Sam and Janice Fly to Heaven

Author's Foreword: Skimmers and/or those looking for hot sex scenes will not like this story. Thanks for the excellent feedback, and I appreciate all those who make it a point to read my submissions.

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Sam Lake sat at his desk awaiting a fourth appointee who had expressed an interest in buying his business. He chuckled as he re-read a month old article about himself and his small company in 'Digital Breakthroughs' on line magazine. The article in part read,

"...Mr. Lake's small company manufactures solar panels in mostly cloudy Eastern Mass that routinely test out at 30 percent efficiency converting radiation to electrical energy. This has been independently verified by two laboratories. Mr. Lake told us, 'Nominally, the efficiency rate of residential panels is in the 12 to 15 percent range. That means before now panels only make sense for a home owner in those locales where the tax payers foot nearly the total bill for him or her.' Moreover, according to Lake, 'We use Commercial Off the Shelf parts, rather than exotic special made ones used by, for example, NASA in space. They only get an extra 10 percent improvement over ours at a staggering cost - visualize the $500 toilet seat that was recently in the news...'"

Sam Lake was a tall and gaunt mid-thirties, plain looking man. In his teens he startled classmates by shooting 25 straight free-throw basketballs in the high school gym - swishing most of them. The coach pleaded with him to join the his school's TIGERS, but Sam had no interest in team sports - However, at the country club he routinely walked 18 holes and was a scratch golfer. Girls and women flocked to him because his body suggested so much fun and excitement, but his only response was to be polite and nice, and stay distant. When Sam's hormone flow did overpower him, his response was to masturbate thinking about an oil painting of a naked lady he had seen just once in a museum.

Sam entered nearby Boston University and chose an engineering degree plan. He lost his virginity with a lab partner, but was unable to get more than half of his member into her as her pain was too intense because of his size. There were others in time, but his satisfaction was nil while his partners spread the word about how 'hot' he was. In time he was in graduate school and later taking post-doc courses while working in the family business. Once there he met his wife of 12 years now. He was really stuck on her at the time because he was sexually satisfied and she expressed no pain, although he knew she was a scatter-brain and certainly not his type of woman. His erroneous assumption was that they would learn to love each other.

His secretary squawked, "A Ms. Janice Chang is here to see you, Mr. Lake."

He blanked his screen and said, "Show her in, please."

Right after the global magazine article appeared, the new orders started to pour in, increasing each week. The caller, Janice Chang, was just the fourth such person wanting to buy his company and patents. The 90 employees worked two shifts daily and still could not keep up with new orders. Sam stood frozen and shocked at seeing the most beautiful woman on Earth enter his office. He regretfully recalled that he hadn't even bothered to shave or put on a freshly laundered shirt that morning. She, too, was frozen in position as they both just stared at each other. He finally managed to slowly regain his awareness. He smiled broadly, and shook her hand. They both were instantly relaxed with each other as if her being in his office was a routine event.

He then sat down to hide his instant erection. She sat down also and said in proper British English, "Mister Lake, I would like to make a cash offer for your company. To arrive at an offer price, I would like to hire an accounting firm to perform due-diligence and an engineering firm to verify they can reproduce the efficiency results published by 'Digital Breakthroughs.' May I invite these two teams over in two days with the thought of buying your company and its assets?"

Pleasantly surprised that this woman came directly to the point, Sam smiled warmly. One of the rejections was because a stock swap was offered and the other offer was contingent on a government loan. So he agreed because she talked cash and he said, "A half-day for due-diligence and performance tests in two days would work for us." Sam rationalized that he wanted to see what his company was worth anyway, although down deep he wanted to spend time with this Angelic woman. She discussed the details of how outsiders from two Boston firms would come into the office and onto the shop floor for a half day to do their work. Sam said, "I will have the chief engineer and the head of accounting available to your teams."

She asked, "O.K. So it's Wednesday, in two days, and I will hire and brief the teams tomorrow?"

Sam said, "O.K." He relaxed and felt excitement."

She said, "Mr. Lake, may I call you Sam - please call me Janice?"

Sam smiled broadly and said, "By all means, do! I love the way you say 'Saam' with two syllables."

She shyly smiled and then talked about her Taiwan company's set up and management and and gave him an English version of documents that included her income statement and balance sheet. She concluded with, "This is the first time I have traveled to the Eastern United States, we have five different companies in Western Canada and the U.S. as you will notice in the documents."

Wanting desperately for her visit to not end, Sam said, "Boston is the most historical city in the North East because the 1776 American Revolution started here."

She said, " Oh yes. I remember hearing something about that in class. But really, tell me more as my knowledge of U.S. history is nil."

So, Sam launched into an explanation of some Boston highlights. The founding fathers' names obviously meant nothing to this foreigner but she appeared to soak up what Sam was saying, like a sponge, maintaining eye contact.

She thought, while he talked, "Wow! A Caucasian I wish I could hold in my arms. He must be struck by me because he can barely tear his eyes away from my face and body. I am quite sure he restrains himself from reaching out to hold me. But we dare not because of the price negotiations to come. And I do have, in a legal sense of the word, a husband and Sam apparently has a wife or some woman whose picture is on his desk." She had sighed audibly and then had broken into his explanation of the Freedom Trail by saying, "Sam, I know it's early but I am afraid I could not eat the hotel's breakfast at all. So, being terribly hungry, your secretary recommended a Taiwanese restaurant in Chinatown that she frequents. May I treat you to lunch there?"

Sam was flooded with happiness, as if he were an adolescent again.

"Thanks, Janice. I was going to offer to buy your dinner this evening and show you some Boston sights. But I accept your offer and we can leave at your convenience. After lunch I will have my driver deposit you and me at your hotel - the Hyatt on Atlantic in the financial district, you said, right?"

"Yes."

After leaving Chinatown Sam had a big grin on his face when he remembered that the restaurant had 'Carded' Janice for wine purchase afterwards, but did not do so for Sam - he had to be younger or the same age as her. Sam's driver had stopped the car at a red light beside the Boston Garden park. Out her window was a beautiful pond, with public swan boats that carried passengers around the pond. The entire park was shrouded in spring flowers. She said, "I would love to walk through that garden and ride one of those boats. Have you ever done that?"

Looking at the boats, he said, "Sorry to say, never. But I have always wanted to. Let's do it now?"

"O.K."

He told his driver to pick him up at the Hyatt Atlantic Avenue when he texted. Turning to his 'date,' he smiled broadly and asked, "Ready?"

She replied, "Oh yes!"

They had exited his car from the center lane and made their way safely to the sidewalk, and then into the park. Sam continued to hold her hand after stepping up to the sidewalk. He turned it loose when they were in line to buy boat tickets. Once seated she reached for his hand this time and held it securely for the duration of the ride. Neither had been able to say a word and both simply enjoyed the the profusion of colors and happy tourists enjoying their moments. Sam had a big lump in his throat while Janice, felt wave after wave of adrenalin because of her excitement, just looking at Sam.

They explored the Boston Garden and the adjacent Commons while they got to know each other.

She stopped and looked at him solemnly and said, as they sat on a park bench, "Sam, when I was 13 years old a 65-year old man purchased my hand in marriage from my poverty stricken parents. That was 21 years ago and now he is in hospice with dementia. He and four brothers own the global holding company, and I have power of attorney to manage his assets - each brother owns his own assets and the one company is an umbrella 5 separate companies. I will inherit my husband's estate up on his death."

Sam asked, "Is that unusual in your society?"

"Yes. But, I was a multi-lingual precocious child and my husband gave me a world class business education. The brother's wanted me to run his portion of the businesses in North America when his faculties declined, and I agreed only if I inherited all his shares since I was his legal wife. I have had his power-of-attorney for 5 years. One other thing is that I am a dual citizen of Taiwan and Singapore - thanks to my husband. That is where I will retire."

Sam said, "Thank you for sharing that with me. I, too, have a wife who, according to previously hired detectives, sleeps and has sexual relations with at least two men beside me. The only reason I have not divorced her is that I refuse to make attorneys rich in a high profile public divorce, and will lose the thousands of 18 hour days I spent alone developing and then bringing my solar panel to market successfully."

After more than an hour of chatting about themselves, their taxi pulled up in front of the Hyatt. Sam paid the fare and walked to her side to meet her. She had said, "My oh my, Sam! What a wonderful experience. I am going straight to my room and recuperate from the day. I will see you at 10:00 Wednesday and give the team leaders their instructions. And then, let's agree to talk price after their work is over, O.K.?"

Sam was in a school boy daze, but managed to say, "Agreed. See you Wednesday."

Saying goodbye at the elevator bank took iron will by both that neither knew was possible. The two surprised themselves with the control they exercised to not embrace and kiss passionately - and did so only politely.

After she disappeared in an elevator Sam visited the hotel's toilet and then to the off-lobby bar to have one high ball to celebrate being in love and effectively having sold his business before he texted his driver to fetch him at the Atlantic.

Sam stood at the crowded bar enjoying two-for-one and people-watched in the mirror behind the liquor rack. He suddenly had been super surprised at seeing his wife, Susan here.

The renown beauty and former cosmetics model and then star salesperson, Susan Lake, had been his 'trophy' wife of 12 years. They had met while he was a post-doc fellow and she an undergraduate marketing major at Boston University. The dollar signs she saw in Sam's eyes after she understood his career dreams and ability, prompted her to seduce this probable almost-virgin and naive scientist. They were married in her senior year and she took a job with a manufacturer's Rep to model/market an extensive line of cosmetics. She initially would be in training in Hartford and then transfer to the Boston office - where Sam worked in his father's 12-man electronics fabrication shop. One of them would make the 60-mile drive to see the other on weekends.

One and a half year into this marital arrangement, Susan was still in Hartford, though the company had promised to move her after a year. Then Sam got an unsolicited email on Thursday from someone in the Hartford office saying, "...Susan and our security guru, Jerry Jones, have now taken up with each other. The hang at the 'Angry Goose' on Fridays. It's not my business but I thought you might want to know. Jerry's ex." He was very upset and brooded for a while about what to do. Then Friday morning he got a Text from Susan that had said in part, "...Working late tonight and tomorrow, lets not get together this weekend, O.K. with you? Love S."

After replying' O.K.,' his anger boiled over and he had driven to Hartford where he found a group of ABX employees enjoying happy-hour. Susan sat on the lap of someone who must have been the man identified to him as Jerry Jones in the ex-jealous lover's email.


Sam was furious but controlled his temper and stood at the bar drinking a beer. Finally, the group broke up. He followed Jones and Susan toward the front door close behind when he heard Jones say, "I have got to piss - too much beer for the long drive to Vermont. Wait."

Susan sat down to wait and Sam sat beside her. He said, "Susan, don't bother to come home after your fun weekend with your security guru. The word is out that you were fucking around, but I had to come over to see for myself. Good night." He promptly got up and left. Panicky, Susan's face had turned white, but her open mouth was unable to make a sound.

Sam had driven back to Boston and had a drink, and then turned on the TV trying to grapple with the pain of his male ego collapse. Today at the Hyatt bar 10 years later, he remembered that night vividly even after all the time. Back then, 20 minutes after he arrived at their Boston apartment, Susan was pounding on their apartment door. Sam went to the door and said, "Go away, Susan, you are not welcome here."

She had said, "Sam please, what you saw meant nothing. You are all that is important to me..." and on and on. To make a long story short, Sam forgave her after her tearful counseling and both got back to work and forgot her perfidy as she was immediately transferred to the Boston Branch and became close. She shortly became branch manager.

Tonight, at the Hyatt bar, Sam smiled as he had forgotten what it was like to feel no pain when a woman one cares nothing for chooses to fuck around. His rationale was that, 'there is a thin line between doing it and wanting to do it.' He still recognized Jerry Jones plus the other man, Susan's Regional Manager, Ben Kessler, and the other woman as one of Susan's Line Managers, Misty 'somebody,' as the three of whom had been a guest at Sam and Susan's showplace home.

Standing at the bar, Sam rationalized, "Maybe they are just enjoying happy-hour," and he decided not to get involved yet. He certainly could not talk about his day as no one at that table could even grasp the kind of magic day that Sam had. So he kept glancing their way via the bar mirror while they continued to eat the bar food and drink and laugh heartily.

Then abruptly all 4 got up and headed to the lobby. Sam had had enough drinks anyway and followed the quartet intending to intercept Susan so he could get a ride home, if she were going home, with her and save his driver a trip to Boston. But, they went straight to the room elevator banks rather than either the parking elevators or the front door for a taxi. At that point, Sam breathed, "What the hell? This shit has got to stop, no matter the cost!"

While the quartet waited for an elevator Jerry Jones and his wife kissed each other with passion. At one point Misty tapped them on the shoulder to, 'break it up,' and they filed into the elevator. Sam concluded, "So, it was never over - even after all the counseling, tears and promises - and he enjoys her body every time he comes to Boston. Hah! How convenient and how naive and revolting to watch, eh Sam? Well, it's no big thing and now that I have met Janice Chang, my marriage and this whole incident is trivial. "

Later, in his car going home, a plan came into Sam's mind."

Three hours later Susan arrived at their spacious home. Sam had been in his office moving money around and off shore. Sam moved a large chunk of cash into the small parts vendor that he had bought in Singapore years ago from the proceeds of his father's estate. That completed, he watched as she walked into his office and said, "I am sorry I am late, Darling, but Hartford people were in town and I was entertaining them."

Sam said nothing and after glancing at her returned his attention to his screen.

She said, "I am tired and will take a shower and go to bed. Let's talk in the morning, O.K.?"

Sam continued working on the computer, ignoring her. She stood there smirking secure in her secure knowledge that her husband was chained to his marriage. She trudged to her bedroom and didn't even expect him to speak to her.

The next morning Sam went to his attorney's office in the Boston Financial district. He gave Janice Chang's company's paraphernalia that included an inch of documents she had used to qualify her company as a contender. After the two friends greeted Mike sat down and pursued the documents. He was a capable corporate lawyer and golf partner and the two had become good friends over the years.

After he had made his way through the stack and looked up, Sam said, "I am looking to sell them my solar panel company and beef up the small international parts broker I bought in Singapore. I will then become a major supplier to that and other companies. I want you to verify a couple of the North American companies they own and make sure their marbles are big enough to play in this game. Fill out the paperwork for me to sell all my shares to them at a price to be determined later."

After about 15 minutes of discussion of the details, Sam stood up and asked, "Who is the best divorce attorney you have in this firm?"

His friend said, "Not again," unable to believe what he had heard!

"You heard me right, Mike. Remember ten years ago when I was contemplating divorce? Nothing has changed. Even the goddamn players are the same."

Mike said, "The whole damn world is unfair! While you were racking your brain around the clock to be successful, Susan was playing? Right?"

Sam said, "Yep! A hired detective gave me pics and a video, in color. But I actually witnessed their passion last night."

Sam's attorney said, "Oh well. Turn right in the hall, Patty can be found through the second door and I will announce you."

Patty Epstein was still fat and ugly except now just aged ten years. She also was even more a terror in the Family Law Courts of Suffolk County, rumor had it. She had met him at the door and pumped his hand like a long lost friend.

Sam said, "I want a divorce and in the process please make sure neither Susan nor you get rich."

She said, "You sound like you mean business this time, no backing out or counseling and no make up sex etcetera, etcetera."

Sam said, "Yes, I mean business. I already have the video proof and use this detective agency for any further work needed because they already know all the players," handing her a large business envelope. He continued, "And plant the gossip and innuendo in the high dollar society rags as required. Patty, save my ass!"

The attorney smiled the way a Lion might smile when a slain Wildebeest soon to be the predator's dinner is lying smothered to death in front of the lion. Rubbing her fingers together indicating 'costly,' she said, "It'll cost you a nickel but will be a lot cheaper than losing most everything?"

"Understood. Here are some party invitations and her company's announcements and some photos and other bio information along with some videos that the detective procured a couple of months ago. Pay careful attention to a warning letter from the company owner that her Branch continues to lose market share. Call me on my cell if you or the investigator have any questions."