Loosening Up Bk. 03 Ch. 01-04 - Growth

"Do people ever separate and then get back together?"

"Sure. I've heard of lots of remarriage stories five and even ten years after a divorce, although I don't know anybody that's been on the journey personally."

Julie said, "That's got to be emotional."

"I suppose. I do hear the term 'happily divorced' from some people, but that may be a little one sided or maybe someone was just glad to be out from under another person. I think some people separate but still get together for sex."

"Why bother to get married?" Julie posed rhetorically.

Dave replied, "These days most people don't. The number of people getting married shrinks each year, and the number of couples living together without marriage grows. The number has doubled in something like ten years. Moreover, more than forty percent of unmarried households have children. I was reading a report a few days ago, because how people live directly impacts how much electricity they use."

Julie mused, "And we go through so much trouble to find our soul mate. I got lazy. I let my sister do it for me, and then she found you." She leaned over and kissed Dave on the cheek.

Dave laughed, "You outsourced the job. The concept of a soul mate is seriously flawed. The phrase suggests that there is only one person for you in the entire universe, and I think that's incorrect. How many of the other men in our Circle could you be married to?" Dave looked to Alice and Heather as he asked, as well as Julie.

Heather said, "At this point, any of them. I love you and I know I could grow to love any of them in the same way."

Alice pointed and Heather and said, "What she said. You already know I could be content with Owen, but that's as true for the other men as for him."

Julie had listened carefully, "I guess you're right. Of the billions of people on earth, I guess there are a large number of acceptable partners. I never thought of it that way. When you're raised with the 'Exclusivity Paradigm' you are also raised with the meme that says you have to get it right the first time."

Dave shook his head. "That's kind of dumb. People change; they grow and evolve in their interests, physical abilities, and mental acuity. Moreover, we know that their values and priorities shift over time. There's a 'happily divorced' man at work. He talks about how he had the perfect ten-year marriage with his first wife. At the end of that time, they amicably split up and went in different directions. They're both remarried to people more compatible with who they became as they grew and evolved."

"Could that happen to us?" Alice asked.

Dave thought for a little and replied, "Possibly, but here we are at thirty feeling pretty compatible. Many of the years prior to this were about change and growth; not so much now. One of us could revert to our old way of thinking, but I think that's unlikely. The way we were talking isn't necessarily what the majority do; it's only a possibility."

Heather said, "I don't plan on reverting. I love this lifestyle, and so does everybody in the Circle. You've made me realize I'm married to ten men, thirteen women, and the mom to one four year old. I love it."

Dave teased, "Well, then, let's head home and have some conjugal relations with some of our spouses and partners."

"Ooooooh, I like that idea," Alice crooned.

Julie's grin confirmed that she liked that idea, as well.

* * * * *

About ten-thirty on Friday morning, John Thompson, Roy's boss came down from the executive suite, went into Roy's office and shut the door. Roy rarely shut his door, so something was afoot. Alice watched from her desk with great interest wondering what was happening. Through the narrow window beside the closed door she could see Roy sitting in a chair beside his desk as Thompson, the CFO for the company sat in the visitor's chair. He didn't look worried; in fact, he was smiling occasionally almost as though he were getting some good news.

After about forty-five minutes, Marion Walsh, the head of human resources, showed up looking a little perplexed about where to go. Alice said to her from about a dozen feet away, "Mrs. Walsh, can I help you find somebody?"

"Oh, yes. I'm confused about where Roy Goodman's office is."

"Why right over here. That door there."

Alice got thanked and then watched as the head of HR walked in and shut the door behind her. This meant that whatever was happening was a human resource issue or problem of some kind.

Ten minutes later, Dori's boss and Roy's lateral, Jerry Chapman hustled past the desks from his office and went in and joined the three others. He gave her a wave and nod as he went in. Jerry's presence likely meant that the issue, whatever it was, was not only in Roy's area of responsibility.

Alice worried for a while that somehow the interrelationship between Roy and her had been revealed, and that some kind of discipline was being meted out, but with Jerry there, she didn't think that was the case. Beside that, the two of them had never hidden the fact that they lived three houses apart in the cohousing project and saw each other frequently on a social basis because of their proximity. Of course, playing by the old rules, nothing was ever mentioned about the sex they often enjoyed together.

At noon, just as Alice was going to go the cafeteria, the door opened and Roy stuck his head out. "Alice, could you join us for a few minutes?"

The tone of Roy's voice strongly suggested that Alice respond positively to his request. She was on her feet, and at the door to his office in seconds. "What's up?"

Roy made sure she knew everybody, a sop to allow time to pass as Roy went back to his chair. Alice sat in the only vacant chair in the office; a chair not normally there. This had been a meeting planned in advanced and not on the spur of the moment.

John Thompson assumed control of the meeting. "Thank you for joining us, Alice. I have a couple of questions, but I'm pretty sure I know the answers. First, are you happy working here at Knightsbridge Manufacturing?"

Alice was taken back by the question. "My God, yes. I love it here. I've been here over seven years now, and see this as the cornerstone of my career. I've risen from junior clerk to chief analyst, and I love the work, the people, and the ambience of our work environment. Nothing I've ever heard of excites me as much as what I'm doing?"

John asked, "And Roy said that you single-handedly created those insightful marketing reports that let us cull our unprofitable customers into a niche that requires less effort to service them, hence making them highly profitable?"

"Yes. I got bothered thinking about how we were treating all of our customers more or less the same, and spending the same effort on them, whether they bought a few items from us a year or hundreds if not thousands. Mitch Rush, the head of marketing, was very pleased with what I showed him and recommended."

John waxed, "Not only did you show him, but you gave him two ways to deal with those unprofitable customers to make them profitable and not lose them. You also saved the company several hundreds of thousands on an annual basis because we didn't have to hire people to treat them the same way we were treating our A-list customers."

Alice nodded, and wondered where this discussion was going. She didn't think the meeting was about her work for Mike Rush.

"Roy also told us that you've made some real insights into how we manage both our raw stock and finished goods inventory. I believe you saved the company some money there as well?"

Alice speculated carefully, "My estimate was that we were able to reduce idle assets in the warehouse by about twenty million dollars," Alice replied. "Of course, that's a 'what if' analysis and those aren't always what they're cooked up to be. Overall, though, we have been able to reduce both inbound and outbound stock inventories by about thirty percent. There are still some savings to be made there, but I think we're waiting for their systems to absorb those changes first."

Roy spoke up, "John, barely a month goes by that Alice doesn't make some marvelous insight into the business that results in the managers making better decisions, more efficiencies, or, as in the warehouse case, some transformations of the business. They just keep rolling off her desk."

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John sized up Alice. "Alice, do you know what the Peter Principle is?"

Alice couldn't help but laugh, "Of course. Every one gets promoted to their level of incompetence."

John nodded and grinned, "Well, what's going on here is that a two of you are being promoted and we hope it's to just shy of your level of incompetence."

Alice looked perplexed.

John explained, "Alice, I am retiring as the CFO effective April 30. Roy Goodman is going to assume that role starting on May 1. Roy will phase out you'll phase in to his job over the next month. Meanwhile, Roy will be phasing into my job over the next month as I move into retirement."

Marion Walsh asked, "Alice, do you have someone in mind to replace you?"

Alice was numb. She imputed that she'd just been promoted into Roy's job. She be the head of half the financial department in the company, and still reporting to Roy who'd also move up.

Alice slowly nodded, "Meghan McRobb would be a good choice. She's been making great strides in seeing new ways to apply our financial analysis tool kit to the business. I've got her working with one of our outside consultants, and that guy's got some crazy ideas and many of them are innovative and revolutionary enough to help keep us on the edge."

"Come and talk to me early next week about how to move on from here. We can talk more about Meghan at that time. Please don't say anything to her for now. With all of us about to go to lunch together, I'm sure the rumor mill will be fired up and full of ideas in ten minutes if it's not already full of stories because of this meeting."

"I will." Alice was quaking she was so excited at her new job responsibilities.

John said, "I propose that we all take Marion's suggestion and break for lunch. All of you, please join me as my guests in the executive dining room." He chuckled, "Roy, you'd better get used to eating in this new place rather than the general cafeteria. Alice, you are free to use the place, too. A lot of business gets transacted over lunch."

Alice had never been in the room, and she knew that Roy could only count the times he'd been there on one hand and have a finger or two left over. This was a real treat.

John led the entourage of Roy, Jerry, Marion, and Alice, down the hall towards the executive wing of the administration building. As they filed out the door to Roy's office, Dori was watching the group like a hawk studies a vole before swooping. Alice waved a little finger, gave a little nervous smile, and pointed at her watch. She raised one finger, hopefully communicating that she'd be back in an hour.

Lunch was a casual affair and a bonding experience. Alice got to know John for the first time, and on the one hand felt sorry that he was leaving, but on the other was joyful that Roy was getting promoted to his most-senior financial position. Alice had known Marion from a few interactions over the years she'd been with the company and welcomed the opportunity to know her better as well.

After lunch, the group broke up and headed in different directions. Roy and John had made a time to meet to discuss the handoff and transition. She and Roy then walked back to the admin area. Jerry had already run ahead.

"When can I fell everyone?" Alice asked.

Roy shrugged. "No one said not to. I'll call the group together right after we get back and invite Jerry and his staff. We'll just congregate out in front of the reception area, and keep it informal."

As soon as they got back, Dori was sitting beside Alice's desk reading a report. "All right, what was all that about? Something important is happening, right? Everyone was smiling, so there aren't layoffs or someone getting fired, so that must mean somebody got promoted, right?"

Alice pointed at her computer screen, "Have you noticed how our financial forecasts take longer to appear after we've entered new data than they do if we're just querying them?"

Dori said, "You can't talk! You've been sworn to secrecy! SHIT! If you tell me, you'd have to kill me! I will find out somehow. I'll give you an obscene number of orgasms by licking your pussy until you scream out exactly what is going on."

Just then, Roy and Jerry started going from area to area in the financial department asking people to gather in the department's reception area, a place where some casual meetings could be held with nice furniture and chairs, and a more relaxed ambience.

Dori looked, "Roy or Jerry is going to tell us, right?"

Alice nodded and grinned. "It's good. You'll see."

When everyone had gathered around, Roy and Jerry moved to the front of the area. Roy spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen, as a complete surprise to me, about two hours ago John Thompson dropped by my office. He told me that he was retiring effective the end of April, and further that I would be replacing him as the Chief Financial Officer of the company. I'm going to need all of your help in my new job, and as we know the pace of business just keeps getting faster and more complex everyday. I don't see that changing.

"Additionally, after a brief discussion, John and I are pleased to announced the promotion of Alice Prentiss to my current position, also effective May 1 when I'll assume John's role. Some of you may know that she has a wonderful staff and is also an insightful person. She and her group have saved the company several million so far this year, and that's on a recurring basis.

"I guess that's all I have to say for now. Jerry, do you want to add anything?"

Jerry made some brief comments pledging support and enthusiasm for the promotions from within, and welcomed Alice to the ranks of senior management. The two men took questions at that point. Several were predictable, such as who would replace Alice, but they were deflected with a 'the ripples will be dealt with over the next couple of weeks' comment.

Dori came and gave Alice a huge hug and kiss. "CONGRATULATIONS. We have to celebrate! Oh, this is so great." Dori then caught Roy and also gave him a big hug and a very loud kiss, much to everyone's amusement. Alice figured that just about everybody in the department knew that Dori had some kind of 'special' relationship with Roy and her. She also figured that a good percentage of those presumed that 'special' implied something sexual.

Dori and Meghan disappeared a little later, and they returned about four o'clock. Immediately, the word went out that there was a celebration of the promotions in the reception area again.

Roy and Alice had been talking, and they strolled to the area. John had come down from the executive suite and joined the group as well. Dori and Meghan had somehow bought several bottles of champagne, plastic flutes, and a huge sheet cake that said, 'Congratulations John, Roy, and Alice on your promotions.' The white icing was wonderful atop the vanilla cake. Everyone had a piece and there was a lot of laughter in the group. Afterwards, most people headed home early.

Dori folded up what was left of the cake, which was a fair amount, and brought it home. It'd be gone by the end of dinner in the Circle. She, Roy, and Alice had carpooled. The promotion received a huge outpouring of love and congratulations for both Roy and Alice. The leftover cake was devoured and gone even before dinner was served. Alice commented that this group had no willpower.

As several of them continued to sit at the dinner table, among them were Holly and Dave. Holly teased Alice, "Maybe you'll have to go to some Leadership Program just the way Dave did, only you'll end up fucking all the male members of the class, the way he did all the female members."

Alice laughed, "Remember, I go both ways."

Holly teased with laughter, "Oooooh, you'll do the whole class and all the instructors. Wow! You're a real slut."

"Takes one to know one," Alice plied back. "Hey, who fucked my husband about an hour after meeting him out near the Grand Canyon?"

Holly jumped around and raised her hand as though she wanted to get called on in some elementary school class. "I know! I know! The answer is ME! ME! ME!" Everyone got a good laugh of the exchange.

Dave asked, "So, what kind of raise are you getting?"

Alice looked at him dumbfounded. "Errr, I was so shocked to be getting a promotion, I never thought to ask. Besides, I'm a woman so they won't pay me anywhere near what Roy was getting. Let me find out what he was getting."

Alice strolled across the patio pondering how to ask the delicate question. Roy had been talking to Jack and Grace, mostly speculating about the new townhouses. He looked up as Alice arrived.

"I need to ask you a delicate question about your compensation."

Roy laughed, "I wondered when it would dawn on you that a pay raise was likely to go with the promotion. You will be getting a hefty increase, but I don't know exactly.

"I must have taken a stupid pill this morning. I was so flummoxed by the promotion I didn't think of anything else about it."

Roy winked at Jack and continued, "You're making $76,000 now with no bonus or perquisites, other than those that all employees get. I've been in my job for ten years, and I was making $150,000 plus I got a further bonus of up to twenty percent if the company made its numbers, which it has for the past five years; so last year I got a bonus payout in two semi-annual installments of $15,000 each. There's also a personal bonus the company is starting based on making specific financial contributions to the company's performance. That'll be new for both of us. Further, you get a company car or in lieu of that some kind of add-on to your salary. You also go on the executive health plan, the executive pension plan, and a few other things."

By the time he stopped talking Alice's mouth had flopped open. "Holy shit. What do you suppose they'll start me at if you had that after ten years?"

"I'd guess they'll start you at something like $130,000."

"What does the CFO make, or is that top secret?"

"Oh, no. It's published in our 10Q filing with the SEC. I'll be getting a base of $250,000, plus all sorts of goodies. Total will be about $300K."

"Geeze. I just started playing with the big boys."

"Oh, the guys in marketing are pulling down seven figures, even down to your old level. They earn every penny of it in my book. This is rarefied air. Welcome to the club."

Grace had been listening, "Honey, thank your stars you didn't go into nursing. I'm making $70,000 with no place to go. At least you can go bang on the glass ceiling where you work. Without going to med school, I have no career track beyond where I am."

"Thank you." Alice really was numb.

Alice went back and shared what she learned with Dave and Heather. Heather commented, "When I graduate with my computer science degree I'll start at around $63,000, and expect some rapid increases from there for my first decade of work, unless I'm a real slug."

Alice teased, "Better than the Club Ecstasy?"

Heather shook her head, "I was making $30,000 at the club, when I worked six nights a week and sometimes seven. That schedule will kill you faster than heroin. I also had to do a lot of less than savory things, as you know. They tell you that you could make $60,000 but I'd sure like to know where -- Las Vegas maybe.

"What the education guarantees is that I'll have a sustainable salary even when I get older and start putting on weight and taking my ugly pills. Those earnings at the club are about as good as you can get around here, but you can only do that for about five to seven years at best. The patrons want their girls right around age twenty. Being a hostess, the fallback job, only pays about $18K a year. When I got too pregnant I had to take a huge pay cut. If I'd been an engineer, I would have kept right on earning my full pay."