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Sam and Janice Fly to Heaven

By: c1992w



Author's Foreword: Skimmers and/or those looking for hot sex scenes will not like this story. Thanks for the excellent feedback, and I appreciate all those who make it a point to read my submissions. 

*****

Sam Lake sat at his desk awaiting a fourth appointee who had expressed an interest in buying his business. He chuckled as he re-read a month old article about himself and his small company in 'Digital Breakthroughs' on line magazine. The article in part read,

"...Mr. Lake's small company manufactures solar panels in mostly cloudy Eastern Mass that routinely test out at 30 percent efficiency converting radiation to electrical energy. This has been independently verified by two laboratories. Mr. Lake told us, 'Nominally, the efficiency rate of residential panels is in the 12 to 15 percent range. That means before now panels only make sense for a home owner in those locales where the tax payers foot nearly the total bill for him or her.' Moreover, according to Lake, 'We use Commercial Off the Shelf parts, rather than exotic special made ones used by, for example, NASA in space. They only get an extra 10 percent improvement over ours at a staggering cost - visualize the $500 toilet seat that was recently in the news...'"

Sam Lake was a tall and gaunt mid-thirties, plain looking man. In his teens he startled classmates by shooting 25 straight free-throw basketballs in the high school gym - swishing most of them. The coach pleaded with him to join the his school's TIGERS, but Sam had no interest in team sports - However, at the country club he routinely walked 18 holes and was a scratch golfer. Girls and women flocked to him because his body suggested so much fun and excitement, but his only response was to be polite and nice, and stay distant. When Sam's hormone flow did overpower him, his response was to masturbate thinking about an oil painting of a naked lady he had seen just once in a museum.

Sam entered nearby Boston University and chose an engineering degree plan. He lost his virginity with a lab partner, but was unable to get more than half of his member into her as her pain was too intense because of his size. There were others in time, but his satisfaction was nil while his partners spread the word about how 'hot' he was. In time he was in graduate school and later taking post-doc courses while working in the family business. Once there he met his wife of 12 years now. He was really stuck on her at the time because he was sexually satisfied and she expressed no pain, although he knew she was a scatter-brain and certainly not his type of woman. His erroneous assumption was that they would learn to love each other. 

His secretary squawked, "A Ms. Janice Chang is here to see you, Mr. Lake."

He blanked his screen and said, "Show her in, please."

Right after the global magazine article appeared, the new orders started to pour in, increasing each week. The caller, Janice Chang, was just the fourth such person wanting to buy his company and patents. The 90 employees worked two shifts daily and still could not keep up with new orders. Sam stood frozen and shocked at seeing the most beautiful woman on Earth enter his office. He regretfully recalled that he hadn't even bothered to shave or put on a freshly laundered shirt that morning. She, too, was frozen in position as they both just stared at each other. He finally managed to slowly regain his awareness. He smiled broadly, and shook her hand. They both were instantly relaxed with each other as if her being in his office was a routine event. 

He then sat down to hide his instant erection. She sat down also and said in proper British English, "Mister Lake, I would like to make a cash offer for your company. To arrive at an offer price, I would like to hire an accounting firm to perform due-diligence and an engineering firm to verify they can reproduce the efficiency results published by 'Digital Breakthroughs.' May I invite these two teams over in two days with the thought of buying your company and its assets?"

Pleasantly surprised that this woman came directly to the point, Sam smiled warmly. One of the rejections was because a stock swap was offered and the other offer was contingent on a government loan. So he agreed because she talked cash and he said, "A half-day for due-diligence and performance tests in two days would work for us." Sam rationalized that he wanted to see what his company was worth anyway, although down deep he wanted to spend time with this Angelic woman. She discussed the details of how outsiders from two Boston firms would come into the office and onto the shop floor for a half day to do their work. Sam said, "I will have the chief engineer and the head of accounting available to your teams."

She asked, "O.K. So it's Wednesday, in two days, and I will hire and brief the teams tomorrow?"

Sam said, "O.K." He relaxed and felt excitement."

She said, "Mr. Lake, may I call you Sam - please call me Janice?"

Sam smiled broadly and said, "By all means, do! I love the way you say 'Saam' with two syllables."

She shyly smiled and then talked about her Taiwan company's set up and management and and gave him an English version of documents that included her income statement and balance sheet. She concluded with, "This is the first time I have traveled to the Eastern United States, we have five different companies in Western Canada and the U.S. as you will notice in the documents."

Wanting desperately for her visit to not end, Sam said, "Boston is the most historical city in the North East because the 1776 American Revolution started here."

She said, " Oh yes. I remember hearing something about that in class. But really, tell me more as my knowledge of U.S. history is nil."

So, Sam launched into an explanation of some Boston highlights. The founding fathers' names obviously meant nothing to this foreigner but she appeared to soak up what Sam was saying, like a sponge, maintaining eye contact. 

She thought, while he talked, "Wow! A Caucasian I wish I could hold in my arms. He must be struck by me because he can barely tear his eyes away from my face and body. I am quite sure he restrains himself from reaching out to hold me. But we dare not because of the price negotiations to come. And I do have, in a legal sense of the word, a husband and Sam apparently has a wife or some woman whose picture is on his desk." She had sighed audibly and then had broken into his explanation of the Freedom Trail by saying, "Sam, I know it's early but I am afraid I could not eat the hotel's breakfast at all. So, being terribly hungry, your secretary recommended a Taiwanese restaurant in Chinatown that she frequents. May I treat you to lunch there?"

Sam was flooded with happiness, as if he were an adolescent again. 

"Thanks, Janice. I was going to offer to buy your dinner this evening and show you some Boston sights. But I accept your offer and we can leave at your convenience. After lunch I will have my driver deposit you and me at your hotel - the Hyatt on Atlantic in the financial district, you said, right?"

"Yes."

After leaving Chinatown Sam had a big grin on his face when he remembered that the restaurant had 'Carded' Janice for wine purchase afterwards, but did not do so for Sam - he had to be younger or the same age as her. Sam's driver had stopped the car at a red light beside the Boston Garden park. Out her window was a beautiful pond, with public swan boats that carried passengers around the pond. The entire park was shrouded in spring flowers. She said, "I would love to walk through that garden and ride one of those boats. Have you ever done that?"

Looking at the boats, he said, "Sorry to say, never. But I have always wanted to. Let's do it now?"

"O.K."

He told his driver to pick him up at the Hyatt Atlantic Avenue when he texted. Turning to his 'date,' he smiled broadly and asked, "Ready?" 

She replied, "Oh yes!"

They had exited his car from the center lane and made their way safely to the sidewalk, and then into the park. Sam continued to hold her hand after stepping up to the sidewalk. He turned it loose when they were in line to buy boat tickets. Once seated she reached for his hand this time and held it securely for the duration of the ride. Neither had been able to say a word and both simply enjoyed the the profusion of colors and happy tourists enjoying their moments. Sam had a big lump in his throat while Janice, felt wave after wave of adrenalin because of her excitement, just looking at Sam. 

They explored the Boston Garden and the adjacent Commons while they got to know each other. 

She stopped and looked at him solemnly and said, as they sat on a park bench, "Sam, when I was 13 years old a 65-year old man purchased my hand in marriage from my poverty stricken parents. That was 21 years ago and now he is in hospice with dementia. He and four brothers own the global holding company, and I have power of attorney to manage his assets - each brother owns his own assets and the one company is an umbrella 5 separate companies. I will inherit my husband's estate up on his death." 

Sam asked, "Is that unusual in your society?"

"Yes. But, I was a multi-lingual precocious child and my husband gave me a world class business education. The brother's wanted me to run his portion of the businesses in North America when his faculties declined, and I agreed only if I inherited all his shares since I was his legal wife. I have had his power-of-attorney for 5 years. One other thing is that I am a dual citizen of Taiwan and Singapore - thanks to my husband. That is where I will retire."

Sam said, "Thank you for sharing that with me. I, too, have a wife who, according to previously hired detectives, sleeps and has sexual relations with at least two men beside me. The only reason I have not divorced her is that I refuse to make attorneys rich in a high profile public divorce, and will lose the thousands of 18 hour days I spent alone developing and then bringing my solar panel to market successfully." 

After more than an hour of chatting about themselves, their taxi pulled up in front of the Hyatt. Sam paid the fare and walked to her side to meet her. She had said, "My oh my, Sam! What a wonderful experience. I am going straight to my room and recuperate from the day. I will see you at 10:00 Wednesday and give the team leaders their instructions. And then, let's agree to talk price after their work is over, O.K.?" 

Sam was in a school boy daze, but managed to say, "Agreed. See you Wednesday."

Saying goodbye at the elevator bank took iron will by both that neither knew was possible. The two surprised themselves with the control they exercised to not embrace and kiss passionately - and did so only politely.

After she disappeared in an elevator Sam visited the hotel's toilet and then to the off-lobby bar to have one high ball to celebrate being in love and effectively having sold his business before he texted his driver to fetch him at the Atlantic.

Sam stood at the crowded bar enjoying two-for-one and people-watched in the mirror behind the liquor rack. He suddenly had been super surprised at seeing his wife, Susan here. 

The renown beauty and former cosmetics model and then star salesperson, Susan Lake, had been his 'trophy' wife of 12 years. They had met while he was a post-doc fellow and she an undergraduate marketing major at Boston University. The dollar signs she saw in Sam's eyes after she understood his career dreams and ability, prompted her to seduce this probable almost-virgin and naive scientist. They were married in her senior year and she took a job with a manufacturer's Rep to model/market an extensive line of cosmetics. She initially would be in training in Hartford and then transfer to the Boston office - where Sam worked in his father's 12-man electronics fabrication shop. One of them would make the 60-mile drive to see the other on weekends.

One and a half year into this marital arrangement, Susan was still in Hartford, though the company had promised to move her after a year. Then Sam got an unsolicited email on Thursday from someone in the Hartford office saying, "...Susan and our security guru, Jerry Jones, have now taken up with each other. The hang at the 'Angry Goose' on Fridays. It's not my business but I thought you might want to know. Jerry's ex." He was very upset and brooded for a while about what to do. Then Friday morning he got a Text from Susan that had said in part, "...Working late tonight and tomorrow, lets not get together this weekend, O.K. with you? Love S."

After replying' O.K.,' his anger boiled over and he had driven to Hartford where he found a group of ABX employees enjoying happy-hour. Susan sat on the lap of someone who must have been the man identified to him as Jerry Jones in the ex-jealous lover's email.


Sam was furious but controlled his temper and stood at the bar drinking a beer. Finally, the group broke up. He followed Jones and Susan toward the front door close behind when he heard Jones say, "I have got to piss - too much beer for the long drive to Vermont. Wait."

Susan sat down to wait and Sam sat beside her. He said, "Susan, don't bother to come home after your fun weekend with your security guru. The word is out that you were fucking around, but I had to come over to see for myself. Good night." He promptly got up and left. Panicky, Susan's face had turned white, but her open mouth was unable to make a sound.

Sam had driven back to Boston and had a drink, and then turned on the TV trying to grapple with the pain of his male ego collapse. Today at the Hyatt bar 10 years later, he remembered that night vividly even after all the time. Back then, 20 minutes after he arrived at their Boston apartment, Susan was pounding on their apartment door. Sam went to the door and said, "Go away, Susan, you are not welcome here."

She had said, "Sam please, what you saw meant nothing. You are all that is important to me..." and on and on. To make a long story short, Sam forgave her after her tearful counseling and both got back to work and forgot her perfidy as she was immediately transferred to the Boston Branch and became close. She shortly became branch manager.

Tonight, at the Hyatt bar, Sam smiled as he had forgotten what it was like to feel no pain when a woman one cares nothing for chooses to fuck around. His rationale was that, 'there is a thin line between doing it and wanting to do it.' He still recognized Jerry Jones plus the other man, Susan's Regional Manager, Ben Kessler, and the other woman as one of Susan's Line Managers, Misty 'somebody,' as the three of whom had been a guest at Sam and Susan's showplace home. 

Standing at the bar, Sam rationalized, "Maybe they are just enjoying happy-hour," and he decided not to get involved yet. He certainly could not talk about his day as no one at that table could even grasp the kind of magic day that Sam had. So he kept glancing their way via the bar mirror while they continued to eat the bar food and drink and laugh heartily. 

Then abruptly all 4 got up and headed to the lobby. Sam had had enough drinks anyway and followed the quartet intending to intercept Susan so he could get a ride home, if she were going home, with her and save his driver a trip to Boston. But, they went straight to the room elevator banks rather than either the parking elevators or the front door for a taxi. At that point, Sam breathed, "What the hell? This shit has got to stop, no matter the cost!"

While the quartet waited for an elevator Jerry Jones and his wife kissed each other with passion. At one point Misty tapped them on the shoulder to, 'break it up,' and they filed into the elevator. Sam concluded, "So, it was never over - even after all the counseling, tears and promises - and he enjoys her body every time he comes to Boston. Hah! How convenient and how naive and revolting to watch, eh Sam? Well, it's no big thing and now that I have met Janice Chang, my marriage and this whole incident is trivial. " 

Later, in his car going home, a plan came into Sam's mind."

Three hours later Susan arrived at their spacious home. Sam had been in his office moving money around and off shore. Sam moved a large chunk of cash into the small parts vendor that he had bought in Singapore years ago from the proceeds of his father's estate. That completed, he watched as she walked into his office and said, "I am sorry I am late, Darling, but Hartford people were in town and I was entertaining them."

Sam said nothing and after glancing at her returned his attention to his screen.

She said, "I am tired and will take a shower and go to bed. Let's talk in the morning, O.K.?"

Sam continued working on the computer, ignoring her. She stood there smirking secure in her secure knowledge that her husband was chained to his marriage. She trudged to her bedroom and didn't even expect him to speak to her.

The next morning Sam went to his attorney's office in the Boston Financial district. He gave Janice Chang's company's paraphernalia that included an inch of documents she had used to qualify her company as a contender. After the two friends greeted Mike sat down and pursued the documents. He was a capable corporate lawyer and golf partner and the two had become good friends over the years. 

After he had made his way through the stack and looked up, Sam said, "I am looking to sell them my solar panel company and beef up the small international parts broker I bought in Singapore. I will then become a major supplier to that and other companies. I want you to verify a couple of the North American companies they own and make sure their marbles are big enough to play in this game. Fill out the paperwork for me to sell all my shares to them at a price to be determined later."

After about 15 minutes of discussion of the details, Sam stood up and asked, "Who is the best divorce attorney you have in this firm?"

His friend said, "Not again," unable to believe what he had heard!

"You heard me right, Mike. Remember ten years ago when I was contemplating divorce? Nothing has changed. Even the goddamn players are the same."

Mike said, "The whole damn world is unfair! While you were racking your brain around the clock to be successful, Susan was playing? Right?"

Sam said, "Yep! A hired detective gave me pics and a video, in color. But I actually witnessed their passion last night."

Sam's attorney said, "Oh well. Turn right in the hall, Patty can be found through the second door and I will announce you."

Patty Epstein was still fat and ugly except now just aged ten years. She also was even more a terror in the Family Law Courts of Suffolk County, rumor had it. She had met him at the door and pumped his hand like a long lost friend.

Sam said, "I want a divorce and in the process please make sure neither Susan nor you get rich."

She said, "You sound like you mean business this time, no backing out or counseling and no make up sex etcetera, etcetera."

Sam said, "Yes, I mean business. I already have the video proof and use this detective agency for any further work needed because they already know all the players," handing her a large business envelope. He continued, "And plant the gossip and innuendo in the high dollar society rags as required. Patty, save my ass!"

The attorney smiled the way a Lion might smile when a slain Wildebeest soon to be the predator's dinner is lying smothered to death in front of the lion. Rubbing her fingers together indicating 'costly,' she said, "It'll cost you a nickel but will be a lot cheaper than losing most everything?"

"Understood. Here are some party invitations and her company's announcements and some photos and other bio information along with some videos that the detective procured a couple of months ago. Pay careful attention to a warning letter from the company owner that her Branch continues to lose market share. Call me on my cell if you or the investigator have any questions."


Sam and Janice Fly to Heaven



Patty said as he was leaving,"If I am to save you any money bring me anything you have on letterhead that alludes to her incompetence as Branch Manager." 

Sam said, "Will do."

The cogs in Patty's head as Sam arose to go. He said, "Nice to see you again, Patty - and if you believe that, ask me about a bridge in Brooklyn I am selling cheap. But I am busy, busy. Stay in touch," as he was making his way out.

At his office Sam's wife had called so he called her back. "Hello, Susan. You called?"

"Darling, I know you have been very busy lately, but can we meet for dinner?"

"Susan, I have problems with a supply chain vendor in Rhode Island and they have agreed to talk to me after hours. So I must drive down there. In fact, I might just stay on Goat Island in Newport and drive back tomorrow. Didn't you say that you were entertaining home office people this week?"

"Yeah. They are here until Wednesday, but I just thought maybe you and I could meet and try to be a team, once again... I would blow meeting them off if you wanted to do something with me."

Sam said, "Thank you for the overture but two teams will be visiting tomorrow on top of everything else that is on my plate. Let's try later, O.K.?"

Reluctantly, she said, "O.K."

Susan Lake broke the circuit on her cell phone in her office and walked to her best friend's, i.e., her Line Manager Misty's, cubicle. She said, "Hey girlfriend, my overworked husband needs 30 hours to make a day and will spend the night in Newport. How about let's invite the two home-office men to your house for fun and games and then let your husband wait on us again. Ohhhh! That was so hot last time we did that. What do you say?"

Misty smiled nodding agreement vigorously, while she was half-way listening to one of her salespersons on the phone. 

Marilyn Smith (Misty) had a proven track record as a salesperson for ABX. She had started as a model right out of fashion design school but when the PR people concluded that 'the dew is off the rose' by analyzing her once show-stopper face and body, she was transferred to sales. There she surprised everyone by being top grosser for a few months. As such, she was a favorite in both Boston and Hartford.

Misty also enjoyed a special married life. She dominated her husband literally and he worshiped his skank wife and the whole Boston office knew of their 'open' marriage. The new Branch Manager, Susan Lake, had envied Misty's life style and in a moment of primal lust she wanted to find her own such man-toy and become a slaver. The first time she and Misty had partied with the home office people at Misty's apartment, Misty's Hubby had just played his role as servant to the four. It was a very sexy experience for Susan, but the depression from the let down after the sexual foursome was awful because she kept visualizing her husband working to achieve his dream for them working long hours every day. As for selling cosmetics, when Susan became Branch Manager she shortly thereafter promoted her best friend, Misty, to Line Manager for five of their high dollar cosmetic lines. But, her team had done poorly in sales since then, however, as it seems that extreme sales skills to not translate into building a sales team.

Misty hung up and said, "O.K., Let's party. But, I get Jerry Jones tonight and you deal with the pencil-dicked Regional Manager, Ben Kessler. Besides that, it's time for you to stroke him because he keeps you in your spacious front office." 

Susan said, "Yuck! You are right. O.K.., Girlfriend. I will step into the conference room to set this up with the men who are still pouring over our advertising efforts. Will you please call your husband and have him cook some fresh Albacore Tuna for us? - we will get the men to pay for it since they are getting free pussy."

In the evening Jerry Jones and Ben Kessler from the regional office and the two ladies sat at Misty's formal table drinking wine and joking and talking loudly. The big shock to Jones, the first time they were introduced to Misty's husband, and after hearing about their life style for years, was that Mark was a very big person. He had been a college football lineman once and that left even a larger 'how-in-the-world' question mark in Jerry Jones' mind. Mark came by the formal table the first time to pick up their plates after the super meal he had cooked and served. Jones said to him, "Great job cooking that fish, Mark." He came back the second time to refill their wine glasses and then disappeared into the kitchen, like any well trained servant. 

Kessler, the Regional Manager, said, "Misty, if you ever run Mark off, call me and watch me come running!"

They all guffawed laughing on that one but Misty jumped right back at the pencil-dicked RM and said, "Well, Ben, if you get detailed to Boston you may rent a room from me and assist Mark doing some of his chores."

The table exploded with laughter as the four by now had a pleasant buzz on from the two bottles of wine they had consumed since coming to Misty's home. The swinger lady started the party by disappearing and then returning to the room naked, except for her 4 inch heels. She said in a party mode, "Jerry Jones, on your knees and export some computer skills to me using your tongue on my pussy before I enjoy that hunk of meat that swings between your legs." She snapped her fingers and pointed to her shaved pussy smiling. Pretending to be her slave he dropped to his knees in front of her. Their party had begun.

Susan took Ben's hand and said, "Let's us have our own party in the guest bedroom, Ben."

So their party began as well. They later switched partners and later still all four were in the master bedroom for the finale. At that point it was 10:30 and Kessler said, as he started putting on his clothes, "O.K. Party is over Children, again. We need to be on the road early for a 9:00 A.M. arrival in the Hartford office. So 'Fare Thee Well' ladies, we enjoyed you."

After the two men had put on their clothes and quietly left, the two naked ladies recovered from the physical and emotional work out by just lying spread eagle naked and sticky on the king-size bed, beside each other, resting. Both were oblivious to the cover being on the floor and the sheets being dampened from the four people's body fluids. Misty finally pressed a buzzer button on the night stand and within ten seconds Mark appeared with a set of towels for Susan and started her shower. 

When Susan returned from the shower, Misty talked non-stop..." Girlfriend, you are going to get hooked on Mark as your servant but you can not have him - but I might do some trading so that you could have him for a weekend, interested?"

Susan said, "I'd love it but remember I am married and must play my role as a devoted wife on the weekends. She closed her eyes enjoying the thought of having a dedicated servant like Mark. She finally said, "Thank you, Mark and Misty. But it's time to get on the road." 

After putting on her clothes, Susan said, "Goodnight and thank you for the double date and for having your husband as our servant, Girlfriend."

Misty said, "Think nothing of it. My treat as well. Moreover, we four made Mark's day." Looking at Mark she said, "Escort her to her car and hurry back."

"Yes, Ma'am"

Once Mark and Susan were outside the townhouse, she grabbed his cock. She asked, "Would you be keen on spending a New York City weekend with me if I can get away and if Misty will actually loan you to me?"

Mark Replied, "Oh yes! That would be wonderful, if Misty would permit that."

She said, "No promises but I will tell Misty, you did a marvelous job this evening."

-----

It was Wednesday afternoon and the leaders of the accounting team and the digital testing team had just given Janice Chang a summary of their Engineering and Accounting findings in Sam Lake's conference room. Janice's face alternated between a frown and a smile as they said nothing which would give any reason that Sam Lake would take less than its full market value for his company and all rights. She began rehearsing how she would convince her four brothers that her decision to exceed their top offer amount will have been a sound one. She asked herself as the team leaders spoke, "Is this a good acquisition or are you just enamored of Sam Lake? Will he really go through with a divorce from his wife? My U.S. Legal Affairs attorney in Seattle tells me that sometimes divorce courts leave a man with nothing but his clothes while his whore wife reaps the benefits of his productive work, though he did say he wasn't familiar with Massachusetts law." After both leaders gave a summary she said, "Thank you, Ma'am and sir, for your presentations. Please write up and certify your findings and deliver them to me at the Hyatt on Atlantic not later than tomorrow at 10:00. O.K.?"

They both agreed and began stuffing papers into briefcases preparing to leave. Sam had sat silently studying Janice Chang's face during the conference when to do so was not down right embarrassing. After it was over he had asked his two chiefs present to escort the guests out. This left Sam and Janice in the conference room alone, finally.

Janice said, "You are incorporated in Delaware as a closed corporation and the single owner of 100,000 shares of ..." She wrote a number down on a slip of paper and passed it to Sam and continued, "I will offer this much per share for all shares that will include any licenses, rights and patents you own. And there is one more thing," ignoring the questioning look on Sam's face, she continued, "You must agree to non-compete for five years and be my manager here for one year while you train someone else to take over."

Sam smiled at her and said, "I presume your words are just talk until you have looked at the certified pro-forma results and engineering tests - and perhaps discussed it with one or more of the other principals in your company. Having said that, It's a deal for 50 more dollars per share."

"Sam, first off, two brothers, as you say, are the ones who showed me the magazine article and suggested that I travel here to meet you. So, rest assured, they are on board already and want me to buy your company - they own electronic assembly plants in China where they intend to manufacture panels for the mid-east desert countries. In fact, they have dollar signs in their eyes and want to saturate the countryside with solar panels there like what others have done with cell phones. But, your sell price is too expensive. I will split the difference, $25.00 more than I originally offered."

A big smile broke out on Sam's face as he said, "It's a deal, Boss." They shook hands. Continuing he said, "Now, let me show you more of Boston because you can not do anything until 10:00 in the morning, I don't believe? Then tomorrow morning we will walk up Atlantic Avenue to my attorney's office and transfer your money to me, and then I sign the bill of sale of all the shares. How about that?"

She asked, "Yes. Thanks for offering to escort me around Boston again. As part of that could you and I go out tonight and celebrate with me treating you?"

Sam said, "Excellent idea. What did you have in mind, Janice?"

She replied, "I would like to have a fine dinner in a high rise restaurant where maybe we can dance some, and just enjoy each others company and get to know each other."

Sam replied, "I know just the place. Why don't we put on some very dressy clothes and the two of us go to a particular supper club I have in mind. They have a small combo providing live music and a dance floor. It should be the exact image of what you described?"

Three hours later Sam and Janice had finished a lobster dinner - her comments were, "I didn't think anything could taste that good." They had danced maybe an hour. Again, she had surprised Sam - this time with her dancing skills."

Sitting at a quiet corner in a nearly empty 40th floor restaurant, Sam asked, "Where in the world did you learn to dance like that?"

"Dancing? One of the first advantages I enjoyed by marrying a very rich man as a kid was that dancing, along with other social grace lessons, were part of my daily training since I was still a child. My husband found a naive, gawking farmer's daughter from Rural China and turned her into a lady, trained to have all the graces. In fact, I had been so caught up in the social part of being one of his wives until I could never understand our occasional sexual sessions, as his attraction to me was my precociousness, not my body with a pimply face. It's laughable now but for the first year I couldn't figure out why someone would bother to even have sex - as you Americans would say, 'What is the big deal?' But I learned about sex later from one of his brothers - who forced me and then blackmailed me to keep quiet about being raped."

Sam asked, "How did he blackmail you?"

She said, "By threatening to tell my husband and that I had grabbed my brother's cock and that I should be sent back to the dirt road in rural China."

Sam said, "Fascinating! How did the relationship with the brother end? Or did it end?"

"Oh, It ended with a big family blow up that threatened the health of the businesses. My rapist's number one wife caught us and withheld sex from my brother for a month or so and then started back after becoming my protector. From that point on he wouldn't even be alone with me in a room, he was so frightened of his wife."

"Lucky you, Janice."

She said, "You are such a focused, erudite man in both engineering and business matters, how did you wind up with a super stupid wife who tries to find meaning to life using her body?"

Sam was shocked again and thought to himself, "Have you finally met an Equal, Sam?" then he chuckled and said, "I have asked myself that question a thousand times over the years." He continued by relating their first year and ended by telling her what happened the night he dropped her off at her hotel Monday afternoon. He continued, "Then yesterday I went to my attorney first to have you and your company checked out. A glowing report came back of how well you people are financed and how little debt you have. Then I walked down the hall to the number one divorce attorney in Boston and got the process started. Within three months I will be divorced."

She asked, "So what happens then?"

Sam said, "I am relocating to Singapore - speaking of coincidences - after I retire. My wife and I were tourists in Singapore six years ago. Once there of course her interests were the party places while mine were in businesses. There was an international electronic parts broker company that caught my eye - I read about it being for sale in a 'Business News.' I went down there, met the manager and his staff and was super impressed. in fact, I got to know him. He personally impressed me because he had emigrated from a small island where he was born in a grass shack. He became a guest service worker for six years, then became a citizen, which is normal there as you know, and started the company. I came home, thought about it because I wanted to buy some foreign assets because of the future politics of our country appears frightening for any productive person. So, I borrowed money, and started setting aside funds to buy it later."

She asked, "What happened then?"

"I flew back to Singapore and interviewed the owner in depth year before last - I hired a big three accounting firm to do the due-diligence. Then I offered to double his take home pay as my manager. He accepted and I have a 5-year contract with him to be my manager there. I get one report a month from Singapore and it's an ROI report detailing deposits minus expense entries. I am happy and he is happy and his staff is happy. I have only been back one other time."

She said, "Wow! You do have an eye for business, don't you?"

"Thank you, Janice. For what it's worth, I continue to quietly move money to my HSBC Singapore account via their New York office to ostensibly grow that company, especially now that a divorce looms. I had earlier made up my mind to retire to Singapore just like you."

Janice asked, "Mind telling me why you want to retire there - and when?"

Sam said, "Gladly. The 18-hour work days should be over now that I have the basic quantum process for the Solar Panels reliably working, but its not. Now I am working even longer hours fighting healthcare, tax and environmental roadblocks that all productive people in a basic industry have to fight. And it is getting worse. I am tired of fighting them, Janice. I want to take my shoes off and chill out. I want to manage a parts house and just enjoy life."

Janice started crying visibly and said, "That is exactly the reason I want to retire to Singapore. However bad your bureaucrats are, ours are orders of magnitude worse."

There was a minute of silence and Janice looked at the man across the table from her and thought, "How is it possible that I can actually meet an elusive dream who has been the object of my search for many years? I had better stop to think things through? Is this solar panel shop purchase a good business deal or has this man suspended your rational thinking processes, Janice?" She said to Sam, "I have had such a wonderful evening, Sam, and thanks to you, as frequent trips to Boston are in my future."

The confirming wire of the money having been transferred from her company's HSBC account in Taiwan to his in Singapore came back via HSBC New York Thursday morning. Sam and Janice, worked at Sam's laptop in Mike's office. They smiled at each other and Sam asked, "Shall we sign the paper work?"

He was overwhelmed with the thought that Janice's sense of angst was surely high until the second part of the transaction was completed because so much money was involved. But, they were then ushered right into his attorney, Mike's office. Janice was introduced to a contract lawyer from a local firm that had been hired by her U.S. affairs law firm in Seattle. After the introductions and proof of identification process was completed, his attorney said, "Sam Lake, this affidavit says that you wish to sell all 100,000 shares of ... to ... for the price of ... U.S. Dollars Total. Turning to the visiting lawyer, he asked, "Would you certify this transaction, sir?" 

The lawyer read the document and said, "Yes," as he signed in the appropriate space. 

Turning to buyer and seller, Sam's attorney asked, "Is the bill of sale presented what you both agreed to?"

Janice and Sam said, "Yes."

Sam signed and the the notary stamped it. Copies were made and the original was given to Janice Chang. The moment that happened the atmosphere in Sam's attorney's office turned celebratory. After several minutes of chatter, with the visiting attorney indirectly soliciting future business from Janice, Sam asked the new owner loudly to talk over the chatter, "What is your first order for me, Boss-lady?" The room burst into laughter.

She said, "Let's get some breakfast!"

----

Susan Lake had a splitting head ache this Wednesday morning as she parked her car in her reserved spot and walked to the elevator at ten past 11:00. She passed her Administrative Assistant's desk toward her office. The Admin said, "Susan, the item on top is the most important!" 

Crashing into her executive chair, she waited for the Admin to bring her coffee and then picked up the stack of correspondence and read the top faxed document on company letterhead first. 

__________________________________________

Critical: For All Branch Managers

I have today accepted the resignation of Benjamin Kessler as Regional Manager of the Hartford Region. The Providence Branch manager, Geraldine Watson, will assume the RM duties for the Hartford Region for an interim period. Let's all welcome Ms Watson and wish her good luck."




Sam and Janice Fly to Heaven



Patricia Goldstein

Owner, ABX Manufacturers Rep

__________________________________________ 

Susan's spilled her coffee as her world had turned to shit! She screamed silently to herself, "The Lesbian bitch will fire my ass before the ink dries on this sheet of paper. I am fucked!" She called her assistant and asked, "Has my husband returned my call?"

The reply was, "No, Susan, shall I try him for you - both numbers?"

She was panicky now and said, "Please do."

Ten minutes later the Admin stuck her head in Susan's door and said, "The cell goes straight to voice mail. My friend, his secretary, tells me that he has some supply problems and is entertaining a foreign visitor. She has no idea where he is. He left his assistant manager in charge because one of the foremen has a labor problem. Want to talk to him?"

"No. Thank you, anyway."

All day Thursday Susan jumped when the phone rang but she heard nothing from the new RM.

When she got home that night she smiled when she saw Sam's car in his usual spot in their garage. She ran into the house and up the stairs only to find her husband, Sam, packing his suitcase. He said, "Greetings, Wife. How are you?"

She said, "Sam, I need help." She thrust ABX owner's Memo into his hand, and continued, "This will give you an indicator of the depth of my problems, please read it."

Sam did so and shrugged and said, "So, do I know Geraldine Watson - has she been to our house? And, why is this a problem for you?"

She was crying profusely now because she hadn't even communicated to her husband that she had not 'made it' as a branch manager and had been, in fact, just faking it. She said, "You and I don't know each other at all, Sam. Watson hates me and will soon fire me. I need your help and understanding. Can you not stop for a moment and talk to me?"

"No, Susan, I have an early morning flight to Taiwan via Vancouver. I thought we agreed that you would support me as I struggled to build my company. Besides that, think of it from your point of view. If you were to be fired, remember that once upon a time you were a crackerjack Saleslady of uppity cosmetics. There is no reason you can not do that again, and then you don't have the pressure of staff and Hartford breathing fire at you. Its my secret sauce. When the pressures of vendors and customers and bureaucrats and making the payroll for 90 employees are on my plate, I always remind myself that I could design another digital widget and continue on if it came to that and keep pushing. That is exactly what you have to do!"

Susan felt her tensions diminishing as Sam spoke and she said to herself, "Of course, why didn't I think of that?" She attempted to grab him saying, "Oh thank you, husband. I needed that. In fact, I always feel better after talking to you." Her outreached arms were removed by Sam and she was shocked. She continued, "You haven't held me in over a week and you promised me there would be time for us next week, but you will be gone."

Sam was stern and said, "Susan my plate is full and I am not in the mood to talk to you at any rate, and I have so much to do before I sleep tonight until I will stay at a hotel near the airport so I won't miss the early flight. Please say goodbye as I am ready to leave." At that moment a car horn blew outside and Sam said, "That is the shuttle. Goodbye, wife." 

Susan Lake sat in her office on Friday, cursing because Sam would not return from Taiwan for 7 days. Although he often was absent for extended periods over the years, she had an unexplained bad feeling about this absence and what was coming down on her. She was grumpy and anxious because she expected the new RM to contact her and wondered why she hadn't. 

Her Admin knocked and came in carrying an opened FedEx package of documents. She gave the package to Susan and said, "This was marked urgent, Susan"

It was a notice of a site visit on Monday by the new RM and a Hartford Owner's troubleshooter, John Marshall, whom she had loathed for years. She closed her eyes and visualized John Marshall. She mused, "I tried to seduce him while Jerry Jones and I were fucking like rabbits as my new husband was safely in Boston working on his dream, 18 hours a day. I am sure Marshall considered both Jones and me as evil people and would have become fast friends with my new husband had they met." Looking through the documents, which detailed what the two would be looking at and instructions for setting up interviews with her Line Managers, her Friday accelerated down hill as she made the preparations for Monday's visit. 

She afterwards abruptly took the rest of the day off and spent the worst weekend of her life alone. Susan truly felt that God's way of punishing her was to find herself alone. The feeling of doom grew progressively more ominous in her mind. She had no friends, except Misty, who she knew would be traveling to visit her In-Laws, so that left Susan completely alone. The Harlot wife had no other options because barhopping was a nauseous thought and spent the weekend with junk food, too much wine, and too much wasteland television.

On Monday morning, RM Geraldine Watson marched her fat ass into Susan Lake's office not bothering to hide a smirk on her face. Susan Lake painted a phony smile on her face and thought to herself, "Maybe I should have crawled between her legs ten years ago to pleasure her and my future with the company would be brighter now - scuttlebutt has it that she enjoys the pleasuring of her pussy by the new hire models more than anyone else. BITCH!" 

Watson said, all business like, "Greetings Susan, long time no see. While we are awaiting Marshall's arrival from Hartford, lets talk about today's visit." So for ten minutes the ladies talked, barely controlling the hostility between the two of them, and then was interrupted by the arrival of John Marshall. So the Site Visit started with the first Line Manager coming into her office. Susan was asked to sit in on the meetings.

It was 4:30 and Misty, the last interviewee, had finished with the two and she was about to leave when Geraldine said, "Misty, you were the best salesperson in this office before you became Line Manager. If you ever want to return to that world, don't hesitate to let me know, O.K.?"

Misty said pleasantly surprised, "Well, thank you Geraldine. I think about that a whole lots."

Afterwards the Owner's assistant said, "The news is worse than I initially thought, Ms Watson. Let's take a half hour break and check our emails and meet back here afterwards."

When the two had left her office, Susan was anxious to see if her husband had written. She even closed her eyes and 'wished on her lucky star' that when she brought up the inbox, Sam's name would show. It did not. She shook herself and silently screamed, "Susan, the world doesn't work like that!"

The two visitors woke her from her fantasy world as they returned to her office. Geraldine said, "Susan, I will talk straight and to the point. We three have the seen the red ink all day and we know that we have the wrong people in the wrong slots on the org chart in this Branch. I am going to offer you a chance to resign as Branch Manager and at the same time offer you a sales position in the Providence Branch. Before you answer remember that once upon a time you were a crackerjack salesperson and you haven't lost that skill. Also, it would be a clean new start with the company. A new Line Manager from the Philly office, whom you don't know, will soon be in place and you would be reporting to him. Your draw against commission would be the same as all the other salespeople in the Providence Office."

Susan thought, "If I resign I have no legal recourse but I will ditch all the front office pressure and it just might be the change that would allow Sam and me to get back together again. If I don't accept it I will be canned anyway and rots-a-ruk to me in a law suit. Finally, I must stop fucking around and engaging in this wanton sex madness because I can never build anything with my husband if I don't." Susan smiled at Geraldine and John and said, "Thank you for the opportunity as I have been planning to seek a sales assignment already."

Geraldine produced a boiler-plate form and said, after Susan signed her resignation letter, "Report to the branch manager there, who is my replacement, two weeks from today, and she and the new Line Manager will fill you in on all the particulars. You will get a two month severance pay from here to help you transition."

Susan, in her stunned state, didn't quite know what to say. She thought, "Should I thank them for firing me from my Branch Manager job, or thank them for giving me an opportunity to, at least, do something I am qualified to do? Well, they didn't kick me to the street." She smiled and simply said, "Good day, and thank you both. If I may gather up my personal items?"

After the two left her office, tears blinded her as she started cleaning her desk as she stacked things in the large box she had used to bring documents into her office for the visitors to use in the site visit. She was struggling to carry it to her car when the CEO's Troubleshooter, John Marshall, whom she had tried unsuccessfully to seduce years ago, said, "Susan, let me help you with that." He picked it up effortlessly and they walked to her car.

Once the box was loaded, John continued, "Susan, I have seen so many employees who literally reek with ability, just like you, but who are so rife with conflicts until they can not perform. Honestly, I wish you well as you sort out who you are and what you are going to do with your life. The Providence posting is a good spring board for you to do just. I, truly, wish you well."

She shook his hand and said, "Thank you, John, but I can not help and remember the wise career counsel you gave me when I started with the company, which I ignored. For what it's worth, had I listened and not focused on seducing you... Well, thank you anyway." She hurriedly got into her car before he could see both her eyes and her nose gushing liquids. 

---

Friday evening Janice Chang and Sam Lake and the manager along with the chief engineer of Janice's Vancouver plant were finishing dinner. She had introduced Sam earlier in a tour as the inventor of the panels and her new Boston Plant manager. They had discussed re-tooling to produce Sam's solar panels there for the Western North America markets - costs, inspections, etc. - and procedures for dealing with the Canadian government.

Her local people later dropped both off at the Holiday Inn and said good night. They rolled their suitcases into the lobby and she said to Sam, "Please wait right here."

She returned with two room keys, 506 and 508, and said beaming with a smile, "There is a connecting door between our two rooms."

Sam's pants tented and Janice visibly was restraining herself from grabbing his cock. He said, "I suggest that we take a bottle of wine with us and go up to wash the road dust off. Then I invite you over to have a drink, entering through the family door?"

Janice chuckled and said, "You have the most fantastic ideas, but I intend to invite you!"

Later Sam had just finished shaving when he heard a knock on the family door. He finished and put the hotel's robe on his naked body, unlocked his side of the door, and walked into Janice's room after opening the internal door. Two cocktail glasses of wine had been poured and placed on each of the night stands beside the king-size bed.

She lay on her back smiling, naked, extending her arms to him and said, "I would have packed a sexy gown and some candles had I known I would encounter you."

Sam jumped onto the king size bed and went to heaven. An hour after they had started fore-play, Sam could barely enter her before her pain was too intense. He pulled out and kept trying until he was two inches inside her. At this point her pain was just enough until she started an almost continuing orgasm. Collapsed from exhaustion, Sam pulled out and sat her up in bed so she could enjoy her wine as he held the glass. With a large grin on her face she said, "Please be patient and let's make love often until I can return the extreme pleasure as much as you have given me."

Sam replied, "You can not imagine the my pleasure already given. Your mind is as beautiful as your body."

One hour and ten minutes later Sam had almost completely entered the body of the fifth sex partner he had had in his 35 years. After another hour, during which time she kissed his whole body, the two sat up in bed beside each other naked, sipping their wine and just smiling at the world.

-----

It was Monday evening in Boston and Susan was looking online at apartments near Providence shown. For the first time in recent memory the wanton wife was in somewhat of a good mood. Driving home the good vibes about her career change reverberated in her head. Taking deep breaths from her diaphragm the smile on her face attracted some stares and a smile from a man in the next car over when stopped at a traffic light. She thought, "Damn! I can even feel the tension decreasing exactly the way I feel when Sam bothers to talk to me." 

At home she prepared dinner and had sat down to eat when the door bell rang. She answered the door and a uniformed lady stood outside. She said, "Susan Wilkins Lake?"

"Yes."

She thrust an envelope into her her hand and said, "You have been served. Good night."

Susan's mind blanked out as she stood motionless in front of the closed door after the constable had departed. After several minutes she made her way to her office and sat down heavily. An email that ostensibly was from Misty showed in her personal in box queue. She opened it and there was a snapshot of Jerry Jones fucking her doggy-style while she was deep-throating Ben Kessler. The photo was dated a month ago - the last time before Tuesday night the four had partied at Misty's house. She further noticed that the email was actually not from Susan but from a hacker. She screamed and froze at her keyboard.

Reaching for her phone, her first impulse was to call her Real Estate attorney father in Pennsylvania. The very thought of him, however, brought a stream of tears to her eyes. Then she reminded herself, "Today is the day that the new Susan Lake begins to live! You lost a man you didn't love and who didn't love you ever in this phony marriage you have been in for 12 years? Or did you gain your sexual independence that will go nicely with the 'New' Susan in the Providence sales territory?"

When Susan read the terms of the petition she first noticed their showplace home - it was to be sold and the net profits divided equally with furniture and fixtures to be awarded to Susan. The second thing she noticed was that there was no alimony or future payment to her by Sam in the petition. She first said out loud to nobody, "We'll just see, Sam Lake, because you will pay to you bleed!" Then she noticed a middle 5 digit amount that Sam agreed to pay her cash up front. After some calculations in her head at what she might net from the house's sale plus the small cash offer from Sam, she said to herself, "Damn Susan, do you have a pussy or not? Sam is offering you a clean sweep with me standing on my feet to pursue my Providence assignment. But damn! If I got a hot-shot lawyer he or she would take most of what extra I might get from Sam anyway. Worse, I would still feel like shit because there would be no escaping from the knowledge I didn't earn my lavish life style - Sam made it possible."

She abruptly keyed her father's number into her phone. He answered on the first ring, "Jerry Wilkins."

"Hi, Dad, it's Susan."

"This is a pleasant surprise, Pumpkin, hello to you. When are you two going to visit me again?"

"Dad, two big changes happened in my life today. Sam has petitioned for a divorce and I was demoted back to a sales territory. I am not upset and my initial plan for my future makes me feel somewhat relieved."

He said, "Well, how about visiting me? Do you have some time off before your new job starts."

"Yes, Dad, the question is, can you take some time off?"

"I don't have anything on the front burner, what did you have in mind, Susan?"

"I would like to take the express train to Washington and check into a suite at the Hyatt Arlington - and for you to join me. We could finally visit the Smithsonian museums on the mall that you promised me we would do ever since Mom split when I was a teen. When might you do that?"

The father and daughter discussed the particulars and her father said, "O.K., I will see you at the Hyatt Arlington sometimes Wednesday afternoon.

---

Sam Lake and Janice Chang arrived in Taipei Monday morning. Both were exhausted from the flight from Vancouver but were in good spirits. Rush hour morning traffic in Boston and Manhattan were light - compared to here where the cars and pedestrians fought for space. The taxi pulled into a horseshoe drive of a high rise condominium. The two entered an external elevator and said nothing while it rose to the 50th floor as they looked over the city, still far from the top. 

Janice and her declining husband's condo was decorated with photos of commercial properties and factories he owned - and shortly she would assume ownership. They were so exhausted until both showered separately and fell into her queen-size bed and soundly slept.

Sam was awakened by a strange odor coming from the kitchen, five hours later. He was naked and looked for some clothes but couldn't find any, so he went to the kitchen the way he slept. He startled her by his voice and she smiled big and said, "Good morning, Lover."

She replied, "I hope you will like the scallion pancakes I am cooking."

"I am sure I will love them, Dear Lady. What an amazing way to wake up. Thank you for coming into my life."

She smiled broadly and said, "The pleasure is mine. Please sit down and pour the tea - I have no coffee for you, but I would have stocked it before I left if I had ever supposed Sam Lake was alive."

"Oh no! Tea works just fine."

Sitting across from him, Janice's very large nipples and areola but petite breasts captured Sam's attention as they continuously talked about themselves. When the meal was finished and both had wiped their hands, Sam went to her side of the table and picked her up like a feather, and cradled in his arms. He deposited her at the bathroom door, and stood back awaiting his turn. When Sam came out she met him at the bathroom door and they wrestled each other to the floor and finally to the bed. An hour and a half later Sam said, "You and your brother's entire engineering department will be awaiting detail construction notes and techniques on the solar panels tomorrow. Darling, we must turn each other loose so I can work on my presentation."

She replied, "Sam, I love you so much. Just hold me five more minutes and then go to work."

In the evening three days later Janice accompanied Sam standing in line with him talking, while approaching security in the Taiwan Airport. Janice handed her lover one of her Singapore business cards. She had written an address and a condo number on the back. She said, "I will alert the door man that you will be staying in my condo so he will be expecting you."

"Oh thank you, Darling. My only regret is that you can not be there."

She smiled and said, "My husband's dementia grows worse daily and will soon be on life support. Add to that, I have a decisive meeting with my brothers tomorrow. Sam, I have a theory that they will make me an in-lieu-of offer for my husband's assets. If they do and if it's equitable, I might sell and relocate to Singapore and seek employment as a Business Consultant. That will happen in about a year - just about the time you have your replacement trained in Boston. Could you handle that?"




Sam and Janice Fly to Heaven



Sam Lake had a smile on his whole head and grabbed her for a goodbye kiss. He said, "Hallelujah! I will relocate to Singapore not later than one year from today. Once I am there, I am thinking of my major supply chain operations shipping via Container Freight. I know who your first customer as a consultant is, since I saw the operation you created in Vancouver."

This provoked first a smile and then tears of happiness from Janice as the security agent called out, "Next!"

——————

Susan Lake's father, Jerry Wilkins, knocked on the Hyatt Arlington suite door and the daughter welcomed him in, suppressing her tears of both happiness and sadness. After their initial hugs, Jerry said, "Oh Pumpkin, I have wanted to spend some time with you for so long and here it is. I am sorry that it's under these circumstances but spending time with you is good therapy for me." The father and daughter spent half an hour catching up on family affairs - and he showed her a society page newspaper clipping photo of Susan's mother. 

She smiled and said, "Any idea if she is still the whore she was when you were together? Don't answer that, Dad."

There was a moment of silence while the man grimaced from pain he still felt about his failed marriage. But Susan continued, "To change the subject, Dad, once again fate has taught me to enjoy life while living, and I remind myself that I have hated every minute of my life in a job I wasn't qualified to do while married to man whom I never loved. And, I did all that to make the big bucks and have the 'finer things' so that I could be the envy of my peers. Daddy, on the long train ride down here I concluded that I squandered 16 years of my life."

Her Dad asked, "So have you figured out what you are going to do about your divorce petition and, indeed, your future?"

She said, "I am 95 percent certain but I want you to read the petition and then let me tell you my plan. If you think of something I haven't then I might not be so certain."

Her father sat down and read the 8 sheets of paper and looked at his daughter. He asked, "So what is your plan?"

She said, "Either, add another 100K to the lump sum payment and sign off on the other items as they are, or sign off as is if he will change the reason for our divorce to 'Incompatibility.'"

He replied, "Susan, you just might find someone to love - deeply, madly, and exclusively - in the future if you focus your mind on living. If the future man is a think-ahead type, marrying a documented slut will not be an option for him - no matter his feelings. Sam was so focused on his research he never bothered to look at your past when you two met in college - e.g., You never told him about the two abortions you had before you even met him."

She said, "Don't remind me, Dad, but I should have told him of my past when we met but we were caught up in the moment and enjoyed the sex and other excitement, and that is all we had. Sad, isn't it now that I am looking back?"

He replied, "Yes it is but you can have a successful future. You can make the money back and still live with yourself if you take your second option. Beside, I have always known something was wrong with your marriage and sided with Sam when you two had a tiff - I am on his side, Pumpkin, because he has it together and you do not! But, the new job and independence is your opportunity to learn to pull yourself together." 

Susan said, "I have made a decision, Daddy. Give me a moment." She found Sam's divorce attorney, Patty Epstein, on the documents and called the law firm and asked for her. The famed attorney grimaced when the receptionist announced the caller and had a vision of 5 digit$ worth of billable hours flying away like a bird, and then heard her caller identify herself saying, "Ms Epstein, I am Susan Lake, Sam Lake's soon to be ex-wife."

"Yes. What can I do for you?"

"I would like to accept the property division of this divorce petition as is if the reason for the divorce will change to 'incompatibility.' Please contact Sam and ask if he will approve that then re-write the documents and I will come by your office and sign next Monday."

Patty Epstein said, disappointedly, "I will present this to Sam and if he approves I will text you when to come by and sign the documents. Is that O.K.?"

"Yes. Thank you. Have a good day." Click.

Her father grabbed Susan and danced her around the suite. He asked, "Can we forget all about divorce and pain and loneliness and enjoy a week of aircraft and space ships and sculptures, and paintings, and wild life." He stopped and looked at her and said, "I am thirty years late daughter, but I am confident you have a future proper to someone as smart as you." 

———-

In Singapore, Sam showed Janice's condo address to the taxi driver and they drove through the late night traffic. It was heavy even then. They approached the downtown area and turned into a visitor area of a high rise building. Sam exited the cab and looked at the world famous three towers Sands Hotel and Casino that he admired the architecture so much. 

He then paid and said to the cabbie, "I will return to get my luggage in just a moment. Please wait while I make sure I am expected." At the doorman's security desk Sam spoke the name of Janice's contact here and said, "I am Sam Lake and you should have a note from him welcoming me. Will you check?"

The night clerk looked though some notes and suddenly his face lit up. He said, "Yes. Mr. Lake. Welcome to King George House. Allow us to get your luggage and deliver it to Ms Janice Chang's suite."

When Sam entered the luxury apartment, a very young Janice Chang and an old man were the subjects of a giant professional portrait on the wall. Sam remarked to himself, "She was even more beautiful as a teenager." To the right of the portrait there was a blown up, framed snapshot of two traditionally dressed field workers behind two children. The younger was a prepubescent girl that was obviously Janice and the adults must have been her parents. Sam was mesmerized and stood staring at the snapshot until there was a knock on the door.

After the luggage was delivered, Sam opened a canned drink he found while a Chinese food he could not identify frozen TV dinner was placed in the microwave. While it cooked he sipped his drink and alternately gazed out Janice's 50th floor window at the three towers of the Sands Hotel and Casino while alternately moving his eyes back to the portrait and the snapshot that was on the adjacent wall. Then, for the first time the thought of 16 years of wasting his life with Susan attacked his mind. His final comment to himself as the microwave beeped and he raised his drink can as an imaginary 'toast,' was "For someone whose IQ can not be compared to others who have taken the same test, Doctor Lake, you do some stupid things - and marrying Susan was the most extreme. But, Dear Susan, whomever you are under tonight, I do hope you land on your feet now that the party with me is over."

The next morning after a leisure breakfast at an "American' cafe, Sam walked up to the receptionist of his Electronics Supply firm, unrecognized by her at first. He could not help but smile as he waited for her to get off the phone and counted 40 front office desks in the huge open space. Each desk had an employee on the headset phone and watching the monitor at the same time. There must have been 30 low level phone calls going on. The receptionist looked up at him and asked, "How may I help you, Sir?"

Sam gave her a business card and asked, "Would you announce me to Mister Arnu, he is expecting me." 

She smiled broadly and said, "Welcome to Equatorial Supply Company, Mister Lake. Sorry I didn't recognize you."

Arnu was a 50 something rolly-poly five footer who lost all his hair in his youth. Almost always smiling while displaying a fortune in gold in his teeth, he had fought his way to wealth and prosperity as a deal maker, one deal at a time time. Widely known in the Asian Tiger countries because he was fluent in 5 languages and traveled there often, he negotiated with both buyers and sellers. 

Arun walked up to Sam and pumped his hand, "Welcome Mr. Lake. I hope you are enjoying Singapore. You picked a good day to come, as five supply chain containers are in the process of being lifted onto trailers to be pulled by trucks to the Container Port. These represent three major orders destined for three companies in Shanghai. Would you like to walk out to the shipping area?"

"Hello to you to, Mr. Arnu, I would love to see a major operation like a shipment of 5 containers."

When Arnu and Sam arrived at the shipping area, a container was being loaded onto a rig being pulled by a truck, and 3 more empty trucks were lined up awaiting a container. Arnu said, "The five containers are destined for 3 companies, Mr. Lake and business is good."

Sam said, "I can tell, Mister Arnu, but I want to talk about future business and expansion and get your input - as for whatever you are doing, keep doing it as this place looks like a beehive and I am earning a good ROI on my investment."

The gold in Arnu's teeth glistened as he smiled big and said, "Thanks, Mr. Lake."

In Arnu's office later with the door closed Sam said, "I will be relocating here just about the time your five year contract to manage Equatorial expires - a little over a year from now. At that time I intend to grow the business to expand into machine tools and agricultural equipment perhaps since commercial farms are now very big business world wide and we would have no competition. Should we try to buy the building next door - things look dead over there - or should we try to buy a going operation with a Shipping Container operation already in place?"

Arn smiled and said, "You think big and that is what I like about you. So, what can I do to help?"

Sam said, "I want you to gradually move this operation over to the assistant manager you now leave in charge while traveling and conduct an investigation as to the best way for us to expand. I would add this much to your salary and this much for expenses to your payment package plus this much for an an administrative assistant as payment for the extra work. You would need to give me a detailed bi-weekly accounting of ideas, and what you have looked at and what looks promising, that go along with the expenses incurred, " as he showed a piece of paper with three amounts on the sheet.

Arnu said, "To be honest, a competitor of yours has made me an offer to manage their operation when my contract here is up thirteen months from now. His financing is shaky and I won't take his offer, but the first thing I will look into is buying his commercial appliance replacement parts company. Yes, Mr. Lake, I would enjoy being your scout while Equatorial continues to be a, what did you say?"

Sam said, "A beehive."

After a day of conferring with Arnu and two assistants Sam took a taxi back to Janice's Condo. He was not in the mood to eat Asian food again and he needed a walk for exercise. So Sam enjoyed a steak dinner at an 'American Food' upscale restaurant and felt charged up again.

Walking home, his cell phone beeped and it was Patty Epstein, his divorce attorney. He answered, "Sam Lake."

She said, "Sam, your wife called me directly, Mr. Lake. She said she will accept the property disposition you spelled out as well as the lump sum payment if you will change the reason for the petition to, 'Incompatibility.'"

Sam thought for a minute and asked, "That seems awfully generous on her part but she would be in a perfect position to squander some other man's life. So be it. Write it up and I will return to Boston in 4 days and I will sign." They chatted a few moments and hung up. 

For the next two days Sam bought some precious metals for storage in a private vault where FACTA reporting to the U.S. IRS was not practiced. At the same time Arnu created a record for the phantom contracting of a Container Crane Assembly major overhaul by a reputable firm to account for the huge 'expenditure' on the books that offset his investments. He also met with the local HSBC bank account manager and increased his line of credit. Having finished his work he then became a 'tourist' and enjoyed having a drink with some Australian and British expatriates along with one American he had met at a bar. Sam was all ears as the American explained how he had become a Singapore citizen. 

Sam's flight back to the Boston was long and tiring but uneventful. The genius could not get his mind off of Janice Chang as the mileage distance between them increased and the emotional distance shrunk. He asked himself more than once, "Will we two still be madly in love after a year of mostly separation?" He sat by an American who wanted to talk politics - a subject that utterly bored Sam.

—————-

The physicist had spent Monday in the office trying to work through issues going on in the plant in his absence and wound up taking several folders home to work there. He met the caterer at his front door and he took one of the catered dinners that he and Susan had had been contracting for regular delivery, so that they would eat healthily. He wasn't quite sure what he would do with the other one. His question was answered because there stood Susan in the kitchen. He said, "Greetings Susan, have you had dinner?"

She smiled very relaxed and said, "No. I wondered what I would fix myself - my train from Washington arrived about 3:00 p.m. - so you just solved my problem," as she took the hot food container offered from his other hand.

Sam said, "Susan, thank you for signing the petition in a business like manner. Also thank you for the support you did give me growing the business. How is Mister Wilkins - did you two enjoy the Washington sights as you said you were going to do in your voice mail?"

"Yes. We walked for miles and he thinks I am a scatter brain because of my Mom's influence. But, Dad looks good but still misses my mother after 19 years. The museums on the Mall were a nice break for both of us. Thanks for asking about him."

Susan had so much to say but couldn't think of any words that would be appropriate as they ate their dinners together in silence. Sam was idly thumbing through a quality control report of rejection of a batch of parts, occasionally writing a note in the margin. In time Susan said, "I am going to make a cup of coffee and put some kahlua in it, may I make you a cup, Sam?"

"Yes, Susan. Please do and thank you for asking."

After she served him his coffee she picked hers up and took it to the guest bedroom, where she had installed herself. Sam never saw her again after their casual, 'Goodnight.'

———-

The next day Dr. Lake went to lunch with his close, personal friend and corporate attorney, Mike. He was greeted, "Hello, Sam. The world traveler returns. Welcome. You look pretty good - how do you feel?"

Sam said, "Well, the deed is done. I now work for a living - I earn a salary plus a bonus based on the plant's profitability at least for a year. Have the new owners contacted you?"

Mike said, "No. But their Seattle law firm has signed an agreement for us to do contract work for them on a billable hourly rate that is reasonable. Right now the only thing that is happening at your former plant are two routine Workmen's Comp cases. Ohh. Thank you for paying your last statement promptly." 

Sam said, "Think nothing of it. But, Mike, you didn't invite me to lunch to talk shop, what is on your mind?"

Mike said, "Well, your soon to be ex-wife came into our Attorneys Office suite at the same time I did yesterday morning early. She was waiting to see your divorce attorney, Patty Epstein, who had not arrived yet, and we visited because the receptionist had not arrived either. After greetings and chatting a moment she said, 'I am not contesting Sam's divorce petition and am here to sign it.' That shocked me, Sam, as Epstein was looking to bill Dozens of hours on your case."

"It pleasantly shocked me too, Mike. My terms were fair but I expected the gold-digging side of her personality to take over but it did not, because our divorce is a 'done-deed' now. Was she still beautiful to you, Mike? I know you have had the 'hots' for her many years and can barely keep your hands to yourself when you came to our house, but you just aren't her type - because she did make herself available to two other men that I know about."

"Sam, she looks better now than she ever has looked. I felt flattered that she actually let me get her some coffee and chat for a half hour. She told me she has taken a new position with her company in Providence and is excited about that but gave no details. In fact she is apartment hunting in Providence this evening and has setup a couple of evening appointments. So I will leave early and she will pick me up at the office so I will accompany her. Do you have any problem with that - Best Friend?"

"Not a one, Mike. The only problem I have ever had with her is that she is wrong and a mismatch for me - we are simply incompatible. Hell, magic just might happen between you two. But, good friend, just like in business it's 'Buyer be Aware' and don't evaluate her with the wrong body-part the way I did her senior year in college."

Mike chuckled and replied, "Yeah. I well know that and I just didn't want to lose your friendship by dating her."

They chatted for a few more minutes and said goodbye."

———

It was three months later. The plant had continue to increase sales of panels even as more manufacturers came on line and had reverse engineered Sam's brain child. But, roof top panels had become become a status symbol so many were buying them. Sam and Janice had regularly video chatted on FaceTime, mostly getting good connections. Susan had relocated and their showplace home had been sold, and now Sam lived in a Providence apartment. When he answered Janice Chang's call this evening Sam saw that she was in a somber mood.

She said, "My husband's brothers had the life support tubes pulled and he has passed away. After the ceremony, we five sat down to discuss their buying his estate from me."

Sam asked, "Darling, is that rather ghoulish of your brothers when his ashes are not cold yet?"

"No, lover, he had been unaware for almost a year and he recognized no one. This was something that had to be done. The ghoulish part was that they kept kept him on life support mainly because they didn't want me, a woman, as an equal in their group. But they then offered me a generous cash price for his assets in Swiss Francs but payable in three equal amounts over three years - and I might take it. By the way I did exclude the Singapore Condo where we will live, but I will be working for them for an unspecified length of time. My attorney is studying their formal proposal now and I will let you know what I decide." 

Sam said, "Thanks for telling me and I hope the transition for you goes well. My assistant manager continues to surprise me and I am sure your brothers will like him - he is a U.S. citizen born into a once Viet Namese refugee family."

The two spent another half hour talking personal matters and ended when Sam said, "I love you, too, Janice and think of you constantly."

It was six months later and Janice had to fly to a plant of theirs in Idaho to fire and replace the manager there. Sam took that opportunity to take a few days off to go 'fishing in the wild in Idaho,' so he reported to his assistant manager, Butch Ngo. He was waiting for Janice Chang at the Boise airport when his cell phone rang.

She said, "I am on the ground now. The older brother's troubleshooter is with me and will be interviewing the candidates while it will be my job to terminate the current manager here. During the interview process I will work with the assistant manager but I must not introduce you at this time. That means that I only see you in the evening in the adjacent hotel room with a passage between them. Is that O.K. with you?"




Sam and Janice Fly to Heaven



"That is fine. I will just observe you two in baggage claim aching to touch you but I will be the perfect stranger." Later when the two were awaiting the suitcases Sam found it more difficult than he had imagined to not walk up to the Duo. 

During the four nights of heavenly bliss in each other's world, and after both were exhausted from marathon sex, Janice said on their last night, "The brothers are crediting my Swiss account each month for three years just like they contracted to do - I have several first liens to motivate them. But, I did say, for sure that I am resigning January the first - that is barely three months from now - or before."

Sam was silent thinking and she continued, "Please inform your assistant manager that you are definitely resigning at the same time. They met him when you flew Butch to Taiwan."

Sam replied, "Yes, Butch says they liked him because he is an Asian and a man and understands the technology of solar panels - which is the most important part. If I need to get to Singapore before the first of January - like say to miss the Boston winter, or if Arnu has something going on - Butch is confident that the brothers would approve altering my contract to accept my resignation before the expiration date."

He kissed her good night and said, "Thank you, Angelic woman."

The next morning Janice awoke Sam cupping his balls in her tiny hand. They later said goodbye and Sam flew back to Boston. The next morning, he noticed that the name of the company displayed on the building as well as stationary along with his trade mark had been updated to the current owners. His assistant gave him a summary of what had been going on in his absence. Shop talk completed, Butch asked, "Catch any fish, Boss man?"

Sam chuckled and said, "Did I ever," and he continued to discuss the natural beauty of the entire state of Idaho, but said nothing about meeting Janice, of course. Sam said, "You know, Butch, I might try to resign a few weeks early and let you have it - like 'get the hell out of Dodge' before the winter sets in. Do you think you are ready?"

"Yes, Mr. Lake, when I was visiting Taiwan one of the owners asked me the same question. I think I will be ready but I sure hate to see you miss the first snow storm! heh heh. If I were sitting on a pile of money damn if I would ever shovel or drive in snow again!"

----

Two months later, Monday after Thanksgiving weekend, Sam's admin assistant brought a fax from Taiwan home office. It was an announcement of the annual Christmas Party where all employees were encouraged to attend with their partners. A served dinner, dancing with a DJ spinning music, and bonus checks were included. The second part was a private message to Sam and Butch to attend one hour before as visitors from the home office would attend. The talk all over the plant was about the upcoming Christmas party on the third of December at the local convention center, along with speculation as how much the bonus checks would be this year.

The afternoon of the 3rd Sam was alone in his apartment carefully putting on his best business suit and primping at the mirror. He asked himself, "Where is Janice and why haven I heard from her for over a week? Why do my calls go straight to voice mail?" But he finished and drove to the hotel feeling some angst and walked into a small conference room on time as directed.

There sat Janice, Jim, who is the Brother's troubleshooter he had seen in Idaho but had not been introduced, and Butch Ngo, Sam's assistant manager. After the intros and the small talk, Jim said, "Welcome, Mr. Lake, as Boston is the sixth stop on our North American tour. Janice has tendered her resignation to relocate to Singapore effective immediately. We offer you the same opportunity and my sources tell me that you are anxious to relocate there yourself."

Sam thought to himself, "That Bastard has paid an investigator to find out about Janice and me and I really don't care. He has Butch in place to take over." He smiled broadly and said, "Well, Jim, I hereby formally request my employment contract length be shortened to become effective today with a pro rata reduction in my compensation package."

At that point there were nothing but smiles in the room. Jim said, "I thought that is what you would say and the paperwork is right here ready for your signature." After Sam read and signed, Jim continued, "I propose a toast to our future and the future of solar panels to help power civilization!"

The administrative procedures were completed after nearly an hour talking, and the quartet started making their way to the large ballroom. Jim said, "Sam do you mind making your announcement first and then turning the evening over to Butch?"

Sam said, "Will do."

The quartet walked into the large hall where nearly 200 people were either seated or making their way to their seats at many tables. The DJ played softer popular music so that the employees, mostly, would enjoy the evening. 

After the dinner was served the house lights went down and a spot light was shown on the microphone stand on the small stage. The noise level decreased. Shortly, Sam walked over to the mic when suddenly everyone was standing and cheering wildly. He said, "Thanks to each and every one of you for working so hard to make us successful. But today, I resigned -'booo' was heard in the background - to go on to other opportunities. The owners are intent on growing, not cutting back, so that also means some new opportunities will open up here. I will say goodbye and turn the program over to Mr. Butch Ngo, who has my respect and admiration. Thank you again for your support."

The ceremony and the evening wore on slowly. Sam got up to go to the men's room later and passed Janice Chang in the hall outside the toilets. She approached him and smiled big and said, "My room number is 412 so if this evening will ever end, mercifully, please join me."

Two hours later the ballroom was empty and the small outlying town hotel was quiet. Sam, Butch, and Jim had talked and talked until finally Sam found himself alone. He made his way to room 412 and knocked.

The door opened at once and Janice was modeling a sexy Victoria Secret gown and Sam stood mesmerized. She put his hand on her breast and said, "I am real. Agreed?"

He stammered, "You are the realest thing I know. I had some worry since I couldn't talk to you for a week but now I understand. Your dog-n-pony change of the guard show has been going on in all 6 locations, right?"

He picked her up and she said, "Yes. I was very busy. Wait, how soon can you say goodbye to Boston? I have severed all my ties with my brothers and their businesses. I have money in Switzerland and Singapore and I have you."

"About one week."

She handed him a copy of an airline booking of hers and asked, "Will you please try to book your flight to fly in 8 days with me?"

He gently laid Janice on the bed and started taking off his best suit. Sam's skin tingled with excitement and his erection was just about the firmest he had ever remembered having. Two hours later all the hotels covers were on the floor.

Eight days later the Airbus lifted off Logan runway for its polar flight to Singapore. Janice and Sam sat together in business class, holding hands. Sam said quietly, "Darling, I always knew I was going to 'heaven' someday - though not the one others talked about in my youth - but it never occurred to me that my transport vehicle would be a 100-ton chariot."

She squeezed his hand and said, "Shh be quiet or you will awaken me from this wonderful dream I am having."

The End.