Chapter 25

Karl answered: "We doing good, almost done just waiting for a few parts that Jacob, that the one I told you about, the genius with a milling machine, is now in the process of making. Should have them tomorrow and we should be up to full speed on the second."

"We also got all the returned parts fixed and are ready to ship them out whenever the customer calls for them. My best guess will be that he'll still call before the holiday so they can have them on the second when they start production."

"Thanks Karl. Any other business, issues?"

They all shook their heads.

"Thanks guys, I'm going to check some e-mails and then I'll be out of here. You can reach me on my cell it needed. On the other hand I'll be here tomorrow after lunch. Have great rest of the day."

"Peter, wait up a minute, I'll follow you to the office. I want to show you something, I'm just going to grab my laptop."

"OK Karl, I'm going to see if there is any coffee. Want some in case I have to make it?

"Sure coffee in the office is better than out here in the plant."

"Well Karl as of the second you will be a VP and if you want to you can make 'camp' in the office with the rest of the suits."

"Thanks Peter, I would rather stay out here, easier to keep an eye on things but I trust the new guy and he needs the space I now occupy. So yes, I'll be moving my stuff soon."

I walked up to the break room in the office and as luck would have it there was a fresh pot brewing.

I got my cup and another one for Karl and waited for the pot to finish. Karl is like me, likes his coffee free of contaminates like milk and sugar. So I just poured and at that moment he showed up with his laptop.

"Karl, why not set it up here, that way if it takes time we are close to the coffee."

"Hey, I hope my presentation isn't that boring."

Karl set up the laptop and began to show me a Power Point presentation of his first version for our pitch to the design and engineering community to expand our sales by providing specialized small production runs and prototype samples.

"Karl, great job, I really like it. So what's the next step?"

"I was thinking of adding part of this to our web site as a teaser and a link to this presentation after I clean it up some more. Little tweaks here and there. Also maybe a mailing to the guys I know with a couple of images from the presentation."

"Sounds good to me. Let Mark handle the website and get with Carol when she gets back on the second for the print version."

"Karl, I just had a thought. For a while I used to belong to a group of professional engineers. We met once a month. Eventually I got too busy and dropped out. What about them?"

"I don't know, I think it's too broad based and primarily a social club. But I'll talk to a couple of friends that still belong and maybe we can isolate a suitable sub group and organize a box lunch or something like that."

"Works for me. I'll leave in your capable hands."

"Now on to another matter. Where do we stand with the redesign for the military?"

"It's in their hands right now. I suggest that you call your contact maybe a week after New Years and see what he has to say."

"OK Karl, thanks for a great job. I'm grabbing a refill and check my e-mails, then I'm out of here 'til tomorrow afternoon."

"Enjoy your evening," and with those words Karl went back to his office and I went to mine to check on my e-mails.

There was one from M, asking for a meeting. Wonder what that's all about? I thought about replying 'nothing to talk about – expect interest payment on the second' but decided to just ignore it for the time being. Let her sweat for while, I really don't want to talk to her.

There was one from Darrell thanking me for getting Charlize settled in her new office and taking care of Red's stuff from the apartment.

I answered him briefly, then shut down the computer and left to go home.

I hadn't been home for more than ten minutes when my phone rang. It was Cindy.

"Hello Ms Cindy, what can I do for you?"

Giggling, "Watch it mister, I don't think you are ready for taking care of MY needs. Just wanted to call that I have some news from the owners of the apartment that you are in. Why don't you come over and I'll let you know what's going on. Roz will be here shortly and we can go to the Italian place or you scrounge through my fridge and freezer and figure out dinner for the three of us. Don't take too long getting here or I'll have to spank you."

Then there was silence. Cindy had hung up.

Interesting – my dick twitched a bit when Cindy mentioned spanking but I know I'm not ready for any kind of BDSM play. Some verbal flirting with it, but not the real thing. Not yet at least.

Well I guess I'm not going running. So I locked up and walked over to Cindy's place.

Roz got to Cindy's door the same time I did.

"Hi Peter," she said with a hug and a kiss on my cheek, "how are you doing? You OK?"

"Hi Roz, yes I'm OK or as OK as can be expected. I guess next week when it's back to work full time, things will settle down and fade into the back. Right now I still keep beating myself up. Wondering if I pushed too hard..."

"Peter, you didn't do anything wrong. You offered and Red took, that's all there is to it. Nothing more, nothing less. In the end she wasn't ready."

By then Cindy had opened the door and ask, "Who wasn't ready?"

"Cindy, Peter keeps beating himself up, wondering if it was his fault that Red had a relapse. I told him that it wasn't. That he did all he could then some. This one is strictly on Red, she wasn't ready. Maybe things would have been different if Michelle had stuck it out. No one will ever know. At least not for a while. Not 'til Red comes out of this current state."

I was getting a more than friendly hug from Cindy and I was reacting to it. I think she felt it and backed off a bit.

"Peter, Roz is right. You need to focus on your life not trying to second guess of 'what if' or 'should I have'. She said it. You tried your best. Now you need to get your act together and create a new life."

By that time we were sitting at Cindy's kitchen table. I had a beer in my hand and the ladies had each a glass of wine in front of them.

"You two talk like as if Red is not going to recover..."

"Peter, I talked to Doc today and it doesn't look good. Not for a long time. Red is still being treated with different meds. Right now Doc feels it will be close to year before Red will be able to go home and live with her parents. I know, that's not what you want to hear but you need to be realistic. You can always cherish her. You had some good memories. Try to forget the bad stuff and move on."

"Speaking of moving on," piped up Cindy, "you don't have to move if you don't want to. That was what I want to talk to you about. The apartment that you are renting is going up for sale. Something went wrong during the overseas assignment of the couple owning it and they are getting a divorce. Neither of them want the place."

"WOW, I don't know about buying. Not sure if I'm ready. No that is not right, I'm ready to settle in one place. However, I'm not sure I'll be able to swing buying a place right now. I'm pretty much tapped out with buying the business and if I don't get a new Army contract, I'll be in real trouble. Because of rumors started by either M or hairy ass Harry, the bank is cutting my credit line. I've offered my summer place as collateral. It's free and clear but I really don't want to have a mortgage on that if I can avoid that."

"Remember, I have to buy out Greg, Michelle and Red. I don't want to delay that. They already have given me some extra time."

"Anyway, how much are they asking?"

"They want a cash deal and quick closing. So they are looking three hundred fifty thou and probably will take three thirty."

"How much time do I have to think about that?"