Spirits in the Material World Pt. 07

Spirits in the Material World, Part 7 by storyteller0112

All persons are over the age of 18, and all characters and locations are totally fictional.

Thank you to all who read these, and especially to those who provide feedback via comments. The payoff I receive is from your comments. Yes, the star ratings are nice, but the comments feed my soul.

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Sunday, continued:

Rose and Maggie were the first to arrive at their destination in Centreville. They had talked and shared all the way back, and not once did Maggie declare, "TMI, Mom!". Rose was still very pleased that Maggie had held off from the penetrative sex, but Maggie put most of that credit on David's shoulders. And that pleased Rose even more, that David would have the wherewithal to restrain himself and her.

"Honey, can you tell me anything about what Alan spoke to you?" Rose inquired.

"I had told David that I loved him, but David said it was too early to use the word 'love'. That kind of hurt, Mom, but he assured me that what he was feeling was right up there next to love. Then, right before he drove off to school, he kissed me one last time and said that he loved me. Alan asked if David has said those three magic words, and that David had really closed himself off from a lot when his mom died. That David could say those words to me gave Alan hope that the hard shell was cracking and breaking."

Rose's eyes teared up a bit at that. She had sensed something about David which was different from Tom, but she could not put her finger on it. The distancing now made sense.

"David seems good for you too, Mags. He could be a calming influence on your inner rebel." Rose stroked Maggie's dyed locks.

After a few more miles had been traveled, Maggie asked, "Mom, when do you think we can get in to see the doctor?"

"Tomorrow is NOT going to be a good day for that; maybe we can get in by Wednesday. I need to get some testing done myself. Mondays are never good for new appointments, and the Monday after a holiday weekend will be even worse."

"Mom, do I need to see my regular doctor or my gynecologist to get the prescription?"

"Either one can write it. We'll just have to see who can see you first, I suppose."

More miles passed under their tires.

"Mom, what are your feelings about Alan?"

"Where is this coming from, Maggie?"

"Well, I really don't think I need another Dad at this juncture of my life, but I really like him. And I like what he seems to be doing for you, Mom."

"How so?"

"You seem a bit easier going. Maybe having sex will do that for you. I wouldn't know." Maggie snickered. "From your smiles on Friday morning, I take it the sex was better than you had had recently?"

"Oh, God, yes! Alan's not the longest nor is he the thickest I've experienced. But he's a perfect fit. And he focuses on my pleasure before his own. That kind of selflessness is very uncommon, in my experience."

"Mom, you're starting to push the TMI envelope."

"Hey, you asked. I need to acknowledge that you are technically an adult, and I need to loosen up my grip a little. That can include sharing in things that girls share. Like cock size and technique."

"Ok, but you're not answering my question. What are your feelings about Alan?"

"Dear heart, we seemed to click well together, and on more than just the physical level. He is a deeply caring person who is good looking, mentally quick, patient and kind. It's not like I have a hard and fast checklist of things, and almost everything I want can be negotiable if something else takes greater precedence. The distance is a bit concerning but there is the possibility of a promotion to the Middleburg branch. The religion-thing is different from anyone else I've encountered, and the Scouting stuff seems a bit over the top at times. But they are both part of what makes Alan and Tom and David who they are. Maybe a little stuffy or "goody-two-shoes", but Alan can fuck with the best of them.

"Yes, I want to see where this thing with Alan can go. We both need people like the other in our lives, and as Julie and David pointed out, it would be exceptionally convenient for holidays to just have one place to go for both family and in-laws."

The remainder of their journey home was unremarkable, and they texted their Harrison man of their safe arrival.

= = =

David's trip in the new-to-him Jeep was likewise uneventful, aside from the text he got about an hour away from school. He heard the 'ding' and exited the highway at the next exit. To find the text from Maggie saying they had made it home safely. He replied with a quick, "Thanks, Magpie" and resumed his trip. In the bag of items Alan had rescued from the old car was the hanger tag David needed for this car so it would not be ticketed, towed, and impounded. He really did not have time to explore and get to know all the features of this vehicle, but he did know that it could be tied to his phone via Bluetooth; it just had not yet been set up.

David arrived in plenty of time to "enjoy" the Sunday supper through the school's food service. The meal had been paid for, why not choke it down? His roommate had yet to return from his break, so David sat at his desk and examined the calendar and wrote out the plans for the remainder of the semester. He needed to speak with the registrar about transferring his grades to State for next fall if not for the coming Spring semester beginning in the middle of January. He wrote out numerous sticky notes to himself, just in case his memory lapsed.

It then occurred to him to let Alan and Maggie know that he had arrived safely. A near-instant response from Maggie nearly castigated him for his tardiness and absent-mindedness. She had been worried but was trying not to be a helicopter girlfriend. But they were still "on" for an 8:30 call

= = =

Julie and Tom also had an uneventful trip back to school. Their discussions were mainly focused on the new relationships which had developed over the holiday week, namely their parents' and their siblings' relationships. Julie was still quite stoked at these developments. It also occurred to Julie that their phones were the ones with all the pictures from Sunday morning. It fell to Tom to send those pictures to his father, brother, Rose, and Maggie. First from his phone, then from Julie's. That took a bit of time, and Tom tended to be focused on the task at hand to the detriment of the conversation. Here was something that Julie had not encountered previously, but it was a trait she felt she could accept in him.

They chose to get fast food drive-thru and take it back to Tom's room. However, there was a sock on Tom's doorknob, indicating that interruptions would be most unappreciated by the room's current occupants. So, Julie drove to her assigned parking lot and Tom jogged over to her dorm. Julie's roommate was not present, so they warmed up their food a little in the small microwave and sat on Julie's bed to share the meal. Julie surprised Tom by reaching for his hand and bowing her head and softly asking for God's blessing on this food, their lives, their relationship, and their families.

"See, Jules, it's not difficult to pray. Just do it from the heart, and never forget to give your thanks for what you do have. There are no magic words. I believe God already knows what is on your heart, but God also likes to hear it from your lips so that your mind also knows what is on your heart."

The day's travel had taken a lot of the desire from them, but they had a very pleasant make-out session before Julie's roommate returned from her holiday weekend around 8:00 pm. With Dawn's arrival, Tom beat an apologetic retreat and had to ask Julie to unlock her car so he could get his clothes. Startled, Julie realized hers were still in the car as well, so they made the trip hand in hand and had another five-minute tonsil check session before Tom pushed himself away.

"Will I see you on Tuesday for the T.A. session?" Tom teased.

"Not this week, buster. But I'll schedule Wednesday evening with Dawn to have the room until 10:30. Friday night will be at your place, so maybe get on Bill's schedule as well for then?"

"I will do so, Ms. Lawson. Text or talk to you tomorrow?"

"You had better, Mr. Harrison."

With that, Tom shouldered his bag and walked back to his dorm, hoping the sock had been removed. Julie extracted her bag, relocked the car, and headed to her room.

= = =

David and Maggie had their 8:30 pm telephone call, and by the end of it, she had forgiven his thoughtlessness. They had received the pictures from Tom's and Julie's phones, and both had set their splash screen to the photo of just the two of them, although Maggie did consider the group photo with the surprise kiss. But the images were too small on that one for her liking, given that it was of all six of them.

They could not have much sexy talk as there was nowhere David could get to carry on such a conversation. So, they chose tender words of affection and committed to nightly calls and texts after 4:00 pm so as not to disturb Maggie's classes. Both ended the call with a soft, "I love you," and neither of them played the "I love you more" game.

= = =

Rose called Alan at 9:00 pm and they did have some sexy talk. Both were in their respective beds and wearing nothing but the smiles on their faces. They did not chit-chat but got straight into the self-touching at the other's direction. Alan talked Rose through two very nice orgasms, and her vocalizations induced a chest-high splatter of his discharge.

Once the physical needs had been appeased, they fell into a very comfortable chatting with some new sharing about how they grew up and their families. By 10:00 pm both were fairly well talked out and needed their rest before beginning their respective workweek in the morning.

= = =

Monday:

Alan's alarm clock radio flipped from 5:59 to 6:00 am, and "Industrial Disease" by Dire Straits infiltrated his awareness. Those DJ's must have a wicked sense of humor, he thought. However, he got out of bed and did a little air guitar to Mark Knopfler's melody, then proceeded to start his day in his ensuite.

After showering, shaving, and dressing, Alan headed to the kitchen. The house was silent and after a week of having Tom and David home, it seemed odd. His mood dipped a little while he was making only a half pot of coffee, but then the 'ding' sounded on his phone.

Rose: *Good morning, my sweet man*

This brought a smile back to his face and lifted his mood as it was intended.

Rose: *I thought you'd like a pick-me-up this morning*

Then the selfie she took in her bathroom mirror arrived, lifting more than just his spirits. She was in her bra and panties, so nothing covered by a bikini was visible, but the intention behind the picture was evident. Alan had to make some adjustments to his clothing to prevent discomfort. It was a very nice matching set with lots of lacy trim. It was quite pretty.

Alan: *You were successful. More than my mood just got elevated*

Rose: *As I had intended. Talk tonight?*

Alan: *Only if you answer your phone*

Alan spent some time just taking in the details of the pic which Rose had sent.

He heated some water in the microwave and made a bowl of oatmeal to fortify him for the upcoming workday. He hoped he was only borrowing trouble, but he was worried about interacting with Maria. The oatmeal plus the coffee broke his fasting, and he poured the rest of the brewed coffee into a go-cup. Then he headed to work.

He arrived at his workplace early and was able to slip inside and stay at his desk before the bulk of the other workers arrived, including Maria. He noticed when she came in but ducked quickly to avoid any unnecessary confrontations. In that second when she entered the doors he noticed that her wardrobe choices had reverted to slacks and buttoned blouses, far different than what she wore the previous Monday and Tuesday.

The rest of the team arrived and began to fire up their computers and check the emails from before Thanksgiving. At 9:00 am the daily standup meeting was held in the team's conference room, and the pace of work slowly returned to normal after the holiday break. Alan did notice a couple of the ladies scowling at him. These were ones who had evidenced interest in him previously, and he did not know what to make of this. Keeping the meeting short so that everyone could remain standing, he returned to his desk to prepare for his next meeting at 11:00, one with the other project managers.

He remembered that he wanted to schedule an STI/HIV test, so he called his primary care physician's office and spent 20 minutes on hold (it was a Monday after all) before he could get the desired test scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Alan's nerves were jangling when he stepped into the different conference room for his project managers' sync meeting. He was about ten minutes early, just so he could get a seat away from the door. Sure enough, at five minutes of the hour, Maria and two other female project managers appeared in the doorway, and the expression on all three ladies' faces turned to ugly stone when they saw Alan. They sat completely opposite Alan, close to the door, and glared virtual daggers at him the whole meeting. The rest of the attendees filed in, and while nothing untoward was said, the tension was palpable. Upon concluding the meeting, the director asked Alan to stick around for a moment, and the rest dispersed back to their workspaces.

"Alan, do you know what was with Maria and Joan and Ann earlier? They looked very unhappy to be in the same room as you, and the glares at you were almost material."

"Bob, Maria and I went out on a date last Tuesday night. The food was great, the whole night was great until she threw me out for insisting on wearing a condom when she wanted sex. I did absolutely nothing ungentlemanly, and I suspect that history is being rewritten by Maria."

"Well, Alan, this cannot continue. Do something about this. You are my best PM, but if it comes to a choice of one person being asked to leave or multiple, the easy choice is the one. Let's not have another meeting like this on Thursday, please."

"Yes, sir. I'll do my best to get this resolved, quickly and quietly." And Alan departed for his workspace.

He now faced some decisions. He could try to sway the other ladies' opinions, but all he had was the truth and no way to prove it aside from his reputation. Or he could get his resume updated and contact some recruiters with whom he was friendly. December is never a good time to be looking for work, but a lot of new positions would come open in January. He worked through his lunch getting his resume updated and writing down what he knew to be the truth.

- Maria asked him out for supper, although he suggested the location and secured the reservation

- They had very limited alcohol, wine only, and one glass for him and two for her, and no hard alcohol

- Maria started the sexy touching in the office on Tuesday, and she initiated all the touching that night

- They did not have sex; when she wanted his boxers off, he insisted on applying a condom

- She threw him out of her residence, and he did not have any contact from her since leaving on Tuesday night

He printed off two copies of the truth of what happened, walked to Bob's office, and gave three knocks before Bob beckoned him in. Alan closed the door behind him and presented one of the copies to Bob.

"Bob, I don't know what has been spreading in the form of gossip. I will try to figure out what it is. For now, here are my bullet points of truth from our time on Tuesday. Just so you know, I have updated my resume although I have not yet sent it to anyone. I am an Eagle Scout, Bob. All I have is my reputation and sacred honor that what is on the paper is the whole truth. If this is not enough, then I will seek employment elsewhere so as not to make this a contentious work environment."

"I know you will, Alan. I was a scout as well; only made it to Star rank though. I appreciate your candor and I know what it means when you declare this on your sacred honor. Sometimes the good guy doesn't win. If it should come to be that you leave, you will have the highest endorsement from me. Please consider using me as a reference.

"I pulled Ann in after you and I spoke, and what I have is hearsay, so take this with a grain of salt. Maria's been telling the other ladies that you got her drunk, your hands were very inappropriate for a gentleman, you tried to force yourself on her, and you refused to answer her calls and texts all weekend. Basically, the complete opposite of what I see here on your list. Very likely neither of you can prove or disprove these statements. It becomes a case of 'he said / she said'. Have you ever seen the movie, 'Disclosure' with Michael Douglas and Demi Moore? He could prove his position. See what you can do about the other ladies, but I'd suggest not confronting Maria directly."

"Thank you, Bob. Would you please send your contact information to my email, just in case? From our talk here now, I think the cause is close to hopeless. Looking back, I screwed up by accepting her invitation to supper. I apologize for any angst that decision is causing." And Alan headed back to his workspace to send his resume to a couple of recruiters. Fortunately, project managers with recommendations are rarely left on the market for very long, even during the holidays.

Alan was not just going to go down without a fight, though. He printed off a half-dozen extra copies of his points, and he asked the two ladies from his team's standup meeting to join him in a huddle room. Once the three had gathered, he laid a copy of the truth for each on the table before them.

"I don't know the specifics of what has been said about me today. All I can do is state the truth and rely on my reputation to help validate it. Will you two please talk with me about this?"

As the two had worked with Alan for a few years, they agreed cautiously to dialogue.

"Thank you. First, anything you tell me is purely hearsay. I just wanted you to know what I know to be the truth about my date with Maria last Tuesday night. Second, I have already sent my resume out to recruiters and I'm one foot out the door for having done nothing wrong apart from accepting the date invitation from Maria."

Alan's phone rang just then, but he dismissed the call to voicemail.

"A recruiter friend?" one of the ladies asked.

"Most probably. What are you willing to tell me?"

"Maria caught us out in the parking lot this morning, and she said that you had touched her inappropriately, coerced her into having supper, got her insensibly drunk, tried to force yourself upon her, succeeded in achieving penetration, and refused to accept her calls ever since." The other team member nodded in agreement with these statements.

Alan exhaled mightily, cheeks puffing, then drew in a deep breath.

"Maria never wears skirts or dresses here, right? Well, she did on Monday when we went out to lunch and on Tuesday as well. She teased me with her stockings and legs and feet and got me all hot and bothered. She asked me out on a date. I did suggest the restaurant and made the reservations. She initiated all the touching that went on Tuesday, in the office and on the date. She had two glasses of wine with her meal and she ate her whole meal; it was not on an empty stomach. Possibly, she was tipsy, but it did not appear that way to me. Once back at her home, she pulled down my boxers to free my member, but I stated: 'when the underwear comes off, the condom goes on.' She took incredible offense at that and insisted that I enter her bareback. I began to pull on my clothes and she went ballistic. She did not call either my cell or my home numbers since. She was not even in the office on Wednesday.