This is a continuation of another story I wrote called AN ABSENCE OF TRUST. This is my first attempt at a follow up story. There are several subplots that I thought were necessary. This, like most of my stories, is long without a lot of sex.
In my opinion you should probably read the first one before this.
If you do read it I hope you like it.
I guess I was nearly done with the house. My dream of restoring the stately Madison Park house in Seattle was almost complete. I thought of what it looked like when Antoine had first shown it to me. A lot has happened since then. But for some reason I did not have the satisfaction I thought I'd have upon the completion.
No doubt the house looked good. I had remodeled, really restored, it the way I wanted, but somehow I thought I would have greater pleasure after getting it finished. Perhaps it was the process and not the end product that was more fulfilling
Sitting here, in the living room, I started to understand my melancholy mood. First off I didn't have anyone to share the big house with. Originally that had not been the plan. That particular plan did not end well. Secondly, I was afraid I'd be bored. For the past five + years, this house has been my hobby.
I glanced up at the grand staircase. It was hard not to think of the orchestrated accident that occurred on these steps. A mixture of feelings came over me. Sadness over what had happened mixed with a grim satisfaction at the punishment delivered.
Somehow though, the mixture of thoughts about my house, the spectacular breakup with Maddie, even years later, and the feeling that my life was incomplete created the unsatisfied mood I found myself experiencing.
Mentally I kicked myself in the ass. Quit feeling sorry for yourself. You are living in a beautiful, two million dollar-plus house in Seattle, and by the way, it's paid for. Money was not a problem. The last time Danny, my financial guy, and I reviewed my finances my net worth was over twenty million. I was in good health and I had a solid group of friends. Just no girlfriend at this particular time.
You never know perhaps that could change.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
I was getting ready to leave my office for one of the last few times that Thursday when I received a phone call from my brother Richie. I talked to him every week or so, somehow this phone call seemed a little different.
"How's it going?" I asked him, curious.
"Pretty good." He said, but I heard something else in his voice, a hesitancy. There was something off. My normal happy go lucky kid brother didn't sound like himself.
"Leslie doing okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, she's great," he began, "I guess." He trailed off.
"What about the business?" I asked, "business has to be good."
Richie had never gone to college. It was a combination of a lack of funds and a lack of motivation. The only way I had made it through college was because of my athletic scholarship.
Instead, Rich enlisted in the Marines. He did four years with the Marine Corp, about half the time driving armored transport vehicles in the Middle East. That's where he'd met his buddy Dallas.
Once he got out Rich had started driving truck, local deliveries. Two years ago there was an opportunity to buy Mettke Freight, the company he worked for. Through my financing Rich (and I) bought the business from Carl Mettke.
Actually the way things are set up, Rich and I guess Leslie, his wife, own the business, office equipment, and other assets. I own the building and the trucks. The business (still called) Mettke Freight pays me rent. The building has a third floor with four apartments. I collect the rent for these units too. I lease the trucks back to the business.
Rich's wife, Leslie, runs the business. Leslie is the office manager and surprisingly does a pretty good job. Rich's title is general manager but most of the time he's content out making deliveries. Leslie and the dispatcher really run the office.
"Yeah, I guess business is good," he began, "it's just that... " he trailed off.
I paused.
"What's up Richie?" I asked.
"Can we grab a beer? Just you and I?" Rich asked.
"Sure," I said confused and a little concerned.
We decided to meet at The Reef. Our old hangout. This was where I first met Leslie. Leslie and I had a brief, you really couldn't even call it a relationship, fling may be more appropriate. Later, she and Rich got together. I recall her telling me that she'd changed since our, let's call it friendship. And for the most part it looked as if she had.
Leslie is an attractive woman with a killer body. Not the girl next door type but certainly several octaves away from trashy. Somewhere in the middle. For me, she'd been a fun pickup on a few nights out, years ago. For Richie it was different, he married her.
We'd had exactly one conversation about our co-mingled sexual history. After that we never spoke about my experience with Leslie.
When I saw Richie enter The Reef I could tell something was up. Our tumultuous childhood had different effects on each of us. The tough upbringing forged me into a better athlete and a more confident businessman.
What I observed was that Rich growing up was more like a whipped dog. He did have an inner toughness but also a softness that allowed others to take advantage of him. He'd gotten better. I think owning and running the business had helped his development and I also think his marriage had contributed to his confidence too.
"Hey man," I hugged my brother as he walked up.
We chatted for a while, just regular friendly conversation, local sports, my work situation, normal stuff.
But, I watched him. Throughout the conversation I saw fleeting signs of unease. The confidence I'd described seemed to be slipping. His normal good natured personality was absent.
After a few minutes, I asked him.
"So what's going on?" I said to him, shifting gears.
He looked me in the eye and for a moment I thought he was going to cry.
"I'm not sure." He replied.
He told me that Leslie's mood had changed. I was prepared to tell him that he really needed to be having this conversation with her. But he kept talking.
"I'm pretty much driving full time. We lost a guy that did our north run and I just took it over. Leslie has talked about hiring someone else, but nothing has happened so far." He said.
"She treats me like an employee. At times she disrespects me, in front of others in the office. I've talked to her about it but she brushes me off saying I'm imagining it."
We talked a little more, me trying as delicately as possible to tell him to grow a pair of balls and to not back down.
"And there is one other complication," he stated. "Our dispatcher, Dominic."
According to Richie, Leslie hired Dominic almost a year ago. She knew him through her sister. Dominic is a citizen, but was originally from Eastern Europe. Apparently there is a small community in North Seattle.
At first Dominic performed exceptionally. He managed the dispatch office and the business had never run better.
"While I'm out driving, Leslie and Dominic run the office. Business is good, but I feel like I'm not involved in the management of the company." He continued. "And it seems like the two of them are always on the same side on an issue, and I'm on the other."
"Do you trust this Dominic?" I asked him.
"I'm not sure," he began, "but I have to say since he's been running dispatch, it's never been smoother."
I sat for a minute and thought about the situation. And then I thought about Leslie. I also thought about Richie. I took a deep breath and then I addressed him.
"Okay, first thing," my voice got a little louder, with an edge, "YOU are in charge. When you go home tonight and when you walk in the office tomorrow, you MAKE SURE Leslie and anyone in that office know who is running the business."
"No more feeling sorry for yourself or backing down. This is your company, not anyone else's. If anyone down there, including Leslie, can't accept that, they are gone."
It was like his backbone suddenly grew physical substance. His chin perked up, his eyes were clear. He nodded in agreement with my words.
"You know bro," I said to him, "I've got your back 100%. But it's you that has to go down there and kick ass."
"And Rich," I said to him as we were leaving, "same thing with your marriage. You make sure Leslie know's she can't walk all over you."
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
It was a bit ironic that I was giving relationship advice. I'd bungled my relationship with my college girlfriend, and well, I don't need to reiterate what happened with Maddie. Too many people know that story already.
And amazingly enough, despite all the promises I made myself, I did get quite serious another time not long after Maddie and I split up.
After my divorce I had specifically stayed away from any type of romantic involvement. The scars of the breakup with Maddie were too raw. Occasional pickups, little actual dating, and a firm pledge with any females I became entangled with, that I was not looking for any type of extended relationship.
And then a bunch of us went to Cabo.
Someone in the office put the trip together. It was an all-inclusive on the Pacific side of Cabo. There were two suites with four of us guys in each. The rooms all were en suite with a large central living-dining room we all had access to. It was three grand a head including the suite, all the food and drink you could consume, and the flight. How could you say no?
The resort, Cabo Pacifica, was spectacular with many different swimming pools, outdoor activities, and restaurants from casual to fine dining.
The area that most of the guests congregated around was in front of the restaurant La Luna. There was a large infinity pool with a swim up bar on one side and a terrestrial bar on the restaurant side. It was called La Plaza. There was a constant good natured holiday atmosphere throughout the resort, but the party intensified at La Plaza.
The eight of us were all single, but a couple of the guys were in committed relationships and not looking for any female companions. For the other five of us, it was on.
The second night we were there I noticed a group of seven or eight attractive women. Kind of a female version of our group. They were probably mid twenties, we were slightly older.
Eventually one of our guys started talking to one of their girls and the confluence began. They were on some type of pre-bachelorette party. The girl I was talking to told me that the potential bride-to-be wanted to see if she was really ready to get married.
