The Last State Is The Best - Chapter 8 free porn video

Chapter 8 - On the home stretch You don't just start calling your girlfriends about important matters like a possible new job, moving across the country and whether or not you have met the man of your dreams. It takes some forethought. You will discuss all those items with the first friend you call. But with each subsequent call, you will not only discuss those things, you will also discuss the input you received on each of the prior calls. Therefore, the order in which you make the calls is important. Lois arose quickly when the clock radio woke her at her usual 5 AM. And she started planning her calls as she stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower (with shower cap on) to get her energized, followed by a cup of tea to further wake her. Call number one would be to Connie. She was one of the first people that Lois had met when she timidly stepped out and started attending her first support group meetings. A businesswoman who preceded Lois in transition by a few years, Connie had served as a mentor for Lois, both in the transition process and in the business world. Connie had something of a Type A personality and would be a bit more to the point with her answers. Lois knew she had a good chance of catching her as she commuted to work on the train to NYC. That also meant that she would have no more than about 30 minutes to talk with Connie. The second call would be with Linda. She tended to be a bit more cautious, especially after many more years of being active in the transgender community than Lois. Lois wanted at least one call with someone who would look far ahead and point out all the warning signs, rather than getting swept up in the emotions of the moment. Call number three went to Crystal. She was a black Christian woman (GG) who had been a close platonic friend to Louis for many years. When Lois came out to Crystal, she needed weeks of soul searching and prayer before she was able to tell Lois that she would stick by her. Since then, they were closer than ever. It was a given that every significant event for either of them would include praying together, sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for a half hour or more. Lois had kept Crystal informed during the week, and it was understandable that Crystal would be one of the later calls. Fortunately it was one of the days when Crystal went into work late. Of course, Josie would be the final call, not counting Lois's quick call to Melissa to discuss negotiation strategy, should Lois receive the job offer. Lois and Josie would have no problem talking for as long as two hours as they discussed every nuance of the job offer, moving across country, her new friendship with Melissa, her relationship with Steve, and of course everything that Steve said to her the night before. And as already stated, they would weigh every opinion that Lois received during the first three calls. The calls pretty much went as Lois expected. Connie focused on the potential job offer. She felt that it would be a good career move for Lois. It depended upon the details of the offer, but based on Melissa's estimate of the package, it sounded like it would be a very positive career move for Lois. She would be working for a better company with better opportunity for advancement. A big plus was the fact that her future boss, Mr. Cockburn, sounded like someone likely to go far in his career and who would do right by his assistants who helped him move up the ladder. And Connie was confident that Lois would be a great asset to her new boss. But then Connie said something that surprised Lois. It was something that Lois appreciated very much. Connie told her that either way it worked out would be okay. If Lois was offered the job and took it, she believed that it would work out well. However, if Lois decided to come back east, either because she didn't get the job or because she turned it down, it would put distance between her and Steve. That distance would be an excellent test to see how Steve's heart truly felt about Lois and how Lois felt about Steve in her heart. If their love survived being separated, Lois could always look for another job in Las Vegas. Connie had to say goodbye, so it was time to call Linda. Linda managed a small office and often she was the only one there as her bosses (two business partners) often spent their workdays out in the field. As long as Linda got her work done, and she was good at what she did, they didn't care about the details and left Linda to her own devices. She had to put Lois on hold a couple of times to answer a call or take care of a question. Other than that, they were able to have a fairly normal conversation until one of the partners came back and told Linda that he would need her help for an hour or so on a project that "needed to be done yesterday." Cautious Linda was concerned about Lois burning her bridges behind her. What if the job or the relationship with Steve didn't work out? Most of the support group she depended upon would be thousands of miles away. Linda reminded Lois that she couldn't rent her co-op apartment according to the rules of her building. She would have to sell. Therefore, if she needed to move back east, she would have to start all over: new place to live and a new job. It was only when Lois began to share Connie's opinions that Linda's tone began to soften. Linda knew Connie, and she respected her logic. By the time that Lois called Crystal, she had pretty much made her decision. But she was even more certain after she had prayed with her best friend for a good twenty minutes of their conversation that lasted more than an hour and ended only when Crystal had to leave for work. Even though Lois had been filling in Crystal here and there over the past few days, this was the first time they had a chance to have a good, long conversation. It was the kind they often had when it was still Crystal and Louis. One of the things that finally brought Crystal around was when she admitted to herself that deep down, she had been treating Louis as a girlfriend in the things she shared with him. But there was always a wall that kept her from sharing 100%. Their conversations were even better now that the wall was gone. Crystal was most concerned about Steve's character, his faith and whether Lois was committing herself to him too soon. She also wanted to know about the church that Lois would be going to. Lois reassured her about Steve's character with some examples of his behavior and the fact that they would be taking things slowly and cautiously. She also made it clear that if she was offered the job, it would pay enough that she would not be dependent on Steve and could make it on her own. She also told Crystal that Steve and Melissa attended church regularly, she had checked out the website and it appeared to be a good church. But Las Vegas is a large city with many churches, so she would have many choices, should she desire to look for a different church. Crystal shared with Lois how much she would miss her, especially since she came so close to losing her once before. That made both of them a bit weepy, until Lois reminded her that they could visit on Skype and Crystal said she had already put on her makeup for work and she didn't want to ruin it. Then they both began to laugh and they promised each other that they would visit each other on some of their vacations. Then it was time for Lois to talk with Josie. Lois had long ago stopped trying to decide whether Crystal or Josie was her best friend. The one difference was that Josie had more insight into certain areas of Lois's experience and feelings, since Josie was a transwoman herself. As usual, Lois and Josie had the kind of great conversation that only two women best friends can have. Lois filled in Josie about everything that had happened since their heartbreaking instant message conversation that hadn't been that long ago, but seemed like it had been ages since it had taken place. As Lois shared about her conversation with Melissa, the interview and then her evening with Steve, Josie, filled in the gaps with plenty of "That's wonderful," "I knew it would work out," and "I'm so happy for you" type interjections. They then spent close to an hour analyzing all the pros and cons of Lois taking the job, if offered, and her moving to Las Vegas. Since more of their relationship was spent on the phone or online messaging, it would not be as hard for Josie to see Lois leave their area. When they applied to the topic of the moment, Lois interjected the comments of her other girlfriends from the previous phone calls that morning. They enjoyed discussing the relative merits of the other friend's comments. Josie was particularly pleased that Linda had been relatively positive and that Connie had been so insightful with her "either way is okay" comment. A little before 10:30, the message light started to flash on Lois's phone in her hotel room. She had forgotten that when she was mad at Steve, she had turned the ringer off on the room phone and also turned off her cell phone. Lois was sure it was Mr. Cockburn calling early, while Josie thought it could also be Steve or Melissa. Lois didn't think it was either of them, because they wouldn't be likely to call until after 11 AM. Besides, Steve had a tour to lead that morning. They started to analyze whether an early call from Mr. Cockburn was a good sign or a bad sign. "Kind of like them analyzing on Court TV whether a jury coming back quickly with a verdict was good for the prosecution or the defendant," Josie noted. Suddenly Lois realized, "This is silly! I can use the hotel room phone to check the message and still be on the phone with you." Josie giggled. "I was wondering when you were going to figure that out. But it was fun speculating on what kind of message was left." "Well Mr. Cockburn seems like the kind who holds his cards very close to the vest. If he didn't reach me personally, he might only leave a message for me to call him." "Well go find out, girlfriend. You know I'm not going anywhere. Queenie Dog can make a puddle at my feet and I am sticking on this phone." Lois giggled. "You know just what to say to relieve the tension, don't you? You're the best! Hold on, I'll be right back." With the hotel phone in her left hand and the cell phone in her right, Lois retrieved the message and gave Josie a play by play. "It's Mr. Cockburn's assistant, Judy ... he wants me to call back ... she can't say anything officially ... it's up to me if I want to guess ... she's so happy for me. "Josie, I got the job! I ... GOT ... THE ... JOB!!! "She couldn't tell me, but she told me ... oh, this is silly ... why am I crying?" "Because you're happy, hon. And I'm starting to choke up a little bit, too. Oh, Lois, this is wonderful. I am so glad you are starting to have so many wonderful things happening for you." "So you think I should take the job and move here?" "Oh gosh, Lois, listen to yourself. The way you just reacted to the news and you even have to ask me? Of course, sweetie. This is the chance of a lifetime for you. You and I have been around long enough to know that there are no guarantees in life, but you are being offered a package that includes a great job and a chance for a lasting relationship with a great guy. Are you telling me that you'd rather keep door number one? Or maybe you'd prefer to trade it all in for something totally unknown behind door number three?" Lois chuckled. "Okay, Josie Hall. You've convinced me. Las Vegas here I come ... oh wait. I'm already here!" Lois and Josie both started laughing as only best girlfriends can. But then Lois got serious. "Josie, you've been there for me since almost the beginning of my transition. Every step of the way, through good times and bad. If it wasn't for you sometimes, I don't know ..." "Shush. You would have done just fine. You are a strong, brave, intelligent and nice person. You would have made it and I can't think of anyone who deserves a big break more than you. Well, except for me, of course." They both broke out in laughter again. When it died down, Josie continued. "Besides, you've been there for me more often than I've been there for you. You're the best friend I have ever had, and I am so grateful I know you. But I'm also grateful that I can stay in touch with you." "Me too, Josie. And you know I will have lots to share with you as my relationship with Steve develops: our dates; the things he says to me; how he makes me feel; how he looks at me; if ... oh, I don't want to say any more. I don't want to jinx it." "I'm going to look forward to every conversation, hon. And you know you can share anything with me. Melissa is going to be a wonderful new friend for you, and it sounds like she has lots of girls' club loyalty. But you never know when blood might be thicker than water. And you always know where you can find me." Lois looked at the time. "Melissa! Thanks for reminding me, Josie. I need to call her and discuss my negotiating strategy so I know what to do when I call Mr. Cockburn." "Okay, hon. I hope you get every penny you deserve and nice perks, too. Call me as soon as you can and let me know how it turns out." "I will. Love you." "Love you, too. Bye for now." "Bye." Next up was the call to Melissa. This was going to be a fairly quick call, as Melissa needed to focus on her job today. Besides, at this point, most of the call was going to be devoted to Melissa giving Lois her best idea as to what she could expect in the way of salary range and benefits. And she would give her an idea of what to say if Lois was asked certain questions, like what salary did she expect to make. Lois explained to Melissa that Judy had already called and left a message. Melissa agreed that it was pretty evident that Lois was going to be offered the job, but that it didn't matter for the purposes of this conversation, as they had planned all along to discuss strategy, not even knowing if Lois would have received any contact from Mr. Cockburn's office. Soon, Melissa was telling Lois that her coffee break was over and that she was well prepared for her conversation with Mr. Cockburn. A final good luck wish and Melissa hung up her phone. Lois took a deep breath and looked at the clock. It was 10:58 AM. She had spent over five hours on the phone. She stood up, took a deep breath, swung her arms, stretched and paced a bit. She went over to the curtains which were still drawn, parted them slightly and looked out. It looked like another sunny and hot summer day in Las Vegas. "You'd think I was calling someone for a date! What am I nervous about? I already all but know I have the job and Melissa has prepped me well for the negotiations. Okay, so the next few minutes will change the rest of your life. But that was why I called my best girlfriends this morning. I know what I want to do. So I guess it's now or never." Lois giggled thinking of the song title she just said and all the Elvis impersonators in Vegas. That relaxed her and after one more very quick prayer, her hand was on the phone, calling Mr. Cockburn's office. Judy greeted her warmly and wished her luck. Lois thanked her for leaving the message. Judy replied, "You're welcome," and put her through to Mr. Cockburn. As so often happens, once we get to big moments in life, they are anticlimactic. Mr. Cockburn said that he expected that Lois would be well informed about what the company was willing to offer. But that was okay with him, as they very much wanted the right person for the job and wanted that person to be well satisfied. In the end, Lois ended up with a starting salary only $750 per year less than the upper range that Melissa had said would be available. Even more important was that she would not have to start the job until the day after Labor Day. That would give Lois time to settle her affairs back east. She would have to arrange for the sale of her apartment, moving or disposal of her possessions, seeing all the people who wanted to say farewell, plus keeping in touch with the people who would be helping her find a new place to live in Las Vegas. She could stay in a room at one of the hotels for a while, but she wanted to find a place that she could call home and put her feminine, personal touches on it. A place of her own would also take away some of the pressure of moving too fast with Steve. Those were things for Lois to do in the near future. She brought her attention back to the present and wrapped things up with Mr. Cockburn. She could tell that he was a man who didn't like to waste time. He welcomed Lois aboard and she, in turn, thanked him for the opportunity. "I know that we are both going to benefit very much by you becoming part of our team," he replied. Their conversation ended, Lois flung herself face up on her bed, almost as if she was ready to make snow angels. She couldn't remember a time when she felt more at peace and on the right course. She let out a sigh of relief and started to chuckle. For the next few minutes, she didn't care about anything except to enjoy the moment and to let every bit of tension flow out to the far reaches of the universe. Then she remembered that there were some other people very interested in the results of her conversation with Mr. Cockburn. First she called back Melissa. Even though she suspected that Judy would call her, she wanted to let her know and thank her for all her help. The conversation was quick, but they promised that they would get together before Lois left. Lois checked the time. It would be about twenty minutes before Steve would be free to take her call. She wanted to talk to him, rather than just leaving a message. She turned on her laptop, checked her e-mail and sent a message to her four girlfriends that she spoke with earlier, thanking them for their help and support. Still nine minutes before she could talk with Steve. She forced herself to be patient, and then, thinking of Steve, she checked herself in the mirror. "Oh my gosh, I look a wreck." She had not combed her hair, put on any makeup or gotten out of her bedclothes all morning. "Good thing I remembered to put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my door last night. And it's a good thing I won't be talking to Steve with a camera connection." Lois was going to fix herself up a little before calling Steve. Then she had a thought and checked the folder on her desk for the directory of hotel services. "Ah, here it is: the spa! What better way to celebrate my new job than to pamper myself? It might be a bit indulgent and expensive, but at least I will be paying the people who will be paying my salary." She dialed the extension for the spa, and found they had openings available, so she booked the sessions she desired for that afternoon. So all Lois did for now was to pull her hair back in a ponytail and throw on her most comfortable clothes: t-shirt, shorts and pull on sneakers. Then she dialed a number that she had just put into her phone's memory the day before. "This is Steve." "I guess you'll have to put up with me a little longer. Think you're up to it?" "Lois! You got the job?" "Yes, honey. I'll leave tomorrow so I can fly east out of Phoenix, but I will be starting work back here right after Labor Day." "Oh Lois, that's great. I can't tell you how happy I am." Lois giggled, "Well, I'll give you a few hours to think of something. Will I see you this evening?" "Of course. Just let me get cleaned up after I get back from today's tour." "Not too late, though. I want to leave for Phoenix right after breakfast tomorrow. It will be a long drive. With stops for gas and lunch, I will be on the road almost 7 hours." "Whenever you decide to call it a night, I'll understand. Knowing that you will be coming back will make it easier." "And Steve, can we do something so we can talk? We need to get to know each other better. So no shows or anything like that. Okay?" "Okay. I'll come up with a few ideas between now and this evening. Would five-thirty be a good time for us to meet?" "That sounds perfect." "Five-thirty it is. Meet you then at Melissa's office." "I'll be thinking of you till then. Love you." "Um, love you too. Have to go now. The tourists are finished with the Hoover Dam part of the tour and they are starting to cluster around me for the next part, which, as you know, is lunch. Bye for now." "Bye." "How cute," thought Lois. "He was embarrassed to say 'I love you" in front of strangers. Silly boy. Doesn't he know they probably would have clapped?" Lois grabbed a quick bite to eat and arrived a half hour early for her spa experience. The spa requests the early arrival to allow time for their guests to take a quick shower and relax in the sauna before their various treatments. She was cordially greeted by Sandra. Lois thought to herself, "If you want to find someone with a winning personality, look for someone who works for an upscale hotel or resort and deals with the public." She knew she wouldn't be dealing with the public in her new job, but she hoped that people thought that she had a winning personality, also. Lois was looking forward to that sauna. She was certain that after fifteen minutes in its warm environment would take away all the tension of the past few days, between the drama with Steve and the whirlwind job opportunity. Then she left the sauna for the massage table and met Inga, her masseuse for what New York New York calls their Custom Massage. And during that 50 minute treatment, Inga found every tense and knotted muscle in Lois's body. She remembered that an athletic trainer at Cornell had called massage a passive workout. Instead of you stimulating your muscles with exercise, the masseuse does it for you. And at the beginning, she felt like she was going through a workout. But by the end, Inga's talented fingers had her totally relaxed to the point of her dozing off. Inga chuckled when it was time for Lois's massage to end. Lois remarked that a good massage always relaxes her to the point of sleep. She remembered how the same thing would happen when Heidi would massage her when things were good between them. In fact, it became standard procedure for Louis to massage Heidi first. Otherwise, he wouldn't be awake to reciprocate. And both of them were great at giving massages. Lois did tell Inga that she regretted falling asleep on their conversation. Inga replied in her delightful Danish accent that she enjoyed chatting, also. Hours later, Lois wouldn't remember a thing about their conversation, but with girls, it doesn't matter. It's always good, whether it is about boyfriends, husbands, kids, fashions or recipes. And Lois had learned from similar casual conversations, that if she would see Inga again, the important things to know about her would come back to mind. Next of Lois's spa treatments was the Immerse hydrotherapy. But the most therapeutic part for Lois was when she noted that the hydrotherapy treatments at the spa were for women only, and the staff never gave a second thought about booking the treatment for her. That was affirmation that neither her voice over the telephone or her physical appearance gave any reason for doubt. She was also grateful that anatomically, surgery had removed any possibility of an embarrassing scene with a staff member or another guest. The thirty minute treatment provided more relaxation, but was stimulating at the same time. Lois knew the salts, seaweed extracts, and oils were good for her particular skin needs. She could picture herself treating herself to this on a regular basis. She was pretty sure you could come here, even if you weren't a registered guest. Yes, she could put the same items in her own bath, but this was far more luxurious, and not all that expensive compared to the other treatments, probably because there wasn't as much personal attention during the hydrotherapy. Lois had debated about including the last item before she called the spa. Finally, she decided to add the Oasis facial because she had been out in the dry air of the desert or mountains for almost two weeks now. She hoped that this would undo the damage that had undoubtedly occurred over the previous days from the sun and dryness despite her best efforts to moisturize. And it would provide another relaxing hands-on experience from the person administering the facial. This time, Lois had put herself into the care of Anita. It wasn't as easy to talk during the facial as it was during the massage, but Lois thoroughly enjoyed Anita's capable hands and bubbly personality. Before deciding on the facial, Lois had considered getting her makeup professionally done, and perhaps, if time allowed, her hair cut and styled as well for her evening with Steve. But she decided against it. First of all, she would be doing some very unglamorous travel during the next two days, and then unwinding from the trip for a couple of days after she got home. Lois decided that it wasn't worth it for just a few hours. More importantly, Lois felt that with Steve it wasn't necessary. With his personality, he seemed to appreciate a fresh, wholesome and natural look. Besides, because they would be spending casual time together, she didn't want an overly made up look. Hopefully, the refreshment from the treatments, especially the facial as opposed to makeup, would give her a vibrant, natural look that Steve would find attractive. Lois met Sandra again when she went to pay for the afternoon's treatments. "Was everything to your satisfaction, Lois?" "Oh yes, most definitely yes. Inga and Anita were lovely and the hydrotherapy was simply amazing. I am going to start working in the area in September, and I know I will be coming here often when I want to pamper myself, feel like a woman and forget the business world for a little while." "Congratulations on your new job. May I ask where you will be working?" "Of course. I will be working across the street in the MGM office for Mr. Cockburn." "You're an MGM employee now?" "I guess so. I didn't fill out any paperwork yet, but I was offered the job over the phone and accepted the position this morning." "Hold on. Let me see if you are eligible for the employee discount. As it happens, Mr. Cockburn's assistant, Judy, would know the answer to that question. "Hi Judy, this is Sandra over at the New York New York spa ... I'm fine, and you? Yes it would be good to see you here again, it has been a while ... the reason I'm calling is that someone just had some treatments done here at the spa and only as she was paying did I find out that she is a brand new employee. In fact, she said she will be working for Mr. Cockburn. I was wondering if she is eligible for the employee discount ... Yes, Lois Simmons ... that's great ... yes, I agree ... thank you, Judy. It was wonderful talking with you. See you soon. Bye. "Judy says that she would have done exactly the same thing that you did to celebrate your new job. Yes, you are eligible for the discount. And speaking of your paperwork, she said to tell you that she had the employment forms delivered to your room this afternoon and that if it is easier for you, you can drop them off with Melissa after you finish filling them out. Oh and she said for you to have a great time this evening." Lois blushed. "She probably figures that I have a date tonight, and she's right. That's one of the reasons that I took the new job. I am moving here to be near my new boyfriend. Oh, and the new job Is better than the one I am leaving." It was only Sandra's professional decorum that kept her from squealing. "A new job and a new boyfriend? Lois, it sounds like your lucky stars are all coming together!" "Thank you, Sandra. I have been waiting a long time for things to line up for me. If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up." "That's wonderful, Lois. I will be looking forward to seeing you here when you return. And I know you will enjoy working with Judy. I hear that Mr. Cockburn can be a tough boss to work for, though." "Yes, I have heard that, too. But my impression is that he is a fair and that if I do a good job, we will get along fine. So I'm sure I will be working hard, which means I will be spending a lot of time here." "Well, welcome aboard, Lois. I'm glad we will be seeing more of each other. Now, is there anything else I can do for you? Do you need to know how to find Melissa's office once you finish the employment forms?" "Thank you, Sandra, but no. I've met Melissa and know how to get to her office. In fact, she was the one who arranged for the job interview and her brother, Steve, is my new boyfriend." Sandra reached out and grabbed Lois's hands; in part to steady herself, and in part to congratulate her. "Lois, do you realize that your new boyfriend is one of the most eligible bachelors in Las Vegas? I don't know what you are doing, but you just keep on doing it. If I wasn't happily married, I'd be jealous. In fact, I may be jealous anyway," Sandra said, grinning. "It has been quite a week ..." "Week? You've only known Steve for a week?" "Uh yes, since Sunday, actually and Monday was really when I got to know him," Lois replied sheepishly. "Wow, you work fast!" Sandra shook her head. "It's always the quiet ones. "Lois, I would love to know all the juicy details, but I see that some guests have come in that I need to greet, and you have a date to get ready for. But Lois, please stop in and see me when you get settled, even if it isn't for a spa treatment. I would love to get together with you, maybe over lunch or coffee, so we can get to know each other better. And maybe the four of us can get together sometime for a couples night out or dinner at our house." "That sounds marvelous, Sandra. I promise I will see you when I get back in town in September." "Bye Lois. Have a great evening." "Thank you, Sandra. I know I will. Bye." As she left the spa, Lois felt like she was glowing. She didn't know if it was from her spa treatments or from her conversation with Sandra, but she didn't care. "I wish I knew what I was doing so I could keep doing it," thought Lois. "Maybe, it's just a matter of finally being in the right place at the right time." And then she added, "And having a mind and body that finally match can't hurt, either." Back in her room, Lois checked herself in the mirror one more time. She was very happy with the results of the facial and congratulated herself on making the right choice to skip the makeup at the salon. When she was ready to leave to meet Steve, she would just do her eyes a little with some eyeliner and mascara, and make her lips stand out with a bright red shade of lipstick, the classic red that was so popular in the fifties. She decided that her tee shirt could stay, but traded her shorts for a gauzy long skirt of many bright colors. In place of her sneakers, she would wear comfortable ballet flats. They would be mostly hidden under the long skirt, anyway. She also wanted to emphasize the height difference as much as possible between her and Steve. Because her look would be more understated this evening, this would be a different way to show her femininity, her petiteness contrasted by Steve's masculine height and physique. Those decisions out of the way, Lois noted how much time she would take before she needed to change and apply her makeup. She had at least 45 minutes to spare, so she picked up the employment forms sent over by Judy and began to fill them out. They were typical employment forms, asking for some of the same information four different ways on three forms. There was the W-4 form so the payroll department would know how much Federal Income Tax to withhold. That reminded Lois that Nevada had no state income tax. That would be a big savings compared to New York, making her new, higher gross salary even more advantageous. She called Melissa to get her permission to list her as the person to call in case of emergency. For personal physician, she looked up the contact information on her cell phone, then took the hotel note pad on the desk and wrote a note to Judy that this information would be changed as soon as she decided on a local physician. When she had an opportunity, she would find a listing of LGBT resources for Las Vegas and find a doctor who was familiar with treating transwomen. At the same time, she could find information on support groups and other resources she might need. But most of the information was pretty well memorized by Lois and she was able to complete the forms and still had sufficient time to get ready for her evening with Steve. She was glad that she would be able to drop it off with Melissa this evening and not have to worry about it tomorrow morning when she would be concentrating on packing, checking out, and saying good bye. At 5:25, Lois was at Melissa's office. Steve was already there and they greeted each other warmly, although proper enough for an office environment. Lois felt the extra strain on her calf muscles to reach an extra few inches to meet Steve's kiss, but it felt wonderful to her. She then went over to Melissa and hugged her, thanking her for all that she did to help her get the job. Melissa replied that she knew Lois would do well, and it would make her look good, which was all the thanks she needed. Lois gave her the completed employment forms. Melissa took them and then commented on how nice Lois looked. "It must be because you are looking forward to being with my brother tonight," she said, and then winked at Lois. "I guess there isn't much that goes on around here without Melissa finding out about it," thought Lois. "But I appreciate that she put a different spin on things to stroke Steve's ego on my behalf." She felt so fortunate that she could now experience the subtle ways women help each other, and experience she had been longing for most of her life. "Have breakfast with me tomorrow morning? Say eightish?" asked Melissa. "I'd love it!" replied Lois. "It would be wonderful to chat one more time before I leave tomorrow." "Great! And that means you don't need to be hanging around me anymore today. Scoot you two, and have a great time." Steve had enjoyed watching his sister and new girlfriend getting along so well. But now he was glad to collect Lois so they could get on with their evening, especially since they would have to make an early evening of it. They left Melissa's office hand in hand. Once they got a little distance from the din of the casino, Lois asked Steve, "So what have you planned for our evening?" "Are you wearing comfortable shoes?" Lois nodded affirmatively. "Great! I thought we could walk along the Strip, and you could see the glitz and glamour of some of the other casinos. It's different walking than when you zip past in a car. We can pick up something quick to eat first, something we can carry with us if we prefer." "That's a marvelous idea, Steve. I appreciate a man who can be creative in picking activities for dates. Can we go on the monorail, too? I guess the civil engineer part of me that wanted to build rail systems is still there." Steve chuckled. "Of course, my dear. Your wish is my command." Then he added, "An interest in engineering: you could have been a help to me in my construction business." "I think I could have learned as I went along, and I would have loved helping you. Maybe someday you will get back to that business." "Shall we go?" "My pleasure, kind sir." Lois took Steve's offered arm and they headed out. They reluctantly let go long enough to purchase and eat a quick meal as they walked. Then they walked arm and arm again, to the rest of the world, another couple obviously in love, bringing smiles to many faces. As far as Lois and Steve were concerned, much of the time there was no one else on the streets. It was just the two of them amidst the lights of the Strip. There was one time when Steve did notice someone else. He excused himself and walked over to an older, white-haired couple who appeared to be particularly smiling at them. Lois saw Steve talking with them and then showing the gentleman something on his cell phone. Then they came over to Lois. "Nils and Helga, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Lois. Lois, this is Nils and Helga." "Pleased to meet you, Nils and Helga. Steve, do you know them?" "No, we just met. I couldn't help notice them smiling at us for a while, and I thought I would ask them if they would mind taking our picture if either one of them can understand how to take a picture with my cell phone. Nils said that he thinks he can handle the job once I showed him what to do. And if not, he has a digital camera and is willing to use that and send the pictures to my e-mail address." "Yah, it doesn't look that hard to do," said Nils. "The two of you reminded us so much of how we felt when we first met and fell in love," added Helga. "You brought back lovely memories for us this evening." "It looks like both of you are still very much in love. And you have such charming accents. Are you visiting the United States?" asked Lois. "No," replied Helga. "We are both originally from Norway. But we live in this country now. We are on vacation from our home in South Dakota." "Say it this way," said Nils. "We both came over here as young adults. We didn't know each other when we came here. Helga was from Oslo and I grew up in a small village on the west coast. We met in the Norwegian church shortly after we both arrived here and it was love at first sight for both of us." "That's a lovely story," replied Lois, while Helga beamed at her husband. "And you are still together after what has been a wonderful life, I'm sure." "Oh it has been that," said Helga. "When you find a good man, you hold onto him," she added, looking straight at Lois. Lois felt the color rising in her cheeks and replied, "Oh, I intend to do just that." She punctuated her remark by squeezing Steve's arm a little tighter and leaning a little more into him. Then she added, "Of course, he still has a ways to go to show that he deserves to be considered a good man." She looked up at Steve and winked as she said that. "Good for you, Lois," said Helga, gleefully. "That is a very important lesson that you have learned. Don't let the stars in your eyes keep your feet from touching the ground. Even though my heart told me right away that Nils was the one for me, I had to let him know now and then that he couldn't take my love for granted." Helga looked straight at Steve as she finished her remark. Lois noticed and came to Steve's rescue. "You said that you met in church. Are you Christians?" "Yah," said Nils. "We love Jesus." "We are Christians, too," replied Steve. "We thought you might be," said Helga. "Otherwise Nils probably would have been witnessing to you by now. But if you hadn't brought up the topic, Lois, we would have said something to find out what you believed." "Well, should we take the pictures?" said Nils. Lois and Steve posed for the camera, with Nils insisting a couple of times that he should take one more to be sure. So in the end, there were pictures of them smiling at the camera, pictures of Lois looking lovingly up at Steve, and pictures of them facing each other, looking at each other longingly as they held each other's hands. Then the two couples walked together for a while. Nils and Steve paired off quickly and started talking about their work. Nils was interested in Steve's construction work, as he had been a building superintendent. Helga and Lois were more than happy to have their own conversation about relationships and men. Helga wanted to know details, so Lois told Helga that Steve's twin sister introduced them and that she was moving to Las Vegas to be near Steve so they could get to know each other better. Helga was happy to hear that Lois intended on living in her own place, especially when she found out how recently Lois and Steve had met. When she also found out that Lois already had a job in place, she pronounced Lois to be a lovely, sensible young woman. Lois glowed when she heard that. When the four of them got closer together again, Helga nudged Nils and said, "It's time we let these two young lovers go off by themselves. I'm sure they didn't come out here to spend the evening with a couple of old people." Lois replied, "I have a feeling the two of you are some of the youngest people out here, in spirit, at least." Then she had an idea. "Steve, why don't you borrow Nils' digital camera and take some pictures of them before they leave? And then we can exchange e-mail addresses and send each other our pictures from tonight as a remembrance." "That's a lovely idea, Lois," responded Helga. "Thank you." They ended up taking many more pictures, in various combinations of two or three of them. Finally, after Steve entered Nils and Helga's e-mail address in his cell phone and sending them an e-mail so they would have his, it was time to say good bye. Lois promised that as soon as Steve gave her their e-mail, she would send an e-mail to Helga so she would have her address. Helga told them that they were welcome to visit if they ever found themselves anywhere near South Dakota. And then, Lois and Steve were on their own again. "This would be a good time to show you the monorail," said Steve. "We are very close to one of the entrances." "Perfect," replied Lois. "It would be good to get off my feet for a bit." "We'll get a nice view of the Strip, and a lot faster than covering it on foot." If we were to continue to eavesdrop on our young lovers, we would be very disappointed. For they talked about anything and everything, and they talked about nothing. So we will skip over discussions of favorite peanut butter brands, putting the cap back on the toothpaste tube and remembering to put down the toilet seat, punctuated by Steve pointing out various sights of Las Vegas up and down the line. In the back of her mind, Lois debated bringing up one topic. Finally, she had the courage to ask Steve if he was sure about giving up the chance to have children of his own. Lois felt more confident that Steve was answering truthfully, because he thought for a minute or two before replying. Finally, he declared that a happy marriage with the right woman was more important than bragging rights of siring a child. "It only takes sperm for a male to produce a child, and billions of men on the planet can do that. It is not a special accomplishment. But it takes a mature man to be a good father. Hopefully, I will prove to be one if we decide we want to start a family. If the time comes that we make that decision, we can adopt one of the many orphaned children in the world. And there may be other options we can look into." Lois was so pleased with that answer, tears welled up in her eyes. She squeezed Steve's hands tightly, and leaning over, whispered in Steve's ear, "I love you so much." Steve whispered back, "I love you, too," and kissed Lois. Those who were paying attention in their car couldn't help but smile. Okay, so we did eavesdrop a little bit on them. Eventually they arrived at the southern end of the monorail, having made almost a complete circuit of the line. They last stop brought them to the east side of the MGM Grand, not far from where Lois had her interview with Mr. Cockburn the day before. Lois and Steve decided that it was easier to talk if they sat rather than walked, and so they did. Suddenly, Steve straightened up a bit and asked Lois how much longer before she would call it a night. Lois looked at her watch and told Steve about another thirty or forty-five minutes. "You've been in Las Vegas for nearly a week. Not counting the fact that you stood at my side and offered some suggestions on a couple of hands, you haven't really gambled once while you have been here. Do you want to tell all your friends back east that you spent all this time in Vegas and never gambled?" "I told you that I am really not much of a gambler, and the most I had budgeted for it was $100. That doesn't provide much of an experience if you run into a bad streak of luck right away." "Well, as far as I am concerned, you helped me win a lot of money the other night. So I am willing to let you play with a third of it, twelve hundred dollars." Lois smiled, "Twelve hundred and thirty-three dollars and thirty-three cents ... but who's counting?" "See? You have a mathematical mind and that's a big advantage in many of the casino games. And I saw your decision-making the other night. I have a feeling you would do well. So I don't feel as if I am taking a big risk. And if all we are playing with is winnings, then I am playing with the house's money." "The way you are arranging it, it's hard to refuse. But if I am playing with your winnings, I'm not technically gambling, am I?" Steve thought for a moment and then smiled and said, "Well, if it helps you feel more like you are gambling, you can think of the fact that someday, a share of that money could be yours anyway! Remember, Nevada is a community property state." "Okay, let's do it. It feels like we are talked out for tonight, anyway. But Steve, I want you to know that the number one thing that concerns me about our future is your interest in gambling." "I appreciate the fair warning. As you get to know me, I hope you will see that I am a responsible gambler. The amount I play with is part of my entertainment budget, and I don't go over that amount." Lois nodded. "Okay, Steve. Well, it is getting late. So if we are going to do this, we'd better get to the casino." They decided to go back to New York New York. As they walked past the Grand and then across the street, Steve asked Lois if she had decided what she wanted to play. Lois replied, "I'm pretty sure I will go back to a Blackjack table. But I wanted to ask you about a game I saw that I never heard of. How do you play Pai Gow?" Steve started to explain the basic rules and some of the strategy. They were now on the casino floor at New York New York, and Lois sensed that Steve was only getting warmed up with his explanation. She put up her hand and said, "Whoa. Are you talking about Pai Gow or Fizz Bin? I think that by the time you finish explaining, I won't have any time left to play. I better stick with Blackjack. But let's stay in the main area, please? I don't want to have the pressure of making those big bets. Besides, I am dressed even more casually tonight." Steve chuckled. "Yes, it is probably best to have your experience with a game you are most familiar with." Then he scouted the room until he saw what he was looking for: a Blackjack table with the first seat vacant. "I don't want your play messed up by some amateur who doesn't know when to draw or hold," he whispered to Lois. Steve was greeted by the dealer, and Steve explained to her that they would be using his account to draw funds from, but that Lois would be in the seat doing the playing. Moments later, Lois had $400 worth of chips in front of her, knowing that another $800 was available if she wanted them. And then the cards were shuffled In the shoe and the action began. As it turned out, it was a relatively nondescript series of hands. There was only one time when Lois doubled down (she ended up tying the house anyway) and no good opportunities to split her cards. The cards were running neither hot nor cold for her. She won two, lost one, won one, lost one, won one, lost two and so on. The longest streak she had was four straight pushes with the dealer when they ran into a series of picture cards. Even so, she got caught up a bit in the excitement. Suddenly, when there was a short break, she realized she had lost track of time. She looked at her watch. (You have a better chance of drawing a royal flush in back and two aces in front in Pai Gow than finding a clock on the casino floor.) Oh no, it?s ten minutes to ten! I wanted to be in my room twenty minutes ago. I still have to pack and I wanted to get a good night?s sleep so I would be refreshed for my drive to Phoenix tomorrow.? Steve told the dealer they were cashing in. Lois had never needed to draw on any additional money, but she was down a little. $325 remained of the original $400 that she started with. ?You played well, Lois. I couldn?t fault any of your moves. The cards just weren?t in your favor tonight. Fortunately, they weren?t terrible, either. I?d say $75 was worth the price of saying that you gambled in Las Vegas. It would have cost us more if we did dinner and another show tonight.? ?Thank you, Steve. I?m glad I can say that I did it. And I appreciate your positive appraisal of the way I played. I guess I?m just a better good luck charm than you are.? Lois giggled and Steve laughed in response. ?Now, would you please escort me to my room, so I can say good night to you with some privacy?? Steve?s face lit up and he said, ?My pleasure, dear lady.? ?Not that private, honey! And before you even think of asking, no, you can?t help me pack. That?s something I need to do on my own. And you?d probably be such a distraction, you?d end up slowing me down, not saving me time.? ?Yes, my love. And remind me never to play chess with you. At the key point in the match, you always seem to be a couple of moves ahead of me!? Lois giggled. ?Well honey, you?re the king. That makes you the most important. Just remember that as the queen, that makes me the most powerful!? Steve chuckled, ?I think I?ve just been checkmated. I?d better stay on the same side as you ? your good side, that is.? ?That works for me,? replied Lois. They had an elevator car to themselves, so Lois nestled herself in Steve?s arms and enjoyed snuggling into his quiet strength for the short ride to her floor. ?Something for me to look forward to,? she said when the elevator stopped and they got out. ?Me too,? Steve replied, giving Lois?s hand a tender squeeze. And then as they reached the door Lois?s room, the moment got awkward again. They had been through so much over just a few days. Now they would be apart for over a month. Yes, they could talk on the phone, but they wouldn?t be able to touch or kiss or even gaze into each other?s eyes as they were doing at that very moment. It was as if their eyes were connected by filaments, that was how steadfastly they were gazing at each other. It was Steve who gave in first. Slowly he bent forward and down slightly, and at the same time pulled Lois to him. His kiss was powerful, yet loving; plaintive without putting any pressure on Lois or containing any sense of urgency. At least, that was how Lois interpreted it. The thought foremost in Steve?s mind at that moment was how wonderful this was, except for the fact that they would have to part in mere moments. Lois?s body trembled slightly as she slowly withdrew from Steve?s grasp. This night, she was not pushing him away. For his part, Steve?s embrace was strong enough to squeeze every last moment of contact between them but was not restraining her from emerging from that embrace. At last, when their fingertips parted, Lois sighed, ?To be continued.? Steve whispered dreamily, ?I?ll be waiting. Hurry back.? Still trembling a little, Lois struggled at first to put her key card in the slot for her room. But before Steve could step in to help her, giving an excuse to get back in physical contact with each other, Lois managed to get the green light to get into her room. As she turned to close the door, she blew a kiss to Steve and said, ?I love you.? Steve caught the kiss, planted it on his lips and said, ?I love you, too, darling.? Lois smiled, closed and locked the door, leaned her back against it and said quietly, ?Lord, give me strength: to get packed and to keep from opening the door and inviting that man in here!? Lois activated the clock radio to wake her up at 5 AM. Then she took off her skirt and put on a pair of tan shorts ? very much resembling a skort. She would pack until she was sleepy. Then she didn?t mind falling asleep in what she was wearing. She had done it many times before when she had a heavy workload. Then she remembered. Louis didn?t have to worry about taking off makeup before falling asleep, but Lois did. Because she had kept her makeup light that evening, Lois finished that task quickly and started packing. By now, many of the clothes she had brought on the trip were ready for the laundry, so they were already in plastic bags in one of her suitcases. The rest of the job included some folding, packing away the items she wouldn?t need anymore, and keeping out the things she would need the next morning. Basically, that was her toiletries, her makeup and what she would wear for the drive to Phoenix. She set out comfortable clothes: one of her last sets of clean undergarments, a fresh tee shirt and her sneakers to go with the shorts she was already wearing. Lois also kept out her laptop for the morning. She wanted to check her e-mail, the weather and some other sites she visited on a regular basis for news and to keep herself amused. Lois surprised herself that she had it pretty much under control before she felt sleepy. But she was a seasoned traveler and packing up before the end of a trip was old hat for her. So she took off her shorts and put them with what she would wear the next day. Her tee shirt was put in one of the bags that had other dirty clothes. Clad in bra and panties, she snuggled under the comfy covers: her last night in the luxury of her room at New York New York. It was a sleep that was uneventful and too short. When the clock radio started pouring out the oldies station at 5 AM, Lois?s first impulse was to turn it off and go back to sleep. But then she remembered what day it was. So she stumbled out of bed to wash her face and then take a refreshing shower. After patting herself dry, wet hair wrapped in a towel, Lois sat down and lightly made up her face. With a day?s driving ahead of her, she didn?t want more than that. And even if Steve surprised her by showing up at breakfast to say good bye one more time, she knew he was perfectly fine with a similar look the night before. And she felt comfortable with looking this way for Melissa. Next, she took out the folder with the directions for that day?s journey. She had originally planned to go by way of Hoover Dam in case she hadn?t gotten there during her stay in Vegas. She was glad she had the foresight to plot the alternate route to avoid the heavy traffic crossing the dam. She had her notes and atlas handy: turn south on US 95 just before Boulder City. Then just before entering California, swing east through Laughlin and Bullhead City to hook up with US 93 again (and a short stretch on Interstate 40) at Kingman. Kingman was planned for a rest stop and a place to get gas. The alternate way was more miles: the two legs of the triangle rather than the hypotenuse. But based on the traffic she saw when she took the tour, avoiding that delay at the dam would more than make up for it. And since she would not be sightseeing, she would get into Phoenix much earlier than originally expected, which meant she didn?t need to rush. Lois thought about how disappointed she was that the bridge bypassing the dam would not be completed for a few more months. Now she would be able to ride over it as often as she wanted. Maybe she would even try to be one of the first to ride across when it opened. Methodically, Lois moved the folder for the Utah-Las Vegas leg of her trip behind the folders of the other legs of her vacation. They seemed almost a lifetime ago now. Only one folder remained: the one containing the short trip from her motel in Phoenix to Sky Harbor Airport and the printout of her flight info from Phoenix to Long Island. Throwing on a robe, she went online while her hair dried. In addition to her normal rounds in the morning, she checked the weather for her route and also the Nevada and Arizona DOT sites to see if there was any last minute construction along her planned route. Fortunately, there appeared to be no weather or construction problems. Just hot, dry weather ahead. Speaking of dry, her hair was now dry enough to comb out and put back into a pony tail. She finished getting dressed and checked the time: 7:20 AM. Since she wouldn?t be meeting Melissa until around 8 AM, that would give her enough time to pack some more of the articles she was finished with and bring some of her bags down to her car. She hadn?t needed her car at all while she was in Las Vegas. She had expected to use it for some sightseeing. But between the tour and Steve taking her to the dude ranch, she had gotten a good taste of the surrounding area. The rest of the daytime hours ended up being filled with her talk to Melissa, her job interview, her talks with her friends and her afternoon of leisure. Therefore, the air in her rental car felt hot and stale when she opened the door. While the parking garage at New York New York is under cover, it is not protected from the heat. Now what did those articles conclude? Do you use more gas by running the air conditioner or by the additional drag on the car by opening the windows? Lois knew that she would have to decide which method to use, because it was going to be a hot trip today. By the time Lois was finished squaring away her gear in the car, she decided there wasn?t much point going back to her room. It was almost time to meet Melissa for breakfast. She decided to take one last look around the casino. A few die-hard early birds were on the floor, playing the slots. But the casino was relatively quiet at this hour of the day. Lois was wondering if Steve would surprise her with one last good bye. She knew that he had a tour that day and couldn?t join her and Melissa for breakfast. But he might have decided to say a quick hello. She was glad she got there early, because Melissa also arrived a few minutes before eight. Lois didn?t want Melissa missing any more of her normal work hours on her account. But as she searched, she saw that Steve wasn?t with Melissa. Melissa picked right up on who Lois was looking for. ?Steve called me a little while ago to tell me that he went back and forth on whether to see you one more time before you left. In the end, he decided against it. He wanted me to remind you that he isn?t really a morning person, and besides, he thought your last moments together last night were perfect and wanted to leave it that way until you return. And of course, you will be talking to each other on the phone until then, I?m sure.? ?It?s okay,? replied Lois. ?Either way would have been okay. I?m not disappointed. Last night is a special memory for me. A quick hi and good bye might probably would have been anticlimactic. ? ?I am so happy for you, honey ? for both of you.? ?Thank you, Melissa. But it wouldn?t have been possible without you. Besides the fact that you got us together to begin with, you straightened things out when it might have fallen apart.? All Melissa could do in response was smile her biggest smile and reach out and hold Lois?s hand. ?But that reminds me, Melissa. I have never had to deal with someone who is grumpy in the morning. Can you give me any secrets on how to handle Steve first thing in the morning?? ?Lois, always remember to get the coffee pot set up the night before. One that you can put on a timer to start automatically is the best. And stay out of his way until then.? Lois nodded with understanding. ?Of course,? Melissa added, ?once you are married and waking up next to each other In the morning, you may come up with your own ideas of how to put him in a good mood first thing.? Lois was puzzled for a second, then Melissa?s meaning came to her and she blushed a bright crimson. ?Oh Melissa, you are wicked! Deliciously wicked! We are going to have so much fun together.? ?That?s the spirit, Lois. We can have responsible jobs, but as Shania sings, ?The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun.?? Lois smiled. ?Ah, one of my theme songs: Man, I Feel Like a Woman!? ?And you are a wonderful addition to the club, Lois. But that reminds me. The t-girls of the world need not fear about their privacy when they come to New York New York. I?ve retired my Sherlock Holmes hat. It looks to me like Steve won?t be needing my help from now on.? ?I wouldn?t go that far. I?m sure he could use a little straightening out from his big sister from time to time. At least while he?s still single.? ?Right,? replied Melissa. Then she caught a glimpse of her watch and said, ?Oh my, I could gab with you for hours. But you?ve got a lot of driving ahead of you and I need to get to work. So let?s order and we can finish our conversation while we eat. It is going to be a much more pleasant than our breakfast a couple of days ago.? ?True. But that breakfast may prove to be the most important meal of my life. If you hadn?t known what to do and say that morning, I would be leaving Las Vegas alone, disappointed and angry.? With that, the two ladies picked up their menus and ordered. Both chose something lighter than their previous breakfast. The conversation also went to a lighter direction. As they finished, Melissa insisted on picking up the check once again (employee discount, she claimed) and Lois insisted that someday she would find a way to repay her for all her generosity. Melissa replied that making her twin brother happy was more than payment enough. Then Melissa took Lois to the business center and showed her how to print out her boarding pass for her flight out of Phoenix the next day. With that they hugged each other and said their goodbyes with happy tears misting in their eyes and promises to stay in touch (which they kept) until Lois returned. All that was left was for Lois to take one final look around her hotel room, gather up her remaining toiletries and bring them to the car. Then one final trip inside to the main floor to check out of the hotel. An attentive clerk waved her to the front of the line (which wasn?t very long, anyway). Lois knew it was one more perk that came from knowing Melissa. And then, another chapter in Lois?s life was coming to a close. All that remained was the final leg of the journey, the drive back to Phoenix. Where the trip through the Rockies was loaded with parallels to her past, the trip that day was just as devoid of them. For the most part, the scenery was dull and uninspiring, suggesting nothing. The drive was easy enough. But it was more of a chore, something to get out of the way until the next major event in her life. It did not look like it was a day to remember. So Lois had to work harder to keep her mind occupied. When she got to the stretch of US 93 south of Interstate 40, she noted the sections of divided highway and wondered if eventually there would be an interstate connecting Phoenix and Vegas. The connection would be more feasible once the Hoover Dam bridge bypass was completed. And taking over US 93 and these divided highway sections through nowhere would be the most logical route. The transportation engineer that she once aspired to be idly wondered where the other lanes would go when she was driving on sections where there were still only two lanes. The rest of the time, Lois kept her mind occupied with music, either from the radio, when there was a decent station in range, or with the CD?s she had brought with her. But even though the music represented some of her favorites from days gone by, she found that she was more likely to be thinking of her future. It was when she was listening to the Moody Blues, that she had a moment of great clarity. It was a greatest hits compilation, and the song, ?Questio