Pathways Ch. 11-12

I took Ian out fishing on a beautiful summer day. We hit it lucky and there were Cohoe aplenty. Mostly it was an opportunity for me to thank him for being there when we needed him. I know he's sexually attracted to me, but he also has a genuine liking for me and Mom that I find very comforting. There's nothing phony about him, unlike a lot of the guys I met in college and afterwards.

It wasn't that hard for Ian to talk me into staying with him at his home in Deep Cove. I knew I wanted to and I was certain he would invite me when he discovered I hadn't made any other arrangements. Mom and I had discussed this and she, in her motherly way, was encouraging me to be with Ian. I'm sure she saw son-in-law potential in him. I wasn't anywhere near that kind of decision, but I knew in my heart that I'd have a very difficult time finding a better man than Ian. The question was, did I love him?

Chapter 12 A Bit of Good Luck

When I awoke on Sunday morning, I was confused for a moment, wondering what was different. The scent and warmth of the young body occupying the other side of the queen size was enough to stir my memory. Deb was my houseguest who had turned into my roommate. Sometime during the night, she had backed herself into me and my arm was over her hip and my hand tucked under her t-shirt, resting on her belly. If she was awake, I was sure she would feel my erection. It was the first time that I had ever slept with anyone through the night.

I slipped my hand further up, cupping a large, soft breast, my fingers lightly brushing her nipple. She moaned but didn't push my hand away. In fact, she backed her lovely butt into my erection even further, if that was possible. I kissed her neck lightly before closing my lips on her earlobe. Again, a moan, this time was a more insistent push against my rigid member. I continued with my little teasing moves until she turned to me, pulling my hips into hers and grinding them together.

When her leg went over my hip, I knew what she wanted and I positioned my cock to rub against her labia. More moans, this time much more pronounced. Finally, she mounted me and sank down on my staff to the hilt. Her eyes were barely open, but the smile on her lips was unmistakable. We made slow, sensuous love, Deb now prone on my chest, her head beside mine, kissing my cheek and neck as I continued to stroke slowly into her.

"Welcome to my home," I whispered into her ear.

"Hmmmm," she answered. It was a long, soft, drawn-out sound of contentment.

There was no need for conversation. I could feel the pleasure she was experiencing and that was enough for me. Her vaginal muscles were flexing and her hips were moving in time with my strokes. I don't remember ever having quite this comfortable and confident feeling making love to any woman. Deb had matured, just as I had, and this was our new relationship.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, but after a while, Deb pulled me over on top of her. She must have been nearing an orgasm as she became more insistent.

"More, Ian. More, please. I'm almost there."

I picked up the pace, holding myself above her body and driving more powerfully into her.

"Yes ... that's it. Yeeeeessss!" she cried as she wrapped her arms around my back and forcefully pulled me down to her. Her eyes were now wide open, locked on mine. Her sharp breaths rasped as her orgasm passed through her.

It took us a couple of minutes to come down from our lovemaking.

"That was a wonderful way to start the day," I said, kissing her lips and cheeks. I was mindful of my breath.

"The best," she agreed with a big smile. She was wide awake now and stretching and yawning.

Somewhere along the way, her panties had been removed and cast aside.

"This was a first for me," I said. "I've never woken up in the morning to find a beautiful woman in my bed.

"It was a first for me too," she smiled. "I have to say, I like the idea of making love first thing in the morning. It puts me in such a good mood."

I smiled and kissed her lightly. "I agree. Now that you're here and sleeping in this bed, it doesn't have to be the only time."

"Good. I like that. I slept really well last night. It must be having you by my side."

"I'd like to think so, but you were very tired, so that probably had some effect."

~*~

It took Deb and me no time at all to get used to cohabiting. We had a sense of each other that came from some familiarity, and that helped us find a rhythm when we were together. She was actively looking for a job while I was at work during the week. We'd talked about her applications and interviews, comparing how she felt about each one and whether she thought the job was going to satisfy her. We must have gone over her résumé several times to make sure it was accurate and presented her in the best possible light.

We shared housekeeping and cooking duties. In fact, as I thought about it later, I realized were living very much as a married couple might live. The best part was the marital duties in bed. We made love often and with great enthusiasm. I knew she was happy living with me and I was delighted that she was with me every day. Perhaps we were a perfect couple. Maybe we were destined to become a permanent couple.

~*~

Sharon returned from her three weeks in southern California and spent a serious amount of time on the phone telling both Deb and me about her vacation. She sounded revitalized and that made both of us happy. When Deb hung up the phone, she had a funny looking smile on her face.

"I think mother might have got laid, Ian," she said.

"What!" I spat, nearly choking on my coffee. "What makes you think that?"

"I'm not sure, but I know exactly how to find out," she smirked. She found her personal phone book and looked up a name. She picked up the phone once more and punched in the number.

"Hi, Dottie, how are you? It's me, Deborah."

[pause]

"I just talked to her. I must say, she sounded very upbeat and lively. Did you girls have as much fun as she suggested?"

[long pause]

"Really! Now, I didn't expect that. Not that I'm saying she shouldn't have, mind you. I just didn't think she was ready ... for ... that."

[short pause]

"No, of course I'm not upset. I want her to be happy. She's young and good looking and deserves to have fun and meet new people. Where was this fellow from?"

[short pause]

"You're kidding. West Vancouver? Small world, huh?"

[pause]

"So they're both single?"

[pause]

"Wow, that didn't take long. But they're just friends, right?"

[short pause]

"Yeah," Deb giggled. "So far."

I tuned out the rest of the conversation and waited to get a synopsis from Deb when she hung up.

"Mom's found a boyfriend," she announced as she strolled into the living room.

"I caught that from your end of the conversation. He's a local, too, I gather."

"Yeah. I guess they met at the hotel and on the golf course. They were paired up a couple of times and then he asked Mom out to dinner and that's how it started."

"So, was your hunch correct?" I asked carefully.

"Not yet, but Dottie said they were pretty tight for the last ten days and she knows they have exchanged phone numbers."

"Are you okay with that?" I wondered.

"Yeah, I think so. I mean, as long as she doesn't get hurt or do something crazy."

"Like what kind of crazy?" I asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Like running off and getting married," she said, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"I don't see that kind of impulsiveness in your mother, Deb. Besides, I think her friends would calm her down before she went off the deep end."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I'll just stay in touch with her and see how it's going."

"Good plan," I smiled.

~*~

I was reading the Sunday paper a week later and when I got to the business section, I came across a story that caught my eye.

"Deb, do you know a company by the name of Baker-Traxall?"

"Nope, I don't think so. Why?" she asked.

"There's a story in the business section this morning about them putting in a big expansion to their facilities in North Van. That's the big, flat building next to the shopping center we use."

"What do they do?" she asked.

"They make private label, generic over-the-counter, and prescription drugs," I said. "When the provincial government announced it was going to emphasize generic drug equivalents to cut Medicare costs, Baker-Traxall took them at their word. It says here, they will be looking to hire at least fifty people for the expansion. I'm betting they're going to want qualified people for that kind of work. It's a pretty heavily regulated industry, I understand."

"Absolutely," she replied. "When do they plan to start the expansion?"

"If the paper is right, it's already in the works. Maybe a visit to their human resources department might tell you just what kind of qualifications they are looking for. You were a chemistry major, so that would carry some weight I would think."

"Great idea, Ian. I've got an up-to-date résumé, so all I have to do is drop in and see if I can get an appointment. At least I can be one of the first in line."

"Yeah ... that would be an advantage. They are going to get all kinds of applicants, so early is better than late."

"I'll be there when the office opens tomorrow morning," she smiled.

"Good for you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you," I promised.

~*~

"So, how did your visit to Baker-Traxall go?" I asked Deb as I entered the kitchen, just home from the shop.

She had a big grin on her face and I was hard to hide her enthusiasm. "Better than I hoped. I wasn't the first person to be there, but pretty close. I met with Philip Patterson, the HR manager. I gave him my résumé and he took the time to look it over. He asked me what I was interested in and I told him Quality Assurance. I knew that was an important department in a company like theirs, so I wanted him to know that was my interest."

"How did he respond?" I asked, enjoying the look in Deb's eyes as she couldn't wait to tell me.

"He took me to meet Jennifer Wrona, the head of Q.A., right then. We sat and had a long talk about what I studied and what kind of projects I worked on in Chemistry class. I told her that I was a little bit worried about not having a master's degree, but she assured me that as a lab technician, that wasn't a key ingredient. Attention to detail and thoroughness were her main concerns. Anyway, we got along really well and she made a copy of my résumé and walked me back to Mr. Patterson's office. They met in private for a couple of minutes, then she thanked me for coming in and said Mr. Patterson would be in touch when they were ready to begin hiring.

"I'm excited, Ian. They treated me really well and asked a lot of detailed questions about my education and experience. I have a feeling I'm going to be hearing from them," she grinned.

"That's wonderful, Deb," I said, hugging her. "So maybe the early bird does catch the worm."

"I think your idea of getting in to see them right away was really good, Ian. They weren't rushed with a hundred different applications to sort through. They had time to talk to me and tell me about the job. The more I heard, the more I wanted to work for them. I really liked the two people that I met."

"Well, that's good, and very encouraging. I hope they realize just how valuable you could be to them," I said, hugging her once again.

"I hope so too," she sighed.

It was the middle of the week before an ad appeared in both daily papers looking to hire a number of people for the Baker-Traxall expansion. When Deb saw that, she grinned at me. "I got there first," she said, blowing on her fingernails.

"Yes, you did," I agreed. "Now, let's see what comes from your initiative."

We didn't have long to wait. When I got home on Thursday evening, Deb was literally bouncing up and down with excitement. And when Deb bounces up and down, well ... you get the picture. It's quite a sight.

"Okay, Deb, what's going on," I chuckled.

"Philip Patterson called. He wants me to come in tomorrow for another interview. They might have a job for me, he said."

"Wow, that was fast. What happened?"

"One of their lab technicians is going on maternity leave and isn't certain she'll be coming back to work. They need someone to cover for her and even if she does come back, I'll be trained to do the job when the expansion is done."

"Good luck is following you, Deb. I'd say you're a shoo-in for this job."

"Oh, I hope so, Ian. I want this job so much."

"How much does it pay?" I asked.

"Twenty-five hundred a month to start with a raise after a good review in six months and another with each annual satisfactory review."

"Not bad, Deb. This is all happening pretty quickly, isn't it," I said.

"It's just another example of how you bring me good luck, Ian," she smiled, sitting in my lap, her arms around my shoulders.

"I bring you good luck?" I said, curious about that comment.

"Of course. Who was it who mentioned the Baker-Traxall expansion article to me? Who was it who offered to share his home with me when I didn't have a place to stay down here? Who was it who took my Dad from the ferry to the hospital for his treatments and then to his home before bringing him back to us? Who was it who put Terry Palmer together with us to make us the best chemistry team in second year? Answer me that, Mister Kiernan," she said with a self-satisfied snap of her head.

"You know," I said after some thoughtful quiet moments, "I could pose some questions to you as well. For example, who took the lead in our chemistry team and made us successful? And who told two potential girlfriends that I was a good guy? And which young lady made me the envy of every red-blooded male on campus? And who trusted me to be your father's taxi service? And who trusted me enough to accept my offer of a place to stay while you looked for a job?"

"Have you run out of questions?" she asked, looking at me with a comfortable smile.

"Just one more. Do you remember telling me I shouldn't fall in love with you? Does that still stand?"

I got a very deep, very aggressive kiss in answer.

"I'll take that as a 'no' for the moment," I whispered when we broke. "So ... if you don't mind, I'd like to continue falling in love with you."

"Permission granted," showing a sultry smile before resuming her kiss.

Deb got the job, of course. It was a foregone conclusion. She didn't wait until I got home from work on Friday to tell me. She phoned me at the office to share the good news. I could almost hear her dancing around the kitchen as she told me. I was sure I'd get an enthusiastic welcome when I got home this evening.

"Do you remember Professor Wiedermann, our chemistry prof?" she asked when she finally began to calm down.

"Sure. Who could forget old 'Weedwacker'?"

"They phoned him to check my references and I guess he told them I was perfect for the job. I had no idea he'd even remember me," she gasped.

"Deb ... a dead man would remember you. You were definitely an outstanding student," I said, deliberately emphasizing the 'outstanding.'

That got me a smack on the arm and a pissed off look. "I'm more than just a big set of tits, you know. I got top marks in those classes along with Terry Palmer. Oh! That reminds me. Weedwacker ... I mean Wiedermann ... told them Terry would be a great candidate too. We should let him know. I don't know where he's working now."

"I haven't seen or heard from Terry since our graduation ceremonies. But you can find him through the Alumni Association, I'd bet."

"Good thought. I'll call them tomorrow first thing," she said with her usual enthusiasm.

"Sweetheart, I don't think they are likely to be there on Saturday."

She looked at me in surprise. "That's the first time you've ever called me sweetheart," she said, looking at me strangely.

"I guess it is. Does it upset you?" I asked carefully.

"No ... no, it doesn't," she said thoughtfully. "I like it. I like it when you hold me and kiss me. Maybe one of these days you might tell me you love me."

"How about now," I said, holding her face gently in my hands. "Deborah Cummings, I love you. I think I have from the first time we met, but neither of us was ready for that. But things have changed and so have I. I'm not afraid of saying what I think, even if you might not want to hear it."

"I do want to hear it," she said, her voice almost a whisper. "I want to hear you tell me you love me and I want to hear you call me sweetheart."

The rest of the evening was a blur. We found ourselves in bed very early and yet we were awake into the early Saturday morning hours. Neither of us was out of bed much before noon. I was certain that I had no doubts. I was sure that Deb was the woman for me. And, as best I could tell, she thought I was the man for her. It was a very settling experience, but it left some questions about where we went from here. Was it too soon to ask her to marry me? I wasn't going to rush her, but try and lead her along slowly toward the inevitable conclusion. At least, that was my thinking.

Chapter 12A

Debbie:

I can't get over just how amazing and strange this month has been. Mom went to San Diego with Dottie, Ruth and Annie and had a great time. So great, that she hooked up with a man she met at the golf course and by halfway through her vacation, she was dating him. His name is John Holland and he lives somewhere in West Vancouver. I don't know whether she's been to bed with him and I wouldn't dare ask, but I hope she isn't rushing into anything. Dad's just barely been in the ground and she's seeing another man.

I don't know how I feel about that. I know she has to get on with her life and I certainly won't interfere in it. I'll leave that to her girlfriends. Dottie promised they would watch out for her. Mom's pretty level-headed, so I don't expect anything crazy to happen, but we'll be looking and listening to make sure she's okay.

The other thing is, I've got a job. Not only that, it's a great job in a pharmaceutical manufacturing company. Even better, it's within ten minutes of Ian's duplex. Ian's the one who made me aware that Baker-Traxall was going to expand their plant and he suggested I get over there quick like a bunny and put my résumé in. Thank you, Ian! I was virtually first in line and through a lucky break, I got a job in the QA Lab, exactly where I wanted to be. First thing Monday, I have to try to find Terry Palmer and see if he'd be interested in interviewing at the plant.

Now, about Ian. He's admitted he has fallen in love with me and I told him I felt the same about him. How could I not? He's a great guy and he's become a wonderful lover. But I'm not ready for marriage yet. We're only twenty-three and I'm just starting my career. Ian has a one year head start on me and he's already in management. Funny, it was supposed to be a summer job and no more, but now he's committed to it as his career. He's going to do really well, I can tell.

I've quit pretending I'm looking for another place to live. In a way, living here with Ian is almost like being married. We sleep together and get up together and eat together. We'll be going to work together, almost. His office just five minutes down the road from the Baker-Traxall plant. I like things just the way they are for now. We'll find out soon enough if we're right for each other.

To Be Concluded