her fingers came to rest on my lips. "You are blabbering," she said with a smile that made her so beautiful that I stopped breathing.

I took a shuddering breath and tried to collect my thoughts. The feeling of her finger against my lips was like fire.

"Sorry." I mumbled around her finger.

"What for?" she asked with a quizzical smile and then slowly took her finger from my lips. I just looked at her while my brain was still crashing around in neutral.

"You run around in my dreams," I stammered while feeling my face heat up.

Her eyes lit up as she giggled. "You are blushing!"

I put my hand against my cheek and just stared at her trying to put some order into my thoughts but all I achieved was to kill the guard at my mouth. "Oh God you are beautiful!" I mumbled and felt the heat in my face go to melting point. Did I have to do that?

The smile left her face and it was replaced by a questioning look. Her eyes bored into mine as she softly said; "I wish I could see me through your eyes."

I stared at her for interminable seconds. "I'm so glad I found you at last."

She frowned. "I was at your house when Justin was killed. And you saw me at the festival."

I nodded while dragging my fingers through my hair and I chuckled. "Yes, but I was looking for a girl at a traffic light with the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen who drives a little Ford."

She nodded: "I drive a little Ford."

"I know," I sighed. "I mean, I did not know but you are the girl I was looking for and now that I have found you, I know."

She smiled up at me. "Did you hear what you just said?"

I shook my head. "Did it sound strange?"

"Rather. But I get the idea." She tapped against my chest. "You invited me for a walk. Shall we go?"

I reluctantly let her go and after locking her home, she walked to the SUV. Grody gave her a sideways glance and got into the back. I drove for about a mile before I reached over and found Melanie's hand. As I folded my fingers around hers I felt her comb hers into mine. I felt I could explode!

We walked through the park, sometimes hand in hand, with Grody romping about. At a bench near a small lake we sat down and at first just sat there watching Grody chase anything from butterflies to birds but slowly our conversation went into our respective histories.

I knew about her fiancé being killed so we only touched on that one. She told me about her childhood, her parents living near Boulder Colorado and how she longed to go visit. She was quite interested in Wallace and when I told her that he was seeing my mom she looked at me askance.

"How do you feel about it?" she asked while looking from one eye to the other.

I smiled. "I am happy for them. Many people expect a new partner to fill the footsteps of the one before. It is wrong. Mom wants Wallace to make his own tracks next to her and never step where my father walked."

She nodded. "Think they can be happy next time round?"

"I see no reason why not. In fact, I am convinced." I looked away to where Grody was creeping up at some unseen adversary among the tall grass. "I hope to be."

"You?"

I sighed and turned to her. "My marriage flopped."

"You were married?"

I shrugged dismissively. "A very sad tale that." She didn't pry. Just looked at me, giving me the choice to elaborate or not. I realized I was holding my breath and let it out in a loud sigh. "My mistake."

She raised her eyebrow and smiled. "That is refreshing to hear. Usually blame is placed on the other partner."

I leaned forward to get closer to her. "Tammy had nothing to do with it. I wish I could say she had an affair or lost interest but, no. It was all me. I was tied up in the development of a new industrial control program and spent months at it. I was at work or working almost all the time. Even when I was at home I would be in front of a computer. She tried very hard to accommodate my apparent lack of interest. She never complained. She cooked lovely meals, had romantic table settings. Even dressed sexy. All I wanted to see was the final product on my computer."

I had to give myself a few seconds. Deep inside it still hurt badly. "I heard her crying in bed one night and instead of going to her, I swore. Loudly. I think she feigned sleep when I eventually went to bed. I left for work the next morning and when I got home late that night she was gone. She had taken only her clothes and personal things. On the bed was the last love letter she wrote explaining how much she loved me but could not carry on living a loveless life."

Melanie's hand closed over my wrist when I stopped talking. "You still love her."

I watched her face. She had an almost fearful expression. "Always will."

"Do you know where she is?"

I chuckled. "We are in contact. After she left I was angry and tried to find ways to blame her. It took a while to realize that I was the only one who had goofed up and carefully tried to make amends but she had already met a guy who made her feel like a queen and treated her that way as well. I had no chance against him and anyway, the hurt I had caused was still there in both of us."

"Do you meet sometimes?"

I chuckled. "They were with Mom and Wallace at the festival. Yeah, we get together often."

Melanie quizzed. "Is it awkward when you, uhmm get together?

I grinned. "Get together as friends or as lovers?" I watched Melanie's jaw go slack and a look of horror drift across her eyes. It made me laugh until she slapped me on my arm. "Devon is half the size of Mount Rushmore and even though Tammy and I still love each other deeply, it has settled into something like a mature ...." I stopped, not knowing how to put it but knowing Melanie needed to know. So I shrugged again and smiled. "I think I can liken it to the way I may have felt to a twin sister if I had one. I care for her and love her deeply but the passion is gone."

Melanie tilted her head and looked at me as if I was something that needed to be evaluated before being bought. "How do you know?"

"She does not play the main part in a wet dream anymore." I stated as flat as I could and watched Melanie's eyes grow and her face turn a shade of red. She placed her hands along her face and looked down at the ground. I could almost see her squirm and burst out laughing again.

"You are lovely when you blush!" I teased and saw the red in her face turn up a shade. "Just so's you know. When I visit them Tammy and I still hug and it is nothing strange for her to spend time in my arms. Not always facing me but still.... We even kiss when we greet. And yet, even though I enjoy the closeness, I have yet to be aroused again. It is as if I had said goodbye to that."

I could almost see the gears turn in Melanie's head. A slight frown sat on her forehead and she still had that tilt to her head. Her eyes were searching mine and I sat there looking at her wondering about the next question.'

"Is err, uhm, her husband ok with that?" she asked and lifted her eyebrows.

I smiled at her. "Devon is ok with it."

"How do you know?"

I chuckled. "I know. There are a number of reasons why."

"Such as?"

I scratched my ear. "He is too much of a man to be jealous. He also understands that Tammy and I care for each other deeply but that she loves him totally. Also, I value our friendship greatly and something gigantic will have to happen for me to put that at risk. Tammy was worth it but I lost her and he gained her."

She looked at me again and those terrific eyes had a million questions in them. "There is a mountain of trust there."

"Yes," I answered simply and she nodded as if something had been answered.

"I resigned," she said suddenly. "The night Justin was killed I realized that I had lost something that I will never fully regain and it will be unfair to the Police force as well as myself to stay on. That is why I am on leave. A month's notice."

I nodded and pouted. "Any idea of the future?"

She smiled. "I met a lady who trains dogs for the disabled. Her house and kennels burnt down and is currently being rebuilt so she is housed in some farmhouse and barn. She does not really train at the moment so there is very little for me to do but as soon as she is up and running again I will be joining her."

"Back to the dogs," I mused.

"Yep. I like working with dogs. It is an unimaginable feeling of joy and satisfaction when you see a dog connect and grasp your intentions. To me it is the most difficult part of training. After that it is as if the dog had switched on and its brain becomes focused. Peter used to be able to do that in as little as a week sometimes. It takes me much longer but I am sure that in time I will get better."

"You still miss Peter?" I asked softly and she looked up at me.

"Yes."

I nodded. "You should."

She frowned deeply. "Meaning?"

I shrugged. "If you did not miss him it means you never really loved him. I miss my dad."

"And Tammy?"

I grinned. "I knew you were going to ask that. Tammy is not gone. Sometimes I feel sad that I hurt her enough to make her leave me but I do not miss her so much anymore. I know she is happy. If I want to speak to her I simply phone."

It was getting cool and we started back to the car. I reached for her and she took my hand, gently squeezing it.

"Can I take you to dinner?" I asked as we got to the car but she shook her head gently.

"An old colleague of mine is coming over tonight and I promised him dinner."

I felt a stab of jealous disappointment. "Him?"

She giggled and I felt her squeeze my hand harder. "David has been trying to woo me for as long as I know him and although I like him as a friend, there is no chance. He is about everything I do not want in a man to share my life."

I nodded and tried to smile but I know I failed. She had a naughty smile pasted on her face as we drove home and kept the conversation to meaningless bits of generalities. Twice I tried to steer it into the direction of her visitor but she masterfully avoided it. At her condo I walked her to her door where she pasted a kiss to her finger and touched it to my lips.

"Goodnight Johnathan," she said softly. "Phone me?"

"When?"

"Whenever." There was a story in those magnificent eyes that I wished I could read.

Grody was still in the back seat when I drove away. At home I made a tasteless meal of frozen crap and rummaged around for something to read. I settled into an easy chair and had just started on an ancient western paperback when my phone rang.

"You sitting down mister?" Derek wanted to know and I chuckled.

"What happened?"

"Your little girl is a lot of things but a push-over she is not."

"Who? Melanie?"

"Melanie?" Who's that?"

"Never mind."

"Joey!" he laughed. "She sold that program to some antivirus lab for a figure I cannot even pronounce. Someone came with an offer last night and she was almost ready to give it to them in exchange for the chance to work for them and then some guy by the name of Johanssen decided to bully her into surrendering her files for the common good. Holy cow!"

I laughed. "Did he get the Joey treatment?"

Derek guffawed. "She wiped the floor with him! That man got so angry I thought he was going to have a seizure and then that little girl simply told him to go fly a kite and phoned some other guy. By the time Johanssen realized that she was not going to be pushed around he had already lost his footing for negotiation. They lost out and Joey sold it to some other big shot company who made an impossible bid. I do not know these people but jeez, cloak and dagger!"

"I saw," I mumbled.

"Reason I'm calling. You feel like a holiday?"

I laughed outright. "That program I was busy with has to go out Derek. You know that."

He snickered. "Our whole server has been taken by the buyers. That includes your little hard drive and the remnants of your laptop. Until such time as I and our service providers have a new server running, we can do nothing here. Part of the sale is a stipulation that we may not go online for a minimum of two weeks. That means you are on holiday."

"And Joey?"

Derek laughed so hard I had to give him time to recover. "She and her two friends are the guests of some crazy rich guy at some impossible to reach Caribbean Island where they may not touch a computer for the next month. Apparently to protect his investment. In fact, they are already at the airport under heavy guard."

I took a deep breath. "So, a holiday it is. Maybe I must paint the house."

"Henry said to come in tomorrow morning and fill in a leave form to make it legal. He also wants to chat to you."

I rolled my eyes. Even though Henry had been quite civil to me the past few days I still had my reservations about him but if he wanted to talk I would humor him. I thanked him and sat there looking at a wall after ending the call. I had a forced holiday with no idea of what to do.

Maybe I could pick up my mom and go someplace she wanted. She had Wallace. Damn.

Melanie? I sat forward and started typing a text. After long moments of re-reading I deleted it and sat there for another few minutes. I started typing again. I didn't want to bother her while she had a visitor so I did not phone. I sent the text and waited when an idea suddenly came to mind.

I quickly sent a new text and sat there waiting. After about a minute I sent another one. A few minutes later another one. I was starting to become annoyed when my phone beeped.

'Am cooking. Can it wait?'

I sat there thinking and sent another text.

'Like road trips?'

'Yes.' With a confused emoji

'Call me when free.'

'Will do.'

It was more than two hours later before my phone rang and by then I had conjured up all kinds of awful at Melanie's place.

"Sorry I was so hectic Melanie," I started. "Something came up tonight. How long are you on leave for?"

She was silent for a while. "Another three weeks. Why?"

Once again I dived head first. "I want to take you somewhere. Picking you up tomorrow morning at eight. We are hitting the road."

"Where to?"

"Is it important?" I asked and then realized that I did not even try to think this through. "Pack for any weather and about a week or more, depending."

She was quiet for a few seconds. "Am I supposed to trust you?"

"No. I have sinister designs on you."

Her laughter was clear. "At least you are honest."

"I have killed only five times," I snickered. "And as far as I know they died rather quickly."

"See you at eight," she said in a strange voice and disconnected. I sat there swearing at myself for saying that to someone who had killed.

Chapter 12

It was still dark when the SUV was packed and I sat there waiting for time to pass. Grody sat at the front wheel, waiting. He knew we were going someplace special and he was obviously happy. His presence may be a bit of a challenge on the trip but I simply shrugged it off. 'You no like my dog I no like you.'

With more than twenty minutes to go I stopped in front of Melanie's condo. At the door was a medium sized suitcase and a plastic carry bag with what looked like shoes inside. My kind of girl, I thought. Ready for whatever without bringing a boutique along.

I picked up her baggage and had it stowed in the car by the time she opened her door. She had an amused smile on her face when I approached the door.

"You are strange" were her laughing words in greeting and I gave her a happy smile.

"It leads to an interesting life. You have coffee?"

"With half and half?" she asked and I turned on her.

"Does your heart come with it this time?" I asked and watched her eyes glitter. It took every ounce of self control not to take her in my arms and kiss her into oblivion right there.

She smiled. "The negotiation concerns the offering Mr. Gough. You did not ask and I did not offer."

I looked at her smiling eyes and knew. This woman was going to lay me to waste and I was going to help her do it. Gladly. "I guess we will negotiate the price as we go along?"

She tilted her head. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere far, far away," I answered cryptically and gave her shoulder a squeeze, wishing I could just envelop her in my arms but knowing there was a good chance of making a fool of myself or ruining something special with haste.

She nodded and led me inside. The condo was small but it had a welcoming feel to it. Melanie simply set about making us breakfast without really asking and I sat there watching her. No wasted movements. Just perfect efficiency. She had a way of doing bacon that had me dripping saliva on my shirtfront just by looking and smelling. She poached eggs to perfection while I sat there wondering why I never got it right. Apparently it was simplicity itself.

We hit the office and found Henry already there so at least I did not have to wait for him. Melanie's presence made him postpone whatever he wanted to talk about and I breathed a sigh of relief. I did a quick tour and found the complex almost surreal. No desktops, no laptops. Drawers were open and I surmised it had been searched for any form of storage media. Derek's kingdom was a shambles. Cables all over indicated where bits of his server used to be but all that was left were patches of dust that showed where cleaning under equipment had been neglected.