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Esther and Me Ch. 01

By: Slirpuff



Chapter 01: Gardens and Esther

They say sixty is the new forty but I don't really believe it. The only ones that do are living in a fantasy world, and I've met more then my share of them lately. Reality hit me right between the eyes when I turned seven years old. I found out there was no Santa Clause or Easter Bunny, not to mention the Tooth Fairy. She had bit the dust the year before. I've lived nearly sixty years and at times I feel every day of it. I can still do many of the same things I could do as a twenty or thirty year old like running a marathon; but I do them a lot slower than I did back then. Do I have regrets in my life? Who doesn't? But after thinking about it long and hard I finally figured it out. If you ponder over 'what if' instead of saying 'I can' going forward, you might as well climb in that oak box and call it quits, and I'm nowhere ready for that just yet. So, I get up every morning and go into work and give them a hundred percent because that's what they're paying me for. The best I can figure, I've got just over nine years until I retire and can do basically whatever I want. Will I make changes in my life? Hell yes. I think the first one will be to move out of this damn retirement village my wife talked me into moving into a couple of months ago. You see, she took an early retirement and is having the time of her life here, and me, I hate it more each day. Will I change my mind? Who knows, I might even do it earlier with or without my wife, Sarah. Only time will tell.

We had a perfectly good house. It was ninety-five years old and was listed on the historic register in our town. True, there were a few pain in the ass regulations you have to abide by, but owning an historic home adds nothing but value to it. The little bronze plaque on the front of the house tells who the original owners were and the date it was built; it lists us as only the second owners. Over the last twenty years we've rewired the place, upgraded the plumbing to bring it into the twenty first century, but left the outer façade alone so from at least the outside it still looks original. Two years before we sold it we repainted using three original Victorian colors. It was beautiful especially with the white picket fence in front. The only problem we ever had was when we needed a new roof. We went round and round with the city about which shingles were acceptable for our house since they no longer made the ones that were originally on the house. Finally they approved our choice and I decided that was the last major thing I was going to do to it. So with only five years left on the mortgage I figured I was home free. I never knew there were already plans in the works, and if I'd known I'd still be in that house; and where would my wife be? Who the hell knows?

How she talked me into selling our jewel and moving into this place is still a mystery to me. She must have spiked my beer with something, that's the only thing I can ascertain. Don't get me wrong, this place is almost brand new but is just about half the size of our old house. However, with the kids gone we didn't need four bedrooms anymore, but the quality is far below what I am use to. It looks pretty but it is in no way as solid. I had plaster walls and ceilings and now I've got at best half-inch dry wall with ugly textured ceilings. It looks something like that damn popcorn they used to do in the seventies. The appliances are a step up from what we had, but who needs a gourmet oven and stove? Hell, for just the two of us, and as much cooking that goes on in this place, a microwave and a hot plate is about all we need. The dishwasher is nice but the refrigerator is something out of Star Wars. I don't need or want two kinds of water or need three types of ice cubes. And how often am I going to leave a message for my wife on the voice recorder in the door? Give me my old side by side that has an inside icemaker, kept my beer cold, and I'll be a happy camper. Oh well, I guess I'm stuck for now, but not happily.

When two of Sarah's best friends sold their homes and moved into Temple Gardens last year she was crushed. They were still only twenty minutes away by car but the way she carried on you'd think they had moved halfway across country. My wife had worked for the school system so when she got enough points, years of service combined with her age; she took their early retirement package. My only condition was that she wouldn't continue to spend like she was working because she'd only be making a little over half of what she had been with her pension. That lasted for all of nine months. Then all I heard was that she needed new sports and casual wear outfits. I always thought she looked good in her shorts and tee shirts. I admit though, I knew little or nothing when it came to fashion, but I soon learned. Where you could buy shorts and tee shirts at Wal-Mart, casual outfits came from the mall or small boutique shops with big price tags. Don't get me wrong, she looked good in them but to me she looked much better naked.

When she started spending her days with her old friends at their new homes I was happy for her. When they got Sarah into line dancing, playing tennis, golf, and other social activities I got a little concerned. But when I came home to an empty house and a damn note telling me my dinner was in the microwave or oven I got pissed.

"Sarah, don't I even rate you being home to have dinner with me anymore?" 

"Steve, I knew I was going to be late, so I made sure to have your dinner ready before I left for Connie's."

"Pray tell, what was so important at Connie's that you had to be there until," I looked at my watch, "eight thirty four?" I asked.

"Our line dancing group was performing at the town square at six tonight and I just had to be there. You wouldn't have wanted me to let them down, would you?" 

"Sarah, I don't give a tinker's damn about your line dancing group, your golf, or tennis buddies until it starts to effect my life. What you do during the day is up to you, but when I come home after working all day I don't appreciate being greeted by a fucking note on the microwave."

"Steve, that's kind of rude."

"Rude or not, I don't appreciate it and if this was the first time I wouldn't have even said anything, but it's happening more and more. Why don't you just move into Connie or Judy's spare room for Christ's sakes," I said trying to hold my anger back but failing miserably.

"Look, I'm sorry and I promise it'll never happen again. Why didn't you eat and come join us?"

"The last time I tried that, your group had moved locations twice and you weren't answering your damn cell phone. I'm not about to go looking through the whole community for my wayward wife."

"Well, I'm home now, so why don't I get us both a glass of wine while you take a shower upstairs?" That was her way of telling me that I'd be getting lucky tonight. I guess I could have pissed and moaned a bit more but then I'd probably not get dessert. I took the shower.

The wine was good and I made it even better by dribbling a little on each nipple and more than a little onto her pussy. Like I said, there was no way I was giving up my dessert. We had a good sex life. We didn't do it every night like we had when we first got married, and although it wasn't as intense, I made sure she always got off no matter how long it took. Me, I was always more than ready and even though I probably wasn't as hard as a steel pipe anymore, I got more than hard enough to get the job done. 

She liked oral sex and wasn't shy about asking me for it whenever the mood struck her. However, giving me a blowjob was an entirely different matter. She would only do it for just so long and after that all she did was complain that it was uncomfortable at best. In other words, I'd better get off quickly or I wouldn't get finished by her mouth.

Tonight she was primed, it only took me about five minutes to get her to climax the first time with my tongue and fingers. With me being rock hard I skipped any chance at a blowjob and literally plowed forward, so to speak. As worked up as I was, and even though I thought about my sixth grade nun and the proposal I was finishing at work, ten minutes later I was coating her insides. I know she loved me and I know I loved her to death even though she tried my patience at times. We held one another for the next twenty minutes before she said that she needed to get cleaned up and rushed off to the bathroom. Life was good but most of all it was easy being married to Sarah. After so many years together we had a tendency to finish each other's sentences and I thought I always knew exactly what she was thinking. I found out later I was very wrong about that one.

When we became joined at the hip with her Temple Gardens friends I just went along for the ride. Dinners out, barbeques, shopping excursions, and weekend get-a-ways all made us a tighter group. When we added two more couples to the mix and started to go to the activities in the town squares I suspected nothing. Hell, the car shows, art fairs, and food functions were all things I enjoyed. I wasn't much of a dancer so when they played music and people started to dance I did my customary three slow dances and watched while Sarah kicked up her heals with this group or that. Was I jealous? Not on your life. I knew if I didn't let her out there she'd pester me to death, so I went with the flow. Well, at first anyway.

Things came to a head when they all wanted to go to a restaurant in one of the town squares one Saturday night. Someone made reservations for ten and when we got there the maitre d' wouldn't let us in. I guess this restaurant was only open to those people who actually lived in Temple Gardens. Our group said that we were their guests but he flatly refused to seat us.

"Come on Sarah we're out of here. I wouldn't give them our business if they got down on their knees and begged me now." The other couples apologized and I told them it wasn't their fault and not to worry about us, we'd surely find something to eat elsewhere.

"Steve, if we lived there we wouldn't have to worry about it," she said feeling me out.

"And if pigs flew I'd always have ribs but that's not going to happen either. Our house would never sell in this down economy, and if it did we'd lose our ass. Besides, there are a lot of restrictions that I don't know if I could live with." We ate the rest of our dinner in silence.

Nothing happened for about a month. We still went out with the same group, plus or minus a couple here or there, and then it happened.

"Steve, what would you say if I told you we have a buyer for our house?" asked an excited Sarah when I walked through the door Friday night.

"Whose house and what buyer?" I was confused.

"You know how we always get those flyers about how this or that house sold in your neighborhood and if you're interested call this realtor or that one? Well, I called one that came in the mail a couple of weeks ago, and he did an appraisal on our house. He told me that there were a lot of people looking for houses like ours and that we could get top dollar even in this down market."

"Sarah, didn't you even think to ask me if I wanted to sell?"

"Steve, I was just seeing what our place was worth and you know, day dreaming about it."

"Day dreaming is thinking about what if, you took it a lot further than that."

"All right, I did, but he called this morning and said that he has two couples interested and would like to give them a walk through this weekend. Isn't that exciting?" Sometimes there isn't an easy way to say things, you know that?

"Are you fucking nuts? Why would I want to sell? I love this house." That started an intense four-hour discussion on why I should.

I've got to hand it to her, she did make some valid points; the girl had done her homework. The amount we'd make from the sale of our house would more than pay for anything we'd replace with it, and we could throw the rest in the bank for a nice nest egg. Our current house was too big for just the two of us, and the utilities costs alone were killing us, at about four hundred per month since we had old wooden double sash windows and no insulation in the walls. The yard took a lot to maintain and our neighborhood was getting older.

"Sarah, it's an historic neighborhood. It's supposed to be old."

"Steve, when you retire, are you going to want to maintain this house? The house will need painting in a couple of years and wouldn't it be nice to have something new that we didn't have to worry about? I know you like it here, but won't you at least just think about it and look to see what we can get?"

Saturday morning we met with the realtor. He showed us comparables and what he thought would be a good price. He said that he had two offers and that it could be all said in done in two months. When I asked what he charges for a sales commission I about shit. When I told him that it would be two percent less or nothing we finally agreed upon one and a quarter.

"Why don't we look at what's available in Temple Gardens? I'm sure our friends will show us around." Yeah, I sure as hell know they will, I thought to myself. I went in a different direction.

At the Temple Gardens sales office I saw the big layout on the wall. It was enormous, like a huge city encroaching on three different counties. He said that they were on their ninth expansion and that they'd secured enough property for three more.

"This is the largest home development of its kind outside of Sun City in Arizona. We've got sixteen golf courses, twenty-eight tennis courts, six man made lakes, and two town squares with shopping and restaurants. Outside of that, within five minutes, there is every type of medical facility known to man in three business complexes, and next year we're breaking ground on our own hospital. Once you move in, you'll never have to go anywhere else to get what you need, We are pretty much a self providing community."

The one thing I didn't like from the start was that there was only one real estate office that was allowed to market all the new or used properties. And the list of restrictions seemed to go on forever. I tried not to be negative but it just looked like the developer still had his hand into every facet of this community. He had to be making a bundle. When he asked what we were looking for, Sarah brought out this typewritten list. As I said, she'd done her homework.

We looked at the models and although they looked nice they were nothing special. When he asked what price range we were looking at I told him no more than a hundred and seventy-five thousand, this would give us a nest egg of almost eighty thousand. He brought up what he had in that range and the general location in the complex.

"Steve, that one is only three blocks from Judy's house." How convenient I thought sarcastically to myself. "Let's go look at that one," she said all smiles.

At least this one wasn't as sterile as the models. It had a few nice personal touches and even a hot tub on the small patio. It still looked small to me and everyone thought I was nuts when I asked to look inside the attic.

"It's really not an attic," the realtor explained. "More like a crawl space between the ceiling joists."

"I just want to see how much insulation is up there," I told him. There was only six inches of blown-in fiber insulation. I found two other problems right off the bat and concern showed on my face.

"This is a used home. There are bound to be a few problems," he mentioned to me, all the while taking notes.

"Does this house come with any type of warranty, and are the owners willing to fix any and all problems?"

"Mr. Moore, I'll have to get back with you on that after I check with them, but most owners usually are willing to work with prospective buyers." I told him I wanted to see at least three more properties.

He showed us three more in about the same condition and one with about a thirty thousand dollar higher price tag. That one was a lot more to my liking. I guess the adage, you get what you pay for is true, at least in this case. After about four and a half hours running around he took us to dinner. We talked price and location and when I told him I'd be paying cash his eyes lit up.

"We maybe can work out a better deal on one of the older models we currently have in stock near the town squares. They usually have all the upgrades and are sold furnished," he said now licking his chops.

"Well, for the right price my wife and I are open to anything."

The house was three blocks off the first town square that was built. It was a model but had also been used as a rental on and off over the last five years. It came with a two-year appliance warranty along with the usual manufacturing quality warranty. It had two bedrooms, two full baths and a small den or television room. The kitchen was open to the large family room so it made it look that much larger. With the two-car garage it had everything we wanted or needed except the pool.

"You can put in a small pool," I was told. "But per building community requirements it must have a screen enclosure." This was the first of many things that would work its way under my skin to eventually make me grow to hate living there, but at the time everything looked pretty good.

For the next week Sarah, Judy, Connie, and their husbands all ganged up on me telling me what a great place it was. The realtor kept asking if I needed any more information and that he had two other couples looking at the places he'd shown us. Finally, I bit the bullet. If Sarah was going to be spending all her time here anyway, I mine as well be within walking distance of finding her when I got home from work.

Within two months, our old house was gone and we'd moved into our new home. I worked out a deal to have them repaint the kitchen and family room a pale coral color. We ended up having a garage sale to dump all our unwanted furniture. I found out after signing on the dotted line that yard sales were prohibited at our new place.

Even though I'd added twenty minutes to my daily commute, it seemed to be working out better than I'd imagined. Sarah was more than overjoyed and I reaped the benefits almost nightly the first couple of months. At one point I even had to tell her I had a headache. The first major problem came when she wanted a golf cart. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, owned a golf cart. The whole place was set up with golf cart lanes and in the evening there were ten times the number of golf carts compared to cars on the roads. We had two cars and one of the restrictions was that no vehicle could be left outside the garage on the driveway. So, if we got a golf cart, I'd have to do something with one of my vehicles.

"Steve, why don't you sell that mustang of yours? You hardly ever drive it, and we'll probably use the golf cart ninety percent of the time, anyway."

"There is no way I'm selling my car, it's a classic, for Christ's sakes. It was the first Cobra Mustang they ever built. I'll find a place where I can store it, but I'm not getting rid of it." Women can be so dumb sometimes. It cost me almost a hundred a bucks a month for storage but it was well worth it.

Most nights after dinner, Sarah wanted to take a walk down to the town square and listen to the music or walk through the shops. It was fun at first but after a while it was just an excuse to walk off our dinner before bedtime. Sarah still got in a few dances every night. We made new friends daily but like I said before, I'd do my couple of slow dances and then watch as she kicked up her heals. The one thing I realized the first night was that in the town square and at every function they openly sold alcohol. I guess with people driving golf carts instead of cars they thought they could drink as much as they wanted, and many did. I don't know how many accidents they had every night, but there had to be at least a few the way people slammed down the drinks. So while Sarah danced, I drank. That's how I met Esther.


Esther and Me Ch. 01



I was sipping on a Miller Lite, watching my wife line dance with a group when the elderly woman in a wheelchair next to me dropped her beer.

"Shit, can you pick that up for me?" she asked.

"No problem," I said picking it up and wiping off the top of the bottle.

"Don't worry, the alcohol will kill any germs that are on it," she said with a smile taking a big drink. "And if not, I'm eighty-seven years old and I sure as hell don't expect to live forever."

"Well, since most of it spilled why don't I get you a fresh one?" I said standing up.

"Just make sure it's not a light beer. I don't want to drink any watered down bunny piss unless I have to." I laughed and headed over to the bar.

"Here you go, an ice cold Bud," I sat back down took her empty and handed her the full bottle and glass.

"Don't need no damn glass. Only pussies and gays drink beer out of a glass," she said clinking our bottles together. After a long drink she let out a gasp. "That hit the spot. My name is Esther. Esther Thurman and yours is?"

"Steve Moore. My wife Sarah and I just moved in here a couple of months ago."

"And where is your wife tonight?"

"She's the forth one from the left in the yellow sun dress out there dancing," I said pointing to her group.

"Nice looking wife you got there. Been married long?"

"Thirty-eight years this September."

"How come you're not out there dancing with her?"

"I'm not much of a dancer except when it comes to slow songs."

"My husband Carl, rest his soul, couldn't dance a lick but he did try. Hell, I thought he broke one of my toes on more than one occasion. Thankfully, his hip started bothering him or I'd been a cripple a hell of a lot sooner," she said taking another long draw off her beer.

"You better go easy on that stuff or you'll never make it back home."

"Got that taken care of. You see that black woman over there," she said pointing to a group of women talking. "That's my nurse. She wheels me up here every night, parks me close to the music and goes visiting. Every once in a while she comes back to see if I need anything and visits until the music stops. Then it's back to my place and to bed shortly thereafter. So, if I get hammered and pee on myself she just hoses me off and puts me to bed. Not the greatest life in the world, but at least I'm still upright."

"Well, here's to being upright." I grinned touching bottles again.

"You fool around?" was the question that came out of nowhere sending beer out my nose while I coughed trying to suck in air.

"For Christ's sakes, don't fucking die on me," Esther said watching me recover. I blew my nose into my handkerchief and tried to compose myself. 

"What kind of question is that? And no, I don't want to fool around with you, Esther."

"You should be so lucky. In my day you'd been begging me to stop after the first hour and I'd just be hitting full stride, but that was a long time ago. I haven't fooled around since my Carl died, but I still have a vibrator in my nightstand. Well, it was there the last time I looked anyway."

"Well, then why did you ask if I fooled around?"

"Steve, how old are you? Fifty-two, fifty-five?"

"Thanks for the compliment, but I just turned fifty-eight and my wife is fifty-six."

"Well, a lot of the people here are from the generation that were tried and true to their spouses their entire lives. Raised their kids, worked their whole life, and were bored to death with each other by the time they retired. Since they missed the sexual revolution and are no longer afraid of getting knocked up they figured it is now their time to let their hair down and taste some of the forbidden fruit."

"You don't mean swinging do you? Here? Christ's Esther, no pun intended, this place looks like the geriatric ward at the hospital," I whispered this, but was shocked by her statement.

"Well, there may be snow on the mountain but there is a raging fire down below," she answered me, finishing off her beer and motioning to her nurse to get another.

"How many beers do you go through a night?"

"I usually stop at three, but tonight since you bought me one, I'm going to go for four. My record is six, but that was last New Year's Eve, and I passed out somewhere around ten fifteen. The bitch never woke me up. I missed the fireworks. Last time I do that."

The music stopped five minutes later and Sarah came over to where I was sitting.

"Esther, this is my wife Sarah, Sarah this is my new good friend, Esther."

"Nice to meet you, Esther," my wife said stretching out her hand to Esther.

"You're nice looking, you're sure she's only fifty-six? Damn, you don't look a day older than forty-five." My eyes rolled back and my wife blushed.

"Well, Esther, we'll be leaving. I hope to see you around," I said reaching for my wife's hand.

"I'm up here every night so unless that fat nurse of mine smothers me with a pillow, I'll see you again."

"Where did you find her?" my wife asked quietly as we walked away. 

"She was there when I went to sit down. I only hope I'm as spry as her when I'm eighty-seven."

So began my relationship with Esther. She was all of eighty-seven, silver white thinning hair she wore on the top of her head, and although she couldn't be any more than five foot two she probably tipped the scales at one hundred and fifty pounds. She'd moved to Temple Gardens with her husband when he sold his business up in New Jersey. They were in on the ground floor and were grandfathered into most things that others ended up paying for years later. As she explained, their first place was not much more than a manufactured double wide, but years later they moved up to, as she put it, a real house. She watched the community go from two hundred homes to over twenty thousand. She knew more of what went on than the community newspaper I found out sooner than I liked. Her aim in life was to enjoy life to the fullest every day and to make it to ninety, every year after that was just gravy she would tell me. 

I saw her most nights we went to the town square. I made it a point to buy her a beer on every occasion. We would talk about life, dreams, and most of all gossip about what was going on in the community. How she found out the dirt about everyone I haven't a clue. Even though I thought, at times, she was full of shit, I ate crow on more than one occasion.

"Ma'am, is this seat taken?" I inquired holding two beers walking up to Esther's wheelchair.

"Don't give me that ma'am shit and sit your ass down. What do I look like, some damn southern bell?" I smiled, she smiled, and grabbed one of the beers. "Your wife with you tonight?"

"Of course. She's over there with that group in the western garb." I said pointing to Sarah and about nine other people.

"You may want to keep a close eye on your wife when she's with some of the people in that group. I'm not saying anything is going on mind you, it's just that some of the guys there have a reputation with the ladies "

"Esther, they've got to be in their early seventies. I think I could kick all their asses at once," I said puffing out my chest.

"All right smarty pants, just don't come crying to me if something happens."

"Nothing is going to happen, believe me." I looked at her and she was about ready to burst. "Ok, what do you have?"

Her eyes got real big and a huge smile came across her face.

"Better go get us a refill because this is a two beer story." I went over to the bar, got a Corona for me and a Bud for her.

"All right, now what's the skinny on that group?" She looked around and leaned in close. 

"They're all swingers in that group." I gave her a look.

"You've got to be shitting me? Some of those guys look too old to even get it up," I snickered.

"Steve, looks can be deceiving. Ever since that little blue pill came out a lot has happened around here. It used to be that the streets would roll up at nine o'clock and everyone went home to bed. These days they go home to bed, but usually with someone else's wife." I glanced over at the group that was now doing some line dance thing.

"How in the hell do you know that?"

"You see that tall thin guy with the black hair? Well, he gets a dye job every three weeks; he's a retired banker from somewhere up north and lost his wife shortly after moving here. He's got a good pension, a nice car, and wines and dines the ladies." I stared at him for a moment.

"He's nothing great. He still has all his hair, but he's sure as hell no Don Juan."

"Steve, in this community there are two to three single women for every guy. These widows would cut each other's throats to land that guy. He's good looking, has money, and can still put the meat to them. What more can a woman ask for?"

I started to interrupt to tell her she had to be wrong when she stopped me.

"See that bald guy with the earring? He's in the gym four hours a day. He's probably in the best shape of his life and half the women here, married or not, would strap him on in a heartbeat. And I hear he's hung like a horse." She giggled like a girl and finished her first beer adding, "He's married, but it's rumored that his wife swings both ways, if you know what I mean." This was getting to be too much.

"I'm going to have to cut you off girl, the beer is pickling your brain."

"Steve, I can name probably half of the residents here and tell you where they live. I may be old and can't see like I use to, but I've got two good ears and they hear a lot when people think no one is listening."

"It's just that I just can't imagine this place being an old folks Sodom and Gomorra." She laughed at that.

"Steve, we may be old, but we're not dead yet. Most of the people have nothing but free time on their hands and they are looking at something new and exciting to fill those hours. It's not like any of them are going to get pregnant."

I sat up and started looking at all the groups of people. There were some in their fifties but most were a lot older outside of the tourists that were there. There is no way I thought to myself, but Esther hadn't been wrong about anything yet.

"Okay, say I believe you. You think they'd hit on my wife with me sitting right here?"

"Duh! You still work don't you? A little tennis match in the morning, a trip to the pool to cool off, and maybe a cool drink or two, and they'll be on her like stink on shit. She's fresh meat. Hell, most of the women here have been passed around so much the excitement of nailing them has worn off. But every new couple that moves in is a challenge. What else do horny men here have to think about?"

Did I believe her? Not really but I decided to keep my eyes open more so than I had before. If they were looking at moving in on my wife, I'd put a stop to it before they could even get started. Why didn't we stay in our own damn house?

We still hung out with her friends and about four other couples we'd been introduced to. It was about four months later that I noticed that Judy and Connie started acting funny around me. They were Sarah's friends, but they never once looked me in the eye unless they had to.

"Hon, did I do something to piss off Judy and Connie? They seem to be avoiding me when we're all together."

"Did you say something to their husbands?"

"We talk mostly about shit like sports and politics, and I don't even mention our wives."

"Well, you're probably imagining the whole thing. Just don't worry about it and maybe I'll mention something to them."

Two weeks later we were all up at the town square. I danced a few slow ones with Sarah before turning her loose with our group. Grabbing two brews I went looking for Esther.

"How come you've been standing me up? You find some other old broad to take my place?" she asked smiling at me and reaching for the beer.

I sat down in the chair next to her and replied, "Esther, you know you're irreplaceable."

"If I was only a few years younger, I'd show you what a little sweet talk would get you. I see you haven't heeded my warning," she said pointing her beer at our group.

"Esther, that's not the line dancing group, those are our old friends from where we use to live."

"I don't give a shit who they are, they're in the same group. They moved here about a year and a half ago and have been trading wives for the last nine months."

"I think you're wrong on this one, girl."

"You wouldn't like to make a little wager would you? You know, a little side bet if you're so sure."

"I don't want to take your money. Hell, with the way you drink you'll need all you've saved up," I said laughing.

"Go ahead and laugh you dumb shit. All I'm saying is that your friends are swingers."

"Okay, how are we going to prove which one of us is right?"

"First, we've got to set the bet, don't we? How about one beer a night? You buy me one beer a night whenever you see me up here."

"Esther, I do that now."

"I know, but I let you. This way you'll owe me and I won't feel so bad."

"You feel bad about accepting beers from me?"

"Hell no, I just said that to make you feel bad about trying to take advantage of an old lady." She laughed downing the last of her Bud.

"Well, I'll agree with your terms, but we still need to figure out a way to prove or disprove what you said."

"Steve, have I been wrong yet? Why can't we just say I'm right and you can go over and get us a couple more beers?" 

"How about if we say I'm right since I've known them a lot longer and have been going out with them for the last couple of years?" I suggested. "We've even been to parties they've thrown and no one has approached me."

"How about your wife? You say she's known them forever, why would they approach you when they can talk to her? Maybe they don't even want you to know what they're doing, did you ever think about that?" I started to think back to how and why we'd moved here.

"I just can't imagine my wife acting in that way."

"Whose idea was it to move here? And didn't you say that those couples moved here first and talked your wife into following them?" I didn't like where this conversation was headed.

"Esther, are you saying my wife lied to get me to move here?"

"Steve, I'm saying nothing of the kind. All I'm saying is that she wanted to stay close to her good friend. Maybe she didn't know they'd found a new life style, but she has to know by now."

"Esther, my wife is not a swinger. We have a great sex life and she doesn't have to go outside our marriage for satisfaction."

"Steve, it's not for satisfaction, or not all of it, it's the thrill of doing something you're not suppose to do and not getting caught. Many a wife here has caught her husband dipping his wick into something strange. Most forgive them because what are their alternatives? Most husbands made all the money and even if they got a fifty-fifty split, they can't live in the same life style they currently are. Their friends are all here; they've built a new life here. Why would they want to risk losing all that for a roll in the hay? So, they turn a blind eye or join him. Very few break up, I'm sorry to say. The only ones I've seen were when the wife cheated on her husband. Men are a lot less forgiving and why not. They dump the cheating whore and after that they have their pick of all the single women here."

"Esther, they might be swingers but not my wife. I've known her most of my life and she'd never do that to me in a million years."

"I only hope you're right," she said finishing her bud. "You're too nice a guy to get fucked over, but I've seen tons of them done the same way."

"I need a beer, you want one?"

"Do you really need to ask that question?" she replied handing me her empty. I glanced over to the group laughing, dancing, and carrying on. She had to be wrong. 

I grabbed two beers, gave the bartender a few bucks, and headed back to where Esther was sitting. I could see that she was watching my wife's group while talking to the women on the other side of her. It looked like all the elderly women, watched, waited, and kept their ears open. It looks like I'd have to do the same.

"Music is about over. I hope I didn't upset you too much," she said gulping down her first mouthful. "This is one bet I don't want to win, and I hope I'm wrong but I never am. I'll bet dollars to donuts she asks you if you want to go back to one of their houses tonight. I've seen them whispering for the last five minutes, and by the way they have been looking at their watches. It looks like they're planning something for later on. Maybe she's going to bring it up to you tonight to get your reaction."

"The way I'm feeling right now I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Steve, don't go off half cocked, because like I said I could be wrong. And for Christ's sakes, don't go losing your cool and do something stupid and get yourself thrown in jail. I like having you around and besides, if I'm right, I've got plans for you." 

"Honey, you about ready?" Sarah said walking over to where we were sitting. "How are you doing tonight, Esther? You keeping my husband out of trouble for me?"

"Sweetheart, I think he's keeping me on the straight and narrow I'm sorry to say."

"Steve, the group is moving the party to Connie and Mike's house and they've asked if we want to come along. Do you want to go, it could be fun?"

"Do you want to go?" I asked glancing over at Esther.

"Steve, let's go. It's still early and you don't have to get up for work tomorrow."

"Sure Hon, if that's what you want then we'll go. Esther, I'll see you tomorrow, I hope," I told her starting to walk away.

"Steve, remember what I told you," she yelled back at me as before I was out of earshot.

We walked back to our house to get our golf cart because their house was about a mile away. Sarah was talkative while I sat there quietly and just drove. Connie and Mike's house was a step down from what we had bought. They had, however, closed in their patio and put in a hot tub. Judy and Bill's house was only two blocks away and it was almost the mirror image of Connie's except that they had a small pool put in. There were five other couples there by the time we arrived. Everyone had a drink in their hand and were just talking amongst themselves. Maybe Esther was wrong.

My wife went off somewhere. Mike got me a beer and started bending my ear about how screwed up some of the new restrictions were, and that a group was getting a petition together to fight them.

"I agree there are some things that need to be regulated to keep up the property values, but I think the builder has gone off the deep end on a few of them," I spouted off looking around the party for my wife.

"Steve, I couldn't agree with you more," he said lighting up a cigarette. 

It was just your average party until the music started and people started dancing. Like I said, I'm no dancer and was just sitting back sipping on a beer when it finally hit me; no one was dancing with their own wife. I immediately scanned the group for Sarah. I saw that she was dancing with one of the other wife's husband; I think his name was Carl. It looked innocent but I was wondering for how long. Bill came over and handed me a fresh beer.

"Got everything you need, Steve?" he asked. I couldn't take my eyes off Sarah and Carl. When Bill said something about how hot my wife looked tonight I put an end to any plans anyone might have had for us.

"Well, Bill, it's time for Sarah and me to be leaving," I said loud enough for not just him to hear but anyone else who was in earshot. "I've got to get my bride home before she has too much to drink and does something stupid," I said watching Carl's hands start to wander. "Maybe we'll get together at our house next time." I handed him my full beer and walked over to grab my wife.

"Come on, Sarah, we're leaving," I said taking her gently by the arm leading her out.




Esther and Me Ch. 01



"But Steve, we just got here, and I'm having a good time."

"Well, you have a choice now, don't you? You can stay here with your good friends. or you can come home with me right now; the choice is yours." She looked at me for about fifteen seconds before she realized that I must know something was going on.

"I'm going home with you."

"Good choice," I said leading her to the front door.

"Sorry we can't stay, but Sarah is tired and I need to get her home, maybe next time we'll be able to stay longer." When Connie saw the look in my eyes she knew better than to say anything contradictory.

Connie touched my arm and said, "No problem Steve, just drive safely, there are a lot of drunks driving around at this time at night." I smiled and we were out of there.

"How come you wanted to leave all of a sudden? I was having a good time there."

"Let me put it to you in simple terms. I didn't like the way you were dancing with Carl. His hands were all over you and you must have drank too much tonight because you weren't moving them. I didn't want to create a scene like punching him in the face or breaking his damn hands so I figure it would be safest if we just left."

"Steve, he wasn't really doing anything that bad."

"Hon, if I'd been doing that to his wife, you'd have blown a gasket, wouldn't you?" I watched for her reaction and it was too long in coming.

"I guess you're right, maybe I had a little too much to drink."

"Well, with that said, it's still early enough that when we get home maybe I'll dance with you and get you in the mood for a little love making tonight," I squeezed her hand. "Or maybe we'll park over by the far side of the town square and I'll take you in the back of the golf cart. After all, we haven't christened it yet."

Well, we ended up at home and we did have sex but it was lackluster at best. It was like she was just going through the motions. Don't get me wrong, we both got off, but I guess Saturday night didn't turn out like the group had planned. I think Sarah now understood for the first time that I wasn't going to join in with her new group of friends. My only problem now, was to find out if she'd crossed the line before last night. I sure hoped not but by the way she was acting tonight I wouldn't have put it past her.

Sunday morning at breakfast was a little awkward. I told her that I wasn't happy with the touchy feely that I'd witnessed last night and if it continued we'd have to find ourselves a new set of friends.

"Steve, it was probably just the alcohol. I can imagine the earful Carl got from his wife when they got home." Good comeback I thought to myself. "And since I'm going shopping with Connie and Judy today, I'll mention it to them also."

"I didn't know you were going out today?"

"Don't you remember me telling you last week? They've got fifty percent off sales at Kohl's and all the wives are going."

"Well, I was hoping to spend a little quiet time with you today."

"We did that last night if you'll remember correctly. But maybe I'll buy something special to wear to bed tonight, you know, something to get the juices flowing." She smiled and I got horny all over again.

I thought about following her, but thought better of it. If she caught me, what the hell would I say? I needed a plan of some sort because there was no way I was going to pay some private dick to watch my wife while I was at work.

The Internet is a wonderful tool, and you can find almost anything in the world if you know where to look. A GPS tracking monitor was a hundred dollars. I added two phone wiretaps and a base station for just over seventy-five dollars and a two-camera system with recorder which set me back another hundred and fifty-five dollars. So, even though it wasn't the Cadillac system with Blue Ray quality pictures and surround sound, for less than three hundred and fifty dollars I could get piece of mind or find out my wife was doing something she shouldn't be doing.

Just before five o'clock my wife came back, packages in hand. I had already started supper and had steaks on the grill and potatoes in the oven, along with a tossed salad in the refrigerator. I told her to set the table. 

She went on and on about all the good deals she'd gotten and said that I'd see one of her purchases later tonight. Dinner was good and she was the one that suggested we head out to the town square to walk off our dinner. 

The music was playing and the place was packed. I danced four straight songs with her, two of them even fast ones, before telling her to go for it. I grabbed two beers and went looking for Esther.

"Thought you were going to stand me up tonight," she said grabbing the Bud from my hand. "You get a little strange nookie last night or did you chicken out once you got there?"

"What do you think?"

She gently patted my hand. "I think you saw all you didn't want to see last night," 

"I didn't even let them get started before shutting it down, at least for the two of us. I don't share my tools and I sure as hell don't share my wife, knowingly anyway. And after last night, I don't think anyone is going to be approaching me again."

"How about the misses? Do you think she's been stepping out on you?"

"Esther, I haven't heard it called that in twenty years," I said with a smile.

"Well, excuse me Mr. Dumb Ass, who didn't even know that there were swingers here. I guess I'm not up on the new terminology but cheating by any other name means the same thing. I suppose if she could have talked you into it, it wouldn't been technically cheating."

"Well, I'm still not sure about her yet, but I will be by this time next week. By Tuesday I'll have all the monitoring devises in place and will find out for sure one way or another."

"What are you going to do if it turns sour?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet. I'm taking it one step at a time. We've been together for over thirty-five years and I can't imagine life without her."

"Well, you could always swing with her." I gave her an ugly look. "Or, if not Sarah, then you could take me with you. Hell, I haven't been laid in a million years and could probably show those guys a thing or two if it didn't kill me first." She laughed and I laughed until I looked up and saw my wife dancing with some guy. I just hoped I could hold it together until I found out.

Walking back to our house Sarah hung onto my arm. It was like we were newlyweds again. The outfit she came to bed in was bright red, hot, and didn't stay on for more than five minutes. We didn't fuck or screw but made tender passionate love. As I said, it was like we were newlyweds again. When the alarm went off I didn't want to get up and for a moment or two I thought about calling in sick to work and spending the day in bed with my wife. Hell, I got up. I wasn't twenty anymore and after the second time I'd be limp, probably sore, and she'd try in talk me into taking her shopping. For the sake of my pocketbook I went to work.

Sitting at my desk Monday I kept thinking to myself there was no way my wife could possibly be doing what Esther was suggesting. Even though she'd been acting a little weird lately that didn't make her a swinger, for Christ's sakes, even if all her old friends were doing it. That sour feeling in my gut was getting bigger by the day but at least it would be over one way or another, and soon. Well I hoped anyway. 



Esther and Me Ch. 02



Chapter Two: A Conversation Overheard

Tuesday all my stuff arrived at work. I unpacked it, read the instructions and told my wife I'd be a little late and to go to the town square without me.

"Babes, go ahead and I'll meet you up there when I get home from work."

"You sure? I can wait for you if you want."

"Naw, go ahead, enjoy yourself but not too much," I laughed.

"All right, but don't be too late."

I got home at my normal time and the first thing I did was attach the GPS to her golf cart. I next put the wiretaps on the kitchen and bedroom phones and the video cameras in our bedroom and living room. The receivers I hid in our garage behind a box on my workbench and tied them into our home computer in the den. The cameras worked okay, and I called the house phone from my cell to check the phones. So far I was satisfied with the results. Within a half an hour I'd bugged my own house and set something in motion I hoped wouldn't end my marriage. I had remote access from my laptop and could tie into everything just as long as my home computer was on. I waited ten more minutes, changed clothes, and headed down to the town square.

It was packed, as it was every night. The plaza was the high point of the community from about five o'clock until just before nine. The only time it was quiet was if it rained and in Florida there wasn't much of that in the evenings. 

I saw Sarah and a group line dancing in the square and noticed Esther talking to two other older ladies just off to the left side of the DJ. I grabbed two beers and made my way over to where Esther was sitting.

"I saw the Misses come up alone. Thought maybe something happened to you."

"I was busy bugging my own damn house," I told her with an angry edge to my voice. 

"Steve, sometimes it's better to be blind and dumb if you know what I mean," she said with a concerned look on her face. "You're my friend and I don't want to lose you." She squeezed my arm and was looking sad for the first time since I've known her.

"I'd rather know one way or another because not knowing is driving me crazy."

"I just don't want you to go off half cocked and do something stupid. I've got plans for you and it doesn't include bailing you out of jail or worse. Hell, maybe we're both wrong and she's still the girl you married way back when." She looked at me and we both knew deep down she wasn't.

More than once Sarah came over to get me to dance with her and like a good husband I did it with a smile, even if I was making a fool of myself out there on the plaza in front of God and everyone. Finally at about eight thirty we were heading back to our place. We didn't make love since I had too many things on my mind and probably wouldn't have been able to get it up, anyway. She asked if anything was wrong and I just gave her a tender kiss and told her I loved her. I went to sleep or at least tried to.

There was nothing out of the ordinary Wednesday or Thursday. She must have talked to a dozen people making plans about this activity or that; she sure was one busy lady. I watched her get up in the morning and get dressed after taking a shower, which made me hard wishing I were home with her. She had coffee with a few of her friends and then was gone on and off for most of the day.

On Friday at lunch I decided to check to see what she was doing. I watched as she slept in, wishing I were lying next to her. She then hit the bathroom for a shower. I heard the phone ring while she was in the shower, it was Judy, she left a message to call her. Watching her dress I noticed again that she still looked great after all these years. Shorts, a halter-top, and sandals were the uniform of the day, every day, it seemed. 

The camera in the living room was pointing towards the kitchen so I could make out that she was having coffee and a bagel when she started listening to her messages. She had two from groups she belonged to and a short one from Judy that just said to call her. I paused the video and went to grab a cup of coffee from the lunchroom. 

Walking to get my coffee I thought about the differences in our life since we moved. It was more chaotic, at least for Sarah. It was like moving from a Wisconsin dairy farm to the heart of New York City. It was fun at times especially with the wide variety of restaurants, but the nonstop running is not how I pictured my retirement. The one thing I knew for sure was that when I retired I was getting my own cappuccino machine. The crap they had in the lunchroom left a lot to be desired. Back at my desk I hit the play button and sipped and watched my wife have breakfast.

I almost turned it off because how long can you watch some eat, boring. I decided to let it run a few more minutes. When she picked up the phone I had to switch from the video over to the audio feed from the wiretap; isn't technology wonderful?

"Judy, this is Sarah, what's up?"

"Just making sure you didn't forget about this afternoon." There was a pause.

"Not sure I'm going today," my wife told her. "I told you that Steve would never go for it, he just isn't that type of a person and doesn't swing that way so to speak." Judy laughed.

"Well, you still seem to be enjoying yourself, or appeared to every time we get together, and you're all Carl talks about since last Thursday."

"Last Thursday was pretty crazy wasn't it? I'd never been with two guys before and it was fun, strange, but fun just the same." My heart started to sink into the abyss listening the two of them talked on.

"Well, there are only going to be the six of us today, Connie and her husband have a doctor's appointment maybe we can all get together at your place?"

"I told you from day one, it was never going to happen here and I haven't changed my mind, especially after the last party Steve went to. I love my husband to death and would never do anyone in our house."

And "Well, then we'll all meet at my place again. If you can make it a little early I could use a some help setting up." Judy sounded all excited now. I disconnected the feed. 

I spent the next two hours doing basically nothing but trying to breathe. I pressed the do not disturb button on my office phone and turned off my cell. I should have been angry, screaming at the top of my lungs and rushing home to confront my wife, but in a way I wasn't surprised. I was handling it like someone I cared about died. Shock, sorrow, and regret were all I felt. That fucking Esther was right again. She had to have a crystal ball or be a damn witch to know what she knew about everyone else's business. 

I told my boss I wasn't feeling too good and needed to leave. The reason he looked concerned was because I probably didn't have any color left in my face. It felt like the blood had been drained from my body and I was barely moving. This must be what it felt like being on life support. Looking at my watch I didn't even want to think what my wife was doing and with whom at this moment in time. I got in my car and just drove. 

Even on autopilot I ended up back in the area where we now live. If I weren't so distraught I probably would have gone to Judy's house and kicked everyone's ass but what would that get me. A night in jail wouldn't give me the answers I really needed. I pulled into my driveway, got out of my car and stood there in front of my house; I just couldn't go in.

I found myself at the town square sitting in a chair sucking down some suds. When I got here it was just after four and now it had to be going on at least six thirty. I must have been on my fourth beer when I saw the wheelchair pull up next to me I briefly smiled; she didn't.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you don't have anything to be sorry for. Besides, I officially owe you a beer starting tonight," I reminded her and walked or should I say slouched my way over to the open bar. "A fresh Bud for my lady," I said with a deep bow.

When I returned Esther looked at me and asked, "How much have you had to drink, anyway?"

"Not nearly enough," was my quick reply.

"Well, getting drunk isn't going to bring her virginity back."

"I know, but after so many years you'd think I would have seen and heard it all."

"Steve, she just got caught up in the excitement and got in with the wrong group of people. Not everyone here is exchanging wives and shacking up with everyone they meet. Look at me, I haven't been properly hit on in years." At least that brought a little smile to my face. "She doesn't know you know yet, does she?"

"Nope. But leaving my car in the center of the driveway unlocked will make her think something isn't quite right."

"What are you going to do?"

"Haven't a clue yet, it's still sinking in. My biggest question is why. I've pretty much figured out how long."

"I know I keep saying this, but don't do anything stupid. I know you're not drunk yet, and I think you should keep it that way for at least tonight. Hell, if you don't want to go home tonight you could stay at my place. It's just fat Lucy and me knocking around the place, and I've got an extra bedroom so you wouldn't have to double up with me; Lucy might like it though." Esther had a way of making me smile and I liked that about her.

"I don't know what I'm going to do yet. The only thing I know for sure was that my sex life with her is over. No more sloppy seconds for me, anymore."

"You know she's going to come looking for you here, don't you?"

"Esther, I'm not hiding, especially from her. However, if she's smart she'll keep her mouth shut." With five beers down I toyed with having a sixth but decided against it, at least for now.

"Well, my offer is still open if you need a place to stay." She slipped me her address and phone number. "My daughter is coming to stay for a couple of weeks, but there's more than enough room for everyone."

I was about to say something and get her another beer when out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of an angry woman heading my way.

"Esther, I think I'll be saying goodnight now," I told her pointing at my wife storming my way. "Maybe I'll see you up here tomorrow night, if I'm still alive." I tried to laugh but nothing came out.

"Don't you be getting yourself into trouble you here me? Like I said before, I've got plans for your ass."

"Steve, where the hell have you been and why don't you have your cell phone turned on?" I looked up at her.

"My wife, I think it's time we have a heart to heart," I said getting up and walking back towards my house leaving her there. She started talking a mile a minute at me trying to catch up. I turned to her. "Will you just shut the hell up until we get home, for Christ's sakes?" The look she gave me could have frozen salt water. We walked the rest of the way in silence.

"I had to move your car so I could park on the driveway," she said opening up the front door. She walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, poured herself a glass of wine, and sat down at the table "Mister, you've got a lot of explaining to do." 

I thought about getting another beer but had really drunk more than I probably should have to start this conversation with my wife.

It was time to start. Glaring at her I tried to find some way to control my voice or I would just lose it. "I already know with whom and about how long it's been going on, I just want a good reason why?" And don't give me any crap that you weren't being satisfied at home." With those words she knew the jig was up. With more than a few sips of wine taken, the seconds ticked away while I waited for some type of reply.

"You know, you would have enjoyed it. It's not like I love you any less, but once you got into it, you would have enjoyed it."

"That's not what I asked. All I want to know is why?"

"You were one of only two men I've ever been to bed with. And don't think for a minute that you didn't do it for me, because you always do, but I got curious."

"You know what they say about curiosity and the cat, don't you?"

"Steve, I'm just sorry you had to find out. I knew you were too smart for me to hide it forever and eventually you'd find out, but everyone said you come around sooner or later. I knew they were dead wrong."

"So why did you continue with it? You could have gotten your jollies, had your fun, stopped, and I'd never would have known."

"Steve, I'm going on sixty. I've been a wife and mother since I was in my early twenties. I didn't sow any wild oats. I was a good girl, a better wife, and mother. Hell, I was hit on by most of your so-called 'good friends' at most parties. And while other wives had fun I remained true to you like I know you have remained true to me. I guess I got tired of being the good little girl. I haven't been with that many men and most couldn't hold a candle to you in the sack. They're not better only different."

"I guess you now like them two at a time?" That took her back.

"I don't know how you found out about everything, but yes, I did do it with two men, but only once. It's not as much fun as doing it with only one guy because there was so much going on all at once but at least I got to experience it. I love you as much now as I did when we first got married and you've benefited from what I've learned over the last months in our bedroom. As you can see, I'm not the shy blushing bride I once was, and I can give a mean blowjob if I put my mind to it. I'm just saying that nothing has changed and we can go on like before. If you want me to stop, I will if that's what you want. If you want to try it yourself, well, there are more than a few women I know that would love a shot at you. This doesn't have to be a deal breaker."

Now I wished that I had gotten that beer. My mouth was dry, my hands were sweaty, and the anger I was trying to control was starting to brew.

"Why didn't you just leave me in our old house where I was naïve and happy. You could have driven here, fucked to your heart's content, and come back to me at night and given me your well used cunt."

"Steve, I never did it with you on those nights. I never would have done that to you. I love you."

"Damn, I'd hate to see what you would have done if you really hated me. But in my book a wife doesn't give it away to every guy that asks. Did you make Carl smile today? I know how much he was looking forward to you at Judy's this afternoon."

"Steve, I can't say it enough that I still love you and this was just me sowing a few wild oats. It's not like I was going to get pregnant or anything like that."

"Did you use a condom every time? With all the shit out there you could already given me an STD or something even worse. Sarah, these guys have been putting it to every woman who would spread their legs for them. Can you tell me in all certainty that you haven't picked up some social disease? I know tomorrow the first thing I'm going to do is get checked out, and I suggest you do the same." I think what angered me the most was her cavalier attitude about the whole things. She wasn't sorry at all. She would stop if I wanted her to, but not otherwise.

"Steve, where do we go from here? Like I've said, I want to stay married and I love you."

"While I may still love you, Sarah, I'm pretty sure I don't want to stay married to you any longer. You've lied to me for who knows how long, you've made a mockery of what was once a good marriage, and I no longer have any trust left in you. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight, that way if you want to invite someone over I won't be in the way." She shot me an ugly look hearing that statement, but I wasn't done yet. "Tomorrow is not going to look any better, but at least now I know where I stand with you." She tried to say something else but I told her I'd heard enough lies for one night. I went to the other bedroom and tried to sleep. I listened to her cry and talk to someone on the phone until I finally managed to fall into a restless sleep.

I was right; my problems didn't go away overnight. I showered, shaved and went to work. I still looked like shit and although my boss told me to leave I needed to be away from her for as long as I could. 

On the Internet I found out I was basically screwed. Florida was a fifty/fifty state and everything would be split down the middle. The house, our nest egg, both of our 401K's, everything. I wanted to fucking cry. 

I sure as hell didn't want that house, but for her to buy me out would take most of our savings. Since I made more than her, I would end up giving her alimony, and because my 401K was a lot bigger than hers, she'd end up with fifty percent of mine. I was screwed anyway I looked at it.

For the second night in a row I went directly to the town square. At least tonight I knew that Sarah wasn't going to be all worried and looking for me, at least not until later in the evening.

"Well, don't keep me in the damn dark. What the hell happened last night? And don't leave out any of the juicy details?" I handed Esther a Bud and told her how it went down blow by blow.

"I checked it out on line, and I'm going to get fucked in a divorce to boot." I looked up as a tall woman walked up and handed Esther a beer. This time it wasn't Lucy.

"Steve, this is my daughter Catherine. She lives up north and will be spending the next two weeks with me. She's not a beer drinker and loves to dance but don't hold that against her."

"So, you're the infamous Steve Moore I've heard so much about. By what mom has told me, I half expected you to be an eight foot Robert Redford who could walk on water." I looked at Esther.

"To tell you the truth, I just told her you weren't an asshole like most guys." We all laughed.

"I understand you're going to be staying with us for a couple of weeks." I looked at Esther again.

"Is there anything you haven't told her about me yet?"

"Let me think. Nope. Can I help it if you're the only guy who keeps me amused and cares for me?"

"Has she always been like this?" I asked to her daughter. She laughed.

"This is tame compared to how she used to be. At least she doesn't smoke pot anymore." I gave Catherine my chair and went looking for another.

"See Dearey, I told you he was nice and a real catch."

"Mom, when are you going to stop playing matchmaker?"

"When you've got a decent man or I'm laid to rest, whichever comes first."

"Well, ladies, and I use the term loosely in your case," looking at Esther, "What's on your agenda for this evening?"

Esther immediately replied, "I plan on listening to the music and getting wasted. I thought it would be a nice gesture if you'd show my daughter around. She hasn't been here in several years. Also, maybe you can get her to eat something. The girl is skin and bones and could use a little meat on her." Catherine and I looked at one another.

"I guess I've got my marching orders."

"Steve, you don't have to," Catherine started to say before I stopped her.

"It'll be my pleasure, anyway I haven't eaten a thing today." 

I showed her the shops just off the square and gave her the nickel tour. The music playing in the background was a nice touch. 

"Sorry to hear about your wife. Was she cheating on you long?" I looked at her. 

"Did your mom leave out any details of my life?"

"Not really. She even pointed out a few of the guys your wife was having sex with." I wasn't sure how I felt at that moment so I just shook my head.

"Name your poison. They've got every food known to man here." We settled on Italian.

We talked or I should say that I did. I filled her in on the details that her mom had failed to mention. I told her that I was still working and probably would be for a while.

"Has your mom always been this wild?"

"Steve, she's relatively tame right now. I thought she and dad would divorce a million times before he died. The best way I can describe my mom is that she was a free spirit. She smoked, drank, partied, but was true to my father her entire life. To look at her you would have thought she was a tramp, but that's what she wanted people to think. Those that would still associate with her and talk to her became her close friends. On the other hand those who took a holier than thou attitude with her, she went out of her way to embarrass. You my friend, she likes."




Esther and Me Ch. 02



"With a mother like that you must have been a wild child."

"Are you kidding? She was the strictest mother around. I had the earliest curfew of any of my friends, and she had to meet and flirt with every guy I went out with. If one of them even as so much as gave her the eye, he was history. You see my mother was hot by any gauge you want to measure her by. My mom's handprint was on more than a few faces of my father's friends and their sometimes-wandering hands. Like I said, she acted loose but never was. When dad sold his business and moved here, I was more than a little concerned, but after mom took charge I knew they'd be okay. Steve, my mother was and still is a strong and opinionated woman. If she likes you, she LIKES YOU! And if she doesn't, God help you."

The food was good, the conversation pleasant and the time slipped away. Two hours later we were back looking for her mom. She was still right where we left her with a beer in her hand.

"Well, did you two have a nice chat about me? I suppose you're now trying to figure out a way to put me in a nursing home for my own good, right?"

"Are you kidding me? We were looking for just the right guy so we can get you finally laid so you wouldn't be such a miserable asshole to everyone," I teased her with a big grin.

"See, I told you he was a cut above the rest; always looking out for everyone else instead of himself. So Steve, when are you moving in?"

"Esther, I don't want to impose, especially since you've got your daughter staying with you now."

"How many damn times do I have to say this, I've got the room and it's no imposition. And who am I going to drink with? These two are lightweights at best. Besides, you want to spend the night with that slut of yours? She's probably pounding some guy in your bed as we speak."

"Mother!"

"Hey girl, I'm just speaking the damn truth and he knows it. But if he wants to live with a fucking tramp, that's his business. Some guys get off on sharing their wives and letting them humiliate them. Me, I'd never put up with that, but to each their own."

"Steve, I'm sorry about that. Mom's probably had one or two too many beers and that's what is coming out of her mouth."

"No, it's okay. She's only saying what's been on my mind for the last week or so. Why don't I grab a few things and meet you at your house? I need a good night's sleep and I'm not going to get it in my house, that's for sure.

I told them I'd probably seen them in an hour and headed for home. I knew Sarah would want to talk again but right now I needed time away from her to figure out what I was going to do.

"Where have you been? I was worried about you," Sarah verbally pounced on me as soon as I walked in the door.

"Just up at the town square making a few arrangements," I told her.

"What arrangements?"

"Where I plan on spending the next few nights, if you must know."

"Why can't you just stay here? We can talk and work this out."

"You still don't get it do you? I'm not into sharing, never have, never will be. Do you think I can just overlook what you've done? And how in the hell can I look our supposed friends in the face knowing that you've probably slept with three quarters of their husbands not to mention how many other guys? I need time away from you to think about what I want to do."

"Doesn't it make any difference to you that I still love you?"

"Sarah, people who love one another, don't fuck other people behind their husband's backs. To me, you must have a really warped idea of what love is."

"Steve, I'll stop. I won't do it anymore."

"But for how long? Until I feel comfortable with you again or until a new guy comes along that you haven't tried out yet? You killed any trust I had in you." She just looked at me not knowing what to say.

You know the crazy thing about this? I was pissed at her and damn mad, but was angrier about losing what I'd accumulated over the last thirty plus years than losing my wife. What kind of sick uncaring fuck did that make me? I half expected that I'd want to kick all their asses and could have easily done it, or taken pleasure in kicking Sarah's ass to the curb, yet I think I looked at it like she just wasn't worth the trouble. However, losing the house and my savings was an entirely different matter. I guess I was just stalling for time in order to figure out my next move.

"I'm out of here for a couple of days. I just need to get away before I do something I might regret. Also, keep your fuck buddies out of my damn house if you don't want to see them pushing up daisies and for Christ's sakes, don't you or any of my supposed friends call me. You're the last people in the world I want to talk to right now. Hopefully the kids won't call so I don't have to explain to them what a round heeled slut their mother has become." I finished packing my suitcase.

"When will you be back?"

"I think the question should not be when but if, don't you?"

With my suitcase loaded in the car I headed out. Thankfully I had a GPS in the car because this complex had so many sub communities and little alcoves that I probably never would have found Esther's house without it. Even with the GPS it still took me over half an hour. Most of the nicer communities were gated with a guard out front and Esther's was no exception. I gave the guard my name and even before I had a chance to say whom I was here to see he opened the gate. She must have let him know I was coming.

Three left turns, one right, and all the way at the end of the cul-de-sac is where I found her house. It was well over twice the size of mine and looked a lot fancier. I grabbed my bag and rang the bell. Lucy smiled and let me in. Catherine and Esther met me two seconds later. Once inside, I was given the tour of the house.

It was shaped something like a horseshoe with a hook on one end. The living areas, kitchen and dining room were all in the front of the house once you walked in through the foyer. Esther and Lucy's bedrooms were in the wing off to the left and the wing to the right side almost completely wrapped around a crystal clear pool. A strange layout to be sure, it almost looked like the wing on the right had been an afterthought or an addition put on later. Esther showed me my room on the right side of the horseshoe. I especially liked that that location would give me privacy and access to the pool. Esther explained that Catherine had the room next to the pool on the other side of the house. Mine was directly across the pool from hers at the end of the right side of the house.

"Steve, don't expect me to wait on you hand and foot. Now, you know where the kitchen is and since you'll probably be gone before I get up in the morning Lucy will set the coffee pot so can have a cup before you leave if you like. There are always bagels and shit like that to eat in the refrigerator. If you want anything special give Lucy a list. We eat at six every night but if you are eating out make sure you let Lucy know so she doesn't fix something for you. That's it for the rules. Make all the damn noise you want, because by ten o'clock I'll be dead to the world, anyway. If I die at night, just make sure that that bitch Lucy doesn't steal me fucking blind before they put me in the ground." This was said in full earshot of Lucy who rolled her eyes at what she heard. Knowing Esther, Lucy was probably use to it.

We talked for a few minutes. Esther wanted to know every detail of what was happening between Sarah and me. She sure was a nosey old broad. Catherine just sat back sipping on her glass of wine. I guess she was use to all of this from her mother.

"Time for bed," Lucy said to Esther coming up behind her wheelchair. 

"How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me, woman? It's not like your fat ass can't make some noise to warn me that you're back there. Shit, you trying to give me a fucking heart attack?"

"No ma'am, just trying to get you to bed, that's all."

"Remember what I said Steve, if I'm dead in the morning, the maid did it." Lucy steered her back to her room.

"Welcome to the madness," Catherine said with half a laugh. "Can you just imagine what I've had to endure all my life? Now it's like water rolling off a duck's back. Ninety percent of what she says or does is for effect or to get a rise out of people who don't know her as well as Lucy or me. Right now you're the center of her universe, so you're going to get the brunt of it."

"I don't mind, over the years I've grown skin thick enough that nothing is going to get through to hurt me."

"Even your wife?" I gave her a look. "I'm sorry, that was a little callus of me. I must have been around my mother too long."

"Don't worry, I'm all but over it. I guess she thought our life was too dull and needed to spice it up a bit. I think the one thing that still bothers me the most is that she's not even sorry. She seems to be sorry she got caught but not for doing what she did."

"Sounds like my ex. Maybe the two of them should get together. He basically blamed me for all his affairs. I guess I wasn't a big enough slut for him and wouldn't do all the crazy things he suggested. Do you know that some people get off by others peeing on them? Go figure. To me that was just plain gross."

"My one regret was that I let her plan most of our vacations. I'd always wanted to go on a cruise and we never did. She hated the thought of being stuck on a ship no matter how big it was. So we flew here and there and although it was fun, I would have loved to have just kicked back and done nothing for seven days. Let someone else cook and serve me for a change," I told her letting my mind wander.

"You'd like a cruise. My only problem with them was that my ex went there to score with anyone who would fall for his stupid lines. Why I stayed with him so long I'll never know. Mom must have told me to dump him twenty times. When she hired a private detective and got evidence of three ongoing affairs I finally cut him loose. And like I said, the reason he said he cheated was because I was a cold fish in the sack. How can you warm up to someone who has just left his latest girlfriend and wants to knock off another piece before he went to sleep? Please, I may have been horny, but I sure as hell didn't want to catch what he was most likely carrying."

I was hot and tired and needed to unpack. I excused myself and said that Friday morning was going to come too early and I'd better call it a night. I hung up all my clothes, flossed and brushed my skuzzy teeth. I was about to take a shower when I thought about the pool outside my door, what the hell. With all the lights out, dressed only in the skin on my back, I snuck outside and slipped into it the pool. It was cool and oh so refreshing. I floated on my back swam a lap or two and was just hanging on to the sides when I looked over towards Catherine's room. 

Best I could figure she was somewhere around fifty-five, even though she looked younger. Her dark brown hair was cropped short and styled so it was probably easy to maintain. I think she had a pretty good body but was a little thick in the thighs. I wasn't sure, but she seemed to have more meat on her bones than Sarah. They both had similar blue-gray eyes but Catherine had much fuller lips, you know the puffy kind that was custom made for kissing. I wondered if she had done botox injections. I did one more lap and eased my unclad body out of the pool. That had been refreshing. I was going to sleep good after that, and I did.

Everyone except Lucy was asleep when I left around six thirty the following morning. There was a note on the counter with a house key and gate clicker. I picked up the note and read it, 'Figure you might need these.' I waved to the guard on my way out and spent the next eight and a half hours doing as little as possible to get through the day. I thought about taking Sarah off my medical and removing her as beneficiary of my 401K and company life insurance policy. Maybe next week, I thought to myself as I headed for my new digs. Even though I told her not to, Sarah still left me a voice message that she missed me and still loved me. I deleted it.

I clicked the gate open, drove to Esther's house, parked, and opened the front door. Upon entering I could smell something delicious cooking. Unlike the nights where there was a note on the microwave telling me where my dinner was, this was going to be a real home cooked meal. Roasted chicken breasts, baked potatoes, whole green beans, and a tossed green salad rounded out dinner. Cold watermelon with Cool Whip was the dessert of the night along with strong rich coffee. About six thirty Esther announced that we were all going to the town square. 

"You two take the other golf cart," Esther told Catherine and me. Lucy moved Esther and her wheelchair outside to the garage and loaded them both into the other cart. I was impressed that Lucy would do this all by herself most every night. After five minutes of Esther whining and cursing the two of them were off with Catherine and me in close pursuit.

"Do you dance, Steve?" she asked me on the way there.

"I do, but I'm not great at it. I love to have a beautiful woman in my arms, and I can do a few of the slower dances, but I draw the line at country." She laughed. "You mean you can't even grapevine? When I gave her that don't even ask look, she said, "Okay, I'll drop the subject." 

Esther was half finished with her first beer by the time we found a place to park. She had saved two chairs next to her for us.

"Can you believe it? Some old duffer wanted to steal these chairs even after I told him I was saving them for you. He told me that I wasn't allowed to save chairs. I told him that I'd kick his fucking ass if he laid one hand on them. He left but wasn't happy. I see your wife is here with all her friends," she said pointing across the square. "If I didn't know any better I'd swear she was trying to rub your nose in what she's doing." I didn't think she was right but nothing would surprise me at this point.

When a slow song started I reached over and asked a surprised Catherine to dance. She looked at me, then at Esther, and then stood up. We stayed on our side of the square and I did my best not to step on her toes. I didn't have to worry about her, because from her first step I could tell she was no novice. For a few minutes I thought she was even leading as we moved flawlessly across the square. Did I ask Catherine to dance because Sarah was here? Yes and no. Yes, because she was there, and no, because I wanted to know how Catherine would feel in my arms. It had been forever since I'd held or danced with another woman other than Sarah. When the song ended we made our way back to our chairs.

"You guys looked good out there together." Esther proclaimed when we got back to where she was sitting.

"Steve, I thought you said that you had two left feet. You don't dance half bad for an old man." Catherine tittered, but I really couldn't get mad since that is pretty what I told her. Catherine and I must have dance a half dozed times more. I even made it a point to dance nearer and nearer to Sarah's group. Sarah, on the other hand, danced almost every dance.

"Steve, I don't like to be used. It makes me feel cheap and dirty. So, unless you really want to dance with me instead of making your wife jealous I'd prefer you not asking me again."

"I guess I was trying to show her that I wasn't totally devastated, but I do enjoy dancing with you, believe it or not. You're not as boney as my wife." I regretted saying that as soon as it was out of my mouth.

"Not as boney? You're saying I'm fat?"

"Not at all, only that I don't have to worry about holding you tight. With Sarah I was always afraid I'd break a rib or two if I gave her a big squeeze."

"You need a lot of work on how to give a girl a compliment. The reasoning behind it is honest, it's just that your delivery really sucks." She was right. "Now let's try this again." As she repeated, "Why do you want to dance with me?" 

"Because you're such a marvelous dancer and so light on your feet."

"Good recovery. You just might make it yet," she said laughing. Looking over we saw Esther waving at Lucy for another round. At just before nine we all called it a night. More than once Sarah watched me dancing with Catherine and at one point I thought she was going to walk over and talk to me. God, I'm glad she didn't.

At the house Esther said her good nights just before Lucy got her ready for bed. Lucy had asked me if I could look at a few things around the house that were in need of repair. I told her that Saturday I'd have the whole day and would gladly fix whatever needed fixing. 

Catherine and I talked until almost midnight. She told me about her early days living with her mom and dad, which a must have been both comical and crazy all at the same time. We parted company and I went back to my room. For the second night in a row I stripped down and eased myself into the cool dark waters. There is nothing like being in the water on a hot night to bring your body temperature down. When Catherine's light went out I thought nothing about it until I noticed the curtains were still open. Thankfully it was dark or she probably would have seen me in my all together in the pool. I swam a few laps but mostly floated on my back. Twenty minutes later I was climbing out and making my way back to my room. My wife used to say I had no shame, but in my back yard no one could see, and here it was dark. Besides, the only rooms facing the pool were Catherine's and mine.

I did a million jobs Saturday. From fixing stuck doors, to realigning cabinets, to pulling a ton of hair out of the sink and tub drains. A few sprinkler heads needed replacing, and the leak under the kitchen sink also needed repairing. By three o'clock I was done with what I could do and was sitting by the pool, a Corona in hand.

"I knew I kept you around for a reason," Esther said rolling up on me. "I figured if you owned your own home you'd know how to fix a few of the things around here, and like always, I was right."

"Hasn't anyone done anything around here in the last ten years?"

"I had a maintenance guy for a while but he was screwing me over every month saying that he repaired this or that but was doing jack shit. After I let him go, I only brought out someone when something broke."

"Well, tomorrow I'm going to Home Depot to pick up a few things and fix the rest of the items." She smiled for a second and then got a serious look on her face. "Steve, I have access to a good lawyer and he's at your disposal. I told him about your situation and he will do all the paperwork at no charge to you. However, he made one suggestion but you may or may not like it. He told me if you're concerned about losing half of what you own, to just do nothing."

"Nothing?" I replied.

"That's right, nothing. She can live her life and you can live yours. Take her off everything you can, take half of the money in your checking and savings account, and live separate lives. If there is no divorce you still own half of the house and can say what goes on there even if you don't live there. And if down the road something happens, oh well you've got time to hide what you're making now. It's not perfect and she doesn't get what she wants. That is, unless you want to go back to her. You don't, do you?"

"Not a chance in hell but I'll need to get out the few items I want to save."

"Steve, it's still your house. The lawyer told me that you could come and go as you please." I liked the idea. "You're more than welcome to stay here, and instead of rent all you have to do is maintain this place. What do you think?"

"You know Sarah is going to start pushing me to come home or at least make a decision about us. I can't stall her forever."




Esther and Me Ch. 02



"People have separated for years before finally getting a divorce. This way if you're not cohabitating the money you make is all yours to do what you please with. Let her live on her fucking pension and see how she likes it." It was sounding better all the time. We didn't shake on it, but did have a toast to our new arrangement.

Saturday night I begged off going to the square. I was a little tired and I didn't want to run into Sarah. 

"Why don't you and Catherine go out to dinner? I'll even buy because of what you did today."

"I thought the agreement was free rent?"

"That agreement starts on Monday. Take her to Anthony's and have them put it on my tab."

"You have a running tab?"

"Hell, after being here twenty-seven years, most places give me preferential seating and treatment. I guess I'm kind of like an old star around here."

"I'll pay for dinner, and I have another restaurant in mind."

"Suit yourself, money bags," Esther cackled rolling away. 

El Ranchero was small and quiet with the best Tex Mex food in all of Florida. With a cold bottle of Sangreia and good company I forgot about all my problems for the night. We didn't talk about my past or hers, just what was happening at the moment.

"You're really a nice guy, you know that? When my mom first started telling me about you I thought you were just someone who was trying to take advantage of her. Steve, she may be feisty but she's sometimes way too trusting."

"I can't imagine anyone taking advantage of her especially with Lucy around."

"Believe it or not, since my dad died, there have been two guys that tried to woo and marry her. One took the hint, but the other had to be gently persuaded to leave my mother alone. Let's just say he's back living up north somewhere due to a potential health problem." She laughed and I got a little worried. "Don't worry, I know you're harmless but I did have you checked out after the second time she mentioned your name. Where do you think my mother gets all the dirt about everyone around here? She's got a private investigator on the payroll. Let's just say my mom likes to know what's going on and it keeps her out of trouble." I was looking at Catherine in a whole new light.

"So, what else do you know about me?"

"Everything of any significance. Most of all, you are a person who is caring and can be trusted implicitly and that's hard to find that in someone nowadays. It's like everyone is out for themselves first and the hell with everyone else. You, on the other hand, really care about others."

"Does your report say what side of the bed I like to sleep on or my favorite sexual position?" I replied feeling somewhat irritated. I guess I didn't like the idea of someone checking into me behind my back. It seemed just so sneaky.

"Steve, I had to be sure and no, the report didn't go into that great of detail, but with you being right handed, I'd guess you sleep on the right side of the bed." She was correct on that one.

After dinner we strolled the shops and headed back to her mom's place. At one point we touched hands but I pulled back after realizing what I was doing. You see, Sarah and I always walked hand in hand. It wasn't planned. It was as though our hand just knew what to do. I'm a touchy feely type of person and my hands were always touching, caressing, or just resting on her. I was now missing that closeness.

Over the next week Catherine and I got to know each other a lot better. Sarah was keeping her distance for which I was grateful. I soon realized I was starting to enjoy my newfound freedom. Esther's attorney made out divorce papers and just kept them on file so that when I was ready it would be a done deal. 

We took Esther to the plaza most nights. I danced with Catherine because I wanted to, not because I wanted to piss off Sarah any more. Sarah and I were done in my eyes. Just the thought of being with her gave me an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

When I asked Catherine how long she'd been divorced and if she was currently seeing anyone she gave me a curious look but didn't answer either question. We took a walk around the shops and at one point our hands touched and this time they stayed connected.

We were both pretty quiet on the ride back. Lucy was watching television, which meant that Esther was down for the count. We looked at one another and it was like we both wanted to say or do something but neither one of us knew exactly how to do it. Legally I was still married but any sexual feelings I'd had for Sarah had disappeared after that phone call I'd overheard. When I thought about her now, all I could see was her rutting around on a bed with some white haired guy. It made me sad that what we had was now gone.

There was jack shit on the television and I was nowhere near ready to go to sleep. Looking out the window I saw that Catherine's lights was out. I think if they'd been on, I would have probably gone over to talk to her some more. I guess I was feeling lonely. After thirty-six years I was by myself and I didn't know what to do. I thought about beating my meat; hell, it'd been a while since I'd gotten any relief but even that didn't interest me. I might as well go for a swim, maybe that would tire me out enough to where I'd get some sleep.

With my lights out I crept out and slipped into the pool. It was still warm outside and the humidity must have still been over ninety percent. I just walked back and forth in the water-cooling my body down. I never saw her walk up but was startled when I heard her towel hit the lounge chair. 

"Water still warm?" she asked looking down at me.

She was wearing a yellow one-piece bathing suit and had her hair pulled back into a tiny ponytail. It was dark enough that I couldn't see everything but what I could see was more than respectable. Then it hit me; I was naked under the water.

"Catherine, I don't have a bathing suit on." I held both of my hands over my private areas and started to get a little embarrassed. At least I wasn't blushing.

"And you have something I haven't seen before? Steve, it's not like we're a couple of damn teenagers who are seeing each other nude for the first time." I didn't respond fast enough for her because all she said was, "Oh hell," and began peeling off her swimsuit. "This way we'll both be naked and you won't be so embarrassed."

I was like a deer in the headlights as I watched her strip the bathing suit down over her breasts, down to her waist, and then she gingerly stepped out of it, and threw it on top of her towel. I continued to stare the whole time.

"For Christ's sakes, it's like you never saw a nude woman before." My brain was processing data as fast as it could as I compared her body to Sarah's. She had bigger boobs, longer nipples, a thicker waist, heavier upper thighs, and a shaved pussy, the latter being what my eyes were now glued to.

"If you stare any harder you're going to go blind," she laughed.

"I think going blind is for doing something else," I replied watching her jump into the pool and pull her wet ponytail back.

"This is nice. I'd forgotten what it was like to swim on a hot night like tonight."

"I had a pool at my last house and kept the temperature at eight-five degrees. We would swim or at least play in the water from April until the end of October. God, I loved living here." I still couldn't take my eyes off her, watching as she walked around in the chest deep water.

She, like her mother, I soon found out, didn't have a shy bone in her body. After submerging in the water and kicking off from the sidewall of the pool she surfaced in the water right in front of me. There was nothing said when she put her arms around me and kissed me. It wasn't the kind of kiss you give your son, your Aunt Marie, or your mother, more like the one lovers give one another. With her full lips and warm tongue she explored the insides of my mouth stopping only for a split second to reposition her lips on the other side.

My arms instinctively encircled her back and pulled her even closer. We moved like we'd done this a thousand times before. To me kissing is an art and what I'd experienced thus far was enough for me to want to find out what else she was experienced at.

They say time stops when you're so consumed in doing something that takes every fiber of your being. Tasting, touching, smelling, and hearing the low moans being emitted can turn the human body into the most pleasurable place on earth, bar none. I guess neither she nor I were thinking about the what if's, only the here and now of what was developing. With tongues dancing and hands and fingers searching we moved from the center of the pool to the side by the stairs. With her back against the sidewall I pressed every portion of my body against her. If I could have climbed inside of her and worn her skin I would have. I needed to have her. I needed to possess and consume her like you would an overripe peach, her juices dribbling out between my lips, down my chin, and onto my chest.

I could feel my heart beating, hell I could hear it in my ears as I lifted her up on the second step and pushed her back covering her with my body. Without the buoyancy of the water holding me up somewhat I probably would have crushed her on the rough concrete steps. With my hands first and then my mouth and lips I caressed her breasts while her head rested on the top step. 

From the first moment I saw it, I wanted to taste it. Still submerged in the cool water I place a hand under each cheek and raised it out of the water and onto my lips. A gasp, a whimper, and then her sucking air is what I experienced when I kissed and then started licking and sucking her inner lips and clit. 

"God this, God that, were but words spoken in an echo chamber as I moved my lips across her smoothness, licking and sucking in both pool water and her flowing essence. Inserting the full length of my tongue brought out a sharp cry before her hands locked onto my head directing my tongue to where it was duly needed. 

I'm just glad Esther was a sound sleeper and hoped the television was on loud enough that Lucy hadn't heard Catherine's first orgasm. But with her pulling my lips to her face, the crickets and grasshoppers were hopefully the only noises that could be heard. 

She cleaned my lips and sucked her coating off my tongue while we continued to raise up the temperature of the pool a few degrees. With her two muscular legs wrapped around my middle I stood up, propped her against the sidewall and with one stroke I pushed in. The first and even the second stroke was labored as the lubrications took its sweet ass time to coat my dick. By the third stroke I was buried to the hilt feeling her deep love canal. Luckily neither of us lasted long. With the pool water rapidly washing away any excess lubrication I felt the rumble in my loins as I coated her insides while she gave up her second climax. 

I don't think we moved for at least three or four minutes. I could feel her head and mouth on my left shoulder. She squeezed the last drop out of me while I pushed in a now shrinking phallus. She raised up her head, looked into my eyes and kissed me gently before mashing her lips against mine again.

You know the saddest thing on earth? It's when a limp dick flops out of a pleasured and smiling pussy. I guess that's why people use chlorine in pools because I imagine Catherine's pussy was now eking out what must have been two quarts of warm semen. She glanced down between us and chuckled.

"I'm starting to get a little cold." I could feel her shiver so we began untangling our body parts. Those were the last words spoken. She reached down, grabbed my hand and led me into her room. 

A shower without soap and two more sessions left me more drained than I'd been in years. Normally an early morning riser, the sun coming in the windows woke me up, then her. Just like last night our lips and tongues did most of the talking, and we had one more wonderful session before breakfast.

I sneaked back into my room, showered, and got dressed. I made sure I beat Catherine to the kitchen, figuring it wouldn't have looked too cool for us to be walking in at the same time.

"You sleep better last night?" Esther asked.

"Much better, thank you," I replied going over to the counter to get a cup of coffee and a cheese Danish. Lucy gave me a smile and asked if she could make me some breakfast.

"This will be fine, but thanks for asking."

"Catherine finally came in about twenty minutes later wearing a pair of long shorts and a spaghetti string halter top that showed off her shoulders beautifully. 

She said good morning to everyone, pausing as her eyes met mine. With a cup of coffee in hand she walked over and kissed the top of her mother's head.

"Well, mom, what new and exciting things do you have planned for me today?" she said with a look of total contentment on her face.

We had a barbeque that night. I did steaks, shrimp, mushrooms, and onions on the grill. It took me almost an hour to clean and degrease the damn thing to where it would work right. I was told afterwards it hadn't been used in over five years. I jokingly asked what else hadn't been used in over five years that I could take care of. After Esther said she'd meet me in my room later, we went onto the next subject.

I spent almost six hours between Home Depot and the house replacing air conditioning filters, putting Freon in her car's air conditioner, and recalibrating the sprinkler timer. I made a checklist of things to do and told Lucy whenever she saw something that needed to be looked at to let me know.

We all went to the town square that night and as always Sarah was there. This time, however, she came over and asked to speak to me in private.

"When are you coming home?" Was the first question out of her mouth followed by, "Are you going to divorce me over this?"

"Sarah, I'm not doing anything right now. I don't know where you and I are going to end up, but for now I don't want to be anywhere near you. I feel like a pawn that was manipulated into doing things I really didn't want to do, and with your flip attitude about sowing your wild oats, I'm not sure if we'll ever be husband and wife again in the old sense of the word."

"Well, how long? A week, a month, five months? I need some type of idea."

"In other words, you need to know when I'm coming home so you can get the guys you're fucking out of the house before I get home? As God is my witness, I'll divorce you in a heartbeat if I find your screwing anyone in my house."

"Our house Steve, it is both our house."

"So, you want to have your sex parties on your side of the house?"

"I'm not having sex parties at our house, I never have or ever will. I just need some type of idea what you're looking at and if you're going to be staying with that old lady forever."

"That old lady, as you call her, was the one who told me about your fooling around and whom you were doing it with. She told me about your line dancing buddies and when I told her that you'd never in a million years cheat on me she just said for me to keep my eyes open. And when your friends could no longer look me in the eye anymore, I should have put two and two together. So, that old lady, I guess, was more observant than your own husband." It wasn't going as she planned.

"I just want to know that there's a chance for us."

"There is always a chance," I replied knowing fully that if she was the last female on earth I might think about it but right now given the choice between my hand and her cunt? Well I guess you know the answer to that one. We parted company and she went back to her swinging buddies.

"She wants you back?" Esther asked as I came back to my little group. 

"She just asked if we still had a chance, that's all."

"Did she give you a time table?

"Nope. All I told her was that I wasn't going to divorce her right now and that I need time."

"I told you he wasn't dumb," Esther said to Lucy. "She thought you'd get horny and go back to the tramp, but I was betting on you." Catherine's eyes and mine started doing visual foreplay.

"Catherine, you want to dance?" I asked reaching for her hand. "Let's show my wife what a good dancer I've become." All right I was still a shitty dancer outside of the slow songs but anyway I tried. I could see Lucy and Esther laugh when I stepped on Catherine's foot. She was happy when I decided to call it a night.

Was I expecting an encore of the previous night? Not expecting, more so hoping. Looking at my watch I waited for Lucy to put down Catherine's mom and was about to turn off the light when I heard a tapping on my door. I turned off the lights and opened it up a crack. Catherine burst into my room wearing almost nothing as she covered my lips.

"I'm not going to sleep on the wet spot tonight was the last words I heard out of her mouth for the next two hours. I didn't have to carry her to the bed she dragged me. Lips, tongues, and a lot of finger play happened over the next hour and a half. She wasn't shy about asking for what she wanted and at this point neither was I. 

Her full lips made me harder and more upright than I'd been in years and, although I tried to warn her, she just increased her pace until I was drained and begging for her to stop. I remembered her cute response of 'oh, are you a little sensitive?' Then I started working on her with my lips and tongue.

Vocal, that's the only way I can describe the next twenty-nine minutes. I worked my way down her body from her lips, stopping at her breasts for a minute or two before proceeding south. Dragging my tongue down her stomach to her navel I finally stopped at her bare mound. I looked up. Her eyes were closed and had her arms folded behind her head—waiting for what I was going do next.

I thought about telling her I was done and slipping out of the bed heading towards the bathroom, sort of like a joke, but as hot and turned on as she was, it wouldn't have gone over too big. So, I did what she was expecting of me, and did it to the best of my ability.

Oral sex, or should I say giving good oral sex is an art. You need to work all parts and pay particular attention to the clit. Between licking and sucking, it was hard and looking for relief. Not just yet I thought as I slipped in one than two fingers into her now dripping slit. Shoving them in to the hilt I twisted them around moving them in and out as juices poured out over the rest of my fingers and hand. As I eased them in, Catharine raised up her ass and pushed back on the bed's headboard making sure she had every centimeter of their length.

Even in the dim light of my room I could see she was flushed and wouldn't be lasting much longer. I teased her clit with the tip of my tongue while my fingers worked their magic. With her breathing rapid and shallow I took pity on her and dove in with everything I had. 

"Oh my God," she screamed covering her face with my pillow with one hand while the other hand held my head on her pussy. Moving her pussy up and down on my face I made sure my hard tongue was catching every drop she was producing. It was all over in about two minutes. I felt her body start to relax. She pulled the pillow off her face tossed it on the floor and reached for me. A couple of full lip kisses and she was cuddling on my chest like a cat purring after having a bowl of milk. "Remind me not to stop teasing you," she giggled. We both started to laugh and roll around on the bed finally stopping to look at one another before gently touching lips.

That is the way most nights went with Catherine until I realized that we had only two nights left. Lucy would give us this look or that look, but Esther seemed oblivious to what was happening between us. The last night we begged off going to the town square.




Esther and Me Ch. 02



We ordered in a pizza, opened a bottle of wine, and ate naked by the pool. Hot cheese can be deadly if you're not careful or are just playing around I soon found out the hard way. She did kiss it and make it better, which started the first of two sessions. 

"I don't want you to leave," I told Catherine holding her in my arms."

"No choice, I've got a job up north that's impatiently waiting for me. And a boss who wouldn't take kindly to me calling in saying my new lover has tied me up and is refusing to let me leave. That wouldn't go over big."

"When can I see you again?"

"Well, you can fly up any weekend because I'm not coming back until Thanksgiving. We can talk on the phone and my computer has video capabilities that way we can talk on it while watching one another."

"That could be interesting."

"You really are a dirty old man, aren't you?

"You have no idea to what degree," I said biting her lower lip. With a second satisfying session under our belts, a long shower and a swim ended out night. At least until the rest of the clan were in their beds asleep.

I didn't sleep more than a few hours as we slept in each other's arms that last night. At eight o'clock we were up having breakfast and making plans to get her to the airport.

"Steve, will you be a dear and take Catherine to the airport. A cab will cost an arm and a leg and they're so unreliable," Esther asked while Lucy cooked us breakfast.

"No problem, I haven't got anything on for today and it would be my pleasure."

"Good, I'm glad that's settled. Do you know that your wife came looking for you last night? I told her you were on a fucking date. That shut the bitch up when she started whining at me."

"Esther, we're not supposed to be making waves."

"Steve, I couldn't help it. I watched her all night flirting with this guy or that one and needed to take her down a peg or two. Hell, it's not like you're going to be running back to her. You're not, are you?" I shook my head no glancing over to Catherine. "That's what I thought. Let the bitch know you've moved on and have a new life of your own." I knew she was right, but it was the last thing on my mind right now.

I packed up my car while Catherine said goodbye to her mom and Lucy. I saw her slip an envelope to Lucy before giving her a big hug and kiss goodbye.

It was a quiet drive and I did just barely the speed limit hearing trucks honk and cut around me.

"You're going to get us killed you do know that, don't you?"

"I'm just being careful, that's all."

"Bullshit, you're dragging out what we both knew would eventually come. Now step on it, because if I miss my flight I'm going to get stuck on the red eye and that I won't put up with."

Since 9/11 you can't even get to the gate area without a ticket so we said our goodbyes at the departure gates outside.

"I'm going to miss the hell out of you," I said giving her as many kisses as time would allow.

"I just better not hear about you hitting on some old lady or showing anyone your new moves on the dance floor. My mom and Lucy will keep me abreast of your activities."

I grabbed her once more, drew her in close and gave her one last kiss knowing it would have to last for a while. She looked into my eyes, gave me one more peck and walked into the terminal giving me a small wave. The drive home was silent, boring, and painful.

September and October were busy. Sarah and I talked on and off. She was looking for some type of closure, one way or another. I put her off as long as I could. By the first week in November I was done playing games.

"I'm not coming back," I told her over dinner. "Too much has happened and although I'm still disappointed with you, I'm finally over it."

"Steve, I never did it to hurt you, but I guess I was just kidding myself about it. I was truly hoping that you would join me but really I knew all along that would never happen. We had a good run, didn't we?"

"We sure did, I'm just sorry it had to end." She was now tearing up.

"You sure you don't want to try once more? I can promise you I'd be faithful to you."

"Like I said, too much has happened. I would always wonder when we went out with someone if you'd slept with him and don't even get me started on your relationship with Connie and Judy. Too many issues and not enough trust." We ended it for good that night. She wanted the house and we worked out an arrangement for her to buy me out. Nothing was said about spousal support, our 401K's, and the rest. I told her I'd keep her on my medical until the end of the year and that there were only a few items I wanted out of the house. The idea of her keeping everything else was my main bargaining chip. I think I came out smelling like a rose and most of all we ended it if not as enemies, not exactly as friends either. After forty or should I say thirty-eight good years and two kids there was no point trying to kill one another. Nonetheless, I was still somewhat depressed. It was like something inside of me died that day.

Esther and Lucy gave me a wide birth for about two weeks and then informed me that moping around didn't become me. My one joy was still Catherine.

We either talked, e-mailed, or computer chatted almost every other day. Her job got crazy and mine kept me busy, but I was counting down to the time I was out of there. Something was missing in my life. I'd been a 'we' for over thirty plus years and being a 'me' only made it that much harder.

It was the Friday the twelfth of November when Catherine came onto the computer. She kissed the screen and asked if I was still missing her.

"What are you nuts?" I replied.

"Tonight, I'm going to give you a little fashion show of a few items I'm bringing with me," she said turning on her bedroom light so I could get a good view. Walking out of my line of sight she came back into view wearing something that gave me an immediate hard on.

"Damn, why can't you be here right now," I said, and she laughed.

"I take it you like this one?"

"What's there not to like, what there is of it?" So it went for the next twenty minutes as she paraded four outfits in front of the screen; I was rock hard. With the last one on, she moved up to the computer and put one leg up on the desk and pushed her black thong to one side. There, almost filling the screen was her beautifully shaved pussy.

"Remember this?" she taunted me. "I think it misses you," pulling the lips apart to show me her clit and moisture forming on her inner lips. "Remember that night you kept teasing me until I thought my brain would explode? Well tonight is pay back time and there's not a thing you can do to stop me," rubbing her middle finger over her clit and easing it into her pussy.

"Boy, it sure is damp tonight," she said, moving a single finger in and out stopping every once in a while to smear some juices onto her clit. "Your tongue does a much better job, but since it's not here right now, I guess a finger will have to do." Her speech was getting more rapid and her breathing deeper.

She teased me for ten minutes until she took out a vibrator and finished herself off describing how she was feeling up until her orgasm started. She was still crying out that it felt so good that my dick almost ripped through my pants.

"That, my love, is what is waiting for you when I get back down there. I sure hope you've been taking your vitamins because you're going to need all the energy you can muster." Five minutes later she was kissing the screen goodbye, and I went into to the bathroom to take care of business.



Esther and Me Ch. 03



 Chapter Three: A New Beginning

Everyone in the house was looking forward to Catherine's return, and I got antsy as the days dragged on. I left work early on Wednesday and drove to my new, or should I say Esther's, home. I parked on the driveway figuring I would be picking up Catherine at the airport later tonight. I walked through the front door and there she was talking to her mom and Lucy. I guess I kind of froze in my tracks and just stared at her. I wanted to rush to her, grab her into my arms, and make up for the last three months we'd been separated.

"Hello, Steve," she said with that beautiful smile of hers. At that point I knew I loved her and that I wanted her more than anything else in this world. We'd never once exchanged the "L' word between us but I knew in my heart she felt the same way.

"For Christ's sakes, will you fucking kiss her before you blow your wad in your damn pants. I may be old, but I'm not fucking stupid you know," Esther said with a smile. Lucy told her to hush. "Hell, the two of them couldn't keep their hands off one another after the first week last time. At least this time we won't have to worry about making up two rooms."

Even though I still couldn't move, Catherine could and did. We kissed for about two minutes before coming up for air.

"I'd say for you two to get a room if I wasn't so damn hungry and dinner wasn't already done. So kiss her once more and we'll meet the two of you in the dining room." Esther told Lucy to get her black ass in gear and get them the hell out of there.

"God, I missed you," I said in between the next four kisses never taking my eyes off hers. 

"Come on, we'd better get in there before mom has a cow. We have the next four night to get reacquainted." We walked into the dining room hand in hand.

"Simmer down or I'm going to have Lucy hose you down. You're starting to act like I use to with your father and that's one memory I want to keep to myself." Esther smiled and with that I knew I had her blessings, or at least hoped I did.

We spent more time in my bedroom then we did anywhere else. At the town square I dance the majority of songs with her, I just didn't want her out of my arms. And yes, I still was a shitty dancer but I was improving. The first night in bed I told her that I was hopelessly in love with her. When she didn't recipicate I got a little concerned but hell, I was always the aggressor. 

When I reached over to touch her the following morning she was already up, dressed, and having breakfast with her mom by the time I got there.

"Sleep well?" Esther shot her question at me, probably looking for me to blush or something like that. 

"I would have, but your daughter kept me up most of the night." Catherine almost coughed up her last swallow of coffee.

"I guess she's just like her mother, after all."

That night dinner was fabulous. I deep-fried a turkey and Lucy worked her miracles in the kitchen, as usual, while Catherine and her mother visited. I ate too much. Hell, we all ate too much and had to push off dessert until after eight o'clock. Dutch apple pie with cinnamon ice cream and a cool French silk pie did nothing but add pounds to my waistline. We had leftovers for the next two days. Never cook a twenty-two pound turkey for just four people.

Friday night after some wonderful lovemaking with Catherine, she wanted to talk; and I mean really talk.

"Steve, where are we going with this? I mean, what are your intensions?"

"I think I've made my feelings pretty clear; I love you! I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don't think I can make it any more clear, do you?"

"You live and work in Florida and I in New Jersey. The earliest I'm going to retire is sixty-two which is seven years away and you still have just over four years left at the earliest. That's a lot of time to be separated."

"I know it won't be easy but in the long run it'll be worth it. Catherine, I love you."

"Steve, love is great, but fleeting. After a year or two the lust dies out and seeing each other only on and off, I wonder if we'll survive. And where would we live? You plan on living with my mother forever?" She was asking some tough questions.

"Look, I've got money in the bank, a pretty decent 401k and with social security I can't say we'd be on easy street, but we'd have more than enough to have a fine life. Do you want to retire up in New Jersey?"

"Hell no, not on your life. I'm tired of the harsh winters and want to kick back and enjoy the warm weather and cool sand between my toes. I'm just a little concerned."

"Sarah's gone and so is my house. We can buy another one here or a condo on the beach. I just want to spend my life with you. We don't have to decide right now, just give us a chance." She smiled and gave me another kiss. Was she pulling back? She seemed concerned as to where we were headed. I was concerned but knew what I wanted; and that was her.

The rest of the weekend was a little tense. We still were close, had great sex, but had more than one more hard discussion. Our trip to the airport was even quieter than the last on if that was possible. Our eyes met often and we never stopped holding hands, but I felt a slight rift.

I unloaded her bags from the trunk, tipped the porter and took her into my arms once again.

"Catherine, I love you heart and soul. I know it's been a little quick and maybe a little overwhelming but I know in my heart it's right. Please think about it. I'm not asking for any firm commitments right now just for you to think about it—us."

She looked at me and smiled. With a sweet kiss, which would keep me warm at least until our next phone call, she walked into the terminal. I felt a chill run up my spine, like they when they say someone had just walked on your grave. I was scared for the first time in years of losing something I'd become attached to.

Esther gave me a concerned look when I got back home. Then it hit me, it wasn't home. This was Esther's place and I was nothing more than a guest. A welcomed guest, but nonetheless a guest just the same.

In an unusually warm and caring voice Esther said to me, "You're reading too much into what my daughter is saying. I've know her a lot longer than you and she'd just running a little scared, that's all." I wanted to believe her but I wasn't as sure as she was. Catherine was due back for the holidays and I had at least a somewhat plan in the back of my head. 

The change came slowly, and I didn't fully realize it until Lucy had a family crisis and had to be gone for two to three days.

"Lucy, take care of what you need to. I can handle everything here on the home front."

"You don't have a clue what you're getting yourself in for. Maybe I should get a temp until I get back."

"No time. Go take care of your business and don't worry about me."

"You, I'm not worried about. It's Esther I'm concerned about." 

"Go, we'll be fine."

It is an absolute fact that Lucy earns every penny Esther pays her. Esther was hell on wheels so to speak, or maybe just a demanding fuck. The food wasn't as good as Lucy's and when I showered her, me wearing shorts of course, she told me to watch my hands.

"I knew you'd finally find a way to get me naked and have your way with me. Don't worry about using a damn rubber, I'm way past worrying about getting pregnant," she said grabbing my crotch. "My daughter said you were more than average, I just needed to feel for myself." She smiled and laughed and I blushed. I was counting the hours until Lucy got back.

After dinner the following night we went up to hear the music at the town square. It was a fifties theme and geared towards the generation older than mine. Esther was nursing her beer talking to another woman next to her when Sarah appeared out of nowhere.

"Steve, how are you doing?" she asked with a bit of hesitation not really knowing how she'd be received.

"I'm doing fucking great, can't you see?" The sudden burst of anger surprised me as much as her. "What the hell do you care anyway? Aren't you getting enough tail from all your friends? Or is it that you're trolling for some more strange stuff? Why don't you go back to your friends and have one of them on me. I remember how you use to like it from behind, have you given anyone your ass yet?" I was practically shouting at her. I didn't even care that everyone was listening to our conversation that was already going down hill fast.

I don't think I'll ever forget the look on her face. Her eyes were filled with tears, her nose was dripping, and a look of horror covered the rest of her face as she drew her hands up to cover her mouth. Sarah was unable to say anything. I just continued to lambaste into her.

"So, unless you're here to give me one of your pathetic blow jobs, please just fuck off." She ran crying back across the plaza losing one shoe in the process. Now everyone was looking at me, including Esther. "What?" I yelled at those still staring at me. "What would you have said to your ex-wife who after thirty-five years started to branch out and fuck everything with a third leg?" People turned away embarrassed.

"Well, that's the most excitement I've seen up here in the last year," Esther said looking at me. "I think it's about time we leave this place. You've given a few people something to think about."

For the next three days Esther had only one beer all night. She was still spunky but somewhat subdued.

"You feeling okay, Esther? You seem a little down."

"Just a little tired. How are you and my daughter making out?" she asked.

"Not as well as I'd like but I guess I understand a little of where she's coming from."

"Well, take it from me, she can be a real pig headed bitch, but you'll not find a more caring and honest woman. That is, besides being my daughter and a chip off the old block." Her big smile was that of the old Esther.

Thank God, Lucy finally came back. A day late but she was back."

"How did it go?" was the first question out of her mouth.

"Okay, interesting and how in the hell do you do it?" The question sort of just gushed out of my mouth.

"A day at a time."

Lucy sure was a better cook than I was. Her dinner the first night back made me think of my own mom's roast beef, but it was better. I didn't go to listen to the music that night. I'd made an ass out of myself two nights ago and decided to lay low for a few days. I guess my issues with Catherine were getting the better of me and I'd taken it out on Sarah; not that she didn't deserve it.

"You sure created a ruckus up there," Lucy said walking in the door pushing Esther's wheelchair. "Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is talking about it. The votes are about sixty-five percent in your favor and would have been higher if you hadn't been quite so brutal. It seems that most people think the way that you do, but are or were until yesterday too prim and proper to say anything, but not anymore."

"Steve, what Lucy is babbling about is that you did good. Dumping on your cheating wife the way you did has made you somewhat of a local hero. I don't think some of the spouses who were on the fence before are there anymore. I think there will be more husbands and wives in trouble before your little tirade is forgotten. Well, I hope that got you out of your funk because I was starting to miss the old Steve." The week ended on high note, at least for Esther.

I loved Christmas and my kids were upset that I wasn't going up to Jacksonville to be with them. Sarah was going and I'm sure they wanted it to be like the old days, but that wasn't going to happen. Mind you they weren't taking her side but my daughter did ask why I couldn't forgive her mother after being together for almost forty years. When I asked her what she would have done if her husband had cheated on her; that shut her up. I bought presents for everyone and sent them via UPS in plenty of time to be put under the tree. This was my first Christmas being single and I was more than a little bummed out. Even though I now considered Esther and Lucy almost family, I missed my own kids.

"Steve, can you pick up Catherine at the airport Wednesday? Transportation is going to be tough to get at best and all you're going to do is mope around here, anyway," Esther said, starting to trim our artificial tree. "And, if you want anything special to eat let Lucy know. I like a ham and goose for Christmas dinner but am open to almost anything else." I added yams and crescent rolls to the long list of food and figured Lucy would be in the kitchen most of the day, which left Esther and Catherine for me to entertain.

A big kiss from Catherine helped boost my spirits but somehow it wasn't the same. We held hands, talked and she did tease me unmercificaly all the way back to the house. I helped her dump her stuff into her room and was mixing holidays drinks when she came back after changing out of her winter clothes. 

"It feels so good to be back in shorts again. We must have a foot of snow up north, and the weather is suppose to get in the low thirties by the end of the week. I might stay an extra week down here if it does," she said looking at me. I handed out the drinks out and proposed a toast.

"To new friends and a new life," I said touching both of their glasses and taking my first sip of eggnog. "Why don't you visit with your mom because I told Lucy I was going to help her with dinner tonight."

"Okay, Lucy, how long has she been sick and what the hell is wrong with her?" The look she gave me was one of concern and surprise.

"I don't know what you're talking about? You know Esther, some days she's up and other days she's down."

"You may be able to dish that shit out to some people, but I've know her too long for that to hold water. When she nurses one beer all night long and looks lethargic by eight o'clock in the evening, something's wrong and I want to know what?"

"She's eighty-eight years old and besides having a heart condition, high cholesterol, and arthritis she's got the spunk of a fifty year old. I knew you'd see it while I was gone that's why I was going to get a temp service to cover for me. She's just plain tired and it's getting worse. Her hands are tightening up and I have had to increase the dosage of her medication twice this year to keep her from having any pain."

"What do the doctors say?"

"Steve, she's on a maintenance program. There's no cure for what's she has, only the medication will make her life more bearable. And don't you dare tell her I told you anything. She says it's her business and her business alone. She'd fire my ass if she even suspected I was saying anything to you or to Catherine."

"So, Catherine doesn't know either?"

"The only thing she knows is that her mom is getting older. I give her weekly updates but Esther makes sure I don't give her the whole truth. Unless there is an act of God, she isn't going to see her ninetieth birthday." If I felt bad before, I felt much worse now. Both my mom and dad had passed on years ago, and I had hoped that I wouldn't feel that pain again before it was my time to go; guess I wasn't going to be that lucky.

Dinner was great as always. I told everyone it was because I'd done most of the cooking. I smiled and Lucy rolled her eyes. After dinner I told Lucy to sit and I would take care of clearing off the table and doing the dishes. Standing over the sink I'd wished we had used paper plates. The dishwasher was overflowing with plates, pots, and serving dishes. I walked back into the dining room carrying a fresh pot of coffee while everyone kicked back and loosened their pants. Well, I did anyway. By eight o'clock Esther's head was nodding and was in bed just before nine.

"All right, what's the matter?" Catherine asked me when we were finally alone.

"This is the first holiday I won't be spending with my family and it finally hit me yesterday morning." Taking her into my arms I gave her a peck on the lips. "However, with you here now, it at least makes it bearable."

"I'm sorry. I remember what it was like that first Christmas. My ex may have been an asshole, but it was still tough that first year. Anything I can do to make it easier on you?" she asked drawing in my body closer to hers.

"Just holding you here and now is making it a lot easier." We made unhurried gentle love that night. We didn't try to knock each other's socks off; more so just showed one another how much we had really missed the other. We had some issues to address and I had held off discussing them until we could do it face to face. On Thursday morning I informed everyone I'd be gone for most of the day finishing up my Christmas shipping.

"Just like a man, waiting until the last minute to shop." All three women reprimanded me. Little did they know I'd already picked out each one's gift and was just picking them up.

I'd thought long and hard about each. Esther was the easiest. She loved music and even though she could no longer dance I gave her the next best thing. I got her an Apple iPod preloaded with a thousand songs from her generation forward. I figured she'd never wear those little ear buds so I got her a pair of Bose headphones. What I'd spent on her was nothing to what she had done for me over the last six months. Lucy was Lucy and I say that in the nicest way. She wore the same uniform and hairstyle every day. Caring for Esther was almost her life and if it were me, I'd be missing the simple pleasures in life if I were a woman. So, I got her twelve spa sessions. They would give her a full body massage, do her hair, nails, and all the other little things they do there. She deserved more, but I was on a budget and had spent a lot more on my final gift.

I more than liked Catherine. She was beautiful, intelligent, and fun to be with. We had tried to sneak around her mom like two teenagers doing something bad so as not to worry her. We thought we needed to keep what we were doing from her. Hell, Catherine was her daughter and I was living with her mother basically rent-free. I didn't know how she would take it, me fooling around with her daughter; so what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. All right, so she wasn't stupid and saw right through us, either that or Lucy told her.

I picked the week of March 22nd because work was usually slow at that time and I knew after a cold miserable winter Catherine might like to go somewhere warm. So, with a round trip airline ticket and another for a seven-day Caribbean cruise in my pocket I headed back, stopping off at the liquor story for two more bottles of wine.

We always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve even after the kids moved out. We would have a late dinner, make a fire in the fireplace, put on some soft music and see what the others had bought for us this year. There were no toasters or blenders from me; it was always something personal from lingerie, to bath soaps, perfume, or other specially selected items. Sarah had always bought what she needed, so Christmas was about those items she didn't need but might want. I didn't care what she bought me, because I was looking for that certain gleam in her eyes when she opened my presents. That look was a better gift than anything she could possibly have bought me.

Christmas Eve we didn't have a big dinner for a change. A nice tossed salad, a vegetable casserole and stuffed chicken breasts made up our meal that evening. A pecan pie was in the oven and would be the dessert after we opened our gifts. I felt like a young kid. I was excited and almost bursting at the seams waiting for everyone to finally sit down in the living room. With everyone's gifts under the tree, I announced I would play Santa tonight. I knelt down and pulled out one gift at a time.

Like I thought, no one knew what I wanted but they came close. Food items, you could never go wrong with them. Nuts, chocolate, wine, and exotic flavored jams were what I got. 




Esther and Me Ch. 03



When Lucy opened up her gift her eyes sparkled. I guess it was something she never would have bought for herself. When I told her they had a hot black masseur, I think she blushed.

Even though Esther was computer savvy she wasn't much for electronics. I showed her how the iPod was broken down by artist, groupings, and types of music. When I started it and put the headphones on her ears her eyes lit up—Elvis never sounded so good. I told Esther that I had a Bose docking station on order and that all she had to do is to plug her iPod into it and that she could play her music while also re-charging it. She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Now it was time for my last gift.

I was going to get a gag gift for Catherine but decided against it. When she opened up her airline ticket she smiled and said it would be a nice break from the cold. When I handed her the next envelope she hadn't expect anything else and looked at me then the envelope for a few seconds before opening it. She stared at the ticket and I didn't see any immediate reaction and was getting a little concerned. Had I misread her intentions? Then it came; just a little upturn on the corners of her mouth as her eyes now met mine.

"For Christ's sakes girl, what is it?" her mother asked.

"Just a little get away," she replied now fully smiling while mouthing the words 'thank you' to me.

Everyone thanked one another for their gifts and while Lucy went to get everyone dessert Catharine sat down next to me. The kiss with a little tongue was all the dessert I really needed but pecan pie with cool whip was my favorite.

"I'm assuming there is another ticket to my suite?" she asked looking into my eyes.

"Well, it is a double occupancy room and I wouldn't want you to get lonely all by your little self."

"And I assume it had a king size bed?"

"But, of course. And I hope to hell you don't get sea sick, because it's on one of the upper decks that have a huge balcony. If you're interested, you can look on the computer and get a three hundred and sixty degree visual of our room, what there is of it."

"Steve, it's just a room, no matter how big or luxurious it is. It's who is with you in the room that makes it special."

The pie was wonderful and a glass of burgundy finished off the evening. I wished for once that Esther had a hot tub because I would have liked to have taken Catherine and relaxed in the warm water but she had other things on her mind.

The outfit was a deep red and had green lace trim. There were cutouts for her breasts and each nipple was decorated with a little cotton ball.

"I figured you'd want to open up my last present while we were alone." She was right. 

I removed both the red and green balls from her nipples with my teeth giving them more than a few licks to clean the adhesive off. Without any bottoms on, I decided to leave the rest of her outfit on and just eat my gift the way it was. The pecan pie was good but this was much better.

It didn't take long to get her good and wet. Her clit was a hard nub after just a few licks and lip pulls. Working one finger in and out I made sure I wouldn't run into any resistance even though I was pretty sure she needed no foreplay to get her wet enough. 

When I slipped inside I moved up and with me holding her hands over her head we kissed and made love. Doing it with someone new was an experience I hadn't expected nor wanted unlike my ex-wife Sarah. It made my heart beat out of control, quicken my pulse, and made me that much harder. We'd decided that since we were both monogamous a condom wouldn't be necessary, not like we had to worry about a slip and her getting pregnant. 

I wasn't out to prove to her I was the best lover she'd ever had, more so to show her how much I really cared for her and that she was more than a warm body in my book; so we made love for what seemed like hours. However, when you reach that certain age, you don't last for hours, that is unless your taking a little blue pill and get an allergic reaction. Otherwise after a half an hour you're ready to come down from the climax you've just experienced, and remember what it was like to go again after twenty minutes.

"That was nice," I told her pulling on a now soft nipple that was still out of her outfit as if asking for a little attention. "I hope you plan on wearing this for the rest of the weekend."

"In your dreams," she answered putting her head on my chest. "Besides, it's not that damn warm even down here in Florida, and I don't think my mother would like to see her daughter all out there at the breakfast table tomorrow morning." I relented and a terry cloth robe was the breakfast attire for the remaining time she was here.

Instead of hitting the stores for sales on the twenty-sixth I wanted to show her a few beachfront condos in Ormond and New Smyrna Beach I'd been looking at.

"You're right, it's time I look ahead and figure out where I want to be two to ten years from now. I plan on staying in Florida but would like to be closer to the water. I can't touch that type of place on the Florida west coast, but over here, they're more affordable," I explained to her as we took our leisurely two hour drive.

The three two-bedroom condos were all nice but the maintenance fees took me aback. I guess being on the coast both the insurance and upkeep were a lot more expensive. But hell, the fees were more than I had been paying for my house in Temple Gardens. I'd have to think about it a little more.

"Well, what do you think about the beach areas? We could buy something and rent it out until we were ready to move into it full time. We could use it as an investment and maybe find a small single family home because that's what I'd rather have." It looked like I was the one doing all the talking. 

"When do you plan on moving out of Mom's house?"

"I don't have a definite date, but not until after we get back from our cruise. I want to go over her house with a fine toothcomb and get everything fixed before I do. I think she likes having me around and I want to give her enough notice so she doesn't think it's something she said or did that drove me away. I do really care about your mom and the more I get done the easier time Lucy will have keeping up with everything."

"I don't want you to leave because of what I said last time. I know you're not sponging off on her and you're right, my mother does like you. Hell, she must really love you to say nothing about you banging her daughter right under her nose."

"Making love with, not banging." I corrected her.

"Call it what you like, you know very well what I mean."

"Speaking of which, now that I've got you trapped, so to speak, just where do you think we're going?" I was hoping upon hope for the answer I wanted.

"Well, I wasn't a hundred percent sure the first time and I was more than a little scared Thanksgiving, but now I think I finally know where you're headed."

"I hope you mean we," I replied.

"You, me, we, it's all the same. It's just that I don't know how a long distance romance will work. The distance between Florida and New Jersey isn't insurmountable but it is a long ways, and how about if you find someone else? Say another hot old broad seduces you and takes you away from me?"

"Just how hot is this girl you're thinking about? Short brown hair, about five foot eight, a little mole on her right cheek?"

"That's a beauty mark not a damn mole."

"Okay, I stand corrected. A BEAUTY MARK on her right cheek, and nice looking, with the sweetest lips I've ever kissed? Does that about describe her? Don't you know that love makes you deaf, dumb, blind, and stupid?" She smiled. "Now that we've got that out of the way, what was your other question?"

The rest of the holidays, thankfully, were much quieter. I took everyone up to the town center for New Year's Eve so we could ring in the New Year. I gave Esther a big kiss. She told me it was about time I dumped her daughter for someone with a lot more experience. I even gave Lucy a big kiss and thanked her for taking care of me these last few months.

With Catherine gone things got back to normal or whatever normal was for us anymore. I made a list of things to do and whenever Lucy found something that she wanted to change I always found time to do it. 

It was just before our cruise in March that Esther caught a cold and couldn't shake it. I took her to every doctor in the area and finally took a day off and headed to Orlando to see a specialist with Lucy in tow. She had bronchitis and between drugs and a nebulizer she was holding her own. I added an air purifier and an extra heater in her bedroom to help her breathe easier. I talked to Catherine about postponing our cruise but both Lucy and Esther wouldn't hear about it.

"Go, just go and have a good time. A damn cough isn't going to put me in the grave, for Christ's sakes. Don't you know that only the good die young? Besides, you two need to be alone for once. Every time she comes down here the two of you are baby-sitting me. Go, have fun, and screw to your hearts' content. I want to see Catherine walking nothing but bow legged when you get back. You do know she loves you, don't you?" That night I let Esther in on a little secret.

"Lucy, why don't you take the night off? I'll watch Esther and you can visit with your friends." I didn't have to ask her twice.

I made her a cup of hot tea; no beer for her tonight, started a fire, and sat on the chair next to her wheelchair.

"You know I love your daughter, don't you?"

"Steve, how stupid do you think I am? "I've known about the two of you since that first night. Hell, I was the one who threw you two together."

"Okay, okay, so it's no secret that I care for her. It's just that maybe you don't know how much?" With that I pulled a small box out of my top pocket and opened it up. "If your husband was alive I'd be here asking him for his daughter's hand, but since it's just the two of us, well you know what I want."

"Kind of small, isn't it?" I gave her a look. "Does she even have a fucking clue you're going to ask her?"

"Probably not, but I'm never going to get a better chance than being alone with her for seven days. How it's all going to work out I haven't a clue. The only thing I know for sure is that I want to marry your daughter and have her make an honest man out of me."

"Jesus Christ, she's going to shit. I wish the hell I could be there when you ask her."

"Don't worry, Mom, you'll probably going to hear every detail time and time again if I know your daughter."

"You called me Mom!"

"In a short time you're going to be officially Mom, but to me you've been that to me for quite a while anyway." She started to tear up. 

"Now, don't go getting all sentimental on me."

"I'm not, it's just that I had hoped to have you all to myself. See what happens when I bring in another damn woman? She steals my man away."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." We talked until almost ten o'clock. She was happy for me, or should I say for the three of us. 

"I only hope she doesn't say no?" Esther could hear the worry in my voice.

"If she does, she's a damn fool and then I've got you back all to myself. But don't worry she won't say no. You're a catch in anyone's book. If by chance she say she needs to think about it, then I'll parade a hundred good looking widowers in front of the two of you so she'll know that if you snooze you loose." Esther was used to getting what she wanted.



Esther and Me Ch. 04



 Chapter Four A new union and life without Esther

Catherine was already at the house by eight in the morning, bags in hand. I had stayed up most of the night over packing or should I say putting everything I owned into one HUGE suitcase.

"And they say women over pack. Do you have everything you own in that bag?"

"Everything except my mustang and I figure we'll pick it up on the way." I smiled until I tried to pick up the bag. Screw that, I'd let the porters deal with it. Passport, drivers license, a ton of cash, and one credit card is all I should need. I checked and rechecked the list the travel agency had sent over to me. The last thing I threw in was seasick pills. I wasn't taking any chances. 

We said our goodbyes. Esther gave me a big hug and whispered 'good luck' in my ear. It was a five-minute cab ride to the storage facility and the port was about a three hours drive so we had plenty of time to talk. This would be my first official cruise and I was looking forward to it like you wouldn't believe. I had all my valuables, including the ring, in a small backpack I planned on keeping close to me until we got in our room. There would be no slip-ups if I could help it.

Even with express check-in it still took a while and our bags didn't show up until after some stupid thing called muster. I felt like I was on the Titanic listening to them explain what we would have to do in the unlikely event we needed to abandon ship. We were going to the tropics for Christ's sakes, how many icebergs could there be? I unpacked everything, hung it all up, and put the rest in the dresser drawers. Catherine hung up her two long dresses and that was it.

"I work out of my suitcase. I know where everything is so excluding my toiletries everything stays in here." I guess she was an old hand by now. We signed up for a few excursions but mostly we wanted to spend the time by ourselves. We walked the ship, found out where everything was and headed back to our cabin. 

"Let's hit the pool deck," she suggested.

I grabbed one of five bathing suits I'd brought while she dug out hers. I was just tying the knot in front when I looked up and saw what she was wearing. Where's the rest of it? Were the first words that my brain asked. It was yellow, tiny, and tinier; that's the only way to describe it. She wasn't big breasted but what she did have was all out there.

"What?"

"I think I've got a few bandages in my suitcase that would cover more than that suit is covering."

"Steve, we don't know anyone here, and I'll never see any of these people ever again. And unless you think I don't look good in this suit, what's the problem?"

"You see, we're probably not going to make it out of this room the way you look and the way I'm feeling right now." I looked down at a raging hard-on.

"I can fix that," she said sitting on the bed opening my swimsuit and taking me in her mouth. It didn't take her long as she deep throated me while caressing my balls.

"Oh fuck," I said holding onto her shoulders to steady myself while she drained me. 

"Now," she said pulling up my shorts. "Shall we go to the pool deck?" Weak in the knees we made our way up one flight of stairs.

At fifty-four Catherine look better than good. If I didn't know any better I'd swear she wasn't a day over forty. She got more than one look from teenage guys to those a lot older than me. It got to the point I didn't want to leave her alone for even a second.

When I went to the buffet line to get us some fruit and a cool drink there was a guy sitting on my lounge chair talking to her when I got back. Even through his dark sunglasses I knew what he was staring at. I stood there with both hands full of food when they finally noticed me.

"Honey, you're back. Steve, this is Don, Don this is Steve."

"Steve, I'd shake your hand, but it looks like you've got them pretty loaded. Kate, maybe I'll see you around," he said getting up.

"Kate?" I said looking at her.

"Here, let me help you." She stood up taking both drinks." After that incident I never left her side.

We had the late dinner seating so after changing into something more appropriate we walked the decks until just before eight. There was a mob of people waiting to get into the dining room but within five minutes we had found our table and were seated. I ordered us drinks and a bottle of wine to have with dinner.

There were three other couples at our table. John and Tracy were in their late fifties, Linda and her new husband Paul were at the most in their mid to late twenties and just by looking at them you could tell they were newlyweds or close to it. The third couple came in late. Kevin was in his late forties but his wife April couldn't have been much more than twenty-nine. Looks like he had a trophy wife.

We went around and introduced ourselves and found we were from all walks of life and were scattered throughout the United States. When Catherine said this was my first cruise everyone added their tidbit of something I just had to do, but to a person they said it would be memorable.

Dinner was long and drawn out. Finally after finishing our wine Catherine suggested a walk on the deck. That's when my cruise went to shit. All the fucking outside doors had steps to keep water from coming in during a storm. I opened the door and plowed into one falling flat on my face. Then adding insult to injury, the door closed on my leg. Embarrassed doesn't even come close to describing how I felt.

Catherine was trying to re-open the door when the steward rushed over to help her. Feeling more like a klutz, everyone helped me up. It was then I realized I had a slight problem feeling the pain shoot through my right foot. A quick trip to the infirmary confirmed that I had a slight ankle sprain.

"Keep off it for a couple of days and you'll be as good as new," the doctor instructed me. "Take two of these three times a day for a couple of days, keep it elevated, and you'll be upright in no time." He handed me a small bottle of pills that contained what to me looked like large aspirins.

"Great, just fucking great," I mumbled softy to myself watching him put an ace bandage around my ankle. Standing up it was sore but manageable.

"I can't take you anywhere, can I?" Catherine said laughing. "Looks like bed rest for you."

"Not on your life. This is my first cruise and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it even if it kills me."

So, we didn't walk the decks that night, but we did hit the clubs. We got a table close to the dance floor and I got an extra chair to keep my foot elevated. The place was dark and the music was very loud. The best we could do is to watch other people dance. When Catherine was asked to dance by one or more guys she always said told them thanks, but no thanks.

"Go ahead and dance, I'll be fine. It's not like I'm going to be able to do much of anything for at least a couple of days."

"You sure about this?"

"Look, I know you love to dance. Have some fun and don't worry about me. I'll just be a good cripple and sit here in the corner," I told her sticking out my lower lip. She kissed me.

"Maybe we should go back to the room and do our own type of dance?"

"We'll have plenty of time for that later tonight. Right now it's time to party." So for the next two hours she went from one guy to the next on the dance floor. She never danced a slow song with any of them, but she did a few mean salsa dances with one. She sure was a great dancer. We left the club around one thirty in the morning.

"I haven't had that much fun in ages," she said beaming. 

We made it back to our cabin, undressed, and sat on our balcony enjoying the night air. Holding her hand I reached over, kissed her, and said what a good idea this had been. We made our way back into the cabin and with the balcony door propped open so we could hear the ocean made mad passionate love and fell asleep in each other's arms.

We never made breakfast in the dining room but hit the Lido deck for the breakfast buffet. We were docking at Key West this morning and she was looking forward to walking around the downtown shops.

It was crowded and after an hour or so my foot started to bother me.

"Babes, I need to go back while I can still make it." I could see she was disappointed. "Look, you shop and have some fun and I'll meet you back on the ship."

"Are you sure?" 

"Positive," I replied giving her more than a little peck. "Just don't spend all your money on these over priced touristy items." She smiled and I was off on my slow hobble back to the ship. What had taken us a half hour, took me almost an hour to get back. I was hurting and sweating like a pig when I finally made it back to the ship. I iced the shit out of my ankle, kept it elevated, and popped three of those damn pills. At least from the balcony in my room I could see the dock and the people walking back to the ship.

It was after four thirty when I saw Catherine and two guys walk up the dock to the ship. I recognized my new buddy Don and who the other guy with him was anyone's guess. I guess Don was right, he would see her around and it looks like he had.

She must have had four bags stuffed with clothes and over the next hour she modeled each item for me. When she brought out a bright pink swimsuit the size of a two cotton balls, my face showed what I thought of it.

"Loosen up. If you've got it flaunt it and if you don't, flaunt what you've got. This one I plan on wearing on that special sun tanning deck." I looked confused. "Steve, it's a topless sun deck for adults only. I want to go home without any tan lines this time and don't worry, you'll be right next to me." 

An hour later we were up on that deck without our tops. I put plenty of sun tan lotion on the spots that were pale white and hadn't seen the sun in a long time. I did let my hand slip a couple of time and all she said to me was later. When Don and the other guy I'd seen her with came topside I wasn't too happy. 

With a big smile she said, " You remember Don, and this is Paul. I met them both downtown today."

"How's the foot, Steve?" he asked looking at me through his dark glasses.

"Much better. It'll probably be all healed up by tomorrow." I lied but he didn't know that. When they sat next to Catherine and talked up a storm I started to get a little concerned. When more than one guy started walking around and staring at her I told her it was time to leave.

"You're going to get burned and ruin the rest of the cruise if I don't get you out of the sun."

"I guess you're right. We'll probably see you guys at the club later tonight." She got up from the chaise and put on her top. I said nothing.

Dinner was fantastic, and of course, we both ate more than we should have. I had only one glass of wine especially after she said that a walk around the decks was in order. I popped two more pills and although I was in pain, I told her I was fine. I was still limping a bit but sucked it up.

The club was packed and we could only find a small table in the back. I danced three songs back to back and after the last one, a slow one, the throbbing of my ankle let me know I was pretty much done. I had sucked it up as much as I could stand and now I had to get off my foot. With sweat rolling down my face I told her I just needed to sit for a couple of minutes; that's when Don showed up sans the sunglasses. He couldn't be much over forty and when he asked Catherine to dance I told her to go for it. That was the last I saw of her for the next two hours. I take that back, she was on the floor with Don, Paul, and two other guys most of the night. She'd wave at me but after three slow songs and too much to drink on my part I wanted her off the floor. 

I made my way over to the dance floor. She was talking to two guys, had a drink in her hand and it looks like it hadn't been her first. One guy had his arm around her, and the other two were talking, laughing, and having a good old time.

"Hon, I think it's time we call it a night." I said looking at the guy with his arm around her; he immediately removed it.

"But it's still early and I haven't danced this much in a million years," she said with pleading eyes.

"There's always tomorrow night." I reached out to her.

"Well, guys, I guess I'll see you tomorrow," she told them but they didn't look any too happy with me. She'd had at least one too many and swayed to the music in the background all the way to our room. When we pushed into our room she was all over me.

"I want you so bad right now I can't stand it," she began pulling her dress over her head. However she slipped backwards and ended up on her ass. That must have jarred something loose inside of her because she covered her mouth and ran to the bathroom. Dinner and I think everything she drank that evening came up, that's what it sounded like, anyway. I went out and sat on our balcony while she tried to recover. Ten minutes later a glassy-eyed woman came out.

"I think I had too much to drink tonight. Everyone was buying drinks and I must have lost track." I was going to say no shit sweetheart but held my tongue. Our romantic cruise was not turning out the way I had planned.

Did we make love that night? Hell no. She was out like a light within five minutes snoring away. Hopefully, tomorrow would be a better day; it wasn't. 

I left her sleeping and went to breakfast in the dining room. Only the guy with his trophy wife was there. He asked about my foot and I said it was pretty much healed. I told him that I planned on taking it easy today and maybe by tomorrow I would be back to normal. We shot the shit about Key West and how his wife melted two credit cards trying to stimulate the economy by herself. I laughed and said that she wasn't the only one. We finished and I headed back to my room but found no Catherine. 

I spent the next hour and a half hobbling around the decks looking for her. Going from the gym to the dining room and finally the Lido Deck, I looked everywhere. I finally found her up on the topless deck with her new best friend, Don. I was pissed and I didn't hide it this time.

"I've been looking for you for the last two hours. You could have at least left me a note where you were going."

Well, I got up and you were already gone. You didn't leave me a note where you were going."

"If you remember correctly, you were passed out and asleep," I replied, thankful she couldn't see my eyes through my dark glasses. I looked over at Don. 

"Well, I see you found your new friend on this big ship easily enough." I told her sarcastically.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"Forget it." I said now in disgust.

"Maybe I'd better leave," Don said starting to get up.

"You don't have to leave, Steve is just being a jerk. You sit your ass right back down there."

"That's right, Don, sit your ass right back there so you can finish memorizing every pore on her breasts." I'd had about enough of him. "If you want me, I'll be on the ship somewhere," I said sardonically and walked away. She said something to me but I was halfway down the stairs and never heard it.

There really was a lot going on aboard ship. From afternoon dance classes, art auctions, gambling lessons, not to mention pool parties and games on the Lido deck. I found myself in the gym on a stationary bike hoping it wouldn't hurt my ankle too much. It was pretty boring looking out over the bow at the water so I decided to sneak into the dry sauna and ended up in the whirlpool with four other people. The hot water made my foot feel much better but I was starting to get irritated with Catherine. I made it back to our room shortly after four o'clock. She wasn't there and it looked like she hadn't been back since she'd left earlier that morning.

I changed and spent the next two hours at an art auction. You'd be surprised at the prices people pay for what I considered junk art. I guess when you're on vacation sometimes you tend to let your guard down, well not me. I got back to our cabin just before seven and walked into a hornet's nest.

"Where the hell have you been? I walked the entire ship looking for you," she screamed at me. Where had I heard those exact words earlier today? "I was about to tell the captain that you probably went overboard. Where were you?"

"Well, after I left you I went to the gym, got something to eat, and then spent the next few hours between gambling seminars and an art auction."

"Why didn't you come back?"

"And spoil your good time? I wouldn't have dreamt of it." She heard the bitterness in my voice. 

"You're starting to act like a real ass. I can't help it that you fell and hurt your damn ankle."

"Let's just drop it and go have a nice dinner, shall we?" We showered separately and got dressed in silence. I don't think we said more than five words to each other on our way to dinner. 

Everyone was talking about our next port of call and what they planned on doing. We had signed up for an excursion to view the ruins and I was looking forward to it. When Don stopped by our table told Catherine that he'd love to show her the ruins since I was out of commission I about freaked. He was hitting on her with me right there.

"No need, Don, my foot is all healed, and I'll be showing her them myself." I shot him a look that basically said to back the fuck off. As usual we made our way over to one of the two clubs. There at a large table were the guys she'd been dancing with the previous nights and against my better judgment she talked me into sitting with them. We had two drinks and I was dancing more than half the songs with her.

I was paying for our drinks when one of the guys asked Catherine to dance. 

"Why don't you find some other lady to dance with," I piped in. She didn't take too kindly to that remark and told him she would love to dance, giving me the evil eye. So the night went. An hour later when another smiling guy asked her to dance, I told him to fuck off, in those exact words.

"Steve, what's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?" If she didn't know the obvious by now, my answering her question wouldn't have made any difference.

I guess I lost my cool and flipped him my room card.

"Here's my fucking room key, you might as well take that too," I said in a loud voice to the surprised group at our table. Just make sure you clean her up when you're done with her, I don't need her getting cum stains all over our sheets. Have fun guys because I'm out of here." They were all catching flies at this point. I was halfway down the hall when an exasperated Catherine caught up to me. 

"What the hell is your problem, Steve? The way you're acting you'd think you were my father."

"No, not your father but I'd at least hoped your lover. Go back to your boy toys and leave me the hell alone. I guess this cruise wasn't such a good idea, after all."

"Stay here and let me go back and get my things so we can talk."

"About what? Remember when you said that you had bad cruises with your ex because all he did was to hit on this woman or that one? Right now I think I know how you felt." I kept walking away hearing her yell for me to wait until she got back. I'd had one woman tear out my heart. I wasn't about to give another one that chance.

I sat at the bar by the casino for the next two hours. After that I made my way into the casino where I dropped a couple hundred—it just wasn't my night. After that I went up to the top deck and with a double in each hand I proceeded to get blitzed. 

In all my years of drinking I had never passed out but I did that night. I awoke with my head throbbing. My mouth felt like shit and I fought against opening my eyes. The one thing I did notice was that someone had thrown a blanket over me. Ever so carefully I opened my eyes. What time it was I hadn't a clue, but the way I felt I knew I was alive; dead people didn't have to go through all this pain.




Esther and Me Ch. 04



I dragged myself up into a sitting position and rubbed my eyes finally looking at my watch, seven thirty. Then I saw her. She was still asleep in the lounge chair next to mine under a blanket. I looked at her and thought back to last night and cringed. I didn't remember much from the last couple of hours but did remember in vivid detail our last conversation and wasn't looking forward to what I figured was going to be the conversation this morning. 

I thought about all my options listing them in my head: getting another room, packing up and catching a flight out at today's port of call, or just toughing it out for the last four days together, that last one wasn't too appealing to me.

When she started to stir I ran out of time to think of any others.

"Are you alive?"

"Define alive. I'm upright, breathing, but have one hell of a hang over, besides that I'm not sure."

"I waited in our room and when you didn't make it back by twelve I got two stewards to help me find you. I got scared because I didn't think you were even breathing when we found you. They said you were passed out and got me a couple of blankets. Don't ever do that again, you hear me?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"It's not a hard question or it didn't use to be anyway."

"I care about you, that's why," she replied.

"Like you care about a pet or something like that?"

"I think you're still drunk because you are not making any sense."

"Catherine, what are we? We use to be lovers and I thought much more, but after three days on this cruise I'm not so sure anymore. I'm just too old to be playing cat and mouse games. I've told you more than once how I feel about you, and if you don't feel the same way oh, well. Life is too short for me to be pining over some woman who doesn't return my feelings. I think it would be wise if we just part now and this way we can still remain friends before something else happens between us and I end up angry like I was last night."

"Are you sure that you only hurt your ankle when you fell that first day and not your head too? I do love you, how can you doubt that? I'm not the type of girl who jumps into bed with the first guy I meet if you haven't noticed."

"But, for the last few nights you've ignored me over your new party group. I meant it when I said I knew how you must have felt when your husband was hitting on all those other women. There have been four or five guys hitting on you for the last three days if you haven't noticed. There's one thing I've realized about myself, I'm a very selfish and jealous lover."

"Steve, there are six and you don't have to worry about any of them."

"Please, don't talk to me like I'm some sort of naïve kid. I saw you." She was now laughing and looking at me.

"I don't think it's very funny," I said getting angry all over again.

"Steve, they are all gay. They are dance instructors from Minneapolis, Denver, and Newark. And if you haven't noticed, there are ten other couples with them floating around."

"Gay?"

"Yes, gay."

"Don put together this little group and he wasn't checking me out, he was probably looking at you." She started laughing all over again. "You can imagine their surprise at your little outburst last night. When they asked if I had told you they were gay, I said it had never really come up. I like to dance, and who better than with a gay dance instructor." She continued laughing.

"Look, I love you and want to be with you but how we're going to figure it out I don't have a clue. So, if you're done being angry with me, I know something we haven't done much of since we got on this damn boat and I'm about to change that right now." We passed on the ruins and spent the rest of the day in our cabin.

I can attest to the fact that two people can fit in one of those little showers but it does flood the bathroom. By the time we were dressed for dinner we'd completely run out of clean towels. 

That night at dinner, she was wearing a dress that hid almost nothing and all, and I do mean all, the men in the dining room looked when she walked by. When she smiled and whispered that she wasn't wearing any underwear I did a quick feel just to check. She parted her legs slightly and I copped a feel of her warm bald mound. I got a hard-on. The food was great as usual and the conversation lively until we got to the dessert, then I took it up a notch. She turned her head to talk to the woman next to her and on her empty plate I put the ring box. To my horror when she turned around Catherine didn't even notice, but almost everyone else at our table did. I tried to hold my excitement in. 

When they started to bring out the desserts she finally looked down at her plate. I made sure I wasn't looking at her when she opened the ring box and went nuts. She grabbed me, kissed me, and jumped onto my lap. I stood her up, dropped down on one knee, and proposed—she teared up.

"Yes, yes, hell yes," came out of her mouth. Everyone at our table, and every table around us, started to clap and congratulate us. Someone ordered a couple bottles of champagne and we closed up the dining room. 

She never took her eyes off that ring. It was white gold, a little over three quarters of a karat, and had baguettes on both sides. When we passed the club she told me to wait there for one minute. Six loud and crazy guys came running out, talking all at once and shaking my hand.

"You are one lucky guy, you know that?" one and all told me. I agreed and apologized for my outburst the night before. By the time we walked away we were all friends again.

I looked at her. "Gay?"

"Gay!" she replied for the second time. 

"In a dark corner on an isolated deck she rode me while I did my best to get her off. With both breasts in my hands and her grinding her pussy onto my dick we both succeeded in christening that lounge chair. In the background I could hear the outdoor movie playing, but we were creating our own love scene in a movie staring us. One couple happened to walk by when we were almost there. Embarrassed his girl looked away, but he smiled and gave me a thumbs up. Afterwards we kissed on that lounge chair for the next half hour before retiring to our room.

I wanted to make love out on the balcony but she said doing it in a chair didn't appeal to her much but would think about it for maybe tomorrow night. We did, however, talk until the wee hours of the morning about the who, what, where, when, and why of our relationship and life together. Since we were going to do this, we just had a lot of details to figure out. We missed breakfast again that morning.

In shorts, tee shirts, and flip-flops we hit the Lido Deck for breakfast instead. We ate inside and even though we were in a corner booth, more than one person came up and congratulated us on our engagement.

"Why don't we both quit work and live on love?" I suggested.

"We could have done that if we were in our twenties, but now it would be a little tough." We did decide that we both wanted to be as close to the beach as possible, but the condo route didn't appeal to either one of us. 

We may not be able to get exactly what we want, but in essence we wouldn't need much for just the two of us. Two bedrooms, one bath and a large deck sounded good to me. However, she said we had to have a pool with a screen enclosure to keep the bugs out and a hot tub would be a nice touch.

"You know my mom's not going to be too surprised, She's been throwing us together since before I even came down." I laughed at that. 

"That's Esther. She gets what ever she wants one way or another."

"I guess I'm like my mother in that regard," she said squeezing my hand. "I got what I wanted." We kissed again or should I say still.

At dinner we were still the big news in the dining room. The captain and the dining room steward came over and personally congratulated us. For dessert they came out with a cake with both of our names on it. The taste was something out of heaven as one and all marveled at what a good cake it was. We shared what was left with the table right next to ours and one couple said they were going to get re-engaged if we could get another cake that tasted that good.

We spent the last two days eating each other up. Catherine was going to have to fly home the morning after we got back, and I was due at work first thing Monday morning. We wouldn't have much more time together. 

I was in no hurry to get off the boat. We picked up our luggage and loaded up and were on the road within an hour. Our hands never left one another's. I pulled up at Esther's shortly after one and it seemed that they were expecting us because they were in the living room just talking.

"Well?"

"We broke up mom. We decided that neither one of us could handle a long distance romance without going nuts. Maybe in a couple of years we'll think about it again," she said before she burst out laughing and ran up to her mother to show her the ring. Lucy just smiled. 

We ate a light lunch because after eating everything that wasn't nailed down on the cruise, I would have to lose a couple of pounds. She relayed events of our cruise including my little outburst at her new gay friends.

"Steve, I'm surprised you didn't punch them out," Esther exclaimed. "My husband would have. He would never have put up with that shit she put you through. Now the big question, when do I plan for this wedding?" We looked at one another.

"Mom, that's the ten thousand dollar question. We still haven't even figured out how and where we are going to live much less get married."

"Well I'm not getting any younger, and wouldn't you feel just crunchy if I died before the two of you got hitched? I don't see the big deal. It's not like we're going to invite a million people. Steve has a couple of kids and some friends and all your family is down here. I figure fifty people tops and shit, we could do the whole thing here at the house if you wanted to." That wasn't a bad idea I thought to myself. A weekend wedding and we could always go on our honeymoon later, just not a cruise. There was no way anyone, gay or straight, was getting within ten feet of my bride this time. We spent the night in bed talking about just that.

"Easter weekend," we told them at breakfast. "We both get Good Friday off and we can get married on Saturday," Catherine told her mom. "This way everyone will be off and we'll take our honeymoon in June." The date was set and plans went into motion.

Esther was in seventh heaven with her, Catherine, and Lucy planning the wedding. I gave them free reign and let Catherine deal with her mom about the details. I told my kids and they said that they would for sure be there. They planned to stay with their mother, and no, she wasn't invited. 

Within a month all the plans were made. The food, the cake, the D.J., the Justice of the Peace, and even the bartender were all locked up. We got our marriage license and all we had left was to wait for the date.

I was spoiled having her next to me every day on the cruise. Looking at one another on the computer screen was okay, but not like the real thing. I did sneak up three weekends later to surprise her when she got off work. We spent the weekend in bed and lived on love, Pizza Hut pizza, beer, and wine. I was counting down the days.

Esther was like the Esther of old, full of piss and vinegar taking no prisoners. We went up to the town square and she made it a point to tell one and all that her daughter was marrying a true hunk and the best guy on, "two fucking legs," as she put it. Sarah never once came over to congratulate me. I think the reason was obvious. The closer it came to the wedding the more tired Esther looked. I got concerned that she was overtaxing herself, but she said that she hadn't felt this alive in years.

"What can I do to help?" was the only statement out of my mouth to Lucy. "I don't want this wedding to kill her, do you understand?"

"Steve, everything's already done. The only thing everyone has to do is show up. I've got it on auto pilot as we speak."

"It's just that she looks weak and tired again, and I'm concerned."

"You and I should look so good at eighty-eight. Listen, I told you before, the doctor is doing everything modern medicine can do and I'm not even waking her up from her afternoon naps anymore. She needs more rest but she's fighting me tooth and nail. Something about getting all the rest she needs after she's dead and gone." I told Lucy I'd talk to her at dinner tonight.

"Mom, you're starting to look a little peeked, you feeling all right?"

"I can still run circles around you and don't get me started about being able to drink you under the table. Don't fret, I've got a damn wedding to attend and don't worry, I'm not going to fucking die on you just yet." She still had that gentle way of telling you she was doing just fine. I let it drop but kept an eye on her.

"What the fuck is this shit, near beer?" she screamed at me Saturday night. "This crap tastes like warm bunny piss."

"Esther, do you even know what bunny piss tastes like?"

"Fucking right I do, just like this shit. Now dump this O'Doul's out and get me my Bud." I did as ordered but only gave her one tonight which didn't set well with her either.

It was drizzling rain the day of the wedding. I wore a suit but no tux and Catherine wore an almond colored floor length dress that fit every curve of her body to a tee. Up at the makeshift altar I quietly asked if she was wearing panties. She just smiled and said I'd have to find out for myself.

With the 'I do's' done the party began. We took enough pictures to make an album of memories that would last us a lifetime. I especially made sure we had a good one of her mom and us, and one with just the two of us we could put on the mantel. My kids were happy for us and welcomed Catherine into the family. Lucy watched Esther like a hawk and I did something of a dance with her in her wheelchair. She had tears in her eyes when she told us how happy she was for us and that she could now die a happy woman. We both told her that she'd probably out live the both of us but looking at Lucy I weren't too sure. 

When I told her that I was looking at a place I thought she'd have a coronary.

"What, you come in here, knock up my daughter and leave?"

"Catherine's a little old for me to knock up, and I think I've sponged off you long enough."

"You're family, for Christ's sakes. Who in the hell am I going to party with? Lucy? Hell, she's a lightweight at best. You're staying right here and I don't want to hear another word about you leaving." I called Catherine.

"Steve, if she wants you to stay why don't you just stay, at least for the time being. Also, Lucy said Mom is still not looking good and I'm a little concerned. Besides, if you're there I'll sleep a lot better knowing you can take care of any emergency. How are you holding up?"

"Besides walking around with a constant hard-on, no real problem."

"You got spoiled that week on the cruise." I couldn't argue with her about that.

"I've got a realtor keeping an eye out for a small place on or a block away from the beach. I gave her a fifty-mile range we'd be interested in so if she finds something I'll have her e-mail you a picture. I miss you," I told her.

"I miss you too but it won't be forever and besides, doesn't absence make the heart grow fonder?"

"Not in my book." She laughed and told me to take a cold shower. "Maybe we can do another video, if you know what I mean." I reminded her of that option.

"You dirty boy. I give you a little taste and now you want a regular diet of it. Maybe this weekend if you're good." I couldn't wait.

Two weeks later Esther, Lucy, and I were back in Orlando for a follow-up visit with her specialists.

"She needs more rest and if she doesn't get it, I'm going to have to admit her," the doctor told Lucy and me. "Her sugar level is way too high and she's two pounds down from the last time I saw her. Tell her lay off the beer and get her to eat more." I guess the doctor didn't know Esther very well.

A cup of hot green tea after dinner didn't sit well with her. She wanted her Bud.

"Look, Mom, if we don't put some weight on you and get your sugar in check the doctor is going to put you in the damn hospital. You want that?"

"Fuck them all. I'm not going to live forever, but I'm not going out eating mush and drinking Jap juice. Now bring me a damn beer." I brought her half a glass of Bud light.

Catherine flew down to look at two places the realtor had come up with but neither one suited us. We set up a few new parameters and told her to try again, but Catherine said she wouldn't be opposed to maybe a townhouse. We had a nice visit and tried to cram a week into two days. She left bow legged but smiling.

The heat of the summer was now gone and with it went Esther's health. I gave Catherine updates every other day and even Lucy was concerned, although she tried to never show it. After a couple of huge arguments they admitted her into the hospital for nothing more than observation. She was still losing weight because her appetite was almost totally gone. When they put in a feeding tube I thought she'd have a cow.

Somewhere around nine o'clock on a Thursday night I was reading a car magazine and sitting next to her bed; I thought she was sleeping when I felt a bony hand on my arm.

"I told you I had plans for you but you never believed me, did you?" she said in a feeble voice but with a saucy smile. "You may not believe it, but Mother still knows best. You two make a nice couple, and for the first time since I met you, I know you're happy."

"And I guess I can thank you for that," I added. "Now, why don't you go back to sleep before I have one of those nurses slip a sleeping pill down your feeding tube."

"I'd rather you poured in a Bud." We exchanged smiles. 

I bent over and kissed her forehead. I told her I wasn't going anywhere and would be there when she woke up. With a gentle squeeze of my hand and a weak smile she closed her eyes.

I didn't want to make the call that morning. I still had tears in my eyes and had been up with Lucy all night in the hospital. I called a friend and had him take Lucy back to the house. She was totally drained and void of any emotions after a long night. I told Lucy I'd see her sometime later.

"Hi Babes," Catherine said all bubbly. "Thinking about me? I sure as hell thought about you last night. I think I burned up two batteries last night alone."

There was no easy way to say it. "Hon, your mom passed away last night." I heard the phone hit the floor. There were sobs then crying. Finally I heard her ask how and when. 

"She died in her sleep last night. There was no pain. We were talking and when I told her to go to sleep she closed her eyes and never woke up. There is a ticket waiting for you at the Southeastern desk at the airport. The earliest flight out was two o'clock this afternoon. I'm so sorry, Hon, I just don't know what to say. Please take a cab to the airport, I don't want you driving and I'll meet you when you arrive." We talked for a few minutes more before she reminded me she had to go and make plans to leave. I called her every hour until she got on the plane.

Her makeup was all gone when she ran into my arms. Even though we all expected it sooner or later, it didn't make it any easier. She cried on my shoulder, and I did my best to be strong for her but was dying myself inside. I handed her my handkerchief and we drove in silence to the house.

Esther had all ready planned her own funeral knowing that everyone would be a wreck. The funeral home picked up the body by nine the next morning. They told us that Catherine could see her mother the following morning but to please call first. Lucy showed me the contents of a large manila envelope Esther had given her to give to me just in case. The casket, the plot, and even the newspaper release were all done. The only thing I didn't touch was a thick envelope with Catherine's name on it. On the top it said, Please Read When Alone.




Esther and Me Ch. 04



We ate a few of the leftovers that Lucy had in the refrigerator, but no one had much of an appetite. I had two glasses of wine while Catherine sat at my side finishing off the rest of the bottle. I told her Esther's last words a dozen times and she cried each time all the while saying how much she would miss her.

I put my wife to bed and sat sipping on a glass of wine watching the fire in the fireplace. It would be hectic the next few days and then the reality of life without Esther would sink in. I missed her already. Her feisty and sharp tongue always made me laugh, or at least embarrassed me while we were out and about. My next thought was Lucy. She no longer had a job or a place to call home. I'd have to talk to Catherine about that. There was no way I wanted to put her out. She'd been with Esther for over ten years and loved her like her own mother.

The next time I blinked I saw the sun coming up and Catherine was standing in front of me.

"You sat up all night? You're going to be dead by tonight."

"Are you okay?" I asked her. "No, and probably won't be for a while, but at least Mom's at peace. I guess I never thought what it would be like without her. I figured she'd be around forever. Now I feel bad for not visiting more and being nicer to her." I moved her head off my shoulder and with both my hands on her face I kissed her. "You meant the world to her. She loved you more than I think you'll ever know. Don't think about the what ifs just be thankful for all the time you had with her."

Touching my forehead with hers she told me that she loved me and that we'd get through this together. I took her back to bed.

The viewing was much larger than anyone expected. The place was packed and they had to extend their hours just to accommodate everyone who wanted to pay their respects. They came by car, bus, and limousine. They walked in, some with walkers and others in wheelchairs. I recognized many of the people I'd met at night sitting in the plaza and everyone said that she'd be missed. A few congratulated me on my wedding and commented on what a beautiful wife and daughter Catherine had become. It seemed that even though she hadn't spent that much time with her mother in Florida, these women remembered what she'd looked like in her thirties and forties—especially those close to Esther.

During the service there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Following the formal service Catherine wanted family only for a few minutes so we could say our goodbyes in private. Standing besides Catherine and Lucy we whispered to Esther how much she would be missed. Catherine touched the side of her face, kissed her, and slipped a letter into her hands. The funeral director quietly closed the coffin lid and took it away to the waiting limo. We drove to the cemetery in silence. Although Catherine did not watch the coffin being lowered into the ground, she managed to hold on long enough to get through the rest of it. After that we took Lucy home and the two of us just drove around for a long while. Catherine said she hoped to go back to the cemetery in a few days to say her goodbyes but felt she needed more time to compose herself before that could happen. 

When we returned to Temple Gardens we attempted to have dinner at one of the plaza restaurants but after the tenth person came up and said they were sorry about our loss, we left. I took her to a small out of the way place and finally had a quiet meal. After our dinner we just drove and ended up at an isolated motel on the beach. We walked along the water and sat on the sand just listening to the waves until just before midnight. She had an emptiness in her that I was doing my best to fill, but knew only time could do that. 

I let her sleep in and found a small restaurant down the road and brought in breakfast. She hadn't eaten much and I hoped that this morning I could get her to eat even a little. I was kneeling on the floor, next to the side of her bed looking at her, when she woke up.

"Good morning, Mrs. Moore," I said giving her a peck on the nose. "I've been cooking for hours so you have to at least try to eat something this morning."

Coffee, some fruit, and half a bagel were all she could get down. We talked a little but neither of us pushed the issue or even tried to make small talk. We checked out and headed for home holding hands the entire time.

"Thank you," she said looking at me.

"For what?" I said looking a bit confused.

"For everything. I know you loved Mom too and although you're probably hurting you made sure I was okay."

"That's what husbands do."

"Not all husbands," was her reply. We didn't say much the rest of the way home.

Lucy was bouncing around the house not really knowing what to do without Esther being there. We had dinner, just the three of us, and although Lucy never said a word, there was this huge elephant in the room. I told the two of them to leave the dishes and clean up to me and that's when Catherine and Lucy walked out onto the patio. I could see them talking and then watched as they both started crying, consoling, and hugging one another with their heads on each other's shoulder. They finished, and now smiling, they wiped the tears away from their faces. It was as if they had helped one another come to grips with the loss they were both feeling.

I was already in bed by the time Catherine came out of the bathroom. I flipped back the sheet and covers inviting her into the bed. I let her make any and all advances because I still wasn't sure exactly how she was feeling. We kissed and cuddled until falling asleep or should I say I did. Sometime between twelve thirty and seven o'clock in the morning she got up. When I woke up I felt for her but she was gone. After calling out her name twice and hearing no reply I went looking for her. She was in the living room sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace; she'd been reading.

The envelope was opened and the papers were lying face down on the marble floor in front of the fireplace. 

"Hon, you all right?" I softly called out to her.

She didn't say a word only reached out a hand to me. I grasped for it and sat down on the cold marble with her.

"You want me to get you your robe?"

"She never took her eyes off mine as she kissed me lightly and then mashing her lips against mine driving her tongue into my mouth. We switched from side to side as the heat from the fire only intensified her passion. How long had it been since we'd made love? I wasn't sure but I grabbed her and took her back to the bedroom and made love to her body and soul. Breasts were caressed, nipples played with, as I finally removed what little clothing remained. I was going to eat her pussy but she stopped me.

She pulled me between her legs, reached down and inserted me into her already wet pussy. In three strokes I was deep inside of her and moving effortlessly. She wrapped her legs around my waist and met my every thrust with one of her own. I didn't last long but never stopped even after I'd given her everything I had in me.

It wasn't a bone-crushing climax, and if I hadn't felt her muscles contractions gripping me I never would have known she'd gotten off. Now with her arms around my neck we came down together exchanging morning breath and sleep coated tongues.

"You know I love you, don't you?" she whispered in my ear.

"Never doubted it for a minute," I said kissing her ear.

"Liar," she said biting my ear lobe. "If I remember right someone got a little jealous over a couple of gay guys."

"All right, so I'm a little possessive of what is mine."

Looking into my eyes she told me I had nothing to worry about; she'd always be faithful.

"Come on, let's take a shower," she said with that old wicked look in her eyes again but stopped dead in her tracks. "Get the water ready, I'll be right back," she said running back into the living room, grabbing the papers off the floor and stuffing them back in the envelope. Throwing the envelope on the desk she dragged me into the shower. After our shower I wanted to fool around again but was told to behave because we'd have plenty of time for that later. 

I made coffee and bagels while she cooked some bacon. I was a little hungry that morning and it looked like she was also, that was a good sign. 

"Steve, I want to go see Mom's grave after breakfast, if you don't mind."

"No problem, and I think it might be fun if we swing by the storage unit and pick up my mustang again and take it out for a spin after that. Maybe I'll even let you drive it."

"Steve, why don't you just get it out of that damn storage unit and leave it at the house once in for all. This taking it out every other month for a spin is stupid. A car like this is meant to be driven. If it was mine, I'd be driving it to and from work every day."

"Babes, it's a classic and I don't want to put the miles on it. Some day it's going to be worth a pretty penny; that is if it doesn't have a ton of miles on it." I guess what I'd said went in one ear and out the other as she told me 'whatever.'

At the cemetery we cried. It was still too raw and would take a lot more time for the hurt to heal. I held her, told her how much I loved her and that I'd do everything in my power to make her feel whole again.

"You really do love me, don't you?" she asked. "It's just not lust or me filling a gap left by your ex-wife. You love me for who I am."

"Remember those words. Sickness and in health, till death us do part? I meant every word of it." I kissed her wet salty lips. She hugged me, smiled, and I finally got rid of any doubts, if she'd had any.

"You know my mother really liked you?" she said driving my mustang back from the cemetery as I watch the road on pins and needles until we pulled into the driveway ten minutes later and continued our discussion in our bedroom.

"Like I said, Mom really liked you," she said putting on something more comfortable she could lounge around the house in.

"I know that, and I loved her too."

"No, I mean she really, really LIKED you. In her eyes you walked on water. You must have made one hell of a first impression on her. She said you were the most loving and loyal man she ever met outside of my father and that's saying something."

I thought back to the first couple of times we'd met and besides me buying her a beer or shooting the shit with her there wasn't anything special about our meetings.

"She said that after you found out about your wife cheating on you she concocted this scheme to get you and me together."

"When was all this taking place?"

"I guess in between you dumping your wife and her planning a trip for me to come down here."

"Why that little shit. She had it all planned right down to which rooms we'd be staying in."

"Steve, she knew I loved to go for a swim at night and that you did also. I just didn't know you did it in the buff."

"Disappointed?"

"Not in the least," she said giving my hand a squeeze.

"You never told me that you told her that you were going to propose to me on the cruise."

"It was our little secret. I felt I owed her that much, after all you were her only daughter, and I respected her enough to tell her in advance."

"Well, that I guess, sealed it in her eyes, anyway."

"Did she tell you that if you had said no, she'd set me up with a hundred single widows she knew?"

"I told her, like I'm telling you now, in your dreams. You're mine and I don't share."

"You can't imagine how good that makes me feel. However, on a side note, I don't know what arrangements your mom made for Lucy, but I'd like to do something for her. I've got some money stashed away and would like to set her up with something of a nest egg, so to speak. She wasn't just a nanny or caregiver to your mom; she really cared for her." I was hoping I wasn't stepping on anyone's toes or out of line.

"Mom was right, you really are a good man. That's what she liked about you. You truly care about others and are willing to dig into your own pocket to help out someone you'd never met up until a year and a half ago. You really are something, you know that?"

"Well, what do you think? She won't be on easy street but she won't have to care for anyone else again if she doesn't want to." I waited.

"My mom has already taken care of Lucy. She won't have to worry about anything again. Mr. Moore, have I ever said how much I love you?"

"Not often enough but I'll work on you until you get it right."

"Now the hard part—us," she said in a serious tone.

"Before you say a word I've got a crazy idea I want to run by you. Getting half of the value of my home, with my pension, and what I'd get at sixty-two, I'm thinking of quitting my job at sixty-two and moving up north with you. I know it's still a little ways off, but that way we'd be with each other and not worrying when and how we'd be together. I know I can find something up north to fill my days and bring in a few bucks. And during that time we can be looking for a little retirement place back here on the beach. What do you think?"

"You hate the cold weather."

"I love you more than I hate the cold and after all we'll have all those cool nights to keep each other warm. What do you say?"

"I hate it. You'd be miserable up north and the only reason you would be doing it is for me. This way I could keep my job and you'd be giving up yours."

"Hon, we'd be together. I can't bear the thought of not having you with me all the time. It's a small price for our happiness."

"Okay, how about this? I give notice at my job and I move down here into my mom's house. This way we'll be warm all the time and most of all we'll be together."

"I like your idea much better and I think even if you don't work, we'll get by. I don't know how much your mom still owes on this place, but it can't be that god awful much," I kissed her and started getting friendly. "Let's celebrate."

"Not so fast bucko, there is still one item we need to discuss and it's usually a touchy subject with most newly married couples. I say we pool our money together and I take responsibility for paying our bills and managing our money. I do it for a living and I'm probably a lot better at it then you."

"Okay, that was easy. Now can we fool around?"

"Don't you have any questions? Don't you want to know how much I make a month? You don't feel, you know, you'd be less a man with me taking charge like this?"

"I love and trust you implicitly. I know you'd never screw me over. Just don't yell at me if I overspend my budget." She looked at me and laughed. 

"That went a lot easier than I thought it would."

We made love and I did make her scream this time. I counted three climaxes, which for me was a new record, or at least the best I've done in ten years. I was out of breath and Catherine was flushed and fanning herself while we both were enjoying the afterglow. 

"Wow, if this is the way you get when I take charge, I'm going to have to do it more often."

"Take charge nothing, I'm going to have you here with me and that, my wife, is worth everything I own."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes, no question in my mind."

"All right, but getting rid of twenty-two million dollars is going to take me more than a few days." She gave me a big shit-eating grin.

"What did you say? Twenty-two what?"

"Million. Mom left me a trust fund and it is a shade over twenty-two."

"Well, then we can give Lucy more than I thought."

"Steve, she doesn't need our money. Mom left her two million and a new condo."

"Steve, I knew the type of man you were a long time ago. I just didn't want to step on your masculinity without first asking you. So, you give your notice, I'll give mine and we'll find a little shack on the beach with a pool where we can swim naked and have sex whenever we want."

Life got a lot easier after that day. Now every night, after making love with my wife, in my mind I quietly thanked Esther and remembered the words she'd always say to me. 'Steve, I've got plans for you.' I guess she did.