After a shower, I pull on a robe and walk out to the kitchen where Lloyd has prepared breakfast. "Hey Lloyd," I say, hugging her. Ignore the girl leaning on the far end of the counter, watching.

Lloyd kisses my cheek and says, "Soji's pissed. Says you kicked the shit out of Sara this morning."

"Her idea. She wants to work for me."

"So this was your idea of a job interview? You never kicked the shit out o' me."

Glance at her as I pick up my napkin. "Scared you though."

Lloyd pauses, thinking. Nodding, she says, "Yeah, you did. I've never been so scared'or thrilled'in my life."

"Do you want the foundation job, even though you're scared?"

"More than I've wanted anything in my life," says Lloyd. "Do you think Sara will ask you for a job?"

"No, she won't ask. She'll beg."

"Bullshit," says Lloyd. "She has too much confidence and pride."

"Twenty," I say, extending my hand. "Take mine out of the cash box."

She takes my hand, then walks over to a drawer and removes a twenty from the box and sets it on the counter. She removes another from her butt pocket and drops it on top of the first.

Sara, dressed in a robe, walks gingerly in and sits beside me at the counter, glancing at the two twenties without comment. She fills her juice glass and takes a tentative sip.

Soji walks in and sits down but won't look at me.

The girl, still staring at me, stands beside him.

Sara slides carefully off her stool, stands behind Soji and puts her arms around him, bending her head to kiss his cheek. She whispers into his ear. Soji turns his head to look at her. Sara takes his face in both her hands. "Please," she says softly. She moves her hands from his face to his shoulders.

Soji turns to look at me, anger still in his eyes.

Stand and face him. "Gomen nasai, Soji," I tell him. "I am sorry, Soji. Please forgive me."

He just looks at me. The girl does too.

Move toward my chair but Sara says, "No." She steps to me, guides me to Soji and says, "Ask him again, Jill."

Looking at her, I almost turn away but I see Lloyd staring at me so I look into Soji's eyes. "Please forgive me, Soji. I need you."

He takes a deep breath and sighs. "I forgive you. Sometimes you go too far, Jill." As I turn away, he adds, "I love you too, you know."

Turning back, I take him in my arms and hold him close. This little Japanese man has taught me not only how to kill but how to live. He has healed me countless times with his touch. Clutch him, closing my eyes and pushing my nose into his bristly scalp. Open my eyes to see the girl is gone but Sara and Lloyd are beaming at me. Step back and look into Soji's eyes. "Thank you," I tell him.

He nods. "Eat," he says, pushing me toward my seat.

"You eat too, Sara. You are weak from hunger."

Lloyd asks, "Sara, why do you want to work for Jill?"

"Sara is twenty-four," says Soji. "No one has ever beaten her at anything for a long time. Jill beat her in less than three seconds. Sara couldn't even escape Jill's counterattack." Turning to Sara, Soji studies her for a moment and says, "You have been training for . . . ten years?"

"Twelve," she says.

"Never been beaten?" asks Soji.

"Not in ten years," says Sara, setting down her juice glass. "In two seconds, I went from unbeatable to a piece of meat on that mat. For a second or two there, I thought I was dying." Turning to me, she says, "I will master that."

"Sara," says Lloyd, "That could take. . . ."

"Please, Jill," says Sara, "give me something to do around here. I'll clean toilets."

Look at her. "Are you asking me for a job after you finish your audit report on Friday?"

"I'm not asking," says Sara. "I'm begging."

Pick up the two twenties and stuff them into the pocket of my robe without a glance at Lloyd. Turning to Sara, I say, "You may begin Monday. Show Tony how to turn a profit with security."

Sara says, "Fine. I want access to you and Soji and the dojo." She places her hand on Soji's hand.

With a shrug, I say, "Soji and Lloyd, I return to work on Thursday, which means I no longer need you two to live here. What do you want to do?"

"I like it here," says Lloyd. "I'd like to stay."

"Me too," says Soji. "I like having people around, yet I still have privacy."

Look at them, surprised.

Lloyd looks at me and asks, "Do you mind if my grandkids visit now and then?"

Frowning, I ask, "Are they turds?"

"Of course not. They're well-behaved and very bright."

"I have grandchildren who will visit as well," says Soji. "They like to follow you around and ask lots of questions. You'll like them."

"I will not."

"I want to stay too," says Sara, looking at Soji, "but I don't have any grandchildren."

"Sara? Why do you want to stay here?" I ask.

"I want to be close to Soji and you, Jill."

"Why?"

"I have a lot to learn from both of you."

Soji and Lloyd exchange a look with Sara. Soji asks, "What do you say, Jill?"

"I don't like kids, so keep them away from me. Soji's in charge."

"I'll do the cooking and guard you when you're home, Jill," says Soji.

"I'll assist you, clean and run errands," says Lloyd. "Starting Thursday, I'll go with you to work, Sara."

"I'll help Lloyd and Soji," says Sara.

"It's settled then. What is the schedule for today?" asks Soji.

"Liz Coates, the ER Manager at Doc's Place, is bringing a couple grad students over for lunch," says Lloyd. "We can use leftovers, Soji."

"And Tony is due in at three," I say, looking at Lloyd. "Will you pick him up?"

Lloyd nods.

"He'll stay for dinner?" asks Soji.

"Yes. Margaret leased him a car and a furnished apartment," I tell him. "Lloyd, would you find out from Margaret where it is so you can guide him to his place tonight? It will be dark by then."

"Roger that," she says, imitating Margaret.

"I invited Detective Locaccio over as well," I say to Soji. "After dinner, I'll take a look at his pickup."

"What for?" asks Sara.

"Maintains his own vehicle so it runs like shit. I owe him a favor."

Sara nods and says, "I should have figured, with those performance shops, you'd be a mechanic too."

"I'll look it over tonight and give you a list of stuff to buy so I can do the work this weekend, Lloyd, probably Sunday afternoon." Pausing, I say, "Speaking of the weekend, I'm hiking on Saturday. I have to get my wind back before ski season."

"Count me in," says Sara.

"Not me," says Lloyd, "But I'll have the grandkids over."

"I have grandkids coming over too," says Soji. "We'll have a party."

"Are those kids going to sleep over here?" I ask.

"Well, of course," says Soji, "Friday and Saturday night."

"We'll keep them up late playing games," says Lloyd. "By the way, where's your TV, Jill?"

"I don't have one. Why are the kids staying two nights?"

"You don't have a TV?" asks Soji. "That's un-American. You gotta have a TV."

Lloyd says, "I'll stop by and order one delivered. We'll put it in my room since mine is biggest. Get the cable guy over here this week too. Where's your cable run, Jill?"

"Southwest corner of the house but I never had it run inside," I tell her. "Are they going to crawl all over everything and leave food all over the house?"

"I'll tell the cable guy to run it in from outside," says Lloyd. "Let's make a list of stuff we have to buy, Soji."

"Right," says Soji, "We'll need toys, diapers and blankets."

Sara breaks out in laughter. When we look at her, she points at me and everyone cracks up over the expression on my face.

In my study, I toss my robe aside and boot my terminal. I have a voicemail message from Ron, the graphic designer. He says that I can review the completed layout on Wednesday. Another from Alice Hawkins I forward to Tony George's voicemail box. Another is from Lucy, which I delete. Check email and find reminders from Margaret. Next, I re-do the org chart showing Sara's new role in the hierarchy and succession planning. I will not add Sara to the board until after Tony has seen the chart but I have no doubt that Ume will place her there by January.

Focus on my thesis again. People walk by my study but no one interrupts me. Work steadily until eleven. My introductory chapter, which reviews pertinent research and introduces my thesis, is beginning to take shape.

At eleven, I dress in a simple blouse and a short skirt with sandals. Take a walk outside, barely limping, without my cane. The day is sunny and warm despite a hint of autumn chill in the air. Walk to the gate guard and remind them I have three visitors coming soon. A brand-new Cadillac for Tony's use is in the visitors' parking lot. As I chat with the guards, Liz pulls up in her clattery, brown Mercedes, probably in the 1965 to 1970 range. The grad students follow her in a little blue bug—a classic Volkswagen.

When I see the young woman, I fall in lust. She has dark eyes, dark skin, long legs and a beautiful smile. She'll be getting a call from me. The guy is eye candy with a tall, slim frame, black hair and pale skin—looks like the sensitive poet type.

Liz expresses amazement at how quickly I am recovering. The four of us chatter about the graduate students' schoolwork as we walk to the house. Both want to use this experience for their thesis work. They've received encouragement from their committee chairs. His name is Thomas and hers is Samantha. She is a native of the US Virgin Islands and has a delightful accent.

Liz is obviously nervous about going off property during the workday. The moment we step inside, she calls Doc's Place. Introduce the two students to Lloyd and Soji. Lloyd says that she and Soji are going to run some errands, which means buy some kiddy stuff and then pick up Tony at three o'clock.

Samantha, Thomas and I take a tour of the house. Before long, we're laughing, talking and touching like friends. Thomas must be a tit man because he cannot stop ogling my chest so I unfasten a button. It's obvious I'm not wearing a bra.

During lunch, Liz grows increasingly nervous. As we sit in the sunroom, eating and chatting, she receives two calls so she is on the phone during most of lunch. At the end of the second call, she excuses herself and leaves the three of us sitting there.

Ask questions to determine how much they understand about the project, which they answer with confidence. Obviously, this luncheon was Liz' idea, not theirs. After a few minutes, we're sitting around looking at one another. The day is sunny and warm. The company is young and beautiful.

When Samantha says she likes the idea of a hot tub in the sunroom with all of the plants, I show her the towels and tell her to jump in. Thomas asks if he may use the bathroom so I lead him inside as I unfasten more buttons on my blouse. Walk to the bathroom, turn and lift one arm. "Here you are, Thomas."

He steps up to me. His warm, trembling hands slip inside my blouse and cover my breasts as he kisses my lips. His erection springs into my hands as I open his pants.

"Thomas," I murmur, "You're not wearing underwear." My skirt, unbuttoned, slides to the floor and I hike my ass to the countertop. Spread my legs, open the drawer and take out a condom packet.

"Jesus," whispers Thomas, "is that your gunshot wound?"

"Mm-hm," I murmur as I tear open the packet and put it on him. Then I kiss him.

Immediately, he is driving hard as I wrap my legs around him and pull him inside me. He is at my breasts with both hands, inexpertly and hurriedly grasping as he thrusts into me so he climaxes within seconds. He tries to fall against me but I push him aside.

His arms drop to his sides as he looks at me.

Scoop up my dress and walk away. Ignore his call to wait as I walk back to the sunroom, clad only in my open blouse. There I find Samantha, naked and waiting in the tub. Shrug off my blouse and climb in to face her.

"Isn't Thomas sweet?" she asks.

"I didn't taste him, Samantha, but he gets excited quickly."

She stands to face me, her coffee-brown breasts pointing pertly, the areolas dark and thick. "You have a beautiful body, Jill." She kisses my lips warmly, her mouth open, her fingertips resting on my hips.

Run my fingertips through her dark, rich hair and tickle her back as we kiss. We tease and tickle one another. Soon I feel Thomas' hands on my breasts again, his erection knocking at the door. Feel the condom with my fingers so I open my stance a little and let him in. "Thomas is not finished with me yet," I murmur through our kisses.

Samantha murmurs, "See where his hands go?"

"May I call you?"

"Oh Jill, I'll come a-runnin', as you Americans say," she says.

Send the young ones home at three after an afternoon of frolic and adventure. Thomas asks if he can call me but I tell him no. Take Samantha's number, though.

After a shower, I slip into jeans, a tee shirt and a vest. Call Liz to thank her for bringing them over but I don't say how we spent the time after she left. Call Ron about the layout. We agree that I will review it at his shop. He promises to deliver a blue line to Dick in Purchasing by Wednesday afternoon.

Call Louise. "I've double-checked everything for Thursday, boss," I tell her. "I'll see you at nine in Morty's office?"

"Yes," says Louise. "Peter called this morning to confirm."

"Good. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Don't you want to hear how I ran interference for you today?" asks Louise.

"Nah, I'm sure you handled everything just fine. Have a good evening," I tell her and disconnect. After cleaning up, I lie in bed thinking about our conversation but not for long.

Pursue another mouse that runs around me to its hole. Catch it, wriggling in my teeth. When I bite it, I taste the blood and feel the hot little life extinguish.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License