“Wow! Is it my eyes playing tricks on me, Babe? Or… Uh… Did you just put up a post roasting the CEO of a billion-dollar corporation about their software’s lack of accessibility? Now there’s the man I know and love!”
As I heard the above words softly spoken in a warm playful tone, I felt two hands come to gently rest on my shoulders as I worked on Brian Schnabel’s Head Space. Nuzzling my neck Julia then added, “I’m not picking on your stuff. I love that you have the courage to write some of the things you do. God knows how many people you’ve helped over the years because you do point this stuff out, using a strategy that actually does get the attention of the people who matter.”
I sat back in my chair and simply enjoyed the sensation of Julia’s lips occasionally lightly brushing my skin in between her phrases as she spoke. Between this and the feel of her hair and breathing? Yeah… It sent little shivers through my body that were quite pleasant. It was almost like her voice was going right through me, too.
“Can a pretty girl interest her man in a sunrise tryst? You’ve got hours before needing to go to your session and… Well… I could really use a little TLC with a few of those oration skills of yours mixed in.”
She then paused, gently letting that long soft light brown hair of hers brush my face before breathing in my ear, “I’ve showered for you and everything. Please? I promise I’ll be very good. Please?”
I hit the publish button on the page I had just finished for a client’s site and gently turned in my chair to face Julia, taking care not to run her over as I did. “Is that a, yes?” Julia asked playfully. When I nodded, she backed up taking my hand in hers as I stood saying, “I think we both need this right now. I couldn’t really sleep either and… Well… This will be good,” Julia finished in a whisper.
“Let me shower first? If you’re going to do what I think you’re going to, let me…” But I never got to finish that last sentence. From that moment on, Julia was living large and in charge, muttering something about me worrying too damn much before… Well… You get the idea.
It really was a pleasant start to the day. Never underestimate the therapeutic value of the 69th position. But… Anyhow…
I rode to our office building with Julia and took care of getting a few things fixed for a tenant. It wasn’t really anything I could do myself. But, having a good working relationship with a few quality contractors in the area…
So… Yeah… When I walked into Shannon’s office for my session at 9:00 AM, I knew the problems brought to our attention would be resolved by the end of the day, which they were. Money talks and bullshit walks, the folks I work with always jumping at the chance to do jobs for my wife and I, even on short notice, knowing they will always be well taken care of upon a job’s completion.
That’s not to say things are always done to our liking. But… In those few instances where things were less than satisfactory, we have always managed to negotiate a solution that will work out for everyone. We’re not unreasonable people and our contractors know it. So… They work with us.
The post that Julia was referring to this morning. Well… It must have gotten indexed within a few hours. It definitely grabbed the attention of the CEO in question because I got an email from the man this afternoon around 4:00 PM.
I had walked home from the office building, enjoying the clean air as I moved through town. The light misty rain felt good after my session with Shannon and helped clear my head a bit.
Once home I began updating another client’s site for them, Julia calling to check in around lunch time. When she walked through the door at 4:30 PM I handed her a printed copy of the email I had received from my newly acquired CEO friend.
“He makes it sound like he’s really going to do something about this, Babe. Do you think he’s for real?” Julia asked.
“Well… It’s either that or he’s hiring an assassin to knock me off by the end of next week. The truth is… I don’t know. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. He’s either a really good bullshit artist or Bracken Darrel will deliver on his word and get things done.”
Julia put her arms around me and just hung on for a while. “It’s been a long day for both of us. Why not hit the Hampton Diner for dinner?” Julia asked quietly.
It was a quiet evening out, Julia never pressing once about my appointment with Shannon, which I appreciated. It hurt my head just thinking about it and well…
It’s one of the things I love about Julia. She doesn’t push for information. She’ll wait until I’m ready to talk about something. But she doesn’t take it as a personal insult if I don’t.
We laugh together and cry together, sometimes not even knowing why. But… It works. It’s good. “It’s all good.”