Chapter 4

It was four months since Nick's first meeting with Cyan. With Connie and Lydia's help, he was down to 245 lbs, the 'spastic elephant' had been slain and he was much more comfortable speaking with strangers in a social situation.

Although he'd been assigned several other women for various occasions, for the most part Lydia was his companion. They got along well, she still dragged him out clubbing at least twice a month, and they flirted outrageously with each other. Although they had yet to engage in intercourse, they had, in Lydia's efforts to 'motivate' him, enjoyed a great deal of oral passions and long delightful periods of caressing one another, usually to a mutual climax. Nick was pretty sure Cyan knew what Lydia was up to, even though Lydia had declared all clubbing and gym time to be "Off the clock".

Tonight, they were going to a charity event, dinner, dancing and a silent auction and Casino night for the Shriner's Hospital. Nick heavily supported the Shriner's because they'd done the surgery on his nephew's fingers, separating two that had failed to separate during gestation.

Nick had been considering something for close to six weeks, and decided he had nothing to loose be bringing the matter up. He called Cyan, and asked her to have Lydia give him a call.

He was on his computer working out expenses for the airplane he wanted to buy when Lydia called him. "Hello Nick, Cyan tells me you wish to discuss an important matter."

"Yes, I would. I don't know the best way to bring this up, but I'd like to discuss expanding our working relationship." He licked his lips nervously, afraid she'd react badly.

Her reaction wasn't what he'd expected; she chuckled softly. "I'm assuming you're asking about intercourse."

"I am. This doesn't upset you, that I want to change the way our relationship is?"

"Upset me? No, but I'm curious why you are ready to change it after four months."

"Actually, I've been thinking about it for the last six weeks. But we've been getting along so well, I didn't want to spoil it. But I need to know. Are you willing to go that next step in our agreement? If no, I'd prefer to know now. If not yet, then I want to know that too."

Lydia smiled at the phone. She'd been expecting this months ago. She'd even discussed it at length with both Cyan and Connie, partly because she had no problem with the idea, and none at all with Nick, and partly to see if Connie had actually let him get that far. She knew none of the other girls had; in fact, she'd heard more than one complaint that he never did more than wrap his arm around them and hold them close. Actually, other than their make out sessions in the pool, he'd never kissed her. But she also knew he wasn't going without, thanks to Jeanvieve's occasional urges.

"I'd be thrilled to take our agreement further," was what she said. "But you will need to discuss this Cyan as well. Actually, I will too. So, if you like, I'll talk to her first, and ask her to call you."

"Thank you, sweet Lydia. And I'll pick you up about 6:30."

When Cyan called him back an hour or so later, he was working through a budget for the financing, upkeep and storage of an airplane. His brother, nephew and he had finished their first course and soloed safely, and were now licensed for light single-engine craft. Nick and Carl were signed up for a course that would license them to fly multi-engine turbo-props now, and Luke was taking the same course in Maryland, where he was a senior majoring in political science.

"Hello Nick. Lydia called me, and we discussed your request. To be honest, I expected to have this conversation a long time ago. Especially after you started spending so much time together "off the clock". I'm a bit surprised at your patience."

"To be equally honest, I was afraid to screw up the friendship we seemed to be developing. But lately, that seems to be less likely to happen, and I thought that even if she refused, we could probably remain good friends. To tell the truth, I'd rather you weren't involved, but Lydia pointed out that that was not going to be the case. She's amazingly loyal to you."

"Yes, she is and I adore her for it. But I think we need to get down to business. I know ALL about your activities "off the clock", so I'd guess you aren't asking about a few hours at a time."

Nick considered what she was saying. She knew about the 'everything but' aspect of his and Lydia's relationship, but was obviously unconcerned or she'd have had it stopped, or he'd have gotten the bills for it.

"For an overnight meeting, I charge 2500 dollars per woman. Sixty percent of that is the woman's fee. Lydia has asked me to reduce this fee for you. I'm going to refuse. For one thing, I don't want either of you to feel obligated in any way. For another, I don't want you thinking you can take advantage of her."

Nick started to sputter his outrage at such a concept when she interrupted him. "Oh, do shut up, Nick. I doubt very much you would ever do such a thing. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to protect Lydia or any of my ladies every chance I get. But to show you I trust you as much as Lydia does, I'm going to give you her home address as she requested. She expects you there by 6:15. I think she plans to make you meet her housemates. She shares the place with two other young women. One, like Lydia, is a student at the U, the other is a pediatrician specializing in babies of drug mothers and abandoned children."

"Oh, and Nick, I think we should have lunch one day next week. "Off the clock", of course. Lydia tells me you're looking pretty good, and I haven't had the pleasure to just meet you socially. I'll call you and try to find a good time for us both. Ciao, Nick."

Well, that was interesting, Nick thought. Not that lunch wouldn't be a pleasure with a woman like Cyan, but he wondered what Lydia had been telling her. Oh well, he wasn't going to stress. Hell, there wasn't much he'd ever really stressed over anyway. He looked at the time though, and decided he'd better go shower.

He was pulling up to an older, fairly large house in the Avenues at 6:10. He figured a little early was always better than late. He fidgeted slightly with his tux as he climbed out of the Jag; he was going to have to go get it altered again. He hadn't lost that much weight, but what was left had re-distributed from around his gut to his shoulders and back, making the coat rather tight.

He knocked on the door, and was greeted by a small girl nearly the same age as his brother's son. Well, not greeted; she opened the door and looked up at him, not moving to let him, but not quite inclined to shut the door on him. He gave her his best smile and said, "Hello, is Lydia here?"

He didn't think he was going to get an answer, then heard footsteps coming down the hall and a woman noticeably older than Lydia opened the door fully. "Alicia, if you answer the door, find out who it is, and let them in. Now, go watch Blue with Dina."

The girl turned and ran off, calling "Blue clue!"

"I'm sorry, can I help you?" She looked him up and down curiously. He didn't have the look of social services, although he was old enough. But they didn't generally show up in tuxes either.

"Yes, hello, is Lydia here?"

He had a nice voice though. Then what he'd said seeped through her distraction. "Oh, of course, you must be Nick. I'm sorry, she didn't tell us you were..." she bit her tongue, not wanting to say 'old enough to be her dad'. "Please come in, I think she's nearly ready. I'm AnnaBeth Lucen, one of her housemates. You met Alicia. She's one of my foster kids."

She led him down the hall to the living room. "Please, have a seat, can I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you," He answered with a smile.

Anna stood there for a moment, wondering if she should just abandon Lydia's date, try to make small talk or what when the front door banged and a voice called out: "Wow! Did you see the car parked out front? Who do we know around here that has a Jag!?" An attractive young East Indian woman entering the room followed the voice.

"Dierdra, this is Nick, Lydia's date. I'd guess it's his car." He could hear the laughter in Anna's voice as she said it.

Dierdra looked at him in surprise. Damn, tuxedo and a sweet car. But he's old. Well, maybe not old, she thought as she studied him. Older. But with potential.

Then Lydia entered the room and caught his full attention. Dierdra's next thought was 'Damn, I wish my dates looked at me like that!'

Lydia had on an embroidered white blouse that complimented her small breasts magnificently, and a forest green split skirt that showed a lot of her long tan legs. Three-inch heels completed the ensemble.

Lydia introduced her housemates. "Nick Essex, this is Dierdra Gans, one of my housemates and my study partner for Mathematics and Chemistry. She's a whiz at both, and I help her with her Arts and Language classes. And this is AnnaBeth Lucen, Doctor of Pediatric Medicine and Substance Abuse. She keeps us sane by bringing home her patients on the weekends." Lydia was grinning as she said that and Dr. Lucen blew her a raspberry in return.

"So, Mr. Essex, where are you taking our Lydia, all dressed up like that?" Anna asked.

"Shriner's Hospital is having their annual Silver Gala fundraiser tonight."

AnnaBeth's eyebrows rose slightly. "Isn't that by invitation?" She knew it was, but she'd already arranged for the release of Alicia and Dina this weekend when her invitation came.

"Yes, I believe it is."

Leave it to Dierdra to be blunt and ask the question they wanted answered. "And what do you do for a living, Mr. Essex?" AnnaBeth and Lydia both winced visibly at the question.

"I spend my good fortune, Miss Gans. For fun, I travel and learn to fly. And to keep karma on my side, I give large gifts to favored charities." The smile he gave her made it clear he wasn't offended by her question. "And speaking of charities, we should be going." He looped his arm in Lydia's and walked her to his car, then they were off.