Alex?? Is That You??

Foreword: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted, but we had a visit from Hurricane Helene here in the Conch Republic, which has dislocated more than a few things.

Thanks to everyone for the warm reception you gave the first chapter. This chapter continues Alex and Sallyann's discoveries of each other and how their lives are growing as their world changes.

A word to our friends, the Mods and Demi-Gods of Lit. All the players here are past the age of consent. Of course, the question remains. Do they know what they are consenting to?

This being Lit, the folks who take their time to write the stories here are not professional writers. Yes, there will be errors in the course of writing a story. If those errors stir the inner grammar nazi in you and you feel the need to comment, remember this. An old wise man once said. Fold it five ways and put it where the sun doesn't shine. If you want to make a concrete contribution, reach out to the author and offer your assistance and knowledge.

Picking up from where chapter one left off, Sallyann is on the phone with her mom.

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"Momma??? The best way to say it is that, well, it's been unbelievable here. Saturday seems like an age ago. The design team that I'm part of came in on Saturday. So we could review the dress rehearsal presentation we are going to do on Monday for a few of the major players at work. Well, the man who drove the company for years popped in as we were getting started on reviewing our presentation. His father started the company, and he was the president of the company, but now he's 'retired,' and his son runs the show. This man, who everyone here calls 'Pop' or 'the Old Man,' is amazing. The media calls him 'Mister Mardi Gras.' He has forgotten more than five other people know about Mardi Gras parades and the Krews that stage them. Anyway, he sat there listening to us all morning. We all felt like we had everything nailed down and were just about to head out. This was close to noon when he jumped in with a list of suggestions. In order to work his 'suggestions' into what we had would take us the better part of the afternoon. With that tossed out, he ordered sandwiches for all of us. Oh? By the way. Here, the sandwiches are called po'boys. They are kinda like 'grinders' there. Anyway, his ideas made perfect sense. The kick in the pants was that none of us on the team saw what was plain as day to him. It took us until around six or so to pull the presentation into a rough format. He asked a couple of us who weren't married or had kids if we could stay with him and do a little more 'polishing' on the presentation. There is no way I can ever say no to that man. He's the man who told them to hire me. Anyway, we tweaked this and that on the presentation. Finally, at around eleven at night or so, he decided that he was satisfied with the revised presentation. Then, to ice the cake, he wanted me to take the lead at the dress rehearsal and the actual presentation for the client on Tuesday. No one will argue with his decision, but that will ruffle some feathers on Monday when they hear that. Momma? By the way, this presentation would be the first time anyone had run a client presentation other than Pop. It was real simple. The company was 'Pop's' creation, and clients wanted to hear from him."

"I headed home after an intense fourteen-hour day. On the way home, I decided that I would treat myself to one,,, only one drink at the neighborhood bar. The place is kinda of a clubhouse for everybody that lives in the area. It is the opposite of upscale or fancy. So, I walk in, and there, sitting at the end of the bar, is an old, very familiar face. Momma, get ready for it. There he was. Alex was sitting there talking to the bartender. I almost turned around and walked out. Something, I don't know what. But whatever it was, it was like it took me by the hand and guided me up to where he was sitting. The only thing I could do was to ask if that was really him sitting there. I was in total shock. He is the same old Alex, just a little older, like all of us."

"We talked for a while. The more we talked, the more I knew I had made the right decision. I know both you and Daddy were never on board with what I had decided. The only man I wanted to be with was Alex from our time together in the basement of the old apartment building to now. He's the only person that made me feel complete. That's why I have always loved him. To me, if it wasn't Alex, then I wasn't interested. Momma? Any other guy, while nice, was second best. And you know me, I will never settle for second best."

"We have been together ever since I sat down next to him Saturday night. And if I have anything to say about it, we'll be like you and Daddy. Two swans swimming together for all eternity. And yes, he is sitting next to me now, so he has heard everything I just said." Of course, I couldn't hear what her mom was saying, but from the smile on her face, I knew it was all good.

After she put the phone down, Sally leaned back on the sofa, her expression telling me everything I needed to know. Then she turned to face me while taking my hand in hers. "Mister Man, I have to say this again. I love you. I am so glad I waited until we found each other again. Over the years, my Dad called me crazy, and maybe I was. No, I was, and I still am. Crazy for you."

"So that you know, around three years ago, right after I got my BFA. I had the birth control implant done again. It's effective for around four years or so, not that I was planning on changing my lifestyle and having a very active sex life after school. Alex, here's the deal. There's no question we are going to get married. That's almost a foregone conclusion, at least in my mind it is. But I have a couple of expectations. I will not walk down the aisle pregnant. Also, we will be married before we have any children. And, oh yes, I do want children. I hope and pray you do, too."

I sat there, almost in shock. The most magical woman in the world wants to marry me. And she wants to carry my children. "Sally, come here, please. I need to hug you, to hold you close to me."

With that said, we were lost in another warm and loving hug. "Baby?" She softly purred in my ear. "You never have to ask to hug me. Your hugs are the best. And oh, I do love you so very much." As we slipped into each other's arms, the streetlights outside flicked on.

Holding my angel in my arms was the most wonderful thing I had ever done. "You know, that kiss we shared in the hall just before I left was the most amazing kiss I had up until then. When I got across the Hudson and was driving down the Jersey Turnpike. I thought about our first kiss. Sally, holy shit, the hardon I got thinking about it was almost painful. My memory was that it lasted forever. But finally, I deflated. I guess that is the way to say it. Baby, you moved me in ways no woman ever had moved since we first met. Then you sailed back into my life and took up where you left off. Moving my life with one of your soft smiles and holding my hand."

The two of us sat there on the sofa, filled with amazement. "Honey, something we haven't spoken about." I began what would be a painful conversation for me. "But I don't have any family to speak of. Yeah, I have a cousin who lives somewhere in Minnesota, the last I heard. But we don't have any contact with each other. Yeah, I do have some friends from school who I keep in contact with. But you, my dear, at the minimum, have both your parents and a host of other family members to think about. Something we have to consider is where we get married. Here in New Orleans? Or closer to your family in New York? Or do we want to do a destination wedding? The choice is yours to make, baby. For certain, we don't have to decide right now. But it's something we need to think about." The answer I got was a soft purr as my angel snuggled even closer to me.

The next thing I was aware of was a strand of my girl's hair tickling my nose. Damm, I did it again. I fell asleep on the sofa, but this time I had company. I had no idea what time it was, but something told me we really should find the bed and get some real sleep. Monday was going to be a big day for my girl with her presentation. I had the weekly Food and Beverage Managers meeting at work. I didn't know of anything that could cause anybody to have indigestion, but something always seemed to come up. So long as my name wasn't attached to the bellyache, I didn't care.

Monday began differently than any Monday ever had. Sally bolted out of bed like a woman possessed. She flew into the bathroom as I headed toward the kitchen to kick the coffee pot and get it started. Just as the coffee pot finished its morning dance, Sally sat down at the kitchen island. "Babbbby," she began. "I've never done anything like leading a presentation before. Yeah, sure, I know this is a dress rehearsal for the real deal tomorrow. But still, I can't help but feel like. Well? I don't know what. But what I am is a bundle of nerves."

I put her coffee in front of her, doctored up like the coffee we shared ages ago -- coffee regular, New York style. "Darling? You've called the man who wanted you to lead the presentation 'The Old Man.' Well, I'll bet you he wouldn't have put you in position if he didn't believe you could do it. On the first day of class in Chef's school, I told myself I would be the Executive Chef in a large hotel or restaurant. I am closing in on that goal. You decided, and from my side of the coin, I'm glad you did, but you decided ages ago who you wanted to be with. That worked out for us in ways we have yet to see where this takes us together. When you started working toward your BFA, you had a long-term goal. Your achieving those goals is a lot closer to reality this morning than it ever has been. Baby, what you have this morning is practice. This is when mistakes will be made and fixed. Tomorrow, when you're introduced as the team leader, your team will shine, which will make the old man proud of you. Honey? Listen to your people. They will guide you to the goal everyone in your organization shares."

"Alex, you are amazing. You totally understood where I was and what I was thinking and feeling. Then, somehow, you put me on the path that would move everyone a step closer to the company's goal. Thank you, baby." With that, a very confident and relaxed woman headed out of our home to walk the few blocks to where she worked. With Sallyann not here, I felt the quiet that was normal before she arrived. It didn't take me an instant to realize how much I loved being with this magical woman. She had taken me on a tour of the galaxies yesterday, a tour that promised countless tomorrows.

But this is Monday. And for me, Monday was the Manager's meeting. First things first. I had to dash in and out of the shower and get dressed for the meeting. But before heading out, I still had a pile of dirty clothes that needed to be washed. With realization, the clothes were tossed into the washer. Then, a leisurely second cup of coffee and breakfast were the next for me. Just as I sat down with my coffee, the phone rang. Caller ID told me who was calling. It was the Chef. Shit, he never calls unless the air has turned brown. When I answered the phone, from his tone of voice, I knew something had gone off the rails. I wasn't asked to come in early. Rather, I was told to get to the hotel ASAP and come to his office. What the fuck happened?

When I got to the hotel, I had halfway expected to see the building surrounded by fire engines and firemen with the cops holding back crowds. Everything looked normal. Taking the shortcut to the kitchen, I went through the loading dock, which was the easiest way to get to the kitchens. Everyone I saw was acting like this was a usual Monday. Things changed quickly when I got to the Chef's office. He was sitting there with his boss, the Food and Beverage Manager. The usual greetings were curtly dispensed when the Chef began. "Alex, we have a problem. Your long-time partner in crime and my assistant, Otto, had to go back to Switzerland. This was expected, given that both of his in-laws' are in failing health. He's been there for a day. This morning, he called and told me that, for whatever reason, he would not be returning to the States. The family situation he found when he got there was a lot worse than he knew. That is unfortunate. However, this creates an immediate vacancy for a key member of my staff. Alex? I hope you will step into the role of Executive Sous Chef effective immediately. Changes are coming to the hotel that you will need to be brought up to speed on. That will happen in the coming weeks and months. This job is different than the other positions you have held in the past. Previously, you were very much a hands-on manager. As my principal assistant, you will continue to be a hands-on leader of the staff. That is a role in which you have always excelled. In many ways, you are like a teacher at a school for aspiring chefs. The people in the kitchen love you for giving and sharing with them your knowledge and experience, which you do freely. I want you to continue to do that. However, as my principal assistant, I will be leaning on you to help me with the changes that will be coming. This responsibility will take you into new areas as a Chef."

"I know you are a quietly determined professional. You always find a way to achieve the goal. This quality is something that has been recognized since you first joined the company. That's why you have been transferred from one hotel to another for the past ten years. Alex, my job, in large part, rests in the worlds of planning, forecasting, and interacting with the other departments in the hotel. Also, I spend much of my time with prospective guests and clients. Often, the prospective client doesn't have a solid idea of what they want. It is my responsibility to listen, to guide them, and to give them viable options to achieve what they want. Doing that is critical to the ongoing success of our hotel. I had been working hand in hand with your predecessor, having him gradually take on many of my roles. The goal was to have him seasoned and experienced to take over for me so I could retire soon. That will not be happening. Here's the question. Can you step into this role and quickly make it your own? What you bring to the table is the reputation you have had since day one with the company. You are one of the few who have serious chops, and you are a stand-up guy for the hotel and your team. That and you have a vision of what can be. Also, you have consistently turned a profit. Alex, are you a Chef?"

Listening to this, the only thought in my head was holy shit. My dreams can happen. This is where they can take wings. "Chef, the quick answer is yes. I do appreciate the opportunity and would love to take it on. Doing that brings up the question. Who replaces me? I have a strong preference as to who should take the role. It's Lionel Hebert. He has been my primary assistant for the past two years. He's well-liked and respected by almost everyone on the second shift. I believe he can do the job."

"I was going to find you after the Manager's meeting. I have had a major change in my home life. This past weekend, I got engaged. My lady works as a designer for one of the companies that builds many of the Mardi Gras floats, and I think the company is involved in doing other things related to Mardi Gras. But I'm not sure about that."

With that dropped into the room, the F&B Manager got involved. "Alex? You have to know that you have been seen as one of the prime bachelors on the staff here. To many of the young lovelies, you have been seen as a mystery as you walked around with a bullseye target on your back. How the hell did this happen? Anyway, here's the deal. You have to come with her to Sunday Brunch. I'll make a reservation for you at 11:30. There's an advantage to having you seated then between the usual reservation times. I don't think you have been to Brunch and seen how it flows. This way, you'll see both the first and the noon seating. For each seating, the buffet and the room must be reset. Also, everyone will want to meet the woman who is going to get you to walk the straight and narrow. Alex, off the top of my head, when this gets around, there will be a bunch of women here who will be heartbroken."

Hearing that bit of news, I began to chuckle. "Boss, I swear, I had no idea I was seen as a target. If you want, you can put this out. My lady, Sallyann, and I have known each other since we both lived in New York. That's about ten or more years ago. To answer the question, why now? The stars were aligned, and it was inevitable."

That got both of them to smile. "Gentlemen," Chef announced. "We need to get a move on. We have a meeting to go which hopefully will be blessedly brief."

It was late afternoon before I could get away from everyone who wanted to congratulate me, offer their support, and help in my new position. Or they had heard that I was engaged. More than a few of my old friends offered me their heart-felt sympathy on hearing that I had fallen under the spell of some mystery woman.

The first thing I did when I got home was to kick off my shoes and socks. Then, after grabbing a cold beer, I begin a careful and thoughtful examination of my toes. Somewhere along the line, I remembered that the washer was filled with wet clothes that needed to be moved to the dryer. With that major task complete, I resumed the thoughtful examination of my toes. While I was enraptured in that examination, my sweet angel flew into the living room. We hadn't talked to each other all day. So, I had no idea how the dress rehearsal went for her. And she didn't know about my news. "Hi, babe," I cheerfully called out to my girl. At that moment, the buzzer on the dryer called out, saying the clothes were dry.

"Baby?" My angel whispered. "In case you forgot. I am in charge of the inside of the house. That means I'm the one who does the laundry. You are responsible for things outside the house, like taking the trash out, cutting the grass, and things like that. Ya gotta it!!!" her demanding question ended in a soft giggle. "Hey, old man, I know you have been laying around here all day and sucking on one or another long-neck beer. So? Like, is there any beer left for this hard-working woman?"

Once again, she did it with that magic smile. I wandered into the kitchen and got her a beer. "How was your day? Did the dress rehearsal go off like a cakewalk?"

After taking a long draw from her beer, she put it aside and smiled. "Baby? I had no idea of what to expect or who might be there. This was a lot bigger deal than I thought it was going to be. All the wheel horses were in attendance. I thought the presentation was going to be for maybe four or five people at most. There were closer to twenty-five or thirty people there. When it was time to get the meeting going, I had to tell everyone to take their seats so we could get the presentation going. Holy shit, people actually listened to me and took their seats. Once the presentation began, it was like walking on a path where I knew every step. When the presentation was over, the Old Man and his son, who is now the President of the company, came over to me and told me that this was one of the best client presentations they had heard. Then Sonny turned to his dad and thanked him for setting me up to take the lead for this presentation. He was looking forward to my leading future presentations. Alex? Like, holy shit? Is this real?"

"After everyone had gone back to where their offices were. I caught up with my mentor, the Old Man, in his office. I wanted to hear what he had to say and, most importantly, how to improve the presentation."

"When I asked him, he leaned back in his chair, and a sly smile washed over his face as he reached into his desk and took out a cigar. 'I know,' he began. 'No one is supposed to smoke in the building. There's a smoking area outside the buildings. But, when this office was built out, they put in some filters here to eliminate the sweet scent of my cigar smoke. Sallyann, for the record, I'm the one who drove your hiring. But you knew that already. I know the company as well as anyone here, including my son. I know our strengths and weaknesses. I saw a glaring hole in our lineup. For years, when we had a client presentation, I did the presentation. With me stepping aside, we didn't have someone. Hell, anyone who could effectively handle that key element for the company. When we first met, I saw in you the ability to take on that role. The group you had today was, in large part, questioning. I guess that's a good word. What they saw was a polished professional directing the presentation. They saw someone who knew what it would take to exceed the client's expectations. You and your people did exactly that. By the way, this client is someone we have worked with for years. Your presentation tomorrow will blow them away. Congratulations.'"