Real Love Ch. 23

"Because Debi is worth fighting for," Brad answers.

Again, Debi's face contorts, she tightens her grip on them and cries with minimal control and convulses as she holds tight to them as Kelly gives her a harder squeeze and cries with her. They spend another long interval hugging and squeezing each other until Debi gets control of her emotions, breaking the group hug and gives just Kelly a hug.

"Kelly, am I in trouble?" she asks with a pouty face.

"What makes you think you're in trouble?"

"Am I violating your mushy rule? I hope I'm not, but afraid I did."

"No Debi. Don't worry about it. I'll tell you when you get too mushy with my man," Kelly says with a smile as they break the hug.

Debi half smiles saying, "Thank you. I can't begin to explain what you two mean to me both as my boss and my friends. Kelly, I know you think you're the luckiest girl on earth because you have Brad, but I think I'm the luckiest girl on earth because I have both you and Brad as my bosses. I should pinch myself to be sure I'm not in a fantasy land or something," she says sniffling, with tears still drifting down her cheeks.

As Brad reaches for Debi's ass, Kelly says, "Don't you dare, Brad!" she says as he's about to pinch it.

"But..."

"No buts."

"Why not? You've got one too!" Brad says as he laughs at his own stupid joke.

They all briefly laugh at the humor as he says, "Damn, busted before I complete the mission."

They continue to laugh, hoping it will make Debi feel better. It works as Debi continues to hug them both.

"It looks like I left my mark on you Brad," Debi says, lifting off Brad and referring to the wet marks on his shirt.

"A badge of happiness Debi. It's just a badge of happiness."

Debi tears up again and she squeezes him hard this time. Kelly lets her know that she's doing a great job at the Packard Empire and to keep doing so. Brad reminds her of her support group and she goes to them and gives them a hug too, then returns.

"Both Kelly and I feel you're way underpaid and deserve every penny of that salary and the promotion. Keep up the good work Debi, and pleeease, stay on my team!" Brad says to her.

Hearing that, Debi lights up with another dupe idea.

"I can't, Brad. You just stressed me to the max. I'm not sure I can go through that again. I would like to ask your sisters if they would like an excellent assistant to work with either of them," she says frankly as she turns and takes a step toward his sisters.

"In that case, I'm glad you didn't sign the contract," Kelly says as she looks at the contract and moves to retrieve it before Debi does.

Debi goes into shock, locates the contract, and picks it up before Kelly gets to it.

Craig, Stacy and Peggy grin as they watch the fight for the unsigned contract.

Debi picks up the pen and signs it without hesitation. She's proud that she survived the interview and proud that she still has Brad and Kelly as her bosses... and above all, she's proud of her dream job.

After she signs it, Debi turns back to find them hugging each other. Brad and Kelly are holding each other very tight because they know their plan worked to perfection and are very proud of their accomplishment.

"Good job, Baby," she whispers softly into his ear.

Brad whispers into Kelly's ear, "Excellent job, Angel. Well done. You're my hero."

Then they kiss. Debi takes a step toward them and tries to get their attention, but didn't as they continue to kiss each other and ignore her. Debi doesn't want to be left out, not now anyway, and she's becoming annoyed with them.

She makes another unsuccessful attempt and finally, she says, "Okay, I'm busted."

They break their kiss, smile at each other, then Kelly looks at Debi and says, "Yes, you are busted because we aren't buying that you want to work for somebody else. You literally said you want to stay and work with us and put your job on the line to prove it. Now get your ass over here and cement it."

Again, Debi smiles and crashes into them as they welcome her into the hug. She completely relaxes and lays her head on Brad as a grin appears on her face, knowing her dream job is just beginning. Now, she has a great contract, a great income, still has her dream job, still has tons of happiness, still belongs to the Packard family and still has a great future. Euphoria overcomes her as she thinks about her future with the new Packard Empire.

Debi replies, "I will never leave you guys so you're stuck with me for as long as you want me, and I hope it's for a long time."

"Don't hope, Debi. Know your worth. Believe in yourself. After all, you are all you have," Brad says.

"You're right Brad. I will learn from this," Debi says as they all take their seats.

"The reason you got a low salary when you joined the Packard Empire is because you didn't stand up for yourself and my father took advantage of you. Kelly recommended a senior assistant position with a salary of $65 grand to Danny, but you didn't get it. All this time, Kelly thought your salary was $65 grand and you were a senior assistant. She found out your real salary and position about a week ago. Without hesitation, she began fighting, on your behalf, for a contract that better suited your skill level. Her problem was, she had no opposition, so it wasn't much of a fight. All owners agreed with what she wanted to do on your behalf," Brad says.

"Also, just so you know, all assistants were given the open employment contract. It's part of my evil plan to keep good people working for the Packard Empire," he says, rubbing his hands together with a Halloween laugh emanating from him.

They all laugh.

Brad goes on to say, "We can't change the past, but we sure as hell can change the future. We pay people what they are worth based on their performance and attitude and you excel in both categories. That's the biggest reason why you got a big promotion and a big salary adjustment," Brad tells her.

"Also, I spoke before that actions speak louder than words. To explain, allow me to use something you told me a while ago. If you say you will beat me to a pulp, but don't do it, words become meaningless. Funny maybe, but meaningless just the same," Brad says as Debi chuckles at his humor, but at the same time, appreciates it.

"However, if you did beat me to a pulp, it would be very tough to deny. Actions speak louder than words. They always have and they always will."

"Thank you Brad. Thank you Kelly," she says, sniffling, as she gives them both a hug. "I really need to start looking out for myself and this experience helps me realize how important it is for me to do just that."

"I'm glad it's you that brought it up," Debi continues, "because I don't think anybody else could have taught a better lesson, even though it seriously stressed me out. You even had me convinced I was getting fired. I understand why you did it and I'm truly grateful. I will never forget it. Thank you again for believing in me. You have earned my respect, loyalty and trust for the rest of my life."

"For your own edification, neither Brad nor I would have allowed you to keep that first contract. Your value to this company is far above it. I'm glad you ripped it up, because if you didn't, I would have," Kelly says.

"I love you guys for teaching me this well thought out lesson. Thank you again," Debi says. "And for your edification, it is different here. No, it's very different here. It's my home and I work for the world's greatest company and love it. Now I gotta have another hug from you guys. I may have to hug you the rest of the day."

They stand again and she gets a big and long one, as Debi cries again and they shed a few more tears together. Then Brad breaks the hug.

"Debi, since you have pissed off the boss, your contract says you can resign at any time with a two week written notice. Are you ready to do it?" Brad asks, smiling.

Debi breaks the team hug and gives Brad a tight hug.

She looks up at him and replies, "Sometimes you are the dumbest smart person I know," she says, putting her head on his chest and squeezing him with a smile glowing on her face as she looks at Kelly.

Kelly is the first to burst into an hysterical laugh and everyone joins her. It's unexpectedly funny, coming from her and Brad is equally surprised at her response. Debi knows she got a good one on Brad and continues to hold him tight.

"Good one Debi! I'm so proud of you," Brad says as he laughs, swinging her from side to side while squeezing her tight.

Debi is still hugging him, but she's smiling now, and Kelly joins in.

Brad picks up Debi's chin, looks into her eyes and spoke softly, "Welcome to the new Packard Empire. Welcome to Team Brad and welcome home, Debi," he says as he hugs her tightly.

Kelly also says, "Welcome home Debi. We are very pleased you're here with us."

Debi feels at home and tells them so. They stay in a hug for a while as Debi absorbs her life lessons from her favorite bosses, hugging and squeezing them at will. She can't believe what they have done on her behalf. She's so grateful and appreciates their effort. Debi still questions why anyone would do something like that for her. Then she realizes -- good, true friends are hard to find, and she has five of them in high places.

With a meaningful tone in his voice, Craig says, "Well done, very well done."

Brad winks at him, so does Kelly, as they hug Debi. Stacy and Peggy are also very impressed at their performance, still with tears in their eyes.

Brad breaks the hug and walks to his sisters as they stand. He puts his arms behind their necks, pulls them to him and whispers into their ears, "Would you two like a challenge?"

They nod and look at him.

"Make your assistants feel the same as Debi."

Brad hugs them real tight for a while. He gives each of them a kiss, tells them he loves them, gives them another hug, then returns to Kelly and Debi, joining back in the team hug.

Stacy and Peggy look at each other wondering how they're going to meet his challenge. It's a challenge they have never faced before, and it concerns them both.

* * * * *

Craig speaks up a short while later and says he would like to address the team. Brad suggests they go to the lounge instead of staying in the business suite, claiming it's too formal. They make the change and Debi leaves to round up Rick and Nikki, grabbing their hands and escorting them into the lounge.

Brad and Kelly walk slowly toward the lounge, hand in hand, with Kelly leaning on her man, as Craig catches up to them, with Stacy and Peggy following, and stops them.

"Never have I ever witnessed anything like what you two just did for Debi. It was planned with finite detail and executed with precision. It was heart felt, emotional and educational. A lesson very well taught, and a lesson very well learned. She will never forget it and neither will I. Congratulations again and very professionally done," Craig says.

Stacy and Peggy literally say the same thing.

"Thank you, all of you. That means a lot to us. We wanted it to tug at her emotions so she will never forget it and we hope she learned some good lessons today," Kelly says.

"I believe she did Kelly," Stacy says. "Brad, I have no clue how to be successful with your challenge."

"What challenge?" Kelly asks.

"He challenged us both to make our assistants feel the same as Debi."

Brad releases Kelly and puts his arms around his sisters and says, "Just be yourself and share yourself with others. The rest will come naturally. You have all the attributes you need to be a great leader. All you have to do is let them out."

Then he gives each of them a kiss and hug.

"Damn you. How in the world did you get so fucking smart?" Stacy asks as she returns his hug and kiss, tears forming in her eyes.

"Because I have the world's smartest sisters."

Both tear up, not expecting Brad to say something like that. Kelly does too.

Stacy replies, "You didn't have to say that, Brad."

"Yes, I did Stacy, and I mean it. You too Peggy."

He gives Stacy a kiss, then Peggy.

Kelly says, with wetness in her eyes, "This violates my mushy rule Brad."

Brad smiles, looks at her and says, "Kelly, if I were you, I'd get my ass over here and get mushy with me too."

She does, with her emotions on her face, and tells them she was joking. They all laugh and have a group hug, lingering a few moments before proceeding to the lounge.

Brad sees the wetness in Kelly's eyes and gives her an additional hug because he loves her. Kelly is seriously proud of her man. She wants to take him to the suite and fuck his brains out right now. But she can't, and she knows it.

They proceed to the lounge kinda slow, but eventually arrive at the vacant seat they reserve for his team. The others are there waiting for them.

As the group arrives and takes their unassigned seats, Brad and Kelly sit on the sofa with Debi next to Kelly. She laces her fingers in his and leans on his shoulder.

"Kelly, this is a business meeting. You can't hold my hand or lean on me. It's not professional."

Everyone smirks, knowing what's coming next. Kelly releases his hand and sits up straight with a disappointed look.

As soon as he looks away, she leans on his shoulder, takes back his hand, squeezes it again and laughs in the process. So does everyone else.

"Kelly, I don't want to spend the rest of our lives rewriting professional rules," he says as he and the team laugh with them.

Kelly is laughing hard and nods as the team gets another good laugh. Then they kiss each other as Kelly sits up, releases Brad's hand as Craig gets control of his laughter.

Craig says, "Wow! What a team. I seriously can't believe the relationship you guys share!" he says as he collects his thoughts to continue. "This team has already been told it is part of the management team of the new Packard Empire. I'm surprised Brad told you that because Danny would never say anything like that to his employees."

"But, what Brad told you is true. You are part of the management of this company. It comes with the job you have and, whether you know it or not, it has always been that way, and will always be that way."

"What you may not realize, however, is that you're also the part of a company that can make it, or break it. It's called the leadership team and all of us are part of it as well. Not everybody in such a position understands how important they are to a company."

Brad covers his face with his hands and Craig stops talking as a result.

"Craig, I wasn't going to tell them that," Brad says as seriously as he can.

"Shit Brad. I'm so sorry!"

"Relax Craig. You've just been duped," Brad says as he smiles at him.

"I should have known," he says as he and everyone laughs.

"At least it's not as bad as getting thrown in the pool," Nikki says.

Everyone breaks into a hysterical laugh. After a while, Craig continues as the laughter diminishes.

"You people make me laugh like never before... Over the last few weeks, I have witnessed a major change in this team first hand. It's the first time I've ever seen such a thing. It's very different from that which Danny instilled in his people and most of you know it. Danny is no longer in charge, however, and what I see is encouraging. I'm seeing more enthusiasm, more dedication to each other and more dedication to this company. More happiness. More pride. I noticed all of you like it too. Is there anybody that has any desire to quit the new Packard Empire and move on or maybe has received a better offer from another company?"

Brad raises his hand with a smirk on his face. Everyone begins laughing. Not a single person in the room believes him. Kelly smacks him on his shoulder. Stacy and Peggy go to him and start beating on him with light punches, all in fun. Kelly tells everyone he's full of it and he isn't going anywhere because he's under orders to stay. Rick gets Brad in a light choke hold from behind the couch. Debi and Nikki join Stacy and Peggy beating lightly on him. It was a full team assault on their boss.

Brad finally says, "Uncle!"

The team stop beating on him and as he recovers from the torture. He looks at his team.

"God, I'll think twice before doing that again."

Then he leans back on the couch, glad it's finally over. Everyone is laughing and enjoying themselves, at Brad's expense, as they return to their seats.

Brad says, "I think I need a break. I just got the bodacious beat out of me."

"What the hell does that mean?" Kelly asks, smirking.

"You figure it out... You guys really expect me to take this kind of abuse?" Brad asks sarcastically.

Peggy asks, "Who are you going to complain to?"

Moments later, Brad says, "Shit... Busted, again. I need an abuse counselor," he says with a smile.

Kelly cuddles to him and says, "I'll volunteer."

"Ohhh good. Let's go!"

"Later young man..."

Again, the team laughs as Kelly laces her fingers in Brad's and holds him. She puts her head on his shoulder again with a big smile on her face. She's one happy Kelly and Brad is one happy Brad.

"Just as I thought," Craig says as he begins to get control of his own laughter. "Brad... you and your team have done a remarkable job here. I never expected the transition to new owners would be as short as this one. The three of you have taken command of this company faster than I would have ever imagined possible."

"If you keep it up, you will need more people because this company will grow and grow. People will be breaking down our doors to work here. You have my full support, and by the way, I've never had so much fun at meetings since you and your sisters took over."

"On behalf of the team, Craig, thank you for the compliment. We have the world's greatest team working here. Just be aware that your comments don't get you any brownie points," Brad replies as Kelly releases his hand at sits up.

"Aww shit," Craig says as everyone laughs. "Brad, you're one hell of a natural born leader. You remind me so much of your father, only better."

Brad was surprised by Craig's statement. It's one hell of a compliment. He begins to think he's more like his father than he thinks. So far, Craig, Kelly, Debi and several of Danny's friends have told him that.

"Thank you Craig. I appreciate the compliment and I am humbled by it," Brad says, as his emotions get the best of him.

Then he excuses himself from the meeting and departs rather quickly, literally running out of the room.

"Brad, where are you going?" Kelly asks, but gets no answer as he disappears from sight.

Brad runs to his suite and jumps on his bed, face down, sobbing pretty hard.

Brad's mind drifts back to what Craig said, feeling severe sorrow.

Kelly, Stacy and Peggy run into the suite and stand by the bed as Kelly jumps on it and lays beside him.

"What is wrong Baby? I want to help you. Please talk to me," Kelly says as she holds him tight with her head on his back.

After a few minutes, Brad rolls over on his back, as Kelly lets him, and gives her a kiss.

Then he says, "I keep getting compliments about how I remind people of my father. The compliment Craig just gave me struck me so hard I couldn't take it. I can't be better than my father. He built this business. I didn't. It's just too much for me to comprehend."

"I never met my father and everybody on this Island knows him personally. I don't and never will. It's out of my control. I can't fix it. Part of me feels lost and alone inside," he says as he continues sobbing. "I can't stop thinking about it and I don't know what to do," he says as he continues sobbing.

All three girls cry as they hear what Brad said. His sisters get on the bed, crying, as they cuddle to him for support.

Kelly realizes this is a discussion she should have had with him sometime ago. She feels sad for him and wants to comfort him. She almost understands what he's going through. Brad's fiancée knows his father better than his own son does. That's a weird feeling, but it's something she has to deal with.