Evil Benni

With Bess gone from his bed, Benni devotes himself to pulling various parties together to moving in a positive direction for parallel business development. He must win over Ralph who is holding a back-stabbing knife with Benni's name on it. Will Bess return to Benni's bed, or will he find someone else – the swine! Will she find someone else? This story appears to be going nowhere, but beware of illusions!

TWENTYONE

Benni duitifully had been making contributions to the working party's Plan of Action for Cit Business District development, working to Ralph Zachary's preferred line of approach.

At the outset Benni had indicated that he was do some independent research relating to MainStreet's future viability as part of a paper towards completion of his degree.

"That's little more than garbage to the real world of business, Benni, but you go along with it and present it to our meeting when you're ready," smiled Ralph. "We promise to look at it, won't we boys?"

"I think we should look seriously at Benni's report," said Mick, the CEO.

"Yeah, will do that Mick – and that's a promise," said Ralph, aware that Mick was emerging as the real business brain of the Bus-Pro.

That time had now arrived, the final meeting of the working party; its report would be presented to the full executive on Friday.

"This is fantastic, Benni," said Mick who was attached to the working party ex-officio.

"It's absolutely suicidal," snorted Ralph, but he was in a minority; one other opposition view was, "This is too radical – it'll get us all booted out of office."

"Read from page 21," said Benni calmly. "It's the real nub with you guys: money."

"Ohmigod, Benni," said Mick, speed-reading but with analytical finesse. How sure are you of these figures and projections?"

"I had working beside me an expert in this field, who wishes to remain anonymous for professional reasons."

"So we've got no way of verifying these contentions and conclusions."

"Hah, bloody rubbish," said Ralph. "We're wasting our time."

"I don't think so," said Mick. "Look at page 29. The graphs clearly show leakage of MainStreet retailing to the mall has slowed remarkably during the past five years – that mall growth has originated from much farther a field."

"Yes," echoed Ritchie Smart. "I'd go along with that. Look at page 31 – the case study of the turnaround of Bert Wheeler's business as a result of restructuring and more aggressive marketing and compare that with the case study of the McKenzie girls' business decline towards oblivion,"

Ritchie, head of the city's biggest law firm, added: "I know some of the recommendations outlined in the preamble are radical, but if we're looking at upping the ante we must look at taking radical steps.

"The final recommendation is that Bus-Pro brings in an acknowledged expert in the revitalization of city business districts and that consultancy has the responsibility to facilitate bilateral talks involving mall management and the Bus-Pro executive. In my view it's now or never.

"What Benni says is the possibility of an outfit wanting to establish a whole new super city centre poses a real threat – but if we are integrated and thriving they won't want to risk competing with us, and possibly losing."

"A super city centre threat – where do I find that?" asked Ralph, turning white. He was directed to the appropriate pages.

An hour later a few edited pages from Ralph's Plan of Action were inserted into Benni's paper and it was agreed that the consolidated report be presented to the executive as the 'MainStreet Restructuring Report'.

It was suggested that Benni present the report as 95% of it was his.

"Ladies and gentlemen, who am I? This needs to be a Working Party report presented by Ralph; otherwise it will have no credibility."

Ralph beamed when that suggestion passed as a motion; he nodded at Benni and called for acclamation for the great job Benni had performed for Bus-Pro.

At the executive meeting the same warnings that the recommendations were too radical were presented and it was decided to hold the matter over for discussion at a special meeting the following week.

Benni went into a huddle at drinks time with the president and CEO. They both patted him on the back as he left the room in a hurry.

"Hi, beautiful butterfly, how's the Corvette."

"Oh Benni!" cried Alexis, as she emerged from the car showing a good amount of streamlined leg. "You're on enemy ground you know."

She kissed him, like a friend, but in her excitement went crotch-to-crotch.

Benni pushed a copy of the report under her arm.

"Rush that to Owen Childs, business news editor of

The Daily Sun.

I need the report leaked, and he's waiting for it. If you take it to him I honestly can tell my accusers at Bus-Con that my confidential consultant has leaked it. Owen Childs guarantees press confidentiality and I won't reveal your identity under any circumstances. Our president has authorized me to arrange the leak but only if you do it. Trust me, it's okay."

"Right, I'm off to

The Sun

. I gather by the excited look on your face they've close to adopting your report?"

"Our joint report," he grinned. Benni watched in admiration as Alexis burned rubber, looking as if she and the car were one.

That evening Bess Pfeiffer was having dinner with her parents, feeling very lonely.

"How's Benni going?" she asked her father.

"His figures are down a little as he's been putting so much effort into the Bus-Pro research paper."

"Shouldn't he be selling vehicles and earning money for the company and himself?"

"Bess, if this project comes off we are going to be a much stronger regional shopping centre with the mall properly integrated into it – we see this as a big plus for our business as more money will be generated through more people being attracted. With greater retail and professional throughput, salaries will tend to rise and people with more money tend toupgrade their vehicles. It's as simple as that, and Benni knows that.

"But he's also, in reality, back at college I mean university, as he's had his assistant professor accept this research paper as his final term paper which counts towards his degree. He's on the last lap towards finishing his degree – a year ahead of you finishing your master's.

"Bess, I see that you guys are still friendly."

"Yes, it's strange. We're very friendly – it's like a sister-brother relationship."

"Then there's no chance of him coming back to you?" asked Marlene.

"Why, mother!"

"Hey, hey – your mother was only enquiring," soothed Barron.

The front door bell chimed and Marlene returned with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Secret admirer, huh?" grinned Barron.

"They are for you, Bess, and the young gentleman at the door says if you are interested in going to dinner with him on Saturday night, please go to the door and tell him."

Marlene added: "He's good looking and very polite. He said there is a note in the flowers from a friend of yours."

Bess was on her feet, digging into the flowers. She pulled out a red envelope and her parents looked at her face as she read the note:

Hi, sweetie. You know this is typically my style. This young gentleman – emphasis on gentleman - is the new assistant general manager at the mall. He's twenty-eight and currently unattached, having just arrived from working in Australia. His name is Stephen and his parents are Rita and Mick Smith-Wells. Mick is the CEO of Bus-Pro. I sense he's right for you – well-mannnered, thoughtful, reliable, potentially a huge money earner and wants to be married before he's thirty. Try him out Bess, it's worth the punt. Believe me. Benni

Bess frowned as she put down the card. Then she smelt the flowers and her spirits lifted.

She grinned: "Set another place mom, dad another glass please. Mr Angus Smith-Wells is coming to dinner. You behave dad, and don't embarrass him as he'll be a bit nervous. Mom, I want you at you social best – chic with just a touch of sexiness."

Bess then rushed off to the front door.

The next morning the front page of the newspaper and the front page of the business news section comprehensively covered the main proposals of the report - described as a leaked document.

It was termed as the most innovative piece of original thinking that had come out of the business and profession association in 100 years and promised an exciting future for the city.

As soon as he saw the newspaper, Michael Smith-Wells called his counterpart at the mall who was furious that a matter implicating the mall should appear in the press before being raised with mall management.

"I apologize, Evan – it's a foul leak, very embarrassing and has taken us all by surprise. Our president is shocked. Look, the report calls for a Joint Working Party to be set up – may I suggest you chair that group, with me as your deputy?

After ten more minutes of ranting, Evan had cooled down and accepted.

"Come over here for lunch with me, Mick."

"What, at the mall?"

"Yeah, why not? We have a big future together, don't we?"

"Right – I'll be at your office at one o'clock, Evan. Have a great day."

TWENTY-TWO

Three months went by. Parker, Parker and Simpson were appointed by the Joint Project Development Committee as consultants, with Alexis being appointed a liaison officer between the consultants, Bus-Pro and mall management.

Sadly for Benni, Alexis remained out of contact. He did nothing to renew it, knowing she'd made her decision as a married woman and that he should respect that.

When he felt like having sex he took Janice from accounts to dinner and then Janice took him with great gusto, her husband being out of the country completing his doctorate in engineering. But really, Benni's heart wasn't in it.

However, Benni was happy. His term paper was submitted and received high praise from the assistant professor who indicated Benni had more than exceeded minimum requirements to be awarded his degree. This was great news but something was missing from his life and he knew what it was – fun.

It was so happy being with a woman with whom he really liked having robust sex, taking her to eat out, walk the promenade, go to the movies and especially to go dancing and afterwards sitting in the open car, in suitable weather, on a cliff top. That was so romantic for women.

Those days will come again, my boy, he said with conviction. He realized, of course, that next time he must be prepared to put more into the relationship if he wanted to get more out of it.

He talked to his mom about this. She agreed with him, dunked his head into her massive chest and while near-suffocating him, thumped him heavily on the back saying, "You've come of age, Benni; it's taken far longer than it should have, but you've come of age."

She then sprayed him with tears.

These days Benni's really enthusiastic girlfriends are the McKenzie sisters. Just to keep himself busy at nights Benni had written up a strategic plan and a business plan for their ailing business. He took the documents to their home one evening and they listened to him with interest, but said politely there were 'not of a mind' to change their ways.

Benni left the documents and went home and finished a half bottle of whisky, once again putting himself 'off whisky for life'.

At the weekend he received a phone call from Martha McKenzie who also spoke on behalf of her sister.

Two months later Benni was guest of honor at the opening of their new store – they had gone ahead with Benni's recommendations. The sisters' haberdashery went down one side of the store while the centre and other side of the premises were occupied by women's fashion underwear and nightwear marketed by very attractive young women employed by the sisters.

Business boomed; mothers shopped with daughters and mothers shopped with their mothers and all of them had a lovely time together, each person going out carrying distinctive shopping bags carrying the words in big lettering: 'Been to McKenzie's Yet?'

Girls took their McKenzie's bags to school: teachers have children, mothers and some have grandmothers and many of these people headed to the store. Almost overwhelmed by the increase in business the McKenzie sisters phoned Benni in panic. He advised them to buy the shop next door, and what their maximum offer should be. That owner refused so Elsie McKenzie phoned Benni pleading for his direct involvement.

Benni secured the premises for $5000 less that the sisters, who are in their sixties, had offered. The owner bought a new car from Pfeiffer Chevrolet and went on a holiday with his wife to Europe while his new leased premises in the mall (this smart relocation being at the suggestion of Benni) were being fitted out.

"You're simply marvelous, Benni," said Elsie at the restaurant.

"Yes, and you're so cute. I really can't understand why a woman hasn't snatched you up," said Martha.

"Oh look – something special is coming on TV. There must have been a terrible disaster. Turn up the volume, miss," shouted Elsie McKenzie.

The entire pizza restaurant hushed as the 'News Flash" heading was followed by a smiling young woman.

"We've just learned that Billy G Evans, fabulously popular host of our top late evening show 'After Midnight' has divorced his wife the lovely Alexis Hope on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. Following an amicable agreement over splitting the spoils, the Court this afternoon dissolved the marriage and awarded Miss Hope cash of $3,255,000 already deposited with the Court. Billy leaves tonight on a cruise in the company of his famous girlfriend, Mary-Lou Perkins, our senior weather presenter.

A buzz filled the restaurant when the brief news flash ended.

"Oh Benni, that lovely Mary-Lou would have made a great wife for you," said one of the sisters. Benni shrugged and filled his mouth with pizza so the ladies would not expect him to talk for a few minutes. His heart had burst when he heard the word 'divorced' but then he despaired on hearing about the big settlement. No-one would see Alexis now for the dust as she headed off into the sunset.

Better look at my phone – she may be attempting to contact me, he grinned. Yeah, I'd be the first person to jump into her mind as she came out of Court.

He took the sisters home, unlocking the door for them. They both kissed him as he left.

"We're old enough to kiss a young man on the cheek without a chaperone being present," said Martha.

Benni parked and walked along to his apartment block. Alexis was sitting on the stairs, a suitcase beside her.

"Can you put me up, or do you have someone?"

"No, I just have a little sidekick to relieve me when I need it, but she's never come here. I'd love you to stay. Stay as long as you like."

"That's kind of you. I think I may have some astonishing news for you."

"Can that wait till the morning; I just want to cuddle."

Inside the apartment Benni stood in front of the big window with its view over the city, kissing Alexis softly.

"You can fuck me if you wish."

"That's not a nice word for a lady."

"Benni, don't waste time – make love to me."

Benni looked into those deep, green eyes.

"I wish to go slowly, as I want to remember this evening forever."

"Benni, it's only a fuck."

"Shhhh, Alexis. Be romantic."

"Oh Benni. Look, first I must tell your something. My marriage was dissolved by the Court this afternoon."

"Oh Alexis. That's marvelous news. Now shut up and kiss me."

"But Benni, there's more..."

"Tell me in the morning. Now let's see if I can pull some of the slut out of you."

"Oh Benni, please talk dirty to me like that. You're making my hair stand on end."

"Your hair down there?"

"Sorry Benni if that's your penchant, I don't have a single hair below my neck."

"Now who's talking dirty?"

"I want your cock plunging deep and deeper into me, Benni. I don't want you saying I'm beautiful...I want you telling me my cunt muscles are almost pulling the head of your dick off and..."

"Alexis! Please, throttle back a bit, will you. I'll be horrified if I have a premature ejaculation; you're bringing me to near climax already."

"Oh my poor darling. Let mummy get that zip down. Hullo, Oooooooh. Now if...." " Ahhhhhhhhhh," groaned Benni. "Swallow the lot, you darling bitch."

"Oh Benni, gurgled Alexis. We are two of a kind. Please marry me!"

"Oooooh. You're shooting again – what a river!"

"Can we talk about marriage in the morning," chocked Benni aware that he was facing a very solid night.

THE END