The Delaney Girl

"Ted worked in fast food stores every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights for most of the time we were at college and went home during breaks and worked for even better money to finance himself through college. That kid appeared next to dumb but in terms of understanding and working with computers he was a class leader. I got him into sport and fitness and today that weed is only just short of my physique. His worried parents thought he was on body enhancement drugs. Needless to say we became great buddies and just when I began to get job offers Ted brought up our road trip and said it ought to take a year or the best part of it. So that was the end of me considering job offers and possibly the snuffing of my business career."

"You shouldn't have done it," Delaney said, chest heaving indignantly. "It was so unfair on you."

"Delaney, please understand. I'd made the offer; Ted demanded nothing. So after graduation we headed into Texas and I'll never forget the look on his face when the driver of the road freighter we'd hitched with said, "Thar she is kids. The little 'ole Dallas skyline."

"Ted looked like a kid sighting a big jar of colorful cookies. It did my heart real good. And that kind of experience happened all through our tour."

"Oh god darling, you wonderful, wonderful man," Delaney dry-sobbed.

The endearment appeared to pass unnoticed.

"When we went through Iowa we stayed with his parents for two weeks. They scratched out a living on a dirt farm and we worked our butts off repairing the roofs of the house and two barns, cleaned drains and with me being mechanical got some overdue maintenance done on their machinery. Those folk wondered what had hit them. Local girls and guys who heard Ted was home came around and there was music, and singing and dancing and drinking cheap liquor. Ted and I had to rest up a couple of days after we left his parents. They both ended up calling me son, that's with a capital 'S' and even his two younger sisters were crying when we left and his older brother who worked off the farm and came to farewell us was studying his boots. It was ever so emotional. Ted didn't say much for the next few hours."

"Just tell your dad I rather rashly made a promise to do something for that first year after college, a promise I just had to keep."

* * *

Delaney went home for dinner that evening and during drinks told her parents Rolf and Charlotte about Tanner and then said, "Daddy, you asked why Tanner didn't take up those job offers to start work straight out of college. I asked him and here's what he told me, so sit back and listen."

When she finished Rolf said, "I'd have to say that was stupid but impressive of Tanner."

"My feeling is you'll really like him daddy."

Charlotte said severely, "I don't want you aligning with any other man darling. I ask that you make up with Sebastian Roche and marry him, a man of your class."

"I'm a classless person mother and must I keep reminding you of that."

"Well this Tanner is not welcome here."

Delaney's response to that was, "Daddy?"

"Yes darling. Bring him for lunch Sunday. I'll invite the Lees because Charles might have an interest in this young man or know someone who does. Charlotte you may wish to lunch with your parents?"

"No I'll arrange lunch for us all and the Lees. But that doesn't mean to say I'll like that guy coming into my home."

"Mother, you don't give your daughter due credit. My thinking is this man will charm the pants off you."

"I did not hear that Catherine Mohler."

"Whoops. Sorry mother."

* * *

Delaney had been speeding in her small town car through the countryside, thirteen miles beyond the city limits when she slowed and turned into an impressive-looking property with beautiful looking horses lifting their heads to eye the new arrivals.

"Daddy breeds horses."

"An expensive hobby."

"Perhaps so but he makes good money from their sales, even in these difficult financial times."

The climb was gentle to the brow where Delaney stopped the car and they looked down to the huge stone and wood beam homestead.

Tanner's jaw dropped.

"I guess that's similar to the look on Ted's face when he first saw the Dallas skyline?"

He grinned and then looked at her closely. "Oh yes, that reminds me. When I was relating that story you called me darling."

"Oh did I? I see father's other guests have arrived. He's a businessman who could be interested in hiring you or if not he may know someone who could be."

"Thanks for the warning."

"Oh another warning. Mother resents you coming because she and a friend had conspired to have that women's son and me marry but he turned out to be an asshole. I learned he'd had sex with two of my friends at the same time and after he began going out with me."

"He's scum."

"My thoughts exactly."

"So gently, gently with your mother trying to impress but not being obvious?"

"Yes but she knows me and will expect you will have been warned to make a pitch. You're on your own buddy. Please don't become upset if you see she appears to dislike you."

They continued on down.

Tanner said, "Last night I dreamed something pretty erotic involving you."

"You can tell me."

"I was standing over your bare body and I was also nude. Cum was dripping off my dick down between your open legs."

The car served.

Tanner reacted in a blur, turning the wheel to avoid them going into a shallow ditch.

"Oh god. Thanks."

"Best I keep my mouth shut."

She giggled, "Good idea. Christ I hope no one in the house was watching."

A tall lean man with graying hair came out to greet them as Delaney stopped under the entrance canopy.

"Hi daddy darling," Delaney said as they kissed.

"Hi pet. So this is the guy you view as a rising star. Welcome to West of Eden Tanner. Call me Rolf but I suggest you address the other three formerly unless invited to do otherwise."

"Thank you Rolf. You have a nice line of horsies."

"Um Tanner..."

"Sorry, I meant to say horses likely to be registered. I recognized thoroughbreds, Hanoverians and four Friesians."

Rolf glanced at his daughter who shook her head. "We didn't discuss breeds. I just said your hobby was breeding horses."

"Excellent observations Tanner. I'm surprised you recognized a Friesian."

"Well they are very distinctive with long manes and tails. I have a sister five years older than me. She was horse mad as a teenage, owning a horse and having pictures of top show jumping, eventing and dressage breeds festooned on her bedroom walls."

"You have a good memory. Come in and meet Delaney's mom and our guests the Lees."

The introductions were formal until Mr Lee, last to be introduced, invited Tanner to call him Charles.

"Welcome to our home Mr Carlton," said Charlotte Mohler, appearing to exhibit no malice. "And what is your occupation?"

"I'm jobless Mrs Mohler."

"Oh?"

It was the invitation to bleat about the tightness of the job market.

"Actually I've never had a permanent job."

Alison Lee said, "Oh really, rich parents?"

"I wish Mrs Lee. No I've been a college student for four years and then at university for two years and this past year I spent roaming around the country with my best buddy who went all through college and university with me."

"Oh how wasteful to spend all that time roaming the country."

"Perhaps Mrs Mohler, perhaps not. What I had after those study years was grand adventure that has taught me a lot about people and my country. I guess I have seen things you haven't seen."

"Try me," she said stiffly.

"Well a big shock for me was watching my tough-ass buddy help a woman deliver her baby in New Mexico miles from anywhere. Her husband sat petrified and I was only marginally better but I did run for warm water and towels and then sterilized a pair of scissors and find some cotton. And then I felt immensely proud at the look on my buddy's perspiring face as he held up the wee girl and the hugely perspiring mother reach out for it wearing the biggest smile of love I've ever seen in my life. That was success for Ted but he watched when I swam into a flooded backcountry river in Missouri to try to rescue an elderly woman being washed and rolled over. I'd almost reached her when she went under again but this time didn't reappeared. I went downstream for almost a mile before giving up, not sighting her again. For the first time ever I experienced abject failure. Ted eventually came across me on the bank sad and shaking. He then gave me the pep talk I so desperately was in need of. But hey two weeks later we were at a community festival at 4:00 in the morning still whooping it up. Have you had that experience Mrs Mohler?"

The room was silence and finally she whispered "No."

"Some really nice things must have happened to you in the course of a year."

"It was ten months Mrs Lee."

"Please call me Alison."

"Why yes Alison. We were invited to spend Christmas Day dinner at and Old Folk's home in Michigan. We'd come across two women who lived there resting up in walking the half-mile back home from church in snow. They were frail so we offered to carry them in our arms. At first they were apprehensive and then Ted said we had moms and grandmas and we talked about them. Before long the oldies were ready to be lifted up and carried. A week later while still in Michigan we received a ride by a woman and she was most concerned we should be wandering around so far from home on New Year's Eve. She insisted we come home and share a meal with her family. Well she lived on a farm and her 'family' included her extended family and several of her neighbors and their extended families. Seventy-two of us packed into the big old farmhouse. We had a huge night and everyone was so kind to us."

"Mrs Mohler a relationship is developing between Delaney and me. I have transcribed all of my diaries into book form in MS Word. It's pretty rough but I can email it to you if you'd like. It gets pretty tedious and I doubt if I ever will get round to editing it thoroughly."

Alison said, "Would you like me to do that for you Tanner? I studied writing and then went on to become a librarian before my marriage."

"But I have no money. I..."

"It will allow me to share in your big adventure and to learn about you if you recorded thoughts and perhaps to learn more about what bonded you and your friend Ted so strongly. I'm also Delaney's godmother so she would love me to do that for you. I only work two days a week so have time to spare."

Delaney urged Tanner to accept.

"Thank you, I accept Alison. You ladies will see I explain my founding friendship with Ted in the first diary. You learn he arrived at college with nothing and made me appear to possess everything. I just couldn't allow that to go unaddressed."

"I can understand that," Charlotte said. "Rolf come with Alison, Delaney and me to set up dinner in the dinning room."

That left the other two men alone.

"Well that was subtle," Charles laughed.

Smiling, Tanner said, "I would appreciate you assessing my position without feeling an obligation to place me into a position or to recommend me to anyone. One of my assistant professors once said, "The more you talk to people the more likely something will happen."

"Salespeople know that off by heart," Charles said. "Rolf gave me a printout of our academic and you outreach work records while at college and university. So you have a Master's in Business Administration and a Master's in Computer Science. I read you were interested in internal auditing as first priority or as assistant manager of a department with thirty or more people. Can you explain those preferences?"

Fifteen minutes later they were called to dinner.

During a pause after soup with their host pouring wine Charles announced, "I'll be talking to my CEO tomorrow about Tanner and his desire to launch his career on an internal auditing team. We are a bit thin over the ground with auditing so Kevin may find a place where we could offer Tanner a proposal. I must say Tanner has the qualifications to go all the way. Now he requires in-depth experience but as he's not yet quite twenty-six so has youth on his side."

The women congratulated Tanner. He wasn't sure what for. Where they just being polite? No way could he describe Charlotte as being supportive. Unmasked hostility might be the tag for her.

* * *

Delaney asked Tanner to drive, saying she didn't hold her drink very well. Her smiling parents waved them off.

"Well Charles offers you hope?"

"Perhaps."

Delaney asked him thoughtfully, "Why that negative comment?"

"Just a feeling."

"Well he's principal stockholder in a group of companies and will be your best bet of job placement that I know of. What about Alison's offer?"

"I instinctively trust her and like her. Her offer really pleases me. In fact I'm ecstatic. I'll never be a good writer and I had thought if my notes were written into a lively text and reinforced by some research it might become a paper-back aimed at people below say forty who'd always wished they'd taken off that year after completing college/university."

"The Year After."

"What about it?"

Delaney smirked, "That's the title of the book written in conjunction with my godmother."

"In your dreams."

Delaney said he shouldn't be so hasty. "I'll wait till Charles is away and have her round for dinner and we can talk to her about that concept. Did you take photos?"

"Yeah, hundreds of them and we emailed them back to our home computers."

Delaney said, "Getting back to where we were in this conversation, why did you say you instinctively trust and like Alison? Do you think the opposite about Charles?"

"I was speaking about handing over my illiterate work as distinct to literary work to Alison who had expressed an editing role interest."

"Is that all?"

There was no reply. Delaney requested a response.

"You mightn't like the answer. In fact I know you won't. You'll accuse me of making up things."

"Tell me Tanner," Delaney said, slamming a hand on to his chest. "Refuse and I'll twist a nipple off."

He didn't grin but instead said soberly, "No I don't trust Charles Lee. My initial impression is I don't particularly like him. Further, your mom doesn't like me and several times I noticed 'the look' pass between those two."

"Ohmigod, then it's true."

"What's true?"

"There have been whispers for years those two were having an affair. I looked for evidence and found nothing. You walk straight in and detect it."

"Delaney, that's absurd."

"It isn't. Can't you see? I was too close, too familiar with the people and our environment to see it. As a stranger you walk into that new environment with new people and because you were under pressure to perform well to both my mother and Charles you were looking for anything to assist you and lo, this is something unexpected that you detected."

"Great theory, gossamer-light on fact. Actually where are the facts?"

Delaney snorted, "The rumors."

"Where are the sources of those rumors?"

"How should I know?"

"How many rumors have you heard and how often?"

"Christ Tanner back off. I admitted being vague."

"Sorry."

They went a couple of miles in silence before Delaney said, "I'm sorry. I was being the hothead and you were remaining pragmatic. I was in the panic to know the truth and ought to have sufficient intelligence to know you'd gone as far as you could considering all you were doing was basing your initial judgment on instinct and a few glances."

"Thanks for the apology. I understanding women prefer never to apologize outright. I can understand your concern."

"I am concerned but perhaps not in the way you think. I happen to like my father heaps better than my mother and always have."

"Ah I see. You don't want your father hurt. Well if am illicit liaison exists those two at least it has continued over the years without apparent discovery. Would you think your father knows?"

"I wouldn't think so. He and Charles are best friends."

"Now don't hit me darling but I'm just using male logic. Couldn't both Charles and your father knowingly be seducing your mother and remain best friends even if the act was never performed as a threesome?"

"Oh I suppose so. Ohmigod, you just called me darling."

"Did I?" Tanner said. That was followed by Delaney's exasperated snort.

A few more miles went by in thoughtful silence.

Outside the Baylis home Tanner and Delaney locked in a clinch. Tanner massaged one of her breasts for the first time and as Delaney heated up he carefully placed a hand on her thigh. Slowly her thighs opened.

He grinned.

Finally he pulled his resting hand away and said Aunt Carole would be waiting evening meal.

Delaney was softly panting. "You can't leave me now."

"Just you watch you sweet darling. Bye and thanks for a most interesting day."

"Fuck men," Delaney stormed and then wailed, "Oh god, did I just say that?"

"You have become emotional," Tanner said helpfully. "It will pass."

He went to the passenger side and opened the door to allow Delaney to change sides.

They stood and kissed deeply and eventually she reached down and gently cupped his cock and balls.

Tanner knew what that was about. She was signaling she was ready for sex. Well not tonight.

Carole who had been watching them from the lounge window said to Tanner after he kissed her, "That was Marlene's friend the Delaney girl wasn't it?"

"Yeah, nothing wrong with your eyesight."

"Well fancy you picking on one of the most unobtainable young women in the city of noteworthiness. You are wasting your time my boy. Get what you want and then return and make a real effort to win Marlene."

"No Delaney has it all whereas Marlene is only two-dimensional which is Marlene likes Marlene and Marlene likes sex."

"God since when have young men become discriminating?"

"Good one Carole," Tanner said, slapping her butt.

"Ouch. So it's Carole now?"

"Yeah with you poking your nose into my sex life I thought it was time to be a little more intimate, but only a little. You are not stuffy enough to be called aunty."

"God The Delaney Girl (pronounced as if in capitals) has no chance if you decide your want her, has she?"

"Charm and wit is how a guy catches women like Marlene. To appeal to a woman like Delaney a guy must have style, intellectual substance and... oh yes, know how to use his dick."

"God you are disgusting... and knowledgeable. I now give you a 50-50 chance with The Delaney Girl once you land a job and a car."

CHAPTER 2

Charles Lee's PA called Tanner with an appointment time. He now had his cell phone switched on permanently. Arthur was bringing home some analytical accounting work for Tanner to do and was paying him top rates.

Tanner entered the head office of the company downtown and Charles kept him waiting for more than an hour. Charles came into the small waiting room with his PA and said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting for a little while. We are busy round here. Um I've had a talk with my CEO and I'm afraid we have nothing to offer you. Maxine I'd like a private word with Mr Charlton."

The guys watched her leave smoothing her dress down over one hip.

"Listen Charlton I'm warning you. Stay away from my goddaughter. Charlotte wants Delaney to marry one of my nephews and I feel obligated to make this happen."

Tanner smiled and said, "Get fucked Lee. I hope you have more bad days," and brushed past the astounded businessman.

Walking away from the building Tanner took a call. It was Charles.

"Tanner it's Charles. Look I got myself fired up over the warning because Mrs Mohler urged me to warn you off. I behaved poorly. I apologize and invite you back to talk because we will be able to place you somewhere."