Spirits in the Material World Pt. 08

"The Winter Solstice Dance is on Friday night that week, and I would love to show you off to my friends and snotty non-friends. I have a major amount of street cred now by having a boyfriend in college."

"I believe I can commit to escorting you to that dance, Maggie. I do like to dance with you, a lot!"

"You just like rubbing yourself on me!"

"Not just that. I like holding you, and I like the way you feel and the way you smell. I like the way you tuck your head under my chin. Honestly, there isn't much about you that I don't like or adore."

"And I like the way I feel so protected when I'm in your arms. You make me feel so safe, even when I don't feel nervous or threatened. And I like the way you smell, too."

"Thank you for that, Magpie. I need to let you go for tonight. I have some more things to do before I go to sleep. Don't play too hard! I love you."

"And I love you, too, Boy Scout. You fill my heart with joy. Talk tomorrow night?" Maggie asked.

"Only if you answer my call. Good night!"

"Good night, my boyfriend!" And they disconnected their call.

Making a decision, David called out, "Hey, Robert! Can I have the room for an hour tomorrow night in exchange for making myself scarce this weekend?"

= = =

That night, in her dreams, Rose was chastised by Laura Harrison. "Rosalie, you know better than that! You know that Alan is right for you, and you for him. Take a straw and suck it up, buttercup. You need to call him in the morning and not stop trying until he answers. Grab hold of him with both hands and DON'T LET GO!"

= = =

Thursday:

Alan's alarm clock rolled from 5:54 to 5:55. He was awakened by his phone ringing, not by his alarm clock. Not looking at the display, he answered with a groggy, "Hello?"

"Alan, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry! Please talk to me!" Rose pleaded.

"Rose? What time is it?"

"Not quite 6:00, but you were getting up soon anyway. I'm sorry, Alan. I was wrong. Please forgive me!"

"Wow, that's quite a turnaround from last night, Rose. What has changed your mind about us needing some time apart?"

"I never said we needed time apart, Alan. Please don't go putting words in my mouth. The only things of yours I want in my mouth are your cock and your tongue. I said we should take the night off. We took the night off."

"Very well, Rose. Again, what changed your mind?"

"I dreamed of Laura last night and she told me to suck it up and never let you go. So, I'm sucking it up and I never want to let you go, Alan. Did you get the voicemail message I left last night?"

"Nope. I'm sorry, Rose, I did not check for anything when I returned from setting up the coffeemaker. And, not that I think you need it, but I do forgive you. I was short with you in retaliation. Would you please forgive me?"

"Oh, Alan, my love, yes, I forgive you! Please remember the red hair does not lie. I have a temper occasionally."

"I understand, my love. All better now?"

"Much better, Alan. Thank you. What's in your plans for today?"

Alan's alarm clock rolled from 5:59 to 6:00, and the radio came to life. "Industrial Disease" by Dire Straits issued from the speakers. Alan let it play for a bit.

"What's that song, Alan?" Rose asked.

"It's 'Industrial Disease' by Dire Straits. My favorite line in it is, 'caretaker was crucified for sleeping at his post, refusing to be pacified it's him they blame the most.' Kinda feels a bit like my current situation at work. These DJ's must be sympathetically psychic to me. They've been playing absolutely perfect songs at 6:00 am for nearly a week."

"I never got into Dire Straits beyond 'Sultans of Swing'," Rose shared. "So, again, what are your plans for today, Alan?"

"Well, I have my daily stand-up with my project team at 9:00, a semi-weekly project management meeting at 11:00 where Maria will be present, and then I have a doctor's appointment in the afternoon for some blood tests followed by an in-person interview."

"I wish you all the luck possible for your interview, sweetie. I had my blood drawn yesterday, so hopefully by Christmas we'll have all the results back. I'm not worried for either of us, but it's good to know for certain. Until then, raincoats are still the word of the day."

"Yes, they are. What time are you going to be here tomorrow?" Alan inquired.

"I have to work until 4:30, so we won't be rolling until 5:00. So, probably around 7:00."

"I'll have supper ready for the three of us. Is spaghetti and meatballs ok? Garlic bread?"

"Sounds wonderful. I'll let you get your day started. I'm sorry for the upset last night. I love you, Alan."

"And I love you too, Rose. Have a good day and I will call you tonight at 9:00," Alan promised. And they disconnected.

Alan proceeded to get on with his day and was out the door by 7:30, coffee in hand.

Near the end of his team's daily stand-up meeting, someone asked aloud, "So, boss-man, are you bailing on us?" Alan cocked his head to the right, gave a wry smile, and shrugged his shoulders in answer.

Alan was five minutes early for the 11:00 Project Managers' meeting and again took a seat as far from the door as possible. Just a minute before 11:00, Maria entered the room accompanied by two other ladies. Maria continued to glare daggers at Alan, but the other two ladies had toned down their evident hatred for Alan to non-committal nods of acknowledgment. The meeting passed without issue, and once again the director asked Alan to remain behind.

"Alan, the atmosphere seemed greatly improved today over Monday's. But I still sense animosity between you and Maria. I asked you to deal with the situation. What can you tell me?"

"Bob, may we continue this conversation in your office, please?"

Closing the director's office door, Alan shared that he had spoken with a number of the women, both on his project team and other project managers, and that he had shared what had actually occurred on his date with Maria. He then advised the director that he had sent his resume out to recruiters.

"And, Bob, I don't say this to convey any sort of threat, but I absolutely will never consider any sort of counter-offer. If I accept an offer of employment from another company, that's the end of the matter. I don't play games, playing one company off of another. It's not fair and it's not the right thing to do, so I don't do that. Maria still seems to maintain her version of history and I think some people still believe her. I cannot change their minds with the truth. But I have done all that I can to alleviate the tension in the office resulting from my poor decision to accept Maria's offer of a date. Once again, I'm deeply sorry it has resulted in this situation."

"Alan, thank you for your up-front statement of not playing one company off of another. Your service here has been very distinguished, and I hope it will be able to continue. Can you tell me if you have any interviews scheduled yet? There is a susurrus of anxiety among some here, and if you were to move on, others might follow that example."

"We are friends, Bob, and you know I cannot abide a falsehood, especially to a direct question. So, while I wasn't going to say anything, yes, I do have an interview this afternoon after my doctor's appointment."

Bob's face took on a sad expression. He knew that a project manager of Alan's talent would not be looking for alternatives very long. He also knew his hands were tied in respect to pre-emptively offering a salary increase or one-time bonus. Those sorts of things had to come from the Corporate offices, and it seemed as though they thought people were cogs who could be easily replaced if one left or malfunctioned. He needed to start making some serious contingency plans for Alan's position.

With a friendly nod of his head, Alan returned to his workstation where he worked through lunch until his departure at 2:00.

His appointment was not until 3:00, so Alan opted for a brief side-trip to pick up some things in anticipation of the weekend with Rose. He was quite surprised at the variety of items available at the Adult Toy Box store, and his spare time seemed to evaporate quickly. He chose some flavored lubricants and a thin dildo with appropriate lubricant for something different to try. He had to hurry to make it to his doctor's office, but he arrived on time and did not have to wait awfully long after his scheduled appointment time.

When the doctor asked why Alan wanted the blood tests, Alan told of his new relationship and the desire for absolute certainty that both parties were safe. The physician, a long-time friend and fellow church member, smiled broadly at Alan's admission. He recalled seeing the three female guests on Sunday and would make a special effort to speak with Rose if he saw her in worship with Alan. Alan knew he was fine but needed the documentation to prove so. "Trust, but verify", both for your own and for your partner's safety. Alan was told that the results would be mailed to his home address, but that he could call the office next Tuesday for the STI test results.

Alan was finished with the doctor by 3:30 and had plenty of time to make his 4:00 pm interview. Which went very well. Alan and the two interviewers synced very well very quickly, and an hour passed very quickly. Alan provided Bob's (his director) non-work contact information as well as one of his project team and another project manager as references, and the interview concluded on a high note with the promises of a decision to be made very soon. Alan thanked them for their time and headed for home. On his way home, he stopped into a national drug store chain and picked up another dozen condoms. His supply was beginning to run a little short for some reason or other. He would go to the grocery store on Friday on his way home from work.

He was just pulling into his driveway when another of the recruiters called and asked about his availability on Friday for another in-person interview. He said he could probably be available at 4:00 pm if that would be acceptable. The recruiter promised to get back to him within an hour to confirm. With the call finished, Alan went inside and prepared a frozen meal for his supper.

Alan sat in his living room, finishing his book and under the watchful gaze of Laura's picture. He felt closer to her there although he missed her terribly. Given his dreams of her in the past two weeks, he felt assured that he was following a path which she would have found acceptable. He really did care deeply for Rose, but it was still far too soon to be anything but boyfriend/girlfriend. And her temper was a possible obstacle. Ah, well, it would be a topic for discourse tomorrow night.

At 7:30, David called Alan for their weekly check-in, albeit a day early.

"David, to what do I owe this call from you?"

"Dad, I'm given to understand that Rose and Maggie will be visiting again this weekend."

"You are well informed for someone so far away, son."

"Yeah, well, Maggie and I talk every night, so go figure. Anyway, I've completed the paper which I have due on Monday and I'll get that turned in tomorrow, so I was thinking of surprising Maggie by showing up for supper and staying until Sunday afternoon."

"I'm planning spaghetti for Friday night. I'll be sure to cook enough to include you as well. When are your final exams, David?"

"They start a week from Monday. I should be done by late on Wednesday that week. Maggie wants me to come up and escort her to a Winter Solstice Dance in Centreville that Friday after."

"You should probably plan to stay the night up there afterward," Alan noted.

"How are things with you and Rose, Dad?"

"Generally, pretty good. We talk almost every night. I think we just need more time in each other's company, not horizontal. That's kind of tough given our physical locations, so we're trying to take things one day at a time, intentionally slow. How about you two?"

"We talk every night. I'm supposed to call her in ten minutes. So, I'll let you go now and I'll see you tomorrow for supper. I'll park a couple of houses down the street and come in after Rose and Maggie arrive to enjoy the surprise. I'll text you when I'm in place. And, yes, I'll be cautious and safe, Dad."

"I expect nothing less, son. I love you. We'll see you tomorrow night. Bye."

"Goodbye, Dad."

= = =

Tom and Julie were spending even more of their non-class time together, often just holding hands or touching feet under the table. "Breathing the same air" as Laura would have said. It helped to strengthen their relationship as well as helping Tom to put the "kissing bandit" in his life's rearview mirror. Despite the physical proximities involved, they both remained committed to their studies, and their lives felt more and more complete as each day passed.

= = =

Rose was dismayed when she got to work on Thursday morning. It turned out that the competition for the manager position at the Middleburg branch was even tougher than she had envisioned. So, she withdrew her profile from consideration for the position and focused on doing the best she could for her customers within the rules mandated from above. She also used her mandated breaks to talk with Mary Henderson at the AgCU to be better prepared for their discussion on Saturday. Those talks ended up being 95% social and get-to-know-you talks, but a couple of items to prepare for did make it through the chit-chat, and Rose took note. It turned out that the position had been opened to current AgCU employees first, but before it was opened up to the rest of the world, those employees could make recommendations or submit their friends' profiles. There would be a panel of three people on Saturday for Rose to interview with. Still, she was optimistic about her chances given the support of Maeve Johnson. Rose just had to be on top of her game on Saturday.

= = =

With her phone properly charging overnight, Maggie was much less the heinous bitch at school, although she would occasionally have an air of superiority to some of her closest acquaintances by her having a collegiate boyfriend. Still, when she became insufferable, her friends would poke her and remind her of her humbler times just two weeks earlier. As her period was due to start early next week, she was holding off on starting the birth control regimen. But now she had access to another form of pleasure.

At 8:00 pm her phone rang showing it was David calling her. She gave a little squeal of delight then answered.

"Hiya, Magpie!"

"Hello, Davey." Maggie tried to sound sultry, but it did not quite come out that way. David chuckled.

"So, how are you doing with your remaining high school classes? By this time last year, I was so ready to be done."

"Yeah, I think Senioritis is hitting me pretty hard nowadays," Maggie admitted. "It's just these idiots and flaming assholes I have to deal with and dodge around. I do NOT suffer fools well, and I seem to be surrounded at times!"

"Yeah, your sister warned me about your lack of tolerance for people who cannot keep up. She also called it 'suffering fools'. So, tell me more about this Winter Solstice thing."

"Well, thanks to the ACLU, we cannot celebrate Christmas anything at school. Even the time off is called the Winter Holiday Break, as though someone's delicate sensibilities might be offended by calling it a Christmas Break. Sometimes I think some people take the whole Separation of Church and State a little too far. Maybe they just don't have enough going on in their lives and they need this sort of distraction to justify their lives, their raison d'être."

"I don't argue with you there," David said to keep the conversation going.

"Anyway, this is the traditional holiday break dance. There's one committee assigned for the decorations and a second one for the punch and cookies. And don't even go there about a long-running joke not having a punchline," she preempted him. "It will be held in the cafeteria at school which is at the front so the gates across the hallways will be in place and locked. It will start at 7:00 pm on the Friday before Christmas and should finish between 10:30 and 11:00. They're hiring a local DJ service, Orpheus, I think, and they're supposed to be really good with a nice mix of recent and older stuff."

"Do I need to rent a tux, or will a suit and tie be sufficient to wow your friends? I do want to make a good impression on the impressionable young ladies." David teased.

"Shirt and tie will do. For all I care, come buck naked. Actually, I'd like for you to be buck naked and coming soon. Is that feasible tonight?"

"It is, indeed, Magpie. Robert is giving me the room for an hour in exchange for a larger block of time this weekend. Apart from your luscious form, I have all I need right here with me tonight. Are you similarly prepared?"

"I've been teasing myself and playing with Mom's dildo since we started talking. I'm so wet for you, David."

"You should have one of your own, Maggie. Maybe I'll get you one and put it in your stocking for Christmas."

"David! I'd be so embarrassed! Don't do that to me, please!"

"All right, I'll behave, Mags. If I were there with you now, I'd be holding you from behind, my nose and lips nuzzling the back and side of your neck. Would you like that?"

"Oh, God, Davey, YES! I'm getting goosebumps down my arms from your words. What else?"

"My hard cock would be pressing against your ass, and I'd run my hands down your arms to soothe those goosebumps, then wrap your body in my arms with my hands on your tits, your nipples caught between my middle and ring fingers, and I'd be pulling on your nips. I'd also be kissing your neck and chin and ear, blowing gently and promising all sorts of good things yet to come."

"Oh, my nipples are so stiff! Do you like having my tits in your mouth, sucking, teasing, exciting me?"

"You have no idea, Maggie. I live to have your boobs in my mouth. I'd be kissing your lips, first softly, gently, then teasing them with my tongue until you opened up to engage in lingual battle. And we would battle! I'd let you win just so I could trail my mouth down your clavicle to your diamond hard nipples and lick them, hard with my losing tongue. Maybe I'd very gently bite them between my teeth, just to pull and tease them. And you would still be feeling my solid dick getting butt hugs from you. How does that sound?"

"Oh, God, Davey, YES! More!" Maggie had set aside her mother's dildo and her hands were busy twisting and tugging on her nipples, manifesting David's storytelling. And then she came! "I'M COMING!" she shrieked. And the waves of her orgasm drove the breath from her lungs for a few seconds. After a few moments, she gasped for air. David could hear Maggie still breathing, so he wasn't too worried.

Even with both bedroom doors closed, Rose heard that last exclamation from her daughter. Smiling, Rose thought, "It's a good thing I have not shown her my vibrator." It also meant that she could be a little freer to be vocal when sex-talking with Alan.

"That must have been a really good one," David thought. "Magpie, are you still with me?" he asked.

Exhaling through her mouth, Maggie admitted to still being in the here and now.

"I still need to catch my breath, Davey, and then I have to talk you through your release."

"Oh, Maggie, I'm more than half-way there already. Your excitement could not be contained by the phone and some of it has come through over here. Just take a minute to enjoy that. Dad says he's making spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread for supper tomorrow for you and your mom. I think he does that really well."

Distracted a little by David's subject change, Maggie agreed. "Did you talk with him earlier?"

"Yeah, I've got something going on tomorrow so I had my weekly call with him tonight before we spoke."