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Mondo and Mulholland

By: Egmont Grigor



CHAPTER 1

Newly establishing business security consultant Rivers Mulholland opened the door to his renovated rented office and saw a rat scuttle away. Not an auspicious start but a change after twelve years in the Military Police Corps. The rats he'd dealt with there were two-legged and shifty-eyed if enlisted personnel, steady-eyed if they held officer rank but nevertheless still rats.

He'd advertised in that morning's newspaper he'd set up and business and waited for responses. Rivers had his feet up on his desk, his laptop unopened and none of his pencils sharpened when just before 10:00 he received his first call.

Putting down his coffee mug and picking up a blunt pencil, Rivers slid his cell phone open and pulled back his shoulders, pleased to be in business. "Good morning. Rivers Mulholland speaking."

"I'm Mae, Major Rose's ex-wife."

"Greetings Mae, stabilized in civilian life I hope?"

"Yes thank you but I'm on my own. I was fired on Friday because the business is going bust. I happened to see your advertisement and knew no one else in the world would be called Rivers Mulholland so am calling, asking about a job."

"I only opened my door for business an hour ago, have no clients and no cash flow."

"How long would I have to work without pay?"

"Six weeks."

"Haven't you capital behind you?"

"Not much. I have kept aside a thousand bucks to tide me over in my personal life for the time being."

Mae sounded disappointed when she said, "Oh." 

A smart guy can tell a lot about a woman from her ohs. Rivers considered himself smart. He waited.

"I guess you remember me -- tall, brunette with the type of body men ogle."

"I remember you as being tall and brunette, aged about thirty-five."

"Oh very intelligent but lying. I bet you ogle."

"Guilty."

"Okay I'm agreeable to work for you for six weeks before you pay me."

"Really?"

"Yes and do you live alone?"

"Yes," Rivers said cautiously, wondering if the stupid bitch wanted to move in with him to save rent.

"In that case do you mind if I move in with you if you are in suitable accommodation? Two can live cheaper than one and I'll share everything."

"Everything?"

"That comment is unbecoming for a gentleman Mr Mulholland.

"A minute ago it was Rivers?"

"A minute ago you were a gentleman."

"Touché Mae. Please accept my apologies."

"Accepted Rivers. May I inspect the premises to decide their suitability?"

"Okay. Go to 33 Galway Street. It's a big block of small apartments. Just ask at the manager's office for the key. I'll call now and authorize it being handed over."

"You trust me to be alone in your apartment?"

"You were an officer's wife Mae."

"Ah yes, until you and your pals busted my husband when I ratted on him for selling off army equipment."

The thirty-two year old blond with an athletic build said, "That was a big decision you to made Mae but it exposed a huge sting. We all had nothing but admiration and respect for you. I hope this works out."

Mae sighed and said life could be such a bitch. "We were all happy in the army."

"I wasn't."

She laughed and said once she began to suspect her husband was a crooked she hadn't been happy locked into army life with him. "Oh I have reverted to my maiden name of Mono."

"Gee, I can't visualize you being a maiden."

The call was terminated abruptly.

More than an hour later Rivers took his second call of the day.

"Hi, I'm calling from your apartment. It's totally unsuitable for me."

"Too bad. I did indicate it was small."

"There is only one bathroom and only one bed. For goodness sake Rivers."

He sighed and pulled a hair from his nose. "Well don't forget to hand back the key."

"Rivers, wait. There appears room for negotiation."

"What, I sleep on the balcony and use the laundry tub as my bathroom?"

"Oh, I never thought to that. I was thinking you could get a larger apartment."

Rivers scowled and said he'd not think of that until he was creaming in income. "Sleeping with me doesn't mean we have to fuck and I won't mind your stockings hanging in the bathroom."

"Please don't use that foul word."

"What's wrong with stockings? Oh you wear those awful pantyhose things?"

"No I meant the F-word."

"You're hearing things. I don't use the F-word to a lady."

He caught the giggle. Well if she'd said she'd heard it she wouldn't be a lady, would she?

Rivers invited her to negotiate. He 'heard' her rehearsing the words.

"I am prepared to sleep with you, have sex with you, share my bathroom with you. Share everything."

"Are you that desperate?"

"Yes I have nothing but money... no job, no friends and a lecherous landlord."

"Lecherous you say?"

"Dangerously so."

"I'm coming right over to collect you to vacate your apartment."

"Oh would you Rivers? It's only a room but I am paid up two weeks in advance."

As soon as Rivers saw Mae she took his breath away. He remembered her well, every curve in fact but she'd fill out away from army food and looked just great, magnificent in fact.

"You are ogling."

"I was attempting to determine what has changed."

"I've gone from a B cup to D. It's because of this ghastly civilian food, presented in such a way one finds it impossible to resist."

"What are your thighs like?"

"The damn things have filled out... excuse me, why are you being so personal?"

"You started it."

"I did not. You began by ogling."

"Excuse me, you began it by eating extra and undesirable rations by eating out instead of cooking."

"There are no cooking facilities in my room."

"There we go; it's the room that's to blame."

Mae said, "How the hell did we come to that conclusion? You've manipulated me."

"How do I look to you Mae?"

"Um, better than I remember," she whispered.

"Oh shucks, thanks Mae. Now let's wrench your advance in room rent from this jerk."

* * *

The weasel landlord had a moustache. Rivers cuffed to Mae and holding her behind him, held out his old military police ID. "Miss Mondo here made a complaint to us that you were making suggestive advances to her but when I checked her record I found she had been due back from leave three days ago so I'm arresting her. Unless you cooperate I'll forward her complaint to city police. I'd expect them to find a lot of things here that will interest them when they raid this joint."

"Police... a raid? Um I'll cooperate fully and refund all of this week's rent as well."

"No thank you, just the rent that is paid in advance as from midnight tonight. I'll sign for it. It will go towards the cost of keeping her in the stockade."

"Oh I like the thought of that," said Slimeball, rubbing his hands.

Rivers uncuffed Mae in the room to allow her to pack. He looked into her green unwavering eyes and leant forward to kiss the lush lips. As he was almost touching flesh he noticed her eyes had closed. That gave his heart quite a stir knowing she had no objection and wanted to kiss him properly.

"You slimeball, you stole that kiss," she smiled as they broke away.

The landlord had the money ready for Rivers who countered it and signed for it, signing his name as A.J. Smith.

"Good luck to you baby. I'll think of you in the stockade tonight with those scum pawing over your body."

Mae temporarily forgot she was a lady. "Yes I can imagine you doing that, trying to find your tiny dick to jerk it."

"Officer, arrest that woman," yelled Mr Slimeball, pounding the counter in anger.

In the car Mae said, "Getting my advance rent back like that was illegal, wasn't it?"

"Technically yes, but a right-thinking judge would see it our way, imposing the payback period as from midnight tonight, but he or she would then probably do us for extracting money by false pretenses, that being a perfect example of that charge, pointing out you were required to give two weeks' notice."

"So we are criminals?"

"Technically yes but not so until a case is proven against us in court. You did superbly by mentioning the size of your landlord's dick -- he'll not have us tracked down to bring a case against us in fear of being ridiculed by your allegation when given in evidence of the conversation between you two."

"Oooh, I'm so clever. Take me home and I'll reward you for making this a clean exit from that lousy establishment."

"No, we'll go back to work and set you up. We'll count this as a full working day."

"I'll pay you to take me back to the apartment to attend to me."

"That is a dishonorable suggestion Mae and I can think of other ways you could put your money to better use."

"Oh sorry. That was the little bit of slut I have in me just showing its face."

Rivers patted her thigh and said, "Apology accepted. Now be a good girl. Great breast line."

"Oooh, do you think so?"

As Rivers was unlocking the office door, the guy he'd nodded to passing them on the stairs returned and pointing to the 'Back in 5 Minutes' sign said, "I've waited for almost half an hour."

Rivers said, "I apologize. We were solving a rent recovery case involving a shifty landlord."

"Were you successful?"

"Yes."

"In that case I don't mind I was kept waiting."

"Thank you Mr..."

"Pagnini."

"Thank you Mr Pagnini. This is my associate Miss Mondo."

The young man who nodded to Mae and then ogled.

Mae said severely, "Yes Mr Pagnini?"

"Er, guys please call me Franco. Our family restaurant is being robbed."

"Call the police," Mae said.

"In what way are you being robbed?" Rivers asked.

"We pay for more food than we receive from suppliers."

"Ah, so the loss is occurring before the food is on your premises?"

"We don't know. Why does you office have only one desk and chair?"

"Because we just opened for business this morning Franco. You please take the chair."

"No, no. The beautiful lady must take the chair. I'll watch her legs as she crosses them."

"Mae is old enough to be your mother Franco."

Franco said "No, No" while Mae's withering look theoretically decapitated Rivers. She remained standing by the chair.

"Mae, here are my car keys. Please go to an office supply warehouse and order everything you believe we require to run an efficient office with delivery by 8:00 pm today. You pay and I'll reimburse you. Then go somewhere and lease a computer and printer that will satisfy your requirements to perform our office work when you are not out in the field assisting me."

"Yes boss."

As she left Franco said, "Bye Mae. Amazing legs."

Rivers expected her to demolish Franco with sarcasm. Instead she smiled at him beautifully and said, "Why thank you Franco. That's the best compliment I've received all day."

Jealousy ripped at Rivers' throat. He checked that Mae had his phone number, locked the office and reminded her to get a key cut for her and handed over the keys.

"Right Franco, take me to a coffee shop near your restaurant. Who's in charge?"

"I am."

"What about your father?"

"Oh yeah, him too."

"And your mother?"

"Yes, her too."

"Good call them now and ask them to meet you at the coffee shop. Say nothing about this investigation until they get there. We don't want your other people to know an investigation is in progress."

Two hours later Rivers arrived back at the office to find Mae at her new desk working on setting up her desktop computer to her liking. They now had bookshelves and filing cabinets.

Rivers kissed her casually and said good work and was told the two sofas, coffee table, coffee maker and crockery plus printing paper and other stationery were due within the hour.

"I've also won a $800 contract to go back tomorrow to advise the company on it's computer systems and the insecure state of its company and client paper records. An overnight fire would put the company out of businesses. They are still using Windows 3.1 and backing up on to floppy disk and keeping them in a box under the desk for god's sake and company records are stored against a wall in cardboard boxes."

"Well go to it gal; spend as much time as you require with them tomorrow. I've won a $2000 contract to investigate the Pagnini's family restaurant's very expensive shortfall between what is supplied and what is served to customers and what goes out in substantial waste. The family doesn't want to believe people on the payroll are making off with meat, seafood and bulk vegetables such as frozen peas, broccoli and sacks of potatoes. When I asked the son and his parents to identify suspects they threw their hands up and said all the people were extended family and they trusted them."

"Well, people who appear honest can rob you Rivers."

"I know and keep an open mind but my suspicion is the loss is a paper fraud."

"How do you figure that?"

"It appears too systematic to be food removed from the premises occasionally. I have secured copies of delivery dockets that were checked out on delivery and invoices with duplicates of the signed delivery dockets."

He placed the two cartons of documents on his desks.

"God it will take you a week going through that lot."

"Possibly. But it you offer to help we could have it cracked by midnight if my suspicions are correct. What I haven't told you is the head of family says if I... er... we manage to solve the crime he will pay me... er... us a $4000 bonus."

"Marvelous. Yes I'll burn the midnight oil with you. I'll get take-outs and coffee."

"As soon as we can draw on the check you bank for your contract you may withdraw it as part of your salary."

"What is my salary?"

"I was thinking $55,000 for starters and see where we go once we are really up and running. You worked in army admin as a civilians so some of your skills will count here."

"Only $55,000?"

"I had been thinking $32,000 but you have already demonstrated you can pull in business."

"May I ask what is your salary?"

"You can ask but you will not be told. I will take drawings of a maximum of $20,000 p.a. until I get established."

"May I ask how much capital is available for the business?"

"Fifteen thousand dollars. You will have blown a hole in that today."

"What say I take drawings of a maximum of $20,000 p.a. until you raise our maximums equally and in return I invest $15k for a legally established partnership, the agreement being you serve as the managing partner for the first twelve months?"

"Are you attempting a takeover?"

"No, I'm attempting to establish a business partnership with someone I could come to like."

"Oh. So if you get a husband out of this it's a bonus."

"Husband or loving partner it doesn't matter to me."

"Oh."

A grin ran around Mae's lips. "Caught you by surprise and overwhelmed you have I?"

"No. I'll attend to the legal work. You just have your check ready."

Mae laughed. "A bit more enthusiasm and exhibition of gratitude would be appreciated but then I'm also been caught by surprise. This partnership just leaped into my head."

Rivers sniffed. "Well here are your guys with the goods. Organize them please and then organize our take-outs. Petty cash is in the chocolate box in my top right hand drawer. I'm starting on these invoices and delivery dockets."

By the time Mae arrived to help and carrying take-outs Rivers had the invoices sorted by suppliers in piles and had delivery dockets handed to the restaurant at the time in similar piles.

"I'm ready to start as soon as we've eaten."

"You didn't say what food you wanted Rivers; I had to guess."

"You didn't ask. I hope it's not those little pieces of chicken in batter shit?"

"No, you have steak fried rice and I have grilled chicken slices with salad. I got you a beer and I have water."

They ate away. The food was fine.

"Will you really let me fuck you tonight?"

"You have been so kind to me Rivers it will be a case of me fucking you."

He grinned. "You used the f-word."

"I did not. Are you going to call a lady a liar?"

"Oh god."

"What."

"My mind has just made a breakthrough. The duplicate delivery dockets from one of those suppliers doesn't have the printer's imprint in red at the bottom of the document. It's in black. That suggests they are forgeries. I think we've cracked it. I didn't appear to register the difference but my mind did and I've just seen it when my mind was on playback a couple of minutes when we weren't talking."

"Oh Rivers, magnificent work. We've finished eating, let's check it out."

They checked it out. The suspected fake docket attached to the invoice in each instance was for about 10% more product than what was actually delivered and checked out as being correct with the order.

"Look at the signature on the fake duplicate." Rivers said. "The signature of the receiving person has been scanned poorly and added to the fake duplicate before it was printed out and then guillotined to the regular size of delivery dockets. We've identified the problem and now it's over to the family to seek redress. The police should be called in."

Mae asked thoughtfully, "Will they want to pay you the bonus since you solved this so quickly?"

"I would think so. Our work has stopped the rot. I'll have to tell them first thing in the morning. Insurance will probably cover our fee and bonus anyway and the insurance company will probably attempt recovery of thousands of dollars in fraud. This has been a good day for us."

"Come to mommy and kiss these darling," Rivers' business partner said to him, pulling her dress off her shoulders and pulling down her bra.

Rivers pushed her chair two feet back in his rush to get at them.

It was just a little taste what was to come. They drove home, both yawning and the inevitable happened -- Rivers went to sleep while Mae fluffed around cleaning the bench and the bath and bathroom basin. She didn't get around to unpacking because Rivers had gone to sleep instead of clearing her some space.

She sighed, removed her earrings and clothes and fluffed around in the bathroom some more before going to bed and groaning, "You unromantic devil." At that point Rivers may have been dreaming about receiving the New Businessman of the Year Award from a handsome young man who winked at him slyly, leading to Rivers racing to the door and driving off in horror.

But it could only get better for them. Rivers was shaken awake in the morning to hear a lilting, "Come to mommy and kiss these darling," as his new business partner, nude beside him, leaned over and kissed his closest eye.

"Oooh, is all that for me," Mae said graciously, because what was in Rivers' hand was of modest proportions. However, later under her capable administrations it grew a little more.

"Good morning darling," Rivers yawned. "Is it time for sex?"

He had to lunge to hold her back in bed as she seethed, "Does a girl have to do all the work?" 

Mae surrendered graciously with a big smile and allowed herself to be exploited, with River's third finger already jammed up her and a big paw squeezing a breast.

"Oh help, I'm been held captive," she groaned, reaching for him.

They wallowed in it like happy pigs, complete with grunting.

"You could have showered beforehand," she said, wrinkling her nose and removing a wad of semen off her stomach with a towel she'd brought hopefully to the bedside late the previous night.

River's flipped out of bed, stretched facing her, and watched where her eyes went. He then sniffed in her direction and she said in alarm, "What?"

"Who did you say needs a shower?"

"You beast," she yelled, scrambling out of bed. But too late, he had a big start and was already in the bathroom locking the door and whistling, 'Hello Dolly'.

She laughed and went and made coffee.

Rivers emerged from the shower holding a boner but Mae, smiling, shook her head and said, "Not now. We have a business to run. We have sofas at the office we can use during rest periods," she smiled.


Mondo and Mulholland



"Yeah but you better make another door sign, 'Back in fifty minutes'.

"Oooh."

CHAPTER 2

Over breakfast Mae decided it appeared she was enjoying herself. She liked a man with humor who teased, er moderately. She was also aware Rivers had taken a big risk agreeing to her coming into his fledging business, another mouth to feed off it and it could be a struggle as times were tough for businesses. He would have figured out he might make it by being frugal, positive and working with just a low-paid assistant. Well she had a business degree, not that she'd told him that. It was up to her to more than pull her weight. It was likely he'd be good for her; she needed someone.

Milly Jones of Milly's Café where they were breakfasting had been delighted at being introduced to her and had said, unabashed, "Oh I am glad Rivers has found female company at last. I have been worried about him."

Mae wondered if Milly had helped Rivers from time to time in his loneliness. Although she was older she had personality to burn and looked attractive enough.

"You too must come over for a meal with Reg and me," Milly breezed before darting off to attend to a call from the kitchen.

"Reg Miller is her husband," Rivers said, confirming what Mae had already assumed. "She's always been friendly to me but never this friendly. Obviously she sees you as a good match for me."

Mae smiled. Well that 'never this friendly' comment appeared to answer whether Milly had shared her body with Rivers. "What does Reg do?"

"Works for Stratton and Thomas."

God that was so typical of men. Where were the details?

Next morning Milly invited them to dinner on Saturday. Reg was in his late forties, as was Milly, and proved to be a genial host. He plied them with liquor and Mae and Reg talked quietly together as if they were planning an affair.

On the short walk home Mae said, "I'm a bit drunk."

"Me too. Milly said she and Reg always relax on Saturdays and hit the booze at night so tend not to invite prim friends around. She thought you would be a bit of a goer."

"Oooh, at sex?"

"No you tease, at socializing. She says Reg likes to go to a late movie on Saturday afternoon. They come home, have sex and then eat a slow-cooked meal from the oven and get slowly drunk."

"She told you they have sex?"

"Yes."

"God, the things women talk about."

"What things?"

Rivers threw up his free hand helplessly. "I don't know, stuff."

"Well I talked to him about his work. Did you do that?"

"No, we chatted about our favorite beers and sport."

"And women?"

"I guess they were mentioned."

"You guess? I guess you call that men's talk?"

"Yeah."

They fell into a clinch laughing drunkenly.

As they walked on Mae seemed to sober a bit. "As a result of talking to Reg intently he's agreed to attempt to talk to top management about us being invited to do an appraisal of the company's operations."

"What?"

"Yes an appraisal. Young Mr Thomas is seventy-two and Mr Stratton is seventy-eight. Their business has remained virtually unchanged for almost fifty years. It supplies all kinds of imported gardening equipment to garden centers and hardware stores and horticultural supplies plus compost, lime, fertilizers... you name it."

"So it's a big operation."

"Very big," according to Reg. "It employs seventy people and has a turnover of around nine million but profitability is poor because systems are antiquated and margins are unrealistic."

"I'm not surprised."

"Well let's wait to hear back from Reg. Come on, I'll race you home; I need sex."

Fortunately it was only a twenty-five yard dash. Mae got away to a start and Rivers allowed her to win, knowing he couldn't catch her anyway.

He kissed her in the elevator to the fifth floor and said she showed great looking legs when she ran.

"Oooh."

They had quick visits to the bathroom and when Rivers came out he found her fully dressed rather than sprawled in bed with her knees up and legs spread wide.

"What?"

"I thought you might enjoy undressing me. I'm wearing my best underwear."

"Oh are you?"

Mae sighed. "God men, I was walking around in it when you were shaving before we went out."

"I know," he smiled. "Mirrors aren't blind. Anyway I didn't want to make us late and you arriving still dripping..."

"Yuk please don't."

Rivers calmed her with a very long kiss and stroking her bared back and then reached around to cup a breast and squeeze.

"Ohmigod," Mae wheezed.

He unzipped the side of her dress and managed to separate her and the tight dress entirely by himself without hurting her or ripping the garment.

"Oh you are so expert."

"Anything to please madam."

"It's miss."

"Oh in that case are you a virgin?"

Mae grabbed his balls and squeezed, asking, "Does that answer your question?"

They kissed some more until he broke away to fondle her breasts and say, "Of this is wondrous lace underwear, s-o-o-o exotic."

"You mean erotic?"

"No your cunt is erotic."

"Ohmigod," Mae cried helplessly and dropped to her knees and unzipped him. Rivers was in pain from her clumsy fumbling but he bit back retorts hoping to be sucked off memorably. As it turned out he was not disappointed. It took almost an hour before Mae was beating frantically at Rivers' chest yelling at him to slide it in.

In the morning Rivers woke Mae at 11:00 arriving with coffee, bagels and two Sunday newspapers. Later when he was reading the comics Mae pushed the newspaper from his hands, ignoring his protests when she said no one reads that rubbish. She worked him up and sat down on Rivers and rode him cowgirl; her breasts were flying.

"God I didn't know you could get it this big," she gasped.

"It's those flying tits," Rivers ogled.

As they rested, Mae said training her in sexual positions was one of the few ways in which her ex-husband had enriched her life.

Rivers nodded sagely.

She smiled and said vaguely, "I'll finish my coffee and hand you lube and a condom. You may then have my ass."

Rivers studied the ceiling studiously, new sweat appearing on his forehead, and he thought was she a surprise package. 

* * *

Rivers hired a skiff and went rowing on the river as he habitually did on Sundays, though usually just after dawn when real action guys took to the water. Now after midday the waterway was alive with people getting in the way in their canoes, kayaks and row boats and there were even kids in homemade craft or sailing yachts or radio controlled speedboats. After a mile he was out of that jam, although it wasn't really as bad as that, and rowed on virtually undisturbed for four more miles to the weir and returned back to complete his workout.

He thought it was so wonderful that Mae was doing her best to endear herself to him and to fit into his lifestyle. She was back at the boatsheds, sitting reading and looking glorious in her sun frock and wide hat and his heart filled his mouth when she, prettiest woman on the grass bank, had waved at him.

Mae of course had come into his life at completely the wrong time and with her also living off the businesses they could be broke within six months unless they secured good contracts. 

"No one talks about how difficult it is to win new business," he fumed aloud. "I wonder why? I guess it's because they who receive that knowledge are mostly already busted and those who earn money educating people about going into business skip over that rocky ground by explaining it away with a few well-chosen platitudes like the entrepreneur must give it his or her best to win customers or clients, that being the most important cog in the machine. Yeah, right."

Rivers, turning to check the way ahead was clear, sweat pouring from him, and thought perhaps Mae would save them. She had a winning way about her. He thought of how she'd won the confidence of Reg. Then how masterfully she'd sold him the concept of taking her ass; it had been the epitome of how to woo over a novice ass-fucker. Rivers felt his color soar and still couldn't believe how excited she'd been when they did it and how afterwards she'd smothered him with kisses and said how wonderful it had been for her. He'd though it squeezed the crap out of a guy's dick, but enjoyably so, but had thought it must be hell for a woman, all that groaning and moaning. Perhaps pain and groaning and moaning acted like aphrodisiacs on them?

As Rivers neared the boatsheds Mae waved at him and pointed to two kids ahead of him in a kayak. He'd already seen them but checked again. When he looked at Mae again she was talking to another woman sitting beside her with a book and this time they both waved. He could only incline his head but they'd see that by the movement of his peaked cap.

"God you look in great shape," said the woman unabashed sitting beside Mae and looking about Mae's age and style.

"This is Nancy Ewing darling. Nancy this is my man Rivers Mulholland."

"God I'm hopelessly a romantic; I was hoping you'd have a name to match your apparent persona."

"Are you the columnist in the 'Advocate'?

Both women looked surprised and Nancy said yes. They continued to look at him, waiting for an explanation. He obliged.

"I read your daily column because you write so well and it's all about younger women and their interests. I began reading it to keep up to date with women around my age and then kept on reading it because you hooked me. You bubble."

"I bubble?" Nancy gaped, holding a hand high over her breasts. Mae appeared similarly intrigued.

"Yes, I'd indicated your writing flows. But you use uplifting adjectives and descriptions and your writing is always positive and you suggest without decreeing. You write to entertain impregnated with almost sublime messages."

"Impregnate?" Nancy gasped.

"It's okay Nancy, Mae counseled. "At times when Rivers winds up he has a little unusual choice in language."

"No it's the correct use of impregnate in the literary sense. What's more, he's telling something I perhaps was only subliminally aware I was doing. It's a fact Mae I purposely set out not to lecture. I picture myself when writing as being just one of the girls."

"Peer to peer writing," Mae said.

"Yes, exactly. Look why don't you guys call in this evening for a drink. Harry has one hell of a hangover after being out with the boys last night but he'll be fine by 6:00. Stay on for hamburgers if you wish. We usually have hamburgers on Sunday night."

"Is Harry your live-in?"

"Rivers!"

"It's okay Mae. I like men who talk to women as they talk to guys. Most don't do that you know. Harry is my husband but when he stumbles home like last night and vomits in the bathroom I could wish he were my live-in and then I could kick him out."

"At least it was in the bathroom and not over your best sofa."

"Oh taking Harry's side are you?"

"No but your appearance here is neat and tidy. I guessed so would be your apartment."

"Oh, you have quite a gem here Mae."

"I waiting to receive confirmation on that through time passing," Mae giggled.

Rivers asked had Nancy and Mae met before today.

"No, I popped down here to read and was standing over by the boatshed when Mae waved and invited me to sit by her. We didn't read. Mae is such a personality we just yapped and yapped."

"What does er Harry do?"

"Drinks beer."

Rivers grinned and said good one and looked back at the river, only to hear Mae say, "There, I told you. Men ask a penetrating question designed to elicit information but when receiving a defensive or trivial answer back right off."

"Yes, it was exactly as you said. I talk to many men but have never noticed it. You are very observant and analytical Mae. I hope to stay close, as you will provide me with fuel for my column, thinking the way you do. Rivers, interrogate me property as women do please."

"Um, what are you talking about?"

"Rivers don't your dare slide into a cave."

"Aw, this seems like poking my nose into your private life. What does Harry do besides drink beer?"

"He fucks me."

Rivers didn't know which way to turn but then noticed the two women studying him.

"He must do it well. You appear to be blooming."

The women shrieked and clasped each other.

"Now Rivers, don't you dare say, 'What...what did I say?' Only dumb men say that."

"No I won't and neither will I say I bet you fuck like a champion because that would be considered pressing too far."

Mae rolled her eyes and Nancy bit her lip and then said, regrettable he was correct. "Harry works with his two older brothers in their father's construction company."

Rivers noted Mae was looking at him again intently.

"They must be worried about the current economic downturn?"

"I think so. Harry says the family is discussing it but everyone has different ideas."

"They need to analyze what they do best and in which areas they are likely to find new work before they do anything."

"Is that what you do Rivers? Mae mentioned it was something like that but didn't elaborate, saying I should talk to you."

Rivers avoided glancing at Mae. "Calling in an outside person is sometimes the right way to go."

"Well said Rivers. I'll mention that to Harry. Let's switch, tell me, who has the better figure, Mae or me?"

"I need to see you both together, stripped."

Mae shrieked, "Rivers, you can't talk to Nancy like that. We hardly know her."

"She asked the question expecting me to be provocative."

"She did not," Mae said hotly.

"He's right, I did. My dad turned me into a big tease like him. You have a man who thinks ahead as quickly or even quicker than a woman Mae. Treasure him."

After a swim in the rooftop pool Mae and Rivers had a nap, hugging as they chatted into sleep.

After they'd showered together, he bleated, "What should I wear -- a suit?"

"Good god Rivers. It's Sunday night and Nancy told you what to wear."

"She didn't."

"She did. She told you we'd by having hamburgers."

Rivers stared at Mae vacantly.

Four hours later they returned from their evening with the Ewing's. Harry, after talking to Rivers, had said he would talk to his family about contracting the firm of Mondo-Mulholland.

Drunk, Mae climbed on to the sofa and invited Rivers to give it to her doggy. "I was astounding to hear us being called Mondo-Mulholland. It have no recollection at that being discussed by the partners?"

"I discussed it with you when you were concentrating on doing your nails before we went out."

"Liar."

He grinned and said, "Look what daddy has for you."

Later Rivers said, "About marriage?"

She said, "I have my divorce" and his reply surprised her.

"Me too."

"What you were married previously?"

"Twice. As you know army life with its uncertainties and transfers to new locations doesn't suit some woman and I made the same mistake twice."

Rivers spent the next two hours talking to Mae about his life including his family and two failed marriages.

He waited for her to express her misgivings about going any farther with him. But Mae said, "I'd like a wedding in the fall. We should be out of here by then."

"Where to?"

"Into our own home, worthy of our thriving business."

"Well I'm sure we'll thrive but you can't mean next fall?

"No, I mean the October after next."

"I like the sound of that," Rivers yawned wearily.

CHAPTER 3

Mondo-Mulholland Business Consultancy was thriving. Mae and Rivers now had three junior partners and support personnel and two similar sized rival firms had merged in the face of hot competition and now that merged firm had collapsed. Mae was junior vice-president of the Professional Women's Association while Rivers was a member of the city's Business and Manufacturer's Association and Rotary. They had found many of their new contacts became friends and that was useful for extending business contacts. 

Managing partner Mae kept pushing junior partners to bring in new clients and was running a system whereby six-monthly bonuses were related to the introduction of new business as well as level of billings. Rivers was often telling her how marvelous she was at motivating personnel including him and their clients. He would be rewarded by sweet kissed because Mae liked being liked.

They now lived in a lovely house in a good neighborhood with Nancy and Harry Ewing living only two houses away. Nancy, now assistant editor on her newspaper and in charge of features still churned out her five days a week column. She was pregnant and had just found out so was Mae.

Mae, despite knowing she'd be 'showing' at the belly kept to her October wedding date. The plan had been to have a small wedding, just a few friends and a friend of Mae's who was licensed to conduct weddings. But when Mae got down to planning, the expected one page of people to invite turned into pages and before too long Rivers kept right out of it, leaving everything to Mae, Nancy who would be bridesmaid and Milly who was called in to do the catering but it just grew too big for her to manage.

Eventually Rivers was told the cathedral had been booked but there were no October slots so his wedding had been brought forward to the second week in September and the reception would be held at the city's events center.

Dazed he said to Mae, "Who are all these people you wish to invite? He'd said that rather critically so she stamped her foot, threw him the book filled with prospective invitees with postal addresses and said icily, "Here, you reduce the list if that's what you want."

Rivers pulled out a blue pen and licked the tip, ready to cross out names. But amazingly there were only two names he could question. He called Nancy who explained one was the incoming president of the Professional Women's Association and the other was the organizer of their local baby sitter's collective.

"But we don't have a baby."

"You will soon," was Nancy's practical retort. "God, you men are so helpless when it comes to planning for kids."

"Kids, you mean I'm to have more than one?"

"Yes you thickhead. Mae wants two."

Rivers took a hat off the hat stand and threw it into the lounge ahead of him. He caught Mae grinning.

"Um, good job. The list stands as it is. I'm happy with it. You have done magnificently. I hear from Nancy we are to have two children?"

"Oh, didn't you hear me? You were at the mirror with a hand mirror checking your balding spot."

"No I wasn't. I never do that."

"Yes you do. It's the worst possible time for you to be told anything. I use that chance occasionally."

They grinned and kissed, Rivers running a hand gently over her belly.

* * *

Three weeks before the wedding the coziness of Rivers and Mae's world caved in. They sat in the boardroom of Banks, Rossiter and Partners, with Marvin Rossiter from Chicago and two of his regional directors.

"Thanks for coming to chat with us guys. We want to buy you out?"

Mae looked at Rivers dazed but couldn't catch his eye because he was studying the ceiling. She was ready to panic but calmed when she hear Rivers say, drawling it out, "Oh yeah. What don't you set up against us; it would be cheaper?"

"We've tried that in other cities," white-haired Marvin said, grandson of the founder. "When a professional advisory company is well dug in locally and ticking over well it's a long and costly fight to take them out and everyone gets bloodied."

"Okay then, " Rivers said, now eyeing Marvin. "We'll sell providing it's one of those nicely packaged offers that just won't run away."

Mae opened her mouth to berate him. Who'd said anything about selling? He'd not mentioned it when she was working on her nails and any way they hadn't known there was a buyer until five minutes ago. What the hell was going on here -- where was the spirit of partnership?

"Won't you have to consult your partner? We hear it's her who manages and drives the business."




Mondo and Mulholland



"Well you heard correctly. She's a wiz at doing that. But being a woman she leaves it to me to do the strategic thinking."

Mae felt like topping the bastard but found herself nodding and smiling at Marvin who looked like Marvin the Shark.

"Oh very nice. Having the little lady attend to the cooking while you do the wheeling and dealing."

Rivers pushed back his chair, stood and snarled, "Come outside Rossiter and I push that snide remark down your throat. Little lady indeed."

The support attorney jumped to her feet. "Mr Mulholland please resume your seat. This is just a wee misunderstanding of intention. Mr Rossiter uses that term affectionately, and only affectionately and will now offer an apology to demonstrate no animosity was intended."

"Oh yeah, I apologize."

"Not good enough," River said firmly. "Apologize to Miss Rondo and do it gracefully."

"Miss Rondo, Mae, no insult or putdown was intended. I just used the term...um...what did you say Mrs Jackson?"

The attorney whispered to him.

"I stupidly used that term absolutely inappropriately and I offer you my unreservedly apologies Miss Rondo."

"Apologies accepted Marvin but direct any more slurs in my direction and I'll come across and split your lip."

An appalled silence followed until Rivers said amiably, "Well that's all settled. Carry on Marvin, you have us interested."

Rivers and Mae went back to the office and called a general meeting and explained the deal, stating the proposed agreement guaranteed their positions for the next twelve months while Mae and Rivers would finish up on Friday with three months' salary without bonuses paid in lieu of making an early exit.

Personnel looked nervous but no objections were voiced and Mae gave them the person at the local office of Banks, Rossiter and Partners to contact if they had any questions, adding it was the intention of the buyer to extend the operations beyond the city to serve an eighty-mile perimeter, taking in all communities within that region.

At noon next day Mae and Rivers with their attorney signed the deal with representatives of Banks, Rossiter and were handed a check for $3.95 million. Mae had been astounded Rivers managed to push them that high but Rivers was disappointed he'd not dragged the Banks, Rossiter negotiators to four million.

They went home after lunch, feeling too light-headed to return to the office and knuckle down. As Mae was riding him, tits flying, Rivers said, relaxed with hands behind his head, "We are prohibited under the terms of contract to practice business consultancy within a radius of 150 miles of here. What do you want to do now?"

"Dunno, take six months off for the wedding and to have our baby and look after it for the first few months," she puffed. "If you buy a business I could look after baby in my office."

"Is that recommended?"

"Who knows? I'll check with my medical consultant post-birth."

"What kind of business?"

Mae face was tightening and her color changing to purple as she was about to ejaculate.

"I (grunt) really don't (grunt) mind. Just do it. AAARRRRRGH!"

Rivers disappeared most of next day and arrived at their leased offices on the fourth and fifth floors of McKenzie Tower.

"Where have you been?" Mae enquired.

"Talking."

"You look flushed. You've been fucking someone."

"I probably have. I've spent two million of our money."

Mae looked disgusted. "You should have consulted me."

"You gave me a free hand."

"You liar."

"Just before you climaxed yesterday afternoon you said you really don't mind what kind of business, just do it."

"That's not fair. When a woman is about to come she didn't know what she's saying."

"Well I'm not to know that am I? I just think it's another way women use to make a fuss."

"God you are callous. Oh well, give me the bad news. I suppose it's a golf driving range?"

"Nah, not one of those with women getting their tits in a knot because their balls won't go straight. I went for a real business, a salt of the earth business."

"Oh, a brothel?"

"Gee, I didn't think of that," Rivers said, and withstood the withering look that had potential to fry his testicles. "No, you know those old-time gardening supply merchants we did the appraisal for and they told us to get fucked?"

"The two old gentlemen thanked us, paid us and said they'd get back to us. Um, of they never did, granted. I suppose what you allege is virtually the same thing."

"Well I talked to them, took them to lunch with their attorney and late this afternoon they sold the business to me but the sale goes through in our joint names. The old gentlemen will be retained as consultants but accept their offices will be out in the warehouse."

Rivers looked at Mae who had a strange look, her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth. He knew that meant her mind was totally focused on one thing. He waited until she normalized.

"This is good, very good. We will need to modernize and have personnel retrained. But first we'll need to update our earlier recommendations into our strategic plan. We shall extend our operating area from within the city confines out to an eighty-mile radius. And when we are dominant in that region someone like those mugs at Banks, Rossiter and Partners will come along, squandering corporate wealth, and acquire us. Oh Rivers, you have made me so happy."

"Thank you. We should promote Reg Miller to an executive director and make him director of operations. We could have eight or perhaps ten satellite branches to look after."

"Yes. May I have old Mr Stratton's huge office?"

"Yes of course."

"There's plenty of room in it for a nursery and later to install a sandpit and perhaps a paddling pool and room to ride a tricycle."

"Oh brilliant thinking. Reg can have old Mr Thomas' office."

"Aw, where will you be?"

"Out in the warehouse learning about the business from our aged consultants -- the fundamentals of the business will remain unchanged because they are fundamentals. Then once I have everything in my head I'll go out and buy Quill's Garden Center.

"Oh no, wrong move. It is dying. Buy one of the newer ones out in the suburbs."

"Wrong thinking darling. Quill's is alongside the largest and most successful supermarket within one hundred miles. Quill's will become Mondo-Mulholland's first venture into retail gardening sales. You and I will sex up those premises and install the café the supermarket lacks... and guess what will happen?"

"Oh god I see it now."

"I thought you would. I have an appointment to meet the Quill's at 6:00 today, want to come or do you wish to mess around with your wedding dress yet again?"

"No, I'll come with you. That damn wedding; we'd be better off without it."

"It's the chance to let people we really know aware of what we are doing darling. I'll time the purchase of Quill's so the purchase and our plans for it are published in the 'Advocate' on the eve of the wedding. We do need to marry darling to ensure Harry is not called illegitimate when he goes to school."

"You mean Rebecca don't you?" 

They grinned, knowing the forthcoming child's sex was one of the few things they disputed. Mae had refused having a scan, saying that was both unnecessary and unwholesome and said it in such a way Rivers knew to keep his mouth shut to avoid one of those withering looks.

THE END