Stray Cats Ch. 03

"Come in," came the familiar voice from across the room. "Oh, good, you're here, come in, come in." She stood and walked around her desk. "Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Mrs. Cummings, this is all a bit overwhelming. No wait, I can get the coffee. You sit down, I'll bring it right in. Cream and sugar?"

"Just cream, thank you," Margaret replied returning to her seat.

Amanda glanced around outside of Margaret's office looking for Simmons. No one seemed to be around so she dashed into the copy room and poured two cups of coffee and added cream to both. Then she carried the coffee back into Margaret's office.

"If you're looking for Simmons, he's cooling his heels in the Milwaukee airport right about now. I decided that he needed a little vacation from the fast paced world of Wilmington and Milwaukee seemed just the place for him. Besides, there are only two other employees up there and they're both men over fifty. So Simmons should feel right at home," Margaret said, with a grin like the cat that just caught the canary.

"I've been looking for a good excuse to get that asshole out of this office for years. Although I'm sorry it had to happen to you, you provided me with the perfect opportunity. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Amanda replied still in shock.

"And thank you're boyfriend again for being so level headed," Margaret added.

"I will," said Amanda meekly.

"Now then," Margaret continued. "Let's get to it." She spread her arms wide across the top of her desk and grinned at Amanda.

"You should be promoted to senior analyst, which is what you deserved, but I can't, at least not yet. I can't have the rest of the staff thinking that I've grown soft. But what I can do is assign you to focus more on several of our senior accounts. And you'll be adequately compensated, of course. The commissions are rather substantial."

Amanda listened a bit wide-eyed as Margaret laid out a detailed plan of what she hoped would be accomplished in the next six months. It was all very complex and a bit overwhelming. Amanda nodded and smiled then she pulled a notebook out of her purse and took a battery of notes trying to keep up with her new boss's plans. She was to form a new international section. Margaret wanted her to find people she could trust. And she wanted Amanda to begin implementing her plans as soon as she could orient her team.

"I want you to move out of the commons area and into Simmons' office. Use the empty one next to it for your staff. Have Radcliff..."

Suddenly her phone began to ring and Margaret stopped to answer it.

My God, three months ago she was standing on a bus platform in Salt Lake City thinking she had just been pushed off the edge of the world, she felt bewildered as Margaret answered her phone call. Oh shit, Susan's wedding is this weekend!

Margaret replaced the phone receiver and smiled at Amanda. "That was Donaldson in the Milwaukee office," she said with a chuckle. "Apparently they didn't want Simmons up there either. Now, where were we."

"Um, I know that this change is important, and I hope this doesn't ruin things but I've got tickets to fly to Seattle this weekend. My cousin is getting married and I know it's probably coming at a bad time and all..."

"Perfect!" Margaret shouted, interrupting and slapping her desk with enthusiasm. "While you're out there you can check in with the Seattle office. Several of the accounts I want you to pick up crossover between the coasts and I want you to make sure that they're doing all they can to keep those clients happy. Add a couple of days to your flight itinerary and ask Carol to book a hotel for you."

"That's okay, I was planning on staying with at my cousins," Amanda murmured.

"Okay, no problem. In that case, add me to the guest register and pick out a nice gift for the bride from me," Margaret replied shuffling through a stack of papers on her desk.

"Oh, and bring me back some cake. I'm a sucker for wedding cake," she added as she waved her out the door.

Amanda closed the door gently and turned to lean against it. She felt like a tsunami just washed over her in the name of Margaret Cummings. It was all a bit too much to take in one gulp. She straightened her suit jacket and smoothed the front of her skirt then walked with purpose across the office floor. She was trying to think about whom she could put on her team but her head was filled with fluff. Her mind was still reeling from her meeting with Margaret Cummings. All of a sudden, she went from part-time lackey to the assistant to the CEO for international accounts. She reached across to pinch herself. She wanted to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

She knew she had to pull herself together. But first, before she could do anything else, she had to call Alex and Rachel, because inside she was nearly bursting at the seams.

Amanda dashed over to her desk and dropped her coat then turned and walked briskly to an empty conference room. She closed the door and nearly screamed - she was so excited. She pulled out her cellphone and quickly dialed Alex.

"Hey, it's me. I'm sorry to wake you but I have fantastic news. If you have to work tonight cancel it or call in sick or whatever. That goes for Rachel too. We're going out tonight to celebrate, just us girls. So wear something nice because we're going someplace special," she said.

"What's the news?" he asked still a bit groggy. He glanced at the alarm clock and groaned.

"I'll tell you when I get home and we're all together. Ohh, I'm nearly bursting at the seams!" she exclaimed. "Okay, I've got to call Rachel. I love you sweetheart. You are the best! Bye."

Amanda quickly punched more buttons and waited while the connection rang through.

"Tamsen, Willis, and James, this is accounting, Rachel Thompson speaking..." Amanda could barely wait through Rachel's greeting before she interrupted.

"Rachel, my lovely sister, I've got great news. If you have plans for this evening, cancel them, we're going out to celebrate, just us girls!"

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you when I get home and we can all be together. I can say, that I'm flying first class to Seattle on Friday courtesy of Margaret Cummings." She heard Rachel catch her breath on the other end of the line.

"Yes! Oh God, I'm giggling like a schoolgirl. Okay, I have to pull myself together here." Amanda drew in a big breath and tried to center herself but it was no use, she was flying high.

"I just called Alex and woke him up, poor thing, but I couldn't help it," she added.

"So when do you get home?" Rachel asked.

"Around four, how about you?"

"I'll be there around then too."

"Great, I'll meet you in your apartment at four," Amanda said. "Will Alex be there too?"

"I'm not sure, I know he has a class this afternoon but I'm not sure when it's over," she replied.

They finalized their plans. Amanda said she'd text Alex to make sure he'd be there at the same time as everyone else. Then she sat down in the leather bound chair at the head of the conference table and spun it around to face the world outside a huge wall of windows.

"I'm the luckiest girl in the world," she shouted, with a grin and outstretched arms. "Yes!"

"Where do you girls want to go?" Amanda asked, nearly bouncing with joy. She had just spent the last fifteen minutes recounted everything that had happened in her office this morning.

"I'll take you to the swankiest restaurant in town, totally my treat!"

April walked out of the bathroom and turned off the light. She was dressed in a woman's pleated slacks and a blouse with dress pumps. She had on the diamond stud earrings that Amanda gave her last week along with the silver necklace from Rachel. She pulled on a women's dress suit jacket and fixed her collar.

"Honestly, I'm never impressed by service but always impressed by the quality of the food," April said. "I vote we go back to that French restaurant."

"I saw this Indian place on Dexter that looked interesting," Rachel said her eyes gleaming with hope.

"Really? Not some fancy place that charges fifty bucks a plate?" Amanda asked, slightly bewildered.

"April love, let me fix your hair," Rachel said. She pulled her by the arm back into her bathroom. Amanda followed right behind them.

"Sweetheart, wherever I go with you is fine by me. But don't waste your hard earned money on a pedestrian palate like mine." April added, kissing her on the cheek.

"In-d-ian, In-d-ian, In-d-ian," chanted Rachel as she brushed April's hair and danced to the rhythm of her chant.

"Okay, my sweet sister, we're going to the Taj Mahal on Dexter," Amanda replied, with a big smile as she touched up Alex's makeup.

Amanda spent most of the dinner outlining Margaret's plans for expansion and reorganization of the firm. She could barely contain her enthusiasm.

The rest of the week flew by in a flash. Before anyone knew it, Amanda's bags were packed for her trip to Seattle and she stood waiting by her door for Alex and Rachel to come down the stairs. Her nerves were all jitters as she checked her makeup in her compact one more time. She could hardly believe it. She was flying first class to Seattle. A trip she made by bus just three months earlier.

Her cousin was getting married and she was a bridesmaid. And - she was Margaret Cummings' new assistant for international accounts. She reached over and pinched herself again just to make sure she still wasn't dreaming.

At 7:30 in the morning, Amanda's plane roared down the runway and lifted off bound for Seattle by way of Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

Tonight was the rehearsal dinner and tomorrow was Susan's wedding, she thought as she glanced out the window to watch Wilmington quickly receded in the distance. She thought about Susan's wedding for a moment. She remembered crying in Reilly's backyard when she heard the news that Susan, her cousin and really her only childhood friend, was getting married to her boyfriend of six years. At the time she felt like she wanted to die. A failed marriage and a one-way ticket to 'no-where's-ville' had her thinking that her life was just one big train wreck.

Then along came Alex with his big goofy grin and magical charm. In a dazzling twirl, he spun her around to see how wonderful her life was. She will never forget that moment and how, with just a thought and a smile, he transformed her life. Then she thought of her lovely sister, Rachel, how she kissed her on the lips and discovered her secret. She smiled serenely; she had a family who loved her as much as she loved them.

She tilted her seat back and closed her eyes as she settled into the comfort of first class. She would miss having Alex and Rachel next to her in bed but she smiled blissfully knowing that they were there waiting for her to come home next Sunday.

That night, after Alex's shift ended at the convenience store, Rachel arrived to pick him up. She was dressed in blue jeans and a sweatshirt. She wore her hair up in a ponytail that she pulled through the back strap on a tattered old Boston Red Sox cap. Even wearing ballet flats, she looked totally sexy to Alex. He grinned at her when he saw her standing in the doorway to the backroom of the store. She stood there with a sexy smirk on her face.

"You know, even if you try hard not to, you still look sexy as hell," he said with a wry grin.

She smirked at his comment. "Ya, right. Ready?"

He nodded.

"I know you're tired but I want to take a walk for a minute. Is that all right."

"I thought you had to work tonight," Alex said looking a bit confused.

"They cancelled my shift at the last minute, it was a slow night anyway."

They drove to a little park next to the river that meandered through the center of the city. It was the same park that Rachel noticed when she looked out of the window of Amanda's office last Sunday.

Rachel parked the car near a set of swings. They got out and walked slowly down along the river's edge.

"I miss her already," she murmured, as she picked up a stone and skimmed it along the water until it fell below the surface with a plunk. "With the wedding and the parties, she's probably having the time of her life tonight."

"Maybe," Alex said with a shrug. "But if she was here I bet she'd argue that the real time of her life is right here, with us."

Rachel sighed as she sat down on a bench next to Alex.

"It is for me." She leaned her head on Alex's shoulder. The wooden bench they sat on beneath a canopy of trees overlooked the river. She sighed a little and snuggled closer to him.

"I never thought I'd be so lucky," Rachel said softly, almost in a whisper. She took Alex's hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze then wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I figured that because of who I am, that the world would only allowed so much happiness for one person. I thought that love and acceptance was just not in the cards for me, you know? Then I met you two, and this cat isn't a stray anymore.

"It's getting chilly out," he said wrapping his coat around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him.

"Another reason to snuggle," she said softly, leaning up to kiss him on the lips.

"Get a room," growled a gravely voice from beneath a tattered old blanket and padded coat that had seen much better days. "I'm trying to sleep here, assholes."

Alex looked over at the vagrant huddled under the pile of old clothes on the next bench and nodded.

"Come on love, let's go home."

They walked slowly back towards the car arm in arm, Rachel's head nestled against his shoulder. The ride back to the apartment house was quiet and serene.

"Stay with me tonight," she asked softly, with a kiss.

"Of course," he replied returning her kiss.

"Hey look," Rachel said with a giggle. She came bounding out of the bathroom and bounced across the bed towards Alex. She was clad in her panties and nothing else. She sat next to him while she pulled lightly on her right nipple and squeezed her breast. A moment later a small drop of white liquid appeared on her nipple.

"Wow," Alex said amazed, "is that milk?" He sat up and looked closely at her breast.

"Taste it," she said lifting her breast towards his mouth.

Alex leaned forward and stuck his tongue out to capture the drop as it formed on her nipple.

"It is milk," he said, surprised. "It tastes...sweet."

Rachel glowed with a radiance that looked like she was as happy as she could ever be.

"I can give milk," she whispered.

"I see that! That's wonderful!"

"Yes, it is."

"How is this possible?" he asked.

"Well, since my shift was cancelled, I was doing a little research online this evening looking for more details about reassignment surgeries. And I came across this site that talked about male lactation. At first I didn't believe it but look," she said with a huge grin pressing her left breast and squeezing out a little dribble of milk. "I can give milk. I mean it's not like I can nurse a baby or anything but, my God, I can give milk," she squealed giddy with joy. She hugged Alex and covered his face with kisses.

"Make love to me, Rachel, please," Alex whispered between her kisses. "I really want to feel you inside me tonight."

Rachel stopped a moment and looked into his eyes. Without a single word she kissed him slowly and delicately on the lips. She leaned back and smiled sweetly while she took off his t-shirt. He undid the clip on his bra and his breasts fell free as he pulled the bra straps off his shoulders. She reached out gently and cupped his breasts then leaned forward and kissed them tenderly.

She pushed him gently back against the pillows, slid her hands down his narrow waist and took off his panties. His cock was semi-erect and growing with the anticipation of what was happening.

She stood up and removed her panties. Her cock sprung free, aroused by the thought of being inside of him, it stood hard and proud against her stomach. She reached over and pulled out a condom wrapper and a bottle of lube from the top drawer of her nightstand. She slipped on a condom and lubed her cock slowly, seductively, watching him watch her. She moved her lithe body onto the bed. Her long hair was flowing around her head and shoulders; it shimmered in the moonlight that flooded through her bedroom window.

He moved down the bed and placed a pillow beneath his butt then he opened his legs to her. She coated his rosebud with lube and slipped one and then another finger inside of him. He clenched momentarily, reacting more to the chill of the lube than her invading fingers. Then he relaxed to her gentle touch.

Alex thought to say something, to tell her how much he loved her, how much he wanted her to make love to him, but the moment had slipped beyond words. He could see in her eyes that she knew everything. He didn't need the stumble of words to break the blissful silence of lovemaking.

She entered him slowly and gently. He could feel every part of her as she moved past his outer ring, every ridge of her cock pulsing and throbbing in tune with her heartbeat. She pushed gently forward until her body pressed against his butt. She rested a moment, letting him adjust, and then she began to move in and out of him. Gently at first, then her pace began to build as her passion soared.

Suddenly she erupted in him filling the condom inside of him with her seed. He wrapped his legs around her tightly, pulling her deeper inside, forcing her to thrust deeper, to love him deeper. Then they felt something warm and wet spread between their bodies as Alex came. He held her tightly against him, their bodies intertwined in passion and joy.

The next morning, Alex woke up and stretched. He noticed that Rachel was sitting up in bed and gazing out of the window. Her elbows rested on the windowsill, her chin was cupped in her hands. Alex watched her for a while before he spoke.

"You look lost in thought, love," he said reaching over to trace little circles across her back.

"I was remembering the first time I saw you and Amanda together from this window. I sat here watching you two talk during one of Reilly's little backyard parties." She turned and smiled wistfully.

"You two looked like you were having so much fun. I remember thinking to myself, why can't I do that? Why can't I be as open and carefree as you two were that day in Reilly's backyard?"

"You are now love, you're beautiful," Alex said softly. "I remember the first time we met too. You were so nervous, so cautious. You told me you thought that every girl was a monster."

"Yeah, I did," she said with a chuckle. "I'm glad you changed my mind."

"I didn't do that," he replied nuzzling her hair and kissing her neck. "It was Amanda who showed you that not all girls are monsters."

"Yes, I suppose she did." She reached over and caressed his face as he kissed the nape of her neck.

"Mmm, that feels nice," she murmured.

She leaned back against him then took a big breath and let it out slowly. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"You two mean so much to me. I really mean that, babe," she said earnestly. "I can't imagine my life without you two in it."

"So then what's troubling you?" he asked holding her close.

Rachel paused a moment. She knew that she needed to talk to Alex about the thoughts that had been weighing so heavily on her mind. But it was still hard to say the words out loud.

"I...I was thinking about the surgery."

"The reassignment surgery?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Did you schedule it?"

"Not yet. It scares me."

He stroked her hair, pulling curls behind her ears. "Because of the pain?"

"That, yes, but there's more to it than that," she replied turning around to face him. "It's the whole mental thing. I thought it was what I wanted, to be a complete woman, you know? But now," she shrugged and leaned down to kiss his arm. "I just don't know anymore."