Natural Selection

"I can tell you're not happy about this. I hadn't thought about it like that to be honest. But you're right. I'm not gonna sugar coat it. I swear I don't want to be away from you any more than you do me. Look babe, just say the word and I'll go back up there and tell them I changed my mind. I'm sure there's an accounting job out there for me somewhere and we'll get by. But whatever we decide, we'll face it together. Alright?"

Vance took a deep breath and exhaled. "No babe, you're right. We shouldn't look this gift horse in the mouth. Our love will carry us through anything. This is a blessing and I need to keep that in mind. Maybe I can figure out how to get supper started for us every day before you make it home and we can work out any other wrinkles that crop up here and there. I think you should take the job, so yeah, congratulations sweetheart!"

"You don't know how relieved I am to hear you say that. Now we won't have to ever worry about sweating the monthly bills. We won't be rich by any means but things will come a lot easier to us by my taking this job. And once your own career takes off, you'll probably leave my measly salary far behind. All you need is time for them to see what you can do honey. I have no doubt that you're gonna impress the hell out of them."

"Well at least we can drop in on each other on occasion and sneak in a kiss here and there." He enthused.

"Oh, about that. Well, I can still come down and see you in your office anytime I can catch a break. But the forty-first floor is exclusively executive access only. Your I.D. badge won't give you access to that floor. Like I mentioned, there can be a lot of very sensitive information lying around up there, plus very frank and direct conversations taking place among the executives that are meant to be heard by specific ears only. I had to sign a very strict non-disclosure agreement that forbids me discussing ANYTHING that takes place at my work. And that includes you. Even though you're my husband, I am required to protect the sanctity of executive privilege so, when we get home every day, you can tell me all about your day, but I can't say anything about mine. I'm sorry honey, that's the way they said it must be. Are we still okay with me doing this? Honey?"

Vance thought long and hard about what he'd just heard. He realized that it would be hypocritical of him to criticize her non-disclosure requirements when he himself was already doing the same thing. But something just didn't feel right about this whole situation, however he couldn't identify or explain any reason for her not to take the job.

"I'm good. We're okay. I can understand that; it makes sense. I'll try my best to remember not to ask you about your day." He conceded.

Chapter 7

Though their employment situation had begun with a tempestuous start, the couple soon settled into a semi-normal routine. Vance visited a local bookstore and purchased, 'Cooking for Dummies'. This was a completely new arena for him to explore and, although over time he was becoming very proficient with the basics of the culinary arts, he viewed it more as a necessary evil and never could embrace what many call the joy of cooking. It just wasn't his thing. Abby loved his cooking and encouraged him at every turn. Truth be told, cooking wasn't her first love either, but as his wife, she had been willing to accept that traditional role, however necessity induced his ubiquitous role in the kitchen to prevent the evening meal from being served so late had he waited on her to prepare it.

Through the months of August, September and October, Abby's overtime hours encroached more and more on their time together. Being on salary, there would never be any differences to note in her pay, so he could not verify her hours that way. But what they lacked in time, Abby made up in quality. They were intimate at least four days every week and always on the weekends, except during her period. She never waned in her enthusiasm for sex. As a matter of fact, if anything, her appetite was seemingly growing. Maybe she wasn't much of a cook, but she made certain that her man was completely satisfied each and every time they came together. She never refused him and often initiated intimacy on her own. Vance was definitely not complaining, until.....

The last day of October, Abby came home a little nervous. Vance was unsure if something had happened at work and if it was something she couldn't talk about. Finally after they had made superb passionate love that night, she broached the subject of what had been on her mind.

"Honey I have something coming up for work that I need to tell you about. I want you to know up front that I DON'T want to go, but they're giving me no choice. If I don't go, then it could very well cost me my job."

"What is it babe? What are they asking you to do?" He tendered.

"In two weeks, my bosses, the six executive vice-presidents of DFSB are scheduled to go to San Francisco, California for a business retreat and team building session. Attendance and participation is mandatory for all six of them and us PAs as well."

"Companies do things like that all the time honey. As a matter of fact, I might can tag along and we can make a mini-vacation of it at the same time." He assured.

"That's the thing I hate about it though. The main focus is on stress relief from the day to day pressures of the job and team building, but only for the employees themselves. None of the wives nor husbands may attend, nor even the secretaries. It's only for the eight of us. Carolyn and I will room together and the six VPs will work out their sleeping arrangements among themselves. But that's not the worst of it."

"It's not?"

"No. Reducing stress is one of the major focuses as I said. That being the case, none of us, not the six of them nor Carolyn or I are allowed to bring cellphones, tablets, laptops or any other electronic devices with communication capabilities. We're basically to be cut off from the outside world the entire weekend. Oh our guides will have phones in the event of an emergency, but their phone numbers are to be reserved for major emergencies only. I wouldn't be able to stay in touch with you while I'm gone and I HATE that. I really don't want to go and be away from you that long. I'd miss you terribly."

"You're right. I don't like it one bit either. When would you leave and return?"

"From what I understand, since it's on the other side of the country from here, we'd take off a half-day Friday and fly over there, spend Friday evening and all day Saturday on team building and then fly back Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure about the flight times yet."

"I see. Do you have any idea what kind of team building exercises they plan to take part in?" He asked inquisitively.

"I brought a brochure home about the place that handles the weekend event. I looked it over and you can study it all you want. It has the emergency contact numbers on it and I want you to have that just in case something happens to you, or either of our families. But in a nutshell, they'll take us on a tour of Alcatraz, the famous prison , then we'll go to the Fisherman's Wharf where there's some kind of antique penny arcade collection where the games inside cost between 1 cent and 50 cents to play. Also they'll have some kind of stupid wild goose chase where we'll go all over the city on a scavenger hunt. Teams will split up and compete in photo and video challenges running around areas like North Beach, the Financial District, and The Presidio. They say it's supposed to be a blast but I'm not looking forward to it at all."

"No electronics, huh?"

"Well, except for cameras. We're encouraged to take all the snapshots and video we want. In fact they strongly suggest it as a memento of the team building experience. The only cameras you and I have are on our cell phones and those are expressly forbidden. I'm definitely not going out to buy a camera. The only memories I want to preserve are of you and me. No one else."

"Honey, I'm not going to advise you either way. If I were to forbid you to go, and you were let go, you might resent me for causing that to happen. On the other hand, if I were to urge you to go and you hated it or had a terrible experience for some reason, you could blame me for urging you to go. It's a no-win for me either way honey. We have never been apart for that long since we've been married and I don't like it any better than you do. But it's your decision. I'll stand behind you one hundred percent either way."

"Oh I know you will" she said with frustration. This is one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't decisions isn't it?"

"Yep. But if you decide to go, I'm sure I can find something to occupy my time, maybe go to the movies or to the park or the museum or even one of the shows. I'll find something to do."

"Well, if you think so, that makes me feel a little bit better about going. I think we still need me to have this job right now, so I may go along just to keep it. But next year, if they try to do this to me again, I'll just quit. I'm sure you'll come into your own by then and my income won't matter as much. Hell, I might not even have to work!"

"You just keep thinking like that baby." He said with a chuckle.

"Well you just better not jerk off any while I'm gone, mister. I'm gonna jump your bones as soon as I get back and drain those balls of your dust dry." She cackled.

"I'm counting on that baby" he affirmed.

Two weeks later when leaving for the retreat, upon arrival at the airport, he had to leave her as she went through the TSA screening. He was unable to accompany her further for security reasons. Before she went through, she gripped him fiercely and gave him a parting kiss that curled his toes and erotically whispered to him to keep that in mind until she returned to fulfill her promise of milking him dry.

Vance elected to forgo the movies or going out alone, and he wasn't much of a drinker, so taking up space in of the ubiquitous bars wasn't an appealing option to him either. On his way home, he picked up a couple of DVDs from Redbox, popped some popcorn at home and took in the blockbuster movies he'd missed during his dedicated school years. But a brainstorm hit him Saturday morning after sleeping in alone, which he found difficult to do.

He wanted to surprise her upon her Sunday return from the San Francisco retreat. Abby dearly loves Italian dishes and her two favorites are Pasta e Faggioli soup and chicken Marsala. He had never prepared anything so complicated before, at least from his perspective, but wanted to have a special treat waiting for her when she arrived. After a good bit of online research and reviewing comments from fans of both dishes, he put together his list of needs required to make both dishes from scratch.

A good bit of time Saturday was spent buying, washing and preparing everything to be cooked Sunday so it would all be fresh. He spent hours meticulously getting everything ready for the final cooking stages the next day. Her plane was scheduled to arrive at five o'clock, so he had everything timed to be finished cooking and ready to serve by six when he estimated they'd walk in the door to their place. Although he disliked cooking, especially going to so much trouble just to prepare a single meal for two people, he was beyond excited to selflessly convey this act as an expression of his love for his wife.

He waited and waited and she finally appeared exiting the baggage claim area towing her wheeled suitcase. She looked frazzled which surprised him. He thought this weekend was supposed to deliver stress relief. When she finally reached the public space where he awaited her, she gave him an expressionless face and a cursory hug saying she was tired and just wanted to go home. Vance didn't quite know what to make of it. This definitely wasn't the imagery he'd blazoned in his mind for the past three days. Quite the opposite.

"Is everything okay? Are you sick or something? He quickly shot out.

"I'll be alright" she intoned, "It's probably just jet lag. I just wanna go home and get in my bed. It's been a long weekend" she added.

He thought he'd be sensitive and let her bring up whatever it was that was weighing her down. It was for naught. She spoke not a word on the ride home. Then it occurred to him that once she had seen the amazing effort he had expended to bring her favorite dishes to life that she might perk up a bit. The only word that he could describe her mood was 'defeated'. When he blurted the obligatory 'ta-da' upon the revelation of the special repast, she gave him a rueful smile, one to which he had not been accustomed to seeing. She did sit down and pick at her food a bit just be polite. But mostly she just pushed it around on her plate a bit then announced that she was worn out. She was going to take a shower and go to bed.

She was trying his patience. She would never let him get away with being so aloof, so disconnected without poking and prodding until his dam was breached. But something told him not to push her. But tomorrow, come hell or high water he was going to get to the bottom of it all. Disgusted, Vance just tossed his unappreciated culinary efforts in the trash and cleaned up the kitchen. He stayed up watching TV until midnight and slept in his clothes on the couch for the first time. The night had ended completely differently than they both had previously anticipated.

The next morning while he was showering he heard her talking on the phone with someone, but he was unable to make out any of the conversation. As he was walking into the bedroom after drying off, he noticed that she had gone downstairs to put on a pot of coffee which was her usual morning ritual. Not so much as a word to him about his absence throughout the night. Didn't she even notice? Her phone was lying on the end table adjacent to the bed. He picked it up and performed a cursory scan checking the call log. There wasn't a single call showing as having been made or received since before she had left. Did she delete the call log that she had just made? That was unlike her. If she was clearing her call log, why wouldn't she clear them all, and not just the one just made? Something wasn't adding up.

He heard her coming back up the stairs so he quickly replaced the phone on the table. "Morning babe. I hope you're feeling better than you were last night" he offered.

"Much better thank you. I slept like a log. We were running all over town on that dreadful scavenger hunt yesterday and I think it exhausted me. I was dead on my feet" she replied.

"By the way, who were you on the phone with when I was in the shower a few minutes ago?" he queried.

"Me? I wasn't on the phone with anyone."

"Are you sure? I could have sworn that I heard you talking on the phone."

"She picked up her phone, I swear to you that I have not had any calls from anybody on this phone since before I left for California."

"But babe..." He started, but she interrupted.

"Are you calling me a liar? Check the damn phone, no calls, see? Are you satisfied now?" She seethed.

"Apparently not as satisfied as you are!" He shot back.

"What the hell does that mean?" She angrily rejoined.

"It means I gotta go to work. Have a wonderful day. Bye." And he rushed out the door. She called out after him and he just ignored her. She had never acted this way before. Why was she upset with him for asking a simple question? Nothing made sense. He felt it better to simply remove himself from the situation before it blew up into a harmful fight. For the first time, he left their apartment without so much as an 'I love you' or a kiss.

Albert Iddings was in high cotton. He had been turning in progress reports on the recent flurry of activity taking place in his now two-man department. The performance ratio of his client list, which consisted of over four hundred dead end clients had risen from near zero to more than a four thousand percent increase. David Redding called him into his office for discussion about the recent turn of events. He lauded him for his miraculous achievements asking him what in the world was going on for him to have such great success when for the past three years nothing worth consideration had taken place. However, Albert knew something that his boss didn't and he wasn't about to upset the applecart now.

He informed him that Stan in training had shown him a few new tricks in investment strategies on the computer and he'd decided to give them a whirl with promising results. He said he was getting nowhere without taking chances so he decided to spread his wings a bit. The clients were very impressed with their portfolio performance results and most all of them were now jumping in with both feet and he couldn't be happier. Not a word was mentioned about Vance. David indicated that he had never seen several of the ingenious investment combinations implemented to yield such amazing results, both for the clients and for DFSB's bottom line. David told Albert to keep up the good work and that he was recommending him for a twenty percent raise. Albert was thrilled. He'd not received an increase of any kind in over five years.

Vance received a call from Abby shortly after 10:30 am. "Hi honey, I don't know what made you rush out so hurriedly this morning but I don't like us being brusque with each other. So let's just put all that behind us for now, can we do that?" Abby excitedly urged.

"I would like nothing more" he tentatively said.

"Well I have some very special exciting news and I wanted us to go out tonight to celebrate and make it very special. I'm calling so you won't start supper this evening. I've already made reservations for tonight."

"So what's the exciting news honey?" he asked.

"Oh I don't want to let the cat out of the bag over the phone sweetheart. This calls for a special night to kick up our heels and celebrate. So when you go home this evening, go ahead and get your shower and put on a suit. I'm taking you out fancy baby!" She declared.

Vance spirits were lifting. She was sounding back to her old self. Perhaps whatever it was that was bothering her had dissipated.

"I look forward to hearing your good news tonight then." He said with a smile.

After donning her most revealing dress, she drove them in the Lexus to a swanky dinner club they had never patronized before. They arrived at 7:30 pm. Because the company vehicle was assigned to her exclusively, she was the only one registered to drive it for insurance purposes except, of course, in the case of an emergency.

"The Boiled Lobster? We've never been here before. How do you know about this place?" he asked.

"Here? I've been here a number of times for lunch and a couple of times for dinner with the VPs as a reward for all my hard work."

"Why have you never mentioned it to me? You let them take you out to dinner in the evenings now?"

"It's no big deal really baby. It's just a place to eat. That's why I never thought to mention it. And yes, to dinner, only a couple of times after working hard all day on a Saturday."

"I see" he said, endeavoring to conceal his discontent. If she was planning on making this an exciting evening for the two of them, it was getting off to an acrid start. He decided that this was her show, so he was going to be patient and wait to see what it was she had in store for him.

When walking in, she informed the Maître-D that they were with the Crenshaw party.

"Oh, so YOU didn't make reservations for US then? This is a group thing I presume?" he questioned.

"Well it involves them too, so I thought we could all share in the festivities."

"I see" he said without further comment.

"Oh don't be like that and spoil my celebration tonight. This is supposed to be a happy time for me!" She selfishly proclaimed.