Chapter 7

Elsa needed two days of rest before she was up to talking with Harry and Sam, but she was still depressed. Before she met with them, she called Casey and Skye to get the status of their efforts. Lara had shown them three office buildings that they thought would be good choices. Each had advantages and disadvantages, and they had to decide which would be the best choice. Elsa discussed the three buildings with them and gave her opinions on the different advantages and disadvantages. Casey said he wasn’t sure if one building had the square footage we would need. A second building was older but had far more footage than what he thought we needed now. He was leaning toward the third building, which would provide adequate space for the near future.

During their conversation, Elsa mentioned that she had plans for adding more companies to the corporation. She then told Casey that she expected the corporation’s office space would grow by over twenty percent in the next ten years. Casey said if that happened, we would need the largest of the three buildings. He said he would reassess the advantages and disadvantages of the three buildings in light of the new information Elsa gave him. I know Elsa had previously told him we would grow, but I don’t recall her giving him an estimate of how much we would grow.

Elsa told Casey and Skye that there didn’t seem to be a need for us to return to the Caymans at this time, which disappointed me. I was looking forward to seeing Lara again. However, I called her frequently to just chat.

The meeting with Harry and Sam went smoothly. They had set up points of contact with each of the companies for communicating the status of the reincorporation effort and for discussing any special needs the companies may have. All of the companies we had visited were in the process of assembling the information they would have to transmit to Smith-Adler Enterprises when our new corporation was ready to begin the process.

One of the main concerns Sam expressed was the ability of a new company to handle the process in a timely manner. Elsa agreed with that concern. She said everyone would have to start sending the information to our new headquarters at a slow rate, so the Divisions were not overloaded by the volume of information they would have to process.

She tasked Sam with ensuring the transition was a time-phased effort. She suggested focusing primarily on completing the reincorporation of one business in each Division. As the incorporation of each business approached completion, the flow of data should decline. When it did, Sam could have the next company begin transferring its information. Once the incorporation process was complete for each company, Harry could formally notify the State that Elsa was dissolving the corporation.

I enjoyed these meeting for it not only gave me more insight into the businesses and how to manage them, but it also gave me a much needed break from processing the bullion. However, the next day Elsa was back to making arrangements for the next round of visits. I went back to processing the bullion.

This next round of visits would be for the companies in California, and we would leave in three days. We would be staying at the Hyatt Regency again, and Elsa had arranged for a small meeting room in the hotel. The consolidated briefing of three companies had worked out nicely during our last trip. Elsa had arranged for the senior staff of all of her companies to meet with her at the hotel two days after we arrived. These trips were wearing Elsa out, and I was glad this would be the last trip to brief her companies.

A good bit of the day after we arrived was spent at the Great America amusement park. Elsa did like her rides and this may be her last opportunity to visit Great America. However, Elitch was a nice amusement park in Denver.

After breakfast the next day, we gathered our briefing materials and headed for the meeting room. A few of Elsa’s people hadn’t arrived, but we were early. We also knew from experience that traffic delays were common during the commute hours in this area. We were still missing two people, but Elsa started the meeting on time. Our two wayward people showed up five minutes later. Their coworkers caught them up with what had been said. The main portion of the briefing was still ahead of us, so they didn’t miss any of the really important information.

Elsa had arranged for a buffet lunch, so when the staff indicated they were ready to serve lunch, Elsa announced an hour lunch break. It seemed to me that she was tired, very tired. The remainder of the meeting was basically a question and answer session, so I told her that I would take care of that part of the meeting. We agreed that if a question I couldn’t answer came up, she would respond. It seemed like a good plan to us, for it would give me an opportunity to work with her key people in these companies. It worked for the rest of the meeting and the experience of working with the people would be good for my future relations with them. There were only two or three questions that came up I couldn’t answer, but they weren’t about the reincorporation process and Elsa answered them. We flew back to Pueblo the next day.

Elsa really needed to rest when we got home. We were done with the reincorporation briefings and I had completed the processing of over half the bullion. It was taking close to half again longer to melt the ingots of platinum than it had the ingots of gold. That was slowing down the processing. The reincorporation was basically at a stop due to the Cayman corporations not being ready to receive the information. I decided that I would be able to recast all of the ingots of platinum and would probably complete all of the ingots of silver long before the reincorporation process would be completed.

The winter weather was starting to set in on Pueblo, and I knew Elsa would be better off in the warmer weather of the Caymans. I talked with her about going to the Caymans for several weeks of rest after she had consulted with Harry and Sam. She agreed, so two days later she met with Harry and Sam, and two days after that we departed for the Caymans.

As soon as we had our flight and room reservations, I called Casey, Skye, and Lara to let them know when we would be arriving. I made certain to tell everyone that the primary reason for the trip was for Elsa to avoid the winter weather. I had to explain how the winter weather affected Elsa for them to understand why we were coming to the island.

One of my primary objectives on this trip was to find a staff for my new home. Lara agreed to help me locate suitable people for the positions I wanted to fill. I was glad she agreed to help for I had no idea of how to go about locating and deciding if applicants were qualified for the positions I wanted to fill.

Before we left Pueblo, I invited Lara to join Elsa and me at our hotel for dinner on the day we arrived. It was to be an informal dinner party between three friends. When Lara joined us at the restaurant I went to pull her chair out so she could sit down, but she had a different idea. She dropped her purse on the floor, wrapped me up in her arms, and planted a scorching kiss on my mouth. I was surprised, but recovered quickly and returned the kiss.

Elsa spoke up and said, “Okay, you two. This is a place for dining. You can take care of the rest of your greeting each other in Paul’s room.”

That was probably the last thing I would have expected Elsa to say. I was shocked, but Lara just smiled at me and replied, “Okay, I can wait.”

Now both of these women had surprised me. The look in Lara’s eyes told me she was serious, and Elsa just laughed. I finally got Lara into her chair, and returned to mine. The rest of dinner proceeded as I had expected it would, friendly conversation and good food.

Lara waited until after we placed our orders to tell me about the employment agencies she had arranged for us to visit tomorrow. When Elsa learned of our plans to look for a staff, she wanted to be included. I thought she would have wanted to rest, but she told me this would be far more energizing and enjoyable than lying around in bed sleeping for the most of the day.

I could tell by their conversation that Lara and Elsa were really getting into the effort to find me a staff for my home. When I asked Elsa about her interest in the task, she told me learning how to manage servants was part of the training she had received as a young girl, so she would be able to manage her husband’s household. Elsa made it clear that until I married, she would be the mistress of my household and she would ensure the servants did their jobs properly. I don’t know which surprised me the most; Elsa saying what she said, or Lara agreeing with her.

Both of them made it clear to me that I needed a woman to run my household. Elsa was adamant about that, and the look Lara gave me seemed to say she planned to help Elsa with that task until it was time for her to take over from Elsa.

I could easily envision Elsa as the mistress of my household. She had that aura around her. She would be fair, but wouldn’t tolerate slovenly work. I didn’t understand the standards that she was raised to expect from servants, but I had lived in her home. I knew her standards would undoubtedly be higher than any I would impose on my staff.

I recalled a conversation I had with my dad while I was a junior in high school. He said, “Paul, there comes a time in every man’s life when he is ready to settle down with that special woman. When you find your special woman, you will know it is time to settle down because she will make it very clear to you that she is claiming you as her husband. A good woman will guide you along the right path in life. Following the guidance of such a woman may not seem manly to you now, but when the time comes you will recognize the inevitability of your doing what makes your woman happy. After we were married, I resisted the guidance your mother provided on a few occasions, and regretted it afterwards.”

I was deep in thought about what my dad had said, and missed almost all of what Elsa and Lara said to each other. I woke up in the middle of the last of their remarks. I think Elsa told Lara not to worry for she would see that Lara learned how to manage servants. I wasn’t going to ask what that was about.

Elsa was a good woman and she had been part of my life for more than five years. I couldn’t think of a single time that I wasn’t happy with the results of what she advised me to do. It was clear to me that Elsa thought Lara would be a good woman for me. I think she was right in that assessment, but I didn’t think it was time for me to marry. But on the other hand, a good wife provides a great deal of support to her husband, and I could see myself needing the support of a good woman in the not too distant future.

I decided to follow my dad’s advice. I would kick back and take it as it comes. My two women would give me good guidance, which I would probably accept and follow. At least, Lara’s breath didn’t smell of cigarettes and I found her perfume to be arousing. I envisioned myself marrying Lara and spending the rest of my life with her. The thought didn’t bother me. Perhaps I should just accept my fate and ask her to marry me now. Nah, chasing Lara until I caught her would be fun, and I strongly suspected she would arrange for me to catch her in the near future.

I had just signed the check to charge our meal to my room, when Lara said, “Paul, would you escort me out to my car so I can get my overnight case.”

Before I could respond, Elsa said, “I’m going to go up to my room. I’ll see the two of you at eight for breakfast.” Then Elsa left us alone.

I finally said, “Okay,” and took Lara’s hand as I allowed her to lead me to her car.

When Lara opened the trunk of her car, she stopped me from removing her overnight case, and said, “Paul, I believe I’ve made it clear what I want. If you don’t want the same thing, I’ll understand. Do you want me to return to your room with you?”

There is always a moment of decision in everything we do. Sometimes the decision is made at the time of commitment. Other times, the decision was made earlier. I realized I had already made this decision. I reached out and grasped her overnight case removing it from the trunk.

“I can’t think of anything I want more,” I said.

I shut the trunk lid of Lara’s car and grasped her hand as I turned to lead her back to the hotel. Hand in hand we rode the elevator to my floor. The intimacy between us was becoming more noticeable. I had to put the case down and released Lara’s hand in order to get the room’s key card out of my wallet. I pushed the door open and motioned Lara to enter. Picking up her case, I followed her into my room. It was very clear to me that Elsa had been right. Lara wanted me as her husband and as the father of her children.

I never used one before, but Lara removed the folding suitcase holder from the closet, and set it up. Not waiting for directions, I placed the overnight case on the stand. When I turned back to Lara, she took me into her arms and kissed me. I didn’t hesitate to wrap her up in my arms and return the kiss. The kiss wasn’t as passionate as the one earlier this evening. This kiss was about commitment, and it was just as intense emotionally.

“Paul, if you need to visit the bathroom, do it now.”

As I turned to go empty my bladder, I saw Lara unzipping her overnight case. When I returned, she slipped by me carrying a cosmetic bag and a transparent nightgown.

“I’m going to change, Paul. Why don’t you make yourself comfortable in bed.”

It was easy to understand that I had received my orders. I undressed and folded my shirt and slacks placing them on a chair. When I was down to just my underpants, I asked myself if I should remove them now or wait until later. Sometimes I ask myself really stupid questions. Lara had made it very clear what she wanted, so I slid my underpants down my legs and put them on the chair with the rest of my clothes. Before I slid into bed, I turned down the covers on Lara’s side of the bed and turned off the lights except for the lamp on my nightstand.

It wasn’t long before the bathroom door opened. As Lara moved through the door, I enjoyed the vision of a beautiful, sexy woman. She was backlit by the bathroom light, so the lines of her body were clear to see. Mostly I stared into her eyes as she walked around the bed and slipped beneath the covers.

I started to move toward her, when she held up her hand and said, “Paul, I want you to know that in the past I have shared my bed with other men. I did so for reasons that seemed appropriate at the time. If there is a we in our future, you will be the last man that I allow to join me in bed. I love you, and I want you to be my husband.”

Lara had blindsided me with that statement. “Lara, I understand what you are saying; for until now, my life has been similar. I’ve had lovers, but none were right for me as longtime companions. Things feel right between us. As our love for each other continues to grow, we will eventually marry and have a family.”

As I went to turn off the nightstand’s lamp, Lara said, “Leave it on, Paul. I want to watch my future husband’s face as we make love.”

As I turned back to her, she pushed the covers off, and moved to embrace me with her entire body. It was a long time before we pulled the covers over us and went to sleep. When we did, we settled in bed with me on my back with an arm around Lara, and she was against my side with her head on my shoulder, one arm across my chest, her breasts against my chest, her leg across mine.

Morning came and I found we had shifted position. I was now behind Lara with my arm reaching over her. I shifted slightly in preparation of going to the bathroom for my full bladder was complaining.

Lara said, “Good. You’re awake. I’ve been lying here thinking about us while I waited for you to wake up. I didn’t want to disturb you by moving your arm, as your holding me feels good. It’s urgent now, so excuse me for a few minutes.”

There is a saying, ladies before gentlemen. In this situation, necessity takes precedence, and Lara made it clear that her need was severe. I had the same need, but it wasn’t as intense as hers seemed to be, so I released her so she could get out of bed.

When I returned to bed, we resumed our position with Lara’s head on my shoulder.

Lara said, “Paul, we need to talk?”

Yeah, she said those four words that strike fear in all men!

“About what?”

“Our relationship for one thing. You and Elsa are going to be returning to Pueblo in two weeks. You said it would take another six months before you take up residency here in George Town. That is a long time for us to be apart this early in our relationship.”

“Yes, but we will be returning several times before then.”

“I know. But we won’t be getting to know each other while you’re gone.”

“We have the rest of our lives for that.”

“I know, but I’m impatient. I also like sleeping with you next to me, not to mention making love with you.”

“I agree with you about that.”

“You and Elsa are planning to hire your staff and set up housekeeping in your new place before you leave. Have you thought about who is to oversee the staff while you are gone?”

“No, I just thought I would give them some directions and guidance, and they would do their jobs while I was away. Why?”

“When I talked with Elsa about the household staff, she said they needed someone to supervise them constantly. They will have questions that need immediate answers.”

“I wasn’t aware of that. Perhaps I should postpone setting up my household until I take up residency on the island.”

“No, you can’t leave the house unoccupied for that long.”

“How can I do both?”

“You need someone here to supervise your staff while you’re gone, and I’m volunteering.”

I had figured out where this conversation was headed when she mentioned the household staff would need guidance, but decided to just play dumb.

“How do you plan to do your job and be on-hand for the staff when you aren’t working?”

“Well, I could live here while you’re gone.”

“I can’t ask you to move back and forth between your apartment and my house. It would be too disrupting for you.”

“It wouldn’t be disrupting if I gave up my apartment and lived at your house, full time. When you return, we can be together when we aren’t working, and that will give us more time to get to know each other.”

“Are you thinking of us getting married now?”

“No. We need to know each other a lot better before we marry. We can just live together until then.”

“I like that idea. I wonder what Elsa will think?”

“Where do you think I got the idea?”

“When are you plannnng to move in?

“I’ll move the things I need and enough clothes to get by when you move in; I’ll move the rest of my things after you leave.”

“That sounds like a good plan, but where are we going to put your furniture?”

“I rented it as a furnished apartment. So all I need to move are my personal belongings. My clothes will go into the Owner’s Wing, and what isn’t appropriate for there, I’ll store in one of the unused rooms.”

While we had been having our conversation, Lara’s hand had slid down to my groin, so she could trail her fingernails back and forth across me. It felt great, and I had become very aroused.

“Lara, I think we need to get up and get ready to go meet Elsa for breakfast. If we stay in bed much longer, Elsa will be eating breakfast by herself. As much as I would like to shower together, it would lead to other things. Go take your shower.”

It took most of the day for the three of us to visit the three employment agencies Lara had selected. We reviewed more than a hundred resumés, and we found a number of people we thought would be able to do the job we wanted done. There was one change to my staffing plans. Elsa insisted we needed a majordomo. She said a majordomo’s job was to monitor the staff and give them their daily assignments. He would act as a buffer between us and our employees.

I accepted her suggestion in principle, but wasn’t sure we needed a buffer. Elsa told me a few stories about what happened to her friends when they tried to directly interface with their staff. I decided she was right. We had to have a majordomo. However my ego got in the way, so I only agreed to hire one on a trial basis.

Elsa placed her hand over Lara’s hand and smiled at her when she started to argue with me. Lara accepted what I said without argument. It wasn’t until years later that I realized Elsa was training Lara to be the wife I needed. Yes, most of us men need a good woman in our lives to keep us on track, and that is not an easy job to do. When done wrong, it can destroy a marriage.

To expedite the interview process, we decided to only interview our preferred candidate for each position. Lara called the agencies, and told them who we would like to interview for the positions, and made appointments for us to meet with the candidates tomorrow. With the exception of the chauffeur, we offered the position to everyone we interviewed and they accepted. There was something about the man Elsa didn’t like, and we briefly discussed finding someone else. We decided that since we wouldn’t be in residence full time, we didn’t need a chauffeur, now. Our new staff was to meet us at the house at nine tomorrow morning.

Over dinner that night, we talked about what the staff would need to do first. The list was longer than I expected. We also identified a number of things we had to do before we could move in, such as buying linens, dishes, and cutlery. We would leave the acquisition of food, cleaning supplies, and similar non-personal items to our staff. Elsa reminded me that we needed to provide funds to the staff to pay for what they purchased, and managing the money would be part of the majordomo’s responsibilities. We planned a trip to my bank with the majordomo so we could set up a household checking account.