Have a Nice Day, Beautiful

Harmon spent some time with Gerald Gordon having a very frank discussion on the work Harmon had left on his desk at his current employer's office. Gordon jokingly admitted he was reluctant to let Harmon out of his sight without his signature on an employment contract. He nodded and relented when Harmon said he didn't feel it would be ethical to return to B&B Engineers after signing such an agreement.

So instead, of signing a new employment agreement for Gordon & Associates, or yielding to Jean's threats, Harmon agreed to return to his office at B&B Engineers on the late evening flight. He felt he owed at least that much to Tipton Beasley.

Harmon called Gail the next morning. He was in his office at B&B Engineers, planning to work as many hours as he could to complete his reports and clear his desk. He didn't have long to talk, but he was elated that B&B Engineers would not enforce the thirty day severance requirement in his employment contract.

It seemed like much longer, but was actually just a little over two weeks before he could complete his work for the employer he was leaving. Every few days he called Gail, carefully letting her know how many more days he felt it would take him to finish his work for B&B Engineers, knowing she would pass the information to Gerald Gordon. The calls were usually short and pleasant, but both of them felt they had left something unsaid when a call ended.

***

"Hello, Beautiful."

"Hi Harmon, did you call to speak to Mr. Gordon."

"No-o-o," he drawled out his answer. "You can tell me if he received all of the employment papers he sent me to sign."

"Oh yes. In fact, I took them down to personnel yesterday. You are officially an employee of Gordon & Associates. When will you be back in town?"

"I'll be in the office as soon as I get this rental car out of the airport parking lot."

"Wonderful, I'll tell Mr. Gordon."

"Gail, can I see you tonight?"

"Oh, well, let's discuss that when you get to the office."

"Are you putting me off?"

"Harmon, we need to discuss that when you get here. I have a gentleman standing in front of my desk, waiting for some papers Mr. Gordon asked me to give him."

"Sorry. Okay, I'll see you in a few."

As soon as she managed to take care of the man in front of her desk, Gail collected the stack of reports, documents, and drawings that should be destroyed after being scanned into the secure computer on her desk. As she passed the secretary outside her door, she instructed her to let Gerald Gordon know as soon as Harmon Bayer arrived then Gail headed toward the basement.

Gail had always made sure she personally saw to the shredding of sensitive documents. Rather than use the simple shredder in her office, she took them to the basement to use the crosscut shredder that would reduce a piece of paper to confetti. When she returned to her office, Gerald Gordon and Harmon Bayer had gone to lunch and to make a couple of personal visits to people Gerald wanted Harmon to meet. They were not expected back in the office for several hours.

Gail was on pins and needles all afternoon. As the time for her to leave the office neared, her agitation grew. She even considered leaving early but a problem at one of the company's work sites seemed like it was going to melt every telephone line into the office. Mr. Gordon and Harmon were sitting in the offices of the sub-contractor who had the most interest in the situation that was growing steadily worse as the afternoon advanced. She did not bother to count the number of times she called Mr. Gordon on his cell phone, relaying information to or from someone in the building or initiating a conference call.

About an hour after Gail would normally have left the office, heartbeats had begun to slow and breathing was resuming a normal rate for evenyone involved in the intense atmosphere that permeated half the building for the entire afternoon.

Stepping into the first elevator that stopped on her floor, Gail was surprised to be the only occupant other than Robert Trujillo. Had she been watching, she would have waited for another elevator.

"Good afternoon, Miss Sutton." Robert's voice was nasty and threatening. "Are you responsible for me being turned down for the opening in my department?"

"What?" Either her thinking was slow or she was so tired she wasn't giving Robert the attention he was demanding.

"I was being considered for the next opening as a department head. Instead, I spent two fucking hours in personnel being preached at about on-the-job fraternization and sexual harassment."

"You don't think you deserved that?"

He was almost yelling when he asked, "Did you accuse me of initiating a contact when I was merely responding to the teasing of a little flirt? You bitch."

"NO!" Gail's voice was almost as loud as his was. "I did not report you, Robert. I might have thought about it, but I don't want to lose my job either. Who else have you been fooling around with in the file room?"

"Listen, you stupid whore, you'll get caught some day and it won't be my fault. Stay the hell away from me."

Gail was so shocked she wasn't aware the elevator door opened. She watched Robert's back walking away and gave little attention to the elevator doors closing in front of her. Jolted from the vehemence of the man's anger when the elevator started upward, she was able to take several deep breaths as people stepped into the elevator. By the time she was walking out of the elevator when it returned to the ground floor, her head was clearing and she could think straight.

The parking lot for Gordon & Associates was almost empty. There were always a few people who seemed to live at their desks and others who worked different hours so they could be available for work sites in other time zones.

Gail was tired, very tired. It had been a busy day. Her emotions were still rattled from the confrontation with Robert Trujillo. She wasn't paying much attention to anything but going home when a strange car drove into the parking lot and stopped beside her.

Harmon opened the driver's door and walked over to Gail. "Gerald wants me on an early flight in the morning for Subic Bay. Do you have plans for the evening?"

"Oh ... ah ... no, not really." She was stumbling around words, seeking an appropriate response, but couldn't seem to get her brain to work.

"I realize it's short notice, but can you have dinner with me tonight."

"No ... no ... no, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Gail, I've been gone for over two weeks. I want to see you and tonight's the only time we have."

She shook her head, "No. I just don't think I can have dinner with you."

"We didn't talk very much that night. Are you ... are you seeing someone?"

"No, it's not that."

"Well, if you aren't married, and if you're not seeing anyone else, and if you don't have other plans, what's the problem?" Harmon was rushing through his words. He didn't understand why Gail was being so evasive.

"I ... I can't ... we can't ... Harmon, I can't have dinner with you. I can't."

"Why?"

Gail could not look him in the eye as she explained. "We have ... we can't ... There's a company policy about fraternization and sexual harassment."

Color drained from his face as he looked at her. He turned away from her, frustration showing in the fists he held at his sides. As suddenly as he had turned away from her, he turned back, "That night, in your bed, you knew. Didn't you Gail, you knew?"

"Yes," She admitted. "I had fantasies about you too, Harmon. I wanted you as much as you wanted me."

Raising his hands over his head in frustration, Harmon took several steps away from her then turned and walked back. "Damn, Fuck. Now what?"

"Now, we work for the same company and I'm sorry, but I can't have dinner with you. I don't trust myself to keep it to a simple dinner."

"Look, I don't have time to do this right now. I need to get a room somewhere, leave my bags there, and pack for a couple of days." He took a few steps back toward his car and walked back to Gail, determination on his face. He roughly pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It was a long demanding kiss.

"Fuck company policy," He exclaimed. "You remember that. I'll be back in a couple of days and I'll find some asshole who can fix that 'company policy' shit. Got it?"

***

During the next two days, Gail did not hear from Harmon. She knew he called Gerald Gordon, but he never asked to speak to her. Mr. Gordon mentioned Harmon's name, but each time it was in relation to the sudden trip he had asked his newest employee to make.

The executive office across the hall from Gerald Gordon's office, which had been vacant for more than two years, suddenly had a plaque on the door with Harmon Bayer's name on it. Gail could not count the number of files she carried from Mr. Gordon's office into Harmon's new office. Nor could she remember the number of times she stopped to speak to the secretary outside his office only to discover she was in Harmon's office keeping watch as a computer was set up or supplies and office equipment were delivered.

For three weeks, Harmon was like a bear. He growled at everyone, he apologized, and then growled again. He had trouble finding an apartment that provided a fully enclosed garage where his car could be secure for the long term trips he would need to make as part of his job. He finally settled on a townhouse, promising himself he would get something more permanent when he had learned more about the city.

Gail was short-tempered, but tried not to let it affect her job. She was careful about the way she spoke to Gerald Gordon, but a few times he asked if she had something going on in her life that was causing a problem for her. Each time she denied anything unusual bothering her or laughed that she was probably suffering from a little case of late winter blues.

Harmon grumbled about getting all of his personal possessions unpacked, and turned down all the offers from single women in the office who were more than willing to help the good-looking bachelor. Learning how a new company operated added more frustration to his life. Gerald Gordon laughed at him and told him to take his time. He also sent Harmon on several one or two-night surprise inspections of various out-of-state work sites. He wanted Harmon to be familiar with the people he would talk to and the projects that made up the bulk of the work done by Gordon & Associates

Gail was polite and distant, but she didn't see much of Harmon. She also avoided him as much as possible. He worked across the hall and had his own personal secretary. They passed each other and nodded, and looked at each other with hunger when they thought the other was not aware of it. Gerald Gordon watched his Special Assistant and newest Executive Vice-President avoid each other, and he grinned wondering which one would break first.

Thursday after lunch, Gail was leaving one of the stalls in the women's restroom when one of the other executive assistants came rushing into the restroom.

Gail laughed at the frantic look on the woman's face, "Hi Peg, why the rush?"

"My period started. Josh and I are trying for another baby. I stopped taking birth control pills last month and wasn't keeping track of the days." Pounding on the dispenser attached to the wall, Peg sputtered when it wouldn't release a tampon.

"Wait, wait," Gail laughed, "I think I can help you."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Gail looked up at her reflection in the mirror over the sink. She did not recognize the person staring back at her. She felt the blood drain from her face. She began to shake and her stomach turned sour while a cold sweat formed between her shoulders.

The white-faced fear showing on Gail's face alerted Peg who placed her hand on Gail's shoulder. "Gail, are you alright?"

"I'm ... something ... I think my lunch ..." Without another word, Gail turned, entered a nearby stall and vomited whatever was in her stomach. Returning to the sink, she fumbled in her purse and handed the small package of tampons to Peg as she began splashing cold water on her face. Gail had just discovered she would not need a tampon for the next nine months.

Knocking on Gerald Gordon's door, Gail stuck her head inside his office. "Mr. Gordon?"

"Yes, Gail?" He answered, and then looked up at her. "Whew, you don't look so good."

Placing her hand on her flat stomach, Gail explained, "I, ah ... I just came back from the restroom ... oh my, I must have eaten something that disagreed with me."

"I understand. Take off. Anything on your desk can wait for tomorrow. Go on, get out of here ... and, Gail, take tomorrow off if you tummy's not better."

***

The next morning, Gail called the office as early as she could to report that she was, indeed, taking the day off. She was still in her pajamas when she opened the door thinking it might be Mrs. Hamilton from across the hall. The older woman had been over the prior evening with a bowl of fresh chicken soup. They had sat around for a very long talk, but Gail was still undecided if she would tell Harmon that she was pregnant.

"Harmon, go away."

"I talked to Gerald yesterday, he said you're sick."

"I ... I just ate something ... I threw it up. Go away, please." With the opening of her front door, a strong whiff of someone's cooking odors assailed Gail's senses. Almost before the words had left her mouth, Gail was stumbling down the hall toward the bathroom, with Harmon right behind her, holding her stomach as she threw up what was in her nearly empty stomach.

"Mrs. Hamilton," he jerked his head toward the apartment door across the hall. "Did you tell her you were sick?"

Before Gail could respond and even when she called to him not to bother the neighbor, he was returning to Gail's front door, ringing the neighbor's doorbell.

Mrs. Hamilton came rushing into Gail's apartment, took one look at the young woman's face, as she sat on the couch with a wet cloth held against her lips. The older woman looked at Harmon then she turned her attention back to Gail and asked, "Well?"

Gail shook her head.

Harmon exploded, "Well? What? Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

"You tell him," Mrs. Hamilton threatened, "or, I will."

Gail shook her head.

Harmon's voice was just as loud as before. His face was beginning to show how angry he was. "Tell me what?"

Gail stood, placed both hands on her still flat stomach, and said, "Harmon ... I ... ah, I think I'm ..."

"Oh wow," Harmon exclaimed, a grin spreading from ear to ear. "Really? You think?" A cloud of doubt showed on his face, "But you're not sure. When?"

"When?" Gail asked, astounded that he didn't know the only time he could have possibly made her pregnant. "Well, obviously the night ..."

"No," Harmon interrupted her. "I mean, when is the baby due? I mean, you're pregnant, right?"

"I don't know. I haven't been to the doctor yet."

"Between Thanksgiving and Christmas," Announced Mrs. Hamilton.

Gail and Harmon looked at the woman, and then at each other.

Harmon took one step toward Gail and put his hand on her cheek, "Oh, Beautiful. I should have been here with you every day since that night, but I'm here now."

Neither Gail nor Harmon heard her door quietly close as Mrs. Hamilton returned to her apartment.

Gail took a step backward. Her knees hit the couch. She sat down hard, and held her hands out in front of her, telling him to keep his distance. "No, Harmon. Just because I'm ... that doesn't mean ...."

"What do you mean, 'No'?"

"No means, no." Gail tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice, but didn't quite manage it. "You've heard the word, 'No' before, haven't you?"

"Gail ..." It was a warning. He was trying to control his voice, but the level was rising again. "That's my baby, too. Don't you tell me I can't ..."

Gail was on her feet, confronting him and his assumption that he could have his way no matter what anyone else wanted. "No, Harmon. Don't force this."

"Like hell ..." Harmon exploded, again. He took one step toward Gail as she turned quickly to avoid him putting his arms around her. Her weak ankle turned and he caught her as she lost her balance.

As he had done twice before, he leaned over, slipped his arm under her knees, and picked her up. As she had done before, her arm went around his neck. Holding her, he turned and fell down on the couch.

"Oh God, oh sweetheart," Harmon rested his hand gently on Gail's still flat stomach, "Please don't tell me 'No'."

When he kissed her, she felt the beginning of her tears. "Please don't cry, Gail," He could barely talk, he only wanted to show her how much he wanted to hold her and kiss her. He stopped for a moment to slip his hand under her leg to lift her ankle.

"It's getting stronger," Gail explained. "I think I'm learning to yield to my weakness."

"Gail, I talked to Gerald yesterday," Harmon kept talking when Gail turned to look at him. "I couldn't take it any more. He started laughing as soon as I brought up the fraternization and sexual harassment clause in the employment contract."

Gail leaned over and buried her face in her hands, trying to avoid showing her embarrassment. Harmon pulled her hands away and held her as he leaned back, pushing her head against his shoulder. She felt the rumble of his chest when he started chuckling.

"Hey, I guess I should have told you first," Harmon admitted. "I told Gerald I was in love with you and ready to resign if he couldn't find some way around that clause for us."

Gail started struggling to get off his lap, but he held her tightly. "Just listen for a minute, okay? He was a little apologetic about the last few weeks, but he was waiting for one of us to speak to him. What's the name of that guy you were sitting with at that banquet?"

"Robert Trujillo?"

"Yeah, that's him. Gerald said the policy is to protect employees, the way it did with you and Trujillo. It wasn't meant to keep people apart.

"Gerald wrote a letter a couple of weeks ago. He just didn't give it to us yet. He said that night, after the banquet, when walked in here, there was something between us. He said he could feel it."

"Feel it?"

"Yeah, he was watching you hand me a cup of coffee. It was the way we looked at each other. He said he'd only seen that look on one other woman's face, his wife of thirty-seven years. He knew I'd do anything I had to, just to be here with you."

"Harmon, will you please quit talking and kiss me?"

"No, I have to finish this, now. If I don't say it now, I won't get it said until Monday morning. Gail, I love you."

"I love you, too, but please quit talking, and kiss me."

***

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