Bottom Lines

Carol settled into her desk chair and took a sip of coffee. It had been a busy morning. She had met with members of her team regarding new acquisitions. She had made it clear that she was concerned that they hadn't been doing thorough enough research on companies that were being considered for acquisition. Good research led to decisions that benefitted the company. Inaccurate or misleading research led to decisions that weren't beneficial to the company. It was always about the bottom line.

She liked them all but Trey Saunders. Trey was a legacy employee. His uncle was on the board and another cousin worked in another division. Trey was never impolite to Carol, but there was always a faint aura of privilege about him. He was just here to fill out an empty spot on a resume before he moved into the upper echelon of the company. He would coast through life because of his family connections and wealth. Trey was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Carol didn't care if he had sterling inserted in all of his orifices. She didn't like him and she didn't particularly trust him.

Carol's mind drifted back to yesterday's Christmas shopping with Daryl. He had shown up wearing a long-sleeved t shirt with jeans and boots. She had spent hours trying to come up with an outfit that looked casual but attractive. She went with jeans, boots, oatmeal cashmere sweater, and a blue scarf. He had probably picked his clothes off his bedroom floor, but he looked good to her. Daryl had stared at her for a few seconds, "You look good." So we are both shallow. All about looking good…. and about how I feel when I'm around him.

The more she was around Daryl, the more she wanted to be around him. He made her feel safe and horny. Both feelings made her nervous. Carol had spent twenty years perfecting a lifestyle in which she didn't need a man to protect her. She could take care of herself. And that went with the whole horny thing too.

Daryl made her feel safe on two levels. He was strong physically but more than that he was always alert. He wouldn't go looking for trouble but he wasn't afraid to act if he had to. She also felt safe to be herself with Daryl. He knew about parts of her life that she had never shared with anyone but Andrea and Michonne. He was her friend like they were but there was this whole other element of their friendship. She loved Andrea and Michonne but this craving for physical contact was exclusive to Daryl.

The whole want to have sex with Daryl thing still confused her. Why Daryl? Why now? He had floated on the edge of her social circle for years and neither of them had made any attempt to talk at parties. They had always ignored each other. Then, one truck ride and too many drinks later she was shedding her clothes she was ready to hop aboard the Dixon Love Train. They hadn't had sex that night but the next evening they became intimate on a different level. They spent hours talking about their pasts. There was a bond between them now, but that didn't explain why her libido kept trying to take the wheel away from her good sense.

Carol's phone buzzed just then and Carol smiled when she saw that Daryl had texted her about dinner. She had intended to work late this evening, but her good intentions just flew out the window when Daryl tempted her with ribs and spending more time with him.

She almost canceled dinner. Julian Hughes came by her office to see her. He had just gotten a call from home and his father had suffered a serious stroke this morning. His mother wasn't well and she needed him. He wanted to take some time off to go home to Richmond. Julian's absence would lead a gaping hole in her team but family came first with him. Julian was an only child and his parents needed him. Carol sent him off with a hug and a reassurance that though he would be missed that the team would get the job done.

She was dealing with rearranging work assignments when Grayson Andrews dropped into see her. Grayson Andrews was a vice president of her company and he had never dropped by to see her before. He was in his mid-fifties, very fit looking and had a tan year round. He complimented her on her job performance and got right to the point, "Trey's uncle is on the board. He wants Trey to be given more challenging assignments. I've looked at the prospective acquisitions that your team is researching. I want Trey to be in charge of the research and recommendations on the American Strong acquisition. It's not a huge company and Trey is ready to step up to the plate." Grayson Andrews like to use sports metaphors. He liked to look like he was an athlete. He's a poser.

"American Strong just came on our radar. We don't know much about it except that it sells American made products and its headquarters is here in Atlanta. Trey hasn't been in charge of an account before." Let's put it this way. Trey's batting average is 000 and do we want to put him in to pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth?"

"Trey's going to be fine. He has to start sometime and American Strong will be it. Carol, your team always come through in the clutch. Don't think we haven't noticed. There's an opening coming up and you are in contention." Grayson stood up to go, "The word around the company is that you tend to mother your team. Let young Trey make his own calls. That's what makes a good quarterback." That is was makes a cluster fuck.

Carol pondered the conversation. It was obvious that Trey was getting special treatment. It was also obvious that she had been warned off. It wasn't good for her bottom line to have anything to do with the American Strong acquisition. Grayson Andrews had spoken to her privately. No witnesses. No paper trail. Something didn't smell right about this whole thing. She should cancel her dinner plans with Daryl. Julian's leaving had left a big hole. There was work to be done, but something in her rebelled against staying here late into the night when she could be home with Daryl. I'll stay late tomorrow night. That's Tuesday night and then Daryl and I are leaving on Wednesday afternoon to go to Sophia's house.

Daryl listened to Carol's story that night. Dinner was over and they were relaxing on the couch. She was distracted and he had asked what was wrong. She told him the whole story. She was starting to wind down but was still feeling unsettled. Daryl shifted on the couch and made eye contact, "Trust your instincts."

"Trust my instincts? What does that mean?"

"You ever hear of the rule of three? I know you haven't. It was something Merle learned in the army. You can live three weeks without food. Three days without water. Three minutes without air, and three seconds without a defensive weapon. You have to pay attention to your surroundings. Gotta go with your instincts. You know that there is something dangerous in this deal. Now you either put your weapon up or be prepared for the consequences."

"I'm outgunned here. I have a 22 revolver with six shots in it and they have the assault rifles." See hanging around Guns R Us wasn't wasted. It gave me a whole new way to say that I better shut up and get in line.

"Don't attack them head on. Just don't walk in blind-sided either." Daryl moved closer to her on the couch. He doesn't want to talk anymore. I don't either.

"Do you want to talk about your day?" She gave him her most innocent look.

"Oh, hell no. I don't want to tell you that our crane broke down and two of our crew didn't show up this morning. I want to not think that shit right now." He moved closer and pulled her into his arms. Their lips met and Carol decided to deal with work at work. She wanted to be with Daryl . It could happen right now on this couch. And I am alright with that.

He eased her down on the couch and the kisses deepened. Daryl's hand began to move under her sweater toward her breasts. Carol put her hands under his shirt and rubbed his back. She felt the deep ugly wounds that his father had left on Daryl. She murmured into his ear, "They're part of you. I understand."

He was cupping her breast with his hand and then he was tugging at the nipple. Straight from the manual on how to arouse a woman. Nothing extraordinary about the way he touches me, but I react in an extraordinary way. I have never reacted to any man like I do with Daryl. He looks at me or touches me and I want more.

He pulled back a little. "When you were a kid did you ever mix baking powder and vinegar?" Not a question any man as ever asked me as my nipple salutes him and I feel the wet heat between my legs intensify, but I'll try to get my mind off of how much I want to rub your ass right now.

"I had a fifth grade science project. Volcanoes. My dad helped me make the volcano erupt using baking soda and vinegar." Let's get off of Memory Lane and get back to sexual foreplay.

Daryl moved back a little farther away, "That's how I feel when I'm with you. I'm just plain old baking powder. Then you come along and drop vinegar all over me and I'm not plain old baking powder anymore. I'm powerful. I'm alive. I want to push against everything that holds me back. Don't make sense."

Yeah, it does. "That's how I feel when I am with you. Like parts of me that were dormant just woke up. Do you really think I'm vinegar? I think I'm more like baking powder." Carol smiled at him, "Do you think I'm sour?"

"Not sour, but maybe tart? Not bitter but the kind of flavor that wakes your senses and makes you want more." Daryl stood up. "Let's go to bed before I say something that takes that gleam out of your eyes." He held his hand toward her and Carol grasped it and pulled herself up.

Her phone rang, Sophia's ringtone. Carol gave Daryl an apologetic look, "Its Sophia. I have to take it."

Sophia asked, "Mom, are you busy?" Her daughter seemed subdued.

"Never too busy for my baby? Is there anything wrong?" Daryl went to the kitchen and began to make coffee.

Sophia talked about her job teaching science at the local school. She talked Carl and how he was building a new barn. Carol knew her daughter. She never came right out and talked about whatever was bothering her. Daryl handed Carol a cup of coffee and picked up an issue of Mother Earth and began reading.

Finally, Sophia burst out, "I was two weeks late and I'm never late. Then today my period started. I was pregnant and I miscarried."

Carol took a deep breath, "Did you go to the hospital?"

"I saw my doctor. I'm okay." Sophia sounded as if she were ready to cry.

"I'm sorry that happened. Do you want me to call Andrea and Michonne and tell them that Thanksgiving Dinner is off." Carol wanted to cry too.

"No, mom. I want to see everyone. You'll help me cook right?" She sounded so young and Carol wanted to kick Carl ass for getting her daughter pregnant less than six months after their wedding.

"Sure, I will. Do you think that you are up for this?"

"You are coming Wednesday. Still bringing Daryl?" Sophia sounds better. Guess even grown up girls need their mommy once in a while.

"Yes, we'll be there Wednesday evening. Do you need me to bring you anything?"

"Just you and your main squeeze Daryl D. I am all grown up now so you can tell me all the lurid details of your sex life."

Carol laughed, "You're not that grown up. I never asked you about Carl. Don't ask. Don't tell. Still works for me."

"I love you. I miss you. Tell Daryl D I said hi, I know he's lurking around there somewhere. Behave yourself. You were almost a grandmother." Sophia hung up.

Almost a grandmother. You would think that would make you feel old. Sophia was twenty-one and by that time I had been married, had a baby, and was divorced. I don't feel old. I feel like I'm just getting started.

Daryl sat beside her on the couch, "Is Princess alright?" For some reason Daryl had always called Sophia "Princess".

Carol hesitated. How much should she tell Daryl? "She had an early miscarriage. Still wants to have everyone down for Thanksgiving. She's trying to do too much."

Daryl put his arms around her, "How about we leave tomorrow afternoon? You go in and get things organized and then come back by noon. That way you can have Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with her. You can see how well she's doing."

Carol burrowed into his chest, "I can go by myself. You don't have to take off from work." Come with me.

"I'm management. I can take off when I want to. Baking powder doesn't want to stay here without vinegar. I can help Carl with his barn. Now I'm going to go back to my place and pack a few things and call Jesse. I'm guessing the sexathon is off, but you did promise me that you would sneak into my room tomorrow night. Turnabout is fair play." He kissed her neck. "There are haylofts on that farm. We can play traveling salesman and the farmer's daughter."

She laughed, "It's the end of November. It's too cold to go canoodling in a hayloft."

"Don't know what canoodling is but it ain't that damn cold. Where is your spirit of adventure?"

TWDTWDTWD

Daryl was waiting for her when she came home at noon and they were at the farm by two. Carol spent the afternoon with Sophia. Carl finished a shift at as engineer at hydroelectric dam. The two men worked on the barn until after dark and then went back to the rambling white farmhouse for a dinner of beef stew and cornbread.

Daryl's room was on the main floor. One of the previous owners had added on a couple of bedrooms at the back of the house. Not long after everyone had went to bed Daryl heard Carol walk down the hall toward his room. He was reading an article about fueling a farm truck with wood instead of gasoline. Carol's curly head peeped around the door, "Are you busy? I can come back later."

Daryl scooted over in bed, "I think I can work you in my schedule."

Carol walked in with all her luggage. "Guess what? My daughter told me today that she couldn't spare two bedrooms for us. She needs the rooms upstairs for Andrea and Rick and the two girls. James gets the couch in the den and Michonne and Jesse get the room next to this one. Guess we're roomies."

"I like the way that girl thinks.? Don't bother changing clothes." Daryl sat up and Carol noticed that he wasn't wearing a t shirt.

"Turn the light off."

Daryl stretched to reach the lamp and his sheet slipped. Carol got a glimpse of coming attractions. She slipped off her clothes and slid in beside Daryl. She was nervous. There is only one chance to make a first impression. Daryl kissed her shoulder, "Love you, Vinegar."

"I love you too, Baking Powder".

Wednesday night Daryl pulled the bed clothes closer around Carol. She was asleep. Two rounds of vigorous sex and she turned over and went to sleep. No stamina.

He smiled thinking about how she had teased him before she went to sleep. "Pa, you better get some sleep. Got chores to do at daybreak."

He had laughed, "Being a farmer is hard work." He was tired, but it was a good tired. The barn that Carl was building was within sight of the farmhouse and he saw Carol outside a couple of times. Maybe being a farmer wasn't all that bad. Your wife was your partner. You worked together for the good of the family. Hard work but you had each other at the end of the day. He thought that he might like that life. He could sell his half of the business and buy a farm. Live the life that Mother Earth News said was possible.

Then reality struck. Carol was on the fast track to business success. Why would she want to give all that up to can tomatoes and gather eggs? Carol would hate it. She might look damn good in blue jeans but she had a wardrobe of power suits. If he wanted Carol then he needed to give up this farm dream. It was just another mirage anyway. Carol had told him that she loved him. Wasn't that enough?

Tomorrow they would go back to Atlanta. Friday morning they would go back to work and maybe they could spend a few hours together over the weekend. There was work to be caught up on the job site. Carol would have work to do. That was the way it had to be, because he wasn't going to try to convince Carol that they should chuck the big city and go be farmers. It wasn't what she wanted and he needed to be put her first.

TWDTWDTWD

Thursday evening they left the farm. All the other Atlanta guests had already left. Carol had finally hugged Sophia and Carl good bye. Daryl shook Carl's hand, "Take good care of your wife or I'll kick your ass." He hugged Princess good bye and helped Carol into the truck.

They were headed toward the main road when Carol said, "How did you like the farm life?"

Daryl bit his lip, "It was okay."

"Pa, you jumped up every morning to do the chores. Seemed like you liked it a lot."

Daryl had his answer ready, "It was fun for a couple of days. But I'm ready to get back to the big city. Got things to do and places to go."

Carol didn't answer. She had turned her face to see the farmhouse lights. Daryl didn't see the glint of tears in the fading light of country sunset.

AN

Let the angst begin. Who has read O Henry's "The Gift of the Magi". Shame on you if you haven't. It's on line somewhere. I shamelessly borrowed that storyline.

I am way behind on this one. I wanted to be finished by Christmas.

Review?