Chapter 55: The Death of a Dear Friend

The long flight to Sydney was physically comfortable and emotionally exhausting; we just looked at each other and worried. We hurried through controls and a driver was expecting us. He took us directly to the hospital where Jenny was waiting for us. She embraced Maureen and then kissed me for a long time. She was miserable and tired.

“James, I am exhausted and sad, and I need you to support me. Thank God you came immediately!”

When I saw Ellen, I was shocked. She had aged in these few days and her face was gaunt, but her eyes were still alive. Allan was sitting in a corner staring at the wall. I said hello to him and then we sat beside her.

She reached out to hold our hands. “My darlings, thank you for coming so fast. I didn’t want to bother you, as you looked so much forward to your ball and the time in Germany, but Jenny insisted, and I am grateful to her. But tell me what happened? James, did Maureen shine at the ball? Was she the most beautiful women? Did you meet friends? Tell me everything!”

I gave her a short summary of our two days and Maureen went into more details on the ball and Ellen enjoyed the catty gossiping. I touched Maureen’s arm when I saw Ellen’s eyes closing; she slowed down and suddenly, Ellen was asleep.

Jenny said that Ellen had done this more and more - a few minutes awake, more asleep. We left and I turned to Allan.

“Tell me how she is. Any chance of improvement?”

He shook his head. “The doctors have given up any hope. A few days more and she’ll be gone. What will I do without her?”

I hugged him. “Allan, you’re not alone in this world. You have Maureen and Jenny, and you have me at your side. I know it will not diminish your pain, but we’ll be with you whatever happens.” He hugged me back and started to cry.

Jenny told us to go home, shower and change and come back; she would stay in case Ellen woke up. We did this and Maureen was crying. “James, she will die! We had her for such a short time!”

I hugged her. “Darling, it was a short time, but she gave us so much! Let us think about this!”

She sniffled but nodded.

We went home, showered, changed, and went back. It was just the right moment since she was waking up when we entered. She could barely open her eyes, but she whispered. “Allan, give me a few moments with my children.” He nodded and left the room.

She looked at us for a long time. “Jenny, come here.” She knelt beside the bed and Ellen placed her hands on her head and then pulled her weakly forward.

“Jenny, may God protect you forever, may you live a long and happy life with Maureen and James, and may you have children who’ll make you as happy as you have made me.”

She kissed her forehead and then called Maureen, repeating her gesture.

“Maureen, may God protect you forever, may you live a long and happy life with Jenny and James, and may you have children who’ll make you as happy as you have made me.”

She kissed her on her forehead and called me.

I also knelt at her side.

“James, may God protect you forever, may you live a long and happy life with Maureen and Jenny, and may you have children who’ll make you as happy as you have made me. I hold you responsible for their happiness.”

She stopped to breathe.

“I also hold you responsible for Allan - he’ll be devastated, and I don’t know how he will handle this. Give him work and get him involved in your companies and he’ll survive. And one more thing, James - Allan is a man and he’s still very active. I know that he will suffer, but that after a while he’ll want to live again. I have seen how he looks at Eileen and how she looks at him. James, keep him safe whatever happens; if he wants her, he can have her, but make certain that he does not suffer and that she will be a decent woman for him. Promise this!”

I nodded. “I promise, Ellen!” and she pulled me forward and kissed my forehead.

“God bless you, my children. You have given me support and happiness. And if God allows, I shall look after you from up there.”

She closed her eyes again and we waited for her to continue, but all she said was, “God bless you with my love. Now go and call Allan.”

I knew what was happening - I had gone through this with my father. I bent and kissed her on her cheek, her eyes, her forehead and lightly on her lips.

“Thank you, Ellen, for everything you have given us. We’ll remember and I will keep my promise!”

She nodded and pressed my hand. “I know!”

Maureen and Jenny did the same, openly crying. Ellen tried to console them.

“Children, you have your life ahead of you and you’ll be very happy. Remember me and I will always be with you.”

Ellen closed her eyes and we left. I called Allan and gave him a hug. “Allan, be strong and show her a happy face ... well, not happy, but under no circumstances show her a sad face. She wants to see you and we’ll wait for you here.”

He went in and we sat in the waiting room before her room. It took a long time, but then Allan came out. “She’s gone,” and started to cry. Maureen and Jenny hugged him, and I put my arms on his shoulder.

“Allan, Ellen would not want you to be weak. Be strong for her and for us!”

He nodded weakly and I hugged him.

“Allan, you will not be alone. I shall be at your side, needing you strong and alive.” He nodded once more but continued to cry.

Maureen came to his side and hugged him also. “Allan, you’ll never be alone, I shall be at your side, wanting you when I’m weak and need help.”

Now it was Jenny´s turn. ¨Allan, you shall never be alone; you’re the father I never had, and I want you strong at my side, whenever I need advice and wisdom. ¨

He took a deep breath and looked at us. There was despair in his eye, but also the realization that he was not alone in his misery, but that he had his family with him, a family that needed him and that would always be there for him, whenever he needed it. He opened his arms, and we hugged him, and he embraced us. Somehow, I felt that a new bond had been created between us.

When we stepped back, probably a bit embarrassed about this show of emotion, Jenny looked at Allan.

“Allan, I said already that you’re the father I never had. I called Ellen ‘Mother’; may I call you ‘Father’, please?”

Allan embraced Jenny, and both were crying. When they stepped apart, he nodded and said, ¨Jenny, my daughter, please do. This will strengthen me in the days to come, knowing that I lost a wife, but gained a daughter.” Looking at Maureen, he added, “Not only one, but two daughters!”

I was so proud of Jenny!

I led him to a corner of the waiting room and when the nurse appeared, warned by her equipment, Maureen went to meet her and give Allan a few more moments. He finally recovered and was ready for his ordeal.

The next days rushed by, and I was grateful for it. The loss of Ellen burdened our souls and we lived from one moment to the other. Our main responsibility was to keep Allan alive, since he did not know what to do. One of us stayed with him all the time, but still ... we had each other, but he was alone now. There was a church service in St. Mary’s Cathedral attended by hundreds, a sad but graceful burial at the Waverley cemetery, and then it was back to life. We called Allan to our meetings, got him to talk to Mr. Simpson about the curriculum for the Logistics Chair, and in general kept him occupied.

Eileen called each day - her visit to the Fugger’s castle in Babenhausen was wonderful, the Baron von Tuttlingen was very attentive, she was invited to another castle in the Alps, she gave a dinner for her new friends in München at the Käfer, and while at the beginning she told us that she missed us, after a week that comment was missing. She had the time of her life.

Finally, the next Board meeting was coming close, and Eileen decided to come back.

We picked her up at the airport; she was tired but beautiful as always, and as she embraced us, I perceived that something had changed. Where was that long, almost desperate kiss after such a long time away? Her luggage was impressive, and I had to hire a van to take it to our apartment. She was bubbling about her days in castles, the people she had met, that she had promised to come back, that she had invited some to visit her in Brisbane, and I was still waiting for a comment that she was happy to be back with us.

We arrived at the flat and she said that she wanted a shower and change. It took her a long time, and Maureen and I were wondering what had happened until Jenny gave us her opinion.

“Look, Eileen stepped into a new world. Old nobility, handsome men, romantic castles, new friends ... she went to a new world that does not include us anymore. I believe that she’ll always love us and may even be interested in some sex, but we’re not the center of her life anymore. She does not need us anymore and she has found other interests that’ll keep her interested in a new life.”

Eileen had stepped into the room without us realizing this and smiled. “Jenny, it is much more complicated than this, but basically, you’re right. Before, I had James, and I was desperately eager to keep him for me. It was difficult to share him with Maureen and then even with you - I wanted him for me, only for me. Now I’ve seen that there are other people in this world, that I don’t have to work every day, and that I can enjoy myself. And you’re right also in another matter - I am still interested in some sex. I have not slept with anyone during my trip, so James, that means that there’s a lot of unfulfilled desire waiting for you, but that can wait for the right moment.”

We stared at her.

“Children, I’ve grown up. I will still enjoy you, especially James, we can still have our time at the pool, and you, Jenny, still have that trip with me to Bali. So, what are we going to do now? The Board meeting is tomorrow, and I assume that Allan will join us?”

All I could do was to agree.

“Good. James, I want to finish the transfer of my shares, so that I have some spending money and can live my life without always looking for you. I decided that I will keep ten percent of the company and I expect you to work hard so that I don’t have to worry about anything. How you distribute the shares among you is your problem - the only demand I have is that the company name is not changed and that you never sell shares to an outside entity, bank, investor, fund, whatever. I built up this company on my own, and I want it to stay independent, without having to depend on others. Do you agree?”

We nodded, stupefied - she had mentioned this to me in München - but the confirmation now was still shocking.

“Okay, so that’s that. What do you have for dinner? I had a light dinner on the plane, but I want to sit down with you and discuss how things are here, how Allan feels especially after Ellen’s death, and what proposals are on the agenda of the meeting.”

We nodded again and Jenny got up. “I’ll prepare something, Eileen. Just a moment.”

Eileen had dressed in a silky, light green robe and it was obvious that that was the only thing she wore. She looked at me.

“James, I did not forget local rules - no underwear! By the way, Maureen, why are you and Jenny still dressed up? Don’t you want to join the fun?”

Maureen was startled. “Mom, I did not expect an evening full of sex; remember that you just came back. We wanted to talk to you, hear from you, enjoy your stories. Can we do this?”

Eileen grinned. “Have you become a prude, daughter? Come on, we have only one life!”

This was a different woman from the one who had left Australia with us. Maureen looked at me and I shrugged. That was Eileen and we had to adapt to her; thank God Maureen and Jenny hadn’t changed.

We had dinner and I took out a very good wine; Eileen enjoyed it and when I whispered to Jenny to keep her glass filled, Eileen slowly got tipsy and then tired. This was the only way I found to survive the evening without causing permanent damage to our relationship.

Finally, she had enough. “James, take me to bed. I want to feel your arms around me and you inside me.”

I looked at Maureen and she nodded. I picked her up and she hugged me. “James, I missed you. Make love to me now.”

I carried her to our bed and laid her down, slowly and gently. She opened the two buttons on her robe and her beautiful body was revealed from her luscious hair to her little painted toes. She smiled at me. “All yours, James.”

Bending down, I started to kiss her, and she responded, not with her normal enthusiasm, but still affectionately. My hand wandered down south and when I touched her stiff nipples she moaned.

“James, I was missing you; I was missing your body on mine, and I was missing you taking me. Please take me now!”

I kissed her neck and behind her earlobes and she liked it but pushed my head down to her breasts. “My puppies missed you, too, darling. Say hello to them!”

Not only did I say hello, but also had a long conversation with them. Her enthusiastic reactions to my hand traveling along her abdomen needed no translation when I feasted on her breasts, and her soft caresses urged me along. My lips found hers again as my hand traveled slowly down between her legs. She smiled as she spread her legs and let me explore. I enjoyed her moans, teasing her carefully, her wetness urging me to be bolder. Her hand found my erection, and she opened her eyes.

“James...” she moaned, her excitement making my name sound wonderful. I touched her lightly and she pushed her labia into my hand; opening her legs a bit more my finger glided into her. Now she was happy, and her moans became more pronounced, more demanding. I probed a little deeper, feeling gently for the little round nub I knew would be there. I found it and brushed against it. She drew in a sharp breath and then let it out with a deep gasp. I touched her more aggressively and when I rubbed her clitoris, she exploded, proof that this was what she wanted. I continued talking to her puppies and when she relaxed, she pulled me up to kiss me.

“Darling, that was wonderful, but it was only an hors d’oeuvre. I want more! Just hold me now for a moment; I want to realize that I’m in your arms.”

I pulled her close to me and laid her head on my chest. She sighed. “James, it was wonderful, but I was not completely happy; you were missing!”

I caressed her hair and told her that I had missed her, too, but it had been impossible to stay. She said that she understood that, but still, she had been missing me - and Maureen, of course. The last came out as an afterthought, probably more politeness than reality, but she knew how I treasured my wife. I saw her closing her eyes and she whispered. “Just a few moments, darling, then you can have me...” The moments turned into minutes and then she was asleep.

I slowly disentangled me and went back to the living room where Maureen and Jenny were still discussing things. The lights were down and there was a bottle of red wine in front of them.

When Maureen saw me, she was surprised.

“What happened? Is anything wrong?”

I shook my head. “She’s asleep.” Maureen handed me a glass of wine and still wanted an answer.

“What happened?”

I wondered for a moment what I should tell her, but then I remembered - no lies or half-truths in this family.

“She wanted to make love but did not get past the first stage. When I touched her, she came immediately and then she wanted to stay in my arms for a while ... and then she fell asleep. What will we do now?”

There was a long discussion, but in the end, we agreed that we would go with the flow. I should go back to bed so that she would not wake up alone and whatever she wanted, I should do.

Jenny grinned. “James, how much of a sacrifice is it for you to make love to a beautiful and enthusiastic woman and who still loves you, perhaps not as much as before, but certainly enough to make your life interesting? We understand it and don’t worry; we know that we are the center of your life. Eileen was good to me when I came to you, and I’ll never forget this. If she wants to make love to you, who am I to deny this to her? I want it too!”

Maureen grinned also. “James, remember when you saw her topless for the first time? She was proud of her body and the admiration she saw in your eyes, and now she wants more than admiration. Go back and love her, darling; Jenny and I will always be here for you, and we do know that you’re ours, always and forever.”

I went and kissed both; it was a tender kiss, but full of love and dedication and then I went back and slipped onto the bed beside her. She murmured something and pressed her body against mine but did not wake up.

During the night I felt her clinging to me and as Jenny had said, it was no sacrifice to feel her warm body beside me, put my hand on her firm breast, and hold her close. In the morning, she whispered, “I love you” and her hand wandered down to my penis. “I believe that last night I fell asleep at the wrong moment, so let’s correct this!” and she leaned forward to kiss me - not gently this time but demandingly.

She threw the covers off and went down to wake George up. It did not take long, and he was ready for action. She moved forward, lay on her back, and pulled me over her and smiling, guided me into her. It was fascinating watching her expression change when I entered her, awakened by my desire. She lost her smile and sucked in a deep breath as I lowered myself into her. When our hips met, she exhaled and kissed me with force, our tongues battling for dominance, her legs wrapped around me.

“James...” she whispered again as her hips began to move into me. I countered the movement, enjoying her desire, trying to stall mine. We moved together as we had always had, and she knew where I needed her, and her moans told me that this was exactly where she wanted to be. There was no struggling for comfort, no wasted movements, no gentle love, just shared joy. Each movement brought pleasure that added to the pleasure before it.

She began to shake, and her hips were driving into me, grinding on my down stroke. I was near my limit as I watched her near hers. I dropped my lips to her ear and whispered, “Eileen, my sweet...” Her back arched, and the most wondrous moan escaped her lips. I held myself in as deep as I could as she ground her pelvis into mine.

“James!” she yelled. Bliss exploded inside of me as I felt myself emptying into her. Her hands were pulling me deeper as her legs weakened. I struggled to breathe as conscious control of my body left me.

I collapsed on Eileen, using my elbows to lessen my weight. My breath was coming in gasps, and, despite the morning cold, we were sweating. I felt the beginnings of her chuckle before I heard it. I looked down at a beautifully happy smiling woman who chuckled.

“You know that you were right? The baron was trying very hard to seduce me and he was very good at it. Charming, polite, handsome, eager to please and do whatever I wanted; it was fun to play him. What saved me was that I thought of you and our love.”

She grinned and squeezed me inside of her, which caused me to experience all kinds of exquisite feelings. She found that funny and I found it sexy. I reached up and pushed her hair away from her sweaty face. This time, I kissed her as we had done before, soft and loving. “I love you...” she said.

George was wondering whether more action was possible and moved around, looking for company. She laughed. “Darling, you are wonderful and if you insist...”

She pushed me off her and sat on my hips. Our combined fluids were leaking out, but she didn’t care. She teased me just a little more, grinding her hips against me once or twice, letting me feel the wet smears she left where her thighs touched me, then she rose and thrust herself down over my shaft.

“This is what I was waiting for and now I’ll have you...” she moaned. “It really feels like George missed me.” Her eyes closed and she sat upright, letting herself settle farther and farther down on me until I was buried to the hilt. “You feel so good inside me,” she moaned. “I could stay like this for hours!” Then she quickly looked back at my face and laughed at the worried look she found there. Even the laughter was mild torture, as it caused her muscles to contract around my shaft. “Don’t worry, I was only kidding; I’m as close to the edge as you are.”

Shockwaves traveled down my shaft and through my body as her hips shifted to accept me. She raised her hips and plunged down again in a rocking motion; I responded with my own moves, pushing up when she came down, and almost slipping out when she pulled up. We stayed that way until we could not wait anymore. Eileen’s eyes closed and her mouth opened as her hips began to grind into me. My need grew quickly, and I ground into her, slightly countering her moves, and all was very pleasurable. She leaned forward and offered her breasts for my kisses; then she pushed down with all force, her hips bucking of their own accord. I tried to wait, tried to hold off for her, but it was too intense. She went rigid as I emptied myself once more into her. She moaned her own release. I held her, staying with her as she slowly came down from the clouds. It was all very sensual and indescribably private, and intense on a completely different level. Nothing had changed, and everything had.

It was wonderful to make love to her, to feel her firm and responsive body offering herself to me, to slip deep into her, to feel her inner muscles massage my shaft, to feel her arousal increasing at every moment, and to feel her release when she could not hold it anymore. It was thrilling to take her, to feel her acceptance of my desire, and finally to feel myself letting go, to hold her, and to empty myself into her.

It was wonderful thrilling, vigorous, healthy, salacious, releasing sex, pounding into her body, seeing her eyes aflame, kissing her firm breasts, having her for my own. The only thing that was missing was that warm feeling after making love, where I looked into her eyes and saw love, dedication, and affection; the moment when I looked into her soul and felt that warm tingling that joined us, that made us one. It was wonderful sex and I loved it, but it wasn’t anymore the union we had earlier. Eileen had grown out of it; she wanted her fun and sometime in the past she had decided that she would take it, preferably with us, but she was willing to step out and go on.

She looked at me. “James, why are you so serious? This was the way I wanted to wake up, well-loved and well-used. Now I’m ready to take on the world. Let’s have breakfast, dear!”

She jumped out of bed and appeared disappointed when I allowed her to go into the bathroom without whistling. I thought for a moment, but then decided that it was my fault, being too somber and I whistled. She looked back.

“I almost thought that I was being abandoned, darling.” She came back and presented her breasts for my kisses; whatever had happened, she was a very beautiful woman and making love to her was a man’s dream.

Maureen and Jenny were waiting for us; Maureen was curious. “We wondered whether you would make it. Remember the meeting at eleven o’clock?”

Jenny asked with a naughty smirk. “Did you sleep well, Eileen?”

She nodded. “The night was slow, but the morning was hot. James was quite demanding, and I wouldn’t be able to run ten miles just now but give me a few hours and I’m up to mischief again. Maureen, do you still have the Belvedere in the fridge?”

Jenny blushed. She knew what the vodka meant. Maureen nodded. “There is Belvedere, and Grey Goose, and Cirôk, but remember - you’ll have to go back to Brisbane tonight. There’s that meeting you’ve been talking about - the social elite of Brisbane is getting together for their annual meeting, and you told us all the time you would not miss it. Especially now! Mom, just imagine their faces when you tell them that you were invited by a prince to his castle, that you were courted by a baron, and that you’re now on first name with the German nobility!” and she laughed “Upper half!”

Eileen face lit up. “You’re right, so let’s go to the Board and then I’ll go home in the afternoon.”

Maureen grinned when she looked at me - now a night of sex with me was less important than the social meeting in Brisbane! How the mighty had fallen!

Allan was already waiting for us, and Eileen was shocked the way he looked. Gaunt, dressed in his black suit, he was not a happy man. She walked up to him and kissed him on his cheeks.

“Allen, my condolences. I know how much you loved Ellen, but life must go on. We will need you and I hope that you’ll give us all the support we’ll need as we expand our company!”

She smiled at him, her charm attack at full force and there was a faint reaction. He nodded.

“Certainly, Eileen, I’ll be at your disposal. You can count on me!”

Eileen had agreed to hold this meeting in Sydney, considering that Allan would probably not travel at this moment. Simon Gage had been asked to come to Sydney. The first points in the meeting were easy; Simon presented the results - growth excellent, profit growing, customer satisfaction excellent. Plans for the future? Eileen had warned us that she wanted to be free of business responsibilities and made this very clear.

“You know that the company is family run and I have 66.7% of it; James has 16%, Maureen 15%, and I have given Jenny 2.3%. I want to change this - I will remain with 10% and the three of you will decide how you want to share the company. My only condition is that NT will always stay a family run company.”

There was a moment of silence, but we had discussed this before, and I was prepared for it since she had told me in Germany about her plan. I had also discussed this already with Maureen and Jenny.

“Eileen, NT will continue as you have built it, a family company. We have decided that Maureen will have 51%, I will have 30% and Jenny will have 9%. I would like to add that Jenny did not want any shares, but Maureen and I insisted, because she is an important part of us. The only condition to her shares is that she cannot sell it to anyone, but Eileen, Maureen, or me, and if anything ever happened to her - God forbid - the shares come back to NT. So, you see, Eileen, your demand is being obeyed.”

The rest of the meeting went fast, and lunch was coming up. Eileen took me aside. “James, I want to have lunch with Allan, but on my own. He needs someone to cheer him up and you are as sad as he is.”

I wondered about her ulterior motives, but agreed and when lunch came along, she took his arm and went off. Maureen looked at me and I shrugged; Allan was in good hands. We had a working lunch with Simon and agreed on the plans for the next six months; I didn’t believe, however, that in three months’ time we would be still talking the same numbers.

Eileen came back with us to pick up her luggage and she was satisfied with herself. “Do you know that Allan is quite an interesting man? And he can be charming, too, if he wants to. I believe that we’ll have the next meeting in Brisbane; I’m still the CEO, my dear, and perhaps I’ll take him to the Hunter Valley.”

Bulbs exploded in my brain - I remembered Ellen’s plea and what I had promised.

“Eileen, the man has just lost his wife - be careful!”

She nodded. “I like him, and I don’t want to see him so sad. The Hunter Valley is excellent for a visit - he likes his wines, I know most of the owners of the vineyards, and he’ll think of other matters. I’ll handle this; don’t worry!”

I promised myself to talk to Allan in a very discreet way and watch them. I drove her to the airport, and she left with a kiss on my cheek and the comment. “That was nice, James. Eat a lot of oysters before you come up to Brisbane.”

Things had changed, indeed.

The next two weeks flew by; there were meetings at NSW Trucking, and it was obvious that Jenny was taking control. Mr. Simpson was happy having her at his side and even the evil monster sitting in his front office seemed to have been domesticated, except when I stepped into her office; then her glare was intentional and evil. Jenny laughed when she saw my reaction.

“I don’t know what the problem is with you? She’s such a sweet person!”

Sweet person? Evil monster!

We had another meeting with the NSW staff and several truckers had decided to leave; the justification was that they could not stand the new workload; even admitting that the pay was good, they preferred to laze along in another company. The HAY presentation was a first draft, and I did not like it; I asked them to redo it and include the important goals we had set for ourselves. I wanted people to commit to them, not just look at an organizational situation and let other people decide for them. They had to assume responsibilities, and not everyone accepted this.

Allan decided that I would play golf with him on the weekend, and I went to the club to take lessons as I wanted to play, not hack at the ball. We called him every day and every night one of us went to his home and stayed there for a few moments. When I was there one night, I asked him what he thought about Eileen.