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Amy's Security

By: Just Plain Bob



I had slipped in unnoticed, gotten a drink from the bar and then I had moved to a dark corner where I could unobtrusively watch the goings on. The lateness of the hour and the cleared tables suggested that the dinner part of the festivities was over and more than likely so was all the speechifying and the dispensing of bonuses. Now it was more of a cocktail party. The tables had been moved back to create a dance floor and a five-piece band was setting up. My attention was centered on the reason I had come to the affair. I watched as she moved through the crowd talking to the people and looking for all the world like she was the hostess.

x-x-x-x-x-

I sensed him before he spoke, "She sure is something, isn't she."

I turned and saw a short, ruddy-faced man standing to my left and slightly behind me. He stuck out his hand, "Jack Branscomb. I work out of the Omaha office."

I took his hand and introduced myself and said, "You know her?"

"Not near as well as I would like. I came close once, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, right?"

I was intrigued by his statement, "You came close? How was that?"

"You new to the company? You don't know who she is?"

"I'm just a guest."

"Well, little Amy there is the bosses private stock, but when the mood strikes him he will share. The Omaha branch has been the poorest producing branch in the company. One day the boss and Amy flew into town. The boss had all the sales people come into the office for a meeting and then he read us the riot act. Turn the place around or he would shut the office down and we could all go looking for new jobs. And then he said: 

"But to give you a little incentive I'll make it interesting and throw in a prize for the highest producer. Amy, show the boys what the winner will get."

"Amy did a strip for the boys that would have put a professional stripper to shame and then the boss said, "One night with Amy to the highest scoring salesman." I missed by a lousy two grand. My sales were a million, five hundred and sixty-two thousand, but Miller beat me by eighteen hundred dollars. Miller, that's him over there, said that Amy showed him what heaven would be like. Hey, there goes my regional manager, got to go and suck up" and he left me standing there staring at my wife and wondering if I knew her at all.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was Amy's company Christmas party and I wasn't supposed to be there. I was supposed to be in New York on business, but things moved a lot faster than expected and I was able to fly home two days earlier than planned. I tried reaching Amy to let her know, but her office had closed for the day and all I got at home was the answering machine. When the plane landed I saw that there was still enough time to hit the party, have a couple of drinks and then take Amy home and try to make up for a week of going without. Now I didn't know if I should even bother going home at all.

The idea that my wife was the company whore was ludicrous at first glance, but Jack had not equivocated at all when he made his statements. Amy was the Executive Secretary to Jason Billings, the president and CEO of the company and she did travel with him when he visited the outlying offices. And she had made three trips to Omaha that year. My heart was crying out "Bullshit!" but my gut was saying "Check it out."

I stayed in my corner and nursed my drink and watched Miller. After half an hour he did what I was waiting for. He put his drink down and headed for the bathrooms and I set my glass down and followed him. Luckily he was the only one in the bathroom when I walked in. I stepped up to the urinal next to the one he was whizzing in and I looked over at him, "Miller, right?"

He nodded and said; "Do I know you?"

"Nope, never met, but you are my hero."

He gave me a funny look like he thought maybe I was trying to hit on him and then said, "Why am I your hero?"

"Because you scored Amy Beckman. Do you know how many guys in the company would cut off their left hand just to have coffee with her? You got to spend a whole night with her. I got to tell you that that puts you pretty high on the list of people I'd like to be like."

I saw the relief on his face when he realized I wasn't a fag trying to pick him up and he smiled. 

"Just the luck of the draw. Jack Branscomb was ten thousand ahead of me going into the last day of the contest. I told all my customers about the contest and the prize and almost all of them kicked their orders up a grand or two and that gave me just enough to ace out Jack. Hey, if you ever get a shot you had best lie, cheat, steal or do whatever you have to do because she is totally worth it."

He started digging for his wallet and when he got it out and open he took out a Polaroid snapshot and showed it to me. "I keep this to inspire me on days when sales are slow."

It was Amy all right, in all of her naked glory. "Oh man" I said wistfully, "Some guys have all the luck." Yeah, and some guys get it broken off in their ass, especially trusting husbands.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I went back to my dark corner and settled in to watch. Amy didn't expect to see me for two more days and I was curious to see what would happen. When the party started breaking up I moved out to the hotel lobby and sat down where I could watch the doors to the ballroom. Jason and Amy were the last to leave and I had a paper that I was pretending to read in front of my face when they walked by me. I heard Jason say, ".....leave yours here and come back for it in the morning?"

"No, you can follow....." and then they were out of earshot. I guessed that Jason was going to follow Amy to our house and I needed to beat them there so I could erase the answering machine tape. 

I drove like a mad man and broke every speed limit in town. Any light that caught me I ran and all a stop sign was to me was something to look at as I blew by. I parked around the corner and ran to the house, let myself in and dashed for the answering machine. I hit PLAY and as soon as my message started I hit the DELETE button and then I hurried to the hall closet where I kept the camera bag. I took out the Nikon and checked to see what I had left on the roll and then I took the camera bag and ran up the stairs. I set the video camera up where it wouldn't be noticed and then I focused it in on the bed. At the last minute I remembered the little red light and I ran to the bathroom and got a Band-Aid to cover it.

Five minutes later I heard the garage door opener start to run and I left the bedroom and moved to the head of the stairs and peeked around the corner. Amy came in and headed straight for the wet bar and fixed a couple of drinks and about two minutes later Jason let himself in the front door. The bastard had a key to my house!

Amy walked over to him and handed him a drink and tilted her face up for a kiss. Jason took the drink and then bent and gave Amy a kiss on the lips that seemed to have a little tongue action with it and then the two of them went over and sat down on the couch.

"I think everything went well tonight. You did a great job as usual."

Amy grinned, "That's why you pay me the big bucks."

"No it isn't and you know it. I pay you the big bucks because you are the hottest piece of ass this side of the Mississippi. Your efficiency in other areas is just an unexpected bonus. Speaking of which, I hope you were happy with the size of yours?"

"You were more than generous Jason."

"It should have been more, especially since you wrapped Feldman around your little finger last night. He couldn't say enough good things about you. Did he stay the night?"

"Yes, and I got damned little rest out of it. He is especially fond of anal and my pooper is still a little sore. You will have to settle for blow jobs and pussy tonight."

"I thought you would never ask" and he stood up and undressed. 

Amy downed her drink and then got on her knees in front of him. "All the way?"

"Yeah baby, I want to cum in your mouth to start out the night."

"How long can you stay?"

"All night baby. Nancy is staying with her sister for three days. How long before I have to be out?"

"You can stay until tomorrow night. Hubby flies in at two the next day."

"Why can't I sty over night tomorrow too?"

"Because I want to be fresh as a Daisy when Mark gets home and that big cock of yours stretches me. I have to give it time to shrink a little."

"You sure that he doesn't expect anything?"

"Nope sweetie, he is clueless. He loves me and as far as he is concerned I can do no wrong."

And then she lowered her head and started sucking Jason's cock. Jason leaned back on the couch and I saw a satisfied smile come over his face. I wanted to go down there and smash his face in, but I held my anger in check. I'd get my revenge, but it would be my way. I'd had several friends who had gone through divorces and they had been raped and left bleeding by the courts and the lawyers and I was determined that it wasn't going to happen to me. But I needed the right pictures and I needed Amy to get Jason up to the bedroom where the video camera could tape them. Pictures with sound are so much better than stills, but I still needed the Nikon for back up.

Down on the couch I saw Jason arch his hips up off the couch and I could see Amy's throat moving as she swallowed his load.

"God baby, but you are the absolute greatest at that," he said as Amy stood up and started stripping. When she was down to just nylons and high heels she did a slow turn in front of him.

"You like?"

"You know I do baby. I can't get enough of you."

"That's good lover because Amy is horny tonight so let's get upstairs and see what you can do to help me resolve my problem."

Jason got up off the couch and with Amy leading the way he headed for the stairway. I moved back to the bedroom and got in the closet and moments later the two of them entered the room. Amy went right to the bed and spread herself for Jason.

"Eat me sweetie" she said as he got on the bed with her. He dutifully lowered his head and Amy moaned as his tongue and lips went to work on her. Amy still had her heels and hose on and I don't believe that I had ever seen a more erotic sight than Amy, legs spread wide and her black CFMs digging in as she pushed her cunt up at Jason's mouth. Erotic, but not what I was looking for in the way of photos.

After several minutes Amy moaned, "Are you hard yet lover?"

Jason took his mouth off her long enough to say, "As a rock sweetie" and he went back to muff diving.

"I want it Jason. I want your cock. I'm ready lover, fuck me, fuck my brains out."

Jason moved up and Amy reached down and used a hand to guide him into her cunt, "Oh god sweetie, that feels good, that feels so god damned good. I love your big cock in me Jason. Fuck me sweetie, fuck me."

Jason drove his cock in her and started pounding away and Amy was crying out, "Fuck me, fuck me, harder Jason, harder."

I was on edge. I wanted to burst out of the closet and start taking pictures with the Nikon, but I wanted as much video as I could get. I most especially wanted the portions where Amy was screaming out Jason's name. I had to force myself to stand there and watch and listen.

The most surprising thing about the situation, at least to me, was that as I watched and listened I was sporting the stiffest hard on I'd had in years. And then Jason started getting vocal.

"Who's your daddy?"

"You are baby, you are."

"Whose cock owns you?"

"Yours Jason, your cock owns me. I live for your cock baby, I crave it."

"Is your daddy better than your husband?"

"Much better baby, much better. Make me cum daddy, make me cum."

"Who has the bigger cock baby?"

"You do daddy, I love your big cock. Fuck me baby, fuck me hard."

I'd heard and seen enough and I pushed open the closet door and moved toward the bed. I got five good exposures before the two of them realized that they weren't alone. Suddenly Amy was screaming and struggling to get out from under Jason and Jason was scrambling to get away from Amy and off the bed. I just kept moving around and taking pictures until I ran out of film. Jason ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs to where his clothes were and a minute or two later I heard the front door slam.

On the bed Amy was crying and trying to talk at the same time. "What are you doing here" she said, more as an accusation than as a question, "You're supposed to be in New York."

"Yeah. Well Amy, I guess you just can't depend on me for nothing."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll check into a motel tonight and see a lawyer first thing in the morning. After that I'll step back and take a look at what's left."

"Why are you going to see a lawyer?"

"Because that seems to be the way that you go about getting a divorce."

"Divorce?"

"Yeah sweetie, that is what usually happens when one partner in a marriage catches the other being unfaithful and from what I've learned tonight you have been unfaithful in bunches. I'll have the lawyer arrange for a time when I can come back and pick up my stuff. Preferably with you not here." 

I turned to leave and she cried out, "Don't go Sam, I can explain. It isn't what you think" and I just kept on walking.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I was not surprised when I went into work the next morning to find seven messages for Amy on my voice mail. I deleted them and got to work. About nine my secretary stuck her head in my office, "I have your wife on line three." 

I was all set to tell her to disconnect and to not take any more calls from Amy, but then I thought that it would be unfair to Megan to put her in the middle. I lifted the handset and pressed the button for line three.

"Yes?"

"Come home Sam. I cried all night. I love you honey and I need you here."

"Tough shit Amy. I don't want to be any where near you."

"Can we at least get together and sit down and talk?"

"I don't see any need Amy. I heard enough last night just listening to you and Jason. I can't for the life of me think of what you could have to say that would make what I heard irrelevant."

"I don't know what you heard Sam, but I can explain if you will just give me a chance."

"Okay Amy, where and when?"

"I don't want to do it in public Sam. Just come home tonight and we can talk."

"I'll go along Amy, but you need to know that I know a whole lot more than you might think. The first time I catch you in a lie or even shading the truth a little I'm gone."

"Fair enough. I'll be there by six."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I arrived at six-ten and found Amy sitting at the kitchen table, an open bottle of white wine in front of her and two filled glasses on the table.

"Getting me drunk isn't going to help Amy."

"I know, but maybe the wine will loosen a little of the tension."

"There is no tension on my side of the table Amy, just a regret that something that I thought was so good was really rotten to the core."

"Please Sam, give me a chance to explain. It isn't what you think."

"Let me tell you what I think Amy -- no, make that let me tell you what I know. I know you are a whore. I know of three men who you have fucked this year and from what I've been hearing the number is probably considerably more. I saw you fucking Jason; I heard you tell him how much Feldman liked fucking your asshole and a man named Miller was all too happy to show me a naked picture of you and tell me what a marvelous night he spent with you. A contest prize for God's sake. You were a contest prize for some fucking geek from Omaha. What can you possibly say to make those things go away?"

"Okay Sam, I get the picture. I'm a whore, a round-heeled slut, the company punchboard, but there is a reason for it all and that's what I want to explain. It won't make it go away and it won't heal wounds, but I need for you to know why I did what I did even if you won't accept it or understand it."

"All right, go ahead, I'm listening."

"I'm ambitious Sam. I want more out of my life, at least job wise. I busted my ass to get to be Jason's secretary so I could use it as a springboard and it was working, at least until last night. I haven't seen or spoken to Jason since he left the house last night so I don't know what my status is right now. Jerry Winters is retiring next month and Jason was going to give me Jerry's position. I'd be Vice President of Sales and the odds on favorite to take over as president and CEO when Jason decides to hang it up.

"So I did a few things that were outside the bounds of our marriage, but so what? I wouldn't be the first woman who slept her way to the top. Besides, it isn't like it cost you anything -- you were never home. Are your skirts clean Sam? You never got a taste of strange while you were out there on the road doing business for your company?"

"Yes Amy, my skirts are clean. I had chances, lots of them. Women who were dangled in front of me like you were dangled in front of Feldman, but I always said no Amy. I always said no because I knew I had something better waiting at home for me. But I guess that I really didn't, did I?"

"Of course you did. I love you Sam, you know that. You have to know that. We couldn't have been together as long as we have without you knowing it. What I did while you were gone didn't change the way I feel about you."

"It sure didn't sound like it last night. I distinctly heard you shooting me through the grease while you and Jason were bouncing around on the bed."

"Honey, that was all bullshit. While you were taking pictures did you happen to notice the size of Jason's weenie? It is half the size of yours. Like most men who feel they are inferior on some level Jason needs his ego stroked. That's all it was honey, just bullshit to make Jason feel better about himself. Nothing more Sam, I swear."

"It doesn't change anything Amy. You are still a cheating wife and a whore. What is so god damned important about you being a VP or getting to be president and CEO. I make more than enough for the two of us. You never had to go to work in the first place."

"That's where you are wrong Sam. I need the security that climbing the corporate ladder will give me."

"So now, on top of everything else, you are saying that I'm not a good provider."

"Oh you're a great provider Sam, now, but what about next year or the year after that? You are a heart attack Sam, just looking for a time and place to happen. Your job and the way you do it are going to kill you Sam. You are on the road three weeks out of five, eating bad food and sitting in lounges and drinking in the evenings because you have nothing better to do. When you come home you spend ten or twelve hours a day at the office and still bring work home to do in the evenings and on the weekends. 

"When you go Sam, and I'm standing there looking down into the casket all I'm going to have are memories, equity in the house and a half million dollars in life insurance. Half a million sounds like a lot, but it isn't. If I try to keep the house I'd have to use a lot of it to pay the mortgage off or at least down far enough that I could refinance and get a payment that I could afford to make. Taxes being what they are would take some of it and then I would have to pay off all of our debts because I couldn't make the payments on an executive secretary's pay. I wouldn't have much left and I'd still have to work to get by."

"Well you are right about one thing Amy, you are certainly going to need the security because we are through. There might have been a chance -- a real small one -- that we might have survived your having an affair. I could maybe understand and forgive that. But I can't accept what you have been doing, no way."

"If you try to divorce me Sam I'll fight you every step of the way. I'll get the best divorce lawyer around and I'll fight it. I love you and I know that you love me and I know that we can work through this."


Amy's Security Continues



I'm back looking over JPB's shoulder once more. I'm trying not to make a habit of it, but this one I felt needed closure and although he didn't have Sam putting up with Amy's infidelity, I'm worried that if I leave it to Bob; he's likely to have poor Sam wimping out at the end...lol Sorry Bob, I didn't mean that! Again, I'd suggest that you read the original Amy's Security by JPB to bring you back up to speed for this conclusion...

I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank Britease for his invaluable assistance in editing. Thank you Brit, you're a gem! Sorry folks but the wrong version somehow got mixed up with this one. I hope you enjoy this version better.

Now back to the ending.

*

Sitting here reading the inter-office memo brought back memories I'd hoped would never resurface. Amy! My ever loving and faithless whoring ex-wife is now the head of my department, my immediate superior; how ironic is that! I should have known something like this was going to happen, but I was just relieved to be out of the marriage. Now it was back to haunt me tenfold!

Amy had said that I was a heart attack just waiting for time and place, and she was right! My doctor had warned me, but I hadn't taken all that much notice, believing that what I was doing wasn't all that bad. I mean, everyone works hard to provide for their family, don't they? I knew Amy was ambitious, her needs and wants were many. Take that over sized mansion we lived in, the pool in the back, along with the country club membership that sat collecting dust in her home office draw that neither of us had time to use, and it was my job to provide, or so I was brought up to believe.

The once love of my life would now be back in a position to be controlling my life again! This was the final act to snap me out of my apathy as there was no way I could even consider working under her. Not after finding out how many men she had, and maybe is still working under?

I finished dropping the final bits and pieces into the box and picked up my letter of resignation as I walked out of my office for the last time. Dropping the letter, my company cell phone, car keys and company credit card on Megan's desk I commented, "It's been really nice working with you Megan. I really wish you all the best; you're an asset and I want to thank you for all your help. You take care and don't let that bitch push you around. If she gives you any grief, then you have my permission to use me as a threat in getting a fair go."

"So you are leaving then Sam? This isn't just an idle threat?" She inquired, waving my letter in front of her face.

"Yes Megan! You know as well as I, that I couldn't work for her. I can't work with anyone I don't respect, and as you also know, with all the gory detail that she killed any chance of me respecting her."

"I'll miss you Sam! You know she's going to be pissed as when she finds out that you've up and pulled the pin. She's been pumping me for weeks about your work load and schedule. I haven't said anything to her that I wasn't required too, but I did feel as though I was stabbing you in the back. I'm sorry! I should have said something sooner."

I smiled. 

"Don't worry yourself about it. You have to protect your job, and there's nothing you could have said that would have made an ounce of difference. I knew the writing was on the wall when that memo came round about the merger. There's nothing I did here that I need kept secret as you well know."

"How do I act? What do I tell her when she asks where you are?"

I grinned, "Tell her exactly what you know; tell her the truth. She can't get her panties in a knot over that. Do what she wants, as long as it doesn't corrupt your own values."

"It's been truly a pleasure my dear, I'll keep in touch, I promise!" I told her as I shook her hand and then kissed the back of it.

I was getting into my car as a black limo pulled up in front of the office block and Amy got out with two well dressed men, looking for all the world like a high status, no nonsense business woman. When in fact we all know better! She is nothing more than an over paid high class escort with a title. Amy was looking very professional in her business suit, but then she always did looked good in anything she wore. She looked around but didn't see me and that was how I wanted it. I sat there for another minute or two to let her get into the building before I pulled out of the car park for the last time.

I'd already settled up all my affairs, sold off what needed to be sold and put all the rest into storage. My doctor had said I need a change of scenery, so I finally decided to take his advice. I spent the next three months driving around sightseeing and unwinding from the stresses of work. I ended up in a small town just this side of nowhere. The climate was moderate, the town folk friendly and the fishing great. I rented a little three bedroom cottage with a workshop annex next to the lake, with the option to buy. It had everything I needed to start my new life.

Sitting on the back deck supping on a cold one, I thought for the first time how Amy was taking my disappearance. I decided to give Megan a call the next day to see how much fallout there had been from my sudden departure.

"Hi Megan...It's Sam here! How's it going in the salt mine?"

"Sam! So good to hear from you, I was starting to worry that you'd fallen off the end of the earth."

I laughed out loud, sitting out on my deck watching the water lazily lap against my private pontoon. "Not quite fallen off, but the view from here is to say the least; spectacular. The wishing you were here applies. How're things back there?"

"Ohhh God Sam! You certainly know how to set the cat amongst the pigeons. Amy has been on a rampage, she's been going through the company like a packet of salts, and there's been layoffs right, left and centre. Kevin Paxton left last week after having a confrontation with her. I don't know what it was about, but she moved him from logistics to archives. Basically shunted him into a windowless office in the basement, and as you can imagine Kevin wouldn't take that, so he handed in his resignation and walked out.

"I'm sorry to hear that! Kevin was a good man, probably one of the best in his field. What the hell is that woman doing? If she's not careful, she's going to sink the ship before she gets it out of the harbour. How's she been with you?"

I heard Megan giggling, "In two words Sam ... Fucking Frustrated! She tried to fire me that first day, because I let you go before she got to talk to you. As if I could have stopped you and I told her so. Then she said that because I now no longer had a boss, I wasn't needed and to pack my things up and get the hell out."

"I stood there and told her to go ahead and try to fire me! 'I'll have you and the company in court so fast; you won't have time to fix your make up before the court appearance.' I then told her what you said and she went quiet, seems as if it had never occurred to her that her whoring to the top would come back and bite her on her well fucked ass."

Megan burst out in a fit of the giggles again before continuing, "So now I'm the secretary to the bitchy Executive Vice President in Charge of Operations. I think it has something to do with keeping your enemies closer than your friends. I told her I expected a substantial pay rise to go with the promotion. I don't think she was pleased with that either, because she just sneered, but in the end I got what I wanted."

I was in two minds as Megan related all the latest gossip. On one hand I was pleased that my going did have an impact on Amy's plans. Don't get me wrong, I made this life change for my own good as it was something I needed to do, and Amy's appearance was just the kick in the ass I needed to put an end to my procrastination. This latest development was just icing on the cake so to speak. Still I was worried that it would impact on everyone else in the long run, and that wasn't my intention. Next morning found me out of sugar and I decided to go to the little convenience store a short ways down the road. Their property actually borders mine, with an open paddock in between. I almost ran into a young couple as they left the store, and made my apologises before turning to see standing behind the counter, a much harried woman in her early twenties. "Can I help you?" She enquired, a baby making its presence felt by whimpering irritably just as a couple of cars pulled up at the gas pumps out front.

The woman sighed, "Where the hell is Jillian when I need her?"

I smiled and asked, "Can I help you instead? My name's Sam and I live just up the road. I think junior over there needs a feed, and all I need is some sugar. I haven't got anything special on, so if I can help out until you're finished or until Jillian gets here, it'd be my pleasure. How about I see to those out there, and let you see to your baby?

The woman smiled her acceptance and replied, "The name's Vivian, and I'd be so grateful for the help Sam."

I went out and took care of the travellers as they filled their tanks. I washed the windscreen and generally chatted, and on returning from the driveway, I laid their money down beside the cash register, just as another customer entered and started to browse the store. I took the time to wander over to chat with him. "Can I help you at all Sir?"

"Just looking at your selection of fishing rods," he replied. "I'm travelling through and I had to put my car in the shop for repairs, and it looks as though it'll be an all day job. I thought I'd get a little fishing in to while away the hours."

I noticed he looked like a businessman, and he could have been me, not more than a year ago. He was going for the cheap rod/reel combos, so I asked, "Do a lot of fishing then?"

The guy shook his head, "Not really, although I'd like to if I could find the time."

I smiled; this was what I was good at and then proceeded to convince him that getting something a little dearer would drastically increase his chances of catching his fish and enjoying his down time more.

I dealt with a dozen other customers before Vivian got the chance to put her daughter back down after feeding her. "Thank you so much Sam. Why is it that things only get busy when you can least afford it? Bessie doesn't normally make a fuss at this time of day, and Jillian is always here by now."

I chuckled, "I'd have to explain quantum mechanics to be able to explain that one, and since I have no idea what quantum mechanics is all about, then you'll just have to make an educated guess. Maybe you and your husband need to hire more reliable help." 

This made Vivian's face drop, and I noticed it. "I'm sorry; I seem to have said the wrong thing! Please accept my apologies." Vivian peered up though sad eyes, a single tear forming in the corner, "It's not your fault Sam, but I'm a widow." Vivian went on to explain that her husband Greg was a member of the army reserves and died while on manoeuvres.

She told me the truck he was in, turned over and he was killed. "The worst of it all was that Greg never even knew he was going to be a daddy. Bessie was most likely conceived the night before he left." Vivian wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand and continued, "I think he would have been a good father, and he had so many ideas, this place being one of them." Vivian waved her hand around, indicating the store and land it sat on.

Over the next few weeks, I made a habit of going down to the store and helping out when I could. I know what you're all thinking and you're probably right. Vivian was a good looking woman and my hormones hadn't been satisfied for quite awhile, but apart from that, it gave me back my sense of worth. The one thing that had hurt me the most was the knowledge that Amy's infidelity was an indication that she didn't need me or think that I could adequately provide for my family, and that she had little faith and no trust in my abilities. That was the final insult I had to bear.

I think Vivian saw my need to give and although she never asked straight out for my help, she never refused if I offered, and always remarked on how much she appreciated my support. I was starting to feel good about our time together, and she was funny, caring and appreciative which sat well with me.

I was on my way home from another afternoon helping out at the store when my cell phone broke into my thoughts.

"Hello!"

"You're lucky that you're not a receptionist Sam. You wouldn't last a day with your phone manner!" The female voice chortled into my ear.

"Hi Megan, sorry but you caught me off guard for a minute. It's almost seven at night. Is there an emergency?"

Megan sobered up and stated, "I had to wait till I got home to call as I don't know if the bitch boss has my desk phone tapped or not, but I didn't want to chance it. And Sam, that's the reason I'm ringing. You'll need to be on your guard. I'm just calling to giving you the heads up. She's putting a private detective on your tail. Well she's asked me to put one on you and I really can't not do it and keep my job, but I thought that if you had forewarning, you may be able to lay low for awhile and stay below the radar."

I sighed, "Has that woman made it her personal mission in life to harass me into the grave?"

"I don't know Sam, all I know is she's at her wits end. She's been putting in some horrendous hours to try and turn this place around, and I think it's taking its toll on her. She looks ten years older and has put on a good ten kilos."

"Well she couldn't be pregnant ... Ok maybe she could, but not by me at any rate?"

I heard Megan giggle again on the other end, "No! I'm almost certain it's the strain. Too many comfort trips to the freezer for ice cream, I'd say. You can see it in her face and upper arms, she starting to balloon. She's frantic to find you and has put me in charge of the task, citing that it was my fault you left before she got to talk to you."

"Jeesus H Christ! Ok! I can see that it's futile to ignore her. Here's what I figure you can do. Give it a week and then go to her with a bogus report saying that they weren't able to find me, but that they are fairly sure that the cell phone is legit. Then tell her that you have already phoned and have convinced me to talk to her."

Megan must have heard the agitation in my voice," You sure Sam? I really hate to do this to you."

"Don't worry about it Megan, you need to look after number one, then you can guard my six like you've been doing. I appreciate your efforts, but don't put yourself in the line of fire."

One week later Megan gave me a text message in the morning before she started work, "ph no 2 bb 2 day. b ready 4 call today sometime?"

I saw the text message and chuckled at the abbreviations...BB? Bitch Boss?... No? no...ohhh Number? Damn these young people and their hi-technology, then I thought about what I was going to say to her. Nothing came to mind and I figured I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. As promised the call came. I recognised Amy's cell phone number as I answered it, "Yes Amy; whatdoyawant?"

Amy must have been caught off guard by my slurring of words and at the crisp short greeting. "What'd that bitch of a secretary of mine been..." 

I hung up.

My cell rang again, "Damn it Sam..." 

I hung up again.

The next time it rang Megan cut in quick, "You going to talk to her or not?"

I chuckled, "Tell the bitch, the next time she rings to keep a civil tongue in her head, and she'll be able to get more than two words out. I'm through with her trying to lord it over me."

Megan giggled, "It'll be my pleasure Sam, talk to you later."

There was a five minute gap between talking to Megan and the next call, "Sam?"

"Yes Amy, Whatyawant?"

Another pause then, "May I talk to you for a minute?"

"I'm listening!"

Another pause. "Has Megan been crying on your shoulder? What has she said?"

"Megan is a very capable young lady, and it doesn't matter what she told me! That girl, your so called bitch of a secretary is the ONLY reason you're talking to me right now and if I were you, I'd be kissing her ass in thanks for helping you out. So I'll ask you again, whatdoyawant?"

I thought I heard a sigh, "I'm sorry Sam. I'm just a bit edgy lately. I know Megan has been ...well has done her job well, and I appreciate it, I really do."

I knew that Amy was trying to diffuse my angst, and I wondered what could cause her to surrender so quickly. "Get to the point Amy! You still haven't told me what'chwant!"

I heard Amy stifle a small sob, "I really need to talk to you Sam, I need your advice. I had thought we'd be working together here...you know, as a team, but you quit and disappeared before I could run it past you."

I grunted irritably, "I saw the writing on the wall Amy! As soon as I saw the memo come round that your company had bought out mine, I saw no mileage in staying and being humiliated all over again. So now that we've got that out of the way, you have a nice life Amy, but I doubt if I'll see you around, since I don't mingle in your circles anymore .... Goodbye!"

"Nooooo Please Sam! Please listen, I really need to talk to you, but not over the phone, it has to be face to face. I know I probably don't deserve it but I'm begging you. Just half an hour, thirty minutes to put my idea across and then I'll leave it up to you." Amy was almost crying into the phone by the time she finished. "Please Sam, I don't know who else to turn to."

I ground my teeth. All I wanted to do was hang up and forget I'd ever got tangled up with this woman. A long moment drew out as I was battling with myself. "Ok Amy! But I'm not running around after you, so if you need to talk, then you're the one that'll have to meet me at my end. I'll organise it with Megan, and she'll let you know when and where." I flicked my cell shut before Amy could reply, half expecting her to call back but the phone never rang the whole night.

~...~ 

Amy was annoyed. "Why do I have to go through all this Megan? Why can't you just give me Sam's address and let me go alone?"

Megan's grip on the steering wheel made her knuckles turn white, "For the last time Amy, it's because this is the way Sam wants it! You need to see him; he doesn't want to see you. In his words; and I quote "It's my way or the highway, her choice!" I don't like sitting in a car for hours on end with you anymore than you do, but if he wants me to bring you, then you're just going to have to accept it. I have no intention of being there while you're having your little pow-wow. I'll make myself scarce, you can rest assured."

~...~

I started chopping the vegetables and herbs for the Italian sauce I was making for dinner. Megan had rung thirty minutes ago to tell me they were under an hour away, which meant that they would be arriving in about twenty to thirty minutes. The last thing I wanted was for Amy to feel comfortable while she was here, but keeping myself occupied while she made her case, would keep her at a disadvantage.

Fifteen minutes later I heard a knock at the front door. "It's open, come on in!"

"Well don't you look all domesticated?" Megan quipped with a genuine smile.

I chuckled at her banter, "Hi Megan! Good to see you too. You're looking well." Looking in her direction, I saw Amy behind her looking decidedly apprehensive.

"Amy!" Was all I said, but noted Megan's appraisal of her health. I saw in the short glance the bags under her eyes, as well as her increase in weight. Megan's guess of ten kilos may have been a little on the bitchy side, but wasn't all that far from the mark.

"I'm dying for a drink," Megan countered as she gave me a friendly hug and kiss on the cheek. "You're not looking too bad yourself, so the country air seems to agree with you."




Amy's Security Continues



"There's wine, beer or cola in the fridge if you'd like to help yourself." To prove my point, I held up my messy hands. "You want something to drink?" I shot at Amy as an afterthought.

Amy couldn't help but notice the cold demeanour in my voice, and lowered her head slightly, realising for the first time that this meeting was going to be harder than she anticipated. "Hello Sam, and thank you, a wine would be nice. Megan's right, you are looking well."

Megan opened a bottle of white wine and poured two glasses, handing one to Amy. "Which way to world's end? I want to check out the view," she indicated with a sweep of her hand that held the bottle of wine. "I'll leave you two to duke it out, but just remember,' she said pointing the bottle in my direction. "I'm not here to bury bodies or clean up a crime scene, so play nice."

I smiled at Megan's reference to me falling off the end of the earth and I pointed out the back door, commenting, "You don't have any worries with me, there's a fishing rod out on the deck if you'd like to try your hand."

Megan rolled her eyes, "Not likely! I wouldn't know what to do with it, even if I did happen to catch one." With that she sauntered out the door, leaving Amy and I to our little chit chat.

"Take a load off and tell me why you're here!" I told her as I pointed to a chair and went back to chopping herbs.

Amy hesitantly took a seat and looked around trying to find a way to lighten the mood, "Nice place you have here, small but nice!"

I stiffened; my irritation at her being here was starting to surface. "This isn't a social call Amy!" I went back to murdering some basil, "Just get it off your chest and we can both get back to living our own lives!"

Amy stifled a gasp, took a sip of her wine for fortification, "May I ask one question?"

I sighed, "You can ask all the questions you want Amy, that doesn't mean that I'll answer any of them, but hell, take your best shot!"

"Why did you leave?" I turned to see Amy watching for any tell tale sign that I was going to explode. I suppose she knew from years of living with me and knew by my actions that I was taking great effort to control my temper.

I threw the knife down and turned to Amy. "You don't need a fucking BA in rocket propulsion to understand my motives Amy. You're a high flying Vice President now. You must have some brains to get to where you are; surly you can figure it out."

Amy winced at my dig about the way she'd worked her way up within her company and I could see her irritation rise to the surface. "That was a low blow even for you Sam! I am quite capable of doing my job. What I'm not capable of is mindreading."

I folded my arms and just stared at her for a long minute. Amy looked like she was wilting under my gaze. "You're right Amy! You're not a mind reader, and there aren't too many people who are, if any, but to be effective in a job like yours, you need to be able to read people, and understand and second guess their motives. That is what a good Exec does; he finds the talents of his/her employees and exploits them for the company's good. That doesn't mean that he does it maliciously, it has to be a win/win situation. Do you really want to know what I think of you and your talents Amy?"

I saw a shiver run the length of her spine at my question. She was pretty sure what I was going to say and I was fairly sure it didn't instil any confidence in her, but I think she thought she needed to keep me talking to have any chance of getting what she needed. She straightened her shoulder, "Ok Sam! I'll bite, what are your thoughts on my corporate talents?"

I almost laughed out loud at Amy's pathetic attempt at goading me and went back to my cooking, "You're a bulldozer Amy! You have the finesse and subtleties of a bull in a china shop!"

This statement threw her I know, and her gaping mouth said it all. Of all the things she thought I'd say that wasn't even on the list. "A bulldozer?" Was all she could say for a minute or so, then, "Would you care to elaborate on that statement?"

I smiled inwardly as I kept chopping. "Yes Amy! A bulldozer! You take the most direct route to your goal, which may not even be the route of least effort, and you don't analyse the situation! You don't look around you and ask yourself who you can help, who will be helped into helping you! You don't think of anyone but yourself! You don't sit back and ask yourself what is the best line of attack! You just go in, put your head down and heaven help anyone who gets in your road. And that is why you're in the unenviable position that you now find yourself. You have burnt your bridges and laid waste to the ground before you."

I could see a tear start to form in the corner of her eye as she listened to my tirade. For the first time since I have known her, she was at a loss for words. 

"No I don't!" Was all she could manage.

Her weak rebuttal said it all, "Everything I did was for us Sam, but your ego has made you blind to it. I understand that I hurt you, and I have told you a thousand times how sorry I am for that! If you had just stayed long enough, I would have been able to bring you in on my plan. You still haven't told me why you left!"

I tasted the sauce and added some more salt. "I saw the writing on the wall, and I'm not stupid Amy! I know you were coming in to cull the deadwood; you're the hatchet man or woman as the case maybe, sent in to remove the people that needed to be taken out so that the company could move forward, and I'm in full agreement that there was a need for it. All I did was make it easier for you to make those decisions."

I saw a look of anticipation; this was where she wanted this discussion to go. "Sam Beckman, for a smart man you certainly do some stupid things. I had no intention of firing you. And if you had any resemblance of smarts, then you would have known that. As I said before, what I did, I did for us! I did it so you could see all your dreams come true.

Good ploy! She going for the heart strings, and stroking my ego at the same time, but then I never said she wasn't good at stroking. I was just miffed about what else she stroked.

"I can't count the times we sat in the kitchen at home with you going on about how the fools at the top were keeping the company on its knees with their inept management. I believed in you Sam! I believed you when you said that you could pull the company up by its boot straps! I'm now in a position to help you put your ideas into practice. I knew you could do it, and I busted my ass to give you your shot at it. I went out on a limb with my bosses, and said that I could bring your company into big profits. And what'd it get me?"

Arr! Now it's the all your fault gambit.

"You left me hanging in the breeze, without even giving me a chance to tell you what I had in mind! I've been battling on; putting in long hours to try and do what you said could be done. All I need is a little help from the one and only man I have ever loved. That's you Sam; I need you! Between the two of us we can sit back and reap the rewards that our union has accomplished.

Hmmm! The, I love you, and this is our future arrow.

"I'm not stupid enough to think that we'll get back together, although I dream about it all the time. No! I see now that if we work at it, we can have a good business relationship, and be happy. So! What do you say? How about a truce and we get to work, and together we can show them that we're a force not to be trifled with?"

Amy took another sip from her wine glass and sat back. She seemed happy that I had stood there and listened and hadn't interrupted. But now her impetus had waned, she had stated her case and it was up to me to make the next move.

I had finished making the sauce while Amy gave her speech, and was now putting a pot of water on to boil for the spaghetti, the only thing I could think of were the last words of Julius Caesar "Et tu Brutus!" Betrayal! Those were the first thoughts I had, had when I first found out about her whoring for her company, and the reasons she gave.

For all of Amy's pap, there was one niggling thought that kept banging away in the back of my mind, and those three words had encapsulated her past and present actions. "Ok Amy! A good executive looks at all the angles and then makes their decision on the best course of action. Just say for argument sake that I buy into your so called brilliant plan. What is it that gives you the idea that I can be of any help to you?"

I could see annoyance in Amy's eyes at my question. I suppose to her it was obvious. "I told you before that I believe you have the ability to pull this off, and that you have the standing in the company to garner the support of the troops, so to speak. They trust you and respect your opinions. The blocks you have encountered in the past have all been upper management and they have been swept aside by my taking over as VP. I don't understand what you're trying to say?"

I smiled sadly at Amy's naivety, "You can't see that the very action of your taking over the helm has negated my effectiveness in garnering support. But I'm not surprised! And the reason I say that is, because of your refusal to believe that you have done anything wrong. Others don't see it that way Amy."

I saw the alarm on Amy's face as I went on, "Have you ever wondered why you're having trouble gathering support for your ideas? The rumour mill has done more than an adequate job of informing all the staff of your business practices and ethics, and I might add, with not so much as one word from me.

Amy's face was a mask; I was getting into territory that she wanted left well enough alone. "All they see is a whore who has leapfrogged her way to the top by opening her legs to anyone who could help her rise up one more rung of the corporate ladder, leaving more deserving employees to scrounge for scraps in her wake."

Amy had the good grace to wince, "They know you cuckolded me in our marriage, and it's something that had made working there difficult, until I realised that I still had my dignity and their respect the day I cut ties and divorced you. If I took you up on your proposition, then I'd be effectively tell everyone that everything you did was ok, and now instead of being a cuckolded husband, I'd be making myself a cuckolded employee. I'd lose their respect, and my ability to function would go straight down the toilet!"

Amy had tears forming again in the corner of her eyes as I gave my negative appraisal of her proposition. Her faith in her stand started to crack, "I don't believe you Sam! I have shown that I'm prepared to work hard, that all I did was to get myself into a position of influence to get the job done. I am more than capable of doing the job, otherwise Jason wouldn't have given it to me."

I shook my head, my anger and annoyance was morphing into sadness. I now saw that Amy actually believed her own press, that her mind had, maybe for self-preservation, refused to acknowledge the truth of her position. "Did Jason come to you about the takeover, or did you press for it?"

Amy wiped her face with a tissue she'd taken from her purse, and straightened with a little hope, "It doesn't matter what you or anyone else thinks. I'm not Jason's puppet! I went to him, and I have to tell you he put up a lot of barriers until he allowed me to go to the board of directors to state my proposal."

I nodded in recognition. It was as I had feared how the merger had got off the ground. "Just as I thought! Let me ask you one thing? Was Jason ball deep in your pussy when he gave in to your wishes to speak to the board members, or were you giving him a blowjob?"

If Amy's eyes hadn't given her away immediately, then the gasp surly sealed her fate. Trying to gather her wits she asked, "Why do you think that?" 

I chuckled at her reaction to my query, "Do you know why I was good at my job Amy?" I continued beyond my rhetorical question. "Since I can remember, I have made profiles on everyone I meet, and before you embarrass yourself, that includes you as well. The problem I had with your profile is I didn't take my love for you into account. I stupidly thought that since you loved me then I could trust you implicitly. It's a mistake that has cost me dearly and I changed your profile to suit, because as my dear old grandfather once told me, 'No use getting older son if you're not going to get any smarter!' "

"I judge people not just by what they say, but what they then do, and if it fits their profile, then I can either work with them or around them. Either way I seem to be able to get the best of any situation. Knowing the sort of person Jason is I don't believe he gives a fat rat's ass whether you succeed or fail. If you fail, he'll wipe his hands of you and point to the board, saying that they were the ones who approved your proposal."

I could see the light dawning in her eyes as I continued, "If you succeed, then he takes the credit for bring an up and coming executive into a position that has increased the profit margin. He wins no matter whether you succeed or fail. So there goes your thinking that you have support from above. Jason doesn't care whether you're smart enough put your shoes on the right feet or dumb enough to believe you can pull off this coup, as long as you keep the end of his cock wet, he'll be happy. You're on your own Amy; a little fish in a big pond and the piranha are hungry."

Amy fidgeted with her tissue. Everything I had said had validity, and it must have frightened her to think that she was in bigger strife than she first thought, but true to her modus operandi she shut her mind off to the possibility that she couldn't bring about her security.

"So you think I can't do this?"

I shrugged, "No Amy! No I don't think; I know you can't do this!" I noted the anger rising in Amy but I pressed on, "It won't be cocks you'll be getting up your ass; it'll be a fucking big Saturn five rocket which will launch you right out of your VP job and into corporate oblivion. Where will your precious security be then Amy?"

I turned away from her to calm myself down. "From what I hear all you have managed to do while you've been there is spin your wheels and create so much smoke that everyone else is having trouble doing their jobs!"

I turned back to watch Amy's reaction to that. "I'll be surprised if there isn't a twenty five percent downturn in quarterly profit at the next stockholders meeting! But all that is supposition! You can give this charade any spin you like, but it all comes back to your reasons for doing it in the first place. Let me tell you what I know and what I think. You told me that you love me and that you did this both for us!"

Amy was visibly shaking under my tirade but nodded in agreement.

"But by your own admission, it's all about your own security; it has nothing to do with mine, or ours. If you loved me as you keep telling me, then you would have moved heaven and earth to get me to stop working myself to death. What was it you said? I was a heart attack waiting for a time and place to happen."

I waited for her to think back before continuing, "You didn't try, or if you did it wasn't very convincingly. No, you just went ahead and fucked yourself into a position of security waiting for me to start pushing up daisies. You could have threatened to divorce me if I didn't slow down and think of us. I'm sure that would have got me thinking in the right direction, and I know your infidelity certainly did! It's why I'm here now and feeling great for it."

"I love you Sam! I didn't want to divorce you."

"You didn't want to divorce me, but you were prepared to sit back and let me work myself to death? That sounds really loving?" I finished sarcastically.

I smiled inwardly; Amy couldn't refute my argument and couldn't hold my gaze. "I didn't mean what I said back then, and I do love you even now. I regret a lot of what I said to you back then."

My grim face must have showed doubts. I'm also sure that Amy believed what she was saying. "I don't have any doubt that in your own way, you love me Amy, but that has nothing to do with our situation. Don't you see! I can't trust you now, either in a personal relationship or in business."

I decided to end this discussion.

"This is how I see it now! You have finally got as close as you can to the top! There is no one else you can fuck to get any higher. You'll have to wait for Jason to retire or kick the bucket before you'll be in line for CEO and you thought this would be a good opportunity to cement your position in the company and lay claim to the coveted CEO position."

Amy went to object, but I held her off. "That's where your little scheme of taking over my old firm comes in! You take over and seduce me into working my ass off again to feather your own nest. I'm dumfounded that you actually expected me to fall in line and do your bidding. I thought for sure that it was obvious that I wasn't a wimp when I kicked you out the first time. Then I realised it was most likely my fault, that I had set you up for you to fail."

I could see that Amy was struggling to keep up. One minute I was saying it was all her fault, and now I was accepting responsibility. "You're not making any sense Sam! I think it's you that has it all back to front."

I hung my head and sighed in exasperation, "Ok Amy! You've heard the adage of being cruel to be kind! Well I wasn't being kind! I lead you up the garden path, when in fact I should have chopped you down and kicked you in the cunt while you were down! Cruel to be kind! But instead I went to Jason and made him keep his promise to make you VP, and he did. I loved you enough to not want to see you hung out to dry, even though you deserved it! I made a mistake because it made you think that there was a chance that I could be talked back into your arms. Your little love cards on my birthday, Christmas, and any other occasion you could think of confirmed it time and time again."

I rose to check the sauce, and added more water to the now almost dry pot. "If I had done what I should have done, then you'd have disappeared to some unknown location where no one knew you, licked your wounds and started again, hopefully a little wiser. That is what I want you to do now; just walk away and start again."

The tears were brimming again. "You'll have to go back to some secretarial job, but at least that won't be as bad as what will happen if you stay and try to fight this out. You'll be lucky if your job description allows you to lick stamps while being fucked up the ass by some pimply face mailroom jerk over the sorting table!"

I watched Amy as my words hit home. I tried to lay it on thick, and it saddened me to see defiance in her face instead of resignation. "I know I hurt you Sam! God I kick myself every day for it, but what you have just said is downright malicious. You have no belief in me at all and after all the belief I have in you. Well if that's what you think then sit back and watch, and I'll show how it's done."

Just then there was a knock at the door. "Come in!" I snapped in irritation.

"Is everything all right Sam? I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something."

I sighed at losing my temper, and looked at my watch, not realising just how much time had elapsed. "I'm sorry Vivian, no please come in. Amy was just leaving." I shot a look at her and waited for her to get up.

Amy looked at Vivian standing in the doorway to the living room. She was a good five, maybe ten years younger and pretty as a picture, slim with long flowing dark auburn hair. I couldn't help notice the look on Amy's face as she realised why she was here. She looked back to me. I was just staring at her blandly, and then her eyes took in the food simmering away on the stove, then back to me again.

The tears started to fall as the penny dropped. I looked over my shoulder at the dinner I was preparing for Vivian and myself and realised what Amy was thinking. "What? You thought this was for you? I told you in the beginning that this wasn't a social call, so don't go getting all upset that I'm having a friend over for dinner. You and I are finished, we have been for years. The only reason I allowed you to come here is to knock some sense into that stupid head of yours."




Amy's Security Continues



Amy sprang up with her head down and rushed past Vivian mumbling, "Tell Megan I'll be waiting in the car for her."

"I hope I haven't made a bad situation worse?" Vivian looked at Amy's retreating form. "I'll leave and you can sort this out. I can tell Jillian I don't need her to babysit?"

"It has nothing to do with you. I'm glad you showed up when you did." I gave Vivian a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Can you put the pasta in and watch it for a minute. I have to tell Megan that our meeting is over, and that she can take Amy home."

As I walked out onto the back deck and saw Megan dozing as the last rays of the afternoon sun faded behind the landscape, it came to mind that one thing that Amy had said was true. Now that Amy was VP, she had swept aside all the blocks hindering my ideas, and it got me thinking, "How's the view?"

"It's all you said it would be Sam, simply refreshing!" Megan said smiling with her eyes closed, "How'd it go in there? I didn't hear any gun shots."

"Not good I'm afraid, and she's not going to back down. She's in the car waiting for you at the moment. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure Sam, you know you can ask me anything!"

I smiled weakly. "What do you see in your future at work? How ambitious are you Megan?"

Megan eyes popped open at this unusual question. "I'm not sure what you're getting at Sam? But if it's what I think it is, then I'd like a shot at Amy's job for a start." She got up out of her deck chair. "I know I can do it, and do it well, but I have no intention of compromising my virtue just to get it. Why do you ask?"

I dropped my head in thought. "I think it's time to put a halt to this three ring circus." I then spoke with grim determination. "Can you get Kevin Paxton on side and meet me in town? Let's say in three weeks time, because I might have a proposition for the both of you." 

Megan nodded her affirmation.

I led Megan back into the cottage and she saw Vivian standing at the stove. Digging me in the ribs with her elbow she whispered, "I see now why Amy lit out of here with her tail between her legs. You old dog you!" The look on Megan's face made me grin. "She's gorgeous, and I'm sure that she was the final nail in Amy's coffin. Christ Sam, Amy's not in her league, never was; hell I'm not even in her league! That poor girl has to be licking her wounded pride now!"

I nodded at Megan assessment of Vivian's beauty. "And she's just as gorgeous on the inside."

Vivian looked up as I introduced Megan. "Pleased to meet you. Sam seems to have so many women in his life, I'm not sure he has enough room for me," she hesitantly stated.

Megan giggled. "Don't worry about any other woman you see Sam with. He's a one woman man, that you can be sure of sweetie. And from what I can see, he's got his sights on your cute little derriere. You better watch your six! Sam can be a real Casanova when he sets his sights on a woman worth his interest."

I don't know what Megan was going on about. I hadn't been around her in any social situation for her to make a statement like that.

I could feel my face turning red. "I think you've said enough for one night Megan, and it's time to leave." I was pushing her to the front door when she looked over her shoulder and fired her last salvo, "If you're smart Vivian, you won't let this hunk out of your grasp." With one last kiss on my cheek she bid me goodbye. "You be good now, and I'll see you in three weeks."

Vivian and I sat finishing our dinner over a merlot out on the rear deck, watching the water fowl swim idly past. We chatted about what had happened that afternoon and I filled Vivian in on all the sordid details of my marriage to Amy along with the destruction she had brought to it.

"You don't want to do this! Do you Sam?"

I winced at what I was about to undertake. "No Vivian, you're right! I don't want to do it, but it has to be done. I can't sit back and let everyone back there lose their jobs because I sort the easy way out. As much as it pains me, I have no choice." 

Vivian was quiet for a time but stated, "If you ask me Amy is still holding a candle for you!"

I looked at Vivian and almost laughed. "I knew she did before, but I don't think so now! Not after what I said to her this afternoon. I ripped into her as hard as I could but I don't think it made any difference?"

Vivian smiled. "For all your hard assed bluster, it's obvious that you care for others Sam, including Amy, and take it from me; we women put a lot of value on that quality in our men!"

I really had nothing to say to that so I went back to sucking on my beer.

Vivian patted my arm for reassurance. "If I haven't made a big mistake about you, then I'm sure that you'll do the right thing for everyone."

I nodded with a grim foreboding, "But not everyone will be thinking that way I'm afraid!"

"You didn't make her bed Sam, she did, and now she'll have to lay in it, and there's nothing you can do about it." Vivian was silent for a minute or two, and I was lost in my own thoughts when she took me completely by surprise. "Speaking of beds; when are you going to show me yours?"

To say the statement came out of left field would be to minimize it, and it caught me totally by surprise.

"Huh?"

Vivian giggled. "Megan told me if I wanted to stake my claim to you then I hadn't better pussy foot around. What was it she said? "If you're smart Vivian, you won't let this hunk out of your grasp!" Well this is me grabbing hold of someone I think is worth holding on to."

"So you're interested in more than a platonic relationship?" I know it sounded like I was a fresh out of school teenager, testing waters. "I didn't want to do the wrong thing here. As you can see my track record with women isn't all that promising!" I found it hard looking her straight in the eyes as I said it.

Vivian chortled. "You're blushing Sam!" 

My ears exploded into a fiery blaze, as a sheepish grin crept across my face. "You sure know how to make a guy feel stupid!" I rubbed my face and eyes with both hands, more to get myself back under control than for any really feeling of tiredness. "The day I walked into your store and saw you looking absolutely frazzled and you accepted my help, I felt like a knight in shining armour come to rescue a damsel in distress!"

The smile on her face was priceless. "You were my knight on his trusty steed that day, and still are Sam." Vivian leaned over and kissed me affectionately on the cheek. "Since that day I have come to depend on you. I now understand why you took pity on me all those months ago."

Vivian stopped when she saw the look of confusion on my face. "It must have been hard for you to be shown by Amy that you weren't needed? Well if it's any consolation, I need you Sam! I haven't been so comfortable and relaxed since Greg passed away."

"Yeah well it's a guy thing! Amy didn't understand it and I couldn't explain it either."

Vivian patted my hand for reassurance. "You've been good to me Sam and I want you to know that I appreciate it. It wasn't until Megan made her faux pas that I actually realised that I have more than just feelings of friendship for you, so what do you say. You want to take this to the next level?"

The look on Vivian's face was one of sincerity mixed with hope. "Well Madam! If you insist, then I'll just have to show you my etchings," I finished with a wicked grin.

Vivian's face lit up. "Etchings be damned! I'm more interested in the tool you use to do those etchings?" We both broke up laughing as she got up and moved toward the door quipping, "Race you to the bedroom!"

~...~

I saw Kevin and Megan watching me walk into the restaurant. My gaze must have said everything about my mood. Kevin stood and held out his hand. "Long time no see old friend, so good to see you after all this time. What have you been doing with yourself? You look ten years younger!"

I smiled as I took Kevin's hand. "Nice to see you again, I'm fit as a fiddle! How's life treating you?"

"Ohhh fair to middling. Can't really complain, because no one ever listens!"

I smiled at Kevin's statement as I gave Megan a kiss on the cheek. "You're looking as radiant as ever my dear. I don't know what you see in this ruffian but I hope he's been treating you well?"

Megan giggled. "A ruffian he may be, but I kind of go for that rugged type. How'd you know?"

I smiled. "Because as I told Amy; I'm a people watcher my dear, and I saw your reaction when I asked for Kevin to be here today. I think you two will make a formidable team."

Kevin grinned at my appraisal, "Speaking of which! What's this proposal you have for us?"

I chuckled. "Always from the hip Kevin, you'll never change. Ok then, business first, and then we can settle down and enjoy our meal."

While the waitress served our drinks I went into my spiel, "As you know the company is in dire straits, and if something isn't done soon, everyone will be out on their respective asses looking for employment elsewhere. As you and I have found out, there isn't a lot of choice out there."

I brought out some folders from my brief case and handed the white one the Kevin. "That is what I feel needs to be done to turn this mess around, if you disagree or have any more to add, then feel free to speak up.

While Kevin was perusing the folder in his hand, I opened a second one. "This is a list of the people you'll need to get on side. I'm leaving it up to you as to how you do it."

Kevin flicked through the folder he already had. "At first glance here I can see have you've put some thought into this proposal. From what I can see you're not just going after JPL and Amy, but Dobson Inc and Jason as well?"

I saw the look on Kevin's face and I knew he what he was thinking. "We have no choice Kevin. Since Dobson has bought out JPL, it has to be a two-pronged attack. My original ideas were for JPL alone. The board of directors of Dobson are now the ones we need to concentrate on if we're to have any success here. If you can get the board on side and Megan can do her bit at JPL, then we've got a chance, slim as it may be, but our only chance!"

Kevin handed over the folder to Megan. "You're not joking when you that Sam! Slim is an understatement, more like anorexic, but I can see the possibilities. Though I think it might be an idea to put it past Jack Deakin! He's the man when it comes to bean counting, don't you think?"

I thought for a while then nodded grimly. "I know he's a genius when it comes to beans, if you think he's the one we need? He and I didn't get along at the end there. I'm not really sure why, but he just made it clear to me that I wasn't his favourite co-worker."

Megan nodded while perusing the folder. "I agree with Kevin; Jack needs to be in on this! When it comes to creative accounting he's a master. I'll have a talk with him and sound him out first."

Kevin took the second folder to read, going over the list of names. "Wow, there's some pretty high profile people here, I'm not sure if I can even get into see some of them let alone bring them on board?"

I grinned at Kevin's doubt. "What do you think I have been doing for the last three weeks? There is one name there, Slovak. I haven't been able to get anywhere near him and if he's not on board then all this a moot point."

"How in god's name did you get so influential?"

"Influential be damned! If I was that good I'd have Slovak eating out of my palm." I handed another folder over to Kevin, "That is a list of appointments you have with all those others on the list except Slovak."

Megan looked up from the folder she was reading. "Isn't Slovak an uncle of Jerry Cambridge? Maybe he can get in to see him for us?"

Kevin and I looked to each other and shrugged our shoulders as Kevin asked, "Can you find out and organise something sweetheart?" Megan smiled, "I have a meeting to organise itinerary and travel plans for an upcoming trip with Jerry tomorrow. I'll ask him then."

That bit of information made me feel a little better so I finished, "I took the liberty of organizing times and dates on your behalf. The shit is starting to smell, even up in high places! I set out my worries, but at that stage I didn't have a workable plan. I called in a shit load of marker to do this. There's still a lot of work to do to wrap up the details and I think we need to get everyone we can together to flesh out the final draft."

Megan shook her head, "I can't believe Jason hasn't seen the shit coming?"

"Ohhh he knows it's coming alright," I scoffed. "I believe he just doesn't care! He has his escape goat and Amy's in for a terrible surprise when he drives the knife into her back."

Megan winced in sympathy. "Amy might be selfish slut, but I don't believe she deserves to be hung drawn and quartered in this fashion!" 

I nodded my asseveration. "I believe that he'll have to act before the next quarterly stock holders meeting for any chance to stay clean himself. That's why we have to act now, and make it surgically fast, neat and clean. Impress the big wigs and we're home and hosed."

Kevin shook his head. "You seemed to think that we'll take you up on this offer!"

I smiled again. "Come on Kevin, think about it. What do you have to lose? If Amy could swing them her ideas, then it'll be a walk in the park for you! You haven't found another job that will do justice to your abilities have you? I know you have a score to settle with Amy. I'm also damn well sure that Jason isn't exactly on your Christmas list."

I nodded to Megan, "And this little minx over here seems to believe in you as much as do I. I'm fairly sure that you'll take the bit between your teeth and run with this. Hell I've done the easy bit, all you got to do is bring home the bacon."

Kevin laughed along with Megan. "All tied up with a neat little pink ribbon!" He stated sarcastically.

Megan frowned. "What about Jason, he won't go down without a fight, and I'm sure he has the backing to scuttle this ship before it has a chance to fire the first broadside?" She pointed out as she perused the second folder.

I screwed my face into an evil grin. "You leave that fucker to me. You won't even see him, let alone have to deal with him. All you need to do is keep Amy occupied so she doesn't know what's happening and do something stupid like committing professional suicide and taking out everyone else in the process."

Megan's face matched mine with her grin. "She's the last of our worries! After your little talk the other day, she's had her head down so much that she doesn't know what day it is. Vivian stung her something terrible, and she's vowed to show you, you're wrong. I can tell you Sam that you really messed with her head. I've had to run interference on many of her proposals to head office just to make her look half way competent."

Kevin, Megan and I enjoyed our meal while discussing our plans. By the time we said our farewells, we had set up another meeting in two days time with some others to go over the final draught.

~...~

The meeting was fiery to say the least, Megan and Kevin had got half a dozen fellow conspirators together to help bring this puppy home. Jack Deakin was just one, and as I had predicted Jack was antagonistic from the start, though he did sit and listened to what we had to say. "Give me a look at the financial package!" He demanded, we all waited with baited breath as he ran his finger down the page leaving me astounded at the speed with which he could add and subtract. "This is total hogwash Beckman, there is no way you can justify these figures!"

I looked at him and the first reaction was to fly off the handle at his negativity, but I responded, managing to control my anger, "They are only estimates, forecasted approximations!"

Deakin smiled sarcastically, "Don't give up your day job Beckman, and I've seen more accurate weather forecasts from the bureau of meteorology!"

This was put your money where your mouth is time! I told Amy that I was good at knowing how to get around difficult people and this was put up or shut up time. 

"Look Deakin...Can I call you Jack? I know we haven't seen eye to eye ever since Amy's unorthodox rise to power, but I know you're good at what you do and that's why you're here. You're the best there is!" I could see his chest puff up and I was sure I was on the right track.

Jack got a knowing grin on his face. "I may be seen as just a bean counter to you lot, but I'm not that socially inept that I don't know when I'm being patronised!"

I gritted my teeth in frustration. "I know it sounded patronising, but it doesn't make what I said any less true."

I pointed around the room to everyone else here, "What are these people going to do when the shit hits the fan at the next stockholders meeting? I myself really don't give a fat rat's arse whether you come on board with this proposal or not. I can walk away and go back to my life in the country and let you get on with working out how you are going to do at the unemployment line. You're a genius when it comes to numbers Jack; you're in a position that you can get employment at the drop of a hat, but what about them? We need you to do your thing, get creative and make those forecasts work."

I could see the gears turning, apart from the weak try at pandering to his conscience, he seem concerned. "So this isn't some scam to get your wife further up the corporate ladder?"

I smiled sadly and chuckled, as I was shaking my head. So that was his beef with me. "No Jack; definitely not! She's my Ex-wife to start with and she'll be lucky if she's shuffling papers in some dark windowless room if we ever manage to pull this off. I made a mistake when I divorced her. I should have burned the bitch, but I didn't and I regret what it has led to. I'm here to try and fix that mistake! Irrespective of whether this takeover works or not, both she and Jason are history. I'll guarantee you that!"

Jack replied as he looked around the room and then back through the folder once more, "You know Sam, I've been doing so much with so little for so long, that I'm now fully qualified to do anything with nothing!" He lifted his head with a smirk a mile wide on his face. "What's the deadline for having this miracle finished?"

I looked over to Kevin. "I need it by three pm tomorrow!" He responded cautiously.

"Holy fucking crap!" He snapped with eyes bulging from their sockets. "I'm good Kevin, but I think even God will have trouble getting this mess sorted by then!" We all looked around and I was starting to worry that my brilliant plan might just go down the gurgler.

What he said next threw me and most likely everyone else in the room. "I want a plaque that says 'GOD' to put on my desk if I pull this off!" Deakin quipped.

After a moment's consideration, Kevin chuckled, "I'll personally engrave it myself and have everyone kneel at your feet and pay homage if you get me those figures by three tomorrow!"

There was a rush of relief as everyone there, including myself breathed a sigh. "Ok peoples, we're burning the midnight oil, ring who you need to make your apologies and let's get to work."

Megan came up to me and asked if it was ok to bring some of the girls in from the typing pool to do collating and gophering. "It's your call Megan; show us what you're made of woman. I'm just here to help out with any questions you may have, but it's up to you now." I explained as I held out my hands to show that I was handing over control to her.

"Ohhh Jesus!" She exclaimed as she shot a glance at Kevin.

"Sam's right sweetheart! You need to take control and show everyone that they can depend on you in a crisis."

Kevin and I stood back as Megan took a deep breath and got to work. Within an hour she was busy organising groups and brainstorming idea from those who had them. Jack argued back and forth with her until she snapped, "I don't care how many of your guys you have to bring to make the deadline Jack! You know what we're up against here, just make it happen ok?"




Amy's Security



"You won't fight me Amy. You know why? Because of your precious security, that's why. Right now you can go to Jason and say, "I'm free lover, we don't have to sneak around behind Sam's back any more. Who do you want me to fuck next?" But if you fight me I'll drag you and Jason through the mud. I'll see to it that his wife gets copies of all the photos and when she's done with Jason you'll be lucky to have a job at all, let alone a position as a vice president. It is your choice Amy and if I were you I would think long and hard on it. Now, as long as I'm here, I'm going to go upstairs and pack a few things."

I grabbed a bag and tossed some shirts and underwear in it and then I got the video camera from where I'd hidden it and tossed it into the bag. Then I headed back downstairs. Amy was standing at the bottom of the stairs with tears running down her cheeks.

"Please Sam, please don't do this. I love you Sam, honest to god I do. We can work things out honey, just give it a chance."

I shook my head and said, "Goodbye Amy" and walked out.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next morning I showed up at Jason's office bright and early; so early that he wasn't even there yet. I was sitting in a chair just outside his office door when he got there. His face turned pale and his step faltered when he saw me, but he put on a show of bravado, "You are the last person that I would have expected to see here."

"I came to make you an offer that you can't refuse."

When I left his office I had secured Amy's security for her. She would get the Vice President of Sales position and all I had to do was promise that the photos I took would never be seen by Jason's wife. I told him that he had that promise as long as he treated Amy fairly.

"Treat her right and you will never hear from me again. Fuck over her and not only your wife, but everybody else will see them."

"Why are you doing this for her? I would have thought that under the circumstances you would have gone after her like Attila the Hun scouring the Steppes of Russia."

"Once upon a time I loved her and she loved me. That has to be worth something."

"She still loves you. What she did has nothing to do with how she feels about you."

"Maybe not, but it does to me."

x-x-x-x-x-x

The divorce was final two years ago. I get cards from Amy on Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day, Sweetest Day, my birthday and any other holiday she can get a card for and they are always signed, "Much love, Amy" and all with the PS "Please call me some time, I miss you." So far I haven't. She got her VP slot and since then has been promoted to Executive Vice President in Charge of Operations.

In a case of supreme irony Jason's company bought out my company and I am presently working in the department headed by my ex-wife. Everyone in my old company knows that there will be reorganization in the near future and that a lot of positions will be eliminated because of duplication. I have no idea of where I am sitting on the totem pole, but won't it be a major kick in the ass if my seeing to Amy's security costs me mine?