Chapter 60

I woke up from the most amazing dream, and into an even more amazing reality. It took a moment to realize that indeed Mandy was indeed naked, and laying in my arms. And to remember what had led to this. When we got back to the room the night before we both took a shower, but separately this time. She carefully hung up my tux while I was showering, and I laughed when I got out saying it was rather pointless as I was sending it off to the cleaners when I got home anyways. And I laughed again when she stuck her tongue out at me, then went to take her own shower.

I threw on a pair of sweats, and headed down to the lounge. There were still quite a few guests there from the wedding, and some even called out to me saying I was a great Maid of Honor. I laughed and when I got to the bar I asked for a listing of their scotch menu.

Yes! 24 year old Glenfiddich. I ordered two tumblers of double on the rocks, and went back to the room. And I was laying back on the other bed with a glass on each nightstand when Mandy came back in, a towel wrapped around her torso in that magical way that only women can do and have it stay up.

She saw me laying there nude, and dropped the towel and climbed up next to me. We shared a long kiss, then I pointed to the glass on the nightstand. We each picked up our glasses, and I saw her eyebrows go up as she took a sniff. We then clinked our glasses softly, and asked “What are we drinking to, Pete?”

“To us, may darling Amanda. That today is the worst fight we ever have, and that in the future we both have more understanding to what the other thinks.” She smiled and took a sip, and I saw her eyebrows go up. “Oh, this is good stuff. Where did you hide it?”

“Nowhere, I went down to the bar and got these. It’s not like I expected to find a reason to bring a bottle of 24 year old scotch with me. But tonight calls for it.” She smiled, and then reached her glass out towards me. We clinked them again softly, and I asked what this one is to.

“Peter, to each of us explaining how we feel, and to not rely upon each other guessing what is in our minds.” I smiled and we both drank to that, and she sighed softly. “You know, it was really stupid of me to be like I was. I mean, somehow in my mind I just never thought that you did not know how I felt. And that song, it explained it almost perfectly how I felt. I was feeling like I was just a game to you. You had me wrapped around your finger, and was just playing with me. Oh, I know better now, and wonder how I could have been so stupid. But I was waiting for so long, and you never just came and took me, even when I had told you what I wanted.”

I smiled, and leaned into her and gave her another soft kiss. “Yes, so long as we have communication, that will not happen again. Remember, I’m just a man. I may understand women better than a lot of men, I still will never fully understand sometimes unless it is just told to me. Just remember to tell me if I do not understand what you are feeling.” We took another sip, and she then asked how much these drinks cost. And gasped when I told her.

“$50? Are you nuts, Peter?”

“Nope, you are worth it. Granted, that is as much as I would pay for a bottle normally, but I was in no condition to argue. I went downstairs, asked the bartender to tell me their scotch selection, and got the best one they had which I knew I liked. This is actually my usual brand, which is why it tastes familiar. But I normally drink the 12 year old, not the 24 year old.”

“Well, it does have a bit more flavor. Hmm, almost like fruit, with a slightly nutty flavor on the tongue.”

“Yes, I always found it exceptional. But not as exceptional as you are.” We shared another kiss, and a bit later we finished the drinks and I put the empty glasses on my nightstand. We shared another long kiss, then I turned off the light and we cuddled up together.

And now that it was morning I was awake again, running everything in the last day through my head. And how well Holly had set us both up. I realized Mandy was awake also, and when she felt my arm move she rolled over and we shared another long kiss, then we knew we had to get up. Her stomach grumbled right after mine, and we took care of morning things. And after getting dressed we headed downstairs.

We both selected things from the buffet, and had just sat down to eat when Rosie came in. We each stood and gave her a hug, and she smiled at seeing us together. “OK, that answers the question I was going to ask. Mandy, give me your keys.”

“What? Why, mom?”

“Baby, I’m driving your car home. I’ll have Marv follow me, and I will leave it at Pete’s. Your keys will be dropped through the mail slot. You are going home with Pete. I know you may not be staying with him, but you two still need to talk some more. Please, let a mother do this for her daughter.”

Mandy hugged her tight, and got up and said she would be right back, they were in her purse in the room. Rosie sat down and picked up a piece of sausage and nibbled on it as she smiled at me, I again told her my admiration of how well she planned this all out with Holly.

“Peter, we have both seen this since you came back. Both of you wanted each other, but neither of you would ask the other to break up. And it’s a good thing, because my daughter would likely have done just that if you had asked. And because if not for this weekend she would have forever wondered what might have happened, and continued to drift away from you. And you have never understood why. But you have been single for far too long, and she has been miserable for years. She was dating loser after loser. The two of us just gave you a push together, it is now all up to you two to make it work.”

I kissed her cheek, and stood when Mandy returned and handed her keys to her mom. She hugged us both, and with a wave headed back out. And after a second helping we got up and headed back upstairs. Once up there I looked as she removed her dress, then looked at me and said “Pete, if we are going to talk I want to be comfortable. So get comfortable and come join me.” I smiled and removed my shoes, and then as I pulled my shirt off I saw she was climbing onto the bed, just her panties on and nothing else. I soon matched her, and in my briefs slipped in next to her. She laughed when I set the alarm on my watch and put it on the nightstand.

“You still use that I see.”

“Of course. We have to be out of here by 11, so I set it for 10.”

We shared a long tender kiss, and then she cuddled in my arms, her head on my chest. And we spent the next hour and a half just talking. And I really had not understood how serious she was when she said she was submissive. Quite literally, what she was telling me was the she would do anything I asked of her, wait as long as needed for me. I caressed her cheek softly, and shook my head.

“Amanda, you have to understand, that is not what I want. Never has been. Yes, I know what you just said, but that is not what killed it with Linda. What killed it was the lies, not that she would not do as I asked.”

“But you asked her to remain faithful to you, and she did not.”

“Oh, you do not quite get it. Mandy, you’ve read her notes to me also. Now let’s pretend that most of her first letter to me was not a lie. That she was telling the truth in it. She was vulnerable, some guy used drugs and manipulated her to take advantage of it, and he seduced her. And a month or so later she realized her mistake. Called it off between them, and what she had said in her letter was all true. Do you think in that case I should have taken her back?”

She looked at me, a troubled look in her eyes. “Well, I, Pete, uh, I just don’t know. Would you have?”

“If that was all there was, I probably would have. Mandy, I’m able to forgive, it’s not all that hard. But what I have a hard time doing is forgetting. If that letter had been with the rings and sincere, I likely at that time would have sent them back to her as she had asked. However, things did not work out that way. I already had questions, mostly from what my dad told me the police report said. And her growing more and more distant as the months went by. Pretty much dismissing an expensive silk robe I sent her. And then of course seeing her movies, once even wearing that very same robe. You see, that was ultimately what killed any chance between us. Melissa, I had no problem with Linda being with her. If she had just had an affair with Carlos and told me, I probably would have been hurt but gotten over that. If she had even told me she was a stripper, I could handle that. Hell, even take it a step farther and she got into porn but only did other girls. That, I don’t know. But maybe, just maybe we could have survived that.”

I turned her face up to mine and gave her a soft kiss. “But combine the lies, the affair, the stripping, and the porn all together, and then add in the drugs. We were never getting back together again after that. By the time I flew back here for my vacation, any chance of Linda and I was dead and gone forever. You can’t have love without trust, and I had no more trust in her. There are still times I doubt if she ever really loved me.”

“Oh, she did Peter, she did.”

“Or at least, as much as she was able to love anybody. Your sister is getting better, we actually had a nice conversation last month.”

“I know, she told me about it when I moved down here. You really made her happy, calling her like that.”

“Well, I’m trying to rebuild bridges also. She had it really tough, and by her own admission she did it largely to herself. But now she seems to be doing better than at any time since I left for Japan, and she has been clean for a while now.”

“She knows she has to be. Any further relapses could kill her, Pete.”

“Well, I guess I can see that. When I found her, she was pretty far gone, mentally and physically. But she does seem clear again, and she made no attempt to manipulate me. Mandy, did you see it back then, or was I the only blind one?”

“Oh, I saw it, I think all of us girls did. But, like, I don’t think any of us thought anything of it, ya know? Like, she was playing the cute little girl game, and you did what you did to make her happy. We all do that Pete, all of us. We look up at our guy, put on these big puppy dog eyes, and whisper breathlessly ‘You know baby, if you really loved me you would get me another cup of coffee’. But the thing is, we know most times we do it, it’s just a game. And you guys know it’s just a game also. I do not think you understood that, and she took advantage of it.”

I shook my head, and kissed the top of her head and slipped out of bed. And she giggled when I went to the coffee pot and poured us each a cup and handed one to her. “Hmm, thank you. No, sis knew what she was doing with you, and you basically let her walk all over you. Heck, she even got you to agree she could have a girlfriend while you were gone, but you got nobody. And you know, almost the entire time she was complaining how you were doing nothing for her, and likely cheating on her. And even back then, I was 17 and thinking ‘I would never do that to Pete, I would do anything he asked of me’. And I guess I have, even sitting silently and waiting as I did for so long, as otherwise would have been me making a demand of you. Like my sister did. So at least as far as you, I’m willing to be your submissive if it means I get to keep you with me.”

“OK, first of all, we need to discuss that. Honestly, I thought that was all just us playing some sexy games as we were making love. I guess I never understood how serious you were.”

“Oh, I was very serious. If you had asked me before you went back to Japan to wait for you, even if you did not yourself I would have done just that. I would have waited for you to come back, waited for you to even get home from Arizona. Or I might have just quit my job and followed you there. I told you that first night you made love to me that I was submissive, and you were my Dominant.”

I kissed her, then took her coffee from her hand and pulled her on top of me. I held her bottom in my hand, and looked deeply into her eyes. “OK, first things first, Mandy. I do not want a submissive. I want you, the real you, however you happen to be. Myself, I think the term I use fits me better. That is ‘assertive’. Yes, I tend to take the lead, but I absolutely never demand to be obeyed. Hell, I want people to active disobey or argue with me if called for. So stop thinking of yourself as submissive, passive is probably more correct. Or at least more what I want at most. Because yesterday you sure as hell had no problem trying to put me in my place when you thought it was called for. So can we agree to that? Baby, I do not want a slave, I do not want some little girl that will do anything I ask just because I ask for it. I want the strong and independent girl I fell in love with all those years ago. Can you be that girl for me?”

And the brat, she put an almost vacant “Valley Girl” expression on her face, and with wide open eyes nodded her head up and down like one of those bobbing head dog statues. I snorted a laugh, and she giggled. “Yes, Peter. I get it, I get it now. I guess that was the problem, I had built this image of you up in my mind, and you suddenly were not following it anymore. And that hurt, because I thought I was doing something wrong. Or that it was all just a game to you, and you really did not love me.”

I caressed her cheek and shook my head. “Oh no, not at all. If I had any sense that things were not good between you and some guy, I would have done anything to help you out. But whenever we met, you seemed to act as if everything was perfect with you and them. And I thought maybe it was just me, and somehow they just did not like me.”

“Well, mom is right there, they were almost all assholes. That, or doormats that let me walk all over them. You, you are a strong doormat.” I swatted her bottom and she giggled again. “No, honestly I do not think you are a doormat anymore. Not like you were with Linda. She taught you a hard lesson there. And yes, I do occasionally expect to use you that way. But that is just because I am a woman, and know I can use it to get something I want. But do not confuse that with my abusing it. In the same way, if you feel you need to put your foot down and tell me no, it will be your way because you are the man and I will likely accept that also. That is just how we are, men and women. We use our bodies, you use your strength. I will try to not get upset if you do that, just please remember and try not to get upset if I do it also. Besides, both can be a lot of fun.”

“Fun?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.

“Pete, do you know how you affected me yesterday? When you ordered me to sit down and I was not allowed to leave?”

“Scared?”

She looked into my eyes, and actually blushed. “Peter, I got excited. I, I, I got wet! When you slammed your hand on the door the second time I tried to leave, I almost felt like I was going to lose control of my legs, I was both scared and incredibly turned on. I was finally seeing the strong, dominant, masculine Pete I had built up in my mind, and you were determined to bend me to your will.”

“Oh, I just wanted to find out the problem. Mandy, we had been hurting each other for so long, and neither of us understood that.”

“I get that now, I really do. But it did not stop my body from reacting that way. Why do you think I was so wet when we finally did make love? I had been wanting you since I first walked into this room and realized it was you. That entire argument, I was excited. And I was waiting for you to just take me, and you never did. Pete, I even lied to you yesterday.”

“Lied, what did you like about?” I was a bit concerned, this could be a problem.

“I, well, I lied about my orgasm. I came almost the moment you were all the way inside of me, I was that excited. Why do you think I could not stop moaning? I felt it arrive as you pushed all the way into me, and did not want that to end so I hid it.”

I chuckled, and lowered my hands to caress her bottom. “Oh, if that is all you lied about, I think I can accept that. And I guess it is better than the reverse, and you felt you had to fake it just to get me to stop.”

“Oh, I hope I never have to do that with you. Honestly, I think I would only do that if I was not comfortable and we had to stop. You know sometimes I get really bad cramps. More than once in the past I faked it. So the guy would go ahead and finish and I could crawl into a dark bath and be miserable for an hour or two in the darkness.”

“Mandy, if that ever happens, just tell me. It should be something we share together, never anything just for my pleasure. Trust me, I get no. Heck, Becky was the same way sometimes. She also gets bad cramps, and she also liked to crawl into the bath with candles all over and just soak for hours. I do get that, just tell me if that is what you need.”

“OK, I promise.” We shared another long kiss, then my alarm went off. We broke apart and smiled at each other, then kissed again. We slid out of bed, and we quickly got dressed and packed everything away. We both made a final sweep through the room, and headed downstairs.

And a half-hour later we were on the 101 heading back to Van Nuys. We pulled into my driveway, and there was her green Sunbeam Tiger. “Wait, I thought you had some kind of hot yuppie car?”

“Oh no Peter, that was his. Why do you think I was so upset when he wanted me to sell my car? Sell my Tiger? Never! And you had better remember that also. I love you Peter Culver, but don’t you dare ask me to sell my Green Tiger, ever.” I laughed, and leaned over to give her a kiss and said I would never do that.

We went into the house, and I went and made her an alarm code. I then handed Mandy a key, and she grinned and asked who all had a copy. “Oh, quite a few people actually. Holly, your mom, Julie, Becky, and Rod. You will meet him later, he is the machine shop foreman. He is down here helping me take inventory and to decide what to do with those crooks we shut down.”

She grinned and nodded, and I took her suitcase from her and carried them both upstairs. I set it down at the top if the stairs, and she picked it up with a grin and went into my bedroom. And I was not even surprised when she quickly looked in each of the drawers, and took half of them. And seeing which closet was not in use took charge of that also. I just smiled, and when she was done wrapped my arms around her from behind and kissed her neck softly.

“You know, we still have a lot to talk about, right?”

“Uh-huh, but I think now it’s all little things, Pete. We already took care of the big things. But first, I’m starving.” And I was not even surprised when she told me what she wanted for lunch. So less than an hour later I set two plates of my special fettuccine on the table and we were both eating. “You know, I still have not found a job yet. Do you have any need for somebody with a degree in marketing?”

“Actually, I might just at that. You know, I never really have done any kind of organized advertising or anything. I know you have mostly been working on the acquisition side of things, how would you feel working on the other side of the business?”

“Hmm, I think I can do that. So, is that the position you think I could be of the most use in?”

I looked at her and grinned, and she actually blushed. And she got even more red when I softly whispered “Oh, I can think of more than a few positions I could make very good use of you in.” I then grinned, and reached out and caressed her cheek, and Mandy giggled.

“God, how do you do that so easily? I was not even thinking anything like that. And suddenly it was like I was 14 again, and had inadvertently said something naughty.”

“Oh, just practice I guess. But yes, seriously, we could use some help there. More official partnerships, actual advertising, promotions, things like that. I plan on starting to attend trade shows this year, you can be a big part of that. But this will combine most of the companies. At least Orbit Communications, Gem, and Hainji Net. Speedy Tech also, but not so much Orbit Computers.”

“OK, so unless I get a really outstanding offer, I’m your girl. When do we start?”

“OK, on Monday. Spend the first week with Julie, learn all you can about Orbit and Speedy Tech. It has changed a lot since you were last there. After that, you come over to Orbit Communications. I will have an office for you, and you will learn all you can about things there. Then whenever I go up to Idaho, you will come with me and do the same thing. You will be doing basically what Dee does. You see, she works at Hainji as the COO more or less, but she is really a Corporate Officer. She works as CFO for the entire organization, you will be doing the same. We will let the board pick a title for you, and you have control over that area with all companies I own.”

“Wow, I am already part of a conglomerate. OK, fair enough. Who gives me my orders?”

“Well, that’s tricky. Overall, me and the Board. That by the way is my dad, Dee, Dave, Darla, Kim, and Jeff. Then for Gem, it’s Jeff. For Orbit Computers and Speedy Tech, it’s Julie. Kim and Dee run Hainji Net, and I run Orbit Communications. Joe runs the campground, Rod the machine shop, that’s about it. They all answer to both me and the Board. On paper I am the CEO, but Dee calls me the ‘Head Dreamer’. Mostly I just butt in from time to time, pass them some more crazy ideas, help them get started on them, then fade away and let them take over.”

Mandy nodded with a smile, and said that sounds like me. “So, each really does run their own organization?”

“Yep, for the most part. And most do it far better than I ever could. Oh, it was easy enough early on. Heck, I did half the runs for Speedy Tech in the first month or two as just another field technician. Now, I’m just so busy that I just can’t do it anymore. Mostly I work out of the data center, but more and more lately I have been putting in time at the old machine shop, or actually doing computer store runs.”

I then had to explain that I was still going to various computer stores that were going out of business and buying up their entire stock. “And you still make money at that?”

“Yep, pretty much. I buy cheap and sell cheap. Most of the old systems I send to Idaho and we give them away for those that sign up for a year of Internet service. Others I sell at the stores, or here and there to other computer stores. Whenever I drive up there it seems I drop off a pallet or two in Salt Lake. And I am going to put a lot of that stuff into the auction, you can help us there also.”

I then explained the auction I had planned. Mostly it would be equipment we would not need in Idaho. But also I was having things sent there from our various facilities to be added to it. “The first trucks are arriving this week, and they are going to start moving the equipment up there. We figure for a few weeks they will just be running back and forth each day. Then we will auction off anything left that we do not need. We are going to leave the trailers up there, and we might have a use for them in the future.”

“Wow, you really have grown things in the last few years. You know, I knew you were doing more, but I guess I just never realized the scope of everything. But on Monday, you are not leaving me with Julie. You are going to take me around and show me this business empire you’ve built. Just one day, show me everything going on here in LA. Then I will settle in with Julie and learn each of them individually. But first, I need a broad picture so I will know how it all fits together.”

I told her that was fine, and we soon were relaxing in the living room and having some wine. I saw her looking around and smiling. “Penny for your thoughts?”

“Oh, just thinking over the years baby. Funny, almost a decade ago we might have been right here together on this very night. But with you and Linda here on the couch, with Holly and Keith on the other end. And maybe Peggy and me on the floor as we all watched a movie. It’s just funny, it seems so long ago, and also like I can almost reach out my hand and touch it.”

“I know exactly what you mean. After dad and Dee moved, I set up my old room as a guest bedroom. And I just automatically put everything in the exact same places as I had before. About the biggest difference is that I now sleep in my dad’s room, and the game room is now more a home computer office. I forgot to even ask, do you have a computer?”

“Yeah, an old one. I got it maybe two years ago now, nothing special.”

“OK, sometime next week we will select a new one for you and put it in the office. I think you will find one advantage in sleeping with the boss is you get new computer toys whenever you want.” I smiled as she smacked me, as I expected that. And weirdly, even wanted it. As I saw her smile, I realized this was the teasing I had been missing from her. And likely she from me.

“Well, at least there are other improvements. Like no longer having to walk outside to go to the garage for laundry. I like that. I kinda miss the old game table, is that still at Or’bit?”

“Oh no, that’s long gone. In fact, I do not even know where it is anymore. When I made the game shop, we moved it over there. Then later we put in a better conference table. I know the old dining room table vanished after that, I just never bothered to ask where it went.”

“Well, go ask them.”

“Well, not much point. In fact, technically I do not even own that business anymore. I sold it to the gal that runs it, even though she is still making payments and I get a percentage of the profit until it is paid off. No, I got out of that once I started the data center. I was simply spreading myself so thin I had to get rid of it. I still try to play as much as I can though. It’s just hard sometimes, you know?”

“Yeah, I have not played in years. Only skate a few times a month, and have not even competed in years. In fact, Peggy has been after me to get more involved again.”

I thought about that and laughed. And when she looked at me I grinned. “Peggy, you know she has to have been working with Holly also, right? I have talked with her and Mike the last month, and neither of them told me you were back. In fact, they both teased me that I was the ‘Maid of Honor’, and they both were going to be there. I would not be surprised if all of our friends were in on it with Holly, making sure I never knew you were back. And that to you, I was nothing but another person attending the wedding.”

Mandy opened her mouth as if to speak, closed it, then shook her head. “You’re right. We know she got my mom involved, who else? Hell, I did not even know she was going to be there either. She told me they were attending a company function for Marv.”

“And Holly told me they were going on a cruise. Well, she worked hard for this, so who am I to complain? I know I’m happy with the outcome.” Mandy then crawled into my lap and gave me a long kiss.

“And I’m happy also. But trust me, someday I’m going to get her back for that.”

Well, soon we were back upstairs and making love again. Mandy moaned in appreciation as she was relaxing after her second orgasm, saying she had forgotten my control. Then she rolled us both over and made love to me. Holding her amazingly firm and slightly larger hips, and loving feeling her like this again. I held them in my hands and caressed as her hips rocked over me, moving faster and faster as our kisses deepened. I could hear the sound of her hips slapping into mine, and with a moan into her mouth I surged up, pushing in as deep as I could as I exploded into her. And Mandy moaning back as she felt me pulsing and filling her again.

And we both fell asleep like that. Myself still inside of Mandy, and she was still laying on top of me as we both drifted off to sleep.

On Monday, Mandy insisted on driving as she said that would be the best way for her to learn where all she needed to go. And the first stop was at Or’Bit, where she marveled at the changes since she had last been there. She gave Julie a big hug, as well as Abe and Eve. I let them talk for about 20 minutes, then I showed her around the rest of the shop. Julie gave her some figures about the amount of money each part of the business was bringing in, and how many techs we had out on an average day.

Even I was surprised, as I actually almost never got involved in the actual numbers. So long as we had as many techs working as we could and computers were being sold, the money still did not really interest me.

After about three hours we left, and when I asked what Mandy wanted for lunch, she said a beef bowl. I laughed and we stopped at the one on Sepulveda. We were sitting inside eating and she said she had missed these. “Oh, there are similar places up there, but not this chain. I bet you come here all the time.”

I smiled, and shook my head. “Not as much as I used to, and normally not this one. But this is the one on the way between the shop and data center. You see, this is where I was when I met Linda again. I was just leaving with my dinner, and Linda was right there on the street, screaming.”

I saw her eyes open wide, and she sighed. “OK, I can see why that would be. But I’m glad you were there for her, Pete. Doing that probably saved her, you know that? I really thank you, for returning my sister to me.” We hugged as we had just finished our lunch, and hopped back into her car and drove to the data center.