“I missed you,” Ben said with a rough voice, realizing how much he meant it. They were trembling now so he opened his arms and they were against him, squeezing him tight in a hug. He wrapped his arms around them and kissed their foreheads before he pulled back. They stepped back as well but he could see they were craving a real kiss as much as he was. Ben looked outside and looked over their shoulders and saw the coast was clear. He dipped forward and kissed Lori then Lisa and they smiled happily at him when he pulled back again.
“I was wondering if I might impose on you once more to take someone shopping for clothes suitable for the winter. Mostly casual stuff… plus lingerie and sleep wear,” Ben said awkwardly.
“Did you bring someone home with you?” Lisa asked with a grin.
Ben smiled self-consciously and nodded.
She looked at her sister then back to Ben. “Tomorrow night?”
Lori held up the bank card he’d left them. “I should hang onto this then?”
“Yes, use that for the purchases,” Ben agreed.
“What’s her name?” Lisa asked.
“Gretchen Hahn. She was in a ten year marriage to a psychopathic Dom who died in an accident a couple of days ago. She’s sweet but a little lost at the moment. Dr. Granger has offered to see her.”
The twins looked at him with wide eyes. “I’ll need your help with her as well. She was isolated by the sadistic bastard so she needs contact with others to rebuild her socializing skills.”
They nodded and smiled up at him with love in their eyes. He felt that warmth fill him. “I love you.”
“We love you too,” they said in unison making Ben grin.
“See you later,” Ben said as he headed outside.
His cell rang as he was halfway home. “Hello?”
“Ben? It’s Don! Don Blake.”
“Oh! Hi Don, what’s up?”
“I was wondering if you’ve had a chance to speak to your lawyer about that contract yet.”
Ben laughed. “Don! I just got home last night, or rather this morning. I’ll be speaking with him in a bit. We should be able to get you the paperwork in the next couple of days. Is there a rush?”
“You know I don’t sleep much. During my nocturnal busy time I got to thinking about possible uses for that little filter of yours and who might be most interested in them. Due to the nature of my business I know people in important places and I dropped a word or two in a few ears. You know, just to gauge interest. Well, I’ve generated more than a little attention. They’re beating my door down. If I don’t present something to them it could get ugly.”
“Have your marketing people spoken with Bryan and his team? Have them put together a presentation kit with the test results. Don’t release any of the filter’s technical specs in the kit. If Bryan has any questions he can call me. Once it’s ready send it to me for proofing,” Ben instructed.
“Right, right. Geezus, it feels like we’re sitting on a goldmine!” Don exclaimed.
“Or a fire ant colony,” Ben returned and Don barked out a laugh. “Listen, no more words in ears until we get the contract worked out!”
“Yeah, sorry about that! Bye.” Don said in a more serious tone and hung up.
Ben dialed Bill Freeny at Sturn Manufacturing to fill him in on the incoming order for the new filters.
“Bill Freeny.”
“Bill, it’s Ben Shepherd.”
“Ben! How are you! Haven’t heard from you for a while!”
“Keeping busy! Listen, that’s what I need to talk to you about. I have a new filter I’ve designed which I’d like your company to be the principle manufacturer for. Potentially, the orders for this device may exceed your current capacity. You may need to expand the operation,” Ben explained.
“That’s good timing then because we’ve almost completed the construction on the new plant. We had to lose our private airstrip but the new plant will have three times the capacity of the original plant which is still operational as well,” Bill said happily.
“Oh? When did this happen?” Ben asked.
“Don’t you read the statements we send you or are you too busy inventing new things? Never mind I know the answer to that one. We began the new construction the week you left. The orders we are receiving for the pressure valve paid for most of the build. We borrowed for the rest against future sales. What are you going to have us build for you now?”
“It’s a filter for radioactive particles.”
Bill was silent for a bit and Ben thought the line had disconnected. He was about to speak when Bill came back on the phone. “Does it work as well as the pressure valve?”
“Better,” Ben said with a smile.
“Damn… we should have built a larger plant.”
“Let’s see what the first order will be before we jump to any grandiose conclusions.” Ben cautioned.
“Who’s marketing these things?” Bill asked.
“I originally designed the filter for Blake Uranium in Melbourne, Australia. I went there to test the prototype and it worked better than expected. At my suggestion, their CEO, Don Blake, created a company to market the filters. I selected Sturn Manufacturing to be the manufacturer if you’re interested.”
“Hell yeah, I’m interested! We’re in! Send us the contract and I’ll sign it!” Bill exclaimed.
“Great! I’ll speak with my lawyer to write up the contract and send it off to you as soon as possible.”
“As always, a pleasure to talk and do business with you Ben!” Bill said with a smile in his voice.
“Same here! Talk to you soon.” Ben hung up and walked up his driveway.
He let himself in the front door and kicked off his boots and hung up his jacket. He wondered if Gretchen was up yet.
Then he heard the giggling coming from the kitchen.
Ben peeked around the corner and saw Gretchen sitting at the end of the kitchen table with Tina sitting close by. The two ladies looked up at Ben with innocent smiles. He noticed his new guest was wrapped up in his bathrobe.
“Good morning Gretchen.”
“Good morning Ben.”
“Gretchen was not aware of what it meant to be a Sub,” Tina said with a smile.
“And you explained it for her?” Ben said carefully.
“Yes, Tina was extremely helpful. It is so good to know… I’m not perverse or sick for… having these feelings,” Gretchen said with a strained voice. She beamed a grateful smile at the petite woman.
Tina smiled at her then looked at Ben. “I explained that her husband was not behaving as a good Dom should. I told her how good a Dom you are.”
Ben felt uneasy about where this was going. He brought Gretchen home because she was in distress and Dr. Granger offered to help her out. He hadn’t intended to become her Dom but Tina seemed to be volunteering him into the role. He’d been following Tina’s lead up to this point but he needed to nip this in the bud. He’d talk with Tina about it later but for now he needed to redirect the conversation.
He looked to Gretchen. “I’ve spoken with Lisa and Lori who have agreed to take you out shopping for clothes tomorrow night.”
“Who are Lisa and Lori?” Gretchen asked timidly.
Tina reached over to touch her hand. Gretchen’s eyes flashed to her hand and up to Tina’s eyes.
“Lisa and Lori McKellan are twins and Ben’s Subs.” Tina explained. “They work in the neighborhood daycare with their mother Daphne. Ben renovated their home to add the daycare and it is amazing!”
Gretchen was looking at Ben nervously.
“What’s wrong?” he asked cautiously.
“Tina and Lucy are so young and beautiful. Are the twins also young and beautiful? I’m much older and so plain!” Her panic was resurfacing.
“What are you talking about? You’re only 31 and you’re gorgeous! Who told you that you looked pl-” Ben stopped abruptly when he realized what Rainor had done. “Was it Rainor?” he growled.
She nodded to him with wide desperate eyes.
“The bastard lied. He belittled and insulted you to make himself feel important and to keep you from realizing your true worth. You’re an intelligent and beautiful woman. Never doubt that!” Ben exclaimed then shook his head in disbelief. “Plain?!? That’s ridiculous!”
Tina grinned at Ben’s fierce reaction. Gretchen watched him in shock. She couldn’t recall anyone ever saying these words to her. She looked to Tina and the woman was smiling gleefully to her and nodding.
Her look of adoration made Ben uneasy so he needed to leave. “I need to speak with Walter about the contracts for my latest dealings. I’ll be in the living room.”
Ben grabbed his laptop from its case and settled himself in his favorite chair. He flipped the machine open and pulled up the folder with the drafts of the new contracts. Then he dialed Walter.
“Hello?”
“Hi Walter, it’s Ben.”
“Ben! You’re home?”
“Yes, I got back in the wee hours of the morning,” he said.
“I received a call from Tina regarding some underhanded behavior of Mr. Holland,” Walter began.