Transcontinental Swap Ch. 06

Russ sighed and rolled his eyes, "Honey, we're trying to put a business deal together that involves all of us. Give us about an hour, and I think we'll have something to tell you that you might like. We've been working on this all day -- actually for weeks, and we're almost there. In the meantime, maybe you could order up some Chinese take out for all of us. Hank, Bert, I assume you'll stay for an informal dinner."

The two men nodded, and smiled at me. It was the first sign of graciousness I'd had from the men since the front door opened when I let them inside.

I looked most suspicious at all of them, and said, "OK, but come seven o'clock I want some answers as to what the growing mystery around here is all about, and I meanall about." I turned and left, allowing my backside to show my irritation at not getting immediate answers.

I ordered dinner, met the deliveryman at my front door a half hour later to pay, and then set up a self-service buffet around the dining room table. I figured everyone could circle the table, take a little of whatever looked interesting, and then either go back outside to our picnic table or sit in the living room.

I'd been watching the five of them from the kitchen window: Russ, Jo, Dirk, Hank, and Bert. There was a lot of arm waving, polite finger pointing, notes being taken on an iPad, and deep discussion. Sometimes, someone would obviously make a short telephone call. Dirk spent a long time with his cellphone to his ear or sitting on the table as a speaker phone. Hank and Bert initially seemed to be in a listening mode, but halfway through the hour they started to ask questions of the others.

Just before I stuck my head out the door at seven o'clock, the telephone calls ended and the five of them stood and started to head inside. They all had smiles.

As Jo came into the kitchen where I stood, she rushed forward and hugged me. She whispered, "Oh, Julie, this is so exciting and so good for all of us."

Russ looked as though he'd won the Triple Crown in horse racing. I could tell he was ready to jump out of his skin he was so excited. Dirk looked exceptionally pleased, as did Hank and Bert. I knew something good was happening.

I pointed out the dinner arrangements. Since the evening remained warm and the sun was still up, everyone opted for the backyard table. In ten minutes, the six of us were seated, three on each side of the table. Everyone had their plates full of the takeout dinner.

I was at one end. I looked at Russ, down at the other end of the table, and said, "Well?"

Hank sat opposite me and interrupted. He said, "Julie, let me tell you what we've put together, although I want you to know that most of this is your husband's fine work. I want to tell you because I also want to be open about knowing the motivations that started this -- the relationships the four of you share, and I applaud what you've done to keep your marriages in tact and to amplify the love you share. Bert is also aware of your transcontinental arrangement."

Hank paused and looked around at the others to see if they wanted to add anything. He continued, "Basically, Dirkhad a fabulous job at Google before he had to come east to rescue his father's business. Jo had a dream job with Innovative Technology Initiatives or ITI, and for the past year or so the likelihood of a promotion to head R&D for a very successful enterprise. Julie, you just made tenure at Harvard -- the most prestigious institution in the world, and Russ had the chance for a dream job on the west coast to open our operation there and give us a toehold in the Pacific Rim. You four discovered each other, I believe you added someone else named Bree to your group, and now you've all fallen in love and want to be together. Am I right so far?"

We all nodded. Bert looked on in fascination at the concise summary.

Hank said, "So Russ approached me about three weeks ago, I guess a little after Dirk discovered he'd sold his family's company. We kicked around a few ideas for how to get all of you back here, he went out and talked to Jo and the head of her company -- that's Bert here."

"After kicking things around, we've decided to buy Bert's company, or perhaps it'd be more appropriate to say that he's willing to merge with us. He will remain on to head west coast operations of now a much larger company, integrating what Russ built with what he has in Silicon Valley. The businesses fold together very nicely. This will mean he will takeover responsibility for what Russ had been doing on the west coast, so that means Russ can come home."

I started to smile and say something, but Hank held his hand up.

"There's more. We've needed a head of R&D here on the east coast for the past four years. Russ didn't realize the magnitude of that need until recently. Jo is precisely the person we need for that job; she's got the technical background, the management skills, and the interpersonal skills to takeover our burgeoning R&D team and turn them into something great."

Bert interrupted, "We've got a small R&D group on the west coast, but we've been fighting to get the group built up into something with a critical mass. That fight has been hard because of the cutthroat environment for good technical resources in Silicon Valley. We're small enough that we can't attract the top talent in the face of Google, Apple, and the other big guys out there. Back here, you've got well over two dozen top-rate technical schools starting with MIT, and you've got a graduating talent mix that is more likely to want to join this new operation back here than in the Valley."

Hank said, "So, we're going to move the R&D operation mostly to the east coast under Jo, who will move here to run that operation. We will pay to move those west coast people that will come east for the new R&D group."

My jaw had dropped open by this time; I could see the complexity of the deal they'd put together.

Hank nodded for Dirk to continue. Dirk said, "I checked with Google, and my old job doing electric car algorithms and promotion is long gone. They're supportive, but there's nothing for me on the west coast."

I looked sad, but I noticed that Russ and Jo were smiling.

Dirk continued, "It turns out that Google has quite a growing operation in Cambridge, right near Bree, at Five Cambridge Center with several hundred people. Google Ventures -- their VC arm in Cambridge -- has also been acquiring nearby companies to add to the Google family, for instance they just acquired a local travel software company in Cambridge called ITA. Now that operation is OK, but some of the other acquisitions need some new management or ideas to help them pop into something bigger. So, Google has agreed to start Google Consultants, an internal operation that will provide consulting and management talent to these acquisitions to help them grow to the next level with a solid management team, product portfolio, and marketing approach."

Hank added, "Dirk's background in turning his father's business around proved to us and to Google that he's the guy for the job. We're interested because we have a joint acquisition we made with Google that needs some help, and we've been looking for just the right guy to head a team to turn it around and make it profitable again."

Jo proudly said, "And Dirk's that guy, plus the team of people he'll put together."

Hank said, "So the only other loose end is what Russ will do when he comes back east. Well, two months ago we lost the executive vice president of our company to a venture capital firm down in Research Triangle Park. Russ is going to move into that EVP position and be the Number Two man in running TDI. Because of what he did on the west coast, he's proven he can not only run a business alone, but he can also build it from nothing into a major business entity. So, I'm ecstatic that he's accepted this new position and so is our Board of Directors who unanimously approved his taking the position and becoming a director of the company."

Hank ended by saying, "So the four or five of you can all be together here in the Boston area."

With that Hank took his bottle of beer and toasted Russ, Jo, and Dirk. Bert joined him.

I was speechless.

Just then Bree got home late. Looking as pert and beautiful as she always did when she got home from work, she came out onto the patio, smiled at everybody, and innocently asked, "Hi, anything interesting happening?"

Russ, Bree, and I walked over the new asphalt path through the small woods between our homes to Dirk and Jo's new home next door. Bree carried a large salad bowl, I carried a blueberry pie I'd just baked, and Russ had a container with cooked potatoes in it. We could hear Jo's Bichon barking to announce our arrival as we neared the house.

After setting our contributions to the evening meal down, I strolled into the living room. Dirk was sitting watching a football game, at least he was until I sat down in his lap and started kissing him.

Dirk said, "You keep that up, and you'll delay dinner by half an hour."

"Only half an hour -- a quickie?"

He bounced me off his lap onto the sofa beside him. I could see Russ and Jo kissing passionately in their foyer. Bree stood waiting her turn to greet Dirk.

Dirk looked up at her, "So, how do you like your new digs?"

Bree said, "I love them, but best of all I love you, and Julie, and Russ, and Jo, who I now get to spend so much time with along with everyone else in our circle. This arrangement is so wonderful."

Russ and Jo had come into the room with their arms around each other. Russ said to Bree, "Moving you in with us was a no brainer. I'm glad we could build the 'push out' over the garage so fast to give you a beautiful space of your own."

Bree said, "I told you I didn't need it. It's beautiful and I love it, but most of all I love being with you ... and all the others that have come into our lives like Frank, Rene, Steph, and Joe, and Julie your parents. I feel like my life is a dream come true. I feel so loved by everyone that some days I think I'll combust."

Dirk said, "OH, that reminds me, I just got an email a few minutes ago with some very good news that will make us all very happy. You'll all see it in your inboxes. Rene is coming back to Boston. She's leaving McKennit Consulting and is going to join my consulting operation and work on turning around some of our acquisitions before we integrate them into the whole Google-Beast."

I clapped my hands, "Oh, that's so fabulous. How'd you pull that off?"

"A good job offer ... that included a place to live."

"Where?"

"Here, with Jo and me. We've got all that space over our garage too, and I think we'll finish it off just the way you did for Bree. That'll give her some privacy if she wants it, plus she'll be able to come and go as she pleases without disturbing us."

Jo blushed as she stepped further into the room. She said, "Well, it might be that we'll be disturbing her more than the other way around."

"How's that?" Dirk asked, clearly puzzled by her remark.

Jo held out to him a little EPT test stick that she'd been hiding behind her back. In the small window visible to all of us we could see the green plus sign. Jo was pregnant.

We all cheered and surrounded Jo with hugs and kisses. She cried, and I felt how nervous she was as I held her.

Dirk stood up and said after he'd hugged his wife, "That's great news. We've been wanting a baby for years, and now that we're settled down together and in one place for what looks to be a long time, with people that love us around, this is great news."

Jo's tears rolled down both cheeks and she looked unhappy. She whispered loud enough for all of to hear, "But ... I don't know ... who the father is." Her voice trembled with fear and uncertainty. She choked up and looked at Dirk in a worried way as though he might instantaneously leave her on that news. I knew better because over a year earlier I'd had this very discussion with him.

Dirk grinned and hugged his wife again, "I don't care. I love the mother with all my heart, and I'll love the child as my own. Don't you worry. This is fabulous. We've so wanted a child and if one of the parentsmight be one of the men I love as a brother that makes it all the better. I might be me, and when we have another, I want the same situation. It'll always make me love you all more."

I laughed, "Jo, I'm not sure whomy biological father is either, but I can tell you that my Dad was the best in the world and he wasn't sure of his paternity either; just like this group my parents had their own sexual playmates when my Mom got pregnant." Jo knew the story, and I could see her start to relax in the retelling. She managed a little grin, and I pulled her to me for a hug of love.

Dirk was over the moon in his happiness at her announcement. He didn't want to loosen his grip on Jo's sweet body so we both ended up holding her and communicating our love and commitment to her.

Russ said, "Well, I will sure help raise this child, and I know Frank and Joe and we all will. There's every reason for us to all be together in this. What a great day."

We stayed at Dirk and Jo's well past dinner, celebrating her new pregnancy by each of us making love to her and ensuring we gave her at least one orgasm. Of course, we all had orgasms too and shared a sexy evening together as we loved to do almost every night of the week.

Jo and Dirk were snuggling in bed as we left. Bree, Russ, and I walked along the path back to our home with our flashlights lighting the way. We'd be back again tomorrow night. I knew we'd want to use the path in the winter, so I started to think about more of a covered breezeway between our two homes that was protected from the weather.

My mind shifted as I thought about Jo's announcement, and that got me to counting. I even used my fingers as I neared the house. Just as we got to the back steps I speculated to Russ and Bree, "You know ... well, I sort of just realized ... my period is really late this month."

The End