Thrive!
By KAD
A/N -
We appreciate you continuing to follow our story as we enjoy the life, love and career of Beth and Kate. Yes the life of a recruiter in an agency could be seen as a Sunday evening news program and we are cutting back. Please know it is important to us as the story also relates to a successful marriage, life, love and business passing a legacy to their children.
Speaking of children, though I have submitted this under the Lesbian category, there are a few areas of heterosexual intercourse and the continuing Sapphic love shared between Beth and Kate in this chapter. I hope you understand and enjoy it. This chapter will change as our lovers' lives change dramatically and yes, all for the best
Lastly, please know that the editing and reviewing has been done by the two of us utilizing MS Word. Our spelling should be correct. We will admit that our grammar can be 'off' at times. It has been a few decades since either of us sat in a classroom under instruction of sentence structure. I do this for fun, not to be ridiculed by grammar nannies,
December 89
We climbed the steps going into our bedroom.
I paused at the door, "Kate", I kissed her then whispered in her ear.
She smiled and nodded her head with tears of joy in her eyes. "Yes, please Miss, yes, please."
"Derrick, once you are ready for bed, please come join us in our room. We want to spend some time together, nothing more but we want your comfort in our bed."
We parted ways while each of us got changed and I prepared for the ice treatment. A few moments later there was a knock at our bedroom door. Kate opened the door and welcomed Derrick.
Twenty minutes later I lay in the center of the bed. Kate was in her spot on my left. Derrick was on my right. Kate's hand holding Derrick's and mine on top as they both lay on my stomach. We just lay there breathing and relaxing. I was the first to fall asleep as I listened to some of my favorite instrumental melodies.
Partway through the night I felt the bed shift. I knew right away it was Derrick leaving. When the door closed, I pulled Kate closer to me wanting to feel her next to me.
*****
January '90
For the last few weeks Derrick, Kate and I have been sleeping in our room. We don't spend the entire night in the same bed. Every night Derrick will get up and go to his room at some point. I wish I knew why he did this but I don't press, I am aware he has a few challenges and I need to ensure I am not causing him additional issues.
I first suggested this sleeping arrangement to Kate whispering in her ear after the very challenging meeting with that attorney. I later admitted to Kate and Derrick that initially I was being selfish. Plain and simple I was selfish. Kate has never really denied me.
Inviting Derrick to our bed wasn't sexual, yet. I needed to be hugged, comforted and loved after that meeting. Well afterwards it continued and I liked the attention. Again, yes I was selfish and knew one day I would pay the piper.
I was humbled when both Derrick and Kate understood telling me they are here for me and for what I need while we travel down this road together. What was more important now, is that this was becoming a regular activity. We get ready for bed in our separate rooms. Derrick would then join Kate and I in our bed. It was safe, comfortable and I loved it.
Kate and I agreed, we didn't want it to end. I was happy to hear that she was enjoying it as much as I was.
I had asked mom one night while we were alone what she thought about him continuing to live with us. She smiled at me, winked and commented on how nice it was having a real man around the house. I laughed thinking how 'not so manly' Dan was at times. Don't get me wrong he is good for Chelle but Dan is a geek and Derrick, well, Derrick is a Marine.
I once said Derrick
was
a Marine, he was quick to say "Once a Marine, always a Marine." I will always remember him as a Marine.
Fuck!! He is sexy! Now that I understood Mom's point of view, I needed to find out what he wanted. Our vacation would give us time to talk.
***
We returned to the office the first week of January and we were excited, at least I was. More positive things were happening at work, our vacation was drawing nearer and everyone was happy.
We finished our Monday meeting on a high note, Joe reported to Ken that we had one of the best billing years in a long time. For that Ken and Monica were going to have a celebration when the entire team was available. We were all asked to confirm our vacation schedules by the end of the week.
And off we went back to the grind and I loved it.
Part of my stress release therapy, if you call it that was to not eat lunch at my desk. When we returned in the New Year, I started eating in the small kitchenette and lunchroom that Ken and Monica provided the employees.
As a few of us sat in the lunchroom Joe popped his head in and politely interrupted getting my attention he asked, "Beth, when you have finished lunch, Ken and I would like to see you. It isn't urgent but when you are finished please."
"Yes sir, I will be right there."
As instructed by my physical therapist, I moved my chair back and slowly stood with my back straight. Using the table for balance, I stood up. I let go of the table once I had my balance with my feet at least as wide as my shoulders, I reached straight up aligning my arms with my body then brought them back to my sides. I repeated that three times each time I did a three second stretch reaching as high as I could.
Again lather, rinse and repeat three more repetitions.
Walking down the hall I paused at Derrick's desk. "Did you submit your vacation for next week?"
"Yes Beth last week, Tuesday through Friday like you asked. I requested the twenty-third through the twenty-sixth." I nodded
I tried to look into Kate's office as I walked by but I didn't see her in there. Then I found myself slightly confused when I was knocking on Ken's door. The door opened and sitting at the table with Ken were Joe and Kate. Ken invited me to have a seat asking me to shut the door.
"Hey Beth, come on in." He smiled, "No stress. Everything is fine." Ken started. "I feel compelled to have a conversation regarding the contract, bill rates and something else."
Kate passed around a copy of the contract to everyone with her attached spreadsheet that would list hourly rates for each skill set, the potential for benefit costs, if a candidate wanted benefits, and potential new net margins based on taxes and our costs. Damn she was thorough.
After twenty minutes of discussion and an agreement on the labor costs for the project and how high we would consider paying the contractors in each area making enough money, making this a viable contract, I assumed the meeting was completed.
As the meeting wrapped up, Joe opened a folder pulling out a few documents. I couldn't see them clearly nor could I determine what they were. I assumed that the documents were our vacation requests. Ken looked at me and just me.
I started, "Ken, sir. I know it is a strange request but please allow me to explain."
He leaned back in his chair, shrugged his shoulders and said, "Um sure, go ahead." He smiled widely almost as if laughing internally.
He folded crossed his arms leaving them laying on his chest, listening intently. He then looked at Joe and smiled.
"Well we, um, we want to get away and thought as Derrick was doing so well that um," I was stammering and on the brink of being dazed not knowing what to say when Kate spoke up.
"Employment laws stipulate, we do not have a requirement to explain but in this matter, I feel obligated as you have been very understanding of recent events."
