Chapter 15: Kay Calls Home.

I slept in this morning, yesterday was a long day for me. I don't really like to travel out and back on the same day and I normally would have stayed over in San Fran. It was Kay's first time here alone though and I wasn't sure if she would be comfortable about it. I need to talk with her today and feel her out to make sure there won't be any problems in the future when I do have to be gone over night or even longer.

It was entertaining last night playing cards and talking with Kay. She seems concerned and serious about doing a good job. I have to get her to realize it won't take much around the house to keep me happy. It was the most I've said to her about what I expect in the house. Vacuuming and dusting for the most part will satisfy me. I tried to tell her not to worry about getting a little behind this week. She's had a lot to do and is still settling in; I know she'll get caught up.

I went to the kitchen for some breakfast and Kay was there getting a cup of coffee. "How're you doing this morning?"

"I'm okay, I already had my breakfast. Would you like me to fix something for you?"

"I'm just going to have some fruit. It's what I usually have."

"How about I fix you a cup of coffee then?"

"Thanks, cream and two sugars please." I reached for the fruit bowl and pulled out an apple and a banana. It would do me until later.

Kay slid a cup over to me and sat down herself. "I started with the spare bedroom Rob. I've dusted and vacuumed it already. It really didn't take long. I didn't change the sheets because Sue and I did that last week. If you have a guest in during the week I'll change them. That's what Sue said she normally did, every other week or when you had a guest stay over."

"You can have a guest too you know Kay but like I said before if it's going to be more than a night or two I'd really like to know about it."

"Yeah, I know but I don't think you'll have to worry about it too much."

"I'm going to do the rest of the house today too. I'll do my room last. Do you care when I do your room or the office?"

"You can do my room and bathroom whenever but the office I'd like you to hold off on until the afternoon, maybe after two."

"Okay, I can do that. If there is anything in particular you think I should be doing that I'm not just let me know. While I'm working I'm going to put some music on."

"Music is fine. You've already shown me your choice in music and it works for me. I'll show you how to select the different rooms for the entertainment system."

"Thanks Rob, that'd be nice. I had been intending you use my iPod but the entertainment system is even better. It won't disturb you?"

"As long as it's not too loud it won't."

We went into the great room and I showed her how to operate the system and select rooms. "I've got to get to work now. Just leave the office out the circuit for the music. I have phone calls to make."

I went to my office and got down to work.

Kay's thoughts:

Rob got up late today. It surprised me; I thought he got started earlier than this. No matter, it was nice sitting with him for a cup of coffee. I know Sue used to do this too.

I've got to get the whole house done today. Sue used to do it twice a week, I can do it too. This'll be the first time I'm really doing it. I don't count working with Sue on it when I first met her. This time it'll be all me. Doing the spare bedroom took me less time than I thought it would but there wasn't too much to do since it hasn't been used. I really only had to dust and vacuum. It'll take a little longer when I have to change the bed linens. We never had an unused bedroom on the farm. We each had our own and we sometimes had friends stay over but the farm work always had to be done so anyone who stayed over worked right along with us. They all came from our community and farming families so it wasn't a surprise they pitched in. If we went visiting it was the same at their houses. We didn't do the visiting thing often, there was too much to do to take time off and when we did whoever was still at home had to do our work. Visiting was pretty much limited to doing it for a reason, like a school project or something.

Music makes things go faster for me. I really was going to use my iPod but it's much nicer with his entertainment system. I only mentioned the music to Rob in case he called to me and I didn't hear him with the ear buds in. It's so cool being able to play the music in each room. It even goes out to the pool and cabana. That damn cabana is bigger than my apartment was. I could live out there easily if I had to. It will be a good place to study too, plenty of light, room to spread out my study materials, even a kitchenette. I don't know that I'll need it though. Rob has given me full run of the house and I can use the kitchen table, the dining table or the great room. I might use the cabana if I want to study in solitude and there isn't enough space in my room but I doubt that'll happen.

I had a good time playing cards with Rob last night, I hope he did too. If it was any indication we're pretty evenly matched in Rummy. I enjoy his company. Every time I'm with him I feel safe and not under any pressure. I can relax and not worry about him or what he might do. Every time I've been out on a date I've felt tension. It may have been my imagination but I've felt obligated to do something to pay the guy back for the date and that just isn't me. I don't have that feeling with Rob. Maybe it's because he's older or maybe just his being honest with me but I feel safe around him, I have from the git-go. With this living arrangement I feel I am paying my way. I've heard of bartering before but I always thought of it like I'll trade you my pen for your two pencils or something along that line. Bartering housekeeping service for a place to live is different and I really do think I'm coming out ahead in this deal. He thinks he is too but who knows, I'm happy with this setup and he is too. I don't think the housekeeping is too hard. I'll have to balance my time with school and work but I can do that. I just have to convince my parents this isn't something they have to worry about but that'll be later today when I make my regular call home.

I've got most of the house done including my bedroom. I've got Rob's wing left to do though and I'm getting hungry. I think I'll heat up a can of soup. I'll heat up enough for Rob and surprise him with it. There are several cans of New England clam chowder so I've got to believe he likes it, I do.

Rob's turn:

I've been working away. I've got my business calls done and my computer is working away on the routine checks for my clients. A little work on the program I'm writing, mostly writing down some notes and work on the outline for the functions I want the program to do, where the inputs are going to come from and how they'll fit in the program.

Kay showed up and knocked on my office door. When I turned to see what she wanted I was surprised to see her holding a tray with a bowl of soup and a glass of tea on it. "Is that for me?"

"Yes, I was making some soup for my lunch and thought you might like some too."

"You know it's not necessary for you to make meals for me."

"I know, but I was heating some soup for myself and heating a little more for you was just as easy so why not? The only thing it cost me was the time to walk it back here for you. My only concern is I don't know how you feel about eating here in your office. I figured I'd chance it. If you don't like it I'll take it back to the kitchen."

"Thank you for the soup; it's a good time to take a break. Normally I don't eat back here but once in a while doesn't hurt anything. I have to be careful, liquids and computers don't mix well if you know what I mean."

"You'll just have to be careful then and I won't bring you your lunch back here again. I'll come get you and drag you to the kitchen instead."

"I've talked with my insurance guy and emailed him a copy of your license so you're on my policies now. You're covered both in the house and on the road. Do me a favor please and don't get any tickets, if you do get one let me know about it."

"I don't expect to be driving your cars too often so it shouldn't be a problem."

"I want you to take my truck whenever you need it and if I have the truck and you need to do something, take the car. I've ridden with you and have confidence in your driving. The vehicles are intended to make life easier so don't hesitate if you need to go somewhere."

"Okay Rob, I will and thanks."

"Let me give you a card to use. I want you to use it for anything and everything you buy for the house or for me. It's for gas too. Please make sure you get all the receipts. Just put them in an envelope and put it on my desk sometime Friday." I then fished my wallet out and gave her the card I wanted her to use.

"This is your card, won't you need it? Besides it has your name on it, how can I use it?"

"That one is just a temporary for you to use. I've ordered one for you with your name on it for the same account. It'll be here in a couple of days tops. When it comes in we'll swap. Actually I'll retire my card and the account will be for your exclusive use. I wouldn't worry about using the card with my name on it. If someone questions it, have them call the card company. Your name is on the account now as an authorized user. As long as you have your I.D. there shouldn't be a problem."

"Okay. After you have your lunch can you help me with the internet? I want to email a friend back home. I also need to check some things on the school web site about my classes and make sure they don't change the meeting rooms for them. They've done it before on the Friday before the Monday when the classes start."

"We can do that whenever you want."

"Eat your lunch before it gets cold and let me know when you're done. I've got to get started on your bedroom. I have it, your bathroom and the office left to do. Once those rooms are done I just have to do touch up vacuuming in the hallway and entry way."

"Go clean and I'll eat." I turned back to my desk and she went towards my bedroom."

I ate the soup. It should have been hotter but it probably cooled while we were talking, still it was good. What was even better was I didn't have to get it myself. I don't mind fixing my own meals but it's so much nicer when someone else does it for me. It tastes better too or is that my imagination?

I was about to get up when the phone rang so I just set the soup bowl aside and answered the phone. It was an inquiry about my service from a company I'd never heard of before. I couldn't tell from the name what their line was but it really didn't matter to me. A network was a network as far as I and my service were concerned. What was important to me was their computer equipment, what connection speeds they had, what data they needed to transfer, how much of it there was and how often they transferred data, was it continuous or intermittent, was it one direction, bidirectional or multidirectional. We discussed what their expectations were, my rates for service and whether this was for one time or a recurring service. I mentioned going on retainer but the real discussion of that would come later, after they had a sample of my work. I had no commitment from them yet, they needed to have some internal discussions I'm sure, but things looked promising from my point of view. I'd wait until Monday and if I hadn't heard from them again I'd make a follow up call.

As I hung up the phone Kay, standing in the bathroom doorway, cleared her throat. "I hope I didn't make too much noise while you were on the phone."

"Not at all. Until you cleared your throat just now I didn't even know you were there. I take it you're ready to do the office now and would like me get out of your way."

"That would make it a lot easier to do. Sue gave me some general guidelines for your office but they were kind of vague. Is there anything in particular I should be doing or shouldn't be doing?"

"I try to keep my desk and work area organized but I do leave things out and around on it. I don't mind if you move things around but try to put them back close to where they were. My computer is always on, even if all four screens are dark, and I sometimes neglect to lock out the keyboard and mouse so if you move them please be careful not to accidently press any keys or click the mouse. If you do and one or more screens light up it's not a catastrophe, all you've done is wake the system and I'm not worried about that. It's the next key stroke or mouse click that can do the damage and that's what has to be avoided. If you do anything and aren't sure if it's a problem please let me know. There's almost nothing that is fatal to my work, I just have to know something's happened to recover from it. Other than the desk and the computer there isn't anything else to worry about. Just do what you normally would to clean a room."

"I can handle that and I'll be careful around the computer. I can turn off or lock out the keyboard and mouse when I find them on if you want me too, just show me the controls."

"That's okay, if I left them on it's my own fault and you don't have to worry about them. I'm sure you are more computer literate than Sue was but there's no reason for you to mess with the system even to do that."

"Okay then, are you going to get out of here so I can do this room? It's my last one for today and I'll have done the whole house. I haven't done the back yard and pool deck or the cabana but I'll get them tomorrow."

"You aren't responsible for the backyard or the pool deck, those are mine. The cabana can wait. Now I'm going to change into my trunks and hit the pool for a while, I need to get my exercise in. When you're done in here you can join me if you'd like."

"I will. You've got a good sized pool, it's big enough for me to do laps. Don't forget you were going to get me up on the internet today. I've got to check some things out on the school web site."

"We can do that after some pool time, it won't take long. I think you'll like the connection I give you. Now hurry up. I want a swimming buddy."

"So get out of here already."

I left the office, grabbed some trunks from my room and went to the cabana to change. I got out the test kit and checked the pool chemistry. I had to add some chlorine and figured to do that before Kay came out. I computed what I needed, weighed it out and put it in through the filter. Keeping the chemistry right kept the water looking crystal clear. I hopped in; it felt good to get in the water. I started stroking from one end to the other stretching out my muscles. I was picking up speed as I warmed up and while I'm not at any sort of competitive level, I was doing okay.

Twenty minutes or so later I was hanging on the pool edge when Kay came out. I didn't see her until she jumped in practically on top of me. I ended up startled with a mouth full of water. "I suppose I deserved that for my antics the other night. You got me good."