14

There are six girls now. Eve, Giselle, Joo, Zelle, Jiecel and Taciana. The way they are working, I really don't need to add many more before they train Bayan Na staff. The concept of having my staff fully in each location is probably not needed. Sometimes plans need to be changed as you go forward. Now that Zelle is mine, my relationship with Bayan Na is different. I think I can stop now but, there is another girl coming this afternoon. I will see her but don't really need to add her.

I get a text from Jana.

Did Zelle tell you she was sending people here?

I have not a clue what Jana is talking about, as I respond with a highly articulate...

What?

There are eighty workmen here. There are at least seven big trucks I can see right now.

What?

Workmen, boxes and boxes of tile, truckloads of Wallright cement. Trucks with metal studs and wallboard. A man tells me, they have orders to finish building our house right away! He says, Zelle sends them.

I am on my way.

No need, Gordon. There is nothing you can do. I know what needs to go where. You will just make them scared.

OK.

I think we will be done in maybe two weeks instead of the three months that we were planning it will take. We can also get the apartments done fast!

I am just sitting at my desk, playing on the web when another text comes to my cell phone. This one is from Zelle.

Please send Alona to me at the store. Tell her to use Jana's makeup to fix herself up nicely.

I respond simply...

OK.

Alona has been watching TV and looking a little scared. Now that I give her instructions, she gets up, turns to me and, considering the vomit that came out of her mouth as she looked at me last night, says something that surprises me. No one has ever been kinder to me than you have been. I owe you a lot.

Alona, I do not know what is going to happen. So your thanks may be premature. But then she kisses me on my cheek before running off to follow the directions. Thirty minutes later, she is gone and once again I am alone in the house save, who is sleeping a back bedroom, and Maria who comes to me, unbidden. She takes me by the hand and pulls me back into my bedroom, which she has put back into pristine condition. She removes all of my clothing and bids me to lie down. Maria disrobes before lying next to me. She says nothing as she kisses me and with a small warm hand strokes my flaccid tool. Maria, it's too soon. I...

Shhh. Gordon, I know this. I know. Just please, I want to be with you.

OK.

Not much is happening and everything is happening at the same time. I am not getting hard. That is not what is in Maria's playbook. What is in her mind is the simple reality that we, the two of us, are becoming bonded. Bonded by the shared experiences, by the courtesies we extend to each other, by the trust she has in me and that I have learned to place in her. This time in a simple, quiet, undramatic way, is an acknowledgment of that fact and a forceful argument for the meaning of it. Maria knows and I know, we will never be apart. This coupling is now forever. Just as Jana will always be my wife, Maria will always be my mistress.

Ah Gordon, I think you are getting hard! Be careful! Not now. You have another girl coming this afternoon. We must both be ready for her. I have the dildo ready!

We get up, dress and are having a light lunch when we see Taciana appear from the back bedroom. Sir? What I do now?

Taciana, it's your choice. You can get your things, and return tonight before 8PM, or by 7AM in the morning, or you can meet the others this afternoon.

I will return tonight! May I go now?

Yes, of course. Dinner will be at 6PM if you want it.

Sige¹. See you later. And out the door she goes.

I am supposed to meet with Renelyn at 2PM. She is a nineteen-year-old with all the required languages. A 2x2 inch photo of her, clipped to her application, shows a pretty face. The height and weight listed on the form look fine. Once again, according to the application, she is single and has no children. None of this information would be legal to gather in the USA but, this is the Philippines and I can ask all sorts of things. But I am so over this. There are many pretty girls here. I have now all I ever want to have around me.

I sit down at the computer and check email. It is both a distraction and something I have been avoiding for some reason. There are a three emails from Cynthia. The last one simply wants to know if I am avoiding her. I send back a quick,

No! Just real busy.

I have an email from Jack, asking me if I am sorry I went over to the dark side to work with Cynthia. That can be ignored. No response is needed. There is an email from Jonathan that is a little weird and a little pathetic. I will show it to Zelle tonight and ask her how she wants me to handle it. A few other personal emails need attention, and I am wading through them when my Skype chimes. It's Cynthia.

Hey you're up late.

Hey yourself. What's going on? I got a weird message from Eve.

Oh no. More TMI?

Well, maybe but not about sex. About Bayan Na. Something about it's yours now.

That is beyond an exaggeration. The actual owner of Bayan Na has joined us here.

Jonathan? Really?

No, Cynthia. He is married to the owner.

Who is the real owner?

Zelle.

Is Jonathan's signature on the contract we have, any good?

He has the right to obligate the company, so yes, you are covered.

OK, if she is married, what does it mean that she has 'joined' you, Gordon?

Ah, well, yeh, this is a little weird and complicated. It seems that even though she and Jonathan are married, the marriage was never consummated.

What!?

Yeh, weird but true.

Why? Is he missing a piece of equipment?

No, he's just missing the desire. Zelle is convinced he's gay but, closeted so deep that he can't deal with it at all. So no sex at all. He might as well be a monk.

OK, so horny wife jumps into your bed. What happens to the marriage?

I don't know. I suspect some of that is being dealt with today. But as I am married, even if their marriage ends, I am not marrying Zelle and so I will never be an owner of Bayan Na, and the fact that she is in my bed now, means nothing for the future.

Not according to Eve! According to your associate, Zelle is there for the long term.

We will see. Yes, that is what we tell each other but, people say all sorts of things. She is young, beautiful and has a husband who is missing in action. What she ends up doing is beyond me. I do not need her to do what I have in mind. Although it does make my exit play from Bayan Na and launching the consulting business easier.

And the rest? All those girls... are they as less likely to stay with you?

Huh, as weird as it seems, I think most of them will be with me for some time. So, to change the subject, where are we with the order entry?

Didn't Eve tell you? We are ready to roll it out. It didn't require many tweaks, at least we don't think it does.

OK, sounds good. Once we have that solid, we can move on to the next module.

Yes, I want to be there when we kick off the sales end stuff. I want to see how you train on that.

Don't book anything yet. I am not close to ready to move forward with it.

Oh, hurry up!

Nope. I'm not ready Cynthia. This project is going to roll out carefully. All current inventory has to be in the system. All new orders have to be in the system too. Everything going out of the door has to have been in the system and then removed. I will then work on integrating the shipping and delivery modules. Only after I have control of what is happening to the product, will I add the sales component. That's when you can come, and you can stay for a while because after that we will tie in the customer database we generate from the sales activities to the outside sales reps and the customer discount database.

You are a mean man! It will take months before I can get there but I like the fact that you will keep me around for a bit!

Good. I just hope I am doing this right. Look I have to go. Catch you later.

OK, bye.

It is a few minutes after 2PM when the Skype session closes. Renelyn should be here any minute. Maria is busy but, staying close by. I return to a few more emails. These are not urgent but, a reply is needed in many of the cases.

I get a text from Zelle.

Great news about Jonathan and Alona. Things are good. Hope Jana likes the help I sent her. Are you done with the interviews today?

Am waiting for the afternoon girl. She is late. The morning one is good and hired. After this, no matter what, I am done.

Really? OK, good. Is it OK if I come back now?

Sure. I may be busy but, you don't need permission to be here.

Good! Soon.

It is close to 3PM. Renelyn has not arrived. Zelle drives up in a fairly new brown colored Mitsubishi Pajero. The temp tags indicate that it has probably been less than a year since it was purchased². She has changed her clothing since this morning and is struggling with a couple of large suitcases. Maria sees her and before I can react, she is out the door, grabbing a bag.

As Zelle enters the house, she lets the case she has been pulling sit, and walks up to me, kisses me and says, Honey, I'm home!

Why do I feel that there is a story behind that comment?

Because you are smart. We have time?

Renelyn is a no-show. Yes we have time.

Well... When I think about me and Jonathan, I think, OK, he's a good buyer. He is good for the company. I am married and will stay married but, there is no reason to live with him. I also think about Alona. She wants the world to think she likes men but, does not want a man. Gordon, do you see it?

See what?

They are perfect for each other!

Explain.

She can be his employee and travel with him for business. The world will think she is his public mistress. She is pretty and young. When they are away from home, they can find what love they can. Here in town, they protect each other's secret. I move in with you. Everyone thinks we have separated in a friendly way. We are nice to each other at the office. There will be some tsismis³ but because there are no arguments, the tsismis will die down. I explain this to Alona before I talk to Jonathan and she likes the idea. Living in my home with my husband and not needing to have sex with him, is a very good deal for her. Plus she becomes an assistant buyer right away. She tells me, if Jonathan is what I say, she will do it. … I text Jonathan to meet me at home. When he gets there, I have the first honest talk with him I think we have ever had. He is angry with me at first. But I talk about our fake life. He cries about the sex thing. I tell him I understand and think I have a solution. I tell him about Alona and her secret. I tell him that he can find loves away from home and maybe she can too. Gordon! I find out that he has a lover in Malaysia! He says he wants to meet Alona. He does not know but, she is at the house with me. I go and get her. I leave them to talk. I go to the bedroom and bag some of my things. When I am done, they are sitting, talking and laughing. Alona jumps up and hugs me. She say she is the happiest girl in the Philippines today. I look at Jonathan, and ask, 'You agree?' He say yes. We will stay married. He will live with Alona. I will live with you. Gordon, we need to finish the new house! This house is not good!

That is a lot to absorb. So our very young Alona, jumps to the front of the line as an assistant buyer for Bayan Na and becomes the mistress of the husband of the owner. The second part works just fine. The first begs the question, does Alona have any taste whatsoever? How good a buyer will she be? I also now know why we have an army of workmen at our lot. In one day Zelle has made some very savvy business decisions. I am cautioned to not underestimate her ability to work through obstacles. I am also now aware that Zelle does not see her time here as short term. I know Zelle had said as much before but, words are not always followed by deeds. I had called Zelle, our cunt. I saw no reason why we need her. Even though it does make the transition away from Bayan Na later a little easier, we really still don't need her. She, however, needs us.

I am not sure where she is going to put all the things she brought. She is right, for her, this place does not work.

The suitcases are no longer in the room. Maria has put them somewhere else. The two of us are talking about the odd things that happen with marriages, as Maria brings us each a tall glass of buko juice⁴. I am relaxed. Maria and Zelle are good companions. I feel good. The nagging issue of Jonathan seems to be resolved and the world will see Jonathan as having stolen one of my young girls from me in retaliation for my taking Zelle. Balance! I like balance.

It is close to 4PM when a tricycle stops outside. I am not expecting anyone. Well, that's not right. I was hoping that Renelyn was a no show and it appears that she is a full two hours late. This is not a good time for an interview. She had not texted and I am less than pleased. I quietly cuss. Zelle is in agreement. Her comment is, Bad start. It is indeed.

I look out the window. If this girl is nineteen, I'm the Archbishop of Canterbury. I know I am not a good guesser of age but, there is no way! No, if she is fifteen I will be surprised. The tricycle is driving away and the girl is ringing the bell. I tell Maria to give her twenty pesos and send her away. She is too young to even speak with.

There is an animated conversation at the gate. Maria is pretty adamant. The girl is pleading her case. Maria is not giving in but neither is the girl. I do not have any interest in meeting this child. Zelle gets up and walks out to assist Maria.

Finally the girl, twenty pesos in hand walks off. When I am rejoined by my two, I am told the girl claimed to be nineteen and even produced what was probably fake ID showing that to be her age. It was only when after claiming to have attended MSU, and Zelle then said, OK, get into the Pajero and we will find your teachers, that she admitted that it was all a lie.

Maria goes to get dinner made and Zelle, pulls out a laptop she has brought and indicates she needs to get to work on a few things. I do the same and the time passes pleasantly for a bit until Jana walks in at a few minutes before 5PM. If she isn't wild-eyed, she is damned close to it. Gordon! Has your wealthy mistress told you what she has done!?

That all depends on what 'thing' you are referencing.

Our new house!

Then, no. What has this woman, who it standing just three feet from you, done?

Has the architect been here yet?

What architect?

Oh! You wait and see!

No, Jana. Why don't you and Zelle tell me?

You know we have an army of workers there today, I tell you that.

Yes and I believe Zelle made reference to that in a later conversation.

Did she tell you that there are people there, even right now, digging a new foundation for an expansion of the house we have yet to even complete?

No. That I have not heard. What type of expansion?

The workers do not know. All they have are plans for the columns. They say the architect has the plans.

When did this start? You didn't mention it this morning.

They started digging at 3PM. They bring lights and are still digging. There are others with rebar building the steel for the new columns. They say they not use coco-lumber for the forms. They use steel forms. They say this goes up very fast. So you did not approve this?

No, I didn't. I am too surprised by the development to really have a valid reaction. I look at Zelle and simply say, I think you need to explain what is going on.

It was, oh no, I am sorry, it was not supposed to happen! Yes I talk to the architect I use on projects. I tell him I have an urgent need to propose an alteration in an existing construction as the needs of the place has recently changed. I tell him that his plan will need to be one that can be easy to carry out and fast to complete. I tell him where and what I think is needed. I do not tell him to start. I only ask for the plan. Gordon! I am so sorry. This is not meant to be.

Jana, you were out there. Is there anything that cannot be undone yet?

They are just digging right now. I think it can be undone.

Zelle, I am not saying no to you but, you need to stop them for now and we need to see what you and this architect have in mind. And I also need to understand how much it will cost.

Zelle gets on her phone without comment to me and a few minutes later announces, All work is being stopped but not reversed, right now. The architect is coming right now and he will apologize to both of you. I tell him to bring what plans he has. Gordon, you say you need to know how much it will cost you. That I can tell you now. Nothing. It will cost nothing. I give my house to Jonathan and Alona. I live with you and Jana now. We need to be comfortable. You have four bedrooms in the new house plus some small apartments on the property. Maybe an apartment like that is OK for a normal maid. Is Maria a normal maid?

No.

And there are seven of us. Eve, Giselle, Joo, Jiecel and me, plus Jana and Maria. Where are you going to put everyone? Yes you and Jana have the master bedroom but, seven of us in three other bedrooms? Really? You really think you are going to tell any of us to live in those maids' apartments? Ha! And you only have three bathrooms with showers for nine people? Maybe it will work but, I do not think so. So I think we need more bedrooms and bathrooms.

Zelle, first, there are now eight, Taciana joins us tonight or tomorrow morning. Why do you think they are all staying here?

What?

Why do you think that all the girls stay here?

Because they are yours!

Yes, they are mine but we are building a very large company and they will be posted in other cities, cities where you don't even have operations yet. You have made assumptions based on how your company works now and an assumption that I want a large harem. Both assumptions are wrong.

Zelle's eyes are the ones that are wild now. Jana is smiling. Maria is smiling too. How many of us stay with you? Do I stay, Gordon?

Yes Zelle, even though I had not planned on your joining us, you stay with Jana and me. Maria stays. And Eve stays. The rest are being readied to take on assignments in other cities. It will take a few months to get them all where they need to be but, the entire reason they are with me, is so we can become a team and learn to trust each other completely. This will always be their home base but, not where they work. I will always care about, and for, them but, no, they are not going to be part of this household in the future.

So four of us stay and four go?

Yes. But Eve will also be traveling a great deal between the sites.

So you don't need to expand the house?

No, I don't, at least not by much. I can see making the apartments nicer, because Maria has a daughter and even though I deeply care for Maria and she has an important place in my heart, a nice apartment for her and her daughter will be a good thing. Do you agree, Maria?

Thank you Gordon. Yes, that will be very nice.

So Maria is in an apartment. She is not a normal maid and her apartment will reflect that status. There are four bedrooms in the house. Where's the problem?

You are right, we don't need another bedroom but, maybe we need more office space. I know you have an office for you in the house. Is it OK, if we add an office for me and one for Eve? Gordon, until the other four go, they really do need a little more room and after they go, we can turn those two rooms into offices.

I think the suggestion has merit and glance over at Jana, eyebrows up, and then to Maria, also eyebrows up.

OK, that makes sense. Let's talk about where these offices are. We could lift the roof off the house, add a third floor and add two more offices up there, plus a half bath. The rebar holding the rafters can be used to extend a few columns. We can add stairs up, off the second floor balcony, fairly easily. That preserves the footprint of the house. The original design for the house, we based ours on, had a third floor similar to that. I don't need an architect to do the drawing, just a civil engineer. Jana, you OK with that?

Yes, but, I know you. You will want the top office. You and Zelle take the ones on top and give the one on the second floor to Eve.

Maria has moved off to go back to her cooking. I am looking at Jana and Zelle. You two OK with each other?

Jana looks at Zelle and says, Yes, I'm OK. Zelle, thank you for all the workmen. We will be done very soon because of what you do. You not know what Gordon is thinking. I understand why you do what you do. But, do not do it again. Talk to us first, even before you call someone.

Yes, Ate, you are correct. Thank you. Gordon, thank you for not getting angry with me. I know they should not have been doing anything but, Ate is right. I should talk to both of you first. I did not know your plans. You told me at the beginning that I should just sit back and that you would make me a very wealthy woman. I didn't sit back and look at the mistake I make. Gordon, please explain what is going to happen to my company. Maybe I do not need to know but, I want to know what you are doing to me.

Fair enough. Tomorrow after the rest have gone, I will give you the high altitude view.

As the last of this is transpiring, our four other females saunter in, laughing, and loud. Taciana will join them soon. But straggling in behind them and hiding behind Joo is the young girl I sent away earlier today.

Joo, who is hiding behind you.

Sir, please, let me explain! Everyone is now quiet. Maria appears from the dirty kitchen and shouts, Hala!

Hala indeed! Joo! Explain to me why you have brought this child into my home when I had her sent away less than two hours ago. If I do not like your explanation you will be leaving with her.

Joo stops dead in her tracks. OK, I go, just let me get my things, Sir.

Stop! Zelle stands in front of Joo. Gordon did not tell you to leave. He told you to explain to him why you did what you did. I want to believe you have a good reason and that you will tell Gordon what that reason is. If it is a bad reason, tell it anyway. Maybe it will still be OK.

I do not have a good reason, Renelyn is my friend and I want her here. I tell her to apply. I tell her to lie on her application because she is too young. She meet me outside and tell me that she never meet Sir Gordon. That women send her away. I bring her to see Sir and to ask if she can work with us.

How old is she, Joo?

Sixteen.

Zelle asks, Really? You not mean sixteen next birthday?

Yes, that is what I mean. But, Ma'am, the work we are doing, she can do!

I am pretty unhappy with Joo right now. I really don't need this type of shit. It is Zelle who is dealing with this. I am a little too pissed off. Joo, you are being trained for something far greater, with far greater responsibility. Renelyn is not right for any of that. And, Joo, you know what happens in this house. You and I, we choose to do this with Gordon and the other girls. You think it is right for Renelyn to do these things?

Ma'am, you do not know about Renelyn's life. Her mother and father, they patay⁵. This is because of BIFF fighters who come into their village. She hide so they not kill her. She is smart and I love her. She will do anything for Sir Gordon and be happy to do it. Maybe her body is young but, her eyes and heart are not young. She needs to be in the arms of a man who will be good to her.

Maria slaps the table with a pot. Gordon, the girl stays.

I look at Jana. Her eyebrows go up.

OK, Joo, your explanation is a good one. You and Renelyn stay. Maria and Joo, since this is both of your decisions, you will accompany young Renelyn to my bedroom tonight. If it turns out that Renelyn is just a little girl, you will have to find another place for her to live. Zelle, if she stays, I need to work with you about where she can be placed in Bayan Na. I do not have a place for her on my team.

Yes, you do, Eve injects. Gordon, I will tell you later, OK?

OK.

Just as dinner is served, Taciana is here, getting introduced to all. It is a noisy group.

After dinner Eve pulls me aside. When can we begin order entry? Didn't Cynthia tell you that it is ready?

Yes, she told me. We can start now, I guess.

Eve asks, Didn't we talk about moving Zelle into that?

Yes. OK, let's get the code set up. I don't think she is going to be doing it any more. But I need to speak with her about it.

Yes, of course but, Renelyn can be your local order entry girl. She doesn't need to be in the field. Sir, are you really going to have sex with a fifteen-year-old?

I thought she was sixteen!

Sir, you not hear Zelle ask her if she didn't mean sixteen next birthday?

Yes.

Well, that's what she meant. She is fifteen now.

Then she can't stay here. She has to go.

Why?

Because there is sex in every room here. You know that. There is sex between you girls in the other room. I want that and you know that too. If she is here and is not having sex, it does not work.

Then I guess you need to take her. None of the girls here will understand if you send her away.

At that moment there is a ring of the bell. The architect is here.

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Chapter 15