13- Starting over… chapter thirteen
Sarah got out of the shower and dried off, putting on panties and the t-shirt Walter had given her. The rest of her clothes she folded neatly for the morning. Coming out of the bathroom Walter was in bed and laying on his back with hands behind his head.
"Why would you ask if I liked you? Been thinking of that while you were in the shower."
Sitting on the side of the bed she looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Come on, Walter, you are distant, to put it mildly. Don't get me wrong, the gods know the sex is great but I halfway expect you to leave money on the dresser if you get my meaning."
"Maybe I am wondering if I am going to be just another frog in a line of frogs. I never professed to be a prince." Walter said with a smile. "My one foray into the world of relationship, like the proverbial American you spoke of- I jumped in with both feet and ended up destroyed. Not just the relationship, but my friendships, my business, the life I had planned, all gone. Not just burned but what was left was nothing but ash. I had never loved before, nor had I ever been subjected to such deep hatred, and to be honest, I am not dealing with the aftermath well at all.
"Walter, everyone has emotional upheavals through their life. From fighting over toys as tots, teenage crushes, to friends stabbing you in the back over friends, competition for jobs, on and on. Part of growing up," she said.
"Yes, normal childhood. Mine was anything but. Per my parents, I never said a word until three. Doctors and relatives said I should have been institutionalized which in turn made the first five years virtually isolated which in turn made the mind even more, shall we say, unusual. In time, the math proficiency became apparent, but along with it the marked inability to socialize due to the early isolation. It was a cycle- unable to connect with people caused people to distance themselves from early childhood on. The math proficiency tied to the high IQ then the computer proficiency made for an unconnectable individual. I grew to never need people, I found them to be emotional, incomprehensible to my mind so best kept at a distance. My life was ruled by sense, design, and intelligent thought. I understood the beauty of numbers, the elegance of science, the absolute truth of mathematics, the preciseness of code, but had no understanding of people." He laughed, "Got me a lot of black eyes over the years."
"How can you get to be a functioning adult which you obviously did- you had a team, a business. Even I recall some of the stuff on the news."
"Yes, I gathered together other geniuses- all with as troubled backgrounds as mine. We were a team of misfits that managed to mesh and through our proficiencies worked what appeared to be amazingly positive outcomes of difficult situations. But we were all separate, distant from those we helped. Until Homeland Security contracted the team and I made the decision to include a liaison- a thoroughly human social being I hired to help me become human to be able to 'connect' with people as well. She did an excellent job, to the point I did become emotional and fell in love- I still have a hard time breathing when she is close," he said gazing at the ceiling.
"So the first time you got involved emotionally with someone was in adulthood? And it went south?" She asked quietly.
Walter chuckled, "went south is to put it mildly. What I thought was living together happily- future planned, blew up, catastrophically right downstairs in front of everyone. The things she said were soul crushing, devastating and, like planned demolitions, what she said brought up other dissatisfactions leading to her walking out, one by one my team following her out the door- all gone in one fell swoop." He looked at her, "What I found totally incomprehensible was their then, after four plus years of our working as a team, they banded together to within weeks compete with me head on, proposal after proposal to deliberately drive me out of business, almost into homelessness." He smiled at Sarah. "That award for hacking your security program gave me the funds to at least keep this place, keeping me and my equipment off the street."
"So you were serious when you said you hacked 'cause you needed funds quickly…. it was to keep this place? And you also said your focus had changed from team to yourself. That was all on point of actual events within days?"
"You sound surprised. Yes, within two weeks of the team split, they put me out of business, I then looked for a way to accrue funds quickly. Three days I hacked your and one others program, within a week you and the other deposited the awards. Once deposited in days I used those funds to pay off the garage. Businesswise, the thought processes were a straight line if/then sequence. My electronics are my central core of being- how I function, what I need to live, the one thing I truly, completely understand. That is the easy part of life. But, as far as the emotional- I am just starting to get myself out of that black hole, so reverting to robot mode as it is safer that way, can't get hurt, don't go over the cliff. But, surprisingly, back in the deep dark recess, there is a compartment where I find I do like people…. like a new study of an interesting subject. Yes, I like you, do not doubt, but feelings, outside that cloistered group of the former Scorpion team, is foreign and completely unknown territory, so I go slowly to keep from turning to ash again 'cause should I, this time I will blow away to nothing."
Sarah sat for a moment, then got under the blanket to curl up against him, "nice, cozy and warm, yes you are. Good night, Walter."
Walter reached over, turned off the light, "good night, Sarah," he said putting his arm over her and in time went to sleep, nice, cozy, and warm.
Walter woke up with Sarah still snuggled against him comfortable and warm. Was a pleasant way to awaken, was a pleasant way to relax before starting the day. Looking at her and her short auburn hair he thought his black hair will be longer if he does not get clipped soon. She started to stir and opened her eyes to look back at him. "Good morning, sleep well?" he asked.
"Very well," she said with a smile, "nice, cozy and warm, just like you said."
"So, you have things to do, places to be, an agenda for the day or would you like to spend the day here?"
"Spend the day here with you, don't need to ask twice. What you have planned?"
"Well, you showered last night, so you can get dressed, head to the kitchen while I shower and see what is available to munch. Don't know about you, but kinda' hungry. We can get your MGB as clean and shiny as my two and once done go from there."
"Sounds like a plan. Go shower and I will see what I can rustle up."
Coming out from the shower in boxers and rubbing his hair with a towel, Walter went to the kitchen putting the towel around his neck. "Ahhh, coffee," he said getting a cup from the cabinet. "Able to whip anything up or is it a run to a restaurant?" he asked giving her a kiss on the shoulder.
"You had two pieces of pizza in a huge box in the fridge, so nuked pizza and coffee it is. When it comes to single people, were it not for coffee and pizza they would probably die off, I think."
Walter laughed, "you have a good point. Coffee, pizza, and don't forget Chinese takeout, the stuff of life." He took his cup of coffee with him back into the bedroom to get dressed to re-emerge in jeans and t-shirt running a small comb through his hair. Putting the comb in his back pocket he refilled his coffee and leaned against the counter watching her put the pizza slices on a plate and into the microwave.
"So, how are you coming with your educational games for kids? Sounds like a needed, useful tool, especially for those home schooling their children," Walter said. "One thing to take into consideration, though, is the absolute need for social interactions with the very young- I know from experience the lack of personal interaction with others leads to life-long difficulties. Sure don't want a whole world of people like me- stunted and only compatible with computers."
"I don't know, I'm not a computer yet find you quite compatible." The microwave dinged so she pulled the plate out. Grabbed a bunch of napkins while he refilled both cups taking those and followed her downstairs to the back-bay. Putting everything down on the workbench, he opened the door.
"You want to pull the MG out and hose it down, dry it off then bring it back in. Both of us working on it should get it nice and shiny in short order." Walter said as they each had their pizza slice leaning on the concrete pot holding the Mandarin orange tree. "Of course I could do like you did yesterday, sit here and watch you work….. actually sounds like that would be rather enjoyable."
"Nope, we work together."
"So we have the whole day ahead of us, both cleaning up a little car won't take long," Walter said finishing his coffee, "what do you suggest for the rest of the day?"
"I have something in mind, will tell you when we get done." And she got in the MG to pull it out while Walter uncoiled the hose and turned it on. When she got out, he did the incredibly stupid move and handed the hose to Sarah and she promptly doused him soaking wet. The eventual tussle over the hose ended up with both soaked before the car was even hosed down. Sarah ended up leaning against the MG catching her breath while Walter sat on the edge of the concrete planter leaned over with hair dripping.
"Now I know you really have no experiences like usual people, handing the hose to me innocently totally unaware you would get doused. Anyone else would have seen that coming a mile away." Sarah laughed. "Gods, what an innocent. Wish I had a picture of you when I doused you- too funny."
That was when Cabe and Allie drove up, got out of their car, "What the hell is going on? We came over to see how your big gala went last night and find you in the alley soaking wet."
"Sarah this is Cabe and Allie Gallo. Cabe and Allie, this is Sarah." Walter said laughing. "I just learned a truism, Cabe- do not hand a water hose to a woman. All the years I have known you, how come you never warned me of such an obvious bad move?"
"Well, since you two are dripping wet, stay out here to dry off and I will pull a couple crates out for us to sit on. Allie is all kinds of excited to hear how your evening went."
"Not much to tell, really. Just what I gather is a usual big company holiday circus put on for employees by the big boss."
"Come on Walter, presentations, awards, hoopla of all sorts, people, tasty treats, champagne, band and dancing?" Allie said. "So come on, elaborate."
"OK, had the monkey suit on, fortunately Gina could do the tie. Watched Richard with his daughter do the socializing all around the massive crowd. Kinda' interesting to see someone do that so easily. I parked myself far away from where the champagne was flowing. No, I did not dance…. did watch Gina dance with a couple guys. Was warned by Richard about the presentations and fortunately he called me first and yes, I dragged Gina up there with me."
"What were you presented with, Walter? You really aren't an employee or working with Richard long, so what did you get?"
Walter opened the Malibu and reached for the three framed patent awards and the plaque for the security systems for fifteen data centers and handed them to Cabe. Sarah and Allie looked over his shoulder to see them. "Holy cow, Walter, THREE patents in that short a time?" Cabe exclaimed. "Well, you are a genius, after all."
Allie asked, "Were any pictures taken? I really wanted to see you in that suit."
"Pictures are always taken at company functions for the company newsletter and publication, so probably will have some for you before long," Walter said. "May even have something on line by now, who knows." He returned to sit on the edge of the concrete planter. "Sarah, if you want, you can rummage around and get some dry clothes- pair of my shorts and t-shirt, getting a bit chilly for sitting around wet. I will be up in a minute."
Sarah, knowing she was to be away for any further conversation, gave all a look and went inside. Walter turned to Cabe to continue. "Were you aware Happy is in the fabrication engineering section of the space division, Sly is in the financial sector and Paige is now in in human resources? Paige was at the gala….. in that huge room, in that huge crowd she made a point to come close to me….. she…. she asked me to dance."
"Did you?" Cabe asked.
"Cabe, I could not breathe." Walter said quietly. "You heard what she said that night…. I'm immature, too much work, never satisfied her… I'm… I'm not a man. No, I didn't dance, I ran. If you are in contact with them, tell them to stay away from me. I was mistaken, it was not love, it was poison, and I will not survive another dose of that toxicity. They want to act like nothing happened, but something did, and I will not survive it happening again." He then turned and went inside to go up to the loft to join Sarah in changing to dry clothes.
"Gods, Cabe," Allie said, turning to Cabe. "You just said there was a blow-up. Did Paige really say things like that to him? And in front of what he considered his family? Wow, no wonder he went into seclusion like he did. Her knowing more than anyone how fragile his emotional state- to attack him, to say he is less than a man must have rattled him to his very core." Allie shook her head, "That was not just a simple family argument, Paige really did number on him. You don't just say sorry and everyone starts over from such a devastating attack like that. What a mess."
Walter got up to the bedroom to find Sarah in the shower so he pulled out some drawstring waist sweats, t-shirt and a button shirt to go over it and took them into the bathroom. "Sarah, good idea, a hot shower. Here are some clothes to put on. Won't be a fashion plate, but will be warm."
"Come in, the water is fine." Sarah said.
"Hang on a minute….." Walter said and went to the den to call down to Cabe and Allie. "We will be down in a few minutes- feel free to wax the MG….." then went back to the bathroom to shed his still damp clothes and join Sarah in the shower. "Nice and hot….."
Sarah soaped him up, but he said, "Wait, wait," taking a deep breath, "we have company, when they leave should you still be in the mood we will have all night….. " Soaping her up he pulled her against him all slippery and giving her a deep kiss. "Give you something to look forward to…." he murmured into her ear and slid his hands all over her breasts then down her back to pull her against his hips. "Cabe and Allie are waiting for us."
"OK, you big tease, as soon as they leave, the place is closed up and you are all mine, buddy. See who lasts longest before exhaustion sets in."
Getting out of the shower and dressing, Sarah put on Walters sweat pants finding them a foot too long. Putting the t-shirt on without a bra, her 'state' was a bit noticeable so put the button front shirt on like a jacket. She sat on the side of the bed to roll up the legs of the sweats so she could walk without tripping. When she stood up, Walter dressed in jeans and t-shirt looked at her critically. "You don't look like a fashion model of haute culture, Sarah." Then put his hands on her hips to give her a kiss running his hands up under the shirt to her braless breasts. "But I like seeing you like this, all aroused."
"Gods! I never would have thought you could be so hard hearted, Walter," Sarah moaned. "Keep it up and your friends will be getting an earful."
"OK, let's go," Walter said with a smile, took her hand and they left to join Cabe and Allie in the back-bay.
"Sorry, took a quick shower- Sarah doesn't fit my clothes very well. I was going to take us all out, but guess some delivery is called for." Walter said. "What is everyone in the mood for, I will call it in."
"Cabe and I can go pick up. Come on Cabe, how about tandoori? Have not had chicken masala in a long time. We can be back by the time you guys finish cleaning up that car." Allie said. "You two like Indian, right?"
Walter and Sarah nodded, so Cabe opened the door for Allie and they took off to get chow for everyone. Sarah looked at Walter, "you know she picked a place at a distance from here, didn't order so will have to wait for a while then the drive back… the hell with the MG, close the door and get your ass up-stairs, and make it fast, I will be waiting." She took off the button front shirt as she walked back into the garage.
"Hey, Walter….." she said as he was closing the garage door. When he turned around, she pulled the t-shirt off. "I'll be waiting…" Walter closed up and went up the stairs three at a time.
An hour forty-eight minutes later Cabe and Allie returned. Walter opened the man-door for them and led the way to the seating area by the whiteboards.
"Sorry it took so long," Allie said entering with bags of take-out. "We were hitting the restaurant same time as most everyone in LA, I think. At least everyone is good and hungry, right?"
Walter gave her a wary look then went into the office kitchen to get plates, utensils, and napkins. He had started the coffee so asked who wanted water or coffee when he deposited everything on the coffee table going back to get drinks hearing Sarah comment. "Yes, surprisingly hungry- that tussle with the hose really did whet the appetite," she said straight-faced looking at Allie who snorted a chuckle.